Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

The depths of the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range were shrouded in mist.

The White Mist Mountain ancestor held a second-stage lower-grade fire attribute demon core in his hand, a faint smile hanging on his face.

"Worn out shoes seeking iron, and yet fortune comes easily unbidden."

He had been wandering the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range for six months without finding a suitable demon core.

*Either he'd encounter mid-stage Foundation Establishment fire attribute beasts that were too strong for him to defeat*

*or low-stage Foundation Establishment beasts of other attributes, which wouldn't be of any use even if he won.*

*The reason he discarded his dignity as a senior cultivator and forcibly traded for this demon core from a few juniors of the Chaotic Sect was naturally for his exceptionally gifted grandson.*

Luo Teng, born with a second-grade Ice Spirit Root!

From the moment Luo Teng was born, he was seen as the pivotal figure for the Luo Family of White Mist Mountain to rise to prominence.

*While the second-grade Ice Spirit Root was indeed a gift from the heavens, it carried its own dangers.*

*As Luo Teng's cultivation reached Qi Refining Perfection, the backlash intensified.*

Only the Fire Origin Pill could neutralize the adverse effects of the Ice Spirit Root.

*To refine the Fire Origin Pill, the demon core of a second-stage fire attribute beast was indispensable.*

Now that the demon core was finally in his possession, the White Mist Mountain ancestor felt a weight lifted from his heart.

"Teng'er, don't disappoint this old man. Our Luo Family of White Mist Mountain will depend on you to ascend to the ranks of Golden Core families…"

He murmured softly, his eyes glimmering with joy.

But at that moment, his entire body suddenly trembled—his limbs froze in place as if pierced by needles. It was as though a venomous creature had locked its gaze on him!

A massive shadow swept across heaven and earth.

"It's over…"

...

Qiongbi Peak, Spiritual Field Courtyard No. 77.

Ning Daoran had returned to his quiet days of cultivating Spirit Rice once again.

The Spirit Rice in his courtyard ripened every few days. It was impossible to hide such a thing from Chen Weimo, so Ning simply didn't bother trying.

Luckily, Chen Weimo was a sensible young girl. She simply muttered, "Uncle is amazing," and never spoke of it again.

She understood the stakes—this secret absolutely couldn't be leaked. It was their family's internal matter.

Below the surface, in the alchemy room.

Ning Daoran was refining his alchemy skills, focused on crafting first-tier top-grade elixirs—Essence Yuan Pills and Xuanyuan Pills.

After nearly one hundred consecutive failed batches…

"Open the furnace, release the pill!"

His bloodshot eyes glinted as he raised his hands, his disheveled hair framing a figure entirely immersed in an otherworldly state.

*Was his comprehension of alchemy truly this terrible? No—this was ridiculously bad. How could it be that after so many batches, not a single pill had formed?*

Big Stupid Deer was currently practicing the Shape-shifting Technique.

It was initially facing Ning Daoran while cultivating, but after seeing Ning's near-maniacal expression, it abruptly turned away to avoid eye contact.

"Boom!"

A plume of gray ash rose from the furnace.

"Old Lu, did you just laugh? Did you sabotage my alchemy inheritance?" A less-than-pleasant expression flickered in Ning's eyes.

"Awoo awoo awoo~~~"

Big Stupid Deer flailed its limbs, gesturing vehemently that it definitely hadn't laughed.

"Don't try to deny it! Mountain-shattering…"

Ning Daoran leaped forward in a flash, grabbing the deer's foreleg. He thrust with both legs, sending it soaring skyward, only to chase after it, snatch its hind legs midair, spin it 360 degrees around before slamming it into the ground with a roar:

"Ocean-crashing!" Lоvе this stоry? Shоw suppоrt аt МV2LЕМРYR.

Big Stupid Deer's panicked cries echoed throughout the enclosed room. Ning's "Mountain Shattering and Ocean Crashing" combo was downright fearsome—every time left the deer utterly defeated. Truly, its elder brother was a force to be reckoned with.

After finishing his playful sparring with the deer, Ning Daoran slumped in front of the pitch-black alchemy furnace, his face ominous.

*He was feeling a bit crestfallen.*

*The alchemy inheritance left by his grandmother only extended to middle-grade first-tier techniques. For top-grade elixirs… well, it simply didn't exist, forcing him to rely on recipe scrolls purchased from Qingfu Square while exploring the craft himself.*

*Though arduous, it was something he had to pursue.*

*He had to elevate his alchemy skills to second-order status because only a second-order alchemist had the chance of successfully crafting a second-order Foundation Establishment Pill.*

*Although his cultivation was steadfast, and the likelihood of him reaching Foundation Establishment was high,*

*the Foundation Establishment Pill was indispensable. If it could guarantee success at a 99% probability, why risk an 80% chance?*

*As for the Foundation Establishment Pills provided by the Chaotic Sect, Ning Daoran didn't even give them a thought.*

*Those pills were precious treasures, offered only to Inner Sect elders' favored disciples—true inheritors and direct disciples. Someone like Ning, an Outer Sect spirit farmer? It was laughable to even dream of them.*

*Everything had to depend on himself!*

"Onward!"

He performed a nimble kip-up, reinvigorated, and resumed refining!

Days later, he finally succeeded!

As soon as the first batch of Essence Yuan Pills formed, Ning Daoran meticulously documented the process, noting down the timing, precise herb quantities, and every detail about crafting them.

Subsequent batches began to yield results with increasing success rates.

The odds of pill formation leapt from 30% all the way to over 90%.

According to the unwritten rules of the Alchemy Dao, achieving an 80% success rate with a specific pill marked the qualifications for that level of alchemist.

Thus, Ning Daoran…

…was now a first-tier top-grade alchemist!

Ecstatic, he dashed to the surface to prepare several dishes for Old Lu and Chen Weimo.

The height of summer.

Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer carried a table together out to the Small Cloud Mist Array's perimeter. Dining under the large tree in the cool breeze had become an essential summer ritual.

The small table was laden with delectable dishes.

With the refreshing breeze, the atmosphere felt exceptional.

"Uncle, rice!"

Chen Weimo eagerly bustled about, serving rice to both the human and the deer.

Soon, the trio began their meal.

The sound of chopsticks clinking against bowl edges filled the air without pause.

"Fellow Daoist Ning, dining at the moment?"

In the distance, Huang Shan greeted with a respectful bow.

"Fellow Daoist Huang, join us for a meal?" Ning Daoran offered.

"No, no, I'm fasting currently," Huang Shan replied with haste.

Huang Shan tactfully departed, though his mind was a whirl of perplexity.

*This guy Ning Daoran—clearly a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator—had not a shred of immortal reverence about him. How could a Great Cultivator spend his days mingling with a deer and a little girl? What sort of role model behaved this way?*

...

The next day.

Ning Daoran descended the mountain, heading to Yellow Dragon Square in pursuit of a second-stage fire attribute demon core.

*Without mastering the Five Elements Wander Array, he always felt his safety insufficient.*

*Take his encounter with the White Mist Mountain ancestor, for instance—that mid-stage Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure had been utterly terrifying.*

*If he had been forced to reveal all his reserves, his chances of victory might not have exceeded 80%, a dangerous gamble.*

*However, with the Five Elements Wander Array's protection,*

*then with his current abilities—not to mention mid-stage Foundation Establishment—even against late-stage opponents…*

*If truly desperate, victory might be within reach.*

Qingfu Square.

"Fellow Daoist Ning!"

Chen Ping'er, in a moon-white dress, approached gracefully, her immortal charm evident. "It's been some days since we've last met. Fellow Daoist Ning seems to have advanced his cultivation again—I truly admire you."

"You flatter me."

*Ning Daoran secretly scoffed—Chen Ping'er, you really know how to tell lies with a straight face. Of course he'd know whether his cultivation had improved or not!*

*These past days had been entirely dedicated to alchemy; his cultivation hadn't progressed in the slightest!*

*Moreover, with his Ninth Grade mixed spiritual root, advancing in cultivation was already tremendously difficult—how could it happen so easily?*

"Fellow Daoist Chen."

Ning Daoran stepped into Qingfu Square. "I wonder, has your establishment recently acquired any new second-stage fire attribute demon cores?"

"Not yet," Chen Ping'er responded in her soft, melodic voice. "But, we did get a new batch of talismans. Would Fellow Daoist like to take a look?"

"Alright, show me the second-rank talismans."

Third floor, talisman shopfront.

Ning Daoran scanned the shelves, his gaze finally landing on a second-order mid-grade Rock Shield Talisman. This was a talisman of the Earth attribute, crafted with high-quality talisman paper.

"Excellent eyes, Fellow Daoist Ning."

Chen Ping'er smiled. "This Rock Shield Talisman is a masterpiece by Qingfu Square's top artisan. It's brimming with spiritual power—once activated, it summons a rock shield to defend the user, capable of withstanding multiple attacks from mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators without failing!"

"How much is it?"

"Three hundred spirit stones."

"Alright."

Ning Daoran immediately bought four of them and, after some persistent bargaining, managed to convince Chen Ping'er to waive the change. Four talismans cost him only a thousand spirit stones in total.

Watching Ning Daoran's departing figure, Chen Ping'er suddenly felt a bit bitter.

*Usually, it was she who sweet-talked her customers to squeeze out as much profit as possible.*

*Today, however, she'd been talked into giving up discounts—how infuriating!*

...

Yellow Dragon Square bustled with activity.

This was a gathering spot for loose cultivators, with countless stalls lining the roadsides.

Within these stalls lay hidden treasures—a myriad of Chaotic Sect disciples often visited to hunt for rare finds.

Rumor had it that a Foundation Establishment cultivator once spent mere spirit stones here to purchase a chipped fragment seemingly devoid of any spiritual energy.

Upon returning to the mountain gate and refining it with True Fire, it was revealed to be a perfectly intact third-tier magical treasure embryo, which was then sold for five thousand spirit stones—a stroke of immense fortune!

*Ning Daoran also envied these tales of unexpected jackpots.*

*Yet, every time he tried his luck, these unscrupulous vendors taught him harsh lessons. Not a single treasure was found, but his efforts always contributed to the local stall economy.*

*He cast a hateful glance at the merchants on either side, his displeasure evident.*

Big Stupid Deer's forehead also bulged with a cross-shaped vein. Once, it had suggested that Ning buy a jade tiger, thinking it was a hidden gem, only to discover back home that it was nothing more than ordinary glass carved into tiger shape.

Just as they continued browsing, a familiar voice suddenly sounded behind them.

"Oh? Is that Young Friend Ning up ahead?"

This voice…

White Mist Mountain ancestor!

Ning Daoran frowned.

Big Stupid Deer's forehead immediately erupted with a dozen more bulging veins. If not for its inability to defeat the intruder, it might have charged head-on to end this brazen old man.

"Why, Senior Luo is here?"

Ning Daoran turned around with a smile. "I did not expect to meet Senior Luo here in Yellow Dragon Square—what a coincidence."

"Indeed, quite the coincidence."

In Yellow Dragon Square, owned by the Chaotic Sect, Luo's demeanor softened significantly. "But, as you are a disciple of the Sect and I happened to be passing through, this meeting is not so surprising."

Lowering his voice, he added with a chuckle, "I wonder, Young Friend Ning, have you managed to locate another second-stage fire attribute demon core yet?"

"Not yet."

Ning Daoran shook his head. "Second-stage fire attribute beasts are extremely rare and powerful—it's never easy to come across one."

"Well, this is convenient."

White Mist Mountain ancestor's eyes flickered as he forced a stiff laugh. "I've actually been lingering in Yellow Dragon Square these past days, waiting for an old friend to attend an exchange meeting.

Coincidentally, I happen to know that this friend recently acquired a second-stage fire attribute demon core.

If Young Friend is interested, you may wait a few days. The exchange meeting will take place here in First-class Pavilion three days from now."

"Really?"

"Of course."

White Mist Mountain ancestor scoffed mildly. "Why would a senior cultivator like me resort to lying?"

*Ning Daoran sneered internally. Of course, a lie wasn't necessary—this old scoundrel seemed fond enough of outright robbery.*