Second Level of Qi Refining, Fourth Grade Minor Grandmaster

Inside the stone hut.

Mu Ye was enveloped in a pale blue water barrier. Through the flowing curtain of water, a faint light could be seen gushing continuously from the area of his kidneys.

The spiritual energy in his surroundings gathered rapidly, forming a shallow eddy that circulated around the water prison.

A moment later, as the talisman paper gradually lost its luster, the water prison dissipated.

Mu Ye opened his eyes, feeling the spiritual energy within his body no longer obstructed, flowing with remarkable smoothness.

Wait, how did I reach the second level of Qi Refining?

The bottleneck just broke like that?

I was just opening my Divine Apertures... and the bottleneck just vanished?

Scratching his head in confusion, Mu Ye didn't quite understand.

He had been stuck at the first level of Qi Refining for a long time and had assumed it would take at least a year or two to break through.

He hadn't expected that... after playing the game for a few months, he would break through.

Mu Ye was certain it had something to do with his practice of the Divine Aperture Secret Martial Art.

"Now that my kidney Divine Aperture is fully opened, adding over two hundred Divine Apertures, I can officially be considered a Fourth Grade Minor Grandmaster."

Mu Ye felt quite excited.

After opening the torso Divine Apertures, performing various secret martial arts felt as though there was a root source within his body.

Regardless of which organ Divine Aperture was opened, it would improve the martial artist as a whole, but once these organ Divine Apertures were all opened, they would grant even more powerful abilities.

When the power used to perform secret martial arts had a source within the body, executing them would be like a fish in water, breaking through previous limits.

This produced true Gang Qi.

According to the Divine Aperture Secret Martial Art, the torso is the place where humans store Innate Qi, so this type of Gang Qi is also known as Innate Gang Qi. Once a secret martial art possesses Innate Gang Qi, the Gang Force carried in every punch and kick can truly melt metal and crush bone.

Mu Ye clenched his fist and slowly raised it.

As the power of the Divine Aperture hidden within his kidneys surged continuously, it connected to his limbs under the circulation of his cultivation technique.

Scorching flame energy gathered at his fist, transforming into a faint fist imprint that hissed and crackled incessantly.

With that hidden power, Mu Ye did not doubt for a second that a few punches would be enough to blast the Red Flame Stone out of the Qinghe Mine.

In terms of efficiency, a secret martial art that reached this level was not a bit weaker than the spells cast by Steward Xu; it was even a bit stronger.

Once a cultivator was struck by it, the terrifying Gang Force would instantly destroy their body.

In reality, a cultivator's body is not weak. Those who cultivate immortality can extend their lifespan, as their bodies are nourished by spiritual power year-round.

Even without specialized body tempering, their physical constitution is far superior to that of an ordinary person. Every organ in their body functions better than a normal human's, making it no easy task to kill a cultivator.

Once they reach the Foundation Establishment stage, ordinary blades and swords can barely pierce their skin.

However, the Divine Aperture Secret Martial Art follows the path of tempering the body's hidden treasures—the divine apertures. Once a secret martial art is cultivated to its highest realm, its power is equally formidable.

"After being bolstered by the divine apertures in the torso organs... the power of any secret martial art will increase..."

"Fourth Grade, this is the Fourth Grade..."

"Now that I am at the second level of Qi Refining, the power of all my spells will increase, and this will be synchronized to my character as well..."

Mu Ye waved his hand, spiritual power circulating at his fingertips. Several wisps of green light flew out from his Storage Bag, circling his body like a school of green snakes and emitting a menacing glow.

"After slowly mastering this magical artifact over these past few days, now that I've reached the second level of Qi Refining, I have gained complete control over it."

"A few Green Peak Needles..."

This type of First-Order Magical Artifact is far more useful than a First-Order spell.

It has great power and low consumption; the only drawback is that it burns money—it burns Spirit Stones.

These magical artifacts all have durability; use them too much, and they break.

"I wonder if it's because I've opened the divine aperture in my arm... the circulation of spiritual power through my arm is quite smooth..."

"This Object Manipulation Technique controls the magical artifact with great fluidity, and the speed of control is also very fast."

Magical artifacts are rare items. Mu Ye plays with them for a while every day, treating it as practice in his spare time.

Mostly, it's just because this thing is quite cool to use.

The high-speed Green Peak Needles are faster than bullets, and if controlled well with the Object Manipulation Technique, they can change direction at any moment, making them impossible to guard against.

A cultivator of the same level might be able to defend against them, but if the opponent is weaker, it results in an instant kill.

However, if facing a cultivator stronger than himself, this kind of magical artifact is not quite enough and is more easily blocked.

If I could pay-to-win and bring this thing into the game world, it would truly be a lethal weapon... I could instantly kill a Fourth Grade Minor Grandmaster, and might even be able to go toe-to-toe with a Fifth Grade.

Mu Ye became somewhat lost in thought.

Forget it, I should be able to get the key information about the Seven Absolutes Demon today... Let's enter the game first...

Lying on the stone bed, Mu Ye entered the game.

Zuixiang Pavilion.

Mu Ye disguised himself as a Brothel Patron and walked inside with practiced ease.

The two attendants at the door were full of deference.

Behind him, a fair-skinned young master dressed in brocade paused in surprise and asked:

"Today, Miss Yuanshuang of your Zuixiang Pavilion is holding a gathering. You usually demand a tip from everyone who enters, so who is this kid? Why didn't you collect a tip from him?"

"You're asking who he is?" the attendant on the left chuckled. "Even our head manager at Zuixiang Pavilion would have to pay to sleep with him, so how could we possibly collect money from him?"

"Ah?" The young master was stunned.

A servant following beside him whispered:

"I heard he's a famous playboy who's been at Zuixiang Pavilion these days... No one knows where he came from, but his name is Ji Yaodao. Not only is he dashing and romantic, but he's also quite proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Most importantly..."

"Most importantly what?"

"Many of the girls at Zuixiang Pavilion are pining for him..."

The young master gasped.

Since when did such a patron appear in Taiping City?

"It's said that many lonely noblewomen in Taiping City want to invite him over as a guest..."

"He comes to Zuixiang Pavilion now, unlike us, without needing any money at all."

"How could it be otherwise? My aunt heard about him and secretly sent her maid to inquire for news, but it's a pity that this person is elusive and quite mysterious. He is like a dragon that shows its head but never its tail; ordinary people can't find where he is... Yet, the more this is the case, the more people he attracts..."

Many young masters who did not frequent Zuixiang Pavilion looked on in shock.

Meanwhile, Mu Ye had already reached the third floor.

The third floor was the Yunjian Pavilion of Zuixiang Pavilion. Here, white clouds drifted like mist, curling into smoke. The surrounding painted screens hung like waterfalls, and there were countless rare treasures, pearls, and elegant artifacts, creating the illusion of a fairyland on earth or a hall of immense wealth.

The girls of Zuixiang Pavilion, dressed in gauze skirts with beautiful faces, walked through the clouds as if they were truly celestial maidens.

If nothing else, the atmosphere is top-notch.

Mu Ye praised inwardly.

Even Tianxiang Pavilion in Qinghe Market didn't play it up this much.

Looking around, he saw quite a few familiar faces.

The first one he spotted was naturally Feng Wuque. The guy wore a smile, though his face was pale and a hint of gloom was hidden in his eyes.

Through the rhythm of his breathing, Mu Ye could sense that this guy seemed to have suffered a significant internal injury.

As for the rest, nothing else could be discerned.

The young gang leader of the Chishui Gang, the young sect master of the Nanyue Blade Sect, officers from the Taiping Prefecture government, wealthy young heirs from merchant guilds... they had all swarmed in at once.

"Huh..."

Suddenly, Mu Ye caught sight of a familiar figure.

It was also a young master, dressed in white robes, holding a wooden fan, with a face as fair as jade—he carried the air of a refined gentleman from a troubled world.

His looks were even a notch more handsome than the Brothel Patron, though his build was not as tall.

This... looks like that girl Shen Qingchan?

Mu Ye recognized her immediately.

After the incident at the Feng Mansion, Shen Qingchan would occasionally come to the Divine Fist Martial Hall to seek advice. Every day after visiting Zuixiang Pavilion, Mu Ye would switch back to his Ranger daily routine to train at the Divine Fist Martial Hall, where he had run into her several times. They usually just practiced together and chatted; there was nothing particularly special about it.

Her favorability had risen to 59 and then slowly plateaued.

Dressing as a man, what is she doing here?

Mu Ye was somewhat puzzled.

The top courtesan was looking for a husband; what could a girl like her possibly do?

At this moment, a gorgeously dressed woman walked up to the high platform erected at the front and spoke gracefully:

"Gentlemen, today is the day our Yuanshuang makes her debut at Zuixiang Pavilion. I trust you are all here for her. You all know the rules, so I won't say much more. Yuanshuang is the most outstanding girl in our Zuixiang Pavilion. You have surely seen her beauty in many paintings already, and besides that, she is a master of calligraphy and painting, and proficient in the zither and flute. I need not elaborate further..."

"To become an intimate guest of our Yuanshuang, you need only satisfy two conditions."

The beautiful woman smiled, sweeping her gaze across the crowd below. It lingered for a moment on the tall figure; as soon as the man raised his eyes, the woman felt a slight jolt, her heart fluttering.

But she was highly disciplined and immediately shifted her gaze away.

"Tsk..."

Watching this scene, Mu Ye chuckled.

This Brothel Patron was indeed something else. Not only was he impressive, but he also seemed to have it easy.

Walking through the martial arts world, he felt like a protagonist who had stumbled into a fan-fiction, possessing the aura of a human stud; when facing women, he was practically a specialized weapon.

"What are the requirements? Is it money? How much? One hundred thousand coins? A million coins? I have plenty of money!"

"I come from Heluo Academy and am also proficient in calligraphy and painting. This Chick Pecking Rice Painting of mine once caused quite a stir at the academy. Perhaps I am fated to be with Miss Yuanshuang."

"Miss Yuanshuang possesses peerless beauty; those of you who are ugly shouldn't embarrass yourselves. She wouldn't give you a second look..."

"Bullshit! Miss Yuanshuang is a woman of unparalleled talent. What she values is a person's character and intellect... She doesn't care whether you're good-looking or not..."

"..."

The crowd below argued incessantly.

The beautiful woman smiled and waved her hand.

"Everyone, there is no need to argue. Let us first discuss the first condition."

"Someone, bring the painting!"

Two maidservants stepped forward, carrying a scroll between them.

"Everyone, take a look."

One maidservant stood still while the other unfurled the scroll.

The scroll was exceptionally long, and what was depicted upon it was none other than the street scenes of Taiping City. It included the mansions of the various great families, the entrances to martial arts halls, and even the minute details of the peddlers' faces were rendered vividly. The steamed buns depicted seemed to emit an enticing aroma through the very canvas.

What was even more bizarre was that as the scroll was slowly unfurled, the people in the painting, and even the sun in the sky, were slowly moving. The street scene itself was constantly changing, transitioning from sunrise to sunset. By the time the scroll was fully extended, the scene had shifted from day to night.

It was like a living version of the Along the River During the Qingming Festival.

The guests present were mesmerized, their minds deeply shaken.

Mu Ye was also astonished.

This painting technique was remarkable!

After half a month of practicing his skills, and relying on the Brothel Patron's superior talent for the arts, he had already reached a fairly high level in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

[Painting: 45/100 (Outstanding)]

This skill had no tiers; 100 was the maximum.

An ordinary person reaching this level could already make a living selling paintings on the street.

Yet, the techniques used in this scroll, as the light from the high platform shone upon it, slowly revealed different beautiful vistas. This technique was truly brilliant!