Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Years of Cultivation

The True Qi of an Innate Martial Artist is transformed from Inner Strength absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

From a certain perspective, True Qi is between True Essence and Inner Strength.

At this moment, what Zhu Chen was doing was removing the part of True Qi that belonged to Inner Strength and evolving it into a higher form of power.

Compared to other new disciples starting from nothing, Zhu Chen’s cultivation was undoubtedly simpler.

[After a month’s cultivation, you successfully transformed all your True Qi into True Essence and stepped into the Qi Refining Second Layer]

Normally, it takes at least five years of cultivation for Five Spirit Roots Disciples to reach the Qi Refining Second Layer.

Zhu Chen took merely a month, but this was a transformation of his thirty-three years of martial strength.

During this period, Zhu Chen discovered that the Celestial Demon Heart Devouring Technique could surprisingly be used in conjunction with the Meditation Technique.

By replacing the True Qi and Qi-Blood cultivation part with Cyan Cloud Breathing, the auxiliary functions of the five Celestial Demons were also effective.

It’s just that the speed, which was originally five times faster, was now less than twice, roughly increasing by sixty to seventy percent.

However, for the Immortal Path, a sixty to seventy percent increase is already quite terrifying.

According to the cultivation knowledge Zhu Chen learned, the cultivation speed of Four Spirit Roots is already twice that of Five Spirit Roots.

With the Celestial Demon Heart Devouring Technique, Zhu Chen could undoubtedly shorten the gap with Four Spirit Roots Cultivators.

[Your master, Master Fuyang, is pleased with your progress and, knowing your proficiency with the saber in the mortal world, gifted you a low-level long saber magical artifact]

[From your master’s mouth, you learned that every ten years, the sect holds an inner sect competition to select the top five who can enter the Inner Sect early to enjoy its resources]

An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a cyan robe, gently stroked his beard, looking at Zhu Chen with satisfaction.

“Ordinary disciples lack the battle experience compared to you mortal warriors, you must cultivate diligently. Even though you are past your prime, it does not mean you cannot reach Late-Stage Qi Refining in this lifetime; having another Sect Guardian under my command is also great.”

“There are no miscellaneous rules under my command; I have only one requirement for you, achieve a top five position in the Outer Sect Competition in eighteen years to join the Inner Sect.”

Cultivation is not easy, and in the mortal Jianghu, there might be those lucky enough to achieve great success with fortuitous divine skills.

However, in the Cultivation Realm, even with opportunities, one cannot reach the summit overnight.

“It’s a pity, if you had spent the time cultivating martial arts on practicing the sect’s techniques, you might have reached Late-Stage Qi Refining in this life…”

Why do cultivators, knowing that dual cultivation of martial and magical paths can enhance battle power, not pursue both?

Because Mortal Martial Dao is too basic, and its efficiency is too low.

Even the most talented martial artist might not defeat an average Five Spirit Roots Disciple after decades of cultivation; spending cultivation time on martial arts is entirely unwise.

According to the sect, Mortal Martial Dao was created by those without Spirit Roots as a means to simulate cultivation.

Zhu Chen readily adjusted, setting martial arts aside to focus entirely on the path of cultivation, though occasionally pondering how to combine martial arts with cultivation.

Jiang Ming nodded in agreement, his only pursuit was power, not martial arts.

[In the 1725th year of the Daqi Calendar, your cultivation improved, but there was no breakthrough. You became familiar with Basic Magic: Wind Blade Technique and the True Essence Shield]

[In the 1726th year of the Daqi Calendar, your cultivation improved, but there was no breakthrough. You became familiar with Basic Magic: Wind Manipulation Technique and Fireball Skill.]

[In the 1727th year of the Daqi Calendar, your cultivation improved, but there was no breakthrough. You became familiar with Basic Magic: Vine Entanglement and Repulsive Force Skill]

…………

The cultivation within the sect is extremely monotonous.

In the Jianghu, there might still be competitions for honor and fame.

But when it comes to the Cultivation Realm, everyone seems to be racing against time, dedicating all their time to cultivation to gain more longevity.

Cultivators have longevity; Innate Martial Artists can reliably live to a hundred years, while Qi Refining Cultivators can only live to about a hundred and twenty years.

Upon reaching Foundation Establishment, lifespan doubles, allowing one to live for two hundred and forty years, which is about seven to eight human generations.

Everyone seeks immortality.

Loose Cultivators, how could they not know? Within the sect, they meditate, listen to Elder lectures, practice magic techniques, and continue meditating.

It’s repetitive, yet it seems as if everyone can feel themselves gradually approaching immortality.

After three years in the sect, Zhu Chen finally became familiar with several types of basic magic.

But only familiar, not yet mastering them.

Cultivation is certainly not just these magics, but Qi Refining Cultivators have limited True Essence and cannot perform overly flashy actions.

[In the same year, you tested your skills in the Martial Arts Arena, achieving seven consecutive victories, ultimately defeated by a senior brother in the Qi Refining Fifth Layer]

The benefits of martial and magical dual cultivation emerged.

The flawed techniques of fellow disciples posed no challenge for Zhu Chen, who, with experience in countless kills, easily defeated them like a tiger among sheep.

It was just that the senior brother’s True Essence was overwhelmingly robust, which allowed him to exhaust Zhu Chen using the True Essence Shield.

[In the 1728th year of the Daqi Calendar, you continued familiarizing yourself with magic techniques and embarked on your first external mission]

Previously, Zhu Chen only undertook simple tasks within the sect, which, combined with the resources distributed by the sect daily, barely sufficed for regular cultivation.

But that was the bare minimum; to obtain more resources, he had to seek them out himself, and as his cultivation grew, his demand for resources only increased.

[During your first mission, you easily slew a Mid-stage Tier One Demon Beast and unexpectedly saved two fellow disciples.]

[You continued with three more external missions, all completed excellently, attracting the attention of the Foreign Affairs Hall.]

[You began to challenge higher difficulty tasks]

[In the same year, you successfully broke through to the Qi Refining Third Layer]

[You completed your seventh high-difficulty mission within the Outer Sect, obtaining a vast amount of resources]

[In the 1730th year of the Daqi Calendar, you slew a Loose Cultivator who offended the Cyan Cloud Sect, obtaining many talismans and pills, and a whip-type magical artifact from their body, which you sold, gaining a wealth of resources; you also discovered an Independent Cultivator Market in a mortal dynasty to the west.]

[In the 1732nd year of the Daqi Calendar, due to a dispute over interests, you injured a disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall. In retaliation, you were sent to the Southern Dynasty to expand the Cyan Cloud Sect’s renown.]

[The Hall Master of the Foreign Affairs Hall happened to be aware of this and used it as a trial for your entry into the Foreign Affairs Hall.]

A sect also has many departments, each with its own responsibilities.

Ordinary disciples only need to complete tasks to earn rewards, while disciples in these special departments bear more responsibilities but also receive more resource rewards.

Both the Law Enforcement Hall and the Foreign Affairs Hall are places disciples strive to join.

The Cyan Cloud Sect is neither large nor small, influencing two dynasties surrounding the Daqi Dynasty, and welcomes new disciples each year.

With a steady supply of new blood and adequate high-level strength, the Cyan Cloud Sect is considered a healthy sect.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep