158: Chapter 158 Breakthrough, Qi Refining Realm

"One year, huh..." You look at Shen Qingluan, calculating silently to yourself.

Since she is staying for another year, Meng Si will definitely not dare to act rashly during this time. As for a year from now, the selection for the Zhao Family's Guest Elder should be decided by then. It's just that you wonder if the Zhao Family will have any misgivings now that you have crossed Meng Si.

Regardless, having an extra year of stable time to Cultivate right now is already an unexpected joy.

You collect your thoughts and smile brightly at Shen Qingluan: "Sister Qingluan, I understand. I will find a way. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young girl for being poor! Although I have a low-grade Spiritual Root, it does not mean I cannot carve out my own path."

Shen Qingluan's hand holding her wine cup pauses slightly.

She looks at you, a trace of astonishment flashing in her cold, clear eyes. A low-grade Spiritual Root is usually just a life of doing chores in a great Family, and even breaking through to the Middle Stage of the Qi Refining Realm is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Yet, this girl of peerless beauty before her has a kind of resilience in her eyes that even shocks her.

"Ambitious." Shen Qingluan's lips curl into a rare smile as she drains the strong wine in her cup in one gulp. "In this Cultivation World, strength is ultimately supreme. Who says we female cultivators must rely on Families and men? As long as the sword in your hand is sharp enough, you can carve out your own world. Your path is yours to walk."

"Mm!" You nod heavily, and subsequently, it is only natural that you settle down in Shen Qingluan's courtyard.

You no longer go to work at Xuanmo Workshop, but instead focus entirely on Cultivating.

Shen Qingluan is a total cultivation fanatic and also a total foodie. Every few days, she goes to the periphery of the Ten Thousand Mountains to hunt Yao Beasts. The High Grade Yao Beast meat she brings back naturally becomes the material for you to practice your culinary skills.

"Shuang Wan, make that braised pork dish from last time again." Shen Qingluan tosses the hind leg of a Rank 1 High Grade Red-Armored Pig into the courtyard, sits sloppily on a stone stool, and wipes her long sword.

"Alright! If Sister Qingluan wants to eat it, I will go make it right away!" You roll up your sleeves with a grin.

You can't help but suspect that a large part of the reason Shen Qingluan is willing to protect you is because your cooking is too delicious. After all, when gathering at Old Zhou's house, most of the dishes you made ended up in her stomach.

However, you are happy with this. Rank 1 High Grade Yao Beast meat is a great tonic for you right now. You change up the way you cook every day, naturally following along to get free food and drink.

With the replenishment of Qi and blood from large amounts of High Grade Yao Beast meat, your Cultivation progress advances by leaps and bounds.

Aperture Opening Eighth Layer Late Stage.

Aperture Opening Ninth Layer.

All nine hidden apertures are fully opened, and Spiritual Power circulates within the nine subtle Meridians in your body, faintly showing a trend of merging.

Late one night, five months later.

You sit cross-legged on the bed in the west wing, the Burning Heaven True Art circulating within you at an unprecedented speed.

The nine great hidden apertures within your body are like nine burning stars, connected to each other by threads of crimson Spiritual Power. As you take a deep breath, the fire-attribute Spiritual Qi from the surrounding heaven and earth rushes madly into your nose and mouth.

"Nine apertures merge into one, gather Qi into the Meridians!"

You form hand seals with both hands and fiercely drive your Cultivation Technique. The nine great hidden apertures vibrate simultaneously, erupting with blinding red light. Those originally scattered droplets of Spiritual Power gather madly in your Meridians, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, slamming fiercely into your Qi Sea Dantian.

"Boom!"

A muffled sound comes from within your body, and a wave of scorching hot air erupts from you, causing the curtains in the room to rustle loudly.

Inside your Qi Sea, the originally thin mist of Spiritual Power instantly condenses, turning into a drop of extremely pure, crimson liquid Spiritual Power.

Qi Refining First Layer!

You slowly open your eyes, a captivating flash of fire passing through your pupils. You clench your fists, feeling the surging power in your Meridians, and are filled with wild joy.

The Spiritual Power in your body flows as you wish. You try guiding a wisp of Spiritual Power to your fingertips, where a cluster of orange-red light emerges—warm, stable, and changing shape according to your will.

This is Spiritual Power.

A power completely different from Yuan Qi.

You clench your fist, feeling the distinct sensation of that power flowing through your Meridians, and uncontrollable joy surges from the bottom of your heart.

You have finally broken through. Only with Spiritual Power can you truly be considered to have crossed the threshold of an Immortal Cultivator, capable of wielding Spells and learning the Talisman Dao. Otherwise, you would be nothing more than a slightly stronger Mortal.

You calm your excited mood and quickly run through the incantations for the Fireball Spell, Water Mirror Technique, and Object Manipulation Spell in your mind.

These three basic Spells were bought from Wanbao Tower previously; you already knew them by heart, just waiting for the support of Spiritual Power.

The next morning, before the dew had dried.

You stand in the center of the courtyard, take a deep breath, and a faint red light lights up at your fingertips as you begin to form hand seals according to the incantations in your memory.

"Fireball Spell, go!"

You shout delicately, the red light at your fingertips flickers a few times, and with a "puff" sound, a wisp of black smoke emerges and it goes out.

You: "..."

You refuse to accept defeat and condense Spiritual Power again. This time you manage to conjure a small fireball, but it flies less than three feet before wobbling and crashing onto the ground, burning a black spot onto the bluestone slab.

"Your Spiritual Power circulation is sluggish, and your hand seal gestures are redundant. Is this Fireball Spell of yours meant for lighting a stove?"

A cold, clear voice comes from behind you.

You turn your head and see that Shen Qingluan is already standing under the eaves, arms crossed holding her sword, watching your disastrous Spell-casting process and unable to help but shake her head.

"Sister Qingluan, this Spell is too hard to control..." You pout, putting on a pitiful expression.

Shen Qingluan sighs and walks over to your side: "Spells are not about rote memorization. The core of the Fireball Spell lies in 'gathering' and 'exploding'. Your Spiritual Power is scattered, and your hand seals are too rigid, so naturally, it cannot form. Watch closely."

Before her voice fades, Shen Qingluan doesn't even form hand seals; she simply flicks her finger.

"Whoosh!"

A fist-sized, incredibly solid fireball instantly tears through the air and accurately slams into a rockery ten zhang away. With a loud "boom", the hard rockery stone is blown to pieces, and debris scatters everywhere.

...Poor rockery.

You gasp, your eyes widening in surprise: "Sister Qingluan, you are a Sword Cultivator, how can you use a fire-type Spell like the Fireball Spell so masterfully?"

Shen Qingluan glances at you, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly: "If I couldn't even use such basic Spells, wouldn't my Qi Refining Perfection cultivation be a waste? All methods lead to the same destination; by the Late Stage of the Qi Refining Realm, basic Spells are just things one can cast at will."

Hearing this, you immediately put on an expression of admiration, pounce over to hug Shen Qingluan's arm, and shake it: "Sister Qingluan is so amazing! Teach me, please? Won't you?"

You are wearing a light green martial outfit today, your long hair tied up high. Your peerless beauty paired with such a lively and cute action is extremely lethal.

Shen Qingluan's arm stiffens as you rub against her, and the tips of her ears turn visibly red. She awkwardly pulls her arm away and coughs lightly: "Alright, stop buttering me up. I will only teach it once, pay attention and remember it."