Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 893 Citizens of the Immortal Realm, the Sun Family of Qingmu!
Zhou Xun took a deep breath and felt an unprecedented surge of pure spiritual energy flow into his limbs and bones, causing his internal magical power to boil involuntarily.

He quickly sat cross-legged and began to practice his breathing exercises.

"Master, the concentration of spiritual energy here is more than ten times that of the human world!" Xiao Qing squatted on his shoulder, her dark golden fur shimmering with a mysterious luster in the sunlight.

"Yes!"

Originally from the mortal realm, after he reached the Nascent Soul stage with the help of the Heavenly Origin Armor, he always felt a sense of constraint. This was a faint feeling of suffocation caused by the thinness of the天地元气 (heaven and earth's vital energy) and the incompleteness of the rules.
Coming here feels like being a fish in water.

"No wonder Senior Blood Demon and his companion said that even Nascent Soul cultivators like Yama Heavenly Lord from the human realm would have the potential to reach the Integration stage if they came here!"

Zhou Xun felt the surging magical power within him, and boundless pride rose in his heart.

If the difficulty of advancing to the Godhood realm in the human world is one hundred...
That's one, at least a hundred times different!
"In that case, let alone a hundred years, I am confident that I can break through to the Nascent Soul stage within a few decades!"

It took Zhou Xun more than half a month to finally adapt to the environment in the Immortal Realm.

They are able to fully utilize their abilities.

Then we flew high into the sky and looked around. As far as the eye could see, there were endless forests.

Being new to the area, he was unsure of where to go.
So he reached for the storage bag at his waist.
A beam of light shot out and landed on the ground, transforming into a disc-shaped treasure—his 'Divination Compass'.

After being combined with the one from the Xuan Turtle Heavenly Lord back then, this treasure became even more mysterious!
Zhou Xun formed hand seals, performing a divination technique, and then gently touched the compass.
"disease!"

A beam of light shone forth.
The compass flickered faintly, and after a short while, it pointed to a certain direction in the northwest.

"Let's go this way!"

Zhou Xun smiled slightly and put the Divination Compass into his storage bag.
With a flash, he rose into the air and headed in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Zhou Xun stood on a cloud, looking down at the rolling jungle below, his brows slightly furrowed.

For three whole months, he kept flying forward, but to his surprise, the Immortal Realm was indeed vast. Even after such a long time, he still couldn't leave the forest, let alone encounter any human-inhabited areas.

"Looks like we need to change direction."

Just as Zhou Xun was about to turn around, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and sensed a fluctuation of spiritual energy coming from afar.

"Someone!"

A glint flashed in his eyes, and he moved like lightning, rushing towards the direction from which the fluctuations originated.

In the distant horizon, four streaks of light could be seen fleeing in panic.

The leader was a middle-aged man, dressed in a gray-blue robe, with a haggard face and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

Behind him were three young cultivators, two men and one woman, all of whom were pale and had disordered breathing.

"Uncle Nineteen, those beasts are catching up again!" One of the young men in blue shirts turned around in terror, his voice trembling.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man, Sun Yuanqing, looked even more displeased.

He suppressed the surging blood and qi within him and said in a deep voice, "Don't panic! Hold on for a little longer. There's a large lake ahead. Maybe we can shake them off once we get there!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two sharp screeching sounds came from behind him, piercing his eardrums.

Two enormous demonic birds appeared, their bodies covered in dark blue feathers, with wingspans of over ten zhang. Their sharp beaks gleamed with a cold light, and they were clearly mid-grade third-tier "Azure Feather Eagles"!
What's even more despairing is that behind them are dozens of second-tier demonic birds, a dark mass pressing down like a storm cloud.

"It's over." The only girl in the group, Sun Yuwei, the eldest daughter of the Sun family, turned pale. Her hand seals went awry, and the escape light began to sway.

"Yuwei!" Sun Yuanqing cried out anxiously, about to offer his help, when his expression suddenly changed.

The two azure-feathered eagles opened their mouths at the same time, spitting out two azure wind blades that tore through the air and slashed towards the crowd!

"Formation!"

Sun Yuanqing roared and with a flick of his sleeve, a small bronze shield flew out, growing larger in the wind until it reached a size of about ten feet and stood in front of everyone.

"boom!"

The wind blade struck the shield, unleashing a blinding blue light. The bronze shield trembled violently, and the surface aura dimmed at a visible speed.

"puff--"

Sun Yuanqing coughed up a mouthful of blood and his breath became weak.

He was only at the early stage of Core Formation, how could he withstand the combined attack of two mid-grade third-level demonic birds?
"Uncle Nineteen!" a young cultivator exclaimed.

Sun Yuanqing gritted his teeth and said, "You all go! I'll cover your retreat!"

"No!" Sun Yuwei shook her head stubbornly, tears streaming down her face. "If we die, we die together!"

The other two youths also looked resolute, each brandishing their magical weapons, ready to fight to the death.

"Foolish!" Sun Yuanqing was both anxious and angry. Just as he was about to persuade him again, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The two azure-feathered eagles had already pounced within a hundred feet, their sharp claws like hooks, aiming straight for the heads of the crowd!
"My life is over." Sun Yuanqing closed his eyes in despair.

At this moment——

"Beast, courting death!"

A cold shout rang out like a thunderclap, causing the clouds and mist within a radius of several miles to momentarily freeze.

Sun Yuanqing suddenly opened his eyes and saw a purple lightning bolt descend from the sky, striking the two blue-feathered eagles like divine punishment!
"Wow—"

Amidst piercing screams, the two third-tier demonic birds, their bodies charred black and emitting wisps of blue smoke, plummeted from the sky.

The remaining second-tier demonic birds were thrown into chaos and scattered in all directions.

The four members of the Sun family were dumbfounded. Before they could recover from their shock, they saw a figure walking through the air.

He was a young man dressed in white robes, with handsome features and an ethereal air.
Standing with his hands behind his back, surrounded by lightning, he looked like a god descending to earth.

"Senior!" Sun Yuanqing was the first to react, and quickly bowed in greeting, his voice trembling with excitement.

Zhou Xun nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the four people, and said calmly, "Who are you, and why are you being chased by demonic beasts?"

Sun Yuanqing dared not conceal the truth and respectfully replied:

"In response to your question, senior, I am Sun Yuanqing, a member of the Sun family of Qingling Mountain. These three are my nephews and nieces. We originally came into the mountain for training, but we accidentally entered the territory of the demonic birds and were chased by them, which is why we fled here."

As he spoke, a look of shame appeared on his face. It was truly disgraceful that a respected elder of the Sun family, leading the clan's elite members on a training expedition, had nearly suffered total annihilation.

Zhou Xun seemed to be deep in thought. He was new to the Immortal Realm and needed to understand the situation there. These four people were like "guides" who had come to his doorstep.

"I see." He nodded, his tone softening slightly. "How are your injuries?"

Sun Yuanqing was flattered and quickly said, "Thank you for your concern, senior. We have only exhausted our magic power and are fine."

Zhou Xun flipped his hand and took out a jade bottle, tossing it over: "This is a 'healing pill,' which can help you recover from your injuries."

Sun Yuanqing took the jade bottle, opened it, and immediately gasped. The pill inside was as smooth as jade, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance; it was at least a high-grade third-tier spiritual pill! "This is too precious," he said, his hands trembling slightly.

Zhou Xun waved his hand: "It's alright. I accidentally triggered the magic array and was teleported here. Let me ask you, where is this place? Are there any places where cultivators gather nearby?"

Sun Yuanqing was taken aback upon hearing this, and cautiously asked, "Senior, is this your first time visiting the Ten Thousand Mountains?"

“That’s right,” Zhou Xun readily admitted.

Sun Yuanqing suddenly realized and quickly explained, "This place is called 'Ten Thousand Mountains,' named after this boundless forest. Three hundred thousand li to the east is 'Qingling Mountain,' which is the territory of my Sun family."

"If you don't mind, senior, you are welcome to come and visit!"

Zhou Xun's eyes lit up: "Are there any teleportation arrays in the Ten Thousand Mountains that lead to other places?"

"Yes, yes!" Sun Yuwei couldn't help but interject, her pretty face flushed with excitement.
"Our most powerful city in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Beishan City, is said to be guarded by a Void Refinement cultivator, and it can even travel to other places via teleportation arrays!"

"Yuwei! Don't be rude!" Sun Yuanqing scolded, afraid of angering this mysterious senior.

Zhou Xun didn't mind, and instead laughed, "The little girl is quite lively."

Sun Yuwei stuck out her tongue and hid behind Sun Yuanqing.

"Senior." Sun Yuanqing was about to ask again when his expression suddenly changed, and he turned to look into the distance.

Then a black dot appeared on the horizon; it was the group of fleeing demonic birds that had returned, and there were even more of them!
"Oh no! They've summoned their own kind!" Sun Ming exclaimed in alarm.

Zhou Xun snorted coldly: "You're courting death!"

With a flick of his sleeve, hundreds of bolts of lightning shot out, forming a purple lightning net in the air that enveloped the flock of demonic birds.

"Crackling——"

Amidst flashes of lightning, dozens of demonic birds fell like raindrops, turning into charred remains before even hitting the ground.

The four members of the Sun family were dumbfounded. Such methods were probably beyond even their ancestor.

"Thank you for your help, senior. If you don't mind, would you like to visit my Sun family?"

Sun Yuanqing extended another respectful invitation, his eyes filled with hope.

If the Sun family could befriend this unfathomably powerful senior, it would be an immense opportunity.

Zhou Xun pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well. I am new here and need to understand the situation of this realm."

Sun Yuanqing was overjoyed and quickly took out a blue flying boat: "Senior, please! It is still more than a month's journey to Qingling Mountain. Although my 'Qingling Boat' is not as fast as yours, it is more comfortable."

Zhou Xun glanced at the flying boat and saw that it was made entirely of third-grade spirit wood and engraved with exquisite arrays, making it a rare item even in the cultivation world.

He smiled slightly and led Xiaoqing onto the flying boat.

The interior of the boat was several times larger than the exterior, clearly due to the use of a spatial array. Sun Yuanqing personally served spiritual tea and then ordered three juniors to pilot the flying boat from the outside.

“Senior, this is ‘Hidden Spirit Tea,’ a specialty of the Ten Thousand Mountains. Although it cannot compare to the delicacies of those big cities, it has its own unique flavor,” Sun Yuanqing said respectfully.

Zhou Xun took a sip and immediately felt a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth, and his internal magical power became more active. He put down the teacup and got straight to the point:

"Fellow Daoist Sun, could you please tell me in detail about the situation of these Ten Thousand Mountains?"

Sun Yuanqing perked up and quickly said, "The Ten Thousand Mountains are located on the southwestern border of the Northern Bright Immortal Domain, stretching for hundreds of millions of miles, and are teeming with demonic beasts."

"With Beiyun City at the head, there are thirteen major Nascent Soul forces below, and then there are countless other Nascent Soul forces like my Sun family."

"Oh?" Zhou Xun's interest was piqued. "I wonder what these seven major forces are?"

"The top-ranked city is Beishan City, presided over by the Beishan Ancestor, who is said to have reached the early stage of the Void Refinement realm." Sun Yuanqing's eyes showed a hint of awe. "Next are Tianlang Valley, Xuanyin Sect, Baicao Sect, Tiejian Sect, and Blackwater Pool, among others."

Zhou Xun pondered, "It seems these Ten Thousand Mountains are indeed a place where hidden talents reside."

Sun Yuanqing smiled wryly:

"Senior, you may not know this, but in the eyes of true immortal beings, the Hundred Thousand Mountains are nothing more than a desolate wasteland. Even a Void Refinement cultivator like Patriarch Beishan wouldn't be considered top-tier in those major cities."

Zhou Xun nodded, then asked, "Where does the teleportation array in Beiyun City lead to?"

“Yes!” Sun Yuanqing affirmed. “There is a medium-sized teleportation array in Beishan City that can take you directly to Tianyuan City. However, it costs a huge amount of money to use each time, which is unaffordable for ordinary cultivators.”

At this point, he cautiously asked, "Senior, are you heading to the great city?"

Zhou Xun remained noncommittal: "Let's wait and see."

During the rest of the journey, Zhou Xun learned more about the common knowledge of the immortal realm from Sun Yuanqing.

For example, the currency commonly used in the immortal realm is still "spirit stones".
However, above spirit stones, there are spirit crystals, which are divided into three grades: high, medium, and low. One spirit crystal can be exchanged for one hundred top-grade spirit stones.

The major powers are constantly engaged in open and covert struggles, and major wars break out every few years.

Furthermore, even fifth-tier demonic beasts roam deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains.
A month later, the flying boat finally arrived at Qingling Mountain.

A majestic green mountain rises abruptly from the ground, with pavilions and towers dotting the landscape amidst swirling clouds and mist. At the foot of the mountain lies a bustling town, teeming with people.

“Senior, that is the territory of my Sun family.” Sun Yuanqing pointed to the green mountain and introduced it, his face full of pride.

Zhou Xun scanned the area with his divine sense and discovered that there were at least five Nascent Soul cultivators stationed in the mountains, the highest of whom had reached the late Nascent Soul stage. This was indeed a powerful force in this remote place.

As the flying boat approached the mountain gate, a deep voice echoed from within the mountains:

"What fellow Daoist has graced my Qingling Mountain with his presence? Elder Sun Xuanji of the Sun family has failed to greet you properly!"

Before the words were finished, an elderly man with white hair arrived, followed by several high-ranking members of the Sun family.

Sun Yuanqing hurriedly flew out of the flying boat and respectfully bowed: "Ancestor, this is Senior Zhou Xun. We were fortunate to be saved by Senior on the way, otherwise we would have been killed by the demonic bird."

Sun Xuanji's gaze sharpened; he couldn't fathom the depth of Zhou Xun's cultivation!

"I am Sun Xuanji, and I thank Fellow Daoist Zhou for saving my Sun family's disciples!" Sun Xuanji bowed solemnly.

Zhou Xun smiled calmly: "Fellow Daoist Sun, you're too kind. It was nothing at all."

Sun Xuanji said warmly, "Fellow Daoist Zhou has come from afar. Please come into the mountain for a chat, so that my Sun family can show you some hospitality."

Under Sun Xuanji's personal guidance, Zhou Xun arrived at the main hall of the Sun family.

After the guests and hosts were seated, Sun Xuanji ordered someone to present his treasured "Millennial Spiritual Essence," an item that would be of great benefit to Nascent Soul cultivators.

“Fellow Daoist Zhou looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting my Ten Thousand Mountains?” Sun Xuanji asked tentatively.

Zhou Xun nodded: "That's right. I have been in seclusion for many years and only recently emerged. I am not very familiar with the current situation."

Sun Xuanji suddenly realized why the other party, despite his profound cultivation, was not well-known. He pondered for a moment and said, "If Fellow Daoist Zhou has any questions, I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."

(End of this chapter)