Longzang

Chapter 861 Qi Gathering
If the Land of Rain under the Red Maple is like a slender but highly skilled fighter, then Wei Yuan is facing a burly, but flabby, fat man—tall in appearance but actually weak and bloated. Clearly, the former is far more difficult to deal with.

However, even a weak fat man with unlimited stamina and the ability to regenerate would find it extremely difficult to deal with.

The battle situation was not optimistic, but Wei Yuan's cultivation was progressing by leaps and bounds. The more Yin spirits there were in the Yellow Springs Cave, the faster it absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. From time to time, specks of light would rise from the depths of the human world. These were spiritual beings born from the transformation of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Most of them were absorbed by the immortal plants, and a small amount fell into the bodies of mortals.

Those who gain spirituality will be transformed, and a few will awaken different constitutions and receive their own names.

The battle was difficult but controllable, so Wei Yuan stopped being impatient and instead trained the new recruits step by step. Only those who completed the training strictly according to regulations were sent to the battlefield. These new recruits were all guided by veterans and had basic military skills. Their casualty rate on the battlefield was only slightly higher than that of the veterans, which was perfectly acceptable.

Wei Yuan felt as if he had returned to the time at the Northern Mountain Gate, where the battle had become stagnant, and the daily battles were repetitive and tedious.

The great battle had been raging for over a month. The Wu tribe's offensive had stabilized, and they eventually split into seven legions to join the main battlefront in besieging Qingming. Li Zhi held off one legion alone, while Wei Yuan divided his forces to deal with the remaining ones.

The evolution of human life has indirectly affected Qingming, resulting in a slight increase in the new season's grain harvest. According to Master Chuhe, this is due to the more abundant earth energy, leading to increased yields per acre. Not only grains and medicinal gardens, but also various mortal and spiritual beasts have increased their activity levels. Even mortals feel an increase in energy and faster body forging.

The Azure Netherworld has now been completely transformed into fertile soil, and scattered spiritual energy has begun to emerge, starting its transformation into a spiritual land.

The Qingming region currently has a population of over 31 million. In just over a month, it has generated more than ten points of spiritual energy, which were eventually absorbed by mortals. Under the Zhou Tian Star Array, the changes in these mortals are hard to miss from Wei Yuan's discerning eye. As a result, Wei Yuan discovered three of them, while two others shone brightly in the body-forging process, making rapid progress and were reported to higher levels by the responsible instructors.

This was the first time such a situation had occurred, so Wei Yuan arranged for detailed examinations of these individuals and invited Ji Liuli and other cultivators to examine them. The final conclusion was that all of them possessed the potential to develop a Ground-Rank Dao Foundation. However, considering their previous performance, they should have struggled even to reach the template Dao Foundation stage.

As Qingming advances further, he will generate even more spirituality. It's just unknown which lucky individual will be able to obtain spirituality and ascend to heaven in one step.

This was great news, and Wei Yuan was naturally delighted. As for the other lucky ones, Wei Yuan didn't plan to look for them anymore. Their aptitudes would improve, and they would naturally stand out in the future; there was no need to look for them now.

However, in the vast Azure Netherworld, only a dozen or so points of spirituality are generated every month or so, and no more than a hundred points a year. This might be a big deal in ordinary sects and families, but in the Azure Netherworld, where template-based Dao Foundations are abundant, a hundred or so additional Dao Foundations a year is really not a big deal.

In Wei Yuan's view now, the Earth-rank Dao Foundation is utterly useless—not good enough for the best, but not bad enough for the worst either. He can't handle big tasks, and he's unwilling to do small ones. His work is less useful than a diligently prepared template, and with his own Dharma Aspect having little hope of improvement, focusing on the Dao path is meaningless. He's got the ambition of the heavens but the fate of a paper tiger; he has the body of a maid but the heart of a young lady.

Therefore, Wei Yuan did not take the matter to heart and continued fighting.

But soon an unexpected guest arrived in Qingming; it was none other than Lü Changhe's envoy. Wei Yuan was greatly surprised upon learning the visitor's identity and personally received him, wanting to see what this immortal, with whom he had little to no dealings, had to say.

The envoy was an elderly man with a dignified appearance and a composed demeanor, possessing the strength of a Grandmaster. He sat upright in the guest hall, his eyes slightly closed, silent and still, waiting quietly.

As Wei Yuan entered the guest hall, the old man opened his eyes, stood up to greet him, and said, "Lu Weihu of the Lu family has come to pay his respects to Lord Wei on the orders of the Immortal Ancestor."

The old man was very polite, but there was a clear sense of distance between him and others, and his arrogance was hard to hide.

Wei Yuan understood perfectly well that the man addressing him as "Lord Wei" was intentional. By using Wei Yuan's official title, he could avoid adhering to the rules of the cultivation world and prevent awkwardness for everyone.

Wei Yuan returned the greeting, and the two sides took their seats as host and guest. Wei Yuan then asked, "May I ask what instructions the Immortal Lord has?"

Lu Weihu said, "The Immortal Ancestor observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw the Azure Netherworld's fortune surging, giving rise to extraordinary sights. He knew that it had become a spiritual land, which is cause for celebration. For a great realm to be able to transform from a poisonous land into a living land, from a living land into fertile land, and then from fertile land into a spiritual land in just over a decade is truly remarkable. The future blessed land and grotto-heaven are right before our eyes! Lord Wei's talent and strategy are rarely seen in the world."

Wei Yuan sighed and said, "Immortal Lord, you flatter me. Qingming's rapid development is simply due to the many battles fought and the many deaths, which has accelerated its transformation. In addition, the key is that our sect elders placed immortal objects here. This is a divine opportunity, something that can only be encountered by chance." Above the spiritual land lies the blessed land and grotto-heaven, which was the foundation for establishing sects and the cornerstone of families that have lasted for ten thousand years.

However, once one enters the Spirit Realm, it takes a considerable amount of time to advance further; it cannot be achieved overnight, unless one obtains several more things like the Immortal Dog Head. But there are many immortals in the world, and only one Junior National Preceptor.

After explaining, Lü Weihu stated his purpose: "The Immortal Ancestor sent me here to gather Qi in Qingming."

"Gathering Qi?" Wei Yuan was taken aback, then asked in detail, "What kind of gathering method?"

Lu Weihu then explained it in detail, and Wei Yuan understood.

The so-called "gathering of qi" refers to gathering the innate spirituality that arises after Qingming advances to become a spiritual land.

This kind of spirituality is invisible and intangible, so Wei Yuan did not interfere. However, the immortals' methods are superb, and they have developed many techniques to collect this innate spirituality and transform it into treasures.

Qi gathering is quite common among various aristocratic families, each with its own unique methods, related to the immortal's rank and immortal arts, each with its own level of skill. However, one thing they all have in common is that they are born with extremely sensitive spirituality. In the words of those on the path to immortality, they are like wind that disperses them and water that dissolves them. If they are not careful, they will dissipate or deteriorate and become unusable.

Therefore, gas extraction inevitably involves losses, usually more than half of the gas is lost.

Lu Changhe is considered young among immortals, but his Qi-gathering technique is quite exquisite. It is said that he can retain six out of ten spiritual essences.

After explaining the Qi gathering process, Lü Weihu said, "The Immortal Ancestor will use these innate spiritual essences to refine an immortal pill called the Three Immortal Pills of Sun Exchange. Each batch will yield three pills, which have the miraculous effect of altering a cultivator's innate physical constitution. After the pills are completed, the Immortal Ancestor will give one as a reward for Qi gathering."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yuan remained expressionless and said, "Originally, it was an opportunity for hundreds of people, but now it has become an opportunity for only one person?"

Lu Weihu said, "The so-called 'hundred-person opportunity' is nothing more than an opportunity for ordinary people who have nothing to do with you and me. It would be a complete waste for them to possess such spiritual energy. But this Three Immortal Pill is a designated opportunity, and the two are completely different."

"Don't even mention that it's useless for ordinary people to have such opportunities. Even if a hundred or a thousand of them attain enlightenment, what does it matter to us? The key is for our own children to advance further."

Wei Yuan sat motionless, a surge of anger rising within him. Wasn't this tantamount to stealing away an opportunity that should have belonged to a mortal, refining it, and then using it on his own descendants?

Such things are common in aristocratic families. Besides spirituality, even one's destiny and fate can be gradually stripped away and transferred. Many so-called "children of destiny," once discovered by prestigious families, often succumb to various means, handing over opportunities that could have changed their lives. Some wealthy families are more benevolent and will offer some compensation. But others simply discard their "children of destiny" who have been wasted, or even kill them to silence them.

Wei Yuan had occasionally heard about these things, but they were too far removed from his own life to pay much attention to them. However, today, someone came to his door and, right in front of him, said they wanted to transfer the many opportunities of mortals to their own child?
Wei Yuan remained expressionless and said, "I appreciate the Immortal Lord's kindness. However, these mortals have fought for Qingming for years, risking their lives. I really cannot bear to take away their only chance. Therefore, there is no need to mention this matter again."

Lu Weihu was taken aback: "Isn't Qingming yours? All the spiritual energy it gives birth to should be yours. What does it have to do with those mortals? This is an opportunity you bestowed upon them. Now you want to take it back. What's wrong with that?"

"It's a predestined destiny, so let's just let nature take its course."

Lu Weihu's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Lord Wei, the Immortal Ancestor didn't have a very good impression of you to begin with. Wouldn't it be good to use this matter to improve the relationship between the two sides? Lord Wei, don't be ungrateful!"

Wei Yuan remained expressionless and smiled, "Goodbye, don't bother seeing me off."

(End of this chapter)