Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 74: The Old Departs, the New Arrives

Two hours later.

Old He, who had lost too much blood, finally woke up slowly under everyone’s treatment.

After he regained consciousness, his face remained as pale as paper. He glanced at his empty left arm position, staying silent with lifeless eyes.

Seeing this, everyone could only offer him a few words of comfort before leaving, not disturbing his solitary contemplation.

The human body is both the treasure raft for crossing the world and the foundation for cultivating the Dao. If it is severely damaged, it is equivalent to cutting off the path of cultivation.

Before the Nascent Soul Stage, once the body is damaged, other than some second and third grade spirit pills or heavenly and earthly treasures, there’s basically no way to repair it.

"Ah, Fellow Daoist He has damaged his treasure body. I wonder what he’ll do in the future..."

Zhao He and Zhang Yao discussed a few words, their expressions full of worry.

After leaving Old He’s residence, the group went to visit Fatty Chen before dispersing.

The next day.

Zhang Yao was still in quiet cultivation when Old He suddenly came to visit, his expression calm, seeming to have walked out from the shadow.

"Fellow Daoist He? What brings you here..."

Zhang Yao’s expression was somewhat surprised.

Because Old He came not empty-handed, but carrying a tome.

"Fellow Daoist Qingxu."

Old He sighed and spoke:

"I am in my old age, and now have lost an arm. There is no hope for Dao cultivation. I have already prepared to head north to Wei Kingdom, to end this incomplete life."

"You’ve always wanted to learn alchemy from me, haven’t you?"

"Before I leave, I have nothing to leave for you fellow Daoists except what I have learned throughout my life, which still holds some value."

"If you don’t mind, I can teach you my alchemy skills, and in the future, the crafting of Spirit Fasting Pills within the Celestial Capital Mountain will rely on you."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yao was greatly moved and bowed:

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist He."

Over the years, he has also sought advice from Fatty Chen and Old He about array and alchemy techniques.

Fatty Chen was rather straightforward, teaching him much about arrays and restrictions, but Old He always evaded and shifted topics, unwilling to impart his knowledge.

Zhang Yao did not persist. After asking a few times to no avail, he gave up the idea.

He understood this, for the method of crafting spirit pills is akin to one’s capital for life, far more substantial than superficial array and restriction knowledge.

Unexpectedly, after experiencing the calamity of Wuyin Island, Old He, disheartened and ready to leave, actively proposed to teach him.

"Fellow Daoist Qingxu."

Old He handed the tome in his hands to Zhang Yao, saying:

"This is the insight of alchemy I compiled myself. Memorize it first, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me anytime."

"Once you are well acquainted with it, you can follow me in learning to craft spirit pills."

"Alright."

Zhang Yao solemnly accepted the tome and said:

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist He, I will not fail your expectations."

In the ensuing days:

Old He soon found that Zhang Yao surprisingly had some foundation in alchemy, quickly mastering various methods and tricks for crafting spirit pills.

Although Zhang Yao’s cultivation technique was neither wood nor fire attribute, providing no advantage to alchemy, they were merely basic techniques, and the impact was minimal.

Several months later, through Zhang Yao’s diligent study, he completely absorbed all of Old He’s lifetime knowledge.

Old He could craft a total of three spirit pills, apart from the simplest Fasting Pill, there were the rapidly healing "Bone Blood Pill" and the cultivation-enhancing "Nourishing Essence Pill."

However, the latter two spirit pills, due to their slightly more expensive materials, were seldom crafted by Old He, leading to limited experience.

Half a year after the calamity of Wuyin Island:

"Old He, take care on your journey!"

Zhang Yao, Fatty Chen, and Zhao He, along with Jiang Rou, bade farewell to Old He at Celestial Capital Mountain.

"May your immortal Dao grow evergreen and look forward to meeting again in the future."

Old He laughed freely, bid farewell to everyone, and turned away, riding a magical artifact to fly away.

Like Lunan back then, he intends to go to Wei Kingdom to serve as an imperial tributor, enjoying his remaining life, perhaps marrying and having children, taking disciples, and passing on his knowledge.

The imperial family of Wei Kingdom itself is a cultivation family, recruiting many cultivators as tributors with purportedly good treatment.

Yet the competition in Wei Kingdom is fierce, the imperial family can only offer wealth and honor, providing little resources to tributors, thus only cultivators with no hope for the immortal Dao would make such a choice.

"Ah..."

Another old friend leaving made Fatty Chen, Zhao He, and Jiang Rou feel slightly melancholic.

After some casual chatting, they parted ways.

......

Nine years later.

Zhang Yao, Fatty Chen, and a newly arrived cultivator bade farewell to Zhao He and Jiang Rou.

Compared to Old He’s despondency back then, Zhao He was rather spirited, his words brimming with confidence.

Because he had advanced to the middle stage of Qi Refining.

At the middle stage of Qi Refining, one is qualified to head north to join a sect or noble family, or to become part of a marketplace, exchanging contributions for resources to greatly accelerate cultivation.

If fortune favors him, achieving Foundation Establishment in this lifetime is not impossibly out of reach, becoming an enviable immortal Dao powerhouse.

Though hopes are slim, there is at least some prospect.

"Take care, Fellow Daoist!"

Amid everyone’s farewells, Zhao He left the Celestial Capital Mountain with his partner.

Seven years later.

Fatty Chen also departed.

Like Old He back then, due to advanced age, he gave up the pursuit of immortal Dao, ready to head to Wei Kingdom to enjoy a life of luxury.

This time, a total of three people came to see him off, but Zhang Yao was the one he knew best. After mutual farewells, Fatty Chen sped away on his magical artifact.

Zhang Yao withdrew his gaze, sighed inwardly:

"Time flies, I can’t believe I am now the most senior cultivator in Celestial Capital Mountain."

"I’ve been stuck at a bottleneck for five or six years now, mastering a dozen spells to perfection, and still don’t know when I’ll break through to the realm of Qi Refining Fourth Layer..."

......

Inadvertently, another decade passed.

Since Zhang Yao entered Celestial Capital Mountain, nearly forty years have elapsed.

"Thank you, Daoist Brother Qingxu!"

Several cultivators from the spirit vein of Celestial Capital Mountain came to Zhang Yao’s hall to receive Spirit Fasting Pills, their expressions somewhat respectful.

The once Celestial Capital Seven Friends had long dispersed with the wind.

Currently, Celestial Capital Mountain has five cultivators, Zhang Yao being the absolute central figure, not only responsible for maintaining arrays, but also tending spirit fields and crafting Spirit Fasting Pills.

Such status, along with his seniority and experience, naturally commands respect from everyone, addressed as "Daoist Brother," subtly elevated above a generation.

"Fellow Daoists, no need for such politeness."

After a few casual pleasantries, Zhang Yao sent them off.

"These later generation cultivators really are not like the previous ones..."

Watching them leave, Zhang Yao withdrew his gaze and shook his head silently.

On the surface, his age is nearing seventy, the young cultivators of Celestial Capital Mountain and Kongqing River are speculating when he will leave Lu Kingdom.

Zhang Yao knows he can’t continue staying; otherwise, it will arouse suspicion sooner or later, bringing small troubles.

Twenty years ago, he reached the peak of Qi Refining Third Layer, yet these many years remained stuck in a bottleneck period.

He was mentally prepared for this, knowing that Old He and Fatty Chen were both stuck for two or three decades without progress, eventually having to reluctantly abandon the chase for the immortal Dao.

"Two more years it is!"

In Zhang Yao’s heart, he quickly made a decision.

"In two years, if I can break through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer, it will be a good time to leave openly and honorably."

If unable, I’ll temporarily leave Celestial Capital Mountain, spend a few years in the mortal world, then change my identity and join Kongqing River..."