Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 95 The Coveter (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
If it takes even longer to open a single acupoint, it would conservatively take 20 years.

This is still just theory.

After all, you can't be cultivating all day long. You have friends, right? You need to socialize, right? You have quests to do, right? You need to earn resources, right? You need to rest, right? You need to practice your spells, right?

Doubling that again, it would take 40 years! That's the speed at which an ordinary cultivator can awaken their enlightenment.

The two acupoints are the simplest.

The difficulty of opening a single acupoint increases several times.

The difficulty of finding extra points outside the meridians increases a hundredfold.

Some cultivators spend one or two hundred years at this level, and some may even be stuck at it for their entire lives.

Let’s do the math.

Gu Qing felt a sense of urgency. He wasn't slow to grasp things, but he would need resources to help him speed things up.

Although the Spirit-Awakening Pill from Medicine King Valley is the most famous type of awakening pill, there are also unique techniques used in the Baiyue Mountains.

Elixirs are not the only option.

Gu Qing planned to go to the Refining Hall to ask Elder Yao for advice. Before that, he wanted to sort out the changes after breaking through the realm and then go to Mount Mujin to take a look.

Ten months have passed, and I wonder how the magical artifact nurtured by the Earthly Willow is doing.

"panel."

Gu Qing

Age: 28, Lifespan: 530

[Realm: Upper Eighth Rank, Gathering Spiritual Energy in All Apertures]

[Cultivation Technique: Fiery Dragon True Technique - Level 7+]

[Secondary Study: Purple Star Qi Gathering Strategy - Level 4+]

[Refining God: Huoyao Chiwutu·Third Level+]

[Spells: Soaring Dragon Sword Aura, Fire Dragon Technique, Blazing Shield, Fire Escape Technique (Mastery), Fire Rain Technique (Proficient), Blazing Flame Ring (Proficient)]

[Secret Techniques: Fire Devouring (Basic Level - Earth Fire), Dragon-Snake Transformation (Basic Level)]

[Supernatural Power: Devouring Heaven and Earth (Incomplete - Beginner Level)]

[Skills: Metal and Stone Artifacts - Divine Refinement (Perfected), Blood and Bone Artifacts - Evil Refinement Method (Mastered), Herbal Artifacts - Golden Thread Mastery (Mastered)]

[Items: Gluttonous Head, Corrupted Blood Sleeve Arrow, Wind and Fire Twin Swords, Dry Fire Shield, Senluo Treasure Canopy, Wind-Stepping Boots, Nine Forbidden Secret Locks, Cloud-Escape Shuttle, Flame Burst Beads x8]

[Tool point: 900]

Breaking through the realm increased his lifespan by a hundred years, which made the "+" sign after many cultivation techniques reappear. With a little mental calculation, one can deduce that the Yanlong True Technique consumes 500 years of lifespan.

As for the lifespan limit in the new stage, that remains unclear.

As the number of acupoints opened increases, the body gradually begins its second qualitative change, and lifespan will slowly increase; it is not something that can be achieved overnight.

I haven't made much progress in terms of accumulating knowledge about the tools and techniques.

We need to start accumulating experience; work can't stop!

According to common knowledge in the Cangwu cultivation world, the lifespan of a cultivator who has just entered the upper level of the eighth rank is about 450 years, while the lifespan of a cultivator who has reached the peak of the upper level of the eighth rank can reach 700 years, a difference of 250 years.

This shows just how big the difference is before and after this realm.

Gu Qing is likely to live a little longer, with an estimated lifespan of around 800 years. He's not even 30 yet, so he has plenty of time to cultivate.

The eighth-rank supreme level, "Eating the Sun and Moon," allows for complete fasting, eliminating the need for daily food to sustain life, and grants a lifespan approaching a thousand years.

Just thinking about it makes one yearn for it.

The lower three ranks of the Four Nine Immortal Path are called Human Immortals, and there's a reason for that.

It's all planned out.

Heading out, destination: Hibiscus Mountain!

Outside Gu Qing's Yin Wood Realm, Zhang Yuan was stopping several senior brothers from the Pill Hall, earnestly explaining, "Senior brothers, this is the Earth Yin Willow planted by Steward Gu of the Weapon Refining Hall. It's not a spiritual material from our Pill Hall, so you can't cut it down."

"Steward Gu? When has the Weapon Refining Hall ever had a steward surnamed Gu?"

"My Pill Hall has rented 80% of the land on Hibiscus Mountain, including this Yin Land of Yi Wood. The spiritual materials growing on it belong to my Pill Hall. So what if we cut them down?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuan's anger intensified.

"Senior brother, you also know that Hibiscus Mountain is the property of the Weapon Refining Hall, and Steward Gu has the land deed."

If this is reported to the sect, you will be guilty of insubordination and forcibly seizing the property of your elders, and you will be stripped of your cultivation and expelled from the sect!

"An elder? Junior Brother Zhang, don't try to fool me."

These disciples who came to our door were all at the peak of the middle level of the eighth rank, three months ago.

Li Qiufeng forged a Ghost Willow Whip, a top-grade magic weapon with 15 patterns. Relying on the power of this weapon, he fought and defeated a senior brother who was at the eighth rank!
This whip can dissipate magic, and even when it clashes head-on with other magical artifacts, it can still dissipate the true essence condensed on the artifacts, possessing the power to cause treasures to fall.

It can be said that it breaks the law when it encounters it, and throws down the weapon when it encounters it.

Aside from those with exceptional physical strength, they are virtually unmatched.

One case would be one thing, but Yue Ming from the General Affairs Hall went even further, actually taking a magic-breaking whip that had a similar effect but was of a spirit weapon grade.

He fought to a standstill against Lu Zhenyan, a renowned purple-robed disciple of the Battle Mage Hall, winning three and drawing two out of five battles, which can be attributed entirely to the power of his spiritual weapon.

If it weren't for the limited amount of true energy, the chances of winning five battles in a row would be extremely high.

This caused Lu Zhenyan's reputation to be severely damaged, and Yue Ming used him to rise to power.

This incident sparked heated discussions.

Neither Li Qiufeng nor Yue Ming were gossipy people, so they naturally wouldn't betray Gu Qing. If they couldn't get the information from the parties involved, they would naturally investigate on their own if they were unwilling to give up.

So, the investigation traced back to that particular mission.

The two junior sisters spoke their minds without any attempt to shield Gu Qing, but Gu Qing was in seclusion and could not be found.

Therefore, when these people from the Pill Palace came to Hibiscus Mountain to look for medicinal herbs, they unexpectedly discovered the Earth Yin Willow.

After a slight perception and realizing its value, he quickly pieced together the whole story through the information he had gathered over the past few days, and began to plot his plunder.

"Deacon Gu? The deacon who went on the mission with Li Qiufeng and Yue Ming?"

"Still the steward of the main hall of weapon refining in Baiyue Mountain."

"Junior Brother Zhang, do you even believe that yourself?"

Indeed, according to common sense, those who can ascend to the position of steward must either have extraordinary cultivation or outstanding skills, and they also need to have a good background and seniority.

Gu Qing, being born into the direct line of descent, was originally a key target for cultivation.

With the skill of crafting magical artifacts, possessing the ability to forge high-grade magical artifacts, advancing to the seventh-grade crafting master in the future is almost a certainty.

In addition, his talent for cultivation is not weak.

Elder Jiang took charge, pulled him up, and gave him a position as a steward for three reasons.

The skill level is up to standard!
Dedicate resources to nurturing them!

A nominal position tests one's character!

The most important point is the last one: if Gu Qing can maintain his original aspirations and focus on learning cultivation and weapon crafting, he won't care about the power that comes with the position of steward.

Even if it's a nominal position, the title still carries many privileges.

Even disciples in purple robes must bow to him; this is the sect's code of conduct.

Clearly, Gu Qing did not disappoint him.

Thus began the task phase of testing, to see if he was a person who could get things done.

Only Elder Jiang and a few other main hall elders knew about the series of tests that followed. After all, when cultivating a core successor, one must first have impeccable character before considering ability.

Otherwise, what if we raise an ungrateful child?
If Gu Qing continues like this, he will eventually be promoted to a permanent position.

(End of this chapter)