### Chapter 115: The Joys of Life

As the number of rogue cultivators he killed increased, his cultivation rapidly advanced. He soon broke through from the eighth layer of Qi Refining to the ninth layer.

Shortly after, he accumulated spiritual energy at an astonishing rate, reaching the peak of Qi Refining.

And now, Meng Guan was preparing to attempt a breakthrough to the Foundation Building stage.

The timing was set for the month before his sixtieth birthday.

After listening to Meng Guan's account, He Song and Wei Fan exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of astonishment in the other's eyes.

This old Meng had not mentioned any of this in their previous communications!

If He Song remembered correctly, Meng Guan had never brought up the title "Soul-Severing Daoist" in their conversations.

Nor had he mentioned the countless rogue cultivators he had slain.

He had never spoken of what he had experienced over the years.

In the message talismans Meng Guan had sent to He Song and Wei Fan, he had only occasionally mentioned that his cultivation had improved.

Having never lived in Green Wall Immortal City, He Song and Wei Fan had no idea what Meng Guan had gone through to achieve all this.

Only now did He Song realize what Meng Guan had meant when he said he was risking his life all those years ago.

Gazing at Meng Guan, a flash of admiration crossed He Song's eyes.

Soul-Severing Daoist.

A Qi Refining cultivator who demonstrated exceptional strength could earn the title of "Daoist."

After reaching Foundation Building, they would be called "True Person."

Although He Song had never heard of this title in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, it was clear that Meng Guan's strength had earned him recognition among many cultivators.

However, despite being shocked by Meng Guan's story, He Song couldn't help but feel a trace of doubt.

He had never investigated Meng Guan's life in Green Wall Immortal City and only had Meng Guan's own account to go by.

Fourteen years.

From the seventh layer of Qi Refining to the peak.

Such an exaggerated cultivation speed, coupled with Meng Guan's ability to survive countless dangers, made He Song suspect that Meng Guan might still be hiding something.

But what exactly he was hiding, He Song decided not to delve into after some thought.

In the world of cultivation, everyone had their secrets.

If Meng Guan chose to hide something, it was likely because he didn't want others to know.

Prying into it might only lead to unnecessary trouble.

After all, He Song himself had secrets he kept from others.

With this in mind, after listening to Meng Guan's story, He Song picked up his teacup and looked at Meng Guan, speaking up.

"Let's not talk about other things for now. Today, I'll use tea in place of wine to congratulate Old Meng on reaching the peak of Qi Refining. Foundation Building is now within reach."

As he spoke, He Song raised his teacup and drank it in one go.

Beside him, Wei Fan quickly followed suit, picking up his own teacup.

"That's right. I also congratulate Old Meng on reaching the peak of Qi Refining. Foundation Building is now within reach."

After the two of them finished their tea, Meng Guan also raised his cup, smiling and shaking his head slightly.

"It's just luck, just luck. Both of you have also made great progress in your cultivation. We should all celebrate together."

As the three teacups were set down, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew even more lively.

Three old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time had finally reunited, and naturally, they had endless topics to discuss and countless sentiments to share.

Although the three hadn't met in over a decade, the use of message talismans had kept them close, making this rare gathering all the more precious.

Moreover, Meng Guan had invited He Song and Wei Fan with the intention of seeing them one last time, so he was especially warm and welcoming.

Breaking through to Foundation Building was a significant matter.

Although Meng Guan, known as the Soul-Severing Daoist, had a formidable reputation in Green Wall Immortal City, he had also made many enemies.

Having two late-stage Qi Refining friends to guard him during his breakthrough would give him much-needed peace of mind.

While it was unlikely that anyone would dare to cause trouble in Green Wall Immortal City, which was guarded by several Foundation Building True Persons, it was better to be safe than sorry.

If he were ambushed during his breakthrough, it could mean instant death.

Thus, even though he had reached the peak of Qi Refining and was about to attempt Foundation Building, Meng Guan did not take He Song and Wei Fan for granted.

On the contrary, because of their close friendship, he treated them with even greater warmth.

After a long and heartfelt conversation, the three settled down in Meng Guan's courtyard.

At this point, there were still over twenty days until Meng Guan's sixtieth birthday.

During these twenty days, Meng Guan needed to maintain his peak condition to ensure a smooth breakthrough to Foundation Building.

He also needed to choose an auspicious day within this period to attempt the breakthrough.

With He Song and Wei Fan's arrival, Meng Guan could finally focus entirely on maintaining his peak condition.

As the days passed, the time for Meng Guan's breakthrough drew closer.

During this time, He Song and Wei Fan took turns exploring Green Wall Immortal City, familiarizing themselves with its layout and discovering its interesting spots.

Green Wall Immortal City was divided into four districts: the eastern, western, southern, and northern districts.

Each district was home to a different group of people.

The eastern district was where most skilled cultivators lived, and its residents were generally wealthy.

The western district housed many cultivators and mortals with close ties to the Earth Sect. Meng Guan, as a member of the city's enforcement team, lived here.

The southern district was home to the majority of unskilled rogue cultivators.

It was synonymous with poverty and was the most chaotic of the four districts, a place where all sorts of people mingled.

The northern district had sparse spiritual energy and was primarily inhabited by mortals.

These mortals were often descendants of cultivators and had various connections to the city's immortal population.

Due to the differences in the populations of the four districts, they were often summarized with eight words: "East rich, west noble, south poor, north low."

This phrase was easy to understand.

The eastern district was wealthy, the western district was prestigious, the southern district was poor, and the northern district, being a mortal settlement, was associated with lowly professions that cultivators avoided.

Meng Guan's courtyard in the western district was surrounded by residences occupied by cultivators with close ties to the Earth Sect.

There were enforcement team members, shopkeepers from the city's markets, disciples sent by the Earth Sect to oversee the city, and even two Foundation Building True Persons from the Earth Sect.

After exploring all four districts, He Song found himself drawn to the northern district, the mortal settlement.

It was also the most entertaining part of Green Wall Immortal City.

Listening to music in the pleasure houses.

Burning incense in the pavilions.

Discussing the Dao and visiting friends.

All the joys of life could be found here.

(End of Chapter)

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