The Body Cleansing Pool

Clack! Liuli set down her jade cup with a gentle clink. Sensing something in the air, Qin Sang straightened his posture. "Daoist Qin... have you ever heard of the Buddhist legend of the Body Cleansing Pool?" Liuli asked softly. In the cultivation world of the North Sea, Buddhism had long withered, unable to compare with Daoism. In his hundreds of years of cultivation, the Buddhist sects Qin Sang had encountered could be counted on one hand. The only reputable one had been the Jinghai Sect, and even their lineage had been severed in a calamity that wiped them out. Legends concerning the Buddhist sects, however, were not lacking in the slightest. The Body Cleansing Pool was reputed to be a supreme treasure of the Lord Buddha. It was said that even an ordinary mortal with not a shred of cultivation could wash away their accumulated karmic baggage simply by stepping into the pool, attaining the ultimate fruit of enlightenment and stepping free of the cycle of reincarnation. The Daoist schools possessed a similar legend: that a mortal could swallow a single Nine-Turn Golden Pellet and ascend upon glowing clouds, stepping straight into immortality. Even among the myriad wondrous legends of the world, the Body Cleansing Pool and the Nine-Turn Golden Pellet ranked as the most unfathomable, bearing all the hallmarks of mortal fantasy. True cultivators harbored no such unrealistic daydreams. Qin Sang had heard these legends in passing, but had never paid them any heed. He nodded slightly and smiled back. "Fairy, you aren't going to tell me that such a miraculous object truly exists in this world, are you?" Even if a Body Cleansing Pool truly existed, it could only be in the Immortal Realm or the Western Pure Land. Liuli did not answer directly. Instead, she turned to Shi Xue as if asking for her permission. Shi Xue gave a light cough and said to Qin Sang, "Daoist Qin, you are a guest elder recognized by this lineage head and Hall Master Jiang. Revealing this secret to you does not breach our rules. Even so, before we proceed, you must swear upon your inner demons that the contents of our ensuing conversation shall never be spoken to a fourth person!" Qin Sang looked slightly taken aback. The notion struck him as preposterous. Could Xuantian Palace truly possess a Body Cleansing Pool? What puzzled him even more was why Shi Xue and Liuli would reveal such a matter to him. Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Sang practicedly swore an oath upon his inner demons never to disclose a word. Shi Xue nodded to Liuli. Only then did Liuli turn back to Qin Sang and continue, "This secret is known in its entirety only to the four main lineages. Within the sacred grounds of Xuantian Palace lies a Body Cleansing Pool, though its effects cannot truly compare to the sacred Buddhist relic of legend. Should a cultivator enter the pool, it increases the speed at which they absorb spiritual energy during future cultivation. In essence, it artificially elevates one's latent talent, and it even has some effect on cultivators with heavenly spiritual roots. According to the deductions of our predecessors, the poorer a cultivator's spiritual roots, the greater the enhancement may be." When she reached that final sentence, Liuli placed a faint emphasis on her words. Back at Shaohua Mountain, she had thoroughly investigated Qin Sang's background. She knew he was born with five spiritual roots—the worst possible aptitude among cultivators, the kind least likely to ever achieve anything on the immortal path, which was why he had indentured himself to obtain the means for Foundation Establishment in the first place. Yet she could not fathom what fortune he had encountered later in life to come this far relying solely on a broken cultivation art that severed one's origin soul. Ever since reuniting with Qin Sang, this had been her greatest perplexity. Shi Xue leaned back against her chair, sipping her tea as she waited to enjoy Qin Sang's reaction. Liuli had not shared Qin Sang's history with her. Shi Xue assumed that Qin Sang's aptitude had to be a heavenly spiritual root, or at least a dual spiritual root. Regardless of how extraordinary one's talent was, no one could withstand the temptation of the Body Cleansing Pool. It was a tremendous opportunity with lifelong benefits. To hasten one's cultivation speed—even if it shaved off just a single year of bitter cultivation—meant an extra margin of hope when attempting a bottleneck, an additional sliver of possibility to ascend into higher realms. Aside from someone as headstrong as her junior sister, Shi Xue could hardly imagine anyone refusing such an offer. "What?" Just as Shi Xue anticipated, even with Qin Sang's steady disposition, hearing Liuli's words left him profoundly astonished and incredulous. In his hundreds of years of cultivation, Qin Sang had been reminded time and again of the cruelty of the cultivation world. Lacking innate talent, every step was an ordeal, demanding every conceivable effort just to make up the difference. Methods to artificially augment one's talent after birth were exceedingly rare. The only one Qin Sang knew of was the Origin Soul Sword Nurturing Chapter, and it was precisely by relying on that technique that he had reached where he was today. Even if the Body Cleansing Pool merely heightened the rate of absorbing spiritual energy rather than truly rewriting one's latent talent, it remained something every cultivator dreamed of acquiring. Xuantian Palace possessed a Body Cleansing Pool all to itself; no wonder it had flourished for generations without decline, producing a ceaseless stream of great cultivators. With a killing talisman inscribed upon his natal spirit sword, Qin Sang's cultivation speed already surpassed that of dual spiritual root cultivators. If he could gain entry to the Body Cleansing Pool, he might one day catch up to, or even surpass, Liuli. Yet Qin Sang did not lose his head. He never believed in gifts falling from the sky. Quickly suppressing his fantasies, his gaze swept across Shi Xue and Liuli. After a brief pause, he countered, "What do the two fairies mean by sharing this secret with this poor Daoist? Surely Xuantian Palace would not bestow a chance to enter the Body Cleansing Pool upon an outsider guest elder, would it?" Seeing how swiftly Qin Sang regained his composure, a flicker of surprise passed through Shi Xue's eyes. She stepped in to explain on Liuli's behalf. "One may only enter the Body Cleansing Pool when the sacred grounds open. The pool was sealed off by powerful restrictions long ago. Each time it opens, only a single person has the chance to enter, sometimes requiring intense contention. If the time limit passes without anyone entering, the pool seals itself again. Furthermore, to prevent mediocre disciples from squandering the chance, the pool carries an ironclad restriction..." At this point, Shi Xue put on a helpless expression and said with a touch of gloom, "One must be a Nascent Soul cultivator, and must have broken through to the middle Nascent Soul stage before facing their first heavenly tribulation—meaning within three hundred years of forming their Nascent Soul. Only then are they eligible to enter the Body Cleansing Pool." This restriction thoroughly snuffed out the hopes of the vast majority of Xuantian Palace cultivators. Shi Xue included. She had already weathered her first heavenly tribulation and was still stuck at the early Nascent Soul stage. In that sense, she too was one of the 'mediocre.' The reason Shi Xue had let her concern for Liuli cloud her judgment and gone to the Luo family to obtain the Heart Scripture of the Divine Maiden was intimately tied to the Body Cleansing Pool. Liuli possessed extraordinary natural talent. Had she not been ensnared by emotional entanglements, she would certainly have broken through to the middle Nascent Soul stage before her first heavenly tribulation. With her formidable Ice Soul Divine Light, she could have comfortably secured the right to enter the Body Cleansing Pool. After that, Liuli might have succeeded to the position of Grand Elder and revitalized Snow Listening Tower. The Body Cleansing Pool was likely a legacy left behind by a founding patriarch of Xuantian Palace to ensure the sect's enduring prosperity. Unfortunately, after several internal strifes and the loss of ancient records, it was no longer known which patriarch had bequeathed it. Across the long river of Xuantian Palace's history, most of those who attained the seat of Grand Elder or Palace Master had emerged from the Body Cleansing Pool. While their innate talent had certainly played a major role, the benefits of the Body Cleansing Pool could not be overlooked; it served as the crowning touch to their prowess. Hearing this, Qin Sang instinctively glanced at Liuli, understanding many things in an instant. Calculating the time, Liuli was not far from her first heavenly tribulation. No wonder Shi Xue had acted out of panicked concern. Her previous attempt to break through the bottleneck had been her final opportunity, yet it ended in failure. However, had they both agreed to practice the Heart Scripture of the Divine Maiden, allowing Liuli to dissolve the imprint of the evil technique through dual cultivation, she would have had a chance to seize the momentum and break through. Yet Liuli had not hesitated for a second. She would rather forfeit such a momentous opportunity than yield to the imprint of the evil technique. Qin Sang studied her closely, but could not detect a trace of regret in Liuli's expression. One could only say that those blessed with great talent could afford to be willful. "Such terms are indeed quite severe. Even among your four main lineages, you cannot possibly guarantee that a cultivator capable of reaching the middle Nascent Soul stage before their first tribulation will always appear, can you?" Qin Sang pulled his gaze away from Liuli and directed his question to Shi Xue. Snow Listening Tower's current state was living proof: even a main lineage could decline. "Indeed," Shi Xue admitted candidly. "Whenever a disciple of sufficient talent emerges, the four lineages spare no effort in nurturing them. Even so, it cannot be guaranteed that each lineage can field a candidate to contend for the pool every time. However, the Body Cleansing Pool opens roughly once every three hundred years. Aside from predecessors who have already entered the pool, those who failed to seize the spot last time may continue to contend so long as their second heavenly tribulation has not arrived. "In addition, we have attempted various other methods. "For instance, when a branch lineage produces someone of exceptional talent, we absorb them or simply merge the branch into the main lineage, though that is rather troublesome. Others resort to unorthodox methods or even underhanded demonic arts to forcefully elevate their cultivation, even if only temporarily. "Even if it leaves behind lingering flaws, it is considered worthwhile if it wins them the right to enter the Body Cleansing Pool." As she spoke, Shi Xue instinctively glanced at Liuli. Her seeking out the Secret Scripture of the Divine Maiden for Liuli had been driven by precisely that mindset. Regrettably, Liuli had refused to accept it. Listening to their explanation, Qin Sang's thoughts raced. Shi Xue and Liuli would never have disclosed these secrets without good reason. He indeed met the requirements. Moreover, Qin Sang possessed ample confidence that so long as he gained entry into the sacred grounds, unless Tong Lingyu and the Palace Master intervened personally, the spot to enter the Body Cleansing Pool would undoubtedly be his. Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly, his eyes flickering with insight as he guessed part of their intent. Giving Liuli a deep look, he remarked pointedly, "Unfortunately, this poor Daoist is from neither a main lineage nor a branch lineage. I am merely an outsider." A guest elder was called a guest for a reason. They carried no responsibility to perpetuate the sect's heritage. Correspondingly, they had no right to meddle in the sect's true secrets. Why would Xuantian Palace ever hand such an opportunity to an outsider? Shi Xue parted her lips, about to explain. Liuli, who had remained silent all this while, spoke up. "When the four lineages reconciled long ago, a resolution was passed. Should an outside cultivator join Xuantian Palace in earnest, they may be treated as equals—provided there is a compelling reason, a bond deep enough to guarantee they will not turn traitor." She paused briefly, then said in a low voice, "For instance, a marital alliance!" Before Qin Sang could speak, Shi Xue chimed in to elaborate. "Xuantian Palace commands an entire realm; we have never lacked geniuses. While such an arrangement is uncommon, it is not without precedent. However, these cultivators face restrictions similar to the seniors who participate multiple times. When Xuantian Palace's own disciples compete for the first time, the difficulty of the restriction's trial is reduced by a tier. But outsiders must overcome the full, unmodified restriction. Only those possessing exceptional strength stand any hope—someone like you, Daoist Qin." As she said this, Shi Xue kept her eyes on Qin Sang, her tone relaxed. Having personally tasted Qin Sang's methods, she understood his prowess better than anyone. If Qin Sang was willing to step forward, success was practically assured. "This poor Daoist is becoming a little confused. After all this talk, are you two suggesting that I enter into a marital alliance with a fellow Daoist from Snow Listening Tower?" Qin Sang frowned. "With me," Liuli stepped forward of her own accord, catching him off guard. "No one else is involved." Shi Xue wore an expression of helplessness. "Within Snow Listening Tower, only my junior sister, another senior sister, and I hold sufficient status and cultivation to convince the Palace Master and the other three lineages... My junior sister was unwilling to drag either of us into it." With that, Shi Xue suddenly rose to her feet. "I just remembered an important matter I nearly forgot. Junior Sister, stay and discuss the details with the Daoist." Qin Sang watched Shi Xue's hurried retreat and could not help but chuckle dumbfoundedly. Only after Shi Xue had gone far did he withdraw his gaze. Sighing, he said, "This poor Daoist is indeed quite tempted by the Body Cleansing Pool. However, if this is merely for show, I fear it will hardly escape the discerning eyes of the Palace Master and the council of elders." This was distinctly different from selling himself for Foundation Establishment. That time had been a simple transaction; once it concluded, their slate was clean. Had it not been for so many unforeseen twists, they would have walked separate paths long ago. Entering into a genuine Dao partnership with Liuli this time would inevitably forge many entanglements down the line. If both parties were willing, that would be one thing. Yet although he and Liuli had known each other for centuries and shared an ill-fated connection, they possessed no true affection for one another. Liuli was trapped by the imprint of the evil technique, so even her feelings toward him were artificial. Liuli had resolutely rejected dual cultivation, yet now she took the initiative to propose a marital alliance—and offered an astonishing gift no one could refuse. No matter how one looked at it, the situation was strange. Liuli lowered her eyes slightly, biting her lip before answering in her customary cool tone. "We have both practiced the Mystic Female Jade Tripod True Scripture." Understanding dawned upon Qin Sang. With the imprint still lingering, there existed a bond between him and Liuli that no outsider shared. If they could use that to deceive the others, things would indeed be much simpler. "This poor Daoist does not accept unearned rewards. Fairy, you must have additional conditions, do you not? What must I do in exchange for this opportunity?" Liuli showed no surprise at his question. Given Qin Sang's shrewdness, it would have been stranger if he hadn't guessed. "After you enter the Body Cleansing Pool, bring an item out from the bottom of the pool for me." "A treasure inside the Body Cleansing Pool?" Qin Sang immediately sensed the danger and asked solemnly, "Will retrieving this item cause an upheaval in the pool, or alert the Palace Master and the Grand Elder?" How could any object resting within such a sacred place be ordinary? If discovered by Xuantian Palace, it would hardly be surprising if it brought down a deadly calamity upon him. Liuli explained in detail. "This item was discovered by chance when Master entered the Body Cleansing Pool; no one else should be aware of it. Master attempted to retrieve it, but her strength fell short. The restrictions at the bottom of the pool are exceedingly perilous. However, Master was already close enough to attempt shaking it, and the pool showed no reaction. Unless one possesses overwhelming strength, only with the aid of the Ice Soul Divine Light can that object be retrieved. That was part of the reason I cultivated the Ice Soul Divine Light in the first place. Your strength far surpasses that of cultivators in the same realm, so you have a strong chance. When the time comes, I will condense a strand of Ice Soul Divine Light into a talisman, though its potency will inevitably diminish and it may not suffice on its own." A complex look flickered in the depths of Liuli's eyes. Cultivating the Ice Soul Divine Light was meant to achieve multiple objectives at once. Even with a treasure inferior to the Yin Li Pearl, Liuli would have had more than a fifty percent chance of breaking through to the middle Nascent Soul stage. Yet all her plans had been thrown into disarray upon reuniting with Qin Sang. The evil technique's influence was far more terrifying than she had anticipated. Standing face to face with Qin Sang, the imprint had been agitated, causing the Ice Soul Emotion Sealing to fail and directly triggering the collapse of her breakthrough. Qin Sang pondered in silence. Now that Liuli had stated a clear requirement, he felt more at ease. He could simply adapt to the circumstances later. For the sake of the Body Cleansing Pool, taking some risks was well worth it. Having thought this through, Qin Sang inquired about the restrictions within the Body Cleansing Pool. Liuli handed him a jade slip. "Everything is recorded inside." Qin Sang nodded and took the jade slip, effectively agreeing to the matter. "What else must this poor Daoist do next?" "Hold a grand wedding." Liuli paused. "A fake one."