Transmigrating to the Qi Cultivation Path, I became an outdated Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Hearing the voice coming from outside, He Sheng was quite surprised, because according to his divine sense feedback, the person standing outside the door was a late Foundation Establishment cultivator!

'This Yuanxia Immortal City truly lives up to its reputation as a major city for cultivation; we've already encountered a cultivator of the same level so quickly. I wonder what brings this person here?'

He Sheng pondered for a moment, thinking that the other party should not have any ill intentions, after all, the Immortal Friends Inn was a business opened by the third disciple of the Heavenly Centipede True Man.

This third disciple is a fake Core Formation cultivator!

After considering the matter, He Sheng immediately sent Kou Xiang'er to open the door.

The door opened, and a lean middle-aged man stood outside, wearing a faded blue robe and holding a whisk in his right hand.

"I apologize for disturbing you, fellow Daoist Feng Lingzi. I apologize for my unauthorized visit."

The middle-aged man who called himself Feng Lingzi was quite polite. He Sheng bowed and invited him to sit down and talk. He also asked Kou Xiang'er to brew some spiritual tea.

After the host and guests were seated, Feng Lingzi said again:

"I haven't formally introduced myself yet. I am Feng Lingzi, a rogue cultivator, currently residing in Cave No. 7, Class B, Tongyuanfang."

"My name is Xiang Yue, and I greet Fellow Daoist Feng."

After exchanging greetings, Feng Lingzi probed He Sheng's purpose:

"Fellow Daoist, you look unfamiliar. I wonder where you came from in Yuanxia Immortal City? Are you here for the auction two years from now?"

Upon hearing this, He Sheng's lips curled into a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown:

"What's wrong? Fellow Daoist, why are you asking about my background right away? Is there something to it?"

"Then, is it that we can't go to that auction?"

Feng Lingzi quickly smiled and waved her hand:

"Fellow Daoist has misunderstood."

The old Taoist has taken the liberty of visiting today because he has seen that you are probably a rogue cultivator, which is why he has come here.

..."

As she spoke, Feng Lingzi began to complain.

This person first said that rogue cultivators have no status and are oppressed everywhere, and can only snatch some resources that leak through their fingers from the disciples of high-ranking sects.

They even used the Foundation Establishment Pill as an example, saying that while other disciples from prestigious sects could eat it like a sugar pill, independent cultivators would fight tooth and nail for it, and were often tricked into doing so.

In short, this Feng Lingzi was very clear about the dual status of rogue cultivators as both beasts of burden and fodder for exploitation.

"...Those powerful sects and families often collude to set up schemes, specifically targeting us independent cultivators to inflate prices."

A few days ago, I saw a second-grade high-quality "Heavenly Gold Stone" in Wanbaolou. I was thinking of buying it as an auxiliary material for refining a prototype magic weapon. As soon as I expressed my intention to buy it, two disciples from the immortal sect came and took turns raising the price.

The old Taoist priest couldn't swallow his anger and immediately turned and left. Guess what happened next?

A few days later, the old Taoist saw the "Heavenly Gold Stone" again at Wanbaolou. It was exactly the same size and shape, but the other party insisted that it was a newly arrived item and that someone had already placed a pre-order.

If the old Taoist wants it, he'll have to pay more! Double the price!

This is truly...outrageous!

Feng Lingzi grew angrier as she spoke, slapping her thigh and saying:

"We rogue cultivators, without any backing or support, even if we reach the late Foundation Establishment stage, are nothing but trash in the eyes of those powerful forces. We're completely at their mercy!"

He Sheng listened patiently, wanting to see what the other party was really up to.

After all, he wasn't very familiar with Yuanxia Immortal City. In Piao Ge's memory, he had only been there a few times, and each time he came and went in a hurry, and he rarely had any contact with rogue cultivators.

As Feng Lingzi finished speaking and sighed, He Sheng couldn't help but say:

"May I ask, Fellow Daoist Feng, how did you discern that I am a rogue cultivator?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Lingzi actually set up a soundproof barrier and said mysteriously:

"Does my friend know what supernatural powers are?"

He Sheng's heart skipped a beat. Although he knew what supernatural powers were from the "Ten Thousand Demons' Joint Transformation Divine Technique", he was still clueless about the overall concept of supernatural powers. He only knew that supernatural powers were an extremely extraordinary existence because of the terrifying combat power shown by Ye Shao Chen.

Therefore, he shook his head.

Feng Lingzi then said:

"Does that fellow Daoist know what attributes are?"

He Sheng shook his head again.

Feng Lingzi asked again:

"Does that fellow Daoist know what modern cultivation is and what ancient cultivation is?"

He Sheng was even more confused, as Piao Ge had absolutely no memory of these things.

Feng Lingzi clapped his hands and laughed, pointing at He Sheng and saying:

"Then why does Fellow Daoist Xiang still claim he's not a rogue cultivator?"

After saying that, he took out a silver plaque that was neither gold nor jade, with the words "Nanshan" engraved on it, and tossed it to He Shengdao:

"On the first day of March next year, our Nanshan Association will hold a meeting."

Fellow Daoist, you only need to retrieve this token in Yuanxia Immortal City to receive the location of the gathering.

If you wish to know what I have mentioned, you must come at that time.

We, the members of the Nanshan Society, are all independent cultivators. Our purpose is to help each other, avoid being excessively exploited by those powerful immortal sects, and share resources to break down the barriers of knowledge erected by the upper echelons of immortality in this world.

After saying that, Feng Lingzi prepared to float away.

He Sheng refused, saying only:

"Fellow Daoist, you came so abruptly, setting up so many traps, but you left without revealing the answer. Are you planning to keep me from having peace of mind for the next six months?"

That doesn't make sense, does it?!

As he spoke, He Sheng's face darkened, and the fluctuations of his magical power surged.

Seeing He Sheng's unfriendly expression and quickly sensing the increase in He Sheng's pressure, Feng Lingzi's heart tightened, and he quickly laughed and said:

"Fellow Daoist has misunderstood."

The old Taoist priest said so much because he wanted to become a fellow Daoist with Fellow Daoist Xiang.

Very well, I feel a connection with Fellow Daoist Xiang, so I will make an exception and answer one of his questions for him today!

He cleared his throat and said seriously:

"In this world, the upper-class immortal sects sit high on the clouds, dominating the entire cultivation world."

The so-called ancient cultivation is not ancient cultivators, but a cultivation method known as "refining qi and uniting with the void" by the upper-class immortal sects of the world.

This method has been passed down since ancient times. We independent cultivators, as well as those declining sects and small local families, have all inherited this method.

Simply put, we are all outdated ancient cultivators in the eyes of the upper-class immortal sects.

Refining Qi to unite with the Dao of Emptiness?

He Sheng suddenly recalled that when he used the water clock to cultivate the "Qinglan Water Control Technique", the water clock subtly reminded him that he was missing something and could not reach the power of higher levels.

Upon realizing this, he vaguely understood something and quickly asked:

"Then what is meant by 'cultivation now'?"

Feng Lingzi replied:

"That is naturally the 'Qi-Containing Divine Channel' method practiced by the world's top immortal sects!"

This method involves entering the Dao through breath cultivation. From the very beginning, one's own destiny determines one's "attributes," thus nourishing life through breath cultivation until a foundation for the Dao is established and the rudiments of supernatural powers are acquired. This can be called the Foundation Building stage.

Against ancient cultivators like us who have established their foundations, as long as we have supernatural abilities at our disposal, even if we fight across realms, it will be as easy as cutting melons and vegetables.

..."

Feng Lingzi's words were still ringing in my ears, but he had already drifted away.

He Sheng held the silver plaque, sitting listlessly at the table, his mind filled with Ye Shao Chen's sword light.

"Supernatural power?" Supernatural power!

No wonder Ye Shaozhen said that Piao Ge was nothing but a country bumpkin; it turns out that this was not a denigration, but a statement of fact.

The Divine Channel of Qi Absorption?

It seems that what I previously thought was a complete mechanics dominance was actually the effect of successive iterations of the Daoist system.

After all that, it turns out that Piao Ge, who transmigrated decades ago and was determined to dominate the Yinsha River, was actually living in an information fog.

He Sheng understood more and more that cultivation in this world was not so simple. He knew that if he did not want to follow in Piao Ge's footsteps, it was not enough to just cultivate in a low-key manner; he also had to break through the fog of information.

"It seems I'll have to attend the Nanshan gathering next March."