DIV Chapter 21: Breakthrough

Li Chang'an was different from other talisman masters. The talisman path was merely one of his methods for earning cultivation resources.

What he truly relied on was the divination that refreshed daily!

Even without talisman inheritance, he might obtain other inheritances in the future. In short, he didn't need to join the Zheng family to obtain various resources.

"Marrying into the Zheng family does have benefits, but the drawbacks are greater," Li Chang'an thought to himself without voicing these words.

After a while, seeing his firm attitude, Shopkeeper Qian stopped trying to persuade him.

Zheng Qingqing didn't say much more either, only asking Li Chang'an to consider it further.

"Fellow Daoist Li, if you change your mind, you can come find me anytime," she said with bright, beautiful eyes, her attitude still gentle.

Li Chang'an nodded.

"Thank you for the young miss's kind intentions."

Before long, Li Chang'an took his leave, carrying the spirit stones earned from selling talismans as he left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

After he left, Shopkeeper Qian smiled and spoke.

"This young man's skills have just broken through. He's in high spirits right now with plenty of confidence. It's normal for him not to agree. Young miss, please don't take offense."

"Of course not," Zheng Qingqing laughed lightly, not minding at all.

Shopkeeper Qian continued, "Young miss, after some time, when his talisman skills reach their limit with nowhere left to go, he'll definitely come seeking help."

He was very confident about this. After all, he had experienced such a journey himself.

In youth, one was always spirited, thinking they could break through all difficulties with their own fists. Only after experiencing various setbacks would one abandon such unrealistic fantasies.

"Young miss, are you planning to introduce him to a Zheng family woman with inferior spiritual roots?" Shopkeeper Qian inquired.

Li Chang'an wasn't an ordinary cultivator after all, so it would be impossible to introduce him to ordinary family women.

Zheng Qingqing shook her head gently.

"Inferior spiritual roots aren't quite right. Low-grade spiritual roots would be better."

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Qian was somewhat surprised. It seemed Li Chang'an's value in Zheng Qingqing's mind was higher than he had guessed.

In the following months, everything proceeded as usual. No matter how the outside world changed, Li Chang'an continued his quiet cultivation.

Before he knew it, he was on the verge of breakthrough.

"Third layer of Qi Refining peak!" Li Chang'an slowly exhaled.

Only a thin barrier separated him from the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

For the next three days, he didn't draw talismans or pay attention to anything in the outside world. Instead, he bathed and burned incense, calming his mind and spirit, pushing his condition toward perfection.

"The transition from the third to fourth layer of Qi Refining represents the change from early to mid-stage, with a considerable threshold. No matter how confident one is, one cannot be careless!"

This breakthrough was particularly important. Once successful, he would no longer be at the very bottom of the cultivation world!

On this day, at dawn, as the sun rose in the east, Li Chang'an sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed.

The Small Spirit Gathering Plate was placed before him. Around the room were scattered numerous spirit stones he had crushed.

For a moment, the spiritual energy concentration in the room had reached an astonishing level.

Li Chang'an remained unhurried and composed, maintaining a stable mindset as he circulated his cultivation technique.

Countless streams of spiritual power were absorbed into his body, like great rivers surging through his meridians before finally flowing into his dantian.

Time seemed to slow down at this moment.

After an unknown period... finally...

Boom!

Li Chang'an's entire body trembled. That barrier completely shattered and dispersed into nothingness.

At this moment, his aura began to surge dramatically, his cultivation climbing steadily.

His limbs, bones, and internal organs underwent intense transformation, every inch of his body becoming stronger than before.

When everything ended, Li Chang'an opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance appearing in them.

"Fourth layer of Qi Refining!"

He had finally broken through!

He exhaled a long breath, filled with joy.

From now on, he had escaped the group of bottom-tier cultivators and taken a solid step upward!

The fourth to sixth layers of Qi Refining constituted the mid-stage. Such cultivation was already quite respectable. In some small Qi Refining families, one could even become an elder.

After a moment, Li Chang'an calmed his emotions and warned himself.

"It's only the fourth layer of Qi Refining. I mustn't become arrogant."

After all, there were still two mid-stage Qi Refining bandit cultivators targeting him. He still needed to be cautious.

"I'll continue displaying third-layer Qi Refining cultivation to outsiders and breakthrough openly after some time," Li Chang'an decided.

Over the following days, he continued consolidating his cultivation, ensuring this breakthrough had no hidden dangers.

Afterward, he took out talisman paper and brush.

"With fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, drawing first-tier mid-grade talismans should be easier than before."

Li Chang'an's expression was calm as he gripped the talisman brush and began drawing a Golden Blade Talisman.

Sure enough, this talisman drawing went extremely smoothly without any sense of strain. He didn't need to consume any pills and easily completed the Golden Blade Talisman!

"Excellent!" Li Chang'an put away the Golden Blade Talisman and continued trying other talismans.

Each one was very easy. Flowing like clouds and water, completed in one stroke, without a single error!

"After some more time, I can try drawing high-quality versions of mid-grade talismans," Li Chang'an smiled, very satisfied.

Several more days passed.

Xu Fugui suddenly came looking for him.

"Brother Li, something terrible has happened!" His tone was urgent, his face full of unease.

Li Chang'an's expression remained gentle, his voice calm.

"Don't panic, speak slowly. What happened?"

"The Zheng family's Foundation Establishment ancestor is dead!"

"What?" Li Chang'an was startled, finding it incredible.

Foundation Establishment ancestors represented invincibility in this region.

One must know that Foundation Establishment cultivators lived up to 240 years! Even the oldest of the Zheng family's two Foundation Establishment ancestors still had several decades of lifespan remaining. It was impossible for them to die of old age.

"Give me the details. What exactly happened?" Li Chang'an's expression became serious, his tone grave.

Xu Fugui swallowed and began narrating.

"Recently, another dangerous area appeared in the secret realm. That region has numerous damaged formations that pose mortal danger once triggered!"

However, though that region was dangerous, it contained many treasures. In the already explored areas, even damaged second-tier treasures had appeared, moving even Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Zheng family's mid-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor had personally ventured deep into that region to explore.

But before long, earth-shaking explosions echoed from the depths of that region.

Later, rumors spread that the Zheng family ancestor had died inside, with even his body irretrievable!

"Just rumors? No one actually saw the Zheng family ancestor die?" Li Chang'an frowned slightly, inquiring carefully.

Xu Fugui nodded.

"Yes, Brother, but this news has spread everywhere. People throughout the market are discussing it, yet the Zheng family hasn't tried to stop it."

The Zheng family hadn't come forward to refute the rumors. What did this indicate? Could that ancestor really be dead?

Thinking of this, Li Chang'an couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted.

"The reason the Zheng family could previously contend with the other two major families was because they had two Foundation Establishment cultivators."

If one had truly died, and it was the strongest mid-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor, then the situation would be very dire.

"With only one Foundation Establishment ancestor remaining, the Zheng family's position will become much more difficult," Li Chang'an felt an ominous unease.

The market's tranquility might not last much longer.

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