Others Level Up, but I Pursue Cultivation!

[In the fourth year, you tallied all the elixirs you had accumulated over the years, totaling approximately 250,000 pills.]

[Afterward, you disguised yourself, concealed your presence, and went to find Lu Yuanwu. You handed over all these elixirs to him, hoping to strengthen the Great Xia Military and the Human Race's power at the Demon-Subduing Pass.]

[Having done all this, you returned to the Descending Sect.]

[During these years, each Spring Thunder Day, you observed the power of thunder, hoping to comprehend a trace of the Origin of Power from the Great Dao of Thunder.]

[With several attempts, you faintly grasped some superficial understanding of the Origin of Power...]

[You were somewhat pleased but remained neither arrogant nor impatient, maintaining your annual practice of comprehending the Origin of Power on Spring Thunder Day. On ordinary days, you practiced the Dao of Talismans.]

[In the fifth year, as your comprehension of the Dao of Talismans deepened, you became able to refine fourth-grade talismans.]

[You successfully elevated the refining of second-grade Spirit Gathering Talismans to the level of Great Achievement.]

[The Spirit Gathering Talisman is a talisman that can rapidly gather spiritual energy and restore a cultivator's spiritual power.]

[You discovered that the principle of the Spirit Gathering Talisman was somewhat similar to the layout of a Minor Spirit Gathering Array. Perhaps the Five Elements True Master had originally drawn inspiration from this talisman.]

[Meanwhile, during your infiltration of the Descending Sect, you befriended various Elders and protectors, daily calling friends to eat meat and drink alcohol.]

[Through your interactions with these Elders and protectors, you gradually understood that the hierarchy within the Descending Sect was even stricter than you had imagined.]

[From ordinary followers to protectors and Elders, all could only take on tasks and earn contribution points, though Elders and protectors had relatively more freedom.]

[Yet, none knew much about why they had to undertake these tasks or the reasons behind them.]

[This also meant that even the protectors knew nothing about the core secrets of the Descending Sect.]

[Realizing this, a plan vaguely formed in your mind.]

[That is, to find a way to rise to a higher position and become a faction leader of the Descending Sect!]

[For only by becoming a faction leader could you truly access the core secrets of the Descending Sect!]

[What troubled you was that the three faction leader positions were already occupied, and the elusive conservative leader Shennong was suspected to always have been the Dragon Protector.]

[To ascend to the position of a faction leader, there was only one way... that is, to find a way to eliminate one of the leaders!]

[Knowing this, you understood you couldn't rush and had to wait patiently for the right opportunity. Otherwise, exposing yourself would mean all your efforts would be in vain!]

[Thus, two more years passed in quiet waiting.]

[In the seventh year, your research into the Dao of Talismans progressed further, and you could now refine fifth-grade talismans.]

[Grandmaster Level profession users, after activating a fifth-grade talisman, could even contend briefly with Heavenly King Level profession users.]

[Successfully refining a fifth-grade talisman, your research into the Dao of Talismans was still at the beginner's level, but not far from Minor Achievement.]

[You speculated that successfully refining a sixth-grade talisman might be enough to achieve Minor Achievement in the Dao of Talismans!]

[However, you did not plan to delve further into talisman research, as your talisman skills were already sufficient. You planned to begin studying the Minor Spirit Gathering Array.]

[In the eighth year, you continued to wait quietly for opportunities, meanwhile gathering a large number of loyal followers within the Descending Sect and attempting to enhance your status and authority.]

[You provided Luo Shuying with more Soul Condensing Pills and other elixirs, hoping to elevate her strength.]

[Luo Shuying did not disappoint. She trained diligently every day and, with your help, reached the mid-legendary level within just eight years.]

[That year, your understanding of the Origin of Power progressed further.]

[In the ninth year, you began to study the Five Elements Sect's Five Elements Dao of Arrays.]

[You found that the Five Elements Dao of Arrays differed from the basic formations you had learned earlier. It leaned more toward the rational use of Five Element Spiritual Energy.]

[Since you already had some basic understanding of formations, your progress was rapid when cultivating the Five Elements Dao of Arrays.]

[Thus, another two years passed.]

[By the eleventh year, you had already grasped the basics of cultivating the Five Elements Dao of Arrays and could arrange some composite Five Elements Formations.]

[By this time, you had gained insights into the Dao of Talismans, Dao of Arrays, and the Dao of Spiritual Energy, reaching the fundamental requirements for learning the Minor Spirit Gathering Array.]

[So, you decided to formally start inscribing the Minor Spirit Gathering Array.]

[You entered the Spirit Field Cave, took out a plump spiritual carp from the pond, and gathered the spiritual ink and Spirit Brush needed for inscribing the Minor Spirit Gathering Array.]

[Holding the spiritual carp in your hand, you calmed it with your spiritual power, then carefully experienced the flow of spiritual energy within the fish.]

[After a few minutes, you became thoroughly familiar with the path of every thread of spiritual energy within the spiritual carp... thus, you slowly opened your eyes!]

[Then, with your brush moving like a dragon and snake in one fluid motion... at that moment, the Divine Sense in the intricate state was perfectly displayed.]

[You cautiously channeled your spiritual power, inscribing a small array on the spiritual carp.]

[But as the array was halfway completed, you ultimately made some errors. Besides, the restless spiritual carp caused instability in the spiritual energy... this spiritual carp exploded in your palm.]

[Once again, you failed to arrange the Minor Spirit Gathering Array, but you were not surprised by this.]