Chapter 269: Dongming

Chapter 269 -257: Dongming

‘From this, I can infer that if I encounter a Cultivator with a higher Cultivation level than mine in the future, I’ll be able to get a rough idea of their strength from their Qi Mechanism. Before, I could only guess.’

“Senior Brother, what are you looking at?” Xu Baoling, of course, assumed he was looking at her body.

Chen Qingyang shook his head. “It’s nothing. I have to go out again. I’ll leave everything in the courtyard to you.”

Xu Baoling replied, “Don’t worry, Senior Brother.”

He traveled by Wind Control through the rainy night.

He flew some distance away from the great peaks, found a secluded spot, and prepared to break through from the Essence Condensation Fifth Realm.

Outside Cyan Bamboo Peak, the world was a kingdom of snow, the sky a vast expanse of white.

He found an ancient pine tree, sat down beneath it, and adjusted his Qi Mechanism, making up for the slight deficiency in his Danxia Nourishing Truth Sword Manual.

Instantly, the True Essence throughout his body pulsed. A current of heat surged from within, passing through the five acupoint Qi Vortexes and drawing on their power before finally settling in the center of his torso. This was the Dongming Acupoint.

At that moment, Chen Qingyang’s demand for Spiritual Qi skyrocketed. An unceasing wind gathered around him, even whipping up the vast blankets of snow. This great commotion was precisely why he had chosen to break through far from anyone else.

This Spiritual Qi then entered his body, and after undergoing Refinement in his Meridians, it all surged toward the Dongming Acupoint.

The subsequent evolution and the replenishment of his True Essence would have to be left to time.

The sun rose and set six times. As it rose for the seventh time, a crimson dawn, the Dongming Acupoint in the center of his torso suddenly burst open, forming a brand-new Qi Vortex that began absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Qi.

The strength of the True Essence in his body rose to a new level.

This Dongming Acupoint, in particular, was a veritable mansion for qi; it could gather spirit to accelerate cultivation and strengthen the physical body. From this point on, his Cultivation speed would double, allowing his mortal body to walk the path of transcendence. It also served as a crucial node for Refining Essence into Qi.

The saying, “Nature’s spiritual energy enters my body. With a single moment of Enlightenment, the Dongming Mansion opens. I walk this path, returning to the origin and truth, to be a mortal no more, but an immortal,” spoke precisely of this Dongming Acupoint.

This was the Sixth of the Nine Acupoints of Ascension. It served as a crucial link, connecting what came before with what was to come, bridging Yin and Yang. It was like the master switch for all the Acupoints of the Whole Body; once opened, its wondrous uses were limitless.

From this day forward, Chen Qingyang’s Cultivation would take a tremendous leap, shifting from a focus on quantity to one of quality.

When he and Lin Qingxuan had ambushed that Essence Condensation Sixth Realm Cultivator, he had been injured by the golden light that shot from the man’s abdomen. Aside from the power of the cultivator’s Armor-Protecting Treasure, it was also due to the sheer abundance of Primordial Energy within his Dongming Mansion.

Using Introspection, he saw the Qi Mechanism surging within this “mansion.” It was incredibly vast, seeming to exist outside his body, yet connecting to another world entirely.

And just like that, his Cultivation broke through.

[Essence Condensation Six Realms]

He looked at the small golden text again, confirming everything was in order.

He sat for another moment, breathing deeply. The True Qi in his body was still not replenished. ‘The amount required is truly massive.’

He then used a technique from the Great Soul Scripture to adjust his Qi Mechanism, making him appear to be in the Essence Condensation First Realm. After returning to his small courtyard to wash up and change his clothes, he finally headed for Four Golden Peaks.

The breakthrough had taken more than ten days. He still had many Elixirs to Refine this month. ‘I’m just so busy.’

It was still early in the morning when he arrived at the entrance of the Yun Ci High-rise Tower. Qingfeng was the one who came out to greet him.

Before heading up, Chen Qingyang asked, “How has the Master been lately?”

Qingfeng shook his head gently. “Still the same. She’s been in seclusion and forbids any of us from disturbing her. I’ve followed the Master for a long time, and it’s rare to see her this dejected.”

Although his master was strict, she was extremely good to her Disciples. It was clear that Qingfeng, too, was feeling down.

“Don’t worry. Fortune favors the virtuous.” ‘My Elixir is arriving at just the right time. I hope it has some effect.’

“Could I trouble you to announce me, Junior Brother?”

“Of course. Please wait a moment, Senior Brother.”

A short while later, Qingfeng led Chen Qingyang up to the fourth floor.

The Master was seated just as he had seen her last time. The surrounding flames emitted a golden glow, and within that bright light was the elegant figure of a woman in a wide Daoist Robe.

This time, he didn’t stare at Yun Ci as he had before. Chen Qingyang first bowed in salute and said, “This Disciple pays his respects to the Master!”

For some reason, ever since their last meeting, she always seemed to pause for a moment before speaking to him. This time was no different. “Mm.”

Just a soft “mm” and nothing more.

Chen Qingyang took out a Brocade Box. Inside was the Tier Five Elixir he had been saving.

He had originally named this Elixir ‘Qianxue Soul Return’ in memory of a certain Immortal Fate, wanting to awaken his childhood sweetheart to whom he had been betrothed before birth. He’d thought of it as a milestone on his path of Cultivation.

‘Now, instead of being used for Li Qianxue, it’s being given to Yun Ci first.’

“May I know… the name of this Elixir?”

Chen Qingyang shook his head. “Master, you should first see if it’s effective. I have many secrets, and this Elixir is one of them. I don’t wish for others to know, so I ask for the Master’s forgiveness.”

“Then… very well.” The words seemed tinged with resignation.

‘In his presence, it’s as if the Master is no longer a Master, but has become much more approachable.’

Still with her back to Chen Qingyang, she first straightened her crossed legs, and naturally, her pair of Jade Feet were revealed.

Slender and graceful.

Even a faint, cyan vein was particularly prominent. ‘So this is another benefit of cultivating the Ice Skin Jade Bone Technique,’ he thought.

She then stepped lightly onto the floor, her long hair loose about her shoulders, framing a delicate and small-featured face. Her complexion was a bit pale, and her expression still held a trace of gloom.

She extended a slender, jade-like hand before Chen Qingyang, palm facing up. “Give it here.”

Chen Qingyang placed the Elixir in her palm. The Master consumed it right in front of him. A rosy glow seemed to suffuse her face, and with her eyes slightly closed, she stood there before him for a long time.

When she opened her eyes again, they seemed to hold a divine light. “You…”

She sounded excited but quickly reined it in. “This Elixir is effective. Can you tell me its name now?”

Chen Qingyang said, “Master Liu Pei of Cyan Bamboo Peak gifted me a partial formula for the Glazed Heaven Repairing Pill. I studied and improved upon it, and have now managed to create a Tier Five version. As for the Elixir’s name…”

He hesitated for a moment. “It’s called ‘Soul Return’.”

Yun Ci stared at him, her eyes holding the same strange look as the first time he had held her in his arms. “You Refined this yourself… You truly do have many secrets. Tell me, what are your conditions?”

Chen Qingyang took another Elixir from his sleeve. “There’s no rush. Master, please take this one as well.”

This time, she pinched it between two fingers, examining the Elixir closely. “Though I do not understand the Alchemy Dao, I can clearly feel the power contained within this Elixir. Its ability to repair the Divine Soul is beyond compare.”

“The various Qi Mechanisms are blended together, placing extremely high demands on the Pill Master, and it’s an incredibly difficult pill to form. How could you possibly Refine so many at once?”

Unable to hold back, she voiced her doubts.

Chen Qingyang chuckled, his expression softening. “Master, let’s just say I’m exceptionally talented in the Alchemy Dao. Please, hurry and take it.”

“Mm.” Another Elixir went down. She stood silently for another moment, waiting for the rosy glow to fade.

Chen Qingyang asked her, “In your judgment, Master, if you had enough of these Elixirs, how long would it take to restore your Cultivation?”

At this, the joy on Yun Ci’s face faded slightly. “If I took one every three days, I estimate it would take two or three years. That’s far too long. Besides, I don’t have that many Elixirs. What you’ve done is already a great help. I promised you one favor, and I will honor it.”

Chen Qingyang shook his head. “That won’t do. It seems the tier of my Elixir is still too low. If I could raise it by one more tier, I estimate it wouldn’t take much time at all!”

Suddenly, a smile bloomed on Yun Ci’s face, becoming the only radiant thing in the dim palace. “How could it be that easy? To have achieved this level of mastery with only an Essence Condensation Fifth Realm Cultivation… you’re already a genius.”

Chen Qingyang handed her the remaining three Elixirs. “I have three more right here. It’s no big deal; I can just bring the Master more in the future.”

Holding them in her hand, Yun Ci was truly both amazed and puzzled.

‘On the one hand, Chen Qingyang seems to treat these Elixirs as if they were commonplace, pulling them out from an inexhaustible supply. On the other hand, why is he going to such lengths for me? I never showed him any particular kindness in the past.’

‘How strange.’

Lost in thought, she gave Chen Qingyang another deep look.

Little did she know that her own unaccomplished Disciple, Xu Baoling, regularly used this very same Elixir to advance her Cultivation.

While Yun Ci was lost in her doubts, Chen Qingyang’s voice sounded. “Master, I do actually have a problem right now, and I was hoping you might lend a hand.”

‘Heh! So he did have conditions after all.’