Rapid progress in cultivation

  Early in the morning, Ye Chen came out of the small inn and walked on the bustling streets as usual to go to Yun's cultivation arena.

  Ye Chen suddenly furrowed his brow slightly, then slowed down and stopped at a street stall selling spiritual tools. He pretended to look at the goods on the stall, but his eyes glanced at the rear not far away through the reflection on the surface of a smooth spiritual knife.

  A slender figure wearing a warrior's garment immediately shrunk back behind a horse carriage by the side of the road.

  "I've been careful and cautious lately, trying to avoid drawing attention to myself. How could someone be following me?"

  Ye Chen felt a little strange and thought for a moment before continuing on his way to the Yun Clan's cultivation grounds.

  The samurai emerged from behind the carriage and followed stealthily.

  Ye Chen entered the Yun Clan's Cultivation Academy.

  The samurai looked far away for a moment, then turned and left.

  Ye Chen emerged from the side door of the Yun Clan's cultivation institute, following closely behind the warrior. As a cultivator, he was able to control his own internal energy better than a martial artist, and could even use his divine sense to scout out his surroundings from afar. This kind of tailing wasn't too difficult for Ye Chen.

  The warrior hastily passed through several streets and alleys, came to a small courtyard outside, and knocked on the door.

  The gate creaked open.

  A young monk with a missing arm appeared, looked around the alley to make sure no one was there, then turned to the warrior and asked, "How's the situation today? Have you found anyone?"

  "Master Xian, I've searched all the small inns and finally found the whereabouts of that person named 'Ye Chen' you mentioned. He's staying at a small inn. I saw him come out of the inn early this morning and enter the Yun Clan's cultivation grounds. I couldn't get in, so I rushed back to report to you."

  That lean martial artist hastily said.

  "Good job, this is your reward for these days. Continue to keep an eye on him! Report back everything he does every day, what he buys, and all the details. Most importantly, see if he leaves the city! Once he leaves the city, report back immediately, got it?"

  A young man with a severed arm throws a spiritual stone at the warrior.

  "Thank you, Master Xian, I will definitely keep a close eye on him!"

  The warrior smiled and hastily departed.

  "Hmph, Ye Chen, you're just a commoner, how dare you challenge me, Zheng Zhicheng! Let's see how I'll deal with you!"

  The young monk with the severed arm sneered and shut the gate of the mansion.

  "Zheng, little brother, have you found out where the Qiu family is? Do you need your big brother to lend a hand?"

  A man's voice came from inside the courtyard.

  "Hehe, little brother has been staying at Wang's place for a while now and has already bothered him enough. I can handle this small matter myself, so I won't trouble Wang anymore."

  Zheng Zhicheng smiled and said.

  "This is where you're from! Your master and my father are fellow disciples, our families have been friends for generations. Your business is my business, how could I not go all out for you, brother?"

  A man's voice said.

  Ye Chen emerged from the corner, staring at the mansion with a faint killing intent in his eyes. "Zheng Zicheng! He really doesn't give up, not killing me is not enough for him!! He's actually willing to spend spirit stones to hire people to tail me!"

  Ye Chen left the alley and returned to the Yun Clan's training grounds.

  As for the ghostly warrior who was stalking him, he didn't make a move. A small warrior is insignificant, Zheng Zicheng can use this warrior to track his movements, and similarly, he can also use this warrior to trick Zheng Zicheng.

  He is thinking of ways to get rid of Zheng Zhicheng.

  "No matter what method is used, one must have sufficient strength oneself!"

  Ye Chen added a Stone Skin Technique and a Golden Bell Shield to himself, with double-layered defense inside and out. Then he cast a Wind Warding Technique, causing himself to float half a foot off the ground, before summoning a ball of flame that shot towards a distant target, further intensifying his training in the Eight Gates Technique.

  Alternating between eight different spells was already the limit of his magical capacity. It was easy to overexert himself and fall from a height of half a foot off the ground.

  Of course, this is because there was no one else in the training ground that he would train with all his might.

  If there were other masters present, Ye Chen would only cultivate fireball techniques.

  Just a short month's effort.

  His eight-gate technique has gradually become proficient.

  Eight small Dharma seals, all of their lusters are deepening.

  Among them, the Fireball Technique's glow is the deepest, and Ye Chen has already been able to skillfully control the fireballs, hitting quickly moving targets. The other Water Arrows, Thunderbolts, and Ice Cones can also be cast, but their accuracy still needs improvement.

  This month, Ye Chen has gained a deeper understanding of Yuan Shen, Yuan Qi and Fa Yin.

  The yuan Shen is a combination of the soul and yuan qi, the more yuan qi absorbed, the stronger the yuan Shen becomes.

  Ye Chen took the low-grade Yuanqi Pill "Yiqi Pill" every day, and a small group of Yuanshen in the Mudan Palace gradually increased, already reaching the perfection of the first layer of Qi Refining. I believe that soon, there is hope to break through to the second layer of Qi Refining.

  He made rapid progress in both his Yuan Shen cultivation and his mastery of spells.

  Ye Chen was already quite powerful in the Yun family's training grounds, without making a sound.

  Those cultivators in the second layer of Qi Refining period may not be able to match his spells.

  Ye Chen also underestimated Zheng Zicheng's strength.

  Zheng Zhicheng had several hundred pieces of spiritual stones in his hands, and this month, if Zheng Zhicheng practiced with all his might, his cultivation shouldn't be slow either. It's just that no one knew what kind of spiritual roots Zheng Zhicheng had.

  "That day, when he met Zheng Zhicheng on the street, he bought a bottle of low-grade Yiqi Dan, a copy of 'Water Arrow Technique', and a set of low-grade Lingjia armor with one hundred pieces of spirit stone. The remaining spirit stones were enough for him to spend several months."

  Ye Chen was calculating and waiting for the right moment to take action against Zheng Zicheng.

  "It's about time to take action. Find a time in the dead of night, slip out of the city, and find a place to lay an ambush. Then use that warrior to lure Zheng Zhicheng out of the city. If it's just Zheng Zhicheng who comes out, launch a surprise attack."

  "If Zheng Zhi Cheng's accomplices also come out, then we can only think of other ways."

  In the Yun family's training grounds, Ye Chen trained alone for an entire morning.

  By noon, more and more young monks had gathered in the training ground.

  Ye Chen no longer practiced other spells, using only his divine consciousness to control a fireball, letting it fly quickly within ten feet of his body, training his agility.

  Ye Chen met many Qi-refining initial-stage cultivators at the Yun Clan's Cultivation Institute. Most of them were some low-ranking loose cultivators, commoner cultivators, and not people from a cultivation family.

  "Alas, practicing magic like this every day is so dull, when will it ever end?!"

  Zhao An complained.

  "If only I could go and kill the ferocious beasts in the depths of the Heavenly Mist Mountains, that would be thrilling!" Zhao An wanted to do something bold and daring, not just stay here and throw fireballs every day.

  "Hey, Ye Chen, Zhou Qing, why don't we all go hunt and kill some low-level demon beasts together? What do you think? Killing one of them can be worth dozens or even hundreds of spirit stones. It's exciting and profitable!"

  Zhao An suddenly exclaimed excitedly.

  Ye Chen was manipulating a small fireball and upon hearing this, he paused for a moment before asking, "Go hunting for demonic beasts together?"

  "That's right! Outside the Immortal City, in places like Luoyang Plains and Qing Shan Lake around Tianyun Mountain where low-level demonic beasts roam, it would be difficult for one person to deal with them. But if we go together as a group, we should have a good chance."

  Zhao An slapped his forehead, somewhat regretting not doing it earlier.

  "A monster like this is worth so many spirit stones?"

  Ye Chen was somewhat curious.

  As far as he knew, almost everything in this immortal city was inseparable from spiritual stones. If one didn't earn spiritual stones, it was rare for anyone to pay attention.

  "Of course. Demonic beasts are very valuable, killing a first-class demonic beast can get over a hundred spirit stones, which is equivalent to the hard work of a Qi Refining stage one cultivator for half a year. It's just extremely dangerous, and a Qi Refining stage one cultivator would have a hard time dealing with a first-class demonic beast."

  Zhou Qing interjected.

  "Refining Qi stage one-layer cultivator, generally can only work in the city, earning spirit stones to cultivate with all their might. But in a month, they can only get five or ten spirit stones, what use is this little bit of spirit stones? If they rely solely on working to earn these few spirit stones, when will they be able to cultivate to Refining Qi stage four-layer and become one of the nine great immortal sect's disciples?"

  "Many cultivators, after reaching a certain level of cultivation, during the third layer of the Qi Refining stage, will start to hunt and kill low-level demon beasts to earn spirit stones."

  "To earn spirit stones, the best way is to hunt and kill low-level demonic beasts. We work so hard every day, cultivating diligently, isn't it all in hopes of becoming a disciple of one of the nine great immortal sects sooner? Taking some risks to hunt demonic beasts for spirit stones is worth it!"

  "Why don't we just go together and hunt down a few low-level demon beasts? With ten or eight people working together, we can definitely take down one demon beast. We'll split the spirit stones evenly!"

  Many nearby Qi-refining cultivators in the initial stage started chattering excitedly.

  Ye Chen's heart slightly stirred, "I alone ambush Zheng Zicheng, the chances of winning are not high. If I can join forces with a group of cultivators, borrowing their strength to deal with Zheng Zicheng, there will be more assurance. Even if Zheng Zicheng has accomplices, there is no need to worry."

  In the Yun Clan's training institute, dozens of Qi Refining stage cultivators were excitedly discussing how to kill low-grade demonic beasts, with more and more people joining in.

  If it were an ordinary day, Ye Chen would focus on cultivating his magic and might not have participated. Even if everyone went to hunt and kill the demonic beast, he might not have gone either.

  However, he is now considering killing Zheng Zicheng and has changed his mind, stopping his cultivation to participate in the lively discussions of a group of young cultivators.

  "Right, what requirements are needed to enter the Nine Great Immortal Sects?"

  Ye Chen was somewhat perplexed. He had heard many cultivators mention the Nine Great Sects during this period, all with excitement on their faces, but he still didn't understand.

  "Ye Chen, look over there, the tallest tower! Do you see it? That's a Demon-Suppressing Tower. As long as you enter the sixth floor, you can become a disciple of one of the nine great immortal sects."

  Someone immediately pointed to the distance and said loudly.

  Ye Chen looked out at the distant horizon in the morning.

  Inside Tianyun Xianyuan Castle, there are many towering Xiangong buildings.

  There is a tall and majestic pagoda in the Left City District, located at the edge of the city. The tower is very high, but it is not in the bustling downtown area of Xanadu, but rather in a remote location.

  Ye Chen had seen this tower early in the morning, but always thought it was an ordinary tower.

  "This Demon-Suppressing Tower has twenty-seven levels in total."

  The condition for entering the Nine Great Immortal Sect is to rush into the sixth floor of the Demon Tower. Inside the sixth floor, there is a sect token, as long as you get the sect token, you can enter the Nine Great Immortal Sect and become a prominent disciple of the sect.

  "All cultivators are qualified to rush the tower."

  "However, one must be under the age of twenty-five and have reached the sixth level to be accepted as a disciple by the Immortal Gate. If one is over this age, their cultivation talent will be too low, and the Immortal Gate won't want them either."

  "I plan to start going to the sixth floor of the Demon Tower in Zhongzhen when I reach the fourth layer of Qi refining."

  "But with our current cultivation level at the first and second layers of the Qi Refining stage, going there would be pointless, we wouldn't even be able to get in."

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  PS: The speculation about Xiao Zhengzi's lunchbox has officially ended today. Tonight, I'll take a look at the book reviews, and for each friend who guessed correctly which book made Xiao Zhengzi bring a lunchbox in the past month, I'll give 1000 starting coins as a reward.