Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 91 - 90: Seeking a Place to Rebuild

"The contents of those cultivation techniques should be absolutely accurate because the jade scroll recording the techniques is genuine."

"This means I already have the conditions to switch to the ’Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature’..."

Zhang Yao thought this way, feeling somewhat tempted.

He carefully recalled the details of the transaction and once again confirmed that the jade scroll was authentic.

In the Cultivation Realm, there is a magic similar to the one used for extracting Jade Marrow which is specifically used to verify the manufacturing age of a jade scroll, making it easy to ascertain its authenticity.

If it weren’t for this magic, Old Qi’s shop would’ve shut down long ago.

When Zhang Yao completed the transaction, he also tested it and confirmed that the jade scroll was manufactured over a thousand years ago.

"Over a thousand years ago, Celestial Treasure Tower probably didn’t even exist."

"Moreover, this jade scroll was left by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator for his family, so it’s unlikely to contain any tricks from Celestial Treasure Tower."

Zhang Yao thought to this point and quickly devised a plan in his mind.

Since he planned to abandon his cultivation and switch techniques, of course, he needed a safe place—such as Lu Kingdom.

When he climbed Celestial Capital Mountain, he used the Daoist title Qingxu; when he joined Qingyunfang City, he fabricated a birth origin with no real connection between the two.

The key point is that whether in Celestial Capital Mountain or Qingyunfang City, he had disguised himself with completely different appearances.

Ever since he reached the Grandmaster Realm and could control his external appearance, he hadn’t shown his true face for many years, always using a fake identity and appearance.

"Jiang Rou became their pawn likely because Zhao He joined Qingyunfang City as a Tributor and later died in battle."

"From her appearance in the Ruins Marketplace, it seems she should have been doing some shady deeds for the two major families over the years to survive."

"Those Foundation Establishment cultivators trying to pursue my whereabouts through her is completely impossible..."

"Coincidentally using Jiang Rou as a pawn to deliver the ’Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature’ into his hands is probably the only real accident in their plot this time..."

Zhang Yao repeatedly calculated and deduced:

"With the realm of my martial arts, even if I encounter an early stage Qi Refining cultivator in Lu Kingdom, I have enough self-defense capability."

"Besides, I am very familiar with Lu Kingdom, where I can find a suitable place for secluded cultivation, far better than in unfamiliar countries..."

Resolved at this thought, Zhang Yao became increasingly determined.

He stood up, used the stars to confirm his direction, then took out a Spirit Stone to restore magical power, and continued his underground traversing.

He spent more than ten Spirit Stones along the way, traversing thousands of miles in one go and only truly relaxed after leaving the Wei Kingdom’s borders and crossing the Desolate Zone. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

......

Half a month later.

Without alarming anyone, Zhang Yao crossed tens of thousands of miles and quietly returned to Lu Kingdom, heading south all the way to Yun Province.

In Yun Province, on Panlong Ridge.

The once magnificent Nanwang Town had long become a rubble ruin, and the once extravagant Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion retained only broken walls and boundaries.

The lineage of Prince Zhen Nan, which was conferred during the founding, has already been eradicated for over a hundred years, and Nanwang Town established around this power center in the six counties had long faded away.

Panlong Ridge, which was originally remote and uninhabited, has reverted to a state of desolate mountains and wildlands.

"Really quite desolate, only some rabbits and foxes..."

Alone, Zhang Yao strolled through the ruins of Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion with a slightly wistful expression.

A hundred years of wind and rain had wiped away the past grandeur of Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion. Delicate columns and painted galleries had decayed, leaving only some bricks and stones.

"Hmm, it should be close."

Zhang Yao arrived deep within the ruins of Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion, sensing the area slightly before revealing a smile.

The gathering of spiritual qi also follows the shape of the mountains and ground veins, besides the most common underground Spirit Vein, the nodes for gathering spiritual qi also have other forms.

For example—Spiritual Spring, Spirit Rock, or Water Spirit Vein.

On Panlong Ridge, there exists a Spiritual Spring, though its spiritual qi density can’t match Celestial Capital Mountain or Kongqing River, it surpasses typical places by far.

Back then, the Lunan pestering his descendants to build the mansion here was specifically to occupy this Spiritual Spring.

When Zhang Yao first entered the cultivation world, if he hadn’t worried that occupying this Spiritual Spring would attract the attention of the Yuwen Family or the Liu Family, bringing uncontrollable trouble, he would have come here long ago.

Soon, Zhang Yao found a deep pool amidst a crumbling courtyard ruin.

The small pool was only seven feet square, yet ten yards deep, the pond water was crystal clear, allowing a faint view of the bubbling spring.

"Hu..."

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, sensing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, revealing a hint of satisfaction.

"This place isn’t bad."

"Although it can’t be compared to Qingyunfang City, it wins in its serenity without anyone disturbing."

This Spiritual Spring, if supplying only one person, is somewhat inferior compared to the Spirit Vein of Celestial Capital Mountain but not by much.

Here was the most suitable place for him to switch cultivation to the ’Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature’.

...

Several months later.

Within the depths of Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion on Panlong Ridge.

The original broken walls had been cleared away, replaced by a small wooden house and a field.

"The growth of these Spirit Grass is quite well..."

Zhang Yao was deploying the "Fertile Soil Spiritual Technique," tending to the newly opened Spirit Field.

With the limited range of spiritual qi dispersal from the Spiritual Spring on Panlong Ridge, opening half an acre of Spirit Field to supply himself was sufficient.

The Spirit Field was planted with three types of low grade Spirit Grass, the materials for refining Spirit Fasting Pill, with seeds brought from Celestial Capital Mountain many years ago.

"To fully master the ’Comprehensive Basic Array’, it will take at least three to five years."

"To go further, the ’Five Elements Spirit Array’ must be inferred a thousand times and practiced until mastery before officially abandoning old cultivation for new."

"This process altogether will take about ten years."

Ten years later, Zhang Yao would have enough assurance to abandon the cultivation of ’Thick Earth Spell’ and switch to the ’Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature’.

Before then, he needed to accumulate as many Fasting Pills as possible as reserves for future cultivation.

Moments after tending the Spirit Field, Zhang Yao reclined on a deckchair, browsing the ’Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature’ he recorded, refreshing his memory.

As a cultivation technique of the Path of Array Refining and Body Integration, the foundational part also includes some array knowledge, laying groundwork for the three major arrays to be constructed during the Qi Refining Stage.

Thanks to his expertise in the Path of Spirit Pattern, Zhang Yao quickly grasped these foundational array knowledge, being able to set up a few simple arrays within months.

These foundational array knowledge include a total of twelve basic arrays, the most profound being the "Small Spirit Gathering Array," which was what he valued most.

"The ’Five Elements Spirit Array’ has a part of Spirit Pattern Array Vein, which ought to be derived from the Spirit Gathering Array."

"In fact, after the success of array refining, the qualification of the Five Spirit Roots itself didn’t change; it relied entirely on the assistance of Spirit Gathering Array Vein to boost cultivation speed by fivefold."

Zhang Yao thought of this, revealing a pondering expression.

"It seems my previous assumptions were incorrect..."