Body Tempering Realm mainly focuses on strengthening the bones and flesh, cleansing the tendons and marrow, laying a solid foundation for future cultivation.
There’s nothing particularly hard to grasp—if you put in the effort, no matter your talent, you can get through it.
But the Realms/Cultivation Stages after that are a different story.
Qi Refining, as it’s called, is about Guiding Qi into the Body, letting it flow through the meridians, gathering it in the dantian, nurturing the Life vortex, and accumulating LifeSpiritual Energy.
The speed at which you absorb Spiritual Energy depends on your Spiritual Root talent.
The higher the grade of your Spiritual Root, the faster you absorb Spiritual Energy, and the faster your Cultivation progresses.
“My Spiritual Root was originally a Profound Rank Low Grade Gold Spiritual Root, but after being refined by the Creation Mending Heaven Pill, it’s now Earth Rank Middle Grade.
My Cultivation speed has improved a lot!”
“An Earth Rank Middle Grade Spiritual Root is enough to make even Nascent Soul True Persons from the major Sects fight to take me as a disciple.
Now, in terms of talent, I’m not inferior to the True Disciples of any major Sect!” Xiao Minghuang thought to herself, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
The wonder of the Qi Refining Realm is that Spiritual Energy, unlike the physical body, can be released outside, taking on all sorts of forms for Battle.
Those with high Cultivation can even condense Sword Qi hundreds of feet long, cutting rivers, breaking water, slicing mountains flat.
So, the gap between Body Tempering Realm and Qi Refining Realm is both a watershed and a threshold.
Once you Guide Qi into the Body, you transcend the ordinary.
Xiao Minghuang was now just one step away from entering the Qi Refining Realm.
“I just need a little more of a push.”
Xiao Minghuang murmured softly, then got up and pushed open the door.
It was early morning, and the bright sunlight shone on the young woman’s crystal-clear skin, making her look as dazzling as a star, her whole body seeming to glow.
Ye Ruoshui, who had just walked over, saw this scene and her heart skipped a beat, staring in a daze.
“Your Highness… so beautiful…”
Seeing Ye Ruoshui standing there like a statue, Xiao Minghuang walked over and smiled, “What are you spacing out for?”
Her voice was as clear and pleasant as a bubbling spring.
Ye Ruoshui clenched her little hands in her sleeves, her face turning red.
“N-nothing…”
Xiao Minghuang glanced at Ye Ruoshui and noticed that the once petite Small Servant Girl seemed to have grown a bit, her skin even fairer and more delicate, rosy and glowing, not at all inferior to a newborn baby.
Of course, compared to herself, there was still a big gap.
After all, Ye Ruoshui only took a Mysterious Grade Pill, while she had taken a Heaven-Grade Pill.
“How did you feel after taking the Pill I gave you yesterday?”
At the mention of this, Ye Ruoshui’s face lit up, her eyes crinkling with joy.
“After taking Your Highness’s Pill, my skin became whiter and more elastic, and I feel a lot stronger too!”
Xiao Minghuang just smiled.
The Essence Replenishing Pill was meant to strengthen the foundation and cleanse the marrow, so what Ye Ruoshui described was just a minor side effect.
The real benefit was improving her Talent.
“I’ll take you to test your Spiritual Root talent again when there’s time.”
Ye Ruoshui didn’t really understand what her Highness was talking about, but as long as her Highness said it, it must be right.
All she had to do was listen.
The two were chatting happily when voices came from outside the courtyard.
“Chen San, why do we always get stuck with corpse collecting? When will we get transferred to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs? If Eunuch Wang would just give us a word of advice, we’d be set for life!”
“Keep dreaming.
People like us, with no connections and no Spirit Stones, are destined to work hard our whole lives.
If we just do our jobs, maybe the higher-ups will toss us a few Spirit Stones, and if we Breakthrough to Qi Refining Realm, we might live a few years longer.”
“You’re right!”
Before the words had faded, the sound of a lock being opened came.
The door creaked, and the scene in the courtyard appeared before the two eunuchs.
Xiao Minghuang stood in the courtyard in a bright yellow dress, tall and radiant, more elegant than ever.
There was even a faint, hard-to-pin-down aura coming from the Ninth Princess.
The sight nearly made the two eunuchs’ eyes pop out.
“You! You… are you a person or a ghost?!”
Chen San’s eyes widened, full of disbelief.
Xiao Minghuang chuckled and said lightly, “If I’m not a person, am I a ghost?”
Seeing that Xiao Minghuang was not only alive but had improved her Cultivation, the two eunuchs didn’t dare hesitate and immediately knelt down.
“Servants pay respects to Ninth Princess Your Highness!”
“Get up.”
The two eunuchs stood, trembling under Xiao Minghuang’s presence.
“Since you’re here, I don’t have to make a trip.
Go back and tell whoever’s in charge: not only am I alive, I’ve received guidance from a master and Broken through to Body Tempering Ninth Level.
I’m just one step away from Qi Refining Realm!”
At these words,
the two eunuchs were shocked!
Body Tempering Ninth Level!
You have to know, among the Royal Family, the most talented Sixth Prince only reached Body Tempering Ninth Level at eighteen, burning through who knows how many Spirit Stones and Pills.
As for the Second Prince, who has the highest Cultivation, that’s just because he’s been practicing longer—he can’t be compared to a young princess like the Ninth Princess.
Seven days ago, the Ninth Princess’s meridians were all broken, her Cultivation ruined! Now, she’s suddenly reached the peak of Body Tempering Ninth Level! What kind of master could do that?
The two eunuchs were too inexperienced to figure it out, and left trembling.
The courtyard returned to peace.
Ye Ruoshui looked at Xiao Minghuang with admiration.
“Congratulations, Your Highness, on recovering your Cultivation and advancing further!”
Xiao Minghuang patted Ye Ruoshui’s soft hair and smiled, “It’s all thanks to you!”
Ye Ruoshui was confused.
Her Highness had great Luck/Fortune and was helped by a master—shouldn’t she be thanking that mysterious Senior? Why say it was thanks to her?
…
Imperial Palace, Hall of Central Extremity.
A middle-aged man with a stern face, dressed in dragon robes, sat on the throne.
Below him stood an old man with white hair and a wrinkled face, beardless—Xia Emperor and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs’ Great Eunuch, Wang Jin.
Xia Emperor spoke with a hint of doubt, “Did the Ninth (Prince/Princess) really Breakthrough to Body Tempering Ninth Level? This is a big deal.
You must get to the bottom of it—don’t speak carelessly!”
Wang Jin replied respectfully, “It’s absolutely true.
At first, I didn’t believe it either, so I went to check in secret.
I saw the Ninth Princess move, and there was a faint Spiritual Energy fluctuation.
She’s clearly just one step away from Qi Refining Realm!”
“If that’s the case, do you have any guesses about this mysterious ‘master’?”
Wang Jin thought for a moment and answered cautiously, “Has there been any news from the one in the Imperial Mausoleum in recent years?”
At this, a sharp light flashed in Xia Emperor’s eyes.
“You mean, the Old Ancestor…”
“I misspoke.
Even though Great Xia is remote, it’s possible a high-level Cultivator passed through and left behind…”
“Enough!” Xia Emperor’s face calmed, clearly having made up his mind.
He said slowly, “Ten years ago, the Old Ancestor sent word that his Lifespan was almost up.
Before he died, he would choose an heir from the Royal Family to pass on all his knowledge.”
“I always thought he’d pick the most talented Sixth Prince or the Second Prince with the highest Cultivation, but I never expected him to choose the youngest Ninth (Prince/Princess).”
Wang Jin’s heart trembled.
The pillar of Great Xia, the only Spirit Seed Realm Old Ancestor, was nearing the end of his Lifespan.
If this news got out, the entire Xia Kingdom would be torn apart by enemies in an instant.
“Rest assured, Your Majesty.
I’ll take this secret to my grave!”
“If I’m telling you, it means I trust you.”
Xia Emperor said in a low voice, “Don’t make any moves regarding the Ninth (Prince/Princess) for now.
I’ll go to the Imperial Mausoleum myself.
If it’s confirmed she’s the Old Ancestor’s chosen heir, I’ll make arrangements then.”
“As you command, Your Majesty!”
