Cultivation: Being Immortal

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Chapter 10: Mid-Stage Qi Refining At first, Lin Jiang didn’t take Lin Ying’s words seriously, thinking, how much can two Shadiao eat? But a year later, when the two Shadiao started molting, their appetites grew dramatically. One Aurora Falcon could eat four to five kilograms of jerky in a day, even more than Lin Jiang himself. And if they weren’t fed enough, they would go to the fish pond and catch fish. One Silver Light Fish was worth fifteen spiritual beads, while a Silver Arrow Fish was worth thirty spiritual beads. Even with a slight lapse in attention, they could snatch away several. Lin Jiang felt so heartbroken that he would grab them and give them a good beating. After getting beaten a few times, they realized they couldn’t catch fish in the pond anymore, so they started causing trouble for the tenants in the estate by harming their poultry, such as chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits. Lin Jiang was fair-minded and had to compensate the tenants for their losses. After a year and a half, the Aurora Falcons grew new feathers and learned how to fly. Their predatory nature was fully exposed, and they could even hunt the goats on the ranch. Lin Jiang could hardly afford to feed them anymore, so he had to teach them how to hunt and harm the wildlife in the mountains. “Sixth Brother, these two Aurora Falcons have become mythical creatures already. They should be at the lower first-grade level, similar to cultivators in the early stages of Qi Refining. If Sixth Brother trains them well, they will be able to assist you in future battles.” When Lin Die and Lin Ying returned to Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa, Lin Die looked up at the flying Aurora Falcons and remarked that she didn’t expect Lin Jiang to have such patience and actually raise the Aurora Falcons. “I hope so, but they eat too much. One Aurora Falcon can eat about ten kilograms of fresh meat a day. If I have to feed them completely, I really can’t afford it. They can eat a whole Iron-backed Pig in seven or eight days, and even that isn’t enough for them.” “Hehe, brother, now you understand the importance of listening to the advice of elders and avoiding immediate losses, right?” Lin Ying put her hands on her hips and said in a bossy manner, “I’ve been telling you this for a long time, but you didn’t listen. Whose fault is it?” “So now I’m training them to hunt for their own food. The pressure is okay, and besides, I’m not poor anymore. This year, I developed fifty acres of spiritual land and plan to grow medicinal herbs with others.” Lin Jiang shrugged and pursed his lips. He didn’t regret it. Although these two fellows ate a lot, they also brought him a lot of joy in the past two years and made his boring life more exciting. “Can mortals like you cultivate spiritual herbs on your ranch?” “Yes, I asked the elders in the tribe. I only plant the lower-grade Yellow Shoot Grass instead of high-level spiritual herbs. I harvest once a year, and from one acre of land, I can earn around three pieces of spirit stone.” Lin Jiang continued, “I have plenty of spiritual land. The area of Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa is very large. Within a radius of thirty li, it’s all my territory. According to the elders, based on the spiritual veins of Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa, I can develop two thousand mu of spiritual land.” However, Lin Jiang didn’t have enough manpower. Thirty mu of spiritual land was the limit for the current estate. If there was more, they’d have to squeeze the tenants like crazy. Lin Jiang was not that ruthless yet. Yellow Shoot Grass was one of the main ingredients of the Qi Gathering Pill. It had a guaranteed market. Besides the seeds, Lin Jiang didn’t spend any money on other materials. The income of three pieces of spirit stone per acre was a conservative estimate. “Elder Huang in the family is a first-grade premium Spiritual Farmer. You should consult him and learn from him. If you succeed, your income can increase significantly. The higher your cultivation level, the more spiritual stones you need for your practice.” “I know that.” Lin Jiang nodded. Currently, he earned a little over five hundred spirit stones per year, but his expenses were actually quite low. He barely used money on his basic needs. The only thing he spent money on was buying Qi Gathering Pills. However, Lin Jiang was too laid-back. He only practiced for two and a half hours a day. It took him three days to refine one Qi Gathering Pill, and then another three days to cleanse the impurities in his body. So, he only needed around five pills per month. One Qi Gathering Pill cost only two spirit stones. His annual consumption was only a little over a hundred spirit stones, so he could save money. “When you reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining, you can buy some Energy Nourishing Pills to strengthen your foundation. Combined with Qi Gathering Pills, it will greatly improve your progress. Your cultivation speed is too slow.” Lin Die thought for a moment and said, “Lin Jiang is 38 years old and only at the third level of Qi Refining. He is the slowest in the Lin family in terms of cultivation speed. Little Nine is also five years younger than Lin Jiang and has already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining.” “Third Sister, the most important thing in life is to be happy. If practicing cultivation doesn’t make me happy, then what’s the point of doing it, right?” “You have been protected by the family too well.” Lin Die said. Lin Jiang’s primary focus in life was happiness, but hers was not. Just like Lin Batian, her top priority now was to ensure the safety and prosperity of the Lin family, to continue its legacy forever. “For the country’s life and death, we bear the responsibility of passing on the family legacy.” Lin Jiang had this sentence flash through his mind, but he didn’t say it out loud. He quickly changed the topic. Every time they talked about cultivation, Lin Die always had a resentful attitude towards him, and Lin Jiang didn’t really like it. He knew Lin Die was looking out for him, but Lin Jiang had his own plans. His cultivation talent was poor, so he should focus on long-term planning. There was a saying, “Haste makes waste.” If he became too impatient and rushed things, it would only lead to his aversion towards cultivation. He didn’t know if he could improve his cultivation speed, but he was certainly afraid of losing control. Lin Jiang really liked this kind of life now. No pressure, just spending each day practicing cultivation, tending to the fields, and feeding the birds. It was peaceful, and there was no risk of losing control. ······ Elder Huang had been specially invited by Lin Batian as a Spiritual Farmer. Though his cultivation level was not particularly high, he possessed extensive knowledge and expertise in cultivation techniques. The four primary techniques in cultivation were Pill, Talisman, Item, and Formation. However, other techniques, such as spirit animal control and spiritual plant cultivation, were also crucial. Initially, alchemists sourced spiritual herbs from the wild. However, the limited availability of wild spiritual herbs soon became insufficient for cultivators’ growing demands. Thus, the profession of Spiritual Farmers emerged, specializing in the cultivation of spiritual herbs and other essential resources for cultivation. A proficient Spiritual Farmer was no less esteemed than an alchemist of the same level. In fact, due to their rarity, their status was sometimes even higher. Lin Jiang aspired to cultivate spiritual herbs in the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa and therefore required the expertise of a Spiritual Farmer. Consequently, he returned to his sect and sought Elder Huang’s guidance to learn the art of spiritual farming. Lin Jiang deeply valued knowledge and skills. Although Elder Huang had generously agreed to teach him, Lin Jiang remained diligent and made every effort to learn. Every morning, he respectfully greeted Elder Huang, served him meals at noon, and hosted evening banquets, offering fine wine and exquisite dishes in an effort to show his appreciation. This sincerity moved Elder Huang. Not only did he impart his knowledge wholeheartedly, but he also personally visited the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa to train the tenants, teaching them how to cultivate Yellow Shoot Grass. After more than half a year of dedicated effort, Lin Jiang finally mastered the cultivation of Yellow Shoot Grass. By his fortieth year, he successfully harvested his first batch. That year, the income of the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa surpassed seven hundred spirit stones, bringing immense joy to Lin Jiang. Another joyous event followed. In his forty-first year, Lin Jiang finally advanced to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, reaching the fourth layer. His rapid progress was largely attributed to the high-quality Qi Gathering Pills he had been purchasing from Anhua City over the past few years. Although they were expensive, their effectiveness was significantly superior. With sufficient wealth, Lin Jiang had been consistently using the pills from Anhua City. Reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refining was a major milestone in the cultivation world. At this level, cultivators could harness their spiritual power to fly on swords and cast spells, no longer relying on mundane techniques for combat. Lin Jiang dedicated a month to practicing swordsmanship until he attained proficiency. Then, he took his flying sword and headed for the Lin family mountain gate, covering a distance of 800 miles in just over two hours. “On the left, there’s Big Shadiao, and on the right, Small Shadiao. Stepping on the flying sword, whee!” Big and Small Shadiao soared alongside Lin Jiang, swiftly reaching the Lin family mountain gate. Lin Jiang could no longer afford to make a fool of himself before Lin Batian. His past shame as a member of the Lin family was widely known. This time, he had come solely to visit his dear mother. Zhuang Rong, his beloved mother, was nearing sixty. She had remained at the ninth level of Qi Refining for many years and had long lost interest in further cultivation. Well, that was simply how things were. In recent years, Lin Jiang had been actively searching for a partner. The Lin family had introduced him to several women, including female cultivators from allied families. He had already been on over ten blind dates. However, Lin Jiang always managed to ruin them. While finding success in blind dates was difficult, sabotaging them was effortless. With his rugged and imposing demeanor, he could easily frighten away most women. In this world, Lin Jiang had no real desire to marry. He could not bear the thought of witnessing his wife and children grow old and die while he remained youthful. To him, such an experience would be the cruelest thing imaginable. Thus, he chose to avoid it altogether. As for physical needs, they were easily met. Many servants in the manor were eager to offer their daughters to him, but Lin Jiang had no interest in them. On occasion, he would simply spend money for an “hour-long romantic encounter” with a female cultivator. “Mom, I’ve come to see you.” Arriving at Zhuang Rong’s courtyard, Lin Jiang casually sat before her. Over the years, Zhuang Rong had lost some of her youthful allure but had grown into a dignified and elegant woman with an air of nobility. Yet, she had not aged at all. She meticulously cared for her appearance and regularly consumed Appearance Fixing Pills to maintain the look of a woman in her thirties. “Why are you so sweaty, child? Come, let me wipe your sweat.” “Mom, I’m forty-one now. I’m not a child anymore.” “No matter how old you are, you’re always my child, dear.” “Mom, I came today to discuss something important. I want you to move to the estate so I can take care of you.” “Um…” “Mom, you hardly have anyone to talk to now. Lin Ying is often in seclusion or away on missions for the Lin family, sometimes disappearing for days or even weeks. Mom, it must get lonely here. If you move to the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa, I can be by your side every day.” Lin Jiang spoke sincerely. Zhuang Rong had long withdrawn from palace intrigue, realizing she could never compete. Lin Batian had a main wife who had been with him from the start, along with younger and more beautiful concubines. Zhuang Rong had no chance of winning favor. In the past, Lin Ying had kept her company. However, in recent years, Lin Ying had become increasingly occupied. As one of the few Foundation Building Stage cultivators in the Lin family, she had critical responsibilities. Sometimes, she would go into seclusion for cultivation. Other times, she would embark on missions. She rarely visited the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa anymore. This left Zhuang Rong feeling somewhat lonely. Lin Jiang, on the other hand, genuinely wished to care for his mother. He was not an ungrateful son. He understood Zhuang Rong’s kindness toward him. His father, on the other hand, barely visited once a year and had no emotional bond with him. Thus, Lin Jiang was determined to bring Zhuang Rong to the Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa, ensuring that she could spend her remaining years in peace and comfort. Translator: Volume 2 has been translated and published on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3Ut5NRt).