217: Bottleneck in the late Dongxuan period

Months turned into years, and ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the courtyard.

A bronze cauldron floated in the Void Realm, purple flames rising from its base, scorching it. A moment later, a peculiar medicinal aroma wafted from within the cauldron.

“It’s almost ready…”

Gu Changsheng’s eyes sharpened. His hand seals flew, and several secret pill-concocting techniques transformed into brilliant light, pouring into the cauldron. Immediately, the previously boisterous pill cauldron gradually quieted, and the medicinal liquid inside became pure and concentrated.

Whoosh—

As the cauldron lid was lifted, a pillar of light shot straight into the clouds, piercing through layers of Devilish Qi.

Fortunately, Gu Changsheng had already set up a concealing Formation within a hundred-mile radius, otherwise, if Cultivators were to discover it, they would, more often than not, assume a Heaven And Earth Treasure had appeared, leading to unnecessary trouble.

“Ten pills… just as I expected…”

Gu Changsheng’s lips curved slightly, his gaze fixed on the inside of the cauldron. Ten warm, jade-like demonic heart crossing pills rested calmly at the bottom, still retaining some residual warmth.

Over the years, he had used blood Dao secret techniques to rapidly multiply the Senmu Clan, causing their population to surge, now exceeding ten thousand.

Afterward, he ordered the Senmu Clan to excavate a blood pool within the Profound Cave, and regularly instructed Gong Xiao to lead his clan members in offering their vital blood, which gathered in the blood pool.

Thus, he found an alternative path, forcefully cultivating a ten-thousand-year-old demonic spirit flower with wood spirit techniques, which yielded many seeds.

Since then, he had been able to cultivate seven or eight eight-thousand-year-old demonic spirit flowers almost every year, refining them into demonic heart crossing pills to purify True Devil Qi.

Currently, seventy-three wisps of True Devil Qi from Guangyuan Sacred Ancestor’s corpse had been refined.

His internal magical power was abundant, almost nearing the Peak of the Profound Cave Middle Stage.

“The refining effect of Immortal Spiritual Energy is even better than imagined.

If so, after refining a few more top-grade demonic heart crossing pills, there should be a good chance of Breakthrough to the Late Stage.”

Gu Changsheng’s palm drew in a demonic heart crossing pill, and with a gulp, it slid down his esophagus into his abdomen. Immediately, the True Devil Qi within his body rapidly transformed.

After a cup of tea, his internal magical power became even more profound.

He was already not far from the Peak of the Profound Cave Middle Stage.

Gu Changsheng remained expressionless, silently taking another demonic heart crossing pill.

The familiar medicinal power diffused, and another wisp of True Devil Qi within his body was quietly refined.

As Immortal Spiritual Energy merged into his magical power, his magical power surged sharply, causing his Meridians to feel a slight sense of stagnation.

He was almost at the Peak of the Middle Stage!

“Just a tiny bit more…”

Gu Changsheng’s eyes sharpened, and he swallowed another demonic heart crossing pill.

A moment later, his expression was complex. His muscles bulged, his Bloodline surged, and the magical power within his body transformed into a vast ocean, stretching endlessly.

Upon introspection, one would discover that a small amount of Immortal Spiritual Energy had actually sunk into the ocean of magical power.

This was Immortal Spiritual Energy that had not been completely absorbed.

At this moment, Gu Changsheng’s internal magical power was abundant, like a water tank filled to the brim, having reached its limit.

“The Late Stage Bottleneck… I didn’t expect to get stuck…”

Gu Changsheng felt a hint of surprise.

Ever since he condensed a top-grade True Core and entered the Profound Cave Dao, his cultivation had been smooth sailing, without any obstruction.

When he previously broke through the Middle Stage Bottleneck, he easily achieved Breakthrough after a short period of secluded cultivation.

Now, even though his magical power had reached the requirements for Breakthrough, he felt a sense of stagnation, with nowhere to vent.

According to cultivation parlance, this meant that the Opportunity for breaking through the Realm had not yet arrived.

Typically, one could achieve Breakthrough by prolonged meditation in seclusion, or by consuming auxiliary Spirit Pills.

“In ten years, my cultivation rapidly increased from the Middle Stage to the Peak of the Middle Stage, spanning thousands of years of accumulation. My previous accumulated foundation has been exhausted, so encountering a Bottleneck for a while is normal.”

Gu Changsheng was expressionless.

Cultivation was like this; it relied on gradual, painstaking effort.

Or… by using auxiliary Spirit Pills for Breakthrough.

“I should try secluded cultivation for a while first…”

Gu Changsheng put away the pill cauldron and carefully placed the remaining seven demonic heart crossing pills into white porcelain Pure bottle (pure bottles).

A moment later, a young man wrapped in a mottled tiger skin, carrying a snow mastiff as large as a small mountain, walked into the courtyard, accompanied by a graceful young girl in a green dress.

In ten years, these two had also grown up.

Especially Gong Lin, she had blossomed into a pure and captivating beauty, like a lotus emerging from water.

“Hmm? A one-horned snow mastiff, you boy actually managed to hunt such a rare Vicious Beast. It seems your Mountain Cleaving Sword Art must have reached the Minor Achievement Realm…”

Gu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.

Over the past decade, he had successively taught both of them Dao techniques.

Now, both of their cultivations had broken through the Foundation Building Realm, and they were just a hair’s breadth away from the True Core Realm.

As their cultivation improved, they began to secretly clear out bandits and Vicious Beasts near the village, maintaining its peace.

“Hehe, Revered Master, isn’t winter approaching? It’s cold in the mountains, and my mother always sees you in a thin green robe, so she keeps thinking about making you a warm winter coat.

Just today, while patrolling deep in the mountains, I ran into this beast about to descend the mountain to hunt, so I dealt with it easily.

Here… Revered Master, feel this fur, it’s even softer than the duck down on the chest of Old Man Li’s ducks from the west side of the village!”

“Haha, you rascal.

It’s cold outside, come inside and have a hot cup of tea to warm yourself.”

“Haha, thank you, Revered Master.

Revered Master’s Spirit Tea, one sip is worth half a month of my cultivation.”

Su Shuisheng laughed and ran into the inner room.

Gu Changsheng grinned, his peripheral vision, however, glanced at Gong Lin.

Unlike usual, she looked a bit troubled at this moment.

“Oh, your cultivation has actually broken through to the True Core Realm…”

A sharp glint flashed in Gu Changsheng’s eyes.

As soon as he spoke, Gong Lin’s beautiful face instantly turned pale, and with a thud, she knelt on the ground.

“Revered Master, your disciple is willing to consume Lifespan and vital blood to cultivate the demonic spirit flower, I only hope Revered Master can send me far, far away.

If Brother Shuisheng sees my aged appearance, he will surely be heartbroken…”

As she spoke, two streams of clear tears flowed down her cheeks.

Seemingly hearing the commotion, Su Shuisheng, who was still drinking tea in the inner room, immediately rushed out and also knelt on the ground with a worried expression.

“Revered Master, has Junior Sister angered you?

If you want to punish someone, punish me.”

Saying this, he repeatedly kowtowed in apology.

‘Shuisheng can’t hide things in his heart, and the Qi and blood changes just now were not abnormal.

It seems this young woman did not reveal their original agreement…’ Gu Changsheng felt a warmth rise in his heart upon seeing Shuisheng’s sincere demeanor.

Most importantly, there was no longer a shortage of demonic spirit flowers.

Gong Lin had not returned to the Profound Cave for a long time and did not know the specific situation.

No wonder she looked worried despite her cultivation Breakthrough.

“When did I say I would punish Gong Lin?”

“This…”

Gong Lin’s eyes widened, her face still stained with tears.

Had Revered Master spared her?

“Today marks the fifteenth year since I arrived in this village.

I remember back then, it was the aroma of a red bean bun that awakened my inner glutton.

In a blink of an eye, fifteen years have passed…”

Gu Changsheng clasped his hands behind his back, a nostalgic expression on his face.

Su Shuisheng, startled, quickly said, ‘Revered Master, please wait,’ and hurried back home.

A moment later, a hint of bean paste aroma wafted through the desolate autumn wind.

“This kid…”

Gu Changsheng smiled faintly… Five years later.

In the secret chamber.

Gu Changsheng sat cross-legged, having refined a little more of the remaining Immortal Spiritual Energy in his body, but he still hadn’t broken through the Late Stage Bottleneck.

“No wonder the Profound Cave Late Stage is called a Great Cultivator, their numbers are so few.

This Bottleneck alone is enough to trap most Profound Cave Cultivators.”

According to his progress, if he relied on gradual effort to break through the Bottleneck, it would take ten years at the fastest, and slower… it was hard to say.

“My cultivation progress has already far surpassed my peers, so it’s best to let things take their natural course and not be too hasty.”

Gu Changsheng murmured to himself.

Suddenly, the communication jade slip hanging from his waist lit up.

It was an invitation from Alcoholic Hero and Peach Blossom Fairy.

“The Vicious Beast Sinister Owl… Breakthrough Pill… Opportunity to break through the Late Stage Bottleneck…”

Gu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed.