Qi Cultivation Starting from the Repair Panel

While investigating, he had already learned quite a bit about Bai Nian.

The Bai Family used to be considered a clan of nobility, with an ancestor who became a Soul Condensing Realm Inner Sect Elder.

After the passing of that elder, for five consecutive generations, no Immortal Seedling emerged within the clan. Considering the profound mysteries of geomancy and fate, they chose to relocate the entire clan, leaving Illusory Spirit City, with only a branch remaining there.

After generations of sole inheritances, a Lower Quality Immortal Bone finally appeared, which was Bai Nian's father, Bai Wending.

Bai Wending joined the Phantom Spirit Sect and cultivated all the way to the Spirit Spring Realm. Just when it seemed hopeful to revitalize the family, he suddenly disappeared during a sect mission, with his life or death unknown.

According to the news that spread within the Phantom Spirit Sect, he most likely had died.

Bai Wending had only one wife, who had borne Bai Nian for him in her near-forties, but it cost her Life Origin. Even with Spirit Pills as supplements, it was beyond the power to save her. She managed to live another ten years but passed away before she turned fifty.

Bai Nian had now essentially become an orphan, living in a very difficult situation within Illusory Spirit City, and eating was a problem once the family's saleable items were gone.

Perhaps because of his identity as a scholar, Chu Zheng took some pity on Bai Nian and could not bear to see him starve to death.

Unable to cultivate, the Martial Path was also a way. Once he returned to Great Zhou, if he could find that Martial Path Remnant Wall, Bai Nian would naturally have a way out.

Even if it's just reaching Grandmaster Level, when Bai Nian returns to Illusory Spirit City, he would have a means to make a living.

Looking at the Heavenly Aura Sword in Chu Zheng's hand, Bai Nian quickly realized something and, after thinking for a while, shook his head:

"You now dare not show your true face, your circumstances must not be convenient, and the path you speak of might not be easy to walk. I lack the strength to truss a chicken, following you will only be a burden."

"We have only made a deal, there are no favors between us, I don't need your help, and I still need to wait here for my father to return."

His thoughts were clear, and he was so composed that it was hard to believe he was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth, which somewhat surprised Chu Zheng.

"A mere scholar is useless, with your current situation, at best you can hold on for a few more years before you likely starve to death, then you can only sell your ancestral property, or even have it forcibly taken away by others, eventually dying in the streets."

Chu Zheng laid out the bleak future for the youth, and then said:

"I can teach you the martial way, ensuring your entry into the martial master realm. Then, you can come back here and continue waiting for your father. If you refuse, I shall leave now, I'll give you the time to consider it over a cup of tea."

Chu Zheng did not insist. As a Qi Cultivator, he respected fate. If Bai Nian did not want this opportunity, it was his choice. Chu Zheng would not impose help out of a momentary feeling of pity.

Bai Nian looked hesitant; he hadn't thought too far ahead, only considering that his father might return in a few more years.

The outcome of selling his ancestral property and eventually dying in the streets was something he never even considered.

"Let me pack up a few things."

Bai Nian did not keep Chu Zheng waiting long. After thinking for a few moments, he made his decision and went to gather his belongings.

A short while later, Bai Nian, carrying a small bundle on his back and locking the yard door, followed Chu Zheng out of the city and boarded a flying boat.

The great sun ascended in the sky, hanging high and blindingly bright.

...

...

The Phantom Spirit Sect was still quite a distance from Great Zhou.

Chu Zheng first covered tens of thousands of miles on the flying boat before changing direction and heading for Great Zhou.

In the mortal world, encountering an Entry Dao Realm cultivator is even harder than ascending to the heavens. Chu Zheng's current cultivation level allowed him to traverse freely.

Therefore, he made no effort to conceal his tracks, controlling his flying tool directly, traveling by day, and cultivating at night.

Due to the presence of the Fire Seed within him, his Yang Qi was continuously on the rise, and he was growing to like cultivating at night, which alleviated some discomfort.

Bai Nian had begun practising the Song Family's ancestral cultivation technique, the Heavenly Origin Heart Method, the highest level cultivation method Chu Zheng had on him.

The Martial Path Initial Understanding that Li Mingzhou had once given him was incomplete and could not infer the path ahead; it was better to cultivate this scripture, which at least had the advantage of being stable and reliable.

Chu Zheng fed him several Zeroth Order elixirs, which had significant effects, and the progress of his martial skills was astonishing.

After traveling for more than half a month, Chu Zheng finally entered the Capital of Great Zhou.

Upon entering the Imperial Capital, Chu Zheng did not alert anyone and began to secretly look for Li Mingzhou's whereabouts.

The location of the Vermilion Bird Divine Guard Town Commander was easy to find. Chu Zheng settled Bai Nian in an inn and using his Invisibility Technique, he ventured into the area alone.

Upon entering the Town Garrison Command, Chu Zheng immediately sensed over a dozen Grandmaster Level Yang Qi fluctuations.

Among them, one presence was especially astonishing, almost reaching the threshold of the Spirit Spring Realm.

The gathering of so many grandmasters in one place was clearly abnormal.

'Could it be... Li Mingzhou really found the way out?'

Chu Zheng became somewhat doubtful for a moment and followed the Qi to its source.

Moments later, he stood before a door, his figure materializing.

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Zing—

As soon as Chu Zheng's breath leaked, a sword aura spanning several meters shot out from the window, its edge piercing to the bone.

Raising his finger, he shattered the sword aura, and upon seeing the person who drew the sword, Chu Zheng looked slightly startled, then a hint of realization appeared in his eyes.

"Chu Zheng?"

Song Lingxue was stunned for a moment, slightly panicking as she sheathed her long sword.

Once she gathered herself, she unconsciously took a half step back, tidied her slightly messy hair at the temple, and the look in her eyes was one of unabashed joy:

"Have you come to find me?"

"..."

Encountering Song Lingxue here was indeed beyond Chu Zheng's expectations. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said, "Yes."

In his original plans, the next stop after Great Zhou was Giant Marsh, so it wasn't exactly a lie.

Chu Zheng wasn't surprised at the speed of Song Lingxue's cultivation progression. On the day they joined forces, he had entered Spirit Transformation and became a true Qi Cultivator, fundamentally changing the level of his life.

Song Lingxue had absorbed his Yang Essence, naturally receiving a tremendous boost, so this speed was not strange at all.

Now, he could still feel the aura of his Yang Essence within Song Lingxue's body, not yet fully consumed, with some remaining power.

"How did you break into this realm?" Chu Zheng looked puzzled.

The only thing that he found somewhat incomprehensible was how, without a clear path forward, Song Lingxue found her way out.

"Come with me."

Song Lingxue took Chu Zheng's hand and pulled him into the room.

On the desk lay a three-foot-long fragment of black remnant wall.

Chu Zheng's expression shifted, and he reached out his hand.

[Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Incomplete): The life's insights of a Martial God, containing the cultivation methods of the Xuan Tian Scripture and the Fourteen Martial Arts Supernatural Powers, with remnants of Immortal Path Qi. Smashed personally by a True Immortal into six pieces.

If all the fragments are collected and repaired, it will be much easier, with zero out of three thousand repairs completed.]

Indeed...

After digesting the information on the panel, Chu Zheng fell into thought. Song Lingxue finding this stone wall was truly a fortuitous encounter.

Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng casually mentioned, "Oh right, Ling Qing didn't die."

"Really? Is she alright?"

Song Lingxue's eyes suddenly brightened, but upon reflection, her heart sank slightly as she gazed at Chu Zheng, her eyes revealing a complex expression.

"She suffered some minor injuries, which I have healed," Chu Zheng said nonchalantly, not dwelling on the subject: "She should be in Giant Marsh by now. I thought you were there, so I sent her to find you."

"You... didn't go with her?"

Song Lingxue felt a slight stirring in her heart, greatly relieved, her lips turning up uncontrollably. At least Chu Zheng came looking for her first.

"Why should I follow her?" Chu Zheng couldn't understand for a moment.

Song Lingxue didn't say much, her smile growing gradually wider and more evident:

"This place isn't convenient. Let's go outside to talk."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere is fine, as long as it's not here."

Song Lingxue's cheeks blushed slightly as she whispered in his ear, "I remember you saying you liked the daytime."

...

...

The next morning, at dawn.

As the morning sun rose, a figure stood on nothing in the sky.

Ling Qi looked down at the Imperial Capital below, with a touch of concern in his brow.

Regarding the person of the heretic path, he had checked the surrounding nations for nearly a month, to no avail.

The location given by the Immortal Alliance had been thoroughly searched, leaving Great Zhou as the last region.

Owing to Zhao Tingxian's presence, the people from the various Holy Lands had been restrained, not overly reckless, hence the search was significantly slower, having to be screened bit by bit.

He was the first to enter this place but wouldn't be the last; time was of the essence.

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