Chapter 198: Primordial Unity |
He first came to Qingmu Courtyard's training ground.
On the ground, dozens of disciples were practicing, their vital blood steaming, appearing full of vigor and vitality.
Seeing Chen Qing arrive, the disciples stopped their movements one after another and respectfully saluted, "Chief Senior Brother!"
Chen Qing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the field as he casually pointed out flaws in several disciples' techniques.
With his current True Aura realm cultivation, his eyesight was extraordinary. Often a single remark would strike at the heart of the matter, causing the instructed disciples to experience sudden enlightenment.
The other disciples, seeing this, perked up their ears even more, afraid to miss a single word.
Chen Qing didn't stay long. After briefly offering guidance and encouraging everyone with a few words about diligent cultivation, he returned to his small courtyard.
Inside the quiet chamber, all external clamor was blocked out.
Chen Qing sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and took out the "Tyrannical Blood Pill" obtained as compensation from Earth Origin Sect.
"Earth Origin Sect's secret Tyrannical Blood Pill truly lives up to its reputation!"
A gleam flashed in Chen Qing's eyes. Without further hesitation, he tilted his head back and swallowed the Tyrannical Blood Pill.
The pill entered his abdomen but didn't immediately dissolve. Instead, like a blazing fireball, it sank into his dantian energy sea.
The next moment, boom!
Like a volcanic eruption, an unimaginably scorching torrent suddenly exploded!
This wasn't pure True Aura energy, but the most refined and wild life essence and vital blood power. Like a breached river, and like an unrestrained primordial beast, it instantly surged toward Chen Qing's four limbs and hundred bones, every inch of meridian, every aperture!
Even with Chen Qing's current True Aura cultivation and repeatedly tempered physique, he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
His skin instantly turned bright red, like a cooked shrimp. His pores opened wide throughout his body, spewing threads of scorching white vapor, as if his entire being were being roasted over a fire.
Severe pain!
Tearing severe pain came from all over his body. That aura was too domineering, seemingly wanting to burst and tear apart every part of his body.
Chen Qing didn't dare be negligent and immediately focused his spirit, operating the Eight Extremes Vajra Body technique with full force.
Hum!
The vital blood within his body began to circulate frantically at an unprecedented speed.
His tendons and bones resonated together, producing a humming sound like taut bowstrings. His blood flowed like a mighty river's surging waves.
The tremendous vital blood essence transformed from the Tyrannical Blood Pill was greedily absorbed and converted.
Crack, crack...
Minute sounds came from deep within his body. His bones were becoming denser and more resilient.
Muscle fibers continuously broke apart, then instantly reorganized under the nourishment of tremendous vital blood, becoming more powerful and explosive.
Beneath his skin membrane, faintly a layer of pale golden luster circulated, his defensive power subtly increasing.
Chen Qing's consciousness completely sank into his body, guiding this fierce energy to wash over every corner of his body.
In his mind, on that semi-transparent panel, the proficiency value representing the Eight Extremes Vajra Body was frantically jumping and increasing at an unprecedented speed.
Time quietly passed during cultivation.
Not knowing how long had passed, the scorching aura in the quiet chamber gradually subsided. The bright red color on Chen Qing's body surface also slowly faded, revealing more lustrous skin beneath.
He expelled a long breath of turbid air. The breath was long and sustained, stirring up a small current of air within the quiet chamber.
"Such a powerful Tyrannical Blood Pill! Its medicinal power is actually so lasting and fierce. The remaining medicinal power can continue to be absorbed!"
Feeling the surging strength within his body and his significantly enhanced physique, Chen Qing's consciousness sank inward.
[Eight Extremes Vajra Body: Tiger Elephant (4650/5000)]
And there was still one month before he planned to depart for Tianbao City.
"Perhaps... there really is a chance to break through to the Primordial Unity realm within this month!"
A gleam flashed in Chen Qing's eyes.
The Eight Extremes Vajra Body wasn't far from the Primordial Unity realm to begin with, and the Tyrannical Blood Pill suddenly accelerated its breakthrough speed.
Once he broke through to the Primordial Unity realm, his physical body would undergo a qualitative transformation, with both defensive power and recovery ability rising by a level.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes again, and continued to focus on cultivation, polishing away that last bit of restraint, thoroughly absorbing the Tyrannical Blood Pill's residual medicinal power.
In the blink of an eye, twenty days passed.
During these twenty days, Chen Qing didn't step outside, completely immersed in cultivation.
Besides consolidating his True Aura cultivation, the vast majority of his mental energy was used to assault the Primordial Unity realm of the Eight Extremes Vajra Body.
He also consumed that Ice Marrow Mushroom. The ice-cold medicinal power harmonized with the scorching vital blood within his body, yin and yang working together, actually further promoting the tempering of his physical body.
At this moment, inside the quiet chamber.
Chen Qing sat cross-legged, bare-chested.
His body trembled slightly. The vital blood throughout his body no longer surged and roared as before. Instead, it was restrained to the extreme. Yet beneath his skin, it seemed as if countless small snakes were wriggling and moving, producing low humming sounds.
From inside his bones came dense sounds like rain beating on banana leaves. This was the final tempering and transformation taking place.
[Eight Extremes Vajra Body: Tiger Elephant (4999/5000)]
Chen Qing's thoughts were highly concentrated. He mobilized all his vital blood essence, like hundreds of rivers returning to the sea, launching an assault on that so-called bottleneck!
Boom!
Like the tremendous sound of heaven and earth's creation burst forth from within his body!
Chen Qing's body shook violently. The pores throughout his body instantly gushed forth rich golden radiance, illuminating the entire quiet chamber in golden splendor!
A tremendous, imperishable aura awakened from within his body.
[Eight Extremes Vajra Body: Primordial Unity (1/10000)]
Every breakthrough came naturally without any obstacles.
Crack! Pop pop pop!
His body's interior produced continuous crisp sounds like popping beans. His tendons, bones, internal organs, bone marrow, and skin membrane all underwent earth-shaking changes at this moment.
His skin became delicate and resilient, glowing with a faint jade-like luster, as if it weren't a body of flesh and blood but forged from some kind of precious jade.
Most peculiar was that as blood flowed within his body, it actually carried threads of pale golden light, containing extremely vigorous life force.
His five viscera and six bowels were enveloped by a thin, barely perceptible golden halo, becoming exceptionally robust.
Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes. In the depths of his pupils, it seemed as if golden lightning flashed and vanished.
He gently clenched his fist. Without even using True Aura, purely with his physical body's strength, the air around his fist produced an explosion-like sonic boom!
"So this is the Primordial Unity realm..."
He murmured in a low voice, his voice carrying a trace of incredulous shock.
His mind stirred. He formed his fingers like a blade and lightly drew across his other arm.
With his current physical body's strength, ordinary swords and blades could hardly harm him, but this strike containing his own True Aura still left a shallow white mark.
However, right before his watching gaze, that white mark rapidly faded and disappeared at a visible speed. In just two or three breaths, his arm had completely recovered, smooth as jade, as if it had never suffered any harm!
"Endless regeneration, rapid self-healing!"
Brilliant radiance burst forth from Chen Qing's eyes.
This was precisely one of the most significant characteristics after the Eight Extremes Vajra Body reached the Primordial Unity realm!
When the physical body became a unified whole, life force was tremendous, and ordinary injuries could almost instantly heal and recover.
As long as it wasn't a vital point causing instant death, everything could ultimately recover quickly.
This undoubtedly elevated his life-preservation ability and sustained combat capability by several levels!
Not only that, he felt his own strength, speed, reaction time, sharpness of five senses, and even minute control over his body had all comprehensively risen by a major tier.
Now, relying solely on his physical body, he could withstand ordinary early-stage True Aura's True Aura attacks without a scratch!
After a long while, Chen Qing finally gradually calmed his emotions and gently expelled a breath of turbid air.
This breath of air was condensed without dispersing. Like a white qi arrow, it shot out more than a foot before slowly dissipating.
Over the next few days, Chen Qing consolidated his newly broken-through physical body, familiarizing himself with the explosively increased vital blood power and astonishing self-healing ability. At the same time, he thoroughly refined the Ice Marrow Mushroom's remaining essence, causing his Qingmu and Kunti True Auras to also slightly advance.
During this period, news about Tianbao Upper Sect's Xuwang Mountain recruiting and cultivating talents from all quarters spread at lightning speed. Like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake surface, it caused tremendous waves throughout Yunlin Prefecture's martial world and even among common people, creating a momentary sensation.
For the vast majority of ordinary martial artists and commoners, Tianbao Upper Sect was a legendary existence, lofty and exalted, governing the three paths. Normally, they couldn't even touch a fraction of it.
Now it would actually openly select talents from all affiliated forces. This was undoubtedly an unprecedented grand event!
As the news fermented, the discussions became increasingly intense.
Inside Yunlin Prefecture capital, on main streets and back alleys, in teahouses and wine shops, everywhere people were discussing animatedly.
"Have you heard? Tianbao Upper Sect is recruiting people!"
"Xuwang Mountain! That's the core location of Tianbao Upper Sect! If one could enter, wouldn't that be ascending to heaven in one step?"
"True Aura realm under forty years old, late-stage embracing elixir strength under thirty... my heavens, these conditions are too harsh!"
"Worthy of being an upper sect. Just these selection conditions aren't something ordinary people can meet."
"In our Yunlin Prefecture, how many could qualify? Five Terraces Sect's Chief Chen Qing must count as one, right?"
"Hanyu Valley's Xiao Bieli is said to be close to breaking through too. And there's Qixia Manor... uh, Qixia Manor can barely protect itself now."
"This is competing with talents from fifty other prefectures! If one could stand out among them, what would the future hold? They'd definitely become a great figure renowned throughout the three paths!"
Amazement, envy, yearning, doubt... all kinds of emotions intertwined, becoming Yunlin Prefecture's hottest topic in recent days.
Countless people were speculating how many from their prefecture could be selected, and how many could stand firm at that dragon's den and tiger's lair called Xuwang Mountain.
Inside the Five Terraces Sect, discussions were equally abundant.
Shen Xiuyong, Chen Qing, Yan Yaoyang, Nie Shanshan, Li Lei, Li Wang, and others who obtained qualification and prepared to depart naturally became the focus of all disciples' attention.
Two days before departure, Xuanjia Gate's Shi Ziyi and Fang Rui came to the Five Terraces Sect.
Xuanjia Gate's vitality was now severely damaged. The sect's experts were sparse. Sect Master Shi Kaishan's serious injuries hadn't healed. Elder Du Lingchuan also needed quiet recuperation. They truly couldn't spare enough people to escort them to Tianbao City.
After consultation between the two sects' leadership, these two were allowed to depart together with the Five Terraces Sect's group, so they could look after each other.
Shi Ziyi and Fang Rui's feelings were extremely complicated.
Back during the four-sect competition, they were still competitors. Now Xuanjia Gate had suffered such calamity and had to take shelter with the Five Terraces Sect.
Both secretly resolved that they must seize this heaven-sent opportunity, perform well at Tianbao City, and strive to be selected by Xuwang Mountain, hoping to revive Xuanjia Gate's prestige in the future.
On the eve of departure, Chen Qing came once again to Qingmu Courtyard's rear courtyard.
Li Baichuan still had that same old appearance, expression peaceful, sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion, as if all the turmoil of the outside world had nothing to do with him.
"Disciple pays respects to Master Li!"
Chen Qing cupped his hands in salute, "This disciple departs tomorrow. I wonder if Master Li has any instructions?"
As he spoke, he placed a package on the stone table. Inside was a thick stack of banknotes and some precious medicines that were now of little use to him. Bringing them would be troublesome, so he might as well offer them all to Li Baichuan as filial respect.
Li Baichuan didn't even lift his eyelids, only saying indifferently, "You do things with your own sense of propriety. You don't need this old man to teach you much."
Chen Qing cleared his throat lightly and took the opportunity to say, "Actually, this disciple came this time because there are two matters I wish to consult Master Li about."
"Speak."
Li Baichuan glanced at Chen Qing with an expression that said "I knew it."
"This disciple recently perused ancient texts. They explained that True Origin realm experts can condense spiritual will, developing a trace of spiritual sense that perceives minute details and probes heaven and earth. I wonder if such profound methods can easily see through the concealment of the 'Guiyuan Aura Concealment Art'?" Chen Qing stopped here, the meaning self-evident.
Tianbao Upper Sect was different from the Five Terraces Sect. It was a colossal entity occupying three paths' territory, with experts as numerous as clouds and talented people emerging in large numbers. Li Baichuan could see through his background, so what about other experts at Tianbao Upper Sect?
They might not lack similar abilities.
The [Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed] fate pattern was his greatest secret, but having a few more backup cards was always good.
This person Li Baichuan deeply understood the essence of "lying low." He definitely had countermeasures.
Li Baichuan glanced at Chen Qing. As soon as this kid opened his mouth, he knew what scheme he was plotting.
"Wanting to completely shield against a True Origin realm expert's deliberate probe is extremely difficult. But if you only want to avoid their casual sweep or ordinary perception, making it difficult for them to see through your true depth and foundation, this method... this old man does have it."
The meaning in his eyes was very clear, you need to pay more!
Chen Qing's heart stirred. He smiled ingratiatingly, "Master Li, you see, I previously agreed to help you handle matters. If you help me this time, and I'm stronger by one part and have one more trump card, wouldn't I be better able to help you handle matters?"
Li Baichuan was someone who didn't release the hawk without seeing the rabbit. Obviously, he didn't buy Chen Qing's approach, "You want to get things just by moving your lips?"
"Then what does Master Li mean?" Chen Qing asked.
"Tianbao Upper Sect's Danxia Pavilion has a unique great pill called the 'Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill.' If you have the opportunity, you must find a way to obtain one for this old man." Li Baichuan slowly stated his condition.
Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill!
Hearing this name, Chen Qing knew it was absolutely extraordinary and must be an extremely precious and hard-to-obtain treasure pill.
But if it could be exchanged for a secret technique to shield against True Origin realm prying, it was undoubtedly worth it. This could greatly increase his concealment and security.
"Alright. If this disciple has the opportunity, I will certainly do my utmost." Chen Qing agreed.
Li Baichuan didn't waste words. With a wave of his sleeve, an ancient-looking leather scroll lightly floated toward Chen Qing.
"The method is here. Take it and study it yourself. How much you can comprehend depends on your fortune."
Chen Qing caught the leather scroll and quickly unrolled it to scan through it. The circulation routes and oral formulas and mental techniques on it were quite profound.
Almost simultaneously, golden light appeared in his mind:
[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed]
[Guicang Spirit Concealment Art: Beginner (1/2000)]
Chen Qing's heart first startled, then felt joy.
This Guicang Spirit Concealment Art, just its entry-level requirement far exceeded many superior martial arts. Its profundity could be seen from this!
With this technique, he could greatly reduce the risk of exposing his true cultivation and foundation.
Chen Qing couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart. He cupped his hands with sincere gratitude, "Thank you, Master Li!"
"What other matter do you have? Say it all together." Li Baichuan waved his hand.
Chen Qing pondered slightly and asked, "This disciple has one more matter to inquire about with Master Li."
"Speak."
"Master Li once said that no matter how big the trouble, as long as... as long as the 'sincerity' is sufficient, you can help mediate and resolve it. These words... are they true?"
When Chen Qing asked this, he also felt somewhat apprehensive.
He asked this partly for future plans, and also to take this opportunity to further probe this old fellow's depth and background.
"Heh."
Li Baichuan, hearing this, gave a contemptuous laugh and looked Chen Qing up and down twice, "You little brat... at your current stage, how much trouble can you cause? Rest assured, what this old man said naturally counts."
Although his tone carried teasing, that composure made Chen Qing's heart stir greatly.
True Origin realm!
Master Li had definitely reached the True Origin realm, and perhaps even...
Thinking to this point, Chen Qing's heart couldn't help but grow vigilant. His assessment of this old fellow rose by several more levels.
"Nothing else?" Li Baichuan asked.
"Nothing."
Chen Qing sighed, his tone carrying some sentiment, "This disciple came this time also to bid farewell to Master Li. This journey to Tianbao City is long and distant. The selection's fortune and misfortune are uncertain. In the future, I'm afraid... there won't be many opportunities to constantly attend Master Li and show 'filial respect' to you."
"Hmph, smooth talker."
Li Baichuan closed his eyes and said indifferently, "If you truly keep this old man in your heart, would you worry about lacking opportunities to show filial respect?"
Chen Qing gave two dry laughs. Knowing these little tricks couldn't deceive the old fox, he stood up to take his leave.
Walking to the courtyard gate, his footsteps paused slightly. He turned toward that figure sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion with eyes tightly closed and solemnly cupped his hands in salute:
"Master Li, this disciple is leaving."
After speaking, without further delay, he turned and left the quiet rear courtyard.
Only after Chen Qing's footsteps completely faded away, disappearing beyond the courtyard wall, did Li Baichuan slowly open his eyes. His gaze seemed able to penetrate walls, looking in the direction Chen Qing had left. A trace of light, extremely difficult to perceive, flashed through his turbid eyes as he murmured something in a low voice. Then he returned to that ancient well without waves state, as if nothing had ever happened.
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