Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 67: Forty Years in the Mountains

The five-colored radiance froze in place, with nothing missing, resplendent like the feathers of a peacock.

"It’s actually a Five Elements Spirit Root..."

Zhang Yao was somewhat surprised upon seeing this result.

There are thirty-six types of Spirit Roots in the world.

Five single-attribute Celestial Spirit Roots and five exotic Spirit Roots form the top tier of ten Spirit Roots.

Next are the Earth Spirit Roots with only two Five Elements attributes, also amounting to ten types, belonging to the second tier.

The remaining three-attribute, four-attribute, and five-attribute types, totaling sixteen, are collectively referred to as Mixed Spirit Roots due to their slow cultivation speed and difficult realm breakthroughs, categorized as the lowest tier.

The Five Elements Spirit Root, though among the lowest of the Mixed Spirit Roots, is exceptionally rare and its occurrence compares even to Celestial Spirit Roots and Exotic Spirit Roots.

It is said that before the Ancient Great Destruction, it was the strongest Spirit Root, known as the "Perfect Spirit Root," a standard for true disciples of Overlord Sects.

However, as the world’s environment changed, what was once the strongest Spirit Root has now fallen to the lowest tier.

"Having a Spirit Root is really good enough; no need to worry about these things."

"If it weren’t for the Five Elements, I wouldn’t have been able to practice the ’Thick Earth Spell.’

Zhang Yao recovered his composure, not paying much attention to it.

In the records of Lunan, mortals with Spirit Roots are as rare as a phoenix feather, at least one in a hundred thousand.

Precisely because Spirit Root bearers are so scarce, and effective detection methods lacking, even if found, they may not match in attributes, making it particularly difficult to pass down Hou Tu Sect’s legacy.

Hence, even with the seemingly poorest Mixed Spirit Root, Zhang Yao was content.

"Slow cultivation and difficult breakthroughs are not major issues."

"I don’t have a lifespan pressure. If I cultivate slowly for a few thousand or tens of thousand years, eventually I’ll grind my way to become a master in the Cultivation Realm."

Zhang Yao’s attitude was very optimistic.

Through Lunan’s notes, he actually knew of several places within Lu Kingdom where cultivators gathered, but he did not plan to visit them now.

At the very least, he intended to wait until the Qi Refining Third Layer before setting off to seek out other cultivators.

"Whoosh!"

Zhang Yao turned and left the forest, displaying the Divine Movement Skill, his form ethereal like a phantom, leaping more than ten zhang swiftly like a ghost.

After traveling over ten li, a small daoist temple in the deep mountains appeared before him.

The daoist temple was not large, occupying no more than half an acre, with a plaque inscribed by Zhang Yao himself, bearing the words "Qingxu Temple."

"Master!"

"Master has returned!"

The two little daoist children in the temple saw Zhang Yao’s figure and quickly came forward to greet him.

Three years ago, Zhang Yao arrived here, purchased materials, hired local laborers, built a temple, and took in two orphans as daoist children, naming them "Qingfeng" and "Mingyue."

Three years passed, the two little daoist children now twelve or thirteen years old, began cultivating some martial arts taught by Zhang Yao.

"Hmm, you two haven’t been slacking off, have you?"

Zhang Yao casually tested them for a few moments, then dismissed them, returning alone to the quiet chamber deep in the temple.

In the deep mountains, Spiritual Qi is denser than in most places, making it more suitable for his cultivation.

After becoming a cultivator, he could replenish most of the body’s consumption by absorbing Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Qi, but his cultivation was still shallow and he could not completely fast.

Building a temple in these deep mountains and taking in two little daoist children was meant to supply his daily dietary needs, so he could dismiss worldly matters and wholeheartedly pursue the Immortal Dao.

...

Time flew by like an arrow, the sun and moon passed like a shuttle.

In the deep mountains of Fu Province, Zhang Yao stayed for over forty years.

Qingfeng left in his twenties, venturing out into the world, and reportedly amassed quite a fortune.

Mingyue remained in Qingxu Temple, marrying and having children, while also taking disciples and passing down teachings, expanding Qingxu Temple several times, significantly increasing its size.

Over forty years passed:

Qingxu Temple now occupied nearly half the hill, comparable in scale to the original Qingping Palace.

On this day. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Mingyue, nearly sixty years old, carried a tray as usual to deliver food to Zhang Yao in the depths of the temple.

After Qingxu Temple’s expansion, the initial area had become a restricted zone, rumored to be the "Cultivation Hideout" of "Lord Qingxu," who founded the temple.

However, aside from Lord Mingyue, no one had ever seen him, making this ancestor exceptionally mysterious.

"Hmm?"

Mingyue arrived deep in the temple, seeing a tray outside the room with food that had long gone cold.

"Master hasn’t emerged yet?"

He furrowed his brows, a trace of worry crossing his face.

For over forty years, his master shut himself in for secluded cultivation, indifferent to worldly affairs, eating only one meal a day.

Recently, Zhang Yao hadn’t touched the food Mingyue delivered, making him suspect something was wrong.

Just as he hesitated whether to enter, a clear voice suddenly came to his ears:

"Mingyue?"

"Master, it’s me."

Mingyue quickly put down the tray, respectfully bowed.

"Leave the food; after tomorrow, there’s no need to bring it anymore."

Mingyue looked up in surprise at these words:

"Master, you are..."

"I intend to leave this place."

Zhang Yao’s voice was unhurried, calm:

"I adopted you back then, taught you martial arts, and you have served me with care for decades. We are square with each other."

"After today, our fate together ends, and perhaps we’ll never meet again. May your remaining days be smooth."

"Master!"

Mingyue’s face immediately went pale, falling to his knees with a thud.

His feelings toward Zhang Yao weren’t very deep; after all, Zhang Yao focused on secluded cultivation, rarely guiding them, and as time went on, initial gratitude faded.

But he knew deeply that his master was far from ordinary; merely not aging over forty years filled him with awe.

He had tried seeking True Skills, but Zhang Yao said he lacked the aptitude and didn’t teach him. Mingyue, while skeptical, didn’t give up, continuing to serve daily, hoping one day his master would change his mind.

But now, Zhang Yao was suddenly leaving, filling him with anxiety and reluctance, and he pleaded:

"Master, you..."

"No need to say more, go on, go on."

A sigh came from the room, followed by a gentle force arising from nowhere, enveloping his body.

Mingyue felt like he was riding the clouds, vision blurring, and by the time he landed on his rear, he found himself in the courtyard outside, dazed for a while before leaving in a trance.

Inside the room:

Zhang Yao withdrew his gaze, pulling out a small gray bag from his sleeve.

"Having acquired this item for so many years, the time has finally come to open it."

He channeled Magical Power into the Storage Bag:

"This cultivation speed is too slow; it took forty years to reach Qi Refining Third Layer. Now that the time is ripe, it’s time to change the environment."

"Hopefully, this Storage Bag will give me a bit of surprise..."

Under the surge of Magical Power, the restriction left by Lunan, upon sensing the same-source Magical Power, dispersed naturally.

With the obstruction gone, Zhang Yao’s Magical Power easily refined the Storage Bag, his consciousness using the Magical Power to sense the contents of the bag.

Two Jade Scrolls, more than ten crystalline Jade Stones, along with a Flying Sword, a Great Seal, and a Banner.

"These should be low grade spirit stones, right?"

"Though there aren’t any Spirit Pills or Spirit Talismans, there are three Magical Artifacts. It’s quite good."

Zhang Yao retracted his Magical Power, showing a hint of surprise.

Lunan’s wealth was more substantial than he had imagined; ordinary Loose Cultivators couldn’t accumulate the wealth of three Magical Artifacts.

"Let’s take a look first."

PS: Strongly declare: This book is not a waste-wood stream, readers should be able to tell that the protagonist with a perfect Five Elements Spirit Root will definitely be able to unlock its powers (*^▽^*).