Mortal: Starting by joining the Falling Cloud Sect

The Heavenly Valley Inner Landscape Scripture is an ancient secret technique for cultivating spiritual consciousness.

The silk scroll says that this secret technique focuses on refining the origin of the soul and steadily increasing the upper limit of spiritual awareness.

Within the inner realm of divine consciousness, independent strands of divine consciousness can also be differentiated. Each strand can independently manipulate magical artifacts, explore the environment, and collect information. Moreover, because it is nurtured by the source, the differentiation will not damage the foundation of the soul.

Even beginners can achieve a clear mind and break through the illusions and mysteries of unorthodox methods. If one can master the art, one can see through the origin and finally reach a state of inner unity, undisturbed by external appearances.

This secret technique has no offensive means, but it excels in self-preservation and can effectively resist offensive moves from various divine sense techniques. Of course, the difference between Zhou Qing and his divine sense cannot be too great.

Finally, there's the requirement for cultivation.

To cultivate this secret technique, the cultivator must maintain a calm and tranquil mind, free from distractions, and possess a pure spiritual foundation.

Those who are restless or have congenital hidden injuries to their soul will find it extremely difficult to enter the path of cultivation, and forcing themselves to cultivate will only damage their own soul's origin.

After reading it, Zhou Qing was very excited, realizing that this was a spiritual cultivation technique that was in no way inferior to the Great Evolution Technique.

He used to have regrets.

The timing of awakening his innate wisdom was too late, causing him to miss the opportunity to obtain the Great Evolution Technique, but now everything is getting better.

In the mortal world, the importance of divine sense is self-evident, and Zhou Qing knew he had to cultivate this technique.

His soul was pure, without any hidden injuries, and the azure light of the Lotus Lantern ensured that he would not have any distracting thoughts during his cultivation. Zhou Qing was very confident in successfully entering the path.

Even so, Zhou Qing did not rush to start cultivating the Heavenly Valley Inner Landscape Scripture. This technique was best practiced in seclusion to avoid being disturbed or having any accidents.

As expected, Zhou Qing's caution was not without reason. Just as he put away the piece of silk, a flame flew from a distance, then transformed into a sound transmission talisman and stuck to the protective array outside the courtyard.

After Zhou Qing sensed it, he opened the array and the door, flicked his finger, and shot out a wisp of spiritual energy, bringing in the sound transmission talisman from outside the courtyard.

With his fingers holding the communication talisman, Zhou Qing released his spiritual power and a soft voice came from it—it was Song Yu's voice.

"Zhou Qing, come quickly to the Suxin Hall at the summit."

Su Xin Palace is the residence of Fairy Yao Yin, the peak master of Bai Feng Peak. After hearing this, Zhou Qing immediately realized that Song Yu was probably looking for him to become his disciple.

Zhou Qing immediately took out a brocade box from his storage bag. Inside the box was a spiritual herb that Zhou Qing had prepared beforehand: a six-hundred-year-old Fire Cloud Ginseng.

He thought that if Fairy Yaoyin was willing to accept him, he would offer her the Fire Cloud Ginseng and use it to ask her for a cultivation manual.

You must know that the cultivation technique Zhou Qing is currently practicing is the one he obtained before he entered the sect. It can only be cultivated to the Core Formation stage at most. How could Zhou Qing possibly be satisfied with such a technique? He must change it!

Carrying the Fire Cloud Ginseng, Zhou Qing immediately headed to the Pure Heart Palace.

Before even reaching their destination, Zhou Qing saw Song Yu and Song Yao waiting for him outside the Suxin Palace. He quickly sped up and landed.

"Senior Sister Song," Zhou Qing bowed.

"Hmm, you've indeed reached the Foundation Establishment stage. How many Foundation Establishment Pills did you take?" Song Yu nodded gently and asked softly.

Zhou Qing replied truthfully, "It was just luck. Perhaps Junior Brother was lucky and succeeded in establishing his foundation after only taking one Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Then you should have some extra Foundation Establishment Pills. Could you sell me one?" Song Yu hesitated for a moment, but still asked.

Selling Foundation Establishment Pills? Zhou Qing couldn't figure out the reason for a moment, but when he saw the expectant look on Song Yao's face, he understood everything. They were probably for Song Yao to use in her Foundation Establishment.

He countered, "Is one enough?"

Song Yu glanced at Song Yao beside him, wanting to confirm his judgment, but hesitated and couldn't speak for a long time.

Zhou Qing had some affection for Song Yao, so he was willing to do his best to help her. Therefore, he offered, "Two pills, please. That way, Song Yao won't have to wait for the one the sect will give her. As long as she refines her cultivation level, with two Foundation Establishment Pills, she might be able to successfully establish her foundation in the next year or two."

"Thank you very much. Two Foundation Establishment Pills are quite expensive. How many spirit stones do you want, or what do you want to exchange them for?" Song Yu's cheeks flushed slightly as she thanked him and then asked.

"I don't lack spirit stones for now. If possible, I'd like to exchange them for some powerful formations, or formations that can conceal spiritual energy. Also, I've recently become very interested in some ancient elixirs and herbs. If you have any, I'm open to them." Zhou Qing thought for a moment and then made her request.

He remembered that Song Yu's family had an ancient book that specifically introduced ancient elixirs and medicines, so he took this opportunity to bring it up.

Although it's highly unlikely that we'll be able to get it, we might as well try our luck and set a precedent.

After listening to this, Song Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Arrays that can conceal spiritual energy are rare in the world, and I don't have any. I also know nothing about ancient elixirs and spiritual herbs for the time being. I can obtain a few powerful arrays, but it will take some time."

"Then let's exchange them using formations." Zhou Qing had anticipated Song Yu's answer, so he quickly agreed.

After resolving the issue of the Foundation Establishment Pill, Song Yu asked Song Yao to wait outside the hall, and then led Zhou Qing into the Su Xin Hall.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps this fairy Yaoyin truly loved playing the zither.

The scene when Zhou Qing met this Core Formation Elder this time was exactly the same as the scene when he first met him when he first entered the sect.

As Zhou Qing and Song Yu approached the waterside pavilion, the music abruptly stopped, and the white gauze curtain was slowly lifted as the two greeted each other.

"I haven't taken on any disciples in a long time. I'm only temporarily taking on Song Yu as my disciple for my master. Zhou Qing, you have quite the influence to have everyone coming to find a master for you." Yao Yin Fairy's words stunned Zhou Qing.

"Up and down? If 'down' refers to Song Yu, then who does 'up' refer to? Above a Core Formation cultivator is a Nascent Soul cultivator. Could it be Cheng Tiankun? He's the only Nascent Soul cultivator I've ever seen." Zhou Qing's mind raced, and he made his own judgment.

"This disciple sincerely wishes to become a disciple, and hopes that my master will grant my request and accept me as a disciple!" Zhou Qing's mind raced, but in an instant, he immediately bowed and knelt down, adopting a pleading posture.

As it turns out, this was exactly the attitude, or rather, this stepping stone, that Fairy Yaoyin had been waiting for.

She chuckled a few times and quickly agreed to Zhou Qing's request to become his apprentice.

Zhou Qing was overjoyed and, very tactfully, kowtowed several times to Fairy Yaoyin, performing the formal ceremony of becoming her disciple.

"Now that you have become my disciple, I will give you this 'Azure Fire Miasma' magic artifact as a gift. The Azure Edge Sword is too sharp and easily attracts evil intentions from others. This Azure Fire Miasma magic artifact can help you escape your predicament and turn danger into safety." After saying that, Fairy Yaoyin handed two green beads to Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing solemnly accepted the ritual implement, bowed several times again, and then put it away.

Seeing that the apprenticeship was complete, Zhou Qing no longer hesitated and immediately took out the spiritual medicine he had prepared.

"Master, I have a rare spiritual herb here. My cultivation is still shallow, so it is useless to me. It would be a pity to sell it. So I thought I would take this opportunity to offer it to you."

As he spoke, he presented a brocade box.

"A elixir?" Fairy Yaoyin took the brocade box, opened it, and was greatly surprised, her eyes widening in astonishment. "It's actually a Fire Cloud Ginseng, and it's already six hundred years old! Zhou Qing, are you really willing to offer it to your master?"

Zhou Qing observed Fairy Yaoyin's reaction without being surprised at all. In this cultivation world, Core Formation cultivators have an extremely strong thirst for spiritual herbs and elixirs.

Herbs that are over 500 years old are so coveted that they would make any Core Formation cultivator drool.

"Master's willingness to accept me into your sect is already an immense favor, and you even gifted me the top-tier magic artifact, the Azure Flame Mist. It is only right for your disciple to offer a spiritual herb as a token of respect," Zhou Qing said, seemingly quite frankly.

Fairy Yaoyin's mind raced, and she smiled slightly. Having lived for so long, how could she not guess Zhou Qing's thoughts?

"This Zhou Qing, he clearly has something in mind, yet he pretends to be genuinely filial to me. Humph, if I weren't now the master of a peak and had to be more composed and dignified, I'd really like to play a trick on him and send him away, thwarting all his little schemes!"

She accepted the elixir without ceremony, then feigned delight and said, "It's good that you're filial, but I can't accept this Fire Cloud Ginseng for nothing. You can choose one of these: a magic weapon, a pill, or a cultivation technique."

Having achieved his goal, Zhou Qing seized the opportunity and proposed his idea: "This disciple wishes to obtain a cultivation technique suitable for me, and I hope Master can grant my request."

Upon hearing this, Fairy Yaoyin thought to herself that choosing a cultivation technique was fine, but not having a good one would indeed affect her cultivation. She then softly replied, "Come with me!"