Chapter 302 - 268: Cultivation and Debt Repayment Plan
After nine days, Jiang Yuebai finally completely refined the Green Cicada Mother Coin under Wenn Miao’s protection, and only then did she ask three questions. Wenn Miao had the White-Tailed Phoenix Lord grab her by the back of her collar and throw her out of Heavenly Leisure Peak.
The message paper crane released by Qii Ming flew around her. Jiang Yuebai took it down and saw that the invitation for True Monarch Cang Huo had already been sent out. He had recently been on Heavenly Hero Peak, teaching his newly accepted students.
Throughout the Heavenly Interence Sect, True Monarch Cang Huo has the most disciples.
Jiang Yuebai stood up and patted her butt, conjured the Taihe Umbrella into an Immortal Crane, and leisurely set off towards Heavenly Hero Peak.
On the way, Jiang Yuebai examined her dantian internally. Besides the Water Dao Platform, the other four Dao Platforms already showed signs of transformation.
White vine entwined the Wood Dao Platform, blazing flames danced on the Fire Dao Platform, a sandstorm raged within the Earth Dao Platform, and a totem of the Green Cicada Mother Worm appeared on the Gold Dao Platform.
She had completely absorbed the Golden Spiritual Qi from the Green Cicada Child Coin, tempering her body from the inside out. Now, even if a strand of her hair or flake of skin falls off, with just a thought, it would fly back by itself, just like how the Green Cicada Larvae seek the Green Cicada Mother Worm. Without the thought, they would remain fallen.
Each of the four Dao Platforms possesses the spirituality of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. Jiang Yuebai was wondering if she could use this spirituality for artifact refining. She didn’t aim for creating an Innate or Acquired Spiritual Treasure, but just a Spiritual Artifact unique to her would suffice.
It would usually be nurtured on the Dao Platforms, somewhat resembling a Lifebound Magic Treasure, but not truly a Lifebound Magic Treasure.
"The ancestor said there’s a method, I’ll know if it works after asking True Monarch Cang Huo."
Jiang Yuebai sped up, eager to meet True Monarch Cang Huo.
She glanced at the Immortal Cultivation Panel again; her Talisman Making, Alchemy, Array Dao, and Puppetry Path had all reached the seventh grade, and could not improve further in the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Spells require gradual, consistent practice and cannot be rushed; the priority now is the enhancement of her Main Cultivation Technique.
[Name] Jiang Yuebai
[Cultivation] Late-Stage Foundation Establishment
[Cultivation Technique]
Fire Refining Sky Secret Scripture Foundation Establishment Chapter (Seventh Layer: 390,000/700,000)
Although the Green Cicada Flying Coin is a gold-attribute spiritual object, apart from the special Golden Spiritual Qi within it, the rest is pure Spiritual Energy that can be used to cultivate the Fire Attribute Cultivation Technique.
Jiang Yuebai found it wondrous herself; how could this kind of Spiritual Energy be without attributes? Was it that in the ancient era, all Spiritual Energy was like this?
"Judging from this, the seventh layer is 700,000, the eighth layer is 800,000, the ninth layer is 900,000. Reaching Peak Foundation Establishment would still require 2,000,000 skill level. Calculating ten years, she would need to increase her skill level by at least 550 daily, approximately requiring five to six Grand Circulations, roughly three hours."
If a Water Spirit Object could be found, the time could be reduced by at least one-third, but Jiang Yuebai dared not have such extravagant hopes now. Her focus remained on converting her own water spirits.
Jiang Yuebai took out her small notebook and, using a charcoal pencil, wrote down a title line.
[Cultivation and Debt Repayment Plan]
First, practice three hours daily!
Passing by Heavenly Killing Peak, Jiang Yuebai saw Xie Jingshan, Hee Wangchen, Song Zhi’ang and several other Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Disciples gathered on the lower square watching the Heavenly Interence Sect battle rankings.
Jiang Yuebai lowered her altitude and saw from afar her name shining at the top of the Foundation Establishment Stage battle rankings.
[Foundation Establishment Stage Battle Rankings: Jiang Yuebai, Tang Weimian, Xie Jingshan]
Xie Jingshan shouted from within the crowd, "The battle ranking must be broken. Jiang Yuebai is just at the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, and she hasn’t fought any other rankers since returning to the sect, yet she’s ranked first?"
"I broke through the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment three months ago and learned a new sword technique. Except for Senior Sister Tang, there’s no opponent for me within the Foundation Establishment Stage of Heavenly Interence Sect, and I’m only ranked third?"
"Just watch, I’m going to challenge Senior Sister Tang now, and then it’s Jiang Yuebai’s turn next. Previously because she had a higher cultivation than me, she got smug, but now with equal cultivation, she’s definitely not my match!"
Xie Jingshan rolled up his sleeves, and Jiang Yuebai raised an eyebrow.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Xie, you’ve finally broken through."
Jiang Yuebai’s voice came from mid-air. Below, all heads were raised in unison, watching her seated elegantly on the elegant back of an Immortal Crane. Her black hair was flowing, her gaze lowered and sweeping, exuding a spiritual aura that drew admiration.
"You! How come you’ve reached Late-Stage Foundation Establishment again!? Did you take an Immortal Pill again?"
Xie Jingshan looked at Jiang Yuebai, dumbfounded. Only then did everyone notice the spiritual light emanating from Jiang Yuebai, her aura so abundant that even calling her a Peak Foundation Establishment wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
The crowd was astonished; not only Xie Jingshan, but Song Zhi’ang, who had also recently broken through to the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, was similarly struck.
Xie Jingshan and Song Zhi’ang both have single spiritual roots, and their cultivation speed is actually not slow, faster than the average for single spiritual roots by two to three years.
But compared to Jiang Yuebai... It’s still not enough.
Only Hee Wangchen was indifferent, merely gazing obsessively at Jiang Yuebai seated on the Immortal Crane, "Senior Sister Jiang’s Immortal Crane is so beautiful, I want one too."
"If Junior Brother Xie wants to challenge me, feel free to come anytime. I’ll be off now, junior brothers and sisters～"
A crane’s cry resounded, the Immortal Crane stirred up dust on Xie Jingshan’s face, and Jiang Yuebai smiled with a blink, riding the crane away.
Within half a day, news of Jiang Yuebai reaching Late-Stage Foundation Establishment spread throughout the Heavenly Interence Sect, and it wasn’t just Xie Jingshan who felt like crying; everyone suddenly realized what the "cry" in Heavenly Cry Peak was referring to.
Jiang Yuebai stayed half a day on Heavenly Hero Peak, getting a satisfactory answer from True Monarch Cang Huo.
True Monarch Cang Huo could help her find materials, and then ask True Monarch Fuyi to design arrays. Some magic treasures could be refined for her to nurture in her dantian, slowly infusing them with spirit, and during Core Formation, temper them with Heavenly Tribulation. They might become something resembling a Lifebound Magic Treasure.
Success wasn’t guaranteed, but there was a chance, and Jiang Yuebai was willing to try.
Of course, True Monarch Cang Huo had a condition.
He wanted Jiang Yuebai to challenge the Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivators of Heavenly Sword Peak at least once a month and make them all cry, using the cultivation techniques he taught.
For the sake of a Spiritual Artifact, Jiang Yuebai gritted her teeth and accepted, adding another item to her small notebook plan.
[Make Heavenly Sword Peak Cry]
Afterwards, Jiang Yuebai visited the Inner Affairs Hall, Ten Thousand Laws Hall, Dharma Hall, Library, and finally returned to Huaxi Valley.
After leaving Huaxi Valley, she locked herself in a separate courtyard on Heavenly Cry Peak for three days straight, crafting a three-year cultivation and debt repayment schedule.
Luckily she could multitask, otherwise without delaying cultivation, it would’ve been impossible to repay her debt in three years.
As the Golden Crow rose, Jiang Yuebai had set her teaching schedule for the next three years at the Outer Sect Dharma Hall three days prior.
"Repaying debt begins at the Dharma Hall."
Jiang Yuebai adjusted her attire, taking with her the ’Spiritual Tree Grafting Atlas’ she would glance at during lecture and the cultivation technique given by the Supreme Elder, heading towards the Outer Sect Dharma Hall in advance.
Meow～
Danggui meowed at the door, and Jiang Yuebai smiled, "You want to attend the Dharma Hall lectures too? Then come along."
Meow meow!
Danggui happily leapt into Jiang Yuebai’s arms, constantly rubbing her with its head.
Heavenly Full Peak, distant mountains, and close ridges shrouded in mist.
Still that great hall, and that square; even the meditation mats outside seemed never to have been replaced.
Only an old tree, once shattered by a fireball from Xie Jingshan, had grown new branches, vibrant with life. Danggui jumped from Jiang Yuebai’s arms, and with a few leaps, climbed onto the tree to a secluded spot, sitting and grooming its paws and face.
Jiang Yuebai arrived early, and the square was empty; the Dharma Hall hadn’t opened yet.
She looked at the rows of neat meditation mats inside the hall, suddenly recalling her younger self.
When she first came to the Dharma Hall, she had vowed passionately that she would one day sit inside and attend the lectures.
Time flies, making the constellations shift.
Twenty years later, today she not only could sit inside, but also on the seat her master once occupied.
Passing on the flame, so it is.
Jiang Yuebai took out her Journal Jade Scroll and noted a line inside.
[Goat Year, March 21, the day of the Spring Equinox]
She suddenly felt that becoming a preacher was an honor and deeply satisfying.
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