Translator: AnubisTL
Time drifted by, and Li Qing's secluded life at the Azure Radiance Pool quietly passed. Months slipped away in the blink of an eye.
During this time, he had been diligently cultivating his Qi, never ceasing to take Foundation Nurturing Pills. He had almost reached the point of consuming one every two days.
Unfortunately, his cultivation progress was less than satisfactory. After consuming so many pills, he had developed a sort of resistance, similar to drug tolerance. The mana gained from a single Foundation Nurturing Pill now paled in comparison to the effects of the first pill he had taken when he first entered the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.
Of course, this could also be related to his cultivation level. Now at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, with the Vital Essence Enhancement Secret Art having reached its third layer, his mana reserves already surpassed those of many cultivators at the peak of the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining. With such a solid foundation, any further gains naturally seemed insignificant.
Slowly opening his eyes, Li Qing exhaled a turbid breath, his expression remarkably calm.
"My cave abode's lease is about to expire. Counting on my fingers, it's time to leave."
As he spoke, Li Qing instinctively released his spiritual sense, scanning the interior and exterior of his cave abode.
Fan Tong was still snoring soundly in the dark chamber. Ever since the World of Eternal Night underwent its metamorphosis, the oaf had become even more lethargic, often sleeping for four or five days straight.
If it weren't for his thunderous snores proving he was still alive, Li Qing would have suspected the fellow had simply slept himself to death.
Outside the cave abode, a handsome young man with a delicate face sat cross-legged, cultivating Qi with utmost seriousness. He remained perfectly still, as if afraid of wasting even a moment of the rich spiritual energy the cave abode offered.
Taking in this scene, Li Qing couldn't help but nod inwardly.
"I still have about half a bottle of Guangling Pills left. I might as well leave them for him before I go. They're not worth much in terms of spirit stones anyway—just a way to build some good karma."
After all, Cao Xiu possessed a Three Spirit Roots cultivation foundation. If he continued to cultivate diligently like this, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should have no trouble reaching the late stages of Qi Refining.
Whether he could achieve even greater heights depended on Cao Xiu's own Fortuitous Destiny!
The next day, before dawn had broken, Li Qing had already tidied up everything in the cave abode, packing all his belongings into his storage pouch.
Li Qing stood motionless for a long time, watching the sky gradually lighten before dawn. Only when the first rays of morning light began to appear on the horizon did he take a white jade porcelain bottle from his storage pouch. It contained six or seven Guangling Pills, which he placed in front of the cave abode.
Cao Xiu came here every day at the same time to meditate, practice breathing techniques, and refine Qi. He was sure to see them.
After some thought, Li Qing decided to leave a few lines of text in front of the cave abode.
He raised his index finger and began carving directly into the hard rock. 碎石簌簌落下, but they didn't hinder him in the slightest.
"I have departed. These remaining Guangling Pills are of little use to me now, so I leave them for you to use as provisions on your journey to the Immortal Path."
"The cave abode remains available for another month and a half. You may cultivate here to your heart's content during that time."
"Finally, I offer you this advice: Cultivation is like rowing against the current. If you don't advance, you will fall back!"
After writing these three sentences, Li Qing slowly withdrew his finger and nodded in satisfaction.
The last sentence, in particular, was not only meant for Cao Xiu but also served as a warning to himself. At no time should he hesitate or retreat. Only by bravely scaling the peaks could a cultivator truly fulfill their destiny.
"If I had stayed working for the Liu Clan, I'd probably still be at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining today."
"Cultivation, in essence, is also about cultivating one's spirit and ambition."
With that, Li Qing didn't linger any longer and swiftly flew away from the Azure Radiance Pool.
By afternoon, Cao Xiu arrived at Li Qing's cave abode as usual, ready to sit down and cultivate.
At just over a decade old, he had already deeply understood the harsh realities of the cultivation world. He was acutely aware of how precious it was for a rogue cultivator like him to meditate and cultivate at a Second-Tier Spiritual Vein.
Therefore, he cherished every moment he could spend cultivating in front of Li Qing's cave abode, not daring to waste a single minute.
Just as Cao Xiu was about to sit down and immediately enter a state of Qi Refining, he suddenly noticed a pristine white jade porcelain bottle lying quietly in front of the cave abode!
"Could this be... Master Li's bottle that he left outside?"
Cao Xiu picked up the bottle, intending to return it to Li Qing's cave abode.
But as he approached, he realized that the Restriction on the cave abode had been completely removed, and the interior seemed completely empty.
"This is..."
After taking just a few steps, Cao Xiu saw the few lines Li Qing had etched into the stone before his cave abode. Each character was deeply carved, exuding an air of ancient strength.
After reading the three lines, Cao Xiu stood frozen for a long time, his lips pressed tightly together.
Clap!
Cao Xiu knelt directly before the cave abode and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Master Li! I will never forget this great kindness!"
Each of the three lines was an immense gift!
The first line left him a bottle of pills. The second granted him a month and a half in the cave abode. The third struck him like a thunderclap!
After kowtowing three times before Li Qing's cave abode, Cao Xiu stood up, still savoring the third line. He couldn't help but murmur to himself:
"Cultivation is like rowing against the current—advance or you'll regress."
Though still young, a profound realization dawned within him. Perhaps the value of this true saying would one day far surpass the benefits of the pills and the cave abode combined!
Heavenly River Market had been rebuilt with astonishing speed after the Great War. It was even more prosperous and grand than before.
The jade towers and palaces on the floating islands showed no trace of the destruction caused by the war between the cultivation clans.
This time, Li Qing didn't rush directly to the Mu Kingdom to search for the Lingyun Sect after leaving the Azure Radiance Pool. After all, the Mu Kingdom was a vast nation, and finding a sect within the immortal cultivation world wouldn't be easy.
So, Li Qing entrusted Ye Feng with gathering information about the Mu Kingdom and the Lingyun Sect in advance. This way, he wouldn't be completely in the dark when he arrived, avoiding the difficulties he had faced when first searching for the immortal cultivation world.
Upon entering the Heavenly River Market, Li Qing found that the entry fee had increased by one spirit stone!
This was likely due to the peace treaty signed by the two sects after the war. For the next few years, the Shangqing Sect would have to share a portion of the Heavenly River Market's profits.
Without hesitation, Li Qing calmly handed the spirit stone to the Heavenly River Sect disciple guarding the array formation. Then, he produced a token.
This was Ye Feng's personal token. With it, Li Qing could meet him within the Heavenly River Market.
The Heavenly River Sect disciple guarding the array formation was visibly surprised upon seeing the token, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "You wish to meet Senior Brother Ye? Please wait a moment while I relay the message!"
"Thank you," Li Qing replied, slightly surprised but still nodding politely.
Before long, a figure clad in the distinctive robes of a Heavenly River Sect Enforcement Disciple swooped down, accompanied by a joyful laugh:
"Hahaha, Brother Li, you've finally emerged from seclusion! It's been so hard to see you lately!"
As soon as he landed, Ye Feng pulled Li Qing aside to catch up.
"Brother Ye, your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds! You've already reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm. It truly fills me with envy."
Li Qing's words weren't mere flattery; they came from genuine admiration.
When Ye Feng had seized this body, his divine soul was unstable and his Vital Energy severely damaged, leaving him at the Early Qi Refining Realm.
Now, in the blink of an eye, he had surpassed Li Qing by an entire layer, already brushing against the threshold of Foundation Establishment.
"Hahaha, let's not dwell on that. Today, we must drink heartily!"
With that, Ye Feng grabbed Li Qing's arm, eager to indulge in a drinking spree. Both were notorious alcoholics, and with old friends reunited, Spirit Wine was naturally essential.
"Indeed, today it's your turn to treat. As an Enforcement Disciple of the Heavenly River Sect, I'm sure you've accumulated quite a bit of wealth!"
As they spoke, they arrived at a secluded courtyard in the inner layer of the sect. This was Ye Feng's usual residence and training ground, a place of elegant tranquility.
Upon entering the courtyard, Ye Feng produced two jars of Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew, clearly determined to drink until they passed out.
"Come, these two jars of Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew are a hundred and fifty years old. Their flavor far surpasses any ordinary wine you've ever tasted!"
"If it weren't for my status as an Enforcement Disciple, you wouldn't have been able to buy this from the Gathering Wind Pavilion!"
Ye Feng quickly poured two bowls of Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew and took a sip from his own.
Seeing this, Li Qing also picked up a bowl of spirit wine. Before drinking, he instinctively scanned the bowl with his spiritual sense.
The spirit wine seemed fine. Li Qing's eyes flickered for a moment, then he chuckled and took a small sip. Unnoticed, his other hand clenched slightly, his fingertips turning white.
Setting down his bowl, Li Qing laughed heartily. "Hahaha! A true Centennial Spirit Brew indeed! The taste is exquisite—sweet, mellow, and with a lingering fragrance on the lips."
"How have things been at the Heavenly River Sect lately? You seem to be quite the imposing Enforcement Disciple!"
Ye Feng's expression stiffened slightly, but he waved his hand dismissively. "Let's not talk about that. It's just the same old thing. Tell me, why the sudden interest in intelligence about the Mu Kingdom and the Lingyun Sect?"
Li Qing shook his head, took another small sip of the spirit brew, and forced a dry laugh. "Oh, it's nothing really. Just restless, wanting to travel and broaden my horizons."
Hearing this, Ye Feng pulled out the intelligence he had prepared from his storage pouch.
"Here, take a look. I hastily gathered these over the past few days. They should be of some use to you."
Li Qing nodded and accepted the information. As he flipped through the pages, he took small sips of the Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew.
The information was indeed incredibly detailed, even covering cultivation clans in the surrounding areas of the Mu Kingdom. It was a significant help to Li Qing.
"Alright, enough talk about that. Let's drink!" Ye Feng raised his wine bowl, ready to clink it with Li Qing's.
Hearing Ye Feng's words, Li Qing, who had been engrossed in the information, couldn't help but reveal a complex expression in his eyes. A deep, heavy sorrow lingered in the depths of his pupils.
"Mm."
Li Qing raised his wine bowl and readily finished the fragrant Spirit Wine with Ye Feng.
Gulp, gulp!
The two men drained their bowls in one gulp, their actions utterly unrestrained.
"Hahaha, truly fine liquor!" Li Qing wiped his mouth with satisfaction, then his movements suddenly slowed, as if the alcohol had taken effect, making him appear drunk.
Clang!
A crisp sound echoed as Li Qing's hand loosened its grip. The wine bowl crashed to the ground, shattering into countless pieces that were truly shocking to behold.
(End of the Chapter)
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