The Minor Huan Sea.
Inside the cave abode on Taibai Island.
“So this is the Intercalation Method…”
Fang Qing slowly lowered the ancient text in his hands. It had clearly been offered by Qingling.
That woman was quite tactful. Ever since entering the territory of Xituo Commandery, she had handed over most of the Azure Bird Tribe’s remaining treasures and inherited scriptures.
The Azure Bird Tribe had long since fallen into ruin. Not a single Purple Mansion spiritual object remained. Still, their secret arts and inheritances were fairly impressive.
Among them, the things Fang Qing valued most were several volumes of fire-method alchemy scriptures, over a dozen Purple Mansion cultivation methods, and this very text in his hands, the Intercalation Method.
As for the Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill Method he had been hoping to find, there was no trace of it. According to Qingling, after the Demon King Suwu completed all four Purple Mansion divine abilities, he personally knelt beneath Descending Phoenix Mountain for ten full years before finally obtaining that method.
“So the actions of ancient great powers leave lingering influence upon the world itself, persisting for tens of thousands of years without fading.”
“The might of a True Lord truly reaches such heights. If even this is the case, then what about the Twelve [Year Arbiters]?”
Fang Qing gradually came to a realization.
The Twelve [Year Arbiters] had established the grand trend of metal and fire manifesting the Dao, and even now the world still followed that pattern. Was that not proof enough?
“As for converting lineages? I do not wish to cultivate the [Bi Moon] lineage, nor do I belong to the [Kang Metal] or [Tail Fire] traditions. And I certainly have no desire to slaughter all those dearest to me…”
“Wait. If I truly wanted conversion, there is no need to go through so much trouble.”
He set aside the Intercalation Method and picked up a fiery-red silk scroll instead.
The scroll radiated a profound and mysterious fire aura. Upon it was recorded the Azure Bird Tribe’s Purple Mansion cultivation method, the Azure Luan True Flame Scripture.
It was a cultivation method for the [Yi Fire] Dao Foundation: “Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix”.
“This cultivation method requires eighth-rank true qi, and it can only be gathered by demonfolk possessing a trace of Azure Luan bloodline… perfect for Qingling to handle.”
“And the Precious Earth Returning to Origin Scripture as well, counting everything together, I am nearly finished collecting the Purple Mansion methods for the Five Virtues and Yin-Yang paths. Though the moon-aspect lineages are probably best avoided. They always feel too sinister.”
In truth, the inheritance Fang Qing possessed in the most complete form was still the [Bi Moon] lineage.
It included Dao Foundation divine abilities such as Light Fully Concealed, Taiyou Palace, Overturning Heaven and Earth Overturn, and Frost Rain Dissolution. The inheritance was complete enough to cultivate all the way to Purple Mansion perfection.
Unfortunately, it carried the hidden danger of demonic transformation. And the Taiyin lineages always felt somewhat unsettling, especially paths like [Wei Moon].
Better to leave them alone.
“My true main cultivation remains the [Ji Water] Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture. That is what I use to increase my cultivation and Dao attainment.”
“As for collecting the Five Virtues and Yin-Yang paths, I mainly want the profundities of their Dao Foundations and divine abilities.”
As he spoke inwardly, Fang Qing produced a jade bottle. Inside rested a thick strand of profound yellow true qi.
It was none other than “Yellow Court Breath”!
This was the true qi required to cultivate the Precious Earth Returning to Origin Scripture. While it could theoretically be purified later through consuming spiritual materials, since the Azure Bird Tribe already possessed stored “Yellow Court Breath,” there was naturally no reason not to use it directly.
Crash!
Fang Qing swallowed the true qi and circulated the cultivation method.
In an instant, the phenomena around his body shifted. Faint images of pheasants darting and deer running appeared amidst surging profound yellow qi as he forged the Dao Foundation, “Primordial Refining Cauldron”.
Not only that, with the Dao-Genesis Pearl pouring primordial qi into the process, his cultivation directly advanced into the mid-stage Dao Foundation realm!
“‘Primordial Refining Cauldron’ can transform harm into benefit. More importantly, [Stomach Earth] governs consumption and nourishment.”
“Whether I consume spiritual rice, spiritual beast meat, or medicinal pills, the effects improve by several degrees.”
“Unfortunately, I do not possess an earth-virtue affinity. Otherwise my cultivation speed would increase even further.”
Fang Qing swallowed a medicinal pill and carefully compared the results before arriving at his conclusion.
His cultivation speed with the Precious Earth Returning to Origin Scripture actually surpassed the Heavenly Escape Sword Art, the Scripture of Nu Earth as Expounded by Lord of the Charnel Grounds, and the Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art.
It was even roughly comparable to the Whale Devouring Vast Sea Formula, falling behind only the Listening to the Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture.
“So in the end, I truly am destined for the water-virtue path…”
Fang Qing shook his head and transformed all his mana into [Ji Water] mana. Feeling the flowing breeze stirring through the void, he stretched comfortably.
“Right now Sangji is busy in the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain conducting some sort of ‘enthronement ritual’ to confer the title of ‘White Bone Dharma King’.”
“As for Xituo Commandery, with Moonlight White Dumu overseeing things, there should not be war with the Xuantu Sect anytime soon.”
“That means I can finally turn my attention back to matters in the Minor Huan Sea.”
However, the moment he thought of that Moonlight White Dumu, Fang Qing’s expression became somewhat solemn.
His earlier experiments had allowed him to vaguely estimate the difference in high-level combat strength between the two worlds.
“A Dharma King realm expert is probably equivalent to an early- or mid-stage Core Formation cultivator on this side.”
“Even judging purely by mana, an early Purple Mansion cultivator slightly surpasses a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator. In actual combat strength, the gap is even greater.”
“And mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivators are likely comparable to late-stage or even perfected Core Formation cultivators. Their divine abilities are vastly superior as well.”
“In the Qi Ingestion path, late Purple Mansion cultivators are called Great Spiritual Masters. There is a very obvious boundary separating them from ordinary Spiritual Masters.”
“That distinction likely carries far more weight than the so-called difference between early and late Core Formation ‘Great Cultivators’ in the Qi Refining path. It is a genuine qualitative transformation.”
“Probably only the great breakthrough of ‘shattering the core to form the Nascent Soul’ in the Qi Refining path can compare.”
“So… late Purple Mansion cultivators are likely comparable to early or even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators?”
“Then would Purple Mansion perfection correspond to late Nascent Soul or Nascent Soul perfection?
“That is only my guess. At the level of Duzi and Dumu, I still have actual examples and comparisons against the mana of the Tide-Birth Pearl, so the estimates are fairly accurate. The further upward one goes, the harder it becomes to judge, after all, I have never studied Nascent Soul cultivators or late-stage Purple Mansion great cultivators.”
“Purple Mansion cultivators of the Qi Ingestion path wield the profundities of divine abilities. Depending on the lineage, their combat strength is difficult to estimate, but the Qi Refining path is not without advantages. As long as resources are sufficient, even a pig could reach Nascent Soul! And Nascent Soul cultivators live for a thousand years, twice the lifespan of Purple Mansion cultivators. Even a perfected Purple Mansion cultivator only lives five hundred years!”
As for realms beyond that?
Fang Qing could no longer imagine them. After all, that Kitchen Lord could speak a single sentence and turn it into the law of the world itself. Fang Qing had never even heard of such a thing within the Qi Refining path.
He leisurely emerged from seclusion and gazed upon the snowy scenery of Taibai Island, pondering silently.
‘Things on this side are starting to become troublesome again.’
With the Tianxin Island secret realm becoming accessible once more, friction and conflict would only intensify.
The Blue Sea Sect would certainly make corresponding adjustments. This was intelligence Qin Ruxue had already sent back.
‘Looking at it this way, I, a local tyrant entrenched on Taibai Island for nearly forty years, really have become somewhat too conspicuous.
‘But obviously I cannot abandon this place. After all, a third-rank spirit vein and third-rank spirit spring that can be freely controlled are treasures the entire Minor Huan Sea possesses only a few of. Unless I become the Blue Sea Sect ancestor myself, or seize Tianxin Island and take it back.
‘Sigh… the Minor Huan Sea truly changes with the winds. Forty years passed in the blink of an eye. Even the lord of Sanyuan Island has changed three times, though two of those changes were technically my doing.’
‘Fortunately, I am not without connections inside the sect. Linghu Zhong has deep foundations. Cui Zhe, the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, has already reached late Foundation Establishment. His cultivation speed is only slightly slower than mine, as for Tianding, forget it. Tianding is practically at the end of his lifespan already.’
As for Qin Ruxue, the Island Master of Array Island? That was no mere connection. She belonged to him.
‘Forget it. Let them maneuver for now. If things truly become impossible, I can personally step in later.’
‘At present, the upper limit of my liquid mana has already reached over ninety drops. My cultivation at late Foundation Establishment is nearing its limit, it is time to prepare the resources needed to break through to Foundation Establishment perfection.’
After relying on pills all the way up, even with the Dao-Genesis Pearl helping convert the medicinal power and preventing pill toxins, bodily resistance to medicine and the existence of bottlenecks were still perfectly normal issues.
Thus, breaking through purely by one’s own efforts would be extremely difficult.
But this was precisely the strength of the Qi Refining path. It did not demand overly high comprehension of the Dao. As long as one possessed the proper breakthrough pill, one could simply force their way through!
Fang Qing arrived at the Ice Soul Cave and looked upon the spring of Ice Soul Coldwater there.
His divine sense swept across it, taking in every detail clearly.
‘My divine sense has already reached Foundation Establishment perfection. It is a pity this spring has not condensed a third-rank Ice Soul Heart yet. Otherwise I could have advanced my Core Formation-level divine sense in advance, which would greatly aid my future breakthrough into Core Formation.’
He patted the storage bag at his waist and took out a jade box.
Opening it revealed a strange flower radiating purple brilliance. It was none other than the third-rank spirit herb, Purple Radiance Water Chestnut Flower!
This item was the primary ingredient for refining the third-rank Great Barrier-Breaking Pill. Together with supporting ingredients such as the second-rank superior-grade Jade Blossom Branch, the ingredients were extraordinarily precious. Even Fang Qing would ache for a long time if he ruined a batch.
Fang Qing toyed with the Purple Radiance Water Chestnut Flower in his hand, yet suddenly his thoughts stirred as he recalled the alchemy scriptures of the Azure Bird Tribe he had studied over these years.
Over the decades, not only had his Qi Refining alchemy steadily improved, he had also studied many alchemy scriptures from the Qi Ingestion path.
The alchemy arts of the Qi Ingestion path were far more wondrous. Many required assistance from Dao Foundations or even divine ability profundities, opening an entirely different world.
At this moment, inspiration suddenly struck him. He wanted to modify the refinement method of the Great Barrier-Breaking Pill by incorporating techniques from the Qi Ingestion path, increasing both the success rate and the profundity of the pill itself.
‘This Purple Radiance Water Chestnut Flower, according to the Qi Ingestion classification system, should belong to a [Jing Wood] spiritual material!’
‘[Jing Wood] belongs to the southern constellations, positioned at Yin, embodying the essence of wood. Wood governs growth and vitality, connecting to the liver and gallbladder. In alchemy it represents the beginning of life and the source of true qi, it carries the meaning of transformation and change, and is also known as “Osmanthus Wood.”’
‘This meaning of transformation perfectly matches the breakthrough effect of the Great Barrier-Breaking Pill. If refined through water methods, then [Ji Water] is required. [Ji Water] favors wind. Wind signifies movement, stirring all things and allowing qi mechanisms to circulate. [Bi Moon] favors rain. Rain signifies nourishment, moistening all things and condensing their essence. The two complement one another and form the ideal conditions for alchemy.’
‘This perfectly aligns with the imagery of “Ji Wind and Bi Rain” that I comprehended earlier.’
Fang Qing moved.
His [Ji Water] mana surged forth mightily, summoning a gentle breeze as the Ice Soul Coldwater spring erupted violently upward.
He then patted his storage bag again and took out a Dao Foundation spiritual artifact belonging to the [Bi Moon] lineage.
The Azure Bird Tribe possessed many such items. They had even once held several Purple Mansion treasures of the [Bi Moon] lineage, though all had since been lost.
This Dao Foundation spiritual artifact was a scroll named [Silver Crow Crying at the Moon Scroll]. The moment it unfolded, frost, rain, snow, and wind descended. It resonated with the [Ji Water] breeze as clouds and mist rose, icy rain fell upon the earth, and an entire mountain peak became shrouded beneath its influence.
“Let us begin.”
Fang Qing let out a long breath, then took out the Miraculous Spring Pure Vase and poured out portions of spiritual water one after another.
“This…”
Outside Ice Soul Cave, Bei Lingshu still appeared no older than twenty, her aura remaining at early Foundation Establishment.
For many Foundation Establishment cultivators, mid Foundation Establishment could easily become a lifelong bottleneck.
Her lively eyes widened as she stared at the scene before her.
Patches of cold moon grass were growing wildly. Wind and clouds surged together. A yin moon hung overhead while freezing rain descended upon the mountain.
Her face filled completely with confusion and bewilderment.
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