Cultivation: Starting with Farming in the Spiritual Pivot Grotto

Chapter 4 Breaking Free from Conventions, Qi Refining Level 2

Upon leaving Ling Shu Cave Heaven, Li Ya felt as if all his past humiliations had vanished, and a surge of heroic spirit rose within him.

Seeing that it was still early and his Qi Sea was empty, he sat down cross-legged, focused his five centers on the origin, and began to circulate the "Yunfu Qi Absorption Summary" distributed by the Yunfu Sect.

The spiritual energy in the mountains was much denser, and under Li Ya's guidance, it slowly gathered towards him.

Of the ten parts of inspiration, only two or three parts can be absorbed into the body and then refined into one's own true energy.

The rest of the brilliant ideas were completely swallowed up by the conch shell.

As his true energy gradually filled up, Li Ya felt that the obstacles that were once as solid as mountains could now be pushed aside.

The meager inner energy circulated repeatedly, and it clearly began to grow stronger.

Li Ya continuously circulated his energy throughout the body, completing twelve cycles at a speed far exceeding that of the past.

In the past, at this time, if I continued to circulate my inner energy, I would experience a sharp pain in my meridians. But today, it seemed as if I hadn't had enough.

This change is clearly a sign of breaking through to a higher level.

Without time to think, Li Ya activated his true energy and continued circulating it throughout his body.

The misty true energy gradually grew stronger and denser, and a slight breeze could be heard as it circulated.

Li Ya carefully sensed the changes in his body, and suddenly felt an unbearable itch in his lungs.

However, he dared not make any rash moves. All cultivators, even those with low cultivation levels, knew that no matter what strange phenomena occurred during a breakthrough, they should not be afraid or panic.

If you don't know how to handle it, the best course of action is to remain calm, clear-headed, and unmoved.

Time passed slowly, and before we knew it, several hours had gone by.

I vaguely heard a soft "click" sound.

Li Ya opened his eyes instantly, a divine light shimmering within them that lingered for a long time.

"The second layer!"

Before he could even fully experience the changes within his body, the itching in his lungs finally became unbearable, and after a bout of coughing, a clump of dark red phlegm was coughed up.

Instantly, my lungs felt as if they had been freed from heavy shackles, and breathing became much easier than before.

"This is the root cause of the illness that has accumulated from burning charcoal all this time!"

No wonder all the servants on Zhurong Peak died young; how could they not die from the poisonous gas that had accumulated over the years?

"Please show me, Spiritual Pivot, where I can find the key to Qi Refining cultivation and obtain it safely."

Li Ya has figured out the rules of the Spiritual Pivot. If he were to directly deduce the key points of cultivation, it would probably consume an enormous amount of true energy. However, it would be a completely different story if he were to deduce the location of an object.

[The Spiritual Pivot will assist you in deducing the location of the key texts for Qi Refining stage cultivation, provided you obtain them safely.]

[Spiritual Energy Consumption: 240 strands of True Qi]

[Time required: Two hours]

Looking at the sky, the sun was already setting, so Li Ya hurried down the mountain. He would be fined if he missed feeding the spirit shells.

Even at the initial stage of Qi Refining Level Two, it is incomparable to Level One; the muscles and bones are more solid, and the strength has doubled.

It took less than half the time to descend the mountain, hand over the command token to the General Affairs Office, and then return to Beitian.

After feeding the spirit shellfish, I brought back a small half-bucket of spirit bait that I had secretly left behind. I scattered it in the small tank, and the snails, without hesitation, devoured it all.

With the moon high in the sky and a gentle breeze blowing across the lake, it's the perfect time for a cozy night's sleep.

Li Ya's heart remained unsettled for a long time, like the waters of Poyang Lake, where a gentle breeze caresses the surface, creating ripples that never cease.

"Yunfu Sect!"

On the surface, the sect appears to be opening the door to cultivation, with even menial servants having the opportunity to seek immortality and enlightenment. In reality, the entire sect exists solely to support a small group of people at the top.

Even menial servants like myself are divided into different ranks, and I, who was bought in, am considered to be in the upper-middle rank.

But a menial job is still a menial job. As a tenant farmer with a short-term contract, he had to get up before dawn to go to work, and it was time to go home when the dog was tired.

If one's cultivation level breaks through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, one can participate in the sect's trials and has the potential to become an outer disciple.

After working for twenty years, one can collect a sum of money and return to the mundane world to enjoy life.

Li Ya didn't believe a word of either of the above. He had been in this body for several months and often saw servants who had died suddenly being carried away, but people still desperately wanted to get in and become servants.

Yunfu Sect isn't exactly a prestigious sect; it mainly relies on its superior sect for support and makes a living by producing "Spirit Pearl Robes," "Fish Scale Armor," and "Golden Silk Charcoal."

In fact, the sect could have easily taken these menial jobs for free, but they still paid wages, and those who died suddenly at their workstations also received compensation!

That's truly rare.

"Even with the Spiritual Pivot, one cannot relax. One must find a way to obtain a large sum of money, and one cannot be bound by labor all day long. One must have sufficient time for cultivation."

"Brother Wei has already taken care of the welcome money. What's left is the loan interest and the purchase of magical artifacts for the Sun and Moon Radiance."

"The Fangcun Snail can break the restrictions of the Sumeru magic artifact, but these Sumeru magic artifacts that cannot be broken are not cheap. I can only ask my childhood friend Wang Wu again to see if I can borrow some."

I slept without any dreams.

The matter requested by you, fellow Daoist, has been deduced.

[In the Heguang Bookstore in Sifang Town, there is a miscellaneous book called "Miscellaneous Notes of Bai Yuanshan," which contains "Essentials of Qi Cultivation."]

As dawn broke, Li Ya got up and silently memorized the information shown by the Spiritual Pivot.

"Since we're going to find Wang Wu anyway, let's seize this opportunity together."

After feeding Lingbei and greeting Wei Erge to ask him to take care of Lingbei, he headed towards Sifang Town.

Wang Wu's residence was unusual; he had acquired a courtyard in a brothel-like area.

At that moment, Li Ya's exclamation came from the courtyard.

"What? You want me to sell my body?"

Li Ya was so shocked that he stood up, looking completely bewildered.

Looking at his childhood friend, with whom he had grown up naked, he couldn't believe these words came out of his mouth.

"Keep your voice down! Is this something to be proud of? If others hear this, not only will it be shameful for your brother Xiaoya to become a butt-lifting prostitute, but if I, Wang Wu, were to do this kind of brothel business and pull you into prostitution, the neighbors would gossip about me!"

Li Ya slowly sat down, wondering if the neighbors in this red-light district were any respectable neighbors, and whether they were trying to seduce him or "her".

After a long silence, he forced a smile, but it was a bitter one.

"Fifth Brother, please lend me some more, I'm begging you!"

Wang Wu took a sip of wine, and the courtyard fell silent for a moment. The laughter of women coming from the neighboring courtyard became clearer and clearer.

Wang Wu put down his wine cup and tapped the stone table rhythmically with his fingers.

However, Wang Wu felt quite sorry for him. Xiao Ya was born with a handsome appearance, and many fairies in Baihua Lane were willing to spend money to have sex with him.

"Paying out of pocket? Got it!"

"Brother Xiaoya, if you borrow again, can you pay it back? I have a good deal for you, I wonder if you'd be interested."

"Those young ladies from Baihua Lane, Yun, recently redeemed themselves from their servitude and want to find a husband to live with them. How about I be the matchmaker?"

Li Yatou shook his head vigorously, like a rattle drum.

"My dear fifth brother, why are you being so improper?"

"I am still a pure yang virgin. If I lose this pure yang energy, I will have no hope of establishing my foundation."

"Besides, do you think Sister Yun'er is easy to get along with? When we were just kids, she was already the top courtesan in Hundred Flowers Lane. There are so many rogue cultivators who have fallen ill with her that we can't even count them on both hands."

Wang Wu snorted coldly.

"No this, no that, what do you want? Do you think this money is easy to earn?"

Perhaps realizing he had spoken too harshly, Wang Wu immediately softened his tone considerably.

"Brother Xiaoya, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you're really ambitious but have a life that's too fragile. You should just stay here and guard the ancestral property and live a good life. Why do you have to go and cultivate some damn immortality?"

"Sigh! I won't say any more. You'd better watch yourself."

Wang Wu turned around, closed his eyes, and looked at Wang Wu with a disappointed expression.

"Also, the interest rate absolutely cannot be lenient. Although I am in charge now, my brothers still need to eat. Let's settle accounts clearly. The loans from before must be repaid on time. Don't make things difficult for your older brother."

"Alright, Fifth Brother, please rest assured, I, Li Ya, will not do anything like defaulting on a debt."

"I apologize for disturbing you today, Fifth Brother."

After saying that, Li Ya turned to leave.

"Wait, Skinny Monkey, get Brother Xiaoya five hundred taels of red copper coins! The interest rate will be increased by twenty percent!"

"Thank you, Fifth Brother."

Li Ya was unwilling to linger, so he signed the document, took the money, and left.

The younger brother stepped forward, somewhat puzzled.

"Fifth Brother, Li Ya is someone you've known since childhood. Isn't it a bit heartless of us to do this?"

"Favors? Can favors put food on the table? Remember, only money can put food on the table; everything else is nothing."

Li Ya walked out of the courtyard and exhaled a deep breath.

Money gives heroes courage; without money, it's truly impossible to move an inch.

"It seems that the original owner was willing to sell his property at all costs to join the Yunfu Sect. I absolutely do not believe that Wang Wu was not behind this."

"Let's get the 'Essentials of Qi Cultivation' first."

Heguang Bookstore is located on the south side of the town, and it openly sells various travelogues, Taoist scriptures, and novels.

In the shadows, there were erotic novels, erotic picture books, and even some fantasies of famous cultivators.

No one who sees this sandalwood bookshelf arranged like a chessboard, with wisps of sandalwood incense smoke rising from it, would think of it in this way.

Li Ya looked around inside and out but couldn't find the so-called "Bai Yuanshan Man's Miscellaneous Notes". Could it have already been sold?

The bookstore owner had already noticed the new customer who was covering his face, looking around but not buying, and seemed to be looking for something.

"It must be some strong young man who's shy; I have to go help him out."

Which young man hasn't experienced such an embarrassing moment? The shopkeeper then approached him under the pretense of putting away books.

"Hey buddy, what book are you looking for? I can remember all the books in this shop."

Li Ya's original intention was to find it, pay the bill, and leave immediately. If the shopkeeper discovered the secret technique inside and demanded a higher price, it would be a loss for him, so he quickly refused.

"No, no, I'm just browsing!"

The shopkeeper didn't leave. Instead, he patted Li Ya on the shoulder and began to talk eloquently, despite Li Ya's puzzled look.

"Young man, don't act like that. I was young once too, and I know what you need right now, and I know which book contains what you need."

What do you need? Does this shopkeeper know that the "Essentials of Qi Cultivation" is hidden in "Miscellaneous Notes of Bai Yuanshan"?

Since the shopkeeper was being so blunt, Li Ya took a deep breath and had no choice but to tell the truth.

He bowed to the shopkeeper, his tone very sincere.

"Shopkeeper, since that's the case, I won't beat around the bush. I'm here to find a book that only you have, and it's of utmost importance to me."

The shopkeeper looked pleased: "If only I had been as bold as you when I was young. Tell me, which book are you looking for?"

"Miscellaneous Notes of Baiyuan Shanren!"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper immediately frowned.

Li Ya's heart also tightened.

"Young man, are you sure you want 'Bai Yuanshan Ren's Miscellaneous Notes'?"

"yes!"

"Is it absolutely necessary?"

"It absolutely has to be!"

Seeing Li Ya's resolute attitude, the shopkeeper sighed heavily.

The shopkeeper gave Li Ya a strange look and glanced at his backside.

"Young man, I shouldn't say much about this kind of interest, but you must remember that the way of Yin and Yang is the right way. Going too far down the crooked path will be bad for your health."

After saying this, the shopkeeper returned to the counter and pulled out a white book from a locked drawer below.

He placed the book on the table, gesturing for Li Ya to take it.

"Shopkeeper, what is the value of this book?"

"Take it before I change my mind, it's free!"

Li Ya was somewhat surprised. Had he encountered a master?

After bowing deeply, he picked up "Miscellaneous Notes of Bai Yuanshan" and left the bookstore.

"Sigh! What a fine young man, how come he has such a taste?"

As she spoke, she shivered.

As Li Ya left the bookstore, he couldn't help but feel a greater sense of anticipation for this world. These senior masters weren't all like the Yunfu Sect, who exploited people to the bone.

"This is?"

It wasn't until he opened the book in a deserted, dark alley that Li Ya's previous visions collapsed.

"Damn it, no wonder this shopkeeper is so strange, he's disgusting."

"If I find out who wrote this book in the future, I'll break all three of their legs and soak them in chili water."

It turns out that in this book, "Miscellaneous Notes of Baiyuan Mountain Man," Baiyun Mountain Man is not one person, but two people, and two strong and powerful men at that.

The content also tells the story of the inseparable life between two men, and it even includes illustrations.

Each word is normal on its own, but when put together, they constantly tarnish Li Ya's eyes.

Li Ya forced himself to endure the discomfort and followed the method recorded in the Ling Shu to find the corresponding page.

After wetting it, it was cut open, and a silk book as thin as a cicada's wing was taken out.

And this book, "Miscellaneous Notes of Baiyuan Mountain Man," naturally had only one path: to be reduced to dust.

"unlucky!"