A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Starting as a Rogue Cultivator

Did he have a miraculous encounter? Or did he have a one-time miraculous event that brought him to where he is today?

“Uncle Xu, I wish I had a family to look after me, but unfortunately my family has declined. Before he passed away, my grandfather left me only an Ascension Token and some odds and ends, which is only enough for me to cultivate to this point. I am very grateful for the protection of my ancestors, which allowed me to have the honor of joining Huangfeng Valley, but I am not willing to accept that my path can only end here.”

An Ascension Token? The one from that brat who made a deal with the Chen family and sold Foundation Establishment Pills?

What spiritual root do you have?

"Three spiritual roots..."

She smiled shyly.

"It is indeed a bit lacking."

So that's how it is. The family's resources + the Foundation Establishment Pills obtained + the arduous cultivation within the spiritual land? Then it's alright.

Wang Li had no idea that he was repeatedly teetering on the edge of danger, almost turning into a chaotic scene of dancing in a minefield.

"Alright, since you've already called me Uncle Xu, I should at least show my appreciation today. Didn't you want the recipes and books for alchemy? This jade slip contains detailed information. Take a look here before you go in."

The old man who took out the jade slip had a look of heartache that Wang Li was all too familiar with, as if doing so was like cutting out his flesh and bleeding him.

Moreover, the way he held the jade slip, stretching and retracting, was far more skillful and profound than Wang Li's previous performances. It perfectly conveyed his inner hesitation, as if he was about to take back his original words and put the jade slip away at any moment.

He is truly a role model for us all.

Thanks, Han Laomo, it seems that the previous tactics have achieved a phased success.

"Uncle Xu, you truly are a steadfast traveler in the darkness! Please accept my bow!"

After bowing respectfully, he quickly accepted the jade slip, fearing that the other party might actually change their mind.

Don't doubt this person's integrity.

After placing the jade slip on his forehead and carefully reading its contents repeatedly with his divine sense, Wang Li's eyes gradually began to shine.

The second-floor library indeed contained the formulas for Foundation Building Pills and Youth Preservation Pills. Unfortunately, apart from these two formulas, there weren't any other reliable ones. Oh, and he also saw the formulas for the Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pill, the Meridian Expanding Pill, and the Blood Tempering Pill—three mundane holy medicines that he no longer needed.

"Have you finished watching? Are you still going up?"

Old Xu truly felt like he had suffered a massive hemorrhage this time.

That's several spirit stones!

"Uncle Xu, why is there nothing good on this? Could it be that something was missing from the jade slip?"

"You doubt me?"

The old man's eyes twitched, and his gaze immediately turned hostile.

"No, no, I just wanted to ask how much the items upstairs cost!"

Ok?

After seeing all this junk, are you still planning to buy it?

The old man immediately became suspicious again: "Make a copy, ten spirit stones, are you sure?"

"Let's buy the Foundation Building Pill formula and the Youth Preservation Pill formula."

Twenty spirit stones were respectfully presented to the old man.

for real?

I can understand the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe to some extent, but what's with wasting ten spirit stones on the Youth Preservation Pill recipe? Everyone has a desire to look good, right?

To be honest, this little guy is actually quite good-looking!

Yes, he was very generous and respectful to the old man, and he understood how difficult their line of work was!

These few points alone make it superior to 99% of the goods!

There are probably not many of these children left in the cultivation world these days.

"You're very good..."

While his thoughts were adrift, the jade slip had already been copied:

"Take it!"

"Uncle Xu, what's going on?"

Because the jade slips we received weren't two, but three!

"This extra pill formula records a top-grade pill suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators to break through to Core Formation. It's an ancient formula that's about to be lost. Only in those forbidden areas might the last remaining main ingredients be found."

"Take this. When you successfully establish your foundation in the future, you might even be able to condense your golden core, and you might even find those three rare elixirs that are extinct in the outside world."

The old man's words were so unbelievable that even he himself didn't believe them.

"Ha, those bastards who have been here probably all secretly cursing me as a swindler, an old stubborn man who fell into the shards of spirit stones!"

This self-deprecating laugh made Wang Li break out in a cold sweat; he shook his head bitterly, revealing his advanced age.

It made someone inexplicably heartbroken.

Instead, I was deeply moved.

After taking a deep breath subconsciously, he bowed solemnly and said, "Uncle Xu, I am deeply grateful and will remember this kindness in the future."

"Do you expect me, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who only has a few years left to live, to repay you? Go about your business."

If someone in the Foundation Establishment stage appears old, there are only two possibilities: either they were already in their seventies when they broke through, or they are truly nearing the end of their lifespan in the Foundation Establishment stage.

The former is alright; they may not be destined to die, and there is still a chance for them to fight to the death. The latter, however, are people without great fortune, and it is highly likely that they have no chance.

"I'll take my leave, nephew."

Some things don't need to be said; just keep them in mind.

After Wang Li left, the old man's gloom vanished, replaced by a faint, smug smile: "Little brat, trying to act in front of me? You're still too green."

He was extremely pleased with himself.

That's about all the fun it offers.

But one thing is not an act, but a fact: his lifespan is really not long for a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a lifespan of over two hundred years.

He is over 150 years old.

Doesn't it seem like a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator at 150 years old doesn't have no hope of reaching Core Formation?

But he only recently broke through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Even Han Laomo, who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage at the age of 51, after making ample preparations, twice dispersed his internal energy to strengthen his fundamental foundation, and finally succeeded in condensing the Golden Core at the age of 126!

If Foundation Establishment is like advancing one in ten, then Core Formation is like advancing one in a hundred!

Given the old man's qualifications and current resources, it's clear that he has no chance of forming a core.

Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator were to help him with all his might and shower him with resources, the probability of his success would still be frighteningly low.

Chapter 15 Ascetic Training Abroad

Disciples of Huangfeng Valley have one opportunity to go out each year.

However, cultivators who pursue strength and immortality rarely waste their precious cultivation time to go out and have fun, so there are only a handful of disciples who actually apply to go out like this every year.

The number of disciples who choose to accept the mission of searching for medicine outside the sect is extremely small.

Now let's talk about Wang Li.

I had just left Yuelu Hall when I went to Baiji Hall to post a temporary task to collect special spiritual plants;

Incidentally, I also received a mission from my Uncle Yu at this organization to go out and find medicine;

Then, he spent several days purchasing a large number of herb seeds from several Qi Refining stage disciples who specialized in cultivating spiritual herbs.

Without further delay, he left the mountain gate without looking back.

After getting away from the Huangfeng Valley's restrictive array, they flew straight towards the prefectural capital city, which was closer to the mortal realm.

Heading east, three days passed in the blink of an eye. In a desolate place occupied by a mortal sect called "Qingxia Sect," he found a valley waterfall and casually built a cave dwelling.

This place has long since left the Taiyue Mountain range.

Previously, they had gone to great lengths to run to Huangfeng Valley, mainly for Foundation Establishment Pills, advanced cultivation techniques, answers from senior experts, and various pill formulas and classics, as well as to obtain the specific locations and general information of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom, and other hidden sect benefits.

To avoid taking detours.

These things are either the accumulation of hundreds or thousands of years by immortal sects, or the rights of the true masters of the Yue Kingdom; they are not available to outsiders.

"really.

Only by joining one sect can one learn the true nature of the other.

Looking at the jade slip in his hand, which recorded the specific locations of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom and their general situation, Wang Li seemed to be deep in thought.

In addition, there is another jade slip, which records the locations of the markets operated by the seven major immortal sects, the reputation of these markets, and the main items they sell.

Extensive intelligence gathering through spies is something any faction loves to do.

Didn't you see that the Yan family of Yue Kingdom is just a cultivation family? In the original story, did they have their eyes on the neighboring Jiang Kingdom and Cheqi Kingdom?

After these eyes lost contact, the Yan family's higher-ups realized that something had happened between the two countries a few days earlier than the Seven Factions!

All factions know that Wang Li is willing to be blind and deaf, so why would he willingly do so?

"Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that there are some pitfalls inside!"

But since this information is only open to the disciples of Huangfeng Valley?

Even if it's fake, it can't be too obviously fake.

Important intelligence would not be revealed to lower-ranking disciples of Huangfeng Valley; however, there was no need to hide basic, common-sense information from the disciples.

With the spirit stones in place, everything is easy to discuss.

His purpose in going out this time was to use elixirs to quickly improve his cultivation level.

Moreover, he had already refined enough pills before this.

It's not very convenient to use cheats inside Yellow Maple Valley.

Taking too many pills and improving one's cultivation level too quickly is highly suspicious.

With only three spiritual roots and no special physique, his cultivation speed is far better than that of ordinary people with two spiritual roots. This is a bit of an insult to the intelligence of those old guys!