Immortality: Starting with the Fruit of Taiyin

"Is this Ozawayama?"

On the back of the blue eagle, Wang Xuan gazed into the distance, where the landscape was like a painting.

The mountain peak is not high, only about a hundred feet high, but it looks remarkably spiritual.

However, according to the letter, this is just a low mountain with a first-order spiritual vein.

Instead, the second-tier spiritual vein that the Han family purchased was located near a bamboo grove by a lake at the foot of the mountain.

Using a talisman to command the blue eagle to stay, the Han clan members who came to greet them showed the tokens and communication talismans of the outer disciples of the Nanhua Sect.

A short while later, Han Cheng, whom I hadn't seen for several years, strode in from the entrance of the newly renovated clan compound.

"Brother Wang, Miss Chen."

"It's been years since we last met. I hope you two have been well."

With a beaming smile, Han Cheng spoke with great enthusiasm.

"When the patriarch learned that several disciples from the upper sects had come to show their support, he originally intended to come and greet them personally. However, he was tied up with trivial matters, so he had to ask me, his old friend, to do it in his place."

More than three years have passed, and Han Cheng has now shed his naivety and speaks with maturity.

Although his aura had improved somewhat, he was still at the third level of Qi Refining.

Clearly, the difference in spiritual roots has become apparent, and his advantage of cultivating since childhood has been easily erased.

In the years to come, this gap will only widen further.

"Brother Han, you flatter me. A noble family head has advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, so he should be addressed as a senior. How could we possibly trouble him?"

He smiled and spoke, taking Han Cheng's words as mere politeness.

"To be honest, we are a little embarrassed to say that we have only recently joined the sect and have nothing of value. We can only express our gratitude with the items we have refined and use them as a token of our congratulations. We hope that Brother Han will not find them offensive."

Reaching out, Wang Xuan took out a bottle of pills and handed it to him with a smile.

"An alchemist?!"

Startled by what he heard, Han Cheng quickly realized what was going on.

He wasn't an alchemist, but a novice alchemy apprentice... Even so, his face still showed a hint of enthusiasm.

"Hahahaha... So this is a work created by Brother Wang after he became an alchemist. As the saying goes, it's a small gift but carries great meaning; how could the Han family possibly find it distasteful?"

"Please ask Brother Wang and Miss Chen to rest inside for a few days first. The ceremony will begin soon, and not only Brother Yang and Fellow Daoist Chen will be there, but also a distinguished guest."

"Distinguished guest?"

Curious, Wang Xuan immediately asked.

Han Cheng shook his head slightly, saying that he didn't know who it was either, only that it was related to the sect.

"Related to the sect..."

Without asking any further questions, Wang Xuan nodded and remained silent.

Han also has spiritual veins, which does not affect his daily Qi cultivation.

Wang Xuan glanced at Chen Yao beside him and decided to ask her later if she knew anything about this so-called "distinguished guest".

……

A few days later, Han Cheng received news that a distinguished guest would be arriving that day, and Wang Xuan also came out of his guest room.

On this day, the newly established Han family opened its central gate wide.

A figure leaped into the air; it was none other than the patriarch who was rumored to have successfully established his foundation in the Immortal City.

Judging from his appearance, he didn't have much of the triumphant air of someone who had successfully advanced to a higher level; instead, he looked like an honest and simple middle-aged man.

Standing in the newly built Han clan territory, Wang Xuan and Chen Yao were positioned in front of the guests out of respect for the Core Formation Sect.

Time ticked by, and as everyone waited, the sun rose high in the sky, and finally three black dots appeared on the horizon, growing larger and larger.

Two of them, like the blue-feathered eagles that Wang Xuan and his companion rode, were clearly mounts from the Spirit Beast Garden, but the one in the lead was distinctly different.

A faint aura, comparable to the peak of Qi Refining, spread out, revealing a demonic beast whose strength had reached the peak of the first rank.

"This is a true disciple of the Nanhua Sect, a direct descendant of a certain True Core Ancestor, a Core Formation seed with an Earth Spirit Root?"

Looking into the distance, Wang Xuan thought to himself, "Now it seems that what Han Cheng said before was not just polite talk."

Because the Han family's Foundation Establishment cultivators did indeed come to personally welcome the "disciples of the upper sect," but it wasn't the two of them they were welcoming; rather, it was the sect's true disciples who were being welcomed.

After all, although the other party's cultivation level is currently only at the Qi Refining stage, with the status of a true disciple and his talent, he will at least have the opportunity to reach the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage in the future.

Such a guest could indeed be considered a "distinguished guest" of the Han family.

"Lin Qingyi possesses at least 60 points of Earth-grade Fire Spirit Root, which is not considered the worst among Earth-grade Spirit Roots."

"His talent and background are both exceptional; he truly deserves the title of a Core Formation seed."

There was no resentment on either side, and there was no point in comparing them. As Chen Yao had said before, this Lin Zhenchuan's great-great-grandfather was a Crimson Fire True Man in the mid-stage of Core Formation, who had spared no expense in laying a solid foundation for him from a young age.

Even though he was only twenty years old, he was already one of the top disciples in the sect.

Compared to the Lower House Abbot's praise of Chen Yao's "false elixir appearance," this is what others see as a genuine false elixir in sight.

However, standing beside Wang Xuan, watching this talented young man who was conversing with the Han clan chief, displaying great social skills and an air of humility, Chen Yao paid him no heed.

"Ignore him, he's just a hothouse flower."

"The difference between spiritual roots before the formation of the core may seem like an insurmountable chasm."

"After forming the core, only the Heavenly Spiritual Root can still be powerful for a while; most of the time, it is the various spiritual bodies and Dao bodies that display their power."

"Of course, no matter what, if resources are plentiful, with his talent, he certainly has a chance to become a True Pill Master and may dominate the Chen Kingdom in the future... But all of this depends on abundant resources."

"And unfortunately, no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first."

As she spoke softly, a strange glint flashed in Chen Yao's eyes.

"For many people, it's perhaps easier to accept never having had something at all, rather than having it and then losing it... Don't you agree?"

"...Perhaps that's the case."

He casually agreed without asking any further questions, even though Wang Xuan knew that Chen Yao wouldn't say such things without reason.

He only glanced at the sect's true disciple in the sky, who had become the focus of everyone's attention and possessed extraordinary demeanor. What the other party's future held was none of his concern.

……

After a brief exchange of pleasantries high in the air, the group finally returned to the main hall of the Han family.

With the arrival of the sect's true disciple, the Han family no longer needed to wait.

Clearly, the ceremony would have started long ago if we hadn't been waiting for this "distinguished guest".

Before long, the guests were led into the magnificent hall and sat down in order of their status.

Coincidentally, although they were only outer disciples, since only a few people from the Nanhua Sect had come, Wang Xuan and his companion were arranged to sit at the same table as that true disciple.

The Han family's foundation building is not here; the true teachings of the sect can, to a certain extent, represent the attitude of the Nanhua Sect.

He may come to acknowledge the Han family as an appendage of the sect, but he will never show too much intimacy.

Wang Xuan took his seat with an air of nonchalance, his gaze sweeping across the table.

As expected, Yang Yunzhi and Chen Wanrou, the two fellow townsmen whom Han Cheng had invited as future inner disciples, came with Lin Qingyi.

In just a few short years, everyone has become different.

"Senior Brother Lin, let me introduce you... These two are my junior brother's former fellow townsmen, and also disciples of our sect."

"It's a pity that my talent is only average and I didn't enter the inner sect. I didn't expect to be invited here today."

He stood up and introduced himself. Compared to three years ago, Yang Yunzhi's aura had reached the third level of Qi Refining, befitting his superior spiritual root.

Judging from his eager yet arrogant expression, he was clearly no longer the boy he was a few years ago, but a true inner disciple who was proud of his sect.

"Junior Brother Yang, the level of one's spiritual root is merely a matter of innate destiny and cannot determine anything. Junior brothers and sisters, please do not be discouraged."

"I have heard that there is a rogue cultivator in the north named Changchun Zhenjun who cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage with a low-grade spiritual root and is very famous. This shows that spiritual root is determined by fate, but it cannot determine a person's life."

When Yang Yunzhi introduced him, Lin Qing smiled and spoke, showing no arrogance whatsoever, which was very pleasant.

Although he knew it was just a polite gesture, Wang Xuan still returned the greeting politely.

"You flatter me, senior brother."

"What an extraordinary person Changchun Zhenjun is, one in ten thousand years."

"Moreover, even those seniors, if they had had the same talent as Senior Brother Lin back then, their path to cultivation would have been much smoother."

With sincere words, Wang Xuan raised his cup and smiled:

"I have no great ambitions."

"If we are fortunate enough to establish a foundation in the future, it will be an extremely fortunate thing."

"As for Core Formation and Nascent Soul... that's something geniuses like Senior Brother Lin and Junior Sister Chen need to consider. I would never dare to aspire to that."

The "Junior Sister Chen" here does not refer to Chen Yao, but to Chen Wanrou, who is sitting quietly with a smile on her face.

Because compared to Yang Yunzhi, who had just crossed the threshold of the superior grade, she was the one with the second-best spiritual root in this place, only after Lin Qingyi.

After several years apart, the girl had grown older and her appearance had become even more radiant and charming.

Although his aura had vaguely reached the fourth level of Qi Refining, he remained gentle, polite, and well-mannered.

"Senior brother, you flatter me. On the path of cultivation, Wanrou has only taken a step ahead."

With a gentle smile, the girl looked at Chen Yao.

"As for Yao'er... she has been pampered since childhood and has caused her aunt and uncle a lot of trouble. It is really a pity that you need to take care of her, Senior Brother."

"Chen Wanrou, you don't need to worry about my affairs."

She spoke casually, and her response to her cousin's concern was not very polite.

"If you want to preach, go preach to someone else."

Smiling without saying a word, Chen Wanrou didn't seem angry at her cousin's lack of appreciation. Instead, Yang Yunzhi spoke up for her.

However, Chen Yao didn't respond at all, which made him even more embarrassed. But considering his image in front of the master and the beauty, Yang Yunzhi couldn't bring himself to lash out.

In contrast, sitting to the side, watching the two sisters interact silently, Wang Xuan not only didn't interrupt, but found it quite amusing.

Having known each other for several years, he had come to know Chen Yao quite well. Despite her seemingly easygoing nature, she actually didn't respect anyone in the lower courtyard except for him, a fellow villager.

Even a true disciple with a low-grade spiritual root is nothing more than this in her eyes.

Only upon seeing Chen Wanrou today did Chen Yao feel as if she had met a peer, and there was even a hint of confrontation between them...

Wang Xuan drank the fruit wine made from the spiritual fruit in one gulp, and looking at Chen Wanrou's perfect smile and demeanor, which were like a "standard", he felt inexplicably moved.

"Neither of them are easy to deal with..."

Wang Xuan shook his head slightly and drank another glass of fruit wine.

Perhaps because of Lin Qingyi's presence, the Han family really put a lot of effort into this table.

This single pot of spirit wine is worth as much as a bottle of elixir.

……

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

As the banquet continued, the awkwardness of not seeing each other for years gradually dissipated, and the atmosphere became harmonious.

During their casual conversation, the group exchanged cultivation experiences, anecdotes from their sect, and rumors circulating in the streets...

Lin Qing was also a true disciple of the sect, possessing a low-grade spiritual root. Before forming his core, apart from the Foundation Establishment stage which required some attention, he faced almost no bottlenecks.

In addition, his ancestors were at the Core Formation stage, and he possessed a third-tier spiritual vein... Although he was only twenty years old, he had most likely already entered the late stage of Qi Refining.

From him, Wang Xuan heard a lot about what had happened within the Nanhua Mountain sect.

On the other hand, Chen Wanrou entered the mid-stage of Qi Refining in three years, and not just recently, far surpassing the others who entered the sect at the same time.

Perhaps to "take care of her cousin," she explained many key points about breaking through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, and Wang Xuan nodded frequently as he listened.

However, he strongly suspected that Yang Yunzhi was probably the only one in the room who needed this experience.

Needless to say, Chen Yao's true cultivation level is likely much higher than that, while Wang Xuan possesses the [Taiyin Jade Scroll].

Only Yang Yunzhi, who also possesses a superior spiritual root, has a strongest earth spiritual root strength of only 32 points, which is significantly lower than Chen Wanrou's water spiritual root strength of 49 points.

However, to be fair, such talent is only one step away from being a low-grade spiritual root. Even the lowest-ranking disciples of the Nanhua Sect are no more than this, so it is not surprising that they have achieved their current level of cultivation.

In the early stages of immortality, the difference in spiritual roots is so obvious that it is almost impossible to overcome.

He was very relaxed and didn't care much about it.

Because of different mindsets, people see things from different perspectives.

If he truly has no hope for his future and faces great difficulties in making progress, then seeing his peers who are on a smooth path will inevitably make him feel envious and jealous, which he may then unconsciously reveal.

But now he doesn't have that feeling, nor does he feel inferior. So his speech is very natural, making it hard for people to feel any ill will towards him.

In no time, the banquet was filled with toasts and laughter, and the time passed quickly. The guests even exchanged communication jade talismans.

……

Midway through the banquet, the newly promoted member of the Han family ascended the stage.

Following traditional custom, he recounted his cultivation experiences and insights into foundation building. Unfortunately, the cultivation method he practiced was earth-based, and Wang Xuan gained very little from listening.

As evening approached, the banquet came to an end.

Lin Qing also stepped forward as a true disciple, formally representing the Nanhua Sect to accept the Han family as vassals, and exempted them from all offerings and duties for twenty years.

This is the real reason he came here today; it's a matter unique to the true disciples.

Thus, the Han family's foundation-building ceremony came to an end.

"It's finally over..."

Yang Yunzhi was the first to stand up, his posture unrestrained and showing signs of drunkenness.

"Foundation Establishment Ceremony... Sooner or later, I too will achieve Foundation Establishment."

Looking across the cultivation world, the success rate of those with superior spiritual roots reaching Foundation Establishment is only around 10% to 20%. However, if we exclude the lower success rate caused by independent cultivators and disciples from small cultivation families who have never joined a sect, this probability immediately rises to over 50%.

A hint of envy flashed in Han Cheng's eyes; he knew the other person wasn't lying. And since he hadn't been able to join the Nanhua Sect, he had virtually no chance of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Gentlemen, this farewell will likely last for several years before we meet again."

With a smile, Wang Xuan also got up and left his seat.

Chen Yao and her sister had already walked to the side, talking about something. Only a few surprised looks could be vaguely seen flashing across Chen Wanrou's unchanging smile.

The remaining three stood together, as if they had embarked on the path to immortality together back then.

However, back then, Han Chengyin was the center of attention, and he spoke at length about cultivating immortality.

But now, several years later, the two sides are separated by only one door, yet the situation is completely different.