Time flies; it never stops for anyone.
After the first phase of cultivation ended, more than a month had passed since Zhao Li and Lin Lan returned to Danxia Peak.
Upon returning to the sect, Zhao Li naturally couldn't wait to go to the Alchemist Guild to take the First-Grade Alchemist assessment. He received the specialized robe and badge of an Alchemist without any unexpected issues.
This day, Zhao Li came to the alchemy square and was slightly surprised to see Li Ling practicing alchemy.
He can already refine Third-Grade Pills? Indeed, you can't underestimate anyone. Maybe someday I'll capsize in a ditch and die without a burial place.
Two months ago, Li Ling was still a Second-Grade Alchemist.
In the square, Li Ling put away his Pills. The people around him, with various thoughts, walked towards Li Ling and offered congratulations.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother, your Alchemy Technique has improved again."
"Senior Brother is truly worthy of being the Younger Generation Chief Disciple of our Pill Sect. Such talent is truly humbling."
"Senior Brother, I have some questions when refining Rejuvenation Pills. I wonder if you could enlighten me?"
Listening to the congratulations and flattery from the crowd, like stars surrounding the moon, Li Ling was proud, but no longer as arrogant as before.
Li Ling humbly returned the greetings to everyone:
"Thank you, Junior Brothers. I was lucky to break through and make a small improvement, it's nothing worth mentioning. If you don't mind, we can exchange ideas and improve together."
Hearing Li Ling's words, many people around were surprised. When did Senior Brother Li Ling become so easy to talk to?
But no one was foolish enough to miss this opportunity to get closer. Some asked the questions they had encountered, while others invited Li Ling.
Li Ling answered some questions, but then he saw Zhao Li. He found an excuse to politely decline the crowd and walked towards Zhao Li.
Seeing Li Ling coming towards him, Zhao Li frowned and prepared to slip away.
This kid wouldn't think that since he's back at the sect and has made a breakthrough, he wants to come and get even, right? This kind of showing off is satisfying, but it's not worth much. Forget it, if I can't afford to provoke him, can't I at least avoid him?
Seeing Zhao Li about to leave, Li Ling quickened his pace and caught up:
"Junior Brother Zhao Li, please wait. I'm Li Ling, we came back together earlier."
Zhao Li sighed helplessly, turned around, cupped his fists, and said, "Ah, it's Senior Brother. Congratulations on your further progress in Alchemy Technique. If there's nothing else, I'll go cultivate now."
Seeing Zhao Li like this, Li Ling felt a bit awkward. He didn't expect to be so unwelcome, but he still explained:
"Please forgive me, Junior Brother. I was wrong before, I apologize. Would Junior Brother do me the honor of having a meal together and accepting my apology?"
Zhao Li was surprised again. Li Ling's behavior didn't seem like he was here to cause trouble.
Zhao Li wanted to figure out what he was up to, so he agreed:
"Since Senior Brother invites me, I would be rude to refuse."
At the dinner table, after three rounds of drinks and five courses, they spoke frankly.
Li Ling said that his change was due to Zhao Li's words at the time, which made him calm down, focus on himself, and study and cultivate diligently. He quickly broke through to become a Third-Grade Alchemist.
Li Ling owed Zhao Li a favor and wanted to thank him. However, Zhao Li and Lin Lan had gone out to train.
This unexpected meeting with Zhao Li made him sincerely want to resolve the previous conflict and study and improve together.
Hearing this, Zhao Li sighed inwardly. One should look at a scholar with new eyes after three days apart. The ancients truly didn't deceive him.
While sighing, he also felt a bit sour. He didn't expect that his casual remarks while showing off would actually cause such a change in someone else:
"Senior Brother is joking. It was a trivial matter, it's in the past, don't dwell on it. I just said it casually, it was an unintended outcome."
After speaking, Zhao Li paused, remembering that his breakthrough to Dou Disciple was also because of someone else's words. Fate is truly unpredictable.
Zhao Li continued:
"Hahaha, we didn't know each other until we fought, it's all fate, all fate. Let's not talk about these things. I just hope that in this mundane world, we can always maintain a few points of curiosity, an upward spirit, without worries or fears, with a broad and indifferent mind, and make progress together! We all have a bright future!"
Li Ling listened, stunned again. He always felt that these words of blessing had a different meaning coming from Brother Zhao Li. He echoed:
"We all have a bright future!"
Once they spoke frankly, the conflict caused by vying for attention was resolved silently.
...
The next day, Zhao Li woke up and began to cultivate.
The best time to cultivate is at dawn, when the sun and moon alternate.
After completing a hundred Circulation Cycles, Zhao Li finished his cultivation. It felt good to feel himself getting stronger every day.
Zhao Li sensed his cultivation achievements and pondered in his heart:
"In these past two months, although I've been learning Alchemy Technique with my teacher, my cultivation hasn't fallen behind. Perhaps it's because of the existence of Dou Qi in this world, the cultivation of the National Martial Arts system is progressing rapidly, and I feel like it will be complete and flawless soon. However, Dou Qi cultivation is a bit slow..."
"These days, I've gone to the Scripture Repository and read many Yellow Tier Cultivation Techniques. I can also get guidance from my master on some questions by cultivating these techniques. But to truly create a Cultivation Technique that suits me, I still lack a lot of accumulation. Alas, I'll take it slow!"
After returning, Lin Lan let Zhao Li rest during these days, but he wasn't idle.
With his status as a direct disciple of the Sect Master, the low-tier Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques in the Scripture Repository were truly available for the taking. Zhao Li knew he lacked accumulation, so he read through all the Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques in the repository. Although it wasn't enough for him to create his own Cultivation Technique, in this process, he was able to draw inferences from one case to another, gradually figuring out some commonalities in his own essence and qi cultivation, taking his self-control to the next level.
"There's about another month left. I'll try to reach perfection in my cultivation before leaving. Hmm, I need more Cultivation Techniques, perhaps I should go out."
Zhao Li rested his chin on his hand and thought for a while. He wanted to go to the Auction House to make a transaction.
"Here in the Imperial Capital, Yellow Tier and below Cultivation Techniques aren't worth anything. They can't even get into the Auction House. I'll have to go somewhere else."
Zhao Li pondered for a while, feeling a slight excitement about traveling far. He quickly suppressed it, inwardly cautioning himself:
"I'm supposed to be someone who stays hidden and becomes the Ten Mile Slope Sword God. How can I have such a reckless thought?"
Even if he was going to hide, he still needed to go out when necessary. Zhao Li finally made his decision:
"I don't know how long it will be until the Heavenly Flame appears, and I don't know where the Flame Mantra is. Besides, do I even have the destiny to devour numerous Heavenly Flames?"
He couldn't just rely on others and waste time. Moreover, relying on others was still a long way off; he had to survive first:
"The Heavenly Flame path isn't viable. I'll just simply create my own Cultivation Technique for now. I'll give them a little Zhao Li shock! When I succeed, I'll be like a fish in the vast ocean, a bird soaring in the boundless sky."
With nearly ten years of accumulation, especially the month spent at the Danyuan Sect, Zhao Li felt he had gained something. Coupled with the opportunities he had recently acquired, his National Martial Arts Body Cultivation was about to reach minor completion. Zhao Li felt the time was ripe. He found his teacher and said to him:
"Teacher, I don't know when I'll return from this trip to the Myriad Beast Mountain Range. This disciple would like to go home for a visit and will definitely be back in a month."
Lin Lan looked at Zhao Li. He was still just a child after all. He readily agreed:
"Alright, I'll send you back."
Zhao Li felt a warmth in his heart but refused his teacher's kind offer:
"Teacher, you don't need to trouble yourself with such a small matter. This disciple can go back by himself. It's not far from Danxia Peak."
"Very well, you can go by yourself then." Lin Lan heard this and didn't think much more of it, returning to what he was doing.
Zhao Li bid farewell to his teacher and went down the mountain alone.
Amidst the mountains and forests, beneath the lush, ancient trees that had stood for who knows how long, lay an Azure Steed Ancient Path.
A young man wearing a black Alchemist robe and an Alchemist badge hummed a tune as he walked alone on the forest path. His pace seemed leisurely but was actually swift, and he soon disappeared at the end of the ancient path.
After descending the mountain, Zhao Li controlled his muscles and bones, not only increasing his height but also making his face much more mature. There was no longer any hint of youthfulness on his face; at a glance, he looked like a young man who had just started out and was inexperienced in the ways of the world.
Zhao Li found a pool of water and looked at his reflection, nodding in satisfaction. "When you're out and about, who doesn't have an alias?"
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