251: Chapter 251 Turbid Qi? Corrosive Qi?

Cave-Heaven Small World · Nameless Foothills

Ling Hao's figure quietly appeared beside a gently sloping hill covered in fresh green. Not far away, Xia Yingying was strolling with a woman of unique temperament.

"Sister Qing Shang, look," Xia Yingying pointed at the tender shoots that had just broken through the soil beneath her feet, as well as the sparse but stubbornly growing vegetation on the distant ridge, her voice pure and joyful, "I didn't lie to you, did I? Revered Master's Small World is truly gestating life on its own!"

The woman called Qing Shang nodded slightly.

She gazed at this nascent world, a trace of amazement flashing in her beautiful eyes.

"Vibrant with life, evolving naturally... it is indeed no lie."

"This... is even better than the Small World my Revered Master opened up back then. In her world, even with the great power of a Profound Immortal, one could only transplant living beings; it was impossible for them to multiply and evolve on their own."

Just then, Xia Yingying seemed to sense something. She turned her head abruptly, saw Ling Hao's figure, and a bright smile instantly bloomed on her face.

"Revered Master!"

She let go of Qing Shang's arm, ran over like a happy little bird, threw herself into Ling Hao's arms, and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Ling Hao's eyes were full of doting affection. He naturally wrapped his arms around her petite body and rubbed the top of her head.

"What are you doing?"

Xia Yingying tilted her face up and answered happily, "I was telling Sister Qing Shang that Revered Master's Small World is full of vitality and can evolve life on its own! Sister Qing Shang was curious, so I brought her to see it!"

Ling Hao nodded and asked, "Where is your Sister Xinxi? Is she asleep again?"

"Sister Xinxi, huh..." Xia Yingying tilted her head and thought about it, "No, but she has been talking about Revered Master a lot lately, saying that since Revered Master hasn't come over in so long, you must not like Yingying anymore. But I know Sister Xinxi actually wants to see Revered Master too."

"I did not! Yingying, don't talk nonsense!"

A thought roared in denial within the Sea of Consciousness of both Ling Hao and Xia Yingying. Because the Divine Soul Cultivation Technique had reached Major Achievement, even though Yue Xinxi was currently in Xia Yingying's Sea of Consciousness, she could communicate via thought.

Ling Hao's lips curled slightly, "You've developed a taste for it, haven't you? Do you want me to have Yingying give you more time next time?"

After the first time, in the dozens of subsequent "exchanges" between Ling Hao and Xia Yingying, Yue Xinxi would always be pulled in.

"I... I don't need that!" Yue Xinxi was frantic.

"Sect Master Ling... may I ask a presumptuous question, what is your Cultivation Realm?" Qing Shang, who was nearby, walked over and asked.

Ling Hao stopped teasing Yue Xinxi, turned his head, and answered calmly, "Void Refinement Stage."

Hearing this, Qing Shang's face was full of disbelief, "Only Void Tempering? This... how is that possible? My original Revered Master was a Profound Immortal, and the Small World within her body required the consumption of Immortal Qi to maintain it so that it could accommodate the reproduction of life for a long time. This world of yours, with its self-generating vitality and nascent rules, its stability and potential... is simply inconceivable."

She couldn't help but ask, "How did you do it?"

Ling Hao heard this, just smiled and shook his head, not answering, but muttered to himself in his heart.

'Do I have to tell her that it was opened up when I was practicing the Great Law of Primordial Communion with Su Shang?'

Seeing that he had no intention of discussing it in depth, Qing Shang tactfully stopped asking.

Ling Hao changed the subject and asked, "Qing Shang, since you originate from the Immortal Realm, can you tell me about the Immortal Realm?"

Qing Shang shook her head slowly, "My memories are heavily sealed by my original Revered Master."

"The only clear mission is to find a successor, help them grow, and clear away the erosion qi. Other memories involving the secrets of the Immortal Realm and even the grudges of my original Revered Master have all been sealed. It is likely that my original Revered Master worried that if I knew the truth too early, I would act impulsively and take the successor to face the source of the Chaos directly."

"erosion qi?" Ling Hao keenly caught the term and frowned slightly, "Are you referring to the 'erosion qi' that is corroding our world?"

This was the first time he had clearly learned that this mysterious artifact spirit also had its own specific goals.

"In my original Revered Master's memories, it is called 'Turbid Qi'," Qing Shang confirmed, "Perhaps 'erosion qi' is what this world calls this type of power."

"That is highly likely, after all, the meanings of the two are not that different."

Ling Hao understood and calculated in his heart. It seemed that clearing the erosion qi coincided with Qing Shang's main objective.

"Revered Master!" Xia Yingying suddenly pulled on Ling Hao's sleeve with great interest, "I just learned a new piece from Sister Qing Shang that incorporates the 'Borrowing Spirit' technique! Shall I play it for you?"

"Okay."

Ling Hao readily agreed, taking the opportunity to lighten the mood.

Xia Yingying sat cross-legged, placing the Immortal spiritual zither "Nine Heavens Ring Jade" across her knees. She took a deep breath, and pure Immortal Qi permeated the air. Her slender fingers plucked the strings, and a melodious, ethereal zither sound flowed out.

As the music flowed, invisible rhythms stirred the natural spirits of the world.

The zither music entered a state of Perfection, and spiritual light flowed from Xia Yingying's fingertips.

"Metal Sharpens Its Edge!"

A white-gold stream of light condensed, transforming into a heroic-looking Metal Spirit, holding a phantom light sword, dancing with the zither music, its sharpness fully revealed.

"Wood Enriches Its Bloom!"

In the verdant spiritual light, the Wood Spirit touched its bare feet to the ground, vines twining around its ankles blooming with starlike white flowers, fingers pinching a verdant willow blade, dancing nimbly, full of vitality.

"Water Moistens Its Form!"

Azure water ripples swayed, and a gentle Water Spirit phantom appeared, long sleeves fluttering like waves, hair at the temples turning into flowing stream water.

Following closely behind were the Fire Spirit and Earth Spirit...

The five spiritual phantoms, belonging to the Five Elements, had different postures, yet danced harmoniously under the command of Xia Yingying's zither music. The Metal Spirit was sharp, the Wood Spirit was spiritual and delicate, the Water Spirit was gentle, the Fire Spirit was fiery, and the Earth Spirit was heavy, together forming a picture of Dao following nature.

The zither music and Divine Ability merged perfectly, with the spiritual charm of the Five Elements flowing endlessly with the melody.

As the song ended, the Five Elements spiritual bodies turned into specks of spiritual light and dissipated into the world.

Ling Hao praised sincerely, "The music connects with heaven and earth, borrowing spirits to take form. Integrating Divine Ability into the zither music is absolutely exquisite!"

Xia Yingying's little face was flushed. She put away the ancient zither and looked at Qing Shang somewhat shyly, "It is all thanks to Sister Qing Shang's good guidance."

"Thank you." Ling Hao cast his gaze toward Qing Shang and thanked her sincerely.

This artifact spirit had a graceful figure, and her face was so cold and detached that she did not seem like a mortal. Her moon-white to deep black immortal dress added a touch of mystery and Immortal Qi, but the occasional gentleness she revealed toward Xia Yingying allowed a trace of gentle beauty to shine through her cold temperament.

"No need, teaching Yingying is also my duty."

Looking at Qing Shang's illusory figure, Ling Hao's heart suddenly moved, and he asked, "Qing Shang, it is rumored that artifact spirits can reshape their Physical Body. I wonder if this is true? And what conditions are required?"

Once these words were spoken, Xia Yingying's eyes lit up instantly, full of anticipation, "Mm-hmm! When I reach Soul Transformation, Sister Xinxi can reshape her Physical Body! If Sister Qing Shang could also have a Physical Body, how wonderful that would be!"

Qing Shang's illusory figure seemed to freeze slightly. She was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Reshaping a Physical Body... there is indeed such a method. Three major conditions are required."

"First, a stable Foundation: The artifact spirit itself must be strong enough and the Origin must be complete, with perfect spiritual intelligence, retaining at least 70% of the power of the Magic Treasure's original peak period. The core Origin, such as my Zither Heart, must also be solid and thick; this is the 'soul bone' for the future Physical Body. However..."

She paused slightly, her tone helpless, "My Origin is damaged, and I have less than one-tenth of my strength remaining; this hurdle is already hopeless."

"Second, it requires at least an Immortal-grade Heaven And Earth Treasure as the carrier for the Physical Body's Foundation. I am a weapon of a Profound Immortal, and my grade is extremely high; ordinary Immortal Materials are likely insufficient."

"Third, the right time and place: It must be conducted in a Chaos Secret Realm where heaven and earth have just opened, where the Heavenly Dao rules are weak, or which contains the power of the creation Origin. This Cave-Heaven Small World is in the Late Stage of evolution, the rules are initially set, and the Origin is thick; it actually... meets this condition."

After listening, Ling Hao frowned deeply, "Are the conditions really so harsh? Especially this Foundation requirement..."

"Naturally." Qing Shang's tone was calm, "My Origin grade is too high. Ordinary artifact spirit reshaping methods are, to me, like trying to support a ten-thousand-jun cauldron with rotten wood. The Materials cannot withstand it, and the spiritual body would also completely disintegrate during the reshaping process due to an insufficient Foundation. Forcing it..."

Ling Hao looked at Qing Shang's illusory figure, feeling somewhat regretful.

Xia Yingying also let out an "Ah," her little face full of disappointment.