6: Practice Qi level 1 and learn to draw talismans

Becoming a Peak First-Grade Talisman Master overnight could be called reaching the sky in a single step.

What a pity!

Unfortunately, Liu Xuan did not even have the cultivation of Qi Refining First Layer yet. Without magic power, his empty experience in Talisman Drawing was useless.

The most urgent task was to Cultivate diligently and break through to the Qi Refining First Layer first.

Lin Xue'er was not in the room. Liu Xuan got up and dressed, noticing a note on the bedside table, weighed down by three milky-white Spirit Stones.

He picked up the note and unfolded it. It turned out that Lin Xue'er had gone to work. The patrol team worked for ten days and rested for one; yesterday she had taken leave to meet him.

As for the three Spirit Stones, they were Liu Xuan's living expenses for the month. He could decide what to buy or eat himself.

Thirty thousand a month—it felt like being a kept man. This time, he was truly eating soft rice!

Liu Xuan didn't feel ashamed at all. As the saying goes: 'Humble origins are not a disgrace; to be able to bend and stretch is the mark of a real man!'

Lin Xue'er's small courtyard was considered upper-middle grade among the Outer Sect. The Spiritual Qi in the room was sufficient for daily cultivation in the early Qi Refinement Stage.

With the cultivation environment, cultivation resources, and a Cultivation Technique, all Liu Xuan needed to do was Cultivate with peace of mind.

...

One month later.

"Husband, I'm pregnant!" Lin Xue'er ran over excitedly to tell Liu Xuan this good news.

"Really?" Liu Xuan pretended to be incredulous.

"Really, I specifically went to the Pill Refining Hall and had a physician confirm it."

Lin Xue'er's eyes were smiling; it was clear she was truly very happy.

In order to raise the fetus in peace, Lin Xue'er temporarily resigned from her position as a patrol team squad leader, spending every day accompanying Liu Xuan in his Cultivate.

In her spare time, Lin Xue'er took Liu Xuan to Red Pine City across the river to meet her father, Lin Tianxiong.

Liu Xuan only had a Ninth-Grade Spirit Root and hadn't passed the Red Pine Sect Outer Sect assessment, so Lin Tianxiong was originally not very satisfied.

But when he learned that Lin Xue'er was already pregnant, his attitude immediately changed. He even spent ten Spirit Stones to buy a Low Grade First-Grade magic robe as a congratulatory gift for Liu Xuan.

The Low Grade First-Grade magic robe came with a self-cleaning Spell, was impervious to cold and heat, and had decent defensive power. Although it was the lowest-level Magical Artifact, it was not something a newly joined ordinary Disciple could afford.

Ten Spirit Stones could buy a year's quota for an Outer Sect Disciple; this father-in-law did not seem to be a stingy person.

Liu Xuan had also paid his respects to Lin Xue'er's grandfather. His attitude was average—neither good nor bad. Liu Xuan could tell that he and Lin Xue'er didn't seem very close, but at least he gifted a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills worth five Spirit Stones.

Besides Lin Xue'er's elders and relatives, Liu Xuan had also met many of her friends. The news of him and Lin Xue'er becoming Dao Companions had completely spread.

Relying on these connections, Liu Xuan initially integrated into the Red Pine Sect, and his understanding of this world deepened a layer.

...

Three months later.

Inside the small courtyard room.

A faint Spiritual Qi radiated from Liu Xuan's body, and a gentle breeze blew through the room.

Qi Refining First Layer, success!

A drop of magic power condensed in his Dantian. Through this drop of magic power, Liu Xuan could clearly perceive the scene inside his Dantian.

At the Qi Refining First Layer, Spiritual Qi is refined into magic power that can be controlled at will. Magic power can cast the most basic small Spells, trigger Low Grade Talismans, and drive Low Grade Magical Artifacts.

Only when cultivation reaches the Qi Refining First Layer can one truly be considered a Cultivator, possessing the means of a Cultivator.

Magic power further nourishes the Physical Body and Divine Soul. The Lifespan of a Cultivator in the Qi Refinement Stage increases to 120 years, and as long as they are not injured, they can live to 120 years without illness or disaster.

Liu Xuan controlled the magic power to circulate throughout his body, examining the interior of his body from a unique perspective, feeling a special sense of novelty.

"Pfft!"

A ball of flame emerged from Liu Xuan's fingertip; the simplest Spell, 'Fire Ignition Spell', was successfully cast.

The Fire Ignition Spell was the simplest Spell, not even counting as a Low Grade First-Grade Spell; it was just a simple application of magic power. Yet, Liu Xuan was incredibly excited because of this flame.

Cultivating immortality! For someone coming from a world without supernatural powers, what could be more exciting than cultivating immortality!

How did magic power turn into flames?

Liu Xuan had only successfully cast the Fire Ignition Spell, but he did not understand the underlying logic of the conversion between magic power and Spells.

A few minutes later, the flame weakened, like an oil lamp running out of oil. Liu Xuan also felt a sense of weakness in his Dantian, as if it lacked follow-up power.

Having just broken through to the Qi Refining First Layer, Liu Xuan possessed too little magic power. This stage was not the time to study Spells; the most important thing was to stabilize his cultivation.

Taking one Spirit Nourishing Pill, the magic power in Liu Xuan's body recovered rapidly and slowly strengthened bit by bit with his Cultivate.

'As expected of a bottle of Low Grade First-Grade Medicinal Pill costing five Spirit Stones, the effect is indeed good.'

A bottle of Spirit Nourishing Pills contained ten pills, with the best effect being one pill every three days. In one month, he could not only stabilize his cultivation but estimated he could condense five drops of magic power, advancing the progress of the Qi Refining First Layer by half.

Cultivating immortality is difficult!

Among the 30,000 Outer Sect Disciples, there was no age limit. As long as one could break through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, one could become an Outer Sect deacon.

But after so many years of accumulation, there had never been more than 3,000 deacons at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

Ninety percent of people could not even break through the first small Bottleneck of the Qi Refinement Stage.

'I will buy another bottle of Spirit Nourishing Pills then!'

Two bottles of Spirit Nourishing Pills, costing ten Spirit Stones, and two months of time—first, he would bring his Qi Refining First Layer magic power to Perfection. As for breaking through to the Qi Refining Second Layer, he would grind slowly.

As long as there were enough Medicinal Pill resources, accumulating magic power in the Qi Refinement Stage was not difficult; what was difficult was breaking through the Bottleneck.

However, Liu Xuan was not worried about breaking through the Bottleneck, nor was he worried about his cultivation.

His focus was on having more Dao Companions and having more children.

His current cultivation was just early-stage accumulation. In the future, he would have to rely on System rewards and the stacking of female cultivation; he must not put the cart before the horse.

"Husband, have you broken through to the Qi Refinement Stage?"

Lin Xue'er had keen perception; as soon as she entered the room, she noticed the fluctuation of magic power on Liu Xuan.

"Indeed!" Liu Xuan smiled, stood up, and put his arm around her shoulder. "I must thank Xue'er for your help; otherwise, your husband wouldn't have broken through so quickly."

In four months, the couple's relationship warmed up. Since Lin Xue'er resigned from the patrol team, they were almost inseparable.

"Xue'er, I plan to go to the Talisman Hall tomorrow to learn Talisman Drawing. How many Spirit Stones do you have left?"

Liu Xuan had now broken through the Qi Refinement Stage. He needed to show his level in Talismans bit by bit to whitewash the System rewards.

Otherwise, if he suddenly became a Peak First-Grade Talisman Master, everyone would be suspicious.

The path of Talismans was extremely profitable. Only with money would he have capital; otherwise, he would be too embarrassed to even mention the idea of taking a concubine to Lin Xue'er.

"The Talisman Hall to learn Talisman Drawing?"

Lin Xue'er's small face carried a trace of worry: "The cost of learning to be a Talisman Master is enormous. Just the basic course requires ten Spirit Stones. If you have no talent, not only will time be wasted, but the Spirit Stones will also be gone."

It wasn't that Lin Xue'er was unwilling to give Liu Xuan these Spirit Stones, but she felt that it would be more cost-effective for Liu Xuan to use them to buy Medicinal Pills to improve his cultivation.

"Rest assured, Xue'er. I have studied the basic books on Talismans myself. I have a premonition that I am a one-in-ten-thousand Talisman Master Genius!"

"Alright!"

Lin Xue'er hesitated for a while before agreeing. It was the first time Liu Xuan had actively asked her for Spirit Stones, and she found it hard to refuse.

However, if Liu Xuan had no talent for being a Talisman Master, she certainly wouldn't continue to support him.

She had now resigned as the patrol squad leader and had no income. Moreover, if the child had a Spiritual Root after birth, she would have to save up for the child; she couldn't let Liu Xuan act recklessly.