Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

An hour later, he had collected nine plants.

One plant is still missing.

He continued walking deeper into the dense forest.

As they walked, a rustling sound suddenly came from ahead.

He stopped and listened intently.

The sound was like someone crying softly.

He followed the sound, parted a bush, and saw a person.

It was a little girl, about seven or eight years old, wearing a tattered Taoist robe, squatting on the ground, covering her face and crying.

"Little sister, what's wrong?" Fu Shaoping walked over, squatted down, and asked softly.

The little girl looked up, revealing a dirty little face with red, swollen eyes from crying.

"I...I'm lost," she sobbed. "I can't find my way back."

Fu Shaoping looked at her, a feeling of pity welling up in his heart.

"Don't be afraid, brother will take you home. Where do you live?"

The little girl shook her head: "I don't know. I'm new here and haven't been assigned a place to live yet."

Fu Shaoping thought for a moment and asked, "What's your name?"

"My name is... my name is Xiaoya," the little girl said timidly.

Fu Shaoping's heart stirred.

Little girl.

Page 5, the little girl who brought him wildflowers in Fu Family Village.

Unexpectedly, we met here again in this life.

“Little girl, come with me.” He held out his hand. “I’ll take you to your master.”

The little girl hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took his hand.

Her hands were small, cold, and trembling slightly.

Fu Shaoping held her hand tightly and led her out of the dense forest.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Little Girl

Xiao Ya's master is an outer sect steward of the Qingyun Sect, surnamed Chen, with a cultivation level of mid-Foundation Establishment.

When Deacon Chen saw Xiao Ya, he was sweating profusely and exclaimed anxiously, "Where have you been? I've been looking for you for ages!"

The little girl lowered her head and whispered, "I...I went to gather medicinal herbs and got lost."

Just as Deacon Chen was about to reprimand him, he saw Fu Shaoping and paused for a moment.

"And this is...?"

"Disciple Fu Shaoping, a disciple of Master Yuehua." Fu Shaoping cupped his hands and said, "I met this junior sister in the back mountain. She was lost, so I brought her back."

Deacon Chen quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Junior Nephew Fu. This child is my newly accepted disciple. He is still immature and has caused you trouble."

Fu Shaoping shook his head: "It's no trouble. Junior Sister is very well-behaved."

He crouched down, looked at the little girl, and smiled slightly.

"Little girl, don't go to the back mountain alone anymore. It's dangerous there, you know?"

Xiao Ya nodded, her eyes reddening again.

"I...I understand."

Fu Shaoping took a small cloth bag from his pocket and handed it to her.

"These are candies that your brother made himself. Here, have some."

The little girl took the cloth bag, opened it, and saw that it contained several colorful candies.

She stopped crying and started laughing, took out a piece and put it in her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents.

"So sweet!"

Fu Shaoping stood up, cupped his hands to Deacon Chen, and said, "This disciple takes his leave."

He turned and walked out of the courtyard.

Behind me, Xiao Ya's voice came:

"Thank you, brother!"

Fu Shaoping didn't turn around, he just smiled slightly.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Five Years

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Fu Shaoping is eighteen years old.

Over the past five years, he has transformed from a naive teenager into a composed young man. He has grown considerably taller, with a slender build, handsome features, and a newfound maturity and determination in his eyes.

His cultivation level improved from the ninth level of Qi Refining to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

This speed is considered very fast among the outer disciples of the Qingyun Sect. However, he still maintained a low profile, not showing off or boasting, quietly cultivating, studying, and doing tasks.

His alchemy skills improved rapidly through daily practice. He was able to refine common pills such as high-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills and Qi-Gathering Powders, and occasionally even a batch of top-grade pills.

His swordsmanship was constantly improving. He fused the "Azure Edge Sword Manual" with the "Nine Swords of Moonlight" to create a swordsmanship style that suited him perfectly—the "Azure Cloud Swordsmanship." This swordsmanship style only has six moves, but each move contains his profound understanding of the way of the sword.

His understanding of contracts has undergone a qualitative leap in the past five years. He has combined the legacy of the Heavenly Contract Master with his own insights into contracts to form a complete system of contracts. This system not only includes the application of contract runes, but also philosophical reflections on the way of contracts, and even touches on the method of "proving the way through contracts".

But these weren't what he cared about most.

His parents are what he cares about most.

Every three months, he would write a letter home to tell his parents about his progress at the Qingyun Sect. His mother would always reply, nagging him to take care of his health, eat well, and avoid catching a cold. His father would occasionally add a few words at the end of the letter, mostly things like "cultivate diligently and don't bring shame to the Fu family."

Fu Shaoping would read each letter several times.

Then, I carefully put it away.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Returning Home

When he was eighteen, Fu Shaoping returned home for the first time.

The Qingyun Sect has one month-long holiday each year. Disciples can either go home to visit their families or stay in the sect to continue their cultivation.

Fu Shaoping chose to go home.

He traveled on the Qingyun Sect's flying boat and returned to Qingyang City after a three-day journey.

His parents were already waiting for him at the city gate.

When his mother saw him, tears immediately streamed down her face.

Shaoping! You've lost weight!

She ran over, hugged him tightly, looked him up and down, and felt extremely sorry for him.

"I haven't lost weight, I've actually gained weight," Fu Shaoping said with a smile. "Mom, don't worry, I'm eating very well."

The father stood to the side, looking at his son with pride in his eyes.

"It's good that you're back." He patted Fu Shaoping on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go home for dinner. Your mother made your favorite sweet and sour fish."

The family of three walked home chatting and laughing.

Fu Shaoping walked between his parents, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. This life is truly wonderful.

The days when I'm home always fly by.

Fu Shaoping stayed in Qingyang City for a whole month, spending his days talking with his mother, helping his father with clan affairs, and occasionally hunting, drinking, and chatting with his friends Fu Shaoyun, Fu Shaojie, and Fu Shaohua in the back mountains. His days were simple yet fulfilling, like a cup of warm tea, which one could only savor slowly to appreciate its flavor.

His mother would cook him a variety of delicious meals every day. Sweet and sour fish, braised pork, stir-fried vegetables, chicken soup, fish soup, bone broth... Fu Shaoping's bowl was always piled high, and his mother would keep piling food into it, saying, "Eat more, you definitely can't get such delicious food outside."

The father remained a man of few words, but at every meal, he would sit opposite Fu Shaoping, watching him eat with eyes full of affection. Occasionally, he would ask about the Qingyun Sect—how his cultivation was progressing, whether his master treated him well, and whether his fellow disciples were getting along well. Fu Shaoping answered each question, and the father would nod, asking no further.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of parting, her mother cried again. She stood at the city gate, holding Fu Shaoping's hand, and repeatedly told him, "Take good care of yourself, don't overwork yourself, wear more clothes when it gets cold..." Her father stood beside her, silent, but patted Fu Shaoping's shoulder hard.

Fu Shaoping took a deep breath, turned around, and stepped onto the flying boat.

As the airship ascended, Qingyang City grew smaller and smaller, and his mother's figure became increasingly blurred. Fu Shaoping stood at the bow, watching his homeland recede into the distance, a pang of sorrow welling up in his heart, but even more so, a warmth.

He knew that no matter how far he went, this would always be his home.

After returning to the Qingyun Sect, Fu Shaoping's life returned to its usual rhythm.

He cultivated, studied, refined pills, and comprehended the Dao of Contracts. Days passed, and his cultivation steadily improved, progressing from mid-Foundation Establishment to peak mid-Foundation Establishment, and finally to late-Foundation Establishment. He took each step firmly and steadily, without rushing.

Master Yuehua was very satisfied with him and often praised him in front of the disciples: "This child, Shaoping, is calm and has a high level of comprehension. He will surely become a great man in the future." Senior Sister Yuehua remained aloof, but she would occasionally give him some pointers. Although her tone was light, it was full of concern.

Xiao Ya often came to visit him. She was already ten years old, had grown quite a bit taller, and her round little face was gradually taking on the features of a young woman. Every time she came, she would bring some pastries she had made herself—although they didn't look very appealing and tasted so-so, Fu Shaoping would always eat them carefully and then praise her for "improvement." Xiao Ya would then smile, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and skip away.

Days passed by peacefully and fulfillingly. Sometimes Fu Shaoping would think, how wonderful it would be if things could continue like this forever.

But fate never allows a person to have peace for too long.

After reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment, Fu Shaoping began preparing for Core Formation.

Core Formation is the first true chasm on the path of cultivation. Unlike Foundation Establishment, Core Formation requires not only the accumulation of spiritual power but also a profound understanding of one's own path. The Golden Core is the culmination of a cultivator's lifelong learning and enlightenment, determining how far one can go on the future path.

Fu Shaoping's path is the path of contracts. The golden core he wants to form must be a contract-based golden core.

After learning of his thoughts, Master Yuehua remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "The Way of Contracts was once prevalent in ancient times, but it has long been lost. My understanding of the Way of Contracts is limited to some fragments of ancient texts. If you wish to form a Golden Core of Contracts, you need to find a place where the power of Contracts is abundant."

Fu Shaoping nodded: "This disciple understands. This disciple wishes to go to a place."

"where?"

"The Netherworld Secret Realm".

Master Yuehua frowned slightly: "The Netherworld Secret Realm? It is extremely dangerous there, and it only opens once every hundred years. The next time it opens will be fifty years later."

Fu Shaoping shook his head: "This disciple does not need to enter the secret realm. This disciple only needs to go to the vicinity of the entrance to the secret realm. There are remnants of the ancient contract there, which may be helpful for this disciple's Core Formation."

Master Yuehua remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "Alright. I will go with you."

The entrance to the Netherworld Secret Realm is located on a desolate plain three thousand miles east of the Qingyun Sect. This place is perpetually shrouded in gray mist, barren of vegetation, and rarely visited by humans. The air is filled with an ancient, weathered aura, as if frozen in time.

Fu Shaoping stood at the entrance, eyes closed and focused. He could sense that the aura of the contract, though faint, was extremely pure. It did not favor any attribute, nor did it carry any will; it simply existed quietly, like the most primal rule of heaven and earth.

"This is it." He opened his eyes and looked at Master Yuehua. "Master, I need to go into seclusion here for a while. You should go back first."

Master Yuehua looked at him with a hint of worry in his eyes: "I'm worried about you being here all alone."

Fu Shaoping smiled slightly: "Master, rest assured, I know what I'm doing. If I encounter any danger, I will send a message immediately."

Master Yuehua remained silent for a moment before finally nodding: "Alright. I will wait for you at Yuehua Peak. Take care."

She turned and disappeared into the gray mist.

Fu Shaoping took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began his seclusion.

The process of forming the Golden Core was more difficult than Fu Shaoping had imagined.

He focused his mind on his dantian, guiding his spiritual energy to slowly compress and condense. At the same time, he drew upon the surrounding contractual energy, merging it into his spiritual power.

However, the aura of the contract is extremely thin, and only a trace can be incorporated each time it is activated. This trace of contract aura needs to be repeatedly tempered and purified in the dantian before it can truly merge with spiritual power.

This process is extremely slow.

One day, two days, three days... one month, two months, three months...

Like an ascetic, Fu Shaoping repeated the same actions day after day. His cultivation steadily improved with each compression. His understanding of contracts deepened with each fusion.

Finally, in the dead of night on the ninety-ninth day.

Suddenly, a crisp "crack" sound came from the dantian.

That was the sound of the golden elixir taking shape.

A golden core, the size of a pigeon egg, smooth and lustrous, with pale golden contract runes flowing across its surface, slowly floated in the dantian.

The Golden Elixir of Contract is complete.

Fu Shaoping opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. He stood up, feeling the surging power within his body, and the connection to heaven and earth that was several times clearer than when he was in the Foundation Establishment stage. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

Golden Core Formation Complete. He cultivated from the late Foundation Establishment stage to the Golden Core stage in less than two years. Such speed is extremely rare in the history of the Qingyun Sect.

But he knew this was just the beginning. His journey was far from over.

When he returned to Qingyun Sect, the entire sect was in an uproar.

"Fu Shaoping has reached the Core Formation stage!"

"He's only twenty years old, right? A twenty-year-old Golden Core cultivator?!"

"My God! How did he do that?"

"I heard he secluded himself at the entrance to the Netherworld for three months, triggering the aura of an ancient contract..."

"Is the Way of Contracts... really that powerful?"

There was much discussion and exclamations of amazement.

Fu Shaoping remained calm, as if the discussions had nothing to do with him. He simply walked quietly back to Moonflower Peak, arrived at his master's cave, and respectfully kowtowed three times.

"Master, your disciple has returned."

Master Yuehua emerged from her cave, looked at him, and her eyes were full of satisfaction.

"Good child, get up."

She helped him up, looking him up and down as if he were her own child.

"A twenty-year-old Golden Core cultivator is even stronger than I was back then."

Fu Shaoping shook his head: "Master, you flatter me."

Master Yuehua smiled: "It's not an overstatement, it's the truth."

She paused, then continued, "Shaoping, what are your plans next?"

Fu Shaoping was silent for a moment, then said, "This disciple wishes to go to the Northern Region."

Master Yuehua frowned slightly: "The Northern Region? That's a wild and untamed land, teeming with demonic beasts and rarely visited by humans. What are you going there for?"

Fu Shaoping said, "This disciple senses clues to the Dao of Contracts there. This disciple wishes to go and search for them."

Master Yuehua remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "Alright. I won't stop you. But remember, no matter where you go, Qingyun Sect will always be your home."

Fu Shaoping nodded and bowed solemnly: "This disciple will remember."

The Northern Region is a vast land north of the Eastern Region. The climate here is cold, and it is covered in ice and snow year-round. Monsters roam freely, and human presence is rare. Only a few barbarian tribes and ascetic cultivators choose to settle here.

Fu Shaoping spent three months crossing the border between the Eastern and Northern Regions to enter this icy land.

His target was a snow-capped mountain deep in the Northern Region. That mountain was called "Contract Peak." Legend has it that in ancient times, a powerful figure who had made a contract with a formidable force attained enlightenment and ascended to immortality there. The aura of his contract lingered on the mountain for thousands of years.

Fu Shaoping trekked through wind and snow for half a month before finally reaching the foot of Contract Peak. (End of Chapter)