A New Cultivation System

"Is there anything you do not understand?" Chen Qingxuan's voice rippled through the vast, white sea of consciousness, carrying a detachment that seemed to pierce through everything.

Qian Renxue furrowed her delicate brows, her golden pupils filled with a thirst for knowledge, both bright and persistent.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Chen Qingxuan's translucent figure: "Master, I can understand the five realms of body refinement mentioned in the Primordial Nirvana Sutra."

"But what are these things that follow: Refining Essence into Qi, Refining Qi into Spirit, Refining Spirit into Void, Refining Void into Dao, and finally, Foundation Establishment to become an Immortal?"

Qian Renxue recognized every single character, but when strung together, they made absolutely no sense to her.

Chen Qingxuan spoke slowly, his voice clear and steady: "Living beings in this world are generally divided into two categories."

"The first is Mortal, the second is Immortal."

"Humans are but one type of mortal among the myriad living beings."

"Among mortals, there is a further distinction between martial artists and cultivators."

"Martial artists focus on body refinement, divided into five great realms: refining meridians, refining blood, refining skin, refining bones, and refining the five viscera. They temper themselves layer by layer to solidify the foundation of their physical bodies."

"Once the physical body is perfected, one can break free from the shackles of the mortal coil and step into the realm of cultivators."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Qian Renxue's focused little face, and continued: "The path of the cultivator has four major stages."

"Refining Essence into Qi is the condensation of the body's essence and blood into pure primordial energy."

"Refining Qi into Spirit is the use of primordial energy to nourish the soul, causing it to grow as vast as a galaxy."

"Refining Spirit into Void is allowing the soul to transcend the physical body and touch the realm of heaven and earth's emptiness."

"Refining Void into Dao is the fusion of the soul with the laws of heaven and earth, where every movement and action resonates with the rhythm of the Dao."

"These four stages correspond to the four major phases of Qi Refinement, Spirit Manifestation, Void Return, and Dao Integration, each divided into nine heavens, collectively known as the Thirty-Six Heavens of Transcending Mortality."

At this point, his tone rose slightly. "Each level is a realm, each realm a world unto itself. Every breakthrough is a rebirth, making one a completely different person from who they were before."

"Only thirty-six levels?" Qian Renxue pouted, a flash of disapproval crossing her golden pupils, her small face showing a touch of childish pride.

"We Spirit Masters have a hundred levels! From a level one Spirit Apprentice to a level one hundred god, we must absorb spirit rings every ten levels and endure great hardships. It is far more complex than this."

She lifted her chin slightly, as if to say that the cultivation system of Martial Soul Hall was the most profound existence in the world.

Chen Qingxuan smiled faintly at this: "Disciple, one day you will understand that these two systems of cultivation are as different as the clouds and the mud."

"Although the path of the Spirit Master allows for rapid progress through spirit rings, it is ultimately limited by the rules of heaven and earth, like dancing while wearing shackles."

"The path of immortality, however, is the cultivation of the self and the pursuit of transcendence. One day, you will be able to leap beyond the rules and roam freely between heaven and earth."

Qian Renxue blinked, her golden pupils full of curiosity: "Then Master, what realm are you in now?"

"This Master once reached the realm of the Golden Immortal," Chen Qingxuan said.

"By condensing a Golden Core within the body, one can directly access the Great Dao."

"And what is the Great Dao?" Qian Renxue pressed on.

Chen Qingxuan shook his head gently: "There is no benefit in saying more. When your cultivation reaches that realm in the future, you will naturally know."

Qian Renxue responded with a half-understanding "Oh..." the elongated tail of her voice carrying a hint of small disappointment.

Chen Qingxuan changed the subject, his gaze falling upon her: "Xiao Xue, are you planning to impersonate Xue Qinghe of Heaven Dou to gradually seize the imperial power of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Qian Renxue nodded subconsciously, her voice crisp: "Yes, control Heaven Dou, then incorporate it into Martial Soul Hall to strengthen our power. This is the grand plan of Martial Soul Hall."

No sooner had the words left her lips than she clamped her hands over her mouth, a flash of panic crossing her golden pupils as if she had leaked a top-secret matter.

She looked up at Chen Qingxuan, her voice trembling: "Master, how... how did you know? This is the highest secret of Martial Soul Hall!"

"I have seen your memories, so naturally, I know," Chen Qingxuan said calmly.

Qian Renxue's cheeks turned bright red, like a ripe apple, and even her earlobes were stained with crimson.

She quickly covered her face with her small hands, her voice muffled as it came through her fingers, filled with shame and grievance: "Master, you are hateful! Xue'er... Xue'er doesn't like you anymore!"

After saying this, she took a few steps back, squatted on the ground, and let her golden hair fall to cover her flushed, embarrassed face, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"Ahem." Chen Qingxuan coughed twice, his face showing no ripples: "I only looked at the parts related to your identity and plans. As for your private affairs, I did not look at them at all."

He spoke the truth; he truly hadn't paid attention to trivial matters, such as Qian Renxue occasionally crying in secret.

If Qian Renxue were to press him, he could even swear by his former name as "Master."

"Really?" Qian Renxue slowly raised her head, revealing a pair of watery golden eyes.

"Really, I didn't look at all." Chen Qingxuan's tone was certain, his gaze frank and without the slightest evasion.

Only then did Qian Renxue stand up, her mouth still pouting with a hint of coquettishness, her golden pupils still retaining a trace of grievance: "Then Master, from now on, you are not allowed to look at my memories without my permission!"

Chen Qingxuan nodded: "Agreed."

He shifted the topic back to the main point, his gaze becoming sharper: "Now, do you still intend to continue impersonating Xue Qinghe?"

Qian Renxue was silent for a moment, her small body standing straight, the childishness on her face fading away.

A persistent light flickered in her golden pupils: "Master, this is the grand plan of Martial Soul Hall, concerning its very future. I cannot abandon the grand plan just because of my own willfulness."

Chen Qingxuan looked at her, his gaze piercing through all her disguises to reach the deepest part of her heart: "Are you trying to prove it to her?"

"To prove your worth, to prove that her decision back then was wrong, and to prove that you are more outstanding than she is?"

As the word "her" escaped his lips, Qian Renxue's eyes instantly reddened, crystalline tears swirling within her golden pupils, yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

She bit her lip tightly until it turned pale, her voice choked with a hint of a sob, yet laced with deep unwillingness: "I... I only wanted to make the Martial Soul Hall stronger..."

"I only wanted to ensure Grandfather would no longer have to worry about the Martial Soul Hall..."

"I only wanted to show her that I am not just a child who can only hide behind Grandfather..."

"I can do it; I can do it better than anyone else..."

By the end, her voice grew lower and lower, heavy with deep grievances and resentment, her small frame trembling slightly.

Chen Qingxuan's gaze softened considerably, his tone turning gentle: "In my eyes, you have always been the most outstanding."

"Your value does not need to be proven to anyone, nor should it be defined by the approval of others."

"You are simply you, Qian Renxue, one and only."

Qian Renxue lowered her head, her golden hair obscuring her expression, with only her slightly heaving shoulders betraying her emotions.

The sea of clouds within her spiritual sea surged gently, as if accompanying her grievances, or perhaps offering a silent comfort.

Chen Qingxuan let out a soft sigh, a sigh filled with a touch of helplessness, but even more so with indulgence: "Sigh, very well. Since you are my disciple, so be it. Since your heart is set, let this master help you one last time."