Chapter 3: The Harvest – Who's Number Three?

Chen Li opened the letter and began to read.

"If you can arrive here and break through the Restriction Formation, Fellow Daoist must also be a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. This humble Li comes from the Southern Border's Martial Kingdom, a mere Loose Cultivator. I have achieved Minor Achievement in Alchemy, and with great difficulty, I cultivated to the Perfection of Foundation Establishment Stage. However, my Lifespan is running short, my vitality is waning, and I repeatedly fail to glimpse the Golden Core realm.

It is not easy to be a Loose Cultivator, and I am unwilling to see two hundred years of hard cultivation turn to dust. I heard that the Taixuan Sect possesses the long-lost golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art, which can forge a pill to break through to the Golden Core realm. Thus, I infiltrated the Taixuan Sect, diligently practicing Alchemy for thirty years, yet I could not even become an Inner Sect Disciple. I was utterly disappointed.

My Lifespan is approaching, and I can no longer wait. So, I killed an Inner Sect Disciple and used every means possible to successfully sneak into the seventh floor of the Taixuan Sect's Alchemy Pavilion, successfully obtaining the golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art. However, things rarely go perfectly. The thousand-year 'wind immortal flower' required for refining the golden core formation Medicinal Pill had just run out in the Alchemy Pavilion that day, and I was coincidentally discovered by a patrolling member. Hence, I fled into the Boundless Forest while evading pursuit.

Fate plays tricks on men. By the time I escaped to this place, I was already severely wounded. After half a year in seclusion recovering, the Death Qi within me became extremely heavy.

I must advance to the Golden Core realm, otherwise, my life force will surely be cut off. Between life and death, I could only stake everything on one last throw. I used other Medicinal Herbs to replace the wind immortal flower, but refining the golden core formation Medicinal Pill is no easy task; it consumes considerable time and vitality. Therefore, I knew this attempt was nine parts death and one part life, and I might die under this Alchemy Pill Furnace.

If you can see this letter, it means Li is truly dead!

Therefore, congratulations, Fellow Daoist. Take all of my accumulations from these two hundred-plus years. In writing this letter, I also hope that Fellow Daoist can make the golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art public, opening up another Great Dao for Loose Cultivators like us!

Alas, how I wish the Alchemy succeeded, allowing me to advance to the Golden Core and pursue that Great Dao of Longevity! Final testament—Loose Cultivator Li Daoan!"

Chen Li quickly scanned through it and sighed a few times for this Li Daoan.

After all, the departed are gone; Chen Li could only offer a few laments. Life must move forward.

Chen Li was only at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. Releasing the news about the 'golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art' would be an extremely poor strategy; exposure would cost him ten lives.

So, without a second thought, he immediately burned the letter. The idea of making the golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art public was something he dared not consider even for a moment. He silently recited, "Brother Li, rest in peace. Your story is wonderful, but I temporarily cannot fulfill your dying wish."

Beside the corpse, Chen Li found Li Daoan's Storage Pouch, which indeed contained the golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art!

Thus, Chen Li began sweeping the Immortal Cave, packing the bookshelf, along with the boxes of books and Medicinal Herbs, into the Storage Pouch. The Profound Azure Cauldron, the dark-green small bed, and the desk were also all swept into the Storage Pouch.

After clearing everything out, Chen Li put Brother Chicken into the spirit beast pouch and safely exited the Immortal Cave.

Outside the Immortal Cave, Chen Li once again activated the Wood Attribute Formation Array, burying the cave. He bowed toward the direction of the cave and said, "Thank you, Brother Li. Your story will be remembered. Rest in peace here. Perhaps that day will eventually come."

Chen Li retracted the Wood Attribute Formation Array. The Formation pieces and rods of the [Myriad Manifestations Returning to Dust Formation] were destroyed and were disposed of on the spot.

After cleaning up the traces of the scene, Chen Li swiftly returned along the original route. Staying in the Boundless Forest for too long was too dangerous; he would inventory everything upon returning.

...Three days later, Chen Li returned, dusty and weary. The two spirit jujube trees in front of the Guest Welcoming Pavilion on Black Magpie Mountain had already sprouted new shoots.

Just as he stepped onto the mountain, people arrived from outside again.

As soon as he came out, he saw two young servants dressed differently. Upon seeing Chen Li, they both cupped their hands and said, "This is a letter of notification from our Family Head Zhang/Lu, please accept it, Fellow Daoist."

Chen Li asked, "Have your Foundation Establishment Old Ancestors finished their spar?"

The two youths nodded but said nothing, though their expressions were somewhat strange.

After the two youths left, Chen Li returned to the mountain and opened the two letters.

The first letter, from the Lu Family, stated: "I have soundly beaten the old ghost of the Zhang Family; he was no match for me. Your Family's tribute still belongs to mine."

The second letter, from the Zhang Family's newly arrived Foundation Establishment Cultivator, stated: "The old ghost of the Lu Family was no match for me; Zhang has defeated him in a single blow. Your Family's tribute should belong to mine."

After reading both letters, Chen Li was instantly speechless. He was reminded of a conflict between two major powers in his previous life—a war where both sides claimed victory.

"Who exactly is the third brother?"

Chen Li was unsure which Family had actually lost. He cursed inwardly, wondering if someone would come out later to proclaim, "I was the victor!"

What was even worse was the possibility that they expected him to pay tribute to both Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans!

...Chen Li pushed this troublesome matter aside. The most important thing was the harvest from exploring the Immortal Cave.

Back inside the mountain, he activated the Formation Array, and inside the Immortal Cave, Chen Li began to take inventory.

Storage Pouch: 5

spirit beast pouch: 1

Alchemy Pill Furnace: 2 (One five-grade Profound Azure Cauldron, and another three-grade Pill Furnace in a Storage Pouch)

Spirit Stone: 2412 (Scraped from five Storage Pouches, with Li Daoan contributing over two thousand)

Cultivation Technique Books: Over a dozen books of first and second grade, including 'Fire Control Art', 'Garment Cleansing Art', and 'Qi Guiding Art'. Third grade includes 'Profound Shadow Ice Art', 'Yellow Springs Saber Technique', and 'Qi Concealment Art'. Fourth grade includes 'Four Illusions Spear Soul Art'.

Alchemy Manuals: One 'Complete Identification of Medicinal Herbs', one 'Complete Compendium of Medicinal Pill Types and Uses', one 'Basic Alchemy Secret Arts', one 'Li Daoan's Notes on Refining Seven Types of Medicinal Pills', and one 'golden core formation Alchemy Secret Art'.

Medicinal Pills: grain dispelling pill * 4 bottles, qi overflowing pill * 4 bottles, marrow cleansing pill * 1 bottle, vitality replenishing pill * 1 bottle.

Herbs: Herbs under one hundred years * 20 stalks, one-hundred-year herbs * 15 stalks, five-hundred-year herbs * 5 stalks, thousand-year herbs * 1 stalk.

Magical Artifacts: First and second-grade Magical Artifacts * 10, third-grade Magical Artifacts ['frost condensing sword'] ['Yellow Springs Saber'], fourth-grade ['silver fire spear'].

Talismans: swift travel talisman * 120, invisibility talisman * 60.

Other: Bed, bookshelf, and miscellaneous items.

Chen Li was extremely happy. It was not in vain that he spent hundreds of Spirit Stones preparing beforehand; the harvest was immense!

Especially gaining cultivation methods for Alchemy, which could give his Family more options.

Moreover, he had already completed one tag.

[red fortune bar]: 20 / 100

[Family Harvest Spirit Stones >= 1000]: >= 1000, Tag Complete (Only harvest counts; expenditures do not affect tag completion).

Amidst his joy, Chen Li knew these things would still require some time to digest before they could be converted into the strength of his Family.

However, he could digest the Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills first to improve his cultivation. He could afford to be extravagant now.

His cultivation at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining had stalled for two years. For a Five Spiritual Root to advance past the Middle Stage required significantly more Spiritual Qi resources. Relying solely on the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi for hard cultivation would take until the Year of the Monkey.

On Black Magpie Mountain, magpies returned to the branches; another day passed quickly.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Chen Li sat cross-legged in meditation. He took out two thousand Spirit Stones and four bottles of qi overflowing pill. The qi overflowing pill had already been tested on Brother Chicken and was not contaminated by the 'Death Qi'; it was safe to use. He settled into his cross-legged posture and began absorbing, swallowing pills, and drawing in Spirit Stones.

...On this day, besides Chen Li, the other four Qi Refining Immortal Clans in Qingxi County also received two letters. After seeing the contents, they were all dumbfounded?

They also realized the possibility of having to offer tribute to two Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans, cursing loudly. This made them even more restless, and anxiety slowly spread.

One month later, the sky was high and the clouds were light, the air was fresh and clean. The Yun Family Head arrived at Black Magpie Mountain once again.