Chapter 443: Water flows and the channel is formed; Middle Stage of Tongxuan

What is an Immortal Seed?

It is not a sudden, rapid advance, but rather the result of water flowing to form a channel.

Every step is in accordance with the Dao.

Neither early nor late.

Li Rui is exactly like this; in fact, his stability is even too fast. According to normal speed, it would have taken another ten-plus years to possibly step into the Middle Stage of 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 Tongxuan and had already crossed two levels, their jaws would surely drop.

This speed is something even those few 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 high in the nine heavens.

His true qi surged.

His originally damp clothes instantly became dry and neat.

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

That was the aura of being near the Dao.

Breaking through to the Middle Stage, everything was just this natural.

It formed a sharp contrast with the arduousness of Zhu Gan.

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

In fact, even when Li Rui reaches the peak of Tongxuan and breaks through to the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, it will be the same; there will not be 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 lower path.

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

The path to immortality is rugged.

A moment of carelessness leads to eternal damnation; at that time, even with thousands of talents, everything will turn into bubbles.

Li Rui slowly walked back to the Qingwei Sect.

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

He saw Liu Tiezhu, Ge Hong, and Wei Ming discussing something in 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.

Ge Hong spoke first: "Brother Li, where did you go? You were 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 mysterious state, his whole heart and soul sensing the power of heaven and earth.

He had chosen to go far away from the Qingwei Sect to break through purely by instinct, completely forgetting to tell 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, tell this kid Tiezhu not to worry; anyone on Changqing Peak might run into trouble, but not you, Li Laoge."

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

Wei Ming chuckled.

In the Qingwei Sect, many disciples called Li Rui 'Ling Shouzi'.

'Ling Shouzi' is not a Daoist name like 'Chun Xuzi' or 'Dan Yangzi', but an elegant nickname for a turtle used by the people of Yu.

It refers to Li Rui being like a turtle.

Living a long time and never going out.

Such a temperament has one benefit, which is that one can live a long time.

Ge Hong also said with a smile: "Brother Li, I have had some insights recently and am preparing 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 have 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, this Brother Ge of his had been advancing by leaps and bounds, no worse than the geniuses of the Qingwei Sect.

"Go ahead."

Li Rui said with a smile.

Cultivators, cultivators, what they cultivate is not just spiritual energy, but also their temperament; if their temperament cannot support their cultivation base, they will fall into demonic obstacles, which is the bottleneck.

Ge Hong had encountered a bottleneck.

Blindly practicing hard was already useless, so he thought that movement would bring change.

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

After all, not everyone can be as smooth in the Immortal Dao as Li Rui.

Wei Ming looked at Ge Hong with envy.

He had finally broken through with great difficulty, barely considered to be in the same realm, but he didn't expect Ge Hong to be breaking through again.

Not many days later.

Ge Hong went down the mountain.

Changqing Peak became even more desolate; the breakthrough didn't bring too many changes to Li Rui's life, and he continued to cultivate as usual.

This day.

An old Daoist priest walked up Changqing Peak.

"Brother Li."

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

His Changqing Peak, to use words from his previous life, was the embassy established by the Yu Kingdom in the Qingwei Sect.

Generally speaking.

Only two types of people came here: one was Yu Kingdom officials, and the other was people who wanted to become Yu Kingdom officials.

Over these years.

Many Qingwei Sect disciples who wanted to enter the court as officials had been sent out from his Changqing Peak.

Among them were even a few who were excellent prospects.

It was only after Li Rui sent them away that the Qingwei Sect realized it.

It would be strange if the Elders of the Qingwei Sect could be happy about that.

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

Old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang: "Brother Li, I came to see you as soon as I rushed back from the Northern Plains; I 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 happy:

"Only fine wine must not be missed."

He led the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang into the courtyard, fetched two bowls, and told Liu Tiezhu to get a few side dishes.

The two old men drank while eating the dishes.

"This northern wine is indeed strong enough."

Li Rui grinned.

This wine of the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang 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 was all from the letters sent back by Ning Zhongtian; the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang had been there personally, and what he said was more effective.

Old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang: "The Northern Polar Demon Sect has an astonishing foundation; your country's Northern Defense Army fights them every year, with countless casualties; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that corpses are strewn everywhere."

Li Rui listened while drinking quietly.

The war in the north was truly tragic.

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

Now, with the addition of the Northern Polar Demon Sect, which acted strangely.

A great war was inevitable.

As the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang spoke, he got to the real purpose of coming to find Li Rui: "Lord Li, you also know that Lord He is too fierce in using troops; I heard you are familiar with Marquis Yuan, can you help put in a word? The Qingwei Sect disciples really can't stand such tossing."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes.

The Qingwei Sect sent Elders and disciples north, originally thinking of avenging the Northern Polar Demon Sect's theft of top-grade spirit stones.

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

The Qingwei Sect didn't expect it to be truly life-threatening!

And the Qingwei Sect disciples sent by the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang were all assigned to the command of that General He, many of whom were disciples of his Daoist Zi Yang Peak.

This second adopted son of Yuan Dingting was fierce in using troops.

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

Casualties exceeding thirty percent were normal.

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 find Li Rui to smooth things over.

Li Rui: "I'm not familiar with that General He, but I can ask his adopted younger 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 happily and drunkenly.

Looking at Li Rui.

The drunkenness had long since left his face.

He also didn't expect that the Wan Gu Chang Qing Art could have a 'God of Wine' effect, making him unable to get drunk at all.

The reason he agreed to the old Daoist Daoist Zi Yang was just because in the Qingwei Sect, only this old Daoist was barely close to 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 specially came to treat Li Rui to a drink again afterwards.

Afterwards.

Li Rui clearly felt.

The people on Changqing Peak became much more convenient in the Qingwei Sect; for example, the reserves of spirit elixirs, immortal arts, and spirit talismans clearly increased.

Obviously.

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

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

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

Time passed.

Li Rui, now in the Middle Stage of Tongxuan, needed more and more spiritual energy.

It could even be said to be a massive amount.

All of this required huge cultivation resources to support.

Those wild cultivators and rangers had to run around and risk their lives to obtain cultivation resources, just like those who stole spiritual energy outside the spirit mines, but Li Rui held a Third Rank position and had the Spring Breeze Hall, so his foundation was much deeper.

Otherwise, why would so many strong people be willing to enter the court as officials?

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

Fortunately, Li Rui was very good at this.

This day.

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

Upon hearing this, Liu Tiezhu.

Was immediately happy.

Although he wasn't a lively person, it was truly too boring on 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 spirit horse couldn't run wildly and walked leisurely.

A mere three hundred miles 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 do your work."

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 exhaling more than inhaling, and he sighed softly:

"Old Yang, you are also leaving."

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