Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 90 Bottlenecks and Fruitful Results

While the body-refining lineage was developing rapidly, Meng Xihong's own cultivation never slackened for a moment.

For him, there are three thousand great paths, all leading to the same destination. However, after the great calamity of antiquity, the foundation of the Heavenly Dao was damaged, and many paths had long been severed or incomplete. Cultivating only one path would lead to an unpredictable future.

Therefore, cultivating the body, refining the qi, and mastering literature simultaneously is the path to enlightenment he has found for himself.

Body refinement is the process of forging a precious body, protecting one's blood relatives, and opening up new paths for all mortals in the world; this is the 'foundation for establishing oneself in the world'.

Qi cultivation involves refining the five elements, exploring the ultimate principles, and seeking immortality; this is the essence of the Dao.

The Way of Literature is the 'key to enlightenment' that allows him to understand all laws and govern both.

These three elements are interdependent and complementary, forming the most complete path to immortality in his mind at present.

Beside the spiritual spring in the secret realm, he sat cross-legged, surrounded by spiritual energy, like a jade statue.

Within his dantian, the single stream of green energy was no longer the original. Now, a long, emerald-green river of spiritual energy served as the main trunk, upon which crimson, gold, blue, and yellow tributaries intertwined and meandered, mutually generating and restraining each other, forming a subtle and stable cycle of the five elements, endlessly regenerating.

This was the result of his purchase of several foundation-building techniques from Qingyang County, and his extraordinary comprehension through the "Literary Mind and Spirit" technique, which allowed him to draw inferences from one instance to another and fuse the power of the five elements into one.

He had a vague premonition that this Five Elements Technique was not the end. If he could completely return these five forces to chaos and transform them into true primordial power, perhaps that would be the path to heaven.

His cultivation at the eighth level of Qi Refining became incredibly solid and refined under his deliberate refinement.

"it's time."

On this day, Meng Xihong took out several mid-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and set up a small spirit-gathering array around himself.

He was about to break through the final barrier of the Qi Refining stage—the ninth level of Qi Refining!
As the cultivation technique was activated, the Spirit Gathering Array hummed, and the dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth around them surged wildly toward Meng Xihong's body as if it had found an outlet.

The spiritual energy within his body began to surge against that invisible barrier at an unprecedented speed.

Once, twice, three times...

Each impact sent shivers of pain through his meridians, and his dantian felt as if it were about to burst.

But he endured it all thanks to his strong will and physical strength far exceeding that of other cultivators of the same level.

However, that barrier was more resilient than anyone could imagine. No matter how he tried to break through it, it only swayed slightly and showed no signs of breaking.

An hour later, the several mid-grade spirit stones beside him had dimmed and turned into dust.

However, he is still far from reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining.

"What happened?" Meng Xihong frowned as he looked at the spirit stone that had turned to dust.

He could feel that his accumulated spiritual power had far surpassed that of an ordinary Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator. Logically, a breakthrough should have been a natural progression.

But why is it that it just falls short of that final step?
He calmed himself down again and carefully looked inward, finally discovering a clue.

His spiritual power, though abundant, seemed to lack a certain "divine" quality. Like a sharp sword with a blade but no sword spirit, it was ultimately just ordinary iron.

"It seems I underestimated things," Meng Xihong said with a self-deprecating laugh.

He got up and found Yun Songzi, who was instructing Meng Yanwei on his cultivation.

"Brother, I've hit a roadblock." He got straight to the point.

Yun Songzi put down the book in his hand, glanced at him, and chuckled, seemingly unsurprised: "The bottleneck of the ninth level of Qi Refining?"

"Exactly."

“Normal,” Yun Songzi said slowly, taking a sip of tea.

"In the Qi Refining stage, levels one to three are the entry point, levels four to six are the accumulation stage, and levels seven to eight are the refinement stage. The ninth level, however, is a qualitative leap, laying the most solid foundation for building the 'Dao Foundation' in the future."

This trial no longer tests the quantity of spiritual power, but rather the cultivator's understanding of their own 'Dao'.

"The Dao?" Meng Xihong seemed to be deep in thought.

“That’s right, that is the Dao.” Yun Songzi stood up and paced back and forth.
"For some, the way is to fight and kill, so they need to seek breakthroughs in life-and-death struggles; for others, the way is to protect, so they need to understand their true nature in protecting all living beings; for still others, the way is to be carefree, so they need to see through illusions while traveling through mountains and rivers."

"You lad, you possess the strengths of Qi Refining, Body Refining, and Literary Dao, and you also bear the weight of your family's rise and fall. Your path is more complex and grander than anyone else's. Naturally, breaking through will be more difficult for you than for anyone else."

Yun Songzi looked at him and said earnestly, "Boy, don't be impatient. Calm down and ask yourself what your true heart is. Why are you cultivating immortality? Where do you intend to use your power? Once you understand this, your bottleneck will naturally be resolved."

Upon hearing this, Meng Xihong fell into a long silence.

For what?
Initially, it was to escape the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death of mortals and to seek immortality.

Later, it was to protect her family, to ensure they were not bullied and could live in peace. Still later, it was to defy fate for her son, to establish the Tianyan Sect, and to make the Meng family's name resound throughout the heavens.

His path seems to be constantly changing.

But no matter how things change, the core principles remain the same: "protection" and "creation".

He wanted to protect this home and the land he considered his foundation.

To create a new path for body refinement and open up a new way out for ordinary people.

“I understand…” A look of realization flashed in Meng Xihong’s eyes.

His path lies not in solitary cultivation, but in the bustling training grounds, in the classrooms filled with the sound of students reciting their lessons, and in the vibrant medicinal gardens.

His path was already inextricably linked to the family he had personally established and the sect that was about to be born.

To break through, what he needs is not more spirit stones, but an opportunity—an opportunity that allows him to completely integrate his beliefs of "protection" and "creation" into one.

He bowed deeply to Yun Songzi: "Thank you for your guidance, brother."

After saying that, he turned and left, not returning to the spiritual vein spring, but instead heading towards the newly opened training ground that would belong to the future outer disciples of the Heavenly Evolution Sect.

There, Ji Beichuan, Zhang Xianghua, and others were working alongside Meng Yanqing, sweating profusely as they underwent the second stage of "flesh refining" training.

Looking at their resolute and hopeful faces, Meng Xihong felt an unprecedented sense of peace.

The bottleneck will eventually be broken.

All he needs to do is wait, wait for the right opportunity.

As the days passed, the nascent Tianyan Sect rapidly developed within the secret realm.

Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua, as expected of masters of profound internal strength, after switching to body cultivation, accumulated their strength and made a breakthrough in just two months, breaking through the second level of body tempering, "flesh refining", and are now striving for the third level, "bone forging".

Their strength, speed, and defense have all reached a new level. Now, they are confident that they can easily deal with several martial artists of the same level as them, even unarmed.

Although the He brothers, Wu and Wen, progressed a little slower, they made steady progress and successfully entered the realm of meat refining.

Especially for He Wen, Meng Xihong specially prepared a gentler and more nourishing medicinal bath for him to cleanse his marrow and rebuild his foundation.

Although he still looks frail, he has undergone a complete transformation. His vital energy is strong and enduring, and his stamina even surpasses that of his naturally robust older brother.

He Wu looked at his younger brother. His body did not have exaggerated muscles, but instead appeared more slender and well-proportioned. However, beneath his skin, his flesh seemed to be refined steel that had been forged a thousand times, with every inch containing astonishing density and power.

He couldn't resist patting him twice, feeling the solid texture, and grinned foolishly: "Little brother, you're really strong, much better than my muscular body."

He Wenze would smile slightly and slowly correct him: "Brother, you are mistaken. The way of body refinement is not about the strength of muscles and bones, but about the refinement of tendons and bones and the storage of qi and blood. This is the superior way of 'concealing one's sharpness within and concealing one's precious light within'."

These words left He Wu scratching his head, seemingly understanding but not quite, only knowing that his younger brother had truly made something of himself.

What surprised Meng Xihong the most was still his eldest son, Meng Yanqing.

This nine-year-old boy, blessed with the [Martial Arts Foundation], displayed monstrous talent for cultivation. He was not only the first to break through to the Flesh Refining Realm, but also showed signs of catching up with Ji Beichuan and the other two.

A month has passed quietly.

As the four members of Jibeichuan began to see results in their body refinement, the core of the Meng family had already secretly moved into the Yinsha Sect's secret realm.

This place is rich in spiritual energy and protected by spirit beasts such as the Ancient Giant Rock Turtle, making it far safer than Yunni Township. Meng Yan'an's small body was placed in a quiet room with many restrictions personally set up by Yun Songzi, and was looked after by Bai Muyun, Li Shi, and Wang Shi in turns, never leaving their side day and night.

On this day, in the training ground of the secret realm, steam rose from two huge medicine cauldrons. Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua sat cross-legged inside, their faces contorted, and their bones crackling and popping.

The two of them actually attempted to break through to the third level of Body Tempering—Bone Tempering—on the same day!
Meng Xihong stood to one side with his hands behind his back, his expression solemn.

suddenly!

"Roar!"

Two suppressed growls erupted simultaneously from within the cauldron.

Two mighty plumes of blood-red smoke, brimming with the aura of both new life and destruction, soared into the sky.

Become!

At that very moment, Meng Xihong suddenly looked up and clearly "saw" two pure and powerful sources of body refinement rising from above their heads, instantly disappearing into the void and surging towards the room where Meng Yan'an was.

These represent the first fruits of his creation, the "Furnace Classic"!
(End of this chapter)