Chapter 5: This Life, I'll Take Back Everything!
As it turned out, using an iron pot for alchemy worked surprisingly well.
Li Yingling absorbed spiritual energy like a whale swallowing water, preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Chu Xingchen quickly pulled several spirit stones from his spatial ring and arranged them into a simple Spirit Gathering Formation to ensure there was enough energy for her breakthrough.
He had studied the Water Heart Scripture himself. Though the writing looked messy and overwhelming, it was indeed the work of an Emperor-level expert—written precisely for a perfect Foundation Establishment.
After all, without a solid foundation, how could one ever hope to achieve immortality?
Only with full internal balance and clarity of mind could one naturally form a stable foundation.
As a top-tier cultivation seedling, Li Yingling's progress was fast, yet her fundamentals remained sound.
She was, after all, his very first disciple. There was no way Chu Xingchen would neglect her progress.
Watching as her aura gradually steadied and her spiritual energy became dense and restrained, Chu Xingchen knew—this time, success was certain.
Half an hour later, the system's notification sounded.
[First Disciple Li Yingling has broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
[Reward Granted.]
[Divine Ability: Three Thousand Weak Water Swords.]
[Formal Mission Unlocked: Recruit Two Qualified Disciples.]
[Reward: Spirit Gathering Formation.]
[Formal Mission Two: Recruit Three Qualified Disciples.]
[Reward: True Martial Hall.]
The new main missions weren't unexpected.
But still… where on earth was he supposed to find more disciples like this?
Chu Xingchen sighed quietly.
Li Yingling, who had just finished stabilizing her cultivation, opened her eyes in delight—only to see her master staring blankly at her with a distant gaze before sighing again.
???
Had something gone wrong with her breakthrough? Li Yingling panicked and immediately checked her internal condition—everything was perfectly normal.
Then what was wrong? Had she used the wrong method to establish her foundation?
She examined herself again and again but found no issues. That in itself terrified her even more.
"Master…" she asked nervously, "am I… am I doomed?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Chu Xingchen gave her a puzzled look.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
He retrieved a book from the system's space and tossed it to her.
"This is a divine ability—a cultivator's ultimate trump card. Study it well."
Catching the book mid-air, Li Yingling glanced at its cover. It was clean, elegant, and beautifully titled: Three Thousand Weak Water Swords.
She opened it carefully, half expecting messy revisions and scrawled insults—but to her surprise, the pages were pristine.
The handwriting was elegant and flowing, almost artistic.
It looked… oddly suspicious, like one of those counterfeit divine manuals sold at roadside stalls.
Still, after her experience with the Water Heart Scripture, she had learned one thing—no matter how strange her master's teachings seemed, they worked.
As long as it didn't cripple her, she would trust her master unconditionally.
Happily, she began reading the sword technique. After studying it for a while, she realized something was missing.
"Master, do you have a sword?" she asked.
That sentence almost sounded like an insult, but Chu Xingchen understood what she meant.
He glanced at her, then casually broke off a piece from his wooden bedboard, channeling spiritual energy to shape it into a crude wooden sword.
He tossed it to her. "Practice more. If it breaks, I'll make you another one—there are plenty of trees outside."
Having spent half a month under her master's eccentric ways, Li Yingling had already grown used to it.
Silently, she picked up the wooden sword from the ground and returned to her small bed.
There was no sign of excitement on her face, even after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Chu Xingchen let out another quiet sigh.
Where on earth was he supposed to find another cultivation seedling like this?
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Past betrayals!
Past blood-deep hatred!
In this life, I will repay blood with blood!
Li Xingtian's gaze was calm and steady, his straw sandals already worn through, his feet bleeding.
In his previous life, with ordinary talent, he entered the Clear Breeze Sect and suffered endless humiliation.
He finally obtained a supreme treasure and rose up, rushing from the Southern Jambu Continent all the way to the vast Central Continent.
Even in Central Continent, where geniuses gathered, he could still be called a prodigy.
But alas! In his youthful ignorance he was deceived by a vile demon-sect enchantress and left with nothing.
Even the Nascent Soul he had cultivated was drained by that demon enchantress.
Most hateful of all—he never even got to hold her hand!
Damnable!
Since he had been granted another chance at rebirth, in this life his heart would hold no woman!
Li Xingtian's destination was a mountain temple in the forest at Ten Li Slope.
Inside the temple there was a stone containing bone jade a thousand years old.
As long as he absorbed and refined it, subduing the inner heart demon within, he could shed his mortal shell and be reborn.
He would transform into a Heavenly Demon Dao Body!
Ten Li Slope was rarely visited; within several dozen miles there was scarcely a trace of human life, and it was here that a mountain temple had been built.
A mighty expert had left this opportunity for a destined successor of later generations.
In his previous life, he had been that destined one.
In this life, he had arrived even earlier—he was still that destined one.
Truly, fate is wondrous beyond words!
Li Xingtian climbed over a familiar small, steep slope.
His heart grew more excited, for beyond that slope lay the mountain temple.
He lifted his eyes in delight.
He saw the mountain temple.
But he also saw a young, beautiful female cultivator in a pink flowing dress.
Her hair fell like a waterfall, her face was like peach blossoms, a wooden sword in her hand, her posture peerless as she practiced sword techniques.
Spiritual energy surged around her; she was stunning beyond compare.
If an ordinary person saw her, how could they not call her a celestial maiden?
But Li Xingtian was different!
Damn it—woman!
He cursed inwardly.
Yet he did not rush forward. Without doubt, the girl before him was already a cultivator who had stepped onto the immortal path.
As for him, he was merely a second-level Qi Refining nobody.
Observe first!
A casual glance would not suffice; on careful observation, Li Xingtian noticed the key.
The girl was clearly not practicing an ordinary sword technique, but a divine ability.
It was a top-tier sword divine ability, and its compatibility with this woman was exceptionally high.
A divine ability—this was the life-long dream of countless cultivators.
In Central Continent, only those who had mastered a divine ability could be called prodigies.
Li Xingtian also had one divine ability, but it differed greatly from his cultivation method, and its effect was greatly diminished.
Even so, within the same realm, as long as the opponent did not possess a divine ability, he could crush them.
What made him even more envious was that the spiritual power she displayed was only around the Foundation Establishment Realm.
A Foundation Establishment girl already had a divine ability suited to her?
Even with rebirth and the memories of his previous life, he would not dare dream of such fortune!
Which top immortal sect of Central Continent had sent out a core disciple to travel?
There must be elders of the sect nearby acting as guardians!
Startled, Li Xingtian realized his presence might have been discovered.
He hurriedly slid back down along the slope with utmost care.
Indeed, opportunities must be seized at the right time—he had come too soon!
Cursing himself inwardly, Li Xingtian prepared to leave for now.
But as he turned, a wooden sword pointed straight at his throat.
The sword-practicing girl wore a cold expression and said icily, "Who sent you?"
"Was it the Minister of Xuanwu Kingdom, or has the Supreme Clarity Sect discovered our trail?"