Chapter 57: Chapter 53: Return, Elixir Hall

The path of cultivation is largely the same across the board, revolving around drawing in spiritual energy into the body and nourishing oneself, sharing some commonalities.

"How many spirit stones will this require? I'll pay you back later,"

Chu Zheng had no intention of taking advantage of Song Lingqing's kindness.

"There's no need, just consider it repaying the favor I owe to the Song Family."

Song Lingqing shook her head and didn't stay for long. After leaving the Cloud Wing Tiger behind and switching it for a Single-Horned Celestial Steed, she quickly departed.

This was a third-order spirit beast, capable of contending with cultivators of the Entry Dao Realm. Based on Song Lingqing's cultivation level, she really shouldn't be lending out a spirit beast of this caliber.

However, after the elder of the Spirit Beast Garden made a statement, Song Lingqing's process of exchanging for the celestial steed encountered no obstacles. She didn't even go through the normal protocols; it was a special approval.

After Song Lingqing left, Chu Zheng resumed his regular life: reading, cultivating, feeding spirit beasts, and it was very fulfilling.

The Xuan Tian Seal had been repaired, and Chu Zheng used all of his repair attempts on the Condensing Space Bracelet. Looking at the numbers increasing daily put him in a good mood.

Once the Condensing Space Bracelet is fully repaired, his level as a Repair Master will also rise to the second order; at that time, he could start considering his next step.

One advantage of the Spirit Beast Garden became apparent during this time: there's no need to interact too much with people. After finishing his tasks, he was rarely disturbed by anyone.

It may seem lonely to the average person, but for Chu Zheng, it was just right.

Moreover, perhaps because Chu Zheng was a Qi Cultivator, these spirit beasts were very friendly toward him, and they hardly ever got temperamental.

Over time, Chu Zheng even developed an understanding of the beasts' language, enabling him to engage in brief communication with the spirit beasts.

According to the records of the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline, those who cultivated Qi had auspicious beasts as their companions; the breath they exhaled could make plants and trees gain spiritual awareness and transform into demons.

Since Qi refining cultivates the Heavenly Dao, with balanced Yin Yang Dual Qi inside the body, it can peacefully coexist with all types of primordial Qi.

A Qi Cultivator can communicate with all things; that is the interaction of Qi.

Having these spirit beasts for company, the days were not dull or monotonous.

......

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Before he knew it, more than a month had passed, and someone Chu Zheng had been waiting for a long time arrived at the Spirit Beast Garden.

Fu Quanliang had returned to the sect.

In that month, Chu Zheng hadn't rushed to try cultivating the Immortal Path because the timing wasn't right. Cultivation differs from Qi refining; fluctuations in cultivation are hard to conceal and can be easily detected by others.

However, among the secret techniques that Song Lingqing brought, there was one that Chu Zheng had begun to experiment with.

Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique.

[Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order): An Immortal path body refinement technique, divided into five levels, refining the body's muscles and bones with the Power of the Stars. At the pinnacle of the fifth order, one possesses Moving Star Power.]

Body refinement is different from cultivation; Blood Qi can be hidden and suppressed, and the strength of muscles and bones is not detectable without a thorough examination.

His Dragon-Tiger Body was still incomplete, and Chu Zheng didn't have any spare repair attempts to devote to it, so shifting to the Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique was undoubtedly a better choice.

At first, Chu Zheng tried to draw in the power of the Circuit of Qi Stars into his body every night, but the results were not very noticeable, and his progress was very slow.

Later, he changed his approach, adopting Qi-refining techniques to draw Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi into his body. After refining it, he simulated the conversion into Astral Qi within his body to temper his physical form.

This method was highly effective. With the foundation of the Dragon-Tiger Body, it took just over a month for him to successfully step into the first layer, his physical strength surged.

"Wu—"

When Fu Quanliang found Chu Zheng, he was squatting in front of an adult Silver-boned Cat Demon, attempting to communicate with it.

This Silver-boned Cat Demon had reached adulthood, measuring seven feet in length, with sharp claws and teeth capable of easily tearing through the defenses of a cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm.

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However, it clearly had no guard against Chu Zheng, lazily turning over its body as it sensed someone approaching, allowing Chu Zheng to knead and sort through the Yuan Qi within its body.

"Chu Zheng?"

Seeing this scene before him, Tong Jinshan's expression changed slightly as he trotted to Chu Zheng's side.

"Old Tong." Chu Zheng casually greeted without shifting his gaze, continuing to stare at the cat demon beneath his hands, his face unconsciously breaking into a smile.

Tong Jinshan's expression changed slightly once more as he hurriedly verified, "You haven't forgotten what I told you on your first day at the Spirit Beast Garden, have you?"

In his view, Chu Zheng was somewhat too reclusive; the other odd-jobbers would gather to chat and spar in their free time, venting the energy they had nowhere to channel.

In the prime of their youth, they needed outlets for their abundant vigor; chatting could also help pass the tedious time. seaʀᴄh thё Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Chu Zheng never took part in such activities, and he entirely lacked that sense of impetuousness.

Together with the scene now unfolding before his eyes, Tong Jinshan felt that it was just too dangerous.

Chu Zheng paused for a moment, then, realizing what Tong Jinshan meant, abruptly withdrew his hand, shaking his head repeatedly, "I haven't forgotten."

"That's good to hear," Tong Jinshan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wu—"

The Silver-boned Cat Demon flipped to its feet, uttering a dissatisfied whimper and glancing at Tong Jinshan with an obviously unfriendly look in its eyes.

Tong Jinshan was unaware, some spirit beasts are inherently temperamental.

Chu Zheng stood up, and only then did he notice Fu Quanliang not far away, his eyes lighting up for a moment.

Seeing Chu Zheng looking over, Fu Quanliang immediately sent a telepathic message, "To find you, I've been all over the Outer Sect these past few days."

"You've worked hard," Chu Zheng soothed with a reply.

He hadn't put much effort into the Life-link Seal, it was something he had just started learning and hadn't fully mastered yet; theoretically, even if separated by a starry sea, he and Fu Quanliang should be able to sense each other's positions.

But there was plenty of time ahead to slowly deepen their connection.

After a month apart, Fu Quanliang didn't seem much different, appearing more spirited, and his cultivation had also increased by a layer, now at the Eightfold Nourishing Power Realm.

"Take this one to pick a leading spirit beast, choose something clever; you can only select a First Order, Second Order beasts are not an option," Tong Jinshan instructed with a casual attitude, obviously not intending to personally attend to them.

Chu Zheng nodded without saying much and led Fu Quanliang inside while telepathically communicating:

"Do you have a way to help me get some elixirs?"

Just cultivating with nature's spiritual energy, although not too slow, Chu Zheng still felt unsatisfied; elixirs to advance cultivation were essential.

"What kind of elixirs do you want?"

Fu Quanliang looked hesitant, "In the Sect, apart from waste elixirs, everything else requires contribution points, and I don't have many…"

Contribution points were hard to come by, and every mission entailed danger, like the recent one to the Song Family where he nearly lost his life; the contribution points he earned weren't much either.

"Waste elixirs?"

Chu Zheng's gaze sharpened, without any hesitation he responded, "First, help me get a batch of waste elixirs."

With the repair panel at hand, these so-called waste elixirs were well worth trying out.

"Waste elixirs are mostly in the Elixir Hall, I'll think of a way for you,"

Fu Quanliang was somewhat unclear about Chu Zheng's intentions, but without asking further, he agreed.

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