'The Century Fire Spirit Honey is a success!'
Feeling the fire spiritual energy on the honey—so dense it was nearly turning back into a liquid state—Qi Ping felt immense joy. The day he had been longing for had finally arrived!
From the moment he obtained the Li-Fire Crow and the Fire Spirit Grass nearly a month ago, Qi Ping had been planning for this day. It had taken a long period of nurturing and complicated research and experimentation to finally produce this portion of Century Fire Spirit Honey.
Today was the day! The day he would help the Li-Fire Crow return to the peak of the first rank and uncover the secret beneath the Blood Ginseng patch! He had prepared everything else. Once the digging began, he would be ready to fight at a moment's notice.
'To think there are actually three whole bottles...'
A single stalk of Century Fire Spirit Grass, paired with other spirit herbs, had actually produced three small bottles of Fire Spirit Honey. Not only had the quality increased, but the quantity had also exceeded his expectations.
'There is still about an hour until noon. I should let Yaya get ready. The solar power is strongest at noon, making it the best time for the Li-Fire Crow to break through.'
Qi Ping quickly informed the Li-Fire Crow of the news. Upon hearing it, the crow began to prepare seriously. It also placed great importance on this opportunity. Whether its strength could return to its peak and whether its bloodline could be enhanced again all depended on this one move!
After notifying the crow, Qi Ping began to put away all the spirit herbs. Then the Black Little Bees, the Sun-Essence Flowers, the Moon-Sleeper Flowers...
Once he finished tidying up, Qi Ping walked down the mountain to the small courtyard Old Man Zhou had built. Because it had been left unattended for so long, spiderwebs hung everywhere inside and out, and a thick layer of dead leaves had accumulated in the yard. The rosewood table where Old Man Zhou often sat, the purple bamboo lounger, the wine pot, and the cups—all were covered in a thick layer of dust. The rooms were cold and quiet, looking as though they had been abandoned for ages.
For a moment, Qi Ping actually missed the old man. With that slacker old man around, there would occasionally be a mouthful of warm wine or a hot meal. It wouldn't be as empty and cold as it was now.
In this moment, Qi Ping also realized that he did not like being alone and solitary in this vast world. The Path of Heartlessness did not suit him, and that was not the immortality he desired.
At this instant, Qi Ping seemed to realize something, and his gaze became even more determined.
'Countless ancient texts mention that cultivation requires one to clarify the mind and see one's true nature, to realize a path that belongs to oneself.'
'Yet these few simple words have trapped countless cultivators, who spend their entire lives unable to understand them.'
'Clarifying the mind... my own path.'
Qi Ping looked again at the plants and flowers following their cycles of growth and decay, the Black Little Bees laboriously collecting nectar, and the spiders weaving webs to catch prey. Then, he heard the murmurs of the bees, the spiders, and the tiny insects on the webs.
Slowly, Qi Ping closed his eyes.
At this moment, he seemed to merge with the surrounding nature. The natural affinity belonging to the Druid profession allowed Qi Ping's perception to expand continuously.
In the next moment, Qi Ping's clothes and hair moved without a breeze. A surge of majestic, mysterious, and vast spiritual energy began to pour in from the heavens and the earth. As this energy entered his body, the Wood-Flame Manual within him began to circulate rapidly.
In just a few moments, Qi Ping's cultivation broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refinement!
However, after he reached the fifth level, the incoming spiritual energy began to gradually decrease, and he slowly retreated from that special state.
Upon exiting the state, Qi Ping discovered that he had not only reached the fifth level but had even advanced toward the middle of that stage. Furthermore, his foundation was incredibly stable!
As he tried to circulate his Wood-Flame spiritual energy, he found it to be smoother than before, possessing a sense of natural perfection. It held a subtle flavor of the Dao following nature.
'I've reached the fifth level. Was that a connection to nature? An epiphany? Or perhaps the union of man and heaven?'
Feeling his increased strength, Qi Ping was naturally overjoyed. However, he didn't know how to define the state he had just experienced. His knowledge of cultivation theory was still too limited. He knew some broad, empty concepts, but he knew far too little about specific cultivation methods and deep knowledge.
'It's a pity that cultivation knowledge is so hard to come by, sigh.'
Qi Ping felt somewhat helpless regarding this issue. Unless he became a sect disciple, it was unlikely he would gain access to more profound knowledge. But sects were not easy to enter. Not to mention, the internal competition and fighting within sects were no less intense than among rogue cultivators.
As a rogue, Qi Ping was cautious. Most enemies he encountered were at the Qi Refinement stage; Foundation Establishment cultivators were already considered the "ceiling" and were rare. In a sect like the Qingyuan Sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators were as common as dogs, and there were many Golden Core masters. With his current small stature, if he went there, the slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin.
'Fortunately, before Foundation Establishment, the need for such knowledge isn't urgent.'
Qi Refinement knowledge was widely circulated in the cultivation world and held few secrets. It was only from Foundation Establishment onward that heritage became truly important. Qi Ping planned to wait until he had more power to protect himself before worrying about that step.
'Still, the path of tempering the heart and realizing the Dao is definitely the right one.'
This breakthrough through realization gave Qi Ping a lot of confidence. The path of cultivation truly required an exceptional temperament; in this regard, he still needed to hone himself well.
'Also, the Druid's natural affinity seems to be a huge help for realization. I must make good use of it in the future.'
'As for this little courtyard...'
Qi Ping looked at the familiar place and finally let out a long sigh.
'When the chaos in Qingshi County is over, I'll bring Old Man Zhou back and build him a new yard.'
Old Man Zhou was Qi Ping's savior and his guide on the path of cultivation after he had transmigrated. Without the old man, Qi Ping would have been a pile of dry bones long ago, never gaining the chance to touch cultivation manuals or meet the fellow Daoists of the Fusheng Society. Without meeting Sister Nan, he wouldn't have obtained the Demon Insect Cultivation Manual. No matter which link was missing, Qi Ping's path would have been many times more difficult.
Therefore, no matter what, Qi Ping would not let Old Man Zhou be without support in his old age or pass away in loneliness. Having someone to occasionally buy him good wine and snacks would make his final years more peaceful and free of regret.
After looking at the place for a while longer, Qi Ping finally turned and left. It was nearly noon, the time for the Li-Fire Crow to consume the Century Fire Spirit Honey and break through.
At the summit of Peak 007, where the solar energy was densest, the Li-Fire Crow was surrounded by solar power even more intense than before. The flame mark on its forehead glowed with a faint gold light, and an extraordinary aura emanated from its body.
When Qi Ping arrived, the crow opened its eyes. Its gaze was full of determination and confidence. Seeing this, Qi Ping knew that Yaya was completely prepared!
Without needing to ask anything, Qi Ping took out the three bottles of Century Fire Spirit Honey. Opening the lids, he used his spiritual energy to guide the three bottles to land steadily in front of the crow.