Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

"Which is more important, the fleeting thrill of a breakthrough or the smooth path ahead? You can decide for yourselves."

Upon hearing this, the women lost all hope. Xue Bing bit her lip, feeling somewhat unwilling, but more so determined.

"I understand! I will definitely complete the Hundred-Day Foundation Building!"

"I will heed Your Majesty's instructions!"

Yaoyue, Lianxing, and the others responded in unison, their eyes regaining their calm and focused expressions.

Ying Xuan nodded slightly, turning his gaze to the plain below.

With a thought, a plant that had just been taken from the array's herb garden appeared in his palm.

This is a ginseng plant with gnarled roots. Its entire body exudes a warm, jade-white luster, and a rich herbal essence and spiritual energy emanate from it, which is refreshing and invigorating.

This ginseng was originally just an ordinary spiritual ginseng seed transplanted from the Great Qin World. However, in the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Array, it first underwent the baptism of the Great Qin World's violent energy, and then was nourished by the pure and gentle spiritual energy and boundless spirituality of this world, and has already undergone an amazing transformation!

The spiritual energy it contains is not only enormous in quantity, but also exceptionally gentle and pure in nature, making it easier to absorb and refine.

"This item is a collection of the essence of the spiritual herbs within the formation."

Ying Xuan displayed the ginseng to the women.

"It combines the power of two realms, and its medicinal properties are both mild and potent. Ordinary internal energy cultivators who rashly consume even half of it may risk exploding their bodies. Even you should be cautious."

He gently broke off a small piece of ginseng root and put it in his mouth to chew.

A gentle yet vast pure energy instantly dissipated, merging into his limbs and bones, nourishing his primordial spirit and physical body. The effect was even more significant than his own breathing exercises!
What surprised Ying Xuan even more was that, under his divine sense, the roots of this ginseng seemed to be trembling slightly, as if some kind of nascent consciousness was being conceived within them!

Given time, it is not impossible for them to develop intelligence and transform into spirits!

“Each of you shall take an appropriate amount of ginseng root daily.”

Ying Xuan handed the remaining ginseng to Yao Yue.

"Use this item to compensate for the scarcity of spiritual energy here, and accelerate the fusion and imprinting of spiritual power and spirituality. Remember, it's about fusion and imprinting, not about breaking through to a higher realm!"

The breakthrough opportunity you are experiencing right now is nothing more than a fleeting illusion caused by a strong spirituality and a difficulty in absorbing spiritual energy! Calm your mind and focus on the 100-day foundation building!

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The women responded in unison, accepting the ginseng that exuded spiritual energy. Their eyes were no longer filled with impatience, but only with calmness and determination.

Ying Xuan closed his eyes again and entered that slow and peculiar breathing state once more.

As time went by, his control over his own spiritual power reached an unbelievable level.

The power of the primordial spirit is like the most precise instrument, capable of easily stripping away any tiny impurities from spiritual power, and also capable of weaving spiritual power infused with spirituality into any complex form.

Although the total amount of spiritual power in his body is still at the peak of the primordial spirit, its purity, controllability, and efficiency in the use of power have already undergone earth-shattering changes!

He had a strong feeling that if he were to fight his past self before he entered this world, even if the opponent were five of his former selves at their peak, he would be confident of victory!
This leap in strength does not stem from an improvement in one's realm, but rather from a deeper understanding of the essence of power and an extremely refined control over it!
Feeling the changes within himself, Ying Xuan temporarily shelved his plan to visit major Taoist sects such as Maoshan in this world to explore the fundamental differences between the cultivation methods of the two worlds.

"The Maoshan Taoist methods, passed down in this world, are indeed profound and worth learning from. But right now, the unique spiritual environment of this world is the greatest treasure!"

Ying Xuan understood immediately.

"Instead of being distracted by other things, we should seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hone our own foundation to the extreme and maximize the potential of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends Formation!"
"Wouldn't it be better to wait until the hundred-day foundation building is complete, the grand formation is stable, and the nascent Star God is fully formed before going to 'pay a visit' with overwhelming power?"

With his mind made up, Ying Xuan completely calmed down and devoted all his attention to this seemingly basic but actually profound breathing exercise.

Every breath is a refinement of strength, a capture of spirituality, and a strengthening of one's foundation.

Within the valley, only the hum of the great array in operation, the subtle sounds of spiritual herbs growing, and the long, rhythmic breaths together compose a silent symphony leading to a higher realm.

In the mountains and forests of Yizhou, ancient trees reach for the sky, vines entwine, and sunlight filters through the dense branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Ying Xuan, dressed in a blue robe and befitting a scholar, walked leisurely along the forest path.

He appeared to be strolling leisurely, but in reality, his divine sense had already covered an area of ​​dozens of miles, and he could perceive every blade of grass and tree, the chirping of insects and the calls of birds in the mountains and forests.

Heavy footsteps and labored breathing came from ahead.

A hunter carrying a bow and arrows and a few rabbits emerged from the depths of the dense forest. Upon seeing Ying Xuan, he was visibly startled, and then his face showed anxiety.

"Hey! You scholar! Stop right there!"

The hunter rushed forward and stood in front of Ying Xuan, his dark face covered in sweat, his tone urgent.

"You mustn't go into that old forest up ahead! It's been very strange lately; several old hunters have been inexplicably injured when they went in, saying they've encountered evil spirits! You're a scholar with delicate skin, you'd better take a detour!"

Ying Xuan stopped and looked at the simple and honest hunter in front of him.

He could clearly "see" that the hunter had many old wounds on his body, especially on his left scapula, where a deep claw mark that reached the bone had healed.

However, his internal meridians became blocked and stagnant, causing him unbearable pain whenever it was rainy, which was one of the reasons why he was breathing heavily just now.

"Thanks for the reminder, brother."

Ying Xuan cupped his hands in greeting, a gentle smile on his face.

"I was just taking a casual stroll. Since the path ahead is dangerous, I should take a detour."

As he spoke, he flicked his fingertips almost imperceptibly, and a wisp of gentle spiritual energy, containing pure vitality, silently entered the hunter's body like an invisible spring breeze.

The hunter felt a warm current flow through his entire body, especially in the area on his left shoulder blade that had been blocked for many years. It was as if the ice and snow were melting away, and an unprecedented sense of ease came over him, making his breathing much easier.

He moved his shoulders somewhat blankly, feeling relaxed all over, as if he had become a few years younger, but he didn't know why. He just assumed it was because he had met a kind scholar and was in a good mood.

"That's good, that's good! Scholar, follow this path eastward, go around that hill ahead, and you'll be out of the woods."

The hunter smiled憨厚ly and pointed out the way to Ying Xuan.

Ying Xuan thanked him again and watched the hunter leave.

He didn't move immediately, but stood still, his gaze fixed on the depths of the mountains and forests. Yizhou... the fox spirit Lianxiang... married to a scholar surnamed Sang... had a son... fragments of information about this world surfaced in his mind.

This fox demon has a perfect form and almost no demonic aura, but its strength is extremely weak. It is an excellent sample for observing the cultivation characteristics of demons in this world.

"Perfect in form yet weak in power... The power of this realm's spirits to shape 'form' is truly inconceivable."

Ying Xuan pondered to himself.

"If we can find her, we may be able to glimpse the secrets of the demon cultivators in this world."

With his mind made up, Ying Xuan stopped and moved slowly. In fact, each step covered several feet. Following the direction pointed out by the hunter, he soon walked out of the forest. Suddenly, the view opened up before him, and the outline of an ancient city appeared in the distance. It was Yizhou City.

Instead of going directly into the city, he headed towards a teahouse by the official road outside the city. Several traveling merchants and local villagers were resting in the teahouse.

Ying Xuan walked up to an elderly man with white hair and beard who was smoking a pipe, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked, "Old man, may I ask how to get to Honghuabu?"

"Honghuabu?"

Upon hearing this, the old man suddenly raised his head, his cloudy eyes filled with surprise and disgust. He looked Ying Xuan up and down, and seeing that he was dressed as a scholar and had an extraordinary temperament, his brows furrowed even more and his tone became harsh.

"Young man! Why are you asking about that awful place? That place is unclean! What decent person would go there? Get out of here, get out of here!"

Ying Xuan remained expressionless, but he understood perfectly.

Honghuabu is a place of unusual nature, known as a brothel, and its proximity to the mountains and forests has given rise to strange rumors. No wonder the old man reacted so strongly.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a kind face put down his teacup and chimed in.

"Scholar, Honghuabu is just twenty li west of the city. Follow the official road, and you'll see a barren slope covered in wildflowers. Keep going, and that's it. However..."

He paused and lowered his voice.

“That place is indeed not peaceful. I’ve heard that monsters often appear there. If you are visiting a friend, you should be careful.”

"Thank you for your guidance, brother."

Ying Xuan nodded his thanks to the middle-aged man, ignored the old man's reprimand, and turned to walk towards the west of the city.

The twenty-mile journey was but a short while for Ying Xuan.

When he stood before a barren slope covered with unknown wildflowers, he knew that this was Honghuabu.

The area is low-lying, backed by a series of mountains, with a barren field in front and a few dilapidated houses scattered around. A faint, musty smell mixed with the fragrance of cosmetics permeates the air, which is completely out of place with the fresh mountain forest atmosphere around it.

Ying Xuan's divine sense spread like mercury, silently covering the entire Honghuabu and its surrounding mountains and forests.

Soon, his attention was drawn to a very secluded valley a dozen miles away.

Deep in the valley, the entrance to a naturally formed cave is cleverly concealed by vines.

Inside the cave, a small fox, pure white with soft, glossy fur, was squatting in front of a flat stone slab, holding a yellowed thread-bound book in its two front paws, reading it intently.

The book cover prominently displayed the four characters "Compendium of Materia Medica"!

The little fox would sometimes tilt its head in deep thought, and sometimes carefully turn the pages of the book with its paws, its expression focused, just like a student who was studying hard.

"Pure in spirit, with a solid foundation for human form, yet without the slightest fluctuation of demonic power... indeed, it is Lianxiang."

Ying Xuan smiled slightly, having set his sights on something.

Instead of rushing into the valley and disturbing the other party, he turned around and stood on a relatively clean wasteland near the edge of Honghuabu, close to the forest.

He looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, and then a thought crossed his mind.

An invisible spiritual power flowed from his fingertips, like the hand of the most skillful craftsman.

The weeds and pebbles on the ground were pushed aside, crushed, and transformed into fertile soil by a gentle force.

Thick, round logs appeared out of thin air, precisely embedding themselves in the ground to form the framework of the house.

Planks, tiles, doors, windows... all materials were combined and assembled on their own under the exquisite control of spiritual power.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a simple and elegant wooden house with a fenced courtyard appeared out of thin air on this wasteland!

The room was fully furnished with tables, chairs, and beds; though not luxurious, it was clean and tidy.

Ying Xuan pushed open the courtyard gate and went inside.

He did not rest immediately, but instead used his mind to communicate with the space of the stone gate.

Several figures appeared silently in front of him; they were several Imperial Guards with restrained auras and sharp eyes.

"Go to the city and buy some ordinary books, writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, as well as daily necessities such as rice, grain, oil, and salt."

Ying Xuan gave the instructions.

"Keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention."

"As ordered!"

Several Imperial Guards bowed and accepted the order. With a flicker, they disappeared from the spot and headed towards Yizhou City.

Ying Xuan walked to the desk and sat down. He picked up a copy of the Analects that had appeared on the desk at some point, cleared his throat, and began to read aloud.

His voice was clear and melodious, with a unique rhythm, penetrating the walls of the wooden house and echoing clearly over the silent, barren slope.

Confucius said: "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is it not the mark of a gentleman to remain unperturbed when others do not recognize his merits?"

The rhythmic reading aloud echoed clearly from the edge of the empty Honghuabu.

The sound seemed to possess some kind of magic, penetrating a distance of more than ten miles and clearly reaching the ears of the little fox in the deep valley.

Inside the cave, the white fox, who was immersed in the world of medical books, suddenly raised its head, its pointed ears twitching slightly, and its lively eyes filled with curiosity and doubt.

When did a scholar come to this desolate Honghuabu?

And why does that reading voice sound so pleasant? It makes her want to get closer.

She put down her medical book, leaped lightly out of the cave, and like a white lightning bolt, silently traversed the dense forest, stealthily heading towards the direction from which the sound of reading came.

Soon, she reached the edge of the wasteland, hid behind a thicket of bushes, and cautiously peeked out.

What comes into view is a brand-new wooden house with a fenced yard.

The door was open, and a young scholar dressed in a blue robe, with an outstanding demeanor, was sitting upright at the desk, intently reading the book in his hands.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his handsome profile. His focused expression and clear voice seemed to possess an indescribable charm.

The white fox's heart trembled slightly for no apparent reason.

She had cultivated herself in this place for many years and had seen all sorts of people, but she had never seen such a... clean, pure, and profound scholar with an indescribable air.

A feeling she had never experienced before, a mixture of admiration and curiosity, quietly began to grow in her heart.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist the flutter in her heart.

A flash of white light appeared around her, and her figure rapidly elongated and changed.

As the light faded, the white fox vanished, replaced by a beautiful young woman dressed in a simple white dress. (End of Chapter)