Chapter 465: Advance and Retreat

Upon hearing that this "Five Elements Profound Gang Art" also contained a secret method for directly refining a life-bound magic treasure, Song Qingming's eyes lit up, and he was immediately tempted.

Once a Jin Dan cultivator refines a life-bound magic treasure, their own strength inevitably increases by a large margin. Although Song Qingming had already broken through to the Jin Dan realm, compared to fellow cultivators like Chu Fengping who had advanced to the Jin Dan stage many years ago, there was still a significant gap in strength. How to refine a life-bound magic treasure was precisely the problem he most wanted to solve quickly right now.

However, even so, Song Qingming still appeared slightly calm on the surface, his expression unchanging as he patiently waited for Chu Fengping to introduce the other cultivation manual.

"Junior Brother Song, this cultivation manual is one that the sect has collected for many years. The 'Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture' was passed down by our sect's founding ancestor and can be considered the treasure of our sect. Senior Uncle Li also cultivated this manual back then before breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage."

"The Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture has relatively high requirements for a cultivator's talent; only disciples at the inner sect level or above can choose to cultivate it. What I have in my hands is only the Jin Dan stage portion; the subsequent Nascent Soul stage portion requires Senior Uncle Li's permission before it can be transcribed."

"If we are to discuss future cultivation prospects, then the 'Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture' in my hands is definitely stronger than the 'Five Elements Profound Gang Art.' However, the 'Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture' is more difficult to cultivate. If Junior Brother Song switches to this manual, your progress in the early stages will certainly be slightly slower than with the 'Five Elements Profound Gang Art.'"

"These two manuals each have their own strengths. How you choose depends on your own thoughts, Junior Brother Song." After Chu Fengping finished speaking, he looked calmly at Song Qingming before him, waiting for his next choice.

After struggling in his heart for a long time, Song Qingming directly raised his hand, took the "Five Elements Profound Gang Art" from the side, and smilingly placed it in front of Chu Fengping.

"Senior Brother Chu, I have already decided. Junior Brother will switch to cultivating this one, the Five Elements Profound Gang Art, it is."

Seeing that Song Qingming did not choose the "Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture" in his hands, a trace of surprise appeared on Chu Fengping's face.

"Junior Brother Song, you must think this through. The sect's Jin Dan stage manuals all require a high amount of merit points to exchange for. Once you choose wrong this time, if you want to exchange for another manual in the future, you will have to pay a not-insignificant price." Chu Fengping smilingly reminded Song Qingming.

"Many thanks for the reminder, Senior Brother Chu. Junior Brother feels that my cultivation talent is not as good as you senior brothers. Before coming to the sect this time, I had already decided to find a manual for myself that allows for faster cultivation. This Five Elements Profound Gang Art is just right for me."

Seeing that Song Qingming had already made his decision, Chu Fengping nodded slightly and put the "Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture" back, then led Song Qingming down to the fourth floor of the Merit Pavilion.

Because Li Mufeng had already given instructions beforehand, Song Qingming's selection of a manual in the Merit Pavilion this time did not deduct from his sect merit points. Song Qingming then spent over a thousand merit points to exchange for some elixirs for his daily cultivation in the Merit Pavilion.

Now that Song Qingming's cultivation had broken through to the Jin Dan realm, it was already very difficult to find suitable elixirs to improve his cultivation progress in the general markets of Wei Guo. For now, he could only exchange for some useful elixirs at the Xiaoyao Sect's Merit Pavilion.

Fortunately, since Song Qingming had already become a guest elder of the Xiaoyao Sect, he was considered to have joined the Xiaoyao Sect. He now had many more ways to earn sect merit points, so exchanging for some daily cultivation elixirs would not be too difficult.

After successfully exchanging for the spirit items he needed, Song Qingming, having walked out of the Merit Pavilion, directly bid farewell to Chu Fengping and returned to Qinghe County.

After Song Qingming had been gone for a moment, Chu Fengping transformed into a ray of spiritual light and flew toward the top of Mount Guyang, arriving at the cave dwelling of Supreme Elder Li Mufeng.

Just as he sent the sound-transmission talisman in his hand into the cave, Li Mufeng, dressed in white, quickly walked out from within with his hands behind his back.

"Greetings, Senior Uncle Li!"

Li Mufeng nodded slightly and asked in a low voice, "Has Qingming already left? What manual did he choose in the Merit Pavilion?"

"Junior Brother Song ultimately chose to transcribe the Five Elements Profound Gang Art that Senior Brother Wu cultivated back then. Later, he also exchanged for some cultivation elixirs in the Merit Pavilion; there was nothing else."

"Oh! He actually chose to switch to cultivating the Five Elements Profound Gang Art? This is somewhat unexpected to me. Did you not take out the Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture?" A trace of surprise appeared on Li Mufeng's face as he turned to look at Chu Fengping behind him.

Upon hearing this, Chu Fengping immediately shook his head and replied, "Following Senior Uncle's previous instructions, I included the Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture among the manuals I recommended to Junior Brother Song, but I did not overly deliberately recommend this manual to him."

"However, he ultimately chose to switch to the Five Elements Profound Gang Art. Listening to Junior Brother Song's meaning, he wanted to find a manual that was easier for him to switch to; he was somewhat afraid that his own cultivation talent was insufficient, which is why he did not choose the Heavenly Origin Heart Scripture."

"Hmm! Song Qingming is indeed a person who knows when to advance and retreat. Although he has just advanced to the Jin Dan realm, he has not been blinded by temporary glory and understands how much ability he has. From the current perspective, he is much stronger than Ma Hongshan in this regard." After Li Mufeng finished speaking, he nodded slightly toward Chu Fengping.

"Senior Uncle's words are correct. I have dealt with Junior Brother Song many times. Although I dare not say I completely understand all the thoughts in his heart, I can still see some things. Junior Brother Song is indeed a person who knows how to be grateful and repay kindness."

"Moreover, Junior Brother Song is a rare person who values relationships. Even though he has now become a Jin Dan cultivator, he is still constantly concerned about those clansmen with low cultivation back home. Just now in the Merit Pavilion, I heard him ask me about the merit points required to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills; he is likely thinking of supporting the younger generation of his family."

"The Song family also walked out of Mount Guyang back then. As long as the sect is willing to treat Junior Brother Song with sincerity now, he will definitely remember this kindness and will also repay the sect's help in the future."

"Hmm! I have also had people investigate these things recently. There is no problem with Qingming's background, but I still cannot quite fathom the attitude of that expert behind him. Let us observe for a while longer first!"

"Fengping, you go down first and find Guangling; tell him to come here to see me immediately. Regardless, since we want Qingming and the Song family to serve the sect with sincerity, what the sect should give them, we must still give."

——

At the top of Mount Funiu, in Song Qingming's cave dwelling.

Looking at the radiant elixir sent by the Xiaoyao Sect in his hand, Song Qingming, with a face full of surprise, truly did not expect that the Xiaoyao Sect would directly bestow such a precious spirit item as a Foundation Establishment Pill upon the Song family.

At the time, when he was exchanging for elixirs in the sect's Merit Pavilion, he had only casually asked Chu Fengping about the merit points required for a Foundation Establishment Pill. He did not expect that among the congratulatory gifts sent by the Xiaoyao Sect this time, they had directly sent Song Qingming a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Seeing Song Qingming staring blankly at the Foundation Establishment Pill, Song Qingyu at the side smilingly said, "Seventh Brother, stop overthinking it. This Foundation Establishment Pill was indeed sent by those two fellow Daoists from the Xiaoyao Sect."

"Moreover, Fellow Daoist Zhao also said that when the family holds the banquet tomorrow, his master, Senior Chu, will come in person. If you still don't believe it, why not just ask Senior Chu directly tomorrow?"

"Husband, now that the sect has accepted you as a guest elder, although a Foundation Establishment Pill is somewhat precious, with the beast turmoil approaching, they also need to make use of our Song family. Giving us a little sweetness now is not a strange thing."

Song Qingming put away the Foundation Establishment Pill and nodded slightly, saying, "This time going to the Xiaoyao Sect, except for Senior Brother Chen who is out wandering, I met all the other elders in the sect. It is just that I have never been able to see Sect Master Yao and Bai Yuxian, the two elders with the highest status in the sect. I have always felt it a bit strange in my heart."

"As the saying goes, one does not receive rewards without merit. I have already received many good things this time I went to the sect. Now that the family is holding a celebration ceremony, it is not a big deal. The Xiaoyao Sect sending us such a precious item as a Foundation Establishment Pill always makes me feel that there is something strange in it, but for a moment, I cannot guess why the sect values us so much."

Huang Siyuan smiled and said, "Both of them are seniors whose cultivation has reached the Jin Dan stage. It is a common occurrence for them to go into seclusion for a few years at a time. Perhaps it is just that they happened to go into seclusion recently and it is inconvenient for them to appear."

"Now that you have become a guest elder of the sect, you are considered half a Xiaoyao Sect cultivator. Since you have already chosen to join the sect, we should be content with our lot. If you cannot figure it out for a moment, there is no need for you to think about it anymore."

"That's right, Seventh Brother. Why don't we think about how to distribute this Foundation Establishment Pill that was delivered to our door? Now there are quite a few people in the clan suitable for Foundation Establishment. I reckon we will have a headache over this."

Song Qingming sighed and said, "There is no need to be too anxious about this matter. You and Yuanli should first total up all the candidates suitable for Foundation Establishment. After the celebration, we will follow the old rules and hold a family meeting to discuss it together."

Not long after Song Qingming left Mount Guyang and returned to Qinghe County, the news that he had become a guest elder of the Xiaoyao Sect quickly spread throughout all of Wei Guo, and the Song family was officially promoted to become the second Jin Dan family in Wei Guo.

In addition to sending people to deliver a Foundation Establishment Pill to the Song family as a congratulatory gift, the Xiaoyao Sect also issued a decree, placing all the cultivation families in Qinghe and Pingyang counties in the northeast of Wei Guo under the Song family. The Song family's status also became the number one cultivation family in northeast Wei Guo overnight.

Upon learning this news, dozens of Foundation Establishment families in Qinghe and Pingyang counties successively came to Mount Funiu to deliver their own congratulatory gifts, congratulating the Song family on their promotion to a Jin Dan family.

Now, except for some forces left behind by the Xiaoyao Sect, the Song family had become a hegemon in northeast Wei Guo. Since these Foundation Establishment families had all been placed under the Song family, they naturally had to hurry to Mount Funiu to express their loyalty.

These past few days, people have been coming and going on Mount Funiu in an endless stream, keeping the Song family cultivators on the mountain busy. Not only did they have to deal with these guests from afar, but they also had to prepare the banquet to celebrate the greatest grand event since the family was founded.

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(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 466 =====