While at the Second Layer of Qi Refining, Bai Zichen consecutively consumed six Qi Replenishing Pills. As if he had a cheat, he successfully advanced to the Third Layer of Qi Refining in just one short year.
Although all his Magical Power came from converting elixirs rather than his own meditation and refinement—leaving him with a less-than-solid foundation—his Cultivation had genuinely increased.
This was an unavoidable drawback for elixir-reliant cultivators. It was a well-known fact that one could simply go back and properly purify their Magical Power after their Cultivation had advanced. As long as one's Cultivation Realm increased, everything else was inconsequential.
So, he didn't stop there. He used the last few months to refine four more Qi Replenishing Pills, successfully reaching the peak of the Third Layer of Qi Refining a week ago.
Bai Zichen had long heard about the difficulty of breaking through to the Mid-Stage Qi Refining. This was not a barrier that a single Qi Replenishing Pill could overcome, so he simply calmed his mind and decided to let nature take its course.
"The night before last, I was admiring the moon in the courtyard when my Chang Chun Skill suddenly began to circulate on its own. It felt restless, like it was about to break through its limits and enter a whole new realm. I didn't even return to my Quiet Chamber; I just sat down and started cultivating right there in the courtyard. I never expected that by circulating my energy according to the fourth layer of the Chang Chun Skill, I would break through the bottleneck so easily. It was as if it was meant to happen..."
"No, I can't even call it a bottleneck. Just like when I broke through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining, it happened so simply."
If anyone else had heard Bai Zichen's words, they would have surely thought he was being dishonest, hiding the real key to his success.
But Bai Jiu'an believed his nephew wouldn't hide anything from him. Besides, for some geniuses, cultivation was simply easier. What seemed like an insurmountable chasm to one person was a smooth, open road to another.
But if you were to ask them to explain the specifics, they wouldn't be able to put it into words.
"In any case, it's a good thing, so there's no need to look too deeply into it. The Cultivation Realm is full of endless wonders; not even a Core Formation True Man can be all-knowing and all-powerful."
"It's possible, Chenn'er, that you possess some kind of latent Spirit Body. It might not be visible on the surface, but once certain conditions are met, it can bring you immense benefits."
A Spirit Body was a special kind of talent. Its possessor would often excel in a particular area, and they were exceedingly rare.
For instance, someone with a 'Great Sun Flame Body' would find cultivating Fire Element Techniques and Magic as natural as a fish in water, their speed not much slower than that of a Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator. Furthermore, they could comprehend Fire Element Divine Techniques ahead of schedule. Their combat prowess was exceptional, and Cross-Tier Battles were a common occurrence for them.
A thousand years ago, the Qingfeng Sect produced a Core Formation True Man who possessed the 'Great Sun Flame Body' and relied on it to make a great name for himself.
Bai Zichen also had a faint suspicion. 'Perhaps I really do have some kind of talent that can't be seen by the naked eye. Otherwise, there's no way to explain this situation.'
"However, in your future cultivation, you must control your intake of elixirs and not become dependent on them. First, a cultivation level built on elixirs is like a castle in the sky; it will collapse with a single push. Second, all medicines have a toxic component. Every elixir leaves behind a trace of Erysipelas. You won't notice it in small amounts, but if it accumulates over the years and erupts at a critical moment, it will be a huge problem."
Bai Jiu'an himself had only learned this principle in the last two years. Previously, his knowledge was limited, so he would immediately consume any elixir he obtained, never thinking about such consequences.
But his nephew was different; he had a bright future and had to prepare for it.
"Foundation Establishment is the unified sublimation of one's Essence, Qi, and Spirit—none can be lacking. When you try to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, an eruption of Erysipelas could prevent your physical body from reaching perfection, leaving it flawed and causing you to fail. The reason it's considered hopeless to attempt Foundation Establishment after the age of fifty is the same. One's qi and blood have begun to decay, and the body can no longer withstand the powerful purification that comes with the sublimation of Magical Power during the breakthrough."
This was wisdom accumulated by the Bai Family ancestors through generations of bloody lessons.
"I understand. I'll be careful from now on."
A chill went down Bai Zichen's spine, and he quickly committed the advice to memory. He had, in fact, been planning to save up Spirit Stones and have Chubby go to the Market to buy two more bottles of Qi Replenishing Pills.
This kind of esoteric knowledge was usually only passed down within a Sect. By the time it reached a Cultivation Family, the information was already fragmented. They could only glean a few insights from the experiences of their elders who had repeatedly tried to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. Even so, this was far more than any Loose Cultivator would have.
After all, where would a Loose Cultivator find any experience with Foundation Establishment to draw upon?
Even if by some incredible stroke of luck a Loose Cultivator obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill, the numerous pitfalls and traps along the path would reduce their chances of success to practically zero.
For the next month, Bai Zichen relaxed his mind, enjoying his most peaceful time in three years.
He introduced Bai Chongwu and Chubby to one another, and through Bai Chongwu's connections, he attended two gatherings of the Clan's younger cultivators.
He also finished reading the small booklet meticulously compiled by Bai Chongwu, a list of Black Mountain's most talented figures. To be honest, it was quite detailed.
Cultivation Families like the Fire Phoenix Mo Family and the Qingxi Huang Family, members of the Top Five Families, each had one or two exceptional clan members, but the most outstanding of all were undoubtedly the disciples of the Qingfeng Sect.
However, because of their age, the Qingfeng Sect disciples of Bai Zichen's generation hadn't yet reached the age where they would travel the world, so their reputations weren't widespread. He had only heard of one disciple named Su Li, who had displayed an astonishing talent for the Talisman Dao from a young age. On the very first day she joined the Qingfeng Sect, she was accepted as a Direct Disciple by the Talisman Hall Master.
According to news from Elder Honggu's Dao Companion, Su Li could already independently create Tier One Mid Grade Talismans as of last year. She had the talent to become a Tier Two Talisman Master while still in the Qi Refining Stage.
At the same time, her cultivation aptitude was not lacking either; with Gold and Fire Dual Spiritual Roots, she was a strong candidate to become a True Disciple.
Within the Qingfeng Sect, aside from the two lofty Core Formation Ancestors, the ones who truly managed the Sect's operations were the Sect Leader and the various Foundation Establishment Stage Elders.
And the disciples who joined the Qingfeng Sect were ranked, from lowest to highest, as Outer Sect Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, and True Disciples.
「In the blink of an eye, a month had passed, and the day of departure for the Five Mountains Temple had arrived.」
The Clan dispatched Elder Honggu to escort the two juniors. After all, the journey would take several days, and they couldn't rest easy letting two inexperienced juniors travel so far on their own.
"Greetings, Third Elder. We'll have to trouble you to look after them on the journey."
Bai Jiu'an had taken the time to see his nephew off. After waiting for about fifteen minutes, he finally saw Elder Honggu and, following behind her, a young girl.
"Now that we're all here, let's depart immediately."
Elder Honggu's face was cold, showing no intention of making small talk. She summoned a Magical Artifact, the Peach Blossom Net Bag, and with a surge of her Magical Power, it expanded to be dozens of feet wide. She then settled herself in the very center.
Staring at the Peach Blossom Net Bag floating in mid-air, Bai Zichen hesitated for a long moment before gritting his teeth and jumping aboard, spurred on by Bai Ling's teasing smile.
'It's so soft and springy... almost like a couch...'
Bai Zichen muttered to himself, subtly shuffling a couple of inches further toward the center. This was his first time on a Flying Magical Artifact, so it was only natural to be nervous. He was terrified he'd accidentally fall off and be smashed into a bloody pulp.
Among all Magical Artifacts, the price of a Flying Magical Artifact far exceeded those of other types; one was easily worth three others.
The reason was simple: they could fly, and that was a luxury.
The Peach Blossom Net Bag wobbled as it rose. Once it reached a height of about two hundred feet, it flashed with a red glow and shot off into the distance.