Chapter 100 - 68: [No Illness or Disaster Before High Officials]
Chapter 68 [Healthy and Noble]
"You said, the Secret Manual left to you by Lord Venerable did not mention the division of cultivation realms?"
Sitting in the courtyard of her villa and leaning on a reclining chair, Gu Qingyi held a bun in one hand and bit into it slowly: "It seems that Lord Venerable naturally has her own thoughts... I dare not speculate. However, since you have already entered the Guiyuan Realm, then it is natural to start cultivating the Primordial Spirit."
Chen Yan sat earnestly opposite Gu Qingyi, his attitude as serious as a student’s in class. He solemnly said, "What does cultivating the Primordial Spirit mean?"
Gu Qingyi frowned, her tone carrying some doubt: "Before the Guiyuan Realm, we cultivators transport Primordial Qi into our bodies, using Primordial Qi to nourish the flesh, refine blood, bones, and internal organs, strengthening the body to make it a better container for Primordial Qi.
But Primordial Qi is Primordial Qi after all. Its role in nourishing the body reaches a limit.
Unless one walks the path of Cultivation Combat Techniques like me, continuing to refine the body and mainly practicing combat techniques.
Most cultivators do not walk my path. Upon reaching the Guiyuan Realm, the nourishing and refining effects of Primordial Qi on the body no longer improve significantly, so they begin to cultivate the Primordial Spirit.
Above the Guiyuan Realm is the Ascension Realm.
The Ascension Realm is the last major step before breaking through to the Celestial Human Realm.
Breaking through to the Celestial Human Realm requires crossing a big threshold, which involves two aspects.
The first aspect is the cultivation level of Primordial Qi—essentially, it also requires a strong body because if the body is not strong enough, the container is not sufficient, and your Primordial Qi will naturally be weak. As I said before, Primordial Qi must completely nourish the body.
The other aspect is the strength of the Primordial Spirit. If the Primordial Spirit is not strong enough, it’s also impossible to break through to the Celestial Human Realm.
In the Guiyuan Realm, the body is already nourished to its limit. Therefore, for many cultivators, training the Primordial Spirit becomes the main task in the Guiyuan Realm."
After listening, Chen Yan could not help but frown: "But the booklet left to me by Grandma only contained one Primordial Qi Transport Technique, without any technique for cultivating the Primordial Spirit."
"Huh?"
Gu Qingyi was somewhat stunned, then she muttered doubtfully: "This... is very unusual. Since you do not walk the combat technique path, why did Lord Venerable not leave you a technique for training the Primordial Spirit? She even passed you the Primordial Qi Transport Technique."
"How would I know..." Chen Yan lowered his head in thought, then asked, "Can you teach me the technique for training the Primordial Spirit?"
Gu Qingyi slowly shook her head: "It’s not that I don’t want to teach you, but... I don’t have it."
She sighed, her tone very calm: "I practice the combat technique. On the combat path, after the Guiyuan Realm, we don’t practice any techniques for training the Primordial Spirit. We nourish the spirit through battle, refining it with the killing intent gathered from combat.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spent five years on the Prison Suppression Platform."
With a glance at Chen Yan, Gu Qingyi continued softly: "My path is not suitable for you. We start practicing combat techniques from a young age; I entered at five, and you are already twenty-two, with fully formed bones and body structures. Even if you switch to the combat technique now, you won’t have significant achievements in this life."
Chen Yan was also filled with doubt and asked, "Then am I going to be stuck in the Guiyuan Realm forever?"
"No, after the Guiyuan Realm, you can still cultivate to the Ascension Realm. But in the Ascension Realm, you lack the technique for training the Primordial Spirit, so your highest achievement can only be the Ascension Realm. Furthermore, because you do not train the Primordial Spirit, among those in the Ascension Realm, you will be the weakest.
If you encounter those experienced in the Ascension Realm, they can suppress you with a single Divine Thought."
Chen Yan was silent for a while, then said in a low voice, "Maybe... Grandma did not want me to continually cultivate to break through realms and reach the Celestial being? She wanted me to stop at the Ascension Realm, staying in the mortal cultivation tier?"
Gu Qingyi stopped speaking and quietly looked at Chen Yan.
Chen Yan frowned and pondered slowly: "My father Chen Jue was infamous in your Domain Realm, I don’t know what heavenly laws he violated, but he must have carried a lot of karmic burdens.
Grandma probably did not want me to break through realms and reach the Celestial being, nor to enter the Domain Realm.
That’s why she only passed me the Primordial Qi Transport Technique and gave me a booklet. The contents are enough for me to train to the highest mortal cultivation tier, the Ascension Realm.
In this realm, entering the Domain Realm would naturally be useless.
But staying in this world, the skills in the booklet are enough for me to live a wealthy and carefree life."
Gu Qingyi’s eyes revealed a complicated expression, and she softly murmured: "So, Lord Venerable hopes you’ll... live healthily and become noble?"
Live healthily and become noble... Chen Yan felt a faint sadness in his heart.
Ah... he suddenly missed Grandma.
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If this really is Grandma’s wish, Chen Yan had no complaints—no matter what, everything he had was given by Grandma, and he would only be grateful for her thoughtful actions.
——From Gu Qingyi’s few words, Chen Yan had already glimpsed the so-called Domain Realm, which was certainly not a land of goodwill!
Chen Yan then asked: "Then last night, when we killed the Mountain Demon and collected Qi of Yin Sha, isn’t it useless now—you said it would be useful for my cultivation of the Primordial Spirit."
Gu Qingyi smiled wryly: "I didn’t know before that Lord Venerable didn’t leave you any techniques for training the Primordial Spirit."
Seeing Chen Yan somewhat disappointed, Gu Qingyi’s mind moved, and she slowly said: "Cultivating the Primordial Spirit is like forging a divine weapon.
You don’t have the forging technique, and neither do I. However, the Qi of Yin Sha still has some use.
No technique for forging... but sharpening the blade requires no teaching and isn’t so profound.
Although the Qi of Yin Sha can’t help you forge a divine weapon-like Primordial Spirit, it can act as a whetstone, slightly refining and solidifying your Primordial Spirit."
Chen Yan’s thoughts were complex, he waved his hand: "Then keep it, if it can be used, it won’t be wasted."
Knowing the path of his cultivation was limited—he was now at the Guiyuan Realm and the next level would be the Ascension Realm, then it would be the end.
Thinking of this, Chen Yan couldn’t help but feel a lack of motivation.
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Hu Shangke was in the peak of his life at this moment.
Sitting in the reception room of the real estate agency, Hu Licking Dog trembled as he held the folder in front of him. Inside were pages of property materials and attached copies of property ownership certificates.
Assistant Yan sat opposite him, observing Hu Shangke’s expressions without showing any emotions: "Last time, it was you who rented out our boss’s villa.
You were very efficient back then. After I reported to the boss, he was very satisfied with your capabilities, so he instructed me to hand over more properties to you for renting and handling."
Hu Shangke stared wide-eyed at the folder in his hands: "Are, are these all?"
"There are seventeen properties here. Four leases expire this month, two expire next month, and the rest are vacant and unleased.
These are well-invested properties that our boss bought over the years. His intention is to entrust these to you for renting."
Hu Shangke swallowed heavily: "All these businesses, handed over to our company in the future?"
"No, not your company."
Assistant Yan shook his head.
Hu Shangke was dumbfounded, seeing Assistant Yan smiling and looking at him: "It’s handed over to you."
"...Me?"
"Yes, my boss means that these properties are your exclusive resources. We only recognize your handling for rentals, not anyone else’s."
Damn!
Hu Shangke’s heart was pounding wildly.
He briefly flipped through the information of the seventeen properties.
They were all residential units around 100 square meters, fully renovated, with complete facilities ready for move-in.
Moreover, they were located in mid-range or high-end communities.
These types of houses have high rental rates. As long as the price matches the market, they rarely stay vacant.
And... seventeen properties!
If earning a commission from the agency, renting out all seventeen properties...
Seventeen properties could earn him nearly ten thousand in commission fees!
"You can rent these properties on your company’s platform, other platforms, or operate privately... We don’t care, we only recognize your handling."
Assistant Yan explained clearly, causing Hu Shangke’s eyes to light up, though he grew more nervous as he glanced at Assistant Yan, reluctant to take his eyes off the folder.
"Um... President Yan..."
"No, I’m not a president, just call me Assistant Yan," Assistant Yan smiled gently.
"Um, that... Assistant Yan, I, I..." Hu Shangke bit his lip: "Although I’m young, I understand there’s no such thing as free favors in the world. You and your boss value me greatly, but I know my worth.
Although I handled renting the villa, the credit doesn’t deserve such recognition, I..."
Hu Shangke gritted his teeth: "Why do you value me so much? Let me be clear, I’m young, and I’m a coward, I don’t dare touch anything illegal."
Assistant Yan laughed, moving his chair closer and patting Hu Shangke’s shoulder: "Xiaohu, you overthink it. There’s absolutely nothing illegal involved.
Moreover, the favors aren’t as significant as you think. We are simply entrusting these properties to you for renting, not giving them to you.
After all, who we rent to makes no difference to us. We will still collect the rent, so there’s no loss for us.
Hence, the favor you perceive isn’t as great as you imagine."
"To me, this is a huge windfall. And... and probably not just one."
If these properties continue to be handled by me, once rented and when leases expire, renting again would earn another commission fee. I..."
I practically have a permanent meal ticket?!—Hu Shangke thought this without voicing it.
Had it not been for his pimples and thinning hair, Hu Licking Dog might have thought someone harbored feelings for him.
Isn’t it said that those people fancy round faces, crew cuts, and full beards?
I’m not that type.
A zero-risk task shouldn’t fall to me, right?
"Don’t be nervous, our boss always likes to nurture and uplift capable young people. Your efficiency pleased my boss, so he entrusted some properties to you for management. Work hard, and the boss will give you more opportunities in the future."
Assistant Yan looked at the time: "It’s almost noon, let’s have lunch together?"
"Alright! Alright!" Hu Licking Dog, being a sociable person with high emotional intelligence, responded: "I’ll treat!!"
"...Okay, your treat then," Assistant Yan knew to not be overly enthusiastic at times like this, so he nodded and smiled.
At noon, they chose a decent restaurant near the real estate agency—Hu Licking Dog originally wanted to pick somewhere farther and better, but Assistant Yan politely declined claiming he had afternoon commitments.
Hu Licking Dog ordered a tableful of dishes with great enthusiasm and even went out to buy a bottle of good wine from a nearby liquor store.
After drinking half the bottle, the atmosphere became cordial, and everyone relaxed.
Although Hu Licking Dog worked in sales, he’d only graduated half a year ago, nowhere near the match for the seasoned Assistant Yan.
Without revealing it, Assistant Yan feigned curiosity and brought up Chen Yan—it’s not strange to be curious about someone willing to rent a haunted house.
Hu Licking Dog, unprepared and slightly inebriated, started to talk freely...
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