Starting with warding off evil and disaster, one can ascend to immortality after countless tribulati

"Good lad, it's been half a year and your aura has become so powerful. I'll give you some more time."

Reaching the mid-stage of the seventh rank is more than enough.

Zhou Yi was overjoyed to see Jiang Ming return to visit him.

He quickly warmed a pot of tea, then pulled Jiang Ming down to sit and chat with him, beaming. "How's the inner sect going? Is everything going smoothly?"

"It's alright, but it's also a fiercely competitive place. If you fall, you'll almost certainly be eliminated."

He talked to Zhou Yi about the matter of passing on his skills to his door.

The old man frowned, his eyes looking strange. He clearly hadn't expected the inner sect to be so strict, pushing the disciples to this point.

"Sigh, I had only heard rumors before, but I never imagined that the actual situation might be even more shocking."

Well, it's good that you didn't suffer any losses. Just be careful over there and do everything within your means. You shouldn't make too many mistakes.

"Are you still short of spirit stones? I recently took on the role of a retainer for the Cheng family, and I have some extra on hand. If you need any, feel free to take them."

After giving Jiang Ming a concerned look, Zhou Yi took out a bag of spirit stones, a full fifty mid-grade spirit stones, which was not a small amount even for an inner sect disciple.

"Not for now. I have plenty of contribution points on hand, aside from paying off the Cheng family's debts."

That adds up to over 20,000 spirit stones, enough for my daily cultivation.

Jiang Ming waved his hand, declining Zhou Yi's offer, and raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled, "Why did the Cheng family suddenly decide to invite you to be their retainer?"

Whose idea was this? Cheng Ya's?

"Indeed, this girl is quite nice. The reason she invited this old man like me is probably because of you."

Otherwise, an ordinary eighth-level cultivator, even as a leisurely retainer, would never receive a stipend of five thousand spirit stones.

Stroking his beard, Zhou Yimei's eyes gleamed with gossip, much like an elder concerned about his children's marriage prospects. He offered his advice, "That girl is quite nice. Although she's a few years older than you, her personality and looks are both top-notch."

Sensing Zhou Yi's intention to bring them together, Jiang Ming smiled and shook his head, calmly saying, "Everything in this world has its own destiny."

"If the opportunity arises, I'll consider it."

Jiang Ming was in no hurry to find a Daoist partner.

After entering the inner sect, some of his views changed. His broadened horizons made him yearn even more for the Foundation Establishment stage, and even the Golden Core stage of longevity.

Rashly seeking a spiritual partner will only bring unnecessary trouble and offer little benefit.

After all, if he fails to establish his foundation in the future, he won't even leave behind a wisp of ashes.

"Alright, whatever you want. You came back this time to learn the Great Forest Wood Technique, right?" He chuckled and pulled out a scroll.

Zhou Yi seemed to have seen through Jiang Ming's thoughts and took the initiative to share his own insights, his eyes full of profound meaning.

"The cultivation method is not with me, for some specific reasons."

I can't repeat it to you either. For the cultivation of the Great Forest Tree, you need to rely on the Ye family.

Go find Tao Niang; she should be able to help you.

Nodding, Jiang Ming accepted Zhou Yi's insights and apologized, saying, "I have some miscellaneous duties in the inner sect."

I've been fortunate enough to have some free time these past few days, but please forgive me for not being able to spend more time drinking and chatting with you. I'll take my leave now.

With a gentle smile, Zhou Yi understood the situation. He stood up, patted Jiang Ming on the shoulder, and spoke with a tone full of expectation.

"Go ahead, the road ahead is wide open, Grandpa has high hopes for you."

Jiang Ming flew away on his sword and headed straight for Tongzhou City.

As one of the nine major cities, it remains bustling with activity.

The city was filled with singing and dancing, and the pleasure quarters were bustling with people coming and going.

Guided by memory, I arrived at the Ye Family Chamber of Commerce.

At the entrance, a young man in fine clothes, holding a fan, urged the shop assistant with an arrogant look in his eyes, "Hurry up, hurry up, bring all these medicinal herbs to the third floor for me."

This person was the alchemist who competed with him for the Dragon Blood Flower at the auction.

Two whole years have passed, and his cultivation level is barely at the sixth level.

However, he seems to hold a high position in the Ye Family Chamber of Commerce.

The shop assistants who came and went all treated him with utmost respect.

"Huh? Why are you staring at me? Where have we met before?"

Noticing Jiang Ming's gaze, the young man turned around and asked a question, then said as if he had seen a ghost, "You're not dead? Aren't you the one who tried to steal the Dragon Blood Flower from me?"

"How long has it been? He's already a seventh-level cultivator?"

Jiang Ming did not conceal his aura, which is why the young man easily saw through his cultivation level and immediately became much more respectful. "Please come in. My name is Li Nanfeng."

It was a pill refiner from the Ye Family Chamber of Commerce who recently refined a new batch of pills, which would be of great benefit to seventh-level cultivators.

You came here after hearing the news, right?

"Is Ye Tao there? I'm here to find her."

Without exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Ming got straight to the point.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Li Nanfeng's face. He scratched his head and led the way, saying, "So you're looking for the young lady. What's your relationship with her?"

I hope you can explain this clearly so that I can inform you on your behalf.

My name is Jiang Ming. Tell her that name, and she will come out to see me.

Listening to Jiang Ming's instructions, Li Nanfeng dared not delay and hurriedly went to inform him, while a hint of curiosity arose in his heart.

As far as he knew, this young lady was also a seventh-level cultivator. She had recently returned from her travels, much to the delight of the entire Ye family.

Could it be that these two people, who seem to have nothing in common, met at that time?

With this in mind, Li Nanfeng went up to the top floor.

This is the Ye family's Tianzi guest room, specially designed to accommodate distinguished guests. Each room is equipped with a spirit-gathering array, which is of great use to cultivators.

"Young Miss, someone named Jiang Ming asked me to pass on a message that he wants to see you."

The door opened abruptly as soon as he finished speaking.

Wearing a short skirt that went past her knees, Ye Tao quickly got up and hurried down from the pavilion, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Li Nanfeng never expected that the young lady, who always kept to herself and rarely left her home, would be so lively.

Shaking his head, he wisely refrained from following them. Instead, he quietly brewed a pot of tea in his room and waited for the two to go upstairs.

He quickly left the room to attend to his own affairs.

As an alchemist, he didn't need to do these trivial things. The reason he was so respectful was purely out of gratitude for the Ye family's kindness in recognizing his talent.

"Little brother, why are you only coming to see me now? It's been so long since we last met. I've been thinking about you a lot. Let me see you."

Lifting Jiang Ming's hair, Ye Tao smiled gently, poured him a cup of flower tea she had grown herself, and spoke softly.

"Try it quickly. This was specially imported from overseas. Although the Ye family is not good at cultivation, they have the advantage of abundant wealth."

These rare items are something even the scions of noble families cannot enjoy.

Taking a small sip of the tea, I was indeed struck by its fragrant aroma, which was truly refreshing.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Jiang Ming stated his purpose directly.

Upon hearing this, Ye Tao was slightly taken aback, then took the pendant from her neck and carefully instructed, "The cultivation technique is inside. Wear it, and I will help you cultivate."

Surprised, Jiang Ming accepted the still-warm pendant and did as she was told. Ye Tao sat behind her and slowly infused a wisp of spiritual energy into it.

In an instant, everything before my eyes turned into chaos.

Jiang Ming felt as if he were in a mansion, with the walls covered with densely written scriptures of cultivation techniques.

It looks winding and difficult to discern.

"This technique is called the 'Great Forest Obscures the Sun True Scripture,' and it is a third-grade technique."

The Ye family obtained it by chance in their early years, and I was fortunate enough to decipher its secrets, thus enabling me to cultivate this technique.

I'll read the instructions to you; try to understand them. If you have any questions, feel free to ask your sister.

As Jiang Ming read the scriptures aloud in a soft voice, his mind was completely blank, and he showed no sign of understanding whatsoever.

At first, Ye Tao was not surprised, after all, it had taken her a whole day to understand some of the key points.

But as she continued to explain the scriptures, even until her voice became a little hoarse, Jiang Ming remained clueless and couldn't offer even the slightest insight.

She paused for a moment, then began to reflect on herself.

Was my explanation too bad?

With a slight blush, Ye Tao's normally gentle voice became a little hoarse, but she still calmed down and spoke slowly and deliberately.

Jiang Ming was like a younger brother to her, and he even rescued her from the evil spirit of the Great Forest Tree.

Now that the other party needs her help, she must do her best to assist them, no matter what.

a long time.

With a sigh of resentment, Ye Tao rubbed her temples, quite surprised. "My brother was able to break through to the seventh level in less than three years, so he must have some comprehension."

"Did your sister do something wrong that made you not understand?"

His face turned as red as a teapot, and it was clear that if he didn't reveal the truth, he probably wouldn't be able to get started even if he were given another year or two.

Jiang Ming sighed and reluctantly explained the reason.

Surprised, Ye Tao covered her mouth, her brows furrowed, and after a moment of contemplation, a hint of concern flashed in her beautiful eyes.

"Is this technique really that important to you?"

Jiang Ming nodded, looking conflicted.

He did indeed hold Ye Tao in high esteem, and regarded her as an older sister who was not related to him by blood.

However, given the current situation, without breaking with convention, it would be extremely difficult for him to obtain the Great Forest Wood Technique as he wished.

If you buy it from the inner sect, not only will the quality be worse, but the best cultivation technique will only be at the fifth level.

The price was extremely high, a full 1,500 contribution points, almost exhausting Jiang Ming's entire savings.

If he has to pay such a high price for a single cultivation technique, he will be at a significant disadvantage in the Five Sects Grand Competition after the New Year.

It should be noted that using contribution points to exchange for cultivation techniques is very inefficient, but purchasing cultivation resources such as pills is enough for him to reach the mid-stage of the seventh rank.

"I just can't do anything with you. So, you're saying your previous talent was all an act?"

Ye Tao rolled her eyes at Jiang Ming, bit her red lips, and pinched him as if she were disappointed in him.

"Tell me, why are you so fixated on the Great Forest Wood Technique? Aren't you supposed to be cultivating the Furnace Fire Technique?"

Could it be that you, like Zhou Yi, have encountered a problem in your cultivation?

"No, that's not it." He carefully observed Ye Tao's concerned gaze.

Knowing that she was one of the few trustworthy people, Jiang Ming did not hide the truth and handed over the method given to him by Wang Xiaogang.

The fair little hands took the parchment and examined it several times.

Ye Tao frowned, feeling incredulous. "I've never heard of such a thing, but it seems to be true."

According to this theory of emptiness, if I want to emulate it, I can first cultivate the Water Element Technique and then condense an image.

At that time, the wood will be able to hold the water, and the water will be able to nourish the wood; thus, their strength will naturally reach a new level.

With a sigh, Ye Tao fixed her watery eyes on Jiang Ming, snapping out of her reverie. Her expression changed slightly. "So, what did you rely on to cultivate your techniques before?"

"Ahem... dual cultivation." Jiang Ming scratched his head sheepishly, having already given up hope.

A blush rose on her pretty face. Jiang Ming's bluntness made Ye Tao feel uneasy and conflicted.

She had also heard of dual cultivation techniques.

It's nothing more than that same old trivial matter.

Regardless of the method, after one practice session, they would have shared everything and there would be no more secrets between them.

She did want to help Jiang Ming master the martial arts technique, but the price was too high.

She couldn't give an answer in a short time.

"You really know how to give me a hard time. Wait here for a while, I want to calm down and see if there's any other way."

She sat up, swaying her slender waist as she slowly walked away.

Jiang Ming stayed in the quiet room, silently pondering what other position could be substituted.

If the path through the large forest is temporarily blocked, he could actually switch to planting willow trees, although that would be more common.

However, its advantage lies in its extremely mature cultivation methods.

Within the inner sect, there are countless corresponding cultivation techniques, and the prices are relatively reasonable and acceptable.

……

Back in her room, Ye Tao sat on the bed with her eyes closed. Her fair face resembled a pear blossom covered in frost, and her lips were as pale as faded rouge.

The shyness between her brows and eyes could not be concealed, but this embarrassment did not diminish her beauty in the slightest. On the contrary, it was like breathing mist on white jade, or shrouding the bright moon in light clouds. Jade is inherently warm, and when it is shrouded in mist, it becomes soft and gentle, and its inner beauty is transformed into a misty luster.

She sighed deeply, recalling Jiang Ming's decisive action in rescuing her from the evil spirit.

Ye Tao steeled her resolve and, without further hesitation, changed into a light red short skirt, revealing her smooth and long legs.

After drawing her eyebrows, washing her face, and applying a little powder, she blushed and looked at herself in the bronze mirror. She then slowly walked into the quiet room, her plump figure swaying gracefully, making her exceptionally charming.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Jiang Ming calmly turned around.

Seeing Ye Tao lower her head and kneel down with her small hands clenched, my heart skipped a beat.

"Fine, I owe you one, so I'll help you out for now."

Don't get distracted by the trivial; our main purpose is spiritual practice, understand?

She removed her robes and set up a soundproof array. Ye Tao nestled softly into Jiang Ming's arms, wearing only a red gauze dress.

Her eyes were alluring, and she exuded a seductive charm, as if she could take anything she wanted.

……

The sun sets behind the mountains, and the Yellow River flows into the sea.

After the gentle overturning of the past, Jiang Ming finally witnessed Ye Tao's tenderness.

The Great Forest Obscures the Sun Sutra gradually took shape in Jiang Ming's mind, but his comprehension was really too poor.

Jiang Ming's understanding of the technique has not yet reached the beginner level.

Frowning, Ye Tao pinched him, feeling a sharp pain in her heart, and couldn't help but regret her decision.

If she had known Jiang Ming was so slow to understand and would need repeated instruction, she would have run away long ago. Unfortunately, it's too late to leave now.

Several days later.

Resting my head on Ye Tao's soft, boneless body, we could turn around and see each other.

I sat up and quickly put on my clothes.

Feeling the spiritual power of the Great Forest Tree within his body, Jiang Ming was slightly pleased. He immediately circulated his cultivation technique to experience the changes after the two spiritual powers merged.

Seeing his infatuated look, Ye Tao smiled charmingly, her beautiful eyes filled with tenderness, "My understanding of the image of the Great Forest Tree is to make myself disappear from everyone's sight as much as possible."

If you gain anything else in the future, you can tell me, which will also help my spiritual practice.

I remember you said you had urgent business in the inner sect, so you should hurry up and not be delayed because of me... Don't forget me when you get back...