*Rumble!*
In the courtyard of the outer monastery, Wang Ping stood with his hands folded behind his back, eyes half-closed. Most of his spiritual sense had detached from his physical form, settling entirely upon the Six Desires Primordial Fiend standing behind him.
In an instant, his vision changed completely.
Before this, the world through his physical eyes was no different from what his spiritual sense perceived: mountains were still mountains, water was still water, and everything remained orderly.
Now, however, it was different.
Through the perspective of the Six Desires Primordial Fiend, the world perceived by his spiritual sense underwent a sudden transformation—or rather, gained a bizarre radiance.
The glow drifted through the air like an aurora, pervading the universe. At first glance, countless minuscule gu insects seemed to dance within it, but in the blink of an eye, it shifted into surging waves. The two characteristics merged together, displaying distinct hues in rhythm with the rising and setting of the sun and moon.
Cyan, yellow, vermilion, white, and black alternated in turn.
Five colors formed various silhouettes stretching across Wang Ping's field of view. Seemingly chaotic, they were clearly divided into twenty-four distinct streams.
*This is...*
Beholding such a wondrous spectacle, Wang Ping immediately recalled the description in the Six Desire Heavens Sovereign Accomplishment Method: *"Heaven and earth possess twenty-four streams of qi, governing the transformations of all phenomena."*
Hence they were called the twenty-four solar term qi.
Rumor had it that the cultivation path of "refining qi" was tied to these twenty-four solar term qi. Regrettably, the manual was vague on the matter, leaving him unable to grasp the full truth.
Soon, however, as he circulated the Six Desire Heavens Sovereign Accomplishment Method, Wang Ping noticed one of the twenty-four auroral streams filling heaven and earth begin to react. Boundless colors drifted down with the breathing of the Six Desires Primordial Fiend, enveloping it like a waterfall, before being drawn in bit by bit.
*Crack!*
Almost at the same moment, Wang Ping felt as if his body had been plunged into boiling water. A rolling heat poured in through his mouth and nose, surging through every limb and bone.
It felt like being melted down and reforged.
As if his sinews, bones, flesh, and even his energy channels were dissolved under this scorching heat, then polished anew and hammered into an entirely new shape.
"Holy crap...?!"
Wang Ping blurted out instinctively, nearly biting his own tongue off. Intense agony pounded madly against his nerves throughout the process.
To describe it vividly, it was as if someone had buried him in sand with only his head exposed, slit a wound into his crown, and poured in mercury... That insufferable itch and excruciating torment made him want nothing more than to squirm out from the opening atop his head.
Wang Ping couldn't hold back.
*Squelch!*
He threw his head back and pushed out through the slit at his crown—the very origin of the thermal current that seemed to have melted his body. His vision instantly plunged into darkness.
*Crack, crack, crack!*
Harsh snapping sounds rang out endlessly.
Decaying skin sloughed away, and bloody fluid seeped from his pores. Blue veins thickened one by one, his sinews and bones grew dense and sturdy, and Wang Ping slowly stood up straight.
The agony fell away like unlocked shackles, accompanied by a layer of tattered human skin. The overwhelming relief sent tremors through his entire body.
A complete shedding of the mortal coil!
At this moment, Wang Ping resembled a serpent dragon greeting new life after casting off its old scales. The skin exposed to the sunlight took on a striking golden gleam.
Spiritual awareness, flawless true body, cosmic circuit breathing, manifesting dharmas by borrowing qi.
These were the four cultivation qualities of the first layer of Crossing Tribulations. Wang Ping had already attained spiritual awareness, and what he was currently cultivating was the second quality: the flawless true body.
Of course, he had only just begun. The radiant glow of his skin made the supernatural change obvious at a single glance, and it remained merely on the surface, having yet to penetrate deep into his internal channels. Whenever he truly perfected the flawless true body, all supernatural signs would recede, leaving his outward appearance indistinguishable from that of an ordinary mortal.
*Thud!*
A second later, Wang Ping raised his foot and set it down. He hadn't applied much force, intending merely to take a couple of steps, yet the blue flagstone beneath his foot cracked into pieces!
"Incredible..."
Wang Ping steadied himself in place and took two more steps, still shattering the flagstones underfoot. Only on the fifth step did he manage to rein in his strength, leaving behind merely a web of hairline fractures.
Power!
He had used no internal strength whatsoever. Relying purely on his raw physical body, the power he displayed was not a whit weaker than when he had charged the enemy ranks on horseback in his previous life!
Back then, he had even activated the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art!
Compared to his current self, the so-called grand perfection of external arts—true dragon sinews, mountain lord bones, and the like—were all nonsense, entirely unworthy of comparison!
Was this reasonable?
*It seems quite reasonable, actually. After all, I'm cultivating immortality now...*
Standing in place, Wang Ping swung his arms and went through a set of fist forms. With the aid of his spiritual sense, he gradually mastered the might of his newborn physique.
"Am I even human anymore?"
In the Dashun Dynasty, an ordinary martial artist had to endure a decade of bitter training just to reach the grand perfection of external arts, and another decade to become an internal strength martial master. Yet how long had he spent just now?
The span of a single breath of spiritual energy!
With just a single breath of spiritual energy, his physical body had already reached parity with an internal strength martial master. The gap between them was scarcely a difference between two men—it was a difference between species!
*Wait, what about my martial arts...?*
Wang Ping circulated his spiritual sense to carefully inspect his internal changes, only to discover that the traces left behind by his past martial arts training had all vanished.
Or rather, they had been overwritten.
True dragon sinews, mountain lord bones, dragon elephant flesh, Kui ox hide, supreme yang blood, snow-refined marrow... His mundane physical body had been thoroughly overlaid by an even more profound power.
This change was akin to a serpent transforming into a dragon.
"...Unbelievable!"
Even the internal strength physique forged through the Heavenly Peng Dragon Seizing Physique Chart was visibly breaking down, dissolving back into his meridians.
The reason was exceedingly simple.
"The martial art's grade is too low..." Wang Ping muttered under his breath.
What was internal strength? What was a martial physique?
To put it plainly, a martial physique was an auxiliary internal bodily system built within a martial artist, through which essence, qi, and spirit were converted to give birth to internal strength.
The problem he faced now was straightforward: the Heavenly Peng Dragon Seizing Physique Chart had limited capacity. It could no longer unite his transformed essence, qi, and spirit to generate internal strength. Even the internal strength he had already cultivated was dissolving amid his body's natural operation.
It was as though his body were telling him:
*My body doesn't tolerate something so puny.*
At the thought, Wang Ping nearly chuckled. If he returned to the Dashun court right now, he probably wouldn't even qualify as an internal strength martial master, only counting as an external martial artist.
*Forget it.*
*Whether I have internal strength or not, my raw might has genuinely increased. That's what matters. Besides, looking at it from another angle, this shows my potential...*
While the Heavenly Peng Dragon Seizing Physique Chart was insufficient to convert internal strength for his current body, the Dashun court certainly possessed stronger internal strength physique charts. Viewed from that perspective, losing his martial foundation this time was no misfortune. He could pursue superior martial arts in the future and advance further along the martial path.
With that realization, Wang Ping took it in stride.
*Though martial arts can't compare to cultivating immortality, they're quick to pick up and useful in the early stages. Besides, I have a waste spiritual root and no hope of reaching the Great Dao, so I have to prepare for rainy days.*
Reining in his thoughts, Wang Ping withdrew his consciousness from the Six Desires Primordial Fiend back into his physical form. He then recalled the towering three-meter-tall divine general back into his shadow.
Sensing the surging might within him, he couldn't help letting his imagination run wild: *My physical form's combat power alone can already rival the state I was in after using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art in my previous life. On top of that, I've forged the Six Desires Primordial Fiend, which possesses several supernatural abilities and is likely even stronger than me.*
Not to mention they could fight together.
*If a fight really broke out and I provided fire from the rear with my bow while the Six Desires Primordial Fiend took the front line, could I go toe-to-toe with a titled martial master like Xu Bingzheng?*
Wang Ping felt an itch of anticipation.
Soon, however, he regained his composure. *No. If I want to flex, I should wait until I return to the Dashun court. In the immortal sect, I still need to keep a low profile...*
He had only mastered spiritual awareness and already possessed such capabilities.
What about Daoist Nun You?
Even by conservative estimates, she should have already crossed the mortal tribulation and cultivated Dharmic power. After all, she clearly possessed a true spiritual root and was a formal disciple of the immortal sect.
*Jingle-jingle!*
Just then, silver bells chimed beneath the eaves. Wang Ping looked up, knowing Daoist Nun You had emerged from seclusion and was summoning him in his role as an attendant page.
Not daring to delay, Wang Ping hurried to the courtyard wall painted with the grand gate. He drew out his token and tapped it before giving the painted gate a light push.
*Clang!*
The gate swung open to his touch.
The grotto-heaven within the painting came into view.
Wang Ping stepped through the doorway and entered the inner cloister.
Almost simultaneously, in the inner cloister's courtyard, Daoist Nun You stood beneath a towering ancient tree. Feeling his approach, she turned around, her gaze instantly landing upon him.
"...Hm?"
A moment later, she let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Looking Wang Ping up and down, her beautiful eyes gleamed with evident pleasure before she gave a slight nod. "Well done."
Wang Ping immediately bowed. "My lady flatters me. It is merely a minor breakthrough in the technique."
Daoist Nun You said with satisfaction, "A minor breakthrough? Reaching the fourth layer of the Six Desire Heavens Sovereign Accomplishment Method in just three months is hardly a minor breakthrough."
Hearing this, Wang Ping felt a slight chill run through him.
Though he had long prepared himself mentally, having Daoist Nun You casually see through his cultivation progress still filled him with deep unease.
*This is far too unsafe.*
*If only I had a secret art to conceal my cultivation base. Otherwise, my abnormal progress will easily draw prying eyes.*
"Since you have made progress, you shall accompany me on this trip."
Daoist Nun You reached into her sleeve, pulled out a jade slip, and tossed it into Wang Ping's arms. "Take a good look. You will serve as my Dharma protector on this journey."
"I obey your command."
Holding the jade slip, Wang Ping accepted the order before extending his spiritual sense into it to read the contents. A subtle shift appeared on his face.
Written within the jade slip was a requisition decree.
*Decree: Bliss Peak disciple You Xuexin is ordered to escort the recently unearthed Five Thieves Heaven-Stealing Myriad Transformations Divine Talisman back to the Divine Weapon Courtyard within three days, without delay.*
"This is a dharma decree from the immortal sect," Daoist Nun You said calmly. "It was issued personally by Martial Uncle Mingde, a Qi Refiner of the Divine Weapon Courtyard. It was delivered to me because I have mastered sword arts."
"As for the Five Thieves Heaven-Stealing Myriad Transformations Divine Talisman, it is an immortal art created by an apostate of the sect who styled himself the Heaven-Stealing Thief. The techniques he spread were exceedingly sinister and capable of bewitching people's minds. Only cultivators like me, who have attained sword arts and possess a clear sword heart, can resist it."
Daoist Nun You explained in detail, "Originally, all copies of the Five Thieves Heaven-Stealing Myriad Transformations Divine Talisman were supposed to have been destroyed. This one is an overlooked remnant discovered by outer disciples.
"That is why I, being the closest, was tasked with escorting it.
"However, the lingering poison of that Heaven-Stealing Thief runs deep within the sect, and many of his followers remain. If they catch wind of this, they will very likely attempt an ambush along the way."
Wang Ping's brow furrowed tightly.
"This... Since the item is so vital, why haven't the senior figures in the sect come to retrieve it in person? And do these so-called bandit factions exist even within the immortal sect?"
"There is nothing strange about that," Daoist Nun You replied flatly. "These are not matters for you to know... In short, the Qi Refiners of the sect do not lightly set foot in the mortal world. As for those bandits, the immortal sect refers to them as predatory cultivators. They are simply cultivators who failed to attain orthodox standing and had no choice but to tread crooked paths."
Listening to Daoist Nun You's explanation, Wang Ping finally understood.
The so-called predatory cultivators were rogue cultivators unrecognized by the immortal sect. Unable to advance further within the sect, they had sought alternative ways forward.
The Five Thieves Heaven-Stealing Myriad Transformations Divine Talisman had been born out of that very plight.
In short, that apostate of the immortal sect, the Heaven-Stealing Thief, had made his techniques open to everyone, disseminating them across the sect without any threshold.
Thus, anyone who practiced his art became his disciple and a natural ally. Banding together, they had formed the predatory cultivators of the immortal sect today.
"These people usually remain hidden within the sect, assuming new identities at critical moments to ambush sect cultivators along their journeys, thereby gathering various immortal resources. To eradicate them, the sect has expended considerable effort, but these predatory cultivators are like weeds that can never be entirely cleared away."
*A completely natural outcome,* Wang Ping mused, unsurprised. Where there were policies from above, there were countermeasures from below.
So long as the immortal sect continued to restrict cultivators' paths to the Dao, the fertile soil breeding predatory cultivators would always remain. Put simply, it was a systemic problem.
Though harboring such thoughts, Wang Ping dared not show the slightest sign on his face. He kept his head lowered and asked respectfully, "May I ask my lady, when do we set out?"
"...Three days from now."
Daoist Nun You paused slightly, then looked at Wang Ping, an exceptionally bewitching, captivating smile gracing her lips.
"I must admit, your cultivation progress far exceeded my prior expectations.
"Therefore, my plans require some adjustments... Go back and rest for now. Come see me in three days, and I will give you a pleasant surprise.
"One that allows you to fully realize your worth as human livestock."
*A surprise? What kind of surprise?*
Wang Ping's eyelid twitched. The process of forging sect strongmen flashed through his mind, along with the memories of the so-called death tax under the sect's domain.
Looking back at Daoist Nun You, his expression shifted abruptly.
Could this surprise... be a death sentence?
Chapter 35