Half a True Legacy Reveals Profound Mysteries

Liu Dongqing understood it clearly.

Because of the Jade Cloud Fruit, Zhang Qiwei had just been so concerned for his safety in facing Senior Brother Zhao head-on. Yet even so, she had only bestowed the Brocade-Weaving Heaven-Draping Might Art, and not the Seven Emotions Formation.

That alone showed that this was already the limit of what Zhang Qiwei could accept.

The more dealings Liu Dongqing had with Zhang Qiwei, the more deeply he understood a certain trait of her character—

She was a person both generous and stingy.

She often spent lavishly, yet fussed excessively over trifles. Whenever she rewarded someone, she always liked to put up a barrier at the critical point, never letting them have it easily.

And precisely because of that.

Since she had not handed over the Seven Emotions Formation along with the art, then at this moment, no matter whether Liu Dongqing asked for exceedingly precious cultivation resources or continued asking for better inner-refinement cultivation manuals—

Even more pill formulas—

He feared he would find it hard to gain anything truly satisfying from Zhang Qiwei.

On the contrary, if he asked at this moment for benefits that, in Zhang Qiwei's judgment, were still illusory and far, far in the future for Liu Dongqing, it would better suit her wishes and bring a rather favorable result.

Coupled with the subsequent plan he had already considered through when he had just hinted at Li Fire pills to Zhang Qiwei...

Thus.

The key threshold to advancing to Foundation Establishment rose in Liu Dongqing's mind.

Moreover, Manager Hou had once sought it on his behalf, laying the groundwork for this matter long ago.

At the time, he had already received Zhang Qiwei's empty promise.

Now, he was merely asking for that empty promise to be fulfilled ahead of time.

Liu Dongqing understood very well that once a line had been crossed once, it was often exceedingly easy to cross it a second time.

Sure enough.

The moment his words fell.

Zhang Qiwei did not directly refuse him. Instead, hesitation appeared on her face, and beneath Liu Dongqing's bright, intent gaze, that trace of hesitation swiftly deepened into more serious thought and contemplation.

More than a hundred breaths later.

Only then did Zhang Qiwei slowly speak.

"The Li Fire Void-Soaring Origin-Unity Pill is simply too precious. It is not impossible to agree to this, but there is one point I must tell you in advance—

As for this oral account of the threshold, I currently possess only half of it.

It is not that I am holding back, nor that I mean to make things difficult for you. It is simply that this is all I presently know.

It is true that I come from an aristocratic clan, but I am ultimately only a descendant, not the clan head himself. The clan's accumulated foundations cannot possibly be drawn upon without limit at my whim.

Thus, the Dao texts and handwritten notes I have read are limited. Some of them should only be read when I am one step from the threshold; reading them early would instead unsettle my state of mind and harm my cultivation.

So today, I can only recount this half to you. In exchange, you will provide several finished treasure pills for me to examine. That is already enough."

Liu Dongqing's heart sank slightly, but he immediately rallied himself.

"Half is enough as well. This junior is willing to hear the details."

At that, Zhang Qiwei nodded calmly. Rather than explaining any mysteries, she asked Liu Dongqing a question in return.

"Do you know why I care so much about the Jade Cloud Fruit?"

This time, even with Liu Dongqing's sharp mind, he truly shook his head in confusion.

"From beginning to end, Manager Hou only said that Senior Sister was refining a treasure pill from an ancient formula. As for what pill it was, this junior does not know."

Zhang Qiwei asked again.

"Then do you know what sort of cultivators had previously sought out Manager Hou to request and purchase Jade Cloud Fruit?"

He had never considered such a question before.

But upon hearing Zhang Qiwei's inquiry now, he immediately sensed that there was much hidden meaning within it.

"I do not know. I ask Senior Sister to clear my confusion."

As his words fell, Liu Dongqing saw clearly that Zhang Qiwei wore an expression that was almost a smile, yet not quite.

"Each of the Seven-Light Incantation Method of the Yang Fire Path on Departure Peak has its own character, and each has its own supplementary treasure pill.

Take the Azure Fire Heavenly Dew Elixir and the Azure Flame Spirit Pill, for instance. These are treasure medicines specially supplied for Little Azure Light Incantation cultivators to cultivate with. If cultivators of the other six light incantation methods refine and consume them, they would get half the result with twice the effort in cultivation, with no benefit at all.

And this Jade Cloud Fruit, as its name suggests, is precisely the main ingredient in the supplementary treasure pills needed by Little Green Light Incantation cultivators!

Of course, their supplementary treasure pills are somewhat ordinary and mediocre.

Quite a few cultivators do not even possess the pill formula, and directly refine and consume Jade Cloud Fruit itself as cultivation resources.

But what I use is an ancient formula of rare value. And now, upon that ancient formula, I have cast off the old and brought forth the new. I have also obtained Jade Cloud Fruit spirit materials, nurtured by you, Junior Brother, and so full of charm..."

As she spoke of her own ancient formula, Zhang Qiwei's face was filled with pride.

Yet Liu Dongqing beside her was greatly puzzled.

That those who had previously sought Jade Cloud Fruit from Manager Hou were cultivators of the Little Green Light Incantation lineage was easy enough to understand.

But why did Zhang Qiwei regard a rare ancient formula from the Little Green Light Incantation lineage so highly, even making it a crucial part of the foundation behind her bid for position?

This confusion surged into his mind, and at last Liu Dongqing spoke up, interrupting Zhang Qiwei's self-praise.

"Senior Sister... if Junior Brother isn't mistaken, you should be a cultivator of the Little Scarlet Light Incantation."

Zhang Qiwei was not angered by the interruption. Instead, the smile on her face grew even brighter.

She nodded.

"That's right. I am a cultivator of the Little Scarlet Light Incantation. My talent is exceptional, and I have already cultivated to the very limit of the Qi Refining realm. Long ago, I began cultivating the Little Green Light Incantation alongside it.

"And this is precisely the mystery behind that other half I wished to tell you—

"Yang Fire Path disciples of Departure Peak can rely on a single Seven-Light Incantation Method to cultivate to the peak of the Qi Refining stage, yet they cannot break through to the Foundation Establishment realm!

"It is not because the cultivation art is lacking.

"In truth, the purity of the spiritual power condensed by the Seven-Light Incantation Method ranks among the foremost fire arts of all the great sacred lands and sects under heaven.

"The key lies in the depth and richness of one's source!

"Heavenly light is itself no more than the lingering afterglow shed by the true yang great sun. Then Departure Peak's lineage divides it into seven, making it afterglow upon afterglow. If you and I wish to forge the immortal foundation of Yang Fire Path arts, are we truly to rely only on the tiniest fraction of the tiniest fraction?

"Fortunately, the solution is not difficult. The seven lights share the same source; one need only find another Seven-Light Incantation Method to cultivate alongside the first. One more layer of heavenly light means one more wisp of source flame.

"Only when both methods have reached the peak of Qi Refining will the Primordial Candle Flame possess the foundation needed to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

"This barrier is no more than a sheet of window paper. Now that I have spoken of it and pierced it, the principles within are not difficult to understand.

"But throughout the entire Sunward Dao Academy, there is not the slightest rumor of the secret of cultivating two methods at once!

"Moreover, aside from the first time you entered the academy, when a Departure Peak elder passed on a cultivation art to you through a secret technique, Sunward Dao Academy has no place at all where one can exchange for another cultivation art.

"In fact, not only Sunward Dao Academy—even within Rising Mist Dao Academy, exchanging for an additional cultivation art is a task fraught with countless hardships.

"But for disciples like us, born of great families, Dao scriptures and handwritten notes on the Seven-Light Incantation Method are things piled in the farthest corner of the library.

"That is the difference in the roots upon which you and I stand.

"Ordinary disciples, no matter how dazzling their talent, must first advance into the inner academy—perhaps even wait until they have cultivated a single incantation method to the peak of Qi Refining, or until after their first failed attempt at Foundation Establishment—before they uncover this truth.

"By then, if they begin cultivating a second method, they will face yet more twists, turns, and difficulties.

"But we disciples of great families often prepare long in advance, advancing along both paths at once. The gap between us cannot be measured in miles!

"Not to mention how greatly this shortens the time needed to advance to Foundation Establishment. Once one enters Rising Mist Dao Academy, an entirely different world lies before one's eyes. If you wish to climb higher, every single step requires you to fight others for position.

"What do those ordinary cultivators, without roots or foundation, have to contend with us?

"Yet on the great Dao, where all struggle for supremacy, one step slow means every step slow. By the time they catch up, all the benefits that should have been theirs along this generation's path of cultivation will already have been devoured by us, picked clean to the bone!

"Little Liu.

"Receiving this half of the mystery from my own lips today is the greatest fortune you have encountered since we first met!"