Hua Chunning came from a family of 【Yimu Wood】 and had read many Dao scriptures, so she was by no means ignorant. She immediately said in shock, "Splitting a Dao lineage... isn't that an authority unique to 【Fruit Status】 Perfected Monarchs?!"
"That is indeed true."
Li Chengxuan nodded and added, "However, within this Heaven and Earth, pre-split imagery has long existed."
"Even a 【Fruit Status】 Perfected Monarch must follow the principles of Heaven and Earth."
Hua Chunning looked at the flower roster in her hand, then at the 【Yimu Wood】 Dao scriptures before her, deep in thought. "So, disciple is to cultivate 【Yimu Wood of Spring】?"
Li Chengxuan merely shook his head. "I am not familiar with the 【Yimu Wood】 lineage. This time, I merely caught a faint glimpse of Senior Zhuohua's plan and acted accordingly. As for whether it succeeds or what lies ahead on the path, that depends on your own fate."
After a moment's thought, he added, "Or perhaps it is 【Spring of Yimu Wood】."
Amidst her joy, Hua Chunning felt even more uneasy.
Originally, her presence was insufficient, making her unable to enter the Dao of 【Yimu Wood】.
If she specifically cultivated 【Yimu Wood of Spring】, she would be using the imagery of the rotation of the four seasons to segment 【Yimu Wood】.
The presence required to enter the Dao would naturally be greatly reduced, needing only a quarter of the original.
This Dao theory was clear and understandable.
However, it was completely unheard of and unseen—could it truly be feasible?!
Hua Chunning instantly understood why the Sect Master called it a winding minor path.
Yet the one who paved the way was her own ancestor, and the one pointing the direction was the Sect Master; neither of these two would harm her.
Even if there truly were some scheme or trick, she would never give up.
Casting aside her lingering doubts, Hua Chunning made up her mind. "Disciple is willing to cultivate this method. I beg the Sect Master to teach me."
"Good."
Li Chengxuan nodded slightly and said slowly, "I am confining you here also because the spring season has passed. It is to prevent you from going outside and being tainted by the summer qi, which would render your presence impure."
"Only when spring comes next year can I let you outside."
"At that time, I will bring you into the grotto-heaven to see if we can further supplement your presence."
It was merely a year of confinement in a side hall.
Such a trial was far from enough to shake her Dao Heart.
Hua Chunning nodded in silence and asked, "May I ask the Sect Master, after disciple supplements my presence, how should I absorb qi to enter the Dao?"
Li Chengxuan already had an idea in mind. "Now that the 【Yimu Wood】 lineage is severed, even the Qi Gathering Method has been lost."
"However, perusing the ancient texts, I found a type of 【Hundred Flowers Fragrance】 that is simple and easy to gather, perfectly suited for you."
"However, 【Hundred Flowers Fragrance】 does not belong to 【Yimu Wood Proper Qi】 and can only be considered 【Lesser Qi】."
"Though it can allow you to absorb qi and enter the Dao, you will be stuck at Qi Refining, with no hope of Foundation Establishment."
Hearing this, Hua Chunning did not feel sad at all.
To be able to enter the Dao and cultivate was already the fulfillment of her wishes.
Greed without satisfaction would only bring needless troubles.
According to the Sect Master, this unorthodox and unique cultivation method was left behind by Ancestor Zhuohua.
He was the Hua family's last 【Foundation Establishment】 cultivator, after all; he surely would not harm future generations by forging a dead end.
Hua Chunning's gaze grew resolute. "We shall see as we go. There might not be no way to remedy it in the future!"
Seeing that although Hua Chunning's Dao Heart was not as unyielding as Liu Zhijian's, she was by no means hesitant, Li Chengxuan nodded secretly and instructed, "Presence must be supplemented in the grotto-heaven."
"You must plan out the 【Forging Spiritual Atmosphere Method】 for Taixuan Villa. I will send it over for Duanmu Ren to arrange."
"Gathering qi, however, can only be done in this world."
"You need to select the spring-blooming varieties from the flower roster in your hand and have the Hua family plant them in advance to facilitate gathering qi."
"Gathering qi is the key to your path. You must do it personally; do not delegate it to others."
...
Earth, Taixuan Villa.
Duanmu Ren rushed over, his face full of anxiety. "Daoist Li, you've finally come! Could you leave a way to contact you, so it's convenient for me to reach you when necessary?"
Li Chengxuan smiled upon hearing this.
Naturally, he could.
However, Duanmu Ren would first need to join Mount Taixuan and bind with the 【Two-World Bead】.
Unfortunately, Duanmu Ren was overly cautious and terrified of death, remaining on the fence all this time.
Duanmu Ren possessed a deep and calculating mind. Guessing the reason from Li Chengxuan's demeanor, he quickly skipped the topic and asked, "Daoist Li, where is Fairy Hua?!"
Li Chengxuan shook his head. "She is currently in seclusion cultivating and cannot come out."
"In seclusion cultivating?!"
Duanmu Ren's expression changed slightly, and he frowned. "Why go into seclusion out of nowhere?! The experts from the provincial hospital are all waiting."
Earlier, Hua Chunning had used her family's medical skills and pills to cure several old miners of pneumoconiosis.
Pneumoconiosis was a common occupational disease among miners, with symptoms of irreversible pulmonary fibrosis.
It was a terminal illness.
The family members of those old miners could hardly believe it and took them to the provincial capital for re-examination.
The results shocked every doctor there.
If not for the miners' previous medical records and exam reports in the hospital system, no one would have believed it.
What Duanmu Ren saw in this were political achievements and personal favors.
What the provincial doctors saw were top-journal papers and academic reputation.
Yet, key figure Hua Chunning had been taken away by Li Chengxuan, vanishing without a trace.
This was driving Duanmu Ren mad with anxiety.
Li Chengxuan was completely unbothered, looking around to inspect the construction progress of the project.
There seemed to be fewer workers than before, chatting and laughing in groups of three and five.
Most of the construction machinery sat idle.
Without Hua Chunning's care, the flowers and plants had withered and turned yellow.
Without a strong figure holding down the fort, it truly would not work.
"Daoist Li!"
Seeing that Li Chengxuan still had the leisure to inspect a project meant to scam subsidies, Duanmu Ren grew even more anxious. "Do you know Fairy Hua's medical skills?!"
"Or pills... No, pills won't do!"
"If something goes wrong after taking them, it'll be troublesome."
Li Chengxuan looked at Duanmu Ren with some surprise. "Magistrate Duanmu, since when have you loved the people like your own children?!"
Especially when the presence of 【Drinking People's Blood】 on him had actually grown a bit denser.
"Sigh!"
"Even if those old miners are cured, they won't live for more than a few years anyway. Who would care about them?"
Seeing that no one was around, Duanmu Ren simply dropped the act and lowered his voice. "There is a prominent figure staying in the provincial hospital. He is advanced in age, and his heart and lung functions have severely deteriorated; he is living in immense pain."
"Fairy Hua could even cure a terminal illness like pneumoconiosis. Wouldn't treating this kind of geriatric illness be effortless?!"
"Daoist Li, I'm not joking—this is a golden opportunity to soar to the top!"
Li Chengxuan suddenly came to a realization.
No wonder Duanmu Ren was so invested.
Seeing that Li Chengxuan was still indifferent, Duanmu Ren gritted his teeth and said, "As long as Daoist Li helps me establish this connection, once it succeeds, I am willing to seriously consider learning the Dao with you, and I will never break my word!"
Seriously consider...
This time, Li Chengxuan genuinely burst into laughter.
Back when he had just acquired the 【Two-World Bead】, he had been anxious to gather individuals possessing presence to bring back to the cultivation world and strengthen the sect.
Duanmu Ren's dense 【High Shaman】 presence was indeed rare.
Hence, he had been somewhat overly eager.
However, things were different now.
Now, Liu Zhijian was already gathering qi.
Furthermore, Hua Chunning had a chance of opening a new path atop the 【Yimu Wood】 lineage.
Duanmu Ren was no longer important.
In fact, he had become dispensable.
According to Li Chengxuan's vague memories of his past life, officials capable of condensing 【Drinking People's Blood】 were likely not few in number.
Seeing Li Chengxuan's laughter, Duanmu Ren faintly sensed that something was amiss.
However, according to the calculations in Duanmu Ren's mind, he was definitely an extremely important pawn.
Despite possessing extraordinary skills, Li Chengxuan had never forced him and had even been excessively tolerant.
Duanmu Ren was skilled in political maneuvering. A few days ago, he had deliberately probed Hua Chunning to confirm the guess in his heart.
When facing everyone else, Hua Chunning maintained an arrogant attitude of looking down on common mortals.
Yet, after Duanmu Ren revealed that Li Chengxuan intended to take him as a disciple, Hua Chunning's attitude immediately underwent a drastic change, even displaying obvious awe and deference.
Duanmu Ren, having spent half his life mixing in officialdom, was extremely sensitive to this and immediately birthed a bold idea.
By offering himself as leverage, it might be possible to turn the tables and make Li Chengxuan and Hua Chunning serve his own ends!
All his postures today, which seemed abnormal, were actually a carefully prepared compliance test!
"These are the new blueprints for the villa. Begin construction as soon as possible."
"In particular, ensure there are at least one hundred varieties of flowers."
"It must be completed before the Beginning of Spring next year."
Li Chengxuan had no time to play mind games with Duanmu Ren. Forming a hand seal, he activated the 【Lesser Mind-Shocking Curse】 and tapped lightly toward Duanmu Ren, sighing, "Blame it on me being too gentle before, which led you to misjudge the situation."
"So, this is merely a minor punishment to serve as a lesson."
"Should there be a next time..."
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