Qi Refining, Third Stage

Mo Hua entered Tongxian Sect, and thus began his new year of sect life.

Tongxian Sect is a first-grade sect, while it is the strongest in Tongxian City, it is considered the lowest tier of sects in the cultivation world.

The hierarchy of sects in the cultivation world is strict.

When establishing a sect, the first thing required is its grade, determined by the Dao Court after thorough examination.

The requirements for grading are stringent, including the sect's assets, the mountains it occupies, the depth of its heritage, the moral conduct of the sect leader, the cultivation levels and numbers of elders and instructors, and the capacity to accommodate disciples, all subjected to rigorous assessment.

Upgrading a sect is even more demanding, requiring several high-level cultivators to have presided over teaching for a certain number of years before applying to the Heavenly Rights Pavilion of the Dao Court.

For any sect, upgrading is a major event that requires years of preparation and building relationships with the Dao Court, consuming significant manpower and financial resources.

Within Tongxian Sect, only the current sect leader is at the Foundation Establishment stage, far from the conditions required for a second-grade sect. It is estimated that within a hundred years, they won't qualify for an upgrade.

Furthermore, Tongxian Sect only possesses three mountain peaks: Tongling Peak, Tongxuan Peak, and Tongming Peak.

In the outer gate of Tongxian Sect, Qi Refining early-stage disciples, ranging from levels 1 to 3, cultivate and study on Tongling Peak. Mid-stage Qi Refining disciples, levels 4 to 6, also reside on Tongxuan Peak, with very few late-stage Qi Refining disciples, levels 7 to 9, also accommodated there due to their small numbers.

As for the inner gate and direct disciples, including the sect leader, elders, and instructors, they all reside on Tongming Peak.

It is said that there used to be another peak, Tongxian Peak, dedicated solely to the residence and cultivation of the sect leader and elders. However, due to poor management and debts outweighing assets, it was reluctantly sold off.

Without Tongxian Peak, how can it still be called Tongxian Sect?

Throughout its history, each sect leader of Tongxian Sect has aspired to redeem Tongxian Peak, but unfortunately, this grand ambition has yet to be realized.

Disciples of each peak within Tongxian Sect are further divided into four classes: A, B, C, and D, with the quality of disciples decreasing from Class A downwards, reflecting the sect's emphasis and level of cultivation.

Class A generally only admits so-called "geniuses of the heavens," with excellent spiritual roots, high comprehension, and rapid cultivation.

Of course, if one has a good relationship with the sect leader or elders, or is willing to donate a substantial amount of spirit stones to the sect, they can also enter Class A.

In summary, one must either possess talent, connections, or wealth in spirit stones.

Class B accepts disciples with average spiritual roots but good comprehension and performance, who are diligent in their studies.

Class C disciples have average spiritual roots, comprehension, and performance, while Class D disciples have generally poor spiritual roots and performance, and can only lead an average life.

Mo Hua was placed in Class B, having average spiritual roots but being diligent and performing well in all subjects.

Since Mo Hua is only at the second layer of Qi Refining, his living, eating, and cultivation are all on Tongling Peak, which also houses the largest number of disciples within Tongxian Sect.

Upon entering the sect, after greeting familiar fellow disciples, Mo Hua began his year of study and cultivation.

Even impoverished lower-level cultivators must gather some spirit stones to allow their children to enter the sect for cultivation, at least laying a foundation for cultivation and preventing them from being too ignorant of various knowledge in the cultivation world, so the number of early-stage Qi Refining disciples within Tongxian Sect is the highest.

As for reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining, whether one can continue cultivation depends on the cultivator's own talent and their family background.

Some wandering cultivator families simply cannot afford spirit stones, so their children end up dropping out of school, doing odd jobs like refining instruments or hunting demons on the mountains just to scrape by. A hundred spirit stones a year for cultivation expenses isn't a trivial amount. Otherwise, before their children can achieve any cultivation success, their families might starve.

Moreover, those who can continue cultivation into the late stage of Qi Refining are even fewer in number.

Mo Hua noticed several familiar fellow disciples had disappeared. Upon inquiry, he learned that due to their poor family backgrounds and difficult circumstances, they couldn't afford the cultivation expenses and had to drop out.

Cultivation is vast and profound; without guidance, one could easily stray onto many wrong paths. Dropping out in the early stages of Qi Refining means, unless one encounters extraordinary opportunities, it's difficult to make significant progress in cultivation.

Mo Hua sighed softly, feeling regretful. However, his own situation wasn't much better, leaving him little time for reflection.

He attended classes while practicing cultivation, and any free time was spent on array formations, keeping him busy and fulfilled.

Several months later, almost unknowingly, Mo Hua broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining.

During the Qi Refining period, progress relies heavily on persistence and accumulation. Daily diligence in cultivation, combined with accumulating enough spirit stones, naturally leads to breakthroughs.

However, what wandering cultivators lack most is always spirit stones.

Breaking through minor realms relies on accumulation, but higher realms encounter bottlenecks. Overcoming these bottlenecks requires corresponding spiritual treasures, or medicinal pills to aid in the breakthrough.

As for breaking through to higher realms like Foundation Establishment, it's often a matter of fate. For most lower-level wandering cultivators, it's a seemingly insurmountable hurdle.

Each realm advancement brings tremendous benefits to cultivators.

At the third layer of Qi Refining, Mo Hua felt his spiritual energy grow more abundant, and his divine sense become stronger.

What was once a laborious task, like drawing the Minghuo Array, now seemed effortless, requiring hardly any rest afterward.

Though expected, Mo Hua was still pleasantly surprised.

No wonder so many cultivators endure the monotony of cultivation, single-mindedly seeking realm advancement. The simple joy that follows such drudgery is true happiness indeed.

At the age of ten, reaching the third layer of Qi Refining places Mo Hua in the upper-middle tier within Class B.

Upon reaching the third layer of Qi Refining, Mo Hua would soon need to choose a cultivation technique.

After a day of classes, Master Yan instructed several third-layer Qi Refining disciples, including Mo Hua, to remain behind.

Master Yan, standing straightforwardly before them, began, "This was originally Instructor Zhou's responsibility, but due to his slight indisposition, I'm temporarily taking over to discuss cultivation techniques with you."

"The most crucial aspect for a cultivator is spiritual power. Whether it's body refinement or spiritual cultivation, whether drawing arrays, refining pills, or crafting talismans, all require spiritual power. Strong spiritual power sets you apart; weak spiritual power leaves you behind. The fundamental difference between cultivators lies in their spiritual power."

"A cultivator's spiritual power is determined by their cultivation technique, which in turn is dictated by their spiritual roots. Your spiritual roots are innate, predetermined; you can't change them later. You may not choose your spiritual roots, but you can choose your cultivation technique."

"Choosing a suitable cultivation technique is crucial for future cultivation. Even with mediocre spiritual roots, selecting the right technique can pave a relatively long path of cultivation. Conversely, if your spiritual roots are excellent but you choose the wrong technique, it's akin to severing your own path to Immortality."

"Therefore, whether your spiritual roots are superior or inferior, the matter of cultivation techniques must be handled with extreme caution..."

"Cultivation techniques..." Mo Hua silently pondered.

Mo Hua possessed a small Five Elements attribute spiritual root of intermediate lower-grade, considered slightly below average among his peers in Tongxian City.

He wondered what kind of cultivation techniques would be suitable for his spiritual roots.

(End of the chapter)