The Daqi Cultivation World, Ling Province.
Ling Province was one of the nineteen provinces of the Qii Kingdom. It was a remote region on the southwestern border, adjacent to the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Despite this, Ling Province spanned a vast area of tens of thousands of square miles. Three mountain ranges crisscrossed the land: Moon Viewing, Wutong, and Liuyun.
The Song Family was one of the six great Foundation Establishment Influences in Ling Province. The entire Moon Viewing Mountain Range was their domain, encompassing seven counties and over six hundred thousand Mortal Clan Members.
The family's ancestral lands were located on Vast Mist Peak. The peak rose over ten thousand feet high, a place of exquisite beauty. It was surrounded by Spirit Mountains, lush with vegetation, and wreathed in mist and clouds. The rare and exotic beasts that roamed the mountains added a celestial aura, making it seem like a paradise.
At that moment, on the edge of a cliff halfway up Vast Mist Peak, sat a young man. He was dressed in a green robe with silver moon and cloud patterns, a gourd hanging from his waist. He sat cross-legged facing the sun, his hands forming a seal.
The young man's name was Song Changsheng. He stood seven feet tall with a face as fair as jade. His sword-like eyebrows gave him a sharp look, and his thick black hair was casually tied back with a silk ribbon. He was, by all accounts, handsome and distinguished.
He sat with his eyes closed, his mind focused, preserving his origin and guarding his unity. The interval between each breath was unusually long, yet it followed a mysterious and profound rhythm.
Wisps of Sun Essence Qi followed his breaths, continuously entering his Baihui Acupoint from the air. It flowed through his Hand Three Yang Meridians, Foot Three Yang Meridian, and their respective acupoints, circulating once before gathering in his Lower Dantian to form a gray-white mist.
At a certain moment, he seemed to touch upon something profound. The rapidly circulating Spiritual Power in his Meridians surged violently toward his Dantian. A solid barrier instantly shattered into pieces, causing the young man to let out a muffled groan.
Song Changsheng immediately accelerated the circulation of his Heart Method. Water and Fire Spiritual Power enveloped him, gradually calming the frenzied Spiritual Qi.
'I've finally broken through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.' Song Changsheng opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, his heart filled with joy.
"Congratulations, little brother. You're another step closer to the Foundation Establishment Realm." Just as Song Changsheng finished his practice, a joyful voice came from behind him.
Song Changsheng didn't even need to turn around; he knew from the voice that it was his older brother from the same family branch, Song Changming.
Back then, after the Song Clan's ancestor, Song Taiyi, had slain a Tier Three Great Demon and occupied the Moon Viewing Mountain Range, he took many wives and concubines to expand his lineage. He had established a ten-character poem to be used for the Cultivators' generation names: Tai, Chu, Yun, Xian, Lu, Chang, Qing, You, Jing, and Ming.
The family had been passed down for nearly five hundred years and now had close to four hundred Cultivators, including six Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The oldest living members belonged to the Xian Generation and were the fewest in number, while the youngest belonged to the Qing Generation, most of whom were still minors.
The two generations in between, the Lu and Chang, were the current pillars of the family and were gradually taking control.
Looking back, he indeed saw a middle-aged man with a slightly weary appearance standing in the distance.
"I was wondering why I heard a magpie this morning. It seems it was heralding your arrival, Big Brother. What brings you to see me?" Song Changsheng stood up, clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute, and said with a smile.
Song Changming gave a wry smile. "I have indeed come to ask a favor of you."
"Big Brother, you're being too polite. You've helped me so much on my cultivation path. As long as it's something I can do, just ask." Song Changsheng invited him to sit on a nearby stone bench and spoke with a serious expression.
"Sigh... it's like this. Ever since that battle ten years ago, the family's situation has been declining. Many of our businesses abroad are short-staffed.
So, the family has assigned me to guard a mine. I don't know how many years I'll be gone, so I was hoping you could refine a Protective Talisman for Xi'er."
With a wave of his hand, Song Changming made a green Jade Pendant and a small pile of Spirit Stones appear on the stone table before him. There looked to be a dozen or so stones.
"I see. But Xi'er lives on Vast Mist Peak. She should be perfectly safe. Why does she need such a trivial item?" Song Changsheng asked, confused.
Song Changming was already sixty-three this year. Seeing no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, he had married a Foreign Cultivator and started a family, having his daughter, Song Xi, a few years ago. This Protective Talisman he was requesting was for her.
This was precisely what confused Song Changsheng. Although a Protective Talisman possessed a faint amount of Spiritual Power, it was only effective against mortals. His little niece lived in the family's main stronghold; where would she ever need such a trivial thing?
Song Changming's expression was complicated. "Xi'er is already six this year. It's almost time for her Spirit Root to be tested. If she has one, then all is well. But if she doesn't, according to clan rules, she will be sent to a Mortal County Town.
It's uncertain if I'll even be able to return from this assignment. She'll be all alone then. I... I just can't rest easy. Please, brother, help me."
Song Changsheng fell silent at his words. The clan rules were strict. All the family's mortals lived in the county towns. It was only because Song Changming was a Cultivator that his offspring could live on Vast Mist Peak.
But there was a distinction between immortals and mortals. Without a Spirit Root, one would be sent away to a Mortal City. People aren't made of wood or stone; how could they be unfeeling? How could he not worry about his own flesh and blood? That was why Song Changming had come to ask for this Protective Talisman.
Song Changsheng had never experienced such a thing, which was why he considered the Protective Talisman trivial. But for Song Changming, it was a form of security he could leave for his daughter.
"I understand. I will do my very best," Song Changsheng said. He swept the Jade Pendant into his sleeve but pushed the pile of Spirit Stones back.
"No, you mustn't. Even brothers must keep clear accounts. This is the payment you've earned." Startled, Song Changming tried to push them back again, but Song Changsheng stopped him with his hand.
"Big Brother, I'm still Xi'er's elder, after all. Consider this Protective Talisman my gift to her. After you leave the mountain, you'll need Spirit Stones for everything. You should take them back."
Cultivators required a vast amount of Spiritual Qi to cultivate. However, the Laws of the current world were incomplete, and the Spiritual Qi was chaotic and difficult for Cultivators to absorb. Therefore, they needed to cultivate on a Spiritual Vein.
The higher the tier of the Spiritual Vein, the denser the Spiritual Qi, and the faster one's cultivation.
Vast Mist Peak possessed the only Tier Three Spirit Vein in Ling Province, making cultivation there twice as effective for half the effort. But it was different outside, where there were often only Tier One Spiritual Veins, or none at all.
In such conditions, one had to rely on Spirit Stones to cultivate, or their Cultivation would stagnate. Spirit Stones were precious; for a low-level Cultivator, a dozen or so was no small sum.
Song Changming was touched. "Then, thank you, Brother."
"You're too kind, Big Brother. Care to join me for a couple of drinks?" Song Changsheng smiled and took the gourd from his waist.
"Hahaha, the fine wine brewed by Sixth Aunt herself! I've been thinking about it for a long time. Of course I can't miss this opportunity." Song Changming's eyes lit up.
Song Changsheng smiled faintly. He wouldn't have been willing to take out the Spirit Wine his mother brewed if it weren't for Song Changming's farewell.
He took out two small wine cups, and the two of them drank together on the cliff's edge, only parting reluctantly at 9:00 AM.
Returning to his courtyard reeking of alcohol, Song Changsheng's mind was unusually clear. He shut the door tightly and sat down, focusing his mind.
His consciousness soon entered a state of extreme tranquility. Inside his Sea of Consciousness, a pure white Jade Scroll hovered silently.
Guided by his Spiritual Power, the Jade Scroll slowly unfurled, revealing the dense scriptures within.
Song Changsheng formed a Magic Technique with his hands. Taking advantage of the alcohol in his system continuously converting into pure Spiritual Power, he began to comprehend the scriptures on the Jade Scroll.
This Jade Scroll was a Daoist Scripture named the *Creation Wondrous Scripture*, and it was incomparably profound.
In his past life, he was an orphan on Blue Star who had been taken in by a Daoist Temple. He had lived with an old Daoist priest for twenty years, and before the old priest died, he gave him a Wordless Jade Scroll.
The first time he opened the Jade Scroll, he disturbed the secrets of heaven and earth. Nine bolts of Profound Thunder descended from the heavens, blasting him into a charred corpse.
Fortunately, the Jade Scroll protected his Divine Soul, allowing it to shatter the void and escape to the Purple Imperial Realm, where he was reincarnated into the Song Family.
At first, his Divine Soul was in a state of Chaos, so he was no different from an ordinary child. That changed during the great battle ten years ago, when he was six years old and witnessed the death of his own father, Song Luyan.
In that moment, perhaps due to the intense shock, he finally awakened the memories of his past life. It was also then that he discovered the Jade Scroll had been in his mind all along.
He began to try and comprehend the Jade Scroll, discovering that it was filled with Daoist School classics that pointed directly to the origin of the Great Dao. Every single word and phrase contained a supreme Mysterious Technique.
When he first succeeded at Introducing Qi into the Body, he comprehended a Heart Method called the *Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture*. This technique allowed him to absorb Sun and Moon Essence and form Primordial Qi in his Dantian.
Primordial Qi was incredibly mysterious; it could neutralize the Water and Fire Spiritual Energy within his body.
Song Changsheng's Water and Fire Spirit Root was both his advantage and his disadvantage. The Dual Spirit Roots allowed him to absorb Spiritual Qi at a superior rate, but water and fire are incompatible. When cultivating, he had to expend a great deal of effort to maintain the stability between them.
This had greatly hindered his cultivation speed, but ever since he started practicing the *Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture*, the problem was solved.
Not only did it neutralize the Water and Fire Spiritual Energy, but it also promoted their fusion, greatly increasing his cultivation speed. This was how he managed to break through to the Late-stage Qi Refining at the age of sixteen.
But while the Daoist Scripture was profound, comprehending it required the support of Spiritual Power. That was why he needed to drink large amounts of Spirit Wine before each attempt.
Time passed, second by second. Just as his Spiritual Power was about to be depleted, the Daoist Scripture suddenly flared with brilliant light. The two ancient characters for "Water" and "Fire" written on it suddenly "came to life," rushing out of his Sea of Consciousness and merging into the palms of his hands.
Song Changsheng opened his eyes as a sharp glint flashed through them and then vanished. He murmured, "Water and Fire Manipulation Technique?"
He looked at his palms. On his left, the character for "Water" had appeared, and on his right, the character for "Fire." He gently circulated his Spiritual Qi, and the Water and Fire Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth immediately began to surge. He felt that with a single thought, he could command these powers.
"What an exquisite Secret Technique. It can actually control water and fire. I have another tool to use against my enemies now," Song Changsheng said, pleasantly surprised.
'There really is a pattern to this,' he thought. 'I often try to comprehend the Daoist Scripture, but most of the time it's futile. I only gain a little bit of comprehension and Spiritual Power.
But whenever I break through to a new realm, I always manage to comprehend a Heart Method or a Secret Technique.
When I first achieved Introducing Qi into the Body, I comprehended the *Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture*. When I broke through to the Mid-stage Qi Refining, I comprehended the Breath Concealment Technique. Today, breaking through to the late stage, I've comprehended this miraculous Water and Fire Manipulation Technique.
I wonder what kind of supreme Mysterious Technique I'll comprehend when I break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.' A sense of anticipation grew in Song Changsheng's heart.
After meditating for a short while to regulate his breathing, Song Changsheng took the green Jade Pendant from his Qiankun Bag and began to refine the Protective Talisman...