Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

"Wanheng Marketplace, they were spying on my Lin family back then." Lin Zhao's eyes were cold as he buried this discovery deep in his heart.

He knew that with his and the Lin family's strength, they were simply powerless to fight against Wanheng Market.

He focused more on his recovery. Time passed slowly in the quiet of his practice.

A month later, the stone gate to the cave slowly opened.

Lin Zhao stepped out, his aura had returned to normal, his pale face had disappeared, and his eyes were clear and deep.

His internal injuries had basically healed, and his depleted spiritual energy had recovered to about 80-90%.

Only the four elemental pearls remained cracked, their spiritual light slowly recovering, making it difficult to unleash their core power in the short term.

This significantly reduced his overall strength.

He had just come out of quarantine and was preparing to find out the latest situation outside.

A gentle yet undeniably powerful divine thought, like a refreshing breeze, quietly entered his sea of ​​consciousness:

"Now that you have emerged from seclusion, young friend, you are welcome to visit Qingyun Pavilion for a chat."

This divine thought was peaceful and serene, yet it carried a vast and powerful pressure; it was none other than Master Mingxuan!

Lin Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and an overwhelming sense of unease surged up within her.

Why is this mysterious and powerful cultivator from Tianyun Market paying so much attention to him, and even going so far as to summon him?

Countless thoughts swirled in Lin Zhao's mind, but he dared not be negligent in the slightest.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, straightened his clothes, and then strode towards the center of the town.

We walked towards the "Qingyun Pavilion," which was said to be specially built to entertain distinguished guests.

Along the way, he kept recalling his limited "interactions" with Master Mingxuan, trying to deduce some information.

With each step, the bluestone slabs beneath my feet felt exceptionally heavy.

Qingyun Pavilion is located in the core area of ​​the market. The environment is quiet and secluded, with a light mist swirling around it, which is obviously due to the sophisticated spirit gathering and protective formations set up.

The attic itself is not luxurious, but it exudes a rustic and natural charm.

Lin Zhao arrived at the pavilion, and before he could announce his arrival, the vermilion door opened silently and automatically.

He composed himself and stepped inside.

The room was simply furnished with a table, a chair, and a burner of incense. Master Mingxuan stood by the window, his back to the door, gazing at the market scene outside, which still bore traces of war.

He was still dressed in white, his aura as deep as the sea, as if he were one with the surrounding world.

"Junior Lin Zhao greets Venerable Mingxuan." Lin Zhao dared not look too much, bowed respectfully, and tried to keep his voice steady.

Master Mingxuan slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Lin Zhao. His gaze was peaceful, yet it seemed to penetrate his appearance and look directly into his soul.

Lin Zhao felt an invisible pressure enveloping his entire body, and even his breathing involuntarily slowed down.

"No need for formalities." Master Mingxuan smiled slightly and gestured to the chair beside him. "Sit."

His attitude was casual and natural, as if he were just greeting an ordinary junior, but this only made Lin Zhao more wary.

He sat down as instructed, but his body remained slightly tense.

"How is your recovery from your January seclusion?" Master Mingxuan asked, his tone as casual as if he were chatting with someone.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency. There is no major problem now," Lin Zhao replied cautiously.

"Yes, the Taihe Yangyuan Gong is indeed extraordinary. It has unique secrets in the way of nourishing and restoring health." Master Mingxuan nodded slightly, as if it were just a casual comment.

However, these words struck Lin Zhao like a thunderbolt! He had actually seen through his biggest secret!

Seeing Lin Zhao's body stiffen instantly and his face change drastically, a knowing glint flashed in Master Mingxuan's eyes.

Inside the Liuyun Pavilion, wisps of smoke curled from the incense burner.

Master Mingxuan looked at Lin Zhao's body tense up instantly and the shock on his face that he could not completely hide.

He did not continue the topic of "Taihe Yangyuan Gong" as if he had just casually mentioned a trivial matter.

"Don't be nervous," he said, his tone softening.

Like an elder comforting a younger person, "I called you here not to pry into your secrets, but because there's something I can't find a suitable person to do."

Just in time, I heard you've recently earned the title of "Azure Dragon King."

This means you're not an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator; at least your combat strength is quite good.

Lin Zhao felt somewhat relieved, but her vigilance remained. Master Mingxuan knew the name "Azure-Clad Dragon King."

He was not surprised.

Having caused such a commotion at the Rock Base, and with such a unique fighting style, it would be incredibly easy for the other party to investigate, given their identity and methods.

He bowed slightly, maintaining a respectful tone: "You flatter me, sir. I was merely forced by circumstances to gain this empty reputation, and it is really not to be taken seriously."

"But what could be so important that even the Venerable Master finds it troublesome, requiring the use of my meager cultivation?"

Master Mingxuan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, pondered for a moment, and said frankly, "This matter is neither difficult nor easy."

There is a secret place in the Yunxia Mountains.

The environment there is unique and somewhat exclusive to cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage. The higher the cultivation level, the greater the restrictions. On the contrary, cultivators in the Qi Refining stage are less affected.

This secret realm is jointly managed by seventeen market towns, and they have agreed to open it once every ten years.

Due to its unique environment, the area is home to many second-tier spiritual herbs, which are of great help to Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Each market town has a varying number of entry slots based on its strength and agreements.

His gaze fell on Lin Zhao. "I happen to have one spot available, but I don't have a suitable candidate yet."

The dangers within the secret realm are self-evident, but the most important thing is that they also have to compete with cultivators from other markets.

For ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, going in would be tantamount to sending themselves to their deaths.

Therefore, I need a cultivator with both powerful combat skills and meticulous thinking to bring out the spiritual herbs.

His gaze held a hint of consideration: "If you take on this task and successfully bring back the second-tier spiritual herb, I can gift you a secret technique that leads directly to the twelfth level of Qi Refining."

"Twelfth level of Qi Refining?" Lin Zhao blurted out, his face filled with surprise. "Master, isn't the Qi Refining stage only ten levels?"

This is what he knows, and it's common knowledge that everyone in the cultivation world agrees on.

Master Mingxuan seemed to have anticipated his question and calmly explained, "Common sense, what you say is true. The tenth level of Qi Refining is the completion of the Qi Refining stage."

But you should know that foundation building requires passing three hurdles—the Qi hurdle, the Shen hurdle, and the Ti hurdle.

Different cultivation methods emphasize and order different aspects of these three stages.

He paused, then continued, "Most cultivation techniques in the immortal cultivation world focus on the Qi gate. Although the other two gates are also involved, they are difficult to cultivate and hard to master simultaneously."

Therefore, generally, after breaking through the Qi barrier and reaching the so-called perfect tenth level of Qi Refining, one then attempts to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

"But some older or more unique traditions break down the three stages into separate steps, progressing step by step."

First, refine your Qi gate and accumulate spiritual power far exceeding that of others of the same level; this is the tenth level of Qi Refining.

He then focused on the Divine Gate, causing a qualitative change in his divine sense, making its quality comparable to Foundation Establishment. This can be regarded as the eleventh level of Qi Refining.

Finally, one refines their body and forges an unparalleled foundation for the Dao, thus reaching the twelfth level of Qi Refining!

Having passed all three trials, one can then proceed to Foundation Building. Such a foundation far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators; only such cultivators have the potential to forge a superior-grade Dao Foundation.