Chapter 92

Having sent Zong Yan away, Chen Xun then told his grandfather about the matter of cultivating spiritual energy.

The principle was quite simple: in the Sea of Souls, spiritual awareness and vital energy would be continuously injected into the primitive soul, and then continuously released. If this process lasted long enough, the spiritual awareness and vital energy might eventually merge...

When the Void Yuan Pearl was refined, the vital energy and spiritual awareness infused into it would spontaneously fuse into extremely pure spiritual energy. However, after the Void Yuan Pearl was successfully refined, infusing more vital energy and spiritual awareness would have no effect, and it would only require a thought to activate the Void Yuan Space.

Otherwise, if the Void Yuan Pearl could refine spiritual energy that harmonized with the original divine soul outside the body, Chen Xun would almost certainly break through the physical barrier and advance to the Rebirth Realm in no time.

There was no such easy thing in the world, and Chen Xun felt a bit regretful.

However, the fact that vital energy and spiritual awareness could continuously converge in the Sea of Souls and eventually refine into a thread of spiritual energy was already a rare achievement for Chen Xun.

Even if it took him nine months to refine this thread of original spiritual energy, it was absolutely worth it.

However, Chen Xun did not know how long it would take others to cultivate their own original spiritual energy using this method.

He believed that his grandfather had a greater chance, as his grandfather practiced the Witch Barbarian technique. Although his combat skills were not strong, his divine soul cultivation was far superior to that of Zong Sang and Nan Liao.

"..." Zong Tu had not expected that Chen Xun's refinement of the Void Yuan Pearl had such mysterious occurrences.

"To cultivate spiritual energy, there needs to be a magical artifact that continuously consumes vital energy and spiritual awareness. I have an idea that might work..."

Zong Tu was puzzled and did not know how to replicate Chen Xun's opportunity for himself, but he was also very excited.

The chance was slim, but if he could truly cultivate a thread of original spiritual energy before advancing to the Rebirth Realm and use it to refine his physical body, he would have almost a 100% chance of condensing true blood and advancing to the Rebirth Realm.

"Grandfather, put on the Vajra Mystic Armor and sit under the waterfall. The waterfall's water will continuously consume the protective magical power," Chen Xun took off the Vajra Mystic Armor and handed it to his grandfather, "Grandfather, take this Mystic Armor back to Black Python. It might take no more than three to five years to refine a thread of spiritual energy..."

The method Chen Xun proposed was extremely rudimentary, but it was the only way they could use to cultivate spiritual energy at this time.

No one else had discovered this secret, and ultimately, this rudimentary cultivation method was too much of a test of one's patience. Who would be willing to spend the last few years of their life consuming their divine soul and vital energy for a faint, unpredictable thread of spiritual energy?

Moreover, maintaining a continuous output of vital energy and spiritual awareness would require consuming a large number of pills.

However, Zong Tu also knew that this might be his only chance?

It might also be Black Python's only chance?

Even for the sake of Black Python, he had to give it a try.

However, the Vajra Mystic Armor was Chen Xun's protective magical artifact. How could Zong Tu take it back to Black Python?

Seeing his grandfather hesitating to take the armor, Chen Xun said, "This armor is only inscribed with two layers of Vajra Mystic Symbols. If it encounters a peak True Yang Realm expert, it can only withstand two full-force strikes. Its use for me is limited..."

"Even if its use is limited, it can still be traded for one or two thousand Black Python Pills. The greater your potential, the more resources you will need for cultivation in the future," Zong Tu said.

" precisely because of this, I hope Black Python can become stronger!" Chen Xun said sincerely, "If this method works, Uncle Zong Sang and Uncle Nan Liao might also break through the physical barrier and become Heavenly Barbarians. Only then will Black Python have a chance to stand on its own. And only if Black Python has a solid foundation will I have the confidence to act outside. Otherwise, living in constant fear, how can I cultivate? If not for you staying in the city to protect me and arrange everything, could I have continuously refined the Void Yuan Pearl for nine months? Any interruption would not only prevent the successful refinement of the Void Yuan Pearl but also prevent the discovery of the secret of cultivating spiritual energy..."

Zong Tu sighed deeply. If he could not break through to the peak of the ninth layer of the Witch Barbarian technique and advance to the Rebirth Realm this time, he would not have many years left to live. Taking the Vajra Mystic Armor, he said, "Since you have emerged from seclusion, I will set out for Black Python in the next two days..."

Chen Xun felt quite reluctant, not knowing if he would have the chance to see his grandfather again after this departure. He said, "Zong Yan's cultivation is almost at the peak of the sixth layer. He should also return to Black Python with you this time..."

Zong Yan would reach the peak of the sixth layer in three to five months and should then take the Nine-Origin Nourishing Aperture Pill to advance to the higher-level Barbarian Warrior.

There were too many people with ulterior motives in Canglan City. If Zong Yan stayed in Canglan City and easily broke through the peak of the sixth layer, it could easily raise suspicions.

Zong Tu nodded and said, "He will also return. And the two young boys from Zhao Tu's family, who have good potential, I will take them in as your disciples for now—this time, I will take them with me. If you stay in Canglan City, you can be at ease..."

Zhao Tu's two young children were only seven or eight years old. They were just starting their cultivation and did not need to be constantly by his side.

Moreover, this time, Zong Tu was returning to Black Python to enter seclusion and could not personally teach Zhao Tu's two children.

However, Chen Xun could understand his grandfather's intentions.

People's hearts are hard to fathom. He could make Zhao Tu grateful now, but he could not guarantee that Zhao Tu would not be coerced or tempted by the Ghost Xi Tribe.

Now that his grandfather was taking Zhao Tu's two children to Black Python for cultivation, it would ensure Zhao Tu's loyalty and prevent him from having ulterior motives. Leaving Zhao Tu, a capable and intelligent person, to handle miscellaneous affairs was necessary, but this house had too many secrets to guard. If Zhao Tu had any ulterior motives, Chen Xun would be in an irredeemable situation. It was good for his grandfather to make more preparations.

If Zhao Tu remained loyal, he would not be let down in the future.

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Zong Yan brought in the food, and Chen Xun saw that Gu Jianfeng was also following behind. He smiled and asked, "Jianfeng, you haven't slept yet?"

"Seeing Zhao Tu and Cai'er looking so happy, I guessed you had emerged from seclusion today," Gu Jianfeng said with a broad smile, "You were in seclusion for nine months. If I didn't come to see you, I would have forgotten what you look like."

Compared to his youthful appearance in the Northern Mountains, Gu Jianfeng now had a more dignified and refined demeanor, less sharp but more polished.

After nine months, Gu Jianfeng had also reached the peak of the seventh layer of the Blood Change stage. Chen Xun thought that ordinary Barbarian Warriors indeed found cultivation much easier.

Although he also had the confidence to break through the seventh layer of the Barbarian Warrior stage in one go, it had been more than a year since he returned from the Lake Marsh Wilderness, and he had taken countless Nine-Origin Nourishing Aperture Pills and other low-level pills.

Although Gu Jianfeng was trustworthy, there was no need to tell everyone about the Void Yuan Pearl. Chen Xun invited him to sit down, took the food Zong Yan brought, and started eating voraciously.

After taking the Nine-Origin Nourishing Aperture Pill, Chen Xun's vital energy and life essence were abundant, but after nine months without tasting food, he was truly famished.

When Zong Yan brought in the food, he did not bother to be polite in front of his grandfather and Gu Jianfeng and started eating heartily. Only the leopard, dissatisfied, lay on the ground and whined—these fragrant meats were supposed to go into its belly.

While eating, Chen Xun listened to his grandfather and Gu Jianfeng talk about the various events that had occurred in the past nine months.

After he entered seclusion to refine the Void Yuan Pearl, the Nine Tribes soon officially formed the Northern Mountain Society in Canglan City, specializing in selling the products from the Northern Mountain of Python Tooth Ridge.

Qianlan's father, Zuo Chonggu, personally stayed in Canglan City to manage the affairs of the Northern Mountain Society. With the participation of strong figures like Gu Chen, the Northern Mountain Society was a considerable force in Canglan City.

However, the main reason for the rise in status of the Zuo Ji Tribe and the Nine Tribes of the Northern Mountain in Canglan was that Qianlan had entered the Inner Court of the Academy and was taken as a direct disciple by Elder Su Lingyin.

Qianlan visited once, but otherwise, she stayed on Dragon Binding Mountain for cultivation.

After the Northern Python Society was established, the Nine Tribes joined forces to buy the houses around Copper Gong Alley. Now, the Nine Tribes had sufficient places to settle in Canglan City.

Due to Chen Xun's seclusion, the two sets of three-courtyard houses were assigned to him and the Black Python Tribe, serving as their base in Canglan City. The courtyard where Gu Jianfeng and Gu Chen moved into was right behind.

The situation of the Nine Tribes in Canglan City was very promising, but Chen Xun could see a hint of worry in Gu Jianfeng's eyes and asked, "Jianfeng, is there something that's not to your liking?"

"Uncle Chen and I will be returning to the Northern Mountain in two days. It's a coincidence that you emerged from seclusion today, otherwise, we wouldn't have had the chance to say goodbye," Gu Jianfeng said with a forced smile.

"Why?" Chen Xun asked.

He remembered that nine months ago, the Black Mountain Tribe had decided to place their hopes of rising on Gu Jianfeng, and even Gu Chen had stayed in Canglan City to ensure his peace of mind for cultivation.

Gu Jianfeng had advanced to the seventh layer of the Blood Change stage during his trial and reached the peak of the seventh layer in less than a year, indicating that his cultivation in Canglan City was very effective.

Staying in Canglan City was not just about easier access to various cultivation resources but also about interacting with various people, experiencing the cultural and humanistic aspects of Yunzhou and the Barbarian Wilderness, and exchanging and researching with other scattered cultivators, which would broaden his horizons and be more beneficial for cultivation.

Seeing Gu Jianfeng again, after his year of refinement, his aura was much more restrained compared to when he was in the Northern Mountains, indicating that he had grown a lot in the past year in Canglan City.

Gu Jianfeng was at a critical stage of rapid advancement. If he said he was returning to the Northern Mountain with Gu Chen, it must mean that something had happened in the Black Mountain Tribe, forcing them to return to the Black Mountain for a long stay.