When the old man saw Ling Tian's reaction, he said lightly, "Young one, there's no need to let yourself be discouraged. Even I have been in a position like yours once."
Hearing this, Ling Tian was slightly startled and looked at the old man with curiosity, for he did not appear to be someone who had ever suffered defeat.
Catching Ling Tian's gaze, the old man spoke angrily, "What did you think? No one is born with experience in life. One must endure the hardships and humiliation of this world to understand more than anyone else."
Ling Tian was shocked by the words and asked with curiosity, "Do you mean that you were once in a situation similar to mine?"
The old man replied calmly, his face pale, "Of course. But unlike you, I was not fortunate." After saying this, he sighed silently.
"It seems this old man carries a story he does not wish to share," Ling Tian thought quietly.
Then he asked, "So, how does one become more cautious?"
Hearing Ling Tian's question, the old man placed his hand on his chin, lifted his eyes slightly, and said greedily, "I don't know… Perhaps if you give me something to awaken my old memory, I might remember."
As he finished speaking, his other hand began its strange, idiosyncratic motion.
Seeing this, Ling Tian understood what he meant. Cursing inwardly, he produced a Spirit Stone and handed it to the old man, saying, "It had better be worth it."
The stone landed in the old man's hand, and he toyed with it as he murmured, "Ah… this is better. Yes, it seems I remember now."
Ling Tian nearly kicked him in frustration but restrained himself, for the old man appeared truly unusual, not only could he extract mental energy, but he also showed no concern for the Heavenly Level.
Ling Tian guessed that perhaps the old man was a top-tier cultivator in Foundation Establishment, or perhaps even higher.
The thought chilled him, and he said submissively, "Have you finished? Now tell me."
The old man smiled and replied, "Of course. In your case, my advice is simple speak little and listen much."
Ling Tian was puzzled and asked, "What do you mean?"
The old man, unshaken, answered calmly, "Even if I explained, you wouldn't understand. I have a better suggestion, come, sit here. As long as you have the time, then you will understand."
Ling Tian's curiosity deepened, and he nodded in agreement.
Seeing his nod, the old man merely acknowledged him with a nod and returned to his work.
Ling Tian, meanwhile, sank into thought. After this encounter, he began to fear the old man, He feared that his true mental power would be revealed if he remained here and tried to leave.
"No, that won't do. I would only raise more suspicion," he thought, recalling the old man's words that one must be cautious to survive. So he altered his plan.
"I will stay here to master the Fire Control Technique. Then, when I refine pills, I will go to the cave with the strange portal to do so," Ling Tian pondered, finding the idea suitable.
Thus, after bidding the old man farewell, Ling Tian ascended to his chamber with Ling Yan to practice the Fire Control Technique.
Upon entering, he produced the Fire Control Technique, which was inscribed on a green jade talisman etched with the emblem of the Ji Lian pavilion .
Ling Tian realized that this jade talisman was meant to transmit information directly to its mind, without allowing them to reveal it to anyone else.
Without hesitation, he placed it upon his forehead. A slight headache struck him momentarily but quickly faded, and the talisman vanished into thin air.
"This Fire Control Technique does not seem overly complex… perhaps I can master it in a month," Ling Tian thought, calculating the time required for proficiency.
"I must not waste more time," he said to himself, beginning his training with fervor.
Five months passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Ling Tian progressed as he had expected, mastering the Fire Control Technique in a single month.
He then turned to practicing alchemy, and to his surprise, successfully refined his first pill on the sixth attempt.
He kept this secret for two months, aware that mental cultivators of the Heavenly Level typically succeed after only two months of practice.
He did not halt his progress. Within these two months, his success rate reached seventy percent, Of course, this granted him a large number of Qi-replenishing pills.
In the fourth month, he announced his success rate as thirty percent, though in truth it was ninety.
In the same month, he broke through to the Second Stage of Qi Condensation, thanks largely to the Blue water Lotus.
What delighted him most was discovering that his power had reached the Fifth Stage of Qi Condensation—a revelation that brought him great joy.
Now, Ling Tian sat in the Shi Chun Inn, attentively listening as the old man had instructed, and he found it immensely beneficial.
Not only had his horizons expanded from the tales he had heard, but he also began discerning inconsistencies within them—falsehoods.
This pleased him, as it meant he could avoid falling into similar traps.
Presently, Ling Tian listened to a middle-aged man who laughed as he drank.
After finishing his drink, he said loudly, "As I said, after the Li Ren Sect destroyed Chang Yang family, he began hunting their members relentlessly…" He then took another sip.
The crowd urged him to hurry, but he ignored them until he finished his drink.
With renewed vigor, he continued, "Eventually, he vanished from sight as if he had never existed. Only a few months ago did he arrive at the Li Ren Sect with his disciples."
He turned to the waiter and shouted, "give me More !"
Then he resumed addressing the crowd: "And the astonishing thing is, his disciples challenged the wonders of the Li Ren Sect—and utterly humiliated them. This enraged the sect leader, who was ready to act."
He paused for a moment, smiling at the crowd, then continued, "Most terrifying of all, Chang Yang displayed a cultivation at the peak of the Golden Core Stage."
Hearing this, many in the crowd lost interest.
One whispered, "Surely Chang Yang was killed and his disciples like a dogs ."
Ling Tian nodded in agreement; the gap between a Golden Core cultivator and a Nascent Soul cultivator was not insignificant.
The man laughed at their comments and said, "This is why I tell you this story. Contrary to expectations, Chang Yang killed the leader of the Li Ren Sect, destroyed the sect, and established his own, called the Chang Xing Sect."
No one believed him; some even scoffed.
The man paid them no mind. "It matters not. In time, you will see that my words are true," he said quietly.
Ling Tian, analyzing silently, thought: "There are many inconsistencies. First, where did Chang Yang disappear to? If he found a treasure, why did he let his disciples take it? Shouldn't he claim all the resources? Second, how could a Golden Core cultivator kill a Nascent Soul cultivator? Impossible…"
Convinced it was the man's fabrication, he continued to drink until another man spoke: "Forget him, listen to me!" His words drew all eyes to him.
He began: "You all know the Northern Star, yes?"
A man in the crowd replied quietly, "who here not know the Northern Star. She appeared a year ago and defeated most of the young prodigies in the southe of Eastern Continent."
The speaker smiled. "Yes, all know her, but have you noticed? Though she crushed the southern region, she remains intact."
The crowd was shocked, but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
Sensing this, he spoke calmly, "This is because she is the young prodigy of the Shuo Feng Sect, one of the five strongest sects of the Eastern Continent."
The crowd was stunned, though not entirely surprised, as some had anticipated this. One muttered, "So that's all you have?"
The man smiled upon hearing this and said, "Of course, that's not all. I've heard she will soon challenge the miracle of the Yong Yun Sect, Han Xiao. Many have only heard of the Northern Star without witnessing her, so I decided to share what I know, giving those interested a chance to see her for themselves."