CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: ENLIGHTENED BREAKTHROUGH!

"The Centennial Fire Spirit Honey has been successfully brewed!"

Feeling the Fire Spiritual Power on the Fire Spirit Honey so dense that it was almost turning into liquid, Qi Ping was incredibly delighted.

The day he had been longing for had finally arrived!

Since about a month ago, when he acquired the Li Fire Crow and the Fire Spirit Grass, Qi Ping had been planning for this day.

The extensive cultivation process and the complex research experiments that followed ultimately resulted in this batch of Centennial Fire Spirit Honey!

Now the day was finally here!

Helping the Li Fire Crow reach Tier One perfection and uncover the underground secrets of the Blood Ginseng’s growth location—all would happen today!

Everything else Qi Ping had already prepared; once he began digging, he could engage in battle at any time!

"There are actually three bottles of it..."

A single Centennial Fire Spirit Grass, combined with other Spiritual Medicines, had brewed as much as three small bottles of Fire Spirit Honey!

Not only did the quality improve, but the quantity also increased.

"There’s still half an hour until noon. Let Yaya prepare. At noon, the Power of the Great Sun is at its peak, the best time for the Li Fire Crow to break through..."

Soon, Qi Ping informed the Li Fire Crow about the plan.

Upon hearing this, the Li Fire Crow also began its earnest preparations.

It valued this opportunity greatly; whether it could regain its peak strength and whether its bloodline could enhance again depended entirely on this!

After notifying the Li Fire Crow, Qi Ping began packing up all the Spiritual Medicines...

Then there were the Black Little Bees, Day Sleep Flowers, Moon Essence Flowers...

After tidying these up, Qi Ping went to the small courtyard built by Old Zhou at the foot of the mountain.

Due to having no care for a long time, the courtyard was covered in spider webs inside and out, and a thick layer of fallen leaves accumulated in the yard.

The purple sandalwood table, purple bamboo lounge chair, wine bottle and cup that Old Zhou often used—all were covered in a thick layer of dust.

The room was even colder and cleaner, as if deserted for a long time...

For a moment, Qi Ping felt a bit nostalgic for Old Zhou.

With such an idle old man around, there was occasionally warm wine and food, not as empty and lonely as now.

At that moment, Qi Ping also realized that he didn’t like the vast world with only himself in solitude; the path of mercilessness wasn’t suitable for him, nor was it the immortality he desired...

And at that moment, Qi Ping seemed to have understood something, his gaze becoming more determined.

"Countless ancient texts have mentioned that Immortal Cultivation requires understanding one’s mind and nature, realizing one’s own Dao..."

"But these seemingly simple words have trapped countless cultivators, unable to comprehend them even in a lifetime..."

"Understanding one’s mind and nature... one’s own path..."

Then Qi Ping again looked at the orderly flourishing and withering of the plants and flowers, the hard-working bees collecting nectar, webs trapping prey spiders...

Next, whispers of the bees, spiders, and small insects on the webs echoed by Qi Ping’s ears...

And so, Qi Ping slowly closed his eyes...

At that moment, he seemed to merge with the surrounding nature, his Druid Natural Affinity amplifying his perception.

In the next instant, Qi Ping’s clothes and hair moved without wind... an immense and mysterious Spiritual Power continuously flowed from the heavens and earth...

As this Spiritual Qi entered Qi Ping’s body, the Wood Flame Technique rapidly circulated within him.

In just a moment, Qi Ping’s cultivation broke through to the Fifth-Layer of Qi Refining!

However, after Qi Ping broke through to the Fifth-Layer of Qi Refining, the flowing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi began to gradually diminish, and he slowly exited that special state...

After exiting that state, Qi Ping found that he had not only broken through to the Fifth-Layer of Qi Refining but even reached the mid-stage.

And his foundation was extremely solid!

When Qi Ping tried circulating the Wood Flame Spiritual Power, he found it more fluid than before the breakthrough, feeling natural and harmonious.

It had a faint taste of Natural Daoist Skill.

"I’ve broken through to the Fifth-Layer of Qi Refining... Is this due to natural insight, or an epiphany? Or perhaps Unity of Heaven and Man?"

Feeling his increased strength, Qi Ping was naturally incredibly delighted.

However, he did not know how to define the state he just experienced; his understanding of Cultivation Knowledge was still too limited.

He knew some grand and vague concepts, but lacked specific Cultivation Methods and detailed Cultivation Knowledge.

"Pity, obtaining Cultivation Knowledge isn’t easy, sigh..."

This issue left Qi Ping somewhat helpless. Unless he became a Sect Disciple, it would be difficult to access more Cultivation Knowledge. Yet, entering a Sect wasn’t so easy...

Not to mention the internal competition and conflict within a Sect were no less than that among Loose Cultivators.

As a Loose Cultivator, Qi Ping was usually cautious, encountering mainly Qi Refining enemies; Foundation Establishment was the pinnacle and rare.

If he were in a sect like the Cyan Origin Sect, where Foundation Establishment was as common as dogs, and there were no shortage of Golden Core Cultivators, his current small stature might face an irreversible disaster with a slight misstep...

"Fortunately, before the Foundation Establishment, the need for these isn’t urgent..."

Qi Refining knowledge is widely circulated in the Immortal Cultivation Realm, with almost no secrets. Only from Foundation Establishment onwards does inheritance become important; Qi Ping plans to reach that stage and then have more protective strength to proceed.

"However, the path of Refining the Heart and Understanding the Dao is undoubtedly correct..."

This enlightenment breakthrough also gave Qi Ping much more confidence. The path of Immortal Cultivation indeed requires incredibly high moral character. In this aspect, he still needed to refine himself well.

"Also, the Druid’s Natural Affinity seemed to greatly aid enlightenment; I must make good use of it in the future..."

"As for this small courtyard..."

Qi Ping looked at this familiar place, ultimately letting out a long sigh...

"Once the chaos in Qingshi County is over, I’ll bring Old Zhou back. Then I’ll build him a new courtyard..."

Old Zhou was Qi Ping’s lifesaver and Dao path guide after crossing into the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

If not for Old Zhou, Qi Ping would have long become a pile of bones and would not have had the chance to learn Immortal Cultivation Techniques or meet fellow Fusheng Association members; also, he wouldn’t have met Sister Nan and wouldn’t have acquired the Demon Insect Cultivation Manual... Missing any link would have made Qi Ping’s Cultivation path many times harder.

Thus, regarding Old Zhou, Qi Ping would never let him be alone and destitute, dying in solitude...

Someone occasionally buying Old Zhou some good wine and side dishes would make his later years more peaceful, with fewer regrets.

After a long look, Qi Ping finally turned and left; it was almost noon and time for the Li Fire Crow to take the Centennial Fire Spirit Honey for its breakthrough...

...

At the peak of the seventh mountain, where the Power of the Great Sun was the most intense.

The Li Fire Crow was enveloped by a richer Power of the Great Sun than before.

The flame mark on its forehead faintly shimmered with a hint of golden light, and an extraordinary aura emanated from the Li Fire Crow.

After Qi Ping arrived, the Li Fire Crow opened its eyes to look at Qi Ping, its gaze filled with determination and confidence.

Seeing the Li Fire Crow’s gaze, Qi Ping knew that Yaya was completely ready!

Thus, without needing to ask anything, Qi Ping directly took out the three bottles of Centennial Fire Spirit Honey from the Storage Bag. Opening the lids, he controlled the three bottles with Spiritual Power to steadily place them in front of the Li Fire Crow...