Lastly, the East Victory Continent remained the only intact landmass, its topography changed but remeains abundant in resources and Essence Qi. It was also home to the majority of the major sects of the Xuanling Two Lineages, including the Taiyuan Sect.
The three continents were separated by tens of thousands of miles, with vast seas between them. The seas were filled with ancient beasts and demonic creatures, creating dangerous natural barriers. Even a true primordial spirit would find it perilous to cross.
Fortunately, the three continents had constructed teleportation arrays during ancient times. After the great war, while many teleportation arrays were destroyed, some still remained. Moreover, true monarchs had intervened post-war to stabilize the Essence Qi and repair spatial rifts, allowing limited communication between them.
The East Victory Continent and the island of the Zhou Continent, where the Xia Dynasty was located, were separated by many miles. Though there were ancient teleportation arrays, the Essence Qi in this area was exceptionally thin, and spiritual resources were scarce, making even scattered cultivators reluctant to come.
However, it seemed that the major sects had made arrangements to rotate their disciples to guard the remnants of the "Zhou Continent," which explained why Lingyun Shangren was stationed here.
This area was also one of the few places where Essence Qi gathered, making it a conducive environment for spiritual root growth, supplemented by formations to gather spiritual energy, somewhat offsetting the need for guarding disciples.
After the ancient war, countless years passed, and the various cultivation factions in the Xuanming Great World gradually evolved around the human path, forming the Nine Sects of the Xuanmen, the Six Paths of the Spirit Gate, the Four Temples of the Brahman Gate, along with some forces of demonic races and scattered cultivators. However, the latter two were relatively weaker.
Even now, on the East Victory Continent, the Xuanling Two Lineages dominated.
This was because the Brahman Gate had mainly resided on the West Flame Continent, so after the continent fractured, many of its temples and Brahman cultivators perished, leaving only a few remnants under the protection of powerful beings.
Later, they attempted to cross to the East Victory Continent, but the Xuanling Lineages were not easily dealt with, especially concerning the inheritance of the Dao. A great battle almost broke out, but fortunately, they had learned from the lessons of the ancient war, which allowed them to barely control the situation.
In the end, the Brahman Gate was forced to retreat, and the Xuanling Lineages took the opportunity to drive some scattered cultivators and demonic races to the West Flame Continent, further depleting the already limited Essence Qi of the Brahman Gate.
After these two conflicts, the sects were exhausted, and the Xuanming Great World entered a rare period of cultivation and recuperation.
As for the Xuanling Lineages on the East Victory Continent, although they occasionally clashed, it was limited to the younger generation, which could be described as fighting without breaking, embodying the principle of the interplay of Yin and Yang.
After perusing the book, Bai Yichen found it extremely engaging, feeling a sense of the vastness of the world. He was grateful for his earlier steadfastness; if he had remained on this small mundane island, he might have been nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well, unable to see the true expanse of the world.
Furthermore, Bai Yichen had asked Lingyun Shangren several questions not only about the cultivation world but also about various aspects of cultivation itself.
After all, since achieving innate perfection in his previous life, he had seldom encountered anyone in the mundane world capable of offering him insightful guidance on cultivation from a higher perspective.
At most, he had received some advice from figures like Master Yunshou regarding Daoist terminology and fields he had yet to explore.
However, Lingyun Shangren was different. He was four major realms higher than Bai Yichen and had received the teachings of the top sects in the Xuanming Great World. Naturally, he could explain Bai Yichen's questions as easily as a chef skillfully butchering an ox.
His explanations were detailed and nuanced, causing Bai Yichen to feel a rush of excitement because the guidance far exceeded his expectations.
If he had not had someone to point out the obstacles in the previous two realms, he might not have noticed them while his cultivation level was still low.
However, in cultivation, a small deviation could lead to significant missteps.
If he were to establish his foundation with the Jade Liquid and condense his spirit in the future, it would become a considerable oversight that could impact his Dao journey.
These realizations further solidified Bai Yichen's determination to venture into the cultivation world; being trapped in this place would not be sustainable for long.
The only consolation was that Bai Yichen's martial skills were extraordinary; the first-generation ancestor of the Xuanzhen Temple had achieved mastery with them, and Bai Yichen had yet to break through.
Thus, there was still room for improvement.
Therefore, during these three days, Bai Yichen diligently reviewed and perfected the techniques of "Body Refining to Produce Essence" and "Refining Essence for Breath Nourishment," covering both postnatal and innate cultivation methods.
After three days, Bai Yichen felt that his internal energy was much smoother and more refined, and although he looked ordinary on the outside, a closer look revealed a hint of returning to his true nature.
It was time. After three days, Bai Yichen returned to the main hall of the Peach Blossom Temple once again.
"Not bad; it seems your comprehension is quite good. You've completed your polishing in just three days."
With just a glance, Lingyun Shangren could see Bai Yichen's progress over the last three days.
Instantly, a large peach with a pink and white hue appeared in his hand, exuding an enticing aroma as if it had just been picked. A single bite would surely result in juice splattering everywhere.
Bai Yichen could sense the rich spiritual energy emanating from it.
"Is this a spiritual fruit?" Bai Yichen asked with about seventy percent certainty.
"Exactly. This peach was produced by the spiritual plant in the Peach Blossom Temple.
I've already explained the method for breaking through from Breath Nourishment to Qi Gathering that day, so I won't go into it again. However, besides perfecting your techniques, you will need a catalyst.
Thus, in the cultivation world, there are often grand ceremonies for opening the spirit, where sects gather their disciples who are about to break through. Large sects assist with spirit essences from the caves, while smaller sects set up arrays for spirit opening. Generally, these are meant to provide the disciples with the purest spiritual energy to aid their breakthroughs.
But you might have missed the ceremony, which occurs once every three years, if you go to the sect now. This would delay you a bit.
In addition, you can also use earthly spiritual materials or spiritual pills. Fortunately, I still have a spiritual peach here, which can assist you with its spiritual energy!"
After Lingyun Shangren finished speaking, the spiritual peach moved in front of Bai Yichen.
"Thank you, Master Uncle!" Bai Yichen respectfully bowed and then accepted the spiritual peach.
His joy was evident!
Bai Yichen activated the Sitting and Forgetting Heart Refinement method, cleansing his mind of distractions and eliminating irrelevant thoughts, leaving only the methods for breaking through to Qi Gathering clear in his mind.
He then sat cross-legged, took a bite of the spiritual peach, but instead of juice splattering everywhere, Bai Yichen directly absorbed it in one go, leaving only the pit behind.
The juice and flesh of the peach melted in his mouth into a vibrant stream of spiritual energy that surged directly into his dantian. Bai Yichen had already prepared for this; the Huang Ting (Yellow Court) protected his body, the Yin Symbol sprouted, and he connected with the Essence Qi of heaven and earth to draw in the spiritual energy of the Xuanling.
"The mysterious is the essence of the divine. Heaven is invisible and thus called mysterious, earth is formless and thus called mysterious, and humans possess the heart and abdomen as the mysterious... Hence, humans have the 'mysterious gate,' which connects to the heavens above and penetrates the earth below..."
Bai Yichen began to operate the "Xuan Gate" method, opening the mysterious gate, awakening his spiritual awareness, and drawing in the Essence Qi of heaven and earth into his body.
At this moment, with the stirring of the spiritual energy within him, Bai Yichen instantly sensed a point that seemed to exist in the void, yet also seemed not to exist.