I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 171: Chapter 169: Survival Comes First_2

"Elder, this is this year's new tea for you to taste."

"Good, good!"

Zhou Yi took a sip, and strands of pure fire spirit energy flowed through his viscera and meridians, part of it tempering his physical body and part transforming into mana.

In the Cultivation World, the disparity in resources is like heaven and earth. With the full support of a Nascent Soul ancestor, even a mortal can reach the peak of Foundation Establishment. However, forming a Golden Core is somewhat difficult; even with the strength of the Dan Ding Sect, it's hard to gather ten types of spiritual objects for Core Formation.

"I have just left seclusion and heard that quite a few people have earned enough merit points by refining the Treasure Cauldron?"

"Indeed, that's what happened. The Sect has already exchanged most of the Foundation Establishment Pills, with a portion still reserved for those with superior spirit roots."

Shi Bin nodded in response, "Recently, this disciple has been pondering that we should temporarily close the exchange of Foundation Establishment Pills and at the same time reduce the Treasure Cauldron rewards to prevent merit points from becoming too inflated!"

"The Treasure Cauldron is related to the foundation of our sect, it must not be reduced!"

Zhou Yi waved his hand, and more than twenty pill bottles fell: "Not only must the rewards not be lowered, but they should also be increased by fifty percent. Take all these Foundation Establishment Pills, come find this Elder when they are used up. You may take one pill for yourself as a reward from this Elder. Work hard in the future!"

After refining the Black Tortoise Armor, there were few in the world who could injure Zhou Yi. He could be more open in his actions, and mere Foundation Establishment Pills would not attract the covetousness of Nascent Soul elders.

Shi Bin simply refrained from bending down, directly kowtowing thrice and bowing nine times: "Thank you, Elder Tang. This disciple would go through fire and water and die without regrets!"

"As for the inflation of merit points, there's no need to worry; these Spirit Ginseng can be exchanged for consumption…"

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then poured out bundles of Spirit Ginseng from his storage bag, ranging from a hundred to five hundred years in medicinal age, with a rich medicinal fragrance spreading throughout the Dharma Lecture Hall.

Spirit Ginseng is an extremely common spiritual medicine, with many potency-increasing elixirs adding it to enhance their efficacy.

Shi Bin's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of so much Spirit Ginseng. If taken as daily meals, even a pig could pile up to Foundation Establishment.

"Elder Tang's heartfelt generosity, this disciple celebrates for the sake of our fellow disciples' Daoist paths and the Sect's prosperity!"

"Learn less flattery and focus more on your cultivation."

Zhou Yi found it very comfortable to listen to and appreciated Shi Bin's conscientious work, saying, "Since I joined the sect, I have been busy with seclusion and refining treasures and have not yet fulfilled my duties as an elder. Go inform the disciples that from now on, at the end of each month, I will teach and resolve doubts for a day in the Dharma Lecture Hall."

Teaching and resolving doubts is an essential part of the sect's inheritance. Many problems that take loose cultivators years to ponder can be clarified by seniors of the sect in just a few words.

To save time wandering on detours is to increase cultivation as much as possible and raise the chances of Foundation Establishment and Pill Solidifying!

Shi Bin asked, "May I ask what cultivation level or how many merit points are required to qualify for Elder's teachings?"

"No conditions are required, as long as people can come," Zhou Yi replied.

Zhou Yi didn't have much attachment to the Earth Fire Palace, but he was not stingy with giving back some benefits. Moreover, by enhancing the cultivation of the workers, they could serve him better both mentally and physically.

Mutually beneficial acts are not exploitation!

Shi Bin was moved beyond words, feeling that Elder Tang was magnificent and was about to continue flattering when he looked up and realized that Elder Tang had already disappeared.

"Elder Tang really keeps his word; everyone thought that the Foundation Establishment Pills were just empty talk!"

After pondering for a moment, he conveyed everything that Elder Tang had said and done today to Feng Yang, and soon a jade slip with a message flew back.

"Dedicate your heart and soul, no need for further contact!"

...

Ten days later.

End of the month.

Dharma Lecture Hall.

In the dead of night, disciples sneak over, trying to occupy front-row seats in the dark, regardless of whether they understand or not, one must observe a Golden Elixir True Monarch's teachings up close.

As a result, upon entering the hall, they found all the meditation cushions occupied, with disciples sitting around every corner and edge.

"Hiss! When did you get here, Brother Yu?"

"After yesterday's lecture by True Person Zhai ended, I didn't leave. It's just a night's wait!"

This disciple looked carefully around and saw every floor tile was taken, with many fellow disciples bringing their own cushions. Having no choice, he went outside and took the best position next to the entrance.

"Next time Elder Tang teaches, I will reserve a seat two days in advance!"

As time passed, the disciple became proud again, for superiority comes from comparison.

Outside the Dharma Lecture Hall, the plaza was filled with disciples before dawn, some of whom, with ample wealth, spent Spirit Stones to try for better positions. Further away were the other palaces, where disciples sat on rooftops, respectfully waiting for Elder Tang's arrival.

It was nearing noon.

Seventy percent of the Earth Fire Palace's disciples had arrived, the remaining thirty percent were either in seclusion, occupied with duties, or not at the sect.

A streak of Escape Skill light descended, and Zhou Yi sat cross-legged on the Dharma Lecture platform.

Preceptor of Discipline was the first to stand and bowed deeply, "Greetings to Elder Tang!"

"Greetings to Elder Tang!"

Over two thousand disciples bowed in unison, their voices thunderous like a mountain roar and ocean waves, clearly admiring Elder Tang for his selfless teachings.

"I shall start my lecture on the subjects of Qi Refinement at the first level…"

Zhou Yi had lectured for several years at the Dan Ding Sect, during which he had focused on the essence of Lightning Method, greatly welcomed by the disciples. However, the situation in Earth Fire Palace was different, with the gap between the disciples being wider than that between top students and underachievers.

To talk again about the essence of Lightning Method, it was estimated that eight or nine out of ten disciples would be confused and clouded, so he decided to start from the very basics.

This also showed that Zhou Yi was serious: skyscrapers rise from the ground. The Qi Refinement disciples who listened had their foundations strengthened, and even those at the Foundation Establishment level could gain something from it.

"Take the basic Five Element Cultivation Technique as an example. When Mana flows through the meridians, pay attention to the following checkpoints... When Mana converges into the Dantian, there are the following issues one must avoid in cultivation…"

"These are just the basics, which can minimize the loss of Spiritual Energy and protect against the hazards of Mana surges and stagnations harming the Dantian and meridians…"

Zhou Yi had just begun to speak about the first level of Qi Cultivation, and many disciples showed disappointment on their faces. However, as time passed, each of them was riveted, not daring to miss a single word.

Among them were disciples with high comprehension who started to adjust their cultivation paths following Zhou Yi's teachings, enhancing their efficiency of Spiritual Energy refinement by more than ten percent.

Do not underestimate a ten percent increase; over a hundred years of cultivation, that saves ten years. Moreover, faster progress at one stage leads to speedier advancements at subsequent stages. Foundation Establishment at the age of one hundred is not as promising as success at eighty or ninety.

What Zhou Yi taught was not uncommon in Dan Ding Sect; disciples could grasp the subtleties of Mana cultivation just by browsing through the classics left by their predecessors. However, in the impoverished Eastern Sea, where sects were frequently annihilated and rebuilt, such teaching was an unprecedented inheritance.

This was the depth of heritage of a large sect, already far surpassing the smaller sects and factions in seemingly inconsequential details!

Meanwhile.

Inside the Mysterious Fire Hall.

Feng Yang deployed the aural light technique, which showed the Dharma Lecture Hall where Zhou Yi was divulging the subtle tricks to break through from the first to the second level of Qi Cultivation.

"With such profound knowledge, Elder Tang is certainly not a Loose Cultivator. He is likely a true disciple of some major sect, hiding in the Eastern Sea out of fear from the battles between good and evil!"

"Ah, oh, hmm!"

Sect Leader Yuan Qi bowed and stood by, unconsciously responding to his master's words, though his mind was mostly absorbed in listening to the lecture.

Feng Yang shook his head slightly, refraining from rebuke, and used a spell to record everything Zhou Yi said into a jade slip, which would become part of Earth Fire Palace's heritage.

"Elder Tang is truly a blessing for Earth Fire Palace. That fellow Wan Bao was too proud; if he knew of today's events, he would be green with regret. Dan Ding Sect would offer the Nascent Soul secret manual. However, this kind of inheritance, crucial for the disciples' continuity, will not be easily revealed!"

Through the aural light technique, Zhou Yi's words continued to be heard.

"…Today's lecture on the cultivation from the first to the second level of Qi Cultivation ends here. You all go back and ponder it well."

"Next, I will discuss the Light Body Skill combined with body talismans, and in concert with the Qinggong of ordinary people, suitable for early-stage Qi Cultivation disciples to escape when they cannot win a fight.

As long as the opponent is not a Foundation Establishment True Monarch, even if faced with a complete Qi Refinement, there is a fifty to sixty percent chance of escaping with your life!"

Zhou Yi had lived for eight hundred years, and the skill he had contemplated the most was not the Lightning Method but escape spells.

In the early and middle stages of Qi Cultivation, Mana is weak, and the speed of artifact flight is far lower than running wildly on the ground. In the Eastern Sea, it was even more suitable, and sticking on an water-avoidance talisman could also reduce the power of the pursuer's spells.

"The priority of the Immortal Way is survival, meaning one can only aspire to immortality by staying alive!"

"Therefore, in my opinion, escaping is far more crucial than fighting. Mastering a superior escape spell is like a stairway to the Immortal Path…"

Zhou Yi spoke at length, instilling in the disciples of Earth Fire Palace the idea of survival and self-preservation being paramount, radically different from the sect's traditional emphasis on loyalty and sacrifice.

Many disciples blushed as they listened, feeling that Elder Tang was too timid, yet also finding his words sound!

Feng Yang appeared astonished, sighing helplessly.

"Letting Elder Tang join the sect, I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse!"