Before leaving, Li Mu used his divine sense to scan the area within ten thousand meters of Shizhong Temple.

Within a radius of 10,000 meters, there are mountains, rivers, fertile fields, and vegetable gardens.

Rather than calling this a paradise, Li Mu believed it was more of a small world left behind by some powerful being.

Li Mu took out the iron plaque of the Shizhong Temple's mountain gate, embedded it into the groove on the wall, and did not take it after opening the mountain gate.

After all, Shi Jian still needed to stay here to cultivate, so there was no use for Li Mu keeping this access pass.

Once outside the mountain gate, he felt no regret for coming here to seek revenge, but he couldn't help but sigh again.

As Shi Jian's adopted son or successor in the martial arts, Shi Zhongtian should have been content to inherit the mantle.

Unexpectedly, this bizarre Stone Temple was created, where people shaved their heads but didn't even have a Dharma name.

Back then, even though Tan Li was the only monk in the temple, and the head monk held multiple positions, he still gave himself the Dharma name Liaoyin.

Li Mu fully understood Shi Jian's mindset in watching these people live and die; it was simply because he was utterly disappointed in them.

Having found such a fine place, instead of focusing on quiet cultivation, they insist on venturing into the secular world and getting tainted by right and wrong; their deaths are not a pity.

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Before Li Mu left, there was a moment when he really wanted to carve out a copy of the ancient martial arts techniques he knew and give it to Shi Jian.

He believed that this ancient martial arts technique would be of great reference value to Shi Jian; however, Shi Jian was a man who liked to make friends and was too open-minded.

If he hadn't avenged his great grudge yet, and Shi Jian were to reveal the cultivation technique he had given him to the public, then he would have made a formidable enemy for himself.

If we were to compare the ancient martial arts techniques he presented with the cultivation techniques, the Copper Skin and Iron Bone realms would be equivalent to the Qi Refining realm.

If one can cultivate to the Qi Condensation Realm, it is equivalent to the strength of the Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment Realm; if one reaches the Aperture Opening Realm, it is equivalent to the strength of the Foundation Establishment to Golden Core Realm.

Once you reach the Qi Condensation Realm, you can increase your lifespan by 60 years; if you reach the Qi Opening Realm, you can increase your lifespan by at least 200 years.

Li Mu didn't know much about the cultivation methods of this life, and he had never heard of the saying that cultivating them could increase one's lifespan.

Therefore, the ancient martial arts techniques he brought with him should belong to two different systems from the martial arts techniques of this life.

After leaving Shizhong Temple, he immediately put away the three array flags, and the walls of the stone mountain returned to their original state.

Without the activation of the array flags, no one could tell that this was a mountain gate that could be entered or exited.

Sensing the location of the array flags, he retraced his steps back.

He soon arrived at the first illusion array and, sensing the spiritual energy within, decided to cultivate there for a few days.

This was his thought when he passed by. Now that he had avenged himself and wasn't in a hurry, staying here to strengthen his cultivation and increase his strength was a good idea.

There is a spirit-gathering array here, which should have been prepared for this natural illusion array to support its operation year-round.

Li Mu's purpose in cultivating here was very clear: he wanted to use the spiritual energy gathered by this spirit-gathering array for his own benefit.

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Finding a flat spot within the formation, Li Mu sat down and began his cultivation.

As the spiritual energy around him slowly entered his body, his cultivation entered a state of complete absorption.

As cultivation time increases and the amount of spiritual energy absorbed increases, the spiritual energy in the spirit-gathering array does not decrease but increases instead.

As the day passed, Li Mu, who was in a meditative state, felt as if he had returned to the world of cultivation.

This was the most enjoyable cultivation experience he had ever had in this world, as if he had inexhaustible spiritual energy to cultivate at will.

In just one day, his cultivation level reached the seventh level of Qi Refining perfection.

He thought his cultivation would break through to the eighth level of Qi Refining, but an unexpected incident occurred.

The large amount of spiritual energy he inhaled into his dantian did not attempt to break through the bottleneck; instead, it liquefied.

How can someone at the seventh level of Qi Refining, whose spiritual energy has been liquefied, be considered to have reached the seventh level of Qi Refining?

Li Mu was very puzzled as he watched the spiritual energy that had filled his dantian slowly turn into liquid.

Looking back on his cultivation path in his previous life, he realized that when he liquefied his spiritual energy, it was after he had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining.

It is important to understand that the reason why the Qi Refining stage is called the Qi Refining stage is that the dantian is basically filled with spiritual energy throughout the entire cultivation period.

Even if it is compressed using cultivation techniques, it is still compressed spiritual energy.

Only when one reaches the ninth level of Qi Refining and is about to establish a foundation will spiritual energy transform into liquid due to the increase in strength.

Once the dantian is filled with spiritual liquid, the foundation building process can begin.

The spiritual energy inhaled by a Foundation Establishment cultivator will automatically be transformed into spiritual liquid and stored in the dantian.

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Could it be that my spiritual root is more superior in this life? Or is it because I have cultivated the Longevity Technique?

With two questions in mind, Li Mu continued his cultivation, wanting to fill his dantian with spiritual liquid.

However, this idea became a pipe dream, because not all the spiritual energy he inhaled turned into spiritual liquid.

Only when the dantian is full of spiritual energy will the excess spiritual energy liquefy.

This made Li Mu even more frustrated. If this was the case, when would he be able to advance to the eighth level of Qi Refining?

Two days later, Li Mu felt that he was absorbing less and less spiritual energy, so he stopped cultivating.

Except for the part that had liquefied, the spiritual energy within his body remained abundant.

The amount of spiritual liquid only accounts for about one percent of the dantian.

At this moment, he thought of a saying in the cultivation world.

Ordinary cultivators liquefy their spiritual energy when they reach the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Genius cultivators can liquefy their spiritual energy at the eighth level of Qi Refining, while only unparalleled geniuses can liquefy their spiritual energy at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Could it be that I have now become an unparalleled genius?

With this thought in mind, Li Mu's mood improved considerably.

Although his cultivation level did not improve during the three days of training, he could feel that his strength had greatly improved compared to before.

Moreover, if the spiritual liquid in his dantian were to transform into spiritual energy, it would be equivalent to three to four seventh-level cultivators filled with spiritual energy.

This leaves a lot of room for maneuver in future battles, meaning that the spiritual energy in his body can be reused three or four times.

If he compared himself now with his previous self who was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he felt that he was stronger now than in his previous life.

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After Li Mu stood up, the formation was clearly visible to the naked eye.

This is because he absorbed 99% of the spiritual energy in the formation.

Without the support of spiritual energy, the illusion array loses its magic.

Since the Spirit Gathering Array is still in place, it will not be abolished. However, it will probably take some time to restore its function.

After releasing his divine sense, Li Mu found several medicinal herbs in the formation, which he casually picked and put into the jade box.

He then discovered a small tree growing on the rocky hill, with several thumb-sized fruits on it.

The small, pink fruits, with their fuzzy skin, seem to radiate an ethereal aura. Are these Heavenly Spirit Fruits? The main medicinal ingredient for Foundation Establishment?

Li Mu summoned his flying sword and lifted him up to the fruit tree. He confirmed that it was indeed the Heavenly Spirit Fruit and was overjoyed.

Unexpectedly, he had already collected the main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill without even realizing it.

Just as Li Mu was about to pick the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, a foot-long figure, as fast as lightning, shot straight at Li Mu's face from the crevice in the rock.

"Smack!"

With a soft thud, the short figure collided with Li Mu's spiritual energy shield.

This is a small snake; though small in size, its attack speed is as fast as a shooting star.

Even though Li Mu had cultivated to such a level, he didn't have time to make a move; he merely instinctively raised a spiritual energy shield.

As he watched the little snake fall to the ground, he directly controlled his flying sword to cut it in two.

This was the third time he had encountered snakes guarding the source of spirits or spirit objects.

Are there no other guardian beasts in this world? Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense.

Due to a lack of spiritual energy, large beasts are unable to develop intelligence.

Moreover, most of the large wild animals here have been domesticated and kept in captivity.

Only small snake-like creatures that live in dark caves have the space to survive and cultivate.

Although this snake was the smallest, it was more threatening than the previous two.

Its bulging venomous growth on its head indicates that it is a giant venomous snake, and its attack speed is exceptional.

A small fireball burned the snake to ashes; he had a natural aversion to such cold-blooded reptiles.

Returning to the Heavenly Spirit Fruit Tree, Li Mu picked five ripe fruits.

Then he took out a wooden tooth and dug a stone hole with a diameter of one meter at the base of the fruit tree, along with the stones.

He wanted to plant the four unripe Heavenly Spirit Fruits, along with the fruit trees, in the Golden Pearl World.