31: Chapter 31 Qi Refining Ninth Level Perfection

Inside the cultivation room, Ning Yuan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, a faint golden halo swirling around his body.

That halo was several times more solid than it had been two years ago, appearing like a layer of flowing pure gold slowly wandering across the surface of his skin.

Qi Refining Stage Level Nine Perfection.

In two years, going from the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage to the ninth level Perfection—if this speed were to spread, the entire Qingzhou cultivation world would be shaken.

For an ordinary Loose Cultivator, going from the seventh to the ninth level would take at least five to eight years, or ten to twenty years at most. Ning Yuan had only used two.

In this, the System's rewards were indispensable.

Over the past two years, the Ning Family had added thirteen children, and the System had rewarded him thirteen times.

Although the strength of the individual rewards was not as bountiful as the achievement reward for the tenth child, they won out in quantity; by accumulating them, it added up to a considerable amount of resources.

More importantly, when the fifteenth child was born, the System triggered another achievement reward—'Family Prosperity'.

That reward granted him the seventh to ninth level Cultivation Technique of the Great Sun Pure Yang Art, as well as a protective jade talisman capable of blocking a fatal attack.

He had already Cultivated the Great Sun Pure Yang Art to the fifth level.

A Nascent Soul-level Cultivation Technique paired with the Pure Yang Dao Body made his Cultivation speed astonishingly fast.

He could feel that the Bottleneck for the Foundation Establishment Stage was already right before his eyes.

But Ning Yuan was not in a hurry to attempt a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment was the first major hurdle for a Cultivator; once crossed, it was an entirely different world.

No matter how strong one was in the Qi Refining Stage, essentially, one was still a mortal Physical Body.

After Foundation Establishment, the Physical Body would be thoroughly tempered by Qi, lifespan would extend to two hundred years, and the total amount and quality of Qi would be worlds apart.

But this step was also extremely dangerous—out of ten who reached Qi Refining Stage Perfection and attempted Foundation Establishment, only two or three could succeed.

Those who failed would, at best, suffer damaged Meridians and a regression in cultivation, and at worst, die on the spot.

He needed an opportunity.

Ning Yuan opened his eyes and slowly ceased his Cultivation.

The golden light around his body faded, and he returned to the appearance of a composed, steady middle-aged man.

He pushed open the door to the cultivation room, and Lady Lin was already waiting outside.

"Master of the house, you've finished your seclusion?" Lady Lin came forward to meet him and took the outer robe he had removed. "The kitchen has stewed ginseng chicken soup; would you like a bowl first?"

"Very well." Ning Yuan nodded. His gaze fell upon Lady Lin, and he suddenly asked, "How many Spirit Stones are left in the accounts?"

"As for cash, there are about three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. If you count the inventory of medicinal herbs and Medicinal Pills, it's worth about two thousand more. Why do you ask?"

"In a few days, I will make a trip to Qingzhou City to purchase some items." Ning Yuan paused. "You will come with me."

Lady Lin was stunned for a moment: "Me? What would I go for?"

"To take you out for a stroll." Ning Yuan smiled. "Two years ago, I said I would take you to see Qingzhou City, but it has been put off until now. Since I'm going to handle some matters this time, you should come along. We can also buy some clothing fabrics for the children and add some things to the household."

Lady Lin's eyes reddened slightly. A promise from two years ago—she had almost forgotten it herself, but Ning Yuan still remembered.

"Alright." She replied softly, unable to hide the smile at the corners of her mouth.

After drinking the ginseng chicken soup, Ning Yuan first went to the martial arts arena.

When the children saw him approaching, they all stood straight in unison and shouted "Father." Even the little ones who were practicing horse stance followed suit, calling out in a disorderly manner—some called him "Daddy," some "Father," and others "Dad"—a chaotic mess.

Ning Yuan smiled and waved his hand, signaling them to continue practicing, then walked over to Zhao Qingli.

As soon as Ning Qingxue saw him, she stretched out her two little hands: "Daddy, hug!"

Ning Yuan took his youngest daughter into his arms and said to Zhao Qingli, "I will be going to Qingzhou City in two days; please keep a closer eye on things at home."

"Rest assured, Master." Zhao Qingli nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then added, "Master, there is something I would like to discuss with you."

"Speak."

"I have been Cultivating the fifth level of the Nine Yang Art recently, and I feel my Meridians are somewhat sluggish. Yunniang said it might be that my accumulation of Qi is insufficient, but I always feel that something is wrong." Zhao Qingli lowered her voice, not wanting the children to hear.

Ning Yuan frowned slightly, extended a finger to rest on Zhao Qingli's wrist, and probed with a trace of Qi.

A moment later, he withdrew his finger, his expression softening. "It is not a problem with your accumulation of Qi. It is that your Meridians have encountered a Bottleneck at the barrier between the fifth and sixth levels of the Qi Refining Stage. You previously took a marrow cleansing pill to improve your Spiritual Root, but the width and resilience of your Meridians still need time to be tempered. Later, I will give you a bottle of pulse protection pill; combined with your Cultivation, you should be able to make a Breakthrough within three months."

Zhao Qingli let out a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Master."

Ning Yuan handed Ning Qingxue back to her and then went to the Pill Refining Room.

Shen Qingyi had just stood up from in front of the Pill Furnace, her head and face covered in furnace ash, holding a small porcelain bottle in her hand containing three newly refined ningyuan pills.

"Master!" Shen Qingyi's eyes lit up when she saw Ning Yuan. "I refined three ningyuan pills today, and one of them is Medium Grade!"

"Not bad." Ning Yuan took the porcelain bottle and inspected the quality of the Medicinal Pills, then nodded. "Your control over the heat is getting better and better. In another half a year, you can try refining third-grade Medicinal Pills."

Shen Qingyi's face flushed with praise. She wiped the ash from her face, but ended up smearing it even more, causing Qin Waner, who was nearby, to laugh out loud.

"By the way, where is Gu Qingyin?" Ning Yuan asked.

"She is playing the zither in her courtyard." Qin Waner pointed in the direction of the backyard. "Master, would you like to go see Qingyun? That little girl can call for Dad now, though she still doesn't say it very clearly."

Ning Yuan smiled and shook his head, then walked towards Gu Qingyin's courtyard.

In the small courtyard shaded by bamboo, the sound of the zither was melodious. Gu Qingyin sat under the shade of the bamboo, her fingers plucking gently, the melody soothing and peaceful.

Ning Qingyun was lying on a meditation cushion nearby, her little hands swaying to the rhythm of the zither music. Seeing Ning Yuan enter, the little girl raised her head and called out in a milky voice: "Die—"

"It is 'Dad', not 'Die'." Gu Qingyin stopped playing the zither and corrected her, feeling somewhat helpless.

"Die!" Ning Qingyun called out again very seriously.

Ning Yuan laughed heartily, bent down to pick up his daughter, and kissed her on her little cheek. Gu Qingyin watched this scene, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

Having married into the Ning Family for two years, she had lived much better than she had imagined. Ning Yuan never imposed many restrictions on her; she was free to play the zither, read books, and practice meditation. After giving birth to Qingyun, Ning Yuan also doted on their daughter, never showing any favoritism just because she was a girl.

"Qingyin, how is your Cultivation of that 'Flowing Water Art' going?" Ning Yuan sat down on a stone bench while holding his daughter.

"I just broke through to the third level." Gu Qingyin's voice was calm. "Although the grade of this Cultivation Technique is not high, it is very suitable for the attributes of my Spiritual Root. Master does not need to worry about me; I will just take my time."

Ning Yuan nodded. Among all his wives and concubines, Gu Qingyin was the most laid-back in her Cultivation; she never fought or scrambled for anything, Cultivating step-by-step and living her life step-by-step. This indifference actually had its benefits—her state of mind was peaceful, so it was less likely for things to go wrong during Cultivation.