Chapter 106

I never expected this day to come so quickly; it was completely beyond his expectations, and even he himself had made no preparations.

Ye Qin continuously refined elixirs, realizing he had entered a bottleneck; no matter how he cultivated, his cultivation level could not advance further.

It was as if an invisible wall stood before him.

Before, Ye Qin felt the timing wasn't ripe, always sensing something was lacking, so he dared not rush ahead, fearing excess would harm his heart meridians.

Now he finally understood that what was lacking was his state of mind.

After experiencing that strange 'mottled years' just now, his state of mind has been elevated; he is now complete, and one could say everything is ready.

Cultivating the Dao and cultivating the mind are both indispensable.

Merely raising one's realm is not enough; the Dao heart is equally important.

The path of cultivation is full of uncertainty and many unknowns; only by steadfastly holding to the Dao heart, like Zuoci, can one advance fearlessly through hardships and dangers.

The relentless impact of innate qi has left cracks in that wall, like a spiderweb continually spreading outward.

Ye Qin carefully wrapped the qi clusters within his body with mental power, forming a huge net that gathered them together and continually compressed them.

Meanwhile, another portion of his mental power continually struck that wall.

This dual approach quickly yielded results.

The originally huge qi mass, under the pressure of mental power, kept shrinking, but this did not mean it disappeared; merely condensed, a single strand of gas now contained over several times the original power.

As the saying goes, concentration yields essence; quantitative change brings about qualitative change.

The qi mass kept shrinking, leaving behind only the purest essence, faintly revealing a hint of its form.

To fully refine these qi masses is undoubtedly a lengthy process; it cannot be completed in a moment, but Ye Qin has ample patience.

The sun sank into the mountains and seas; the clouds on the horizon were dyed a dark red, the whole sky burned crimson, and even the mountains and rivers cast a scorching shadow.

The silver moon hung like a hook above the firmament, shedding a faint silver glow; mountains and trees were veiled in a barely visible gauze.

Meanwhile, near the tomb, countless pairs of beastly eyes glowed faintly.

Those animals had actually gathered here, staying from daytime through the night without leaving.

At this very moment, they seemed to sense something, all turning their gazes toward the tomb's location.

"Boom!"

Inside the tomb, an intangible impact energy exploded with a boom, centered on White Bone, a tremendous pressure radiating outward, even felt outside.

In the imagined spiritual realm, White Bone held a Daoist temple in one hand while the other hand condensed five-colored flowers into form, instantly filling the room with light.

Although this flower was still in bud form, its extraordinariness was already visible.

The golden blossoms shone like gold light, flowing with metallic power, full of sharpness, faintly echoing the sound of metal weapons;

The green resembled jade, inlaid within, bursting with vigorous vitality, continually nourishing White Bone's entire body.

The blue resembled rippling water, forming concentric circles around the tomb, gentle and harmless, like an endless sea;

The fiery red was intensely hot, like a rising sun illuminating this world;

The brown was solid and steady, merging with the earth, continually drawing strength.

This is the Innate One Qi Five Elements Flower, containing the power of the five elements, condensed from the most primordial heavenly and earthly qi.

The five elements' power intertwined, from then on having a reliance, and subsequently drifted slowly above White Bone's head.

At this moment, the Daoist temple in White Bone's hand also seemed to sense something.

The ancient, long toll of the bell rang again; several wisps of deep, far-reaching breath extended to the Five Elements Flower, contributing their own power.

Daoism emphasizes cultivation: refining essence into qi, qi into spirit, spirit into void, finally gathering at the top, thus becoming invincible through myriad calamities.

When the three flowers gather at the summit, one returns to the root; when the five qi flow to the origin, they penetrate thoroughly.

The five elemental qi converged into the Five Elements Flower, ultimately transforming continuously, finally achieving this result.

Faintly visible within, a spherical object was being nurtured.

The bud slowly blossomed, displaying resplendent divine radiance; various colors of light flickered within, it could be said to be magnificently splendid, and even White Bone showed no trace of fear, exhibiting all kinds of divine abilities.

At this moment, White Bone resembled the common immortal figure depicted in Daoist illustrations, with Daoist rhythms encircling and filling this small realm.

In Daoism, the 'five qi' refer to the qi of the heart, liver, kidney, lung, and spleen; the qi of these five organs is dispersed in the positions belonging to the five elements.

It is said that the five organs were originally guarded by the Five Emperors of blue, red, yellow, white, and black; the Five Emperors expressed their functions through the heavenly stems, the five elements, numbers, and their mutual relationships.

The Blue Emperor receives the three qi of the virtue of Jia-Yi wood; the Red Emperor receives the two qi of the virtue of Bing-Ding fire; the White Emperor receives the four qi of the virtue of Geng-Xin metal; the Black Emperor receives the one qi of the virtue of Ren-Gui water; the Yellow Emperor receives the five qi of the virtue of Wu-Ji earth.

For a cultivator, it is to cause the scattered qi to converge and unite; this is also the highest realm of the internal elixir cultivation technique.

Ye Qin has a serpent's body, so his cultivation differs somewhat, but different paths lead to the same goal, without affecting the final outcome.

The heart stores the spirit, the liver stores the soul, the spleen stores intention, the lungs store the corporeal soul, and the kidneys store essence.

Even a serpent possesses the corresponding five organs.

Countless golden threads entwined the Five Elements Flower, drawing its power and nutrients; soon the flower withered, petals falling away, as if it had fulfilled its mission.

In an instant, a surging breath welled up; at the center of the Five Elements Flower, a tiny Qi Pill had already condensed into form.

Only after exhausting all the power of the five‑element qi and refining it did such a qi elixir come into existence.

Though a tiny spherical mass of gas, it contained an indescribable mysterious power, as if drawn by an unknown force, continuously circulating atop the White Bone's head, refracting streaks of divine radiance.

Then it slowly sank down, entering the White Bone's chest cavity, wandering ceaselessly through each bone.

Because the White Bone had no flesh covering its exterior, the trajectory of the qi elixir's movement could be clearly seen, as if it had finally found its home, choosing to settle tranquilly at the dantian.

Thus the White Bone shone brightly, bursting forth with countless divine radiance, becoming another special kind of flesh.

The qi elixir's form gradually dissipated, becoming somewhat illusory and ethereal, finally merging completely with the White Bone.

The White Bone was Ye Qin's Origin Contemplation Object, and it soon nourished him in return.

At the spot where it had vanished, a white light suddenly appeared, plunging fiercely into Ye Qin's serpentine body.

"Squeak!"

At the same moment, all the animals outside fell to their knees, forepaws pressed together, as if humans were paying homage to something, their beast eyes filled with reverence and dread!

And within Ye Qin's body, the qi mass had also completely condensed, its original position now taken by a small spherical object.

The qi mass condensed into a qi elixir!

Although this small qi elixir is also made of gas, its size is smaller than the original qi mass, yet the energy it contains is like a vast ocean, continually nourishing Ye Qin's heart and lungs.

The qi elixir constantly circulates within Ye Qin's body, strands of qi continually spreading out from it, filling him with mystery.

Like a mysterious miniature universe, it does not interfere with the nearby heart, and instead emits innate qi, continually nourishing the surrounding organs.

The earlier feeling of swelling had completely vanished, replaced by a tingling sensation that made Ye Qin extremely comfortable, even giving him the urge to continue.

However, he soon stepped out of this comfort zone and did not linger excessively.

"Hard work does not betray those who strive; my long efforts were not in vain."

Sensing the qi elixir within his body, Ye Qin let out a long breath; he had been refining elixirs, continually gathering postnatal qi, all for this day.

Now he has taken a major step forward.

Who would have thought this strange experience would bring such gains—not only improving his state of mind, but even breaking through his realm.

Successfully condensing the qi mass into a qi elixir, this can be called an unexpected joy.

Soon the light gradually faded, and the surroundings returned to their previous state.

Ye Qin slowly opened his eyes; his pupils seemed filled with golden light.

"After the four realms of 'Free Contemplation, Body Forging through Creation, Heaven and Earth Refining Qi, and Alchemy and Qi Gathering,' I have finally reached the 'Qi Elixir' realm! This is also the second minor realm of the Elixir Formation stage within the second major cultivation stage, crucial for determining whether one can later condense a true elixir."

"Still needs consolidation!"

The breakthrough's qi had not yet fully dissipated, drifting within the tomb and spreading outward toward the mountains and fields.

Within Ye Qin's body, the qi mass condensed into a qi elixir; during the compression, a small portion of qi leaked out like sweet rain, falling on the external animals.

Invisible qi surged out from the tomb.

Although the animals could not see it, they could sense it, and they all showed expressions of intoxication.

Among them, a squirrel, a yellow weasel, a jackal, and several other animals absorbed the most of this qi, ranking at the top.

These few animals had been accompanying Ye Qin on his left and right since he began his moonlight cultivation.

Over these years, many animals have disappeared and many have joined; some due to aging, illness, or death, others due to natural selection.

But a few of them seemed particularly fated, staying by Ye Qin's side the longest and thus gaining the most opportunity.

Whenever Ye Qin made a breakthrough, they also received great benefit.

As the saying goes, 'When one attains the Dao, even chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'; these animals are no exception.

Furthermore, by regularly refining elixirs, they also helped out, and over time gained many benefits.

Now these particularly outstanding animals have lively eyes, faintly possessing childlike wisdom; their fur is smoother and shinier, their bodies larger than ordinary counterparts, appearing more robust.

Although not yet extraordinarily exaggerated, among the myriad beasts this abnormality is still relatively noticeable; a single glance makes them feel different from ordinary animals around them.

This invisible qi continually spreads outward, affecting the entire mountain peak and even the mountain base.

Forming an elixir is a major watershed; its impact on Ye Qin is immense, and likewise, the surrounding area is subtly affected in unseen ways.

An elixir is the product of the combination of a person's vital essence; Daoist internal elixir technique likens the human body to a cauldron, and the meridians through which internal qi circulates to the channels of internal elixir cultivation.

Now that Ye Qin's body has formed a qi elixir, it signifies a closer connection between him and heaven and earth, naturally allowing him to influence the surrounding area.

Moreover, during elixir formation, the surrounding heavenly and earthly qi is originally gathered in; now it disperses again, merely giving back, forming a benign cycle.

Under the moonlight, a hazy silver glow enveloped the mountain peak; faintly visible were several wisps of seemingly substantial qi, like ocean waves, spreading toward the village at the mountain's base.

At this moment, the villagers were all in deep sleep, unaware of any anomaly; as time passed, the entire village soon became enveloped in this qi.

The sky faintly showed a hint of fish‑belly white; the rosy clouds broke through the darkness's shackles, bringing light to the world.

Amid the vast rosy light, it is unknown whether due to the angle of light refraction or other reasons; the first streak of rosy clouds seems to have mixed with other unknown qi.

Mist and vapor rose, as if born from the mountain's lingering spiritual qi, and fell upon this underground land.

The villagers always rise early; the fields never lack endless farm work—spring planting, autumn harvest, busy year‑round.

Li Dashen's household had already lit the cooking fire early; she tidied the house neatly, and when Li Old Man stepped out of the house, his gaze showed some surprise.

"Your neck doesn't hurt?"

It turned out Li Dashen had slept poorly the past few days, straining her neck; it ached, and she had been working at an angle, which was very inconvenient.

Only then did Li Dashen realize, turning her head left and right, she surprisingly discovered, "It really doesn't hurt."

Not only that, she even felt refreshed and invigorated.

"It's also strange that her neck hurt last night when she slept, but the moment she woke up it stopped hurting."

Li Dashen also didn't think much of it; her gaze fell on Li Old Man, and her expression was somewhat bewildered.

"How did you get up so early today? The past few days you stayed up late because of farm work, your spirits were low, and you kept saying you wanted to sleep more."

Li Old Man scratched his head, "I don't know what's going on; I just woke up suddenly."

Seeing Li Old Man full of energy, with no sign of fatigue, Li Dashen repeatedly exclaimed in amazement, though this was merely a small matter.

The azure sky was cloud‑less, white dots scattered within; not far off, mountain ranges rose and fell, distant mountains lush green, continuous, like a huge piece of jade.

The small village lay nearby, built against the mountain; as a breeze blew, vast fields rippled with green wheat waves, adding a touch of earthy vitality to this fairyland.

When Sun Zhenbang arrived, the fields already had many villagers busy with farm work; seeing his arrival, they warmly greeted him.

"Officer Sun, you're coming by again to have a look."

Sun Zhenbang nodded, "There's no choice; after all, there are orders from above."

The villagers clearly knew Sun Zhenbang's work; "Officer Sun, rest easy—the Mountain God watches over this area, it's his territory, so no wicked person would dare come here."

Sun Zhenbang smiled and did not rebut the villagers' words; indeed, it is true that anyone who comes to this mountain peak with ill intent seems to meet no good end.

Since the archaeological team left, he has periodically come here to patrol; after all, there is still an ancient tomb on the mountain, and the authorities could not possibly ignore it.

He had also previously greeted the villagers, instructing them to report any suspicious persons immediately.

Originally, when Sun Zhenbang handled cases, he already had considerable interaction with the villagers; now, coming and going, he occasionally shows up in the village, and has become thoroughly familiar with them.

Officer Sun, you're looking pretty good this time; your leg doesn't hurt anymore, right?

Facing the villagers' concern, Sun Zhenbang smiled and said, "It's just a minor ailment, not a big problem."

Sun Zhenbang has a bit of rheumatism; whenever the weather turns gloomy and rainy, he feels some pain, and indeed it rained heavily for several days straight these past few days, so this condition flared up again.

When he drove over, his leg still had a faint ache, but it's strange—once he stepped into this vicinity, his leg didn't hurt at all.

Sun Zhenbang took a deep breath of air; a fresh feeling washed over him, his whole person felt refreshed and invigorated, giving him a sense of renewed spirit.

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt the grass here was greener than elsewhere.

No wonder city folks these days are always thinking of heading to the countryside; they all feel the air there is a bit better.

Especially Longyuan Village, which is even more remote, far from the city's hustle and bustle, with mountains and water nearby, everything is pristine and natural, not overly developed by humans.

If he retires in the future, settling down here for his old age would be a good decision.

Not only Sun Zhenbang, but even the other villagers felt the same; upon waking, they felt refreshed and invigorated.

"Uncle Zhang feels you're full of energy today; you've been working so long without taking a break."

"Hey, don't say that; I feel especially strong today—I reckon I could keep working nonstop until this afternoon."

"Funny enough, I also feel I'm in good spirits today; my whole body feels like I have inexhaustible energy, something I've never experienced before."

"I thought I was the only one feeling this way, but it turns out everyone feels the same."

"Why is that? Everyone's spirits are unusually in sync and good, and we didn't do anything special yesterday."

The villagers chatted a bit and discovered that everyone was in good condition; the usual minor aches and pains had all disappeared at this time.

He just felt something was odd, but couldn't pinpoint what exactly; although the surroundings were no different from usual, he had the sense that something had changed.

"Everyone, stop overthinking; our village is a blessed feng shui spot—maybe the Mountain God is looking out for us."

"That's true; after I finish my work, I'll go to the temple to pay my respects."

Hearing the villagers' discussion, Sun Zhenbang might not have taken it to heart at first, but after going through so many things, his outlook has subtly changed.

Sometimes it's just this miraculous; he never imagined he would have such a day in the future,

Gazing at the bustling Mountain God temple before him, with incense smoke curling, it seemed even the snake statues inside were veiled in a faint, mysterious hue.

Sun Zhenbang didn't realize it, but even his expression carried a hint of indescribable reverence and awe.

His gaze then fell upon the endless, undulating mountains—mysterious, winding without end—and from afar they looked like a great serpent soaring into the sky.

"Bringing the family here to pray in the future might truly bring blessings of longevity."

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(End of chapter)