Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Several days later.

Underneath an old banyan tree on Qiongbi Peak, there was a small gathering. Ning Daoran and the couple Xin Yan, Old Lu, Granny Yun Cui were all there, and even the usually reclusive Junior Sister Han Bing was sitting aside, listening to the casual chatter.

"Old Lu's recent acquisition of a First-tier Lower Grade Magical Artifact is truly a cause for celebration. It seems that the Mid-stage of Qi Refining isn't far off for you!" Xin Yan said with a smile on his face.

"Not at all, not at all..."

Old Lu naturally shook his head with a smile: "It's just a Lower Grade magic tool. Though it helps with cultivation levels, to say that it would allow me to step into the Mid-stage of Qi Refining is probably still a small chance."

"Don't be too modest, Old Lu. Among us at Qiongbi Peak, you are certainly the foremost Late-stage Qi Refiner."

Xin Yan's plump and charming wife chuckled from the side.

Though already in her forties, Zhong Yan was well-preserved and with a voluptuous figure, indeed maintaining her charm! Moreover, as a cultivator, Zhong Yan wasn't overly conservative about matters between men and women. She would often share some risqué jokes with everyone, which made for a harmonious group.

"Fellow Daoist Ning."

Old Lu turned his attention to Ning Daoran and smiled: "You're the one whose progress is the fastest among us at Qiongbi Peak. In just one short year, you've cultivated from the First Level of Qi Refining to the Third. You truly make us feel ashamed, us who have been cultivating for so many years!"

"Not at all, I'm just lucky."

While holding Granny Yun Cui's granddaughter high in the air, the baby girl named Chen Weimo, who was already babbling, seemed to like Ning Daoran as she happily babbled away.

"How about you, Han Bing?"

Granny Yun Cui smiled at the introverted Outer Disciple: "How has your cultivation been recently?"

"I'm... practicing the Rain Transformation Technique..."

"The Rain Transformation Technique?"

Old Lu couldn't help but laugh: "Practicing the Rain Transformation Technique to the First Level is enough. As an Outer Disciple, Fellow Daoist Han, you should focus on practicing a cultivation technique that can improve your magic power."

Han Bing's old servant behind her nodded gently, but also looked somewhat helpless. In the Chaotic Sect, the basic skills conducive to advancing cultivation were exactly the Body Tempering Technique!

Generally, Outer Disciples could only rely on cultivating the Body Tempering Technique to reach the Late Stage of Qi Refining. Once at the Late Stage, they could receive techniques like the Flame Sun Skill from the sect. These were the real advancement techniques. Otherwise, solely practicing the Body Tempering Technique would inevitably fail in reaching Foundation Establishment.

"Senior Brother Ning."

Han Bing looked at Ning Daoran shyly: "Are you still practicing the Body Tempering Technique?"

"Yes."

Ning Daoran nodded and smiled: "The Body Tempering Technique is a basic skill from our sect. Without the chance to apprentice, we disciples naturally can only cultivate the Body Tempering Technique."

"But the Body Tempering Technique is really hard to cultivate. Have you really achieved small success with it, Senior Brother?"

"Yes."

Ning Daoran nodded; having achieved small success in the Body Tempering Technique was a perfect match for the Third Level of Qi Refining, and hiding too much would seem overly deliberate.

"Fellow Daoist Ning actually achieved small success with the Body Tempering Technique?" Xin Yan looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Huh?"

Ning Daoran was surprised: "Is it strange to achieve small success with the Body Tempering Technique?"

"Of course!"

Xin Yan said seriously: "Fellow Daoist Ning might not be aware, but the first technique created by our Chaos Ancestor was the Body Tempering Technique. This technique is easy to learn but hard to master. Most cultivators can barely get an entry level; small success is just out of reach. It's said that currently, most cultivators in the Chaotic Sect have only managed small success with the Body Tempering Technique before they start training stronger basic skills. Only the Great Elder Gongyang Yan has cultivated the Body Tempering Technique to a high level, and it's rumored he has achieved great success."

"I see..."

Ning Daoran put on an act of being 'shocked': "The Great Elder achieved great success with the Body Tempering Technique; he's truly formidable..."

With the Perfect Body Tempering Technique in his possession, he said these words without a hint of guilt.

"Indeed."

Old Lu said: "When the Chaos Ancestor founded the Chaotic Sect, he made the technique of the Body Tempering Technique fully available, claiming he wanted it to benefit everyone, hoping that those with Spirit Roots could stand out. However, the Body Tempering Technique is indeed easy to learn but hard to master; I have been cultivating it for many years and only reached entry-level."

Everyone sighed at the difficulty of cultivation.

...

While the group was chatting, a figure soared from afar, flying over from the direction of the main mountain. It was a disciple dressed in white from the Inner Sect. Ning Daoran recognized him at a glance; it was the man whom he and Big Stupid Deer had rescued from a mountain stream some days before.

Has karma come knocking so soon?

He couldn't help but inwardly groan; please don't come, really, don't come. I only want to quietly plant Spirit Rice, and I only want to be surrounded by Qi Refining Early Stage 'noobs' like Xin Yan and Old Lu!

"Excuse me, which one of you is Junior Brother Ning Daoran?"

The person floated down from a flying artifact shaped like verdant leaves—a treasure of Royal Artifact flight that others had only seen but none from Qiongbi Peak had ever possessed. It was said that one must at least be at Mid-stage of Qi Refining to operate such flying artifacts.

Ning Daoran stood up and approached with Big Stupid Deer: "I am Ning Daoran, may I ask who this Senior Brother is?"

"I am Lin Sheng!"

The man grinned: "Junior Brother, I've already found out about you saving me that night. As soon as I recovered from my injuries, I immediately came to look for you... there isn't much to say, I, Lin Sheng, remember the life-saving grace!"

With that, he patted his muscular chest: "Unrepaid favors do not sit well with me, Lin Sheng! I heard that Junior Brother Ning is responsible for looking after a Spirit field, aren't you going to invite your Senior Brother over for tea at your place?"

He seemed to want to speak with Ning Daoran alone.

"Of course, there's no problem."

Feeling goosebumps, Ning Daoran excused himself from Han Bing, Xin Yan, and the others, and led Lin Sheng to the small courtyard.

Lin Sheng's personality was clearly extroverted, his brows exuded a spirited vitality. He glanced at Xin Yan, Old Lu, Zhong Yan, and others, his gaze suffused with a heavy sense of oppression, not taking these spirit farmers seriously at all.

It wasn't until his gaze fell upon the Outer Disciple and junior sister, Han Bing, that his expression softened slightly.

Xin Yan, Zhong Yan, Old Lu, and the others were naturally trembling with trepidation, merely tenants cultivating spirit plants on the Outer Mountain, forever outsiders to the Chaotic Sect.

Even in front of Ning Daoran and Han Bing, these spirit farmers were considered inferior.

In front of an Inner Sect Disciple like Lin Sheng, that was even more true, they dared not speak too loudly, fearful of arousing the enmity of these Inner Sect Disciples which could prove quite troublesome.

...

Inside the Spirit Field Hut.

Ning Daoran placed a cup of tea on the small table, smiling, "Senior Brother, enjoy your tea!"

"Junior Brother Ning."

Lin Sheng responded with a faint smile, lightly patting the storage bag at his waist, and instantly a wrapped bundle appeared in his hand, which he then placed on the table and gently pushed forward, "I, Lin Sheng, don't like to dawdle. A life-saving grace is hard to repay; please accept this little token of my appreciation, Junior Brother."

"Ah?"

Ning Daoran was surprised; he had seen straightforward people before but had never encountered someone as forthright as Lin Sheng.

"Junior Brother, please don't look down upon them."

Lin Sheng unwrapped the bundle, revealing several dozen Low Grade Spirit Stones, some small bottles containing Elixir Pills, and some gold and silver jewelry from the mortal world.

In the Cultivation World, these gold and silver treasures weren't very valuable, but in the mortal world, they could buy property, take a wife, and raise children.

"Junior Brother."

Lin Sheng said, "I still need to cultivate, so I can't give you too many Spirit Stones. As for the Elixir Pills, these are to assist blood qi and increase spiritual power. They are not that great, but I've tried them myself; they don't have any pill poison and will greatly benefit your Early Stage of Qi Refining progression."

"Senior Brother, there's really no need to be so formal."

Ning Daoran replied, "I was just lending a hand; besides, we share a brotherly bond as fellow sect members. Isn't it only right to bring an injured brother back to our Sect?"

His words were carefully chosen, on one hand refusing the offer gracefully, and on the other preserving the goodwill between him and Lin Sheng, who, as an Inner Sect Disciple, could prove quite useful in the future.

Lin Sheng frowned slightly, saying in a deep voice, "It's alright, just accept my token of appreciation. We can still be good brothers that go beyond the bond of Senior and Junior Brothers in the future. I am not using these Spirit Stones and Elixir Pills to sever our ties; I'm not that sort of person."

With the conversation reaching this point, Ning Daoran could only accept.

"Thank you very much for your kind intention, Senior Brother!"

"No need for thanks!"

Lin Sheng took a sip of tea, stood up, and his eyes wandered around the courtyard.

"Junior Brother, do you plan to just continue farming Spirit Rice here?"

Lin Sheng's eyebrows raised slightly, "You are now at the Third Level of Qi Refining, which for your Ninth Grade Mixed Spirit Root is an incredibly fast progression. You actually have a chance to join the Inner Sect.

"If you are willing, I can present you an introduction to join me in the Inner Fire Feather Hall. The missions issued by the Fire Feather Hall are dangerous, but they offer plenty of contribution points.

"As long as you're brave and diligent, like me, I will definitely recommend you to our master. Once you become a Registered Disciple, you can cultivate the True Yang Furnace Technique just like me."

"Registered Disciple, True Yang Furnace Technique?" Ning Daoran had limited understanding of the Inner Sect's affairs.

"You don't know about it, do you?"

Lin Sheng chuckled, "As a brother, I am the Registered Disciple of the Great Elder, Gongyang Yan, currently affiliated with the Inner Fire Feather Hall and responsible for some of the Sect's riskier missions. The injury this time was due to a dispute with the Green Robe Association, who are cohorts with evil spirits.

"Hmph, it's a pity I wasn't decisive enough when I acted. I was injured by an evil spirit…"

As he spoke, Lin Sheng smiled slightly, "Or perhaps, brother, I should let you witness the might of some Inner Sect Absolute Skills?"

"Sure!"

Ning Daoran nodded, grinning.

"Ao~~~"

The Big Stupid Deer grazing also lifted its head and called out, eager to behold the true Absolute Skills of the Chaotic Sect.

Lin Sheng nodded with a smile, took a few steps back, and suddenly his entire demeanor became fierce. A strand of intense spiritual energy rose from around him, and in an instant, Lin Sheng seemed to have transformed into a furnace, significantly increasing the temperature in the vicinity.

"Damn... impressive..."

Ning Daoran couldn't help but exclaim loudly.

The Big Stupid Deer also bellowed in admiration, its face showing awe for Senior Brother Lin's display.

"The True Yang Furnace Technique, an Absolute Skill and True Inheritance of our Sect, can only be cultivated by those who become disciples of the Great Elder, Gongyang Yan."

Lin Sheng said proudly, "Junior Brother Ning, your aptitude is truly not bad. When you break through to the Mid-stage of Qi Refining, consider trying to enter the Inner Sect. I will definitely recommend you."

"Advancing to the Qi Refining Middle Stage is extremely difficult."

Ning Daoran chuckled bitterly, "Senior Brother, if I can advance to the Mid-stage I will definitely come to you... By the way, why doesn't Senior Brother stay for dinner? Compared to my cultivation level, my cooking skills with Old Lu are at least at the Late-stage Qi Refining, or even Qi Refining Stage Perfection."

Lin Sheng readily agreed, "Alright, I'll stay for dinner. Let's have a good time together, brothers!"

For a while, the hut was once again filled with laughter and cheers. The Big Stupid Deer tended the fire while Ning Daoran stir-fried in the iron wok, one delicious dish after another being served, even going as far as to slaughter a chicken from the backyard to improve the meal for their guest.

Of course, being an Inner Sect Disciple with a lofty status, Lin Sheng didn't pay much attention to a mere chicken – it's not as if it were some Demon Blood Food that boosted blood qi.

However, after tasting the first piece of chicken, Lin Sheng's eyes lit up, and he repeatedly gave a thumbs-up.

"Junior Brother, you're too modest. Your and Junior Brother Lu's cooking prowess isn't merely at Perfect Qi Refining. It's practically comparable to Perfect Foundation Establishment, on par with a Golden Core Ancestor!"

"You flatter me, Senior Brother!"

"Ao~~~"

...

After Lin Sheng left, Ning Daoran fell into deep thought.

His apparent speed of cultivation progression was still too fast. It seemed that he should stay at the threshold between the Early Stage and Mid-stage of Qi Refining a bit longer, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention and trouble!