Cultivation begins with harvest.

"Junior brother, at this rate of progress, it probably won't be long before I have to call you senior brother."

On this day, it was still early in the winter when Jiang Zuoyun knocked on Chen Guang's door.

"Senior brother, you flatter me. It's common knowledge that I had the opportunity to obtain the Pure Spirit Qi in the early stages of Qi Refining, so it's only natural that I was fast. But the later stages of cultivation are different. It's quite possible that you could waste ten years," Chen Guang said.

That's half true and half false.

It's true that Chen Guang's cultivation slowed down in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but with a year's harvest of Jade Heart Grass, he could still accumulate at least one and a half pots of magical power—that's a conservative estimate.

However, starting from the mid-stage of Qi Refining, each advancement is limited to three pots of magical power. For each level of magical power, Chen Guang vaguely estimates that it will take two years to accumulate that amount. Reaching the level of Qi Refining at the sixth level with nine pots of magical power will take about five years. However, even without taking medicine, he might achieve this much earlier.

The pure spiritual energy is still working within my body, and I am at most three years away from achieving a fully transparent body. At that time, my cultivation speed will also see a significant increase, and I should not need five years, unless I spend too much time trying to make the Purple Qi Brightening Technique suit me.

"There's still some time until the end of winter, isn't there?" Chen Guang asked, unable to contain his doubts after his polite greeting.

"Of course it's still far off, about a month from now." Jiang Zuoyun nodded. "The travel documents for your 'Tongchuanya' and 'Yunlou' have arrived. You should know what they're for, right?"

"Finally here." Chen Guang exhaled a breath of stale air, quite pleased.

There are also differences in the level of outer disciples. Before the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the care they receive from the sect is often direct. However, after the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the Tongchuan Cliff and Yunlou, which allow a Qingheng Sect disciple to enter, are the paths that enable them to grow rapidly and are the source of gratitude for many Qingheng disciples.

Tongchuan Cliff hosts at least ten public lectures by Foundation Establishment cultivators every month, covering everything from accumulating magical power to opening acupoints to refining weapons and pills. Although the Scripture Pavilion also contains various basic cultivation texts, there is still a gap between them and a true Foundation Establishment cultivator. A true cultivator's lectures emphasize rhythm and guidance, and any doubts can be answered on the spot.

Yunlou is inextricably linked to the various arts of cultivation. It is said to have a hundred special skills, but this is a figurative number. In reality, even the disciples of Qingheng Sect cannot access so many skills.

The halls directly related to special skills—Earth Hall, Flame Hall, and Living Spirit Hall—basically correspond to only a limited number of types.

The Cloud Tower contains some basic and incomplete cultivation traditions collected by the Qingheng Sect. It includes traditions for everything from basic spiritual plant masters and alchemists to the mysterious and rare Nine Calculations, Yanling, Divination, and Puppetry. As long as the conditions are met, one can cultivate.

When Chen Guang first heard that even the art of playing the clown could be learned, he was quite shocked. Later, he learned that the requirements for practicing some special skills were frighteningly high. For example, in the art of playing the clown, only less than ten outer disciples in a hundred years met the requirements to practice it.

This is a special skill passed down through generations. The Qingheng Sect has collected so many inheritances, and we don't know how much effort they have put in behind the scenes. Now they are just making it available for everyone to learn. If independent cultivators were to search for it themselves, they would have a hard time collecting even one inheritance in a lifetime, two lifetimes, or three lifetimes. Therefore, the incompleteness and basic nature of this inheritance do not diminish the gratitude in everyone's hearts.

Chen Guang himself had some ulterior motives regarding the gluttons, spirit plant masters, and alchemists, and Yunlou was determined to acquire them.

It's been over a month since the breakthrough, and it's only now that the paperwork for the approval document has been completed. The time it took was somewhat beyond my expectations.

"There are some things I need to tell you. Tongchuan Cliff is a place for transmitting the Dharma. You must not make noise or act recklessly. You must respect your teachers and the Way. You know what to do. What I'm about to say is more important. Tongchuan Cliff contains the cultivation insights of the Golden Core cultivators of Ziling Peak throughout the ages. However, it is very secretive and only those with the right affinity can reside there. The last lucky person to obtain cultivation insights was a senior brother more than seventy years ago."

"The specific method to obtain it depends on your ability. The better your aptitude and the more outstanding your cultivation results, the easier it is to trigger. Being young and outstanding is an important criterion. So in Tongchuan Cliff, don't be stingy in showing yourself. As long as you don't disturb others, use all your methods to search."

"The Cloud Tower is stricter. Any outer disciple can only choose a maximum of three cultivation techniques, and they can only choose again after the previous cultivation technique they chose has reached the tenth level of the Cloud Tower. Only the first time, if all other conditions are met, can they choose an inheritance. Remember that. Take out your identity token."

Chen Guang took out his identity token, which was as white as jade and had four rice ears marked on it.

Qi Refining Level 4, Earth Hall Cultivator.

Jiang Zuoyun solemnly took out a vermilion brush from a jade box and flicked it in the air at Chen Guang's token. A few strands of red appeared at the corner of Chen Guang's token.

Jiang Zuoyun breathed a sigh of relief after putting away his brush: "Alright, now you can enter Tongchuan Cliff and Yunlou."

"Thank you, senior brother."

"It's my duty."

After Jiang Zuoyun left, Chen Guang slowly examined his identity token—he had seen it many times before, but his mind was not on the token itself, but rather on imagining the scenes of Tongchuan Cliff and Yunlou.

"Let's go now!"

Chen Guang tidied up everything in the courtyard and then headed to Tongchuan Cliff.

From the back of the crane, one can see the location of the Cloud Tower, which, like the Tower of Heaven, is also hidden in the clouds, just like Purple Spirit Peak. However, it is obviously much smaller than Purple Spirit Peak, which is the one that truly blocks out the sky.

Chen Guang prepared to go to Tongchuan Cliff first.

There's another benefit to Tongchuan Cliff that Jiang Zuoyun didn't mention. In reality, none of the outer disciples would be told this, but those who arrived at Tongchuan Cliff, or had some sources of information, would know it long beforehand.

If one's performance in Tongchuanya meets the expectations of a certain Taoist, one will be accepted as a disciple. This is a great opportunity to rise to the top in one step. As a master, although one may not necessarily provide great material assistance, any difficulties in cultivation can be resolved, which is a very valuable help.

Compared to the somewhat ethereal and rare insights gained by Golden Core cultivators, which occur roughly once every hundred years, the chances of them gaining favor with Foundation Establishment cultivators are much greater, and the impact is more direct.

Instead of taking Chen Guang to Xingfeng Market as usual, Linghe flew directly to Ziling Peak.

The towering cliffs, backed by a rugged mountainside, with ancient pines and paths, simple and rustic, exuded a unique aura that slightly weighed on Chen Guang's heart, making him unconsciously feel that his thinking speed had increased.

The first treasure of Tongchuan Cliff is that the mountain here, due to long-term preaching and the cultivation insights left by the Golden Elixir Master, has gradually formed a unique and wonderful effect that can improve people's thinking efficiency under the abundant spiritual energy of Ziling Peak. Here, comprehending some difficult problems will also become easier.

The cranes landed on the cliff edge extending from the mountain. Many cranes rose and fell, and this place became the area where they stayed.

"Junior Brother Chen," the one riding the spirit crane was none other than Wan Longjing, who pointed to the three paths on the mountain, "the one on the left leads to Baowu Lake; the one in the middle is the lecture platform, where the Taoists preach; and the one on the right is Ghost Ape Ridge."

"Okay, then I'll go up first." Chen Guang cupped his hands in greeting to Wan Longjing, then joined the crowd and headed towards a small mountain path in the middle.

He wanted to see all seven treasures of Tongchuan Cliff.