Noon.
After everyone finished their training, they finally had the opportunity to surround Lin Xiao and chat about various topics.
Especially Jiang Youfu.
He was eager to share every detail of his daily activities and meals with Lin Xiao.
It was the first time since he could remember that he had been separated from Lin Xiao for such a long time.
After learning that Lin Xiao had successfully broken through to the Golden Core stage, everyone asked him about the feeling of reaching the Golden Core stage.
Lin Xiao thought for a moment and chose not to explain with a martial arts analogy. Instead, he pointed towards the direction of the spiritual fields in their sect and said:
"These spiritual fields in our sect are this large, and I can irrigate ten or a hundred times the area with just a wave of my hand."
"Wow—!"
Upon hearing his description, the majority of people, except for a few, were astonished.
At the same time, many were imagining that if they could also reach the Golden Core stage one day, wouldn't they be able to cultivate even more land? They could easily cultivate a vast area!
Then Lin Xiao continued:
"After reaching the Golden Core stage, I seem to have developed a slight sense of my own longevity. If nothing unusual happens, I should be able to live to over three hundred years old in peace."
"Over three hundred years!"
"Wow! Lin Xiao, doesn't that mean you'll become an old immortal!"
Liao Pantou then said:
"That's nothing. When you reach the Nascent Soul stage, you'll have about eight hundred years of lifespan."
Generally speaking, each realm does not have an exact lifespan value.
There is only a rough range.
For example, the Golden Core stage typically lasts around three hundred and fifty years, while the Nascent Soul stage lasts around eight hundred years.
The specific duration depends on one's cultivation level, the stability of their heart and mind, and their overall self-care.
If someone's cultivation relies solely on pills and their breakthroughs are based on luck rather than steady progress, with an unstable mind, both their body and heart are like a broken sieve filled with hidden ailments, even if they manage to hold onto their realm, their lifespan will certainly be the shortest among their peers.
Conversely, if someone steadily advances their cultivation with a stable heart and mind, their lifespan will be the longest among their peers.
After Liao Pantou's explanation, everyone silently took note, understanding that they must be steady and not rush for quick results.
However, Jiang Youfu was a bit anxious.
He asked nervously:
"So, I went straight from the sixth layer of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment in one day. What should I do? Lin Xiao, will I be the shortest-lived among us..."
Lin Xiao was uncertain but felt that Jiang Youfu's situation should be different from those with unstable foundations. Just as he was about to comfort him, Liao Pantou preemptively said:
"Little fatty, do you know why you established your foundation in one day?"
Jiang Youfu shook his head in confusion.
At that time, everyone was just happy to see him establish his foundation suddenly, and Lin Xiao was busy arranging his retreat, so there was no chance to explain.
Jiang Youfu had never asked either, as he didn't realize there were so many intricacies in cultivation. He thought he had managed to keep up with Lin Xiao's pace and was content cooking happily every day without thinking to inquire.
Seeing this, Liao Pantou, suppressing his envy, explained:
"Your situation, where you suddenly enlightened and established your foundation in one day, is quite rare in the cultivation world. I have only heard of such cases in rumors.
It is said that those who establish their foundation in a single day, like you, have their own foundation of enlightenment, following nature, rather than imitating others. This type of foundation is the most solid, so you don't need to worry at all."
After hearing Liao Pantou's explanation, Jiang Youfu was relieved and looked at Lin Xiao and the others with a smile:
"Hey, then I don't need to worry about being short-lived. Hehe."
Everyone was also very happy for him.
"You're impressive, Youfu!"
At this moment, Liu Chun realized that this seemingly young and fair-skinned chubby boy was already at the Foundation Establishment stage, and he had achieved it in just one day from the sixth layer of Qi Refining!
In the past, everyone carried peach leaf tokens, so it was hard to tell their cultivation levels. Liu Chun, who mostly focused on cultivation and talisman-making, hadn't interacted much with others, so he could only gauge their levels from the spells they performed.
Jiang Youfu did not usually participate in various farming or cultivation practices, focusing solely on perfecting his culinary skills.
Thus, Liu Chun was even less informed about Jiang Youfu's situation.
He did know that Sun Yigao had reached Foundation Establishment because Sun Yigao did so in the cultivation room.
The flow of spiritual energy around Sun Yigao during his foundation establishment was much greater than when Liu Chun established his own foundation.
It was hard not to notice.
Now Liu Chun looked around.
Goodness, this sect has such extraordinary young talents.
Just when he marveled at his sect leader's promotion to the Golden Core stage before the age of thirteen, another chubby boy who established his foundation in one day appeared, along with a scholar who taught and cultivated on the mountain.
He used to think his cultivation speed was decent. When he first joined the sect, he was at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
In just half a year, he advanced to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and he thought he was doing well.
But now, his sect leader is under thirteen and at the early Golden Core stage; the sect leader's eldest disciple is under thirteen and at the early Foundation Establishment stage; and the sect leader's second disciple is fifteen and also at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
Compared to these young people, Liu Chun suddenly felt a sense of urgency.
He was almost forty-five.
Still in the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
He worried that in a year or so, the entire sect might be at the Golden Core stage while he was still at the Foundation Establishment stage!
Thinking of this, he suddenly wanted to hurry back to the cultivation room to continue his training.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiao and the others had shifted their topic of conversation to the upcoming New Year.
Yes, the New Year was approaching.
Today was the Coldest Day, and tomorrow would be New Year's Eve.
Half a month ago, Liu Yunan had prepared the sect's New Year supplies.
This year, they planned to celebrate the entire New Year as a sect, apart from the ancestral offerings!
The New Year's Eve feast of Lingxian Sect had already been arranged by Jiang Youfu.
All that remained was to decorate the sect.
So everyone began to assign tasks for the decoration.
After all, it wouldn't be New Year without festive decorations, right?
Even though they were on the mountain and part of a cultivation sect, it didn't stop them from loving the New Year!
Lin Xiao, Jiang Youfu, Tietou, Liu Yunan, and Qin Jianghe's families had to prepare for the ancestral offerings in the village on New Year's Eve.
Meanwhile, the villagers at the foot of the mountain, after returning home, reminisced about the dreamlike experience in the Peach Blossom Mountain Road today while methodically preparing for the New Year's Eve feast tomorrow.