At the age of one hundred, I inquired about the Dao, awakening the supreme spiritual root that shatt

Ling Xiu was well aware of the cruel rules of the Qingyun Sect, and immediately suppressed all his greed.

He knew that he only had the third level of Qi Refining cultivation, a weak foundation, and a lowly status. Once his secrets were exposed, he would surely die.

After recognizing the situation, Ling Xiu began to lie low for an extended period.

During the day, he deliberately hunched over and slowed his pace, suppressing his vitality to maintain the appearance of an old, frail, and decrepit man.

Day after day, he cleaned the abandoned treasure pavilion, his every move exactly the same as before, without a single flaw.

When the night was deep and quiet, he would activate his supreme spiritual root and, with the help of top-grade pills, devote himself to arduous cultivation.

He abandoned impetuosity and was not in a hurry to break through to a higher level.

He focused on refining his physical body, tempering his spiritual power, and nourishing his soul, thus completely repairing the hidden injuries that had plagued his meridians for a hundred years.

This allows one's true combat strength to consistently surpass that of cultivators at the same level by more than three times.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and the day arrived when the sect would regularly clear out the waste pills and scraps and send them to the Earth Fire Furnace for refining.

A pure white sword light streaked across the sky, and a graceful figure descended into the courtyard.

With snow-white hair and unparalleled beauty, she was none other than Yun Ziling, the inner sect prodigy of the Qingyun Sect, admired by all.

At this moment, she was in extremely poor condition; her robe on her left shoulder was torn, and her flesh was torn open by a gruesome sword wound.

His spiritual energy was weak and unstable, and a deep weariness lingered between his brows.

He had clearly just returned from a fierce battle in a secret realm and was slightly injured.

Yun Ziling's indifferent gaze swept across the courtyard, then suddenly stopped, a deep look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

The Ling Xiu before me has been completely transformed and is no longer a person.

Two months ago, he looked gaunt and lifeless, with dry and messy gray hair.

He appeared to be in a state of decline, as if his lifespan had run out.

But now, his back is straight, his eyes are clear, all the deathly aura around him has dissipated, and his inner vitality is strong and enduring.

Even dressed in tattered servant's clothes, he remained calm and composed.

"Ling Xiu, why has your complexion changed so drastically?"

Yun Ziling frowned slightly, her cool voice carrying genuine doubt.

Ling Xiu bowed slightly, his expression respectful and calm. He instantly sealed off all of his Qi Refining Level 3 cultivation, releasing only a weak wisp of Qi-guiding spiritual power. His aura was weak but flawless.

"Replying to Senior Sister, it is all thanks to the 'Xu Yuan Jue' that you gave me back then."

"The disciple diligently studied the cultivation method daily, absorbing the sparse and mixed spiritual energy from the abandoned treasure pavilion. By sheer luck, he managed to clear his superficial meridians and barely managed to draw qi into his body, which allowed his health to improve."

His explanation was flawless, attributing all his transformations to the cultivation of inner peace and tranquility.

Yun Ziling used her divine sense to carefully investigate, but only managed to detect the most basic Qi Refining Level 1 cultivation. She couldn't find anything unusual, but the sense of unease in her heart lingered for a long time.

The abandoned Treasure Pavilion is barren of spiritual energy, making cultivation nearly impossible. It is utterly unbelievable that a centenarian could draw in spiritual energy and reverse his decline using only a basic cultivation technique.

For the first time, her eyes, which had been cold and aloof for millennia, trembled slightly, and disbelief filled Yun Ziling's exquisite face.

My suspicions couldn't help but grow.

"Could this Ling Xiu be hiding a shocking secret?"

Ling Xiu then displayed a humble demeanor.

"I have cultivated diligently for several months and barely managed to reach the first level of Qi Refining. It was no easy feat. I owe it all to my senior sister's blessings and protection."

As he spoke, he subtly released a fluctuation of spiritual energy at the first level of Qi Refining.

Yun Ziling investigated again and found that everything he said was true. Her doubts completely disappeared, replaced by deep regret.

"In the end, it's just the first level of Qi Refining."

She sighed softly, her tone full of pity.

"You are already old and your qi and blood are declining. It is already an extreme achievement that you can defy nature and draw qi into your body."

It seems that you possess a special spiritual root, and only by forcibly clearing the blocked meridians could you have this opportunity.

Remember, spiritual practice should not be rushed; proceed step by step, and you may be able to extend your lifespan by several years.

Yun Ziling knew that the first level of Qi Refining was Ling Xiu's cultivation limit.

His foundation is rotten, and he is too old; there is no possibility of him making any further progress on the path to immortality in this lifetime.

Ling Xiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but kept a straight face and bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister. I am already extremely fortunate to have stepped into the path of immortality. I will certainly follow your teachings."

Seeing his composure and politeness, and knowing that cultivation must be truly difficult, Yun Ziling felt a pang of sympathy. After pondering for a moment, she moved her jade-like hand and took out an exquisite wooden box.

"Here are three mid-grade Spirit-level Yuan Yang Pills, which can nourish your Qi and blood and strengthen your foundation. Please accept them."

Ling Xiu was moved and solemnly accepted the wooden box.

The moment the box was opened, a rich medicinal aroma wafted out.

In the cultivation world, treasures are divided into seven major grades: mortal, spiritual, profound, earth, heaven, saint, and god, with each grade further divided into four sub-grades.

Disciples who perform menial tasks receive only a few mortal-grade pills per year, while outer disciples receive only one low-grade spirit-grade pill per month. The mid-grade spirit-grade Yuan Yang Pill is extremely precious, and only cultivators at the fifth level of Qi Refining are qualified to refine it.

What excited Ling Xiu even more was that his Qiankun Xuan Gourd could be upgraded to the Myriad Item level, and the three Yuan Yang Pills entering the gourd would surely bring about a qualitative change.

"I will never forget your great kindness, Senior Sister!"

Ling Xiu bowed again to express his gratitude, truly appreciating this kindness.

"No need for such formalities."

Yun Ziling smiled faintly and then explained her purpose.

"I have come here today to clean up the waste materials in the Waste Treasure Pavilion and send them to the Earth Fire Furnace for refining."

Ling Xiu readily agreed, but then looked troubled and clasped his hands in a pleading manner.

"Senior Sister, my cultivation is weak, and this place is remote and full of ferocious beasts. I hope that you will grant me a few rudimentary spells so that I can protect myself."

Yun Ziling frowned slightly and directly tried to dissuade her.

"Your physical body is old and decaying, and your spiritual power is weak. It is simply impossible for you to support the operation of magic. Forcing it will only harm yourself."

But considering his difficult situation, she finally softened and took out three spirit-level magic manuals.

"I will grant you three low-cost spells, enough to protect you."

"Blazing Palm" is an offensive technique that uses fire to kill enemies, but it consumes a lot of energy.

The "Flying Swallow Step" can increase speed and dodge, making the movement agile.

"The technique 'Concealed Breath Disorder' can disrupt one's aura and conceal one's cultivation level, making it difficult to detect with divine sense. It is most suitable for your current state."

Upon hearing about "Hidden Breath Chaos," Ling Xiu was overjoyed!

This secret technique perfectly conceals his true cultivation level. With this trump card, he can continue to cultivate in seclusion without any risk of being exposed.

He forcefully suppressed his turbulent emotions, gratefully accepted the incantation, and solemnly thanked him.

By this time, Ling Xiu had already sifted through all the treasures that could be picked up in the abandoned treasure pavilion.

Yun Ziling raised her hand and made a hand seal, and spiritual light swept over all the waste materials, storing them all in her Qiankun bag.

Turning around, they headed towards the Earth Fire Furnace in the back mountain, with Ling Xiu following closely behind.

Upon arriving at the furnace, Yun Ziling threw all the waste into the raging fire, and purple true fire condensed at her fingertips, enveloping the furnace and completely refining the debris.

After giving her a few brief instructions, she stepped onto her flying sword and soared away into the sky.

Watching Yun Ziling's figure disappear into the horizon, Ling Xiu's eyes suddenly brightened, and he tightly gripped the three manuals in his hand.

"Hidden Breath Chaos" is his most precious trump card for survival right now!

Upon returning to the cabin, Ling Xiu immediately devoted himself to studying the incantation.

"The spirit originates in the heart, the soul gathers in the dantian, the body gathers its profound breath, unites with the primordial chaos of heaven and earth, and all things return to stillness..."

The method was exquisite yet not obscure. He grasped the core of it in a moment and was able to freely suppress the vitality and disordered spiritual energy fluctuations around him. His concealment technique was initially mastered.

He did not rush to refine it with the Xuan Gourd, but first thoroughly memorized and mastered the "Blazing Palm" and "Flying Swallow Step".

Then, the three techniques were placed together into the Qiankun Xuanhu (Mysterious Gourd of Heaven and Earth) for nurturing and tempering.

Three days later, Ling Xiu took out the incantation and was filled with shock.

The three classic texts shone brightly, their aura surging. Under the heaven-defying refinement of the Qiankun Xuanhu, they all advanced from the lower grade of the Spirit Rank to the highest grade of the Spirit Rank!

All the obscure and profound meanings are given clear annotations, making them easy to understand and increasing the power of the spells more than tenfold.

Even cultivators at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining will vie for and crave top-grade spiritual cultivation techniques.

The transformed "Hidden Breath Chaos" has undergone an even more incredible upgrade.

Not only can it conceal one's cultivation aura, but even the divine sense of a True Condensation Realm expert cannot detect it in the slightest.

It can blend seamlessly with mountains, rocks, grass, trees, walls, and all things, completely disappearing without a trace.

Feeling his surging strength and the unsolvable hidden trump card, Ling Xiu was overjoyed and full of confidence.

With this in hand, he can now devote himself to cultivation without any restraint.

Even if they encounter a cultivator at the Condensation Realm, they can calmly protect themselves and retreat unscathed!