Chapter 35: Second Layer of Qi Refinement

The void formed by the Jianmu Dao Seed expanded slowly, like a celestial embryonic membrane, enveloping the entire Inner Scenery.

The Inner Scenery had become an Inner Heaven and Earth.

Then, accompanied by a thunderous roar reminiscent of the creation of the world, a sound filled with vitality erupted.

The pure Qi rose, and the turbid Qi descended!

The Earth-element fetal breath evolved into a palm-sized spiritual field; the Water-element fetal breath transformed into a miniature spring; and the Wood-element fetal breath merged with the Jianmu Dao Seed, taking root upon this water and soil.

The Metal-element fetal breath transformed into the atmosphere, surging with the inhalation and exhalation of the lungs with a sound like thunder.

The Fire-element fetal breath became the light of the Inner Scenery, appearing like a phantom sun.

The Dao Seed took root upon this palm-sized blessed field, and its spore-like leaves finally unfurled.

Among the three roots, the one representing the Qi Induction Technique began to turn multicolored and grow thick. This represented the Spiritual Root Dao Seed; Lin Donglai did not need to cultivate it actively; once the time was right, it would automatically cultivate the five types of Qi-gathering techniques.

Meanwhile, the roots representing the Primordial Nourishing Breathing Technique and the Tendon-Strengthening Marrow-Washing Stance behaved differently: one took root in the void, continuing to breathe in the primordial Qi of the void, while the other took root at Lin Donglai's navel. Vaguely, Lin Donglai felt as if he had established a wondrous connection with the Outer Heaven and Earth through his navel.

An invisible umbilical cord of the void was delivering nutrients to him. These nutrients were precisely life essence; his squeezed spiritual marrow and depleted blood and Qi acted like parched earth meeting sweet rain, frantically converting the life essence absorbed from the heavens and earth to replenish himself.

It was as if a premature infant was slowly growing robust, or as if a centenarian was slowly beginning to regain their youth.

Lin Donglai had a sudden moment of spiritual insight, realizing that this was precisely the achievement of the "Celestial Umbilicus," the verification of successfully refining an Inner Scenery Blessed Land.

The Inner Heaven and Earth drew its nutrients from the Outer Heaven and Earth through this Celestial Umbilicus.

"Hu!"

"Xi!"

"Hu!"

"Xi!"

As the Spiritual Root Dao Seed took root in the blessed field and operated its cultivation formula, spiritual Qi flowed. From the Middle Dantian to the Lower Dantian, and even to the Upper Dantian, his entire body, using the skin as a boundary, transformed into a complete celestial embryo.

And Lin Donglai's meager cultivation began to grow.

The Spiritual Root Dao Seed began to feed back into his cultivation. It seemed that either the spirit stones he had previously fed it, or the other elemental spiritual Qi extracted by the Dao Seed while practicing the Five Elements Qi-Gathering Method, were being released in a single surge.

Within Lin Donglai's Dantian, his spiritual power began to grow rapidly from its initial thirty-odd strands.

One strand, two strands, three strands!

Ten strands, twenty strands, fifty strands!

It only stopped once it had grown to one hundred and fifty strands of spiritual power.

The threshold for the second layer of Qi Refinement was 120 strands; Lin Donglai had already broken through.

He was now a second-layer Qi Refinement cultivator.

However...

Breaking through so suddenly would be troublesome if someone noticed. With a mere thought, this spiritual power was actually reabsorbed by the Spiritual Root Dao Seed.

After rooting in the blessed field and opening the Inner Heaven and Earth, this Spiritual Root Dao Seed could be used as an additional Dantian.

He left himself with exactly eighty strands of spiritual power, which was roughly the level of other low-grade five-element spiritual root farming disciples.

This was perfect; during this period, he could maintain the appearance of someone who had worked hard through consuming spirit grains to successfully break through to the second layer of Qi Refinement.

After concealing his aura, Lin Donglai closed his eyes to perform an internal observation.

As expected, since he only possessed the Yang Five Elements, even though the Spiritual Root Dao Seed continuously breathed in the five-element spiritual Qi and condensed five-element essence, it could not use this palm-sized blessed field as a "seed" to expand continuously. It could only increase its density, making it no longer thin and fragile.

"I still need to complete the Yin Five Elements Qi-Gathering Method!"

While listening to lectures at the Dharma Hall, Lin Donglai had heard an Outer Sect Transmission Elder mention that the ancient Primordial Chaos Five Elements Sect could cultivate the Primordial Chaos Golden Core during the Golden Core Stage using both Yin and Yang Five Elements.

A Primordial Chaos Golden Core could create heaven and earth and open a Blessed Land.

A single Golden Core was a Blessed Land world!

However, Lin Donglai had not memorized the cultivation techniques for the Yin Five Elements. He would have to find a way to visit the Library.

Furthermore, within Lingxi Peak, there were only early-stage Qi Refinement techniques for the Five Elements.

To obtain the subsequent techniques for free, he would have to break through to the fourth layer of Qi Refinement.

"I should first focus on mastering the Sprouting and Gestation Technique. At the second layer of Qi Refinement, I can still exchange one spell at the Library. I'll choose the Sweet Dew Rain Technique. Once I've learned that, I'll trade the Sweet Dew Gourd for a Ground-Shaking Spirit Hoe."

"Ding Zhen could also use the Ground-Shaking Spirit Hoe to observe and learn; perhaps she could replicate it through imitation."

Having made up his mind, Lin Donglai now had a goal.

His short-term goal was to successfully cultivate the Sprouting and Gestation Technique and the Sweet Dew Rain Incantation, and to use the Jianmu Spirit Leaves to carry these two spells. After all, since rooting, the initial spore had already unfurled, and a new segment of bud had grown.

Lin Donglai guessed that every time his cultivation broke through, the Dao Seed would also grow a new segment, producing two more leaves.

When the Spirit Plant Hall assessment came, while others struggled to cast a single spell, Lin Donglai would cast two. That should at least count him as a "Little Spirit Plant Genius."

His medium-term goal was to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement and go to the Outer Sect Manual Hall to learn the complete Five Elements Qi-Gathering Method.

As for his long-term goal, it was to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage before the age of sixty.

Although Huang Yue spoke highly of his potential to become an Outer Sect Elder of the Spirit Plant Hall, if he could become an Inner Sect Elder, who would be willing to waste time in the Qi Refinement stage, turning to technical skills out of hopelessness because they saw no path to breakthrough?

Lin Donglai did not consider himself a true genius, but with this opportunity, he certainly would not be content to merely circle around the Qi Refinement stage.

Sometimes, after being in the immortal sect for a while, Lin Donglai would occasionally think of his family.

If he could become an Inner Sect disciple, he could bring his parents to live in Qingmu Immortal City and enjoy a life of comfort.

A few days later, Lin Donglai inquired about the approximate cultivation levels of this batch of "Immortal Seedlings." After learning that four or five others had already broken through to the second layer of Qi Refinement, he felt relieved enough to go and register his cultivation.

After all, after the second layer of Qi Refinement, the monthly stipend was four spirit stones, which was more respectable than the first layer.

Fortunately, Lin Donglai did not need spirit stones for cultivation; he could use all of them to invest in his great cause of spirit planting.

Lin Donglai's Spiritual Root Dao Seed was constantly absorbing primordial Qi from the void to convert into spiritual Qi, and absorbing life essence from the Outer Heaven and Earth to nourish his physical body.

Although it was currently only about half the speed of active cultivation, Lin Donglai could only actively cultivate for one hour a day, whereas the Spiritual Root Dao Seed could cultivate for five hours.

Among them, the Primordial Nourishing Breathing Technique could operate continuously for twelve hours a day.

After receiving his spirit stones, Lin Donglai first went to the Spirit Plant Hall to share the good news with Huang Yue and asked, "Senior Sister, can one learn five spirit planting spells for free upon breaking through? If so, I will choose a different spell when I go to the Manual Hall to exchange for one."

"You have already exchanged for the Sprouting and Gestation Technique. If you want more spells, you will need to use the internal merit of the Spirit Plant Hall, which can only be obtained by completing spirit planting tasks."

"Since you have the Sweet Dew Gourd, there is no need to exchange for another spirit planting spell. Master this one first. I would actually suggest learning a Spirit Eye Technique."

"A Spirit Eye Technique allows you to see a cultivator's level and check the status of spirit plants. If a plant is sick or its condition is poor, you can detect it early with a Spirit Eye Technique and then find a way to solve it."

"Most importantly, without a Spirit Eye Technique, you cannot practice the Morning Glow Qi-Gathering Incantation to collect Purple Qi. It is collected through the eyes, not through breathing and respiration."

"A Spirit Eye Technique?" Lin Donglai cupped his hands. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister!"

It seemed that trading the Sweet Dew Gourd for the Ground-Shaking Spirit Hoe was out of the question. He would have to find a way to buy a second-hand one cheaply, or wait until Ding Zhen became a first-grade low-rank blacksmith to forge one for him.