Reincarnation Immortal Venerable: Starting from the Ninety-Nineth Incarnation

The bloody stench of the reckoning battle was gradually washed away by the morning dew in the mountain stream.

Li Yanzhou and Su Qingyao quietly sneaked back to Qiyun Sect.

Su Qingyao helped him put his blood-stained outer robe into his storage bag without saying a word. Before leaving, she slipped a calming pill into his hand.

The two tacitly kept all the fighting and what they had seen and heard outside the Qingxuan Sect to themselves.

Life continued as usual. In the morning, he would follow the outer disciples to the main hall to listen to the sermons. After class, he would meditate in the woods next to the medicinal field. At night, he would close the courtyard gate to cultivate. No one could tell that anything was amiss.

To be honest, Li Yanzhou has never let his guard down.

He suppressed all his surging emotions and practiced the "Dust Boat Technique" every day, using the mimicry of the spirit jade to hone his extraordinary ability to cultivate his foundation at the peak of the Qi Sensing Realm.

The spiritual energy was drawn in and released repeatedly, and the spiritual energy in the body was already so full that it was about to overflow. The meridians were stretched and slightly swollen, but the barrier leading to the Zhenxi Realm was like a layer of fog in front of the eyes, which could not be grasped no matter how hard one tried.

He had always wondered where the threshold for breaking through to the next realm lay. Was it a lack of spiritual energy? Or an inadequate cultivation technique? Every night, when he meditated with his eyes closed, Li Yanran's wicked smile and the bloodstains in the ruins of the Qingxuan Sect would always flash before his eyes, causing his spiritual energy to surge wildly through his meridians. Each time, he had to rely on the Mind-Clearing Pill given to him by Su Qingyao to barely stabilize his mind.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye while I was meditating and cultivating.

That morning, a clear and melodious bell suddenly rang out from the direction of the mountain gate, one sound after another, echoing throughout every mountain ridge of Qiyun Sect. The elders who had gone to the ruins of Qingxuan Sect to purge the demonic path had returned.

The outer disciples instantly erupted in a frenzy, gathering on both sides of the mountain path. The crowd surged and the murmurs of conversation were like the wind rustling through wheat fields.

"I heard that the two elders were wreaking havoc in the Qingxuan Sect."

"Indeed, with the four sects joining forces, they've finally avenged their unjustly killed comrades!"

Li Yanzhou and Su Qingyao mingled in the back of the crowd, their heads slightly lowered, trying to hide themselves in the shadows.

He broke out in a cold sweat. Even though he knew he was well hidden, with his face covered by a mask and no trace left, his heart still couldn't help but pound wildly.

Su Qingyao noticed his tension and quietly grasped his wrist from inside her sleeve. The warmth gradually calmed his racing heart.

Before long, the group came along the mountain path.

Elder Chaohua and Elder Ruoxue walked at the front, their moon-white Taoist robes stained with dust and faint bloodstains, yet they remained upright and their robes fluttered in the breeze.

The two walked side by side. Elder Chaohua waved her jade fan and spoke softly to Elder Ruoxue. Elder Ruoxue occasionally covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone gentle and graceful, just as she always had.

Just as the group passed in front of Li Yanzhou, both of them paused for a moment.

It didn't stop, just paused for a very short time, so little that others wouldn't even notice.

Elder Chaohua gently swayed the jade fan in her hand, her gaze drifting across the crowd to Li Yanzhou's face with a knowing smile.

Elder Ruoxue also turned her head, gently tugging at a strand of hair with her fingertip, her eyes soft yet seemingly seeing through all his pretense.

Just one glance.

Without questioning, without coldness, and without even lingering for half a second, the two continued walking forward, chatting and laughing, as if that glance just now was merely Li Yanzhou's illusion.

But the weight in Li Yanzhou's heart suddenly sank.

They found out.

I know for sure.

They knew he had secretly left the sect, knew he had gone to the ruins of the Qingxuan Sect, and probably knew he was a disciple of the Qingxuan Sect.

The two elders said nothing, their eyes crinkled slightly, their smiles remained, and they walked past calmly without stopping, as if they hadn't noticed anything.

This unspoken understanding, rather than any direct accusation, made him even more uneasy.

Sure enough, less than half an hour later, a gray-robed steward came over, bowed to Li Yanzhou, and said in a gentle tone, "Junior Brother Li, Elder Chaohua and Elder Ruoxue are at the Cloud Pavilion on the back mountain. Please come over there."

Su Qingyao's heart jumped. After the steward left, she quickly straightened his slightly disheveled robes and whispered, "Don't be nervous. The two elders have always protected the sect's disciples and would never be harsh on the younger generation. Even if they ask, don't be stubborn. Speak politely."

Li Yanzhou took a deep breath, nodded, suppressed the panic in his heart, and turned to walk towards the back mountain.

The mountain road wound its way through the air, the clouds swirled around his feet, and the wind carried the scent of pine needles. He walked slowly, but his mind was racing with countless thoughts.

The Cloud Pavilion is built on the edge of a cliff halfway up the mountain, offering a wide view, surrounded by clouds and mist, and with a refreshing breeze.

Elder Chaohua leaned against the railing, fanning herself with a jade fan. Freshly brewed spiritual tea sat on the stone table, steaming gently. Elder Ruoxue sat on a stone bench, peeling a translucent white spiritual fruit, her slender fingers moving with delicate grace.

Upon seeing him enter, the two simultaneously looked up and smiled, their eyes crinkling.

"Oh my, little Yanzhou has finally arrived! We thought you were going to hide." Elder Chaohua's tone was gentle and charming, with a slight upward inflection at the end, without a trace of reproach.

Elder Ruoxue pushed the peeled spiritual fruit in front of him and said softly, "That's right, you've been running around outside these past few days, aren't you tired? Don't make yourself suffer."

Li Yanzhou's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm. He bowed respectfully and said, "Disciple Li Yanzhou greets the two elders. I have been focusing on cultivation recently and have not gone out. May I ask what instructions the elders have for me?"

He pretended not to know what was going on, and decided to steel himself and act as if nothing had happened.

The two elders exchanged a glance, chuckled softly, and instead of exposing him, waved their hands, gesturing for him to come closer to speak.

"Alright, alright, you child, you have quite a heavy heart." Elder Chaohua waved her fan, her tone gentle. "We didn't call you here today to question you about some trivial matters. I see you're stuck at the peak of the Qi Sensing Realm, unwilling to break through. I'm afraid you have quite a few doubts on your mind, don't you?"

Li Yanzhou was startled, then suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with astonishment.

He was prepared to be questioned and punished, but to his surprise, the two of them didn't mention a word about his secret trip to Qingxuan Sect.

He composed himself, suppressed his astonishment, and bowed, saying, "Elder, you have great insight. This disciple does indeed have a question to ask you."

"Oh? Tell me about it." Elder Ruoxue tilted her head curiously, her eyes sparkling.

Li Yanzhou took a deep breath and asked directly, "This disciple has now reached the perfection of the Qi Sensing Realm, with abundant and flawless spiritual energy, yet I still cannot find the path to breakthrough. I wonder... what exactly is the true opportunity to step into the Breath Suppression Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Chaohua let out a soft "Ah!" and chuckled while fanning herself, "So that's where you're stuck. There's nothing to be troubled about."

Elder Ruoxue nodded in agreement, her tone gentle yet each word clear: "Little Yanzhou, remember this well. The core of the Zhenxi Realm lies in the two words 'Zhenxi' (镇息). It's not about simply accumulating spiritual energy, but about truly establishing your own cultivation foundation, condensing scattered spiritual energy into your own, and allowing it to circulate naturally within your body."

Elder Chaohua took over the conversation, lightly tapping the tip of her fan, and a wisp of gentle spiritual energy landed on his chest. She slowly said, "In the early stage of the Qi Cultivation stage, when the spiritual energy stabilizes the flow of energy within the body, nourishes the meridians, and enhances the strength of the physical body, your cultivation path can be considered truly established. From now on, it will not be easy for your cultivation to dissipate, nor will it be easy for you to regress."

"Simply put, it's about firmly 'planting' everything you've cultivated in your meridians, making it your own," Elder Ruoxue added with a smile, pushing the teacup towards him. "You're always thinking about rushing outwards, but you've forgotten about gathering and channeling inwards. How can you possibly find the way?"

These words, upon hearing them, exploded in his mind like a thunderclap, instantly clearing his thoughts.

All the previous confusion, obstacles, and bewilderment vanished at this moment.

He always thought that breakthroughs relied on accumulating spiritual energy and brute force to break through barriers, but he didn't know that the core of the Zhenxi Realm was to establish a foundation, condense spiritual energy, and define one's own path.

It's not about seeking externally, but about taking root internally.

"Thank you for your guidance, elders!" Li Yanzhou bowed deeply, his waist bent low. His mind was suddenly enlightened, and his eyes shone with a light of understanding. "Disciple... understands."

"Oh my, look at that comprehension, truly remarkable." Elder Chaohua smiled, her eyes crinkling, and waved her hand. "Go on, go back to your courtyard and cultivate in peace. Reach the Suppressing Breath Realm as soon as possible, then come find us again."

Li Yanzhou bowed again, said no more, turned and quickly descended the mountain. His steps were light, his heart was surging, the stone that had been hanging in the air before was finally lifted, and his heart was filled with the enlightenment and certainty of breaking through the realm.

As soon as he returned to his small courtyard, he sat cross-legged on the warm bluestone in the courtyard, which was heated by the sun.

Seeing this, Su Qingyao and Shi Dazhuang tacitly stood guard at the courtyard gate without making a sound.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind, his consciousness sinking into his dantian. The spiritual jade floated quietly in his sea of ​​consciousness, radiating a warm and gentle spiritual light. The chaotic energy he deliberately suppressed flowed gently through his meridians.

This time, he no longer pursued speed or explosive power. He simply followed the instructions of the two elders, gradually gathering the spiritual energy around him and guiding the chaotic energy into his meridians, allowing it to circulate on its own.

His path to breaking through to a higher realm truly began at this moment.