Chapter 67

Oh, I see, it should be... five years, right?

Five years? That's a pretty low foundation for you—ordinary sect disciples at most need two or three years to complete drawing qi into the body, and that's already the most basic foundation.

Foundation?

You mean talent?

Yan Buji gave a wry smile: 'Yes, my talent might really be insufficient.'

It's not just a matter of talent either; the term 'foundation' also encompasses your family background and fortuitous opportunities as a collective term. Some cultivators are born into cultivator clans, never lacking spiritual materials to temper their bodies from childhood, nor lacking guidance from elders; if their talent is a bit better, they become pillars of the clan. If not, they can still be sent out to join other sects, and after completing their studies, return to the family and still secure a place to survive. If one's talent is extremely high, even without family backing, once discovered they can soar to the heavens.

Having neither talent nor background, if you lack fortuitous opportunity, you'll likely spend your whole life at the very bottom of the bottom; you'd be better off returning to the mundane world as a devotee, at least you won't lack wealth and honor.

Gu Li's words made Yan Buji's face turn pale instantly, sweat beading on his forehead.

She also knew that her words were too discouraging.

Actually, the rogue cultivator named Ji Bu, who happened to make perfume, ran into them by chance and even helped them a bit, which could be considered a fortunate coincidence; logically, giving him something to aid his cultivation wouldn't be out of the question.

But the key is he wants to know what cultivation is as a concept, what the cultivation world is like, and then this information could serve as a reward just as well.

Personal affinities cannot be forced.

Even with such poor aptitude, this person can still embark on the path of cultivation; if he turns back and willingly enjoys wealth and honor in the mundane world, his life would not be wasted.

But if he still wants to tread the perilous path of cultivation, then......

Yan Buji took a deep breath: 'Senior, besides that, what do you think I should do to better establish myself in the cultivation world?'

'Establish a foothold? Sigh, you're a rogue cultivator with nothing—how can you establish a foothold? It's merely about seeking spiritual lands and spiritual materials, trying to raise your realm as much as possible. If you reached the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Refining, some small sects might, seeing your decent realm, be willing to take you on as an Outer Gate disciple to do menial labor; given your situation, you don't even know how to accumulate magical power, so how could you raise your realm? Let alone refining an Accumulation Device or practicing cultivation arts.'

Yan Buji's face twitched.

Is that asking too much?

'Can accumulating magical power be done just by finding a spiritual land?'

'Spiritual lands aren't that easy to find; most are already owned, and the few that have slightly richer spiritual qi are merely remnants left after the activity of earth veins and water veins, and they can't be retained for long, which is unfavorable for cultivators in closed-door practice. Moreover, do you think your aptitude could allow you to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage by the day your lifespan ends?' Gu Li asked with a strange expression.

'This....'

'I'm not trying to discourage you; today you were lucky to run into us, but if you ever encountered demonic cultivators, they wouldn't thank you for your help—they'd instead extract your soul and refine your spirit, leaving you never to be reborn! Not to mention those demonic cultivators, even the small sect cultivators who capture rogue cultivators to mine black ore are not few; do you really want to spend your whole life mining in dark, sunless underground?'

'On the path of cultivation, whether your foundation is good or not is even more important than you imagine. Sometimes, a strong foundation can make enemies weigh you even if your strength is weak, but as a rogue cultivator, no one will care about your feelings.'

'If you want to walk the cultivation path, you either need talent, strength, or background. Besides that, you must be cautious and careful as if walking on thin ice. Perhaps one day, while walking on the road, you'll unfortunately be caught in the aftermath of a battle by a mighty cultivator, and you'll die without even knowing how. So I advise you to return to the mundane world; that way, even if you make no progress your whole life, it's better than living each day in anxiety.' Gu Li said.

Yan Buji fell silent.

Gu Li looked at him and sighed: 'Think it over yourself; that's all I have to say. We'll go first.'

Yan Buji stood there dazedly for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh, wryly smiling as he returned to Flowing Fire City.

Elsewhere.

Gu Yue asked: 'Grandma, isn't it a bit harsh to discourage him like that?'

'Discourage? It's to let him clearly understand that the cruelty of the cultivation world surpasses the mundane world by ten thousand times! Yue'er, you also need to be careful—don't assume everyone will treat you kindly like family does; those who are nice to you outside aren't necessarily sincere.'

'Oh.'

Gu Li chuckled: 'But I don't think that kid will necessarily take my words to heart; people teaching people repeatedly won't work, but experiencing things once will teach them. Once he suffers a loss and gets taken in, he'll regret today's choice.'

Sizzle!

Gu Yue's arms held a plump, white worm that crawled out, emitting a faint glow: 'Grandma, Little White has reacted!'

'Oh? It seems the 'Anomalous Zone' really is here—let's go!' Gu Li's eyes lit up as she took Gu Yue flying toward the direction indicated by the Gu Worm.

Three days passed.

Yan Buji sat in his room without drinking a drop of water; if he hadn't thrown money at the door to tell the attendant not to disturb him, the innkeeper would have already reported him to the authorities.

He silently recalled Gu Li's words.

'Does a cultivator's foundation determine his future?'

After receiving that cruel, heartless yet perfectly normal answer, Yan Buji felt extremely unwilling.

'Even if I've painstakingly sought for twenty years, even if I'm only one step away from entering the cultivation path, the final result still depends on heaven's arrangement?'

Unwilling!!!

Yan Buji took a deep breath, clenched his fist then suddenly relaxed it, accepting reality.

Gu Li had no need to deceive herself; what she said was nothing more than what Yan Buji had been worrying about inside.

The cruelty of the cultivation world is more blatant; ordinary people still have to observe secular etiquette, but cultivators have far fewer scruples.

Now what's the use of cursing heaven for not giving him a good birth, not giving him great opportunity, not giving him talent for cultivation?

Is it that I'm asking for too much?

I lost both mother and father in early childhood, was lonely and destitute, barely survived to adulthood, attained the top‑tier secular internal skill Blood Essence Skill, and also founded a vast estate in Lin Shan Cheng; I could have simply lived a prosperous, fulfilling life.

I am merely following my desire, my ideal!

My...

I am only following my yearning, my ideal!

'If I were merely a mortal incapable of anything, I would naturally resign myself to sink into the mundane world! But today I am only one step away from stepping into cultivation—how could I willingly turn back?!'

'Since I am capable of abandoning everything and achieving today's results, why would I still hesitate?'

'I am merely thinking: since I have embarked on this path, what manner should I adopt to step into the cultivation world, in search of the cultivation way I have long dreamed of!'

'It has always been nothing at all.'

Yan Buji rose to his feet and glanced ahead indifferently.

Loss, failure, even unto death!

Nor will it change this fact.

Loss, failure, until death!

It will not change this fact either.

I have nothing I want.

In other words......

I want everything!