bookbashuk Chapter 26 Unveiling the Curtain
Chapter 26 Unveiling the Curtain
After Li Qingyi had a basic grasp of the first level of "True Explanation of Swordsmanship", she was able to understand the essence of the second level when she studied it, unlike at first when it was like reading a book written in heaven.
However, the more profound parts that follow remain obscure and difficult to understand, as if separated by an invisible barrier.
"It seems that this technique emphasizes gradual progress; only with a solid foundation can one truly master it."
Li Qingyi understood and began to study the contents of the second level.
According to the description of the technique, when the first level is completed, the twelve meridians in the body should be filled with pure sword energy, like a rushing river, ready to be unleashed.
The second level, "Sword Intent Transformation," requires carefully dispersing this surging sword energy into the more profound and unpredictable Eight Extraordinary Meridians—
Among the Chong, Ren, Du, Dai, Yin Qiao, Yang Qiao, Yin Wei, and Yang Wei.
Ultimately, guided by his own will and forged by his divine sense, he gathered the sword energy scattered throughout his eight meridians and his own sword intent into his dantian, condensing the core prototype of his natal sword embryo.
The mantra is: "The mind travels through the eight meridians to the dantian, and the heart furnace condenses the embryo to reach the primordial brightness."
But at this moment, Li Qingyi's brows were furrowed.
He looked inward and found that the sword energy in the twelve meridians was far from being as abundant as a river, and even seemed somewhat thin.
"It seems that the previous accumulation was not enough."
He understood immediately, calmed his mind, and began to circulate his cultivation technique, drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to refine it into invisible sword energy, which slowly filled his twelve meridians.
Whether it was because his body had adapted or because of the miraculous nature of the technique itself, when he refined sword energy into his body again, he no longer experienced the excruciating pain he had felt at the beginning.
On the contrary, as the sword energy gradually filled his meridians, he felt a strange sense of comfort, as if a shriveled sponge had been moistened.
For the next few days, he stayed indoors.
Whenever his magical power was restored, he would draw two golden body talismans for emergencies. In this way, he gradually accumulated more than ten talismans with spiritual light in his hands.
After his mana was depleted, he focused on refining the sword energy.
After seven days of arduous practice, one of the twelve main meridians has been filled with pure sword energy.
Correspondingly, the number of invisible sword energies he could unleash also increased by one.
What delighted him even more was that as he continued to draw talismans, consuming and replenishing his mana, the mana within his body became increasingly pure and mellow, showing faint signs of advancing towards the fourth level of Qi Refining.
Li Qingyi exhaled a long breath, feeling the increasing power within her body, and finally felt more confident.
"A storm is brewing... It's anyone's guess how this situation will unfold."
He muttered to himself, looked up at the window, and saw the morning light piercing through the thin mist, the sky about to brighten.
With a thought, he dispelled the disguise he had been maintaining for so long, got up and changed into a clean blue robe.
"Li Qingyi, Li Qingyi... Since the name is Qingyi, one should wear green clothes to match the name."
The boy in the mirror was radiant, with bright eyes and a handsome face that captivated the heart.
Li Qingyi examined herself in the mirror for a moment, a slight smile playing on her lips:
"It does indeed have a touch of...a celestial being descending to earth."
After admiring himself for a moment, he used his disguise technique again, restoring Qin Feng's ordinary and unremarkable appearance.
Meanwhile, she silently counted the time in her mind, and as soon as it was fully light, Qin Xiyue's distinctive footsteps rang out outside right on time.
Li Qingyi nodded slightly, "It really is punctual, exactly the same as in the simulation."
He pushed open the door and saw Ling'er already standing quietly in the courtyard, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.
When Qin Xiyue and Ling'er saw Li Qingyi walk out, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.
How come he... seems like a completely different person?
At this moment, Li Qingyi exuded an undeniable sharpness, like a sword about to be drawn, its edge gradually revealed.
"Let's go," Li Qingyi said first.
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiyue gave him a deep look, but without asking any further questions, she simply nodded, turned around, and led the two of them swiftly toward their predetermined destination.
As dawn broke, the streets were deserted and eerily quiet.
Only a few houses had dim candlelight shining through their windows.
Li Qingyi could sense a suffocating atmosphere, like the calm before a storm.
During the journey, Li Qingyi noticed that Ling'er seemed quite familiar with the path Qin Xiyue was leading, and occasionally even showed a knowing expression.
Qin Xiyue knew the destination and was familiar with the route, which was only natural.
But Ling'er did the same... which seems quite unusual.
He gradually began to have a guess.
The three of them moved extremely fast, darting through the mountains and forests like the wind.
What surprised Qin Xiyue the most was that Li Qingyi was able to keep up with her and Ling'er's pace effortlessly.
She knew Li Qingyi's background well. Not long ago, he was still at the first level of Qi Refining, but now he had a solid third level of Qi Refining cultivation!
"Such a speed of cultivation... is truly astonishing."
Even as a reborn person who had witnessed countless geniuses, she was still shocked by the talent that Li Qingyi displayed.
How did he get to this point without any sect background or substantial resources?
Qin Xiyue believed she knew Li Qingyi's movements perfectly well, and she was certain that Li Qingyi had not recently encountered any amazing adventures.
"This talent is truly terrifying..."
Amidst her racing thoughts, Qin Xiyue led the two through the winding mountain path and into a cave nestled in the mountains.
At this moment, the sky was bright.
After bringing the two of them there, Qin Xiyue prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Ling'er frowned slightly and asked, "Where are you going, Sister Xiyue?"
"I'll make sure the key comes here. I'll be right back." With that, she said no more and vanished in a flash.
"Brother Qin Feng," Ling'er turned to Li Qingyi, smiling sweetly, "aren't you curious about why Sister Xiyue went there alone?"
"She has her own plans," Li Qingyi said calmly.
He strolled to the edge of the cave entrance, his gaze fixed on the deep valley below shrouded in mist.
These past few days, he has been thinking about a question.
What role did Ling'er play in the whole incident?
"Qin Ruoxi," Li Qingyi suddenly spoke, "or rather, what is the true purpose of the Qingchi Immortal Sect?"
Ling'er tilted her head. "I don't know what the Immortal Sect's purpose is, but I only want to stay by my brother's side."
Li Qingyi ignored her banter and continued speaking to herself:
"Since you already knew about this place, and may even have been here before, why did you still make that deal with Xiyue? It doesn't make sense from any perspective."
Ling'er was startled by Li Qingyi's confident tone.
Her expression remained unchanged, and her tone was casual, "If Brother Qin Feng wants to think that way, then Ling'er... can't do anything about it."
Upon hearing this, Li Qingyi's lips twitched. "Why does this sound so familiar?"
Seeing that Li Qingyi did not reply, Ling'er's thoughts drifted into the distance.
……
Meanwhile, Qin Xiyue returned to the clan territory of the Qing lineage at an extremely fast speed.
Instead of returning to her own residence, she headed straight for the family library.
The elder on duty, seeing that it was the young lady herself, did not stop her.
Qin Xiyue entered the pavilion, her fingertips subtly forming hand seals, and countless imperceptible array symbols flowed from her fingertips.
She began to explore the library, sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations in every inch of the space.
Before long, she sensed a core array diagram that was cleverly hidden deep within the library.
She concentrated her mind and carefully sensed it, and was shocked to discover that at the core of this Blood Refining Array, there was an even more hidden array!
The hidden array was now shimmering faintly, slowly operating.
"Just as I thought!" Qin Xiyue sneered inwardly. "The Blood Refining Array is merely a facade; what truly lies within is the alchemy array for refining that heaven-defying 'Heaven-Mending Pill'!"
Without further hesitation, she immediately communicated with the silent, mysterious jade tablet deep within her consciousness.
Relying on her array formation skills from her previous life, which reached the Purple Mansion realm, and the profound blessing of the jade tablet, she began to cautiously intrude into this double-structured array.
Her goal was not to destroy, but to gain a fleeting sliver of control over the pill-forming array just as it was about to complete.
Or rather, a back door that would allow her to seize the elixir.
She did the whole process extremely discreetly, right the moment the intrusion was completed.
The outer blood-refining array instantly lit up, enveloping the Qing lineage.
Qin Xiyue suddenly turned her head to look out the window.
With her extraordinary insight into array formations, she observed that at this moment, similar array lights were simultaneously illuminating multiple key points throughout the Qin clan's territory.
Countless invisible threads are spreading out from these nodes, connecting to form a giant net covering the entire tribe.
Upon leaving the library, one sees the old Grand Secretary who was on duty outside lying on the ground, barely breathing.
Thin, pale red threads, barely visible to the naked eye, were drawing his life force into the formation.
This process is exceptionally gentle; if one were asleep, they would likely pass away without even realizing it.
The Grand Secretary reached out his hand, his lips moving, "Young Miss... save... save me..."
Qin Xiyue's gaze swept over him without lingering, and she didn't slow down at all, heading straight towards the outer edge of the clan's territory.
The life-draining threads bypassed her when they touched an area of about a foot around her, failing to have any effect on her whatsoever.
Just as she was about to leave the Qin family, she heard Qin Taihong's voice behind her.
"Xi Yue... what, what's going on?"