「The next day.」

「In the bamboo forest.」

Jiang Xu felt the qi and blood within him churn, as if a force was surging through his body, like a fierce tiger descending a mountain or a dragon soaring through the nine heavens.

His legs spread apart and his hands raised high above his head. With a thunderous shout, his entire body sank downward.

At that moment, wisps of white steam rose from the top of his head, swirling like mist.

Jiang Xu was currently cultivating the Vajra Pillar, a part of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill.

This Pile Skill could temper one’s body, bones, and blood, generate Power, and refine the Skin and Flesh.

He cultivated with single-minded focus, his entire body steaming with heat, as if he were being consumed by fire.

As his Cultivation deepened, hollows and bulges continuously formed beneath his skin, like surging, churning waves in a vast sea.

Jiang Xu felt the Inner Breath deep within his body begin to circulate.

It slowly began to flow through every part of his body.

His qi and blood surged like a ceaselessly rushing river.

His Inner Breath, now fully roused, began to follow his qi and blood to temper his Skin and Flesh, his muscles and sinews.

In this process, Jiang Xu felt his body become a crucible, constantly smelting the bones, muscles, meridians, and qi and blood within him.

’Use the will to guide the qi, and circulate it throughout the body.’

Jiang Xu silently recited the principle, quietly experiencing the flow of qi and blood within him.

He planned to focus his training on the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill for the time being.

The reason for this was that he had used up all his Talisman Paper.

His Light Body Spell had reached Mastery, and he wouldn’t be able to advance it to a higher Realm anytime soon.

As for his other Magic, most of them didn’t conflict with cultivating the Pile Skill. He could train both simultaneously to increase their Skill Levels.

’But this Horizontal Cultivation Method isn’t simple. To reach the Innate Level quickly, I still need to raise the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill to the Master Level!’

Just as Jiang Xu was focused on his Cultivation, the sound of a footstep suddenly reached him, immediately followed by two or three claps.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!

"Fellow Daoist, your physique is extraordinary!"

"Who’s there?!"

Jiang Xu was startled.

He had clearly scanned the bamboo forest with his Spiritual Eye Technique and confirmed there were no other Cultivators present before he started training.

But this sudden voice had given him quite a scare.

The instant he spoke, Jiang Xu had already cast the Golden Light Spell and Spiritual Eye Technique. At the same time, the Light Body Spell and Concealing Breath Spell were active on his body. The Small Cotton Needle Technique was ready to be unleashed from his right hand, while his left hand rested on his Storage Bag, prepared to retrieve a Qi Replenishing Pill at a moment’s notice.

He hadn’t cast the Giant Strength Technique or Healing Technique due to his Magical Power reserves, but they were prepared and ready to be released at any time.

Only after doing all this did Jiang Xu have the peace of mind to get a good look at the person who had spoken.

His gaze shifted, and he saw a young man with a dignified and imposing bearing looking back at him.

The young man’s figure was tall and straight, like a sharp sword.

His eyes were as deep as the sea, yet clear and bright, as if they could see through a person’s heart.

A gentle breeze brushed past, causing his robes to flutter. His aura was awe-inspiring, and he was as handsome as a figure in a painting.

However, he seemed to have been startled by Jiang Xu’s actions and looked a little awkward.

He took a few steps back as a sign of goodwill to show he had no malicious intent, then clasped his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"My apologies. It seems I was a bit rude."

"My residence is nearby. I heard a new neighbor had moved in, so I came to pay a visit."

"I didn’t expect to disturb you, Fellow Daoist. I’ve been offensive, and I hope you can forgive me."

Jiang Xu had also calmed down, realizing he had likely overreacted.

However, his wariness didn’t lessen in the slightest. He simply concealed it, putting on a relaxed expression and smiling.

"So you’re my neighbor. Please forgive this junior brother for not paying a visit sooner. That’s why this misunderstanding happened today. It seems I’m the real culprit; it has nothing to do with you, Senior Brother."

"Not at all, not at all. Senior Brother, you did nothing wrong. It was this junior brother who couldn’t help but call out after seeing your impressive physique. It was entirely my fault, not yours, Senior Brother."

"Then it seems it was my, this junior brother’s, fault..."

"No, no, no, it was my, this junior brother’s, fault..."

After a round of commercial-grade flattery, Jiang Xu finally got to the point.

"This humble one is named Jiang Xu. May I ask for Senior Brother’s name?"

"So it is Brother Jiang. This junior brother’s name is Zong Ziqi."

"Oh, so it’s Senior Brother Zong Ziqi... Huh? Zong, Zong... Ziqi?"

Huh?

Who???

Zong Ziqi?

’Is it someone with the same name, or the man himself?’

For a moment, Jiang Xu thought he must have misheard.

But after seeing the man before him nod with a smile, Jiang Xu finally understood.

Heavens!

’No wonder the Spiritual Eye Technique didn’t detect him.’

’I couldn’t even sense his Cultivation face-to-face.’

’I thought he was using a Concealing Breath Spell...’

’But now it was obvious! His Cultivation was completely gone, so of course the Spiritual Eye Technique couldn’t sense anything!’

’An Inner Sect Disciple, the kind who was expected to become a True Disciple and reach Foundation Establishment... and I was just exchanging pleasantries with someone like that...’

’Right, come to think of it, the loss of his Cultivation seems to have something to do with me.’

HISS—!

Jiang Xu swallowed, feeling a little guilty.

Zong Ziqi, however, mistook this for Jiang Xu being intimidated by his reputation and said with a somewhat helpless smile:

"I am no longer an Inner Sect Disciple. I have also severed the master-disciple bond with my Master."

"Even my position as an Outer Disciple was only granted out of respect for my former Master. To be honest, I’m already incredibly fortunate to be allowed to remain in the Profound Origin Sect at all."

"Fellow Daoist, you don’t need to see me as an Inner Sect Disciple anymore. Just treat me as a normal Outer Disciple."

Jiang Xu could see that Zong Ziqi’s expression was sincere, not an act. His words seemed to come from the heart, and Jiang Xu couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for him.

’The incident only happened a few days ago, yet this man’s mindset was so broad and accepting, and he put on no airs.’

He then recalled how, a few days prior, Shen Ji had been taken by the General Affairs Hall to be a scapegoat for Zong Ziqi and his Master to vent their anger on. But neither of them had done anything to Shen Ji and had even personally let her go.

Jiang Xu felt that this was a level of magnanimity he himself could never achieve. His favorable impression of Zong Ziqi naturally skyrocketed.

"Senior Brother, you are truly broad-minded. If something like that happened to me, I might have just drunk myself into a stupor every day until I died of depression."

This, in turn, amused Zong Ziqi.

"Senior Brother, don’t joke. I’m already lucky enough. At least I’m still alive, right?"

He then sighed and remarked:

"Those who walk the path of Cultivation aspire to defy heaven and change their fate. It’s like the saying, ’A Golden Core swallowed, I learn my fate is not decided by heaven.’"

"But in this life, how many are born with a Golden Core in their mouths?"

"We are born between heaven and earth, and from the moment of our birth, we are bound by the earth, the heavens, and the Dao. People have a predetermined fate—they experience birth, aging, sickness, and death; they face fortune and disaster. These things are only natural."

He paused for a moment before continuing:

"For me, all I can do is ’accept the will of heaven and do my best.’"

"Although my Qi Sea is shattered, my Spirit Root remains. I can still attract Spiritual Qi and walk the path of a Body Cultivator. That’s why I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at your physique, Senior Brother, and ended up disturbing you."