Vampire Cultivation Notes

"...That cave is vast, and we don't know what kind of great cultivator's methods it is. It is so intricate and complex that my husband and I have yet to fully explore it."

Jiang Wei invited, "Besides my husband and I, no one else knows about that cave. But I also know that Fellow Daoist Zhao is not a treacherous person. I would like to invite you to explore this treasure land together. What do you say?"

These words were even more earnest.

Jiang Wei had already thought it through. She said that revealing the location of the cave would earn them a Rejuvenation Pill. With an additional alchemist to handle logistics, their exploration speed would definitely be greatly accelerated.

"Are you inviting me to come along?"

Suddenly, Li Jieqing blurted out those words.

"That's indeed the case. What does Fellow Daoist Zhao think?"

"Hmm...we'll talk about it later, after the beast tide recedes. If you go again before then, you can bring back some of the items from that cave and see if you can identify who the cave's owner is."

Li Jieqing's attitude was ambiguous.

He was in the adaptation period of the new cultivation method. Within two years, he was confident that he could reach the fifth level of Qi Refining. At the same time, he would purchase a few more offensive magic weapons and a few hundred spirit talismans to hold a grand funeral for his old friend.

Let's keep him on the safe side.

Jiang Wei was unsure whether to be happy or worried when she saw that Li Jieqing was not interested in the treasures in the cave.

Fortunately, the Rejuvenation Pill was obtained in exchange for this.

Jiang Wei left behind a well-explored map, took the Rejuvenation Pill, and bid farewell.

The matter was resolved after midnight, in the latter half of the night.

In the dimly lit room, Li Jieqing examined the map repeatedly, his eyes filled with deep thought.

"Are the treasures in Moon Gazing Valley merely for improving aptitude and allowing people to join higher sects?"

"This doesn't match my resurrection situation..."

Li Jieqing put down the map, raised his hand to extinguish the candle in the room, and closed his eyes.

After a while, two scarlet lights shone in the night, those were eyes that had opened again.

"So be it. Even if the secret of resurrection cannot be found in the short term, it is not enough to become an obsession..."

My only pursuit in this life, whether before or after resurrection, will not change.

Cultivating immortality.

Seeking immortality and ascension to heaven!

Oh……

Immortality already exists.

-

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The years and months of spiritual practice are unknown.

Even the largest beast tides in the history of Taipingfang City eventually recede.

Standing beneath the archway, Li Jieqing saw that not a single monster remained to be seen. The traces left by the two-year-long beast tides—the mud and bloodstains—were being buried by this year's first snow.

Because Taiping Market occupies the best spiritual vein, every few years, a steady stream of demonic beasts covet this place, forming a beast tide that impacts the market; this has become a common occurrence.

However, it's rare to see one as fierce as this.

Thankfully, it's over.

A puff of white breath was exhaled, rising above the archway and turning into ice crystals that disappeared.

Li Jieqing turned around.

After this year, he will be fifty-six years old.

Taiping Market has reopened, and the bustling post station will soon resume operations. The area is rapidly returning to its former prosperity.

"...Who is this person? Such a heavy aura of yin energy!"

On the streets of the market, someone saw a figure in a black robe pass by, and pedestrians stepped aside, prompting the person to ask a question.

A familiar face nearby quickly said, "You're new to Taipingfang, don't talk nonsense or point fingers. That's Master Zhao, who lives in the alley on South Street. He's an expert at making Fengxin Pills and has taken over half of the business on North Street. He has an excellent reputation for making pills and never breaks his promises. Don't offend him."

"Judging from this, they must be high-ranking cultivators in this market. I wonder what their cultivation level is?"

"This... I don't know. It is said that Master Zhao has never fought with anyone. When he sells pills on North Street, he sells Fengxin Pills at low prices and forces other alchemists to share half of his business."

As the cultivators talked, the man in the black robe had already walked away.

Wanbaoge.

Li Jieqing entered and strolled around, eventually reaching the large red beam in the center.

He looked up again at one of the hanging ritual implements, examining it for a long time.

"Fellow Daoist, have you finally made a breakthrough?"

A clear, silvery laugh rang out as someone approached from behind.

"So it's Xingniang." Li Jieqing turned his head and said unhappily, "Where did you learn to pry into other people's privacy?"

"Fellow Daoist, you are wronged."

Xingniang was a new waitress at Wanbaoge a couple of years ago.

Two years have passed, and he has grown into an even more striking figure. He chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist, you are quite wealthy. How could others possibly know you're so rich when you're dressed in a Dharma robe?"

"However, when you came to inquire about the price of magical artifacts last time, Xingniang was so thirsty from explaining that she couldn't use them because she didn't have enough magical power, and then she just left."

"Now that you've come again, your cultivation must have greatly improved."

Hearing this half-complaining explanation, Li Jieqing felt embarrassed. He should have used a different excuse last time.

It's really because he's too honest.

That's right, he saved up enough money and finally broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, completing half of his Qi Refining cultivation.

I'm not even sixty yet, the future looks bright.

Because of the breakthrough, his magical power increased greatly, at least double that of when he was at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Compared to ordinary rogue cultivators who come seeking pills, the power of his "Blood Heart Freedom Secret Record" is almost comparable to the late stage of Qi Refining.

Using advanced magical artifacts is sufficient.

"Don't mention this robe; your possessions can't conceal the abnormality of my technique. Let's just talk about the sword. If it's still the same price as last time, then take it."

Xingniang, who was already all smiles, was even more delighted upon hearing this. She didn't refute the flaw in the robe, but instead busied herself activating the array in the hall to retrieve the scarlet longsword.

"This is arguably one of the best high-grade magical artifacts in my shop besides my three prized possessions, and it's compatible with the cultivation technique you bought a few years ago. We can name it..."

"No need to say anything more, just pack it up."

"Alright... Fellow Daoist, are you really not considering buying a storage bag? I'll give you a discount."

"Xingniang, do you really think I'm rich? Buying robes and swords, and then having to support your own cultivation, you're really broke now."

"Going out without a storage bag is truly beneath your dignity, fellow Daoist," Xingniang said, pursing her lips.

"Simple, I just won't go out, right?"

You work hard all year and only earn two or three hundred spirit stones. What are you pretending to be rich for?

Li Jieqing paid the bill, took the brocade box containing the blood-red longsword, exchanged a few casual jokes with Xingniang, and then left.

Breakthrough last night, retreat today.

Everything is ready; please step into the trap.

It's time to make a move against our two-lifetime best friend!

Starting from the days when the beast tide was at its most intense, after receiving news of the Wangyue Valley cave from Jiang Wei.

Three months ago, Jiang Wei and his wife visited Moon Valley again, but returned severely injured, bringing back two century-old ginseng plants and several broken pieces of wood they had picked up from the cave.

The couple, Jiang Wei and his wife, were reluctant to use the century-old ginseng that they had refined into a Qi-nourishing elixir, and as always, they found a way to give it to their daughter for her cultivation.

The few broken pieces of wood were carefully examined by a weapon refiner after Li Jieqing went out, and the only conclusion was that they were from four hundred years ago.

At that time, the Ruyi Sect had not yet come here to reclaim the land and establish markets.

The following year, with Li Jieqing's financial support, Jiang Wei and his wife explored the cave more and more quickly, bringing out more and more miscellaneous items from the cave.

Occasionally, a few spiritual herbs could be found. Li Jieqing extracted them once, and the rest were used as cultivation resources. They were then sealed by Jiang Wei and his wife, waiting for the Flying Express to restart and send them away after the beast tide.

Over the course of more than a year, the two sides have developed a very close working relationship.

Even Li Jieqing couldn't help but advise them along the way: "You two have endured hardship on your treasure hunt, suffering serious injuries repeatedly. Why not think of yourselves in terms of the rewards you've gained?"

Jiang Wei gave a helpless, bitter smile: "Fellow Daoist, you don't know, when we entered the cave, my husband and I were seriously injured, and our path to immortality was hopeless. In this life, we can only entrust the Great Dao to our daughter..."

Upon hearing this, Li Jieqing immediately exclaimed "Oh!" and nodded in satisfaction.

No wonder the beast tides have disappeared and the country is about to be at peace, yet Jiang Wei and his wife still keep returning battered and bruised from their travels. It turns out they have long since stopped taking their own cultivation path seriously.

So good.

Heaven calls for the demise of evil and the rise of Tao.

Now that the time has come, it is my turn to accomplish this.