Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation-Chapter 113 - 12: Minor Fame (Part 2)
An Upper Grade Mid-term Teleportation Talisman that can instantly escape a hundred miles. He plans to replace this talisman after drawing the Late Period Teleportation Talisman.
A Late Period Premium Ice Freeze Talisman, which is the only one of its kind crafted in these six years. This talisman is relatively simple, partly because Li Ji'an had previously drawn many of its base Cold Wind Talismans. Once activated, it can freeze an area within ten zhang and varies depending on the strength of the target's Body-Protecting Dharma Shield. Referring to Yan Hongsheng's shield, it should freeze for three seconds and continue to slow down afterwards.
A single Upper Grade Late Period Golden Bell Talisman, not easily broken by the first Golden Saber Talisman.
The last one is an Upper Grade Late Period Water Curtain Talisman, which can provide area defense and also trap enemies. He primarily wants to compare this talisman with the one activated by that family cultivator who brought them to the Cultivation Realm years ago. The talisman from that time should be of Lower Grade Late Period.
These five talismans replaced the previous seven trump cards, making the Qi Cultivation Stage almost worry-free.
"Now my magical power should be enough to draw Second Tier Talismans, it's a pity there's no Second Tier legacy." Li Ji'an, slightly disappointed, put away the talismans.
The higher the grade of the talisman, the greater its power, and the more precious it becomes. Second Tier Talismans, in particular, are prized for their offensive capabilities and portability, considered strategic resources among factions, making them hard to acquire.
Until dusk, Li Ji'an went out and saw Xiaoqiao happily playing with Gugu.
After seven years of acquaintance, today is the first time seeing Xiaoqiao laugh so joyfully.
Li Ji'an simply let Gugu accompany Xiaoqiao back next door, essentially acting as a bodyguard.
A month passed by, but Granny You had not returned.
On this day, Li Ji'an received another communication from Yan Qingwan. Over the six years, after several communications, Yan Qingwan voluntarily shared the situation of the Desert, affirming Li Ji'an's timely departure decision and revealing the reasons behind the chaos there.
The Zheng Family had received strong support from the Liu Family back then, resolutely initiating the war.
Initially, the Zheng Family nearly fought against seven families. Since the seven families were already on guard, they immediately joined forces when the Zheng Family targeted the weakest one.
The first battle almost made the Zheng Family suffer a big loss, but at a critical moment, a Second Tier Illusion Array saved them.
Thereafter, a Second Tier Killing Array was used to eradicate two Foundation Establishment Ancestors.
Currently, the Zheng Family occupies three Second Tier Spirit Vein Lands and interacts with the other five families through formations provided by the Liu Family.
Yan Qingwan mentioned that the situation has now stabilized again.
Li Ji'an finished reading the message and slightly narrowed his eyes.
The Array Formation Liu Family's actions seem aimed at ultimately controlling the Desert.
Otherwise, with their family's resources, assisting the Zheng Family to seize the other seven families would be no problem.
It seems intentional that the Zheng Family and other families are being pitted against each other to exhaust resources.
Shaking his head, Li Ji'an thought no further.
What he could think of, surely the other families in the Desert could as well, even the Zheng Family themselves.
How it will ultimately develop is hard to say.
Nevertheless, the actions of the Liu Family made Li Ji'an more suspicious that they were the family that kept blood slaves in the past.
North of the Sandstorm Area of the Immortal Dynasty is the Desert land. If the Liu Family occupies it, they'd undoubtedly be closer to the Immortal Dynasty.
Three months later.
Granny You still had not returned.
This day, Li Ji'an took Xiaoqiao out to buy life necessities.
"Alchemist Li, going out?"
"Alchemist Li."
"Greetings, Alchemist Li."
…
For several consecutive years, Li Ji'an's name was on the list of Alchemist rankings, making his reputation quite prominent in the Immortal City.
On the way, he encountered many people greeting them.
Of course, it's mainly notable in the Qi Cultivation Stage.
There are benefits, as two years ago, a commerce association specializing in hosting auctions once commissioned special pill medicines from him and invited him to a few auctions.
While broadening his horizons, it also obliterated his idea of purchasing a Foundation Establishment Pill through the market.
From that commerce association, he learned that good Foundation Establishment Pills wouldn't go up for auction, and even if they did, the prices were exorbitantly high.
A genuine Foundation Establishment Pill increases the success rate of Foundation Establishment by twenty percent, while the Middle Grade increases it by thirty percent. For that ten percent chance, the price nearly doubles, truly reflecting the cultivation realm's pursuit of a slim chance for immortal fate.
Because of this, his plans for Foundation Establishment over the years have been reduced to two paths, with the first choice being self-refinement. The biggest problem, however, lies in the insufficiency of Pill Fire.
The other path is to find a Second Tier Pill Master for help with refinement.
Both paths involve the issue of medicinal materials. From the auction house, he discovered that Foundation Establishment Pill materials, although scarce, aren't too difficult to obtain for lower-level cultivators within a certain level.
He later inquired with Zhao Shuyao and received a positive response.
However, the cost is substantial.
She comforted him not to worry about the Foundation Establishment Pill materials, encouraging him to cultivate in peace and wait for Tong Yaoyao to return from the Commerce Association headquarters trial.
It was then that Li Ji'an learned that Tong Yaoyao's family commerce association is not within the Celestial Cyan Domain but in another major cultivation domain further northwest, separated by the Mysterious Forest and Desolate Land.
After shopping with Xiaoqiao, they stopped by the Taiping Inn on the way.
They sat in the same corner.
The difference is that occasionally, someone would come over to make connections.
Half a day passed, yet there was still no sign of the cultivator from over two years ago who spoke of the Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame near the Flame Mountain Forbidden Land to the east.
"So, it can be ruled out as a deliberate attempt to lure me," Li Ji'an felt slightly relieved.
Although the person had only mentioned it casually, Li Ji'an had practically gone through all the ancient texts about the Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame in the Immortal City afterward.
He even spent a hundred Spirit Stones to buy information from an intelligence agency regarding the Spirit Flame.
The Spirit Flame has existed since ancient times and continues to exist. Supposedly, today's Tier Three Pill King from the Ten Thousand Laws Palace in the Celestial Origin Province has merged a Spirit Flame into their Dantian.
According to ancient texts, the Spirit Flame is indeed the Spirit of Heaven and Earth.
To be precise, it's the transformed object of the fire attribute Holy Spirit nurtured by heaven and earth.
Possessing the characteristic of a fire attribute Holy Spirit reborn, it lacks the intelligence of the Holy Spirit and is an indestructible and eternal object.
In ancient times, it was discovered by Alchemists to be nurturable in the Dantian. During alchemy, the divine power of the Spirit Flame is closer to the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism than the Pill Fire condensed from one's fire attribute cultivation technique, truly a divine object for Alchemists in alchemy, hard to seek but possible to encounter.
However, although the Spirit Flame has lost its intelligence, it retains the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm. Combined with its inherent nature as the Spirit of Heaven and Earth, it roams through mountains and major veins, making it difficult to encounter.
Fortunately, ancient Alchemists discovered methods to specifically capture Spirit Flames through countless attempts. It's not difficult, needing only a Spirit Trapping Talisman to isolate spiritual energy, and a Mid-term Talisman suffices.
Therefore, in recent years, Li Ji'an also specially practiced the Spirit Trapping Talisman and successfully drew some to keep.
Returning home that day, the Communication Talisman vibrated.
Xiao Changfeng finally replied.
Two years ago, when Li Ji'an first heard about the Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame, he felt compelled. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Nonetheless, he worried it might be a trap to lure him deliberately.
Furthermore, unfamiliarity with that area left him uneasy.
During a conversation with Xiao Changfeng, learning that Xiao Changfeng's hometown is nearby, he mentioned it, suggesting if ever returning, they could go together.
With a Biyun Sect Inner Sect Disciple accompanying, many unnecessary troubles could be avoided.
This time Xiao Changfeng replied, having finally returned from training in the northern Great Marsh Mountains, planning to return to his hometown, and inviting Li Ji'an along.
Through years of exchanging messages with Xiao Changfeng, he had advanced to the Late Period of Qi Cultivation Stage three years earlier than Li Ji'an, but had spent these years stockpiling Foundation Establishment Pill contribution, reducing daily cultivation resources, which caused his recent promotion to the Qi Cultivation 9th Layer only last year.
His Upper Grade Spirit Root, coupled with frequent magical combat exercises honing his magical power, almost leveled his cultivation progress with Li Ji'an.
However, his experience in magical combat vastly surpassed Li Ji'an's.
If Li Ji'an doesn't use any trump cards, he might not defeat him.
Of course, this assumes Xiao Changfeng has no artifacts or Secret Techniques. If he does, it would be a different story.
"Uncle Li, it's time to eat." In the evening, Xiaoqiao, accompanied by Gugu, prepared a sumptuous supper.
They used Demon Beast Meat bought from the Immortal City today, with Li Ji'an teaching her the braising technique.
Ever since Xiaoqiao's presence, Gugu also enjoyed good meals, aiding occasionally while she cooks, a harmonious scene.
Two more months passed, Granny You still had not returned.
This day, after eighteen years of separation, Xiao Changfeng finally stood before Li Ji'an once more.
