45: Chapter 45 Spiritual Platform Cultivation

Li Changsheng stood where he was, motionless.

After a long while, he lowered his head, looking at the workbench sprinkled with ashes, as well as his own hands covered in dust.

Outside, Ding San had appeared at the doorway at some unknown time, peeking in cautiously.

"Junior Brother Li... are, are you alright?"

"That was someone from the Zhao family of Wanqi Peak. His uncle is a formal Artifact Refiner at Wanqi Peak; he is not someone we can afford to offend..."

"I am fine."

Li Changsheng's voice was very soft, yet very steady.

He began to clean up the ashes on the workbench.

Ding San opened his mouth, but in the end, he only sighed and quietly left.

Night fell.

Li Changsheng did not go to the bluestone outside the storeroom to Cultivate as he usually did.

He sat in the corner of the empty storeroom, surrounded by unorganized miscellaneous items, with that dim oil lamp in front of him.

The lamp flame flickered, casting light and shadow upon his face.

He felt no anger.

Anger could not solve any problems.

He was merely ruminating on that sentence over and over: "A piece of trash should have the self-awareness of a piece of trash."

Li Changsheng closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his body.

Ever since he conducted a System simulation before the Li family in Qinghe Town colluded with demonic Cultivators to cause trouble, he had remained silent for several months without simulating again.

He had also observed the Sect for a long time and believed that the simulation would likely not be detected by powerful experts, posing no risk.

At this moment, Li Changsheng finished surveying the surroundings and prepared to simulate again.

[Current Host Mental Energy: 20 points]

[Basic simulation cost per instance: 10 points]

Li Changsheng closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He did not need to argue, did not need to be angry, and certainly did not need to beg for anyone's approval.

He only needed power.

Power sufficient to crush all questioning and harassment.

"System, start simulation."

[Start Reincarnation simulation?]

The cold mechanical voice vanished, and the pale blue text appeared in Li Changsheng's mind once more.

"Start!"

[Ding! Consumed 10 points of Mental Energy, Reincarnation simulation started!]

[Connecting to world... Connection successful]

[Current simulation world: High-Magic Cultivation World (Spiritual Qi concentration is approximately twenty times that of this world)]

[Detected special requirements from the Host, currently matching the world line... Matching successful]

[World Background: Dayan Immortal Dynasty · Qingxuan Dao Lineage Branch · Lingtai Sect]

[Simulation starting...]

When he opened his eyes, he was facing a clear, washed-clean blue sky.

A breeze blew by, carrying the crisp scent of vegetation and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi so dense that it almost caused the spiritual energy within his body to circulate automatically.

That was a concentration far exceeding any place in the Qinglan Sword Sect, as if his entire being were soaked in a warm spiritual spring.

Li Changsheng—no, at this moment his name was Su Chen.

"Senior Brother Su, are you awake? Uncle-Master Fang wants you to go to the front hall."

A child with double buns and hanging hair peeked inside, their voice crisp.

Su Chen sat up, adapting to the body and memories of this twelve-year-old youth.

Lingtai Sect, a side branch of the Qingxuan Dao Lineage, had been established for three thousand years.

The Aptitude of this body of his.

He looked within himself.

[Spiritual Root: Heavenly Spiritual Root · Wood (Top Grade)]

[Physique: Cyan Mysterious Dao Body (Recessive, not yet fully activated)]

[Bone Age: Twelve]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 3]

This was the first time he had possessed such perfect Cultivation Aptitude in a simulation.

Past events surged in like a tide, only to be quickly accepted and settled.

In this life, his parents died early, and he was adopted by a Cultivator surnamed Fang from the Lingtai Sect at age five. At age seven, he was tested and found to have a Top Grade Wood Spiritual Root, causing a sensation in the Sect, and he was personally accepted as a Named Disciple by the Sect Master.

Now, having Cultivated for five years, he had reached Qi Refining Level 3 and was hailed as a once-in-a-century Genius of the Lingtai Sect.

And that "Uncle-Master Fang" was the one who adopted him and brought him into the Dao.

Su Chen stood up and walked through the winding corridor.

Lingtai Sect did not occupy much land, only three spiritual Peaks, but the Spiritual Qi was dense, and the vegetation was lush.

As he walked along the way, the Disciples he encountered all stepped aside to salute, their eyes filled with undisguised envy and admiration.

In the front hall, the Cultivator surnamed Fang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sea of clouds.

He had the appearance of a man over fifty, with gentle features and unfathomable Cultivation.

"Uncle-Master."

Su Chen bowed in salute.

Uncle-Master Fang turned around, looking at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes for an instant before quickly returning to calm.

"Chen'er, the Sect Master discussed with me yesterday that he wishes to formally accept you as an inner Disciple. Are you willing?"

An inner Disciple and a Named Disciple are worlds apart.

This meant the Sect Master would personally teach him Cultivation Techniques, pour resources into him, and truly Cultivate him as a successor.

Su Chen was silent for a moment.

In this body's memories, it was Uncle-Master Fang who, for five years, rain or shine, taught him to read, guided him into Qi Refining, and laid the foundation for him.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator adopting an orphan with no blood relation and pouring all his effort into teaching him—what was his goal?

"Disciple..."

Su Chen raised his head.

"Disciple wishes to continue following Uncle-Master Fang to Cultivate."

Uncle-Master Fang was stunned.

"The Sect Master is a Golden Core Immortal Master, the pillar of the Sect."

"Being able to enter under his tutelage is an Opportunity that countless Disciples dream of."

His voice was still calm, but it carried a hint of imperceptible hoarseness.

"Do you not regret it?"

"No regrets."

Su Chen answered extremely quickly.

Uncle-Master Fang looked at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, but his brow and eyes softened.

"Good."

Uncle-Master Fang's smile grew slightly broader as he continued.

"Then stay."

From that day on, Su Chen's Cultivation seemed to have opened a cheat code.

The Top Grade Wood Spiritual Root's affinity for Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi far exceeded that of mixed Spiritual Roots.

The same "Qingyuan Formula."

The Lingtai Sect also had this basic Cultivation Technique; one day of his Cultivation was worth more than ten days for his original body.

Uncle-Master Fang was not a Golden Core, merely at the Foundation Establishment Peak, and the Cultivation Technique he taught was not the Sect's top tier.

But his teaching was extremely meticulous.

Every circulation of the Meridians, the opening and closing of every acupoint, and the distribution of spiritual energy in every Spell seal were explained in broken-down, thorough detail.

"Although your Spiritual Root is good, you must not be arrogant because of your talent."

Uncle-Master Fang said this sentence the most often.

"Cultivation is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the leaves be lush."

"Being slower and steadier in the early stages is better than being greedy for progress and advancing rashly."

Su Chen deeply agreed with this.

He woke up at Mao hour every day, first meditating for an hour to nourish his spiritual energy.

From Chen hour to Wu hour, he followed Uncle-Master Fang to study Spells and methods of cultivating spiritual plants.

In the afternoon, he reviewed his lessons and studied classics alone.

After nightfall, it was the most important lesson: using his Cyan Mysterious Dao Body Aptitude to attempt to stimulate the vitality of spiritual plants.

The Cyan Mysterious Dao Body belonged to a special type of Physique.

This Physique leaned towards the Dao of "hastening growth" and "nourishing."

Su Chen discovered that when he used spiritual energy to stimulate spiritual plants, the effect far exceeded that of Cultivators at the same level.

An ordinary Hemostasis Grass, cultivated in his hands for three days, could have medicinal effects comparable to a ten-year-old wild one.

After Uncle-Master Fang found out, he was silent for a long time.

"Do not show this talent to others."

He only said this one sentence.

Su Chen nodded; he was not a person who liked to show off anyway.

In Cultivation, there is no concept of time.

In the first year, he broke through to Qi Refining Level 4, and the spiritual energy within his Dantian gathered into a mist.

In the second year, Qi Refining Level 5.

In the third year, Qi Refining Level 6.

In the fourth year, Qi Refining Level 7.

In the fifth year, Qi Refining Level 8.

In five years, he broke through five levels consecutively.

The entire Lingtai Sect was shocked, and no one mentioned the matter of "transferring to the Sect Master's tutelage" again.

The way Uncle-Master Fang looked at him became increasingly gratified, yet also increasingly complex.

At nineteen years old, Su Chen was at the Qi Refining Level 9 Peak, only a hair's breadth away from Foundation Establishment.

"Your accumulation is sufficient, your state of mind is steady, you can attempt Foundation Establishment."

Uncle-Master Fang said.

There were a few more strands of white hair at his temples, and he was still at the Foundation Establishment Peak; that barrier of the Golden Core seemed hopeless to cross in this lifetime.

"Uncle-Master..."

Su Chen looked at him.

"I am fine."

Uncle-Master Fang smiled faintly.

"Go ahead."

"The Spiritual Spring Cave in the back mountain has the densest Spiritual Qi, and I have already applied for three days of usage rights for you."

Su Chen opened his mouth, but in the end, he only offered a solemn salute.