Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Time flies, and the seasons change.

Aside from delivering goods, Xia Dong spent most of his time cultivating in Tiger Hill Cave under the guise of going out to collect herbs.

As for Zhao Ting, he naturally guessed that Xia Dong had many secrets, but since his interests were aligned with Xia Dong's, he naturally helped cover for him.

Moreover, Xia Dong doesn't try to seize power from him, so he's very satisfied with the current situation.

Therefore, although Xia Dong did not show up often, he was truly outstanding in the merit assessment of the Eagle Wolf Guard in Pingyang County, and his monthly allowance was higher than that of others.

Over the past six months, Xia Dong has been practicing the "Changchun Xingqi Jue" Shenzang Chapter day after day, and has finally personally experienced the wonders of "the innate Qi returning to its source within the body".

After the Divine Treasury Chapter was unlocked, it was as if a bottomless spring of vitality had appeared within him. In the past, whether he was expending his mind to create talismans or pushing his mana to the limit to refine pills, he would always feel a deep exhaustion from the inside out afterward, which was a manifestation of damage to his essence, energy, and spirit.

Now, he seems to know no fatigue. Even if he spends several days and nights in front of the alchemy furnace, as long as he adjusts his breathing and closes his eyes to rest for a while afterward, the wisps of innate Qi in his body will quietly circulate, nourishing his parched meridians and sea of ​​consciousness like rain after a long drought, sweeping away all mental and physical fatigue.

The abundance of energy meant that Xia Dong had several times more effective cultivation time than ordinary cultivators.

With such relentless accumulation of resources and tireless asceticism, the magical power of the "Mysterious Yin Scripture" within his body became increasingly profound and viscous, like a dark underground river.

Just last month, everything fell into place, and his magical power broke through the bottleneck without any ripples, officially entering the fourth level of Qi Refining.

With the foundation of mid-stage Qi Refining magic power, Xia Dong felt even more confident.

However, he did not rush to try to condense the talisman seed, but instead devoted more effort to martial arts training and the opening of the kidney sac.

This way, the foundation is deeper, and the chances of condensing the rune seed are greater.

until today.

In the sealed room, Xia Dong sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

Under his internal vision, the blood and qi in his body surged like lead and mercury, and the profound yin magic power flowed like rivers flowing into the sea, continuously converging towards his kidneys at the back of his waist and abdomen.

"Tick-tock..."

It was as if a crisp sound of water droplets echoed deep within my soul.

After more than half a year of continuous refinement and extreme compression of Qi, blood, and magical power, a qualitative change finally occurred in the illusory "divine palace" deep within the kidneys.

A drop of deep blue liquid, seemingly containing both extreme cold and boundless vitality, slowly condensed and took shape in the center of the divine palace.

The Mysterious Yin Divine Water was finally born.

The moment this drop of divine water appeared, a strange change occurred within Xia Dong's body.

His life essence seemed to be summoned by some mysterious force, surging towards his kidneys like a river bursting its banks. The previously dark area around his kidneys suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light, as if it had been illuminated in the pitch-black inner world.

At the same time, the profound mysteries of the "Changchun Xingqi Jue" unfolded. The "innate Qi" that was usually hidden deep in the limbs and bones also surged into the kidneys like a pilgrim.

The azure innate Qi and the deep blue Xuan Yin Divine Water complement each other, rendering this small internal organ as if it were an ancient, sacred, and solemn inner world.

hum!

Da Yin Xisheng.

As the divine treasure within his body lit up, Xia Dong felt a thunderous roar in his mind, as if the heavens and earth were being created.

As if by some unseen force, he took a crucial, even watershed, step on his long path of cultivation.

Deep within his consciousness, the long-silent, mottled bronze bell began to shake violently, emitting a clear and resonant long chime.

Xia Dong immediately focused his mind on his sea of ​​consciousness.

On the bronze bell covered in verdigris, beneath the inscriptions of "Name," "Code Name," "Talent," and "Spiritual Root," a new line of small characters appeared, accompanied by a distorted, flickering crimson light:

[Cultivation Identity: Qi Refiner]

Qi Refiner? It is neither the "martial artist" as commonly known in the secular world, nor the "cultivator" or "immortal cultivator" commonly referred to in the current cultivation world. Rather, it is a special title with an ancient and desolate aura—Qi Refiner!

The character "炁" refers to the innate qi, not the acquired spiritual energy.

Xia Dong fell into deep thought.

He had never figured out what the hidden meaning was in the code name "Hooking Up the Past" that Gu Zhong had given him.

Now, without any warning, a new title, "Qi Refiner," has appeared.

"Why now?"

Xia Dong was greatly puzzled.

He had been cultivating innate Qi, while also practicing the power of the Xuan Yin Scripture and martial arts Qi and blood, but this suffix representing "identity" had never appeared on the ancient bell.

Why was this identity only activated at the very moment when he had illuminated the Kidney Divine Palace, nurtured the Mysterious Yin Divine Water, and allowed his essence, energy, and spirit to perfectly converge within the Kidney Divine Palace?

What profound mysteries of cultivation and the secrets of heaven and earth are hidden within this?

Despite being full of doubts, Xia Dongna keenly realized that the identity of this "Qi Refiner" was definitely no small matter.

Its significance and level are probably even more precious than the "Taoist scriptures" he possesses.

Xia Dong recalled that over the years, he had collected various books such as "Miscellaneous Records of Cultivation" and "Chronicles of the Eastern Wilderness" from the Immortal Sect, through the Eagle Wolf Guard's files and Qin Wan's collection of books.

However, he couldn't find a single word about the "Qi Refiner" in his mind.

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. Since there is no record of it in the classics, I should not deliberately seek information from the outside world."

Xia Dong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the curiosity in her heart.

The world of cultivation is treacherous and unpredictable; some ancient secrets, once touched, can easily bring disaster. Before one's wings are fully grown, one must never reveal those special secrets.

He had a vague feeling that perhaps these so-called "Qi Refiners" were more ancient and authentic cultivators than those cultivators of the Qixia Immortal Sect, and even more so than all cultivators of today.

Modern cultivators cultivate acquired "qi" and seek the power of heaven and earth; while Qi cultivators, judging from their current cultivation experience, naturally cultivate the human body's spiritual treasures and refine the innate "qi" that points directly to the source.

Slowly cutting off his distracting thoughts, Xia Dong opened his eyes and smiled as he felt the radiant kidneys within his body.

No matter what magnificent ancient secrets are involved behind this "Qi Refiner," for him now, the path is one he walks step by step.

The stronger his trump cards, the more secure his path to immortality.

...

...

Qixia Immortal Sect, Lonely Moon Peak.

"Disciple Pei Hongling."

"Disciple Lu Qingshan."

"Disciple Feng Fei."

"Disciple Qin Wan."

……

"Welcome back, Master, from seclusion."

Master Guyue has finally ended his long period of seclusion.

"I have failed to break through the barrier," Master Guyue said calmly.

Her cool eyes held a deep sense of helplessness and melancholy. Even in the Three Islands region, her talent would undoubtedly be among the best.

However, without condensing innate Qi, or receiving a trace of innate primordial Yang from a legitimate Qi cultivator, one ultimately cannot open the Purple Palace to achieve a superior Golden Elixir.

The potential we have in this life is ultimately limited.

If one cannot open their Purple Mansion and achieve a superior Golden Core, what is the point of obtaining an Ascension Token from that kid's descendants and going to the vast Three Islands Sea?

My path is lonely, my road has come to an end.

The scene before his master passed away flashed through Gu Yue Zhenren's mind.