I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 187 - 159: Homecoming

"’Fire Refining Sky Secret Method’, derived from High-Level Refining Technique, integrates the Buddhist Vajra Body Refining Method, using the Heaven and Earth Fire to temper the body, refining the Nine-Layered Fire Talisman in the Dantian. Once reaching Great Success, the Nine-Layered Fire Talisman merges into an array, the body becomes like a Magic Treasure, capable of refining the sky."

Jiang Yuebai carefully read the introduction, discovering that this is a cultivation technique that uses Artifact Refining methods, treating the body as raw materials for a Magic Treasure, constantly being refined with fire, and refining the Nine-Layered Fire Talisman in the Dantian.

Eventually, when the Nine-Layered Fire Talisman forms an array, the body becomes an unparalleled and powerful Magic Treasure.

This cultivation technique was created by True Monarch Cang Huo, after years of experience in artifact refining, extensively reading, and learning from renowned masters, and he classified this technique as Third Grade. In the entire Cultivation Realm, there are no more than thirty techniques above Third Grade.

However, among the numerous Fire Spiritual Root disciples under True Monarch Cang Huo, none have yet cultivated this technique to the Ninth Layer, as the further one progresses, the harder it becomes for the body to withstand the power of the Fire Talisman. Most of his disciples get stuck at the Third Layer.

Until the final moment when the talismans form an array, the power of this technique is greatly reduced, comparable to at most a Sixth-Grade cultivation technique.

Jiang Yuebai, however, is very interested in this technique. The Nine-Layered Fire Talisman, each layer serves a different purpose, and the body refining effect is outstanding, saving her the trouble of separately practicing other body refining techniques.

Body refining, she is addicted to it!

"Let me see, this first layer of the Fire Talisman is... a Fire Ring. Once formed, when attacked, it will release a ring of flames, scorching and repelling enemies. This is quite similar to the Mid-Level Ice Technique ’Mystic Ice Ring’ I exchanged for at the Library, interesting..."

The sky is clear, the clouds are light, the distant mountains are faintly visible, and a gentle breeze brings refreshment.

Jiang Yuebai sits on the Flying Core Boat, cultivating, studying, and moving forward unhurriedly.

When tired, she descends the Flying Core Boat, venturing into the wild mountains and forests to hunt a few Low-Level Demon Beasts for a snack.

In reality, starting from the Foundation Establishment Stage, the Spiritual Energy accumulated in a cultivator’s body is sufficient for daily needs, and they won’t starve even without eating. They should begin practicing asceticism and attempting fasting.

However, Jiang Yuebai feels that she must have been influenced by Earth Evil Fire, as she is not as disciplined as before, with poor endurance for hunger, always craving food.

She carried several Upper-Level Dust Suppressing Elixirs on her, far superior in detoxification compared to Low-Level ones, and she would take one every month.

As for fasting... she’ll consider it after fulfilling her childhood dream of tasting all the delicacies in Yong’an City!

[You’ve started cultivating the Fire Refining Sky Secret Method. The Earth Evil Fire is too intense; you accidentally set a mountain forest ablaze. Skill Level +20]

[Girl, starting a forest fire will land you in prison!]

[You’ve started cultivating the Fire Refining Sky Secret Method, gradually finding the correlation. Skill Level +50]

[You’ve started cultivating... fires are roaring, Skill Level +50]

[... Skill Level +50]

...

[Congratulations, your Fire Refining Sky Secret Method has broken through a layer, and the Fire Ring is successfully refined. Finally, you don’t have to burn mountains, forests, or clothes anymore. You’re amazing!]

The wind whistled, and after more than two months of slow travel, Jiang Yuebai finally arrived in Qingzhou, Lin’an County, Yun Country.

Reaching this place, she inexplicably felt a strong sense of homesickness. She didn’t enter Yong’an City but headed straight for Jiang Family Village, a hundred miles downstream of the Ya River.

The Qingzhou Realm is not far from Heavenly Interence Sect; it is currently the winter month.

The river has frozen, the wheat fields are barren, and a snow fell just last night. In the furrows, children dressed in thick padded clothes are playing and laughing, full of childhood innocence and joy.

In the village, roofs are covered with snow, smoke curls up from kitchen chimneys. Jiang Yuebai seemed to smell the scent of freshly cooked buns and heard someone’s mother yelling in the cacophony of chickens and dogs, chasing and scolding her misbehaving children.

Suddenly, Jiang Yuebai’s nose felt sore, and her eyes grew moist and warm.

People seem to have a certain strength, that as long as they are alive, no matter how many corpses or ruins they have endured, they can still rebuild a warm and comfortable home.

Jiang Yuebai silently landed at the village entrance, concealed her traces, and slowly walked into Jiang Family Village, passing by yards that were no longer the same as before.

Snow fell silently, little cotton-ball-like children chased each other, running past her, unaware of her presence on the road.

She was there, yet not there.

In the mortal world but not of the mortal world.

Stopping outside her family yard, the jujube tree she often hid from her mother’s broomstick was gone, now replaced by a persimmon tree, leaves all fallen, with only a few orange-red persimmons with snow lightly hanging on the branches.

A pole was set up, and as a child hit a persimmon down, Jiang Yuebai came a bit closer, seeing a small boy in a blue patched cotton jacket pick up the persimmon and shout with a smile, "Sister, persimmon."

A flower-patterned cotton-padded girl standing on a bamboo chair was struggling, tiptoeing, holding up a bamboo pole trying to knock down the persimmons further up.

Unfortunately, she’s too short to reach the persimmons already pecked at by birds.

Jiang Yuebai smiled knowingly, waved her hand, and a gust of wind rustled the persimmon tree, making the persimmons fall with clattering sounds.

"Oh no!"

The little girl fell into the snow, all head and face filled with snow, while the little boy clumsily bent over to collect the persimmons.

"Sister is amazing, knocking down so many persimmons."

The girl got up and spat out the snow from her mouth, "Go take some to mom."

The boy nodded vigorously, carrying the persimmons into the house.

Jiang Yuebai recalled her childhood self, who was bossy and selfish, always stuffing herself first with anything delicious, even snatching things from her brother.

Because her mother secretly told her, the world is unfair to girls, she should prioritize herself and not rely on others.

"Who are you?"

A crisp child’s voice brought Jiang Yuebai back from her memories, and through the fence, she saw the girl inside looking at her curiously, with eyes particularly bright and clear, not tainted by the slightest impurity.

"You can see me?"

The girl frowned, "I’m not a little blind person, why wouldn’t I see you?"

Jiang Yuebai sneered mischievously, "Because I’m an immortal fairy."

As soon as the words fell, the girl suddenly got startled, taking several steps back in shock.

"You’re the demon that catches children lately! My mother said demons are the best at deceiving people! Mom! Mom! A demon’s here, a demon’s here—"

The girl, in a panic, ran into the house, and by the time she brought out a woman with a vegetable knife, Jiang Yuebai was already gone.

"Where’s the demon? You little rascal, you either claim to see ghosts or demons every three days."

"There really was one. That demon looked so beautiful, just like a fairy in a painting."

"Go on, stop spouting nonsense."

Jiang Yuebai walked through the village, heading towards the woods at the back of the village, hearing many children talk about some demon catching children on the way.

She used the Heavenly Eye Technique to scout the surroundings, finding no trace of demonic aura, thinking it was likely just a method mothers used to scare their children into behaving.

On a hillside deep in the woods, is the burial ground of Jiang Family Village. Upon arrival, Jiang Yuebai found a stele erected in recent years.

The stele was densely covered with names, those of Jiang Family Village villagers who perished during their refuge journey.

The name of the person who erected the stele, Jiang Yuebai vaguely remembered, was perhaps the third son of the village head’s family.

Jiang Yuebai walked up, brushing the snow off the stele, letting her finger glide over the names of her father, mother, and younger brother.

"Father, mother, little brother, I am back. I have now embarked on the Immortal Path, and I am living very well, very well. I have friends who share similar dreams, and mentors who care for and adore me. I am not lonely at all. If you have spirits in heaven, then be assured, and move on to a better rebirth."

A gentle breeze came, brushing Jiang Yuebai’s face, and the snow fell heavier and heavier, like a flurry of paper money in the sky.

Jiang Yuebai followed mortal customs, burning some paper money and candles she bought on the road in front of the stele.

After doing these, her state of mind returned to tranquility and peace. She was about to leave but then stopped.

She thought of the little girl in her old home and remembered how Wuwei Mountain Man once said that mortals were left struggling to seek immortality due to lack of opportunity.

At this thought, Jiang Yuebai took out an engraving knife and inscribed the most basic and simple ’Energy Introduction Technique’ from the Cultivation Realm on the back of the stele, concealing it with Spiritual Energy thereafter.

After doing so, a faint rumble of thunder echoed in the sky, and Jiang Yuebai felt a tight constriction on her Dao Platform.

Jiang Yuebai only understood gradually after reaching the Foundation Establishment that the stronger a cultivator’s power, the more terrifying the heavenly retribution they would face when disrupting mortal rules. Nonetheless, this level of disturbance was trivial for her.

Jiang Yuebai muttered to the sky, "I’m not murdering a city; you can’t strike me dead, can you?"

Boom!

Winter thunder caught Jiang Yuebai by surprise, causing her to shiver. She hurriedly tossed out the Flying Core Boat to escape far away, rushing towards Yong’an City.

There are three things she still wanted to accomplish in Yong’an City.

Taste all the city’s delicacies, thank the lady scholar who taught her to read and write, and find those who once bullied and ridiculed her for a good conversation.