Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Lin Zhao stood in her new villa, gazing at the shimmering lake.

After ten years of being protected by the sect, the real cultivation journey has only just begun.

Just as he was worrying about the contribution points for his new cave dwelling, the sect disciple token began to vibrate slightly.

He picked it up and his spirits lifted immediately—the message was from Qianqiu Peak!

Since returning to the sect after the second major examination, he had submitted an application to pay his respects to Qianqiu Peak, following the advice given by Master Mingxuan years ago, but it had been ignored ever since.

Unexpectedly, a response finally came at this moment.

He dared not delay and immediately used the sect's internal teleportation array to arrive at the foot of Qianqiu Peak.

This peak is completely different from others.

The mountain was shrouded in a layer of pale gray mist that never dissipated. The mist was not gloomy, but rather had a translucent quality.

However, the spiritual energy contained within carries a pure, cold, and yin quality. When inhaled, it clears the mind, but one needs to circulate their magical power to adapt.

This is the cultivation ground meticulously managed by a Core Formation Realm cultivator.

Within the sect, there are over a thousand Core Formation cultivators, but only three hundred and sixty-five spiritual peaks are reserved for them to open their own cave dwellings.

With more people than peaks, competition is naturally fierce.

Some spiritual peaks have more than ten Core Formation cultivators crammed together, and the spiritual energy is distributed among them, barely enough to sustain cultivation.

Some spiritual peaks have peak masters with extremely high cultivation levels, who may monopolize them or allow only a handful of people to share them. The spiritual energy is so rich that it can reach the peak of the third rank.

Whether one can enter the peak to cultivate depends entirely on the peak master's will.

Lin Zhao straightened his robes and was about to announce his arrival when the mist on the mountain path parted naturally, revealing a Foundation Establishment cultivator who appeared to be around thirty years old, with a kind face and wearing a gray-blue robe, who quickly approached.

He cupped his hands in greeting and smiled, "Are you Junior Brother Lin Zhao? Master has sent me to guide you. Please follow me."

Their attitude was quite polite.

This person is the fifth disciple of Master Qianqiu.

As Lin Zhao followed his fifth senior brother through the gray mist mountain path, he could feel that the higher they went, the purer and richer the cold spiritual energy became.

Before long, we reached the summit.

The summit is not open; an ancient cave, constructed entirely of some kind of dark blue-green jade, is built against the cliff, with a deep and secluded entrance.

Stepping inside, it was not the luxurious palace I had imagined, but rather a very simple and spacious place, with only a huge jade futon in the center.

On the futon, a middle-aged cultivator dressed in black feather robes sat quietly.

He was thin, with a face that looked as if it had been carved by a knife and axe, and his features were very distinct. What was most striking about him were his eyes—deep as an ancient well, calm and still, yet seemingly able to reflect people's hearts.

Simply by sitting there, his aura blended seamlessly with the spiritual energy of the entire mountain, carrying a calm yet powerful sense of oppression.

It is the master of this peak, the Immortal of a Thousand Autumns.

Lin Zhao quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Inner disciple Lin Zhao greets True Person Qianqiu."

Master Qianqiu's gaze fell on Lin Zhao, lingered for a moment, before he slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and direct:

"Get up. You... are not much like your Lin family ancestor. He was much more lively than you." The tone was neither praise nor criticism.

Lin Zhao felt a slight chill; he indeed knew very little about the first ancestor and could only remain respectful.

Master Qianqiu didn't seem to intend to dwell on the past, and changed the subject: "I've read the evaluation of your ten-year assessment by the Dao Asking Hall. The evaluation is quite high."

He paused briefly, then asked directly, "Lin Zhao, would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Lin Zhao made up his mind and bowed again without hesitation, performing the disciple's rites: "Disciple Lin Zhao wishes to become the master of the True Man! Master, please accept this disciple's bow!"

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Master Qianqiu's usually impassive face as he nodded slightly: "Very well. I haven't taken on a new disciple for nearly a hundred years."

With a flick of his sleeve, a black token, neither gold nor wood, and cool to the touch, floated to Lin Zhao's front. The front of the token bore the ancient characters "Qianqiu" (meaning "a thousand autumns"), while the back featured intricate cloud patterns.

"This is a disciple's token from Qianqiu Peak. Later, your fifth senior brother will take you to find a suitable cave dwelling on the peak, which is much better than your villa outside."

Then, he paused for a moment and said, "You are cultivating a fourth-order technique, which is extremely profound. I cannot give you much guidance. If you have any questions in the future, you can seek answers at the Dao Asking Hall."

I have set up a library halfway up the mountain, where I have accumulated many secret techniques and cultivation methods over the years, including the complete "Taihe Yangyuan Gong" that you once practiced.

With this token, you are free to enter and read; how much you learn depends on your own fortune.

Finally, he took out a palm-sized, cyan jade talisman with spiritual light. On the surface of the talisman, one could vaguely see the shadow of a miniature, menacing blade, exuding a chillingly sharp aura.

"This jade talisman seals the divine power of my 'Luo Yu Blade,' which can be activated three times. Each strike has the power of an early Core Formation stage cultivator, protecting you. Consider it a gift from your master."

Having said all that, he seemed to have finished explaining, and waved his hand: "Go down, let your senior brother settle you in."

"This disciple takes his leave." Lin Zhao respectfully accepted the token and jade talisman with both hands, carefully put them away, bowed again, and left the cave.

The fifth senior brother had been waiting outside, and when he saw Lin Zhao come out, his smile became even more amiable.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Lin! Although our master doesn't talk much, he's actually very kind. Come on, let me show you around the peak first, so you can get familiar with the surroundings, and then I'll help you choose a good cave dwelling."

Along the way, through his fifth senior brother's casual conversation, Lin Zhao gained a preliminary understanding of Qianqiu Peak.

Thousand Autumns Peak is very simple. Its peak master, True Person Thousand Autumns, is a great cultivator in the late stage of Core Formation.

The eldest brother is also at the early stage of Core Formation, and spends most of his time training outside.

In addition, there is the third senior brother at the peak of Foundation Establishment and the fifth senior brother in front of us at the middle of Foundation Establishment.

As for the second senior sister and the fourth senior brother, they tragically perished in their adventures many years ago.

The peak master also has a daughter who has been married for a hundred years and occasionally returns to the peak to visit.

"Our master is a quiet person and doesn't have many close friends. However, the Baihong Zhenren couple from Feixue Peak are his closest friends who entered the sect at the same time as him," the fifth senior brother added.

Lin Zhao's heart stirred. Wu Mingxuan, who had recommended him to join the sect, was a disciple of Feixue Peak.

It seems I will need to visit and express my gratitude when the opportunity arises in the future.

Finally, on the advice of his fifth senior brother, Lin Zhao chose a cave dwelling behind a natural boulder platform that jutted outwards about three hundred feet on the upper part of Qianqiu Peak.

The cave entrance faces the platform. Pushing open the stone door, a breathtaking view unfolds before you—an endless sea of ​​clouds rolls and surges beneath your feet, while distant mountains appear and disappear in the mist, creating a magnificent spectacle.

The cave dwelling is quite spacious, with a meditation room, alchemy room, artifact room, and living quarters. Although it is currently empty, the basic spirit-gathering and protective formations are intact.

What pleased Lin Zhao most was the spiritual energy of this place.

He steadily reached the peak of the second tier, and it was completely free! Although his attributes were slightly yin and cold, he could absorb them with a little transformation from his fourth-tier cultivation technique, so he was hardly affected.