Regarding Body Refinement Realm techniques, Su Yu had not mentioned them to anyone, including the family's upper echelons. Perhaps if he had, he could have obtained better and more resources from the family, but with resources would also come increased responsibilities and affairs.
The dangers would multiply as well, which was not advantageous for a beginner cultivator who had just stepped onto the path of cultivation.
Don't forget.
Besides their cultivating Su Family, River City also had another family—the Lin Family.
The Lin Family and their Su Family were at odds with each other.
In a previous cultivation game, someone had analyzed the chances of characters who followed the high-profile genius cultivation route and those who followed the low-key cultivation route reaching immortality.
The ratio was about one to nine.
This meant that for every person who took the high-profile path to the end, there were only one-ninth as many compared to those who took the low-key path.
Compared to obtaining a small number of resources for cultivation from the family, Su Yu would rather cultivate in a low-profile manner and steadily increase his proficiency.
He would not leave the family until his strength had sufficiently increased.
Three months after returning from Yunjian Sect, Su Qingyi, who lived not far away next door, broke through to the second layer of the Qi Refinement Realm.
After inviting Su Yu for a meal and boasting a bit, Su Qingyi chose to go work at one of the Su Family's medicinal fields to be an apprentice and learn how to plant Spiritual Medicine as well as discern their medicinal properties.
This was the first step to becoming an Alchemy apprentice.
At the second layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, one could receive two low-grade Spirit Stones and fifty kilograms of Spirit Rice per month from the family.
In addition, by working at the medicinal fields, one could receive another two low-grade Spirit Stones each month.
The resources were quite considerable,
at least when compared to Su Yu.
"Mid-tier Spiritual Roots do cultivate quickly," Su Yu sighed internally. Breaking through to the second layer of the Qi Refinement Realm in just three months.
The speed of his progress was comparable to that of those with high-tier Spiritual Roots.
After finishing off the fine wine left by Su Qingyi, Su Yu shook his head lightly, settling his mind to continue his own cultivation.
The most important daily task was the practice of the Wutong Green Wood Technique.
This Wood Attribute Cultivation Technique was not strong in mana, and the speed of cultivation was slow, but it was superior in its tranquility and robustness, and it even had healing and life-extending effects.
Once cultivated to the ninth level of perfection in the Qi Refinement Realm, it could extend one's lifespan by at least twenty years.
These twenty years were quite attractive to many people, so there were quite a few in the Su Family who practiced the Wutong Green Wood Technique.
Furthermore, the Su Family's initial rise was largely due to the Wutong Green Wood Technique.
The family primarily relied on the business of nurturing Spiritual Medicine, and the mana of the Wutong Green Wood Technique greatly aided the growth of Spiritual Medicine.
Practicing the Wutong Green Wood Technique for four hours a day was the limit.
Afterward, he would practice two spells, the Wood Vine Spell and the Spirit Nurturing Spell; both spells were only beginner-level.
The Wood Vine Spell was mainly for trapping enemies, and the Spirit Nurturing Spell was mainly for cultivating Spiritual Medicine.
Improving proficiency was not difficult. Over the course of several months, the proficiency of both spells had nearly reached one hundred percent perfection.
"I need to find another spell to practice," Su Yu thought to himself.
But there was no rush.
During another family trading event, Su Yu, accompanied by the girl Lindong, went to browse leisurely.
At the trading event, Su Yu found a Wood Attribute spell that suited his fancy: Spirit Spear Technique.
The trade price was not high, merely one low-grade Spirit Stone.
This spell could condense a battle spear with mana to pierce the air and slay enemies, and when combined with the Wood Vine Spell, it could be very effective.
Although Su Yu was not wealthy in Spirit Stones, he still traded for the spell.
"Let's go, time to head back."
With the month's low-grade Spirit Stone spent, there was no need to look at the remaining stalls. Su Yu returned to his own courtyard, peacefully practicing the Spirit Spear Technique.
The strength of the Spirit Spear Spell was entirely dependent on one's own mana. The more and the stronger the mana you pour into it, the stronger the war spear you condense.
But the more mana it also consumes.
"For the time being, having this attack spell at the Qi Refinement Realm first layer is enough," Su Yu was satisfied, never biting off more than he could chew without the strength to back it up.
Time slowly passed.
Stars moved across the sky.
Seasons changed from spring to autumn.
In the blink of an eye,
it had been a year since Su Yu returned from the Yunjian Sect. During this year, besides cultivating, he spent his days wandering through the archives and various markets of River City.
Sometimes he would chat with Fifth Grandpa Su Bin, learning many interesting tales about the Cultivation World.
This old man was somewhat special within the clan; aside from his time in the archives, he would sometimes disappear without a trace, with no one knowing where he went.
Even other Elders and the Family Head didn't bother with his whereabouts and idle wanderings.
Su Yu once asked the old man about this, only for Su Bin to chuckle and tell him not to be so overly curious as a young kid.
One day, while Su Yu was cultivating, a burst of green light flashed on his body and his mana surged.
His cultivation aura finally broke through from the Qi Refinement Realm first layer to the Qi Refinement Realm second layer.
After the breakthrough in cultivation, Su Yu didn't hide it and went to the Second Elder to show his new level of cultivation, receiving a reward for the breakthrough to the Qi Refinement Realm second layer from the elder's hand.
A double monthly allowance, that is, one lower-grade Spirit Stone and thirty jin of lower-grade Spirit Rice.
Moreover, from now on, his monthly allowance at the Qi Refinement Realm second layer will be two lower-grade Spirit Stones and fifty jin of lower-grade Spirit Rice every month.
Taking an entire year just to break through from the Qi Refinement Realm first layer to the second layer was considered the lowest level of talent.
It wouldn't attract any attention.
Even if someone knew about Su Yu's breakthrough to the Qi Refinement Realm second layer, they would just shake their heads – taking a year to break through was seen as quite useless, and they would soon forget about him.
However, Su Yu was pleased with his cultivation breakthrough, and Lindong specially made a delicious meal for him as they celebrated together in their courtyard.
At another family trade meeting, Su Yu saw many Demonic Beast essences for sale, including early-stage first-order Demonic Beast essences and a few drops of mid-stage first-order essences.
"So many Demonic Beast essences? Did a small-scale beast tide happen in the medicinal fields?" Su Yu wondered in surprise.
Using the lower-grade Spirit Stone he had saved up, he bought two drops of mid-stage first-order Demonic Beast essence. After wandering around the trade meeting, he didn't see Fifth Elder Su Bin's figure. He originally wanted to ask him about this matter, but since he didn't find him, he could only give up and leave.
Half a year ago, Su Yu's Body Refinement Realm technique had broken through to the second layer.
After half a year of cultivation, his Body Refinement Realm technique had already broken through to the third layer a month ago.
Back in the courtyard,
Su Yu focused and lines of text appeared before him.
[Name: Su Yu.]
[Cultivation: Qi Refinement Realm second layer.]
[Lifespan: 17/99.]
[Cultivation Technique: Wutong Green Wood Art (Second Layer, Proficiency 1.42%), Crocodile Demon 108 Body Refinement Techniques (Third Layer, Proficiency 10.67%).]
[Spells: Wood Tendril Spell (Perfection), Spirit Nurturing Spell (Perfection), Spirit Spear Spell (Perfection).]
"With two drops of mid-stage first-order Demonic Beast essence, let's see if I can attempt to break through to the fourth layer of the Body Refinement technique within two or three months," Su Yu pondered as he looked at the proficiency panel.
Regarding spells, once he had saved up some Spirit Stones, he could look for more powerful spells suitable for him.
Or perhaps, it was time to consider side professions like Alchemy or Talisman crafting?
With the proficiency panel, it would be a great waste not to improve his side professions and earn some extra money in his spare time.
"Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Talisman crafting, and laying out formations, all these side professions are quite profitable," Su Yu thought to himself, his eyes shining slightly.
With money, he could greatly accelerate the speed of his cultivation.