Outside Guangling City, a mighty river surged forward. The river was wide, spanning thousands of feet. It was the Great Cang River, the longest river within the Yunhe County, winding for thousands of miles.
It was early morning, and Su Yi, dressed in a blue robe, walked alone along the banks of the Great Cang River, heading north. As he walked, he sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy in the heavens and the earth, observing the trends of mountains, rivers, and the signs of the world. This was the so-called art of "feng shui and geomancy."
Although Su Yi didn't have any cultivation base at the moment, his experiences and insights from his previous life were still intact. This allowed him to perceive the distribution of spiritual energy in the land through the flow of mountains and rivers. The spiritual energy varied in different places.
He walked for more than ten miles along the riverbank until he finally stopped, his eyes revealing a hint of satisfaction. Ahead was a vast mountain range, its peaks gathered together, shrouded in perpetual mist.
The Yun Cang Mountain Range, stretching for eight hundred miles, connected with the Great Cang River. "Further ahead is the 'Ghost Mother Peak' of the Yun Cang Mountain, which terrifies the people of Guangling City..." Su Yi placed his hands behind his back and gazed into the distance.
For many years, the Ghost Mother Peak had been regarded as a place of great ill omen. It was rumored that long ago, it was a battlefield, permeated with a heavy gloom, and that malevolent and eerie spirits roamed the area year-round. Many ghost stories circulating in Guangling City were related to the Ghost Mother Peak.
"The mountain is shrouded in Yin energy, and the malevolent mist lingers. It truly is a 'blessed place' for evil spirits." After a while, Su Yi withdrew his gaze and sighed lightly. "Unfortunately, I don't have any cultivation base yet. Otherwise, I could have made a trip there and captured a few fierce ghosts to help me collect spiritual herbs from the mountains. Then I wouldn't have to work so hard and come to this remote place outside the city to cultivate..."
There were indeed ghosts in this world! And Su Yi knew even better that ghosts could be classified into Yin spirits, apparitions, demons, and spirits, among others. In the Great Wilderness of the Nine Provinces, the "Western Abyss Ghost Emperor" was the most enigmatic figure. He was originally a "ghost creature" born in an ancient battlefield, a legend in the realm of ghost cultivation.
"The spiritual energy here is still quite thin, but for me at the moment, it's already quite good." Su Yi finally made up his mind to cultivate in this place. It was a mulberry forest adjacent to the banks of the Great Cang River, with the Yun Cang Mountain Range just ahead. It was a convergence of wind and water, a combination of mountains and rivers, barely qualifying as a "spiritual land."
A gust of river wind blew, and the flowing spiritual energy in the air refreshed one's mind and spirit. Hoo~
Su Yi took a deep breath, and his body and mind gradually became clear and ethereal, as if the moon was full in the azure sky.
Then, he slowly assumed a stance and began to perform the Pine Crane Body Refinement Technique.
"It's indeed different from when I practiced in the Wen family..."
In just a moment, Su Yi, in the midst of cultivation, perceived that faint strands of thin spiritual energy were surging towards him from the surrounding ten feet of empty space, flowing into his body. It was like a gentle spring breeze, silently nourishing everything.
And his Qi and blood started to become plump and lively, as if rejoicing, leaping, and filled with vibrant vitality.
Su Yi quickly dismissed any distractions and immersed himself in his cultivation, completely forgetting himself.
The sun rose to its zenith, and it was already noon.
This time, Su Yi practiced for a full three hours!
Fortunately, this mulberry forest was extremely remote, adjacent to the dangerous place, Ghost Mother Peak. It was rarely visited by people, so no one disturbed Su Yi's peaceful cultivation.
Crack!
Suddenly, Su Yi's body emitted a crisp sound from his bones, as if breaking through a layer of bodily barriers. His Qi and blood surged like the mighty Yangtze River, vigorous and circulating.
At this moment, he was like an ancient pine tree, connecting heaven and earth!
And the boiling and lively Qi and blood in his body were like a crane spreading its wings, soaring in the blue sky, free and unrestrained, brimming with a profound charm.
Pine and crane, stillness and movement in harmony, emptiness and solidity giving birth to each other, combining form and intention!
At this moment, Su Yi completely grasped the essence and charm of the Pine Crane Body Refinement Technique.
And with this, he stepped into the initial stage of the Blood Shifting Realm!
The Blood Shifting Realm was the first realm of martial arts cultivation, the beginning of cultivation, the foundation of the Great Dao, divided into four layers: refining the skin, refining the flesh, refining the tendons, and refining the bones.
After a year, Su Yi finally regained his cultivation today, at this very moment!
Clang!
A familiar sword hum resonated in Su Yi's mind, filled with joy and excitement.
The Nine Hells Sword!
"Are you also happy for me?"
A subtle and strange expression appeared in Su Yi's eyes.
In his previous life, when he was young and just started cultivating, the Nine Hells Sword accompanied him, accompanying him on his journey along the Great Dao.
Until before his reincarnation, even with his terrifying cultivation in the esteemed "Xuanhe Realm" of the Great Wilderness, he still couldn't unravel the true secret of the Nine Hells Sword!
Its origin.
The nine layers of divine chains sealed on its blade.
They were all filled with mystery.
Su Yi could let go of the immense wealth and unparalleled fame accumulated throughout his life.
The only thing he couldn't let go of was the Nine Hells Sword!
Therefore, before his previous life ended, without hesitation, Su Yi sealed his lifelong memories into the sword and carried it with him into his reincarnation.
This sword was like his life, something he couldn't part with!
Soon, Su Yi shook his head and began to calmly feel the changes in his own Qi.
"Cultivating by absorbing spiritual energy is truly extraordinary."
After awakening his memories from his previous life, he spent three days in the Wen family cultivating.
But combined, it was still far less than the three hours of cultivation by the banks of the Great Cang River.
A world of difference!
"If I cultivate here, it will only take three days for me to reach the perfection of 'Refining the Skin'."
Thinking of this, Su Yi shook his head.
"If I only aim to improve my cultivation realm, it's as easy as turning my hand for me. But in this lifetime, I seek to surpass the path of my previous life!"
"To achieve this, I must steadily advance in each realm and proceed with caution step by step."
"Remember, I must not be too hasty."
Su Yi reminded himself inwardly.
The Blood Shifting Realm was the first realm of martial arts.
Although it was the most basic, it was also the most important, capable of influencing whether the path ahead could be walked further.
He cultivated the "Pine Crane Body Refinement Technique" in order to forge a foundation in the martial realms that far surpassed his previous life's equivalent realm!
"Unfortunately, I'm currently penniless. If I had enough money, I could purchase some herbs in the city. After each day of cultivation, I could use them for bath and nourishment, refining the essence of the medicine to further improve and enhance my physical strength."
"Next, I need to find an opportunity to earn some money..."
Su Yi was contemplating his future cultivation plans.
Suddenly, a violent coughing sound drifted through the wind. Su Yi turned his head and saw two figures approaching from the direction of Guimu Ridge.
One was an old man in a robe, floating steps, with a pale and emaciated face. He coughed violently as he walked, struggling to catch his breath.
The other was a young girl in a purple dress, accompanying him with a face full of worry. She was stunningly beautiful, with a delicate face like a goose egg, a slender waist wrapped in a white jade belt, and a tall and outstanding figure.
What was even more remarkable was the air of nobility that emanated from her, different from ordinary people.
"Both the old man and the young girl are obviously people of high status," Su Yi thought, giving them a glance before retracting his gaze.
But just as he was about to leave, he stopped and looked at the old man again. Suddenly, he made a new discovery, and a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes.
The old man and the young girl had also noticed Su Yi, but they didn't pay much attention to him. However, when Su Yi's gaze fell on the old man for the second time, the young girl frowned, her pretty face showing a hint of displeasure.
"Sneaky and suspicious, obviously not a good person!" Her face turned frosty, and she gave Su Yi a glare.
Su Yi was taken aback. This girl had quite the temper.
"Zijin, don't be rude. Even if you're worried about your grandfather's injuries, you can't vent your anger on innocent people," the old man spoke with a gentle voice. "In our interactions with others, we should control ourselves and maintain proper etiquette. Only then can we keep our mind calm and not be troubled by the six thieves in our hearts."
The girl named Zijin complained, "Grandfather, you're injured like this and yet you're lecturing me. I don't have the mood to listen."
The old man chuckled and shook his head. Then, he slightly bowed to Su Yi. "If I have offended you, I hope you can forgive me, young friend."
As he spoke, he suddenly had another bout of severe coughing, his forehead veins bulging, as if he was about to cough out his heart and lungs.
"Grandfather, please don't speak anymore."
Zijin's face was filled with worry and extreme anxiety as she carefully supported the old man's arm. "When we return to the city, I will find the best physician to treat your injuries."
At this moment, Su Yi suddenly spoke up, "With this kind of injury, ordinary physicians won't be able to save him. If it continues to be delayed, within three days, there will be no hope of survival."
Zijin widened her eyes in anger and said, "How dare you curse my grandfather with death!"
The old man in the robe smiled bitterly and said, "Zijin, this young friend is right. There is almost no hope for my injuries to be cured."
Zijin felt as if she had been struck by lightning, heartbroken and desperate. She trembled as she said, "Grandfather, I will never let anything happen to you! I'll take you back to Yunhe County immediately."
The old man in the robe laughed and said, "Don't panic. Life and death are predetermined. I've long been indifferent to such matters after a lifetime of military service."
Speaking of this, he looked at Su Yi again, his gaze subtle. "Young friend, if I may ask, how did you discern the injuries on this old man's body?"
Su Yi had a good perception of the old man in the robe and didn't hide anything. He said, "There is a crimson shade between the eyebrows, a pale face without a trace of blood, the lungs invaded by Yin toxins, and strands of cold corpse aura lingering around you. If my guess is correct, you encountered the 'Six Extinction Yin Corpse' in Guimu Ridge before."
The old man in the robe couldn't help but be moved. "Impressive observation!"
Zijin, who was beside them, was puzzled. "Wait a minute, Grandfather, didn't you say that very few people in Yunhe County know about the 'Six Extinction Yin Corpse' in Guimu Ridge?"
That was precisely why the old man in the robe was moved.
Not to mention Guangling City, almost no one in the entire Yunhe County knew about this secret.
However, this young man before them, just by observing his injuries, was able to reveal the truth!
Su Yi said calmly, "To be able to see this is nothing special. I can even be certain that you came here to collect the 'Six Yin Grass' and the 'Extreme Yang Flower'."
"How do you know?" Zijin exclaimed, blurting it out.
The expression of the old man in the robe also changed, and his heart was filled with shock.
A young man they met on the roadside could actually discern their injuries and the purpose of their journey just by his observation.
This was too frightening!
"How do I know?"
Su Yi shook his head and chuckled, "Miss, don't you know that wherever the 'Six Extremes Yin Corpse' appears, there will be the growth of Six Yin Grass? This spiritual herb is extremely cold and yin. It is said that yin cannot thrive without yang, and where Six Yin Grass grows, there must be the accompanying presence of Extreme Yang Flower."
This is common knowledge in the Nine Provinces of the Great Wilderness!
But clearly, Zijin was stunned and speechless.
Even the expression on the long-robed old man's face revealed a hint of undisguised astonishment.
In his eyes, the slender and thin figure of the young man opposite him exuded a sense of profound mystery.