Longevity: Starting from Refining Gu

The moonlight was dim, with fires raging everywhere.

The terrain of the Medicine Valley is rather unique, resembling a gourd-shaped valley.

In the center of the gourd is the gate of the Medicine Valley, within which precious Spiritual Medicines are planted.

Outside the gates are the vassals of the Medicine Valley where ordinary Spiritual Medicines are grown.

The outside of the gate had already been breached, leaving only ruins and rubble.

After the news of the Master of Mortal World entering the Death Realm spread, all those in the Foundation Establishment Realm faced a difficult situation.

Zhang Jianfeng was certainly one of them.

His task was simple; to integrate all resources of Wu Country to support Hidden Sword Mountain.

Cultivate a large number of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection that could breakthrough to the Ghost Face Realm any time, and then enter the Death Realm together, forming alliances for mutual protection.

As for the fight to control the Death Realm, that wasn't something he could participate in.

He was very clear about his own capabilities.

Not to mention that the other participants were figures like the Ancient Prince of Da Yan and the Master of Mortal World from Jiguang Sect, both supreme Heavenly Prides, any of whom could create a river of blood in the Death Realm.

He dared not provoke them.

Just by relying on the support from Hidden Sword Mountain, he united all the Foundation Establishment cultivators across the whole Wu Country.

Yet, he wasn't qualified to contest for control.

Nanli worships the Miao God, under which Jiuli serves as a vassal.

The Miao God is the greatest, with Jiuli merely being a vassal.

Even if he gathered the entirety of Wu Country's strength, he could perhaps only muster a few hundred in the Ghost Face Realm; that in itself was employing the power of all the geniuses of the nation.

And yet, this wasn't the most embarrassing part.

The most embarrassing was that Nanli had been heavily infiltrated by the Jiguang Sect, with many of its high-level positions occupied by members of the sect.

Even if they entered the Death Realm, they would probably follow the Master of Mortal World.

Who knows just how deeply the Jiguang Sect has penetrated Nanli!

The structure of the Foundation Establishment Realm could be said to be the second weirdest structure in the cultivation system.

The weirdest, of course, is the Ghost Face Realm.

Those who only breakthrough to Foundation Establishment in their sixties or seventies, typically give up on further cultivation voluntarily, gathering resources for their descendants, hoping for a genius to emerge or to continue the next Foundation Establishment.

Because those in their sixties or seventies have no qualification to sever decades off their lifespan.

If they only have a little over a hundred years left in their life, yet you ask them to sever another hundred, then enter the Death Realm where they face near-certain death with only a decade or two left.

This group of older Foundation Establishment cultivators crunched the numbers and thought that just remaining in Foundation Establishment was quite alright.

Isn't it delightful to live over a hundred years as an honored Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Only those around thirty years of age qualified to cultivate to Ghost Face Realm, severing their lifespan to enter the Death Realm.

What Zhang Jianfeng had to do was simple; incite a war, kill off most of the ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, and gather a large amount of resources to support Hidden Sword Mountain.

With fewer Foundation Establishments, more young talents would emerge.

With his identity, he was almost naturally the protector of the eldest brother of Hidden Sword Mountain.

As a protector, what he needed was arrogance.

Posturing and such were things his elder brother should handle.

As the dark hand of his elder brother, how could he gather resources for cultivation if he wasn't ruthless?

He glanced at Chen Qing somewhat casually, thinking that this protector was still too green, not even seeing this point clearly.

Suppressing his own realm to the peak of Qi Refining Realm, Zhang Jianfeng uttered softly, "Sword!"

Dust around him crumbled as swords formed from the Void Sword condensed from the ground.

"Rise!"

Immediately, thirty-six Dao Swords surrounded Chen Qing; seeing Chen Qing leap down from the Golden Crow, he did not hesitate and instantly directed the thirty-six Dao Swords to slash towards Chen Qing!

Then he saw Chen Qing's figure rapidly enlarge, a giant hand sweeping like a cloud, smashing the multitude of Dao Swords and striking down towards him with a slap!

Zhang Jianfeng instantly summoned seven Dao Swords to protect around his body, but they couldn't block the giant hand at all, and in an instant, were shattered.

"Phew!"

Zhang Jianfeng coughed out blood, and two of his ribs broke.

Leaping out from the chaotic rocks, he looked at Chen Qing somewhat angrily.

This guy, totally not playing by the rules, came right with a killer move!

What happened to responding to moves as they come?

Chen Qing looked at the extremely embarrassed Zhang Jianfeng with a grin, "Or, how about you fight me with the cultivation of early Foundation Establishment?"

Zhang Jianfeng immediately felt infuriated.

The people of Taihao Tribe behind Chen Qing also laughed heartily, "What Third Sword Dao talent under the heavens, can't even take a single move from our Lord of Protection, truly a reputation undeserved!"

"Hidden Sword Mountain, no more than this!"

"Better just give up obediently, don't embarrass yourself further!"

Helpless, Zhang Jianfeng had no choice but to release his cultivation restriction, instantly unleashing the power of mid Foundation Establishment.

Yu Chengfeng hid behind the Golden Crow, "Truly shameless, agreed to suppress to peak of Qi Refining Realm, now not suppressing his realm at all."

"Talking is like farting, stinks and unbearable!"

Chen Qing, however, wasn't in the mood to mock his opponent, for he clearly felt a dangerous aura from him.

A real expert?

After all, a mid Foundation Establishment should not be underestimated.

At this moment, Chen Qing wouldn't let his opponent perform his magic, might as well secure the win!

Chen Qing immediately stepped forward, charging towards Zhang Jianfeng with the Geng Metal Sword in hand, slashing towards Zhang Jianfeng with a sword strike.

Zhang Jianfeng's aura suddenly changed dramatically, chanting softly, "A strand of True Spirit enters the sword spirit!"

Hidden Sword Mountain's True Spirit technique!

A true spirit split from his soul and entered the long sword behind him, immediately condensing a hazy primitive sword embryo in the foggy shadows behind him.

A giant black figure emerged, its head surrounded by a Divine Ring and feet upon eight stars, reached out and drew the long sword from behind Zhang Jianfeng.