28: Chapter 28 Moon Essence

Yu Lingshuang left with a faint blush on her face.

Ling Hao did not hesitate to redeem [Heart of the World] in the Prestige Shop. Added to the previous [Blessed Land] and the newly distributed Spirit Stones, he could almost see the image of his Disciples' cultivation soaring rapidly!

"Alright, go and Cultivate. Remember, Cultivating during this period will yield twice the result with half the effort, so seize the opportunity!"

Ling Hao instructed.

"Yes, Revered Master (Sect Master)!"

Chi Wanhe and the others responded respectfully, assuming he was talking about the effects of the Spirit Stones, completely unaware that their Revered Master (Sect Master) had silently cheated for them again.

Ling Hao turned around, his gaze falling on Du Yuqing, who was the only one left behind.

She! She was the key to Moonshadow Sect quickly advancing to a Second-Grade Sect!

"The pain of the 'Pure World Glazed Body' is far beyond your imagination. Are you sure you want to practice it?"

Ling Hao confirmed again.

Du Yuqing's eyes were firm as she nodded heavily: "Yes!"

"Good, follow me."

Ling Hao led Du Yuqing around the Haoran Tower and came to the rear.

Before them was a cliff overlooking an abyss. On the cliff face, moon-white, crystalline water droplets occasionally seeped from the rock, as if moonlight had solidified, sliding slowly down the craggy stones.

At the bottom of the cliff, a small pool lay quietly, its surface shrouded in a hazy, milky mist.

Whenever a moon-white water droplet quietly dripped into the pool, the mist seemed to come alive, rolling and churning, becoming a bit thicker and denser.

Ling Hao guided Du Yuqing to the edge of the pool. With a wave of his hand, a moon-white water droplet landed lightly on the tip of his index finger, emitting a cool and pure aura.

"This is Lunar Essence. Do you know how it comes to be?"

Du Yuqing stared at the water droplet and shook her head blankly.

Ling Hao raised his finger and pointed to the massive, almost transparent light barrier covering the Sect: "It is created by the Protective Sect Array, the taiyin zhoutian instrument, by absorbing and purifying the erosion qi of heaven and earth."

"What?!"

Du Yuqing's eyes widened in disbelief!

In her understanding, erosion qi was destruction, pollution, and a deadly poison that Cultivators avoided at all costs.

She had never heard of erosion qi being utilized, let alone transformed into such a pure substance!

"erosion qi... can actually be used by people?"

Her voice carried a sense of shock.

"This drop of Lunar Essence can be considered a concentration of countless erosion qi. After being transformed by the Array, its destructive and filthy nature has been removed, but the most essential destructive power it contained has been preserved."

Ling Hao's fingertip moved slightly, and the drop of Lunar Essence trembled gently. "With just this tiny bit, the impact it contains is like a sharp blade cutting through tendons and bones!"

He looked at Du Yuqing: "Come over and sit cross-legged. Let me first see if your will can handle this initial 'blade'."

Ling Hao intended to use this Lunar Essence to test her limits of endurance, just as he had done when searching for potential Disciples earlier.

If she could not even endure this step, the 'Pure World Glazed Body' would be out of the question.

Du Yuqing followed his instructions, walked to the edge of the pool, and sat cross-legged in front of Ling Hao with a solemn expression.

"It will be very painful, more painful than you can imagine." Ling Hao warned.

Du Yuqing took a deep breath, her eyes as firm as iron: "I am ready!"

Ling Hao moved his mind, and half of the Lunar Essence on his fingertip quietly separated and landed precisely on the palm of Du Yuqing's right hand.

The essence instantly sank into her skin.

"Ngh!"

Du Yuqing's body tensed up violently! Her brows locked instantly, and she gritted her teeth.

A sharp, bone-chilling pain, like a knife cut, exploded from her palm and frantically drilled deep into her bones.

Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched into fists involuntarily, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Ling Hao nodded inwardly; this level of determination was rare. He did not hesitate any longer and controlled the other half of the essence, letting it fall into the palm of Du Yuqing's left hand.

"Urgh—!"

A suppressed groan of extreme pain escaped Du Yuqing's throat! The dual tearing pain was like a monstrous wave, instantly submerging her.

Her body began to tremble violently, her forehead was instantly covered in fine cold sweat, and her face turned as pale as paper!

Several times, Du Yuqing's body swayed heavily, and her eyes began to unfocus, as if she were about to collapse and pass out the next second.

Ling Hao's heart also tightened, his fingers moved slightly, and he could almost not resist the urge to intervene and interrupt this cruel test...

Just on the verge of losing consciousness, Du Yuqing's tightly shut eyes suddenly opened a crack! In that crack, a burning, bone-deep hatred and an unyielding flame were visible.

She bit her lower lip hard, not even noticing when it started bleeding, and used a willpower that was almost self-destructive to forcefully stabilize her mind and body, straightening her back once again!

Time, amidst the extreme pulling of pain, slowly passed for half an hour. Finally, Ling Hao slowly withdrew his guiding power.

Du Yuqing's tensed body suddenly relaxed, and she panted heavily as if exhausted. Sweat soaked her hair, and she was completely drained, but when her eyes opened, they carried a brightness of having survived a disaster.

"Congratulations, you have passed the test."

A heartfelt smile appeared on Ling Hao's face. Du Yuqing also pulled out a tired and relieved smile:

"Is the next step... to practice the Cultivation Technique?"

Ling Hao pointed to the Lunar Essence Pool behind her, which was shrouded in dense mist, and said calmly: "That's right, the next step is practicing the Cultivation Technique. It's very simple; go into this Lunar Essence Pool and practice inside."

Du Yuqing followed his finger, and when her gaze touched the pool, which was rolling with the aura of Lunar Essence, the smile on her face froze instantly.

She looked at Ling Hao in disbelief, her eyes full of shock!

He wasn't joking, was he?! Just one drop of essence merging with her had left her hovering at the gates of death for half an hour!

This whole pool... it must contain thousands of drops, right?!

If she went in... could she come out alive?!

Ling Hao saw the fear in Du Yuqing's eyes and soothed her gently: "Do not worry. You see, this Lunar Essence gathers slowly. This pool water is not entirely essence; it has been diluted and blended."

He pointed to the water droplets dripping from the cliff. "Having endured the test of that single drop of pure Lunar Essence earlier, there is no threat to your life by practicing here."

"I will guide you in operating the Cultivation Technique, and at the same time, I will protect you with my spiritual power to help you adapt gradually."

"Of course," Ling Hao stared at Du Yuqing's hesitant face and gave her the final choice, "if you regret it now, you can also withdraw."

Du Yuqing's clenched teeth suddenly loosened, and her eyes instantly turned as firm as a rock! She said no more, turned directly to the edge of the Lunar Essence Pool, and cleanly untied her clothes.

Ling Hao felt a flash before his eyes. As her clothes slid off, two heavy, breathtakingly full, and rounded contours suddenly broke free from their restraints, appearing briefly in the swirling mist.

Those plump and rounded curves were faintly visible under the cover of the hazy water vapor, rippling alluringly with her movements as she stepped into the pool, like ripe, luscious fruits trembling gently behind a thin veil, instantly capturing all of Ling Hao's attention.

Hiss! Ling Hao's pupils constricted! No... you... you don't need to take off your clothes to enter the water!

His thoughts raced, but his mouth felt as if it were blocked, unable to shout a single word.

However, Ling Hao soon had no heart to appreciate it, for he saw Du Yuqing's back.

On her back, which should have been flawless, were covered with gruesome scars, both new and old, interlaced together. These scars looked like twisted centipedes, silently recounting the cruel hardships she had endured over these years while fighting Cultivators with her Mortal body.

Du Yuqing stepped into the pool, with only her head remaining above the swirling, milky mist.

The moment the pool water touched her skin... "Urgh—!"

A suppressed groan of extreme pain squeezed out from her gritted teeth! The intense pain caused her muscles to instantly tense up like iron.

Ling Hao immediately flashed behind her and sat cross-legged, his palms pressing firmly onto her cold, trembling shoulders as pure spiritual power flowed continuously into her.

"Discard all distracting thoughts! Guard your mind! Recite silently with me!"

Ling Hao's voice was like a great bell, carrying a strange power of calmness that struck her Sea of Consciousness, attempting to share the bone-eroding pain.

"The body is not just a vessel, but a dwelling of the Dao. Abandon the old habits of the Spiritual Root, break the barriers of the Qi Sea. Draw the pure lunar essence of the Nine Heavens... to reflect the true meaning of taiyin."

"Tribulation is not a disaster, but a hammer of heaven. Absorb the minute erosion lunar power... forge and cast a body immune to all calamities, achieving a Glazed Body of ultimate purity and hardness."

The mantra of the Cultivation Technique was only transmitted via Divine Thought at this moment, as Du Yuqing's entry into the Lunar Essence Pool had been too determined and sudden.

Ling Hao could now clearly feel the uncontrollable, violent trembling of the delicate body under his palms, as if it were enduring a thousand cuts.

"Hold on! If you can endure for one hour in the Lunar Essence Pool, the Origin Initiation Stage (Qi Refinement Stage) of the 'Pure World Glazed Body' will surely be accomplished!"

Ling Hao encouraged her in a deep voice, giving her a clear goal and great hope.

In the pool, Du Yuqing's consciousness floated and sank in the boundless waves of pain. Every inch of her skin and every meridian felt like it was being repeatedly pierced and torn by countless red-hot needles.

The bone-chilling destructive power and the Soul-scorching pain intertwined and raged, almost destroying her will completely.

Shuimu Pavilion... parents... blood feud...! The bone-deep images of hatred and the faces of her loved ones suddenly exploded in her consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse, like a torch lit in the darkness.

This is my only chance! The only hope for revenge! I must not fall! Even if my bones are crushed and my Divine Soul is torn apart, I must hold on! Hold on!

She gritted her teeth tightly, not letting go even as the taste of blood filled her mouth.

All her willpower turned into an invisible string, pulled taut, resisting the extreme pain that would have caused anyone else to collapse!