Nanya Province originally had the protection of a great figure, forming a self-contained and highly closed realm.
The Nanya Immortal Alliance sat high above, governing the various sects without need for elaboration.
Below them were sects like Mount Taixuan, supported by the resources of a kingdom and several prefectures.
Further down was the Hua family of Spring Return Valley, guarding a single spiritual land and making a living with some immortal cultivation craft techniques.
As for rogue cultivators, they could only mingle in the mortal world, never accomplishing anything significant.
With such clear ranks and stagnant waters, there was naturally no need to establish a market.
Now that the great figure had fallen and the New Method had landed...
The original stagnant pond was finally rippling with waves.
The Qingyun Sect cultivated the New Method and excelled in Wood techniques.
It was said their methods for cultivating spirit plants and refining pills were exceedingly brilliant.
Having now occupied Spring Return Valley, they had gained a firm foothold and could not wait to stretch their limbs.
"Even if I were to forbid it, would the Qingyun Sect give up on opening the market?"
Li Chengxuan set the letter aside and said to Hua Mingcheng, "Tell them Mount Taixuan has no objections."
"As for the market profits, thirty percent goes to Mount Taixuan... If the Qingyun Sect is willing to give it, Mount Taixuan is naturally willing to receive it."
Perhaps they had just manipulated Deng Gang from behind the scenes to launch an uprising, and were now turning around to offer spirit stones to buy peace.
Pausing, Li Chengxuan looked at the uneasy Hua Mingcheng and smiled. "The Hua family possesses some heirloom skills; you may also go to the market to earn some cultivation resources. I have no intention of blocking anyone's path to wealth."
Hua Mingcheng immediately breathed a sigh of relief and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your benevolence, Sect Master."
...
The Ancestral Hall.
On the blank portrait of the patriarch, the faint water stain seemed to have deepened slightly in color.
Through the 【Two-World Bead】, Li Chengxuan sensed that Liu Zhijian was lingering near Mount Yandang.
"It has only been a few months, yet he has already begun gathering qi."
"He is indeed someone favored by the Heavenly Dao and blessed with fate; he cannot be judged by common sense."
After sighing in emotional admiration, Li Chengxuan devoted himself to diligent cultivation.
With his disciple being so exceptional, he, as the master, also had to work hard.
Time passed like flowing water, in the blink of an eye.
Half a month later.
Li Chengxuan let out a long breath.
"Mid-Stage Qi Refining..."
Running back and forth between two worlds while occupying Mount Taixuan all to himself, painstaking daily cultivation had only barely brought him a breakthrough in a minor realm.
The Old Method was indeed difficult to cultivate.
Yet this speed of cultivation was already astonishing.
"Next, I should learn a few techniques."
"On Earth, everyone is a mortal; I can still cope using my spiritual sense and Embryonic Breathing body."
"Over here in the cultivation world, things aren't quite as peaceful."
"Mount Taixuan is protected by array formations, which ordinary cultivators cannot break."
"I won't easily go down the mountain either, so there shouldn't be much danger. Still, it pays to be prepared for any eventuality."
Cultivators in Nanya Province had the colossus of the Immortal Alliance hanging over their heads, so they rarely had opportunities to fight among themselves.
An ancient tradition like Mount Taixuan prioritized Dao attainments first and realm second.
Techniques were things studied only by those who had lost hope of attaining the Great Dao.
Li Chengxuan took a stroll through the Scripture Library and selected three techniques.
The 【Earth Armor Technique】 allowed one to stand firm and turn earth into armor, specifically used for self-protection.
The 【Cloud Soaring Technique】 did not actually allow one to soar through the clouds and ride the mist—that was a method only 【Foundation Establishment】 cultivators could perform—but it enabled brief leaps into the air, greatly increasing the chances of escaping in a crisis.
For the final technique, he chose the 【Lesser Mind-Shocking Curse】.
This curse technique was one of the few direct lineage techniques of Mount Taixuan.
As for its effect, it was not particularly grand, merely shaking another's spiritual sense.
With the rare treasure 【Two-World Bead】, Li Chengxuan not only possessed a powerful spiritual sense but was also immune to enemy spiritual attacks, making him naturally suited to cultivate this curse technique.
Li Chengxuan did not seek to slay enemies with it; he merely intended to use this curse technique as an interrupt skill, enough to buy himself time to cast the 【Cloud Soaring Technique】.
Holding the three jade slips, Li Chengxuan glanced at the side hall as he walked past.
Hua Chunning was sitting on a Mind-Clearing Cushion with numerous ancient texts set before her, staring blankly in utter boredom. Upon looking up and seeing Li Chengxuan, she hurriedly rose and bowed. "Disciple greets the Sect Master."
"Mm."
Li Chengxuan nodded slightly and asked, "How is your reading coming along?"
With a heavy expression and a look of shame, Hua Chunning said, "Disciple is dense. The Dao theories in these books are profound, and I could only comprehend a bit of shallow skin and fur."
Hearing this, Li Chengxuan burst into laughter and shook his head. "It is only normal that you do not understand. There is no need to belittle yourself."
"If you could actually understand all these Dao scriptures, that would be truly bizarre."
"Even if you understood just a single volume, you would already be a genius."
Only then did Hua Chunning relax a little.
Though she had been taught by her grandfather since childhood and had read a few Dao scriptures, most of what she had learned was her family's alchemy and poison techniques.
The Dao scriptures of Mount Taixuan were entirely different—obscure, difficult, and filled with highly abstract Dao theories.
Following his routine, Li Chengxuan began testing her.
Only this time, he did not target any specific Dao scripture, but simply asked Hua Chunning for her understanding of "Spring."
Not daring to be careless, Hua Chunning pondered deeply for a long while before answering.
Ancestor Zhuohua had formed the Immortal Foundation 【Prairie Grass】 by drawing upon the imagery of "unquenched by fire, born anew with spring."
Spring Return Valley was a spiritual land where all four seasons felt like spring, bursting with vitality.
Spring belongs to Wood, governing germination and aiding reproduction.
Spring resides in the East, and is thus close to Shaoyang.
Spring possesses benevolence, thus protecting life and abstaining from killing.
...
Racking her brains and searching her memory, Hua Chunning poured out every Dao theory related to "Spring" that she could think of.
Li Chengxuan offered neither approval nor criticism. He pointed at the many scriptures before Hua Chunning and asked, "Out of so many scriptures, which one have you read the most?"
Recalling for a moment, Hua Chunning pulled a book from the pile and said awkwardly, "Disciple dares not deceive the Sect Master... it is this one."
Li Chengxuan took it, opened it, and let out a light laugh.
It turned out to be an art album.
It contained no profound Dao theories, only exquisite brushwork depicting various flowers, looking quite meticulously crafted.
Most of the contents were ordinary flowers seen in the mortal world.
Only a few were spirit plants.
Some were varieties even Li Chengxuan had never heard of.
Authored by some cultivator with a unique hobby, the entire volume discussed nothing but how to plant, tend, and admire flowers, without mentioning cultivation in the slightest.
Li Chengxuan handed the album back and said softly, "Perhaps this is your predestined affinity."
Hua Chunning froze upon hearing this.
She had gotten a headache from reading the Dao scriptures.
Finding a book with few words and full of pictures, she had merely used it to slack off and relax her mind.
She never expected that this unintentional act would actually touch upon her predestined affinity.
Uneasy in her heart, she did not know whether this was a blessing or a curse.
Li Chengxuan glanced at Hua Chunning and said softly, "【Yimu Wood】 is a major Dao path, and the imagery it contains is exceedingly complex."
"Your innate presence is insufficient; originally, you had no hope of entering the Dao."
"However, after careful thought, I realized there seems to be a winding, minor path that might allow you to embark upon the immortal path."
"As for whether it can truly succeed, and what your future holds even if it does, that is beyond what I can see."
Hua Chunning was instantly overjoyed and fell to her knees in worship. "Thank you for your compassion, Sect Master! Disciple does not seek a grand path to the heavens; I only hope to step onto the immortal path in this lifetime."
"Let alone a winding minor path, even if it were a mountain of daggers or a sea of flames, disciple is willing to try!"
"Even if my body perishes and my Dao vanishes, I will still be grateful for your benevolence and hold not the slightest resentment!"
Li Chengxuan let out a soft sigh. "Get up."
"This minor path was actually opened by Supreme Venerable Zhuohua."
"I am merely pointing it out to you by chance."
Hua Chunning was bewildered and could hardly believe it. "Ancestor Zhuohua... didn't he pass away over a hundred years ago? Back then, my grandfather hadn't even been born yet. How could he have mapped out a path for me?!"
"You will understand in the future."
Li Chengxuan did not mention the 【Name-Nature Method】, fearing it would trap Hua Chunning in a cognitive barrier, and instead said, "Your innate presence is insufficient, making it difficult to cultivate 【Yimu Wood】."
"However, if you only cultivate a portion of 【Yimu Wood】, it might just be enough."
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