Go down the mountain and continue your cultivation
Chapter 20
"Master, what's wrong?"
Li Changmeng looked at Taoist Baiyun with a puzzled expression. Although Taoist Baiyun seemed on the verge of saying something more, he paused. Was there another explanation behind his silence?
Clearing his throat, Taoist Baiyun finally spoke, "I only meant to remind you to think thoroughly before taking action. That is why I asked you to reconsider. This is our sect's cultivation method—The Method of Inhaling Clouds and Exhaling Mist to Nourish Life. It consists of two volumes: one for the Qi Refining stage and one for Foundation Establishment. You may take it."
After handing over the two volumes, Taoist Baiyun fell silent and indicated that he must now retreat into seclusion to stabilize his realm. The decision, however, was left to Li Changmeng.
Taking the cultivation manual, Li Changmeng returned to the side room. Having already grasped the essence of cultivation, he wondered why he should adopt a new method. Still, he resolved to study it.
The manual was a genuine, righteous cultivation method: one that involved drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, refining that energy, and thereby elevating one's cultivation. Yet after a brief glance, Li Changmeng dismissed it. The spells recorded within could only be performed with a specific type of spiritual power—one tempered by a particular supporting cultivation method.
Different cultivation methods produced distinct spiritual energies. For instance, the power within Li Changmeng was that of building the spirit, while Taoist Baiyun's was the power of inhaling clouds.
In essence, a complete cultivation method combined both self-cultivation and self-defense. Only when these aspects were merged could the method be truly effective.
"Since Taoist Baiyun is going into seclusion for at least a year or two, I have time to seek my own opportunity for Foundation Establishment," Li Changmeng thought.
After several days in the mountains, during which the absence of incense offerings sharply slowed his progress, he decided it was time to descend. Although he had reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and was ready to establish his foundation at any moment, he knew that building the foundation of the Tao was a matter not to be taken lightly.
According to the Mysterious Technique of Building the Spirit and Changing the Embryo, there were three approaches to Foundation Establishment: the upper, middle, and lower methods.• The upper method involved establishing one's foundation with the Tao itself—understanding a particular Tao and using it as the basis for cultivation. As one advanced, both the cultivation level and one's personal Tao would deepen.• The middle method used a spiritual object drawn from the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth; by integrating such an object into one's foundation, it would in turn protect the Tao and counter enemies.• The lower method relied on embedding a minor technique or spell into one's foundation so that, over time, it could evolve into formidable supernatural power.
Being a cultivator of the Incense Path, Li Changmeng possessed a wealth of supernatural abilities and thus immediately dismissed the lower method. However, he lacked both the deep understanding of a specific Tao required for the upper method and a suitable spiritual object necessary for the middle method. In truth, aside from the Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew he had crafted himself, he possessed no spiritual object at all.
Foundation Establishment was far too important to be entrusted to chance. If he were to choose a spiritual object, it would have to be one that perfectly matched his cultivation path—perhaps even one related to incense.
Moreover, an object that was too powerful could prove uncontrollable for a Qi Refining cultivator like him.
With his decision made, Li Changmeng informed Lin Xiaocui and then began his descent. Though Lin Xiaocui felt a tinge of reluctance, she said nothing.
Back in Tieniu Town, Li Changmeng's thoughts soon shifted from the search for a spiritual object to the unexpected success of his newly appointed Spiritual Officials. One of them announced, "Spiritual Boy, this is the method devised by Spiritual Official Yang. It will better manage the followers of the Taoist Lord."
Li Changmeng's eyes brightened as he examined the newly implemented nine-level Follower system. Its strict framework promised improved management—a welcome relief after his recent internal upheavals. Yang Ji'an, in particular, had given him a pleasant surprise.
"Good. The lower structure is excellent, though the upper structure still requires optimization. I'll leave that to Yang Ji'an. For your contribution, you are rewarded with Longevity Spiritual Wine," Li Changmeng declared.
Not one to withhold rewards, he produced a jar of his prized Immortal Ganoderma Longevity Brew."Thank you, Spiritual Boy. It is an honor to serve the Taoist Lord," they replied.
"Fair rewards and clear rules are the very essence of fairness among the followers," Li Changmeng replied coolly. He understood that for his organization, transparent promotion channels and consistent rewards were essential to show that every effort was recognized.
"Now, spread the radiance of the Taoist Lord even further. I have other matters to attend to, and I will return soon to review your progress."
After dismissing his subordinates, Li Changmeng unfurled the map of the Xuanfeng Kingdom. The map revealed three states and ten counties; Tieniu Town lay in Huangrang Township, Gudao County, Chenlan County, Shenwei State—a modest town on the border.
Beyond the southern limits of the Xuanfeng Kingdom lay no other country—only the vast Great Wilderness, also known as the Tianxing Domain. This was a thriving cultivation world, replete with abundant spiritual energy and countless cultivators. Moreover, the entire Tianxing Domain was shielded by a massive formation that, while inert on its own, barred entry to ordinary people; only those imbued with spiritual power could pass.
Li Changmeng did not know the true scale of the Tianxing Domain, but descriptions suggested it encompassed billions of ordinary souls—a truly staggering number. It was within this domain, then, that the ideal spiritual object for Foundation Establishment would be found.
In the Xuanfeng Kingdom and its environs, spiritual energy was scarce. Near the border with the Tianxing Domain, cultivators like Taoist Baiyun might still hide, but further out, even Qi Refining cultivators were rare. For Li Changmeng, the quickest way to locate a suitable spiritual object was to venture into a cultivation world such as the Tianxing Domain. Moreover, his long-standing curiosity about the cultivation world's elegance made this journey doubly appealing.
There was, however, one crucial precaution. For his safety, Li Changmeng had to bring along his natal spiritual embryo. During this period, not only would his cultivation level stagnate, but the replenishment of his spiritual power would also slow.
"Sigh, the Qi Refining stage is truly troublesome. Once I break through to Foundation Establishment, everything will change. Until then, I must endure," he mused.
With that resolve, Li Changmeng packed his few belongings. In the Qi Refining stage, one need not rely on grains for sustenance—breathing alone could sustain life, and with abundant spiritual power, neither cold, heat, nor poisonous insects posed a threat. Thus, with only a few spare sets of clothes and his natal spiritual embryo, he set off toward the Tianxing Domain beyond the borders of the Xuanfeng Kingdom.