7: Entering the Qi Refining Realm

The next day at dawn.

Jiang Yan stood at the foot of Spirit Beast Peak with dark circles under his eyes like a panda.

Last night, he had spent the night in the corridor of the Zayou Place. He thought that once the three-person battle ended, he could go back, but he never expected that the three would actually occupy his nest like a dove in a magpie's nest, turning his room into their love nest... "Hey, Brother Jiang, morning."

Jiang Yan yawned and didn't even turn his head, merely waving his hand: "Morning."

Ma Yu and Zhao Qing stepped forward quickly, and Ma Yu asked with a smile: "Brother Jiang, what exactly is your relationship with Senior Sister Ruyan?"

"No relationship," Jiang Yan answered casually.

"Brother Jiang, that's not right," Zhao Qing took over the conversation. "No matter what, we are all Menial Servants; if one of us strikes it rich, let's not forget each other."

Hehe... Jiang Yan's mouth twitched. What a fine 'if one of us strikes it rich, let's not forget each other.'

"You left early last night and didn't see the exciting drama. Do you want me to..."

Before Ma Yu could finish, Jiang Yan immediately interrupted: "If it's about last night, there's no need to tell me. Everyone is busy; it's better to spend that energy on cultivation."

Sensing that Jiang Yan's tone wasn't quite right, Zhao Qing hurriedly said: "In that case, Brother Jiang, how about you cover for the two of us for a day tomorrow? In return, I'll give you a Scripture Pavilion Token in exchange."

"Deal!" Jiang Yan agreed immediately without a second thought.

"Good, then many thanks to Brother Jiang," Zhao Qing thanked him and handed the token to Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan didn't waste time with them, took the token, and headed toward the feed room.

He had already made up his mind: work in the morning and go to the Scripture Pavilion in the afternoon. After all, strength is the foundation of one's survival.

Stepping into cultivation sooner would allow him to shed these Menial Servant clothes sooner.

After finishing the feeding of the Rock-Soil Green Wolves, the morning's work was completely over.

He chose not to return to the Zayou Place for lunch, but instead headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion in the direction of Little Bamboo Peak.

The Scripture Pavilion was divided into nine floors and had a tower-like structure.

The books on the first floor were divided into twelve categories: Cultivation Techniques, Spells, Martial Skills, Spirit Plants, Alchemy, Formations... After handing over the token, he didn't make many choices and went straight to the Cultivation Technique area.

After seeing various Entry-Level Cultivation Techniques, Jiang Yan finally realized that the technique he had plundered was just common street goods here.

'As expected, Cultivation Techniques vary from person to person.'

"But I seem to be an exception."

Because he discovered that as long as he flipped through those techniques, they would automatically appear in his mind.

'Dammit, with so many techniques, how do I choose? Do I have to Cultivate them all?'

Just as Jiang Yan was having trouble choosing, a young man suddenly appeared behind him.

"This Junior Brother, is this your first time at the Scripture Pavilion?"

Jiang Yan turned his head abruptly. Seeing that the other was wearing the attire of an Outer Sect Disciple, he hurriedly performed a salute.

"Hmm, not bad, you know the rules." The young man nodded with satisfaction, his voice peaceful. "My surname is Chen, given name Chao. I am the guard on duty at the Scripture Pavilion."

Hearing this, Jiang Yan closed his mouth and bowed again.

Chen Chao nodded in satisfaction and said softly: "If Junior Brother wants to choose a suitable technique, you can go to the second floor to test your talent and Aptitude. The Pavilion Guardian Elder will give you a recommendation then."

Jiang Yan bid farewell to Chen Chao and turned toward the second floor.

On the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, Disciples were scarce, only occasionally encountering one here and there.

Jiang Yan walked up to the Pavilion Guardian Elder and bowed.

"You may speak on the second floor, but keep your voice low," the Pavilion Guardian Elder said.

"Utility Disciple Jiang Yan, here to test my talent and Aptitude," Jiang Yan said.

The Pavilion Guardian Elder nodded and pointed to the Testing Stele: "Just place your hand on the stele."

Jiang Yan felt the protocol and stepped forward to take the test.

As his right hand touched the stele, faint red ripples appeared on it.

The ripples were small, almost like a calm lake surface.

"Low Grade Aptitude, difficult to achieve Foundation Establishment," the Pavilion Guardian Elder said in a flat tone.

Jiang Yan didn't understand these things and turned to ask: "Is that it?"

But before his voice had even faded, green ripples surged on the stele.

These green ripples came quickly and left quickly, as if intentionally hiding.

"Strange, one person can actually have two different talents and Aptitudes. Although the Aptitude shown later is good, it is very difficult to capture," the Pavilion Guardian Elder muttered while stroking his beard.

Hearing this, Jiang Yan instantly understood and hurriedly withdrew his right hand.

The Pavilion Guardian Elder didn't care about these details and said: "For your Cultivation Technique, choose the Qi Refining Introductory Chapter. For Spells, choose those related to fire or thunder. As for Martial Skills... they are all combat arts; you can pick them from the second floor after you reach Qi Refining Level Two."

"Thank you for the guidance, Elder," Jiang Yan bowed respectfully.

"Go on," the Pavilion Guardian Elder waved his hand.

Leaving the second floor, when Jiang Yan returned to the technique area, he flipped through the Qi Refining Introductory Chapter.

He discovered that the Qi Refining Introductory Chapter here had three differences compared to the one plundered from Che Kun and the other two.

It was as if they had been intentionally hidden.

He didn't choose to Cultivate the Qi Refining Introductory Chapter from the Scripture Pavilion, but instead prepared to upgrade the technique he had plundered. After all, having been perfected by the System, it was bound to be better than these butchered versions.

'This immortal Sect is also unreliable, actually letting Disciples Cultivate butchered versions.'

After complaining, he walked toward the Spirit Plant appraisal and Alchemy book areas.

He wanted to verify if the books in this Scripture Pavilion were all different from the plundered ones.

When Jiang Yan walked toward the Spirit Plant appraisal and Alchemy book areas, the other Disciples all looked surprised.

They couldn't understand why a Menial Servant, instead of picking a Cultivation Technique, would go to look at books on Spirit Plants and Alchemy.

Even Chen Chao from earlier was startled; he completely failed to understand Jiang Yan's behavior at this moment.

Two hours later, Jiang Yan stood outside the Scripture Pavilion.

His expression was quite something at this moment, because he had obtained two different answers!

Books like Spirit Plant appraisal and Spirit Plant cultivation had no problems.

Only the Cultivation Techniques and Alchemy Pill Formulas had major discrepancies.

'Forget it, I'm not cultivating the Scripture Pavilion's techniques anyway.'

He really couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

As the sun set, after finishing feeding the Spirit Beasts, he did not choose to leave Spirit Beast Peak.

'It's about time to refine Qi!'

With a thought, fifty years of life span were instantly poured into the Cultivation Technique area.

Immediately after, he took another ten years of life span and poured them into the Realm column.

He originally waited for his cultivation to rise, but after a long while, there was actually no reaction at all.

'What's the situation?'

Jiang Yan was completely bewildered and decisively opened his character panel.

[Host: Jiang Yan]

[Talent: Heaven Rewards the Diligent, Life Span Plunder]

[Rank: 7]

[Experience: 51.03%]

[life span: 20/478 years]

[life span: 2138 years (can use life span to strengthen proficiency in Cultivation Techniques, Spells, and Martial Skills)]

[Essence: 12.3 (Strength, endurance, speed, etc., physical-related abilities, adult male average 5)]

[Spirit: 4 (All energy produced by the brain and soul)]

(Ordinary people's Divine Soul is hidden in the body, while a Cultivator's Divine Soul can be released externally, belonging to the Realm of immortal Cultivators)

[Realm: 0 (Can sense the movement trajectory of the Qi flow around the body)]

[Dao: 0 (Refers to the ability above the Divine Soul to understand the execution trajectory or orbit of all things, and use these rules to strengthen oneself)]

[Cultivation Technique: Qi Refining Technique Introductory Chapter (glimpse of the threshold)]

[Spell: Spring Breeze Turns to Rain - Low Tier (Not started)]

[Martial Skill: Swallow Flow Sword Technique (Thoroughly Conversant)]

... 'Dammit, is my Aptitude really this poor? Ten years of life span and I still haven't stepped into the Qi Refining Realm.'

'Keep pouring it in for me!'

Instantly, one hundred years of life span were poured into the technique area, and fifty years of life span were poured into the Realm area.

"Hum!"

The sense of Qi within his body gathered, as if it were about to burst his body open.

"Pfft!"

He only felt a metallic sweetness in his throat, and immediately after, he spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood.

'Dammit, I was completely unprepared!'

Jiang Yan, collapsed on the ground, complained inwardly. This was the first time he had felt death so close to him.

As the Qi flow within his body slowly receded, he finally felt a bit more comfortable.

Looking at the character panel again, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

[Host: Jiang Yan]

[Talent: Heaven Rewards the Diligent, Life Span Plunder]

[Rank: 7]

[Experience: 51.03%]

[life span: 20/528 years]

[life span: 1988 years (can use life span to strengthen proficiency in Cultivation Techniques, Spells, and Martial Skills)]

[Essence: 12.3 (Strength, endurance, speed, etc., physical-related abilities, adult male average 5)]

[Spirit: 4 (All energy produced by the brain and soul)]

(Ordinary people's Divine Soul is hidden in the body, while a Cultivator's Divine Soul can be released externally, belonging to the Realm of immortal Cultivators)

[Realm: Qi Refining First Layer (Can sense the movement trajectory of the Qi flow around the body)]

[Dao: 0 (Refers to the ability above the Divine Soul to understand the execution trajectory or orbit of all things, and use these rules to strengthen oneself)]

[Cultivation Technique: Qi Refining Technique Introductory Chapter (beginner)]

'Nice! Finally Qi Refining First Layer!'

'Cultivating immortality is indeed extraordinary; even my life span has increased by fifty years.'

'I didn't expect that one hundred years of life span would only raise the Cultivation Technique by one grade.'

As his physical sensations gradually recovered, Jiang Yan managed to sit up, though the deep black clotted blood he had spat out made him frown slightly.