Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

Time flies.

On Yunli Mountain, the seasons change, and a year passes in the blink of an eye.

During that year, Lu Zaian lived a secluded life, immersing himself almost entirely in the study and practice of the "Bichun Yanlu Jue".

Above the cloud-covered cliff.

He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed for long periods of time, yet his aura was not static.

Initially, only the familiar, surging, pale blue magical power of the vast ocean flowed.

Gradually, a wisp of vibrant emerald green spiritual energy, like a new bud in early spring, struggled to emerge from the boundless water elemental power, weak yet tenacious.

Lu Zaian used his dantian and meridians as a guide to continuously visualize the "water nourishes wood" technique.

In Dantian.

It is as if one can see that the highest good is like water, formless and without appearance, nourishing all things.

A drop of sweet dew condenses from nothingness, falls onto the parched earth, and quietly seeps into a deeply buried, ancient seed of the Chinese toon tree.

The seeds, nourished, are revitalized, sprout from the soil, and grow in the rain!

Finally, a tender green seedling tremblingly broke through the soil!

Bathed in the misty rain formed from pure water elemental magic, it sprouted branches and leaves, growing wildly and lushly.

The visualized ailanthus tree is a symbol of progress in the cultivation of this technique!

This day.

Lu Zaian suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, his eyes shining brightly!

The left eye seemed to shimmer with azure light.

The right eye seemed to radiate with vitality.

He sensed that the ailanthus tree in his dantian was now firmly established and thriving...

According to the "Bi Chun Yan Lu Jue", the sign of minor success in the technique is that when fully activated, a phantom of a hundred-year-old toon tree will appear behind one's back, full of vitality, nourishing one's body.

If it reaches its full potential, it will take five hundred years to grow, with branches and leaves flourishing and covering an area.

The state of perfection requires an eight-hundred-year-old towering tree, its canopy spreading out to shelter everything, allowing one to sit and watch the clouds rise and fall...

"Right now, I can only barely manage to form a sapling, which can be considered a rudimentary understanding!"

A sense of understanding and relief welled up in Lu Zaian's heart.

At least, this year of hard work wasn't in vain.

Of course, every step forward in the technique will become increasingly difficult.

After all, it's a third-tier cultivation technique.

It would probably take ten years to go from first getting a basic understanding to mastering the skills (achieving some level of proficiency).

It may take decades to go from minor success to major success!

It could take hundreds of years to go from great achievement to perfection.

It should be noted that when Ji Chun perished, he had not yet perfected the "Azure Spring Dew Extension Technique," otherwise he would have already broken through to the mid-stage of Core Formation...

"Try the spell."

Lu Zaian slowly raised his right hand, palm facing up, his mind stirring slightly.

[The green vines strangle it!]

In an instant, a rich, deep blue wood elemental magic surged forth, transforming into more than a dozen thick and tough green wood poison vines the moment it landed!

"No goal in mind? Try this!"

With a flick of his finger, Lu Zaian sent a black ruler made of "black meteorite iron" flying out of his storage bag.

This is an ancient sect weapon that Jiuyou obtained in the Black Miasma Forest ruins.

Over the long years, its spiritual essence has been lost, but its material alone remains incredibly hard!

The green vine, like a awakened emerald python, coiled and strangled the black ruler!

A "click" sounded!

The second-tier black meteorite iron was twisted into countless deep grooves, turning into a twisted mess!

A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Zaian's eyes.

"The power is so fierce and domineering!"

Although not a technique primarily focused on killing, the resilience of the wood elemental power, combined with the immense foundation of the vast ocean's power, has produced such an effect!

He collected the deformed black ruler, intending to melt it down later so that it could be put to good use.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Zaian changed his hand gesture and gave a low shout.

"Congeal!"

【Camellia Barrier】

The blue light gathered and rapidly intertwined in front of him, instantly transforming into a giant wooden barrier made of countless ancient Chinese toon tree branches.

It is heavy and solid, with ancient patterns, exuding a calm and steady aura like an unyielding mountain!

"The defensive capabilities also far exceeded expectations!"

The sense of stability emanating from the phantom of the century-old toon tree is truly worthy of being a wood-elemental spell.

Lu Zaian nodded to himself.

He flicked his finger again.

"Bloom!"

[Springtime Rejuvenation!]

A wisp of emerald light flew into the air, blooming like a seed and transforming into a gentle, healing aura of azure rain!

As the raindrops fell, the vegetation within the area became even more lush and verdant!

Lu Zaian felt a surge of vitality and was filled with joy.

"The healing and nourishing effects of this technique are its essence. In the future, if I am injured, I will not need to rely solely on the Longevity Body to recover..."

After demonstrating the vitality of wood-based magic, Lu Zaian smiled slightly and slowly raised his left hand.

【Water Spirit Thousand Blades】

"Crack-!"

A vast expanse of azure magic surged forth, its power astonishing.

The water flows at will, instantly condensing into shape:

Mystic Water Ice Spear, Heavy Water Giant Hammer, Flowing Wave Water Blade... all kinds of water-based weapons, all transformed from the softest water into the hardest killing weapons, are arrayed in a menacing formation!

"It's been a long time since I've used this move, but it still seems as powerful as ever."

Lu Zaian was not surprised by this, after all, it was a power he had already mastered.

The next moment, his gaze sharpened, and he gently brought his hands together in front of his chest.

【Water and Wood in Harmony, Azure Waves Reaching the Heavens!】

This is a new move he created himself.

The azure wood element and the blue water element's magical power began to merge and flow like yin and yang fish, emitting a pleasant hum!

Aquatic wood!

With the infusion of immense water-based magical power, the power of wood-based spells suddenly surged!

The strangling vine instantly expanded several times its original size!

Furthermore, the surface is covered with a layer of watery sheen, like a jade dragon amidst clear water, greatly increasing its binding power and corrosiveness!

Water ripples flowed across that giant wooden barrier, combining strength and flexibility, greatly increasing its defensive power!

Countless vines intertwine with the flowing water, transforming into a vast, azure net that blots out the sky.

The phantoms of the [Water Spirit Thousand Blades] arrayed within the net, forming a terrifying domain that combined trapping and killing!

"Sure enough!

The combination of the two can produce such a qualitative change, and its power is more than doubled!

This principle of mutual generation between water and wood truly has boundless potential!

Even though Lu Zaian had anticipated this, seeing the amazing effect with his own eyes, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

The spell has been tested.

Lu Zaian flashed and rode a cloud of blue and green, leisurely drifting towards the West Mountain Stream.

The Xu clan members, who were working diligently in the fields, suddenly sensed something and looked up.

The mountain lord arrived riding on clouds, his aura growing increasingly unfathomable, as if he had merged with the vitality of the entire mountain forest.

“It’s the Mountain Master!”

"The Mountain Lord has emerged from seclusion!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing, bowed respectfully, and looked at each other with curiosity and awe.

Lu Zaian landed on the ridge of the field and nodded slightly to everyone.

His gaze swept over the hundred acres of spiritual plants that were growing well but still had some time before they matured, and a thought struck him.

"Try another clever use of this trick."

With a flick of his sleeve, the man-made Emerald Spring not far away began to hum.

A thick, clear column of water was drawn up into the air like a dragon.

【The dew is falling!】

Then,

Lu Zaian activated the unique life-inducing secret technique in the "Azure Spring Dew Extension Technique," forming hand seals with his fingertips to create a series of azure runes full of life rhythm, which merged into the water column.

This process consumes a great deal of magical power.

Even with his vast liquid mana in his dantian, he squandered most of it in just a few breaths!

But the results were quite obvious.

In a matter of moments, the clear spring water transformed into a viscous, translucent, shimmering, dreamlike azure liquid—

It contains the vibrant life force of plants!

"Hurry up!"

Lu Zaian pointed downwards, and the azure liquid flowed down like sweet rain, evenly sprinkling across the hundred acres of spiritual fields.

The miracle happened!

Wherever the sap flowed, all the spiritual plants grew wildly!

The first-tier Renshui rice was originally just green ears, but now the rice stalks have grown taller, the ears have quickly become full and heavy, the green color has faded and turned into a warm and jade-like white, and the fragrance of rice is overwhelming!

The first-tier Silver Essence Ganoderma unfolded its petals, and silver patterns instantly spread across the entire leaf. Spiritual light flowed, and its medicinal properties were perfected in an instant!

The various spiritual flowers and herbs, such as Yin Ning Flower and Moonflower Grass, were also blooming in profusion, displaying a riot of colors and shimmering brilliance!

In just a dozen or so breaths.

Time seemed to be accelerated in the hundred acres of spirit fields, where first-tier spirit plants that would normally take several months to mature were now growing.

They were all forced to mature!

In an instant, the mountains and fields were filled with a dazzling light, and the fragrance of rice, flowers, and fresh grass and trees mixed together to form a powerful wave of vitality that enveloped the mountain streams.

One puff is enough to make you feel refreshed and relaxed!

All the members of the Xu clan stared in disbelief at this miraculous scene, as if they were in a dream.

After a brief silence, a deafening roar of surprise and ecstatic shouts erupted:

"This...how is this possible?"

"They're all ripe! Full of medicinal properties!!"

"The power of the Mountain Lord!!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Mountain Master!"

The way everyone looked at Lu Zaian was no longer just awe, but almost fanatical worship!

Such methods are almost divine!

Looking at his masterpiece, Lu Zaian was extremely satisfied.

The third-tier technique has endless uses.

"The growth-promoting effect of this 'Azure Dew-Prolonging Technique' is truly astounding! The efficiency of this spirit field's output will increase significantly in the future..."

However, using the life-inducing technique will consume a large amount of one's own magical power, thus delaying cultivation.

Presumably, Ji Chun rarely uses this technique; even if it were to accelerate the growth of ordinary first or second-tier spiritual plants, it wouldn't be of much use to him..."

Lu Zai'an vaguely sensed—

At most, I can only cultivate first-tier spiritual plants.

If one wants to cultivate second-tier spiritual plants, it is probably only possible to wait until the "Azure Dew Extension Technique" is mastered.

We're still a long way off...

However, at least we now have a clear direction.