11: Chapter 11 Cultivation is not something that can be accomplished in a day.

His expression was calm as his gaze fell upon the rows of rooftops outside the window and the faint outline of the distant Imperial Palace.

Opposite him, Lin Yanzhou had changed into a well-fitting set of pale purple brocade robes; his small face, now washed clean of grime, remained pale, though his eyes were much clearer than before.

“Revered Master, since you killed Zhao Yang and the others, I fear the three major Great Families will soon come knocking. Should we not leave the capital to take refuge?”

Lin Yanzhou set down his chopsticks, a hint of worry between his brows.

He did not know Revered Master Jiang Changge's true strength, but he was well aware of the methods used by those three families.

Jiang Changge gave a light chuckle, his sleeve brushing the edge of the table, his expression as composed as the deep waters of a still pond.

“No matter. With your Revered Master here, they cannot stir up any waves.”

He turned his gaze toward the youth, his tone softening: “As for you, your previous depletion was too severe, leaving you riddled with hidden injuries and depleted of Qi and blood.”

“Even with xuanqing liquid to nourish you, a mortal body cannot fully absorb it all at once. You must be replenished gradually to build a solid Foundation.”

As he spoke, he tapped his fingertip lightly, letting a drop of jade-green xuanqing liquid fall into the delicacies on the plate.

The Spiritual Qi dissolved instantly upon contact with the heat, swirling like mist and seeping into the texture of the food.

These were all meals prepared from spiritual ingredients, which were of great benefit for low-level Cultivators to consolidate their essence; as for Jiang Changge, who had already reached the Mahayana Realm, it was merely a casual taste of flavor.

Hearing the words 'build a solid Foundation,' Lin Yanzhou's eyes lit up, and he immediately buried his head in his bowl, eating with great earnestness.

He had waited too long for the chance to Cultivate and did not wish to delay for even a moment.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully taking a Disciple. You have obtained one portion of Living Soil, three summoning cards, one cultivation advancement card, one Technique Pavilion, and one Minimalist Cultivation Method!]

[Technique Pavilion: Disciples who enter may select the technique most suitable for themselves. (Includes Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow rank techniques.)]

Only now did the System's reward notification slowly echo in Jiang Changge's mind.

“The rewards this time are as abundant as ever. To think there is even a supreme treasure like Living Soil, along with three summoning cards.”

“If my luck holds, perhaps I can summon three more Tribulation Transcending experts.”

Jiang Changge thought to himself.

He then directly used the cultivation advancement card, bringing his Realm to the Mahayana Late Stage, not far from the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

With the System's concealment, no one noticed the commotion of Jiang Changge's advancement.

“System, what is the meaning of this Minimalist Cultivation Method?”

Jiang Changge inquired, looking at the Cultivation Technique floating in the System space.

Like his own Creation Sutra, this Minimalist Cultivation Method did not display a rank.

[Given Lin Yanzhou's uniqueness, the Minimalist Cultivation Method is specifically tailored for him.]

[Minimalist Cultivation Method: Gathering ten thousand Daoist laws into one, embodying the concept that the Great Dao is simple. Before mastery, its name is hidden; after mastery, ten thousand Daos reside within the body.]

Seeing the System's description, Jiang Changge was also delighted.

As expected, the notion that one cannot Cultivate due to a lack of Aptitude was nothing but nonsense in his presence.

Subsequently, Jiang Changge and Lin Yanzhou took up residence in Zuixian Tower.

Since the Great Family Ranking Battle had not yet begun, he naturally would not leave.

Upon arriving in the room, Jiang Changge handed the Minimalist Cultivation Method to Lin Yanzhou and instructed him to Cultivate diligently.

“I know you long to Cultivate, but the matter of the Dao is not achieved in a single day; it must be approached gradually.”

“I shall obey Revered Master's command!”

Lin Yanzhou naturally cherished this Opportunity immensely and once again bowed solemnly to thank Jiang Changge.

Just as Lin Yanzhou made his first attempt in his room to circulate that seemingly simple Cultivation Technique, undercurrents were already surging outside the core district of the Imperial Capital.

Three days later, in the Zhao Family's assembly hall in the south of the city.

Zhao Li smashed the ebony table beside him with a palm strike, sending wood splinters flying like rain.

“Three whole days! Three Great Families, hundreds of scouts, and yet not a single trace can be found!”

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse with rage.

Sitting below him, the two Family Heads, Sun and Feng, also had grim expressions.

The capital was too large. The core district was strictly guarded by the Imperial Guards, and various major forces were intricately intertwined; the reach of their three families did not extend that far.

Meanwhile, the common districts were a chaotic mess of markets and teeming crowds; hiding two people there was like a drop of water entering the sea.

“Brother Zhao, calm your anger,” Family Head Sun Mao said slowly, tapping his knuckles against the armrest.

“That Lin Yanzhou is a waste who cannot Cultivate. Even if the person with him has some skill, since they entered the city, they cannot simply vanish into thin air.”

“Brother Sun is quite right,” Family Head Feng Kun interjected, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

“I have already ordered my subordinates to keep a close watch on all entrances. As soon as there is news, we will be notified immediately.”

Although the Sun and Feng families had also lost Core Disciples, they were not the biological children of the two men.

However, the one Zhao Li lost was his most beloved third son, so the two were not as enraged as Zhao Li.

Thus, in the following period, while the three families prepared for the Great Family Ranking Battle, they also diverted some personnel to search for Lin Yanzhou.

—

In the inner courtyard of the Qin Family.

Lu Jinghan, Qin Muchuan, and Su Fuguang were conversing happily inside a stone pavilion.

Although Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang did not have memories of their past lives, they both found that they got along exceptionally well with Lu Jinghan, as if there were some sort of unspoken understanding.

“Brother Lu, I didn't expect that while your age is similar to ours, your strength far exceeds ours. You truly are gifted.”

Qin Muchuan raised his cup and sighed with emotion.

A few days ago, Lu Jinghan had come forward to challenge him, and in fewer than ten moves, he had been defeated.

This had caused the onlookers at the time to cry out in shock.

Today, Su Fuguang had come and competed with him as well, only to suffer defeat as well.

“The talent of you two is also top-tier. As long as you Cultivate with a quiet mind, you won't necessarily be weaker than me.”

“It is only because as Disciples of Great Families, you inevitably became somewhat slack and did not maintain constant bitter Cultivation.”

Lu Jinghan said with a smile. Ever since Little Chuan and Little Guang died in battle back then, he had truly missed times like these.

Back then, the two of them had traveled with him across the Five Great Domains, and the talent and Aptitude they displayed were not at all inferior to Lu Jinghan's.

It was only later that they met with tragedy and died in battle within a Secret Realm.

“We can be considered friends made through a fight, but this kid Muchuan was still a step faster. Otherwise, if Brother Lu had come to my Su Family, that would have been a cause for celebration!” Su Fuguang joked.

“That's just because you were not destined to be with Brother Lu. Besides, Brother Lu coming to my Qin Family was the best choice.”

Qin Muchuan looked triumphant as he raised his cup to invite them to drink together.

Although the two said this, the Qin and Su families had a very deep relationship, being family friends for thousands of years.

No matter which Great Family Lu Jinghan joined, it would be of great help to them.

“In this Great Family Ranking Battle, I fear many families will rise.”

After a round of laughter, Qin Muchuan began to talk about serious matters.

“I learned from the elders in my family that those families ranked outside the top fifty in previous years seem to have obtained some kind of Opportunity and are now displaying extraordinary strength.”

Upon hearing this, Su Fuguang also nodded in agreement; he had heard of this as well.

As for the matter Qin Muchuan spoke of, Lu Jinghan was very clear in his heart.

After all, he knew very well why those families had suddenly risen.

It all came from the top-tier forces within the Central Province.