Chapter 45: Qi Condensation Stage
Upon entering the Qi Condensation stage, Li Fan felt the earth-shaking changes in his body.
The spiritual energy surged and circulated within him, silently improving Li Fan's slightly aging body.
The subtle wrinkles on his face disappeared, and his skin became smooth once again.
Long-lost vitality emerged within Li Fan as if he had returned to his youth, brimming with boundless energy.
He was rejuvenated, and his physique was greatly strengthened.
Most importantly, Li Fan could now manipulate the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth.
He controlled the spiritual energy, transforming it into various shapes.
However, for now, he could only manipulate the spiritual energy based on instinct. To use the spiritual energy more efficiently, he would need corresponding techniques.
After some experimentation, Li Fan dispersed the spiritual energy in his hand and focused on the interface of [Truth].
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Qi Condensation Initial Stage
Physical Age: 47/199
Mental Age: 510/2169↑
After breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage, Li Fan's maximum lifespan reached the limit of 199 years.
The Five Spirit Qi Sensing method mentioned that although the lifespan of cultivators far exceeded that of ordinary people, it was significantly suppressed compared to ancient times.
The maximum lifespan of a Qi Condensation stage cultivator was no more than 200 years.
Even Foundation Establishment stage cultivators could only live for another 100 years at most before nearing the end of their lives.
Only by achieving the Golden Core stage and glimpsing the laws of heaven and earth could their lifespan dramatically increase, reaching around 500-600 years.
In contrast to physical age, there was little increase in mental age.
There was almost no significant change.
After all, Li Fan had already greatly increased his mental age through cultivating the Venerable Heart Refinement Mantra previously, so he was not particularly surprised.
Next, Li Fan took out the Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra from the Tai Yan Boat.
He had obtained this Nascent Soul stage technique from Kou Hong a long time ago but had been unable to examine it due to a lack of spiritual awareness.
However, he had been keeping it in mind all this time.
Now that he had finally entered the Qi Condensation stage, Li Fan was eager to know its contents.
"'Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra', a Nascent Soul stage technique. Current number of practitioners: 0."
He picked up the jade slip, and the instructions for the technique naturally appeared in his mind.
Li Fan knew that this was also a change that occurred with the advent of the Heavenly Tribulation which banned multiple practitioners of the same cultivation technique.
Sensing the jade slip with his spiritual awareness, countless words and images surged into Li Fan's mind like a tide.
The first time he read the jade slip, Li Fan felt a bit unaccustomed.
He felt like a lot of information had been forcibly stuffed into his brain, causing a slight headache.
Fortunately, his spiritual awareness was much stronger than that of an ordinary Qi Condensation stage cultivator, and he quickly adapted, returning to normal.
He focused his mind and carefully examined this technique.
After a long time, Li Fan finally had a rough understanding of it.
The Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra is a technique practiced by the ancient Tianji Sect.
In ancient times, they emphasized the unity of heaven and man.
The Tianji Sect believed that all things in the heavens and earth, just like humans, had their own thoughts.
These thoughts were difficult to perceive through ordinary means.
However, just as a person's killing intent would permeate the air when they had murderous thoughts, all things in the heavens and earth would also emit a trace of aura from time to time.
When the heavens emitted killing intent, there would be events like the withering of all things or the shifting of stars.
When the earth emitted killing intent, there would be events like vast changes in the sea or the rising of dragons and beasts.
By capturing and refining the various auras of heaven and earth, one could trace back to their origins, resonate with them, and achieve a state of unity.
The Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra was a technique that sensed and refined these auras to use for oneself.
Once the technique was perfected, not only could it utilize the killing intent of the heavens and earth to harm others, but it could also deduce and predict the future by using these auras.
This technique is very powerful, but practicing it is also very dangerous.
The will of heaven and earth is immense, and even a slight aura stirred up by it is thousands of times more than that of a cultivator.
Casual contact with it can easily be injured by the aura itself.
It might even unknowingly assimilate a person, turning them into a puppet of the will of heaven and earth.
Therefore, when practicing this ancient technique, the Tianji Sect would not choose to refine the aura of heaven and earth directly. They would instead seek alternative methods.
They would nurture their own killing intent, extract vitality from living beings, and refine the aura from certain spirits of heaven and earth...
They would gather countless auras, conceal themselves, and thus achieve the goal of confusing the heavenly will and refining the will of heaven and earth.
In theory, when this method is perfected, one can merge with heaven and earth and become one with the Dao.
Unfortunately, this is only a theoretical possibility.
In reality, even with these clever methods, practicing the "Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra" is extremely difficult.
The ancient Tianji Sect, with a heritage of thousands of years, had tens of thousands of cultivators who practiced the "Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra."
But the highest level attained was only the Nascent Soul realm.
Even back in those days, this was the case. In the present cultivation world, where malicious intent from the heavens and earth was everywhere, higher realms were even less optimistic.
However, Li Fan didn't have to worry too much about the risks of practicing this technique, thanks to the assistance of [Truth].
After a moment of contemplation, Li Fan decided not to rush into choosing his main cultivation technique.
He could go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Island first to see the specific situation of the current cultivation world and then make a decision.
So, Li Fan came to the central formation on Liuli Island, intending to visit He Zhenghao.
As soon as he arrived at the formation, he noticed that several servants had been waiting for him for a long time.
Guided by the servants, Li Fan met He Zhenghao again.
At this moment, he was not on the previous towering mountain but instead on a very ordinary small mountain.
In the midst of the surrounding mountains, it was inconspicuous.
He Zhenghao was currently sitting in a small pavilion at the top of the mountain.
"I just noticed some unusual spiritual energy fluctuations on the island and knew that you had made a breakthrough," He Zhenghao said, looking at Li Fan with a pleased expression. "Although it took a bit long, you finally broke through."
"I have to thank Senior for guiding me," Li Fan said politely.
"It was just a small favor." Feeling the slight increase in his cultivation within his body, He Zhenghao smiled and said, "You came to see me to go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Island, right?"
"Exactly. I have no worldly concerns, so I can set off at any time," Li Fan nodded.
"Good, in that case, follow me."
He Zhenghao appeared in front of Li Fan with a flash and grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't struggle."
He Zhenghao's voice came into Li Fan's ears, and Li Fan released the protective aura that had spontaneously formed around him.
Led by He Zhenghao, Li Fan rose into the air and flew towards the sky.
The speed was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, he passed through the sea of clouds and arrived above the mountains.
"Lead!"
He Zhenghao formed a seal with one hand and pointed towards the continuous mountains below.
After a moment, countless peaks in the field shot out white light, converging in front of He Zhenghao to form a huge ball of light.
"Open!"
He Zhenghao pointed upwards.
The ball of light accelerated sharply, following the direction pointed by He Zhenghao, shooting straight up.
In an instant, a beam of light that pierced through heaven and earth was formed.
It slammed into the sun above.
The surface of the sun distorted for a moment, then split into two halves.
In the middle, a portal was formed.
"Let's go!"