Gou Refining Essence into Qi in the Dharma-ending Age

Chapter 1 [Refining Essence into Qi]

In the Eastern Realm, in the Mysterious Spirit Domain, there is the Lin family, a family of cultivators.

The Lin family is now at a critical juncture.

A month ago, the Tianji Sect, one of the Nine Immortal Sects, spread the news that the world was about to undergo a dramatic change.

At that time, the spiritual energy will gradually dissipate, and all spiritual objects containing spiritual energy, such as medicinal herbs for alchemy and materials for crafting weapons, will turn into ordinary objects.

Only by entering the precious land of "Little Immortal Realm" to slumber can one maintain their cultivation, halt the loss of lifespan, and pass through the era of spiritual desolation.

The "Little Immortal Realm" controlled by the Lin family is not large and cannot accommodate too many cultivators. Only a few people, less than a hundred, are able to enter the Little Immortal Realm.

The Lin family has over a thousand qualified individuals, so selection is the only option.

Today is the day the list will be announced.

Those selected will continue to receive family cultivation resources and cultivate. When the time is right, they will enter the Lesser Immortal Realm to pass through the era of spiritual desolation. They will be awakened in the next era of spiritual energy to continue the Lin family's legacy.

Those who are not selected must leave the family immediately.

Sixteen-year-old Lin Yuan was qualified to participate in the selection.

As someone who had traveled through time, he remained calm.

It wasn't because he traveled through time, but because he had a superior mindset after being reborn.

Rather, he was well aware that given the Lin family's current situation, even with his decent mid-grade innate talent, he still wouldn't be selected.

This was clear not only to him, but also to many others who were qualified to participate in the selection process.

"The list of those who will be able to stay in the family and enjoy its resources will be announced soon, right?"

"The announcement will be made in about half an hour, but what's so interesting about it... Apart from that person with superior aptitude, it's obvious that everyone on the list is a son of an elder or a respected elder, even if some of them have extremely poor aptitude."

"Everyone already knows the result, so why bother calling us here?"

"The family is too ruthless. They kept the news of the Absolute Spirit Era a secret all this time, and only now have we found out."

"If we weren't ruthless, how could we willingly become slaves to the Dharma and the practice?"

"Be careful what you say!"

"What are you being careful about? Isn't it common knowledge that the descendants of elders and those who receive offerings easily enjoy top-tier resources, while we ordinary clansmen toil like beasts of burden and only get a tiny fraction? Do you think we're entitled to such an opportunity now?"

"There's really no need to be careful with our words, after all, we have no way to resist. It's said that some of the elders' sons quite enjoy listening to our complaints, treating them as amusement."

"well……"

"We're alright. Before the arrival of 'Spirit Absolute,' we had already reached the embryonic breathing stage. Even if we were to reach Spirit Absolute, we could still become martial arts masters. Leaving the Lin family and entering the mortal world, we would still be superior to others. But there's a group of people who have reached the age to leave, yet they haven't cultivated at all. Tsk tsk, that's tough!"

"Yes, they are the ones who are truly miserable."

It's not important that you're miserable; what matters is that there are people who are even more miserable than you.

Some people turned their gaze toward where Lin Yuan was.

Standing next to Lin Yuan were all 16-year-old boys and girls.

With a solid foundation and a stable mind, it is the perfect age for spiritual cultivation.

But now, they need to face a trial with a predetermined outcome.

Lin Yuan was sharp-eared and sharp-eyed, and since he was a "veteran" and didn't try to hide it, he heard it very clearly.

He remained calm.

A month ago, he might have also been agitated and felt unlucky.

But things are different now!

The family's announcement of the "Spirit Extinction" was a disaster for many, but for him it was a pleasant surprise.

The term "absence of spiritual energy" is used by cultivators in the Yuan Realm to describe the fading of spiritual energy.

When spiritual energy fades, not only do spiritual objects turn into mortal objects, but cultivators, if they have no means of resistance, will also slowly turn into mortals. However, their physique will be stronger, and they can still become martial arts masters.

The phenomenon of extinction usually lasts for about three hundred years.

The time was not very long for the cultivators.

However, once the spiritual energy completely dissipates, let alone three hundred years, even thirty years would be enough for a cultivator to lose everything, including their long lifespan.

Only by entering the so-called "minor immortal realm" can a cultivator's cultivation level and lifespan be extended.

In Lin Yuan's view, the so-called "Little Immortal Realm" is nothing more than a special little world.

It is called the Lesser Immortal Realm because it allows one to maintain their cultivation level.

After all, in legends, the immortal realm is a place of eternal life.

After carefully studying the information released by his family, he discovered that the root of everything lay in spiritual energy.

During the era of spiritual depletion, the spiritual energy within a cultivator's body will slowly dissipate, much like a spiritual object.

However, according to the experience of predecessors, in the era of spiritual deprivation, as long as spiritual energy enters the tent, the original spiritual energy cultivation will not dissipate and can be maintained at the original level, even if only a wisp of spiritual energy enters the tent.

Therefore, theoretically speaking, even in the outside world, if you can obtain spiritual energy, you can maintain your cultivation level.

This is roughly the principle behind the "Little Fairy Realm".

Lin Yuan happened to have the means to obtain spiritual energy during the era of spiritual deprivation.

There is a seed of Tao within him.

This path is called "Refining Essence into Qi," a name similar to the Taoist cultivation realm he reached in his previous life.

The effect of the Dao Seed is very simple.

As the name suggests, it can transform one's own vital energy into spiritual energy.

This seed of Tao was actually awakened by Lin Yuan in his previous life; he thought he was living the life of a "city dragon king."

Who knew that saving someone would cost him his life, and he was reborn into this world where cultivation is possible, with his Dao seed following him.

He originally thought the Dao Seed could help him take off.

However, as he learned more about cultivation, he discovered that the spiritual energy produced by [Refining Essence into Qi] each time, without damaging his foundation, seemed to be about the same as that of normal cultivation, not even counting the support of cultivation resources.

Moreover, without starting cultivation, the essence refined from the Dao seed cannot remain in the body and will slowly dissipate.

The former alone makes the Dao Seed somewhat useless, since the spiritual energy it refines is similar to that of normal cultivation, so why would it bother refining it?

It wasn't until a month ago that the family informed them of the existence of "Jue Ling".

The seed seems to be getting better.

Of course, this idea is more of a way to comfort oneself.

After all, who would willingly endure hardship when given good conditions for cultivation?

Lin Yuan wasn't worried about whether the Dao Seed could be used in the Era of Severed Spirits. He had been able to use it in his previous life, so there was no need to worry about it in this one.

This is based on experience, and it is also a feeling that arises unconsciously when sensing the seed of the Tao.

"Brother Lin Yuan, where do you think we'll be assigned?" a thin young man asked Lin Yuan in a low voice.

This person is named Lin Chao. He used to live in the mortal area of ​​the Lin family. He lost his parents and was bullied by others. He was often bullied and sometimes even had trouble getting food.

Having lived two lives, Lin Yuan was still fully aware of his surroundings and took care of Lin Chao until Lin Chao was eight years old and underwent a bone analysis, after which Lin Chao entered the Lin family's immortal mountain.

However, Lin Chao continued to follow him.

Perhaps because he had been bullied so badly, he seemed somewhat timid.

"Who knows!" Lin Yuan shook his head.

The so-called allocation is actually the family arranging for those who were not selected to go to various places in the mortal world, assigning them various identities and jobs.

Logically speaking, a family that has achieved this level of success should not have its members complaining like this.

Who would want to be a mortal if they could continue their spiritual practice and achieve longevity?

Those clansmen who had already entered the realm of embryonic breathing and experienced the power of cultivation were especially unwilling to give up.

The difference is just too great.

"I hope to be assigned to become a nobleman in some dynasty." Lin Chao's face was full of anticipation, as if he was thinking about life after becoming a nobleman.

He had heard that ordinary nobles lived extravagantly.

"If you have already begun your cultivation, you will still have a physique comparable to a martial arts master in the mortal world after the arrival of the Absolute Spirit. Becoming a nobleman would be a good thing. However, since you have not yet embarked on cultivation, becoming a nobleman would be no different from an ordinary person. You are more likely to be killed by someone else," Lin Yuan calmly analyzed.

Lin Chao shuddered and said, "Really? Brother Lin Yuan, we're from a cultivator family, so in their eyes we're practically half-immortals, right?"

"It's precisely because you are an 'immortal'," Lin Yuan said. "There are quite a few things like this. Mortals are very interested in the secrets of immortals."

Since the family announced the existence of "Spirit Absolute," they have released some information, and Lin Yuan has seen many cases.

Even among ordinary people, there are traditions, and the existence of "Spirit Absolute" is not a secret in the eyes of some.

Thinking of this, Lin Yuan cursed inwardly.

The clan deserves to die. Some people in the mortal world know about the existence of the Spirit Absolute, but these clansmen were kept in the dark, just so that some people would be willing to be their slaves.

"Then I'd better not become a nobleman." Lin Chao immediately admitted defeat, but then he thought of something, "However, if I could become a nobleman with you, Brother Lin Yuan, I wouldn't be afraid. With your brains, Brother Lin Yuan, you can definitely outsmart those nobles."

Lin Yuan shook his head and did not reply.

He was indeed fearless, but not because of his intelligence. His so-called intelligence was simply due to his past life experience, which made him appear more mature than his peers.

Compared to ordinary people who play politics, they may not be so.

However, the existence of the Dao Seed of [Refining Essence into Qi] means that the super brain is telling him that he should use super power.

"It depends on how we arrange it!"

Amidst feelings of anxiety, resentment, and anger, a middle-aged man who appeared to be no more than forty years old and dressed in elder's robes stepped onto the high platform in front of the crowd.

Lin Yuan recognized the man.

The family's second elder, Lin Zhiyuan, is in charge of all personnel matters. He is at the seventh level of the embryonic cultivation stage, and his spiritual energy is almost permeating his entire body. In the mortal world, he would be a being capable of destroying a country single-handedly.

After Lin Zhiyuan stepped onto the platform, he began to speak.

The gist of it is that the impending arrival of the Death Spirit has put the family in a difficult situation, so they can only retain the best members.

"Next is the list of those selected."

Upon hearing this, thousands of people fell silent instantly.

Even knowing the outcome, everyone still held a glimmer of hope.

What if?

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

After the list was read out, excluding the family's top leaders, a total of sixty-one people were selected.

Apart from the one with superior innate talent, all the others were descendants of high-ranking family members.

Immediately, a barrage of curses erupted.

"asshole!"

"Just as I expected, they're not even bothering to act anymore!"

As a master at the seventh level of the embryonic breathing stage, Lin Zhiyuan could naturally hear it, but he didn't care.

A group of people destined to become mortals, who will no longer be on the same level as them in the future.

"Your arrangements will be posted by the family within three days. You can see them for yourselves then. Rest assured, the family will not mistreat you. Even in the mortal world, you will be among the elite," he said calmly, then his voice suddenly turned icy. "Three months from now, you must leave the family."

Immediately, the cursing intensified.

Especially Lin Yuan and his group.

"Three months? Are they sending us to our deaths?"

"Damn it, are you really that heartless? Leaving us not even a sliver of hope?"

Three months is too short for cultivators.

Lin Zhiyuan ignored them. These people insulted the family's higher-ups, so they naturally needed to be punished.

When other family leaders found out, they didn't say anything to him.

After all, they were just a group of mortals destined to be together.

Occupying the family's spiritual energy is simply a waste.

Enjoying three months of spiritual energy is already a blessing from the family, and many people still object, but ultimately the family head has no reason to be soft-hearted.

After saying that, he left leisurely, leaving a group of people in a state of impotent rage.

Their cultivation level is insufficient, and they don't even have the ability to resist.

Lin Yuan didn't utter any insults, and turned to leave.

Lin Chao immediately caught up, "Brother Lin Yuan, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Go back and pack your things," Lin Yuan said without further ado.

In reality, he was going back to cultivate himself.

Everything else is meaningless; only strength is real.

March is an exceptionally tight timeframe.

While you still don't have to leave your family, if you can utilize the abundant spiritual energy within your family to enter the state of "fetal breathing," you will be able to live a more comfortable life in the mortal world or continue your cultivation.

If his family hadn't forced everyone to come, he wouldn't have wasted his time here today.