Chapter 53 Cultivating Acquired Qi in the Kunlun Marsh

"That swordsman must be an ancient monster."

Chen Zhi'an bolted all the way back to Sunan Prefecture, returning to the small courtyard on Qihuang Street, before finally feeling a lingering wave of fear.

That mountain peak was precipitous, with a waterfall blocking the path. Though he had been able to sit safely at the summit, the swordsman seemed to have completely merged with the waterfall, the mountain peak, and the surrounding wind, leaving Chen Zhi'an entirely unaware of his presence.

"However, this senior should have no ill intentions, and even guided me to收敛 (restrain and conceal) the acquired breath upon this stone."

Chen Zhi'an knew that the senior was aware of his collection of the acquired breath, yet his heart remained untroubled. For a figure of such caliber to look right at such a dense concentration of acquired breath with indifference—even failing to command cultivators below the Innate realm to harvest it—was proof enough that he did not care for this acquired breath at all.

"Acquired breath is priceless yet unavailable; some people will tear each other apart for a single wispy strand, while others care nothing for it at all."

Chen Zhi'an let out a long breath and took out the stone to examine it closely.

The snow-white stone now showed no unusual traits whatsoever. Only when Chen Zhi'an infused it with true essence could he perceive the surging acquired breath contained within.

"The acquired breath within this stone is likely far heavier and more immense than what Sifou Gui and Jiang Taiping obtained combined."

"The only question is, how should such a treasure be used?"

Chen Zhi'an blinked, then put the stone back into his Chenglu Ring.

Yet a moment later, he took the stone out once again. Following a gentle shift of his consciousness, the starlight of Nan Liujing flowed, and his conscious avatar appeared within the Kunlun Marsh.

Inside the Kunlun Marsh, the spiritual Qi of Kunlun was misty and rising, drifting upward like curling wisps of cooking smoke, lending this vast marsh an aura of profound mystery.

Chen Zhi'an squatted in the Kunlun Marsh, his palm gently brushing over the Kunlun spiritual Qi. The Qi felt exceptionally warm and mellow to the touch.

"Acquired breath possesses a spirit of its own... Could I plant the acquired breath into the Kunlun Marsh?"

Prompted by this sudden whimsical notion, the stone in Chen Zhi'an's hand within the Qihuang Street courtyard vanished abruptly, reappearing directly inside the Kunlun Marsh, buried deep within the Kunlun spiritual Qi.

Chen Zhi'an's eyes lit up. "If something can actually be grown from this, wouldn't I become invincible?"

He closely observed the stone bearing the acquired breath, sensing that the spiritual Qi within the Kunlun Marsh was continuously gathering toward the stone and being absorbed by it.

Immediately afterward, Chen Zhi'an noticed that the acquired breath inside the stone seemed to have increased by a minuscule amount.

Had he not been inside the Baiyujing—where every tiny change could not escape his perception—such a microscopic alteration would surely have been undetectable even with true essence probing.

"Even if nothing can be grown, it's already a good thing that the acquired breath can slowly increase. If it grows by a fraction every day, by the time I need to use it, it should have multiplied significantly."

"Besides, my cultivation remains weak. Even if the Kunlun Marsh cannot grow acquired breath right now, once my cultivation advances further and the Kunlun spiritual Qi grows sufficiently dense, perhaps I truly will be able to cultivate such treasures."

Filled with anticipation, Chen Zhi'an stood up and looked around.

Then, he noticed that within the hazy void of the Baiyujing, more than a dozen strands of Yujing Qi had appeared, wandering through the empty space.

"Indeed, as my cultivation advanced from the True Essence Wonderful Tree to the True Essence Fruiting, my true essence increased vastly, and these strands of Yujing Qi within the Baiyujing have also increased by over a dozen."

Pondering this, Chen Zhi'an attempted to direct these dozen-plus strands of Yujing Qi toward the [Qingshan Tower], hoping to open the first floor and allow himself entry to inspect what mysteries were hidden within this pavilion capable of seeing through weapons and armor.

Unfortunately, the infusion of a full ten strands of Yujing Qi into the Qingshan Tower was like a stone sinking into the sea—yielding no response whatsoever, and the Qingshan Tower remained completely unchanged.

"It seems ten strands of Yujing Qi are far from enough. This Qingshan Tower has a total of seven floors; I wonder what such profound secrets are hidden inside."

Chen Zhi'an shifted his gaze to the [Mingjing Tower]. The remaining six strands of Yujing Qi fell entirely upon the Mingjing Tower, and he saw the surface of the bright mirror hanging above the pavilion ripple as if water had been poured into it, the surface shimmering with light.

However, the six strands of Yujing Qi barely raised the water level to one-third of the bright mirror.

"It seems using the Mingjing Tower to search for treasures and opportunities requires twenty strands of Yujing Qi."

"I have already reached the perfection of the True Essence realm. I need only to attune to my Niwan Palace and nurture divine essence with my soul to fully step into the Divine Essence realm."

"Divine essence governs true essence, refining it to the absolute ultimate degree, allowing it to penetrate pores and every tiny drop of blood to thoroughly temper the entire body, while further sublimating true essence to make it even more formidable."

"By then, I imagine I will be able to manifest dozens more strands of Yujing Qi."

"So once I reach the Divine Essence realm, I will be able to use this Mingjing Tower once more, perhaps even two or three times."

With these thoughts, Chen Zhi'an's consciousness was about to leave Baiyujing to resume practicing the *Baiyu Cicada Molting Chapter* so he could transform into a cicada-molting white jade as soon as possible and advance to the [Divine Essence] realm.

Just at that moment, however, he saw Old Huangliang sitting cross-legged within the Kaiyang Que, gazing from afar at the vast Baiyujing.

The Baiyujing was under Chen Zhi'an's control; Old Huangliang could only see what Chen Zhi'an permitted him to see.

He could see the vast Kunlun Marsh, the radiance emitted by Nan Liujing, and the hazy mountain peaks, but he could neither see the numerous medicinal herbs planted within the Kunlun Marsh nor Chen Zhi'an standing right there within it.

After a moment of thought, Chen Zhi'an's figure vanished from the Kunlun Marsh and reappeared inside the Kaiyang Que.

Today, Old Huangliang had unusually forsaken his usual suit of armor, wearing instead a circular-patterned long robe. The fabric could not be called fine, but it had the virtue of being neat and smooth.

He noticed Chen Zhi'an's arrival in the Kaiyang Que.

Having the foundation of their previous conversation, Old Huangliang did not keep people at a distance; he even took the initiative to turn his head toward Chen Zhi'an and ask, "How is your practice of the *Baiyu Cicada Molting Chapter* coming along? Have you managed to cross the threshold?"

Chen Zhi'an nodded gently and answered truthfully, "I have already cultivated it to the second level."

Old Huangliang turned his head slightly, recalling once again that this Chang'an traveler had only practiced the *Twelve Levels of the Northern Departure of the Eight Capitals* for the very first time and yet ascended straight to the twelfth heaven.

Advancing to the second level of the *Baiyu Cicada Molting Chapter* in a mere dozen or twenty days hardly seemed astonishing by comparison.

Yet he still couldn't help feeling a tinge of envy, sighing, "Youth is like the newborn sun; even practicing martial arts is more ardent than the setting sun."

Chen Zhi'an couldn't help his curiosity. "Though I do not know Senior's cultivation realm, your casual guidance alone has benefited me immensely, meaning your cultivation must be formidable. Whether one is young or old can hardly matter to a true powerhouse anymore."

"I have heard that those in the Creation realm can live for two hundred and forty years... If one can truly live through two hundred and forty springs and autumns, the difference between twenty years of age and one hundred years old ceases to be very significant."

"Cultivation is inherently an act of defying the heavens." A trace of desolate melancholy flashed across Old Huangliang's eyes. "Judging by the rate of physical aging and visceral decline, let alone the Creation realm, even an Innate realm cultivator is likely capable of living for over two hundred springs and autumns."

"Yet the operation of the Heavenly Dao has its own laws. Innate cultivators and Yujing cultivators equally experience the exhaustion of true essence and the onset of aging; when Creation cultivators reach the end of their lifespans, they too suffer the five signs of decay: their garments become soiled, the flowers on their crowns wither, sweat pours from their armpits, their bodies emit a foul odor, and they find no joy in their seats."

"Thus, for cultivators below the Creation realm, living a hundred and twenty years is already considered longevity, while those in the Creation realm attain lifespans of two hundred and forty years—something countless cultivators look upon with envy."

"However... a lifespan of two hundred and forty years does not mean one can actually live through two hundred and forty springs and autumns. Creation cultivators frequently contend against the Heavenly Dao; embroiled in opportunities, they are equally burdened by injuries from calamities, and too many wounds shorten one's life just the same."

"Calamities invariably provoke battles, and battles between Creation-realm figures often overturn mountains, divide seas, and obscure the cosmos. Once defeated in such a conflict..."

"Therefore, the number of Creation cultivators who actually live out their natural lifespans is, in truth, very small."

Speaking slowly, Old Huangliang revealed a fragment of the truth regarding lifespans, after which a flicker of reverence crossed his eyes.

"That is why the youngest Creation powerhouse in the world, the master of the Tianren Temple, wishes to carve a single character 'See' on the Ninth Stele. He desires to perceive the truth of heaven and earth within the Heavenly Dao, to unravel the threads of the Dao so that cultivators may age naturally rather than through the forced imposition of the Heavenly Dao."

"Perhaps by then, Innate realm cultivators will be able to live for three hundred years, Yujing cultivators for eight hundred years, and Creation cultivators for as long as two,400 years."

"Even ordinary people who merely refine Qi and nourish breath to strengthen their bodies should be able to strive for a longevity of eighty or ninety years."

At this, Old Huangliang drew a deep breath. "Yet wanting to perceive the truth of heaven and earth is a long and arduous road; I suppose I shall never live to see that day."

Chen Zhi'an lowered his head in silent contemplation. Indeed, as Old Huangliang had said, though there were countless cultivators in this world, he had never heard of any immortal who never grew old, nor any emperor who never died.

In this world, for an ordinary person to reach the age of eighty was still considered longevity, and reaching ninety made one a rarity.

"Senior need not grieve. Judging by your appearance, you actually look somewhat younger than when I last saw you; you must have gained something here within the Kaiyang Que."

Chen Zhi'an was not flattering him; looking closely at Old Huangliang, there was indeed a healthier glow to his face compared to before.

Though Old Huangliang's presence in the Kaiyang Que was merely a divine essence avatar, a divine essence avatar was precisely what best reflected one's spiritual and physical appearance.

"I have indeed gained something." Old Huangliang nodded gently, a rare smile touching the corner of his mouth. "This Baiyujing is truly a place where longevity may be attained; it has yielded me immense harvests."

"Speaking of which, I am rather ashamed of myself... Huangliang has grown old, yet heavy burdens still rest upon my shoulders. I do not fear death, but I fear that before I die, I shall fail to complete the unfinished work of my predecessors and let down my clansmen."

"Because of this, I have not looked in a mirror for many years, unwilling to witness my own aging."

Chen Zhi'an raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and said, "Senior is clinging to appearances. Though my cultivation is weak, I know that only when one's thoughts are unhindered can the path of cultivation proceed smoothly."

"As the saying goes: *My phantom self and the ink painting drift together, turning to dust as they flow through the world.*"

"If one cannot accept the reality of their own aging and obsesses over it constantly, leaving the mind blocked, how can one ever hope to live long?"

Perhaps due to the inherent mysticism of the purple Qi and the Yellow Court within Baiyujing, Chen Zhi'an had merely spoken a very simple principle, yet it caused Old Huangliang to lower his head in thought for several long breaths.

"Bearing a heavy responsibility, I gazed solely toward my distant homeland and unconsciously bred inner demons... Chang'an traveler, though your cultivation is weak, you are young and, standing outside the situation, are all the clearer for it."

After a long silence, Old Huangliang's eyes flickered. "*My phantom self and the ink painting drift together, turning to dust as they flow through the world*—even if I could truly live for two,400 years, I would ultimately end up as a handful of loess. Why should I dwell on it so heavily?"

Thinking for a moment, Chen Zhi'an reached out, and his hand suddenly held a unique brush, various pigments, and a supported stretch of thick white canvas.

Chen Zhi'an mixed the pigments and painted with intense focus. Old Huangliang glanced at him, a trace of timidity flashing in his eyes, but he immediately straightened his back and stood proudly at a distance.

About an hour later.

Chen Zhi'an put down his brush and turned the canvas around.

Then, Old Huangliang beheld himself portrayed upon the canvas.

His brow betrayed exhaustion, yet his gaze still retained a sharp brilliance; his skin showed faint wrinkles, yet he possessed an unmistakable, blazing majesty!

Old Huangliang reached up to touch his own cheek.

He was not as old as he had imagined himself to be.

"Extremely well painted... What did you use for pigments? The colors are so rich, and the likeness is uncanny." Old Huangliang inquired.

Chen Zhi'an replied, "These are self-blended pigments. The Baiyujing changes according to one's will, which saves me the trouble of mixing them."

A smile appeared on Old Huangliang's face. "I love this painting dearly, but it is a pity it cannot be taken out of this Baiyujing."

Chen Zhi'an smiled. "There is plenty of time in the future. Perhaps one day, you and I will meet in reality, and when that time comes, I shall paint another portrait for you."

Old Huangliang nodded deeply.

Suddenly recalling the acquired breath, Chen Zhi'an asked, "Senior, if I were to obtain a wisp of acquired breath, how should I use it to advance my cultivation and elevate myself?"

"If you have no need for stronger weapons or mysterious treasures of the Daoist gate, the best use for it is naturally alchemy..." Old Huangliang answered casually. "However, acquired breath is rather unstable and cannot come into contact with Innate Qi or the genuine breath of the Dao, placing extremely high demands on the alchemist. Ordinary alchemists would likely only squander such acquired breath."

"The wondrous uses of acquired breath are boundless. You have yet to condense your divine essence; if you were at the True Essence realm and could consume a pill refined from a wisp of acquired breath, you would likely step into the Divine Essence realm instantly, and it would also have a profound effect on your innate constitution."

Chen Zhi'an committed this firmly to memory.

Old Huangliang looked him up and down and suddenly said, "You are a man of the Southern Kingdom. In the imperial capital of the Great Yu, Xuantian Capital, I have an old acquaintance who is thoroughly versed in the Dao of alchemy."

"Though we have severed contact for thirty years, if you ever have need of alchemy, go seek him out."

"You needn't say much—just tell him... that you are the descendant of the saddle-hanging scout with markings on his feet."