Two months had passed.
At the summit of Changcui Peak, beneath the Void Realm Tree
A gentle breeze stirred the grass, lifting a few blades into the air before one drifted down to land lightly on the nose of the man resting with his head on his arm, rousing him from sleep.
"These leisurely days do suit me best…"
Yawning, Li Ye sat up beneath the tree and stretched, his expression so relaxed he looked close to tears.
At this moment, the spiritual aura radiating from his body was noticeably stronger by a few degrees compared to before.
Following his steady pace of taking one Wood Origin Pill every few days, Li Ye ensured his spiritual power kept pace with increasing strength without becoming unstable or hollow.
In just under two months, he had accumulated enough power to reach the limits of his current realm. With the help of that triple-veined Wood Origin Pill, he broke through the long-standing bottleneck and advanced to the eighth layer of Qi Refinement!
Though it sounded easy enough, this was in fact the very first major payoff of all his efforts: coming to this place, claiming this spiritual land, and executing every step of his plan so far.
"It took me over a year to break through this layer before… but now, with a steady supply of pills and an abundance of spiritual energy, there's no more wandering or rushing I can devote myself fully to cultivation."
"Even with my mediocre talent, I should be able to reach the peak of Qi Refinement within five or six years… and then attempt Foundation Establishment!"
Thinking this, a flicker of light flashed in Li Ye's eyes.
Given his current understanding of the situation in the Chidi Mountains, getting through the next few years in peace should be well within reach.
"Still, while the physical cultivation has progressed, I mustn't slack off on spiritual refinement…"
"The Thousand Thoughts Divine Refinement Technique has advanced to the second stage even without external aid, but I'm still a ways off from achieving full six-fold multitasking. As for the third stage that's even further off. Right now, it's my weakest area…"
"Shame that I haven't found any suitable pills or secret arts to enhance the spirit for Qi Refining cultivators along the way. With the right resources, I might've already unlocked more of my potential in this field."
Li Ye swept back his slightly messy hair and tied it loosely with a twig, regaining his composure.
Then, casually picking up six blades of grass, he manipulated them using Object Control Technique, making them float in the air and begin to weave themselves together.
This was a small method to train fine spiritual control. When extended to practical applications like pill refining, talisman crafting, or formation setup, it served as valuable practice.
For true spiritual cultivation, however, Li Ye still relied primarily on quiet meditation.
One by one, the blades of grass twisted and wove, beginning to form recognizable shapes. But faint strain began to show on Li Ye's face.
Just as several grass-crafted animals and trinkets took form, two of the blades wobbled and slipped out of control. The entire set of six collapsed to the ground at once.
Li Ye let out a slow breath as he watched.
"Still not quite there yet with six-fold control… I can't maintain it smoothly, but it's progress. At this pace, I should be able to complete the second stage of the technique before too long."
Just as he was about to reweave the six items and go for another round, a flicker of awareness passed across his face. He looked toward the mountain path.
"It's been a while… looks like those two have finally returned from their expedition."
He rose slowly to his feet, brushed the grass clippings from his robes, and activated a formation with a flick of his fingers to open the path then calmly made his way down the mountain.
..........
"Judging by the smiles on both your faces, I'd say this trip has been quite the fruitful one!"
Li Ye stepped forward to greet Luo Feibai and Qin Yao, inviting them to sit in the courtyard nestled in the mountains as he spoke with a smile.
"It's all thanks to your guidance that day, Brother Li," Luo Feibai replied cheerfully, patting his belly. "We were able to break through the formation without damaging too many items in the cave dwelling. Quite the pleasant surprise, I must say… hahaha!"
Of course, one shouldn't flaunt wealth, so he didn't go into much detail.
Still, the unrestrained aura of someone who had successfully broken through to the eighth layer of Qi Refinement made sure Li Ye understood just what kind of opportunity he'd missed by refusing to come along…
Wait hold on...
"Li..."
"Brother Li, did you… also reach the eighth layer of Qi Refinement?"
Qin Yao reacted faster than Luo Feibai, his voice filled with surprise as he looked at Li Ye.
"I had a sudden insight and managed to break through by chance," Li Ye replied with a modest smile. Then he turned to Luo Feibai and added,
"I see Brother Luo has also advanced to the eighth layer. Congratulations on your progress!"
Breakthrough by chance, huh?
Then what was all that struggling and risk Qin Yao and I went through in that ancient cave dwelling for?
If your 'chance breakthrough' got you to the same level… what does that make our efforts?
"Likewise, likewise!"
Luo Feibai's smile faltered slightly as he instinctively exchanged a glance with Qin Yao.
Could it be… this guy was telling the truth back then?
Just imagining Li Ye cultivating here every day in peace and quiet, in such a beautiful and spiritually rich place and yet achieving the same breakthrough as them without the danger or the effort made the chubby cultivator feel like his own breakthrough wasn't quite as satisfying anymore.
Still, the main reason they'd come today, aside from showing off their achievements a bit, was to maintain good relations with Li Ye.
Luo Feibai pulled out a jade slip from his storage pouch.
"It was your advice that let us take the ancient cave so smoothly, Brother Li. Without you, things could've gone quite differently!"
"This is a partial formation diagram we found inside the cave. It seems to relate to the formation that protected the place. We couldn't make sense of it, so we thought we'd offer it to you as a token of thanks."
Of course, they had already made copies for themselves, but presenting the original to a formation master like Li Ye was sure to please him.
"You're both too kind then I'll accept it with gratitude."
Li Ye took the jade slip with mild surprise but didn't examine it on the spot, simply tucking it away.
The three continued chatting. While they didn't reveal exactly what they had gained, the adventure was over, and sharing some tales of what they'd encountered inside the cave dwelling was harmless and made for a lively conversation.
Eventually, as things settled down, Qin Yao raised his cup and casually asked,
"Brother Li, you've been in these Chidi Mountains for some months now. What's your view on the current situation here?"
Luo Feibai paused, setting down his chopsticks as he too turned to look at Li Ye.
"My view…"
Li Ye's expression didn't change as he calmly replied, "The alliance leader is wise, maintaining a stable order here. Though there are some conflicting interests between the various mountain peaks, they remain scattered yet not chaotic. The balance is preserved. I truly admire that."
He sure knows how to talk… but that answer barely says anything!
Luo Feibai and Qin Yao shared another glance. The former sighed and got to the point,
"Then Brother Li, would you be willing to stand with the alliance in times of need?"
"Brother Luo, what kind of question is that?"
Li Ye looked slightly surprised. "Isn't Changcui Peak one of the seventy-two mountains of the alliance as well?"
"I may not have intentions to establish a family or sect… but as long as I cultivate here and the alliance doesn't fail me, I'm more than willing to stand with it."
That was a clear and firm statement of allegiance.
"Excellent, excellent!"
Luo Feibai and Qin Yao were both delighted, raising their cups with laughter.
"Brother Li, you've made a wise decision. There are no other formation masters in the alliance your joining us makes you the sole array master in our ranks. The benefits you'll receive won't disappoint!"
"From now on, we'll be counting on you, Master Li!"
"You flatter me, truly… but it should be mutual support all around!"
Li Ye clinked his cup lightly against theirs and downed it in one go.
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