Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 69: Celestial Capital Seven Friends (Part 1)

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Celestial Capital Seven Friends (Part 1)

"It should be close now."

Several hours later, Zhang Yao had already reached the depths of Celestial Capital Mountain.

Here, near the summit of Celestial Capital Mountain, it was a thousand feet above the ground, the cold wind piercing, water turning to ice, with mist gently veiling, a place difficult for the ordinary to reach.

"Hmm?"

After delving a little further, Zhang Yao sharply perceived something abnormal.

He immediately employed his magical power, utilizing the Spiritual Eye Skill, his eyes gleaming with crystal light, and the mist before him churned open, revealing the true visage of the mountain.

In the depths of the isolated mountain, surprisingly revealed was a stone-stepped path winding upward, ending with a suite of shadowy halls and pavilions.

Amidst the white clouds resides an Immortal Family.

"Finally arrived."

Upon seeing this sight, Zhang Yao revealed a trace of a smile.

As recorded in Lunan, the depths of Celestial Capital Mountain possess a simple array.

These arrays, established utilizing the trees and mist, have little effect on cultivators, mainly warding off ordinary people and wild animals.

Zhang Yao ascended the stone path, quickly alerting the hidden cultivators of Celestial Capital Mountain.

"Which fellow Daoist visits us?"

Two cultivators came out together, a man and a woman, the man donned in white, exuding extraordinary charm, while the woman, with a graceful complexion, was dressed in a blue palace gown, elegant as a lotus upon clear water.

They spotted Zhang Yao on the stone-stepped path, examined him, and discovered he looked unfamiliar, showing a hint of surprise.

"May I inquire where Fellow Daoist comes from?"

Zhang Yao bowed slightly and replied:

"I am Qingxu, fortunate to inherit the legacy of predecessors, always practicing in the world."

"Some days ago, I heard by chance about fellow practitioners cultivating in seclusion on Celestial Capital Mountain, thus I came specifically to visit."

"So that’s how it is."

Upon hearing this, the two showed a hint of realization.

Celestial Capital Mountain’s spirit vein is naturally a place where the loose cultivators of Lu Kingdom gather, many have similar origins as Zhang Yao.

"A chance meeting, all are guests here, please, Fellow Daoist, come in."

Their demeanor became very welcoming, inviting Zhang Yao into the cultivation hideout of Celestial Capital Mountain.

As Zhang Yao looked around, he noticed there were at least dozens of palace pavilions, farther away lay peach orchards, waterfalls, bamboo forests, secluded pools, and medicinal fields, a splendid view.

"Hoo!"

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, attempted to cultivate and absorb spiritual energy, discovering the place was incredibly abundant with spiritual qi, more than several times that of the outside world.

"Fellow Daoist, please have a seat."

The two cultivators led Zhang Yao into a hall, fetching some Spirit Fruit Immortal Peaches and Jade Dew and Nectar for hospitality.

"These are cultivated and brewed by ourselves, please have a taste."

Zhang Yao tasted the spirit fruit and jade dew and couldn’t help but brighten in delight.

The cultivation hideout on Celestial Capital Mountain is built atop a miniature spirit vein, even ordinary peach and fruit trees, tinged with a bit of spiritual qi due to prolonged nourishment by spiritual qi.

For cultivators, this slight spiritual qi is barely anything, but for ordinary people, if fortunate enough to consume several, it could prolong life with ease.

This Jade Dew and Nectar is brewed using magic to extract jade marrow mixed with spirit fruit, whose long-term consumption benefits cultivation and tastes far superior to mundane substances.

"You two are truly generous hosts."

Zhang Yao expressed his admiration.

He could observe, the spirit fruit and immortal peaches aside, this Jade Dew and Nectar indeed held some value, not easily come by.

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter..."

The man in white laughed heartily, the woman in the blue gown beside him also smiled brightly.

Zhang Yao conversed with the two, learning the man in white was named Zhao He, the woman was Jiang Rou, they were a pair of dao companions.

Celestial Capital Mountain’s spirit vein originally had seven hidden cultivators, collectively known as the Celestial Capital Seven Friends.

Last year, a fellow daoist named Mo broke through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer and left Celestial Mountain northward to Wei Kingdom, currently, only six remain.

"The remaining four fellow Daoists are in seclusion and cultivating arduously."

"My wife and I were just tending to the spirit field when we detected fluctuations in the array beyond the spirit vein, hence we came out to check."

Zhao He chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist Qingxu, since you have arrived at Celestial Capital Mountain, why not stay and live in seclusion with us."

"The spiritual qi in the mortal world is thin, far inferior to the three spirit veins. We practice in seclusion amidst the mountains, avoiding the mundane hustle, thus living freely."

The delighted Zhang Yao responded:

"That’s precisely my intention."

From early stage Qi Refining, breaking through to middle stage Qi Refining has a bottleneck.

The first bottleneck in the path of Qi Refining, for those talented in cultivation, or for cultivators lacking resources, is barely a small ditch, easily crossed.

But for ordinary loose cultivators, it’s a mountainous ridge hard to surmount.

After breaking through to Qi Refining Third Layer, he visited Celestial Capital Mountain precisely to leverage the spirit vein environment here to accelerate his cultivation and breakthrough the bottleneck.

"That would be wonderful!"

Upon hearing Zhang Yao’s reply, Zhao He clapped his hands and laughed:

"With Fellow Daoist Qingxu’s inclusion, we have once again lived up to the name ’Celestial Capital Seven Friends.’"

"Come, let me first guide you in choosing a pavilion, and once the other fellow Daoists come out of seclusion, we shall gather together."

Zhang Yao nodded slightly, courteously saying:

"Then I must thank Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Soon, under the guidance of Zhao He and Jiang Rou, Zhang Yao toured the spirit vein within Celestial Capital Mountain and picked an empty pavilion to reside.

The three spirit veins have existed since ancient times, these spiritual vein sites holding constructions that have stood for millennia, built by previous cultivators, where predecessors planted the trees and successors enjoy the shade.

Half a month later:

The other four cultivators emerged from seclusion one after another, learning a new fellow cultivator had joined, warmly welcomed him, hosting a small gathering.

At the gathering, exchanging cultivation experience, savoring spirit fruit and jade dew among the jovial company.

Thus, Zhang Yao officially joined the Celestial Capital Mountain spirit vein, becoming one of the Celestial Capital Seven Friends.

......

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

"Sigh..."

Inside the quiet chamber, Zhang Yao slowly expelled a breath of muddy qi, opened his eyes.

"The spiritual qi environment here indeed is incomparable to the outside world, greatly benefiting cultivation."

During his three-month stay in Celestial Capital Mountain spirit vein, everything here satisfied him greatly.

Its secluded independence, fine scenery, with stunning sights like "Golden Summit Dawn Light," "Sea of Clouds and Dragons," "Bridge Sunset View."

Ordinarily, there are Spirit Fruit Immortal Peaches and Spirit Fasting Pills to enjoy, with no need to consume mortal smoke, allowing devoted cultivation, with many fellow travelers to interact.

Most important, of course, is the abundance of spiritual qi.

The spiritual qi environment is several times more abundant than the outside world, though it can’t directly multiply cultivation speed, it can at least increase it by a fair amount.

If he had chosen to cultivate at Celestial Capital Mountain upon becoming a cultivator, likely within twenty years, he would have broken through to Qi Refining Third Layer.

"With my talent, to break through the bottleneck, achieve Qi Refining Middle Stage, probably requires a water grinding effort."

Zhang Yao’s mood was leisurely, without any impatience: "Take it slow."