Chapter 11 Perils of the Cultivation World (Thanks to the Alliance Leader Han Ye and Scholar Alliance Leader Qin Yun!)

"Ow~~~"

Big Stupid Deer trotted off to stir-fry some dishes, not for any other reason but because within the entire Chaotic Sect, only Lin Sheng, the senior brother, would call him "Junior Brother Deer."

This address, "Junior Brother Deer," could make Big Stupid Deer happy for half a year; it really needed a sense of belonging.

"Congratulations, senior brother, your True Yang Furnace Technique is about to reach Small Accomplishment!"

While serving food, Ning Daoran inquired about the secrets of the higher tiers of the cultivation world, "By the way, I only know of the entry-level, small accomplishment, great success, and perfect as the four realms of mastery for a cultivation technique. Are there any levels beyond that?"

"Junior brother, you've asked the right person."

Lin Sheng laughed heartily after downing a cup, "Back when I had just successfully become an apprentice, the master got drunk and bragged to us a bunch of disciples about this matter.

Generally speaking, the depth of mastery in cultivation techniques only includes what you've mentioned, but in the face of talent, the barrier of perfection can also be broken. Beyond perfection, there are two more realms!"

He held out his cup with an air of utmost caution.

Understanding the cue, Ning Daoran picked up the jug and filled it up, raising his eyebrows, "Senior brother, please go on."

Lin Sheng laughed, "The first realm above perfection is called Transformation Realm. Those who can cultivate a technique to the Transformation Realm are truly dragons among men.

However, there is another realm above the Transformation Realm, called Return to Nature!

Using master's words, to achieve perfection in a technique is the creator's limit, while Transformation represents a step further, even surpassing the blue from which it came.

As for Return to Nature, that's even more mystical. Master said that those who can cultivate a technique to Return to Nature are the peerless talents of the cultivation world, for it represents the true limit of that technique, achieving the ultimate unity of heaven and man."

"Amazing..."

Ning Daoran sincerely admired, it seemed his guess had been correct, beyond the transformation realm of the Body Tempering Technique there was indeed another realm, Return to Nature!

If the transformation realm was already so powerful, wouldn't Return to Nature be invincible?

As long as he could survive, quietly farming in the mountains for years, he could easily cultivate the Body Tempering Technique to Return to Nature and become the first in the history of this technique.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

...

Lin Sheng was a rough man and didn't notice so much. In a low voice he said, "Junior brother, take this Spirit Nourishing Pill and go into seclusion for a month to try. If you can break through the bottleneck and enter the middle stage of Qi Refining, I guarantee you a place in the Inner Sect!"

"Cough, cough, let's talk about that later... I am not very confident in my own talent, and entering the Inner Sect means undertaking various perilous missions. I worry that I..."

"Hmph!"

Lin Sheng lifted his eyebrows slightly and said, "Junior Brother Ning, this is not right. How can we cultivators have such hesitations on the path of immortality?

You must know that the heavens have never shown any pity to us mortals. Since ancient times, all cultivators have defied the heavens. Only by striving against the current is there a chance for a glimmer of hope. If you just go with the flow, you're destined to remain a mortal all your life!"

He seemed somewhat disappointed, "I won't repeat these words to you again, to avoid harming the harmony among brothers."

"I understand."

Ning Daoran nodded, "Senior brother is looking out for me, I appreciate it, but everyone's path is different, and I hope senior brother can understand that too."

Lin Sheng felt somewhat disheartened, felt he had behaved improperly, drank a few more cups, and then left.

...

One clear morning.

On the second-floor balcony of the 77th small courtyard, Ning Daoran drank a cup of tea, feeling very cultured and refined.

Beside him, Big Stupid Deer was also sitting in a chair, holding the tea and took a sip, lightly calling out to indicate that the tea tasted somewhat bitter.

Ning Daoran had a new idea, he decided to cultivate the Rain Transformation Technique.

Now that he had been part of the sect for two and a half years, on the surface, he had cultivated from the first level of Qi Refining to the third layer, a pace that was not overly "courageous and diligent." Such a cultivation speed was quite common among the Outer Disciples.

And having grown Spirit Rice for two and a half years, he was innately talented on the path of Spirit Plant cultivation, and it seemed quite reasonable that he accidentally cultivated the Rain Transformation Technique to the fourth layer.

Therefore, he spent a little more than three hundred years of Refining Time, and easily cultivated the Rain Transformation Technique to the fourth layer.

The fourth layer of the Rain Transformation Technique allowed him to plant Second-order Green Bamboo Spirit Rice; this was his true aim.

Now that spring was in full bloom, the Spirit Rice planted last year was ready for harvest, and it was just the right time to plant the Green Bamboo Spirit Rice this year. However, he needed to go to the Contribution Hall to register and collect the Green Bamboo Spirit Rice seeds.

"Old Lu, let's go out!"

The duo set off towards the Main Peak, greeting the various brothers and sisters they passed along the way, showing signs of an excellent social standing.

The hall.

"Qiongbi Peak, Spirit Field number 77, Ning Daoran..."

A white-bearded Outer Sect Deacon frowned in disbelief, "You're saying you've cultivated the Rain Transformation Technique to the fourth layer and can plant Second-order Green Bamboo Spirit Rice?"

"Indeed."

"Show me a demonstration."

"Yes, Uncle!"

Ning Daoran gently waved his hand, and immediately, a wisp of azure water-cloud danced between his fingers, utterly gentle and mystical.

"It's indeed the fourth layer of the Rain Transformation Technique!"

The Deacon was overjoyed, "Young fellow, how did you manage to cultivate the Rain Transformation Technique to the fourth layer in a little over two years?"

"I am not quite sure myself."

Ning Daoran scratched his head somewhat puzzled, saying, "I just focus on the Spirit Field every day, and before I knew it, my use of the Rain Transformation Technique became more and more skilled, and I advanced to the fourth layer."

"It seems you truly do have a gift for Spirit Plant cultivation. Alright, how many Green Bamboo Spirit Rice seeds are you requesting?"

"Twenty pounds?"

"Granted!"

The Outer Sect Deacon waved his pen, and Ning Daoran carried his twenty pounds of seeds back to Qiongbi Peak.

...

Soon after, in the Outer Sect Hall.

"Ning Daoran... the Rain Transformation Technique, fourth layer..."

An Outer Sect Elder grinned, "It seems we in the Outer Sect have found a treasure. There's no doubt we have a talented individual gifted in Spirit Plant cultivation. Elder Xu, you must have missed seeing this at the beginning."

The Elder named Xu Ning couldn't help but let out a sneer, "Just a mere Spirit Plant Man, even if he has talent in this path, what use is it? He's still just a stepping stone for others."

The many Elders chuckled lightly and didn't say much more.

Chaotic Sect Master Peak, Purple Cloud Peak.

At the entrance of the Sect Master's Cave Mansion.

A woman in a white, simple, and elegant long dress stepped out of the cave mansion. She was stunningly beautiful with a celestial bearing, not only was her face extraordinarily lovely but her full, supple curves were apparent. Her pair of jade legs were smooth and slender. This was Jiang Yu, the Chaotic Sect's Sect Master and currently the only one in the sect at the Golden Core Stage.

Compared by generation, Jiang Yu was actually the junior of three Inner Sect Elders, but on the day her Gold Core reached Great Success, she was appointed by the previous Sect Master as the new Sect Master, since then presiding over Purple Cloud Peak.

"Sect Master."

An Outer Elder handed over a register and said, "The Spirit Field Department of the Outer Sect has gained another Spirit Plant Man capable of cultivating Second-tier Spirit Rice with the Fourth Layer of the Rain Transformation Technique."

"Oh?"

Jiang Yu replied indifferently, "Martial Uncle Huang, although our Chaotic Sect's Spirit Field Department isn't too large, aren't there at least a dozen people who can cultivate Second-tier Spirit Rice? What's so peculiar about that?"

"Reporting to the Sect Master, this youngster has just entered the Sect two years ago and is only twenty-two years old."

"I see."

Jiang Yu glanced at the register, "Ning Daoran, Outer Disciple, Ninth Grade Mixed Spirit Root, Third Level of Qi Refining..."

She suddenly lost interest and said, "Since he has talent in the path of Spirit Plant cultivation, let the Outer Sect afford him some convenience. It's good to let people play to their strengths. If he needs anything for his cultivation, we can also provide some convenience. Chaotic Sect does not mistreat disciples with talent, even if it is just a talent for farming."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

...

Spirit Field number 77.

Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer were already working with great zeal.

After harvesting all of the three acres of Spirit Rice outside, they burnt the rice straw, ploughed and loosened the soil, and then began to cultivate the seedlings of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice. These seedlings were extremely precious and delicate, hence constant care with the Rain Transformation Technique was a must.

Fortunately, Ning Daoran had truly achieved Great Success in his Spirit Plant cultivation skills and executed every step meticulously.

Of course, he closed off the Grass and Tree Holy Spirit status while planting, as the external Spirit land could not grow Spirit Rice blessed by the Grass and Tree Holy Spirit.

One year he forgot to close it off and had to uproot everything overnight.

No matter, caution was the only concern.

Several days later.

The other fields too were bright green throughout, and everyone had harvested a season of Spirit Rice and planted new seedlings.

On the field ridge, Old Lu lamented on his own.

"Old Lu has something on his mind?"

Ning Daoran passed by with Big Stupid Deer.

"Nothing much."

Old Lu said with a smile, "Just that as my years increase, there's no sign of breakthrough in my cultivation. I thought rather than exhausting my life span and sitting around, I might as well make a final effort. Perhaps I can enter the Mid-stage of Qi Refining and have a glimpse of what the scenery is like in that stage."

Ning Daoran was momentarily speechless. What kind of scenery is there in the Mid-stage of Qi Refining?

"Fellow Taoist Lu also harbors this intent?"

The voice of Xin Yan came over as he was rolling down his trousers, "Recently, I have also been feeling anxious and lacking a suitable Magic Artifact to advance my cultivation. I heard the prohibitions in Nansong Secret Realm have shown signs of loosening recently, and many Loose Cultivators at the Early Stage of Qi Refining plan to join forces and explore. Does Fellow Taoist Lu wish to join?"

"I indeed have this intention!"

Old Lu pondered and turned his gaze to Ning Daoran, "Fellow Taoist Ning, you have an extraordinary talent, yet have been stagnating at the Third Level of Qi Refining for over a year. Would you consider going together?"

"I'll pass, best of luck to you both," said Ning Daoran with indifference.

Exploring secret realms... unless absolutely necessary, it was something he would definitely avoid.

Two months later.

Xin Yan and Old Lu left Qiongbi Peak together, seeking their fortunes in the outside world.

It suddenly became a little bit quieter. Thankfully, Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer made a racket every day, keeping Qiongbi Peak lively.

...

Half a month later.

News came from the Outer Sect, Old Lu had perished during his travels and never returned.

The person who brought the news to the Outer Sect was Xin Yan. Old Lu met with disaster when venturing into the secret realm, accidentally entering a deadly miasma and dying within it without even a corpse to bring back.

Under the old banyan tree and on the large stone slab.

Zhao Lichen brought this news to Ning Daoran and others before departing.

Granny Yun Cui's face was expressionless. Such was the fate of a Loose Cultivator, and there was nothing to complain about.

Zhong Yan pursed her red lips, secretly relieved that her Taoist couple, Xin Yan, was safe.

It didn't take long for Xin Yan to return.

"Fellow Taoist Ning!"

Xin Yan forced a bitter smile. "Old Lu... he's not coming back."

"Right."

Ning Daoran was calm, "It's a pity, Elder Lu was quite a good person..."

"Yeah..."

After a short conversation, Xin Yan left holding hands with his wife.

However, in the moment he embraced his wife, the hilt of a purple short knife tucked into his belt under his long robe was inadvertently exposed.

"..."

Ning Daoran fell into silence.

The cultivation world is indeed fraught with danger!