"Every time you break through to perfection, your combat strength will be one to two tenths greater than it was in the previous realm. There are still thirty-six more Heavenly Stages after that. If you keep going like this, as long as you can cultivate to immortality, you'll surely be invincible among those of the same level."
"That sounds amazing!" Qian Renxue's eyes lit up, and all her earlier dejection vanished.
"Master, did you cultivate this technique before?"
"No." Chen Qingxuan's voice carried a trace of reminiscence. "I rose from humble beginnings. I had to fight for my cultivation techniques and resources myself."
"Back then, Master and I traveled everywhere, slaying demons, vanquishing evil, and defending the innocent. We relied on our strength to obtain cultivation resources."
(Digging up tombs for treasure, robbing the rich to help the poor, swindling and cheating.)
"You have Spirit Hall backing you. Your starting point is much higher than mine was. As long as you keep moving forward steadily, your future achievements will be limitless."
Qian Renxue nodded hard and clenched her little fists, her fighting spirit reignited.
"Master, I understand! Xue'er will cultivate diligently. I definitely won't let you down!"
Qian Renxue propped her chin on her hand and gazed at the branches swaying in the courtyard breeze.
She thought it over and over, but still couldn't resist asking, "Master, if Xue'er wants to reach the peak of body cultivation, about how long will it take?"
"It won't take very long," Chen Qingxuan said casually. "With your talent, if you had no resources to support you, fifty years at most."
"F-fifty years?" Qian Renxue's eyes widened. She held up her slender fingers and counted them one by one, her small mouth opening slightly in astonishment.
Furrowing her brow and pulling a long face, she said, "Master, how about we switch to another technique? Fifty years! By then, Xue'er will be an old granny. How awful would that be?"
"You'd need fifty years only without resources," Chen Qingxuan said coolly.
"You have Spirit Hall behind you. Nearly all the resources on the entire continent can be put at your disposal. With such a vast supply to rely on, five or six years at most will be enough for you to reach the peak of body cultivation."
"But five or six years is still so long," Qian Renxue drawled.
"In six years, Xue'er will be fifteen. If I still don't have Soul Power at fifteen, everyone will definitely call me a good-for-nothing~~"
"Xiao Xue, your fifth-stage, middle-grade foundation is decent in this world, but in the wider universe, it's merely on par with an inner-sect disciple of a small sect."
Chen Qingxuan spoke earnestly. "You're my disciple. I want you to become the supreme one among your peers, unafraid of any challenge."
Qian Renxue blinked in confusion. "Master, with you here, couldn't I just advance through the ranks a little faster?"
"What good is being invincible among my peers? As long as I'm a higher level than everyone else, can't I still beat them?"
"Mortals have their limits, and even immortals have their end." Chen Qingxuan's voice carried a trace of weariness.
"To break through the limits of mortals, you must rely on strength."
"Immortals are said to be undying, yet immortal tribulations stand in their way."
"Back then, I had few rivals among those of my level, but in the end, wasn't I still struck down by an immortal tribulation and reduced to body and soul destroyed?"
"Without the strength to be invincible among your peers, what confidence could you have to face an immortal tribulation? I don't want you to follow in my footsteps."
Qian Renxue fell silent. A glimmer of understanding flashed through her golden eyes. She nodded firmly and declared, "Master, Xue'er understands! I'll cultivate Primordial Nirvana Sutra diligently and live up to your expectations. I'll strive to become invincible among my peers as soon as I can!"
Once she understood, curiosity stirred in her again. Her eyes shone as she asked, "Master, just how strong will I be when I reach the peak of body cultivation?"
"In the early stage of Tendon Refining, one arm can lift five hundred jin. In the early stage of Blood Refining, your strength reaches a thousand jin. In the early stage of Skin Refining, two thousand jin. In the early stage of Bone Refining, three thousand jin. In the early stage of Organ Refining, five thousand jin."
Chen Qingxuan explained slowly. "The Primordial Nirvana Sutra you're cultivating will give you five times the strength of someone at the same level from the very beginning. Each time you advance a level and reach perfection, your strength will increase by even more."
"By my estimate, when you first enter the Organ Refining realm, you'll have at least forty thousand jin of strength."
"Forty thousand jin..." Qian Renxue was completely stunned, her little mouth agape and her eyes full of shock.
She knew that even a Soul Saint might not be able to lift a forty-thousand-jin boulder. That was truly superhuman strength!
But then an image suddenly appeared in her mind: a golden-haired girl with bulging, knotted muscles all over her body, a tiny head, arms thicker than her thighs, and a waist as thick as a barrel... The sight was so "wonderful" that she shuddered and shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum.
"No, no! Xiao Xue doesn't want to turn into that!" Qian Renxue's face went deathly pale. She recoiled, waving both hands again and again as though she could dispel the terrifying image. "That would be so ugly! It wouldn't look good at all!"
"Xiao Xue, don't let your imagination run wild." Chen Qingxuan's voice held a trace of amusement.
"The technique I gave you is meant to shape the most perfect body, nothing like the crude thing you imagined."
"A perfect body should have balanced muscles, look slender yet possess explosive power, and have blood and qi surging like a great river. Its movements should be light as a swallow, with strength and beauty existing side by side."
He paused, then continued, "When men cultivate, they develop an upright figure, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a bold, masculine air. Every gesture carries the strength of ten thousand jun."
"When women cultivate, they develop a graceful figure and lovely curves. They may look delicate, yet conceal tremendous strength. They move like a startled hare and sit still as a maiden, perfectly blending power and grace."
"Really?" Qian Renxue's eyes brightened, and the pallor gradually faded from her small face. She looked hopeful, yet doubtful. "Can I really be both strong and beautiful?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Chen Qingxuan said with certainty. "Once you've made progress in body cultivation, you'll understand its wonders."
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate. Porcupinefish Douluo hurried into the garden and came to the stone table. Bowing, he held out an exquisitely carved jade pendant in both hands and said respectfully, "Young Master, the Grand Elder sent these rare herbs. There's also a piece of thirty-thousand-year-old Whale Rubber and a piece of twenty-thousand-year-old Whale Rubber."
"I'm told they've been specially refined and can be taken directly. They can greatly improve a Soul Master's physical constitution."
Qian Renxue's heart stirred as she took the pendant. It felt warm and smooth in her hand.
Her lips curved into a small smile, and she said happily, "Got it. Thanks for your effort, Uncle Pufferfish."
"This subordinate takes his leave." Porcupinefish Douluo bowed and slowly withdrew.
Qian Renxue toyed with the jade pendant in her hand, then looked up and asked, "Master, the things you asked them to prepare are here. These are what Grandpa sent. When are we starting the alchemy you mentioned?"
"We can start now."
"Wait, Master!" Qian Renxue suddenly seemed to remember something and hurried to her feet.
"I'll go wash up first. I've been practicing swordsmanship all day, and I'm covered in sweat." With that, she gathered up her skirt and ran toward her bedroom, calling as she went, "Someone, prepare some hot water! I'm going to bathe!"
The maids answered and quickly got to work.
Before you continue