C119 Continuous Advancement(2)
Upon returning, Woo Zhengyang went back to his stone chamber. In the Mystic Trace Realm, after consuming the blue and red leaf herbs, his cultivation in the Refining Veins technique reached the peak of the third tier. After numerous battles, Zhengyang had nearly reached the point of breakthrough.
At the third tier of Refining Veins, all 365 meridians in his body were filled with sword-shaped genuine qi, greatly enhancing his ability to mobilize energy. However, the first three tiers of Refining Veins are just the basic stages of training. At this point, the recovery speed of genuine qi is slow, making it difficult to sustain in prolonged combat.
Only after reaching the fourth tier can a cultivator truly harness their battle power, as this is when genuine qi begins to connect with the five organs: the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
- Heart: The residence of the spirit, master of the blood, and the origin of the meridians. It belongs to the fire element.
- Liver: The place of the soul, storage of blood, and origin of the tendons. It belongs to the wood element.
- Spleen: The source of qi and blood, the foundation of postnatal life, and storage of intention. It belongs to the earth element.
- Lungs: The place of the corporeal soul and master of qi. It belongs to the metal element.
- Kidneys: The foundation of prenatal life and storage of will, with the waist being its residence. It belongs to the water element.
Each element of the five has its own function, enhancing the attributes of genuine qi. Connecting with each organ elevates the qi to a higher state.
In the realm of cultivation, the synergy of the five elements fuels an unending cycle of energy, elevating the recovery speed and intensity of one's genuine energy to new heights. This marks the stage known as the Eighth Heaven of Vein Refinement. The Fourth Heaven serves as a pivotal milestone for cultivators, much like the Eighth. Interestingly, reaching the Ninth Heaven, which involves harmonizing the six internal organs, is more about accumulation than breakthrough.
It's not uncommon for someone like Liu Tianli to triumph at the Eighth Heaven over those at the Ninth, a feat rarely seen in later stages of cultivation. Woo Zhengyang's current aim is the Fourth Heaven, focusing on the kidneys. With his sword-shaped genuine energy, advancing is straightforward, and the kidneys are swiftly conquered.
In the five elements, the kidneys correspond to water. Once the genuine energy passes through and purifies the kidneys, it gains a trace of water's power, significantly speeding up recovery. As someone with the Ice Crystal Fire Body, Woo Zhengyang's energy also contains the chilling force of the Nine Nether Ice, enhancing his energy's strength far beyond that of other Fourth Heaven cultivators.
Achieving the Fourth Heaven is a significant accomplishment in the realm of vein refinement, yet Woo Zhengyang remains unsatisfied. He proceeds to take out the Qi Condensation Pill he acquired from the Mystic Trace Realm.
In ancient times, there existed a miraculous elixir capable of elevating one's cultivation to its peak without any side effects. While most would save such a rare elixir for later stages, Woo Zhengyang couldn't afford the luxury of time; he needed to boost his strength quickly.
Having reached the ninth level of body refinement, breaking through to the rank of a martial master wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. Woo Zhengyang had to focus on refining his meridians.
He owed thanks to the gift from Nalan Yan'er, the Ice Crystal Fire Body, which had made his meridians incredibly resilient. This allowed him to cultivate Sword-shaped Genuine Qi rapidly without harm. Otherwise, even with the ancient elixir in hand, he wouldn't have been able to use it.
As the elixir dissolved in his stomach, a refreshing sensation spread through him. Typically, advancing in cultivation was a grueling process, but this time it was so comfortable that Woo Zhengyang found it a bit unsettling.
Upon closer inspection, Woo Zhengyang finally realized the elixir's wonders. It enhanced his cultivation without drawing on any external Heaven and Earth Vital Energy, relying solely on its inherent medicinal power. This power gradually released within Woo Zhengyang's body, transforming into genuine qi.
With this, Woo Zhengyang only needed to concentrate on using the elixir's power to condense that genuine qi into Sword-shaped Genuine Qi.
Through various transformations, Woo Zhengyang found himself free of worries, fully focused on refining for eight hours straight. His lungs opened up, allowing him to advance to the fifth level of the Refining Veins stage. Everything fell into place so naturally that Woo Zhengyang could hardly believe it.
This time, his advancement required no effort on his part; it was the unique energy within the Condensing Qi Pill that did the work. This was likely the power of an ancient miraculous pill.
The pill's energy continued to activate slowly, and the Sword-shaped Genuine Qi kept refining until Woo Zhengyang reached the peak of the fifth level of the Refining Veins stage. According to the pill's effects, this should have been the endpoint.
However, Woo Zhengyang was surprised to find that the pill's energy still lingered. Yet, this time, it lacked the unique energy needed for a smooth advancement.
For others, even if they noticed this, they could only watch helplessly as the pill's energy went to waste. Advancing in realms isn't just about the quantity of Genuine Qi; without refinement, the strength of the Qi can't open the door to the next level.
But for Woo Zhengyang, with his Sword-shaped Genuine Qi, there was no barrier to advancement. Without hesitation, he used it to break through the barrier of his spleen, stepping into the sixth level of the Refining Veins stage!
