180: Chapter 180 Ordinary Days!

The seventh day after Great Elder Yun Tianfan's Daoization.

Daoist Yun Du paid a visit to Zixiao Peak. This time, he did not ride the clouds but walked up the mountain, step by step...

Treading on the bluestone of the mountain path, he walked for a full two hours.

Shi Jian lay on the peak, watching the old Daoist slowly climb up without urging him.

When Daoist Yun Du reached the peak, he did not speak.

He just stood by the stone platform, looking at the sea of clouds in the distance, standing there for a long time.

"I am thinking about something."

After an unknown amount of time, Daoist Yun Du finally spoke.

"Hmm."

"Regarding the Blessed Land at Baifeng Cloud Gorge, at the current rate, it will take at least two hundred years to give birth to the first wisp of heaven and earth qi."

Shi Jian did not reply.

"Two hundred years." Daoist Yun Du repeated the number.

"Two hundred years later, my Lifespan will likely be nearing its end."

"Even with a three-cycle longevity pill to extend my life, I won't be able to hold on for too long."

"In this lifetime, I am afraid I won't be able to see that wisp of heaven and earth qi."

Shi Jian raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

"What do you want to say?"

Daoist Yun Du turned around to face Shi Jian.

On the old Daoist's face, there was no sorrow or dejection; there was only a sense of composure after seeing through life and death.

"I want to say that Great Elder Yun Tianfan's death cannot be in vain."

"The spiritual power feedback during his Daoization advanced the progress of Baifeng Cloud Gorge by at least thirty years."

"This Daoist intends to devote all my strength in the coming years to cultivating this Blessed Land, seeking hope for the next generation."

"At least let the next generation of Cloud Dao Disciples be able to use it, rather than falling during Core Formation like Great Elder Yun Tianfan..."

Shi Jian stared at him for a while.

"Giving up all resources to Cultivate the Blessed Land, are you not planning to attempt a Breakthrough to Nascent Soul?"

Daoist Yun Du smiled and shook his head.

"The hurdle from Golden Core Late Stage to Nascent Soul is a hundred times more dangerous than Core Formation. With this Daoist's aptitude, reaching Golden Core Late Stage is the limit."

"Rather than wasting time on impossible things, it is better to do something practical."

"Thicken the foundation of White Cloud Temple, nurture the Blessed Land, and preserve the Legacy."

"This is what this Daoist should do."

Shi Jian was silent for a moment.

"You old Daoist, you certainly have an open mind."

"Even if I don't want to, I have to open my mind." Daoist Yun Du smiled bitterly: "Great Elder Yun Tianfan taught me a lesson with his life."

"For those who Cultivate the Dao, obsession is the greatest taboo."

"He was obsessed with a Breakthrough, so he died."

"If I am obsessed with Nascent Soul, my fate may not be any better than his."

Shi Jian gave a "humph" and said nothing more. He would not judge others' choices; everyone has their own Dao.

This was Daoist Yun Du choosing to let go of his obsession and dedicate the rest of his life to the Sect's Legacy...

This was his Dao.

Great Elder Yun Tianfan chose to fight with everything he had, even if it meant being shattered to pieces; that was also his Dao.

There is no right or wrong.

There is only choice.

"Alright, stop standing around here." Shi Jian yawned: "Go do what you need to do."

Daoist Yun Du laughed dumbfoundedly, cupped his hands, and turned to walk down the mountain.

After walking a few steps, he stopped again.

"Right, Fellow Daoist."

"Hmm?"

"After Great Elder Yun Tianfan's Daoization, the density of the sea of clouds in Baifeng Cloud Gorge has increased significantly. This Daoist has estimated that if we can invest more Cloud Dao Spiritual Materials, we might be able to shorten the time for the Blessed Land to form from over two hundred years to one hundred and fifty years."

"Why are you telling me this?" Shi Jian rolled his eyes.

"This Daoist's meaning is..." Daoist Yun Du smiled sheepishly: "Can we allocate more from the Northern Protectorate's spirit tax to Baifeng Cloud Gorge?"

"...Get lost!"

Daoist Yun Du laughed loudly, turned into a streak of white light, and drifted away.

Shi Jian lay where he was, patting the stone platform with his paw.

This old Daoist is a cunning fox.

He used the excuse of mourning his clansman to come and ask him for resources.

However...

Shi Jian thought about it and decided to approve it, but his concession was limited, provided it did not affect his Cultivation.

As for who it would actually affect, let the Disciples below suffer a bit more.

The sooner the Blessed Land at Baifeng Cloud Gorge forms, the sooner White Cloud Temple gains more foundation, and the possibility of a Golden Core appearing in the future will increase by a few points.

With one more Golden Core, the days for this bear would naturally be a bit more stable.

He understood the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats.

"Zixiao."

"What is it?"

"Tell me, will I be able to see a Nascent Soul in this lifetime?"

"...You bear, why are you asking this suddenly?"

"Just asking."

Zixiao was silent for a while.

"With your aptitude and resources, Golden Core Late Stage is not a problem. As for Nascent Soul..."

"That depends on Opportunity."

"Above Golden Core, one cannot reach it solely by hard Cultivation. It requires insight into the Great Dao, and it requires favorable timing, geographical advantages, and human cooperation; none can be lacking."

Shi Jian gave an "hmm" and closed his eyes.

He still had over six hundred years of Lifespan.

Time is still very long.

No need to rush.

...

Great Elder Yun Tianfan's death caused a silent tremor within White Cloud Temple.

No one discussed it openly, but it sounded an alarm in everyone's heart. Everyone was thinking about the same thing...

heaven and earth qi.

Without heaven and earth qi, there is no Golden Core.

Without a Golden Core, one is forever just a Foundation Establishment ant...

But heaven and earth qi is so rare.

Within the Sect, a few years ago, there were indeed a few wisps of heaven and earth qi, but they did not belong to the same category as the techniques being cultivated.

Now, the Sect has a full eight Blessed Lands, including two for the Fire Dao, and one each for the Lightning and Sword Dao, all of which are mature Low Grade Blessed Lands.

The other four—Cloud, Water, Earth, and Wind—are all just embryonic Blessed Lands.

Currently, within the Sect, only the Sword Dao Blessed Land, Guiyuan Sword Tomb, has given birth to a wisp of Sword Dao heaven and earth qi, which immediately became the object of desire for all Foundation Establishment Cultivator...

For a time, the atmosphere gradually became strange.

The competition within the Sect was also becoming increasingly fierce!

...

At this time, Sun Chengzhu was Cultivating the Sword Dao in the Guiyuan Sword Tomb, working even harder than before.

Guiyuan Sword Tomb is a Sword Dao Blessed Land, capable of giving birth to Sword Dao heaven and earth qi.

He was one of the people in White Cloud Temple most likely to obtain the heaven and earth qi, so he naturally understood how many people in the Sect were eyeing him!

As for Lu Xun, he cast his gaze toward the north: Zixiao Peak!

Thunder Pool Blessed Land produces one wisp of Purple Cloud Golden Lightning Qi every three hundred years, and it is predicted to form in about a hundred years.

And he has a Lightning Spiritual Root.

The timing is also right; that wisp of heaven and earth qi might just be prepared for him.

Of course, the premise is that the Old Ancestor is willing to give it.

As for Sun Yao, she chose the stupidest and most resolute path.

Retreating into a life-or-death closed-door Cultivation.

She plans to go to the Kunyuan Secret Realm to gamble her life in thirty years. She will not emerge until the Secret Realm opens, showing her determination to the death!

...

The white mourning banners of White Cloud Temple were taken down after forty-nine days.

Life must go on.

The spirit tax is collected as usual, Disciples are taught as usual, the Spiritual Vein must be nurtured, and the Blessed Lands must be cultivated.

The living cannot be held back by the dead.

Daoist Yun Du quickly returned to his usual state, even becoming busier than before.

He took the draft regarding the Sect's thirty-year plan left behind by Great Elder Yun Tianfan, breaking it down clause by clause and implementing it item by item.

The investment in Baifeng Cloud Gorge doubled.

The maintenance of Guiyuan Sword Tomb was strengthened.

The ground fire channels of the Fire Cloud Cave were expanded.

A few auxiliary Spiritual Materials were added to the spirit pearls of the Water Dao Blessed Land.

The entire White Cloud Temple, like a wound-up machine, was running with a rumble.

Meanwhile, in the Northern Mountain Range, Shi Jian continued to lie on Zixiao Peak, basking in the sun, Cultivating his Way of Thunder, and occasionally summoning Heavenly Thunder for Body Refining, indulging his addiction to being struck by lightning...

The more painful the strikes, the more intense!

The more comfortable Shi Jian felt, having a sense of being released by the pain...

After his Mid-stage Golden Core cultivation stabilized, his daily routine became even simpler: breathing, gaining insights, and occasionally guiding the cultivation of the four Thunder Bears.

Occasionally listening to Elder Rat report on the progress of the Spirit Rat Lineage.

Days were as plain as water.

But Shi Jian knew that such plain days would often not last long.

The trend of the world is that long unity leads to division.

Those dormant forces, those powers accumulating in the dark, would always have a day to erupt, and what he had to do was...

become strong enough before that day arrives.

Strong enough that no one can threaten him and his tribe!

"Golden Core Late Stage..."

Shi Jian lay by the Thunder Pool, looking at his reflection in the water.

"Still far from it; the Dao is blocked and long."

On Zixiao Peak, thunderclouds surged, and the purple-golden light flickered intermittently...