Han Clan Immortals: I have a hundredfold energy-gathering bottle

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingkuan's long eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"The ancient methods are so demanding, yet I've never heard of such a thing. If the lake freezes and you can't gather the Qi, wouldn't that slow down your cultivation?"

"The path to immortality seeks speed, and even the initial stagnation can lead to chaos. You have only completed about 50-60% of the training, yet you have already reached the late stage of the embryonic breathing cultivation, which is truly astonishing. Reaching the late stage of Qi Refining will be easy for you in the future."

"Even the nearest river, the Dayu River, is located at Huojingping. For a family like ours, which is not near any river, to have to gather qi in this way is really inappropriate and can be considered as burying the talents of our children..."

Wang Jinghan sat silently, watching a drop of cold rain slip through the window, fall into his cup, and dissolve in the tea on the table.

He seemed to dislike tea that had been mixed with other ingredients, and pushed the bowl away, saying softly.

"Uncle, have you forgotten the story of that ancestor?"

Wang Jingkuan was taken aback, then understood, and a look of sorrow appeared in his eyes.

"We will never forget the deeds of our ancestors..."

His lineage in the Wang family of Nanhu is extraordinary, seemingly stemming from some background, but unfortunately, it is not recorded in the family history.

Although the family's territory was large, it consisted mostly of islets and islets, and the population was small, making it one of the few families in Huannan.

However, the family produces many cultivators and spiritual talents. Moreover, the cultivators are all quite talented, and their cultivation speed is very fast thanks to the "Wind and Mist Lake Concealment Technique".

This resulted in the number of cultivators in the family being roughly the same as that of the Yuan family, who occupied half of Huannan Ridge and had several times the population of their own family.

An ancestor named Wang Tingfeng once appeared in the family. He was exceptionally talented, had a strong affinity with water, and cultivated very quickly.

The ancestors of Tingfeng had foresight. Instead of following the ancestral teachings and practicing the ancient method "Linjiang Caiyue Quehua Jing", they practiced "Fengwu Hanhu Gong".

At just over twenty years old, he had already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, and even showed signs of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, shocking all the sects and making him famous.

Such talent naturally caught the attention of the upper sect, who summoned him to the sect and made him a disciple of Dongquan Peak.

When he first joined the sect, he still wrote back home, but later he stopped writing and there was no news of him. According to people in the sect, he seemed to have died somewhere.

The Wang family naturally didn't believe it, but they dared not show it. They just swallowed their anger and silently kept it in their hearts, recording it in the clan history using a secret writing technique to warn future generations.

After that, the children in the family became even more cautious, and realized the good intentions of their ancestors. Those with high talent could only practice this ancient method to delay their progress and not show off their abilities.

"This technique is difficult to master, but it is an ancient method. After practicing Qi, you will likely become more powerful... You are cultivating very quickly, and your talent is similar to that of the ancestor Tingfeng. Even if you are limited by the first step of Qi gathering, you may catch up in the future."

Wang Jingkuan offered a word of comfort and then fell silent, unsure of what to say.

He knew that this nephew had been stuck at the Qi gathering stage for a long time and had not yet made any attempt to break through, but he did not expect it to be for this reason, and then asked.

"Although the ice on the upper layer of Guanglu Lake has frozen over, it involves the affairs of those adults, and it is unknown when it will dissipate."

"But although we can't collect the moonlight from the bottom of the lake, if we send someone to stay at the Dayu River to help my nephew collect the energy, how long would that take?"

Wang Jinghan gently shook his head and said.

"This dish, 'Moon Over the River,' seems to draw inspiration from the virtue of water, but it actually captures the yin energy within the water, reflected by the moon in varying depths and obscurities. The water moves while the reflection remains still, emphasizing a cool and moist quality."

"If it were a normal method, I could ask someone to do it for me, but since it involves the [Taiyin], I would have to rely on my own understanding to master it. I can't help with that easily."

"Not to mention that the Yin energy in the cultivation world is not visible now, and the moon is hidden, as if it does not exist in the world. As a result, the Yin energy in the water is also less, and the flowing essence is rare. It melts as soon as it is touched."

"I have been gathering Qi for two years, and I have only obtained one-tenth of it. No wonder that the earliest cultivators in my family who practiced the 'Linjiang Caiyue Quehua Jing' could only refine Qi at the age of forty. I didn't understand it before, but now I know that this is the reason..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingkuan understood the reason. Ever since the Taiyin sect went into seclusion in the cultivation world, the cultivation of related lineages had become extremely difficult.

The moon loses its brilliance, and regrets follow in its footsteps. Any practice that touches even the slightest bit of this "Taiyin" (the moon's influence) cannot be considered a good technique.

Even powerful cultivators are somewhat afraid and ashamed of their own lack of wisdom, let alone the direct descendants of a small family like their own.

"So that's the reason. My family's cultivation technique is actually related to the Taiyin Dao. Where did we obtain it from...?"

Wang Jingkuan was unwilling to think about it, or rather, dared not think about it.

So he stopped talking, sighed softly, and looked at the most talented young man in the family.

When their calm gazes met, Wang Jingkuan felt a pang of guilt and lowered his head, unable to look at them any longer.

With this nephew's talent, even if he becomes a rogue cultivator, he would have a chance to reach the Foundation Establishment stage if he practices any ordinary cultivation technique.

Now, however, due to the situation at home and his circumstances on the lake, he has no choice but to practice this ancient method, which has hampered his cultivation and reduced him to a mediocre person.

Even if someone of the same generation is less talented, they could probably surpass me in the speed of breaking through Qi Refining by practicing simple techniques.

If Wang Jingkuan himself had done such a thing, he would inevitably have felt resentment.

"Was the Ancestor's action right or wrong...? Although it allowed our Wang family to be preserved and our bloodline to be hidden so that others would not covet it, it also diminished our own strength and cut off the path to our rise. What will become of us in the future?"

Wang Jingkuan didn't know what to say. His mind was in turmoil, and he thought about many things. In the end, he just asked in a daze.

"Now that you can't absorb Qi, Han'er, how do you plan to break through?"

Although Wang Jinghan was young, he had experienced many things and was mature in character. His gaze was fixed on the distance, and there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.

"Although my uncle's breakthrough has brought another Qi Refining cultivator to the family, the situation in Huannan is currently unstable. The Yuan family has Yuan Yingtuan seeking a breakthrough, advancing like a tiger and seizing like a wolf, with the potential to unify the country. The Han family has the background of a powerful clan, secretly accumulating strength, and watching coldly."

"The patriarch and my great-uncle are already old, and with the changes on the lake and the sudden drop in temperature, my family's fishing business has been completely lost. Times are not what they used to be, and we are facing great difficulties. I am determined to succeed in my Qi cultivation."

"Let alone practicing some ancient method, it's difficult to gather Qi... If I can't gather Qi from that [Hidden Moon in the River], I'll mix it with this spiritual Qi, consume mixed Qi to advance, and after all, I'm a Qi Refining cultivator. I can save the family from danger and not be at the mercy of others!"

"A cultivator of miscellaneous qi cannot reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if they progress quickly, it won't attract much attention. This will buy my family some time."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingkuan was filled with mixed emotions and fell silent, her eyes filled with even deeper sorrow.

He knew that although his nephew was usually quiet and had a gentle and calm demeanor, he was not talkative.

But he must have had lofty ambitions. Now, for the sake of his family's interests, he was willing to swallow impure energy to advance, abandoning his path of cultivation and suppressing his usual enterprising spirit. He only said softly.

"Once you embark on the path of Taoism, there's no turning back, Jinghan. It's our family's fault for letting you down..."

As the words fell, only the pattering rain fell in front of the curtain, and the two remained silent.

Wang Jinghan's eyes calmed down again, his yin aura weakened, and he lightly raised his hand, the cup of tea on the table already at his lips.

This time he didn't complain, silently drinking the tea mixed with rainwater in one gulp, and unconsciously looking out the window.

As the wind and tide rose along the shore, the rain gradually intensified on the misty lake, carrying a hint of chill.