Chapter 443: Water flows and the channel is formed; mid-stage of Below Tongxuan

What is an Immortal Seed?

It is not a sudden, rapid advance, but rather a natural progression where water flows and the channel is formed.

Every step is in accordance with reason.

Neither too early nor too late.

Li Rui is exactly like this; in fact, his stability is even too fast. According to normal speed, it would have originally taken more than ten years to potentially step into the mid-stage of Below Tongxuan.

But because of the top-grade spirit stones and the Primordial Immortal Martial Dao Fetus, his progress was greatly accelerated.

It only took a few short years.

If others knew that he had only just broken through to Below Tongxuan and had already crossed two levels, their jaws would surely drop.

This speed is something even those at the very top of the Martial Rankings cannot compare to.

Li Rui smiled slightly.

He slowly stood up.

A miraculous scene appeared.

The spring rain gradually ceased, the dark clouds dispersed, revealing the clear sun from high above the nine heavens.

True Qi billowed.

His originally damp clothes instantly became dry and neat.

His entire person gained an air of ethereal detachment; at this moment, Li Rui was just like the legendary old immortals.

That was the aura of being close to the Dao.

Breaking through to the mid-stage, everything was just this natural.

It formed a stark contrast with Zhu Gan's arduous struggle.

If even a noble Imperial Prince is like this, the difference for others would only be greater.

In fact, even when Li Rui reaches the peak of Below Tongxuan and breaks through to the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, it will be just like this—without the slightest obstruction, and bottlenecks will not exist at all.

With such a unique advantage, one must be even more careful.

Stability is the first priority.

Blindly pursuing speed, advancing just for the sake of advancing, that is falling into the inferior path.

To reach the highest heights, or even to ascend to immortality, one must tread every step firmly.

The path to immortality is rugged.

A moment of carelessness leads to total destruction; at that time, even with thousands of talents, everything would turn into bubbles.

Li Rui slowly walked back to the Profound Micro Sect.

When he arrived at the entrance of the small courtyard on Mount Changqing Peak.

He saw Liu Liu Tiezhu, Ge Hong, and Wei Ming discussing something inside the courtyard.

"Why is it so lively?"

The three were startled upon hearing Li Rui's voice.

They turned their heads.

Seeing Li Rui appear at the entrance, looking refreshed, they all breathed a sigh of relief in unison.

Ge Hong spoke first: "Brother Li, where did you go? You've been gone for two days and two nights without even saying a word."

Li Rui was speechless.

What the three were discussing just now was likely how to find him.

During the breakthrough.

He was in a state of profound mystery, his whole heart and soul immersed in sensing the power of heaven and earth.

He had chosen to go far away from the Profound Micro Sect to break through purely by instinct, completely forgetting to tell Liu Liu Tiezhu.

Coupled with the fact that he was burdened by the Lotus Heart Array, he couldn't move fast at all.

This round trip took two days.

Li Rui: "I just went out to clear my mind; it won't happen again."

Wei Ming walked up happily:

"I said just now, don't let Liu Tiezhu worry. Anyone on Mount Changqing Peak might run into trouble, but you, Big Brother, never will."

Li Rui: "Brother Wei, you're teasing me again."

Wei Ming chuckled.

In the Profound Heaven Sect, many disciples addressed Li Rui as Ling Shouzi.

Ling Shouzi is not a Daoist name like Chunxuzi or Danyangzi, but a refined nickname the people of Yu Kingdom use for a turtle.

It refers to Li Rui being just like a turtle.

Living a long time and never leaving the house.

Such a temperament has one benefit: it allows one to live a long life.

Ge Hong also said with a smile: "Brother Li, I've had some insights recently and plan to go down the mountain to walk around, to see if I can find an opportunity."

Li Rui was surprised:

"Brother Ge has made progress again?"

Ge Hong nodded: "I've roughly touched the threshold."

Li Rui naturally knew that the threshold Ge Hong spoke of was the threshold of the Fifth Rank.

Ever since he started cultivating the Immortal Dao, his Brother Ge had been advancing by leaps and bounds, no worse than the geniuses of the Profound Micro Sect.

"Go ahead."

Li Rui said with a smile.

Cultivators, cultivators—what they cultivate is not just spiritual energy, but also their state of mind. If the state of mind cannot support the cultivation base, one will fall into demonic obstacles, which is the bottleneck.

Ge Hong had encountered a bottleneck.

Blindly practicing in seclusion was no longer useful, so he thought of seeking change through movement.

Going down the mountain to seek the opportunity for a breakthrough.

After all, not everyone can have an Immortal Dao path as smooth as Li Rui's.

Wei Ming looked at Ge Hong with envy.

Having finally broken through, barely reaching the same level, he didn't expect Ge Hong to be about to break through again.

A few days later.

Ge Hong went down the mountain.

Mount Changqing Peak became even quieter. The breakthrough didn't bring too many changes to Li Rui's life; he continued to practice as usual.

This day.

An old Daoist priest walked up Mount Changqing Peak.

"Brother Li."

Li Rui looked at the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang, who hadn't visited in a long time, and greeted him with a smile: "Daoist Daoist Zi Yang, what brings you to my Mount Changqing Peak?"

His Mount Changqing Peak, in the words of his previous life, was the embassy established by the Yu Kingdom in the Profound Micro Sect.

Generally speaking.

Only two types of people come here: officials of the Yu Kingdom, and those who want to become officials of the Yu Kingdom.

Over these years.

Many Profound Micro Sect disciples wanting to enter the imperial court had been sent out from his Mount Changqing Peak.

Among them were even a few excellent seedlings.

After Li Rui sent them away, the Profound Micro Sect only then realized it.

It would be strange if the Elders of the Profound Micro Sect were happy about it.

Therefore, even the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang, who had a good relationship with Li Rui, hadn't visited Mount Changqing Peak for several years.

Old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang: "Brother Li, I rushed back from the Northern Plains just to see you, and specially brought some wine from the North. Want to taste it?"

He saw the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang lift the wine jar in his hand.

Li Rui was amused:

"Only fine wine must not be missed."

He led the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang into the courtyard, fetched two bowls, and asked Liu Liu Tiezhu to bring some small dishes.

The two old men drank while eating the dishes.

"This wine from the North is indeed strong."

Li Rui grinned.

The wine the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang brought was brewed with spiritual herbs; it was fiery upon entering the throat, and even cultivators could get drunk.

How could he not see that the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang was aiming to get him drunk?

The old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang also took a sip:

"Brother Li, you haven't been there, so you don't know—the Northern Plains battlefield is truly tragic."

Li Rui became interested.

His understanding of the Northern Plains came from the letters Ning Ning Zhongtian sent back; the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang had been there himself, and what he said would be more effective.

Old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang: "The Northern Polar Demon Sect has an astonishing foundation. Your country's Northern Garrison fights them every year, with countless casualties. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that corpses litter the fields."

Li Rui drank quietly while listening.

The war in the North was truly tragic.

The Northern Plains barbarians moving south was something carved into their bones, and the war with the Yu Kingdom had never ceased.

Now, with the addition of the treacherous Northern Polar Demon Sect.

A great war was inevitable.

As the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang spoke, he reached the real purpose of his visit to Li Rui: "Lord Li, you also know that General He is too aggressive in his military tactics. I heard you are well-acquainted with Marquis Yuan. Could you help put in a word? The Profound Micro Sect disciples really can't withstand such tossing."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes.

The Profound Micro Sect sent Elders and disciples north, originally intending to avenge the Northern Polar Demon Sect's seizure of the top-grade spirit stones.

But the cruelty of the Northern Plains battlefield far exceeded the imagination of these Immortal Sect disciples.

The Profound Micro Sect didn't expect it to be a real life-or-death struggle!

And the Profound Micro Sect disciples sent by the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang were all assigned under that General He, many of whom were disciples of his Daoist Zi Yang Peak.

This second foster son of Yuan Yuan Dingting was aggressive in his tactics.

He himself was highly skilled and hard to kill, but the soldiers under his command suffered greatly.

Casualties exceeding thirty percent were normal.

The military merit was great, but most didn't have the life to spend it.

The list had long been set, and even the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang couldn't change it.

That was why the old Daoist priest thought of coming to Li Rui to smooth things over.

Li Rui: "I'm not well-acquainted with that General He, but I can ask his foster brother to write a letter. As for whether it works, that's not something I can control."

Upon hearing this, the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang was overjoyed.

This drink was not in vain.

Until late at night.

The old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang left, happy and drunk.

In contrast, Li Rui.

Had long since lost any sign of drunkenness on his face.

He also didn't expect that the Wan Gu Chang Qing Gong could have the effect of a wine god, making him impossible to get drunk.

The reason he agreed to the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang was just because in the Profound Micro Sect, only this old Daoist was barely close to Mount Changqing Peak, and he always had to try to win him over.

Perhaps the letter Li Rui asked Yuan Xiong to write had an effect.

The old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang later specially invited Li Rui for another drink.

Afterwards.

Li Rui clearly felt.

That the people of Mount Changqing Peak became much more convenient in the Profound Micro Sect; for example, the reserves of spirit pills, immortal techniques, and spirit talismans increased significantly.

Obviously.

This was the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang returning the favor.

Li Rui helped him, so he naturally had to reciprocate.

The people of Mount Changqing Peak lived more comfortably, and Li Rui's cultivation continued steadily; the feeling of becoming stronger every day was addictive.

Time passed.

Li Rui, now in the mid-stage of Below Tongxuan, needed more and more spiritual energy.

It could even be called a massive amount.

All of this required vast cultivation resources to support.

Those wild cultivators and wandering knights had to run around and risk their lives to obtain cultivation resources, just like those spirit-stealers outside the spirit mines; but Li Rui held a Third Rank position and also had the Spring Breeze Hall, so his foundation was much deeper.

Otherwise, why would so many powerhouses be willing to enter the imperial court as officials?

Since they had become officials, they naturally had to know how to borrow influence.

Fortunately, Li Rui was very good at this.

This day.

Li Rui rarely stepped out of the door and said to Liu Liu Tiezhu in the courtyard: "Liu Tiezhu, prepare the carriage, we are going back to Qinghe."

Liu Liu Tiezhu heard this.

He was immediately happy.

Although he wasn't a lively person, it was truly too dull on Mount Changqing Peak, far less comfortable than staying in Qinghe.

It was true that he liked blacksmithing, but he couldn't stand having nothing else to do all day besides blacksmithing and practicing martial arts.

Without a word.

He went out and prepared the carriage.

At noon, the two went down the mountain.

Because of the Lotus Heart Array, the demon horse couldn't run wildly and walked leisurely.

A mere three hundred li took nearly a whole day to reach.

When the carriage drove into the Annan Town camp in Qinghe, it was already late at night.

The carriage stopped in front of the General's Mansion.

Li Rui got off the carriage.

Just as he walked into the mansion, he happened to see Liang He about to go out.

Seeing it was Li Rui, Liang He was surprised: "Master, why are you back?"

He was just about to send someone to find Li Rui.

Li Rui's expression was calm.

He smiled at Liang He: "Go ahead and get busy."

Liang He hesitated to speak.

Watching Li Rui walk towards a small room inside the mansion.

Li Rui pushed open the door.

He saw Yang Yong lying on the bed, looking like he was breathing out more than he was breathing in, and he sighed softly:

"Old Yang, you are also leaving."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 444 =====