Chapter 64: Cultivating Qi in Three Layers

  Su Che returned to the Lingcao Medicine Garden, where five Yuan Ying stage great masters were sitting in the Tianxuan Sect's main hall. They were the four Taishang elders and the Zongzhu Zhizun of the Tianxuan Sect, the highest-ranking individuals in the sect.

  Among them was the white-clothed man Su Che had met in the transmission array of the Demon Sealing Realm, also known as the 'Purple Cloud' Supreme Elder. He still looked carefree and leisurely.

  In the center stood the Palm Teachings' Supreme, a man in his forties with three long whiskers under his chin, wearing the Palm Teachings' Star Crown. He had an otherworldly air and a dignified demeanor. At this moment, he asked, "Zixuan, what did Black Old Demon say?"

  "The old devil's words are laughable." Zi Xiao said with a faint smile: "He said that one of our Tianxuan Sect's disciples can swallow his true demon spirit, and is very suitable to be his apprentice. Let's find the person and send him over. Otherwise, from now on, if any of my sect's disciples enter the Demon Sealing Domain for training, I guarantee they will not return."

  Is there anyone who can swallow Hei Lao Mo's true demon spirit?

  This news naturally attracted the attention of several senior monks, and the hall fell silent for a moment. Another white-haired elder asked, "Zixuan Shidi, have you found out who this person is?"

  "Nothing?"

  "Later, I investigated each of those disciples one by one and didn't find any suspicious signs. They all had a balanced physique, pure true energy, and none of them showed any signs of cultivating demonic techniques."

  The other four nodded slightly, and of course, they had no doubt about Zi Xiao's investigative ability. After all, those experienced disciples were only in the Qi Refining stage, and if they possessed demonic powers, it would be impossible to deceive the law enforcement eyes of a Yuan Ying cultivator.

  Zi Xiao continued, "Moreover, even if one is a genius of the demonic path, as a human being, it is impossible to possess the ability to devour the true spirit of a demon. Doing so would only result in being demonized into a heavenly puppet. Therefore, I think Hei Lao Mo's words are unreliable, and I don't know what kind of evil plan he is concocting again."

  "That's right." Another middle-aged Taoist priest nodded and said, "I also think that Hei Lao Mo is intentionally finding excuses to confuse us. I reckon he has other plans. In the near future, we must pay close attention to the subtle changes in the Demon Sealing Domain."

  Zhang Jiao also nodded and said, "Hei Lao Mo is full of tricks, it's almost impossible to hear the truth from his mouth." He then asked, "Zi Xuan, has the demon god seal loosened?"

  "No." Zi Xiao shook his head and said, "I naturally won't overlook this kind of thing."

  The other four people also let their guard down, Zi Xiao Shidi looked young, but was actually hundreds of years old, with a carefree personality yet meticulous thinking, there was no possibility of being careless.

  "Before the situation is clear, the Demon Sealing Realm will be temporarily closed. In the near future, no more disciples will be allowed to go there for training." The Sect Master decreed: "In addition, the ten major peak masters are ordered to closely monitor this batch of training disciples. If anyone is found practicing demonic arts, they must not be dealt with privately and must be immediately brought before us."

  The four elders also expressed their unanimous consent.

  ……

  On the other hand, in the third layer of the Xuanji Peak's Spiritual Herb Garden, a small farmhouse, Linglong asked: "Old man, what exactly is going on with this trial? The three of us almost lost our lives!"

  "It's alright, I believe in Yu Qing's abilities." The Medicine Garden Elder sat on a small stool, smiling as he explained: "From the moment you entered the Sealing Demon Domain, I've been waiting at the top of the Demon-Sweeping Peak. It was also I who first discovered the anomaly within the Sealing Demon Domain and notified the Supreme Elder to go and rescue... If we had relied on those distress signals you sent out, it would have been too late."

  "Huh?"

  Linglong was taken aback, and then asked: "But I still can't understand, what is the purpose of all these arrangements?"

  "There are some things that aren't for you to know yet." The elder of the Medicine Garden lowered his head and tidied up the flowers in front of him, saying calmly: "In short, my arrangements will only be beneficial to you."

  "I knew you'd say that!" Lingjong snorted softly, flicked her sleeve and turned away.

  The following days were calm, Su Che was in the Lingcao Medicine Garden, except for occasionally treating a few sick Lingcao, all his time was spent on cultivation, other things were put aside, and he went all out to impact the third layer of Qi.

  Before each cultivation, Su Che would take the Earth Spirit Pill, the Marrow Washing Pill, the Qi Condensing Pill, and a new addition, the Yuan Cultivation Pill. With the help of the powerful medicinal effects, he could rapidly increase his cultivation level. Normally, this method of taking medicine had extremely negative consequences. The residual medicinal effects that were not fully absorbed would accumulate in the body, causing all sorts of hidden problems. Eventually, they would erupt completely, thoroughly destroying a cultivator's future prospects.

  However, Su Che did not have such worries. The low-level Tianmo that Hei had swallowed and transformed into life force was constantly supplied to him, strengthening his body while washing away all impurities and residue, making Su Che's flesh as crystal clear as the most perfect jade.

  Ten days.

  Twenty days.

  Thirty days...

  On the thirty-fourth day after Su Che's return from the self-sealing demon domain, he smoothly advanced again and officially entered the third layer of Qi Refining.

  "Congratulations, Master! You've reached the third layer of Qi training two months ahead of our expected six-month period." Old Black exclaimed: "If you were to appear in front of Jiang Chen and Song Fatty now, they would definitely be shocked to the point of their jaws dropping off!"

  Su Che shook his head in his heart: "Even if you reach the third layer of Qi Refining, it's still just the beginning. There is no boundary to break through at this level, it's just a matter of natural progression. It's not worth being so proud of yourself. Old Black, I'm thinking, can we make further progress within these two months and cross the boundary into the middle stage of Qi Refining? That's what I call true advancement."

  "Haha, it's definitely worth a try!" Old Hei laughed loudly: "I'm afraid that if you advance to the middle stage of Qi refining and go to fulfill that half-year appointment, you'll scare Song Baozi and others into fleeing without a fight."

  "That duel with them? I'd long since put it out of my mind." Su Che said, "I've said before, they're just a bunch of clowns, not worth mentioning."

  "Of course!" Old Black flipped out a certain book and pointed to it, saying: "However, Master, it says here that crossing the boundary of cultivation requires some sort of epiphany at the boundary. Just shutting yourself indoors and cultivating with your head down will definitely not work."

  "I understand, it's common sense in this regard, I've also learned about some of it." Su Che replied: "The realm of perception and understanding during the Qi training stage, the focus is on recognizing and controlling one's power. Generally speaking, it can only be obtained through combat experience. Like others, I need to go out and undergo various trials and tribulations too."

  "Alas, human cultivation has too many paths." Old Black scratched his head and said: "Look at me, Old Black. The method to increase my strength is simple - it's either swallowing or devouring. In short, it all boils down to one word: eating!"

  "You're a monster, who can compare with you."

  Su Che first laughed and joked with him for a few sentences, then said seriously: "In the following days, we still need to continue practicing and upgrading to a certain critical point of the third layer of Qi refining. It's not too late to go out and gain experience."

  Having made up his mind, Su Che hung a wooden sign with the words "Closed" on the door outside, completely adopting an attitude of "Do Not Disturb". During this period, even if there were any anomalies in the spiritual grass in the medicine garden, they would have to wait for now.

  It doesn't matter, after all, the sacred grass is not an ordinary plant. Even if it's sick, it won't die in thirty or fifty days. As long as it hasn't withered completely, Su Che can give it a brand new life.

  There was another thing that made Su Che feel somewhat unexpected, and that was that the Medicine Garden's elder had not summoned him all these days. He had thought that as a spiritual grass planting master, he would be extremely interested in his special ability to rescue spiritual grass, but unexpectedly, until now, there was not even a mention of it.

  The more so, the more vigilant Su Che became towards this somewhat mysterious Medicine Garden elder.

  Another twenty days passed, and Su Che, by crazily taking elixirs, forcibly pushed his cultivation of Qi Refining Stage to the peak, actually touching the boundary of the realm, like a great mountain blocking his way.

  How to get over this great mountain, everyone's approach is different, because it requires a higher level of understanding in terms of self-strength awareness and control.

  Your own strength belongs only to you; only you can study it. This means that even the best teacher cannot help with this aspect.

  That day, Su Che walked out of his thatched cottage, removed the closed wooden sign, and said to Lao Hei in his heart: "It's okay, it's time to go out for a walk."

  (Rolling on the ground to beg for recommendations! Brothers and sisters, who still has a recommendation ticket, please give it to Coffee, this book has been updated twice a day even during the Chinese New Year period without any interruption, considering this, please give me a few more recommendation tickets...)