Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

"Senior Brother Zhao, what's this about?"

Ning Daoran stepped out of the small courtyard. Nearby, Big Stupid Deer let out a loud call, which was counted as a greeting.

"Junior Brother Ning, Junior Brother Lu,"

Zhao Lichen still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and smiled, "It's a bit embarrassing to say; I've been stuck at the early-stage Foundation Establishment for decades. So recently, I've decided to venture out for a while and look for some opportunities to advance to the mid-stage."

"What's so bad about early-stage Foundation Establishment? I've been at the early stage for fifty years!" someone shamelessly exclaimed.

Zhao Lichen couldn't help but laugh heartily and said, "But Junior Brother practices the Evergreen Technique—the years are long and stretch far ahead. Perhaps there's a chance to achieve Core Formation in the future. As for me, though, I'm dull-witted and can't withstand the passage of time."

"It seems Senior Brother has made up his mind, so I wish you a smooth journey and an endless immortal road ahead."

"Indeed."

Zhao Lichen nodded with a smile.

Ning Daoran asked again, "Senior Brother, how long will you be away?"

"As short as three to five years, or as long as ten. In any case, I'll return as soon as I advance to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment."

Zhao Lichen looked a little reluctant, "To be honest, I've lingered in the sect for so long that I don't feel like leaving anymore."

"Senior Brother."

Ning Daoran directly slapped his storage bag, pulling out a Second Order High-Grade Divine Speed Talisman. He said, "Back when I went down the mountain on a mission, Senior Brother gifted me a Breakthrough Talisman. This time, I shall present you with a Divine Speed Talisman!

Senior Brother, please remember—while adventuring outside, never act recklessly. If the situation isn't favorable, retreat immediately. If retreating fails, that's when this Divine Speed Talisman will come into play. I beg you, Senior Brother, don't refuse it."

The talisman paper emanated a thick surge of spiritual energy.

This Second Order High-Grade Talisman, crafted from top-quality talisman paper, was clearly of excellent grade and extremely valuable.

Zhao Lichen felt momentarily dazed, "Junior Brother, this gift is… rather excessive, isn't it?"

"Senior Brother, no need to be courteous."

Ning Daoran stroked Big Stupid Deer's head and smiled, "Senior Brother, bringing me and Old Lu up the mountain back in the day makes you, in some sense, the guide paving the way for our immortal journeys. It's only proper."

"Well then!"

Zhao Lichen immediately accepted the talisman, clasped his hands, and said, "The green mountains dwell eternally, and the waters endlessly flow. Junior Brother, let's meet again at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment!"

With that, he turned and left. His figure gradually vanished into the morning mist.

...

A few days later.

News arrived of Han Bing advancing to late-stage Foundation Establishment.

At over eighty years old, reaching late-stage Foundation Establishment implied a chance for Han Bing to achieve Core Formation before the age of one hundred and twenty!

The entire Purple Cloud Peak erupted in cheers and jubilation for the young junior sister's breakthrough.

The following day, Purple Cloud Peak hosted a small banquet.

Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer were invited, and they gifted the young junior sister some elixir pills.

During the banquet, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Senior Brother from Purple Cloud Peak seated at the same table joked with apparent deliberation:

"Junior Brother Ning, you've been at Foundation Establishment longer than Han Bing, and now she's already advanced to the late-stage. Yet you're still lingering at the early-stage Foundation Establishment. Is the view from the early-stage truly that breathtaking?"

Two other mid-stage Foundation Establishment elders of Purple Cloud Peak smiled faintly as well.

"Senior Brother Lü!"

Han Bing furrowed her delicate brows slightly and said, "My Senior Brother Ning has his own cultivation plan. Why should he have to take criticism from others? If Senior Brother Lü finds the banquet unsatisfactory, you're welcome to leave."

"Junior Sister, I didn't mean that..."

Senior Brother Lü looked embarrassed and promptly apologized to Ning Daoran.

Ning Daoran paid it no mind; after all, such characters were people whom he could kill with a single punch. Why bother confronting them?

...

Half a year later.

The Chaotic Sect witnessed a major event that shook the sect.

Senior Sister Jiang Yu successfully advanced to the late-stage Golden Core!

It had been merely twenty years since she achieved the mid-stage Golden Core!

This rapid improvement sent waves of excitement throughout the Chaotic Sect!

Now wielding the Thunder Fire Treasure Mirror, Jiang Yu's power was no less comparable to the Supreme Elder Jiuyun Shangren of the Jiuyun Sect.

With her breakthrough, the entire Qingzhou Cultivation World seemed steeped in an atmosphere of mounting tension.

Thirty-three years ago, during the Qingzhou righteous-versus-demonic battle, Jiuyun Sect exploited vulnerabilities, reducing the Sea Burning Sect to a lower sect and seizing three of Qingzhou's top-tier spirit stone mines!

Their reliance lay solely in the fact that Jiuyun Sect's Supreme Elder Jiuyun Shangren had already reached late-stage Golden Core.

Now with Jiang Yu advancing to late-stage Golden Core, Chaotic Sect has become a leading force among first-class sects. Coupled with its three other Golden Core cultivators, it now had enough power to rival Jiuyun Sect.

The resources Jiuyun Sect swallowed in Qingzhou were now ripe for reclamation.

Moreover, the assassination attempt during the Qingzhou Grand Competition that nearly claimed Gongyang Yan's life also hinted at Jiuyun Sect's possible involvement.

More importantly, Kuizhou's situation was similarly turbulent.

Several first-class sects joined forces to oppose Jiuyun Sect, compelling the sect to retract its power and recall the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed at the spirit veins of Sea Burning Sect and Soul Devouring Sect.

Such turns of events made it the perfect time for Qingzhou sects to rally and strike back.

...

Just when everyone anticipated an inevitable clash between Chaotic Sect and Jiuyun Sect, Jiuyun Sect unexpectedly showed weakness.

Half a month later.

Jiuyun Sect's mid-stage Golden Core cultivator Master Du Ye led a group of disciples to Chaotic Sect to sign an inter-provincial treaty with Jiang Yu.

In the end, Jiuyun Sect transferred two of Qingzhou's three top-tier spirit stone mines to Chaotic Sect.

Meanwhile, Chaotic Sect, under the guise of suppressing the Demon Path, dispatched two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to assist in guarding the Soul Devouring Sect's spirit vein.

This led to a mutually beneficial alliance between the two major powers in Kuizhou and Qingzhou.

Jiuyun Sect conceded resources, and Chaotic Sect contributed manpower and strength—on one hand maintaining equilibrium in the cultivation worlds of both provinces, and on the other solidifying their superiority over the Demon Path.

As a result, the fledgling resurgence of Soul Devouring Sect was promptly extinguished.

Before, there had been rumors that the Soul-devouring Demon intended to return, leading his disciples to restore the Soul Devouring Sect. Now, however, his plans had been silenced.

It was rumored that the Soul-devouring Demon had also reached late-stage Golden Core.

Alone, he might have stood a chance against Jiuyun Shangren—but now, with Jiang Yu in the mix, he had no choice but to retreat into hiding once more.

...

The shifting winds of the cultivation world had no direct impact on Ning Daoran.

Yet he remained observant, mindful of the turbulence among the various factions.

One day.

In the living room, Ning Daoran picked up the cultivation world gazette recently delivered by Xiyu Pavilion. He read it with great interest.

The headline news was about a mid-stage Foundation Establishment elder of Soul Devouring Sect who was killed deep within the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range by a righteous Golden Core cultivator, earning widespread acclaim from the righteous path.

Among the pages were countless minor stories.

For example, a Foundation Establishment expert returned to his cave mansion to find a demon beast mount parked outside. Infuriated, he stormed in—only to discover his concubine's lover. After battling for three hundred rounds, he was subdued.

Or, a Qi Refining Ninth Level elder leading his family cultivators to claim a First-tier top-grade spiritual vein, only to discover it was guarded by a Second-stage Early-stage demon beast. The family was completely exterminated as a result.

The cultivation world never lacked entertaining tales.

Nearby, Big Stupid Deer widened its eyes and read the gazette alongside its big brother.

Over the years, it hadn't only focused on practicing the Shape-shifting Technique.

It also didn't overlook improving its literacy, having learned much about writing from Chen Weimo. Though it was not yet skilled in composing poetry, it could now easily read the gazette without difficulty.

"Uncle…"

Soon, a figure appeared at the door—it was Chen Weimo.

Her expression was somewhat grave.

"What's going on? Something bad happened?" Ning Daoran asked.

"Mhm."

Chen Weimo nodded, "Old Ma… he passed away during the last thirty minutes of meditative incense burning… The Ma family members are at the door. Uncle, would you like to meet them?"

"Understood."

Ning Daoran stepped out of the small courtyard.

"Peak Master!" Findthischapter's

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A crowd knelt outside—all were Old Ma's descendants.

Although Old Ma was morally dubious, his goal in cultivation impure, and half the money he earned farming spirit rice went to those so-called "fairies,"

In truth, after years of coexistence, Old Ma wasn't entirely bad—he was tolerable.

The Ma family's reason for coming was evident. It was all about the future of spirit field number seventy-eight.

As the current Peak Master of Qiongbi Peak, Ning Daoran held sole authority over the cultivation of the spirit fields.

Yet he had little goodwill toward Ma family members.

Each was narrow-minded, involved in endless conflicts between second and third branches of the family—at times even erupting into bloody battles.

Such individuals would eventually spell disaster if kept on Qiongbi Peak.

Ning Daoran needed reliable, worry-free caretakers for the spirit fields—those who honored simplicity and responsibility.

Moreover, none of Old Ma's descendants possessed spirit roots. Even if assigned to tend the spirit fields, the yield of spirit rice would be dismal.

"No more words needed,"

Ning Daoran said, "The costs for Old Ma's funeral will be covered by Qiongbi Peak. Now that Old Ma has passed, you must move out from Qiongbi Peak. Each branch of your family will receive three hundred taels of silver in compensation. Nothing more."

"Did you not hear?"

Chen Weimo's gaze was indifferent, "You have three days to vacate Qiongbi Peak. Each household can claim three hundred taels of silver from me."

A few days later.

Spirit field number seventy-eight lay desolate, save for the remnants of dilapidated houses where its previous residents once lived.

Though the mortals harbored grievances, none dared whisper dissent.

Who would dare provoke this Peak Master, knowing a Foundation Establishment expert slaughtering mortals was akin to crushing ants?

...

Several days later.

Ning Daoran descended the mountain, heading toward Xiyu Pavilion to purchase auxiliary materials for the White Feather Flowing Sound Array.

"Fellow Daoist Ning!"

Chen Ping'er wore a Flowing Cloud Plain Skirt, radiating breathtaking beauty. Ever since her Foundation Establishment breakthrough, her allure had reached new heights.

Whether this beauty was growing close to Xiyu Pavilion's Supreme Elder Bai Ming, none could be certain.

"Fellow Daoist Chen,"

Ning Daoran maintained his composure and showed no intention of forging deeper connections with the lady cultivators. He directly presented his material list for the array.

"Daoist, please wait a moment—I'll have someone gather these materials right away."

Chen Ping'er smiled gracefully, "Is there anything else you're looking for? I happen to be free and can accompany Daoist for a stroll."

"Alright then."

The two walked side by side, turning a corner when the sound of chastisement reached their ears.

A man dressed in the attire of an elder from Chaotic Sect was scolding a servant.

The servant, clothed in Xiyu Pavilion's worker uniform, constantly bowed and apologized, explaining the collision was accidental.

Ning Daoran recognized the Foundation Establishment elder—a new rising star in the Outer Sect.

But what shocked him was the young servant's appearance—it bore a striking resemblance to someone he knew.

"What's your name? How are you related to Zhou Qi?" Ning Daoran abruptly inquired.

The young man froze, "My name is Zhou Wuyou… Zhou Qi was my grandfather…"

Indeed, he was Zhou Qi's descendant.

Ning Daoran scanned him and immediately discerned his spirit root—he possessed a Ninth Grade mixed spiritual root, highly chaotic in nature, yet its attunement to wood attribute approached Eighth Grade.

A born farming prodigy!

"Senior Brother, you're here too?" The Outer Sect elder recognized him.

"Hmm."

Ning Daoran nodded, "Junior Brother, would you allow me to take responsibility for this person?"

"Of course! If Senior Brother has spoken, I shall honor his wishes."

...

"Zhou Wuyou, would you be willing to head to Qiongbi Peak and care for the spirit fields?"

"I'm willing! I'd be more than willing!"

Zhou Wuyou kowtowed repeatedly with gratitude.

Ning Daoran narrowed his eyes—finally, he had found his inexpensive labor.