True Qi (Please Recommend!)

"Don't cry, don't cry! Look, I'm fine, aren't I?"

Wu Ming watched the beautiful woman with red-rimmed eyes and gently tried to comfort her, but his heart had gone cold. That was a close one.

In this world, Daoist arts and divine abilities could open the heavenly eye. There were also demons and evil spirits that could possess people, seize their bodies, and return to life. Though local gentry in the countryside might be ignorant, his elder sister Wu Qing, a Daoist cultivator, surely knew about such things.

Even if she couldn't handle it herself, after seeing how close Wu Ming had come to disaster, she would certainly find someone who could!

That old Daoist from earlier had clearly been a master of the Dao, summoned to cast a spell and investigate.

If he'd seen Wu Ming a few days earlier, there'd have been no hiding the soul of a transmigrator within him. He would surely have been branded an evil spirit and suppressed, never to be reborn.

Thank goodness... Thank goodness I still have the Main God Hall!

Wu Ming immediately thought of the Main God Hall's healing.

He hadn't noticed anything before, but after regaining consciousness this time, he'd felt that his body and soul were in perfect harmony. It was probably the result of that treatment.

Otherwise, if he'd let slip even the smallest clue, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

As it stood, though, things had worked out perfectly. With that old Daoist's endorsement, even if Wu Ming did something shocking in the future, no one else would think to suspect that.

"What are you staring off into space for?"

Apparently certain of what had happened, Wu Qing spoke much more casually.

"I... I was thinking about my ring!"

Wu Ming made up an excuse on the spot.

"It broke ages ago!"

Wu Qing shot her younger brother a look, her face as radiant as a spring breeze, her beauty utterly captivating.

Wu Ming's heart stirred. Now he understood why his convenient elder sister usually acted like an iceberg. With a face like that, wherever she went, she'd be a sure-fire femme fatale.

"That was just some worthless trinket. Another day, your sister will give you a proper magical artifact!"

As Wu Qing continued speaking, Wu Ming thought of the jade pendant that might have been a piece of the Main God Hall.

Everything had been so chaotic at the time that hardly anyone would have been paying attention. Perhaps no one had noticed at all.

Besides, the Main God Hall had already swallowed the pendant. Even if someone suspected something, Wu Ming could simply deny everything and act as if he knew nothing.

"Also... that Daoist was..."

Wu Qing answered gently, "He's the steward of the Dao Academy your sister belongs to, Daoist Master Shou Xuan. His Daoist arts are profound, and he's skilled in medicine. I specially invited him to come and treat you..."

She can even get the steward to come. Looks like my convenient elder sister has made quite a name for herself at the Dao Academy!

Wu Ming was thinking this when he saw Wu Qing's willow-leaf brows rise. A hint of ruthless resolve crossed her face. "I've already found out that Li Xiuyun, that femme fatale, was the reason you got hurt. She should be beaten to death with clubs as a warning to others!"

"Don't!"

Wu Ming blurted it out.

Li Xiuyun was the young woman he'd first seen when he transmigrated here. She was a pitiable soul.

Her childhood sweetheart, Lin Qi, had been possessed by an Outer-world Demon, and her entire family had been slaughtered. Now a vicious young master had taken her, and Wu Qing had taken a grudge against her too. Her life was in danger.

He'd never known how to face her. For the past few days, he'd done his best to avoid her, hiding away in the study.

Now that Wu Qing had returned, this was clearly a problem that needed to be dealt with at once.

"Well..."

Looking at Wu Qing, who was brimming with murderous intent, Wu Ming finally remembered that his elder sister might dote on him, but she was utterly cold and merciless toward everyone else.

Without that, a delicate young woman like her could never have held on to such a large estate, much less joined the Dao Academy and risen to prominence.

"This woman..."

Wu Ming thought it over, but couldn't find the right words. Was he supposed to say he liked her? That would make him a fool.

After a moment of silence, he said, "She's rather pitiful too. Why not let her go home..."

"Heh..."

To his surprise, Wu Qing burst out laughing. "I was only trying to scare you. How could I bear to lay a finger on your precious darling?"

Then she gave him a curious look. "I just didn't expect... You've changed after being away for a while, little brother. You even know how to cherish a lovely woman now..."

"Heh..."

Wu Ming gave a dry laugh, knowing that if not for the old Daoist's guarantee, the clues he'd let slip would already have been enough to make Wu Qing suspicious.

Wu Qing wore a bright, charming smile, but a cold glint flashed briefly in the depths of her eyes. In a flash, a thought struck Wu Ming. Could it be...

Time flew by.

Wu Ming's injuries hadn't been serious to begin with, and he didn't know what kind of miraculous medicine Wu Qing had applied. After three days, his right hand had almost completely healed.

Daoist Master Shou Xuan had naturally come by once, then returned to the Dao Academy. Wu Qing, on the other hand, seemed to have taken several days off to spend time with her little brother, which made Wu Ming's scalp prickle.

On the training grounds.

Wu Ming wore a short jacket, his chest bare and his muscles faintly defined. He suddenly let out a sharp breath, his breathing deep and unbroken, each exhalation stirring the air.

Crack!

In an instant, a crisp sound rang out from his dantian. His blood and essence surged through his body, brimming with vitality, and gave birth to his first wisp of True Qi!

The fifth level of the Body Refinement Realm—the True Qi Realm!

"Whew..."

Wu Ming drew a deep breath. The pores all over his body opened, and wisps of vapor seemed to rise from him.

He couldn't help feeling moved. I've reached the True Qi Realm again. I never expected that after breaking through with my soul, I'd have to break through again with my body... But now, with the experience of both breakthroughs combined, my foundation is even deeper and sturdier!

The Main God Hall seemed to select Reincarnators by taking only their souls.

Yet everything they experienced felt utterly real. In Wu Ming's case, he'd fought for his life and broken through in the midst of a bloody battle. Now, his breakthrough had come naturally.

"Good!"

Beside him, Feng Han clapped his hands. A hint of a smile appeared on his stiff, rigid face. "I thought that with Young Master Ming's aptitude, he'd need to hone himself in real combat or go to the battlefield and experience the threat of death before breaking through to True Qi. Only then could he unite the strength of his skin and flesh, bones, and internal organs to form True Qi... I never expected you to break through already!"

But when he thought of Wu Ming's brush with death while fighting Lin Qi last time, Feng Han immediately understood. He said warmly, "Now that Young Master has entered the True Qi Realm, he's already left ninety-nine percent of his peers behind. He can be called a standout of his generation!"

Wu Ming felt a little embarrassed hearing that.

The resources he had for martial arts training were beyond anything his peers could imagine. He'd also been chosen by the Main God Hall and sent through dungeon missions, where he'd narrowly escaped death. Only after all that had he managed to break through, and the price he'd paid was something Feng Han could never imagine.

As if noticing Wu Ming's embarrassment, Feng Han said, "Young Master Ming needn't belittle himself. The fifth level of the Body Refinement Realm is rare even in an entire county. If you enlisted in the army, you could be appointed a Squad Leader regardless of your background! Given your status, you could even serve as a Deputy Commander and hold official rank..."

The most basic military unit in this world was organized into groups of five and ten. A group of five was called a squad, led by a Squad Leader. Two squads made a unit of ten, commanded by a leader of ten men, who was at least someone of consequence.

Of course, Wu Ming came from a good family. He was a local magnate, and his elder sister could make the arrangements. If he entered government service, he'd surely receive Subordinate Ninth Rank status.

The post of Deputy Commander was appointed by the Commandery Governor of the imperial court. Its title was Garrison Deputy Lieutenant, Subordinate Ninth Rank! It came with an official seal and appointment certificate, making its holder a true official, no longer one of the commoners or clerks, but a member of the official class.

Don't underestimate it. Ordinary people in Great Zhou could work their whole lives and still never attain such a position.

Of course, Wu Ming had Wu Qing backing him, and at home he had fertile land, a grand estate, a lovely concubine, and beautiful maids. He'd have to be a fool to enlist and enter government service.

"Master Feng is a formidable martial artist. If you joined the army, you'd be like a tiger returning to the forest or a dragon plunging into the sea—unstoppable..."

Wu Ming spoke as if he admired him.

"You flatter me, Young Master..."

Feng Han shook his head. "I come from a humble family and have no connections. Even if I joined the army, I'd probably be stuck in a deputy's post. I might be able to become a Deputy Commander at first, but to rise to Commander, I'd need a stroke of good fortune. Otherwise, it would take at least ten years..."

As he spoke, Wu Ming clearly saw a look of unwillingness in Feng Han's eyes.

No wonder. If things had been going well for him, why would he have accepted Wu Qing's offer and come to teach Wu Ming martial arts?

And perhaps Feng Han had come not only for the work, but also to build ties with the Wu family and catch the wind at their backs.

All in all, they were each getting what they wanted.

"I'll teach you all the martial combat techniques and weapons skills I know. As for the later stages of your cultivation method, you'll have to get those from Eldest Miss..."

Feng Han quickly regained his composure and said solemnly, "It isn't that I'm keeping anything from you. Your Qi Circulation Cultivation Method far surpasses mine, Young Master. Your future is limitless!"

"Limitless?"

Wu Ming pondered the word, then suddenly asked, "After the Body Refinement Realm, are there other realms in the martial path?"

"Of course!"

Feng Han answered without hesitation. "...After the Body Refinement Realm, martial artists undergo a transformation, transcending the mortal and becoming saints. They are reborn from the inside out. The stories of one man charging into an army formation and facing a thousand—or even ten thousand—enemies are all true!"

"How do they compare to Daoist cultivators?" Wu Ming asked immediately.

"After entering the True Qi Realm, we martial artists possess vigorous, blazing Qi and Blood. When facing an enemy, we can roar and spit out our vital essence. Breaking their petty spells is child's play. And Daoist cultivators rely heavily on external objects unless they've reached the realm of Drawing Talismans in Mid-air and Words Becoming Incantations. If we martial artists get close to them, then, hehe..."

Feng Han's answer confirmed Wu Ming's suspicion that he was biased—or, rather, that he clung stubbornly to the glory of martial artists.

But a spark flashed through Wu Ming's mind. He thought again of the young girl Xiao Yu, whom he'd met during his first reincarnation mission.

She'd given him an extraordinary impression. There was a good chance she'd been a Daoist cultivator.

Unfortunately, her cultivation hadn't been very high, and she'd relied too heavily on external objects. Worse still, she'd run into the Main God Hall, that damned thing that counted every talisman and magical artifact as an "external object"! She'd had to spend merit points to redeem them before she could bring them into a dungeon.

As a result, Xiao Yu had been like a fish without gills or a bird without wings. When she faced a deadly crisis, she'd met her end in silence. Who knew where her fragrant soul had gone?

Hmm... We Reincarnators travel through reincarnation as souls, with the Main God Hall sending us into dungeons. But when someone dies in a dungeon, do they really die, or are their memories simply erased?