Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

Two hours later.

Li Xiuyuan arrived at the Earth Fire Acupoint in Black Wind City.

This place is hidden inside the mountain.

Having been used to refine gold and iron ore for many years, the area is a place where the intertwined elements of gold and fire accumulate, and it is also subjected to the intense tempering of the Great Sun's essence, making it a first-class, extremely harsh and dangerous place.

Therefore, the ordinary people who work here have short lifespans and suffer hardship, with faces that look like they are destined to die young, and a new batch of people will be replaced every two or three years.

It is unassuming in appearance, but vast inside, with dozens of kilns and ore-smelting sites of varying sizes.

Li Xiuyuan selected the cave with the strongest firepower, released a little spiritual pressure to drive the mortals out of the kiln, and released the Migu Rat to guard the surroundings outside.

He planned to use the power of the earth's fire to refine the first divine power of the [Golden Flame Burning Heaven Technique].

Every day at noon, the earth's fire energy surges most intensely.

The mountaintop was shrouded in mist, its spiritual energy intense.

This was the perfect opportunity for him to practice magic and comprehend supernatural powers.

Li Xiuyuan sat cross-legged beside the Earth Fire Acupoint, constantly inhaling and exhaling the Earth Fire Spiritual Energy.

Today I plan to refine the first wisp of earth fire spirit energy.

As the sound of crackling flames filled the air, smoke and dust billowed up all around.

A burst of fiery, malevolent energy erupted forth.

Li Xiuyuan focused his entire body, slowly inhaling the wisp of golden fire energy through his ears and nose, and swallowing it slowly down his stomach.

The energy is repeatedly filtered and purified within the meridians by the power of the Golden Flame Burning Heaven, until the golden fire evil energy is gradually extinguished by the abundant blood and qi, transforming into the purest power.

This cycle repeats itself, and the magical power accumulates more and more.

Perhaps his foundation is extremely solid, or perhaps the fire elemental energy here is abundant.

He mastered and comprehended this supernatural power extremely quickly, completing only one cycle of the technique.

Li Xiuyuan then felt an extremely comfortable warm current nourishing his entire body.

As if he had entered a fairyland, Li Xiuyuan, immersed in such a wonderful state of mind, unconsciously circulated his cultivation technique again and again, and his mind gradually wandered to the heavens.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Xiuyuan felt a churning in his internal organs and vomited.

He exhaled a breath of stale air with a "ha," and upon closer inspection, it seemed to contain a dark red color, which was the spiritual energy that had been cleansed of impurities from his body.

Li Xiuyuan looked inward and saw that his clear and bright dantian had condensed a wisp of crimson spiritual energy.

Overjoyed, I exclaimed, "It's done!"

The [Crimson Flame Spiritual Energy] is the most difficult to cultivate, but once it is formed, it can drive the subsequent energy, unlike the previous arduous cultivation process.

His gaze sharpened. Now that he had refined a wisp of crimson flame spiritual energy, he could use it to cultivate the [Crimson Flame Mystic Light].

The Golden Flame Burning Heaven Technique emphasizes the two words "refining method".

They not only focus on honing and cultivating their own magical power, but also pay attention to the circulation and manipulation of spiritual energy, and its myriad transformations.

The power of this mysterious light is domineering and extremely fierce. No matter how many transformations you have, I can destroy your true spirit with a single sweep of this mysterious light.

This method is designed for ordinary cultivators or independent cultivators who are inherently deficient in spiritual energy quality and cultivation level. The Xuan Guang can be described as "innately restraining" them, regardless of their strength or status.

Li Xiuyuan became even more curious about the [Crimson Flame Mystic Light] and wanted to test what wonders this method held.

He decided not to go to the cave dwelling and instead operated the magic technique right there.

According to the cultivation manual, once his spiritual energy circulated throughout his body, he felt as light as a willow catkin, rising with the wind straight up into the azure sky.

However, Li Xiuyuan's own magical power was far beyond that of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators. It was the Golden Fire Qi that he had refined with the help of Golden Fire and Gale, and it had been repeatedly purified by him, making it extremely powerful.

The next moment, Li Xiuyuan took a step forward, following the instructions written in the incantation.

It felt as if I was walking on clouds, my whole being supported.

It seems to have wings growing on its back, and suddenly it soars straight into the sky.

The mortals at his feet were so astonished that they knelt down and cried out in unison, "An immortal has descended to earth!"

Once he stood firm and regained his composure, he found himself atop a mountain peak amidst the swirling clouds, gazing up at the azure sky and down at the earth. He couldn't help but exclaim, "This is what it means to ride the clouds! When my cultivation is complete and I reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I will be able to ride the wind with my own power—this is the art of immortals!"

He entered the late stage of Qi Refining, and could briefly fly or fly on a sword, but this consumed his magic power.

However, the wisp of crimson spiritual energy within his body seemed to be inexhaustible, circulating and refining the power in his dantian to maintain his cloud-riding technique.

The next moment, a thought struck him, and a crimson light flashed at his fingertips as he shot a beam toward a distant mountain peak.

"Splash!"

A crimson light swept across the mountain peak, instantly splitting the rocks and scattering countless stones. In the turmoil, trees that would take several people to encircle were uprooted and snapped in half.

"What incredible power!"

Li Xiuyuan never expected that the spiritual energy refined from the Crimson Flame Mystic Light would be so powerful, giving him another trump card.

Li Xiuyuan composed himself, formed a hand seal, and slowly lowered it to the ground.

Upon opening the panel:

[Realm Level: Qi Refining Level 7, 10/100]

[Technique: Golden Flame Heaven-Burning Technique, Advanced Level, 15/100]

"Completing the first technique actually increased my understanding of the cultivation method by a full fourteen points, and my cultivation realm also increased by five points. Not bad!"

……

three days later.

Black Wind Mining Area.

A crimson light descended, revealing Li Xiuyuan's figure.

Above the mine, a hazy mist dissipated, revealing a cultivator whose cultivation level was clearly at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Li Xiuyuan was very familiar with this person; it was Zhou Li.

"So it's Junior Sister Zhou on duty today. Where are Wu Wen and the other two?"

Zhou Li was initially startled, but then, sensing Li Xiuyuan's cultivation level, she exclaimed, "Senior Brother Li, you've actually broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining!"

Li Xiuyuan did not conceal his strength. Although he was used to hiding his true abilities, his purpose on this trip was to explore the Demon Mountain.

They might not return for several months at the shortest, or for one or two years at the longest.

As the garrison commander here, he must demonstrate absolute power to suppress Wu Wen and his two companions' ulterior motives, and absolutely cannot allow anything to go wrong while he is away.

Otherwise, if the three of them colluded and reported it to the sect, and he was labeled as "neglecting his duties," he would never be able to recover for the rest of his life.

"Just lucky..."

"Junior Brother Wu Wen and Junior Brother Su Fei have both gone down into the mine. I'll stay up here on duty today."

Zhou Li's tone was filled with undisguised respect. She had originally thought that she could advance to the mid-stage by relying on the pills she brought from her family when she set off.

With the addition of protective magical artifacts and Sophie, even if they couldn't fight against Li Xiuyuan, they certainly wouldn't be as subservient as before.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiuyuan broke through to the late stage of Qi Refining in just a few years, without encountering any bottlenecks at all.

Even her spiritual power was incredibly abundant, showing no signs of being weak or unstable; she had never seen a true master's direct descendant like this.

next moment.

Two cultivators, their bodies completely black, walked out from below the mining area.

They were Wu Wen and his companion who had received the message from Zhou Li.

Upon seeing Li Xiuyuan, Wu Wen immediately stepped forward and said in an extremely obsequious tone, "Congratulations, Senior Brother, on breaking through to the late stage of cultivation! Foundation Establishment is within reach!"

Then came a sickeningly sycophantic flattery, making Zhou Li and the other person standing nearby extremely uneasy.

When Sophie received Zhou Li's message, she didn't believe it at first, thinking she had misread it. She then said somewhat sullenly, "Congratulations, Senior Brother Li, on your great achievement in cultivation!"

All three of them adopted an attitude of respecting Li Xiuyuan, and no longer felt any desire to resist.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and nodded; his grand gesture was precisely for this purpose.

Having given Zhou Li and her two disobedient companions a warning, they realized they had achieved their goal.

He tossed out three bottles of mid-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills and addressed Wu Wen and the other two, saying, "You've done a good job with the spirit mine production lately, so these pills are your reward. I've received intelligence that the demons in the Second Mountain are causing frequent disturbances recently, so going out is strictly prohibited. In addition, the shifts will now be three people per shift. There will be another reward after the beast tide ends."

Zhou Li and the other person accepted the pills, and their resentment dissipated somewhat. Then, upon hearing this, their expressions changed.

They replied in unison, "We will obey Senior Brother Li's orders."

Li Xiuyuan nodded, checked the monthly quota for spirit ore, confirmed it was correct, and then flew away on his sword.

……

The second mountain.

The place is shrouded in miasma, with towering ancient trees that block out the sky. The spiritual energy here is mixed, and the demonic energy is strong.

Furthermore, there are countless poisonous insects and ferocious beasts that harass them. Even cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining, who are protected by protective Qi, will find it difficult to proceed without sufficient preparation.

From the deep mountains and dense forests not far away, the roars of demonic beasts could be heard from time to time, the sound deafening, and the fighting exuded spiritual power that shook the rocks.

The danger level far exceeds that of the outer perimeter of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains.

Li Xiuyuan proceeded cautiously, relying on the detailed mountain-entry experience recorded by the Heaven and Earth Society member to find a safe and hidden route through the intricate mountain paths.

They passed through one powerful monster horde after another, only to be attacked by monsters at the third stage of Qi Refining.

Most of them are at the early or middle stage of Qi Refining; it's rare to encounter monsters at the late stage of Qi Refining.

Faced with the "delivered" monster resources, Li Xiuyuan naturally accepted them with a smile. He easily summoned the [Crimson Flame Mystic Light], and with a sweep of crimson spiritual light, he harvested monster resources worth five or six hundred spirit stones.

During this time, Li Xiuyuan encountered several demon-hunting teams, mostly composed of independent cultivators.

Li Xiuyuan slightly emitted a divine sense and spiritual pressure comparable to a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining, causing cultivators who intended to approach to immediately give way in awe.

……

After venturing a hundred miles into the second mountain range, Li Xiuyuan slowed down.

At this moment, the mist in the sky is grayish-black, and the demonic beasts encountered have slightly improved in strength and intelligence, basically at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

Some of the more intelligent late-stage demonic beasts not only didn't attack him, but also kept their distance.

Hunting demonic beasts in the cultivation world is not as simple as hunting for mortals.

Facing just a few at a time is manageable, but if hundreds or even thousands of Qi Refining stage demonic beasts attack, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would have a headache.

Li Xiuyuan only needs to be careful to avoid being surrounded by the monsters.

We haven't reached the territory of the second-tier demon beasts yet.

The reason for slowing down is twofold: firstly, to determine the location and avoid risks.

Instead, they seek out precious herbs and rare minerals.

The body-tempering grass that Li Xiuyuan used for body refinement was picked by rogue cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains.

If you're lucky, it's not impossible to find a "Foundation Building Spiritual Object" deep within the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains.

……

a few days later.

Whoosh!

A robust, dog-like gull emerged from a nearby ravine.

He had a dark, blood-red herb dangling from his mouth.

"A first-tier spiritual herb, Blood Demon Grass."

Li Xiuyuan accepted the herbs with a hint of joy.

Blood Demon Grass is the main ingredient for refining several first-tier pills and is quite beneficial for cultivating Blood Path techniques.

It can also be used to prepare body-refining elixir, increasing the purity of the body-refining elixir.

"This Blood Demon Grass is at least two hundred years old. This Misty Valley Rat really has a keen sense of smell."

Li Xiuyuan was amazed. He picked up the Migu Mouse, rubbed its little head hard, and then took out the "Spirit Feeding Pill" to feed it.

"Well done! Here's a reward for you."

These past few days, Li Xiuyuan has been letting the Migu Rat out to investigate. It had recently consumed a full number of "Spirit Feeding Pills" and its bloodline had awakened again.

Not only did he break through to the mid-stage of the first rank, but he also became more proficient in earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic/escaping technique).

Every so often, it would return with a spirit.

Most of them are first-tier spirit creatures.

This two-hundred-year-old Blood Demon Grass is still close to being a second-tier spiritual item, and it is his greatest harvest this time.

"Perhaps because we're getting closer to a second-tier monster's lair, the resources are becoming increasingly abundant."

Li Xiuyuan was initially delighted, but his inner vigilance was heightened.

This means he's close to finding the cave of the second-tier Azure Spirit Serpent.

Ordinary rodents and monsters have a keen sense of smell.

These Migu rats are an ancient and exotic species, having undergone a bloodline reversion to their ancestral form, giving them extremely sensitive senses.

In the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, human cultivators' divine senses are limited, but the Misty Valley Rat is like a dragon returning to the sea.

……

Seven days later.

In a densely wooded canyon.

Migu!

The Migu Rat, carrying a piece of blue scales, ran up to Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan took the blue scales; their surface texture was as smooth and warm as jade, and they felt cool and delicate to the touch.

His expression brightened, and he exclaimed in a low voice, "The molted skin of the 'Azure Spirit Snake'! It seems its lair is nearby."

The Azure Spirit Serpent is a high-grade bloodline demon beast with an inner demon core. Because it refines the essence of the sun and moon, its attributes are moderate and of average quality, but not particularly outstanding.

Li Xiuyuan, together with the Migu Rat, began to carefully investigate.

……

Half an hour later, in a valley with extremely rich spiritual energy, a spiritual spring flowed slowly. Beside the spring, a spiritual herb grew, its entire body blood red and exuding a rich blood aura.

It was a century-old Blood Marrow Grass, a second-tier body-refining treasure.

The hidden cave, with its vines climbing nearby, was discovered by the Lost Valley Rat.

The timid rat hesitated in front of the valley, looking cowardly, and dared not approach.

Snakes and pythons are naturally predatory of rodents.

Li Xiuyuan was overjoyed. If the Misty Valley Rat was wary of it, it must be at least a second-tier Azure Spirit Serpent.

"Judging from the snake molt, it is probably a mid-stage second-tier Azure Spirit Snake."

Li Xiuyuan felt a little more at ease. If it were the late stage of the second tier, he would have turned around and run away.

"Migu Mouse, wait a minute, do this first, then that, and finally this."

Li Xiuyuan picked up the trembling Migu Mouse and whispered a few words in its ear.

The prepared "love potion" was tied to its body in a bag and thrown on the ground. Soon it burrowed into the valley.

Li Xiuyuan held the 'Hundred-Mile Divine Speed ​​Talisman' and the Heavenly Thunder Talisman in his hands.

Surrounded by golden armor and spiritual shields protecting his heart meridian, he was ready to escape at any moment.

After a few breaths.

The valley shook for a moment, then quickly fell silent.

"brush!"

The golden-yellow mouse emerged from the ground, putting Li Xiuyuan at ease. He then released the Migu Mouse outside as a precaution.

Li Xiuyuan put away the Hundred-Mile Speed ​​Talisman.

Good luck.

This green spirit snake is at the peak of the mid-stage of the second tier, not yet at the late stage of the second tier.

Similar to the records of the horse head.

The "Bewitching Powder" he refined was enough to make it fall into a deep sleep for the time it takes to burn two incense sticks.

Li Xiuyuan stealthily made his way through the tunnel dug out by the Migu Rat.

Half an incense stick later, after leaving the tunnel exit, the Blood Marrow Grass in front of us exuded a captivating medicinal fragrance.

Li Xiuyuan took out an exquisite jade box and carefully picked the Blood Marrow Grass.

"Crunch."

The Blood Marrow Grass is safe now that it's in the bag.

A large, jade-green serpent, about six or seven zhang long, was coiled up in the valley and was fast asleep.

Li Xiuyuan concealed his aura and marked the place. Still not at ease, he refined the [Sleep Confusion] spell deep in his sea of ​​consciousness and cast a sleeping spell on the Azure Spirit Serpent to make sure it wouldn't suddenly wake up before turning to leave.

The core of a second-tier demon beast with such powerful bloodline and pure spiritual energy is one of the best main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills.

Although he cultivated the [Golden Flame Burning Heaven Technique], breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage was not as difficult as other people's.

But it's always good to have an extra layer of protection. Life is unpredictable, and he always needs to have a backup plan.

Li Xiuyuan planned to take the Blood Marrow Grass to raise his physical cultivation to the second level.

With a physical cultivation level comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I can buy a few top-grade magic artifacts and then, once I have enough strength, kill this snake to extract its core for alchemy.