Chapter 22 The Spiritual Vein is Hidden Deep Within, Bare-chested as He Digs the Ground

The Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 5 filled Lin Yue's heart with joy, but he soon discovered a thorny problem.

His Immortal Cave was located in the most remote corner of the Qingyun Sect's outer Sect, near the edge of the Mountain-Protecting Array. The Spiritual Qi was already thin, almost non-existent.

Previously, everyone's cultivation was low, so their demand for Spiritual Qi wasn't high, and they could barely manage.

But now, A He and Su Qingyuan had broken through to Qi Refining Level 2, Luo Ningshuang had recovered to Qi Refining Level 3, and Lin Yue had reached Qi Refining Level 5. The demand for Spiritual Qi among the four had increased significantly, and the thin Spiritual Qi in the Immortal Cave could no longer satisfy their cultivation needs.

A He sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, practicing the Everspring Art. However, the Spiritual Qi she could draw into her body was meager, and her circulation speed became slower and slower.

When Su Qingyuan practiced her sword, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi she drew in also grew sparse. The condensation speed of her crimson Sword Qi dropped sharply, and the improvement of her sword momentum became exceptionally slow.

When Luo Ningshuang performed Alchemy, the lack of Spiritual Qi made it difficult to raise the temperature of the pill fire. The success rate of her Alchemy began to drop, and even when she managed to refine Medicinal Pills, their quality was greatly diminished.

Lin Yue was extremely worried as he watched the three of them.

Immortal Caves within the Qingyun Sect were graded by Spiritual Qi concentration. Inner Sect Disciples had caves with dense Spiritual Qi, while Outer Sect Disciples had thin Spiritual Qi. His cave was among the worst in the outer Sect, with a concentration that was almost negligible.

To change to a cave with dense Spiritual Qi, one either had to become an Inner Sect Disciple or spend a large amount of Spirit Stones to purchase one.

But he was currently just an Outer Sect Disciple at Qi Refining Level 5, far from becoming an Inner Sect Disciple. As for the Spirit Stones he had, it was impossible to buy an Immortal Cave.

Lin Yue rubbed his temples, thinking of a solution. To change caves, he either needed to be an Inner Sect Disciple or buy one, but neither path worked right now. He could rent a cave with denser Spiritual Qi, but the rent would likely be high.

He calculated that there were many Cultivators near the Qingyun Market who rented out Immortal Caves. The Spiritual Qi there was much stronger than here, but the monthly rent would probably cost over a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

For him now, that was no small expense.

Moreover, doing so would be too conspicuous and would inevitably attract the greed of others.

"No need to rent," Luo Ningshuang suddenly spoke, her cold gaze sweeping across the floor of the Immortal Cave. "Beneath this cave, there should be a branch of a Spiritual Vein. It's just buried very deep, covered by layers of soil and rock. As long as we dig it out, the Spiritual Qi concentration in the cave will increase significantly."

As an Innate Pill Body, Luo Ningshuang's perception of Spiritual Qi far exceeded that of ordinary people.

Lately, while refining pills, she could always feel a faint fluctuation of Spiritual Qi beneath the cave floor. Though not strong, it was very pure, clearly indicating a branch of a Spiritual Vein hidden underground.

"A branch of a Spiritual Vein?" A flash of surprise crossed Lin Yue's eyes, and A He and Su Qingyuan also looked amazed.

If there truly was a Spiritual Vein branch hidden beneath the Immortal Cave, then they wouldn't have to worry about the lack of Spiritual Qi anymore. The Spiritual Qi emitted by the branch would be enough to support the four of them in their cultivation and Alchemy.

"But this work can only be done by a Body Refiner," Luo Ningshuang added. "The Spiritual Vein is hidden several zhang deep. Beneath the soil is all hard rock. The Physical Body of an ordinary Cultivator simply cannot withstand the exertion of digging through rock. Only a Body Refiner with a powerful Physical Body can handle it."

Body Refiners of the Qingyun Sect had powerful bodies and immense strength, specializing in digging and close combat.

But Lin Yue was not a Body Refiner. Hiring someone to dig would likely cost a lot of Spirit Stones and would also expose the secret of the Spiritual Vein, inviting unnecessary trouble.

The joy that had just risen on A He and Su Qingyuan's faces faded again.

Lin Yue's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.

His Hundred Meridians Unblocked Physique, after being nourished by Life Feedback and spiritual power, had long since reshaped his Physical Body. His life Origin was abundant, and his physical strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Body Refiner.

Not to mention digging through several zhang of rock, he could even dig through something harder.

As he spoke, Lin Yue raised his hand and shed his Daoist robe, revealing his lean and muscular upper body.

His once old and withered body had long been reshaped by the Hundred Meridians Unblocked Physique, becoming lean and tall. His skin was tight, his lines smooth, and his eight-pack abs were clearly defined. The muscle lines on his arms were full of power, and beneath every inch of skin lay a vast surge of life force. He was a completely different person from his previous decrepit appearance.

A He, Su Qingyuan, and Luo Ningshuang were all stunned as they looked at Lin Yue's fit body, their eyes filled with shock.

A He's face instantly turned bright red like a ripe apple. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look further, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her clothes. Her heart was pounding, a mix of shyness and adoration surging within her.

She had never imagined her husband's Physical Body would be so fit. This powerful appearance gave her a strong sense of security, and the way she looked at Lin Yue became increasingly infatuated.

Su Qingyuan's cheeks also flushed slightly, and a clear flicker of interest passed through her cold eyes. She leaned against a stone pillar, her gaze unconsciously falling on Lin Yue's body. Those lean muscles and smooth lines were full of masculine beauty, making her heart rate quicken for some reason.

Her heart was full of confusion. How could a man who appeared to be over seventy have such a fit Physical Body? Such powerful life force was something even a young Body Refiner might not be able to match.

Luo Ningshuang's eyes were filled with astonishment. As a Disciple of Baicao Valley, she understood the life force of the human body best. The life force in Lin Yue's body was vast and pure, far exceeding ordinary people. Such a powerful Physical Body could never be achieved through natural cultivation unless one had a Heaven-Defying Physique or Opportunity.

"How can an old man have such powerful life force and such a strong body?" Luo Ningshuang murmured to herself, a thought suddenly flashing through her mind. "Could it be... his aged appearance is just a disguise?"

Once this thought appeared, it grew wildly in her heart. All of Lin Yue's anomalies were suddenly explained: his ability to repair Magical Artifacts, his skill in setting up arrays, his powerful Physical Body, and that mysterious space...

None of this was something an ordinary Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator could possess.

Lin Yue looked at the different reactions of the three women and a smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Without explaining, he bent down and picked up a Mountain-Splitting Axe he had taken from his Storage Pouch. This was something he had picked up from the Sect's trash pile years ago; though damaged, it was still sharp.

"Watch closely, your husband will dig out the Spiritual Vein for you!"

With that, Lin Yue walked to the center of the Immortal Cave, raised his hand, and swung. The Mountain-Splitting Axe carried a sharp wind as it slammed into the ground.

"Boom!"

With a loud bang, the stone slabs on the floor instantly shattered. Soil flew everywhere, revealing the hard rock beneath.

Lin Yue swung the Mountain-Splitting Axe, striking the rock again and again. His strength was immense, each blow carrying thousands of jin of force. The hard rock was like tofu under his Mountain-Splitting Axe, easily split apart as stone fragments flew.

Bare-chested, fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, sliding down his lean neck and dripping into the soil. Yet his movements remained steady and powerful, without the slightest pause.

In the Immortal Cave, only the "boom boom" of the Mountain-Splitting Axe striking the rock and Lin Yue's steady breathing remained.

A He looked up, peeking at Lin Yue's back, her eyes full of love and admiration. A sweet smile appeared on her small face. She picked up a waterskin from the side, walked to Lin Yue's side, and said softly, "Husband, take a break and have some water."

Lin Yue stopped his movements, took the waterskin, had a drink, and rubbed A He's head. "It's fine, I'm not tired."

Su Qingyuan looked at Lin Yue, a hint of softness flashing in her cold eyes. She silently walked to the side and cleared away the debris from under Lin Yue's feet, making his digging path smoother.

Luo Ningshuang leaned against the stone pillar and watched quietly. In her cold eyes, the previous wariness was gone, replaced by a bit of softness and curiosity.

She didn't realize at all that she was ultimately being attracted to this man.

Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the Immortal Cave, casting a golden glow over Lin Yue's fit body. He swung the Mountain-Splitting Axe again and again, for his three wives and for his path to immortality.

The soil and rock several zhang deep were no longer an obstacle before him. A hidden branch of a Spiritual Vein was about to see the light of day again, and his bond with his three wives would grow even deeper through this process of digging.