Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

This year is not only Zhao Shuyao’s centennial, but if Li Ji’an hadn’t undergone rejuvenation, it would be his too.

Unbeknownst to me, it’s been seventy-three years since I came to this Cultivation Realm.

Zhao Shuyao did not host a banquet to celebrate, choosing instead to have a simple chat with Li Ji’an.

After all, in the Cultivation Realm, the so-called ”living to one hundred” is not worth celebrating and is even considered a malicious curse.

This time, Li Ji’an could clearly feel that this old friend was nearing the end of his life, even though he still had about ten years of life remaining. Once a Tier One Body Cultivator exceeds ninety, their vitality quickly declines, and after reaching one hundred, it becomes nearly exhausted. The days after that truly resemble a mortal’s final moments.

Having never experienced ”aging,” Li Ji’an could not fathom the mentality during one’s final moments. However, from what he had witnessed, eighty percent of people faced with their imminent death experienced fear, reluctance, and a desperate desire to live. No matter how bravely they spoke in their youth about their prospects, when that moment came, their desire to survive was overwhelmingly strong.

One out of ten faced death with relief and regret.

A rare few, like Master Shangshan Zhenren and Brother Houde Zhenren, could genuinely face it with calmness and acceptance.

”I fear they all, in the end, will have regrets and unwillingness.” A sigh escaped him as Li Ji’an felt somewhat regretful.

Seventy-three years ago, after stepping into this realm and understanding what ”immortal” truly meant, the five of us vowed to make the family that bred Blood Slaves pay blood for blood.

We also intended to return to the Immortal Dynasty and reveal the truth to the world.

However, many things do not change according to one’s will. Without mentioning the other four, even someone like Li Ji’an, who had fortuitous advantages, still does not have the strength to fulfill those vows.

In the first life, he knew nothing, carefully exploring and accumulating, eventually stopping at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation.

Fortunately, this life accumulated guardianship from childhood, allowing a good start.

Compared to the previous life, this life was much better, but the deeper he understood, the more he realized the difficulty of the Cultivation Realm.

Fortunately, thanks to the Alchemy Dao accumulation from the previous life, especially the great support of the old friend before him, he successfully reached Foundation Establishment.

Yet it can be foreseen, even so, the other three will not see the day of vengeance.

That night, Li Ji’an attempted nurturing his Lifebound Talisman for the first time.

When that Golden Bell Talisman painted on Second Tier Beast Hide was absorbed into his Dantian, he immediately infused it with magical power and connected it with essence blood.

After observing for several hours, he understood its principle.

It was the same as the principle Hua Hongling taught him for nurturing Lifebound Magical Artifacts.

Both use essence blood as a medium, assimilating and communicating with one’s own mind.

In the following months, to gather three Lifebound Talismans, Li Ji’an refined several batches of pills for others in exchange for rare herbs, using Second Tier Talisman Materials as payment.

This practice was common in the Loose Cultivator circles of Cangyun State, especially for resources above the Second Tier. The rarer they were, the less likely they would be sold for Lower Grade Spirit Stones and would be exchanged directly for urgently needed items.

After wasting five precious Second Tier Talisman Materials, he finally gathered them.

One was a Second Tier Early Period top-grade Blazing Halberd Talisman, another a top-grade Wind Escape Talisman, combined with the previously acquired Golden Bell Talisman, greatly increasing safety.

In addition, there were five ordinary Second Tier Upper Grade Talismans and a Tier One Late Period Small Shifting Talisman.

Regrettably, the Small Shifting Talisman only touched on the Spatial Law. Even at Tier One Late Period, its range was merely a hundred miles, unable to escape the lock of Foundation Establishment Middle and Late Period Divine Sense Perception and Escape Light.

To achieve a greater distance with a Shifting Talisman, one must truly harness the Spatial Law Spirit Mechanism, a feat not achievable below Tier Three Late Period.

Fortunately, if one initially uses the Small Shifting Talisman to instantaneously increase the distance, then escapes using a Wind Escape Talisman, even Foundation Establishment Middle to Late Stage cultivators not specialized in escape techniques couldn’t even see their dust.

On this day, Li Ji’an checked the Second Tier Golden Armored Beast Demon Core bounty he placed at Wan Tong Building, still unattended.

”Three thousand Spirit Stones, and no one took it?”

After hesitating for a moment, he finally chose not to increase the bounty.

This result was somewhat anticipated. Compared to human race cultivators, beasts of the same tier have much stronger physical bodies, and once they ascend to the Second Tier, most awaken their bloodline talents.

Without knowing their bloodline talents, even Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators might stumble.

Though it might not lead to death and soul dispersion, the cost would undoubtedly be enormous, rendering it unworthy.

Furthermore, Second Tier beasts almost always reside deep in mountain forests, hard to track, wasting time.

”What a pity Biyun Sect is busy excavating relics.” Under normal circumstances, these bounties are more frequently taken by sect cultivators, as they have sufficient strength and often seek out beasts for trials, doing it conveniently as part of their duties.

Ultimately, Li Ji’an decided to wait for a reply from Xiao Changfeng.

A month later, before receiving Xiao Changfeng’s reply, he unexpectedly received a return message from Chen Qingling.

In it, she mentioned just returning from deep inside Fallen Dragon Ridge to the wilderness, together with Red Stone Wanderer.

It’s been four years since the last message.

”I happen to return to the wilderness, intending to pay respects to Uncle Chen, staying in touch.” Worried that the master and disciple would once again go years without a message, Li Ji’an decisively urged the other party to remain communicative.

The following day, Li Ji’an bid farewell to Xiaoqiao, who was studying Array, urging her to guard the home well.

It’s worth mentioning that Xiaoqiao finally advanced to Qi Cultivation Middle Stage last year, her magical power and Divine Soul barely allowing her to set elementary Arrays. She began intensive study this year, showing remarkable talent as Li Ji’an had anticipated.

This was undoubtedly related to her ability to sense the Earth Spirit Mechanism.

At noon that day, Li Ji’an left Golden Splendor Immortal City and set off on a flying boat directly towards the wilderness.

This time, pressed for time, he not only increased the magical power input into the flying boat but also activated a Second Tier Upper Grade Wind Speed Talisman.

Meanwhile, a Communication Talisman vibrated timely within the Zheng Family’s ancestral residence.

”Hmph, this kid indeed comes again to deliver resources to the Yan Family!” Zheng Tianxiang coldly snorted after reading the Communication Talisman.

”The Foundation Establishment Pill four years ago allowed the Yan Family to gain an additional Foundation Establishment cultivator, and now he dares to come again?”

”Well, he can’t blame me for being impolite!”

”Be cautious, act swiftly, we’ll constrain the Yan Family.”

After four years, Zheng Tianxiang’s decision received support this time.

Firstly, four years ago, after sending people to Immortal City to investigate, they confirmed Li Ji’an was merely a Tier One Loose Cultivator Pill Master, an Honored Guest Elder of the Nine Tripods Commerce Association, and had cut off trading after Foundation Establishment.

Secondly, two years ago, the Yan Family birthed a third Foundation Establishment Stage member, shocking the wilderness, deducing the timing was highly likely locked to what Li Ji’an brought four years back.

Thirdly, with the current stalemate in conflict, the Zheng Family also faced a shortage of resources.

”Rest assured, great uncle, merely a Loose Cultivator Pill Master by himself, not adept in attack nor defense, plus just entering Foundation Establishment, I won’t be careless.” Zheng Tianxiang replied steadily.

In less than two months, Li Ji’an arrived at the wilderness edge.

This time, he did not head to the Yan Family, nor entered through the past location, instead journeyed directly towards the gathering place near the United Marketplace from the east side.

This area had previously been occupied by a five-family alliance, and despite the unwritten rule in the wilderness tribe wars not to target mundane gathering places, due to prolonged chaos, many had left.

Decades later, returning here, it felt much more desolate and forlorn.

Before long, Li Ji’an finally saw Chen Qingling again and learned that her master, Red Stone Wanderer, had been preparing supplies in recent days and would soon return for her.

Upon sensing Li Ji’an’s Foundation Establishment Stage aura, the nearly ninety-year-old Chen Qingling froze, staring at this junior in front of him who resembled Brother Li of old, speechless for a long time.

”I suppose this can be considered continuing Brother Li’s aspiration for Immortal pursuit.” Memories of the persistent late-aged cultivator resolutely seeking immortality against all odds over seventy years ago flooded his mind.