novelraw Chapter 115 - 112: Qi Refining Level 7
Chapter 115 - 112: Qi Refining Level 7
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions, but on Yuanling Mountain, and in the Cultivation Realm, there was no such custom.
Fang Qingyuan opened his eyes in the Quiet Chamber of his thatched cottage. A flicker of disappointment crossed his mind before vanishing. His cultivation hadn’t progressed an inch today, same as the past few days.
He had hit another bottleneck. But this time, Fang Qingyuan’s mindset was much more relaxed than when he was stuck at the Third-Layer Qi Refining.
Straightening his robes, Fang Qingyuan got up and went into the courtyard. At this moment, the small yard was bustling with activity.
Yinbao was sleeping, while Jinbao was dashing madly around the yard, evading the clutches of the two little ones, Liu Xun and Qu Wujie.
That’s right. Fang Qingyuan had also brought the two children to the mountaintop to cultivate. This was a Tier Two Middle Grade Spiritual Land, and cultivating here was much faster than at the foot of the mountain.
Besides, both children were now over three years old; it was time for them to start learning about cultivation.
The two boys had been on the mountain for three years now. Fang Qingyuan had taught them a basic metal-elemental Cultivation Technique, guiding them into the world of cultivation.
Liu Xun and Qu Wujie were only seven years old this year, the perfect age for building their foundation. Teaching them an overly profound Cultivation Technique would be rushing their development and do more harm than good.
’When they grow up, if they want to switch Cultivation Techniques, they can do so then. But for now, it’s best to learn the fundamentals and solidify their foundation.’
Liu Xun was a faster cultivator. With his Top-grade Spirit Root, he had already reached the Second-Layer Qi Refining after just three years of practice.
Qu Wujie, on the other hand, was still at the First-Layer Qi Refining, with no signs of advancing anytime soon.
But it didn’t matter. The two boys were very close and were currently chasing Jinbao all over the yard.
In truth, Jinbao was just toying with them. At its speed, there was no way the two little ones could catch it. So, after running for a bit, Jinbao would pretend it was about to be caught, only to dodge away at the last second, spurring the two boys to chase even more frantically.
When Fang Qingyuan came out, he saw Liu Xun and Qu Wujie panting, their tongues lolling out. He chuckled softly and said to Jinbao,
"Alright, stop teasing them. Come wash your hands and eat."
Seeing Fang Qingyuan, the two little ones immediately wiped the silly grins off their faces. In front of him, the children didn’t dare to continue their wild antics.
After they washed their hands, the two sat down at the small table in the courtyard. The table was situated under a Cyan Jade Grape Vine, a Tier One Middle Grade Spirit Plant that stayed green all year round.
Fang Qingyuan had discovered the vine in the wilderness three years ago when he had first arrived on Yuanling Mountain. It was just a seedling back then, but he had transplanted it here.
Now, the Cyan Jade Grape Vine had completely covered the nearby trellis. Its leaves were a vibrant green and it grew vigorously, but it just wouldn’t bear any fruit.
Fang Qingyuan had looked it up in a bestiary and found that the Cyan Jade Grape Vine only bore fruit once every ten years. It had only been a little over three years, so it seemed he still had a long wait ahead.
Liu Xun and Qu Wujie obediently picked up their chopsticks, and only after receiving a nod from Fang Qingyuan did they begin to enjoy the delicious food on the table.
Fang Qingyuan had taken all these dishes from his storage bag and simply heated them gently with Spirit Fire. It was convenient, fast, and the food still tasted pretty good.
Seven or eight dishes filled the table. Jinbao, now quite skilled with a pair of chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised pork, stuffed it into its mouth, and chewed heartily, a satisfied smile spreading across its bear face.
Seeing Jinbao eating so happily, Fang Qingyuan felt pleased. He had bought these dishes from the mortals living at the foot of the mountain.
Although the mortals hadn’t wanted to accept payment, Fang Qingyuan had insisted. He was well aware of the trade-off: a small expenditure in exchange for their gratitude and a good reputation.
Looking at the delicious food, Fang Qingyuan took a few bites and then stopped. He could now go for ten or fifteen days without eating. The meals were more for Jinbao and the two little ones.
At their current cultivation levels, Liu Xun and Qu Wujie couldn’t practice Fasting yet, so they still needed to eat every day.
At first, Fang Qingyuan had been interested in cooking himself, but over time, he grew tired of it. Besides, cooking took up his cultivation time. So, every month, he would go down the mountain and use Spirit Stones to buy a large batch of prepared meals from the mortals, storing them in his bag to be heated up at mealtimes.
’Watching the three little ones eat so heartily,’ Fang Qingyuan’s thoughts drifted. ’It’s been over three years since I moved to Yuanling Mountain. I’ve been focused on my cultivation and haven’t gone out to handle matters much. Jiang Kui probably hasn’t said anything, but she must have some complaints.’
’She gave me such a great Spiritual Land to cultivate on, expecting me to help out. But I haven’t done a very good job of that these past few years.’
’Oh well. Now that I’ve hit a bottleneck with no idea when I’ll break through, it’s about time I did something for Yuanling Mountain.’
At this thought, Fang Qingyuan felt much more at ease. He decided he would go find Jiang Kui tomorrow, ask for some work, and while he was at it, get rid of the spirit materials in his Immortal Mansion.
In the past three years, Fang Qingyuan had rarely gone out. He would occasionally sell just enough spirit materials to cover his cultivation expenses. As a result, he still hadn’t sold off all the goods he’d acquired from his last trip to the Sea of Death.
’Now that three years have passed, it’s time to get back to the great enterprise of making money.’
Having sorted out his thoughts, Fang Qingyuan picked up a few more bites of food. The familiar taste, combined with the sight of the Bright Moon in the sky, made him feel a pang of homesickness.
’In the blink of an eye, it’s been nearly ten years since I awakened my past life’s memories. My life in these ten years has been far more exciting than my previous one. But looking back at that dull life, I now realize it was filled with a warmth that sustained me.’
Seeing Fang Qingyuan raise his head to look at the Bright Moon, Qu Wujie also looked up and sighed with wonder,
"I wonder what the moon in the sky tastes like."
Fang Qingyuan couldn’t help but laugh at this. ’How could the moon have a taste? It’s a celestial body.’
But not wanting to spoil Qu Wujie’s childish innocence, Fang Qingyuan played along, saying,
"Well, why don’t you tell me? What do you think the moon in the sky tastes like?"
Qu Wujie’s little face scrunched up. After thinking for a few breaths, a smile suddenly bloomed on his face. He looked at Fang Qingyuan and said earnestly,
"The moon tastes like a fish swimming in the water."
The words of a child, so innocent and fanciful. Fang Qingyuan initially wanted to laugh, but after mulling it over, he fell into deep thought.
Standing up, Fang Qingyuan took in his surroundings: the autumn courtyard under the grapevine, the bright moon hanging high above, a table of food before him, his Spirit Pet by his side. Though there was no wine, the moonlight was intoxicating enough.
As the saying goes: The verdant mountains share one sky of rain, / The bright moon knows no separate native lands. / Ask not if the stars will ever look the same, / Let’s pause and watch the pale moon with idle hands.
With that, something stirred in Fang Qingyuan’s mind. He laughed heartily and turned, stepping back into his Quiet Chamber.
「The next morning.」
When Fang Qingyuan opened his eyes again, his cultivation, which had long been stagnant, had finally climbed another step, reaching the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.
Ten years of cultivation, from the Qi Refining Fourth Level to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. A new level every three years—Fang Qingyuan’s progress was exceedingly steady.
As his aptitude improved, what once took five or six years to advance a single level had now been reduced to three.
’Slow at the start, unremarkable in the middle; only the later stages will be the true test.’
Possessing the Immortal Mansion, which could improve his aptitude, Fang Qingyuan decided to focus on a late-game growth strategy.
’Now that I’m a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, Jiang Kui probably won’t complain about me slacking off these past few years once she finds out.’
Stepping out of the Quiet Chamber and into the courtyard, Fang Qingyuan saw that the bowls and chopsticks under the grapevine had already been washed clean. The two little ones were very sensible.
By now, Liu Xun and Qu Wujie had already slung their bookbags over their shoulders and gone down the mountain to the private school.
Cultivators couldn’t just cultivate without studying; balancing both was the proper way. Reading could grant wisdom and teach etiquette. It was the best way to distinguish humans from animals. As long as one didn’t become a book-addled fool, learning more was always a good thing.
Considering the matter of education, Jiang Kui had invited a teacher from her own family’s home in Qi Dong City three years ago to be responsible for teaching all the children on Yuanling Mountain.
Now, the hundred or so children were divided into several classes, and the teacher taught them according to their individual aptitudes. The youngest in the classes were only four or five, while the oldest were already in their teens.
However, the only Cultivators attending were Liu Xun and Qu Wujie. Among the children born in recent years, not a single one had been identified as a promising candidate for cultivation.
When Jinbao saw Fang Qingyuan come out, it excitedly ambled over. The little bear’s body was even larger now, standing nearly ten feet tall when upright.
’I really don’t know just how big its body could get if it used the Wishful Size Divine Techniques.’
Pushing aside Jinbao’s big head, Fang Qingyuan led it out of his small courtyard and over to the gate next door.
This was Jiang Kui’s cultivation residence. After Fang Qingyuan released a Spiritual Wave, the Array enveloping the courtyard opened up a moment later, revealing the scenery within.
Fang Qingyuan had also set up an Array in his own small yard—the very same Small Five Elements Inversion Illusion Array. The Array wasn’t to guard against thieves, but to give himself some privacy.
Otherwise, with their residences so close to each other, a single sweep of Jiang Kui’s Foundation Establishment Stage Divine Sense would reveal everything he was doing. Even with the Array for cover, Fang Qingyuan had rarely taken things out of his Immortal Mansion over the past three years.
Jiang Kui’s Array was also a Tier One Upper Grade one. Its defensive power was negligible; even Fang Qingyuan could force his way in. However, whether he could get out alive afterward was another matter entirely.
Seeing that Jiang Kui had lifted the restriction, Fang Qingyuan walked in with Jinbao. The environment inside the courtyard was not impressive; in fact, it looked rather dilapidated.
’It seems Jiang Kui’s mind isn’t on such things. That makes sense. As the master of the mountain, with me slacking off and Zhang Yuan watching over the mine, how could she have the time to fuss over flowers and plants?’
Leaving Jinbao in the yard, Fang Qingyuan entered the room alone. Jiang Kui was lying on a recliner. She showed no reaction when he came in, as if she were asleep.
Fang Qingyuan found this amusing. ’Jiang Kui is just throwing a little tantrum. If she were really asleep, who would have opened the gate for me?’
So, suppressing a smile, Fang Qingyuan said,
"Senior Sister, I’ve reached Late-stage Qi Refining."