Seven Aperture God-Demon Heart Palace

Ning Xiaochuan cultivated for an entire night. His blood circulated through two hundred and forty Celestial Orbits within his body. The Martial Dao Profound Qi in his Martial Heart Palace increased significantly, and he was quickly approaching a breakthrough to the Profound Qi Fourth Level.

This cultivation speed was simply astonishing.

After getting up, Ning Xiaochuan held 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 from studying medicine – always feeling that his knowledge was insufficient.

Now that he was in this unfamiliar world, knowing nothing and understanding nothing, he felt he was not much different from an idiot. Only by reading more could he learn more.

Early morning, heavy fog.

The Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion was shrouded in a vast expanse of white. The red walls, green tiles, flying eaves, and hanging towers made it look like an Immortal Palace Residence where Gods resided.

Ning Xiaochuan held the three books and walked along the Azure stone path, passing by the central Martial Arena of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. He paused slightly.

In the Martial Arena, over four hundred youths were practicing swordsmanship. They were all wearing white robes; some were only five or six years old, while others were in their early twenties.

Ning Xin'er was also among them, wearing white martial attire with a black belt tied around her slender waist. She held a three-foot Azure Edge. With a movement of her Sword Edge, Sword Qi erupted, producing explosive roars in the air.

Her entire body was enveloped in Martial Dao Profound Qi. Above her head, the shadow of a massive Scarlet God Furnace floated. The furnace was the color of blood, carved with dragons and phoenixes.

This was the first Divine Power she had cultivated after reaching the Divine Body First Level, "Furnace Sword Blood Shadow".

Her Sword Qi covered an area of ten zhang. Her sword was like a Flood Dragon, and the Sword Qi condensed into a Taiji diagram. Within ten zhang of her, even flying stones would turn into powder.

The young disciples of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion retreated far away, not daring to get too close to her, fearing they would be injured by the Sword Qi.

"Xin'er's talent is too high. At only fourteen, she has reached the Divine Body Realm, and her first Sword Divine Power is almost perfected! With such talent, I'm afraid no one among the younger generation of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion can compare to her."

"Ning Xiaojian, the top expert of the Fourth-Generation of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, only cultivated the Divine Martial Body when he was twenty."

Ning Han snorted coldly and said, "It's a pity her brother is a good-for-nothing. Two days ago, he fought with Wang Yunchong from the Celestial Elephant Marquis's Mansion for a Courtesan at the Jade Viewing Pavilion. After losing, he was so angry he fainted and had to be sent back to the Marquis's Mansion by a Pleasure House woman. This incident has become a laughingstock among the various Marquis's Mansions, completely shaming the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion!"

"I heard that the Pleasure House woman who sent him back was extremely beautiful and even shed tears for him."

Ning Han said, "No matter how beautiful, she's just a lowly Prostitute. Aren't a Prostitute and a good-for-nothing a match made in Heavens? It's a pity Sickly Ning's constitution is too weak. Even if a beauty lay before him, he probably wouldn't be able to do anything. Haha!"

Laughter erupted all around.

Ning Han naturally saw Ning Xiaochuan by the Martial Arena, so he laughed very loudly, as if afraid Ning Xiaochuan wouldn't hear him.

"Ning Han, try saying that again." Ning Xin'er shouted delicately.

A flash of sword light flew over, and the Sword Tip was already pointed at Ning Han's throat.

Ning Han's talent was average, only at the Profound Qi Fifth Level Realm. Naturally, he didn't dare to provoke Ning Xin'er. He retreated resentfully, turned back, and stared at Ning Xiaochuan with disdain, sneering, "A coward who only hides behind women."

"Brother, please don't take what they say to heart. They are deliberately provoking you. They are just a bunch of good-for-nothings, a bunch of people who want to..." Ning Xin'er was afraid her brother would get angry and fall ill again. Her heart was very anxious, and tears were about to flow. She wished she could cripple those good-for-nothings like Ning Han.

Ning Xiaochuan held the three books, a faint smile on his face, and said, "It's okay. You continue practicing your sword. I'm going to the Scripture Pavilion to read."

Ning Xin'er stared at Ning Xiaochuan's back and suddenly felt that her brother had changed somehow. In the past, her brother wouldn't have been so calm when encountering such things! Ning Xiaochuan and Ning Han weren't very familiar with each other, and Ning Xiaochuan had no recollection of what Ning Han said. Naturally, he simply treated it as nonsense and didn't take it to heart at all, walking straight into the Scripture Pavilion to continue looking for books to read.

Ning Han, however, was enraged and humiliated. "That sickly fellow actually completely ignored me?"

"With Xin'er protecting him, he naturally becomes arrogant. But if Xin'er isn't by his side, do you believe we could slap him, and he wouldn't dare to fight back?" A collateral Ning Family disciple nearby laughed.

Ning Han sneered, "The night before last at the Jade Viewing Pavilion, wasn't he almost angered to death? He still swallowed his anger and didn't even dare to fart. Such a wimp living in this world is just shaming our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion."

"I heard that the Courtesan of the Jade Viewing Pavilion, 'Yu Ningsheng', is as beautiful as a God, with unparalleled talent and learning. She is one of the most beautiful women in the Imperial City, and some busybodies have listed her as one of the Three Great Beauties of the Imperial City. Could it be that Sickly Ning was competing with Wang Yunchong for her the night before last?"

Ning Han's eyes were filled with disdain as he coldly snorted, "Although women from pleasure houses are lowly, Yu Ningsheng is an exception. She is truly untainted by the mud, as beautiful and peerless as a jade child from an immortal palace. Moreover, her martial dao cultivation is extremely high, and ordinary people cannot even meet her. How could Sickly Ning be qualified to see Yu Ningsheng? That night, Sickly Ning and Wang Yunchong were only fighting over a Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan from the Jade Viewing Pavilion!"

Thinking of that Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan, a murderous intent arose in Ning Han's eyes. She was also one of the people who knew the truth, and it was she who sent the "fainted" Ning Xiaochuan back to the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. Since she had shed tears for Sickly Ning, it seemed that merely threatening her was not enough. He had to make her shut her mouth forever.

Ning Han planned to go to the Jade Viewing Pavilion after his morning practice to take care of this matter!

In the Scripture Pavilion.

Ning Xiaochuan sat beneath a bookshelf, holding a yellowed paper classic in his hand, reading with great interest.

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

Ning Xiaochuan was very curious about the strange heart in his body, so he specifically searched for books about Martial Dao Heart Palaces in the Scripture Pavilion. Unexpectedly, he actually found one.

However, this book only had a simple record of the "Seven Aperture God Demon Heart Palace" - The seven apertures are: two atria, two ventricles, one Heart Palace, one Heart Aperture, and one Blood Aperture. The Heart Aperture is God, and the Blood Aperture is Demon. When heart blood connects to the profound, Gods and Demons are born.

Ning Xiaochuan stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "Ordinary martial practitioners only have two atria, two ventricles, and one Martial Dao Heart Palace. So the two extra ventricles on my left and right are the Blood Aperture and the Heart Aperture. The Blood Aperture represents the Demon, and that small scarlet sword is precisely nurtured within the Blood Aperture. Could it be... that is a Demon Sword!"

Ning Xiaochuan touched his heart, shivered, and then let out a long breath, saying, "Cultivating the Martial Dao, don't cultivate into a great demon. I should still see if there are any medical books!"

Ning Xiaochuan was still very sensitive to the word "Demon" and was quite wary, fearing that he would become a great demon who killed without blinking. So he quickly recited the entrance oath he took when he was admitted to the medical school, deciding to recite it three times every day from now on.

Reflect on oneself three times a day.

"I am willing to dedicate myself to medicine, abide by medical ethics, respect teachers and discipline, study diligently, work tirelessly, strive for excellence, and develop comprehensively. I am determined to do my utmost to relieve human suffering, assist in the perfection of health, and uphold the sanctity and honor of medical skills. Save the dying and heal the injured, without fear of hardship..."

While reciting the medical student's oath, as if chanting a calming mantra, he searched for medical books in the Scripture Pavilion.

"Ordinary people who get sick or injured directly seek Martial Dao cultivators. Martial Dao Profound Qi can cure diseases, Martial Dao Profound Qi can heal injuries, and Martial Dao Profound Qi can eliminate ailments. Heavens! This world actually doesn't need doctors. Martial Dao Profound Qi can cure everything. Any Martial Dao cultivator is the best healer."

This was the answer he found.

Ning Xiaochuan was a little disappointed. The medical skills in this world were too lacking in technical content. As long as someone cultivated Martial Dao Profound Qi within their body, they could open a medical clinic in a small town to help the world.

Martial Dao Profound Qi could not only be used to kill people, but also to cure diseases, develop wisdom, and prolong life. It was not without reason that the status of Martial Dao cultivators was higher than everything else!

"Ordinary people who get sick or injured directly seek treatment from Martial Dao cultivators. So, what happens when Martial Dao cultivators get injured?"

Ning Xiaochuan discovered a very interesting profession, very similar to that of a doctor, but also different, because it only treated Martial Dao cultivators.

Heart Nourisher!

What is the most important thing for a Martial Dao cultivator? Naturally, it is the heart and blood vessels.

When a Martial Dao cultivator's heart and blood vessels are damaged, their own Martial Dao Profound Qi is difficult to repair, and they can only seek help from a Heart Nourisher.

Moreover, Heart Nourishers can refine Pills and Spirit Elixirs to help cultivators heal injuries, and even expand the Martial Dao Heart Palace, condense blood vessels, and improve cultivation. Some powerful Heart Nourishers can even help ordinary people open up a Martial Dao Heart Palace and help martial practitioners achieve Resurrection.

Ordinary people who are injured seek Martial Dao cultivators, while Martial Dao cultivators who are injured seek Heart Nourishers.

The status of Heart Nourishers is much higher than that of Martial Dao cultivators, and their numbers are even scarcer. Among a thousand Martial Dao cultivators, perhaps not even one can become a Heart Nourisher.

Even just an Elementary Heart Nourisher is a highly respected existence among martial practitioners.

The things sold by Heart Nourishers are also extremely expensive. Every drop of Heart Nourishing Elixir refined by an Elementary Heart Nourisher is worth eight thousand Small Coins.

One hundred Small Coins = one Large Coin.

One hundred Large Coins = one tael of Azure Gold.

Eight thousand Small Coins are enough for an ordinary family of three to use for half a year.

It can be said that every Heart Nourisher is an extremely wealthy person, and some powerful Heart Nourishers can even build their own cities and be as rich as 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 be afraid of starving to death. However, it seems very difficult to become a Heart Nourisher. To nourish the hearts of others, one must first nourish one's own heart. Just the first step, cultivating one's own Martial Dao Heart Palace into a 'Heart Nourishing Cauldron', requires a large amount of Spirit Elixir Treasure Medicine, and ninety-nine percent of martial practitioners cannot succeed."

"I haven't even started making money, and I'm already going to have to burn through a lot!"

Ning Xiaochuan was a person with a firm resolve. Once he decided to do something, he wouldn't hesitate.

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

"Xin'er, lend me thirty thousand small coins," Ning Xiaochuan said.

"Thirty thousand small coins! Brother, what do you need so much money for?" Ning Xin'er put away her Battle Sword. Her slender, delicate body was like a crescent moon, moving incredibly fast, like a phantom. The next moment, she was already standing in front of Ning Xiaochuan, blinking her eyes with a curious expression.