Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 719 The Situation of the World, Instructing Disciples (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Putting Wei Henian's matter out of his mind, Li Yunjing never mentioned him again from that day on, nor did he send the news back to the sect.

He didn't want to tell anyone about the internal strife within the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

This kind of thing is a scandal and cannot be discussed publicly.

Time flies, three years have passed.

The situation in the "Youyue Kingdom" has gradually stabilized, and large-scale battles have become rare in the Nine Provinces.

The whereabouts of demonic cultivators have become increasingly secretive, and they almost dare not appear in public.

All the sects and major families in the entire "Great Ming Cultivation World" have begun production, built new branch strongholds, and set up formations and restrictions to protect their own industries.

Currently, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" is eating the meat, while everyone else is just drinking the soup.

The three major territories of "Da Ming Dynasty", "Hengyue Mountain Range" and "Youyue Kingdom" have all begun to operate normally, and each power has increased its wealth by more than three times.

For a time, the entire camp was thriving.

Even though some sects and families suffered heavy losses during the war, and even lost their core combat forces, they began to recover their strength under the protection of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Any force that fights alongside the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" is protected by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and will never be allowed to be swallowed up by others.

This is also an important alliance agreement for the entire alliance.

To take action against one faction is to offend everyone!

Under Li Yunjing's leadership, the power of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" in the "City of Glory" was further transferred to the "Youyue Kingdom".

Even the Shenxiao Daozong branch, which "crosses the mountain range," has lost a third of its members.

Everyone gathered at "Shenxiao Pass".

This place has become a hub connecting "Across the Mountains" and "The Kingdom of Youyue".

Compared to before, the army here is four-fifths smaller; those who left are cultivators from various sects and families.

Only the members of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" remained.

After the role of "Shenxiao Pass" was strengthened, it became the center of the entire "Youyue Kingdom".

Three years is enough time for new moss to grow on the broken walls and ruins, and enough time for Shenxiao Pass to transform from a cold military fortress into a bustling thoroughfare town.

Inside the city gate, the Zhuque Avenue was bustling with carriages and horses.

The former training ground has been transformed into a trading plaza. Every day at dawn, alchemists from the "Great Ming Dynasty," miners from the "Youyue Kingdom," and monster traders from the "Crossing the Mountains" gather here, their shouts and the buzzing of colliding spiritual energy creating a unique clamor.

On both sides of the street, the "Shenxiao Guild" opened by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and the "Xingyue Trading Company" managed by Xing'er and Yue'er face each other across the street.

The former specializes in selling sect-made thunder talismans and magical artifacts, while the latter is famous for its elixirs and rare and precious materials. Both businesses are thriving.

Li Yunjing's residence is located on the "Moon-Viewing Terrace" at the highest point of the city. Opening the window, one can overlook the entire city.

He was standing by the window, toying with a newly made "Purple Lightning Talisman" in his hand. The lightning patterns on the talisman flowed between his fingertips, even more refined and domineering than they had been three years ago.

Clearly, Li Yunjing has reached a state of unparalleled mastery in the art of talisman cultivation.

"Teacher, an urgent report has arrived from Xizhou."

Lin Xuan walked in holding the jade slip, his expression solemn. "The 'Black Wind Stronghold' on the border was massacred by an unknown force last night. More than three hundred people in the stronghold were drained of their life essence, leaving only a skull token from the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' at the scene."

"The Netherworld Ghost Sect again?"

The lightning talisman on Li Yunjing's fingertip suddenly lit up, and Zidian almost slipped from his grasp.

He took the jade slip, and the moment he scanned it with his divine sense, his brows furrowed into a knot.

Although the remaining demonic energy at the scene was faint, it carried a familiar chill.

"Any news from Fu Chao?"

Li Yunjing asked the question.

Over the years, Fu Chao has also gained valuable experience.

Fu Chao even took the initiative to join the "White Tiger Army" and became a commander.

Although his command was somewhat incompetent, he was quite successful in the army thanks to his connection with Li Yunjing.

For years, Fu Chao has been leading his men to sweep away the demons, constantly appearing in various parts of the "Youyue Kingdom".

As for Li Yunjing's other friends, under his arrangement, they each performed their duties and, based on their respective abilities, almost all achieved the highest status and treatment.

No one in the Shenxiao Dao Sect mentioned this situation.

When the sect leader, Supreme Ming Lingchuan, learned of this, he smiled slightly.

Everyone knows that this is the Sect Master's tacit approval of Li Yunjing placing his cronies to build his own faction.

With this team in place, it will be a natural progression for Li Yunjing to become the supreme leader.

"Commander Fu has led his men to Xizhou for investigation. He sent word that the remains of 'Bone-Eating Vine' were found at the scene. It is different from the variety that the Nangong family refined back then, and it seems to be... more spiritual."

Lin Xuan replied.

"More spiritual?"

Li Yunjing sneered, "It seems someone is secretly cultivating a new demonic seed."

Lin Xuan dared not speak carelessly and lowered his head in silence.

Three years ago, after completing his mission in the East China Sea, he took an opportunity to be transferred back to the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

After studying in the sect for two years, he came to the "Youyue Kingdom" and joined his teacher's ranks.

As for the situation in the East China Sea?
With the unexpected capture of the "Youyue Kingdom", the pressure on the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" was greatly reduced. The "Shenxiao Dao Sect" immediately dispatched ten Nascent Soul Realm True Persons to the "East Sea Alliance".

With the addition of this new force, the "East China Sea Alliance" stabilized the situation and no longer had any worries.

The Tianluo Dao Sect also learned of what had happened in the Youyue Kingdom and realized that continuing to fight the Shenxiao Dao Sect to the death would be extremely unwise.

Both sides almost tacitly chose to stand their ground and refrain from large-scale warfare.

For a time, the pressure on the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" was greatly reduced, and there was almost no fighting in the East Sea, the South Sea, Youyue Kingdom, and across the mountain range.

As for setting up an ultra-long-distance teleportation array to teleport some people to "Zixiao City" and cooperating with the Xiao family of "Luofu Continent"?

It's still proceeding as planned...

In the short term, the Shenxiao Dao Sect will not join forces with the Xiao family to attack the Xuanbing Palace, but once the time is right, conquering the Xuanbing Palace will be a foregone conclusion.

Another hidden danger was that in the northwest region where the "Ming Dynasty" was located, the barbarian tribes were constantly being conquered by the "Northern Emperor's faction".

Overall, the threat is not significant.

At this moment, it is the best time for the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Li Yunjing put the thunder talisman into his sleeve and turned his gaze to the direction of Xizhou outside the window. There, black mist swirled in the sky. Ordinary cultivators might not be able to detect it, but under his refined divine sense, the cold malice was as real as a physical entity.

"Lin Xuan, don't worry about what's going on outside."

He turned and gave the order, his tone leaving no room for argument, "How has your cultivation been lately?"

"I have now stabilized my cultivation at the sixth level of the Foundation Establishment realm, and I am now attempting to break through to the seventh level."

When cultivation was mentioned, a glint flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes, and he became exceptionally serious.

Seeing the gleam in Lin Xuan's eyes, Li Yunjing smiled with satisfaction.

He slowly walked up to Lin Xuan, gathered a wisp of gentle spiritual energy at his fingertips, and gently touched Lin Xuan's brow.

"Concentrate and feel."

Li Yunjing's voice was deep and clear, "Your foundation is now solid, but the key to breaking through to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment lies not in the accumulation of spiritual power, but in the understanding of the 'Dao'. Although the 'Divine Firmament Dao' you cultivate leans towards stability, it also needs to contain 'strength' within 'softness,' just like this thunder talisman..."

He flicked his finger, and the purple lightning talisman floated between the two of them. As the lightning patterns flowed, it had both the power of thunder and the agility of being able to control it at will.

"Excessive force leads to breakage, while excessive gentleness leads to disintegration; the right path lies in the balance of strength and gentleness."

Li Yunjing was very satisfied with this apprentice and naturally intended to give him guidance.

Lin Xuan closed his eyes and focused his mind, letting the wisp of spiritual energy circulate within his body.

He could clearly feel that his meridians, which had been somewhat sluggish, had become much smoother under the guidance of this wisp of spiritual energy.

Especially in the dantian, the spiritual energy that was originally like stagnant water now rippled.

"Teacher, I think I understand."

Lin Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of realization in them. "I was too focused on compressing spiritual energy before, and neglected the resilience of my meridians. It's like trying to tighten a bowstring when drawing it, but forgetting that the bowstring also needs to have room to bounce back."

"good."

"Your ability to apply what you've learned to other situations shows that you have considerable comprehension." "But remember, the 'softness' of my 'Shenxiao Dao Sect's' Daoist methods is not weakness, but rather like flowing water, penetrating everywhere, bypassing the strong and piercing through the weak."

Li Yunjing nodded approvingly and withdrew the spiritual energy from his fingertips. "Try adjusting the flow of your spiritual energy by 30%, reversing it from the 'Du Meridian,' and see if you have any new sensations."

"I will give it a try."

Lin Xuan tried as instructed, but as soon as he reversed his spiritual power, he groaned in pain and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Don't worry."

Li Yunjing moved and came behind Lin Xuan, placing his hand on Lin Xuan's back. A gentle force surged in, helping him stabilize his surging spiritual energy.

"Reversing the meridians is inherently dangerous and must be done gradually."

“Every day at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), you can breathe in the morning sun to nourish your meridians with the ‘vital energy’ of the dawn. Try to reverse the process after half a month, and you will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

"In addition, the 'Heart-Clearing Pill' you refined last time had slightly messy patterns, which was due to insufficient control of the heat."

He paused, then said, “Starting tomorrow, go to the alchemy room of the Star Moon Trading Company and learn fire control techniques from Xing’er and Yue’er for three days. Although their ‘Fire Separation Technique’ is not as domineering as ‘Samadhi True Fire’, it has unique features in its refinement and will greatly benefit your consolidation of your alchemy foundation.”

Lin Xuan quickly bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher!"

At this moment, he felt as if a sudden enlightenment had dawned on him, and the bottleneck he had encountered in his previous cultivation seemed to have a breakthrough.

"You are my disciple, and I have high expectations for you. I hope you will condense your golden core as soon as possible."

Li Yunjing waved his hand, his eyes filled with even greater satisfaction.

This disciple is not only diligent, but more importantly, he knows how to reflect. Given time, he may very well grow into a person who can stand on his own.

Li Yunjing truly hoped that he could polish this rough gem into something beautiful in his own hands.

“You must not slack off in your cultivation. After the matter in Xizhou is settled, I will take you to ‘cross the mountains’ for some training.”

He gazed out the window toward Xizhou, but his tone suddenly turned somber: "There, monsters roam freely, and there is also the malevolent aura left over from ancient ruins. It's a perfect opportunity to temper your character."

"Disciple obey!"

Lin Xuan's eyes lit up with fighting spirit. He knew that his teacher was going to focus on cultivating him.

Looking at his disciple's straight back, Li Yunjing sighed inwardly.

The Southern Continent may seem peaceful now, but undercurrents are surging beneath the surface. Only by cultivating more successors like Lin Xuan can the foundation of the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect" become more solid.

He raised his hand and tossed the purple lightning talisman to Lin Xuan: "Take this talisman. It is both a self-defense item and a 'reference point' for you. Try to understand the principles of strength and gentleness within it."

Lin Xuan took the Thunder Talisman with both hands, feeling its warmth upon contact with his palms. The thunder patterns seemed to come alive, gently pulsating in his hands.

"Thank you teacher for the gift!"

Lin Xuan was overjoyed; this was a powerful weapon.

He carefully put the "Purple Lightning Talisman" into his "storage ring," the lingering warmth of the lightning patterns still present on his fingertips.

He looked at Li Yunjing with eyes full of gratitude and respect.

Over the past three years, although his teacher has been busy with the affairs of the "Youyue Kingdom," he has never neglected to guide him. From minor adjustments to breathing postures to major directions for cultivating the Dao heart, he has imparted all his knowledge to him.

This allowed Lin Xuan to learn orthodox cultivation methods from unorthodox means. Although his cultivation level did not seem to improve, his foundation was actually much more solid than before.

As for resources and power?
Thanks to Li Yunjing's connection, Lin Xuan, despite joining the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" through unorthodox means, actually received almost the same treatment as a true disciple.

With numerous benefits and connections, he is an existence that almost no one dares to provoke among Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"There is still one thing I don't understand."

Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Teacher often says 'the Way follows nature,' but cultivation is inherently going against the heavens. How should we grasp the meaning of 'nature'?"

Li Yunjing walked to the window and looked at the bustling crowd in the square. The cultivators were either trading or discussing the Dao. The fluctuations of spiritual energy and the hustle and bustle of the market intertwined, revealing a strange harmony.

“Look at the cultivators in that trading square. Some are eager to make quick success and use high-level magic artifacts to exchange for low-level pills as an emergency measure; others are steady and cautious, slowly accumulating resources.”

He suddenly laughed and said, "The former seems to defy the heavens, but it solved the immediate crisis; the latter seems to make sense, but it may also cause us to miss an opportunity."

"The so-called 'nature' is not about passively waiting for death, but about knowing how to find 'following the trend' in 'defying nature'."

He turned to look at Lin Xuan: "Just like when you were trying to break through to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, forcibly reversing your meridians is 'going against' the natural order, while using the morning sun's energy to nourish your meridians is 'going with' the natural order. Only by combining the two can you break through to the next level."

Lin Xuan lowered his head in thought, and suddenly remembered that when he was on a mission in the East China Sea, he had seen fishermen sailing out to sea.

When the wind and waves are strong, fishermen never try to fight them head-on. Instead, they adjust the angle of their sails and use the wind to change their course. This may seem like a retreat, but in reality, it allows them to reach the other shore faster.

"Disciple understands!"

When Lin Xuan looked up, there was no longer any confusion in his eyes. "'Nature' is not about going with the flow, but about being like a helmsman steering a ship, knowing the dangers of the wind and waves, and also knowing how to leverage the power of the situation!"

"very good."

Li Yunjing clapped his hands and chuckled, "You can comprehend the Dao from worldly affairs, which shows that your Dao heart has begun to take shape. Go, cultivate according to my method, and I will test your progress in three days."

"is teacher!"

Lin Xuan bowed respectfully, and as he turned to leave, his steps were much lighter, and his back was straighter.

As he watched his disciple's retreating figure, the smile on Li Yunjing's face gradually faded.

He looked back toward Xizhou, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the windowsill.

Lin Xuan's growth made him happy, but the gloom of Xizhou was like a thorn stuck in his heart.

“Wei Henian…”

Li Yunjing muttered to himself.

He didn't take the remnants of the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" seriously, but he could never forget his fellow disciple Wei Henian.

Li Yunjing did not waste any time during his three years of continuous cultivation.

Similarly, by laying a solid foundation, Li Yunjing integrated the various great principles, laws, supernatural powers, and spells he had mastered into the "Five Elements Divine Fist" and "Thunder Tribulation Divine Fist" over three years.

The two great paths are becoming increasingly perfect.

When the morning light pierced through the clouds at "Moon-Viewing Terrace," Li Yunjing had already been practicing his fist and foot techniques in the training ground for four hours.

"drink!"

He threw a punch, the force of which carried the sound of clashing swords and galloping horses. The bluestone ground in the center of the training ground caved in, and cracks spread like a spider web.

This punch, though seemingly powerful, transformed into five gentle streams of air that flowed along the cracks, silently lifting the rubble off the ground.

"The Five Elements Divine Fist requires 'metal' as its bone, 'wood' as its veins, 'water' as its breath, 'fire' as its power, and 'earth' as ​​its foundation."

Li Yunjing stood with his fist closed, a wisp of lightning condensing at his fingertips, which he gently touched on the floating rubble. "The Thunder Tribulation Divine Fist, on the other hand, borrows the power of heaven and earth's tribulations to shatter all illusions."

"When the two are combined, they are as powerful as thunder splitting rocks, and as gentle as flowing water cutting through sand..."

Before he finished speaking, the rubble suddenly exploded, turning into countless points of light, which then reformed into a miniature Five Elements Thunder Talisman amidst the lightning.

As the talismanic light flickered, it spontaneously swirled around his fist, emitting a faint rumble of thunder.

Over the past three years, he has not only been busy with government affairs.

When the night is deep and quiet, he has mastered the “Thunder Law”, “Five Elements Great Dao”, and even the “Yin-Yang Great Dao”, “Ice Great Dao”, and “Law of Life and Death” of the Shenxiao Dao.

Even though the Five Elements Divine Fist is now isolated by the martial arts arena, it still draws upon the spiritual energy of the earth veins within a ten-mile radius. The Thunder Tribulation Divine Fist can even simulate the pressure of a minor heavenly tribulation. If an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator were to be hit by this punch, their Nascent Soul would likely be directly shattered.

"Unfortunately, there's still one last step to go."

After a long while, Li Yunjing finished his work. He looked at the thunder talisman on his fist with a slight frown.

Although the two styles of boxing can be integrated, there is always an invisible barrier between them.

That's because the "yin and yang energies" were not completely harmonized.

He recalled the bottleneck that Liu Ruyan and the other two women encountered when cultivating the "Yin Yang He Dao Jing" and suddenly understood something.

"I see. A single yang cannot produce life, nor can a single yin grow. Even martial arts require the balance of yin and yang..."

Just as he was pondering this, the communication talisman on Li Yunjing's body vibrated.

"Oh? Is it an order from the sect?"

Looking at the message on the communication talisman, Li Yunjing raised an eyebrow.

Unexpectedly, in order to win over the hearts and minds of the people, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" has decided to hold a grand event in the "Youyue Kingdom" to recruit new disciples.

You should know that in the "Youyue Kingdom", there are countless demonic cultivators and countless people who hate the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

(End of this chapter)