Chapter 592: Cycle of Sixty Years (5000 Supplement)

Spirit Medicine Island.

Aaron stood by the spring eye, his hands rapidly forming seals, muttering under his breath: "Spring Breeze Turns to Rain... Swift!"

Accompanied by the surging of Dharma Power, layers of white mist emerged from his hands, gathering above the spirit spring and beginning a light, drizzling rain.

It was just that the range covered by this drizzle was very narrow, only a radius of one or two meters...

"After several months of bitter cultivation, this spell has finally succeeded... But when cast in the Spirit Fields of Dongmen Valley, it covers an acre; here, it's only one or two meters..."

Aaron could not help but be speechless.

But looking at the few Nine-Eyed Begonia plants that appeared even more vibrant under the drizzle, he immediately felt it was worth more than the cost.

That night.

Of course, one has to admit that its taste is still quite good, and taking it to the market can also sell for quite a few Spirit Stones.

Having cultivated to the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, the next step is to prepare for Foundation Establishment.

Aaron naturally has other plans.

"Finally the tenth layer... The Qi Refining Tenth Layer is actually a state, representing that as long as one is willing to risk it, one can attempt Foundation Establishment on their own, though the success rate is less than ten percent... I am certainly not willing to risk it..."

After a year, with no progress in cultivation visible at all, it is enough to make any Immortal Cultivator feel despair!

"Is this... finally encountering a bottleneck?"

Aaron certainly would not risk the former, and the latter means having no Spirit Stones!

The Danhong Ginseng and Black Marrow Ganoderma have matured quite a bit, but selling them now would be a loss, and with few Spirit Stones, it is not certain one could successfully buy a Spirit Pill.

On the deck of a large ship, Huang Tianba, the leader of the Tianxiong Gang who has ruled Taize Prefecture for over sixty years, stood with a face full of smiles before a plain-looking young man: "Young Master Qing... This time the Carp King appears, I guarantee it will be obtained by my Tianxiong Gang and then presented to you."

"At most... wait until the chaos passes, then go and acquire stolen goods..."

Aaron muttered to himself.

"The pity is... even though I have been keeping an eye out, I have not had the opportunity to obtain the inheritance of the Four Arts of Cultivation."

In a trance, he seemed to feel the joy of a farmer.

【Age: 225】

"Counting on my fingers... I spent about one hundred and thirty years to finally complete my Qi Refining cultivation, which is about the same as I estimated..."

【Realm: Qi Refining Ninth Layer】

As for why there is a connection with Dongfang Shuo?

'Have generations of farmers throughout history also lived like this?'

What is even more sigh-inducing is that the Dongmen Family has also entered a situation where the new generation cannot keep up with the old.

This Fish Bait has been refined with Dharma Power and has a miraculous effect in attracting Spirit Fish!

The Red Blood Carp King only has some effect on Qi Refining stage cultivators; Aaron is now at Qi Refining Great Perfection, so he actually does not think much of it anymore.

Aaron routinely checked his Spirit Medicine Garden and discovered that those few Nine-Eyed Begonia plants had already bloomed, and the pattern of an eye on them was more than half complete.

As for the Huiyuan Wine Recipe, it is simply lacking Spirit Rice, and there are few opportunities to practice, so progress is slow.

The old man Donglong is most skilled at planting Spirit Rice, primarily the He Dao Spirit Rice that the Dongmen Family eats most often.

It is just that the merits he accumulated over most of his life were simply insufficient to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill from the sect, and afterwards, he watched himself pass sixty years old, becoming increasingly desperate.

"Why fight to the death for things that can be traded with Spirit Stones? How precious is life? I am truly compassionate..."

Aaron stretched and walked out of the Cave Abode.

Alas, even if Aaron had Spirit Fields, he would inevitably use them to plant Spirit Medicine.

The moon hung high.

"Ahhh... I want to add points..."

"But the main body cannot provide Spirituality... The point-adding function of this Golden Finger was scrapped long ago."

Before long, he saw scales gathering on the water surface, with countless schools of fish madly chasing the Iron Leaf Boat.

"As for contact? It works sometimes and doesn't others, and it cannot convey accurate or sufficient information..."

Alas, this step has been stuck here for a year already!

Well, he has always been in contact with the Dong family, and of course, later he adopted the name of a 'descendant of Fang Yu', letting the persona of 'Fang Shiyu' re-emerge in the world.

In his little notebook, there is even the name of Qingdan of the Qingding Sect!

It is just that he did not rashly inquire through Dongfang Shuo, only hoping that the other party's reply would inadvertently reveal some clues.

'Is this the feeling of farming?'

On Spirit Medicine Island, the moon sets and the sun rises, the sun sets and the moon rises...

In fact, decades ago, a Red Blood Carp King also appeared, but before Aaron even heard the news, it was caught by people from the martial arts world, causing quite a bloody storm in Taize Prefecture at the time.

"All of you, shut up."

"However... I still will not make a move!"

Relying on time to slowly grind it out!

Cultivating for only one hour every day, then wandering the mountains and waters, tending to the Spirit Medicine Garden, silently waiting for the breakthrough of the bottleneck!

Perhaps it was this state of mind of acting through non-action, neither arrogant nor impetuous, that was very conducive to a breakthrough; only 'ten short' years later, while watching the tide one day, Aaron grasped an opportunity, sat cross-legged, and successfully broke through the bottleneck of his cultivation method, completing the tenth layer of the Hunyuan Art!

Spring plowing and summer planting, autumn harvest and winter storage...

The land will never fail those who work hard; it will inevitably provide a return...

Having cultivated to this point, the Qi Refining stage is complete, and one can attempt Foundation Establishment.

As for other skills and spells, most have been practiced by Aaron to the point of Chushen Ruohua.

On this day, Aaron looked into the Bronze Mirror and found that the person in the mirror was still young and dashing, wearing a green robe with a composed demeanor, and could not help but sigh with emotion.

Either go fight, gaining insights from the line between life and death, or purchase Spirit Pills and medicines that can assist in breaking through realms!

But whether it was the Foundation Establishment cultivation method or the Foundation Establishment Pill... Aaron had neither.

"Furthermore, even the Spirit Qi here is actually somewhat difficult to sustain the continuous growth of the 'Nine-Eyed Begonia'. If I didn't come to cast Spirit Rain from time to time, I'm afraid it would very likely stop growing..."

'A Qi Refining Great Perfection can practically walk sideways in Dongmen Valley. Aside from a Foundation Establishment Dashiu, they don't give face to anyone, and few people dare to provoke them!'

Even though the Spirit Qi in the mortal world was thin, and he needed to cast the 'Spring Breeze Turns to Rain Technique' from time to time to irrigate the medicinal garden, after sixty years of bitter cultivation, he had finally reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining some time ago, just one step away from breaking through from the Late Stage to the Great Perfection realm!

"Once Dongmen Hong and Dongmen Xue die, the Dongmen Family might face a great disaster!"

"That's true... I have Three Spirit Roots, so my aptitude is considered decent... If I had Four Spirit Roots or Five Spirit Roots, I would probably be like Donglong, stuck by the bottleneck of advancing from the early stage to the middle stage, stuck until I despaired!"

In the end, upon sensing that his lifespan was about to be exhausted, Dongfang Shuo made a desperate attempt, forcibly attempting Foundation Establishment after consuming a great pill to increase Qi and Blood, and then, as expected, he failed.

"Two hundred years have passed; even if my enemies achieved Foundation Establishment, they would be on the verge of death... Unless Qingdan managed to reach the Golden Core stage, it is highly likely he hasn't lived until now... Fortunately, his sect still exists, and his family might still exist as well..."

Through letters, he also learned the inside story of that young man's passing.

"Hmm..." That 'Young Master Qing' responded indifferently, then waved his hand to let Huang Tianba leave.

"More than two hundred years have passed; even a Foundation Establishment Dashiu would be on the verge of death, yet I remain immortal... Sigh, how lonely eternal life is..."

"Very good... The 'Lure Demon Manual' is indeed more effective than the Sea Gathering Residual Art, with a larger attraction range... If this continues, I can catch the Red Blood Carp King in one night!"

Because the Lure Demon Manual lacked Monster Beasts, Aaron had no interest in it, and it had never made much progress.

So many years had passed that the original Dual Spirit Root cultivation genius of the Dongmen Family—'Dongmen Xue'—had already achieved Foundation Establishment and become the new Head of the Family of the Dongmen Family.

"Let the world change, yet I remain immortal..."

"Therefore, I must still use the orthodox method to break through the bottleneck."

With a touch of emotion, he returned to his Cave Abode to continue his secluded, bitter cultivation.

"Calculating the time, it should be about now... Very well, very well, I will go catch the Carp King, so as to save so many people from running around everywhere and disturbing the peace..."

Aaron disguised himself as a thin, tall middle-aged man with dark skin and a cold expression, steering the Iron Leaf Boat across Taize Lake.

'Besides... would I fight with Immortal Cultivators of the same level? I only bully those whose cultivation is lower than mine, and much lower at that!'

Even so, Aaron occasionally disguised himself to go to Dongmen Market to buy a batch of Spirit Rice, which he then made into wine and buried.

Aaron carefully inspected this piece of land, feeling that it seemed to be gradually changing under the nourishment of the Spirit Rain.

【Name: Fang Yu (Aaron)】

He prepared to make a trip to the Dongmen Valley market.

【Talent: Immortality】

"Leader..."

'It's a pity... the area around this spring eye is too small to plant much, let alone plant Spirit Rice... And even if I planted Spirit Rice in the remaining land, it would inevitably degenerate...'

【Skills: Fishing (100/100), Lure Demon Manual (10/100), Disguise Technique (100/100), Bone Shrinking Technique (49/100), Medicine (100/100), Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting (100/100), Huiyuan Wine Recipe (50/100)】

At this moment, in another direction on the lake.

From time to time, he scattered a handful of high-grade Fish Bait from the 'Lure Demon Manual'.

This Spirit Rice wine... the older it gets, the more fragrant it becomes. As of now, that first batch of fine wine from sixty years ago had become a true vintage. Aaron had tried it himself and felt the taste was at the Peak of Perfection; surely even an old drunkard among Immortal Cultivators could not resist its temptation.

Such heritage is the foundation of families and sects; without experiencing great changes, it is difficult to obtain.

Unlike previous cultivation, although it was very slow, he could always see the change in proficiency every once in a while, which provided him with confidence.

As for that original Ancestor, he had naturally died of old age long ago.

'The Sword God of Shili Slope, bullying newbies in the starter village—that's my favorite!'

"This Spring Breeze Turns to Rain Technique essentially consumes the Spirit Qi I absorb by circulating my cultivation method, turning it into Spirit Rain to nourish the land and vegetation... If I cast it often, it will inevitably delay my own cultivation."

"However... the great change is also coming soon."

Aaron felt somewhat dejected.

Relying on the 'Qingding Sect', a Golden Core Sect, even though he had encountered danger a few times, Dongfang Shuo's path of Taoism was much smoother than his own father's, and he had also cultivated to the Qi Refining Great Perfection realm.

Unknowingly, sixty years of time had passed.

Now that the cultivation method was in hand and the layout was complete, he only needed to wait slowly for time to ferment...

Even 'Dongmen Xue' was over a hundred years old, with half of her life already gone; if she could not reach the Golden Core stage in the future, it would only be a matter of these next hundred years.

"At that time... what difference will there be between Dongmen Market and a little girl who lets anyone bully her?"

Therefore, Aaron adopted the most economical, practical, and safe method for him—wait!

【Spells: Spirit Eye Technique (100/100), Wind Control Technique (100/100), Golden Light Shield (100/100), Fireball Technique (100/100), Rejuvenation Technique (100/100), Spring Breeze Turns to Rain Technique (100/100)】

【Cultivation Method: Hunyuan Art Ninth Layer (900/900)】

"Back then, more than two hundred years ago, Green Pill Real Person traded for the Red Blood Carp King from the Cao Family... This Spirit Fish is only effective for Qi Refining stage Immortal Cultivators; a Foundation Establishment Dashiu might not even look at it..."

He scanned his attribute panel:

Huang Tianba bowed and stepped back, leaving the deck like an old dog.

The so-called orthodox method was what the old man Donglong had mentioned before.

And the original Head of the Family—'Dongmen Hong'—had retired to become a Supreme Elder, old and frail.

Qi Refining stage cultivators cannot practice fasting for long periods, so Aaron still had to disguise himself and go to mortal cities from time to time to replenish supplies.

"But even for me, when breaking through from the Qi Refining Late Stage to the Great Perfection, I encountered a bottleneck... It is very normal for those who cultivate the Tao to encounter bottlenecks. I fear only those with a Heavenly Spirit Root would encounter no bottlenecks at all before reaching the Golden Core stage; even those with a Different Spirit Root cannot!"

And this time, Aaron slowly polished his Dharma Power, yet he felt not the slightest loosening of his realm.

"Seventy years in the blink of an eye, it's almost becoming a 'Nine-Eyed Begonia' 【pun on 'one-eyed'】, what a pity... it still can't be sold for many Spirit Stones."

Especially thirty years ago, when the genius Dongmen Bao, in whom the family placed high hopes, failed his Foundation Establishment, it cast a thick shadow over the Dongmen Family's upward momentum...

【Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Fist Third Layer (1000/1000)】

Immediately, Aaron glanced at his Attribute Panel:

【Spring Breeze Turns to Rain Technique (10/100)】

"After several attempts at sacrificing, other than letting me know that my main body is unharmed, there is no other information..."

The younger one is when self-attempting Foundation Establishment, the better; waiting until one's lifespan is nearly exhausted to attempt Foundation Establishment? The success rate might not even be one percent, or even one in a thousand!

Aaron sighed with emotion, looked toward the cultivation technique column, and frowned slightly.

He was even a "shoddy product" with nothing but cultivation base; not only was his spell list sparse, but his entire set of Magic Tools were all low-grade. Not to mention that other Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivators generally possessed a full set of Mid-grade Magical Tools, he couldn't even find a single one!

At this moment, he saw several fishing boats approaching and couldn't help but frown: "Has the Fish King appeared in the world again?"

This could be considered a recurring event at Taize Lake; every few decades, a Fish King would appear.

Behind him, the left and right Protectors looked full of resentment.

"Pity... there is none either..."

Aaron walked out of the mountain valley spring and arrived at the edge of Spirit Medicine Island.

"At over two hundred years old... some with Heavenly Spirit Roots might already be at the Nascent Soul stage, while I am only at Qi Refining Great Perfection... Fortunately, if I seek revenge, a hundred or a thousand years is not too late!"

Some time ago, he went to Youyuan Inn and received a message from the owner, learning the news that Dongfang Shuo had passed away.

"However, for me, it is fine if my cultivation progress is slow; being able to save Spirit Stones is truly great... In the future, even if I transplant Spirit Medicine, I won't need to spend Spirit Stones to fertilize the fields."

"However... as long as I don't make a move, others won't know either."

Huang Tianba reprimanded his subordinates with a stern voice and countenance: "Now on this boat, Young Master is more important than the heavens, understand?"

The subordinates did not know, but he, Gang Leader Huang, was aware that that "Young Master Qing" was an Immortal Cultivator!

(End of this chapter)