Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

Upon hearing footsteps outside the courtyard, Yi Yang's divine sense had already probed out first.

It's Xu Min.

His expression was strange, a mixture of excitement, awe, and barely suppressed panic.

It looks like something's wrong.

Yi Yang didn't rush to open the door, but instead raised his right hand and gently waved it towards the room.

A powerful surge of true energy silently spread out, enveloping the four walls, the floor, and the ceiling.

The few tender blades of grass sprouting on the ground were uprooted and turned to ashes; the seed with its cracked shell on the windowsill was crushed into powder by the force of the energy; and the dry flying insect that twitched its wing was ejected out of the window.

The residual medicinal energy fluctuations in the air, the traces of dissipated essence, and even the emerald green color remaining in the cracks of the stone slabs were all cleansed away by this burst of true energy.

The whole process took no more than two breaths.

When Yi Yang withdrew his hand, the room had returned to its original state, just as it had been on the day he moved in.

The entire process was completely silent.

After doing all this, he sat back down on the futon and resumed his calm and composed demeanor.

Boom, boom, boom.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."

Xu Min pushed the door open and entered, closing it behind him. He then walked quickly to Yi Yang.

He first glanced at his master and felt that the master's aura seemed more restrained than a few days ago, and his face also seemed a little younger, but this change was not unusual.

In his eyes, his father did look a bit younger than he had a few days ago, with sharper facial features and clearer eyes.

However, such changes are not unusual. It is perfectly normal for a powerful cultivator in the late stage of the True Qi Realm to experience some fluctuations in appearance as they regulate their Qi and blood to rejuvenate.

He didn't think much of it.

They were completely unaware that the person standing in front of them had already crossed an insurmountable chasm.

He progressed from the True Qi Realm to the Profound Realm.

Xu Min held a very ornate invitation card in both hands and handed it over respectfully.

Yi Yang's brow twitched slightly when he saw the invitation being handed to him.

The invitation was not made of ordinary bamboo pulp paper, nor even silk paper, but a thin silk that he couldn't name. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, and was extremely light. A badge the size of a fingernail was embroidered in gold thread at the corner.

The emblem features an inverted halberd with a dragon coiled around its shaft, its mouth open and its tongue spitting out.

The craftsmanship is so exquisite it's astonishing.

This thing, let alone being used for writing, is worth a lot of spirit crystals just for the material itself.

"grown ups."

Seeing that Yi Yang had taken it, Xu Min lowered his voice, and said with a tremor he himself didn't even realize:

"This was sent by someone from the Qingyu Marquis's residence."

"They said it was absolutely necessary; they wanted to hand it to you personally."

Yi Yang tightened his grip on the invitation.

He had just heard this name from Xu Min a few days ago. The "Azure Jade Divine General" family, who claimed to be the original masters of Qingzhou and whose lineage had lasted for over a thousand years? A behemoth that controlled the military power of the entire Qingzhou and rivaled the Sky Patrol Division.

How could a commander who had just come from a small place like Suining Prefecture have anything to do with such a behemoth?

His mind raced, but he remained outwardly calm as he flipped through the invitation.

There aren't many characters inside; they're written in semi-cursive script, with elegant strokes that are powerful and penetrating.

The message was very simple, only stating that the master of the house wanted to invite him to visit the mansion the next day, without mentioning any reason. It was signed "Qingyu Marquis's Mansion".

Yi Yang placed the invitation on the table and looked up at Xu Min.

Seeing his master's calm expression, as if receiving the invitation was the most normal thing in the world, Xu Min's surprise and panic were instantly replaced by a huge surge of joy.

My boss is actually connected to the most powerful force in Qingzhou City!

It was totally worth it to latch onto this powerful figure!

He could almost see himself rising to prominence and becoming an unstoppable force in Qingzhou City.

"My lord, then... I shall take my leave now?" Xu Min said, bowing as he suppressed his excitement.

"What did the messenger look like?" Yi Yang asked.

"It was a woman, in her early twenties, wearing a turquoise dress and a jade pendant hanging from her waist." Xu Min recalled, "She was at the True Qi Realm level, but the quality of her clothes and the jade pendant was not something an ordinary mansion could afford."

"Okay, go ahead."

Xu Min left the room, gently closed the door, and walked away with a brisk, powerful stride.

The room fell silent again.

Yi Yang sat in the chair, his thumb stroking the cover of the invitation, his mind racing.

Who will see me?

The family of Qingyu Divine Generals...

He had no connections in Qingzhou City and knew very few people.

Lin He? Impossible, he's just a businessman, he doesn't have that much influence.

Lu Quan'an? Even less likely. If the chief inspector wanted to see him, he could just issue a direct order; there was no need for such a roundabout way.

Yi Yang went through all the possible people in his mind.

Finally, only a blurry yet incredibly clear figure remained.

He remembered what Lu Quan'an had said before.

"Do I need to tell you about your connections in Qingzhou?"

"I didn't expect that even after that girl left the Sky Patrol Division, she would still care about you."

Yi Yang put down the invitation, picked up the tea that had gone cold on the table, and took a sip.

He looked out the window at the cold, clear moon and murmured something to himself.

"The noble lady of the Qingyu family..."

Could it be you?

"Yan Wuyuan".

……

The next day, after making some preparations, Yi Yang changed into the dark gray official robes of the candidate chief inspector, slung his spiritual weapon "Xuanyuan" across his back, and used the "Concealing Breath Without Form Technique" to hide his aura before pushing open the door and going out alone to the Qingyu Marquis's residence, located at the heart of Qingzhou City's central axis.

The core area of ​​Qingzhou City is a completely different world from the outer area.

Starting from the headquarters of the Sky Patrol Bureau, after walking north along the main road for about half an hour, the architectural style on both sides of the street changed.

Instead of the bustling shops and restaurants on the outskirts, there are high walls and deep courtyards. Each gate is three zhang high, with defensive array patterns embedded on the top. You can feel the energy fluctuations coming from the gate from a distance.

Even a master at the Profound Realm wouldn't be able to break through these defenses easily, right?

This area is inhabited by all the important figures of Qingzhou City, so it is only natural that it has such strong protection.

The closer Yiyang got to its destination, the more magnificent the surrounding buildings became, and the wider and cleaner the streets became.

When he finally stood before the gates of that legendary mansion, he was truly awestruck by the sight before him.

That was not a mansion at all.

It was a continuous complex of palaces built on a white marble foundation.

The vermilion gate, ninety-nine feet high, had two lifelike Qilin statues carved from a single piece of black iron crouching at its entrance.

Behind the door, flying eaves and brackets, jade palaces and towers, layer upon layer, stretch to the end of the line of sight.

Deep inside, the golden glazed tile roofs of several main halls gleam in the sunlight, resembling a heavenly palace.

The guards standing at the entrance were all True Qi Realm experts, their armor gleaming and their auras deep and imposing.

Yi Yang stepped forward and handed over the jade invitation.

The guards checked the invitations without asking any further questions. One of them turned and went inside to announce the invitation, while the other gestured for the other to enter.

Soon, a guard captain clad in black armor, whose aura had reached the late stage of True Qi, emerged from the door and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yi Yang, saying:

"My name is Zeng Ying. I am here to escort you into the manor. Please follow me."

Zeng Ying stepped aside to make way, gesturing for her to proceed.

Yi Yang followed him and stepped into the legendary thousand-year-old Marquis's mansion.

Upon entering, even though Yi Yang had lived two lives and his mind was hardened to the rock, he still couldn't help but gasp.

Too extravagant.

In the courtyard, those plants casually planted as ornamental bonsai are actually thirty- or forty-year-old "Tricolor Soul-Gathering Grass" and "Red Sun Flower".

The precious medicine that would be fought over by all the major powers in Suining Prefecture is just a decorative plant here.

In the corner of the yard, there are several short trees about half a person's height, with crooked branches and copper-green bark, and thumb-sized red fruits hanging from the branches.

This is the "Crimson Sun Fruit Tree". A single Crimson Sun Fruit from it can reduce the cultivation time of a True Qi Realm martial artist by three months.

This item is considered to be of a priceless quality in the Sui Ning Prefecture's Contribution Hall; it is exchanged as soon as it is placed in the treasury.

It hangs on the tree, unpicked, left to be pecked by birds.

As you walk further ahead, the path widens, and several large trees appear on both sides.

The tree has a thick trunk, a canopy like an umbrella, and dark green leaves, each about the size of a palm, swaying gently in the breeze.

Upon witnessing this scene, Yi Yang stopped in his tracks, utterly astonished by the wealth of the Qingyu Marquis's mansion.

"Mysterious Ancient Tree".

It has been at least three hundred years.

The heartwood of this tree can be used in medicine and is a highly sought-after auxiliary material for experts in the Profound Realm when tempering their Dharma Body. The heartwood of a three-hundred-year-old Profound Origin Ancient Tree has a starting price of three hundred spirit crystals at the auction house in Qingzhou City.

Four trees were planted here as part of the courtyard landscaping.

In a pond not far away, schools of "silver-scaled carp" and "black jade loach" swam freely. The flesh and blood of these spirit fish are highly nourishing for martial artists at the Inner Qi Realm, and also have considerable benefits for martial artists at the True Qi Realm.

"Lord Yi, are you interested in these?" Zeng Ying, the captain of the guards leading the way, asked with a perfectly timed smile as he noticed Yi Yang slowing down.

"These are just ordinary things, not worth much money."

"If you like them, sir, I will have someone fetch some for you to take with you later."

Yi Yang glanced at him, and was once again deeply moved by the profound heritage of this Marquis's mansion.

These rare and precious spiritual objects in his eyes were just "ordinary trinkets" in other people's eyes.

"Thank you very much then," Yi Yang replied calmly.

"You're too kind, sir."

Zeng Ying led Yi Yang through several corridors to a secluded courtyard.

"Please wait here for a moment, Lord Yi. Miss Wu will be here shortly."

Fifth Miss?

Upon hearing this address, Yi Yang nodded without asking further questions, knowing that this must be the person who invited him.

The courtyard was small, but it was decorated in a very simple and clean style. There was a rosewood wooden table, two chairs, and a pot of orchids on the table.

Not long after Yi Yang sat down in the chair, a maid came in carrying a tray, put down the teapot and teacups, bowed, and left silently.

He picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

A cool, refreshing tea with a subtle herbal aroma slid down my throat.

Immediately afterwards, the nine-foot-tall golden-haired giant ape in his sea of ​​consciousness trembled slightly.

This tea has the effect of enhancing spiritual awareness!

Although the effect is extremely slight, the benefits of long-term consumption are self-evident.

Yi Yang's understanding of the wealth of the Qingyu Marquis's mansion was once again refreshed.

He put down his teacup and stopped touching it, simply sitting quietly and waiting for the "Fifth Miss" to appear.

After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

A series of very light footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

Along with the footsteps came a faint, cool fragrance.

Yi Yang looked up and saw a beautiful figure in a moon-white dress walk into the courtyard.

The person who came had light steps and a slender figure. Her long, black hair was tied back with a simple jade hairpin, and she wore no extra jewelry.

She walked up to Yi Yang, stopped, and her cool voice rang out in the quiet courtyard.

"Chief Inspector Yi, it's been a long time."

Yi Yang stood up, looked at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure, and smiled, saying:

"Chief Inspector Yan."

"When you left last time, you didn't say you wouldn't come back."

"have not seen you for a long time."