Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 216 Entering the Heavenly Origin
It is said that there are nine heavens in the cultivation world. The nine heavens are full of celestial winds, thunder, sandstorms, and heavenly treasures, and even legendary innate spiritual treasures.

Moreover, the Nine Heavens are blessed by laws and possess various divine wonders. The most basic of these is the increased speed of flight, which is at least 50% faster than that of flight below the Nine Heavens.

However, only those at the early stage of True Core can withstand the Heavenly Gang Wind of the First Heaven.

Qin Henian was currently commanding a flying boat, still a long way from the first level of heaven above.

"Ancestor, is that the spiritual vein that caused the ruins to revive?" Upon arriving above the Great Swamp Mountains, the current prodigy of the Qin family looked at a mountain range that was even larger than their own Qin family territory and asked.

Qin Chuan is a descendant of Qin Henian. With his twenty-six strands of high-grade fire-attribute spiritual roots and extraordinary comprehension, he is highly valued by Qin Henian and has been selected as a potential core-forming member of the next generation of the Qin family.

Influenced by Liu Jingchun, Qin Henian never married and had no children, which made him more fair to his clansmen.

Following Qin Chuan's gaze, Qin Henian nodded: "That's right. All eighteen spiritual veins now have owners, and the eighteen forces have formed the Eighteen Spiritual Strongholds to prevent external attacks. They will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the future."

Furthermore, this place has a special location, serving as a fortress connecting Cangyun Prefecture to the other two prefectures. You must pay close attention to the situation here.

"Chuan'er understands!" Qin Chuan nodded respectfully.

Yan Qingwan looked at the Eighteen Spirit Villages and thought of the desolate area where the Yan family lived.

Essentially, the wasteland and this place have many similarities: both are looked down upon by major sects, yet offer a glimmer of hope for independent cultivators.

According to ancestral records, when the wasteland was being reclaimed five hundred years ago, the eight major families, after each occupying a spiritual vein, united as one to fight against external forces, which finally stabilized the situation in the wasteland.

However, as the families gradually grow stronger and external enemies cease to covet them, internal strife will begin within the alliance, just as there are now only four families left in the wasteland.

However, the biggest difference between Shibaling Village and the Wasteland is that the location of this place will likely always be under external pressure, and it may not follow in the footsteps of the Wasteland.

Looking at the Eighteen Spirit Villages, Li Ji'an was also filled with emotion. With this force stationed there, the closed-off state and sect structure of Cangyun Prefecture would never exist again. Although Biyun Sect was still the strongest sect in Cangyun Prefecture, it could no longer dominate as it had before.

In the long run, this is a good thing for the sect's disciples. After all, the higher-ups of the Biyun Sect will now be under pressure and will need to compete with the entire Tiancang Domain's six major sects and palaces. They can no longer remain as aloof as before and will inevitably increase their efforts in cultivating their disciples.

Previously, even if a generation of disciples failed, as long as there was still a True Core Elder in charge, there was no pressure in Cangyun Prefecture. Even without a True Core Master in charge, a group of False Core Elders could still intimidate the prefecture.

Now we need to do everything we can to cultivate as many successors as possible to compete with the sects in other states.

External pressure motivates sects to improve and become more ambitious; conversely, the absence of external pressure leads to corruption, factionalism, and nepotism.

Besides this, Li Ji'an had another thought when looking at the Eighteen Spirit Villages: the abyss where the large teleportation array was located back then was clearly sealed by extremely dense spiritual energy.

As they removed the three items that sealed the spiritual eye—a seven-colored jade tree, a bottle of autumn water, and a withered branch—the seal was broken, spiritual energy surged, and the teleportation array was activated.

He wasn't sure if it was the source of the local spiritual veins or a setup by some powerful being.

It's uncertain whether that abyss still exists, or whether it sank into the earth's veins along with the ruins and drifted to an unknown place.

However, he was certain that the revival of the spiritual veins here was related to this.

"Ancestor, Alchemist Li, Fairy Yan, please have some tea." Although Qin Chuan was a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a solid foundation and refined magical power, he always acted as a junior and humbled himself throughout the journey, showing no trace of the arrogance of a great clan's prodigy.

Even their words and actions demonstrate a high level of social sophistication and are quite outstanding.

"Thank you." Li Ji'an and Yan Qingwan politely accepted the tea.

A month later, the flying boat finally passed through the mountainous region and entered Tianyuan Prefecture.

Upon entering Tianyuan Prefecture, Li Ji'an clearly felt that the customs and people of this prefecture were much rougher and more unruly than those of Cangyun Prefecture. Perhaps it was because of the coexistence of multiple sects and the entanglement of interests that, although there were many law enforcement cultivators, none of them truly enforced the law with all their might.

Unless it poses a threat to the destruction of the sect or the Holy Palace, they almost always turn a blind eye.

Therefore, the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is even more pronounced here.

Over time, even the weak will have to pretend to be fierce and violent in order to protect themselves.

Not long after entering Tianyuan Prefecture, Li Ji'an and his group encountered three battles of magic and bloodshed.

The reasons for the other two incidents are unknown, but one of them involved someone who witnessed the entire incident.

Just because one side glanced at the other, the other side took it as a provocation, and the two groups of Qi Refining cultivators ended up fighting, with more than half of them killed or injured.

Qin Henian was used to this and neither dodged nor evaded, simply flying over the heads of the two combatants.

"Chuan'er, this place is different from our Cangyun Prefecture. The forces are mixed, so we should not interfere rashly. Just mind your own business." Qin Henian taught Qin Chuan by example along the way.

In addition, Li Ji'an sensed at least two ambushes by the calamity cultivators. Unlike Cangyun Prefecture, the calamity cultivators here, even if they sensed the aura of a fake core cultivator, would only refrain from attacking instead of fleeing in all directions.

Tianyuan Prefecture, as the core prefecture of Tiancang Domain, is vast, twice the size of Cangyun Prefecture. Among them, Wanfa Palace is located in the central fourth-order spiritual vein, while the other four sects are located in the four directions.

The Heavenly River Immortal City we are heading to is not an immortal city under the jurisdiction of the One Palace and Four Sects, but rather under the jurisdiction of a force located to the south of the Myriad Laws Palace.

Unlike the one sect and five families in Cangyun Prefecture, Tianyuan Prefecture has many gangs and merchant guilds in addition to sects and families, such as the Spirit Beast Mountain, which previously fought with the Liu family of Beast Taming in Cangyun Prefecture.

This is also a prototype of a sect, but it is backed by the shadow of a major sect of the time.

As for the influence of the Chamber of Commerce, it comes from the influence and penetration of other states.

Moreover, the influence of the chamber of commerce here is different from that of the chamber of commerce that previously settled in the Golden Glory Immortal City of Cangyun Prefecture. The chamber of commerce in the Immortal City of Cangyun Prefecture was merely stationed there to conduct business, while the chamber of commerce here truly owns its own spiritual vein dojo and has its own base.

The main family of Tianhe Immortal City is said to have been remnants of a declining merchant guild from the Wanshang Domain bordering the west, who came here to establish it.

It is said that the predecessor of this Sishui Chamber of Commerce had a close relationship with Wanfa Palace. It seems that they formed a good relationship when the Nascent Soul True Monarch of Wanfa Palace was transforming into a Nascent Soul. Therefore, they were given preferential treatment by Wanfa Palace and were able to purchase the third-order spiritual vein here hundreds of years ago to rebuild their strength.

Due to its customs and beliefs in the Wanshang Domain, as well as the privileges of the Wanfa Palace, it gradually became a relatively neutral and free force and trading city in the entire Tiancang Domain.

Three months later, a broken wall could be seen rising abruptly from the ground, as if the earth's crust had bulged out there, hundreds of feet high and thousands of feet to the left and right.

Above it, the surging river flows down, forming a huge waterfall that is thousands of feet wide and hundreds of feet high, which looks like the Milky Way from a distance.

Below the waterfall lies a plain, which is the spiritual vein dojo of the Sishui Chamber of Commerce and the trading place Tianhe Immortal City.

Tianhe Immortal City has no high city walls, no need to register identity or pay spirit stones, and no complicated rules.

In the distance, one could see a continuous stream of figures flying about.

"Chuan'er, familiarize yourself with this place thoroughly. Once the Biyun Sect agrees, our clan can trade here. However, you don't need to get involved in the trade. Just understand the local customs and manage your connections in the Immortal City." Upon arriving at the Heavenly River Immortal City, Qin Henian offered this advice again. This was Qin Chuan's first time leaving Cangyun Prefecture. While he had seen many strange sights along the way, he had managed to control himself. But now, looking at the majestic Heavenly River, the cultivators coming and going, and the extremely prosperous Immortal City below, he could hardly contain his emotions.

So shocking.

Yan Qingwan had already activated the Mind-Clearing and Concentrating Technique to calm herself down.

She has seen at least dozens of top-grade magical artifacts that are rare in Cangyun Prefecture, and she has been able to fly around them so openly.

There were even occasional bursts of the oppressive aura of real magical artifacts.

Li Ji'an remained relatively calm. Although this was his first time seeing it, he had been influenced by online novels before his transmigration and already understood that Cangyun Prefecture was just a beginner's area.

Not to mention the scene before him, he was used to seeing Golden Core cultivators everywhere and Nascent Soul cultivators being treated worse than dogs.

Of course, given his current understanding of the entire cultivation world of the Great Swamp, that scenario is highly unlikely.

After all, in this post-ancient era, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs are the heavens of the entire Great Swamp cultivation world, and whether there are any Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarchs is unknown.

"Little Li, Little Yan, the cultivation world is vast and boundless. The entire Great Swamp cultivation world stretches for tens of millions of miles from east to west, covering hundreds of domains. Among them are several large cultivation domains. Medium to large cultivation domains like our Tiancang Domain are just ordinary."

There's always someone better, so don't let that affect you.

Furthermore, each cultivation domain has its own specific circumstances, so generalizations cannot be made, and there is no right or wrong; it can only be said that each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Sensing Yan Qingwan's state, Qin Henian, unusually speaking in an elder's tone, offered a word of advice to the two of them.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Qin." Li Ji'an and Yan Qingwan bowed deeply.

Qin Henian nodded: "Actually, I sometimes don't want the cultivators in the state to see the outside world. After all, no matter how prosperous it is, it doesn't belong to ordinary people. Sometimes knowing too much only brings suffering."

Li Ji'an understood what he meant. Every world is bound to be a pyramid structure, and the cultivation world is even more so. The higher the realm, the fewer people can advance. Most of them are destined to be the bottom layer of the pyramid.

However, the base of the pyramid will also be different. The larger the base population of a region, the more people will be in the middle layer of the pyramid.

Before long, Qin Henian led the three of them directly into the Heavenly River Immortal City and landed in a courtyard in the inner city.

"Fellow Daoist Kong, I, Qin, have come to pay my respects." Qin Henian stood outside the courtyard and bowed to those inside.

"Fellow Daoist Qin has come from afar. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly." A humble voice came from inside the courtyard. Then the courtyard gate opened, and a tall, middle-aged scholar dressed in plain clothes and with polite manners bowed to Qin Henian.

Li Ji'an and the other two followed behind Qin Henian, and hurriedly bowed ninety degrees first.

On the way, Qin Henian had already told them in advance that this Master Kong was a fellow Daoist Qin Henian had made in Tianyuan Prefecture, and that when the Biyun Sect was excavating the ruins, he had gone to the Qin family alone to discuss the transaction.

Master Kong is a native of Tianyuan Prefecture and belongs to the Jia Dan family. Their main branch is not too far from here, near the central Wanfa Palace.

It was a biography compiled by the ancestors of the Kong family for a certain True Lord of the Wanfa Palace. The True Lord was very pleased and bestowed it upon the ancestors of the Kong family.

However, although its main vein has a third-grade low-level spiritual vein field, that section of the spiritual vein should have been damaged, and the area it covers is extremely small, even inferior to the second-grade spiritual vein of the Yan family.

Moreover, it was not far from the Wanfa Palace, and there were almost no mineral deposits, medicinal fields, or other industries left for them in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, the clansmen have not inherited any cultivation arts, and although they have cultivation grounds, they lack cultivation resources.

Simply relying on the spiritual energy of the spiritual veins for cultivation could lead to the extinction of even a fake Core Formation cultivator, so he has always been a middleman.

Previously, during the break when the Biyun Sect was excavating the ruins, he went to the Qin family to bring their spiritual bamboo, spiritual herbs, minerals and other goods to this place to sell and make a profit.

In addition, Qin Henian emphasized to them that Master Kong placed great importance on etiquette.

"This junior greets Master Kong!"

"No need for formalities, young friends." Master Kong seemed to have no airs of a fake alchemist.

Master Kong then welcomed the four into his residence.

The Kong family members lined up to greet each other, offered tea, and held a welcome banquet... a series of events that lasted until the evening before they finally got down to business.

"Please forgive me, Master Qin. Perhaps because the Holy Palace is currently dealing with the Northern Demonic Path, it has no time to attend to this. As a result, this year's Heavenly River Gathering is even more grand, with many important figures already present. There are also sects from Daoyuan Prefecture in the northeast."

Therefore, it seems I will have to break my promise to introduce Qin Zhenren to the president of the Sishui Chamber of Commerce.

Qin Henian looked slightly disappointed. His purpose in coming here was not only to prepare resources for Qin Chuan's Core Formation in advance, but also to contact the Sishui Chamber of Commerce. Once the Biyun Sect completely accepted the loss of control over Cangyun Prefecture, they would export the Qin family's businesses to Tianyuan Prefecture.

"Master Kong, my Qin family's assets are meager and cannot compare with those powerful forces. However, I would appreciate your help in finding a solution." Qin Henian said, handing over a storage bag.

Master Kong pushed the storage bag away and declined with a smile: "Master Qin, you misunderstand. My Kong family has a family motto: a gentleman loves money but acquires it in a proper way. If I could introduce you to someone, Master Qin, I would be honored. But now, it is a bit difficult."

Qin Henian laughed heartily, then directly stuffed the storage bag into the other party's hand: "Haha, I, Qin, have already said before that regardless of whether it succeeds or not, as long as Master Kong has tried, it is only right and proper. Please accept it."

I'll consider other methods; if none of them work, then perhaps it's simply not meant to be.

"This..." Master Kong felt somewhat ashamed.

"Brother Kong, if you continue to be polite to me, it means you don't intend to consider me a friend." Qin Henian said sternly.

"Alas, I am ashamed." Master Kong shook his head and smiled bitterly, putting away the spirit stones.

But in the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "To be honest, with Brother Qin's family business, I was originally very confident, but unfortunately... the Fu family of Guanshan Bamboo Sea somehow learned that Master Qin intended to enter this place and contacted the Chamber of Commerce in advance."

"The Fu family of Guanshan Bamboo Sea!" Qin Henian frowned slightly.

The Fu family is a vassal family of the Lieyang Sect. Although the family's ancestral land is only a second-tier high-grade spiritual vein, it is quite powerful with the support of the Lieyang Sect.

The relationships between sects and families in Tianyuan Prefecture are not as rigid as those in Cangyun Prefecture. After all, there are many sects in Tianyuan Prefecture, and there is competition between them. Being able to gather more subordinates, vassals, and even black and white gloves increases one's competitiveness.

Therefore, the Fu family always operates under the banner of the Lieyang Sect when they are out in the outside world.

Moreover, one of the True Core Elders of the Lieyang Sect is surnamed Fu.

Furthermore, Fu Hanxing, the top disciple of the Lieyang Sect twenty years ago, was a descendant of the Fu family.

(End of this chapter)