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

Chapter 179 Stealing Supernatural Powers

[Reward 1: Qi Refining Level 9. After extraction, one will break through to the Half-Step Foundation Establishment stage.]

Reward Two: Resistance to Theft of Supernatural Powers. Extracting this will increase the difficulty of theft of supernatural powers affecting you.

Reward 3: The cultivation level of the Three Paths Gu will be raised to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

Reward Four: The Corpse Whose Bloodline Was Stolen —

"Stealing supernatural powers?"

Li Qingyi's gaze suddenly sharpened.

His gaze darted back and forth between the second and fourth rewards, and after a few breaths, he seemed to understand something.

Li Qingyi thought to herself:

When Xihe saw that I refused to comply, she used her supernatural powers to steal my royal bloodline—she wanted to create a fake Li Qingyi to secretly control Tingyu Pavilion and the royal family.

Truly insidious!

This move was completely unexpected by Li Qingyi.

Only then did he realize why the other party had let him leave so easily.

So that's what they were planning—

"But why not steal the sword embryo cultivated from the 'True Explanation of Sword Dao' as well? Is it because this is a Golden Core level sword technique?"

With too many things she couldn't understand, Li Qingyi simply put them aside. The most urgent task was to break the deadlock.

"What's wrong?" Qi Xuanjia noticed the pause in his breathing.

Li Qingyi looked up; dusk was falling outside the window. "If we take a detour to the capital, how long will it take?"

Qi Xuanjia frowned. "How far out?"

Li Qingyi quickly devised a route in her mind: "First go to Linglong City, then turn onto Luoyun City, and finally head north."

Qi Xuanjia frowned slightly: "In that case, it will take twice as long for nothing."

"I suspect there's an ambush on the road." Li Qingyi leaned back in her chair, the shadow falling on half of her face.

"I just received a message from Tingyu Pavilion. It seems that True Person Xihe from Qingchi Immortal Sect is targeting me."

Qi Xuanjia pondered for a moment, then nodded: "That makes sense. I'll do as you say."

Give me some more time.

"it is good."

Li Qingyi closed her eyes and silently recited in her heart: Reward one.

A powerful and gentle spiritual current poured down from the void, instantly sweeping through the limbs and bones.

Unlike Qin Xiyue, who forcibly advanced to the half-step Foundation Establishment stage by using the Five Dragons Divine Technique.

This power is pure and profound, flowing naturally through the body like rivers flowing into the sea.

Within the dantian, the newly formed sword embryo emitted a clear and melodious hum, becoming increasingly solid, with faint golden patterns flowing around it.

The sword energy and the surging magical power resonated with each other, autonomously circulating through the body along the path of "True Explanation of Sword Dao," endlessly regenerating.

A faint light emanated from Li Qingyi's body, but he suppressed it with his strong will, preventing it from leaking out in the slightest.

He could clearly feel that his connection with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth had deepened, and his divine sense was expanding outward like a tide.

The hushed conversations of vendors and laborers in the streets outside the building, the lingering echo of the night watchman's clapper, even the distant, murmuring mist from the Luo River—

Everything was clearer than ever before.

This is the half-step foundation building, where solid foundations are laid and success comes naturally.

If he were to face the heavily injured Lu Zhenxuan now, he would definitely not have won with such difficulty.

However, when the magical power surges to a certain threshold, it hits an invisible barrier and can no longer advance.

Without the combined energy of heaven and earth to forge a foundation for immortality, one will ultimately be stuck in this awkward, neither-here-nor-there situation.

He was just one step away from shedding his mortal form, extending his lifespan by two hundred years, and truly entering the path of cultivation.

When he opened his eyes, a flash of sword light seemed to appear in his eyes and then disappear.

Qi Xuanjia seemed to sense something and glanced sideways, secretly amazed: "What a powerful foundation! His magic power is as refined as mercury, and he has even developed a divine sense! He is far stronger than I was before I broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

With such a solid foundation, when they attempt to ascend to the Purple Mansion, their ascension to the Giant Palace and their breakthrough to the Sun will likely be much easier than others.

A hint of envy flashed through Qi Xuanjia's heart.

The gap in talent can sometimes be truly disheartening.

Li Qingyi's clothes fluttered even without wind.

The power brought a moment of exhilaration, but was quickly overshadowed by a heavier gloom.

Even a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator is still just a slightly larger ant in front of a True Person of the Purple Mansion.

Deep Blue, give me a simulation—

[Simulation begins. Sixty spirit stones consumed. One hundred spirit stones remaining.]

Learning from the previous lesson, you ordered Qi Xuanjia to lead you around the western border of Xuan Kingdom, intending to completely avoid any possible interception by Xihe.

The journey began smoothly. You will first arrive in Linglong City. Two days later, you will arrive in Luoyun City, the second richest city in the Xuan Kingdom.

Luoyun City is built along the Luo River, where thousands of sails compete, and its commerce is even more prosperous than Qingling. To ensure safety, you specifically went to the Tingyu Pavilion branch in the city.

The branch is located below Jinlin Street, the most bustling street in the south of the city. However, upon entering and investigating, one finds only a late-stage Foundation Establishment steward in charge, with no trace of Purple Mansion aura.

You sighed inwardly and had no choice but to continue north.

[Just over a hundred miles from Luoyun City, as you enter the Qixia Mountain Road, the most chilling scene will unfold.]

At a bend in the mountain path, beneath an old maple tree, Ren Ziyu, dressed in a simple blue robe, stands with his hands behind his back, gazing at you. Maple leaves, like blood, fall onto his shoulders.

You felt a chill run through you. Stealing supernatural powers, stealing supernatural powers—you finally understood the most terrifying aspect of the word "steal."

It steals not only the object, but also the cause and the effect.

No matter which path you choose, as long as the destination is the imperial city, you will inevitably encounter him!

Unless a True Person of the Purple Mansion forcibly distorts this cause and effect, there is no solution to this predicament.

You remained silent for a moment, then followed him in death. Deep within the mountain, a natural cave appeared, its interior adorned with pearls that shone as brightly as day.

Xihe Zhenren sat upright on a cloud bed, surrounded by pure energy.

When Xihe saw you, she maintained her usual indifferent expression and proposed a collaboration.

You feigned negotiation, trying to secure many terms for yourself, and finally reluctantly agreed.

In truth, her heart was cold, knowing this was merely a delaying tactic. After their discussion, Xihe let you depart.

Leaving the cave, you return to the mountain path. The autumn wind is bleak, and on the way back to the capital, your heart is inevitably heavy.

You are worried that Xihe has stolen your belongings again.

You stand alone on an ancient mountain path, your consciousness spreading out like a net, repeatedly introspecting on yourself:

His cultivation level was still intact, his sword embryo was still intact, and all the spirit stones, pills, and resentment crystals in his storage bag were still there.

But that sense of loss, like a persistent, insidious infection, lingered and wouldn't dissipate.

You suddenly stopped and said to Qi Xuanjia beside you, "Commander Qi, you should return to the capital to report first. I have other important matters to attend to alone."

Qi Xuanjia gave you a deep look, asked no further questions, and simply said, "Take care," before transforming into a streak of light and disappearing into the distance.

You are certain that Xihe has stolen something of utmost importance again.

Her goal was never cooperation, but to completely replace you, to use a perfect puppet to take over everything concerning the young master of Tingyu Pavilion.

The road ahead is shrouded in mist; you know that returning to the capital now would likely mean repeating the same mistakes.

Your bloodline is lost, your identity is questionable, how could the emperor believe you? And you no longer have the protection of the Purple Palace by your side.

So you decided—

I. Seeking a solution.

Second, temporarily avoid the limelight, seek the unity of heaven and earth, break through the foundation building stage first, and then plan for the future.

"So this is what the Qingchi Immortal Sect was planning—this theft of divine abilities is impossible to guard against—"

A chill ran through Li Qingyi's heart.

He turned to Qi Xuanjia: "Commander Qi, how much do you know about stealing supernatural powers? Do you have a way to break it?"

Qi Xuanjia shook his head, his expression solemn: "The Purple Mansion Divine Power is profound and unpredictable, and only those at the Purple Mansion Realm can withstand it. I once heard the Ancestor mention that the most peculiar aspect of this divine power is that it steals cause and effect."

He paused, as if considering his words: "If the identity of Qi Xuanjia is stolen, the caster can bear the corresponding karmic backlash."

Then all knowledge, memories, and associations about Qi Xuanjia in the world will naturally be transferred elsewhere.

The victims of the theft may even gradually forget who they are.