Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

At that time, it seemed that there was no concept of the Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, and most ancient texts referred to our current cultivation realm as Yuan Province.

Moreover, the descriptions of ancient events and ancient lands in some ancient texts do not correspond to our present-day Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, uncertain whether they are fictional or if this world has also changed due to the catastrophic extinction six thousand years ago.

As for the extinction, the widely accepted belief is that during ancient times, a great demon appeared in the cultivation realm. The demon was formed from the desires of the Human Race, as a divine punishment from the Celestial Dao for humanity’s greed.

Ultimately, whether Human Race or Demon Race or even Spirit Race, all living beings in this realm were annihilated. Only a very few ordinary beings, without spiritual qi within them, managed to escape the disaster.

Since those who survived the extinction disaster were ordinary people with no cultivation, they knew little about the events in the cultivation realm, and most passed away before the age of a hundred.

Not until several generations later did cultivators gradually emerge.

The truth behind the extinction disaster became increasingly distant and blurred.

Meanwhile, after the extinction catastrophe, the environment of heaven and earth changed dramatically, far from what it was before.

It took nearly a thousand years for post-ancient cultivators to explore some paths of cultivation and develop the ability to discover ancient ruins...”

Li Ji’an revealed all the information he had gathered during his three lifetimes in the cultivation realm concerning the extinction disaster over six thousand years ago.

”Demon? Looking at it like this, isn’t the demon created by the Celestial Dao? Then isn’t this Celestial Dao the source of the demon?” Ning Sujin looked up at the sky, feeling disgusted by the Celestial Dao’s actions in punishing the world with demons.

Li Ji’an was momentarily speechless. According to his pre-transmigration knowledge, the Celestial Dao is indifferent, treating all things as straw dogs and merely operating according to established rules, without enacting such rule-reversing actions.

But in this cultivation realm, he couldn’t be sure.

”Did the Ascended Immortal Monarchs of ancient times truly go to the Immortal Realm? Is the Immortal Realm truly ageless? Why didn’t they return to the mortal world?” Ning Sujin didn’t particularly yearn for the cultivation golden age of ancient times, nor did she have much reverence for those Ascended Immortal Monarchs, and even questioned her own experience transitioning from the Immortal Dynasty to the cultivation realm.

Li Ji’an understood this too.

”Based on my knowledge from reading countless ancient texts, it is true that pre-ancient cultivators could ascend to the Immortal Realm, which likely did exist. As for why there are no records of their return, I speculate it might be related to the barriers between realms.” Li Ji’an shared his guess.

Ning Sujin frowned, unable to comprehend the so-called barriers between realms.

”Forget it, forget it, these things are too distant from us. Let’s go and have a look at these Barbarians first.”

”Alright!”

Moments later, the two arrived at the city gate.

Although called a city gate, it actually was just yellow earth ruins and debris.

No one guarded the entrance.

The two stepped in casually.

After entering Desert City, the buildings gradually increased in number and were better preserved.

Almost every household was inhabited.

The houses here, like the Barbarians, were larger and sturdier than those of the ordinary Human Race.

Li Ji’an and Ning Sujin stood outside a house, appearing particularly small.

There were few pedestrians in the city, making them very noticeable.

”Wu! Help mine~smiling fury Hu~” Just as they walked to the entrance of a sandy house, a tall Barbarian with an outdoor stall, bare-chested, shouted at them.

Although not understanding their language, they vaguely grasped the meaning.

The stall had a large cleaned demon beast exuding the unique earthly spiritual aura of this place.

The two glanced at the demon beast meat on the stall and ignored it.

”Noola~” The Barbarian stall owner immediately shouted at their backs.

It was evidently a curse.

Li Ji’an and Ning Sujin acted as if they hadn’t heard. At their age and experience, they were beyond being emotionally triggered by others’ words.

Fortunately, the other just cursed once and said nothing further.

Thus, the two strolled around Desert City for three days, traversing the Outer City.

Compared to the average Human Cultivator, aside from the Barbarians being larger and coarser in speech, there wasn’t much difference in the Outer City.

The place also housed ordinary Human Cultivators, with businesses mainly targeting the Barbarians.

Then, Li Ji’an led Ning Sujin into the Inner City.

The Inner City had a gate, relatively more intact than the outer ruins.

Likewise, no guards were posted at the Inner City gate, but a phrase was left at the entrance.

In addition to Barbarian tongue, it also bore the ordinary Human language.

”Cowards prohibited entry!”

These three days made Li Ji’an more familiar with the Barbarian Race’s heart nature, and he was not surprised by this.

The Barbarians venerate power and bravery, acting crudely, most disliking effeminate people and talkative humans. Faced with conflicts, they’d rather fight it out than waste words in debate.

This stems from their ancestors’ survival environment over six thousand years ago.

Back then, their ancestors resided in the icy north, surrounded by beasts, with survival only possible through strength; beasts won’t reason with them.

Later, when Human Cultivators gradually settled here, driving away the demon beasts, they slowly migrated from the Icefield.

”Hey! Little Douding, dare to compete with me in strength? If you beat me, this Lion Camel is yours.”

Just as they walked a short way into the Inner City, a Barbarian at a stall shouted at Li Ji’an.

He spoke with an accent in Human language, though awkward, was understandable.

With this shout, many nearby turned to look.

”Haha, Banu, you’re bullying these little Doudings again, even an old Douding.”

”Old Douding, step up, show that guy some color.”

”That Lion Camel is a Second Tier Demon Beast, quite pricey, enough for you to buy Pill Medicine.”

...

While the crowd jeered, Li Ji’an looked at Banu.

Banu was smaller than the surrounding Barbarians but Li Ji’an clearly sensed the vigorous vitality within him.

Curious about the Barbarian Race’s innate physique, Li Ji’an wondered, without Body Cultivator training, yet fully comparable or even stronger than same-tier Body Cultivators.

”How to compare?” Li Ji’an gently stroked his beard and smilingly asked.

He intended to take this opportunity to study the opponent’s natural physique thoroughly.

”Waa~”

Upon these words, the Barbarians nearby in the Inner City were amazed and gathered around.

They never imagined this frail old Human would actually dare to compete in strength with Banu, a Barbarian elite.

”Old Douding, if you can defeat Banu, I’ll give you ten pounds of meat every month!”

”...I’ll send you a wife!”

”...I’ll build you a house.”

In an instant, Banu’s house turned into a focal point, continuously attracting waves of people, mostly Barbarians, with a few ordinary humans.

”Senior, don’t compete with him. Although he’s just a late-stage Foundation Establishment Dharma Cultivator, their innate physique is strong. Especially this Banu, he’s almost a Tier Three Body Cultivator.” A Human Fake Pill Cultivator transmitted sound to Li Ji’an in reminder.

Li Ji’an cast a glance at the person, smiled in response.

But most Human Cultivators were merely there to see the fun.

Assuming Li Ji’an’s Zhenren Cultivation would surely suppress Banu at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, they thought he was destined to be embarrassed.

”You actually dare to compete with me?” Banu widened his eyes, incredulously looking at the elder in front.

As a young elite within the Barbarian Race, he didn’t genuinely intend to bully a weak old Human, just sensing a True Pill aura in the elder projected a playful challenge.

Unexpectedly, the elder indeed dared.

”Have you never been to Desert City?” Not waiting for Li Ji’an’s reply, Banu asked again.

Li Ji’an shook his head.

”Hahaha.” Banu then guffawed, waving his hand, ”Go on, go on, just joking with you. You don’t understand our Divine Race’s innate strength, even your True Core Cultivation couldn’t compare with my divine power.”

”Banu, you fool, you could bet with him and win his Spirit Stones!”

”Worthy of our Divine Race elite, Banu, well done.”

...

The crowd’s attitudes varied.

”Compete, this old fellow loves to compete in strength with others!” However, Li Ji’an stepped forward again, his voice resolute.