Chapter 4: Cultivation Realms

After learning each other's names, Xue Hong stopped talking, but Ding Zhen seemed to have opened the floodgates.

Lin Donglai, however, saw his parents waving from below the stage and had no heart for idle chatter. He only asked, "Brother Ding, are you here alone?"

"Yes. My father is a tenant farmer for Master Ding in town. He pulled some strings to get me a job herding cattle for Master Ding, but I don't want to be a tenant farmer for the rest of my life!"

Ding Zhen’s eyes shone brightly as he said, "I want to become a high and mighty immortal!"

Hearing the boy's words, Jiang Biling thought to herself, "A low-grade five-element spiritual root in an immortal sect—if he doesn't want to be a servant, he's really only fit to be a tenant farmer. However, this Ding Zhen has a strong fire element; he isn't even suitable for tending spiritual fields. When the time comes, I'll recommend him to be an apprentice in artifact refining—let him go hammer iron."

"As for this Lin Donglai, he has a strong wood element and a low-grade Jia-wood body. That is suitable for farming, or looking after forests and orchards."

As an inner sect administrative disciple, Jiang Biling had the right to make recommendations for every disciple whose spiritual roots she tested. If these recommended disciples performed well in the future, she would earn some merit within the administrative system.

...

Not long after the spiritual root testing concluded, Jiang Biling said, "We still have to go to the county town to test for spiritual roots later. Once you leave, I fear it will be difficult for you to come down the mountain again within ten years. You should go back and say your goodbyes to your relatives."

"We will depart from outside the East Gate at the hour of the Dragon in three days. We will be taking an Elder's spirit boat for the return journey. Both of you must be there on time. Also, do not bring too much luggage; I do not wish to see a mountain of bags and bundles."

Lin Donglai thought to himself: It seems my aptitude is indeed mediocre. If it were someone with Xue Hong's aptitude, they would naturally be protected and kept close, but for the likes of us, it’s like herding sheep.

"I'm not going home," Ding Zhen said quickly, fearing that something might go wrong and his chance at immortality would vanish. "I'll go with you."

Jiang Biling looked at Lin Donglai. "And you?"

Lin Donglai didn't want to appear overly sentimental, so he immediately said, "My parents are right there. I'll just say a few words to them and then leave."

"Very well. We depart for the county town in three quarters of an hour. Go!"

Having received permission, Lin Donglai immediately went down to find his parents.

However, many people below wanted to get to know Lin Donglai, making it difficult for him to move. Fortunately, Lin Meng was a hunter with plenty of strength; he pushed through the crowd and made his way to Lin Donglai.

"Why did you come back down? We all know you have spiritual roots now; we saw it with our own eyes. Just go with the immortal master."

Lin Donglai was somewhat reluctant to leave. "Father, although I have spiritual roots, they are very ordinary. The immortal master said that only when I become an inner sect disciple will you be able to enjoy a good life with me. If I’m only an outer sect disciple, I’m afraid you won't be able to enjoy any benefits, and there might even be danger."

"Who wants to go with you to enjoy a good life?" Lin Meng grunted. "What kind of parents would count on their child for a good life? Go tell that to your mother!"

Meng Qing only looked at Lin Donglai. "When you get there, take good care of yourself. Remember to eat on time, sleep on time, and don't stay up late—it's bad for your health."

"Mother... I will definitely come back to pick you up so you can live in comfort! The immortal master said she only gave me a little time. I have to go back now. Take care of yourselves!"

After saying this, Lin Donglai turned and ran back.

If he had said another word, he feared he would have shed tears.

"This child, why did he turn and run? I hadn't finished giving him my instructions!"

After Lin Donglai said his goodbyes and returned to Li Yunze's side, Jiang Biling took out several paper horses and blew on them; the paper horses turned into real ones.

She then took out a paper-folded carriage, and that carriage also turned into a real one.

Li Yunze skillfully harnessed the horses to the carriage, and they led the others inside.

Seeing the curiosity of the group, Jiang Biling explained, "This is a talisman artifact, made by a talisman master. You will come into contact with these in the future. We can fly about freely, but we cannot carry your mortal bodies. This talisman carriage is more convenient; it can travel a thousand miles a day as if on flat ground."

"When the Elder's flying boat arrives, it will be able to take you all back to the immortal sect together, and you will be able to experience the feeling of flying through the sky."

Lin Donglai touched the carriage window and looked closely, confirming it was indeed not wood, but a rather hard paper. He couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of the cultivation world, and the pain of his recent departure was somewhat diluted by these novelties.

Sitting in the talisman carriage, Jiang Biling did not remain idle. "Since we are on the subject, I will tell you about the cultivation that follows your entry into the sect. This is a responsibility I must fulfill as a guide disciple."

"Cultivation is divided into several realms: Fetal Breath, Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, and Golden Core."

"Among them, Fetal Breath is also called the Innate Realm; it is the beginning of cultivation. This realm has four layers: the first is Nourishing Essence, the second is Tendon Transformation, the third is Marrow Cleansing, and the fourth is the Fetal Breath realm itself. The Fetal Breath realm is actually what you mortals call the Innate Realm—opening the Ren and Du meridians, expelling the turbid energy from your body, and preparing for spiritual energy to enter the body."

"The sect only gives you a maximum of one year: one hundred days for Nourishing Essence, one hundred days for Tendon Transformation, and one hundred days for Marrow Cleansing. Once Marrow Cleansing is complete, you refine essence into qi and achieve the Fetal Breath."

"Within that year, those who break through to the first layer of Qi Refining will become outer sect disciples. Those who fail to reach even the first layer of Qi Refining are clearly not practicing diligently and are wasting resources; they will be demoted to servants to do hard labor and repay their debts to the sect."

"Why do we have to repay debts?" Ding Zhen asked with wide eyes.

"During the periods of Nourishing Essence, Tendon Transformation, and Marrow Cleansing, you eat medicinal meals and take medicinal baths. In fact, from the moment we were dispatched to test your spiritual roots, the sect has been spending spirit stones to cultivate you. If you meet the standard within a year, that is the sect's investment in you. If you do not, then you have failed the sect's investment, and naturally, accounts must be settled."

Jiang Biling said, "But you don't need to worry. Back then, it took me less than a month to complete the induction of qi into my body and become a first-layer Qi Refining cultivator."

She had never paid attention to how those with five-element spiritual roots cultivated, but she estimated, "Even with the low-grade aptitude of five spiritual roots, as long as you persist in practicing the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique for two hours every day, and then practice the Tendon Transformation and Marrow Cleansing exercises for another hour, combined with the spiritual food from Immortal Seed Peak, it is quite normal to break through to the first layer of Qi Refining within a hundred days."

"After Qi Refining, you can choose your cultivation techniques and select one of the hundred arts of cultivation as a secondary skill."

"At the first layer of Qi Refining, the sect will still focus on nurturing you, mainly at Lingxi Peak, where you will listen to lectures and learn skills."

"After one year, you will begin to perform outer sect missions."

Jiang Biling stopped there and said, "That concludes the explanation of the realms."

"Aren't there subsequent realms?" Ding Zhen asked curiously.

"Those are too far off for you. I am only responsible for explaining the Fetal Breath realm and the initial stage of Qi Refining."

"Aside from the realms, I also need to tell you about the history of the Green Wood Sect and the sect rules, so that you don't go somewhere and not know what you can or cannot do. As your guide, if you make mistakes later, they won't blame you—they will blame me for not teaching you."