Chapter 6: Peiyuan Breathing Technique

Over the next two days, Li Yunze and Jiang Biling tested for spiritual roots in the city, while Lin Donglai and the others practiced the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Technique and the Tendon-Changing and Marrow-Cleansing Posture in the Taoist temple.

The old Taoist priest of the temple was responsible for providing the three daily meals required for these "immortal sprouts" to cultivate.

Xue Hong, being quite knowledgeable, showed off a bit as he introduced the food to Lin Donglai and Ding Zhen. After all, his father was an outer sect deacon; not to mention these delicacies, he hadn't eaten ordinary mortal food since he was found to have spiritual roots.

"This rice is 'Bi-Jing' rice. It’s a tribute grown in the mortal world, something only high-ranking officials and nobles get to eat."

"But when cooked for us, it’s prepared using Foundation-Nurturing Spirit Liquid. After it’s cooked, it’s dried, then soaked in the spirit liquid again. After nine cycles of steaming and drying, the spirit liquid is thoroughly infused into the Bi-Jing rice. The rice turns a deep, emerald green, looking just like fine jade, and it contains a trace of spiritual energy that is very gentle."

"As for the dishes, take this ginseng-stewed chicken, for example. The chicken isn't fed grains, but medicinal herbs. They take *huangjing* (Solomon's seal), steam and dry it nine times, grind it into rice-sized grains, and feed it to the chicken. After the chicken has eaten this for a hundred days, it is slaughtered and stewed with century-old ginseng. If we weren't practicing the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Technique and the Tendon-Changing and Marrow-Cleansing Posture, we wouldn't be able to absorb such a potent tonic at all—we’d just get nosebleeds!"

After hearing this, Lin Donglai ate every single grain of rice, feeling as if he were consuming gold particles.

Ding Zhen was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. "How much effort and money must this cost!"

Hearing this, Xue Hong felt his vanity satisfied. "In the mortal world, these meals would cost thirty or forty taels of gold. Even in the cultivation world, you wouldn't get a meal like this for less than thirty or forty spirit pearls."

"My father said that for the year we spend at Immortal Sprout Peak, all of this is free, and we can eat as much as we want... If we eat like this for two years, it would probably cost hundreds of spirit stones."

"However, after reaching the first level of Qi Refining, this Foundation-Nurturing meal won't have any effect anymore. You'll need to eat spirit rice, spirit vegetables, spirit fruits, and spirit beast meat to get any nourishment."

While Lin Donglai and the others ate, drank, and practiced their breathing and posture techniques at the temple, Li Yunze and Jiang Biling discovered three more disciples with spiritual roots over the two days.

One was named Sang Qiao. His father was the county magistrate. He possessed wind, water, and earth spiritual roots. The wind and water nourished the earth, making him a spiritual root suitable for becoming a geomancer of spirit veins. His spiritual roots were two point two inches long—a medium-grade spiritual root, with Grade B-plus aptitude.

Li Yunze valued Sang Qiao highly, saying that an inner sect Foundation Establishment elder had offered a reward specifically to take on a disciple with such spiritual root aptitude to inherit their mantle.

The other two were a five-element spiritual root (with earth being dominant) and a four-element spiritual root (lacking metal). Neither were geniuses, and their spiritual root quality was only low-grade.

Lin Donglai was focused on his training and didn't even have time to ask their names.

Refining a Dao Seed requires essence blood, and this posture technique, after cleansing the marrow, could condense essence blood—exactly what Lin Donglai needed.

On the third day, Li Yunze and Jiang Biling waited outside the east gate of the county town with the newly tested immortal sprouts. Before the hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM), they saw a large ship flying in from the distance.

The ship was made entirely of wood, with some parts plated in gold. It was about seventy or eighty zhang long and thirty or forty zhang wide, bearing a flag that read [Qingmu].

The ship did not land; instead, a beam of green light descended, and the group was transported onto the deck.

There were already four or five hundred people on board—some were immortal sprout disciples, others were their relatives, all being taken to Qingmu Immortal City.

Li Yunze and Jiang Biling first greeted the other inner sect disciples, then paid their respects to the Foundation Establishment elder piloting the spirit boat.

"Elder Ma, these are the meteorite fragments we found in Lin Family Town. Additionally, we found two disciples: one with wind, fire, and thunder spiritual roots of medium quality, and one with wind, water, and earth spiritual roots of medium quality, who has the talent of a spirit vein geomancer."

Ma Baocai hooked his finger, and the meteorite landed in his hand. He examined it briefly. "There is no omen of the Grand Elder's destined opportunity here; it is just a fragment of ordinary star-fallen iron."

He then returned the meteorite to Li Yunze. "That treasure involves the secret of achieving the Golden Core from the Purple Mansion. This massive mobilization to search for the opportunity has already alarmed the surrounding areas. There are so many immortal sprouts here, the future foundation of our sect; the Sect Master has ordered us to return to the mountain immediately. You inner sect disciples may also return to the mountain to submit your missions."

With that, he returned to the spirit boat's control hub, channeled his magic power, and piloted the spirit boat toward the Qingmu Sect.

Seeing the flying boat ascend, many disciples leaned over the edge to look down.

As they drifted further away, the immortal sprout disciples began to get to know one another spontaneously.

However, it was clear that the truly talented sprouts were all gathered around the inner sect disciples.

It wasn't just the weak who clung together.

People are divided into different ranks, and it is the same everywhere.

Ding Zhen didn't dare to wander around. Since Xue Hong and Sang Qiao had gone to the inner sect disciples, he stayed by Lin Donglai's side, surrounded by fellow townsfolk. He whispered, "Donglai, I asked around. Our five-element low-grade spiritual roots are the worst."

Lin Donglai had already known this, but he didn't care. With the Foundation-Nurturing breathing he had practiced over the last two days, the seed he could only see when he closed his eyes seemed to be breathing along with him.

Moreover, while sleeping at the temple these past two days, Lin Donglai had been having the same dream—the content was identical to the first day, only becoming increasingly blurred.

Only the method of refining the Life-Bound Dao Seed remained deeply imprinted.

"Having poor spiritual roots doesn't necessarily mean you have no chance on the immortal path," Lin Donglai said calmly. "Just don't look down on yourself."

"Besides, we have already stepped onto the immortal path. If we don't experience it for ourselves, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?"

"The way you talk sounds just like a scholar. I'll listen to you."

Seeing Lin Donglai so calm and composed, neither elated by gain nor saddened by loss, Ding Zhen felt his own mood lift and began to practice the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Technique on his own.

The Qingmu Sect was not far away, located in the Piaomiao Mountains on the edge of Qingmu Prefecture.

The Piaomiao Mountains sat at the border of three prefectures, all of which were under the governance of the Qingmu Immortal Sect. The Qingmu Sect recruited disciples from these three prefectures and also maintained peace, ensuring they were not harassed by evil cultivators.

The spirit vein of the Piaomiao Mountains was of the third-grade low-tier, which was why the spiritual energy was so dense, forming clouds and mist that shrouded the mountains and forests—hence the name "Piaomiao" (Ethereal).

Below the Piaomiao Mountains lay Qingmu Immortal City, a city for cultivators built on the largest branch of the second-grade high-tier spirit vein of the Piaomiao Mountains.

The flying boat docked outside Qingmu Immortal City.

Qingmu Immortal City was a place where immortals and mortals lived together. The inner city was where wealthy practitioners lived, and it was also where the Piaomiao Mountain spirit vein was located; many cave dwellings had been opened there specifically for rent to rogue cultivators.

The immortal sprout disciples were not allowed to leave the flying boat and could only look down from the ship, yet they were still captivated by the prosperity of Qingmu Immortal City.

Compared to the mortal county town, which only spanned five or six li in circumference, the outer city of Qingmu Immortal City, having been expanded layer by layer, could almost be called a giant city.

"When I become an inner sect disciple, I'll also set up a business in Qingmu City and bring my parents here to enjoy a good life."