Demon Cultivator with Celestial Book-Chapter 109 - 92: Four Waters and Three Ridges of the North and South Lands; The Yin Puppet Whips Mountains with the Might of Earth and Wood
Returning to the summit of Red Flame Peak, Jiang Yi headed straight for Yang Xun’s residence.
He had been visiting frequently of late, always quick to pay his respects, and was now a familiar face.
The Little Daoist Child poked his head out, smiled upon seeing Jiang Yi, and led him directly to the front courtyard without announcing his arrival.
"The Master is in the middle of his Cultivation and cannot be disturbed. Senior Brother Jiang, please wait in the hall for a bit. I’ll go brew you a pot of hot tea."
With that, the Little Daoist Child turned to get busy.
Jiang Yi raised a hand to stop him and said softly,
"That won’t be necessary. I just came from a fine feast and I’m quite stuffed. Let me just sit for a bit and let my food settle."
After sending the Little Daoist Child away, he strolled through the covered walkway and gazed at the brightly lit Quiet Chamber, feeling quite satisfied.
’Grandpa’s Cultivation is diligent, without a shred of laziness. If he keeps this up, he might just have a chance to break through to the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer.’
The Qi Cultivation Seventh or Eighth Layer was considered the backbone of the Inner Sect Dharma Lineage.
If Yang Xun actually succeeded, he would no longer have to spend all day fawning over Elder Sui, bowing and scraping in cautious servitude.
Jiang Yi turned and returned to the front hall. He sat alone on a round stool, his eyelids half-closed as if organizing his thoughts.
His main reason for coming tonight was to see if there had been any stir on Observing Sun Peak after the Sect Leader’s return to the Dharma Lineage.
That day in Heshui Cave, when he met with the disciples of the Inner Peak, he had made a name for himself and tested his mettle. His desire for the Harmonious Yang Qi and the Cloud Soaring and Flame Riding Skill had been secondary; the real reason he went was because the Celestial Book had shown that he might find an Opportunity.
Now, the Harmonious Yang Qi had been delivered to him and the Cloud Soaring and Flame Riding Skill was in his possession, but the page of the golden paper still shimmered with light, indicating that the Opportunity had not yet appeared.
’The Sect Leader cultivates Kui Water, and I cultivate Ding Fire. Even if he were to use me as a Daoist Can, the two elements are in conflict. The Opportunity probably didn’t fall to the Sect Leader.’
Jiang Yi mused that the Secret Technique for using a Daoist Can wasn’t so easily performed. The vast majority of Demon Cultivators on the Nanzhan Continent followed the mainstream, adhering to the principles of the Five Elements.
However, the Five Elements have always created and conquered one another.
A High Cultivator of Kui Water would not absorb a Lower Cultivator of Ding Fire to increase their Merit.
This had been the Cat Master’s firm answer, later confirmed as correct by the Celestial Book.
’Right now, I have the supplies I bought from Wudu Hall, a Yuan Containing Pill I can trade, and a portion of Harmonious Yang Qi for cultivating the Embrace God and Cultivate Thoughts Seven Emotions Curse...’
Jiang Yi took stock of his "assets." They were enough to support him in bringing his Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer Merit to Perfection, and then further boost his strength.
He wouldn’t become a "Whiteboard" Qi Cultivator, possessing only raw Power but no real skills.
’First, I’ll use up all the talisman money. Then, I’ll wait to enter the Inner Peak’s Resource Land, secure a guard post, and harvest Spiritual Materials and Resources to line my pockets...’
With his train of thought becoming clear, Jiang Yi stood up, no longer intending to stay.
Grandpa Yang Xun was engrossed in his Cultivation; it was unlikely he would emerge from seclusion anytime soon.
He called the Little Daoist Child over to give him some instructions.
"I have an acquaintance on Sewing Peak who wants to transfer to the Quenching Room on Red Flame Peak. Please tell Grandpa I’ll have to trouble him to pull some strings for me so I can repay a favor I owe."
The Little Daoist Child said, "Oh." He recalled the young woman who had run to the neighboring courtyard and knocked furiously on the door, and asked,
"Is her surname ’Luo’?"
Jiang Yi frowned slightly and shook his head.
"Her surname is Li—Li Ruohan of the Bo County Li Clan. She’s in the Weaving Room on Sewing Peak. Now that peak has been moved outside the sect gates, she plans to transfer."
The Little Daoist Child replied,
"I understand. I’ll explain it clearly to the Master as soon as he finishes his Cultivation."
Jiang Yi smiled and pressed a bright red talisman coin into the boy’s hand.
"Thanks."
The Little Daoist Child accepted it with delight and eagerly saw Jiang Yi out.
He thought,
’Senior Brother Jiang is so considerate. No wonder the Master listens to his every word and grants his every wish.’
...
...
In the Quiet Chamber, Jiang Yi sat cross-legged on a wooden couch, cradling the round, plump Cat Master in his arms.
This True Master Xuanmiao had always feared the cold and loved warmth, sticking to his side all day long and treating him like a walking, personal furnace.
"Cat Master, take a look at this Cloud Soaring and Flame Riding Skill. What grade would you say it is?"
Jiang Yi spread the thread-bound booklet open on his lap and asked softly.
True Master Xuanmiao let out a long yawn. It was always lethargic in the cold weather, wanting only to eat well and sleep soundly. After a cursory glance, it said nonchalantly,
"Around Eighth Grade. Barely usable. Learning a couple of moves from a minor Spell like this is good enough for self-defense or a quick getaway.
"In any case, once you cultivate to the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer and reach the Flying Foundation Establishment Realm, your entire body will be filled with Profound Light and you will have a Self-Generated Dharma. At that point, these minor Spells from Heterodox Sects will become irrelevant.
No matter the skill, a single surge of Profound Light or a sweep of your Magical Power will render them all useless.
At that point, your proper path will be to study All Techniques and comprehend the True Seal."
A True Master from an Ancestral Sect certainly spoke with a different kind of air.
Jiang Yi shook his head. The Cat Master’s standards were simply too high.
Achieving the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Level was nowhere near that easy.
Take Sect Leader Liu Huan, for example. In his youth, he was said to be one of the most promising Dao Materials on Beimang Ridge. Less than half a year after entering the Qi Cultivation Realm, he broke through to the Five-Layer Floors in one go. Afterward, he maintained the astonishing pace of advancing one layer per year, only slowing down upon reaching the Ninth Layer.
Yet he was stuck at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer for a full eight years before he arduously crossed that threshold. His current Twelfth Level of Cultivation was the result of fifty years of dedicated Cultivation.
’At the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer, one can expect a lifespan of about one hundred seventy or eighty years. Reaching the peak of the Twelfth Layer only extends that to around two hundred.’
Jiang Yi’s brow furrowed. Liu Huan had the entire Inner Sect Dharma Lineage at his disposal, with an endless supply of resources, yet it still took him a full sixty-year cycle to reach his current Realm. This just went to show how difficult it was.
’Eight years... The North and South Dipper Sword is in exactly eight years.’
This filled him with a sense of urgency. A golden glint rose in the depths of his eyes as he made an inquiry of the Celestial Book.
[I beg the Celestial Book, given my current Cultivation, and taking into account factors like innate talent, aptitude, Techniques, and resources, how long will it take to reach the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer?]
