Mystery

Qin Yu sat where he was, his mind roaring as he recalled passages from an ancient book in the highest level of Tian Qi Sect's Library Pavilion. Stormy waves surged in his heart.

"At the beginning of primal chaos, there were ancient people who pursued ultimate strength. After evolution across countless ages, they created the art of 'Hundred Refinements.' What are Hundred Refinements?"

"Temper the body a thousand times, refine the heart a hundred times."

"What does it mean to temper the body a thousand times? Disperse the impurities of the body and condense its essence."

"What does it mean to refine the heart a hundred times? Rise and fall, scatter completely and return again. It is truly to temper the heart and strengthen one's resolve."

"This art refines the body a hundred times. Cultivation seeks perfection; accumulate deeply and burst forth, becoming a great vessel late in life. Only after enduring a thousand temperings of the body and a hundred refinements of the heart can one ascend to the summit!"

"During the Primordial Era, someone used this art to forge an invincible body and an undying heart. Later, the many venerables trapped him within the prison of time. From then on, Hundred Refinements vanished without a trace, and that man came to be known as the most ruthless man of the Primordial Era!"

"Rise and fall, scatter completely and return again, accumulate deeply and burst forth... Is it truly Hundred Refinements? How could that be possible?" Qin Yu was utterly shocked. He even had the urge to ask Qin Zhan what Spirit Art he cultivated...

If it truly was "Hundred Refinements," then it was impossible to imagine what heights Qin Zhan would reach in the future!

"Hoo!" Qin Yu took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart. As he carefully recalled every word Qin Zhan had said, his suspicions only deepened. Even if it was not "Hundred Refinements," it had to be something similar. After Qin Zhan's cultivation had regressed, every further breakthrough made him stronger than before. Coupled with the Sea of Suffering he had opened, it was clear that the Spirit Art he cultivated was extraordinary.

Moreover, the Sea of Suffering was not something just anyone could open.

Only when one's physical body had reached an extreme level of strength would there be a chance to open it. Once opened, the path of cultivation would become exceptionally difficult.

The Sea of Suffering between one's brows was called the Sea of Suffering precisely because cultivation was arduous, and the hardships one encountered were impossible to measure. Yet while cultivation was difficult, its rewards were equally immense.

As the saying went, the Sea of Suffering had no shore, boundless and endless.

During ancient times, those who opened a Sea of Suffering were not uncommon. Yet now, Qin Yu had learned from the Qin Family's Library Pavilion that almost no one was willing to open one.

Wait!!

Qin Yu suddenly recalled that his father, Qin Zhan, had said his mother had left something inside his body. Yet Qin Yu had carefully examined his body and found nothing at all. Could that thing be within the Sea of Suffering?

Impossible!!

Absolutely impossible!

If it had been placed in the Sea of Suffering, then with the former Qin Yu's aptitude, he would never have been able to open it in his lifetime.

Unless!

When he turned sixteen, the Sea of Suffering would open on its own. But that... was even more unheard-of!

Even though Qin Yu had read through Tian Qi Sect's Library Pavilion, he had never heard of anyone whose Sea of Suffering could open by itself.

At that thought, the mother in Qin Yu's memories became especially mysterious. Moreover, his father surely knew something about his mother's origins; he simply did not wish to reveal it.

Mother, just what was your background?

Qin Yu sank into deep thought. Yet after carefully reviewing the former Qin Yu's memories, he still found not a single clue. He could only set the matter aside. With a powerful enemy looming before him, Qin Yu needed to raise his cultivation to the Gangqi Realm as much as possible within five months.

Originally, Qin Yu had merely guessed that Cui Residence was connected to the Cui Family of Green Lotus. Now that Qin Zhan had confirmed it, Qin Yu felt vaguely worried. During this time, Cui Residence would likely move heaven and earth to raise Cui Shuo's strength, perhaps even resorting to outside help such as medicinal pills!

"Five and a half months is neither long nor short. The only thing I can rely on is the Six Transformations of the Mad Demon. Though I know many combat techniques, I still cannot display their true power."

"Furthermore, since Mad Demon First Transformation burns one's vital energy and blood, I must not only increase my cultivation during this period, but also strengthen my own vitality and blood. If I can master the Myriad Heavens Battle Art, that would be even better."

Although Qin Yu had created the Myriad Heavens Battle Art, that did not mean he knew how to use it. It still required long periods of tempering!

After pondering for a moment, Qin Yu made up his mind and rose to leave. Yet he discovered Xue'er and the Thirteenth Princess, Long Yu, standing not far away, while Xiao Tao and Xiao Hua squatted in the distance, whispering about something. When they noticed Qin Yu come out, both women raised their heads and looked at him with complicated expressions.

"Brother..." Qin Xue called out as she hurried over. Standing before Qin Yu, she looked up at him with reddened eyes and asked nervously, "Brother... are you really going to fight Cui Shuo in five months?"

Qin Yu glanced at Long Yu, then tenderly wiped the tears from Qin Xue's cheeks. "Didn't you say you wanted your brother to protect you? If I can't even defeat Cui Shuo, then how can I protect you, Xue'er?"

"But... Xue'er doesn't need Brother to protect her. Xue'er only wants Brother to be safe and sound. Brother, promise Xue'er that you'll definitely defeat Cui Shuo, alright?" Qin Xue, who was a head shorter than Qin Yu, tightly hugged him and spoke softly.

Qin Yu stroked Qin Xue's beautiful hair and smiled. "Of course. Your brother is actually very formidable." As he spoke, Qin Yu looked toward Xiao Tao in the distance. "Xiao Tao, bring me brush and ink."

Before Xiao Tao could recover her senses, Xiao Hua had already turned and run off to fetch brush and ink. Xiao Hua now admired Qin Yu to the point of complete submission and held him in particular awe. Back when Qin Yu had fought Cui Shuo, Xiao Hua had been injured but had not fainted. She had secretly watched the entire time, and Qin Yu's ferocity had struck her heart again and again.

"Thirteenth Princess, thank you for helping me these two times." Qin Yu glanced at Long Yu, his voice touched. Whether Long Yu had approached him with some purpose or not, she had stepped in to help him twice, and that moved him.

Long Yu's pretty face reddened slightly. Pretending to remain composed, she said, "Brother Qin is too polite. Xiao Xue and I are friends, and besides, I cannot stand the Cui Family's overbearing arrogance either." Long Yu had long heard that Qin Yu, the Qin Family's third son, was interested in her. In the past, she had had little contact with him, but his battle with Cui Shuo had made her heart stir. She faintly showed the signs of a young maiden's first love. When she thought of the rumors she had heard about how Qin Yu had secretly watched her, she felt somewhat shy.

Long Yu was two years older than Qin Yu, yet she had unconsciously begun calling him Brother Qin. She herself had not even noticed it.

Qin Yu took in Long Yu's expression completely. After pondering briefly, he said, "The Thirteenth Princess's innate bones should be quite ordinary, right?"

Her formerly rosy cheeks instantly turned deathly pale. Her pearly teeth bit down on her red lips, and she did not dare meet Qin Yu's gaze.

"I wonder what Spirit Art the Thirteenth Princess cultivates?" Qin Yu asked.

"The Heavenly Dragon Art," Long Yu answered softly. For some reason, facing Qin Yu's deep gaze at this moment, an instinctive sense of inferiority arose in her heart. She had even forgotten that she was a lofty princess, while Qin Yu was merely a merchant's son.

"With the Princess's status, you should not lack heavenly treasures and earthly riches. Why has your cultivation remained at the Martial Realm Second Level?" Qin Yu seemed not to notice Long Yu's low spirits as he continued questioning her.

"The imperial family is not as glorious as you imagine. Having ordinary innate bones means one cannot obtain cultivation resources." Long Yu bit her red lips tightly, and her clear, lively eyes brimmed with intense unwillingness. This time, she actually raised her head and met Qin Yu's eyes.

Qin Yu was not surprised by Long Yu's words. Familial affection was even thinner within imperial households, and the Wu Kingdom itself was merely a puppet. As a princess, Long Yu was likely only glamorous on the surface, nothing more.

"Ordinary innate bones do indeed mean one will remain unknown for one's entire life. Perhaps giving up long ago would have been for the best." Qin Yu stared straight into Long Yu's eyes, speaking each word distinctly.

Long Yu's face turned even paler. Her breathing quickened, yet the unwillingness in her eyes was gone, replaced by a sharp light—more precisely, ambition and yearning. Meeting Qin Yu's gaze, tears glittered in her eyes as she said softly, "Does having good or poor innate bones mean one is destined to remain mediocre for life? I refuse to believe that I, Long Yu, will remain mediocre forever. One day, I will break these shackles and let everyone know that ordinary innate bones represent nothing!!!"

Long Yu's final words were almost shouted. As a princess, she enjoyed the reverent gazes of countless people, yet her heart yearned for cultivation. She dreamed that one day, she could reach the pinnacle of wherever she went and become someone truly above all others!!

Qin Yu gave Long Yu a complicated look. Sensing the burning desire and unwillingness in her eyes, he said calmly, "I hope you will always remember what you said today."

At this moment, Xiao Hua arrived with brush and ink, while Xiao Tao hurried over carrying a table on her back. Qin Yu immediately picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing rapidly across the rice paper.

A moment later, before the four of them could see what Qin Yu had written, he had already finished. He took one sheet of rice paper and handed it to Xiao Tao and Xiao Hua. "Memorize it thoroughly, then destroy it!" With that, he handed another sheet to Long Yu, whose fists were clenched tightly and whose eyes were blurred with tears.

"You can read them here. If you can cultivate them, then cultivate the Spirit Arts written on the paper. Xue'er, come with me to Father." Qin Yu said. Qin Xue nodded suspiciously.

The two left the small courtyard and walked along the main road. After Qin Yu confirmed there was no one around, he spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Memorize this incantation. Remember, you must not reveal this art to anyone!" As he spoke, Qin Yu recited an incantation into Qin Xue's ear. This incantation was precisely the Heavenly Dao Immortal Art! Qin Yu would first let Qin Xue cultivate it, then help her perfect it later.

Though Qin Xue was doubtful, she diligently memorized the incantation.

After confirming that Qin Xue had memorized it, Qin Yu took out an envelope and said, "Take this envelope to Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop later. Say you are looking for Alchemist Zi, Zi Xun'er, and deliver a message for me while you are there. Tell her, 'Someone said there must not be a next time!' Alright, remember to cultivate what you just memorized. Also, I'll be leaving Qin Manor for a few months. Tell Father when the time comes, alright?"

"Brother... where are you going?" Qin Xue asked anxiously and worriedly.

"Of course, to increase my strength. Alright, go to Father's place. Take this spirit stone with you. If anything happens to the Qin Family, place this spirit stone into the groove beneath the pill cauldron in my room. During this time, leave the Qin Family as little as possible. Do you understand?"

At the same time.

Long Yu stared blankly at the few large, vigorous characters dancing like dragons and flying like phoenixes upon the paper. Her delicate body trembled violently, her pupils contracted, and the tears in her eyes fell endlessly like beads from a snapped string. Yet wild joy appeared on her exquisite face.