Chapter Seventy-Seven: Primordial Body Refinement

Reaching out, he gently pressed the colored cord wrapped around his wrist, letting strands of vibrant energy flow through his limbs and bones. Qi Xiu's complexion grew ever more radiant, flushed with life. Sitting there in silent meditation, anyone who saw him would feel an unmistakable aura of vitality and vigor.

"With ancient blood as the guide, gather the seed of the Dao within the heart, bathe in the energy of celestial force, and pass through the gate of the Great Way! This is—Ancient Gathering of Celestial Force!"

Feeling the power of primordial unity surging within, Qi Xiu exhaled wisps of pale gray breath and shook his head with a quiet smile. Who could have guessed that the so-called 'Ancient Gathering of Celestial Force' was never a place, nor the name of an object or a secret technique? This barrier, which had thwarted countless martial artists and practitioners, was, in essence, a physiological bottleneck.

To step through the gate of the Dao, one needed to condense the seed of the Dao from true merit or the power of the heart scripture, then bathe it in celestial force. This would catalyze the divine power of ancient blood, infusing it into the Dao seed, allowing this 'seed' to sprout.

Yet, to receive the baptism of celestial force, one must possess ancient blood—bloodlines descending from primordial, extraordinary beings. These were tightly controlled by noble families, great sects, and eminent schools. This was the most crucial link in the monopoly of entering the Dao.

Without ancient blood, ordinary people simply could not withstand the baptism of celestial force. Entering the Dao would mean certain death. Unable to pass this physiological barrier, one could never improve their strength further. This was why Song Tingye was willing to bring Qi Xiu into his family by marriage, only then granting him the secret method for entering the Dao. Only by marrying in could their family swap ancient blood for him; otherwise, even with the secret method, it would be worthless.

"Ancient blood, in essence, is the bloodline left behind by beings of a higher order of life. My power of primordial unity possesses the qualities of returning to simplicity and unifying all laws. By refining my body with this unity, I can continually purify my bloodline—making my own blood become ancient blood."

Qi Xiu's gaze brightened, his eyes deep and resolute. This was the core secret of the Primordial Dragon and Tiger True Scripture. Yet the scripture was incomplete, preventing him from directly running this method to generate unity within and refine his body. He could only, through external means—by pitting dragon against tiger, colliding yin and yang—slowly draw a portion of unity and preserve it, then use this power to enhance his bloodline.

Due to the many steps involved, this method of refining the body was slower, and far more dangerous. After all, dragon and tiger clashing meant Qi Xiu’s two forces battling each other. When evenly matched, it was fine, but the moment either side lost, imbalance of yin and yang would bring instant and catastrophic backlash, dragging Qi Xiu into unending calamity.

"Every gain comes with a loss. Though the secret of the Primordial Dragon and Tiger True Scripture can help me overcome the bottleneck to the Dao, its conception is far too lofty. Without sufficient content to support it, I will never be able to use it fully."

Glancing at the colored cord on his wrist, now only a third its original thickness, Qi Xiu ceased using the unity to refine his body. He could not condense unity at will, so he had to always preserve some for emergencies.

"I need to acquire more Pure Yang True Merit and Supreme Yin Heart Scripture. With the power of unity protecting me, I learn everything quickly; as long as I have enough true merit and scriptures, I can perfect the secret of the Primordial Dragon and Tiger True Scripture. Then, the gate of the Dao will no longer be far."

Thinking of true merit and scriptures, the image of Song Tingye appeared immediately in Qi Xiu’s mind. Marriage was out of the question now. With the secret of the Primordial Dragon and Tiger True Scripture in hand, given time, he might become the founder of a sect himself. How could he lower himself to become a son-in-law dependent on another family?

"But as things stand, it's no longer the county magistrate making the decisions, but his sister—the practitioner who has entered the Dao. This woman’s temperament is erratic, her moods unpredictable, impossible to fathom."

Rising, Qi Xiu brushed the dust and dead leaves from his robe and prepared to leap down the cliff to return to the county town. In the far distance along the official road, a plume of yellow smoke, like a dragon racing across the land, caught his attention.

"What is that...?"

With a light step, Qi Xiu moved forward, his figure shifting like a phantom as he rapidly approached the official road.

...

One hundred and fifty miles outside Baohua County.

On the broad and lengthy official road, tens of thousands of civilians trudged with their families, carrying bundles and packs as they walked the great highway. The long procession stretched for more than ten miles.

These people’s faces were sallow, their expressions dull and weary. Their steps were uncertain, stumbling and faltering; barely had they walked any distance before more than a dozen collapsed along the way.

"Refugees?"

Seeing these exhausted, haggard people, Qi Xiu frowned—had some disaster struck here?

His gaze flickered, and from the Jiao Pool he took out a hundred masks, transforming himself into the likeness of a farmer in his thirties, then walked toward the endless line of refugees.

"Brother, where are you all coming from?"

He chose a man with a simple, honest face, about forty years old, and greeted him.

"We’re all from Dongli County. Disaster struck our homes, so we had no choice but to flee."

The yellow-faced man glanced at Qi Xiu, seeing he too looked like a farmer, sighed, and answered quietly.

"All these people are fleeing? Where are you headed?"

"Yes, a monster calling itself the Golden Wealth King appeared in our county, demanding to eat a hundred people alive every day. In just half a month, every town and village around the county has been ravaged. Lately it raised the number to two hundred. Facing certain death, we fled. Better to starve on the road than be eaten by a monster."

His expression darkened as he reached to touch his daughter’s face beside him.

"Isn’t there anyone who can deal with such a vicious monster?"

"There was. We’d just gotten a new county magistrate—such a good man. But the monster had a green, glowing bag. In one swoop, it caught the magistrate and all his men, stuffed them inside. I expect they’re all in its belly now."

The yellow-faced man spoke with regret. They’d finally found a kind, benevolent magistrate, but barely had they enjoyed peace before the monster devoured him. Heaven truly cannot bear to see people prosper.

Watching the man and his family struggle forward, Qi Xiu stood in place, his expression complex. Had it not been for Yuan Baiyi’s Western Wind Army arriving in time, at least half the population of Baohua County would have perished. Baohua had simply been a little luckier than Dongli, escaping disaster by a thread. But how long could this peace last? No one could say.

"In troubled times, it is always the common folk who suffer most..."

...

Within the county town.

Song Residence.

Song Tingye, doing his utmost to find a way to rid himself of Jia Yufei, carried a platter of fine lychees, his manner gentle.

"Sister, I’m so busy every day I can’t keep you company. Why don’t you go home first, and when my work eases, you can come again?"

Jia Yufei picked up a lychee, peeled it, and popped it into her mouth: "What, are you trying to drive me away?"

"No, you’re my sister, how could I ever do such a thing? It’s just..."

"Young master! Something’s happened!"

Just as Song Tingye was smiling and explaining, a rough shout nearly made him spill lychees all over Jia Yufei. Suppressing his anger, Song Tingye turned to Sun Yueting and hissed, "If you do that again, watch out—I’ll thrash you!"

"Young master, there’s a letter from home."

Sun Yueting seemed unconcerned about Song Tingye’s threat, handing over a letter—entirely bright red.

"A blood letter?"

Song Tingye’s expression changed at once; he tossed aside the lychees and snatched the crimson letter. Jia Yufei, hearing this, came over too.

Blood letters were reserved only for urgent matters. Their appearance meant an emergency order from home.

Tearing open the envelope, Song Tingye unfolded the letter. A line of script met the siblings’ eyes:

"Xingshan in Dongli, captured by demon, rescue at once!"

...