In the territory governed by the Crimson Kite Immortal Sect, most Outer Sect Disciples would be stuck at the Cultivation Qi Training Middle Stage for their entire lives, unable to advance.
Less than one percent, like that Outer Sect Steward of the same generation, could enter the Qi training (late stage).
As for those who could Cultivate to Qi Refining Perfection before the age of sixty and gain that one-in-a-million chance of Foundation Establishment… in the twenty years Su Ping had observed, not a single person had achieved it.
However, it was rumored that those talented Inner Sect Disciples and even true successors often reached Qi Refining Perfection before forty, then spent five to ten years refining their foundation and accumulating contributions to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills to prepare for Foundation Establishment.
Generally speaking, anyone who could successfully achieve Foundation Establishment before the age of fifty could be called a Cultivation Genius.
Su Ping had Cultivated for twenty years and just turned forty this year.
By relying on consuming pills without fear of their toxicity for his Cultivation, he could be considered to have caught up with the progress of those Immortal Sect Geniuses.
Moreover, Su Ping believed that with the help of purification spiritual medicine, he wouldn't need to refine his foundation or exchange for those ridiculously expensive finished Foundation Establishment Pills.
He just needed to find an opportunity to secretly buy a few, or even dozens, of defective Foundation Establishment Pills, and if one didn't work, he could immediately try again!
He wasn't afraid of the side effects of Foundation Establishment failure and was certain he would successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, leaving those talented peers far behind!
A week later.
Beside an unnamed lake on the outskirts of Jinque City.
Su Ping, who had set out alone to find a Fishing spot, regretfully put away his Fishing gear.
"Including this week, I've pretty much covered all the Fishing spots around Jinque City, and even tried a few streams and riverbanks deep in the mountains, but all to no avail."
"It really was luck that I was able to Awaken the System at Linyue Lake."
"However, after this week, as my Cultivation deepens, starting next week I can try taking four defective Peiyuan Pills to aid my Cultivation."
"This feeling of constantly deepening Cultivation is truly wonderful!"
"Refresh time has arrived, it's time to go back!"
As Su Ping just stood up, two Little Spirit Rat on his shoulders suddenly squeaked twice.
"Hmm?"
Su Ping moved slightly, and with the linkage of his consciousness, he immediately understood that the Spirit Rat were warning him; they had sensed other Cultivator approaching the area.
As the contractor, Su Ping had great trust in the Spirit Rat's sensory abilities.
After these two little cuties became extraordinary, their size remained unchanged, and although their combat power was concerning, they had Awaken the Spirit Rat's detection and early warning talents, and their range far exceeded Su Ping's own.
"As expected of my chosen Spirit Pet, this warning range is at least ten kilometers! In the Qi Refinement Stage, I'm afraid no one else has such a warning range!"
"No matter what the other party wants to do, it has nothing to do with me, a Fishing enthusiast. It's best to leave early!"
Su Ping had no intention of meddling. He swept away the traces on the lakeside with a move of his left hand and quickly left the area.
Several hours later.
Su Ping appeared by Linyue Lake and began Fishing.
This week, the Linyue Lake Fishing spot had good luck, refreshing 70 new Fishing attempts.
Su Ping washed his hands, calmed his mind, and began Fishing, exhausting all of this week's attempts in one afternoon.
[Current Fishing Rank: Rank 2 (120/500)]
[Current Fishing spot's available Fishing attempts have been exhausted… Please continue next time!]
As usual, a Big Green Fish was bundled up, ending the Fishing session. Su Ping stood up and looked back at his side.
The maid Ping'er and the servants, upon realizing Su Ping had appeared by the lake, wisely attended to him.
Seeing Su Ping finish, they immediately came to serve, bringing fruit platters and tea.
The chef even took the fish basket, gazing at the still-dazed Big Green Fish, already having thought of at least nine ways to prepare Big Green Fish dishes.
While enjoying, Su Ping checked his harvest, and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
This time, he obtained 60 Little Green Fish and 10 Big Green Fish.
Including his existing stock, his game inventory already contained 100 Little Green Fish, 19 Big Green Fish, and 1 Azure Spirit Fish!
He had already met the conditions for the unique item, the Return Talismanic Incantation!
Upon returning to Linyue Manor, Su Ping immediately called the butler and arranged a series of new requests.
He then went to his private treasury in the manor and placed some mundane items that might be useful, such as gold, silver, and jewels, into his Storage Pouch.
After a hearty meal and getting enough rest, he used the excuse of going out for night Fishing to leave Linyue Manor.
Su Ping hid in a secluded cave outside Linyue Manor, ensuring that even if the item caused any unusual phenomena, it would be concealed by the forest.
Only then did he use the Fishing Shop function to redeem the unique item, the Return Talismanic Incantation.
The Return Talismanic Incantation, though called a Talismanic Incantation, was more like a jade pendant, about the size of a child's palm, with lifelike fish patterns carved on both sides.
It inexplicably reminded Su Ping of the legendary Twin Fish Jade Pendant.
[Return Talismanic Incantation (Unique): Can be used to instantly teleport back to the default or temporary teleportation point. Cooldown: 12 hours!]
[Temporary Teleportation Point: Not set]
[Default Teleportation Point: Teleportable]
Su Ping took several deep breaths, silently recited the Heart Calming Incantation a few times, then pulled out an invisibility Talismanic Incantation from his Storage Pouch.
Regardless of whether it was useful, he took precautions and slapped it onto himself, concealing his figure.
Then, Su Ping set the temporary teleportation point in this cave.
Even if he could truly return to Water Blue Star, the Cultivation World could not be abandoned. If he couldn't come back, that would be a huge loss!
With everything ready, Su Ping finally chose to use the Return Talismanic Incantation!
"Whether I can achieve Cultivation and eternal life early depends on this step!"
"Return Talismanic Incantation, activate!"
In the cave where Su Ping was, a barely perceptible blue light flashed.
Immediately, the cave became completely silent.
Water Blue Star!
In a ward on the third floor of a long-abandoned maternal and child hospital on the outskirts of a small inland city.
Su Ping swayed slightly, and after his eyes adjusted to the light, he clearly saw his surroundings.
He didn't recognize where this was.
But through the familiar feeling that surged from the depths of his Soul, he realized that he had truly returned to Water Blue Star!
This world without Spiritual Qi made Su Ping's body, now that he was a Cultivator, feel a subtle discomfort.
Yet, it couldn't stop the joy in Su Ping's heart.
"Spiritual Qi is the foundation of the extraordinary. If the foundation doesn't exist, the extraordinary becomes water without a source!"
"This ordinary world, without Spiritual Qi, without the foundation for the extraordinary to exist…"
"For those who desire eternal life, it is undoubtedly a world of despair with no possibility."
"But for me, such an ordinary world is truly wonderful!"
"This looks like a hospital ward?"
Su Ping scanned his surroundings, and upon noticing the old furnishings, he suddenly understood:
"The Return Talismanic Incantation's default teleportation point is the player's birth point, so this is my birth point on Water Blue Star?"
"I… was born here?"
"Fortunately, time has passed, and this place should have been abandoned for a long time, otherwise I might have encountered some trouble if I had teleported here!"
"Squeak squeak squeak!"
The two Spirit Rat, one white and one gray, also jumped out of Su Ping's pocket and perched on his reassuring shoulders.
The unfamiliar, Spirit-less environment made the two little Spirit Rat very anxious. If Su Ping hadn't been by their side, they would have immediately wanted to burrow away and escape.
Su Ping stepped to the window, which had no glass, and gazed into the distance, lost in thought as he looked at the familiar yet strange city.
"It's been twenty years, and it's indeed different from my memory. It seems time has been flowing in both worlds during this period!"
"If I don't want to cause trouble, it's best not to use my previous identity."