I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

"Glug glug".

Qingyuan took a big gulp of coffee.

He didn't take the incident at noon to heart.

On the contrary, the intense mental work of the afternoon left my brain slightly sore and my thoughts somewhat unfocused.

I glanced at the time; it was only 3:30.

"This job has no end in sight."

Qingyuan muttered to himself.

I don't know how long it will take before I can get away.

Under my previous bald boss, this was just the beginning of the "preparing to work overtime" phase.

Although the environment has changed, the inertia of being a corporate slave remains.

I always felt like a blindfolded donkey, not allowed to unload its millstone until it was late at night.

He was also thinking of finishing work early so he could go back to being an old man.

The sect has just passed its ten-year major test, making this a crucial juncture for issuing orders.

The thought of his eager students and their descendants made him even less interested in coding.

boil.

We just had to tough it out.

The time will slowly tick up to "17:00".

Qingyuan just managed to get the last line of logic working.

Before I could even stretch.

Liu Cheng next door seemed to have a powerful spring under his buttocks, and he sprang into motion with a smooth and effortless movement.

"Brother Zhou! It's time!"

Zhou Xiaohong slowly took off his reading glasses, saw Qingyuan still standing at his workstation in a daze, and smiled with his wrinkled face like a dried chrysanthemum:

"Xiao Qing, what are you standing there for?"

Old Zhou screwed the lid on the thermos:

"Only by working efficiently within the stipulated time can you be considered to be working. If you linger and don't leave, the company will have to pay for your electricity. Hurry up and go home. Young men, taking good care of your health is the most important thing. Don't be like us old bones."

Compared to my previous bald boss who practically wanted his employees to live at their desks 24/7 like dry batteries, this is a far cry from my previous job.

These words are simply heavenly.

Qingyuan quickly packed his backpack, grinned, and said, "Alright! See you tomorrow, everyone!"

"Xiao Yuan, be careful on the road!"

......

Stepping out of the building and into the evening rush hour crowd, I took a breath of air mixed with exhaust fumes and surprisingly tasted a refreshing sense of freedom.

We walked in silence until we returned to the old neighborhood.

I deliberately walked lightly as I climbed to the second floor.

The rich aroma of food wafting from the red-lacquered security door was simply irresistible.

He hesitated for two seconds at Qingyuan's door, but ultimately did not knock.

Too much human kindness will overflow.

I just got a free meal yesterday. If I were to shamelessly leech off others every day and become their freeloader, what kind of behavior would that be?

Even if the elders are lonely, we can't lose our sense of propriety; cooking is tiring too.

He turned around, went upstairs, entered the house, and locked the door.

The computer lights up and the fan runs at full speed.

The notebook was opened with a "thud," and the three coordinates circled in red pen were shockingly visible under the desk lamp.

"Next, it's my turn."

Qingyuan's expression turned serious. He opened the map, his eyes gleaming.

Faced with the three prime locations that had been planned, there was no more hesitation.

The first place.

A crevice between two precipitous peaks, shrouded in mist year-round—[Qingmu Ravine].

This is the lifeline.

The reasons are realistic.

Guanhuamen's ten-year military buildup appeared prosperous, but in reality, it was just a case of superficial growth.

Many disciples are stuck at the stage of perfecting embryonic breathing, simply because they lack a breath of innate spiritual energy to complete the "introduction of energy into the body".

Relying on the mixed air of the mountains and fields, even if one forcibly breaks through, one can only reach the early stage of Qi Refining at most in this lifetime.

The Qingmu Stream produces "Yi Wood Vital Energy" and "Minor Pure Spiritual Energy," which serve as the oxygen supply for the entire sect.

Once production increases, any surplus can be stored in jade bottles and sold to earn spirit stones.

The second place.

The deepest layer of that early, small, abandoned mine—the [Chalcedony Heart] vein.

This item is not only a material for Qi cultivation tools, but also has great uses in logistics:

packaging.

Elixirs must be stored in jade bottles, and spiritual herbs must be placed in jade boxes; otherwise, their medicinal properties will dissipate within three days.

A sect can't exactly sell elixirs wrapped in lotus leaves at a street stall; that would be too shabby.

Jadeite Heart: An indispensable cornerstone for the future of sect-based commerce.

The final location was chosen as the rocky beach.

【Companion Grass】.

This herb is extremely poisonous, yet it happens to be the main ingredient in both "Blood-Exploding Pill" and "Iron Body Powder".

One exhausts his vital energy to unleash his fighting power, while the other makes mortals' skin as hard as iron.

The three neighboring families have remained silent for the time being, still trying to find out Guanhuamen's true intentions.

Once they realize that Guanhua Gate is a piece of easy prey, they will definitely pounce on it without hesitation and tear it apart.

After completing the map's instructions, Qingyuan hovered his finger over the keyboard, pondering for a moment.

Providing only food, supplies, and weapons is not enough.

Strategically, we need to point them in the right direction.

"Instead of waiting to be eaten, it's better to open your mouth."

Enter a somber and desolate passage into the text box.

Qingyuan examined it twice, his eyes filled with ambition, and then pressed Enter heavily.

The imperial decree, accompanied by incense, crossed the boundary.

……

A quiet room behind Guanhua Mountain.

The stone gate was tightly shut, and the sound of dripping water could be heard from somewhere, creating a deathly silence.

On the futon.

A slender figure seemed to have been transformed into a jade sculpture.

His spiritual pressure was extremely restrained.

Upon closer inspection, the girl was suspended in mid-air by a three-foot-thick layer of dust, making it impossible to get close.

Thirteen years old.

Fourth level of Qi Refining.

Open your eyes.

In a daze, everything around me vanished.

Shu Yan subconsciously looked up.

A colossal bronze furnace, as imposing as a mountain, hangs from the dome, filling the field of vision.

The furnace was surrounded by swirling, mixed light.

On the furnace wall, ancient ferocious beasts raised their heads and roared angrily, spewing out smoke and clouds; the stars in the sky were arranged in formation, rising brilliantly.

An overwhelming pressure poured down.

"boom--"

The image is shattered.

Consciousness returns to the present world.

Cold sweat had soaked through my back.

She took a deep breath, her eyes sharp as knives.

After a decade of silence, the sacred furnace... has once again revealed its divine power.

......

main hall.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Hua Yangzi sat upright in a high position, the veins on the back of his hands clearly visible.

The next seat is for guests.

Fu Yunzi, the leader of the Crimson Cloud Sect, was dressed in a fiery cloud robe and sat imposingly. The tea lid scraped against the teacup, making a sizzling sound that was extremely jarring.

"Fellow Daoist."

Fu Yunzi didn't even lift his eyelids, speaking in a sarcastic tone:

"What do you think of what I have said?"

"The hidden tiger of the Imperial Sword Sect is located in the west. If we don't unite now, Qinglu Mountain will change hands sooner or later. Don't be reluctant. Danxia Peak has strong earth fire. We'll just borrow your sect's disciples to refine weapons for my sect for a few years."

"Snapped!"

The solid wood handrail turned into wood chips.

Hua Yangzi suddenly stood up, his beard and hair bristling, his spine straight, like an old wolf protecting its cubs.

"Fleeting clouds! Is this some kind of alliance?"

He stared intently at the red-robed Taoist, his eyes flashing with a fierce light:

"Who doesn't know your fiery pit devours people? Haven't you already filled it with enough lives? You think you can use my grand-disciple as fodder? Dream on!"

Fu Yunzi paused, his face darkening.

"You don't appreciate kindness."

He immediately stood up, unleashing his full power at the eighth level of Qi Refining, causing the faces of all the stewards in the hall to turn pale.

"You refuse a toast? Do you really think your down-and-out self can stand in the way of the Imperial Sword Sect?"

Fu Yunzi sneered repeatedly, his sinister gaze sweeping over the entire room.

"Without the Crimson Cloud Sect, the Guanhua Sect will surely perish within half a month! If you don't want to live, then wait! Even if you beg me on your knees then, it will depend on my mood!"

"Let's go!"

With a flick of his red robe, Fuyunzi led his two disciples away.

Until the glaring red disappeared at the end of the mountain road.

The taut strings inside the hall began to loosen slightly.

"Thump."

Hua Yangzi slumped back into his chair, his chest heaving.

"Senior brother..."

Yang Dan closed the book, her expression filled with grief and indignation, her voice hoarse.

"A real fight?"

"beat!"

"Even if it costs us all our old bones, we can't let Yan'er and the others be treated like pigs and dogs!"

People were filled with anxiety.

"There's no need to risk your life."

A clear, cool voice drifted out from behind the screen.

A young girl in plain clothes slowly entered the hall.

The spiritual pressure from the mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator caused everyone present to catch their breath.

"Yan'er?! You..."

"Mid-stage Qi Refining! Heaven bless our sect!"

Yang Danhe was overjoyed. With such fighting strength and the support of the grand formation, he was not necessarily afraid of the Crimson Cloud Sect.

Shu Yan remained calm and composed.

She could hear Fu Yunzi barking loudly clearly in the back hall.

He waved to dismiss the stewards, leaving only Hua Yangzi, Yang Danhe, and He Qin.

"Master, external enemies are nothing more than minor ailments."

Shu Yan looked up, her eyes reflecting a strange glint:

"The real big thing is in the back mountain."

"The sacred furnace is summoned."

The four characters were spoken.

"Really?! The patriarch has manifested?!"

"Quickly! Seal the hall immediately! Disperse all other personnel! Anyone who dares to spy on the back mountain will be killed without mercy!"

......

Underground shrine.

The Hidden Spirit Array, acquired from Shulufang, was activated, making the area appear to outsiders as nothing more than a jumble of rocks and overgrown weeds.

The hidden door opens.

A strong stench of blood mixed with murderous intent filled the secret room.

The burly man squeezed through the door, carrying a half-dead, striped tiger on his shoulder.

It is over ten feet long, with golden fur and a single horn on its forehead.

A tiger demon in the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

Chai Wu was shirtless, his bronze skin revealing bulging muscles.

Pale claw marks ran across his chest, barely tearing through the skin.

Body Refinement Realm 1.

At the late stage of the Jade Bone Realm, one is comparable to a demon beast of the same realm.

"Master, I'm late."

Chai Wu casually tossed the tiger carcass aside, causing the ground to tremble.

"The big cat circled around in the woods, trying to prepare a whole offering for the sacred furnace, but it didn't dare to go all out, which took a lot of time."

"Great! Excellent!"

Hua Yangzi was greatly pleased.

With both literary and martial talents, how could they not prosper?

Inside the ancestral hall, four people stood separately.

Hua Yangzi was in the center, with Yang Danhe, Chai Wu, and Shu Yan in the next row.

In the center of the offering table, the ancient bronze incense burner was spotless, and the candlelight flickered with a faint glow.

There were no musical rites, and no sacrificial texts.

The grand sacrificial ceremony of the Taoist tradition is only for those with primal, bloodthirsty instincts.

Chai Wu drew his black blade and brought it down with a swift motion.

Hot blood spurted from the tiger's neck, and before it could hit the ground, it was swallowed whole by the bronze incense burner.

The patterns on the furnace body lit up one by one.

"I bow my head in gratitude for the protection of the ancestral master."

Hua Yangzi took the lead, his forehead striking the blue bricks hard.

The three people behind him bowed down, in unison and solemnly.

"Bowing twice, praying that the flame of knowledge will never be extinguished."

The incense burner trembled slightly, and its interior shone with a brilliant purple-gold light.

"Three kowtows, respectfully inviting the sacred furnace...and the curtain to hang!"

The final prayer was uttered.

The tiger's blood burned out.

A wisp of bluish-purple energy shot straight up, condensing and not dissipating.

A vortex spreads above the four people's heads, with ink flowing and lines outlining.

First, a grand map of the Qinglu Mountains appeared.

Followed by.

Smoke billowed, and sixteen gilded seal characters, carrying the clear will of Heaven, pressed down menacingly:

[The crimson clouds crumble, destroying the spine; the chaotic rain stirs thoughts and bewilders the mind; it devours the hidden spring, transforming flesh and blood.]

[The winds and clouds of Qinglu Mountain sweep across the land, gathering the destiny of an entire realm; only Guanhua bears witness to its supreme dominance.]