Chapter 28: A Nighttime Conversation

  Say a few more words - -

  The book has been released for two weeks and will be recommended tomorrow. The first recommendation given by the editor is a strong push in the category... I'm excited but also very nervous...

  It's really embarrassing that it hasn't made it to the new book chart yet. Actually, it doesn't seem too hard, maybe you can just collect it and vote for it, and this book will be on the chart.

  So I beg of all you readers, if it's still okay, can you all come and help out a bit.

  At least collect it.

  ……

  Here is the translation:

  I promise here, tomorrow is the first day of recommendation, 9,000 words will be presented in three more days, regardless of the results.

  As long as it can be on the new book list by category, Monday will still have three updates. If it can be on the homepage's new book list, there will be four updates with 12,000 words...

  Will never default on payments.

  Please support me!

  *****

  "Brother Huang Jian!"

  Ling Xiao took a clear look at the person coming from outside, and was both shocked and delighted, involuntarily shouting out.

  The visitor was none other than Huang Jian, the first among the disciples of the Qiyun Sect, who had entered the tenth layer of Qi training four months ago and had begun his closed-door cultivation to build his foundation.

  Ling Xiao had always been on good terms with Huang Jian. Four months ago, when Huang Jian began preparing for his closed-door training, he didn't forget to entrust Ling Xiao with a sentence. Although he understood that Huang Jian's kindness towards him stemmed from Fuling's high regard for him, after all, he had accepted Huang Jian's feelings.

  So as soon as they met, Ling Xiao couldn't help but exclaim "Huang Jian Shixiong".

  But as soon as the words came out, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. Huang Jian had been in seclusion for four months and didn't know if he had successfully broken through to the foundation period or not. Should he call him "Shixiong" (senior brother) or "Zhanglao" (elder)?

  For a moment, I didn't know what to call you, and I couldn't help but show an awkward expression, wanting to speak but stopping.

  Huang Jian saw his embarrassment and said with some self-mockery, "Just call me Huang Jian Shixiong, after four months of struggling, still unable to succeed..."

  Ling Xiao heard the desolate meaning in his tone and couldn't help but raise her head in surprise.

  Huang Jian had already adjusted his mood and smiled slightly, "What, aren't you inviting me in?"

  "Huang Jian - Shixiong, please come in." Ling Xiao hastily stepped aside. But his heart couldn't help but skip a beat, what did Huang Jian's words mean? Had he failed to break through the foundation period this time?

  Two people went into Ling Xiao's bamboo house and sat down as host and guest.

  Ling Xiao was still a bit dazed, and for a moment he didn't know how to speak. Although he had long known that breaking through the foundation period would be difficult, countless geniuses were stuck at the tenth layer of Qi Refining, unable to cross that threshold. But when he learned that Huang Jian hadn't broken through, he still felt a sense of unbelievable shock deep down.

  Instead, Huang Jian appeared more magnanimous and was the first to speak with a smile: "Don't look like that, I didn't come here to hear your sympathy."

  Ling Xiao slowly regained his composure, slightly bowed his head and asked: "Brother Huang Jian, are you planning to take a short break this time out of the mountain? I heard from Master Fu Ling that in order to break through the bottleneck of foundation building, the most crucial thing is the accumulation during the Qi Refining stage. Although Brother Huang Jian's talent is exceptional, compared to those who have accumulated for tens of years in the Qi Refining stage, it still seems a bit lacking."

  He was also afraid of Huang Jian leaving a knot in his heart, and he opened his mouth to tactfully persuade him.

  Huang Jian naturally heard it and his heart warmed up.

  Although he also understood these principles. But with greater hope comes greater disappointment, and this time's failure also left him not entirely unmoved.

  While Ling Xiao's words seemed to be saying that his cultivation was not enough, they actually attributed the root cause of his failure to "insufficient accumulation". Insufficient accumulation, just continue to cultivate and accumulate slowly. Thinking this way, it suddenly made him feel much lighter in his heart.

  In his heart, he acknowledged the sentiment, and with a glance at Ling Xiao, changed the subject: "You've broken through to the third layer of Qi Refining, right? Not bad, it's only been half a year. This speed is second only to Master Fú in our sect."

  Ling Xiao merely said: "Just now, I barely managed to break through."

  "Huang Jian's expression turned serious as he said, 'Brother, your cultivation speed is indeed impressive, but you must not become complacent and slack off because of it. You should know that the path of cultivation has countless difficulties and dangers, and who knows when you'll be stuck at a bottleneck, unable to make progress for the rest of your life? Everything before forming the foundation is just an illusion! Not to mention the future tasks of forming the Golden Elixir, refining the Yuan Infant, breaking through the Divine Transformation... The road ahead is still long and arduous!'"

  If it was said before, Huang Jian's friendship with Ling Xiao had other reasons behind it. But now, he truly regarded Ling Xiao as a friend.

  Ling Xiao also sensed his warning and hastily stood up, solemnly saying: "Yes, thank you, Huang Jian Shixiong."

  Huang Jian saw that he was solemn and serious, obviously having taken his words to heart. He nodded slightly and changed the subject, saying: "I plan to head down the mountain tomorrow, to temper myself in the outside world and seek opportunities to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. I came over tonight specifically to bid you farewell."

  "Shixiong is going for training?" Ling Xiao still felt a bit reluctant.

  Huang Jian glanced at him, smiled faintly, "The entire Divine State is vast and boundless, our Qi Yun mountain range of over a thousand miles is just an insignificant small piece, why must we confine our gaze to this?"

  Ling Xiao nodded slightly, understanding his meaning.

  Qiyun Sect, touted as the largest immortal sect in the Qiyun Mountains, but the highest cultivation within the sect is only that of Sima Hall and Sima Elder's Seventh Layer Foundation Establishment. The entire Qiyun Mountains has only two Golden Core stage cultivators.

  Compared with the vast and boundless divine land, it is really insignificant.

  Huang Jian's cultivation has already reached a bottleneck; from now on, it's just a matter of slowly accumulating. Rather than practicing bitterly on Qiyun Peak, it's better to go out and gain experience, take the initiative to find opportunities for breakthroughs.

  With his cultivation of ten layers of Qi Refining, he is also steady and won't easily provoke trouble. Wanting to go out and gain experience, it's indeed enough.

  Ling Xiao didn't say much anymore and just discussed some cultivation matters with him.

  Huang Jian had also started from the outer gate and practiced qigong, step by step breaking through to the peak of the qigong period, reaching the tenth layer. His many experiences were naturally very helpful to Ling Xiao. Huang Jian was not stingy with his guidance, and after his cultivation became even more profound, he evaluated his past gains and losses, explaining them clearly to Ling Xiao one by one.

  At this moment, Ling Xiao deeply felt the benefits, enough to let his future cultivation avoid many detours.

  Ling Xiao had been following Fu Ling for four months, mainly learning about alchemy, but in their daily cultivation, Fu Ling would occasionally mention some other things.

  With the insight of a cultivator in the foundation-building period, there are many subtle and unique aspects. When Ling Xiao and Huang Jian discussed it, Huang Jian also had a lot of sudden enlightenment.

  Especially some breakthroughs in the foundation-building period made Huang Jian extremely happy.

  The two of them talked about their experiences and insights until late at night, when Huang Jian finally bid farewell and left. Both of them felt that they had gained a deeper understanding of cultivation.

  For Ling Xiao, what was more important than these experiences and insights was the shock brought by Huang Jian's failure to build a foundation.

  Huang Jian entered the outer gate of Qiyun Sect at the age of 14, and after 15 years, his cultivation broke through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining, qualifying him to enter the inner gate. Then, he spent another 14 years cultivating to the tenth layer of Qi Refining, beginning to prepare for foundation building...

  Compared to him who took four years to cultivate to Qi Refining Second Layer, his talent is unknown how many times stronger!

  Even Huang Jian, who spent more than four months trying to break through the foundation period, still failed. It can be imagined that if he faced such a bottleneck, the difficulty of breaking through would be great.

  Cultivation is by no means a smooth road; it can be said that every step of the way is filled with thorns.

  He just broke through to the third layer of Qi training, and he's already feeling complacent, thinking his future is bright and full of confidence, it's really too arrogant.

  It's fortunate that Huang Jian came tonight and sounded the alarm for him.

  So that he can wake up again, otherwise, in the future cultivation, it is inevitable that some mistakes will be made. And even if not, losing the momentum of forging ahead, the speed of cultivation will inevitably slow down greatly.

  Actually, I don't have much time of my own.

  I am already over seventeen years old, but I have only just reached the third layer of Qi Refining. How far is it to reach the seventh layer? And how far is it to reach the Foundation Establishment stage?

  Can't afford to let him relax for even half a moment!

  ……

  The next morning, Ling Xiao rushed to Fuling's cave. Today was not originally the day for Fuling to teach him about alchemy, but after his long conversation with Huang Jian yesterday, he had resolved many of his confusions, yet also gave rise to even more new ones. Therefore, today he wanted to come and pay respects to Fuling, requesting that Fuling help him resolve his doubts about cultivation.

  Originally, Ling Xiao wouldn't have done this.

  Feng Ling said he would teach him alchemy, but it was just alchemy. In terms of cultivation, he only occasionally mentioned a few sentences.

  Moreover, Ling Xiao had that strange flame hidden within him, and when facing Fowling, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, so subconsciously, he didn't want to get too close either. Therefore, regarding the many confusions during his cultivation, most of them were stored in his heart, not daring to ask out loud.

  But after a long conversation with Huang Jian last night, he also realized the benefits of having a master. Moreover, it made him realize the difficulty of cultivating and suddenly reflect on himself having such a good opportunity, yet not knowing how to utilize it. If he were to ask Fuling for guidance on cultivation issues, would Fuling ignore him?

  So I came to Fuling's cave early this morning to request an audience with her.

  Feng Ling was also quite surprised by Ling Xiao's sudden visit. After listening to his explanation, he neither agreed nor disagreed, but patiently explained everything to him one by one.

  Fú Líng's foundation was built on the second layer, and his understanding of cultivation was much deeper than Huáng Jiàn's. Whenever Líng Xiāo asked a question in confusion, Fú Líng could always explain it clearly; and sometimes he would even practice it himself, so that within half an hour, Líng Xiāo felt like he had gained another layer of understanding.

  Finally, Ling Xiao stood up and thanked Fuling.

  Fu Ling glanced at him and said lightly: "If you have any questions in the future, come and ask me when I'm lecturing on alchemy, no need to be polite."

  "Yes!" Ling Xiao's face lit up with joy, and he respectfully replied.

  His heart was even more grateful. Fu Ling's treatment of him was indeed kind. Others, even inner door disciples, wanted to get the guidance of a foundation-building period elder, but it wasn't easy.

  But Fuling, because of his emphasis on his "alchemical talent", was able to take care of him in this way. Suddenly, he felt both grateful and ashamed.

  As he turned to bid farewell, he suddenly remembered something and hastily turned back to say: "Master Fu, I happened to have obtained two puppets, which are quite exquisitely made. I wonder if Master might be able to repair them?"

  Saying so, he took out the two puppets obtained from the Cold Cave from his storage bag.

  They were about half a person high, one male and one female puppet, just like a pair of dolls.

  He had obtained it that day, but there was no way to repair it, so he could only put it in his storage bag. He had already forgotten about it until last night when he happened to mention the puppet to Huang Jian, and suddenly remembered that he still had this pair of wooden puppets. Also, after hearing what Huang Jian said, Fuling Elder seemed to know a bit about the puppet, so he asked him today.

  Feng Ling's expression didn't change when he saw those two puppets.