Yellow Court Daoist

"In over two years, the territory of Upper Sun Country has expanded by ten percent, with a twenty percent increase in the number of newborns."

"Good, good!"

Lu Qingfeng controlled a puppet and pulled up the Qingyuan Sword Sect's public records, a smile appearing on his face.

More than two years ago.

He had ordered the Qingyuan Sword Sect to take control of the Upper Sun Country and expand its borders outward.

First, to divert the increasingly acute internal conflicts to places beyond Upper Sun Country.

Second, to temper the disciples of the Qingyuan Sword Sect.

More than two years had passed, and the results were significant.

More territory meant more population. And more population meant more talent.

From the Qingyuan Sword Sect in Upper Sun Country, Lu Qingfeng could also filter out more prospects, scattering them into the Three Mountains and Nine Waters.

As for the further offerings of incense fire that came with population growth, it was insignificant in comparison.

"The Longevity Trial was announced to the Qingyuan Sword Sect over two years ago."

"However, the first batch of trial participants only entered the Crying Swamp a year ago to begin the trial."

"Up to now, there have been six batches, with a total of thirty disciples commencing the trials."

Lu Qingfeng flipped through the data, somewhat unsatisfied with this pace.

The puppets he had positioned in the Crying Swamp and the trial routes he had planned were enough to conduct trials for hundreds of people at the same time. Only by doing so could his plans unfold rapidly.

A mere thirty disciples was far too few.

"Fortunately, this is only temporary. Without a supply of elixir pills, it's no easy feat for disciples of the Qingyuan Sword Sect to cultivate to the True Qi Realm Fourth Layer in a realm like Upper Sun Country."

"However, once a number of disciples with alchemy talent grasp the refinement of intermediate and low-level elixir pills, the number of disciples undergoing trials will surely surge."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head, knowing that such things could not be rushed.

He had stayed in Upper Sun Country and knew the difficulty of cultivation in a land where spiritual energy was scarce.

But once Qingyuan Sword Sect's disciples could refine intermediate and low-level elixir pills on their own, improving their cultivation level wouldn't be hellish in difficulty.

At the very least, progress before reaching the True Qi Realm could be ensured.

And the scarcity of resources would push the Qingyuan Sword Sect to explore and expand outward even more vigorously.

Forming a virtuous cycle.

To the north, west, and south of the Qingyuan Sword Sect, though spiritual energy was scarce, ordinary medicinal materials and various types of intermediate and low-level ores were plentiful, and there were ample wild beasts for meat.

The potential for outward expansion was immense.

Lu Qingfeng paid a little attention and then turned his focus to the Crying Swamp.

...

Crying Swamp.

It was located three thousand five hundred miles away from Upper Sun Country.

Here lay a solitary mountain, surrounded by water on three sides and by swamp on one.

Inside the mountain, several rudimentary wooden cottages had been built. Zhang Bo and others had settled here for cultivation, and it had been over a month.

On this day.

Zhang Bo, clothed in green, lightly stepped on the treetops and landed atop the lone mountain.

"Brother Zhang."

"Brother."

Upon seeing Zhang Bo's return, Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, and Xie Di came forward to greet him. In just over a year, everyone had gone through numerous tempering experiences. The aura about them was radically different from before they entered the Crying Swamp.

It was as if they had been reborn.

"Junior Brother Han—"

Zhang Bo looked towards one of the cottages.

Upon hearing this, Xie Di hurriedly said, "Junior Brother Han is refining Spirit Clearing Powder, it's a critical moment."

A closer look at Xie Di revealed his left sleeve, empty and tied around his waist.

He had lost an arm.

The Crying Swamp was dangerous, and it was unclear what kind of catastrophe Xie Di had faced for him to lose his left arm.

Yet Xie Di seemed unconcerned, still eager for battle, holding a sword in his hand and asking Zhang Bo, "Brother, have you figured out the exact details of that demon beast?"

Ma Wenju and Xie Tian also turned their gaze towards Zhang Bo.

Zhang Bo nodded and said, "It's a Second Rank Water Ape. Its defenses are extraordinary, and it possesses immense strength. Other than that, its proficiency in the Water Sword Technique is commendable. If we join forces, killing it will not be difficult. The only thing to be wary of is that if the Water Ape finds itself overpowered, it might attempt to escape underwater."

"Don't worry, Brother. With my Water Barrier Skill, I can definitely block the Water Ape's escape routes."

Ma Wenju laughed.

"Good."

"Let's not delay; once Junior Brother Han finishes refining the elixir, we'll set out together."

Zhang Bo concluded.

In the Crying Swamp, where the mist was thick, they could contact each other with spells and talismans within a three to five-mile range and sense each other's whereabouts. But once battle commenced, nobody knew what could happen.

Besides.

Leaving this place, they might encounter attacks from demon beasts.

Obviously, they couldn't leave Junior Brother Han here alone.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour.

Junior Brother Han successfully refined the Spirit Clearing Powder and emerged; then, the five of them headed towards the Water Ape's location.

...

"One to coordinate, one to practice alchemy, one to refine artifacts, two to command battle."

"That's a good team setup."

Lu Qingfeng sat cross-legged in his grotto-heaven, watching Zhang Bo and the others fight the Water Ape.

Xie Di, though he had lost an arm, his swordsmanship was not weakened, engaging in close combat.

Ma Wenju's spellcasting was refined; he freely alternated between Water Technique and Fire Technique, offering support on the sideline.

Zhang Bo wielded his sword, battling the Water Ape alongside Xie Di.

Junior Brother Han and Xie Tian, one studying alchemy techniques, the other artifact refining skills, but both also versed in spellcasting, jointly harassed the Water Ape.

Thus.

After a battle lasting the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Water Ape, overpowered, tried to flee but was blocked by the Water Barrier Skill.

Zhang Bo and Xie Di each wielded a sword—one piercing through the heart and the other entering through an eye socket—slaughtering the Water Ape.

The Second Rank Water Ape was brimming with vibrant life force, and its flesh was greatly nourishing. After sharing and consuming its flesh, Zhang Bo and the others also benefited in their cultivation. In the Crying Swamp, traveling was important, but so were cultivation and combat.

Otherwise, even if they traveled swiftly, without advancing to Foundation Establishment, they could never leave the Crying Swamp, nor complete the Longevity Trial.

Zhang Bo, Ma Wenju, and the others clearly understood what was more important.

In the Crying Swamp, they proceeded with each step firmly, favoring stability over haste. They fought life-and-death battles against demon beasts, utilizing places abundant in spiritual energy to cultivate.

Strength improvement is rapid.

Such trials raise the hope for advancing to Foundation Establishment, allowing them to complement each other in the Cultivation World after and quickly stand on firm ground.

Even now, it is like the beginning of a small sect.

"There's great potential!"

Lu Qingfeng was pleased.

He then observed the other five trial teams in the Crying Swamp, finding their situations not much different from Zhang Bo's group—each progressing with great difficulty.

Some were injured.

Some team members even encountered life-and-death crises, calling for help from the black-robed protector. Although their lives were saved, they lost their qualification to continue the trial.

In total, three teams suffered casualties.

Once the casualties surpassed three times, the entire team would automatically be declared as having failed the trial.

Thus, the choice of trial teammates is also extremely important.

After all, the Longevity Trial is just the beginning. Once they get through it, in the Three Mountains and Nine Waters Cultivation World, they will need to support each other for years to come. Any issues are better exposed during the Longevity Trial rather than in the more dangerous Cultivation World, where there's no chance for rescue.

After checking on everyone,

Lu Qingfeng withdrew his Peeping Heaven and Earth Great Method and sat up straight with a serious demeanor.

Two months could feel both fast and slow.

Sixteen years had passed in the game.

...

[Realm Name: Sky Witch Realm]

[Introduction: In the ancient Primordial times, the Witch and Demon Two Clans clashed, leading to a Calamity of Opening Heavens and the initial Dragon Han Calamity, followed by the third Calamity of Measure, historically known as the 'Witch Demon Calamity.'

After the great calamity, the Witch and Demon Clans declined, marking the first time Primordial had been damaged. The Great Witch Xiang Liu protected his kin and claimed a Primordial Fragment as his realm, concealing it in the Void, known as the 'Sky Witch Realm.' The Demon God Bai Ze led his troops in attack. Both sides fought a fierce battle, costing countless lives, and each suffered heavily and went into slumber.

Bai Ze's generals and Xiang Liu's clansmen fell into the Sky Witch Realm. Inside, for countless years, the Witch and Demon danced together, reenacting the struggle of Primordial after the Witch Demon Calamity.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the Upper Realm's Gu Chen Star Lord Yu Hua descended to suppress demons here, transmitting the Penglai Dao and initiating the emergence of Left Dao Techniques, coexisting alongside the Demon Clan techniques and Witch spells.

However, just as humans experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, so do heaven and earth. After enduring numerous calamities and continuous battles, the Sky Witch Realm was in ruins.

Thirty thousand years ago, the mortal Final Immortal Liu Ji, perceiving the decline of heaven and earth, used his great mana, wisdom, and fearlessness to sever 129,600 major and minor Dragon Veins of the world, cutting off the path of cultivation for future generations, sealing away Spiritual Energy, and postponing the day of the Realm's destruction.

Since then, the Sky Witch Realm has entered the Age of Dharma Decline.]

"Sky Witch Realm."

"Age of Dharma Decline."

Lu Qingfeng emerged from the Rebirth Pool—

[Player discovers a new world—'Sky Witch Realm,' reward Experience Value: 30000]

Opening the system prompt before his eyes, he had a plan.

Speaking of which.

His first arrival in the Changqing Realm in his previous life was somewhat similar to this one, both having cultivation cut off.

Yet, the Changqing Realm's bitterness led to sweet prospects; with the cascade of stars leaning over, the Thunder Department's all immortals sent True Immortals to reincarnate and bestowed all kinds of fateful spells.

From decline to prosperity, it was a tremendous age to live in.

But the Sky Witch Realm was already in its twilight years, facing a dead end.

"Final Immortal Liu Ji severed the Dragon Veins, breaking the path to heavens. Since then, the Sky Witch Realm's Spiritual Energy remained hidden, and the common people's path to heavens cut off. Only a handful of Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands are somewhat independent, although relying on the Sky Witch Realm, still retain a bit of cultivation climate."

"It's like a rootless duckweed, a grasshopper at the end of autumn."

Lu Qingfeng landed in the mountains.

Looking around, he saw overlapping peaks. There was no way forward, no path home in sight.

"Another beginning from scratch."

"I wonder if it has to do with the number of reincarnations."

Lu Qingfeng pondered as he walked in a random direction. As he moved, his Qi climbed higher and higher.

Thirty thousand experience points were enough for Lu Qingfeng to advance to the Sixth Layer of the True Qi Realm.

Deep in the mountains.

A month later,

"It's about time."

Lu Qingfeng stood up and performed the Purification Spell by pinching his fingers, dusting off his body. His strength had already reached the peak of the True Qi Sixth Layer.

"Age of Dharma Decline, where cultivation is cut off."

"Indeed, it's not false."

During these days, Lu Qingfeng roamed several mountain peaks only to find common wild animals. He sensed the world around him but couldn't feel any trace of Spiritual Energy. Not only that, when he cast spells without Spiritual Energy, some were greatly limited and depended solely on his own True Qi for power.

Their might was greatly reduced.

Like the Purification Spell just now, without the support of nature's Spiritual Energy, it consumed more True Qi.

"The power of spells is greatly reduced, and the consumption of True Qi increases."

"In this world, I'm afraid martial arts will rise, and the Way of Immortals will fall."

When spells are limited, and True Qi is precious,

methods like unarmed combat and weaponry from Martial Arts would naturally thrive; it was common sense.

Moreover, some unorthodox and heretical techniques from the Left Dao may also shine.

"Entering the last era of the Sky Witch Realm, cultivation will undoubtedly be difficult. It's worth checking out first, though. If I could obtain a few mysterious techniques, especially the Death Replacement Technique, Escape Technique, or Rebirth Method, that would be ideal. If there's nothing of value, it's better to reincarnate elsewhere earlier."

In the Changqing Realm, the intervention of Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun left Lu Qingfeng with a lingering sense of powerlessness, which made him a bit apprehensive.

In the game, even if he died, he could revive and reincarnate.

In the future, after Ascension to the Upper Realm, he might even have a chance to avenge himself against Four Bright Gongbin Yuanjun.

But if he were to die in reality, that would be the end of everything.

If he could find a wonderful technique that allowed him to replace death, escape danger, or even resurrect, even if calamities occurred, he could still preserve himself and not let everything turn into nothing.

"The 'Blood Rebirth Technique' within the special features of the 'Yellow Robe True Skill' is a pity, though, as this technique can only be practiced after Core Formation. I haven't had time to condense the 'Yellow Robe True Blood' in the game yet, let alone when I might be able to advance to Core Formation and practice it in reality."

Most high-grade Body Refinement Techniques have this feature. With a body connected to the mysteries, whether regenerating a severed limb or blood rebirth, it's all easy.

It's hard to be killed.

As a Mysterious Grade Body Refinement Technique, the 'Yellow Robe True Skill' would not be lacking.

But distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.

Moreover, the Blood Rebirth Technique, despite its mystery, requires a great reduction in cultivation upon use, making it a last resort.

Other methods must be sought.

Lu Qingfeng left the place of his isolation, looking for signs of life.

Having experienced numerous worlds and nine lives, he was now well-versed in navigating them.

...