Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Time flew by, and two years passed in a blink.

This year, Ning Daoran turned sixty-five.

Though he still had the appearance of a young man, *he had undergone much tempering in his mental state, to the point where he often wanted to call himself 'this old man' whenever he met someone.*

Early morning, Qiongbi Peak.

Amid the clouds and mist, spiritual energy gathered thickly between the mountain peaks.

Ning Daoran wore a deep blue Outer Elder's robe. He truly liked this outfit—just wearing it made him feel far superior to those rustic Outer Disciples.

Backyard, fish pond.

"Little Blackie!"

"Squeak squeak~~~"

At the loud shout, that enormous black fish jumped out from the water.

Its body was now almost ten meters long, yet it still remained a late First-tier Demon Beast—a literal oversized salted fish.

Ning Daoran glanced at his Storage Bag and took out the last piece of black Jiao meat.

This piece of black Jiao meat weighed only ten pounds; it was the final piece.

"Catch!"

He raised his hand to toss the black Jiao meat, and the enormous black fish leapt to devour it mid-air.

In the next moment, Ning Daoran's eyes flickered with displeasure. "You've finished the last piece of black Jiao meat, yet why haven't you advanced to the Second-tier? Are you truly asking to be served on the table?"

"Squeak squeak squeak!!!"

The enormous black fish flailed its tail furiously, scales flipping up in fright, signaling that it didn't want to end up on a dining table.

"Fine."

Ning Daoran furrowed his brow and extracted a deep black Demon Core from his Storage Bag—the Second-Order Water Attribute Demon Core from the black Jiao.

He flicked the Demon Core with his finger and said, "Swallow it!"

The enormous black fish immediately opened its gaping maw, swallowing the Demon Core in an instant. A massive surge of energy rapidly expanded within its body!

The Second-Order High-Grade Water Attribute Demon Core contained an overwhelming amount of demonic power, which was hardly surprising.

Ning Daoran calculated with his fingers: it would take Little Blackie at least half a year to fully refine this Demon Core.

That works—feeding Demon Cores means there's no need to feed Demon Beast meat anymore.

Plus, the demonic power in the Demon Core was purer and easier to absorb.

Little Blackie truly had exquisite luck. Ning Daoran had slain many demons and acquired plenty of spoils, leaving him with over ten Second-order Demon Cores in his Storage Bag.

Little Blackie was living a blessed life; such lavish treatment for a wild Demon Beast was unheard of—even sect-owned Spiritual Beasts wouldn't enjoy such luxury.

"You've got ten years."

Ning Daoran said blandly, "If you don't break through by then, I swear you'll truly be served on the table this time. No exceptions."

"Squeak—"

Little Blackie straightened itself upright in the water to salute.

...

"Chen Weimo, report your cultivation progress!"

"Yes, uncle!"

Chen Weimo activated the Evergreen Technique cultivation method. Although she appeared to be seriously trying, her cultivation level hadn't budged an inch.

"Not bad…"

Ning Daoran's mouth twitched slightly and said, "Keep it up."

Chen Weimo left joyfully after the praise.

In the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven.

The White Deer was tending to several fields of Purple Jade Spirit Rice, tearing through the Spirit Field like a streak of lightning, its tongue stretched out long while bellowing loudly.

The insects spawning among the Purple Jade Spirit Rice were immediately surrounded by its mana, all flying straight into its mouth to be devoured in one gulp.

It then dashed to the edge of the pool and unleashed its Foundation Establishment-stage stomach, gulping down hundreds of cubic meters of clear water. Then, it galloped recklessly through the heavens and earth.

Countless droplets of water sprayed from the tips of its antlers, continuously nourishing the Spirit Field.

It proudly deemed itself a mobile sprinkler.

Ning Daoran could no longer bear to look. He walked to the small hut, sat on the wooden floor, kicked off his Flying Cloud Shoes, and planted his bare feet onto the cool ground.

"Little Qing, come out!"

He began chatting with the Green-Clothed Lady.

A curtain-like apparition of heaven and earth emerged—the ghostly female.

Under Ning Daoran's glaring eyes, her form shrank down until she became the size of a normal human, dressed in a long green skirt, kneeling before him with her fine jade-like legs stretched out.

Were it not for the heavy greenish tint on her face, one might say she still exuded some charm.

Ning Daoran began rambling on.

"Though you're an evil ghost, you mustn't succumb to indulgence… (ten thousand words omitted)"

"Humans have humanity, and ghosts have ghost nature… (ten thousand words omitted)"

"I've heard of the path of the sages: to hear the way in the morning and die content in the evening. Though you are a Fierce Ghost… (ten thousand words omitted)"

"Little Qing, I have high hopes for you. I trust you understand. (ten thousand words omitted)"

"As for the matter of devouring more Life Souls to cultivate, I've considered it. Not this time, but surely next time. (ten thousand words omitted)"

"Little Qing, I see great potential in your comprehension. Could you dance for me? (ten thousand words omitted)"

...

Days later.

The Green-Clothed Lady, worn down to exhaustion by his rambling, felt as if she had been granted amnesty when she learned she could return to her Green Ghost Flag.

She believed her master had quite the peculiar quirk.

However, a few days later, Ning Daoran stopped summoning the Green-Clothed Lady altogether.

In her heart, she began to feel strange; instead, she found herself yearning for Ning Daoran's relentless ranting.

She began to think that her master was truly different, entirely unlike the vile men of the secular world.

"Wuu wuu~~~"

She wailed in resentment within the Green Ghost Flag, dropping countless hints.

"Quiet."

Busy cultivating, Ning Daoran replied coldly.

...

One day.

Ning Daoran descended the mountain with Big Stupid Deer to stroll through Yellow Dragon Square, hoping to pick up some bargains.

After making their rounds, both man and deer returned disappointed.

The workshop offered no treasures, only rampant trickery and cheap frauds from the Jianghu.

"Old Lu,"

After walking a while longer, Ning Daoran frowned and said, "Do you feel like someone's tailing us?"

"Roar~~"

Big Stupid Deer nodded—it had noticed long ago.

The one shadowing them was an elderly man dressed in gray robes, at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, looking around sixty to seventy years old. He dared not approach too closely, and his gaze betrayed anxiety and hesitation.

When he saw Ning Daoran turn to look, he immediately approached with reverence, cupped his fists, and said, "I am Cheng Shuang. May I ask if Senior Ning Daoran is the Peak Master of Qiongbi Peak?"

"Indeed, I am he,"

Ning Daoran nodded. "What does Fellow Daoist need?"

"I do have a matter. Senior, may we speak somewhere private?"

"Certainly, let's go to the First-class Pavilion."

"Yes!"

Years ago, Ning Daoran had narrowly escaped body-seizing by Huanglong True Man at the First-class Pavilion. Though the attempt failed, the memory remained vivid.

After that incident, the First-class Pavilion had changed ownership.

Everyone associated with Huanglong True Man had been "taken care of" by Gongyang Yan.

Inside a private room.

Ning Daoran added a few extra prohibitions and turned away any maids, saying, "You may speak now."

"Of course!"

Cheng Shuang, full of respect, said, "I've heard that Senior has been searching for Heavenly Fire Spirit Stones in recent years.

Coincidentally, I possess a material comparable to it, also Second-order High Grade. I wonder if Senior has any interest in this item?"

"Oh? Let's see it."

"Yes!"

Cheng Shuang lightly tapped his Storage Bag, and a thumb-sized, smooth Warm Jade emerged.

As soon as the Warm Jade appeared in the private room, a wave of warm energy spread throughout, startling Ning Daoran.

"This… Could it be the legendary Primordial Yang Warm Jade?"

The Primordial Yang Warm Jade, equally categorized as Second-Order High-Grade material for artifact refining and arrays, was considered a viable substitute for Heavenly Fire Spirit Stones, and even better.

Its fire-element essence was purer. If the Fiery Fire Fish Dragon Formation used Primordial Yang Warm Jade in place of Heavenly Fire Spirit Stones, its overall power would increase dramatically!

"Indeed, it is the Primordial Yang Warm Jade," Cheng Shuang confirmed with a nod.

"..."

Ning Daoran remained expressionless, his gaze calm.

*Yet within his heart, he was already calculating Cheng Shuang's motives.*

*He'd been openly searching for Heavenly Fire Spirit Stones around Yellow Dragon Square—it wasn't a secret. For Cheng Shuang to suddenly appear, bringing out something superior like Primordial Yang Warm Jade, clearly indicated ulterior motives.*

*A gut feeling warned Ning Daoran of potential peril looming behind this matter.*

"Fellow Daoist,"

He looked straight at Cheng Shuang and said, "What are your terms for the Warm Jade? Are you trading for Spirit Stones or wishing for something else? Please state plainly. Even if it's a Foundation Establishment Pill, I'll see what I can do."

"At my age…"

Cheng Shuang smiled bitterly, saying, "Even with the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, my chances of successfully establishing a Foundation are less than forty percent. I've long given up on such hopes."

"Then what are you seeking in exchange for the Warm Jade, Fellow Daoist?"

"This matter is difficult to speak of, but I…"

Cheng Shuang gritted his teeth. "Senior, truthfully, what I seek concerns my daughter."

"Fellow Daoist's daughter?"

"Precisely. My young daughter is housed not far from here; once Senior sees her, all will become clear."

"Is it within Yellow Dragon Square?"

"Yes."

"Very well, lead the way."

After threading through several alleyways, they came to a remote passage.

Those living in such alleys were typically low-level Qi Refinement loose cultivators. Part of a series hosted by My Virtual Library Empire (MV&LEMP&YR).

These individuals functioned like the base cells of the sprawling workshop, sustaining the massive entity with their own lives.

Inside one isolated dwelling, Cheng Shuang pushed open the door.

Ning Daoran swept the interior with his Divine Sense and saw a young girl lying on the bed. To be cautious, he followed in the guise of a Class A Paperfolk avatar while his true form hid within the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven on the avatar's waist.

"Lingyu, I'm home."

Cheng Shuang opened a window, letting sunlight flood in, prompting the girl on the bed to squint and raise her hand to shield her eyes.

She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old. Despite her coarse wool clothing, her extraordinary beauty was evident.

Eyebrows as dark as ink, eyes like glimmering stars.

Yet, there was an air of frailty about her; she seemed terminally ill.

When Ning Daoran scanned her with his powerful Divine Sense, *he was slightly taken aback.*

*The girl possessed a Third-grade spiritual root!*

*However, her condition was dire; her body seemed to be burning from within, continuously being corroded.*

Her cultivation was also only in the early stage of Qi Refinement—a development that didn't align with the typical trajectory of someone with a Third-grade spiritual root at her age.

"Fellow Daoist Cheng,"

Ning Daoran furrowed his brow and said, "What's going on with your daughter's body? At this rate, she likely won't survive much longer."

"Exactly so."

Cheng Shuang's expression darkened. "This is why I've invited Senior to take a look. My daughter Cheng Lingyu was born with a Third-grade Fire Spirit Root. She originally cultivated under a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but who could have foreseen…

When she had her first menstrual cycle at age thirteen, she awakened a Fire Body… Her Primordial Yin Body clashed with her Fire Body. To survive, she must consume Cold Dew Pills daily to extend her life, yet…"

Cheng Shuang gritted his teeth and said, "I am but a lowly Qi Refining stage cultivator. How could I possibly provide daily Cold Dew Pills to sustain her life? Thus, I humbly wish for Senior's assistance…"

"Father, please stop…"

Off to the side, the faint, tearful voice of Cheng Lingyu came from the bed, her eyes brimming with sorrow.

*Ning Daoran furrowed his brow but remained silent.*