Chapter 253

The Qi Refining path.

Above the vast sea.

“Fellow Daoist Zhan, I have other urgent matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave here.”

Fang Qing departed in great haste, bidding farewell without hesitation and leaving Zhan Hongxiu standing there in a daze, still preparing to say a few more words.

'Hmph... This brat grabbed a huge advantage and ran off immediately. Truly shameless.'

Old Turtle's disgruntled snort echoed within her sea of consciousness.

“Senior Turtle... Fellow Daoist Bai is certainly not that sort of person. He must genuinely have something important to do.”

Out of habit, Zhan Hongxiu immediately came to Fellow Daoist Bai's defense.

'Hmph... I think you're simply taking the outsider's side. Fortunately, we obtained the Azure Emperor Wood this time. Otherwise, we would have suffered a tremendous loss.'

Senior Turtle continued muttering endlessly.

Whoosh!

The moment Fang Qing left the range of Zhan Hongxiu's divine sense, he immediately tore through the void and entered the Great Void.

The Great Void was dark and desolate.

Only silver-white spatial currents drifted endlessly through the darkness.

Looking upon this boundless expanse, Fang Qing's expression turned grave.

“There is a Great Void within Grotto Heavens as well. The only difference is that it does not connect to the outside world.”

“Judging from this, the so-called ascension at the Soul Transformation realm is simply escaping from the blockade of the Great Void and reaching the world beyond?”

“Heh... Escaping from the honest and peaceful Eastern Sea cultivation world only to end up in that wretched place known as Ancient Shu?”

“We cultivators have spent our entire lives pursuing immortality. What exactly have we been striving for?”

Standing silently within the Great Void, he began a thorough review of everything he had done on the Qi Refining path.

“That secret realm was probably not bait... And neither were those spiritual herbs and treasures. If the existence upon [Fang Sun] still possessed awareness, they would have descended long ago.”

“Throughout history, there has never been a single recorded case of a Soul Transformation cultivator ascending through the Qi Refining path and then returning.”

“But to be safe, it would be best to store these items somewhere first. Especially anything related to Venerable Fuyu. Under no circumstances can I bring those things into Ancient Shu.”

Fang Qing calculated with his fingers.

“This Soul Transformation cultivator from the Zhoutian Star Palace ascended over ten thousand years ago. Yet Venerable Fuyu of the Blissful Union Sect achieved Golden Core after the beginning of the Recent Antiquity Calendar. There is a gap of more than a thousand years between those events...”

“Was that the time he spent converting to the Qi Ingestion Path, quietly accumulating his foundations before ultimately achieving Golden Core?”

This Golden Core True Lord of the Blissful Union Sect was connected to far too many ancient secrets.

The more Fang Qing learned, the stronger his urge became to dissect the man and uncover everything hidden within.

'No... Perhaps I should reexamine the cultivation methods of the Qi Refining path from the beginning.'

With a wave of his hand, jade slips appeared one after another.

There were the most basic Five Elements cultivation methods used for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment.

Then came the Blue Sea Technique, the Devouring Sea Art, the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Scripture, and many others.

Suddenly, Fang Qing's expression shifted.

He retrieved a cultivation manual that he had always kept hidden away as one of his greatest treasures.

It was none other than the Great Sun True Explanation.

“The ancient methods of the Qi Ingestion path... gathering qi directly from heaven and earth and forging one's own Dao Foundation.”

“The cultivation methods of the Qi Refining path require no True Artifact to begin cultivation. As long as one possesses spiritual roots, one may cultivate...”

He looked at the ancient Qi Ingestion method, which he still could not properly cultivate.

Then he looked at the Five Elements foundational technique, which claimed that anyone with spiritual roots could begin cultivating immediately.

A startling thought suddenly emerged in his mind.

'No way...'

'Could these Qi Refining cultivation methods be simplified versions of the ancient Qi Ingestion methods?'

'If that's true... then this entire world and cultivation system might simply be a testing ground for simplified cultivation methods.'

'No wonder no new Qi Ingestion methods were ever passed down.'

“But it seems they simplified things too much.”

“Entering the path became incomparably easy, but all subsequent content regarding Dao Foundations and divine abilities vanished completely. Everything afterward is simply the endless accumulation of spiritual power...”

Fang Qing's expression shifted as he recalled something Old Turtle had once revealed.

The cultivation beyond Soul Transformation was known as Refining Spirit and Integrating with the Dao.

“Could this so-called Refining Spirit and Integrating with the Dao refer to refining divine abilities and merging with a Dao Fruit?”

“If that is the case, then the Qi Refining path emphasizes ease of entry and the accumulation of momentum.”

“Only after reaching Soul Transformation does one finally begin dealing with divine abilities and the way toward Golden Core.”

His thoughts turned toward Venerable Fuyu once again.

“Why was he ultimately the one who successfully achieved Golden Core?”

“The foundation of Soul Transformation must have been indispensable...”

“In that case, the Qi Refining path still possesses its own advantages.”

“And that final ascension ritual... Could it actually be a unique method of achieving Golden Core?”

This was not merely idle speculation.

The ancient Qi Ingestion methods emphasized sensing a Golden Position and naturally nurturing divine abilities.

The new Qi Refining methods, however, appeared to omit that process entirely.

Or perhaps...

They deliberately used the Primordial Beginning Heaven as a barrier, placing countless obstacles in the way.

Cultivators then accumulated momentum through True Core, Nascent Soul, and Soul Transformation.

Only after reaching Soul Transformation would they ascend into the world of the Qi Ingestion path.

At that point, they would be a blank sheet of paper.

They could freely sense any Golden Position they wished, condense the corresponding divine ability, and calmly achieve Golden Core.

“The Soul Transformation realm should stand above Purple Mansion, yet below a True Lord.”

“With such overwhelming foundations and momentum, comprehending divine abilities within the Qi Ingestion Path would proceed at a thousand miles per day.”

“What a brilliant idea.”

“Unfortunately... it seems nobody remained in control of the project afterward, allowing the results to be stolen by someone else...”

His thoughts returned to the theory he had jokingly called the College Entrance Examination Golden Core Theory.

“According to that theory, ascension after Soul Transformation is equivalent to receiving bonus points on the examination.”

“Not just a few points, either.”

“Perhaps twenty. Perhaps thirty.”

“Universal bonus points that can be applied anywhere.”

“If that's really the case, then Venerable Fuyu's success in achieving Golden Core was practically inevitable.”

Fang Qing's expression became solemn.

“And then there is the most dangerous question of all...”

“Within this Grotto Heaven that appears to be the Primordial Beginning Heaven... are there any surviving Golden Core True Lord?”

“I personally suspect there are none.”

“Otherwise, after all the outrageous things I've done, they would have captured me long ago, searched my soul, and taken all my treasures.”

“Or perhaps there are some...”

“But they remain asleep.”

“Or perhaps... they actually bear me no ill will?”

“Wait!”

A sudden thought flashed through Fang Qing's mind.

He suddenly thought of a question.

'The Qi Ingestion path has no heavenly lightning tribulations, while the Qi Refining path does. Could there really be a [Lightning Bolt], [Black Lightning], or [Lightning Tribulation] Divine Position hidden within the Primordial Beginning Heaven?'

As for the infusion of cultivation that came after a lightning tribulation, it functioned in both worlds. It had once been a minor puzzle to him, but now Fang Qing no longer found it strange at all.

Because they were originally governed by the same heavenly laws.

Naturally, they were compatible.

Even the divine abilities and Duzi divine statuses of the Qi Ingestion path functioned perfectly well on this side for the same reason.

'If that's the case... did I cultivate the wrong path?'

'Why am I wasting time cultivating this miserable Water Virtue path? I should have become a lightning cultivator instead!'

'Who knows, maybe in the future I could directly attain the Dao of Lightning within this Grotto Heaven, and nobody would even compete with me for it!'

'Of course, this is only speculation. If no [Lightning] Divine Position exists, then forget it. At worst, I'll simply cultivate an additional lightning art.'

The void split apart.

Fang Qing arrived upon a barren island devoid of spiritual qi.

A streak of sword light flashed back and forth, slicing through stone as easily as tofu and quickly carving out a temporary cave dwelling.

Entering it, he sat down cross-legged and sighed before taking out the harvest from this secret realm.

Numerous ingredients for refining the Nascent Condensation Pill.

A flood dragon inner core, dragon blood, dragon sinews.

Three Thousand Weak Water.

The Abyss Eye Pearl, Heaven-Listening Bell, Clearheart Cushion, Soul-Nourishing Prayer Beads...

As well as the thousand-year spirit herbs, third-rank spiritual materials, and Core Formation treasures he had casually gathered from the outer regions.

'So many treasures. Several of them are even beneficial for forming a Nascent Soul. Throwing them away is out of the question.'

After performing a divination and obtaining an extremely auspicious result, Fang Qing finally relaxed somewhat.

'Besides, considering how recklessly I've been acting on the Qi Refining side. if a True Lord had truly noticed me, I would've been under observation long ago. And if no one has noticed me, then I'm simply worrying over nothing.'

'There's no point wasting mental energy on it.'

He circulated the Devouring Sea Art and looked first at the third-rank high-grade flood dragon inner core.

'This inner core is brimming with medicinal power. Once I digest it, my mid-stage Core Formation cultivation should advance by a considerable amount.'

Theoretically speaking, a third-rank high-grade flood dragon was already capable of contending with Core Formation perfection cultivators.

Its death at Fang Qing's hands this time was entirely due to the Water-Parting Ring perfectly countering its Weak Water divine abilities, combined with Zhan Hongxiu's assistance and the surprise attack of a third-rank high-grade Myriad Transformation Thunder Pearl.

Otherwise, a late-stage or perfected Core Formation flood dragon would, in terms of the Qi Ingestion path, be comparable to a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator.

Far beyond what Fang Qing, who was only barely equivalent to an early Purple Mansion cultivator, could challenge head-on.

'Then again, even in Ancient Shu, if an early Purple Mansion cultivator came from a major orthodoxy and possessed several Purple Mansion treasures, defeating a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator of the Earth, Wood, or Water lineages wasn't impossible.'

'Not to mention that this flood dragon was merely a demon beast. It relied almost entirely on the advantages of its body and natal divine abilities. That made it far easier to counter.'

'Cultivator battles are far more complicated. Dao arts, treasures, divine abilities, and even differences in temperament can completely alter the outcome of a fight at any moment.'

'Unless it's a complete crushing match, like a late-stage Purple Mansion Great Spiritual Master bullying an early Purple Mansion cultivator.'

'On the Qi Refining side, that would be equivalent to a Nascent Soul old monster ambushing a Core Formation cultivator. At that point, no cultivation lineage or treasure would matter much.'

Fang Qing silently grumbled while examining the dragon pearl.

The aura it emitted vaguely resembled that of the Tide-Birth Pearl. It was slightly translucent, and within it a dark green flood dragon appeared to coil and swim.

He silently activated the Devouring Sea Art.

The core power of his mid-stage Core Formation cultivation surged forth, transforming into a black hole that swallowed the flood dragon pearl whole.

'Even if there's a problem, I can simply refine it and use the Dao-Genesis Pearl to convert everything back into primordial qi. That settles everything.'

'Back when I first stepped onto the Dao path, I wasn't afraid of hidden dangers at all.'

'The older one grows in the cultivation world, the smaller one's courage becomes.'

'Perhaps it's because I've accumulated far too many possessions worth protecting.'

Boom!

The moment the flood dragon pearl entered his abdomen, Fang Qing felt the Devouring Sea Art begin operating at a speed far beyond normal.

Crash! Crash!

Layers of gray-black mist spread from his body.

Within the mist appeared the phantoms of countless demon kings.

Roar! Roar!

Accompanied by the cry of a flood dragon, a dark green dragon soul emerged, faintly carrying the bearing of a ruler commanding countless demon spirits.

'As expected of a flood dragon.'

'Among sea demon beasts, they truly stand at the apex. They are born with the ability to command others.'

As the flood dragon soul continued condensing, Fang Qing could not help feeling pleased.

'Once this flood dragon soul fully takes shape, the black mist generated by my Devouring Sea Art alone will probably become a powerful trump card in Core Formation combat.'

'This is the might of a top-tier cultivation method.'

Feeling the mana within his body continue to soar, Fang Qing nodded in satisfaction before taking out the Abyss Eye Pearl.

'This pearl originally possessed an extremely high rank. It was probably refined by some Nascent Soul old monster who cultivated the Devouring Sea Art.'

'Unfortunately, it encountered that Venerable Fuyu...'

Fang Qing shook his head.

Sensing the decline in the pearl's rank, he did not hesitate to expend a portion of his true core origin essence to refine it.

In an instant, he felt a cool current rise from his dantian and travel upward toward the Niwan Palace between his brows.

Fang Qing touched his forehead.

A black mark had unexpectedly appeared there.

With a slight movement of his mana, the black mark split open, transforming into a pitch-black vertical eye.

In that instant, the range of his divine sense expanded dramatically.

From its original radius of ten li, it spread to twenty li, then thirty li!

'Excellent.'

'With this level of divine sense, even late-stage Core Formation cultivators would not surpass me by much.'

'As for divine sense capable of covering a hundred li... that is a level only Nascent Soul old monsters can reach.'