Chapter 60: Spiritual Realm

Besides, the "Yuan Ying Period Ancestor" that Chen Li mentioned should be a rank used by the cultivation world to classify a cultivator's strength.

Yan Buji still doesn't know that he has broken through the Heaven‑Mortal Realm, becoming the strongest among mortals, which exactly corresponds to the lowest Lianqi Level for cultivators.

Chen Li saw shock flash in Yan Buji's eyes and, recalling the past, couldn't help but say proudly: "Back then when the Hundred Herb Sect migrated here, we weren't completely lacking the resolve to brave those endless heavenly perils; we did it to protect the majority of our disciples, while the sect's senior members suffered death and injury. Even after arriving here we could only recuperate in secret, and only over these few thousand years have we gradually regained some vitality."

"A thousand years ago, the Hundred Herb Sect officially established a school in the Kun Dao region, intending to pass down the sect's legacy, but unexpectedly a Celestial Material cultivated by the sect attracted the covetous eyes of local cultivators, and they seized all the Celestial Materials, causing the Hundred Herb Sect to be annihilated!"

At this point, Chen Li clenched his teeth so tightly that they clicked, his eyes filled with blood vessels and his eye sockets reddened as if about to bleed. His heart swelled with anger and hatred, his loathing for those thieves bone‑deep. He truly wished he could devour those thieves alive, skinning them, to vent his hatred!

Yan Buji doesn't know what a Celestial Material is, but since he just said that what he's looking for lies within that Lingyu, his curiosity was piqued.

What exactly is a Lingyu?

The cultivation world truly is wonderful; every term he hears from others makes him yearn even more.

"Alright, that's enough. I suppose you won't tell me who attacked your Hundred Herb Sect, will you?"

"Hmph, I know you lack the guts to go! " Chen Li looked at Yan Buji disdainfully.

Yan Buji squinted; indeed Chen Li still had some confidence, otherwise he wouldn't dare speak to me like that.

However, Yan Buji's Sanhua Tong Secret Method originates from the cave residence of Huang Songshan; from his understanding, the Hundred Herb Sect's base is most likely not in Lin Shan Cheng, so the owner of that cave could be one of the cultivators who participated in the attack on the Hundred Herb Sect.

It was also fortunate that I didn't enter that cave, and it would be impossible today to encounter a remnant of the Hundred Herb Sect who knows the cultivation world yet hasn't walked the cultivation path. Otherwise, with identities shifting today, it would be hard to say who has the upper hand.

"Since that's the case, tell me about the situation of that Lingyu."

Chen Li, seeing Yan Buji get straight to the point, inhaled deeply and said: "This Lingyu is the legacy left by our Hundred Herb Sect's Yuan Ying Period Ancestor after he was gravely injured and attained ascension. Back then the ancestor protected the sect's severely wounded disciples and brought them here. Because the injuries were too severe to heal on the spot, he chose to go elsewhere in search of a cure."

"Oh?"

Does a Lingyu remain after a Nascent Soul cultivator attains ascension?

Yan Buji's mind shifted, and he sneered: "Leaving aside whether you, a mortal, even know your predecessor's condition, how dare you assert that this Lingyu must exist?!"

Chen Li widened his eyes: "What do you know? Our Hundred Herb Sect's ancestor had a method to solidify the spiritual qi that would otherwise disperse into heaven and earth at ascension, forming a Lingyu! And as a descendant of the Hundred Herb Sect, I naturally know how to locate the domain!"

I see!

This Lingyu appears to be a peculiar place formed after a Nascent Soul cultivator's death, where, through certain methods, the fading power is solidified.

"Then how can you guarantee that the Lingyu contains the Spiritual Material I'm after?"

"How could I guarantee that? However, that predecessor also attained the Qianhua Tong, which is recorded in our sect. His relics must still contain the pure eye‑cleansing spiritual water, after all… cough, ahem!"

As Chen Li spoke, he realized he was being trapped, his face darkening as he hurriedly stopped.

Yan Buji chuckled.

Having obtained enough information, pressing further would likely make Chen Li lose his temper.

At least for now, there should be no conflict. Whether it's that pure eye‑cleansing spiritual water or the so‑called Qianhua Tong Cultivation Secret Method, which is deeper than the Sanhua Tong, he is very interested.

Chen Li snorted coldly: "I don't know how strong you are, but you must assure me that if you don't have the strength of Lianqi Level ten, you shouldn't even think of going to the Lingyu with me, or we will both die there!"

"Lianqi Level ten?!" Yan Buji's eyes widened as he immediately contemplated how to respond.

But Chen Li seemed to see that Yan Buji lacked that strength, his face darkening instantly: "You rogue cultivator truly have low magical power, fine! I know a place where spiritual energy is abundant and suitable for cultivation. If within ten years you can reach Lianqi Level ten, then come find me! Otherwise don't expect me to accompany you to a death trap!"

"Hmph, how can you tell how high my strength is?"

"Tch, at most you're only at Lianqi Level two now. I give you ten years to see if you can create a miracle. If you can't even achieve that, even if you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage or the Golden Core Stage, you still won't be allowed into the Lingyu!"

Lianqi, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core?!

Is the next level the Nascent Soul Stage?

So that's the cultivator's rank division; from what he says, each rank is further divided into ten levels?

Truly interesting.

Yan Buji's expression shifted, feigning difficulty: "No other way?"

"If you can create a miracle, I could find a shortcut to get you in; if you can't, no shortcut will work! Perhaps you never heard of the terror of a Lingyu before? It's a treasure land left by a Nascent Soul Ancestor after ascension! Though called a treasure land, it's not much better than Huang Quan Diyu!" Chen Li sneered.

Yan Buji nodded, clasped his hands and said: "Lesson learned. Since childhood, Ji Mou possessed a celestial cultivation manual; through haphazard practice he entered the cultivation world, and only today did he realize that there are always those stronger than oneself, mountains beyond mountains. Previously I had been rolling in this mundane world for too long, ignorant of the heavens and earth."

Chen Li laughed, but upon hearing that Yan Buji, through haphazard cultivation, had already entered the Lianqi Phase, his expression turned sour.

This is what a gifted person looks like!

Truly hateful!

Sensing Chen Li's full of resentment toward him, Yan Buji laughed: "Alright, today I shall make a ten‑year pact with Brother Chen, though I wonder how I will find you when I return in the future?"

"That's simple."

Saying that, Chen Li tossed a token and a map, which Yan Buji reached out to take.

"With this token, within a hundred‑mile radius, wherever my presence is, it will naturally resonate. Just don't let other cultivators discover this token, or else… humph. The map shows the location of that spiritual land." Chen Li said meaningfully.

"Thank you, Brother Chen."

Yan Buji clasped his hands and turned away.

Chen Li, seeing that Yan Buji had no intention of returning the Hundred Herb Sect's secret manual, breathed a sigh of relief.

"As long as this guy reads the manual, he'll know I'm not lying. Ten years? Heh, if in ten years you truly reach Lianqi Level ten, then my decades of waiting won't have been in vain!!!" Chen Li stared coldly at Yan Buji as he left, thinking to himself.

He has seen many cultivators like this greedy one.

Unfortunately… no one who goes there ever returns alive, not a single one.