Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation

A person’s life in this world is fleeting, like a galloping horse glimpsed through a crack in a wall.

A Cultivator’s life may be longer than a mortal’s, but it’s still just a few more glimpses of that fleeting horse.

Three years passed by in a flash.

Still in Cyan Spirit District.

Lin Changheng sat cross-legged on his bed, his mind focused and his breathing calm. He held two Middle Grade Spirit Stones in his hands, while the Spirit Gathering Array around him rumbled to life. Spiritual Qi, thick as smoke and mist, filled the room, making it look like a scene from the Celestial Palace Immortal Realm.

But if one were to pull back the view, they would discover that Lin Changheng was not in the Xu Family’s Alchemy Shop.

Instead, he was within a Spiritual Land in a mountain valley.

Here, two massive courtyard estates stood at the end of the district and the mouth of the valley, occupying a third of the area. They clearly belonged to the Xu and Liu Families.

These two estates guarded Cyan Spirit District from the front and Juechen Valley from the back.

Lin Changheng was inside a secret chamber in a private courtyard within the Xu Family’s rear estate.

He was borrowing the Spiritual Qi of the Spiritual Land to break through to the next Realm!

If not for the Red Sky Crane Essence Blood from the Sun Family, which had allowed him to succeed at Spirit Stealing and advance to a Middle Grade Spirit Root ahead of schedule, this period of accumulation would have likely been even longer.

Although, during this process, the supply of Red Sky Crane Essence Blood from the Sun Family had fluctuated—the quantity never decreased, but the delivery frequency slowed.

But over the three years, he had still managed to gather a thousand portions.

[Red Sky Crane Treasure Seed·Fifth Layer]

[Spirit Stealing: 100/100]

[Acquired: Red Sky Demon Fire·Fifth Layer]

[Utility: Wield a Tier Two demon bird’s Exotic Fire; Dantian has undergone an ultimate fire-attuned transformation.]

Just as he had anticipated, this Red Sky Demon Fire·Fifth Layer was truly comparable to Earth Fire, possessing the might of a Tier Two Demon Fire!

As for whether it was Upper, Middle, or Lower Grade among Tier Two, Lin Changheng had never encountered any, so he had to admit his ignorance and couldn’t be certain.

Sometimes, he would perform Introspection on his Dantian and gaze at the incredibly spiritual and strangely shifting seed of fire at its center. It faintly exuded a heart-palpitating aura, filling his own heart with nothing but awe and joy.

...

"Huuuh..."

Lin Changheng sat cross-legged, his chest rising and falling as he breathed in and out mist-like Spiritual Qi, which circulated endlessly within the secret chamber.

He formed a hand seal, and the complete version of the Night Illuminating Fire technique in his body began to operate at its peak. Spiritual Power surged through his meridians like a great river, relentlessly battering the bottleneck of the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation.

Every surge of Spiritual Power was like a sharp sword striking Profound Iron, letting out a dull roar that made his Qi and Blood churn and his Magical Power roil.

’Not enough...’

He snapped his eyes open. With a flip of his palm, a pale green, Upper Grade [Red Sky Magical Pill] slid down his throat. The Elixir melted the moment it entered his mouth, and a torrent of Spiritual Power instantly exploded forth, surging into his Dantian like a tidal wave.

He let out a muffled grunt. Veins bulged on his forehead, and a faint Spiritual Light flowed beneath his skin, looking as if it might tear through his flesh at any moment.

The Spiritual Qi in the secret chamber was drawn in, converging crazily toward him and actually forming a small Spiritual Qi Vortex above his head. As the vortex spun, wisps of Spiritual Mist drilled into his seven orifices, merging with the Magical Power in his body, constantly refining and compressing.

Seeing that he was about to reach his limit, Lin Changheng decisively crushed the two Middle Grade Spirit Stones in his hands.

"Break!"

Under the combined, frenzied impact of the external spiritual energy and internal medicinal power, Lin Changheng gave a low shout. The Magical Power in his body suddenly erupted, gathering its strength like an enraged dragon soaring to the heavens, and viciously slammed into that formless barrier!

BOOM—

A clap of thunder seemed to explode in his mind as the barrier shattered on impact! In an instant, his Magical Power was like a flood bursting through a dam, rushing to his four limbs and hundred bones. Every inch of his flesh greedily devoured this new power.

His aura climbed steadily, finally stabilizing at—

The Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation!

Lin Changheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. The sharp glint in his eyes receded, and his skin became as smooth and moist as jade, faintly glowing with a pale green light. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, and the corners of his lips curved up slightly.

"Finally... I’ve done it."

Like a fierce wind sweeping away fallen leaves, he drew in all the remaining Spiritual Qi, unwilling to waste even a shred, before slowly ceasing his cultivation.

’Fifty-one years old, Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation.’

’It’s slow, but all in all, I’m satisfied.’

’After all, my starting point was low enough, and I wasted so many years along the way, but I’ve finally reached this stage.’

’At this rate, the probability of reaching Foundation Establishment before sixty is quite high.’

’Even if it’s after sixty, it wouldn’t be a big problem.’

After all, Lin Changheng now possessed a Lifespan of 172 years.

Over forty years more than an ordinary Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator.

And he was well-preserved, so he could truly take his time and proceed without haste or anxiety.

...

Lin Changheng did not leave his seclusion immediately.

Instead, he waited another three days to stabilize the Magical Power and aura within his body. Only then did he use his Perfection Level [Qi Concealing Skill] to suppress his cultivation to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation before emerging.

The moment he left seclusion and stepped out of the private courtyard, an Xu Clan Member saw him and went to inform the Young Lady.

Lin Changheng had the same intention; he needed to see Xu Hanji to thank her and bid her farewell before he could properly leave.

By this time, Xu Hanji was already the Xu Family’s Leader in Cyan Spirit District.

Although a clan Elder was stationed there, he no longer handled specific affairs, having passed on the opportunity to train the younger generation.

"Congratulations, Chief Lin."

Lin Changheng met Xu Hanji in what could be described as a luxurious grand hall. Before he could even speak, Xu Hanji, who had just arrived, congratulated him first.

"Thank you, Young Lady. If you hadn’t lent me this place for my breakthrough, I might have faced some setbacks."

Lin Changheng stood up and returned the courtesy.

"Why do you say that, Chief Lin?"

Xu Hanji immediately dismissed his thanks. "Let’s not even mention that you’re a core member of our clan with outstanding contributions. Just based on the fact that you saved me last time, and have now helped me establish and develop the Auction, the friendship between us means there’s no need for such pleasantries."

Lin Changheng smiled and nodded, quite pleased by her words.

’This woman was clear about her gratitude and grievances. Though her temperament was cool, she acted with principles and a bottom line. Dealing with her was quite comfortable.’

’Otherwise, if she were even the slightest bit arrogant or unreasonable, Lin Changheng would have kept his distance.’

’Lin Changheng feared trouble more than anything and had zero tolerance for it.’

After taking a sip of Spirit Tea, Lin Changheng suddenly asked, "Young Lady, I wonder how the friction between our family and the Qiu Family has been developing?"

Lin Changheng had been following the secret reports from the clan, but the information was inevitably delayed and not as timely or accurate as what the Young Lady would have.

As far as Lin Changheng knew, after the Xu Family was set up by the Qiu Family in the Wilderness last time, the Xu Family had gone through extensive discussions and a tug-of-war between war and peace, finally opting for a strategy of "fight while negotiating."

This was a rather wise strategy, keeping the conflict within a controllable scope.

At the same time, the Xu Family was still developing at a high speed. In particular, after announcing that the family had gained an Upper Grade Alchemist, it had truly boosted the business of their many Alchemy Shops.

Furthermore, they had joined forces with the Liu Family to establish an Auction, which was run with great success, increasing the flow of people into Cyan Spirit District.

The Qiu Family grew increasingly desperate, as if sitting on pins and needles. They even resorted to their old tricks, disguising themselves as Tribulation Cultivators to attack cultivators and merchant caravans traveling outside Cyan Spirit District, trying to scare cultivators away.

This tactic, however, provoked the Liu Family’s fury. ’You can mess with the Xu Family for all I care, but if you smash my rice bowl, you’ll have to face my wrath!’

They immediately made a public announcement:

We will commit our full power to striking down the roving Tribulation Cultivators outside the district. Should the true identity or backers of any such Tribulation Cultivators be discovered, it will be considered an undeclared act of war against both the Liu and Xu families and will be met with a thunderous blow. Do not say you were not warned!

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