Seven Aperture God-Demon Heart Palace

Ning Xiaochuan cultivated for an entire night. His blood circulated through his body for two hundred and forty cycles, and the Martial Dao Profound Qi within his Martial Heart Palace increased considerably. He would soon break through to the Profound Qi Fourth Level.

This cultivation speed was simply terrifying.

After getting out of bed, Ning Xiaochuan carried the three books he had borrowed last night, intending to return them to the Scripture Pavilion and continue reading there today. This was a bad habit he had developed while studying medicine—he always felt that his knowledge was never enough.

Now that he had arrived in this unfamiliar world, he understood nothing and knew nothing. He felt little different from an idiot. Only by reading more could he learn more.

Early morning. Thick fog.

The Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion was shrouded in a sea of white mist. Red walls, green tiles, soaring eaves, and suspended towers made it seem like an Immortal Palace Residence inhabited by gods.

Holding the three books, Ning Xiaochuan walked along the bluestone path and passed the central Martial Arena of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. He paused slightly.

More than four hundred youths were practicing swordsmanship in the Martial Arena. All wore white robes; some were only five or six years old, while others were already past twenty.

Ning Xiner was among them as well. Dressed in white martial attire, with a black belt tied around her slender waist, she held a three-foot azure blade. The moment her sword moved, sword qi erupted, producing explosive roars through the air.

Her entire body was enveloped in Martial Dao Profound Qi. Above her head floated the phantom of an enormous crimson divine furnace, blood-red in color and carved with dragons and phoenixes.

This was the first divine ability she had cultivated after reaching the Divine Body First Level: Furnace Sword Blood Shadow.

Her sword qi covered a radius of ten zhang. Her sword moved like a flood dragon, and its qi condensed into a Taiji diagram. Any flying stone that came within ten zhang of her would be ground into powder.

The younger members of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion all retreated far away, not daring to stand too close to her for fear of being injured by her sword qi.

"Xin'er is far too gifted. She reached the Divine Body Realm at only fourteen, and her first swordsmanship divine ability is nearly complete! Among the younger generation of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, I fear no one can compare to her."

"Even Ning Xiaojian, the strongest of the fourth-generation of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, only cultivated a Divine Martial Body at the age of twenty."

Ning Han snorted coldly. "What a pity that her brother is a good-for-nothing. Two days ago at the Jade Viewing Pavilion, he competed with Wang Yunchong of the Celestial Elephant Marquis's Mansion for a courtesan. After losing, he was so enraged that he fainted dead away. A brothel woman was even the one who sent him back to the Marquis Mansion. This has already become a laughingstock among the major Marquis Mansions. He has utterly disgraced the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion!"

"I heard that the brothel woman who sent him back was extremely beautiful, and she even cried for him."

Ning Han said, "No matter how beautiful she is, she is still a lowly prostitute. Isn't a prostitute naturally a perfect match for a good-for-nothing? Unfortunately, Sickly Ning's body is simply too weak. Even if a beauty lay before him, he probably would be powerless to do anything. Hahaha!"

Laughter broke out all around them.

Ning Han had naturally seen Ning Xiaochuan standing by the Martial Arena, so he laughed especially loudly, as though afraid Ning Xiaochuan would fail to hear him.

"Ning Han, say that one more time and see what happens!" Ning Xiner shouted.

A streak of sword light flew over, its tip already pointed at Ning Han's throat.

Ning Han's talent was mediocre. He was only at the Profound Qi Fifth Level, so naturally he did not dare provoke Ning Xiner. He retreated resentfully, then glanced back at Ning Xiaochuan with contempt and sneered, "A coward who only knows how to hide behind a woman."

"Brother, don't take what they said to heart. They're deliberately provoking you. They're just a pack of dandies, a pack of people who want to..." Ning Xiner was terrified that her brother would suffer another attack from anger. Her heart tightened, and tears nearly spilled from her eyes. She wished she could cripple Ning Han and those dandy youths.

Ning Xiaochuan held the three books with a faint smile on his face. "It's fine. Keep practicing your sword. I'm going to the Scripture Pavilion to read."

Watching Ning Xiaochuan's retreating back, Ning Xiner suddenly felt that her brother had changed somewhat. In the past, he would never have been so indifferent in such a situation! Ning Xiaochuan was not familiar with Ning Han in the first place, and he had no memory whatsoever of the matter Ning Han mentioned. Naturally, he treated it as nothing but farting and did not take it to heart, walking straight into the Scripture Pavilion to continue looking for books.

Ning Han, however, flew into a rage from humiliation. "That sickly wretch actually ignored me completely?"

"With Xin'er protecting him, of course he has become arrogant. But if Xin'er isn't by his side, do you believe that if we slapped him, he wouldn't even dare strike back?" A collateral descendant of the Ning family beside him laughed.

Ning Han sneered. "Wasn't he nearly angered to death at the Jade Viewing Pavilion the night before last? Didn't he just swallow his anger without even daring to let out a fart? A worthless coward like that only disgraces our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion by staying alive."

"I heard that Yu Ningsheng, the courtesan of the Jade Viewing Pavilion, is beautiful as an immortal and unmatched in talent and learning. She is one of the most beautiful women in the Imperial City, and those fond of stirring things up have listed her among the Three Great Beauties of the Imperial City. Could it be that Sickly Ning was competing with Wang Yunchong for her that night?"

Contempt filled Ning Han's eyes. He snorted coldly and said, "Though brothel women are lowly, Yu Ningsheng is an exception. She is truly unstained even emerging from the mud, an unparalleled beauty like a jade maiden from an immortal palace. Her martial cultivation is also extremely high; ordinary people cannot see her at all. What qualifications would Sickly Ning have to meet Yu Ningsheng? That night, he and Wang Yunchong only competed over a Silver-Ranked Music courtesan from the Jade Viewing Pavilion!"

At the thought of that silver-ranked music courtesan, killing intent arose in Ning Han's eyes. She was also one of those who knew the truth, and she had been the one to send the "fainted dead" Ning Xiaochuan back to the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. Since she had once cried for Sickly Ning, merely threatening her seemed insufficient. He would have to make her shut her mouth forever.

After morning practice, Ning Han planned to visit the Jade Viewing Pavilion and settle this matter! Inside the Scripture Pavilion.

Ning Xiaochuan sat beneath a bookshelf, holding a yellowed paper tome in his hands and reading it with great interest.

"So the miraculous Heart Palace within my body is the legendary Seven Aperture God Demon Heart Palace."

Ning Xiaochuan had been curious about the strange heart inside his body, so he had deliberately searched the Scripture Pavilion for books concerning Martial Heart Palaces. He had not expected to actually find one.

However, the book contained only a brief record concerning the "Seven Aperture God Demon Heart Palace"—the seven apertures were two atria, two ventricles, one Heart Palace, one Heart Aperture, and one Blood Aperture. The Heart Aperture was divine; the Blood Aperture was demonic. When heart blood reached the profound, gods and demons would emerge.

Rubbing his chin, Ning Xiaochuan muttered to himself, "Ordinary martial artists have only two atria, two ventricles, and one Martial Heart Palace. Then the extra left and right chambers I possess must be the Blood Aperture and Heart Aperture. The Blood Aperture represents demons, and that Blood-Colored Small Sword happens to be nurtured within it. Could it be... a Demon Sword?"

Ning Xiaochuan touched his heart and shuddered. Then he let out a long breath. "When cultivating martial arts, I mustn't turn myself into some great demon. I'd better see if there are any medical books!"

Ning Xiaochuan was extremely sensitive to the word "demon" and deeply wary of it. Afraid that he might become a great demon who killed as easily as mowing grass, he hurriedly began reciting the admission oath he had taken when entering medical school. He decided to recite it three times every day.

Each day, I shall examine myself thrice.

"I vow to dedicate myself to medicine, uphold medical ethics, respect my teachers and observe discipline, study diligently and tirelessly, strive for excellence, develop in all aspects, and devote all my strength to relieving humanity's suffering, helping perfect health, and preserving the sanctity and honor of medical practice. I will save the dying and heal the wounded, never shrinking from hardship..."

As he recited the medical student's oath, as though chanting a calming mantra, he searched the Scripture Pavilion for medical books.

"When ordinary people fall ill or are injured, they directly seek martial cultivators. Martial Dao Profound Qi can cure illness, Martial Dao Profound Qi can heal injuries, Martial Dao Profound Qi can dispel ailments. Heavens! This world actually has no need for physicians. Martial Dao Profound Qi can cure everything; every martial cultivator is the finest healer."

This was the answer he found.

Ning Xiaochuan was somewhat disappointed. The medical arts of this world contained far too little technical skill. So long as one cultivated Martial Dao Profound Qi within the body, one could open a clinic in a small town and hang a pot to aid the world.

Martial Dao Profound Qi could do far more than kill. It could cure illness, develop wisdom, and extend one's lifespan. There was indeed a reason martial cultivators stood above all others! "Ordinary people seek martial cultivators when sick or injured. Then what happens when martial cultivators are injured?"

Ning Xiaochuan discovered a very interesting profession. It resembled that of a doctor, yet differed from it, because it treated only martial cultivators.

Heart Nourishers! What mattered most to martial cultivators? Naturally, their hearts and bloodlines.

When a martial cultivator's heart or bloodline was damaged, their own Martial Dao Profound Qi found it difficult to repair it. They could only seek help from a Heart Nourisher.

Moreover, Heart Nourishers could refine pills and spirit fluids to help cultivators heal injuries, even expand Martial Heart Palaces, condense bloodlines, and raise cultivation. Some powerful Heart Nourishers could even help ordinary people open Martial Heart Palaces and help martial artists return from the dead.

When ordinary people were injured, they sought martial cultivators; when martial cultivators were injured, they sought Heart Nourishers.

Heart Nourishers held a far higher status than martial cultivators and were even rarer. Among a thousand martial cultivators, perhaps not even one could become a Heart Nourisher.

Even an Elementary Heart Nourisher was someone martial artists deeply respected.

The goods sold by Heart Nourishers were also incredibly expensive. Every drop of Heart Nourishing Elixir refined by an Elementary Heart Nourisher was worth eight thousand Small Coin.

One hundred Small Coin equaled one Large Coin.

One hundred Large Coin equaled one tael of Azure Gold.

Eight thousand Small Coin was already enough for an ordinary family of three to live on for half a year.

It could be said that every Heart Nourisher was immensely wealthy. Some powerful Heart Nourishers could even build their own cities, rich enough to rival a nation.

"Interesting, interesting. If I can become a Heart Nourisher, then even if I leave the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, I won't have to fear starving to death. But becoming a Heart Nourisher seems very difficult. To nourish another's heart, one must first nourish one's own. Just the first step—cultivating one's Martial Heart Palace into a Heart Nourishing Cauldron—requires vast quantities of Spirit Elixir Treasure Medicine, and ninety-nine percent of martial artists cannot succeed."

"Before I've even started making money, I have to start burning through it in great heaps!"

Ning Xiaochuan was a person of unwavering resolve. Once he decided to do something, he would not hesitate again.

He returned to the Martial Arena. Morning practice had already ended, and the other disciples of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion had gone to rest, but Ning Xiner was still practicing her sword.

"Xin'er, lend me thirty thousand Small Coin," Ning Xiaochuan said.

"Thirty thousand Small Coin! Brother, what do you need so much money for?" Ning Xiner sheathed her battle sword. Her slender, delicate body curved like a crescent moon, and she moved with astonishing speed, like a shadow in the night. In the next instant, she was already standing before Ning Xiaochuan, blinking her eyes with a curious expression.