Chapter Thirty-Five: Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation, Flaming Sun Energy Technique

In a dim and shadowy chamber, darkness lingered, the air suffused with a mingling aroma of blood and incense. At the center stood a large altar of five colors, laden with offerings of animals and fruits. Thick incense smoke curled upward, enshrouding a jujube wood tablet adorned with strange, humanoid patterns.

A man dressed in blue robes, his face pale as though untouched by sunlight for years, sat cross-legged. Suddenly, a wave of black, sinister mist swept through the room, writhing and coalescing into the shape of a translucent figure.

Li Lin opened his eyes and gazed at the apparition, bursting into hearty laughter. “The Black Slaughter Willow Spirit is complete! I am now a Qi-Refining Daoist!”

The Willow Spirit, Banyan Spirit, and Locust Spirit, together known as the Three Ghosts, were the most widely practiced ghost-rearing sects in the temple. Li Lin had spent a fortune seeking someone whose birth date matched the requirements, cruelly tormenting them to death to complete the ritual. Now, he possessed a murderous aura, able to kill unseen and pass through walls—the Black Slaughter Willow Spirit was his.

“Excellent, excellent! My nephew is truly gifted!” A middle-aged man, wearing a carefree headscarf, emerged from the sinister wind. This was Li Mingyou, the mountain patrol officer, Daoist name Deep Shadow, Li Lin’s uncle.

“Thanks to uncle’s blessing, I finally succeeded,” Li Lin replied, unable to hide his triumphant spirit.

“Lu Qian, you just wait!” Li Lin suddenly remembered something, a flash of venom in his eyes.

Lu Qian had only entered Qi-Refining by happenstance. If not for the delay in finding the right person, Li Lin would have reached this stage sooner.

Li Mingyou frowned. “Didn’t Officer Fang say this matter was settled? Don’t dwell on it.”

“I found out that Officer Fang merely spoke in passing and has long forgotten. That fellow’s master is just a steward, a Qi-Refining practitioner,” Li Lin whispered.

“Lu Qian is newly advanced, and Li Du has connections. Don’t act rashly. I’ve said it before: unless it’s a deep grudge, let it go.” Li Mingyou waved his hand impatiently.

“But he killed my man and insulted me…” Li Lin protested loudly, clearly dissatisfied.

Smack!

Li Mingyou struck him across the face, leaving Li Lin’s cheek swollen and his expression incredulous.

“Fool. Don’t underestimate any Daoist; you never know how you might die.” Li Mingyou scolded him, frustrated.

“All this over a dead novice, and you’ve made enemies with two Qi-Refining Daoists. Is it necessary?”

He looked annoyed. “And the insult—did you hear it yourself? You were used as a pawn and didn’t even know.”

It wasn’t that he feared Lu Qian and his master—mere Qi-Refining practitioners, killing them would only be troublesome. What he saw was Li Lin’s recklessness, which might one day provoke the wrong people.

“Your temperament is lacking, your foundation is shallow. Hone your skills further; when you’re stronger, I won’t stop you from doing as you wish.”

As he finished speaking, Li Mingyou dissolved into a ghostly green wind and vanished.

Li Lin bowed his head in assent, though his true thoughts remained unknown.

Hidden Dragon Cave.

Every Daoist names their own cave-dwelling, and Lu Qian was no exception.

In the central hall, upon a meditation mat, a Daoist in blue robes sat cross-legged. He wore a jade headscarf, his complexion as smooth as jade, eyes mostly closed, appearing serene.

Luminous green moonlight gathered around him from the formation, while dark true water cleansed his body inside and out. The cave was thick with vapor, and with each breath, it seemed the weather might change.

After a long while, Lu Qian opened his eyes—the black water-light flickered and vanished.

The Lunar True Water Guidance Technique: Minor Achievement!

He had entered the middle stage of Qi-Refining.

His true water now exceeded a hundred drops, forming a strand of true essence that could circulate through his meridians.

Whoosh!

The power of true water formed a water dragon, roaring upward.

Lu Qian’s flesh gleamed with a jade-like luster.

After prolonged purification with true water, his body was now impervious to mundane blades and flames.

Moreover, with the help of the Flood Dragon Subdued Yellow Springs Diagram, his body was even stronger than those who cultivated other yin water methods.

In battle, he would surely surprise his foes—a hidden trump card.

The mysterious golden mirror rotated slowly in his sea of consciousness; some techniques marked by golden rings indicated they had reached their peak.

Only a few remained, still short of perfection.

Lunar True Water Guidance Technique (Minor: 44/5000)
Spirit Projection Technique (Minor: 20/500)
Greedy Wolf Yin Talisman (Minor: 123/500)
Primary Alchemy Technique (Major: 23/2000)

During the two months of seclusion, his cultivation had soared, reaching the middle stage of Qi-Refining, with nearly half his true energy transformed into true water.

His every movement seemed to contain the force of a mighty wave—endless true energy.

The Greedy Wolf Seven-Kill Yin Talisman Sword had advanced to the Five-Kill stage.

Lu Qian stretched lazily.

Nearby, two paper figures were busy—one tending the fire, the other preparing medicine.

“With the Spirit Projection Technique at minor achievement, I can now split my consciousness in two. This is much easier,” Lu Qian thought.

He managed barely to multitask: his body cultivated automatically, while he operated the paper figures for simple tasks.

It wasn’t true triple-tasking; that was too difficult. He had merely devised a set of mechanical instructions for the paper figures to perform basic operations.

If anything unexpected occurred, the paper figures couldn’t respond in real time.

Just then, a thousand-paper crane fluttered over—Li Du’s message.

Lu Qian’s skills in alchemy had greatly improved; it was time to learn more advanced techniques.

With this in mind, Lu Li immediately stepped out in person.

After the breakthrough to minor achievement, the guidance technique now had five thousand increments; at four sessions per day, it would take over twelve hundred days—three and a half years—to perfect. The major achievement would require even more.

His current potions could no longer support his cultivation.

Lost in thought, Lu Qian wandered to a small stream. He instinctively looked up.

Moonlight spilled onto the water, reflecting a flawless white orb.

A woman, white as jade, draped in light gauze, sat quietly atop a stone. The stream dampened her white garment, revealing her graceful, translucent figure. Her lotus-white hands scooped water, gently pouring it over herself, while her long, straight legs soaked in the stream.

The gentle water washed her skin, creamy as congealed fat—a beauty bathing, delicate as a lotus emerging from water, tender and innocent, freshly blooming, exquisitely vulnerable.

Moonlight, the maiden, and the stream formed a tableau of a bathing beauty.

Even with his cultivated composure, Lu Qian was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his calm.

This was Lin Qing, whom he hadn’t seen in days, seemingly lost in thought. Lu Qian was about to quietly withdraw.

Suddenly, the woman noticed him, her eyes wide.

“Ah!”

Her body trembled, lips parting in a startled cry, her soft, white skin quivering.

“Brother Lu Daoist!” Seeing it was Lu Qian, Lin Qing did not panic, covering herself with a robe.

“Greetings, Sister Lin Qing,” Lu Qian cupped his hands, then turned aside.

Neither spoke; the air grew awkward, broken only by the sound of Lin Qing dressing.

“By the way, Senior Brother Zhu Yulong has died. The poison seeped into his bones, and he succumbed,” Lin Qing said with a faint smile, changing the subject, but her face quickly took on a despondent look.

It wasn’t that she was close to Zhu Yulong, but she sensed her own impending fate.

Novice alchemists rarely survived more than three years unless they became Daoists.

She was still far from that, unsure if she could last.

The thought brought sorrow, and she hadn’t noticed Lu Qian’s approach.

“It’s all right—you’ve only been here a year, there’s still hope,” Lu Qian comforted her.

He produced some Vitality Powder and handed it to Lin Qing.

Such was the fate of novices; even Qi-Refining had its troubles.

He remembered what Elder Longevity had said, feeling a vague sense of danger—only by advancing his cultivation could he avoid falling prey.

“This is all I can do for you.”

The potion was barely useful to him, so he offered it as a gesture.

“Thank you, Brother Lu Daoist.” Lin Qing bowed slightly, her loose collar revealing a hint of snowy skin.

For some reason, Lu Qian suddenly thought of the Solar Yang Qi Technique.

Wasn’t it practiced by a man and a woman?

He smiled calmly, banishing stray thoughts, then bid farewell and departed.

…

(It feels like playing a single-player game—so dull. Handsome men, leave a comment to support, even a comma is fine. Hehe.)