“Trapped long in muddy depths to await the morning breeze, one day spreading wings toward the boundless skies. Say not the Heavenly Dao is too high to reach; our generation shall climb the highest peak!”
Vitality filled the cave dwelling. Chen Zhuo opened his eyes; though he had resolved last time to stop reciting poetry, he couldn't resist chanting a verse this time anyway.
Following his breakthrough, Chen Zhuo was brimming with vigor, feeling that the mana circulating within him was completely transformed.
The fifth layer of Qi Refining!
Chen Zhuo had been cultivating for barely over half a year, yet he had already reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
Of course, the bottlenecks in early Qi Refining were simple, and those in middle Qi Refining were of ordinary difficulty.
Once in late Qi Refining—after the seventh layer—every breakthrough would be as difficult as crossing a heavenly chasm.
But that was not something Chen Zhuo needed to worry about right now. All he knew was that after using a single vial of Azure Dragon and cultivating for ten-odd days, he had successfully broken through to the fifth layer of Qi Refining and become a proud fifth-layer cultivator!
“At this cultivation pace, with an uninterrupted supply of drug injections, I should be able to reach the ninth layer of Qi Refining in about five years and attempt a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment,” Chen Zhuo pondered silently.
The Qi Refining stage had thirteen layers in total.
Once a cultivator reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining and possessed profound mana, they were already qualified to attempt Foundation Establishment.
All that was needed was an impact from powerful medicinal efficacy or the assistance of a Foundation Establishment spiritual item.
For the former, the ancient cultivation world used Foundation Establishment Pills, while the Immortal Mansion world used Foundation Establishment Injections.
As for the latter, a Foundation Establishment spiritual item was a comparatively crude choice.
This pertained to whether one's Dao foundation would be consummate.
In the ancient cultivation world, when a cultivator used a Foundation Establishment spiritual item, even if the breakthrough failed, the brunt of the loss was borne by the spiritual item itself. The cultivator could even assimilate the spiritual item to advance their mana, breaking through to the tenth or eleventh layer of Qi Refining to prepare for the next attempt.
Moreover, after a successful breakthrough, thanks to the spiritual item, a cultivator's mana would become more refined, their perception of spiritual energy would improve, and their spiritual energy would even take on the characteristics of the spiritual item, growing significantly tougher.
Therefore, Foundation Establishment spiritual items were exceptionally rare in the ancient cultivation world, far exceeding Foundation Establishment Pills in value.
Settling his mind, Chen Zhuo circulated his spiritual energy to clear away all internal blockages. In high spirits, he continued channeling his cultivation art to stabilize his realm.
Chen Zhuo had completed only a single grand heavenly circulation when a knock suddenly sounded from the door outside.
The sound was very light—just a single tap before stopping.
“Hmm?”
Chen Zhuo's guard instantly went up.
In this world, among all the people Chen Zhuo had encountered, aside from Li Changqing who counted as friendly, none of the rest were good sorts.
Why would someone take the initiative to come looking for him now?
Thinking of this, Chen Zhuo remained calm and unhurried. Tapping his storage bag, he put on his goggles and switched to the monitoring perspective of the Dharma-Control Scout Drone.
Chen Zhuo had embedded the Dharma-Control Scout Drone above the entrance to serve as a surveillance camera.
This Dharma-Control Scout Drone was truly excellent: it produced zero spiritual energy fluctuations and ran entirely on electricity, requiring Chen Zhuo only to take it back every few days to recharge.
Meanwhile, in the ancient cultivation world, devices devoid of spiritual energy fluctuations that could clearly record images were unheard of. Without sensing any spiritual fluctuations, no one would ever suspect the Dharma-Control Scout Drone was surveillance equipment.
Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator came, they wouldn't spot anything amiss.
After all, the underlying principle wasn't a disparity in cultivation realm, but a gap in technology.
“Once I go back, maybe I can buy a few more Dharma-Control Scout Drones and scatter probes across the entire market. That way, if there's any sign of trouble, I'll know in advance...”
As he mused, through the camera feed, Chen Zhuo saw a short, stocky man with dark skin wearing Daoist robes, standing in front of his cave dwelling with an affable smile, small eyes exuding an air of simple honesty.
His cultivation...
[Spiritual energy target detected. Estimated at approximately the sixth layer of Qi Refining, middle stage of Qi Refining.]
The Dharma-Control Scout Drone provided feedback.
However, Chen Zhuo dismissed the assessment outright.
The base model of the Dharma-Control Scout Drone had a spiritual detection ceiling capped at the sixth layer of Qi Refining.
Any target exceeding the sixth layer would still be presumed to be at the sixth layer. In other words, even if a Ruling Divine Monarch of the Immortal Mansion knocked on the door today, the drone would still display them as being at the sixth layer of Qi Refining.
That said, it meant the visitor was at least at the sixth layer of Qi Refining!
Chen Zhuo's gaze turned guarded. He did not open the door, but asked in a low voice through the stone barrier, “Who is it?”
“Fellow Daoist, I am Liu Lou, your neighbor from cave dwelling B-35 next door. Just now, your spiritual energy breakthrough stirred quite a commotion, so I came specially to pay a visit. At the same time, I have an enormous opportunity I'd like to share with you. Might you grant me the honor of meeting face-to-face?”
The short man outside bowed with clasped hands, speaking with a warm smile and appearing quite modest.
“What opportunity?”
Chen Zhuo replied in an impolitely chilly tone.
In the ancient cultivation world, one could not afford to be warm-hearted.
If one seemed too agreeable, it was easy to be viewed as a sheep ripe for slaughter.
Consequently, in the ancient cultivation world, Chen Zhuo had always maintained a cold, distant demeanor.
Even toward Li Changqing, Chen Zhuo had never shown much warmth, always acting frosty.
Decisive and ruthless, with wits fully intact!
Of course, generally speaking, people who advertised themselves as “decisive, ruthless, and highly intelligent” were usually unhinged aggressors who killed at the slightest provocation—yet that was precisely the persona Chen Zhuo aimed to play!
Seeing Chen Zhuo's attitude, Liu Lou immediately said, “I have come to invite you to join our beast-hunting squad.
“We lost quite a few hands some days ago, but while pursuing a demon beast, we accidentally discovered a mountain ravine teeming with Serpent Scale Fruits. Regrettably, a beast comparable to late Qi Refining guards the place, and our strength fell short.”
Liu Lou smiled. “Just now from within my cave dwelling, I sensed how pure your spiritual energy was, which is why I came to invite you. Dividing those fruits and the spoils from slaying that beast equally among us, each person will net at least seven or eight hundred spirit stones! Whether you wish to raise your cultivation to enter the Sword Sect or continue cultivating as an itinerant rogue, a smooth immortal path awaits you!”
Heh.
Do you take me for an idiot?
Chen Zhuo replied indifferently, “You had best look elsewhere, Fellow Daoist. I have only just broken through and still need to consolidate my realm.”
Seeing this, Liu Lou took no offense. He simply cupped his hands and smiled pleasantly. “Please give it some thought, Fellow Daoist. I reside right in cave dwelling B-35. If you become interested, feel free to seek me out anytime within the next three months.”
With that, Liu Lou turned and walked off with an easy, unbothered air.
Yet Chen Zhuo did not believe a single word.
Would such a great windfall just fall from the heavens right into his lap?
Keep dreaming!
Chen Zhuo was a cultivator in the Immortal Mansion world who frequently read ancient cultivation novels!
When it comes to the tricks of robber cultivators, I'm an expert!
“Go!”
Chen Zhuo immediately maneuvered the Dharma-Control Scout Drone to covertly tail Liu Lou.
Moments later, Liu Lou arrived at a tea shop and walked straight to a table packed with cultivators. Taking a casual sip of spiritual tea, he said at once, “The one next door to me looks like a fat sheep. Pretty vigilant, though. Keep a close watch on him; the moment he steps outside the market, do him in.”
“I've got things scoped out on my end too. Some gullible brat agreed to head out with us tomorrow to hunt beasts. Kid's at the fourth layer of Qi Refining.”
A burly man at the table rumbled in a gruff voice, “Too many unfamiliar fat sheep have poured into the market lately!”
“The Sword Sect opens its mountain gates once every ten years. Rogue cultivators have rushed here from all across Xu State and neighboring Wei State, Guo State, and even Nanshan State. Inexperienced fat sheep are bound to be among them in droves. This is our golden opportunity. As long as we swindle a few more fat sheep...”
Liu Lou chuckled darkly. But before he could finish speaking, his brows suddenly furrowed.
Suddenly, Liu Lou looked toward the Dharma-Control Scout Drone. “What's that? A bird?”
A grim, sickly-looking young man at the table glanced in the direction Liu Lou was looking, swept his divine sense over it, and said at once, “No spiritual energy fluctuations. Don't worry, Brother Liu.
“Come, come, keep drinking your tea! The spiritual tea here has a sweet aftertaste, truly a fine companion for cultivation...”
“...”
Back inside his cave dwelling, Chen Zhuo quietly recalled the Dharma-Control Scout Drone.
“It seems that with Qiwu Sword Sect opening its mountain gates to recruit disciples, all kinds of monsters and demons have crawled out of the woodwork.”
Chen Zhuo couldn't help rubbing his chin. “Looks like I can't go anywhere for these next three months. I'll just buy drugs daily in the Immortal Mansion and cultivate here in Yunjin Market.
“Caution keeps the ship sailing for ten thousand years. Better to lay low and survive this phase first!”
Chapter 43