Starting with a Family System to Become an Immortal Official-Chapter 117: Resource Constraints

A few days after Li Qingmu had gotten used to the daily routine of the Exalted Sage School, Wen Qingwan came to get him early in the morning, just as the sun was rising. She was wearing her usual flowing blue robes, decorated with faint golden lotus patterns. Her long hair was neatly tied in a side ponytail with a simple jade hairpin.

Her beautiful face looked calm as always, but when her eyes met his, there was a quiet and soothing warmth in them that was hard to miss.

It was like staring at a clear stream.

"Junior Brother Li, Father has summoned you to the Sage Master Hall. Come with me."

"Oh, Xiao Ma! It’s you!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Shishishi!"

Li Qingmu chuckled softly as he brushed dust from his plain disciple robes.

He followed her through winding stone paths lined with ancient pines and spirit lanterns.

Soon they reached the grand Sage Master Hall.

Inside, vast halls stretched into shadow, but the true garden lay beyond... Master Wen Jiuling’s private garden, where spirit herbs bloomed under his watch.

The sect master stood with his back to them and hands clasped behind him.

He did not turn.

Li Qingmu and Wen Qingwan stepped forward together but a stern inner disciple in silver-trimmed robes blocked their path with a polite yet firm bow.

"Senior Sister Wen, forgive me. The Sect Master wishes to speak with Junior Brother Li alone. Though you also cultivate the Nine Celestial Transformations, this matter concerns only him and the Sect Master."

Wen Qingwan’s elegant brows furrowed slightly.

She looked quite disappointed.

Very unusual for a beauty of her standards.

They are usually unshaken by things like these.

She nodded once and stepped back gracefully.

"I understand."

Li Qingmu glanced at her, puzzled.

『Why does she look so sad about not coming in with me? We’ve only known each other a short time... I really don’t understand her at all. There’s so much about Senior Sister Wen I still don’t know, but there’s never a good moment to ask.』

He gave her a small, reassuring smile.

"It’s fine, Senior Sister. We’ll talk after."

...

...

Wen Qingwan just smiled tenderly.

Li Qingmu stepped past the disciple and entered the garden proper.

Master Wen Jiuling finally turned his head slightly.

"Are you ready, young Li?"

Li Qingmu bowed deeply, palms together.

"Always, Sect Master!"

He created a scroll and floated it toward Qingmu.

"Inside this scroll lies the complete inheritance of the Nine Celestial Transformations. It is the most difficult technique to prove worthy of... yet also the easiest to cultivate if one’s heart and foundation are truly suited to receive it."

Li Qingmu caught the scroll reverently and bowed again.

"This disciple will not fail."

Master Wen Jiuling turned back to his orchids.

"You may go."

Just as Li Qingmu turned to leave, he paused.

"Sect Master... about cultivation resources. I haven’t received any since arriving. I heard the Nine Celestial Transformations require rare materials like the Ancient Devil Scale and Blood Dragon Horn to progress properly."

Master Wen Jiuling cleared his throat.

Such a tiny, almost imperceptible crack in his otherwise flawless composure.

"Those will be prepared in due time."

Li Qingmu frowned briefly.

『Strange... Sect Master is too perfect for such a small slip. But maybe I’m overthinking.』

He bowed once more and departed without pressing further.

In the following weeks.

Li Qingmu secluded himself in his small abode.

The inheritance was his main focus.

"The Heavens are vast, but the Will is vaster. To refine the body is to build the universe; to refine the mind is to become its master."

He quickly learned it was far more than a mere Qi-gathering art. It was a divine blueprint for forging a separate world within the mortal body... an immortal vessel that could contain infinite consciousness. True immortality demanded one become both an unbreakable container and boundless awareness.

The path split into two halves.

The Four Earthly Transformations.

"To temper the physical form."

And the Five Heavenly Transformations.

"To refine the soul and spirit."

Li Qingmu focused first on the Earthly stages.

He had to cultivate his physical will until his body became a celestial force.

Days flashed into nights. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He sat cross-legged on a simple stone platform.

Sweat soaked his robes, then dried, then soaked again.

He barely ate or slept.

Wen Qingwan visited several times to bring fruits or simply to check on him.

Each time she found him deep in meditation.

She always left with a touch of sadness in her eyes.

On quieter days, when her own duties were light, she would simply sit in his courtyard under the old peach tree and hope he might emerge and keep her company.

But he never did.

...

...

On the 18th night, something happened.

Li Qingmu’s body trembled.

A sharp, radiant pain lanced through his dantian.

He had formed his first Sword Organ Manifestation!

The third of his four conceptual swords had taken shape within his body.

『This... this creation aspect is perfect! Exactly what I need to forge the complete spiritual swords for my Four-Armed War Asura body!』

He pushed harder as he cycled energy furiously.

But he failed to birth the fourth and final sword.

The Ancestor Slaying Sword.

Even at the third Earthly Transformation stage it refused to coalesce.

Li Qingmu clicked his tongue in frustration and opened his eyes.

"Damn it... I need the Ancient Devil Scale and Blood Dragon Horn. Without them to flush out my old mortal blood and replace it with star-gold essence, I can’t break past the third stage properly."

He folded his arms, shaking his head.

"Those materials aren’t common. And Master Wen Jiuling still hasn’t sent anything. Maybe the old man doesn’t want me mastering it too fast... if that’s the case, I’ll just have to earn spirit stones and buy them myself."

He stroked his chin as he nodded slowly.

Then an idea struck.

A sly smirk spread across his face.

"I, Li Qingmu, am too wise for my own good."

The next morning.

Li Qingmu found Kitchen Master Han Yan lounging in the Lion Kitchen.

"Master Han, supplies in the outer storerooms are running low. I humbly request permission to descend the mountain and purchase more food materials in Immortal Cloud City."

Han Yan eyed him shrewdly.

"Hoho... and here I thought you just wanted to sneak off alone like some rascal."

Li Qingmu grinned innocently.

"This junior would never."

The old man chuckled.

"Go, go. But don’t cause trouble."

Li Qingmu had chosen Han Yan deliberately. Asking any other senior would mean Wen Qingwan would be ordered to accompany him "for safety" reasons. And the place he planned to visit was one for ladies to stay but never to visit.

During one late-night floor-polishing session, Han Yan had casually mentioned old stories... how in their youth, he, Wen Jiuling, and a certain Dai Qiu would slip down to brothels to "reward" themselves after breakthroughs. Many higher realm cultivators with strong constitutions were welcomed there; some courtesans even paid spirit stones for a night with them, as the dual cultivation benefits were immense.

The key point? Visiting such places wasn’t forbidden in the Exalted Sage School... as long as no strict elders found out.

Han Yan had winked.

Li Qingmu had pretended not to notice and kept scrubbing.

Now, Li Qingmu descended Immortal Table Mountain alone and headed straight for the city.

Finding a brothel was easy.

He asked a few vendors and tea-stall owners.

"You want cheap and decent? Try the Sweet Jade Pavilion on Lantern Street."

"Be careful of the ones with infections or they’ll have your manhood smelling like fish for weeks!"

"And don’t show off too much. The young masters here are ruthless and love picking fights with ’poor sect disciples’ who look too happy."

Li Qingmu nodded thanks and made his way there.

The Sweet Jade Pavilion was apparently modest by the city’s standards.

It was nothing fancy to look at.

It’s for men on a tiny budget.

...

...

From a small tea pavilion across the street, shaded by hanging vines, a handsome young man in resplendent white and gold robes watched Li Qingmu enter.

Xu Xiaoshan sipped his jasmine tea slowly.

Several armored guards stood discreetly around him.

This was no ordinary spoiled brat.

Xu Xiaoshan was the only son of Xu Shanbao, head of the commercial branch of the vast Xu Clan and Minister of Transportation for two cities. His father controlled the spirit beast caravans, flying ship routes, and teleport arrays that kept a city’s wealth flowing.

One word from him could strangle trade for entire sects.

Xu Xiaoshan set his cup down.

"So this is the one Uncle Wanshan wants dead."

He shook his head with a faint sigh, almost pitying.

Beside him, a graceful and shapely auntie in dark veils bowed her head slightly.

"It seems so, Young Master."

Xu Xiaoshan smiled thinly.