Today, Yuan Jinsheng's Golden Core had finally been fully restored!
He was overwhelmed with excitement.
Currently, he was cultivating the "Taoyuan Myriad Void Technique," a technique chosen by many disciples on Qingyun Peak.
For a cultivator like Yuan Jinsheng, switching cultivation techniques after reaching a certain level of mastery was extremely challenging. Some techniques even required the practitioner to abandon all previous cultivation to begin anew.
For high-level cultivators, this was almost impossible. Not only would abandoning their hard-earned cultivation be a tremendous loss, but there was also another critical factor to consider—lifespan.
Most cultivators who reached the Golden Core stage had spent hundreds of years refining their cultivation. While discarding their cultivation wouldn't immediately reduce their lifespan to that of an ordinary mortal, since their bodies had been enhanced by spiritual energy over time, their lifespan would no longer compare to what they had with their cultivation.
Thus, this limitation alone discouraged many from changing their cultivation techniques.
Even those techniques that didn't require the abandonment of prior cultivation were not easy to switch to.
Starting over was still daunting for any cultivator. Even though they would have a foundation to build upon, and the progress would be faster than the first time, there were still many uncertainties. Different techniques might have different bottlenecks, and breaking through them was never guaranteed. Changing techniques was often seen as a risky gamble.
That's why most sects and clans with significant resources would always seek out the best possible cultivation techniques for their talented disciples, hoping to avoid the complications of switching techniques later on.
When Yuan Jinsheng first joined Lingxian Sect with his son Shen Yingzi, he hadn't expected much. After all, his Golden Core had been so damaged that even the spirit doctors at Qinglian Sect had said it was beyond repair, meaning he would never progress further in his cultivation.
When he saw the high-grade techniques offered by Lingxian Sect, he thought he might as well give it a try, viewing it as a desperate measure.
Before he began cultivating, he asked Elder Liao, the instructor responsible for the Training Hall and now his mentor, whether the sect's techniques required abandoning his previous cultivation.
Liao Pantou assured him that there was no need for that.
After examining his Golden Core, Elder Liao further explained that if Yuan Jinsheng focused on cultivating one of the sect's new techniques, the damage to his core could be fully restored. In fact, due to the higher quality of the sect's techniques, his Golden Core might even improve beyond its original state.
Although Yuan Jinsheng hadn't reached the level where his Golden Core could be enhanced yet, his recovery in the past few months had been remarkably fast. He had already advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage of the "Taoyuan Myriad Void Technique."
Of course, his quick progress was due to Lingxian Sect's abundant spiritual energy, as well as his pre-existing foundation as a Golden Core cultivator.
Other first-time cultivators on Qingyun Peak couldn't match his speed. Most were still in the 5th or 6th layers of Qi Refinement, with only a few particularly talented individuals reaching the 8th or 9th layers.
After finishing his internal inspection, Yuan Jinsheng let out a long, satisfied breath.
He never could have imagined that his involvement in the Ji Stone incident and following his son to Lingxian Sect would turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Thinking of his son, he reached for his Locking Ring to contact Shen Yingzi.
Yesterday, Shen Yingzi had mentioned that he was preparing to break through to the 7th layer of Qi Refinement and had requested leave from the Training Hall for the morning. Judging the time, Yuan Jinsheng figured his son should be finished by now.
Sure enough, Shen Yingzi responded to the communication, and Yuan Jinsheng heard his son's voice through the Locking Ring.
"Father?"
Hearing the energy in his son's voice, Yuan Jinsheng was certain his son had succeeded, but he still asked, "Yingzi, have you made the breakthrough?"
"I didn't let you down, Father. I reached the 7th layer of Qi Refinement an hour ago and am now stabilizing my cultivation," Shen Yingzi replied dutifully.
Yuan Jinsheng beamed with pride, nodding repeatedly as he spoke, "That's wonderful! Make sure to solidify your progress. I won't disturb you further. Let's have dinner together tonight to celebrate."
After ending the conversation, Yuan Jinsheng was filled with joy.
He recalled the days when he constantly worried about his son's inability to cultivate. The thought that his son would only live for a few decades, while he himself would have to witness Shen Yingzi's entire cycle of life and death, had weighed heavily on his heart.
It had almost become a mental burden for him.
But there was nothing he could do. No matter how many times he tested his son, the results were always the same: Shen Yingzi's spiritual roots were too mixed and weak for cultivation.
Who would have thought that there existed techniques that didn't rely on spiritual roots, only on comprehension!
And it turned out that his son had an incredible aptitude for cultivation!
Although Shen Yingzi couldn't match Bai Shu's 9th layer or Xuanyuan Haoyue's 8th layer, he was still one of the most outstanding disciples among the hundred or so on Qingyun Peak!
Moreover, like Bai Shu, Shen Yingzi was cultivating the "Benyuan Heart Sutra."
When they first selected their techniques, Yuan Jinsheng had also looked through the "Benyuan Heart Sutra."
As the disciples exchanged insights about their cultivation experiences, they unanimously agreed that the "Benyuan Heart Sutra" was the hardest to start with among the techniques offered.
However, those who had been cultivating it for some time remarked that once they grasped its core principles, the cultivation process became as smooth as flowing water.
Even so, none of the disciples who were already cultivating other techniques had chosen to switch to the "Benyuan Heart Sutra" since the techniques they had already chosen were the best fit for them at the time.
The teaching elders had emphasized that for now, the most important thing for the disciples wasn't the grade of the technique but finding one that suited them best at their current stage. All of the techniques offered in the sect could be switched later if needed, and if a disciple gained new insights, they could always change techniques.
Moreover, even the techniques in Lingxian Sect that weren't of the highest grade were still treasures in the eyes of the outside world.
Reflecting on this, Yuan Jinsheng couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude.
He marveled at the profound heritage and strength of Lingxian Sect, which existed right here in the mortal realm.
Looking at the various items the sect provided, including the standard gear given to new disciples—such as the sect's robes and the Locking Rings that could store items and facilitate real-time communication—he knew these were all of great value.
Even the peachwood swords they were equipped with were highly suitable for Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators. And according to the elders in the Forging Hall, these peachwood swords could be upgraded, making them useful even as one's cultivation level increased.