Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Of course, the fact that Li Ji'an is now able to successfully draw a near Tier Three Illusion Talisman is due to his magical cultivation finally breaking through to the Late Foundation Establishment stage six months ago.

Given the whole Cangyun State, he could barely be considered a great cultivator.

Since entering the Middle Foundation stage at the age of fifty-two, it has taken twenty-three years to advance further.

His magical power has become considerably more substantial, and with the assistance of the Magical Refilling Pill, he managed to draw a near Tier Three Illusion Talisman.

"It's a pity that the magical power at the Late Foundation stage still isn't enough to draw a true Tier Three Talisman!" Storing the near Tier Three Illusion Talisman away, Li Ji'an slowly adjusted his breath.

He possesses materials for a Tier Three Talisman and had intended to attempt drawing a true Tier Three Spirit Talisman upon breaking through to the Late Foundation Establishment stage, but it seems he's still insufficiently capable.

However, he had already consumed two Blood Burning Pills, advancing his Rejuvenation by over twenty years. Unless absolutely necessary, he did not wish to expend any more at this time.

Fortunately, the Celestial Cyan Domain had been relatively calm for the past five years, and no one had sought him out.

But now, Du Haizang's vitality had reached its limit, and despite his Second Tier Physician's skill, he could no longer sustain him.

This needed to be resolved.

That day, Li Ji'an reestablished the Spirit Pet Contract with Gugu, instructing Gugu to swallow Du Haizang into its belly, then quickly flee towards the Great Marsh Mountain Range.

Over a month later, Gugu emerged from a dense forest to the west of the Great Marsh Mountain Range.

The eastern part of the mountain range was nearly flattened by cultivators of the Celestial Cyan Domain and had become a thoroughfare. Demon Beasts within had long vanished, mostly escaping to the western side of the mountains.

This location, deep and lush, was rarely traversed by humans, and traces of Demon Beasts were evident everywhere.

In order to match Du Haizang's strength, once Gugu appeared, it proceeded deeper until, half a month later, it reached the lair of a Late Second Tier Blood Wolf King.

Though the Wolf King was only at the Late Second Tier, it traveled in packs, and an ordinary Late Foundation Establishment cultivator would hardly survive being targeted by it.

Gugu spat out Du Haizang, and placed three objects from Du Haizang's storage pouch—half of a skeleton, a Black Water Jade Bottle, and a Moyu—around him, then burrowed underground to wait.

Soon, following the scent, the Blood Wolves discovered Du Haizang and instantly devoured him.

Once Gugu's sensing confirmed Du Haizang to be truly dead, Li Ji'an recalled Gugu.

From then on, Li Ji'an increased his visits to Pill Cauldron Peak.

At the same time, communications with Qin Henian became more frequent.

A month later, more bad news emerged from the main peak of Biyun Sect; yet another True Inheritor's Soul Lamp was extinguished.

Furthermore, it was said that several major Sects, even disciples from the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, had also perished.

Afterwards, from Master Jade Pill, it was learned that border tensions had changed again. It started a month ago when, one day, the Golden Puppet Holy Monarch from the Corpse Puppet Sect abruptly entered the Celestial Cyan Domain. Luckily, the Nascent Soul True Monarch from the Ten Thousand Laws Palace sensed it, and the two sides confronted each other for several days. Ultimately, the Ten Thousand Laws Palace did not back down.

Upon hearing this, Li Ji'an heaved a long sigh of relief.

Throughout this month, he had maintained keeping Blood Burning Pills at hand, ready to swallow one for instantaneous Rejuvenation at the slightest sign perceived in the Sea of Consciousness.

Referencing the principles of the Blood Burning Pill, he also invented a small technique in recent years that could rapidly deplete his own Life Essence Blood to achieve early Rejuvenation.

More than a month later, the Celestial Cyan Domain saw some anonymous bounties emerging, all published by intelligence organizations.

The rewards were substantial, starting at a minimum of ten thousand Spirit Stones.

The targets were clear—all Demon Cultivators within the Celestial Cyan Domain.

Soon, various Demon Hunting Squads were formed, searching everywhere for traces of Demon Cultivators.

For a time, the Domain became bustling.

In just a year, five Late Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators were eliminated.

The intelligence organizations publicly issued the bounties, attracting widespread envy.

Initially, most Demon Hunting Squads were composed of Late Foundation Establishment cultivators, but after a year, squads led by Mid Foundation cultivators, gathering a dozen or so Early Foundation individuals, emerged, attempting to win through numbers.

Moreover, during this year, cultivators within the Domain gradually noticed that the Law Enforcement Cultivators of the Ten Thousand Laws Palace and major Sects were turning a blind eye to these operations.

However, participation was strictly forbidden within the Sect.

Almost none from the Fake Pill Clans joined, with the majority participation coming from Loose Cultivators.

Li Ji'an lived alone on Spirit Peak, often reading the Imperial Gazette, growing concerned as the external situation intensified.

Possessing the miraculous Rejuvenation, allowing him to accumulate lives endlessly, naturally suited him best to a prosperous, stable environment.

If the larger environment descended into chaos, his risk with each Rejuvenation would increase.

Nevertheless, something like Du Haizang's incident was unavoidable; extending five years was already his best effort.

In the days following, Li Ji'an reduced his outings further. Even the spirit talisman deliveries to the Si Shui Commerce Association were extended from an original yearly schedule to every three years.

In the blink of an eye, six years passed again.

That day, Li Ji'an sorted and collected spirit talismans for delivery once more to the Si Shui Commerce Association.

Upon leaving Biyun Sect, he encountered many Demon Hunting Squads along the way.

The number of Demon Hunting Squads had greatly swelled, and according to the Imperial Gazette, through these years of development, former Demon Hunting Squads had somewhat deteriorated.

Many operated under the guise of demon hunting while engaging in acts of oppression.

For several years, some Demon Cultivators perished annually, with certain teams receiving bounties.

Li Ji'an had learned from Du Haizang that a total of forty-nine Demon Cultivators had infiltrated, and counting Xue Ling'Er and Du Haizang through the years, there were thirty-two known dead, leaving seventeen remaining.

"Stop!" As he was nearing Celestial River Immortal City, Li Ji'an happened to see a group of Demon Hunting Squad members intercepting a male and female cultivator pair ahead.