Chapter 41 – Sitting on the Mountain, Reaping the Rewards

Chapter 41 – Sitting on the Mountain, Reaping the Rewards

After the miasma was purged from his body, Li Fan’s status panel underwent enormous changes.

Name: Li Fan

Realm: Mortal

Physiological Age: 42/120↑

Psychological Age: 505/2053↑

Unreality Charging Progress: 121%

Anchor Charging Progress: 51%

Current Number of Anchors: 1

Bound Items: 《 The Jade Realm Thousand-Arts Golden Canon 》, Taiyan Vessel, Halt Stele Fragment (damaged)

Cultivation Method: Xuanhuang Heart-Tempering Mantra

His physiological age limit had broken through the one-hundred mark and was still showing a trend of continuous increase.

What surprised Li Fan even more was his psychological age limit—it had nearly doubled outright, reaching over two thousand years!

The Body-Purifying Spirit Pool alone could never have produced such an effect.

Was it because of that mysteriously appearing 《Xuanhuang Heart-Tempering Mantra》?

As for why the Xuanhuang Purification Mantra had transformed into the Heart-Tempering Mantra, Li Fan himself was completely baffled.

While in the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool, he had been unable to endure the excruciating pain and had almost entirely lost consciousness.

He had no idea what had happened afterward.

However, now was not the time for careful examination. Li Fan steadied his mind, clasped his hands, and said to He Zhenghao, “I shall never forget the Immortal Master’s kindness. I will surely repay it generously in the future.”

This was exactly what He Zhenghao had been waiting to hear, and his tone grew even more amiable. “What kind of talk is that, young friend? The path of immortality is arduous. I simply help where I can.”

He produced a book and handed it to Li Fan. “After purging the miasma, the next step is to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and draw qi into the body. If you can condense the first wisp of spiritual energy within your body, it means you have entered the Qi Refining stage, and at that point you can officially be called a cultivator. This 《Five Spirits Qi Sensing Method》 is a compilation of predecessors’ experiences in sensing spiritual energy. You should study it thoroughly.”

He then took out a perfectly square spirit talisman and solemnly presented it to Li Fan. “This is a Dust-Parting Talisman. Before you draw qi into your body, you must keep it on your person at all times.”

Seeing that Li Fan had properly stowed both items, He Zhenghao explained, “Although you’ve purged all the miasma from your body, it’s not a permanent solution. You still live in the mundane world and interact with ordinary people daily. Over time, you’ll inevitably accumulate miasma again. This Dust-Parting Talisman can help shield you from miasma contamination, but it won’t last indefinitely—only about five years.”

“However, with your natural talent, breaking through to the Qi Refining stage within five years should be no difficulty at all,” He Zhenghao said with a smile.

“Once you’ve broken through to the Qi Refining stage, you can come find me on the island. At that time, I’ll take you to our Myriad Immortals Alliance’s outpost in this Layered Cloud Sea—Ten Thousand Immortals Island. Once there, you’ll be able to select an appropriate cultivation method and continue your training.”

He Zhenghao detailed all the precautions to observe during the process of drawing qi into the body.

Li Fan committed every word firmly to memory.

Once all relevant matters had been addressed, Li Fan tactfully took his leave.

“I hope this one yields some returns.”

Watching Li Fan’s retreating figure, He Zhenghao murmured to himself.

Then He Zhenghao surveyed the mountain peak beneath his feet and shook his head. “Its potential is spent. Time to change mountains.”

With that, he soared above the sea of clouds, swept one long sleeve through the air, and gathered the rolling cloud layers entirely into his sleeve.

Gazing down at the sprawling mountain range below, He Zhenghao began selecting which peak would grow the tallest over the next century.

The cultivation method He Zhenghao practiced was called the 《Mountain-Sitting Art》.

The defining characteristic of the 《Mountain-Sitting Art》 was precisely what its name implied: sitting on the mountain and reaping the rewards.

One would select a mountain peak, sit atop it, and circulate the technique. After expending several years, one could merge one’s own aura with the mountain’s.

Thereafter, for every increment the mountain grew taller, one’s own cultivation would receive a corresponding boost in return.

Conversely, if one misjudged and the mountain failed to grow any taller afterward, it would amount to a complete waste of over a decade of cultivation time.

Beyond benefiting from mountain growth, one could also gain from helping others.

Take this instance of helping Li Fan, for example. If Li Fan were to break through to the Qi Refining stage in the future, He Zhenghao would receive a mysterious feedback that would increase his own cultivation.

It wasn’t draining or stealing the other person’s cultivation. Rather, it was more akin to the saying: when one person attains the Dao, even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

When a mountain peak rises, it carries the trees upon it higher as well. When a giant grows, the things tucked in his sleeves are naturally elevated too.

Of course, compared to mountains, the conditions for helping others were less stringent—one didn’t need to bind oneself to a single person and could cast a wide net. But correspondingly, the extent of one’s initial investment determined the magnitude of future returns.

So whenever He Zhenghao encountered a promising junior, he never hesitated to lend them a hand.

……

Emerging from the central formation array on Glazed Glass Island, Li Fan slipped back to the Listening Serenity Tower without alerting anyone.

After the miasma was purged, Li Fan could indeed feel a tremendous difference from before.

It was as if he’d grown ten-some years younger—his vision and hearing had both improved markedly.

He could even faintly sense the pure, omnipresent energy flowing through heaven and earth.

So this is spiritual energy…

Joy filled Li Fan’s heart.

Once he drew qi into his body, he would be a Qi Refining stage cultivator.

Li Fan could hardly wait to start cultivating day and night without rest.

But before that, he needed to examine the mysteriously appearing 《Xuanhuang Heart-Tempering Mantra》.

He searched through his mind but found no new method of circulation.

So Li Fan began cultivating according to the original 《Xuanhuang Purification Mantra》’s method.

The moment he activated it, Li Fan noticed the difference between the Heart-Tempering Mantra and the Purification Mantra.

Previously, when practicing the Purification Mantra, it would take nearly an hour before he could gradually calm his mind and eliminate all stray thoughts.

But the instant the Heart-Tempering Mantra was deployed, within mere moments, Li Fan’s mind became as clear as a mirror.

It was as though a massive millstone had appeared in his mind, ceaselessly drawing in and grinding stray thoughts to dust, converting them into nourishment that strengthened his consciousness.

After three years of practicing the Purification Mantra, aside from the improvements reflected on his 【Return to Truth】 panel, Li Fan hadn’t noticed any other benefits.

But with the Heart-Tempering Mantra, Li Fan could clearly feel his spirit growing stronger with every passing moment.

Though the increments were minuscule, the growth was undeniably real!

Li Fan was overjoyed beyond words, but close on the heels of that joy came countless questions.

Why had the 《Xuanhuang Purification Mantra》—something so commonplace in the cultivation world that it was used merely to dispel miasma—transformed into this extraordinary 《Xuanhuang Heart-Tempering Mantra》 within him?

Immortal arts could not be practiced simultaneously. Did this Heart-Tempering Mantra even count as a cultivation method?

With his current understanding of the cultivation world, Li Fan could not arrive at an answer.

But he had a vague sense that an enormous secret lay hidden within all of this.

He would have to investigate it covertly when the opportunity arose.

Li Fan resolved silently.

……

Being just one step away from crossing the threshold into cultivator-hood, and having fortuitously obtained a miraculous technique like the 《Xuanhuang Heart-Tempering Mantra》—

Li Fan couldn’t help feeling somewhat euphoric.

Yet it wasn’t long before he received a letter.

The news within it shattered his complacency to pieces.

Xiao Heng had successfully drawn qi into his body and had already departed for Ten Thousand Immortals Island.