Cultivating Immortality: What kind of cheat can you use if you don't have money?

Chapter 173 The Method of the Purple Mansion

Li Qingyi's gaze remained fixed on the ever-changing sky, her voice calm and even: "It should be reasonable, but not excessive."

Tianjue instantly understood the meaning of the word "reasonable".

The means may be employed, but the benefits must be seized.

But one must have a legitimate reason for doing so, and one's behavior cannot be too unseemly.

At least on the surface, one must be able to justify one's actions and not leave any obvious loopholes that could provoke unnecessary backlash.

"Understood, Your subordinate." He bowed and replied, but a sense of emotion couldn't help but pass through his heart.

The previous owner of Zhenyang Tower, Beifeng, was greedy, despicable, and tyrannical, but when it came to seizing and plundering property, he was also the one who valued legitimate means with a just cause.

They often exploit loopholes in the rules or create fait accompli, making it difficult for people to openly criticize them even if they are fully aware of the situation.

As expected of Tingyu Pavilion, which shares the same lineage, their style of doing things is truly remarkable.

Hearing Tianjue's departing footsteps, Li Qingyi added, "By the way, from today onwards, Zhenyang Tower will be renamed Huanzhu Tower."

You should prepare all the necessary documents, signs, and internal signage replacements in advance for the name change.

Tianjue's steps suddenly stopped, and his back stiffened instantly.

"—Young Master?"

Li Qingyi then turned her head slightly, glanced at him, and explained, "Fang Yuan, the master of Huanzhu Tower, is my trusted confidant and right-hand man. He previously declared war on Zhenyang Tower, so I intended to subdue Zhenyang Tower."

The North Wind has been subdued; the time is perfect.

Li Qingyi paused for a moment, then continued, "By the way, bring over all the current account details for the building."

"I want to see how many spirit stones this enormous Zhenyang Tower can still draw upon."

Tianjue stood still, motionless.

Changing the name? And checking the general ledger? The young master's actions are truly unconventional and extremely domineering.

He clenched his fist in his sleeve, a surge of frustration and resentment welling up inside him.

Zhenyang Tower was built by Beifeng and is the foundation that his old subordinates have built up over many years. How can it be changed so easily?

His clenched fist relaxed again after a short while.

Yes, the other party is the young master of the pavilion, so what more can I say?

Just as Tianjue was about to take a step to carry out Li Qingyi's order, Li Qingyi's voice came again.

"Fang Yuan is currently only at the ninth level of Qi Refining," Li Qingyi said slowly. "I will arrange a fair fight between him and you. If you can defeat Fang Yuan, you will have control of Zhenyang Tower."

Li Qingyi seemed to sense Tianjue's unwillingness and spoke to comfort him.

Tianjue's face, which had been filled with gloom, instantly brightened.

He immediately suppressed all his unusual emotions, turned around and bowed to Li Qingyi, saying, "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Young Master! I will do my best to live up to your expectations!"

"Go and prepare."

Li Qingyi didn't turn around; she just stared at the sky.

Is it really true that they still can't win over the gravedigger after all this time?

Once Tianjue's footsteps had completely disappeared at the end of the stairs, Qi Xuanjia, who had been standing quietly, suddenly spoke up: "I can see that you seem to be intentionally supporting that Huanzhulou Master Fang Yuan."

If that's the case, why give Tianjue a chance, even offering him the position of the Lord of the Tower?

A ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator against a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator—the odds of victory are probably not high.

Li Qingyi smiled. "Commander Qi, how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?" Qi Xuanjia showed some interest.

"Let's bet on the battle between Fang Yuan and Tian Jue," Li Qingyi said. "I bet on Fang Yuan to win."

Qi Xuanjia stroked his chin, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes: "What about the bet?"

"Simple," Li Qingyi said. "If I win, I request Commander Qi to protect me for another month and obey my commands. If I lose—"

He paused, then said casually, "Make any request you want. As long as it's within my capabilities."

Qi Xuanjia frowned slightly. "This seems very unfair to you. What will you do if I make unreasonable demands?"

"I trust Commander Qi's character," Li Qingyi said with an unchanged smile. "Besides, I think this is fair."

Li Qingyi was very confident.

No way, how could he possibly lose to someone at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage?

To make the betting fairer and to give Qi Xuanjia a greater sense of participation, Li Qingyi added, "If Commander Qi has any free time before the competition, he might as well give Tianjue some pointers."

"Making him stronger would make this bet more interesting, wouldn't it?"

Qi Xuanjia looked at Li Qingyi's confident and composed demeanor, and finally laughed: "Interesting. I'll take this bet."

He walked to the window and stood beside Li Qingyi, gazing at the sky outside, where strange, iridescent lights still occasionally flashed, and asked, "You have such confidence in Fang Yuan?"

Li Qingyi simply smiled without answering, but the meaning behind that smile was self-evident.

He certainly has confidence in himself.

Li Qingyi turned her gaze back to the sky, and a sense of emotion welled up in her heart.

There was a time when he had to rack his brains and scheme against Tian Sha, who was at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

In the end, they only managed to defeat him by relying on Ling'er's trump card.

Now, he can calmly deal with cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage.

It even possesses a deadly sword strike that can threaten Foundation Establishment cultivators.

These changes occurred in just a few months.

"Commander Qi," Li Qingyi suddenly asked, "What have you sought in your cultivation so far? Why do you seek the Dao?"

The question seemed abrupt, causing Qi Xuanjia to fall silent for a moment.

He gazed at the city outside the window, his eyes becoming distant, and slowly spoke: "Why seek the Dao? Since I can remember, everything—it seems—has been beyond my control."

Those who practice their family's secret techniques receive resources provided by their family, their future is planned by the elders of the clan, and even their marriages are the same.

From the grand path of spiritual practice to the smallest details of clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, everything is arranged by the family.

Qi Xuanjia looked dazed. "If you ask me why I cultivate? I—I really don't seem to be able to answer."

My path was paved by those who came before me; I simply followed that designated path until I reached this point.

It is both a blessing and a curse.

"Ha—" Qi Xuanjia suddenly chuckled.

He looked up at the sky. "I never thought about it before, but now it seems like I have."

"What?"

"Freedom." Qi Xuanjia uttered the two words, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

I want freedom.

You don't have to live your whole life on a predetermined path, and you don't have to depend on other people's opinions and arrangements even to break through to the Purple Mansion.

I want to see how far I can go on my own.

After saying that, Qi Xuanjia's aura surged, and after a long time, it became solid again.

In a moment of sudden enlightenment, his state of mind underwent a breakthrough, and his cultivation advanced further.

Li Qingyi's lips twitched, startling me. I thought he was about to have an epiphany and ascend to the Purple Mansion on the spot—

Qi Xuanjia suddenly asked, "And what about you? And why are you cultivating?"

Li Qingyi recalled the night before she was to be turned into a human pill.

"It's laughable, but my initial thought was simply to survive."

Li Qingyi's gaze gradually deepened. "Now, I don't want to be a pawn that anyone can manipulate. I want to take control of my own destiny."

Qi Xuanjia was taken aback. "It seems that what we both seek is quite similar."

Li Qingyi asked with a smile, "Since Commander Qi has such ambition, why not try to break through to the Purple Mansion realm on your own?"

Qi Xuanjia explained, "The first secret method for cultivating the Purple Mansion is to allow the immortal foundation to rush through the Qi Sea and ascend to the Great Void, severing the mortal body, and then overcome ignorance and see through endless illusions, so that the Purple Mansion can be established."

"First, use the secret method as a foundation to activate your own immortal foundation. Let it rise from the dormant sea of ​​qi, pass through the Juque acupoint, and finally ascend to the Shengyang secret aperture."

This step, known as opening the Heavenly Gate, is extremely perilous. Once the immortal foundation leaves the sea, it is like an arrow released from a bow, only able to go up and never down.

If one's magical power is insufficient, one's mind is unstable, or one's secret passages are blocked, the breakthrough will be interrupted, one's immortal foundation will collapse, and one will die and one's cultivation will be destroyed.

This single step is enough to stop 99% of Foundation Establishment peak cultivators.

"If we can successfully ascend the Immortal Foundation into the Ascending Yang Aperture."

Within this opening, one can combine one's own insights with the characteristics of the technique to initially develop a unique supernatural power.

Then, using this supernatural power, propel the Yang Aperture upwards, breaking through some mysterious boundary and entering the Realm of Great Void.

"When one enters the void, one must confront ignorance and attachment, forgetting both self and things."

Some can decipher it in a few days, while others may linger for decades or even centuries without realizing it, until their lifespan is exhausted and their soul dissipates.

"Only by breaking through ignorance can one face endless illusions. Supernatural powers are hidden in one's mouth; illusions last only a moment. If one cannot overcome them, one's cultivation will be completely destroyed; if one can overcome them, one will succeed."

Upon emerging from seclusion, one can attain the Purple Palace and realize supernatural powers.