58: Qi Refining Level 7

"Husband, I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Li to come personally to deliver the invitation. She really values you."

Zhou Yun had already noticed that the way Li Wanqing looked at her husband was a bit off. She wanted to remind her husband, but she didn't know how to bring it up.

Now she had come to terms with it; as long as her husband treated her well, that was enough. She even had the intention of facilitating this matter.

The Li family had stabilized now, and the strength of the Xiaoyao Sect was also much greater than that of the Chang Sheng Sect.

For the foreseeable future, there shouldn't be any major changes.

If she could help her husband establish a connection with the Li family, it could also increase the possibility of his Foundation Establishment.

"Zhou Yun, you don't need to overthink it."

Zhang Qingxiao suddenly understood the meaning behind Li Wanqing's gaze. Thinking that Zhou Yun was jealous, he comforted her, "I don't have that kind of thought."

"The most important thing right now is to Cultivate with peace of mind and strive to break through to the Lianqi 9th Layer as soon as possible, preparing for Foundation Establishment."

"Husband, that's not what I meant."

"If you have feelings for Fellow Daoist Li, I won't object."

"Foundation Establishment is not that simple. After all, the Li family has a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If they could help even a little, the possibility of Husband breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage would be greater."

As soon as Zhou Yun heard this, she knew her husband had misunderstood her meaning, so she quickly explained.

"Forget it, I haven't considered that aspect yet."

"Now I need to think carefully about what kind of congratulatory gift to send for the Li family Foundation Establishment cultivator's birthday."

Seeing Zhou Yun explaining so anxiously, Zhang Qingxiao already understood her meaning, but he didn't want to consider such matters right now.

"Husband, don't worry. The Li family knows your situation. Just send a gift that fits our circumstances; there's no need to send anything too expensive."

Seeing that her husband truly didn't have those thoughts, Zhou Yun stopped trying to persuade him.

"Mm, then I know what I should send."

Reminded by Zhou Yun, Zhang Qingxiao had an idea in his heart and no longer fretted about the gift.

Three days later, he brought a small jar of decent spiritual tea to the Li family.

Li Wanqing welcomed him personally, brought him into the courtyard, and he saw the Li family Foundation Establishment cultivator.

After saying a few simple words of congratulation, he was arranged to the seating area for Qi Refining Cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, please rest here for a while. I still need to go and entertain other guests, so I must excuse myself."

After Li Wanqing introduced Zhang Qingxiao to several Qi Refining Cultivators nearby, she said apologetically.

"Fellow Daoist Li, go ahead and get busy. Don't worry about me."

Zhang Qingxiao nodded slightly and said nonchalantly.

After Li Wanqing left, he chatted casually with the few Qi Refining Cultivators around him while watching the guests coming and going.

Although the Li family Foundation Establishment cultivator had only joined the Xiaoyao Sect for less than a year, their connections were very extensive.

Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators came to the birthday celebration today.

Even the Sect Leader of Carefree Sect sent Disciples to offer congratulations.

The entire process was very harmonious, and there were no scenes of people acting arrogant to slap faces, or enemies showing up to cause trouble.

Zhang Qingxiao only spoke a few congratulatory words to the Li family Foundation Establishment cultivator when he first arrived, and he never spoke to the Li family Cultivators again.

After finishing dinner, he returned home quietly.

This year's New Year was much livelier than last year's, and Zhang Qingxiao took Zhou Yun and Liang Qiaoer to the marketplace to have a good time for the evening.

After the New Year, he directly began closed-door cultivation.

It only took two months for his cultivation progress to reach 99/100.

However, at this point, he encountered a Bottleneck again.

Although he had new insights every day while cultivating, there was still no sign of a Breakthrough.

Zhang Qingxiao was quite helpless about this situation.

In order to maintain a peaceful state of mind, he began to learn Talisman making.

Following a Talisman Maker in the marketplace, he learned for two days, and with Zhou Yun's hands-on teaching.

It only took seven days for him to learn the Dust Removal Talisman.

This actually made him feel much better.

He sighed to himself that he had started learning Talisman making too late. If he had known his talent for it was so high, he should have chosen this craft earlier.

Once his mood improved, his cultivation also made progress.

One day, half a month later, while he was cultivating, he suddenly felt something, and the speed at which he circulated his Cultivation Technique was one-fifth faster than usual.

After the Cultivation Technique circulated for nine cycles, it was as if some kind of restraint had been broken. His whole body felt much lighter, and the spiritual power within his body also slowly increased.

After circulating it for another three cycles, the spiritual power in his body became full.

"This Breakthrough increased my spiritual power by about 50%..."

"The spiritual power circulates more smoothly in my body, and I feel like my mind is much clearer."

"As expected of the Late Stage, it really has a big difference from the Qi Refining Middle Stage."

Although he was stuck for nearly a month after his cultivation progress reached 99/100, the gains were also significant.

After this incident, he also figured out a few things.

When he broke through from the Qi Refining Stage Third Level to Cultivation Level 4, he was also stuck at a Bottleneck for a few days.

But breaking through from Cultivation Level 4 to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, and from the Qi Refining Fifth Layer to the sixth level, he basically didn't get stuck at a Bottleneck.

From this, it can be seen that only major Breakthroughs will cause a Bottleneck, while minor Breakthroughs are much better.

While happy, Zhang Qingxiao immediately opened his attribute panel.

[Name: Zhang Qingxiao]

[Identity: Xiaoyao Sect Outer Sect Disciple]

[Aptitude: Mediocre]

[Lifespan: 34/100 years]

[Realm: Qi Refining Stage Seventh Level, Progress: 1/100]

[Cultivation Technique: ChangSheng Skill for Qi Refining Stage, Proficiency Grandmaster: 1028/1600, Tiger Leopard Body Tempering Art, Proficiency Grandmaster: 986/1600]

[Skills: Alchemy: Pi Gu Pill, Proficiency Great Master: 68/800, Yellow Dragon Pill, Proficiency Great Master: 35/800, Golden Marrow Pill, Proficiency Great Master: 398/800, Detoxification Pill, Proficiency Great Master: 205/800]

[Talisman Making: Dust Removal Talisman, Proficiency Entry Level: 38/100]

[Spells: Fireball Technique, Proficiency Grandmaster: 1108/1600, Dust Removal Spell, Proficiency Mastery: 355/400, Spirit Detection Technique, Proficiency Grandmaster: 658/1600, Spirit Arrow Technique, Proficiency Great Grandmaster: 1560/3200, Ice Technique, Proficiency Great Master: 336/800]

[Swordplay: Chong Ling Swordplay, Proficiency Grandmaster: 698/1600, Elementary Sword Control Technique, Proficiency Great Master: 399/800, Elementary Sword Flight Technique, Proficiency Mastery: 118/400]

"My lifespan actually increased by ten years."

Zhang Qingxiao saw the change in his lifespan at a glance, and a look of surprise and joy appeared on his face.

If it continues like this, by the time he reaches the Lianqi 9th Layer, he can reach a lifespan of 120 years.

Except for those pampered Qi Refining Cultivators, 120 years old is already considered a long life among Qi Refining Cultivators.

Unless he breaks through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, he won't be able to obtain a longer lifespan. Generally, the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator is over 200 years.

Ever since the land reclamation ended, he has been much more diligent in Alchemy, Body Refining, and practicing Spells.

The speed at which the proficiency of these skills increases has also improved.