25 Channeling Qi into the Body

Cui Huai sat cross-legged, eyes closed, making yet another attempt to sense the spiritual energy surrounding her.

This was her one hundred and twenty-eighth attempt. Over the past few months, she had never abandoned the pursuit of drawing energy into her body, but her eight-element root severely limited her potential.

Back when she possessed the heavenly-grade lightning root, cultivation had been as effortless as eating or drinking; with the slightest effort, her cultivation level would soar. Now, however, the difficulty of her cultivation was also as intense as eating and drinking—if one were eating celestial flat peaches and drinking purified glazed water.

Through completing tasks, she had managed to reduce her eight-element root to seven, and Cui Huai’s perception of spiritual energy had seen a qualitative leap. After sitting still for an hour, her legs nearly numb, Cui Huai finally caught sight of the spiritual energy swirling around her.

The spiritual energy of the Xiaoyao Sect was not as dense as that of Qingyun Peak in the Wuya Sect. At Qingyun Peak, the energy was like mist, but here, it was merely sparse, thin threads—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—dangling in wisps.

Yet, however small the mosquito, it was still meat, and Cui Huai was in no position to be picky. After all, she had struggled one hundred and twenty-seven times before without once successfully drawing these threads into her dantian.

Reciting the cultivation mantra silently, she exerted her meager spiritual sense to its limit, struggling to pull the weak energy toward her. She only managed to move the energy an inch, and already her head felt as though it were splitting, but fortunately, the lightning-attribute energy showed signs of wanting to burrow into her body.

It was truly worthy of being her original root; it was naturally more drawn to her.

Just a little more persistence, and she would succeed.

As it turned out, the previous sentiment was nothing more than empty encouragement.

As she pushed further, the lightning energy suddenly veered away, attempting to escape. Perhaps it felt that being absorbed by a seven-element root was a tragic fate, devoid of any prospects.

Just as Cui Huai resigned herself to a one hundred and twenty-eighth failure, the copper coin at her waist gave a slight tremor. The lightning energy, startled from its escape, lost its momentum and, under Cui Huai’s guidance, obediently entered her dantian.

With the first wisp of lightning energy secured, the rest followed as a matter of course.

The seven-colored threads of energy queued up to enter her body, twisting together like a braid as they pushed into her meridians, which were more tangled than the roots of an ancient tree.

It was a case of no one being in a position to judge anyone else.

When Cui Huai had previously drawn energy into her body, many of her fellow disciples claimed it felt like skin being sliced away. Cui Huai had felt nothing of the sort; it had been as smooth as breathing.

Now, she finally understood. As the spiritual energy surged through her narrow, cramped meridians, the pain was enough to make her grit her teeth.

Those male disciples who boasted to save face—they were likely hiding just how agonizing the process of drawing energy truly was!

Half an hour later, Cui Huai stabilized her breath and ended her meditation. She had finally succeeded in drawing energy into her body, stepping back onto the path of immortality.

The System couldn't help but click its tongue: "Truly worthy of being Cui Huai. To succeed in drawing energy under such arduous conditions."

The constantly running streams of data had already begun to secretly curse the Main System. Why choose such a peerless genius as the heroine for a conquest novel? Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to bind her to a leveling-up and face-slapping system?

The Main System sat unmoved on its high pedestal. Cui Huai was indomitable, and in the end, it was the working-class system that had offended everyone both inside and out!

***

The System was lost in its own petty thoughts, allowing Cui Huai a moment of peace. She unconsciously fiddled with the copper coin at her waist.

Even now, she never expected it to be of any use.

This was an old object that had accompanied her for a millennium. At the very beginning of the legend of Sword Venerable Lingye, it had been nothing more than an ordinary copper coin.

Back then, she had just killed the State Preceptor of Wuyang who had attempted to possess her body. She was covered in wounds, hiding in the shadows, clinging to a singular drive to survive.

The world’s number one swordsman at the time, Sword Venerable Jinyan, was just like her now—he dabbled in divination and had calculated that his only disciple in this life was in the small backwater of Wuyang.

Thus, the lofty Sword Venerable and the lowly, dust-covered beggar girl met in a dim, filthy street corner.

What was it that Jinyan had said back then?

Cui Huai was surprised she still remembered it so clearly.

He said, "You and I share a bond. Let me take you as my disciple."

The immortal who had deigned to descend was met with the young beggar’s wariness. Having just escaped the wolf's den of the State Preceptor, she had no desire to walk into a tiger's lair.

Like a small firecracker, she lunged toward the man dressed in white, hoping to knock him off balance and seize the chance to flee.

Heaven did not grant her wish.

The man stood as firm as a mountain. Instead, Cui Huai’s face slammed hard into his robes, leaving behind a black imprint of her face—a truly comical sight.

Realizing she couldn't escape, the young Cui Huai sternly rejected him.

Jinyan did not force the issue. He simply followed her, silently helping her out of trouble several times.

She was young, and no matter how hardened her heart, it wasn't truly cold; she was easily swayed. She asked, "Do you have money? It takes money to raise me, doesn't it?"

The immortal nodded and pulled out a pile of glittering stones, infuriating Cui Huai. Was he trying to coax a child? Trying to deceive her with a pile of useless rocks!

The otherworldly, emotionally stable immortal looked flustered for the first time. Finally, he dug into the pouch at his waist and fished out a single copper coin.

How stingy.

Yet, Cui Huai took that copper coin, and in doing so, she grasped Jinyan’s hand.

She thought, this man is decent enough; one copper coin will have to do.

***

In truth, she would have followed him even without the money.

Looking back now, Jinyan was not wrong; they were indeed fated.

At the very beginning of the story, it was he who taught her the sword, and he who taught her divination.

Later on, it was those very things that Cui Huai used to take Jinyan’s life.

***

That night, before the window of Fu Qin’s room, he finally waited for the spirit bird delivering the message.

After several months, he could finally read the replies from the elders.

The elders in the valley had each written a letter, sending over a stack so thick it resembled a book.

Seeing the bird panting for breath, Fu Qin stroked its head, sympathizing with its snail-like pace.

Ming Long, Yan Hua, Zhang Ping... the letters from these elders could wait. Their letters were just like their usual speaking styles: full of nonsense and devoid of substance.

Fu Qin picked out the letter from Elder Shengyang. He was always the most substantial, so reading him first was the right choice.

Regarding his defeat by a junior sister who had not yet entered the Dao, Elder Shengyang replied: [Young Master, return to the valley at once. In the past, the Nirvana weakness only meant a loss of strength, but now your mind seems to be in disarray. It is better to return.]

What utter nonsense!

He had once doubted whether being defeated by Cui Huai was merely a dream, a phantasm of his own imagination.

Not to mention that phoenixes were adept at breaking illusions, but he had been defeated a second, third, and fourth time...

What kind of dream lasted this long? And with such narrative continuity!

After losing so many times, he had shamefully grown accustomed to it; he no longer avoided the fact that he was frequently bested. Now, his heart held only one desire: how to become stronger!

Returning to the valley was absolutely out of the question. Only when he had thoroughly and completely defeated Cui Huai would he consider going back.

Fu Qin picked up his brush to write a reply, once again urging them to send any powerful secret manuals or techniques. He needed to refine his strength. In passing, he advised the large and small phoenixes in the valley to stop looking at the sky from the bottom of a well—the world outside was terrifying, and they needed to cultivate diligently.

At the end of the letter, Fu Qin wrote with a heavy stroke: [As long as I cannot defeat my junior sister for one day, I shall not return for one day!]