First achieve immortality, then cultivate immortality.

After arriving in Yulongtian, Xu Mu learned what it meant to be ignorant and uninformed.

He had assumed that inner disciples in the Qi Refining stage also needed to eat once a day. He had wondered how, since the inner sect was located deep in the mountains and the menial disciples were just ordinary people, they could send food in to cook for them.

He had considered many possible ways, but now he realized that they were eating fairy beans, about the size of a peanut, which would fill him up, but each one cost 20 coins.

One hundred coins can only last for five days to eat. This is the life of the rich. Xu Mu was shocked.

"These magic beans are imported from another sect, so of course they're expensive," Old Yu said with a smile.

"I can't afford that... I'd rather buy Spirit Gathering Pills with that money," Xu Mu sighed.

Old Yu shook his finger and said, "Eating fairy beans is not just for filling your stomach, but for avoiding eating the grains of the mortal world."

Mortal food contains impurities for us cultivators. Accumulated over time, it can hinder our cultivation at best, and at worst, shorten our lifespan.

Qi Refining stage cultivators are still ordinary mortals. The reason they live longer than ordinary people, usually up to 120 years old, is because they cultivate on immortal mountains and are nourished by spiritual energy.

Living in the mortal realm is not as simple as just having scarce spiritual energy.

The mortal world is too dusty, requiring three meals a day of grains. If one encounters further hardships, it is easy to shorten one's lifespan.

Even if one only spends one or two years in the mortal realm, it doesn't just delay one or two years of cultivation, but rather ten or even twenty years of lifespan.

This is the Dao, which separates the immortals from the mortals.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, no cultivator would be willing to go to the mortal realm.

"Didn't you give up cultivation? Why are you buying Immortal Beans?" Xu Mu asked in confusion.

Old Yu smiled and said, "I'm not eating it myself; I'm taking it home for my daughter."

Xu Mu gave a thumbs up after hearing this.

It must be said that Lao Yu is a respectable father. He works hard every day to earn money not for himself, but to support his young child.

This also shows that those second-generation immortals have a head start, and ordinary cultivators have to do their best to catch up.

"Anyway, I can't afford it, I'll go back to the outer gate to eat."

"Why don't you come with me to Nanyun Village for a meal? It's on me. Their boiled fish is absolutely amazing," Old Yu said generously.

"That's great." Xu Mu nodded with a smile and followed him to the outer immortal village in the south to see what the other villages looked like.

Over the years, he has only ever visited Beiyang Village and Beixin Village, and has never been to any other areas.

Because the east and west sides are too far apart, and the south side requires crossing mountain ranges, it is easy to intrude into the sect's key areas, or pass through the territory of demon beasts, which carries the risk of being attacked.

The entire Qinglan Mountain Range is very vast, and the Qinglan Sect only occupies less than 30% of it. Many mountain gullies are inhabited by demonic beasts and wild spiritual herbs.

Some outer disciples, not wanting to farm, would go searching the mountains.

Xu Mu followed Lao Yu and two other pharmacists southward from Yulongtian. It was a safe and convenient route, the official flight path of the sect, with cliffs along the way for resting.

……

Nanyun Village is planted with willow trees and has many streams and lakes. Unlike the idyllic paradise of Beimu Village, it has a more natural and picturesque landscape.

There are plenty of aquatic products here, and Lao Yu took Xu Mu to eat fish, which tasted delicious.

"Although the food of the mortal world may affect our cultivation, the taste is undeniably tempting," exclaimed the medicine master known as Uncle Lu.

In Yulongtian, people don't address each other as senior or junior brothers, and they rarely call each other by name; they are all called by nicknames.

Xu Mu was the youngest among them, so he was called Little Xu.

"If you ask me, isn't the purpose of cultivation to enjoy life better? Otherwise, what's the point of suffering through cultivation? At least you should experience hardship before enjoying the rewards," the fat man said with a chuckle.

Including Lao Yu, the four of them ate together and ordered two jars of wine.

Old Yu went home first to deliver the magic beans to his daughter.

These magic beans are limited edition; they can only buy one a day, so he delivers them once a day and has a meal here at the same time.

The lunch break is quite long, after all, it's farming, not an assembly line, and you only work for two or three hours a day at most.

Some medicinal herbs are special; they need to be infused with spiritual energy at night to promote their growth.

Fortunately, cultivators don't need much sleep, so working late into the night doesn't affect their health.

After Xu Mu adapted, he felt it was much better than the outer sect. After receiving his salary, he would go to the Treasure Pavilion to exchange for cultivation techniques and spiritual herbs to try alchemy.

If they can survive like this for seventy or eighty years, it shouldn't be a problem.

……

early morning.

The autumn frost falls on the leaves, turning into crystal-clear dewdrops when the sun rises.

The air was damp and chilly.

Xu Mu sat cross-legged on a cliff, facing the morning dew and the sunrise, quietly closing his eyes.

He sat there for half an hour.

This was his daily routine, and it became a habit over and over again.

The goal is to attempt "communication between heaven and man," hoping to comprehend the essence of alchemy and the intent of swordsmanship.

This wasn't a cultivation method taught to him by someone; rather, after learning demonic arts and gaining some understanding of cultivation, he felt it was useful and so he did it.

Since I have a long lifespan, I can try any method.

Or rather, compared to cultivation itself, what he liked most was free exploration, spending time exploring various possibilities.

Just like when playing a game, he's not in a hurry to complete the main storyline because he believes he has the time and opportunity to return to the main quest.

He doesn't focus on just one or two things during the twelve hours of the day. Instead, he spreads his energy out, cultivates habits, and accumulates them every day, letting time tell him the answer.

That day, when he opened his eyes, he turned his head and saw a man in white standing next to him, facing the rising sun, quietly closing his eyes.

Xu Mu was startled; it was the first time someone had come to his side while he was cultivating.

He always sought out secluded places to meditate, where he rarely encountered anyone.

The man in white opened his eyes, looked at him, his eyes clear and bright, and asked softly, "Are you comprehending sword intent?"

"You can sense my sword intent?" Xu Mu was immediately pleasantly surprised.

"..." The man in white fell silent.

"It's very faint, but it's definitely there, and it's very peculiar. You could say it's sword intent... but it doesn't quite feel like it. It feels like you're just sharpening your sword," he said softly.

"First time meeting you," he added.

Xu Mu smiled and said, "Because I couldn't learn swordsmanship or comprehend the sword intent, I consulted the masters in the Transmission Hall."

He said a sword needs to be sharp, but I am not. Some people are reserved, but I am a completely blunt sword.

I thought that if I tried to 'sharpen my sword' every day, and sharpen it to a fine point, perhaps I would have a chance to comprehend the essence of swordsmanship.

After listening, the man in white thought for a moment and commented, "A peculiar idea, and a clumsy method at that. It should allow you to comprehend the sword intent, but it may take a very long time."

Xu Mu smiled nonchalantly: "It's alright, with daily practice, there will definitely be improvement."

The man in white looked at him and said, "My name is Yan Qing, a disciple of Cui Xin Peak. Since you mentioned the Transmission Hall, are you an outer disciple?"

"Yan Qing?"

Xu Mu was immediately surprised.

Over the years, this name has been a household name for him.

Whenever someone hears that he came from a humble background and cultivated himself, they mention Yan Qing and call him a genius.

Now that he has finally seen the real thing, he couldn't help but take a few more glances.

"You know me?" Yan Qing asked calmly.

Xu Mu stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I have long admired your name, Senior Brother. I heard that you cultivated your way up from the mortal realm. Since I also entered the immortal sect from the mortal realm, it is inevitable that I will be compared with you. But I cannot compare with you, Senior Brother."

Yan Qing nodded: "You also came from the mortal realm, so we are destined to meet. No matter what you have heard before, there is no need to compare yourself with me. Just be yourself."

He looked at Xu Mu again and said, "I think you should just focus on doing your job well; I don't need to say anything more."

"You flatter me, senior brother," Xu Mu said politely.

"You haven't said your name yet," Yan Qing said.

"Oh, my name is Xu Mu. I am an outer disciple and work as a medicine grower in Yulongtian. I came here to meditate this morning and was unaware that this place was occupied. Please forgive me if I have disturbed you."

He bowed respectfully, admitting defeat with great sincerity.

"It's alright, it's me who disturbed you. I sensed a peculiar sword intent and came to check it out," Yan Qing said calmly.

"Huh? You can feel that? Is it that obvious?"

Xu Mu was unsure whether to be happy or worried.

He was happy that his swordsmanship was improving, but worried that many people would find out.

"It was barely noticeable, almost imperceptible, but I happened to be nearby and have a keen sense of perception."

"..."

Xu Mu suddenly lost his mood.

"Don't mind what I say. Your sword intent is very unique; I've never seen it before. Continue your training; you might just surprise everyone."

"...Just a fleeting moment of inspiration?" Xu Mu felt no comfort whatsoever.

"Yes, it was a revelation." Yan Qing nodded, her emotions remaining perfectly calm, like someone with a blank expression.

Finally, he left with a "Keep it up" and drifted away.

Xu Mu smiled helplessly; it was truly a strange coincidence.