Chapter 574 - 379: So Sparse

The day after Jiang Zhe and his companions departed. Once all the paperwork for the case, both for the sect and the Inspector General’s office in the Prefecture City, was finalized, Wang Shuliang also left.

However, Yuanye and his thousand iron cavalry were still guarding the city gates and various outposts.

Looking at those heavy armored soldiers, with their armor gleaming in the sunlight, the people of Xianggu County remained anxious.

After the case concluded, Ximen Kankan and Liu Shushan left.

After all, they had been in the sect for three years, and had only just returned home to reunite with their families for a few days before being summoned by Duan Rong.

However, their trip wasn’t in vain, as they contributed to a major case, and were documented in the records. This would greatly benefit their advancement to Inner Sect Disciples in three years’ time.

Shen Mizi, seeing Xiao Yu’s low spirits, stayed to keep her company for a few more days.

From the case to the burial of Xiao Zongting, Duan Rong had been exceedingly busy during this period.

This day, he finally found some time to relax.

In a secluded room within the West Gate Mansion, Duan Rong sat cross-legged on a couch behind a screen, focusing on his breathing and energy cultivation.

On the day Wei Ziyan was besieged, he had devoured the Weapon Spirit from Shen Qing’s weapon.

It was the first level of the Six Harmonies Saber, a martial arts technique in the Primordial Qi Realm.

The Artifact Spirit had been fully digested and absorbed on the same day, but until now, Duan Rong finally had the opportunity to study this martial art in the Primordial Qi Realm.

The first level of the Six Harmonies Saber had been completely integrated into Duan Rong’s Divine Soul.

At this moment, he was thoroughly acquainted with the Qi Circulation Technique of the Six Harmonies Saber.

Duan Rong followed the Qi Circulation path outlined in his mind and began practicing his breathing. Half an hour later, he opened his eyes in shock.

"The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi... is so thin?!"

After Duan Rong started his Qi Circulation according to the Six Harmonies Saber technique and entered the state, he could sense the presence of the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

However, in the room where he was, there were only two strands, floating like fine hairs of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

A thought flashed through Duan Rong’s mind, and his Divine Sense suddenly expanded.

At this moment, his surprise deepened!

In the vast space covered by his Divine Sense, under the dusky twilight, there were only a dozen strands of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi lingering there...

Duan Rong couldn’t help but chuckle.

Was it so thin that one could even count it?!

To say it’s thin would be praising it too much. In truth, the right description should be that in this place, the Primordial Qi is almost non-existent or extremely scarce.

With the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi being this scarce, even though Duan Rong was proficient with the first-level technique, he was unable to break through to the Primordial Qi Realm.

It was only now that Duan Rong remembered how, on that day, whenever Jiang Zhe and his companions practiced Qi Circulation, they would open a Black Jade Box exuding cold air, and take out something that looked like "candied fruit on a skewer" to consume.

Although Duan Rong didn’t know what it was, he speculated that it must contain an extremely dense amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

In fact, about the thin Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi in the Mortal World, Duan Rong had already read about it in the sect’s Scripture Repository, but he never expected it to be this thin.

This isn’t thin; it’s practically non-existent!

Duan Rong then thought of another reason – it might be due to Xianggu County being too remote.

Within the sect, specifically in the Changling Mountains, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was still quite dense.

And the densest place was the twisted-space Underworld.

In reality, in this realm, the Heavenly Dao Laws could no longer spawn Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. This was the fundamental reason for the scarcity of the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

The true source of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi is within the space of the Divine Demon Ruins.

Because the Heavenly Dao Laws within the Divine Demon Ruins differ from those of this realm, it continually produces Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, spreading it outward...

The twisted-space Underworld is a mysterious space formed over endless ages due to the mutual erosion between the Heavenly Dao Laws of the Divine Demon Ruins and those of this realm. Its Heavenly Dao Laws differ from both the Divine Demon Ruins and this realm, forming an independent different space.

Thus, the concentration of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi throughout Qingzhou should be densest at the center of the Changling Mountain Range, gradually decreasing as it spreads outward.

With Xianggu County being so remote, far from central influence, the local Primordial Qi is near non-existent.

While Duan Rong was thinking about this, a knocking sound came from the door.

He jumped off the bed and walked over leisurely to open the door.

He saw Zhu Xiaoqi standing outside, holding a food box.

She was petite, and the food box wasn’t large, but it seemed quite big in her hands.

Duan Rong stepped aside, allowing Zhu Xiaoqi to carry the food box inside.

She placed the food box on the table and immediately took out two plates of pastries, smiling as she said, "Miss Yu personally made these and asked me to bring them to you. One plate of Osmanthus Cake, one plate of Rose Pastry."

Duan Rong looked at Zhu Xiaoqi.

She was still wearing mourning clothes, looking simple and neat. Yet, her eyes were bright, with lips like peeled lychees, a faint smile gracing her mouth.

Duan Rong asked, "How is she feeling lately? I saw her secretly wiping tears yesterday. How did she suddenly get the mood to make pastries today?"

Zhu Xiaoqi sighed and said, "In recent days, Miss Shen often kept her company, cheering her up somewhat. But after Miss Shen left the day before yesterday, she became a bit down again. So, I thought of teaching her to make pastries to help her pass the time."