Chapter 355

Cultivators often say, "Wealth, companions, methods, and terrain"—the 'method' here refers to immortal cultivation techniques. Congratulations, host, on acquiring your first immortal technique; this is a crucial step on the path to cultivation. Keep striving, that your immortal path may endure forever.

【Task completed: Immortal Technique. Reward calculation in progress.】

【Task rating: C.】

【Obtained 30 achievement points!】

【Achievement points reached 100. Reward acquisition in progress.】

【Your celestial fortune is abundant. After slaying your enemy Golden Light Immortal, you coincidentally obtained an immortal technique.】

【Obtained technique: Complete version of the Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture!】

【Young hero, begin your perfect cultivation journey now!】

【Name: Li Rui】

【Age: 15】

【Talents: Martial Bone, Extraordinary Comprehension, Insightful Eyes, Great Dream Immortal Travel, Demon-Slaying Advantage, Dao Seed】

【Techniques: Changchun Scripture, Dragon Soaring Through Nine Heavens Diagram, Dragon-Elephant True Qi Power, Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture】

【Item: Spirit-Enhancing Book】

【Achievements: 10/100】

Immortal technique?!

Li Rui's pupils shrank sharply.

This is no small thing.

He never imagined that the small booklet he had casually picked up was an immortal scripture.

The next instant.

A torrent of information surged into his mind like a raging wave.

Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture!

Li Rui's eyes widened. It took him a long while to digest the information—the incantations were obscure and profoundly difficult to comprehend.

【No wonder it's an immortal technique.】

In his joy, he idly flipped through the small booklet in his hand.

At first, the incantations recorded in the booklet matched exactly those in his mind—but gradually, Li Rui's gaze turned cold.

This technique has problems!

Although the booklet also contained the Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture, many parts had been deliberately concealed, and some even inverted.

If someone obtained this technique and forced themselves to cultivate it,

they would inevitably end up with reversed meridians and die suddenly.

【Such deep scheming.】

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

Without thinking, this must be the work of the Exiled Immortal—perhaps deliberately planted to trap others, or perhaps merely out of habit, to prevent the technique from leaking.

He leaned more toward the latter.

The Exiled Immortal was no true immortal.

He certainly could not foresee the future. Who would randomly drop a technique just to harm others?

【Still, he's cautious enough.】

If not for the system giving him the complete version of the Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture, he might already have fallen for the trap.

Even so, given his nature, he would never casually cultivate a technique of unknown origin.

Now, the system had directly granted him the complete version, removing all concerns.

Feeling the incantations in his mind, he could no longer suppress his excitement.

"Immortal technique!"

Li Rui had nearly memorized the Five-Spirit Body Refinement Scripture. The technique was obscure; he certainly could not fully understand it in an instant.

But he had grasped some facts.

For instance, cultivation might now be possible in this world—but spiritual energy was far too scarce, making this path exceedingly difficult. Also, due to the scarcity of spiritual energy, one needed at least a top-grade spiritual root to even qualify for cultivation.

Li Rui had already gathered four of the five Spirit-Enhancing Methods—he was nearly halfway there.

The chance of upgrading to a top-grade spiritual root was very high.

This could not be rushed. He was already a Primordial cultivator with a terrifying lifespan of four hundred and eighty years—he had plenty of time to gather the rest.

There was no need to hurry.

He was no longer the dying carriage driver Old Li. Now, he could afford to be more deliberate.

In the main hall of the General's Mansion.

Nie Siming sat at the highest seat.

As the nominal highest official in Qinghe County, it was only natural.

To his left and right sat Liu Qing and He Qianian; behind them were Yuan Xiong, Li Rui, Cao Wei, and other Qinghe officials.

Nie Siming spoke slowly:

"I trust all of you are aware: the Purple Gold Palace has conspired with the Qi clan—grave crimes that must be eradicated."

Jia Qi and Yan Zhongxing's expressions hardened.

They had not personally participated in the raid on the Purple Gold Palace.

Though they had heard reports from subordinates, Nie Siming's words still weighed heavily on their hearts.

Nie Siming then smiled slightly:

"This time, Qinghe took the initiative. His Majesty was greatly pleased. Song Xun'an's death was caused by the Purple Gold Palace's villains—we have thus made amends. The imperial court has decided not to pursue the matter further."

Upon hearing "not to pursue,"

Jia Qi and the others exhaled deeply in relief.

The heavy stone that had pressed upon them for days had finally lifted.

Nie Siming changed tone:

"His Majesty is benevolent, but we cannot grow complacent. We must regard the eradication of this heretical sect as our duty."

Hearing this,

Li Rui and the others rose together, solemnly declaring:

"We will spare no effort to slay demons and purge evil!"

Seeing their commitment, Nie Siming nodded in satisfaction.

"I have discussed with Master Liu and Master He: the Purple Gold Palace is powerful. The Anning Guard, the county office, and the Weiheshimao Office alone cannot crush it."

"But Qinghe has many sects. If we can unite them, they will be a formidable force."

Li Rui and the others immediately understood. Nie Siming wanted them to act as emissaries.

Jia Qi and the rest groaned inwardly—just escaped one major trouble, now another loomed.

Uniting the sects.

Easy to say, hard to do.

Those sects were all wealthy and powerful, and outwardly they obeyed imperial authority.

But in truth?

They recognized only the imperial court in the capital—not Qinghe County's office or the Anning Guard.

All these sects were branches of major sects.

Their backings were larger than one another's; their influence meant nothing to those people.

Of course,

Nie Siming had never given them the option to refuse.

"Understood."

!

They could only grit their teeth, bowed, and accepted this burning hot potato.

After speaking, Nie Siming turned and smiled at Liu Qing and He Qianian: "Master Liu, Master He, do you have anything to add?"

Liu Qing and He Qianian shook their heads.

The matter was settled.

Li Rui and the others dispersed.

Cao Wei walked alongside Li Rui out of the General's Mansion. This mansion had once been his, but since Nie Siming arrived, he had voluntarily vacated it and now lived in a house beside it.

"Lord Li, do you think those sects will listen to us?"

Li Rui shook his head decisively: "No."

He and Cao Wei were only fifth-rank officials.

The elders in those sects were all Primordial cultivators. It would be strange if they even deigned to look at them.

The elders in those sects are all primordial martial artists; it would be strange if they even looked at them properly.

Were it not for Nie Siming's presence, the Anning Guard could not have held its ground with just two fifth-rank officers.

Even with Nie Siming, all they could expect from those branch sects was a cup of tea—everything else was fraught with difficulty.

Even with Nie Siming, all they could get in the branch sects of those great sects was a cup of tea; everything else was fraught with difficulty.

"The road is hard. Being an official is harder still."

"The road is hard, but becoming an official is even harder."

Of course.

He's just saying that, but no matter how hard it is, he still has to go through with it.

Besides, the situation isn't that dire—Cao Wei has been an official for decades; his bureaucratic cultivation is far beyond what any young official could match.

Don't be fooled by Nie Siming's urgent tone—he's already seen that the Purple Gold Palace cannot possibly be resolved in a short while.

It will surely be a prolonged struggle.

Uniting the sects, of course, must be done slowly.

As long as they drag it out long enough, once the imperial court steps in, they can naturally hand over the task.

He understands this principle, and so does Li Rui.

The two exchanged a knowing smile.

Such perfect understanding.

Deep night.

After finishing his cultivation, Li Rui slipped into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

When his consciousness revived,

he found himself atop the dreamlike Yuntai.

He sat cross-legged on the cloud mass, pondering the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture he had just obtained.

According to the system's rating, it was a C-grade.

That meant this immortal art was not among the highest-tier in the upper realms—otherwise, the system wouldn't have given it only a C.

But then again, his Perfect Life System was notoriously strict in its ratings.

For the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture to earn a C was already impressive.

These past days,

he studied day and night, and finally gained some insight.

The Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture was profound; anyone else who obtained it would see it as if reading celestial scripture, utterly unable to begin cultivation.

Thanks to his insight, he could barely understand it.

"Metal sharpness shatters illusions, Wood nurtures the spiritual fields. Water moistens the body, Fire refines the heart's resolve. Earth solidifies the root; the Five Elements gather in one body—Dao follows nature."

The Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture's method and effects were written right in its name.

Gather the Five Spirits' energy to refine one's body.

So the first step was naturally to gather the Five Spirits' energy.

"Man's birth: the four limbs correspond to the four seasons, the five viscera mirror the Five Elements. Align with Heaven and Earth in form, harmonize with Dao and Virtue in life—the liver is Wood, the heart is Fire, the spleen is Earth, the lungs are Metal, the kidneys are Water."

This meant cultivating the Five Spirits' energy through the five viscera.

Li Rui pondered deeply.

This method seemed to share a similar essence with how martial artists cultivate qi.

Soon,

he gained a sudden realization.

"This Five Spirits Body Refinement method might not only be usable by cultivators—it could also be adapted to refine internal martial arts!"

The more Li Rui thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

He was currently limited by his spiritual roots and could not cultivate the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture at all.

But if he extracted just some of its core principles, it would become a top-tier internal martial art!

His eyes instantly lit up.

This had potential!

(End of Chapter)