Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Qingfu Square, the largest shop in Yellow Dragon Square, covers several acres. It's said that Qingfu Square conducts extensive business, spreading throughout the Eastern Wasteland Cultivation World.

"This young master."

A young man dressed in simple cloth appeared before him and smiled, "Are you heading to Qingfu Square? The various shops inside Qingfu Square are quite intricate. Does the young master need someone to lead the way?"

Ning Daoran indeed was visiting Qingfu Square for the first time and naturally it would be best to have someone lead the way.

"That would be fine, what is your name?"

He nodded and smiled, "I'm looking to buy some spirit fish fry, do you know where I can find a deal that's both cheap and fair?"

"The servant's name is Zhou Qi. I do know about the spirit fish. The Gao Family Spirit Fish Shop's spirit fish are fatty and tender, and they also sell fry. Please, follow me."

Shortly after, they arrived at a shop within Qingfu Square.

"Yo!"

The shopkeeper was a shrewd-looking middle-aged man surnamed Gao. His eyes lit up when they landed on Ning Daoran's Outer Disciple uniform, and he stood up with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, are you here to buy spirit fish?"

"Hmm."

Ning Daoran handed a silver tael to Zhou Qi, the mortal guide.

Zhou Qi's face burst into ecstasy; as a common person who worked as a guide for cultivators in the market, anyone who could tip a whole silver tael in one go was definitely a big customer.

He bowed over and over again, and soon left, brimming with joy, under the dismissive wave of Manager Gao's sleeve.

"It's not that I want to buy spirit fish."

Ning Daoran's gaze swept continuously over the plump spirit fish in the crystal-clear tank, and after having his fill, he spoke, "Boss, I'd like to buy some fry to breed on my own."

"Oh, fry? Sure!"

In another tank, Manager Gao showcased the large amount of fry he had bred, which included various types of spirit fish.

The fry were not too expensive; ten low-grade spirit stones could buy over ten thousand fry.

"Fellow Daoist."

Manager Gao said with a smile, "These fry are very delicate and can easily die. Do you have a spirit beast bag, Daoist? If you need to travel a long distance with the fry, a spirit beast bag is a must, otherwise, at least half of the fry will be dead by the time you get home."

Ning Daoran smiled slightly, "It seems that you also sell spirit beast bags here, right, boss?"

"Exactly!"

Manager Gao slapped his storage bag on his waist, and several brand-new spirit beast bags flew out, "Spirit beast bags crafted by the masters at Qingfu Square, honest ware, ten spirit stones each."

With his powerful divine sense, Ning Daoran could see at a glance that the shopkeeper's eyes flickered slightly; the actual price of these spirit beast bags was around eight spirit stones each.

He did not quibble, "Alright, I'll take two spirit beast bags and also ten thousand fry, here are thirty spirit stones, you keep them, shopkeeper."

"Good, thank you for your patronage, Fellow Daoist!"

Soon after, Ning Daoran placed over ten thousand fry into the spirit beast bags.

"Fellow Daoist."

Manager Gao spoke again, "The reason these spirit fish are precious is that they're extremely difficult to survive, with high demands for water quality, food, and sunlight. I have a family heirloom 'Spirit Fish Breeding Expert Handbook' here. If you're interested... hand over fifty spirit stones, and I can part with it!"

He wore a look of pain as if the sacrifice was genuine and not an act.

"Oh?"

Ning Daoran looked at the shopkeeper, then chuckled coldly in his heart.

You swindler, selling a worthless book for fifty spirit stones?

Do I, Ning Daoran, need such a breeding manual to raise fish? What a joke. If I want to know what these spirit fish like to eat and their preferred environment, wouldn't I just tame one and ask it directly??

After politely refusing, he left Qingfu Square and returned to Chaotic Sect.

After leaving Yellow Dragon Square, he hung the Peace Token, and sure enough, he encountered no trouble on the way.

...

Wind Stopping Tower.

Foundation Establishment great power Huang Chengyan caressed the plump and glossy Green Bamboo Spirit Rice, squinting out the window.

"Master."

A disciple pushed the door open and entered.

"How did he do?"

"Heh... this Junior Brother is quite interesting. He went to Qingfu Square, bought some spirit fish; it seems he wants to raise fish in the Outer Mountain. However, he didn't wear his Jade Token along the way, only taking it out and hanging it on his waist after he left the market and was on his way back to the sect."

"Heh..."

Huang Chengyan couldn't help but smile, "He is also sensible. It's truly rare to find someone with such an understanding of etiquette and measure. You could learn from this too."

"Disciple is honored by the instruction!"

"By the way, from now on, when Ning Daoran moves around the markets, you guys should keep an eye on him, don't let him be bullied. We of Chaotic Sect cannot be wronged in Yellow Dragon Square."

"Yes, Disciple understands!"

...

Spiritual Field Courtyard No. 77.

A man and a deer once again began their fervent and vigorous work.

Ning Daoran's application for land at the Outer Sect went very smoothly. The Outer Elder responsible for approval skillfully took fifty jin of Second-tier Spirit Rice, and then gave Ning Daoran a knowing look, "Nephew, you're being too modest!"

"What are you talking about, Uncle? As an Outer Disciple Spirit Farmer, isn't it right for me to show my appreciation with a bit of local produce?"

"Ah-ah-ah, you mustn't do this again next time!"

Now, nearly two acres of the backyard had been approved as a fish pond and registered in the Chaotic Sect's land records.

Ning Daoran "by decree" started fish farming, and within a mere three days, relying on his own and Big Stupid Deer's brute strength, they had finished creating the fish pond. They then directly channeled water from the stream on Qiongbi Peak into the pond and introduced the fish fry.

He tamed two of the fish fry, chatting with them every day to understand their routine and planted trees beside the pond to provide shade.

Moreover, the feed for the fish fry was a powder made from grinding First-tier Spirit Rice, and as the fish fry grew a bit bigger, he began to feed them broken rice husks.

Once the Spirit fish grew an inch long, he would throw in the leaves and stems of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice into the pond, utilizing the Spirit fish to further digest the remaining Spiritual Energy – the entire breeding program could be called scientific and reasonable.

The Spirit fish grew day by day, becoming one of the substantial assets of Qiongbi Peak.

Every time Ning Daoran went to the Contribution Hall to receive tasks or asked someone to do something, he would have one or two plump Spirit fish hanging from his waist, and all the Elders, Deacons, and Senior Brothers who saw them would brighten at the sight.

In no time at all, Ning Daoran had gained a sterling reputation in the Outer Sect, with everyone praising the kid for being sensible, noting only that his talent was a bit lacking.

Senior Brother Lin Sheng and Junior Sister Han Bing often came visiting, and whenever they did, they would be served with Spirit fish and Spirit Rice, all local specialties, making them feel somewhat embarrassed.

Once, Lin Sheng even hesitantly shouldered two hundred pounds of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice and left with a long stride, his mouth almost too ashamed to close.

...

Life on Qiongbi Peak was happy and fulfilling.

Time hurried by, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. Ning Daoran, at 27, had been in the Chaotic Sect for seven years already.

Morning.

Ning Daoran woke up from his secret chamber, twenty feet underground, took a deep breath, and felt that the time had come.

He had nearly accumulated forty thousand hours of Refining Time. It was time to take the final step in the Body Tempering Technique!

After all, neither the Evergreen Technique nor the Soul Searching Technique provided a significant boost in Cultivation. Only the Body Tempering Technique could allow him to take another step forward, entering the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, a breakthrough to Late-stage Qi Refining!

No matter how much Spirit Rice he cultivated or how many Spirit fish he raised, these would ultimately have to nourish his own cultivation and strength. Otherwise, they would just be resources on paper, meaningless.

He sat cross-legged, his Spirit Platform clear as he poured Refining Time into the Body Tempering Technique.

[In the 9400th year, you persisted in cultivating the Body Tempering Technique without any change, the more than nine thousand years seeming like wasted effort.]

[In the 17,000th year, you did not want to give up and began using various types of Spirit sand to polish your body, bathing in an iron barrel filled with sharp iron sand, allowing a several-hundred-feet-high waterfall to relentlessly pound your body, issuing a thunderous roar that struck fear into others, but it seemed to be of no use.]

[In the 24,560th year, your Blood Qi began to drain away again, and in an instant, you turned into an old man on the brink of death, your concubines left you once more, you closed your eyes, as if seeing the destination of life, clear in your heart yet helpless.]

[In the 32,400th year, you, about to become a handful of yellow dirt, suddenly opened your eyes. You looked at the sunlight cast on your face through a dense canopy of ancient trees, the leaves were so thick, yet sunlight still found a gap through which to shine; why couldn't you?]

[Suddenly, you grasped that sliver of fate's secret, your vitality nourished in return, and your body instantaneously reverted to a youthful state!]

[Qi Blood 72 Shedding]

[Body Tempering Technique. Lower Grade Yellow (Return to Nature)]

[Qi Refinement Realm (Seventh Layer)]

[Refining Time remaining: 5,433 years]

...

"Sssss~~~"

Wisps of blue smoke rose from Ning Daoran's body as the Body Tempering Technique reached the state of Return to Nature, causing extremely violent changes.

Beneath the skin membrane, crimson Blood Qi flowed like hot magma, muscles became tighter, and with every clench of his fist, strands of Spirit Mastery naturally and densely covered his entire body, his innards filled with explosive power.

Even more bizarre, the moment he operated the Body Tempering Technique's power to Return to Nature, his whole body was covered in layers of golden brilliance – even his hair stood on end and turned into golden locks.

And wisps of tender golden Spiritual Power from the Evergreen Technique rose around him, winding like flames around his body.

"I! Ni! Ma!"

Looking at his reflection in the copper mirror, Ning Daoran felt a strangely familiar sensation...

At this moment, the Body Tempering Technique had reached its peak, and if he continued to use this technique, his body's tempering could no longer improve!

The ultimate tempering brought about ultimate strength. Ning Daoran swung his arm lightly, and right now, the power of one punch was probably at least equivalent to that of an Early-stage Martial Artist in the Condensed Liquid Realm!!

If he added a five-point Strength Talent to the punch, the force would be on par with a Mid-stage Martial Artist in the Condensed Liquid Realm!

What did this mean?

It pretty much indicated that if it came to physical combat, he should have no problem defeating an Early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with three punches.

Of course, this was provided that the other party didn't have a Protective Spirit Artifact or a High-level Protection Talisman. Otherwise, it would be a different story.

In the Cultivation World, fighting and killing did not determine the victor by absolute realm or strength alone, sometimes, being decisive was enough to conquer stronger opponents.

Moreover, there was another significant gain from this cultivation session.

He had broken through to the Late Stage of Qi Refinement!

Qi Refining Seventh Layer – this level of cultivation had caught up with Senior Brother Lin Sheng from five years ago!

And even within the Outer Sect of the Chaotic Sect, disciples in the Late Stage of Qi Refinement were considered precious "gems".

Most disciples would directly enter the Inner Sect upon reaching Late-stage Qi Refining, cultivating in an environment with at least Second-stage Lower Grade Spirit Veins.

As for Ning Daoran, who could grow Second-tier Spirit Rice in the Late-stage Qi Refining, if truly discovered, it was highly likely he would be reported to the high echelon of the Sect and subsequently cultivated with focus.

But Ning Daoran didn't want to stand out too much, as that could result in an untimely end. He simply wished to quietly grow Spirit Rice on Qiongbi Peak.

Therefore, the Concealing Breath Technique was activated.

He still kept his cultivation at the Third Level of Qi Refining.

An Outer Disciple with a Ninth Grade mixed spiritual root, remaining in the Early Stage of Qi Refining after seven years of cultivation – this made perfect sense, and no one could find fault with it.