Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

In the Sword Casting Chamber.

"Sea Bodhi?" Shi Liuli was somewhat surprised.

She extended two slender fingers, pinched the Sea Bodhi Luo Yan had handed to her, and brought it closer to her eyes for a careful examination.

"That's right," Luo Yan smiled and said, "Consuming it can extend your Refining Mansion cultivation by thirty years."

After a moment, he became somewhat uneasy:

"Uh, Liuli, aren't you going to eat it?"

"In a bit," Shi Liuli picked up the Sword Manual again, "Let me finish looking at this chart first."

Luo Yan left feeling jittery, and only then did Shi Liuli pick up the Sea Bodhi. Yet, she wasn't in a hurry to consume it, instead, she silently pondered over it.

This Sea Bodhi, if my memory serves me right, can only be cultivated by certain ancient aquatic demon clans.

However, as the ancient demon clans fell, that particular clan migrated collectively to the Eastern Emperor Realm, and the Sea Bodhi gradually disappeared from the Cultivation Realm.

Where did my husband procure this Sea Bodhi from? Could it be that in some corner of the East Sea, descendants of that ancient demon clan still exist?

"Nian Nu," Shi Liuli said indifferently.

"I am here." The White Jade Puppet descended swiftly from the sky and landed in the courtyard of the Heavenly Craft Workshop.

This puppet, as one of the types of high-grade magical treasures, was also cast by Elder Shi Ding back in the day. Although it was set to serve only the Nascent Soul Elders of the sect, Elder Shi Ding deliberately left a backdoor, which was hidden within the scripture scrolls of the Heavenly Craft Workshop.

Having recently perused through her father's collection, Shi Liuli found the records of this and smoothly obtained full access to Nian Nu... only to discover that the puppet's actual capabilities were far more expansive than what the workshop was aware of.

"Help me check Master Jingyun's island departure records," Shi Liuli instructed, "Retrieve the last three months."

The White Jade Nian Nu quickly replied:

"Master Jingyun has not left in the past three months."

He has not left? Shi Liuli's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

So that means he had obtained the Sea Bodhi a while ago, so why did he only give it to me today? This Nascent Soul secret medicine is useless to my husband, who has already formed his core. Shouldn't it have been given to his wife to consume immediately?

In that instant, Shi Liuli felt an instinctive alarm, but it was quickly suppressed by her reason and composure.

Suspecting my husband of infidelity without evidence would be utterly ridiculous.

But still... this Sea Bodhi...

Rotating the Sea Bodhi between her fingers, Shi Liuli gradually sank into deep thought.

Taking the remaining Sea Bodhi with him, Luo Yan then ordered the Kunlun Mirror:

"Access Wei Dongliu's file."

"Okay," the Kunlun Mirror responded:

[Location Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.]

[Identity: Wei Dongliu.]

[Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, engaging in time-space travel.]

When Wei Dongliu returned to the heart of Tong Xuan Gate on Shiping Mountain, he saw Jiang the Witch teaching two disciples.

"... So, when battling others with magic, the most important thing is to strike first," Jiang Liyan summarized, "First, you have to be confident that the opponent's magical combat experience is not much richer than yours. The idea of striking later is even more unrealistic."

"Basically, when the combat abilities of two people are about the same, whoever strikes first and lands an attack on the opponent has essentially won half the battle."

"But what if the opponent is truly much stronger than me? Wouldn't striking first just expose my weakness and put me at a disadvantage?" Wang Cong raised his hand and asked.

"Stupid!" Jiang the Witch flicked her forehead. "If your opponent is stronger than you, your top priority should be to run away."

"From this perspective, it's definitely better to run away sooner rather than later. If you take the initiative to strike and realize early on that the opponent's strength is overwhelming, isn't it better to turn tail and run than to foolishly stay put and test the waters?"

"That's correct." Wei Dongliu entered the teaching scene and looked at the two disciples with authority. "Why aren't you taking notes of these key points?!"

Both of them hastily scrambled to grab paper and pens.

"Jiang Daoist friend, thank you for your hard work." Wei Dongliu led Jiang the Witch to the side with a smiling face. "This is for you."

"Thank you, Wei Daoist friend... What is this?" Jiang Liyan showed a look of surprise.

"Sea Calabash." Wei Dongliu said nonchalantly, "It's a small token of appreciation for your efforts in mentoring my disciples, equivalent to thirty years of Refining Mansion cultivation."

"How can I accept this..." Jiang the Witch said with a beaming smile, quickly putting the wooden box into her storage bag. "Wei Daoist friend is too kind. Since I am a Guest Elder of the Tong Xuan Sect, your disciples are like my own."

"Well said." Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently. "I have to go out soon, so I'll need Jiang Daoist friend to continue looking after the sect matters."

"Eh, going out?" Jiang the Witch instinctively wanted to volunteer to accompany him, but Wei Dongliu cut her off decisively:

"This matter is of great importance. Since Jiang Daoist friend has not achieved Core Formation, it's better for you to focus on cultivating at the sect."

What a joke, I'm going out to obtain the "Myriad Law Absolute Immortal Sword." How can I let you witness the process of "obtaining the sword"?

"I see, it was presumptuous of me." Jiang Liyan masked her disappointment and nodded with a smile.

As Wei Dongliu hurriedly left, Jiang the Witch quickly returned to her room and couldn't wait to take out the Sea Calabash from the wooden box to consume and refine its power.

After several days had passed, she finally opened her eyes, only to reveal a disappointed expression.

What in the world was going on?

Jiang Liyan carefully recalled that she had been at the Refining Mansion grade for a while now, and whenever she operated the Core Condensation Technique, attempting to nurture her Purple Mansion, her True Yuan would disappear without a trace, leaving no response whatsoever. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire

According to the Core Condensation Technique's instructions, the process of nurturing the Purple Mansion was the same as reinforcing the Daoist Foundation.

As True Yuan continuously circulates and adheres, the inner walls of the Purple Mansion become more and more perfect, ultimately reaching the state of being soft and smooth as jade, known as the "Jade Mansion."

The Jade Mansion is the foundation for a high-grade Golden Core. Rushing into Core Formation without a Jade Mansion would result in flaws in the Golden Core's grade, which in turn affects the Nascent Soul Formation and ascension realms.

However, Jiang Liyan roughly estimated that even though her Refining Mansion cultivation was not over two hundred years, it wasn't far from it either, but there was absolutely no sign of improvement in her Purple Mansion.

To put it in perspective, it was like the delivery date for a new house was approaching, only to find that there were no houses in the complex. How could she not be anxious?

"Perhaps there's a problem with the Core Condensation Technique..." Jiang Liyan clenched the Cultivation Technique's jade slip in her hand, a deep gloom appearing in her eyes.

The Core Condensation Technique was obtained after killing her senior sister Ai Zhenzhi in the past. It would not be surprising if Elder Cai E had deliberately tampered with the technique to keep Ai Zhenzhi under her thumb and manage the sect affairs — it was a common practice amongst Heavenly Demon Path masters to keep a hold over their disciples.

If that wasn't the case, then it meant that there was an innate flaw in her own physique or Daoist Foundation... This possibility was too horrific for Jiang the Witch to even consider.

It must be an issue with the Core Condensation Technique!

In that case, she would need to hunt down a few more Heavenly Demon cultivators at the Refining Mansion level to compare the Core Condensation Techniques provided by different masters and try to restore the true content of the technique.

As for the associated risks, while it meant opposing the Heavenly Demons and specifically targeting their Refining Mansion cultivators would bring great danger, she only needed to be cautious in her approach. There's no need to be cowardly; one must seek fortune amidst peril.

And in the worst case scenario, she still had her danger intuition!