Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation-Chapter 87 - 1: Starting Anew!
Rejuvenation is happening tonight!
As a flash of spiritual light streaked by, Li Ji’an opened his spiritual sense fully, not missing a single detail.
On the previous occasions, the rejuvenation happened while I was asleep, and there was no premonition the night before. But this time, perhaps due to the cultivation of spiritual sense, the insight is sharper.
This night, he intends to be fully engaged with spiritual sense perception, hoping to discover more about the mystery of "Rejuvenation."
While awaiting that moment, he did not remain idle and first placed spiritual muscle nurturing and vein purifying herbs in the wooden tub.
This batch of herbs is more effective compared to those from the Immortal Dynasty, as they’ve flourished in a place enriched with spiritual qi.
As a Body Cultivator, he has a natural advantage in bone structure, which is the greatest assurance at this stage and his trump card for the future, impossible to give up, yet hoping to advance further.
Then he disguised himself as his elderly appearance and went to the gathering area’s post station, sending off a letter long prepared to the Yan Family, expected to be delivered by noon the following day.
Returning home once more, he calls back Gugu, persuading it with emotion and reasoning, recalling their first meeting just thirty years ago, nostalgic for half an hour, then feeding it a Tier One Late Stage Upper Grade Beast Pill prepared nine years prior.
This moved Gugu immensely.
Following this, Li Ji’an instructed it to escape underground, cautiously guarding, but should anyone forcefully intrude, stop them desperately, informing it about the cultivation of an extraordinary technique that will be fearsomely powerful upon success.
Though unsure of how much it comprehended, the emotional bond and the Divine Soul Contract as dual insurance had some effect.
As the perception drew closer, he activated a Tier One Late Stage protective talisman, placed the Ant Queen harboring a trace of his divine soul on one side, and boiled the herbal liquid with Pill Fire in a wooden tub, finally preparing childhood clothing, retrieving the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill and Nourishing Source Pill to place before him, sitting cross-legged and concentrating in spiritual meditation.
Time ticked away, second by second...
"Swish~" Suddenly, Li Ji’an opened his eyes wide.
Observing his rejuvenated body, feeling the frail physique in a daze.
Though not feeling an ounce of tiredness, and being absolutely focused in spiritual awareness, he still unknowingly lost consciousness, waking to find himself like this again.
"Approximately an hour..."
"This ’Rejuvenation’ is indeed mystical, what exactly happened during this hour... Can divine sense at the Foundation Establishment Stage comprehend?"
No time to ponder deeply, he immediately adhered to the routine, first consuming the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, immersing himself wholly in the wood tub herbal bath.
After fully absorbing the effects of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, he then swallowed the Nourishing Source Pill.
The nourishment to muscles and bones from the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, has been experienced in his past life, but the Nourishing Source Pill was a first; as it transformed into spiritual liquid flowing into the dantian, he felt intense heat in the abdomen, akin to a blazing fire, yet only for the briefest moment before it ceased, turning into a warm stream gently nourishing the dantian...
Confirming no issues with the two pills, he set aside other thoughts, concentrating on operating the Divine Soul Condensation Method.
Yet again after "Rejuvenation," the foundation of the divine soul saw further enhancement. As the Divine Soul Condensation Method taught by Yan Qingwan operated, what was originally ethereal slowly began shrinking, strand by strand converting into spiritual sense.
Awaiting the sunrise, as the horizon lightened, the first phase of divine soul condensation was finally completed, possessing spiritual sense comparable to the Qi Cultivation Early Period.
"If in this lifetime the divine soul further expands, could fully condensing it break through to Foundation Establishment Stage divine sense?" Though hopeful, he didn’t continue.
With spiritual sense present, a new Divine Soul Contract can be established.
At this moment, his connection with Gugu is entirely lost.
Luckily, the trace of past life’s divine soul within Soul-Holding Ants’ sea of consciousness remains, albeit now feeling notably unfamiliar.
Gripping the Beast Taming Token tightly, spiritual sense is gradually infused.
An hour later, the prior trace of divine soul was finally ground away, re-binding the contract with Gugu’s divine soul.
"Gugu~" At the moment of contract renewal, distinctly feeling Gugu’s momentary bewilderment, and in the next moment borrows out from underground, revealing a head, with eyes slightly intelligent but not too much, bewilderedly gazing at the unfamiliar Li Ji’an.
However, at this time, Li Ji’an did not extend prior affection towards it, similarly gazing at it as a stranger, because now the Divine Soul Contract is formed, no matter how Gugu might think, it must come under his control.
Moreover, for Gugu, the newly signed Divine Soul Contract is evidently from another person; given its intelligence, making it believe he is still himself is quite difficult.
Subsequently, Li Ji’an placed all items including the Storage Pouch into Gugu’s mouth space, commanding it to carefully care for the Ant Queen.
Once Gugu escaped underground once again, Li Ji’an breathed a long sigh of relief.
The most critical step of this life has completed as planned.
Though currently powerless and lacking any magical power for protection, with Gugu, this Tier One Late Stage, adept at Earth Escape, spirit beast safeguarding, the entire desert poses no threat lest encountering a Foundation Establishment Taoist.
Spending another two hours, he familiarized and operated the Qi Sensing Technique already mastered in his past life, able to sense the scarce spiritual qi present here.
"Nourishing Source Pill, Qi Sensing Technique... and Spirit Vein Dao Field... Can the spirit root in this life be Middle Grade?"
With preparations thoroughly arranged, Li Ji’an called back Gugu, deftly exiting the house through its mouth-bound expanse, reemerging at the gathering area’s Central Plaza.
Everything seemed unchanged from yesterday, only one difference remained: himself.
"Hey, little one, where are your parents? Would you like to have your talent tested? If there’s potential, you could be brought to the Hui Race, ensuring a life without want, and a chance to enter the Dao." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
While waiting in the plaza, someone approached to make conversation.
These were individuals from neighboring Qi Cultivation Clans, lacking substantial assets.
This scene was quite common here, for cultivators’ world had many orphans, mainly due to parents leaving once never to return, while others unable to provide a path in cultivation for their child, bringing them to the market then leaving, leaving the child at the market.
However, those who could become orphans generally had limited spirit root potential, these clans merely trying their luck.
In addition, a matron-like Female Cultivator approached, complimenting Li Ji’an for his delicate looks, considering him good material, wanting to take him away.
Moreover, an elderly self-claiming Loose Cultivator, seeking a successor, approached.
Li Ji’an evaded them respectfully, claiming his parents would be arriving shortly.
Meanwhile, he encountered Chen Zhaohu returning from outside. Now, Chen Zhaohu showed signs of age, severely declined vitality, with his former vigor completely absent.
By chance, the two even exchanged a glance for a brief moment, yet passed by as strangers.
Until the sun leaned west, with people gradually returning.
Suddenly, a streak of light rushed from southeast of the gathering area.
Alongside it came a powerful divine sense pressure.
"Li Chang’an!" In the following moment, a familiar gentle voice approached from afar, enveloping the entire gathering area.
Until then, Li Ji’an released a long-held breath, his final worry evaporating.
Moreover, seeing Yan Qingwan’s demeanor, felt touched deep within.
The esteemed Foundation Establishment Taoist, rushing 800 miles merely due to a letter... even publicly calling out his past life name.
This life, secure!
