Yuan had finally advanced to the middle layer of the Blood Purification Stage,after nearly two full years of seclusion.
During all that time, he had heard nothing from the outside world. He had no idea what was happening in the sect… or if anything had happened to Ming Ze.
He was completely in the dark.But knowing that no one had come knocking on his door, he assumed nothing too urgent had occurred.
Shifting his focus inward, Yuan began examining the state of his body and the 34% spiritual blood that now flowed through his veins.
His spiritual blood moved exactly as he willed it fluid, vibrant, and filled with vitality. It responded easily to his control and will.
He could direct it throughout his body or allow it to flow naturally alongside his normal blood. With a bit of effort, he could even use his spiritual blood to manipulate the flow of his regular blood, bending it to his will.
At this point, any ordinary poison meant to corrupt his bloodstream would be nearly useless,only effective if Yuan allowed it to work.This was one of the reasons why the Blood Purification Stage was considered the point where a cultivator truly began to transcend mortality.
After confirming that no hidden injuries lingered in his body, Yuan turned his attention to a deeper question:Why had this breakthrough taken so long?
He began experimenting,carefully trying to infect his blood with spiritual essence beyond the 34%, toward 35% and as he did, he started to notice several things.
The first thing Yuan noticed was the true reason why this advancement had been so difficult,it was due to his Blood Fiend Lower Physique.
Yes, it seemed this unique physique had drastically increased the difficulty of progressing, far more than he had initially expected.
However, while it made advancement harder, it also caused his blood to undergo a complete transformation.It was now far more vital, intense, and filled with energy.
For example, the normal blood currently flowing through his body now held nearly three times the vitality and intensity of a regular cultivator's.This was also the reason why it had felt like he was waging a war against his own blood,it wasn't just resistance it just was three times the resistance he'd expected.
Naturally, this had both upsides and downsides.His spiritual blood had become more potent, more resilient, and more powerful than ever,but at the same time, it now required far more resources, time, and effort to progress.
After a bit of deduction, Yuan estimated that he might need at least ten more years to reach the Meridian Awakening Stage.
But that timeline was unrealistic.
He couldn't afford to remain in secluded cultivation for that long. He still needed to carry out his plans, slowly scheme against the sect, and gather their resources for himself.
Only by doing so could he break through further and eventually, once he reached the peak of the Bone Forging Stage, enter a deep seclusion to advance to the Marrow Essence Stage.
Now, with this unexpected complication, it was likely he would need twelve to fourteen years before he could step into the Meridian Awakening Stage.
Still… that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Once he reached that stage, his future cultivation would likely proceed far more smoothly. That was the true benefit of the Blood Fiend Lower Physique,it slowed early progress, but laid a foundation that would make future breakthroughs much easier.
If that meant sacrificing a few extra years now…
It was a price Yuan was willing to pay.
"Haaa…" Yuan sighed as he slowly stretched his arms.They hadn't moved much in nearly two years.
With a flick of his hand, he activated the communication rune to inform Ming Ze that he was finally out of seclusion.To his surprise, the response came almost instantly.
A return signal already? Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Ming Ze sent him a series of runes detailing where to meet.Yuan nodded to himself, then unsealed his cultivation cave.
Opening the door, he looked up toward the sky.
It was gray,clouds thick and heavy.Snow would likely fall soon, signaling the season.
Winter.
He resealed the entrance to his cave and calmly began walking toward the Information Hall.Even if they had forgotten about him,perhaps even thought him dead,but he still had to inform them that he had emerged from seclusion.
Upon reaching the Information Pavilion, Yuan gave a short report.He downplayed his progress, merely stating that he had reached 5% spiritual blood.
The clerk on duty nodded lazily and waved him off, clearly uninterested.Yuan didn't mind. In fact, it was better this way.
With that done, he turned and made his way toward the meeting location Ming Ze had indicated.
On the way, Yuan couldn't help but notice a few things.
There were more people than before occupying the inner sect cultivation caves.Almost every cave he passed on the first level of the peak mountain was now taken,each marked with the insignia of new inner disciples.
And this was only the first level.
He hadn't even looked at the higher floors yet.
But this alone told him enough the sect is about to enter a golden age, with a wave of talented disciples pouring in,each one hungry for strength, status, and recognition.
Not only that, but from the few conversations he overheard while walking, Yuan picked up some interesting bits of information.
The most shocking thing was about Alex.
Apparently, Alex had already reached the peak of the Blood Purification Stage.
Yuan froze for a moment, stunned.
Alex… already at the peak?It didn't make any sense.
Even he, with all the resources he'd gathered through months of scheming, robbing, and careful planning, had only just broken through to the middle layer.He had used a huge number of rare pills,pills most cultivators wouldn't even dream of obtaining and yet Alex had reached the peak?
"How…?" Yuan narrowed his eyes.
Did they give him that many resources?Marrow Essence Pills? Bone Forging Pills?Why would the sect invest so heavily in one person?
Unless Alex's talent was truly that extraordinary.
Even then, to reach the peak in such a short time... it defied logic.Yuan frowned deeply. The only way this was possible was if the sect had gone all in,providing him with incredibly high grade resources, maybe even some forbidden or ancient techniques.
But why?
Was Alex really worth that kind of investment?
Yuan didn't have an answer.
He sighed and decided to let it go for now. He'd ask Ming Ze more about it when they met. If anyone knew the finer details, it would be him.
As he continued walking, he noticed a few other changes that caught his attention.
The sect itself looked… different.
Slightly, but noticeably.
The architecture had started to shift.Before, some of the walkways had been plain stone paths,rough and unadorned. Now, those same paths were paved with neatly placed bricks and filled in with decorative lining.
It was subtle, but it stood out to someone who had walked these same roads for years.
And it wasn't just the roads.
There were new buildings too,structures that didn't follow the sect's traditional style.They were odd,rectangular, almost like blocks, with curved roofs that looked slightly out of place amidst the elegance of the older sect design.
Yuan tilted his head slightly as he passed one of them.
Change, huh?The sect was shifting growing and evolving.
He didn't know whether it was good or bad yet.But he knew this much:
Something big was happening.
These were just a few of the new things Yuan noticed, though he didn't care too much about them. Still, they caught his eye for a brief moment.
After leaving the regular inner disciple area, he eventually arrived at a lone house standing atop a small mountain. In front of the door stood someone familiar.
Ming Ze.
He wore a robe similar in style and color to Yuan's,a green robe. He was clearly waiting, standing calmly before the door of the house with a small smile on his face.
Yuan trusted him and made his way up the slope with calm, measured steps.
As Yuan approached, Ming Ze greeted him with his usual warmth, then opened the door and gestured for him to enter.
"Welcome back, Boss. I hope your cultivation went well!"
With that, both of them stepped inside the small house and soon took their seats at a simple wooden table. Ming Ze had already prepared spiritual tea in advance, and the gentle aroma filled the room.
As they drank, Ming Ze began to recount what had happened during Yuan's seclusion.
As it turned out, he had successfully become an inner disciple not long after their last meeting. His assigned sect mission hadn't been particularly dangerous,it had simply required him to manage a small mortal village for a few months. He handled the task efficiently, and as a result, the sect promoted him.
During that time, there had been no issues with the tea house either. Business had remained steady and undisturbed.
And now Ming Ze was a 15% early layered Blood Purification Stage cultivator.
During this entire time, Ming Ze had earned a considerable amount of merit points,enough to even purchase Meridian Awakening Stage pills.
Not only that, but his spiritual tea techniques had reached an entirely new level, thanks to the enlightenment he gained from the Flame Controlling Technique.
Although he still couldn't cultivate the technique directly, he was slowly comprehending its principles,laying the groundwork so that, when the time came, he could cultivate it with ease.
But that wasn't all.
The tea house had produced several new tea makers, many of whom could now brew spiritual tea that met Ming Ze's strict standards.
This freed up more of his time to focus on cultivation. Alongside that, he had formed numerous connections within the sect and even fought against several rival tea houses that had sprung up,ambitious upstarts hoping to overthrow his business.
In the end, he had emerged victorious in what many referred to as the "War of the Tea Houses." After proving to the sect that he was a true alchemical talent, one of the elders finally took notice and asked him to become his official disciple,an offer Ming Ze happily accepted.
Yuan listened to all of this in silence, genuinely impressed by Ming Ze's story.
From a hopeless outer disciple to a recognized inner disciple… to the offcial disciple of an elder.
He had risen through the ranks after just one small "war", and even earned himself a nickname within the sect"The Greedy Tea Maker."
Yuan couldn't help but chuckle when Ming Ze mentioned it.
The nearly two years had clearly been eventful for Ming Ze. But Yuan also knew… it couldn't have been all bright and shiny days.
There must've been struggles, dangers, and dark moments that Ming Ze hadn't spoken of.
But he didn't ask.
Instead, he smiled faintly and raised his cup in a small toast.
"Congratulations, Greedy Tea Maker, for finally taking your next step toward revenge."
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AN: Hey, LazyRedMoon here with a special announcement!
First of all, thank you so much for reading this chapter! I truly appreciate your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy Journey of True Cultivation. But today's announcement isn't about a hiatus or anything like that,so don't worry!
Instead, I have some exciting news! Alongside Journey of True Cultivation, I'm starting a second novel called "Suddenly Turned into a God."
As the title suggests, this new story isn't a xianxia or wuxia. It's a high fantasy, dark adventure, and progression novel about a god slowly guiding a new race to gain faith and ascend the ranks of the gods.
It's a different kind of journey, but one I'm excited to share with you all. I'll be releasing the first two chapters today, but just a heads-up,the first three chapters are mostly an introduction to the world. So, if you decide to give it a try, feel free to stack the chapters and dive in when you're ready!
I hope you'll consider checking it out or supporting it by adding it to your collection. As always, I'm incredibly grateful for all of you who read Journey of True Cultivation, and I hope to see you in the comments for both stories!
Until the next chapter!
-LazyRedMoon