Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improved Spirit Rice

Chapter 51 Departure

"I never imagined that a powerful cultivation sect actually existed in this region of the Seven Kingdoms more than a thousand years ago. It's just that for some unknown reason, this sect was completely wiped out later."

"And the ancestors of the Great Yin were very likely descendants of a true disciple of that sect back then."

Zhao Cheng'an tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.

"If that's the case, then the current low-spirit-energy environment in the Seven Kingdoms, where spiritual energy is depleted, shouldn't have been formed naturally."

"After all, no cultivation sect would be foolish enough to establish its mountain gate in such a barren place."

"If it was caused by human intervention, that would be interesting."

Zhao Cheng'an held the letter up to the flickering candlelight, watching it turn to ashes, before pushing open the door and leaving the bamboo house.

In a small vegetable patch specially cleared out in the yard, the pea plant was growing very lushly, with indigo pods hanging among its verdant branches and leaves.

As a spiritual plant that grows in low-spirited environments in the wild, it exhibits extremely vigorous vitality.

Zhao Cheng'an put on a pair of specially made thick leather gloves, walked to the edge of the vegetable garden, and carefully picked some ripe fruits from the bushes.

These peas, in both size and shape, closely resemble ordinary peas. However, their color is much deeper, and through their translucent skin, one can vaguely see shimmering purple arcs within.

Zhao Cheng'an called these fruits "Thunder Beans".

Each Thunder Bean contains a certain amount of lightning-attribute spiritual energy. Once activated by a true spirit, or after being subjected to a violent physical collision, this lightning-attribute spiritual energy will instantly go out of control and cause a violent explosion.

At first, the explosive power of the Thunder Bean was not strong, about the same as that of an ordinary firecracker.

As described in the entry, this thing is only good for making a sound at best.

Zhao Cheng'an added runes related to "Spiritual Energy Sealing" and "Returning to Green" to the limited blank rune domain of the Thunder Bean, which significantly enhanced the explosive power of the Thunder Bean.

The power of this thunder bean explosion is now equivalent to that of a small glass grenade.

If detonated at close range, it can cause a certain degree of damage to demonic beasts below the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

Most importantly, the yield of Thunder Beans is extremely high, and the quantity is relatively large.

In actual combat, it can be used as a routine consumable means to deal with some unexpected situations, and it does have considerable practical value.

……

……

On a shady hillside behind Cangwu Mountain.

Here, lush wild grass grows, and when the wind blows, the green waves of grass ripple like ocean waves.

Zhao Cheng'an appeared here.

As he took a deep breath, the fire-attribute spiritual energy within his body was instantly activated like a powder keg that had been lit.

The immense force acted on his muscles and tendons, and Zhao Cheng'an unleashed incredible power in an instant.

His figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.

Several deep footprints suddenly appeared on the ground, scattering dirt and bits of grass everywhere.

When he reappeared, he was already hundreds of meters away at the end of the hillside.

"good."

Chen Heng, standing atop the hillside, saw this scene and nodded slightly.

"After these days of training, you've finally mastered this skill."

"However, you are still a bit clumsy when you use it. You need to train your body coordination more so that you can do it with ease in the future."

Zhao Cheng'an suppressed his anger and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Chen Heng.

The Qi-raising method seemed simple when Chen Heng described it, but in practice, it presented many challenges. These included understanding the pathways of Qi circulation through the meridians and controlling the intensity of muscle stimulation.

Zhao Cheng'an was able to grasp the basics within a few months thanks in no small part to Chen Heng's meticulous guidance.

Upon receiving Chen Heng's affirmation, Zhao Cheng'an smiled.

He then took the opportunity to inquire about the three talismans that he had previously taught Chen Heng.

Chen Heng thought for a moment and replied, "I've successfully inscribed it. Moreover, the rune's effect is excellent. If it were me before... I probably wouldn't be a match for my current self."

Chen Heng's face showed a sentimental expression.

She had always believed that the way for cultivators to improve themselves was through continuous practice and combat, and she had never thought of starting with runes. Zhao Cheng'an's guidance was like a revelation to her, opening her eyes to a whole new world.

As she spoke, a hint of regret appeared on Chen Heng's face.

"Unfortunately, I don't have much talent for studying runes and spells. Just memorizing and inscribing these runes has taken up a lot of my energy. It would be even more difficult for me to innovate like you."

Zhao Cheng'an smiled and said, "Every cultivator has their own strengths, which is why even a Golden Core True Monarch would put aside his prejudices and establish a lineage."

"A person's energy is ultimately limited. If you want to go further on the path of cultivation, you need to stand on the shoulders of your predecessors and cooperate with each other."

Chen Heng nodded vigorously.

The wind blew through her bangs, and her clear pupils reflected the rising sun.

"You're right, Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Zhao Cheng'an reached out and took off a small bag hanging from his waist, handing it to Chen Heng.

"Oh, right, here, take some of this."

Chen Heng reached out and took the bag, opened it, and found that it contained many small beads that looked like peas and had an indigo luster.

"These are the seeds of the Thunder Bean plant that I picked from Black Wind Valley. I call them Thunder Beans."

Zhao Chengan then explained in detail the activation and usage methods of the Thunder Beans.

Although this spiritual plant nominally belongs to Zhao Cheng'an, it was ultimately obtained through the joint efforts of both of them. Now that Zhao Cheng'an has made some progress in his research, he is naturally willing to share it with Chen Heng.

Chen Heng carefully put the bag away and thanked Zhao Cheng'an.

Zhao Cheng'an smiled and was about to continue speaking when a strong gust of wind suddenly swept across the sky. Huge ripples spread across Mirror Lake in the distance, and many green blades of grass were whipped up and flung into the air by the gale.

The once clear sky quickly turned gloomy.

"What's going on? Is it going to rain?"

Chen Heng raised her head and looked up at the sky in confusion.

Zhao Cheng'an quickly realized something was wrong. "If I do the math, it's almost time to depart. This should be the interdimensional flying boat that's here to take us to Floating Scale Cave Heaven."

Chen Heng followed his gaze and looked up.

as predicted.

A massive, jet-black flying ship, a kilometer long, is breaking through the clouds and slowly flying forward.

The massive ship resembled a moving black mountain, its hull rubbing against the dark clouds in the sky, producing muffled sounds of wind and thunder.

Although they were far apart, the two of them could still feel an immense, suffocating pressure, as if they had suddenly fallen into the deep sea, making it difficult to even breathe.

Chen Heng's face showed an expression of amazement.

"It's incredible. This is just the most basic interdimensional flying boat. How magnificent must the imperial chariots built by those Golden Core True Monarchs be? It is said that when they travel, the sun and moon lose their light, and they can even pluck the stars from the sky."

Zhao Cheng'an said with a smile, "That's not something we lower-level cultivators should be thinking about. Now let's hurry up and pack our things and go to Thousand Ears Valley to meet the High Priest."

Looking at that flying ship in the sky that blots out the sun.

Although Zhao Cheng'an had anticipated this day countless times, he still couldn't help but feel a little nervous when it actually arrived.

This feeling is like walking into the college entrance examination hall in my previous life.

However, Zhao Chengan felt more excited and expectant.

A true dragon cannot be raised in shallow waters. The Seven Kingdoms, though a tranquil pool, are still too small. The outside world is a much larger stage.

Chen Heng nodded, and the two parted ways to pack their belongings.

Zhao Cheng'an had already prepared his luggage. It contained some spare clothes, accumulated spirit stones, manuscripts from his previous research on runes, and some improved spirit plant seeds, among other things.

Zhao Cheng'an and Chen Heng arrived at Qiansui Valley almost one after the other.

Shen Yanshan had been waiting here for quite some time. He had specially changed into a brand-new purple robe today, making him look exceptionally solemn.

"Chancellor." The two stepped forward and greeted Shen Yanshan respectfully.

Shen Yanshan smiled and nodded slightly to the two of them.

"You two wait here for a moment."

After speaking, the smile on his face vanished. His gaze swept past the two of them, looking towards the mountain path in the distance, his expression somewhat absent-minded, as if he had some heavy worries on his mind.

Zhao Chengan and Chen Heng exchanged a glance, both noticing that Shen Yanshan seemed a bit off, but they wisely refrained from asking further questions.

After a while.

Sun Fuli and Xu Baiheng also rushed over.

They carried large and small bags of items on their backs, their faces filled with anticipation and excitement. They didn't look like they were going to take an exam; they looked more like they were going on a trip.

The group waited a while longer, but Xiang Yunyuan still did not appear.

Zhao Cheng'an stood patiently in place and waited, while Sun Fuli and Xu Baiheng huddled together, whispering about something.

Another half incense stick's time has passed.

Xiang Yunyuan's tall figure finally appeared before everyone.

However, this is completely different from his previous confident, even somewhat arrogant, demeanor.

At this moment, Xiang Yunyuan's face was ashen, and his eyes were lifeless. He walked with his head down, and his whole body was shrouded in a deep sense of despondency.

What's going on?

Zhao Cheng'an was surprised and turned to look at Chen Heng.

Chen Heng also looked bewildered and shook her head slightly.

Sun Fuli, who was standing to the side, seemed to know some of the inside story.

A smug smile crept across his lips, but he quickly suppressed it and said nothing.

Xiang Yunyuan walked closer.

He took a step forward and, with a thud, knelt down on both knees in front of Shen Yanshan.

"I am a useless disciple and have failed my teacher's expectations!" Xiang Yunyuan said with a face full of self-reproach and a hoarse voice.

Shen Yanshan stroked his long beard and sighed softly.