Cultivation is just so scientific!

After replenishing the uninterruptible power supply for the computer room space, Li Shiming opened the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique" document stored in the large server IBMz15's memory.

With the accumulated knowledge of his original body, he was able to somewhat comprehend the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique," not being completely in the dark.

This cultivation method involved harnessing a type of energy known as Spiritual Energy for personal use, generating a vortex of Spiritual Energy in the chest. Achieving a stable Spiritual Energy vortex would signify the first level of Qi Refinement, signifying an entry into cultivation.

The "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique" was a Qi Refinement Realm cultivation technique, which could be practiced until reaching the peak of Qi Refinement. After that, another cultivation method would be needed.

Li Shiming tried sitting on the ground, attempting to perceive the Spiritual Energy around him using the method described in the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique."

However, to his disappointment, no matter how he tried, he could not sense the so-called Spiritual Energy.

He did not know that transitioning from an ordinary person to perceiving Spiritual Energy first required being in a place abundant with Spiritual Energy. If one had poor natural talent, they would also need the aid of Elixir Pills to overcome the hurdle of perceiving Spiritual Energy.

Considering the world was already weak in Spiritual Energy, coupled with him being in Nanling Prefecture, and not in the deep mountains where Spiritual Energy was relatively abundant, it was even more difficult to perceive it.

A disappointed Li Shiming then used his consciousness to open the "Introduction to Runes" document, which described the script used to inscribe talismans.

"Introduction to Runes" contained methods for creating various low-level talismans, but all the low-level talismans required one basic condition: the enchanter must possess Spiritual Energy.

Moreover, the more complex the low-level talisman, the more Spiritual Energy was needed, and thus the stronger the creator must be.

Through "Introduction to Runes," Shiming learned about the state of light blue light emanating from the pattern on Shi Ximing's legs, realizing it was the effect of a Basic Light Body Talisman in use.

The various talismans with magical effects made him envious, especially a certain low-level Electric Light Talisman that could generate electricity. If he could create one, maybe he could solve the issue of insufficient power supply.

He shook his head helplessly. Not to mention his inability to sense Spiritual Energy, even if he could, he lacked the materials to create talismans.

The materials for making talismans required special cultivation, and these materials, often fostered exclusively by cultivators and containing Spiritual Energy, simply did not exist in the secular world.

At the end of the "Introduction to Runes," there was information about items used in cultivation. This was provided by the ancestors of Chief Escort Wang, intended to prevent descendants with cultivation talents from entering the Immortal World utterly ignorant.

This also led Li Shiming to understand that the wooden sword was a top-grade magic tool, and the leather pouch he had found was a storage bag, a common spatial item used by cultivators.

A storage bag was the lowest grade of spatial item, not difficult to open; it merely required Spiritual Power to activate.

Again, the issue had come full circle, back to needing Spiritual Energy.

Li Shiming was not in a hurry. Despite the lack of any effect from practicing the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique," he still read it repeatedly daily.

To deepen his understanding of the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique," he used the IBMz15 server's input capability and recorded every book in the mansion's study into its memory.

He also borrowed a large collection of Daoist scriptures through his father Li WenYuan's connections and input them all into the IBMz15.

With the addition of massive amounts of knowledge, his understanding of the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique" grew even deeper.

As soon as he could perceive Spiritual Energy, he was confident that he could start his formal cultivation.

Four days later, in the morning, he walked into the garden with a book in his hand. The cleanup of the garden was almost complete, with only the area near the rockery left, while the rest had been tidied up.

The survey work had also concluded. According to the news brought by the servant Mo Yan, the large hole near the rockery would be filled in the next two days, and new flowers would be planted.

With the absence of busy government officials, the garden regained its tranquility, which greatly improved his mood.

He sat down in the pavilion, and Si Qin brought him tea and pastries.

The quiet and peaceful atmosphere around him, with beautiful maids serving by his side, made the classic texts in his hands far more interesting.

After learning that there were cultivators in Central Capital, his attitude towards the Imperial Examination, which he had not taken very seriously before, had changed.

If he could succeed in the Imperial Examination held every three years, then next spring he would attend the spring examination in Central Capital. That would legitimize his journey there.

Once he found cultivators, perhaps he could solve the problem of not being able to sense Spiritual Energy, or at least that offered a glimmer of hope.

With this sliver of hope, he would strive for it.

If someone like him, who could memorize the entire collection of the study and the six million plus characters of the hereditary "Annotations and Interpretations" could not pass the Imperial Examination, he genuinely could not imagine who else could surpass him in scholarly endeavors.

However, his quiet reading was soon disrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps, and he put down the book to look in the direction of the noise.

This was the rear garden, part of the private residence; previously, due to the explosion in the garden, government officials had been allowed in for investigation.

Now that the investigation was over, the only one who could enter the garden was his father, Li WenYuan.

Li Shiming looked at the sky; it was still morning, the busiest time of day for Li WenYuan. Given his father's principles of office, it would be impossible for him to come to the garden at this time.

Just as he was considering this, he saw Li WenYuan leading a young man and woman towards him.

He squinted slightly. The young man and woman walked beside Li WenYuan, not falling half a step behind.

If Li WenYuan allowed the two young people such courtesy, their identities must be quite extraordinary.

The expressions on the faces of the two young people carried a look that made Li Shiming extremely uncomfortable: it was the look of people who regarded the common folk as mere ants, their high and mighty attitude foreign to Shiming's experience in a world of equality.

What confirmed the young pair's identity for Li Shiming were the leather pouches on their waists, which, although different in design from what he had found, bore the same complex patterns.

"Shiming, come and meet the two Immortals!" Li WenYuan, upon seeing him and knowing his son's calm nature, still promptly instructed.

He feared that his son might carelessly offend the two Immortals, over whom he, as a Magistrate, had no jurisdiction.

Li Shiming rose to his feet and performed the scholar's salute to the two Immortals.

The Immortals did not speak, merely nodding slightly, then paid him no more attention.

"The two Immortals want to see that site; you continue your diligent study," Li WenYuan said, seeing the attitude of the two Immortals, without further introduction, but instructing Li Shiming.

"Father, I was the first to discover that site. I will accompany you over," Li Shiming said after some thought.

Li WenYuan glanced at the two cultivators, and the male cultivator, hearing that Li Shiming was the first to visit the site, nodded his head.

Li Shiming signaled Si Qin with a wave of his hand to return to her courtyard, while he followed behind Li WenYuan.