Chapter 74: Ninth Level of Qi Refinement (Please Add to Your Favorites)
Inside the side room, white hair floated like clouds, as did flowing sleeves.
Qin Jiyue was well aware of her husband’s fragile health.
She gently circled Li Guanxuan’s waist, and a bit lower would have been exactly what he desired.
Her almond-shaped face flushed a drunken crimson, foxlike eyes smoldered with allure, and her red lips parted as she leaned in to whisper by his ear:
“Husband, isn’t my body burning hot?”
Li Guanxuan could more or less guess where this was going; he nodded appreciatively and said, “It is very hot, and your heart is beating especially fast.”
Her magnetic, mature voice curled around his ear: “Perhaps I’m running a fever. I heard mugwort is useful for that.”
By now, Li Guanxuan had already undone everything that needed to be undone, and he replied with a smiling glint:
“Coincidentally, my body is damp with excess moisture—I need some intimacy to draw out the toxins.”
Before he could act, Qin Jiyue unleashed her martial art—Thousand-Pound Drop!
Both of them sucked in a sharp breath.
Li Guanxuan sighed inwardly: Qin Jiyue was still very much herself.
Such a bold move—Wen Rongxin and Song Zhiqiao would hardly have the courage to attempt it. No wonder she was the first in the household to reach Foundation Establishment.
Her silken white hair rippled softly, the view was exquisite, and the roar of waves crashing on rocks thundered through the air.
...
One day, two days, three days...
Li Guanxuan spent nine full days establishing his foundation.
It lasted deep into midnight, until Qin Jiyue finally collapsed into a contented slumber, too exhausted even to absorb or refine any more spiritual energy.
As for Li Guanxuan, who cultivated the “Yin-Yang Foundation Establishment Life Art,” he remained vigorous as ever.
Concerned about another crisis of depletion, he had stored plenty of wood-element spiritual energy in his dark space, nourishing his body and preventing himself from being ground down to nothing.
Of course, there was still the Sunflower Acupoint Technique he hadn’t used, but he doubted he’d ever have occasion to employ it.
Cross-legged, he let his spirit sink into the dark space—only to be startled by what he saw.
Good heavens!
So much spiritual energy!
An immense abundance!
Around the Velvet Blossom Spirit Tree, countless streams of dazzling golden energy swirled.
There was ten times more than during the previous nine-day session!
“Could it be that, now that Jiyue has broken through to Foundation Establishment, the Velvet Blossom Spirit Tree, seeing that a mere Eighth Layer Qi Refiner like me could establish his foundation in nine days, is rewarding me for dual cultivation by producing even more gold-element energy?”
Li Guanxuan pondered, feeling it made sense.
The Spirit Tree’s trait was simple: the stronger the partner, the more spiritual energy it bestowed.
He quietly absorbed and refined the golden energy, feeling the meridians in his body beginning to loosen...
---
But Li Guanxuan did not attempt a breakthrough.
He wanted to reach the next stage as naturally as water flows, not by force.
Only thus could he break through to Foundation Establishment more solidly.
“At most a year, at least half a year, and I should reach the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement...” he mused inwardly.
Now that Qin Jiyue was a First Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, dual cultivation with her produced an abundance of spiritual energy, accelerating his own progress.
...
After Qin Jiyue finished her retreat, Song Zhiqiao was initially nervous and reserved, her voice growing softer.
But as time passed, she discovered that, just as Qin Jiyue had said, as long as she remained loyal to the household, Qin Jiyue would never trouble her.
At times when she practiced, Qin Jiyue even offered advice by her side, helping her avoid many detours.
Their relationship gradually deepened.
Song Zhiqiao began calling her “Sister Jiyue” with increasing sweetness, her address more tender than in the evenings.
Half a year passed.
It was now August—the heat was sweltering.
After seven days of foundation establishment, Li Guanxuan tried the green tea, then personally tested the flexibility of a body cultivator.
At last—
Gold, wood, and fire spiritual energies surged through his body again and again, easily breaking open the vital meridians.
Heaven and earth’s spiritual energy rushed into him, coursing through his channels, filling his limbs and bones, finally gathering at his dantian and settling down.
Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement!
He sat cross-legged on the main chamber’s couch, exhaled a turbid breath, and his eyes sparkled with golden, green, and crimson hues, which quickly withdrew within.
“My gold spiritual root has finally reached the highest quality. If I can raise my wood and earth roots to the superior grade during Foundation Establishment, there will be no bottleneck at the Core Formation stage...at most, I’ll just need a few Gold Essence Pills.”
He smiled; in another half year, his wood root would reach middle grade.
No rush for the earth root—for now, breaking through to Foundation Establishment was paramount.
“Hm?”
He intended to use his spiritual sense to check the dark space but was surprised to find he could see through the walls into the adjoining room.
“Divine sense?”
His heart leaped.
External perception—this was only possible with the divine sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Yet he had just entered the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement, not even at its peak, and already achieved this?
Though the range was only about thirty feet, it was still divine sense—ten times stronger than mere spiritual awareness.
“The credit for awakening my divine sense belongs largely to Jiyue...”
---
Li Guanxuan could not help but marvel.
It was likely because Qin Jiyue had succeeded in her Foundation Establishment and because of their dual cultivation that his divine sense had gradually manifested.
Whatever the cause, he had at least cleared the key threshold of divine sense for Foundation Establishment.
His physical vitality should be more than fine—he rarely fought other cultivators, so he had no hidden ailments. With the life force from spiritual energy, his vigor surpassed most on the verge of Qi Refinement’s peak.
As for the final test of magical power...
He had perfected both “Soaring Dragon and Phoenix Technique” and “Blazing Flame Art.”
He was a step away from perfecting the ninth level of “Azure Mystery Art.”
He was on the fifth level of “Yin-Yang Foundation Establishment Life Art”—once perfected, he could begin slowly condensing his magic into liquid...
At that point, the obstacles to Foundation Establishment would greatly diminish.
“Three and a half years left...I must reach Foundation Establishment within that time.”
Stretching lazily, his eyes alight with joy, Li Guanxuan felt nothing but boundless prospects ahead.
“Husband, you’ve awakened your divine sense?”
At that moment, Qin Jiyue’s voice sounded in his ear via transmission.
“Yes, but the range is only about thirty feet.”
He replied as he got up and dressed, leaving behind only a projection in the main chamber.
“That’s already quite good. My divine sense extends about three hundred feet.”
Qin Jiyue giggled and sent another message: “Come here, come here... In this heat, I’m dying for an ice pop that never melts.”
At her words, Li Guanxuan couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath, feeling his head spin.
“Hmph! White-Haired Witch, tonight I’ll show you the power of a Ninth Layer Qi Refiner!”
“Just wait—I won’t rest until you’re singing in delight!”
...
The next day.
With the sun high in the sky, Li Guanxuan, feeling refreshed, set out for the House of Myriad Phenomena, only to run into Cao Mang inside.
“Brother Li?!”
...
PS: That’s all for today’s update. Please recommend it! It’s the end of the month—those with monthly votes, please consider tossing me one~