Cultivation Starting from Full Talent-Chapter 180 - 178: Departure

Chapter 180 -178: Departure

Six months later, Ning Daoran emerged from seclusion.

“Buzz~~”

A ripple pierced through the prohibition, and he came out with his face covered in dust and dirt.

Contrary to his estimates, the Dust-falling Pill truly deserved to be among the great pills of the third-tier elixirs, proving to be so difficult to refine!

After Ning Daoran squandered all the Dust-falling Grass and Nichang Flowers that met the required age, he managed to produce only three furnaces of pills, yielding one top-grade Dust-falling Pill, two genuine Dust-falling Pills, and in addition, one substandard Dust-falling Pill.

Overall, at least he and White Deer now possessed the elixirs needed for Core Formation.

…

After storing the extremely precious Dust-falling Pills in a storage ring, Ning Daoran made his way to the fishpond.

“Little Blackie, come out.”

His gaze was icy cold.

“Squeak~~~”

The water in the pond swirled as a dark and ferocious head slowly surfaced—it was the Ink Jiao Dragon.

At this moment, the golden patterns on the head of the Ink Jiao Dragon had become more pronounced, and its overall aura had undergone a breakthrough. Unbeknownst to it and under the cleansing of the Jade Spirit Spring, it had already advanced to the late stage of the second tier!

“You’ve been rather diligent.”

Ning Daoran nodded, flicking a few elixir pills with his fingers, saying, “Continue with your cultivation and strive to advance to the third tier as soon as possible.”

“Squeak~~~”

Little Blackie leapt up, swallowed the elixir pills, and then submerged back into the water.

…

Ning Daoran revisited the insect room.

With a great deal of blood food for feeding, and after a brutal survival of the fittest amongst themselves, only about ten thousand Fire Devouring Ants remained in the insect room. These ants developed golden patterns around their slender waists, making them much stronger than before.

Ning Daoran extended his powerful divine sense, selecting and taming the strongest dozen Fire Devouring Ants, making these ants the “lead sheep.”

In this way, when these ants were needed for a task, he could simply command these lead ants directly.

The rest of the ants had basically been “subdued” by these leads, making the whole swarm naturally very effective in executing commands.

And all of this was something ordinary insect masters wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

Ning Daoran, with his hands clasped behind his back, left the little courtyard, casting his gaze over every corner of Qiongbi Peak.

At this moment, his heart was filled with emotions. After living here for over a hundred years, he was finally about to leave.

Evening.

Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer set up two tables of a banquet in the Spiritual Field Courtyard number 77. Not only were Chen Yuzhu, Qin Wenyao, Zhou Wuyou present, but the other senior members of the Qin, Huang, and Zhou families were there as well.

“Ladies and gentlemen.”

After the banquet progressed to the third round of drinks, Ning Daoran said, “In a few months, Old Lu and I will be leaving the sect to traverse the world. Qiongbi Peak will be in your hands from now on.”

Afterwards, he appointed Chen Yuzhu as the new Qiongbi Peak Master, entrusting her with the authority of Qiongbi Peak.

Additionally, he extensively praised the recent Spirit Rice harvests of Zhou Wuyou, Huang Yu, and others. Naturally, this was also a warning to Chen Yuzhu that these family heads couldn’t be lightly dismissed.

After the banquet ended, the courtyard fell quiet once more.

“My lord…”

Chen Yuzhu, dressed in a deep blue flowing gown, her beautiful eyes brimming with emotion, said, “Are you truly leaving?”

“Yes.”

Ning Daoran said, “Old Lu and I had planned this many years ago. Now, at the age of one hundred and forty, if I don’t go now, I might not be able to move later.”

“If that’s the case, Yuzhu wishes you well on your journey.”

Chen Yuzhu curtsied, her eyes reddening, “Qiongbi Peak will forever be your home, my Lord. You can come back anytime.”

…

At Purple Cloud Peak.

In front of Han Bing’s—acting Sect Master—Cave Mansion, nestled within a grove of purple bamboo.

After Ning Daoran explained his intentions, Han Bing was somewhat startled.

She had once promised Ning Daoran that if he decided to venture the world, she would accompany him.

But now, as Sect Master, how could she come and go as she pleased?

“Elder brother…”

Han Bing was in a daze, “Since you have decided, your little sister can only wish you perpetual success on the Immortal Path…”

Ning Daoran didn’t say too much, exchanged a few simple words, and with White Deer, departed in a tunneling light.

On the small summit of Purple Cloud Peak.

The figure of Han Bing, his junior sister, became more and more blurred, until both he and White Deer could no longer make out her figure clearly.

…

At True Yang Peak, inside an Elder’s Cave Mansion.

“There’s no need for words.”

Lin Sheng frowned and said, “Since you’re leaving, we must drink to our heart’s content today, or else it wouldn’t be right for you to go.”

The two of them and one deer got thoroughly drunk.

Lin Sheng muttered endlessly in his drunken dream.

“Ruyan, how have you been all these years?”

“Over forty years ago, Zhao Lichen, Junior Brother, left to gain experience. He never returned, and I don’t know where he might have settled.”

“Lin Zhuojun, Junior Brother, at least, had a clean break after a battle of spells and departed from this world.”

“Do you know, Ruyan, that Han Bing, our junior sister, has attained Golden Core and is now the Sect Master of our Chaotic Sect…”

“It’s a pity that Ning, my junior brother, is also leaving…”

“It makes sense, though, how could such a free-spirited person be confined to a sect forever?”

“I miss you so much and also can’t bear to see Ning, my junior brother, go… Now that he has left, I don’t know when in this life we will meet again…”

The next morning.

When Lin Sheng awoke, Ning Daoran and White Deer had already left; there was no one else in the house.

However, there was a jade bottle left on the table, which contained a genuine Dust-falling Pill!

Lin Sheng clutched the jade bottle, his face awash with tears.

…

Qiongbi Peak.

Ning Daoran had distributed the Fire Devouring Ants into ten Spirit Beast Bags, and as for Little Blackie, it was now being raised in the five-acre Jade Spirit Spring within the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven.

Although small, it was enough for the Ink Jiao Dragon to frolic in.

Of course, a large number of Spirit Fish had been moved to the Jade Spirit Spring as well. These were the Spiritual Energy Blood Food for the Big Stupid Deer, Little Blackie, and the Fire Devouring Ants—a necessity for their future.

Even a few Spiritual Sheep and Spirit Chickens were kept in the backyard of the small wooden house within the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven. The grotto heaven had long since become self-contained, forming a stable ecological environment.

After all the preparations were in place, Ning Daoran headed to the Inner Sect Hall with Big Stupid Deer.

“Junior Brother Ning.”

The duty Elder was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, well over one hundred and seventy years old, already appearing as an old man.

Back when Ning Daoran first came to the mountain, he was in his prime, but now he had aged so.

“Are you really leaving the Sect?”

“Mm.”

Ning Daoran said, “Senior Brother Huang, Junior Sister has already given her consent. Here are mine and Old Lu’s Identity Jade Tokens.”

He presented two jade tokens.

“This…”

Elder Huang looked helpless: “Junior Brother Ning, won’t you reconsider? Once the Identity Jade Tokens are returned, your names will be erased from the Sect records, and from then on, you’ll be Loose Cultivators.”

“What is the harm in being a Loose Cultivator?”

Ning Daoran smiled. “I am now one hundred and forty years old, destined in this life to have no hope of Core Formation. Rather than dying of old age in the Sect, I’d rather take Old Lu out to see the world beyond. What do you think, brother?”

“What Junior Brother says… does make some sense.”

Elder Huang took the jade tokens, thought for a bit, and then with a wave of his hand, erased all the spirituality from the jade tokens. Then with a light tap of his finger, he chipped a corner off each token. Though slightly damaged, they were still intact.

He returned the two tokens, saying, “The marks on these Identity Jade Tokens have been erased by me; I’ll leave them to Junior Brother Ning and Junior Brother Lu as a memento. In the future… if you tire of wandering, return to the Mountain Gate with these tokens. Those young rascals should recognize Junior Brother Ning’s status when they see the tokens.”

“Senior Brother has been considerate!”

Ning Daoran was touched, took the tokens, and habitually took out a bag of Purple Jade Spirit Rice.

“Junior Brother Ning, it’s not necessary this time…”

Elder Huang immediately refused, smiling and saying, “I hope there is still a chance for us brothers to meet again.”

“If that’s so, Senior Brother, I take my leave!”

Ning Daoran left with Big Stupid Deer.

…

On the mountain paths, small trails.

Ning Daoran had exchanged his Chaotic Sect Outer Elder’s robes for a fairly elegant green shirt that matched well with the Evergreen Technique he cultivated.

White Deer held its head high and proud, carrying pots and pans on its back, all the belongings of it and its brother.

Wherever they went in the future, these would be needed for making soup and frying dishes. Having used them for a long time and grown fond of them, they naturally didn’t want to discard them.

“Martial Uncle Ning.”

“Greetings to Martial Uncle Ning.”

“Is Martial Uncle going down the mountain?”

Many disciples greeted him along the way.

Ning Daoran also returned each greeting with impeccable manners.

It was only after they stepped out of the Mountain Gate that he twisted his body, entering a dense forest with White Deer, and in the blink of an eye, both man and deer disappeared without a trace.

…

Amidst the mountains.

“Old Lu!”

Ning Daoran was standing on the Qiushui Sword, flying like a Sword Cultivator, letting the fierce wind whip across his face, laughing heartily, “Remember this moment, this feeling of utter freedom! From today onwards, we are the legendary Loose Cultivators!”

“Ao ao ao~~~”

Next to him, Big Stupid Deer transformed into a very beautiful Peacock, flying high with wings spread, keeping pace with Ning Daoran.

As for the next step in the plan…

Core Formation!

Originally, Ning Daoran could have chosen to undergo Core Formation at the Chaotic Sect, and with his status, using a Third-tier Spiritual Energy Cave Mansion would not be a problem.

But in the end, he dismissed this idea. If he really did that, he probably wouldn’t be able to leave.

Would the Sect ever willingly let go of a Golden Core Elder to become a Loose Cultivator?

Therefore, many years ago, Ning Daoran had already started planning for the location of his Core Formation. He sent out a large number of Second-class Paperfolk to search everywhere, and finally found a feng shui treasure spot.

The Shattered Wilderness, a forbidden area on the northern border of Qingzhou.

It was said that the Shattered Wilderness was originally a Fourth-tier Lower Grade Spirit Vein where an Immortal Sect had been situated, even a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator was stationed there.

Unfortunately, thousands of years ago, this Fourth-tier began to dry up, later entering an outburst state during its depletion period, causing extremely chaotic Spiritual Energy. Eventually, it became territory for the Demon Clan.

Demon Beasts do not rely on Spirit Veins for cultivation, so this nearly depleted Spirit Vein was wasted.

Just right—the ideal location for Ning Daoran’s Core Formation.

…

Several days later, the figures of a man and a deer appeared in the Shattered Wilderness.

The moment they stepped into the wilderness, the surrounding Spiritual Energy not only thickened, it also became very chaotic.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Ning Daoran didn’t mind—as he had the Nineteen-layered Evergreen Technique protecting his body, as stable as an old tree rooted firmly, completely ignoring the chaos.

Eventually, amidst some ruins, Ning Daoran confirmed the place for his Core Formation. With a light pat on the Storage Bag, several Second-class Paperfolk flew out.

Each Paperfolk held an Array Flag in hand and a Array Plate, swiftly laying down a Third-tier Middle-grade Array in the area.

“Rise!”

Ning Daoran cast a spell, and a white True Feather turned into a light, circling around the Array. Soon enough, the area was hidden in a haze of clouds, completely invisible from the outside.

“Old Lu.”

He turned around, taking a deep look at the Big Stupid Deer, and said, “I am about to undergo Core Formation, and this might attract Heavenly Tribulation. You should move away to protect me, so you’re not affected.”