After binding with a genius, I became an immortal by exploiting loopholes.

If it's not roots, then what is it?

Perhaps it's not roots, but something else?

Perhaps the earth vein spirit embryo absorbed spiritual energy from a distance of more than ten miles away through some means he was unaware of?

he does not know.

He knew too little about the earth vein spirit embryo; he only wrote a few lines in his notes, which was far from enough.

"I need to go back and check."

He spoke in a low voice, which sounded very soft in the empty stone chamber.

Lu Qingchen looked at it for a while longer, then stood up, took two steps back, and looked at the entire spirit pool and the surrounding array patterns again.

He didn't recognize what kind of formation it was, but he could sense that it was still operating, though its effectiveness was much less than before.

"It shouldn't collapse," he muttered to himself.

After staying in the stone chamber for a while, Lu Qingchen felt that it was getting late.

It has been at least three or four hours since we came in.

He stood in the middle of the stone chamber, looking around, pondering what he could take with him and what he had to leave behind.

The earth vein spirit embryo must not be disturbed.

He didn't know if the animal would survive after being pulled out, and even if he took it with him, he had nowhere to keep it.

He didn't have a spirit pool, spirit liquid, or spirit gathering array.

Staying where you are means you can at least survive.

He felt a pang of reluctance, but he knew it was the only way.

The tin box can't be opened, so taking it back is useless. It would only cause trouble if someone found out.

The notebook cannot be brought along, as it records the life of Qingyun Sanren. If someone sees it and traces it back to this place, the Earth Vein Spirit Embryo will no longer be able to hide.

Cultivation notes are also not allowed. They record Qingyun Sanren's cultivation process. Although most of them are about the Spirit Mansion Realm, if someone knowledgeable sees them, they might be able to see some clues.

What I can take with me are my insights into spiritual plants, a collection of spells, the "Hidden Spirit Technique," and a few bottles of still-usable pills.

These items are small and can be easily hidden on your person, making them difficult to spot.

As for those things that can't be taken away, they'll stay here for now.

This stone chamber has existed in this place for at least several decades without being discovered, so it should be safe.

There was an illusion array at the entrance of the cave, and the valley was so remote that no one came here. As long as he didn't say anything, no one would know what was hidden here.

He tucked the three jade slips—the Spirit Plant Insights, the Collection of Techniques, and the Hidden Spirit Manual—into his bosom, and also tucked the porcelain bottle containing the Nourishing Essence Pill into his pocket.

The rest of the items—notes, cultivation notes, blank jade slips, iron boxes, and those pills whose medicinal properties had been almost completely lost—were all put back in their original places.

Finally, he walked to the edge of the spirit pool, took one last look at the earth vein spirit embryo in the pool, and turned to leave.

......

After leaving the stone chamber, Lu Qingchen walked up the stone steps and soon exited the cave.

It was still pitch black outside, but a faint white light was visible on the distant horizon, indicating that dawn was approaching.

Standing outside the cave entrance, Lu Qingchen witnessed the entrance twist and turn before returning to its ordinary shape.

He patted the mud off his hands, let out a long breath, and finally felt a weight lifted from his heart.

A whole night has passed since we entered the mountains.

He walked out of the valley, his pace much faster than when he came.

The sliver of white light on the horizon grew brighter and brighter, and the distant mountains and forests had turned from pitch black to dark gray. Soon, the sun would rise.

He had to get back before the villagers got up, otherwise, if someone saw him coming out of the mountains covered in dew, he would be questioned again.

After leaving the valley, passing through the dense forest, and climbing over the hill, the outline of Qingmu Village finally came into view.

Lu Qingchen quickened his pace and bumped into someone as soon as he reached the alleyway at the end of the village.

Sun Zhiyuan.

He was wearing an overcoat and looked like he had just gotten up.

Seeing Lu Qingchen walking from the direction of the mountains and forests, he paused and glanced at Lu Qingchen, from the dew-covered hem of his clothes to the mud on the soles of his shoes, and then from the mud to Lu Qingchen's face.

"Manager Lu? So early?"

Lu Qingchen felt a tightness in his chest, but his expression remained impassive.

He smiled, took out a few herbs from his pocket, and waved them in front of Sun Zhiyuan. The dew on the herbs glistened in the morning light.

"I went into the mountains and picked some medicinal herbs. I did it early, before the dew dried, so the herbs would be more effective."

Sun Zhiyuan glanced at the herbs in his hand, then at the dew and mud on his body, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment.

Lu Qingchen appeared perfectly normal, even yawning and rubbing his eyes, as if he had simply gone into the mountains early to gather herbs and had just returned, feeling extremely sleepy.

"Manager Lu is really diligent."

Sun Zhiyuan's lips twitched. "But the most urgent thing is to think about how to solve the problem of the spirit fields. I don't think your land is going to be a problem."

After saying that, he left without looking back.

Lu Qingchen stood there, watching his figure disappear into the alleyway, before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

A thin layer of sweat had formed on my back, and the morning breeze felt cool.

Fortunately, he was cautious.

On the way back, I deliberately took a detour and picked a few herbs to put in my pocket, otherwise it would have been difficult to explain earlier.

......

Lu Qingchen quickened his pace back to his residence, closed the door, and placed the jade slip and porcelain bottle he was carrying on the table.

He first opened the porcelain bottle, poured out the Peiyuan Pill, smelled it under his nose, and then carefully put it back and put it away.

Then he picked up the jade slip containing the "Hidden Spirit Manual," placed it on his forehead, and carefully read the manual again.

Conceal your breath, hide your true nature, conceal your path, and return to nothingness.

The first level is to conceal one's aura; the second level is to simulate cultivation; the third level is to appear like an ordinary person; and the fourth level is to return to nothingness—to conceal one's aura, hide cause and effect, and appear like an ordinary person, making it difficult to discern the secrets of heaven.

After he finished reading, he flipped through the pages again, his brows gradually furrowing.

The jade slip only recorded the complete incantation for the first level, the second level only had a few scattered sentences, and the third and fourth levels only had a name and a description.

Lu Qingchen sighed and took the jade slip off his forehead.

Indeed, a cultivation technique that can conceal one's true cultivation level and even shield one's heavenly secrets would be a closely guarded secret in any sect. How could it be that someone could easily obtain the complete set?

It's probably already a stroke of luck that Qingyun Sanren was able to obtain the first level, so it's understandable that he missed the later levels.

Lu Qingchen placed the jade slip on the table and stared at it for a long time, feeling somewhat unwilling.

It would be great if we could complete the last few floors...

As he was thinking, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—couldn't the "Cultivation Method Evolution" on the Dao Stele complete the cultivation method?

Lu Qingchen quickly immersed himself in his sea of ​​consciousness, looking at the pitch-black Dao stele. The stele's surface was covered with flowing patterns, exuding an ancient and boundless aura.

On the surface of the monument, the function options are quietly arranged: Cultivation Infusion, Spiritual Root Tempering, Cultivation Technique Development, Artifact Spirit Infusion...

Cultivation Technique Evolution – Consumes cultivation points to deduce and complete the path of the cultivation technique.

Lu Qingchen was overjoyed, seeing an opportunity to complete the "Hidden Spirit Technique".