Mortal: I am the young sect master of the Thousand Illusions Sect

Chapter 22 Seclusion and Cultivation

Qi Yunxiao remained silent for a moment.

Ultimately, he came from a legitimate family of the Divine Weapon Sect, whose members had been direct descendants of the sect for generations. He had met his ancestors in his childhood, and the one who passed on his knowledge to him was a Core Formation Elder of the Divine Weapon Sect. He was influenced by the righteous way of life from a young age, and his heart was already deeply rooted in Confucian ethics and the principles of uprightness and integrity.

In contrast, the demonic path is characterized by a dog-eat-dog mentality, the practice of raising poisonous insects to kill each other, and the ruthless methods employed in their actions.

He was ruthless and decisive in dealing with foreign enemies, acting without any scruples, which was completely contrary to the morality he had believed in since childhood.

Deeply ingrained values ​​and philosophies of life developed over decades cannot be changed overnight.

Therefore, even though Qi Yunxiao had been in the Thousand Illusions Sect for two and a half years, he still had not truly integrated into the atmosphere of this demonic sect and remained an outsider, completely out of place.

However, he remained an outsider, not taking the initiative to contact the sect platform. Was he just waiting for the platform to accept him on its own?

Many resources distributed by demonic sects require bloody struggles to be obtained. How can one improve their cultivation if they don't take the initiative?

Even if Qi Yunxiao is quite skilled in weapon crafting, can he rely on the resources he earns to catch up with the Nascent Soul disciples?

The aroma of tea quietly wafted through the pavilion, and the atmosphere gradually became tranquil.

Su Mixin put down her teacup and looked calmly at Qi Yunxiao, whose mind was in turmoil.

He saw right through you. "I see your concerns and awkwardness perfectly clearly."

Qi Yunxiao stiffened slightly, unconsciously lowered his eyes, and became even more silent.

Su Mixin was rather blunt: "When I recruited you two into the sect, my original intention was to recruit Xin Ruyin. Although you have good talent in weapon crafting and are born with the Divine Weapon Sect's inheritance, in the end, you were just someone I brought into the sect along as well."

"You know in your heart that the difference between you and Ruyin is no longer just a difference in talent and status, but fundamentally, a chasm of lifespan."

Qi Yunxiao's body trembled, he lowered his head in silence, his heart filled with unspeakable bitterness.

"With your three spiritual roots, cultivation is already difficult. It is already difficult to steadily reach the Foundation Establishment stage, and the hope of forming the Core is even more remote. Your lifespan is at most two hundred years."

Su Mixin spoke calmly, every word of which was true: "But Xin Ruyin has the talent of dual spiritual roots, and with a Nascent Soul Ancestor as her backer, she will receive personal instruction and careful cultivation, and her future is limitless."

"She easily reached the Core Formation stage and enjoyed a long lifespan of over five hundred years. When she eventually attempts to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, she will be able to enjoy a lifespan of over a thousand years."

Two hundred years of mortal life versus a thousand years of eternal life—this vast difference in lifespan is the most insurmountable chasm between the two.

He resolutely abandoned his family, severed all past ties, and gave up a stable life, all because of his deep admiration for Xin Ruyin. He followed her to the Thousand Illusions Sect without hesitation in order to pursue his love.

But now the cold reality is before us: the level of cultivation determines the length of one's lifespan; different levels result in vastly different lifespans.

A hundred years later, when his youth had faded, his earthly ties were nearing their end, and he was just reaching the end of his life, Xin Ruyin was still in her prime, with a long and endless road ahead.

Such a bond, separated by life and death, was destined to be fraught with hardship from the very beginning, with almost no possibility of them staying together until old age.

Seeing Qi Yunxiao bow his head in silence, Su Mixin said firmly, "What if fate is predetermined? What if your talent is mediocre? If you are willing to accept your fate, you can only watch helplessly as your beloved goes further and further away, and eventually you are separated by life and death, forgetting each other."

"Only by letting go of our prejudices and entanglements, and fighting with all our might, defying fate and seizing a chance to survive, can we possibly bridge the gap between us, catch up with her, and preserve this hard-won affection."

Just as Su Mixin was about to continue her explanation, she suddenly heard light footsteps accompanied by a faint fragrance.

Looking up, one could see Xin Ruyin, dressed in an elegant blue dress, walking gracefully into the back garden, her eyes gentle and her demeanor refined.

She walked to the octagonal pavilion, bowed slightly to Su Mixin, and said respectfully, "Junior Xin Ruyin greets Senior Su."

Su Mixin chuckled upon hearing this and quickly waved her hand to correct her: "You will soon become my mother's disciple, and you will be my peer. There's no need to be so formal and call me senior. Just call me senior brother."

Xin Ruyin was slightly taken aback, then nodded obediently and softly corrected herself, "Yes, Senior Brother Su."

"Come and sit down," Su Mixin gestured.

Xin Ruyin followed the instructions and sat down at the table in the pavilion. Her maid, Xiaomei, stood obediently to one side. Seeing that the teacups in the pavilion were empty, she stepped forward, picked up the jade pot, and gently and quietly poured spiritual tea for Xin Ruyin, Su Mixin, and Qi Yunxiao one by one. Then she quietly retreated behind Xin Ruyin.

Su Mixin did not ask about Xin Ruyin's recent situation after joining the sect. After all, she was the direct disciple of the Nascent Soul Ancestor appointed by the sect's Supreme Elder, so she naturally had a smooth and comfortable life in the sect.

Su Mixin's relaxed expression gradually faded, replaced by a solemn and serious look.

He spoke slowly, getting straight to the point: "The reason I summoned you two here today is to inform you of a major event concerning the entire cultivation world of Tiannan."

"In the years to come, the situation in Tiannan will soon be turbulent. The six sects of the Demonic Path have already made plans to launch an invasion, and the surrounding neighboring countries are all within the scope of our conquest."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao's expression hardened, and he immediately became serious and focused, his heart secretly trembling.

Su Mixin's gaze fell on Qi Yunxiao, and she said solemnly, "Junior Brother Qi, your most important task right now is to concentrate on your cultivation and break through the shackles to successfully establish your foundation within two or three years."

"Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, your safety will be greatly increased if you are in the midst of war."

"Furthermore, with my guidance and Junior Sister Xin providing array support, you can take advantage of this sect's conquest to seize a lot of opportunities and cultivation resources, make more progress in the Foundation Establishment realm, and go further on your path."

After saying that, he looked at Qi Yunxiao and asked slowly, "Are you facing any difficulties or shortcomings on your cultivation path? Just speak frankly."

Qi Yunxiao composed himself, cupped his hands, and replied truthfully, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Su. I previously offered my weapon-refining inheritance to the sect, and the sect has already promised to bestow upon me two Foundation Establishment Pills."

"Furthermore, thanks to my senior brother's kindness, the sect has shown me exceptional leniency, allowing me to use sect contribution points to exchange for more Foundation Establishment Pills. I no longer need to worry about the pill-related aspect."

Su Mixin nodded slightly upon hearing this, then flipped her wrist and gently pushed a storage bag in front of Qi Yunxiao.

"There are a thousand low-grade spirit stones here. Consider it my donation to your cultivation."

Upon seeing this, Qi Yunxiao quickly stood up and waved his hand to decline, saying, "How can this be! Senior brother has already taken great care of me, how can I accept such a generous gift without reason? I absolutely dare not accept it."

Su Mixin smiled faintly, pressed down his hand that was pushing her away, and said firmly, "There's no need to refuse. You are also one of my loyal followers. In the future, you will have your chance to serve and repay me."

Having said all that, Qi Yunxiao knew there was no point in refusing, and he was also grateful for Su Mixin's careful cultivation and guidance.

He could only solemnly accept the storage bag with clasped hands, bowing deeply in gratitude, "Since Senior Brother says so, Yunxiao will not stand on ceremony any longer. I will remember this generous gift and will do my utmost to fulfill any request in the future!"

Seeing that Qi Yunxiao had put away his storage bag, Su Mixin said in a slightly gentler tone, "Junior Brother Qi, I have some trivial matters to discuss with Junior Sister Xin alone. You should go back and focus on your cultivation."

After a brief pause, he added, "If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can come to me anytime."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao immediately stood up and cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Senior Brother Su. I will not disturb your discussion with Ruyin any longer and will take my leave now."

After saying that, he nodded slightly to Xin Ruyin before turning around and steadily leaving the back garden, his steps filled with a sense of excitement.

Seeing this, Xiaomei also got up and walked away to avoid the situation.

After the two left, only Su Mixin and Xin Ruyin remained in the octagonal pavilion, and the atmosphere became increasingly quiet.

Su Mixin remained serious, took out a storage bag, and pushed it in front of Xin Ruyin: "There are five thousand low-grade spirit stones in here, please accept them."

Xin Ruyin was slightly taken aback, and looked up at Su Mixin with a hint of doubt in her eyes.

Su Mixin continued, "Use these spirit stones to prepare some more formations for me, including two sets of the most powerful Reversed Five Elements Formation that you can currently achieve, and a small protective and concealment formation, the most powerful kind. You can prepare the rest as you see fit."

He paused, then added, "Refining array plates and array flags requires the cooperation of a weapon refiner. You don't need to trouble Qi Yunxiao. Right now, his priority is to seize the time to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and he can't afford to be distracted."

"If you need manpower, you can go directly to Elder Li Chongyue, mention my name, and let them arrange reliable weapon refiners to assist you. Make sure the formation is ready as soon as possible."

"I will send him a message later to explain things clearly."

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin said solemnly, "Senior Brother Su, rest assured, I will not fail you and will complete the formation as soon as possible."

After saying that, she reached out and took the storage bag, carefully putting it away.

Seeing that she agreed, Su Mi nodded in satisfaction, and then took out another jade slip and gently presented it to Xin Ruyin: "This is a jade slip that records an ancient teleportation array. It is slightly damaged. You are proficient in the way of arrays, so take it and study it carefully to see if you can repair it."

"Teleportation array?" A hint of surprise flashed in Xin Ruyin's eyes as she quickly took the jade slip.

"This matter is not urgent."

Su Mixin said calmly, "It would be good if there were results within two or three years. You don't need to rush. Just study it carefully."

In the original story, Xin Ruyin was able to repair the teleportation array in a few months, but that was several years later, and given her talent, she would probably have made considerable progress by then.

Xin Ruyin carefully put the jade slip away.

Seeing this, Su Mixin reminded him, "This matter is of utmost importance; you must not reveal a single detail."

Xin Ruyin's heart skipped a beat. She quickly stood up, cupped her hands in greeting, and said firmly, "Senior Brother Su, rest assured, Ruyin understands the implications and will keep this a secret, ensuring that no third party knows about it!"

Seeing that her expression was resolute and not feigned, Su Mixin slowly nodded: "That's good then. Go back and start preparing. If you need anything, you can contact me at any time. If I am in seclusion and do not reply in time, you can contact Elder Li Chongyue."

"Yes, then Ruyin will take her leave first."

Xin Ruyin bowed again, then turned and left with her maid Xiaomei. Her steps were light but hurried, clearly indicating that she was eager to return to study the jade slips and prepare for the formation.

Su Mixin watched her figure disappear into the garden path, her fingertips tracing the rim of her teacup, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

Next, Su Mixin dealt with some trivial matters before going into seclusion.

Jin Yu was basically left to roam freely around the Mi Xin Palace, where it was well cared for by the maids.

After Su Mixin recognized the two Blood Jade Spider eggs as her master using the Blood Core Divine Control Technique, she stored them in her World Ring and had Feng Hou place them in the Spirit Eye Spring, which would help them hatch faster.

With all the trivial matters settled, Su Mixin entered the quiet room that night and began her long period of seclusion once again.

The process of refining the demon essence liquid was actually quite tedious, but Su Mixin found it enjoyable. The visible increase in his cultivation level greatly excited him.

A year later, the quiet room was shrouded in a thin layer of shimmering white mist.

Su Mixin sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, her body exhaling spiritual energy that mingled with the churning demonic essence within her dantian.

This drop was the fifth drop of demon essence liquid that Su Mixin had swallowed since she went into seclusion.

Within the dantian, the spiritual energy that had originally flowed like a trickle had long since gathered into a lake. When the last trace of demonic essence was completely refined, the silvery-white spiritual energy suddenly surged.

Within her consciousness, a soft "crack" sounded, like glass shattering, and the bottleneck broke through, unleashing an even more powerful aura from Su Mi's body.

At the moment of breakthrough, countless silver-white spiritual energies overflowed from his dantian, condensing into countless tiny points of light around him, gradually gathering into a hazy illusionary mist.

"Three and a half years, the second level of the Great Luo Thousand Illusions Technique, mid-Foundation Establishment!" Su Mixin murmured to herself, feeling the abundant and more refined spiritual power within her body, a smile curving her lips.

"Every hurdle is difficult, but every hurdle can be overcome; the road ahead may be long, but it will be bright."

"My path has taken another step closer."

With her cultivation advancing further, Su Mixin's sense of pride grew even stronger.

The improvement in his cultivation level not only brought about a surge in strength, but also made him more at ease in planning for the future.

After the initial excitement, Su Mixin was no longer as eager as before to enter the Tongtian Jianmu space and claim the new rewards.

However, over the years, his state of mind has become increasingly calm and composed due to the tempering of his Dao heart and the breakthrough in his cultivation.

He calmed his mind and continued meditating, hoping to consolidate his newly achieved cultivation level as soon as possible.

A week later, Su Mixin's turbulent spiritual energy gradually calmed down, and her mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation level was firmly stabilized.

Su Mixin got up and stretched her limbs, her bones making a slight cracking sound, each movement carrying a weightless strength.

After a long period of seclusion, his cultivation level broke through, and he prepared to come out of seclusion to relax.

He then went into seclusion again because there was still a lot of demon essence liquid left in the Demon Refining Pot.

There are still two or three years until the great war of the demonic invasion of the surrounding countries, and perhaps we can make further progress.

Su Mixin pushed open the door to the meditation room, and the sunlight streaming in made him squint instinctively. After more than ten months of seclusion, the outside world had changed completely.

Su Mixin slowly walked out of the quiet room and stepped out of the Mixin Palace. A mountain breeze caressed her face, and the spiritual energy of the plants and trees rushed towards her.

Looking up, the mountains are shrouded in mist, and the flowers are quietly blooming, creating a vibrant scene.

He took a deep breath of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and the spiritual power of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage in his body flowed more and more smoothly.

My mind and spirits were at ease, and all the fatigue from the days of seclusion dissipated.