Translator: AnubisTL
The sudden thunder tribulation that descended upon Azure Cloud Peak left Li Qing completely unscathed. He weathered the storm with his boundless mana, enduring the ordeal through sheer force.
As the thunderclouds gradually dissipated, Li Qing slowly descended from the sky, simultaneously retracting the overwhelming spiritual pressure that had been radiating from him.
Nascent Soul realm cultivation!
In the lower realm, this was the pinnacle of existence. Regardless of where he stood, he was now undeniably an ancestor-level figure.
Previously, some might have dismissed Li Qing as merely a Core Formation realm cultivator, questioning his right to the title "Ancestor Limitless" as somewhat undeserved. Now, however, no one could doubt his status or authority.
As Li Qing landed, several supreme elders of the Lingyun Sect clasped their hands in respectful salutation and declared, "Congratulations, Senior Brother Li, on achieving the Nascent Soul realm!"
Immediately afterward, all the sect disciples and Foundation Establishment elders shouted in unison:
"Congratulations to Ancestor Limitless on successfully forming his nascent soul and attaining great cultivation!"
As they spoke, many wore expressions of fervent excitement.
With the addition of a Nascent Soul cultivator to their ranks, the Lingyun Sect finally possessed the strength to challenge the encroaching Free and Unfettered Sect.
They had endured enough of this confined existence within their defensive formations, barely clinging to survival.
Every member of the sect, from top to bottom, craned their necks, eyes fixed on Li Qing, awaiting his declaration of war!
Yet Li Qing showed no such rashness. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the sect grounds.
He was well aware of the disciples' eagerness for battle.
But having only just achieved nascent soul formation, charging headlong into a confrontation with Patriarch Xiaoyao went against his cautious nature.
It wasn't that he lacked confidence in his ability to defeat the patriarch. Rather, Li Qing preferred to act with certainty. He would only consider moving when he had at least a seventy percent chance of success.
"Fellow cultivators, I understand your sentiments!"
"A mountain cannot harbor two tigers, nor can the heavens bear two suns. This truth is clear to us all."
"But the time is not yet ripe. A premature attack on the Free and Unfettered Sect would likely result in devastating losses."
"We must wait, continue to bide our time until the moment is ripe. Then, we will strike with all our might in a single battle and seize the Free and Unfettered Sect in one fell swoop!"
Hearing Li Qing's words, many disciples finally regained their composure.
The truth was, witnessing Ancestor Limitless successfully form his nascent soul had stirred their emotions to an excessive degree, causing their blood to boil and making them eager to launch an immediate attack on the Free and Unfettered Sect.
But upon reflection, such a rash plan would likely play right into the enemy's hands.
At that moment, Li Qing smiled faintly and said, "Moving forward, I intend to conceal the fact that I have successfully advanced to the nascent soul realm. We will even continue to keep our mountain gate sealed, lulling the Free and Unfettered Sect into a false sense of security."
"During this period, I urge you all to continue your diligent cultivation, striving to elevate your strength to even greater heights."
"I assure you, the day when our Lingyun Sect reemerges into the world is not far off!"
Hearing these words, the Lingyun Sect disciples were once again filled with fervor. They roared in unison:
"Glory to Lingyun! Glory to Ancestor Limitless!"
Having joined the Lingyun Sect for quite some time and enjoyed its many benefits, many disciples naturally developed a deep sense of belonging.
Amidst this surging emotion, Li Qing waved his hand and returned to his cave abode.
He also sent a telepathic message to the other supreme elders, summoning them to join him.
Inside Li Qing's cave abode on Azure Cloud Peak, Wu Chong, True Lord Ziqing, Shen Ningbing, True Lord Fu Xuan, and Su Xin—the five supreme elders of the Lingyun Sect—followed Li Qing into the cave.
"Li Qing, what urgent matter requires our presence?" Wu Chong asked curiously.
Inside the cave, Li Qing didn't put on any airs as a Nascent Soul True Monarch, remaining as approachable as ever.
"Although I successfully formed my nascent soul this time, the process was incredibly perilous. The slightest misstep could have led to irreversible disaster."
"However, this harrowing experience has given me profound insights. I will record these insights in detail and place them in the Hall of Technique Transmission for you all to freely consult."
Upon hearing this, the cultivators' faces lit up with joy.
Insights into breaking through to the nascent soul realm, personally recorded by a newly successful Nascent Soul cultivator, were an invaluable treasure.
If they ever reached the peak of core formation and faced the critical moment of nascent soul formation, these insights could prove immensely helpful.
Even True Lord Fu Xuan, known for his stern demeanor and rare smiles, showed a hint of gratitude in his eyes.
But Li Qing wasn't finished yet. The next item he produced caused everyone to gasp in unison.
"Also, do you remember the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine in the sect?"
"I had it refined into a furnace of Dragon Transformation Pills. If not for the pill's miraculous efficacy, which provided crucial assistance at a critical moment, the outcome of my nascent soul formation would have been uncertain."
With a flick of his wrist, Li Qing retrieved five dark crimson spirit pills from his storage pouch.
Smiling, he explained, "A furnace of Dragon Transformation Pills yields seven pills. One was given as payment to True Monarch Tianbao of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild, and another was naturally consumed by me."
"That leaves five pills. Take one each."
Hiss!
When Li Qing produced five crimson pills, the five cultivators gasped in unison, their hearts pounding with shock.
This was simply too overwhelming. Five Dragon Transformation Pills—these were legendary elixirs!
A single pill could drive every core formation realm cultivator in the world into a frenzy, willing to pay any price to obtain it.
For a moment, they were speechless.
Refuse?
That would go against their deepest desires. As core formation realm cultivators themselves, the allure of the Dragon Transformation Pill was simply too great.
True Lord Fu Xuan gritted his teeth and shook his head. "This is far too precious. I contributed nothing to the refining of these Dragon Transformation Pills. Accepting such a grand gift would be deeply undeserved."
Shen Ningbing pursed her red lips and added, "Senior Brother Li, these pills are priceless. Giving them away so casually... it feels somewhat..."
The others nodded in agreement, clearly embarrassed to accept such a generous gift.
But Li Qing insisted on giving the pills away. "A person can only consume one Dragon Transformation Pill in their lifetime. Keeping these five pills would serve no further purpose for me."
"Moreover, if we hadn't cooperated to breach the Shangqing Sect, how could we have obtained the Dragon Blood Vine, the crucial ingredient for the Dragon Transformation Pill?"
"Everyone contributed to this success. Please, don't refuse—accept these pills."
"If our sect can cultivate one or two more Nascent Soul cultivators in the future, that would be the most significant achievement!"
"Or have you already abandoned your cultivation, with no intention of reaching the Nascent Soul realm?"
Having spoken so plainly, further refusal would seem disingenuous.
In the end, they accepted the Dragon Transformation Pills, silently acknowledging the immense favor Li Qing had bestowed upon them.
Only Ancestor Ziqing waved his hand dismissively, rejecting Li Qing's offer with an air of indifference.
"I don't need this pill. My lifespan is dwindling, and I doubt my cultivation will advance much further in this lifetime. I'll likely never have the opportunity to use such a precious Dragon Transformation Pill."
Ancestor Ziqing spoke with remarkable composure, showing no trace of regret.
Li Qing was momentarily taken aback. "Ancestor, why speak such disheartening words? Our sect now possesses the pill formula for the Spirit Nourishing Pill. I can venture out to sea and hunt third-tier demonic beasts for their demon cores to refine it for you."
Before Li Qing could finish speaking, Ancestor Ziqing raised his hand to interrupt him. He said with a hint of relief, "Your intentions are enough. There's no need for you to expend so much effort on this old man."
"I've taken Spirit Nourishing Pills before, but these years of stagnation have left me withered. My vital energy is gradually drying up, and my spirit is fading. The pills no longer have a significant effect on me."
"Now that you've advanced to the nascent soul realm, you are the true ancestor of the sect. You should focus on your own growth. Only when you become stronger can the sect truly flourish."
In the end, Ancestor Ziqing firmly rejected all of Li Qing's offers. He knew his current condition and couldn't bear to waste the sect's cultivation resources. It would be far better to let the younger supreme elders grow stronger—that would be the true way to make good use of the sect's resources!
No matter how Li Qing tried to persuade him, Ancestor Ziqing remained resolute.
As the five supreme elders departed from his cave abode, Li Qing gazed at the last Dragon Transformation Pill in his hand and sighed heavily.
Li Qing generously offered the Dragon Transformation Pills not only because they were rightfully theirs, but more importantly, because he sincerely wished for them to walk further on their dao paths.
The higher one's cultivation, the longer one's lifespan.
In this way, his future dao path might not seem so desolate.
Just before this, when Li Qing successfully overcame the heart demon tribulation and formally achieved the Nascent Soul realm, he clearly sensed his lifespan surging by over six hundred years!
Normally, a Core Formation realm cultivator could easily live past five hundred years, and those with longer lifespans could even reach six or seven hundred years.
The lifespan limit for Nascent Soul realm cultivators, however, exceeded a thousand years!
Since achieving Core Formation, Li Qing had refined numerous magical artifacts and instruments. Although he had also used the Transformation Demon Art to condense seven-colored life essence, which consumed some of his lifespan, his remaining lifespan remained remarkably abundant.
The moment he officially became a Nascent Soul True Monarch, Li Qing's remaining lifespan reached an astonishing figure:
Two thousand four hundred and eighty-two years!
In the past, he would have felt smug about his abundant lifespan, but now he inexplicably felt a pang of fear.
Even for an immortal cultivator, a lifespan of over two thousand years was exceptionally long. Many demon beasts didn't even live that long.
Imagine: after a millennium, old friends gradually fade from the world, and the immortal realm is filled with wave after wave of new faces.
Whether former allies or enemies, all eventually depart this world. Looking across the entire realm, even finding someone to talk to becomes a distant hope.
This, perhaps, is what it means to be utterly alone in the world.
"Is immortality a blessing or a curse?"
Li Qing sighed deeply within his cave abode, the joy of his recent nascent soul formation now significantly diminished.
He understood that due to his unique circumstances, such a lonely future would inevitably come to pass.
Therefore, Li Qing hoped his old friends would live longer and climb higher on the dao path, delaying that future for as long as possible.
Putting away the lingering emotions from just now along with the final Dragon Transformation Pill, Li Qing retrieved a jade slip and began recording his insights from his nascent soul breakthrough.
He inscribed these insights into the jade slip, hoping they might offer even the slightest assistance to other sect members attempting their own nascent soul formations in the future.
The first and most crucial aspect was the refinement of his mental state, which directly determined the success or failure of the final heart demon tribulation. Li Qing considered this the most critical step in achieving nascent soul formation.
In his insights, Li Qing emphasized that regardless of one's circumstances, before attempting nascent soul formation, one must thoroughly review their life's journey, revisiting every experience. Ideally, one should personally retrace their path, step by step, back to their origins.
He followed this advice meticulously, using the process to resolve many of his life's regrets.
Yet even with this preparation, he still faced considerable trials and tribulations during the heart demon tribulation. Li Qing knew that without his return to the mortal realm, even with the aid of the Exquisite Immortal Sound, he would have struggled to overcome the demonic calamity.
"What is a heart demon? It is a demonic obstruction within the heart. Sometimes, even one's own consciousness remains unaware of these inner demons, making it essential to approach this matter with utmost seriousness!"
After carefully recording this passage, Li Qing began to reflect on the cracking of his Golden Core during his nascent soul formation attempt.
Now that he had successfully formed his nascent soul, revisiting this incident brought him profound new insights.
This was due to a combination of innate deficiencies in his aptitude and insufficient accumulated experience.
Li Qing had believed that after reaching the peak of the Core Formation realm, he would have no further worries. However, he had overlooked one crucial factor: he was merely a cultivator with a four spirit root, possessing only average innate aptitude. Under such circumstances, attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul realm before the age of two hundred was truly astonishing, and his foundation was undeniably too shallow.
This deficiency had caused a slight crack to form in his Flawless Golden Core when he absorbed massive amounts of heaven and earth spiritual energy during his breakthrough attempt.
"If I could do it again, disregarding external factors, I should have spent another thirty to fifty years refining and solidifying my foundation. Attempting nascent soul formation after that would have been much safer, and the Golden Core would likely not have cracked."
Now, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, Li Qing could look back and see things with much greater clarity.
With this insight, Li Qing meticulously recorded his complete understanding of nascent soul formation onto a jade slip and sent it to the highest level of the Hall of Technique Transmission within the sect.
After completing these tasks, Li Qing retreated to his cave abode to consolidate his cultivation and realm, swiftly calming his still-turbulent aura.
He then carefully picked up a Scripture Scroll left behind by the Crimson Radiance Heavenly Monarch and began to study it with meticulous patience.
Having reached the nascent soul realm, he could now cultivate more of the divine abilities and cultivation techniques within the Crimson Radiance Heavenly Monarch's inheritance. To rapidly enhance his combat prowess, Li Qing focused his attention and energy primarily on this inheritance.
In addition to this, he diligently nourished the Primordial Chaos Peerless Hammer with his pure true essence.
During this process, the Primordial Chaos Peerless Hammer rapidly evolved into a natal magic treasure befitting a Nascent Soul cultivator, its power gradually growing stronger and stronger.
(End of the Chapter)
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