Chapter 91: Do Not Forget the Ambition of Longevity

"So this is Yin Fire?"

Chen Ci looked at the mass of deep green Yin Fire before him and carefully stored it in a bone bottle. It must be said that the fire control technique taught in the Bone Yin Fire Method was actually much simpler than the fire control incantations in the Lesser Heavens Qi Absorption Method. He had only taken a rough look at it before mastering seven or eight tenths of the technique; gathering the Yin Fire was as natural as water flowing into a channel.

Bone Yin Fire Method: Entry/3/100 (Aged corpses, one in ten can succeed; for every fire successfully formed, one point of progress is gained)

Looking at the pile of charred corpses emitting a strange odor before him, Chen Ci sighed. Even though he had bought these corpses from the mass grave Yizhuang, no matter how one looked at it, they didn't seem like good people.

"Someone, go to the back mountain, dig a pit a fathom deep, and bury these remains. Then go to the county town to buy some paper money and incense to burn along with them."

After giving the order, the slight sense of guilt in Chen Ci's heart slowly dissipated.

This Bone Yin Fire Method was not difficult; while called a spell, it was actually more like the "chemistry" of the cultivation world.

After refining these aged corpses using the contents of this method—based on the experience Chen Ci had summarized so far, corpses about ten years old worked best—he would ignite them with True Qi. Ten catties of corpse remains could refine a small mass of Yin Fire. It was difficult for True Qi to extinguish, contained corpse poison, and was truly insidious and practical.

This deep green color was likely caused by some phosphorus-like substances.

However, the drawbacks were also quite obvious.

Firstly, this Yin Fire was a consumable; once used, it was gone, and storing it required quite a bit of effort.

Secondly, aged corpses were not so easy to find. One had to know that a person's remains were only a little over ten catties. Although animal bones did not affect the usage, unless one built a bone-nurturing ground, where could one find animal bones buried for ten years in bulk?

Chen Ci busied himself for half a month, consuming nearly a thousand catties of aged corpses, before finally mastering this method and obtaining this small mass of Yin Fire.

"Time truly passes quickly, but after working for so long, at least it wasn't all for nothing."

Chen Ci tucked the bone bottle into his sleeve and shook his head slightly. The more powerful a Dharma Artifact was, the harder it truly was to refine. The White Bone Heart-Lock Hammer didn't even have a start yet, and just one technique for it had consumed so much energy.

"Bang, bang, bang~"

"Master, Shi Sanniang requests an audience."

Chen Ci felt inexplicably dazed, as if today last year was right before his eyes.

"I haven't grown old yet, have I?"

Chen Ci sighed softly, then answered in a clear voice: "Mm, I know. You may go."

One loses track of time while practicing; it had already reached the beginning of the month again.

This monthly rent collection is actually quite tiring, huh.

Chen Ci went leisurely to the front courtyard. The moment he saw Shi Sanniang, he subconsciously clicked his tongue. This beautiful woman hadn't been seen for only a month, yet she was truly glowing with health; she was well-deserving of the word "ripe."

It seemed this beautiful woman had already experienced the wonders of the Health-Nurturing Pill.

"Oh my, my Master Chen, why does your Sanyin Temple lack even some items to escape the heat? Never mind ice-crisp or shaved ice, at least some iced honey water, or a page boy or maid to fan me—you should have something, right?"

Having known each other for a long time, Shi Sanniang knew these trifles wouldn't annoy Chen Ci, so she offered her opinions with a mix of feigned anger and smiles.

"We cultivators are immune to cold and heat; why would we need these things? They would only make a mess of a place of cultivation."

Chen Ci picked up his teacup and glanced at her. If he wasn't mistaken, this Shi Sanniang seemed to have become much fuller; the gauze dress on her body was even a bit tight.

"Even if one is immune to cold and heat, it still consumes some True Qi. If one can live more comfortably, that is naturally good."

Shi Sanniang was righteous and bold, then went straight to the point: "Master Chen, the ten taels of gold for five Health-Nurturing Pills you mentioned before—is that still valid?"

One look at her expression and Chen Ci knew what it was about. He shook his head and laughed: "Sanniang, if you come to trade for yourself, of course you can. But if you act as a middleman, that won't do. You know my methods."

One had to know that when Chen Ci first quoted the price, one catty of Five Elements Divine Sand could be exchanged for twenty-five Health-Nurturing Pills. If he let this beautiful woman act as a middleman, he wouldn't have a shred of profit left.

Pausing for a moment, Chen Ci smiled enigmatically: "Why, have some Daoists in the mountain tasted the sweetness?"

Shi Sanniang gave a sheepish laugh, pulled a few items out from her bosom—it was unclear where she had stuffed them—and complained in a low voice: "Master Chen, you must at least let this concubine drink some soup."

A small bag of earth-attribute Five Elements Divine Sand, weighing about seven taels.

A small bottle of Essence Refining, about thirty drops, and not very pure either; clearly, the refiner's technique was quite poor.

A piece of charred wood the size of a fist, carrying some spiritual energy and a bit of thunder Qi. It should be some kind of Thunder-Struck Wood, but it was still some distance away from being a Spirit Material and wasn't worth much.

Chen Ci pondered for a moment. Actually, he didn't really want this Thunder-Struck Wood, but after thinking about it, he accepted it and handed four bottles of Health-Nurturing Pills to Shi Sanniang: "Here, Sanniang, don't say I didn't give you a taste of sweetness. These are four bottles of Health-Nurturing Pills; as for how to distribute them, you decide for yourself."

If these three items were converted into gold, they would be worth about one hundred and fifty taels. Giving her four bottles of Health-Nurturing Pills was more than enough. If it weren't to open up the market, Chen Ci wouldn't have been so generous.

Looking again at the wild game from the mountain that Shi Sanniang brought, although not very valuable, because two of the large white rabbits let Chen Ci satisfy his urge to handle them, Shi Sanniang eventually wheedled a bottle of Health-Nurturing Pills and five bottles of Bigu Pill out of him. It was truly paying a meat price for vegetable dishes.

This woman is also not a good person.

Chen Ci rubbed his fingers and walked to the pill room with a helpless expression. He hadn't expected that this trip by Shi Sanniang would almost empty his stock of pills.

During this period, researching the Five Ghosts Soul-Confusing Method and the Bone Yin Fire Method had taken up too much time. Apart from the daily late-night practice of Three Yin True Qi, which was never missed, many other cultivation plans had been delayed quite a bit.

"Among the side sects, many cultivators pursue the refining of powerful Dharma Artifacts, insisting on being stronger than others to feel satisfied. The apprentices of the He Mountain Sect being able to build a fierce reputation during the Qi Refining Stage is likely for this reason."

"But for a cultivator, only the Longevity technique is the true path, and one's own cultivation is the foundation. I have recently focused on refining the White Bone Heart-Lock Hammer, which is putting the cart before the horse."

Chen Ci slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and suddenly woke up.

Methods for harming others, killing, and self-defense must be learned, but increasing one's cultivation is the true path. With his aptitude, if he cannot earn massive resources, he would likely hit his limit at a little over a hundred apertures. Even if he refined the White Bone Heart-Lock Hammer to the absolute peak, could he really smash out an Upper Grade Dao Foundation with one hammer? Being a hired thug for others would lead to ruin sooner or later.

"In the future, I will find at most one Protective Dharma Artifact and one flight Dharma Artifact. Even if other Dharma Artifacts are powerful, I must not refine them again."

Chen Ci silently made up his mind. To practice one method is to abandon another; he must never waste all his time on these defensive arts. The ambition of Longevity must be kept in mind at all times.

It was just like the Stone Lock Hunyuan Skill, which should have been perfected in a few days; it had been nearly half a month, and he hadn't even taken the final step.

The Condensing Pill Method hadn't been practiced properly for days either. The Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method was only missing this final link to entry; he truly shouldn't be slack.

Sigh.

A few more days passed.

Chen Ci was practicing the Stone Lock Hunyuan Skill when his body's Qi and blood suddenly had a sense of cohesion, as if approaching the edge of some qualitative change.

His True Qi cultivation, which he could already introspect, seemed even clearer at this moment, allowing him to see subtle details that were difficult to notice in the past.

"This is..."

Chen Ci subconsciously clicked on his personal panel, and sure enough, a change appeared on the line for the Stone Lock Hunyuan Skill.

Stone Lock Hunyuan Skill: 100/100

Furthermore, its displayed status slowly changed, finally becoming the four characters "Zhoutian Consummation."

The moment the change was completed, Chen Ci only felt his eyes clear up a little, and it seemed as if a cool breeze blew across his forehead. Immediately, his whole body went numb, and a strange True Qi was suddenly squeezed out from his flesh at his dantian. But before he could savor it, it was rushed and rolled by the Three Yin True Qi in his body and completely dissolved.

"After a year of bitter cultivation, it is finally Perfected, though the quality of this Primordial True Qi is truly poor; it is significantly worse than even the mediocre-quality Three Yin True Qi."

Chen Ci withdrew his gaze, though there were some benefits; he could clearly feel that his five senses, hands, feet, and body muscles had become much more agile, and if speaking solely of sword moves, he was more than a notch stronger than his former self.

"Eh, wait?"

Chen Ci's gaze paused and fell back onto the panel.

Stone Lock Primordial Art: Zhoutian Consummation / Primordial True Qi (Divine Intent connected, True Qi self-generating, refining apertures and changing blood, essence and Qi do not decay)

(End of this chapter)