Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 131: Chapter 120 Grand Ceremony

It is only of reference value!

Liu Suiyun made this judgment with absolute certainty. He hadn't even finished examining the latter parts of the array's formation, just briefly skimmed over them, but even that glimpse was enough to disgust him: "The Nine Sons Purple Carriage River, the Gate of White Bones, the Pool of Flesh and Blood..."

This Xingde Master was undoubtedly a true demonic cultivator, and Liu Suiyun had no intention of walking down that dark path again! After all, he was Liu Suiyun, the Liu Suiyun who excelled at farming—though he had now also learned how to grow tea.

Liu Suiyun decided to abandon Xingde's techniques. To practice his spiritual planting skills, he had opened a small vegetable garden near his bamboo grove, using immortal techniques to cultivate the most common household vegetables. Now, the garden flourished with greenery. He had even transplanted several tea trees into the area.

He mentioned all of this in a letter he had written to Gu Yinghua. After spending a month at Chonghua Peak, Liu Suiyun, feeling confident in his growing proficiency in spiritual planting, had finally finished the letter to inform her of his joy in joining Chonghua Peak.

"Hope this letter finds you well. There's no need to worry about me. I've been at Chonghua Peak for over a month now. My master's wife, Shen Yaqin, though a true celestial talent on the cusp of the Nascent Soul stage, has been very kind to me, often treating me to her treasured spiritual tea. I wonder if you're able to enjoy such fine tea on Lingjing Mountain..."

"My progress in the Extreme Yuan Radiance Thunder Refinement Record has slowed slightly as I've focused on mastering spiritual planting techniques. I should achieve results soon, though I won't neglect my cultivation. I've already reached the eleventh level of Qi Refining. My master's wife has promised to arrange for me to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage soon. How are you doing on Lingjing Mountain? I miss you deeply!"

"...Everything at Chonghua Peak is going well. I've never stayed in such a divine place for cultivation. More importantly, the people here are wonderful. Whether it's Deacon Chu Cangshan or my two senior brothers, they've all been incredibly helpful. Senior Brother Dan Yunping from Baicao Peak and his wife, Gong Yuehua, always welcome me with open arms whenever I visit."

"I've also met with several senior brothers and uncles from other peaks, some of whom are even Golden Core cultivators. They've given me praise that I'm not sure I deserve, and some of their compliments seem exaggerated. If you hear any news about me on Lingjing Mountain, please don't be too surprised!"

"I wonder how you're doing there, and how our little one is? I hope I never catch up to your progress because that would mean everything is going smoothly for you."

"I miss you greatly and hope to visit Lingjing Mountain soon to see you. I wish you all the best."

The flowing thoughts of longing spilled from Liu Suiyun's pen, and by the time he finished the letter, his eyes were misty. He even subtly alluded to Guo Huijun, though without mentioning her by name. After carefully folding the letter, he stored it in a jade slip, planning to find a way to deliver it to Gu Yinghua through his fellow disciples.

Had it not been for the fact that he didn't have Guo Huijun's address, he might have written her a letter as well. He recalled his promise to her: "Don't worry, I'll plant an entire field of red beans on Tianwu Peak!"

Returning to reality, Liu Suiyun picked up the Spiritual Planting Manual that Shen Yaqin had gifted him and began flipping through it aimlessly, yet he still found moments of insight that made him smile. "Alright, this time I must pass my master's wife's test. Even if I don't, even if she strikes my hand with the ruler, I must at least answer one question correctly!"

The thought of failure occasionally spurred Liu Suiyun to work even harder, and he found himself looking forward to the test with growing excitement. "I've made great progress over the past half-month. Even if I perform poorly, I should be able to answer three questions correctly. Maybe then, I can ask my master's wife for leniency..."

As he was daydreaming about the upcoming test, Shen Yaqin's voice called from outside: "Suiyun, hurry up and come out!"

Could she be coming to test him on his tea-growing skills? Liu Suiyun wondered. Usually, he would go to her cave, not the other way around. Without overthinking it, he put away his manual, grabbed his Heavenly Tears Starfall Sword, and rushed out. "Master's wife, I'm here!"

Today, Shen Yaqin was different than usual, her mood brighter, and she had even changed into a new golden robe, her Morning Infant Meteor Crown shining upon her head. Her skin looked even more radiant, and her beauty was beyond compare. Liu Suiyun glanced at her before quickly lowering his head and asking, "Master's wife, are you here to test me? I've been diligently preparing these past two weeks. Please don't go easy on me—I'm ready!"

He spoke with confidence, knowing he had dedicated himself fully over the past two weeks. If, half a month ago, he had merely dipped his toes into the ocean of spiritual planting, now he at least had half a barrel's worth of knowledge. Yet, to his surprise, Shen Yaqin turned and walked away with her sword: "No, we won't be testing your tea-growing skills today! That can wait. Come, your two senior brothers and everyone else are waiting for you!"

Liu Suiyun, who had been about 30-40% confident in passing the test, suddenly felt disappointed. He had placed such importance on this test, even slowing his progress in the Extreme Yuan Radiance Thunder Refinement Record, only for Shen Yaqin to unexpectedly postpone it.

Curious, Liu Suiyun asked, "Master's wife, why aren't we doing the test today? I was feeling confident."

"My good child!" Shen Yaqin gently patted Liu Suiyun on the head, her sleeve of gold threads shimmering like a mountain of riches. Liu Suiyun didn't dare look at her for long and lowered his head again. Shen Yaqin explained, "I know how dedicated you've been, but today your master has come out of seclusion!"

"My master?" Liu Suiyun couldn't help but smile. "Master has come out of seclusion!"

During his month at Chonghua Peak, Liu Suiyun hadn't seen his master even once. He had only heard stories from his senior brothers and Chu Cangshan about his master's remarkable feats. Even disciples from the outer peaks, including some Golden Core cultivators, spoke of their master with the utmost respect.

Apparently, his master was a once-in-several-centuries genius in the Shenxiao Sect, with a talent that might even surpass many of the legendary ancestors. His senior brothers had told him that their master had cultivated for less than two hundred years yet had already reached the peak of the Golden Core stage. This time, his seclusion was aimed at forming a False Nascent Soul. Although not a true Nascent Soul, it still granted him many of the powers of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Thinking of Yunpeng and Zongyun Elders, who had been stuck at the early Golden Core stage for three to four centuries, Liu Suiyun couldn't help but marvel at his master's achievements. His master had already reached the pinnacle of the Golden Core stage, standing on the very edge of the Nascent Soul realm.

And that wasn't even the limit of his master's potential. Chu Cangshan had confided that, in another thirty to fifty years, his master would likely break through to the Nascent Soul stage and might even reach the realm of the Primordial Spirit—a level that represented the absolute peak of all cultivators under heaven.

Though such lofty stages were beyond Liu Suiyun's comprehension, he knew one thing for certain: his master's wife, Shen Yaqin, was already an immortal beauty with incredible powers, far beyond his imagination. Yet his master, who had always outpaced her in cultivation, was even more formidable.

The only downside was that despite his master's astonishing level of cultivation, his presence at Chonghua Peak was faint. It was Shen Yaqin who guided and instructed Liu Suiyun, his senior brothers, and most of the other disciples. His master rarely involved himself in their affairs, delegating major matters to Shen Yaqin and minor ones to Chu Cangshan. Many had been on the peak for decades yet had barely spoken a few words to him.

Even Chu Cangshan, his master's own nephew and the steward of Chonghua Peak, hadn't had much interaction with him. During his master's seclusion, Chu Cangshan had been the only one permitted to meet with him every few days or even weeks, merely exchanging a few words each time. The messages that Chu Cangshan brought out from his master rarely contained more than sixty or seventy characters.

In Liu Suiyun's mind, his master held far less weight than his master's wife.

Nevertheless, the fact that his master had come out of seclusion was a significant event. Liu Suiyun immediately asked, "Master's wife, has Master broken through the False Nascent Soul stage? Does that mean we now have a quasi-Nascent Soul cultivator on Chonghua Peak?"

"Yes!" Shen Yaqin's mood was jubilant. Liu Suiyun had rarely seen her so meticulously dressed in the past, and she was smiling from ear to ear. "Your master had a smooth breakthrough this time, and his cultivation has entered the False Nascent Soul stage. I had my doubts when we returned from Lingjing Mountain and he went into seclusion, but now that he has succeeded, Chonghua Peak will rise higher.