The ten-year simulation ended.
Yu Ke recalled his decision to descend the mountain and felt immensely relieved.
If he had continued cultivating in the mountains for another ten years, his progress would likely have remained sluggish, with little to show for it.
At that moment, he was filled with anticipation for the reward.
What if it dropped a godly piece of equipment?
Or a golden legend!
That would be absolutely perfect.
Yu Ke rubbed his hands together, his gaze locked tightly on the words that were about to form as he silently prayed.
Before long, the reward was finally revealed.
[Drawing reward: obtained a wisp of Mediating Mother Qi.] [Retrieve?]
Looking at the words "Mediating Mother Qi," Yu Ke found them unfamiliar, but he did not hesitate for long. He silently thought, Retrieve.
At that very instant!
The [Kun Void Cauldron] slumbering in the depths of his mind seemed to awaken, trembling faintly as it emitted a hazy current of chaos-like air.
The current was like refined five-colored light as it poured into Yu Ke's body, instantly seeming to cloak him in a faint radiance.
Yu Ke only felt his body go numb and tingly, as though an invisible force were gently kneading him.
That comfort reminded him of the techniques of the Gold Medal No. 88 from a certain establishment in his previous life.
He nearly blurted out... "Extend the session!"
After enduring ten years of simulation, his mind was already somewhat exhausted.
Drowsiness surged over him like an overwhelming tide.
Yu Ke could not help yawning. His eyelids grew heavy, his awareness gradually blurred, and he collapsed into a deep sleep.
During the time Yu Ke slept, the [Kun Void Cauldron] within him did not stop.
The great cauldron continued to turn.
It formed a small vortex outside Yu Ke's body, constantly absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.
The light on the cauldron grew brighter and brighter, while the inscriptions upon it became increasingly lifelike.
The following morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the room.
How lazy!
Yu Ke groggily opened his eyes in bed and stretched, having slept exceptionally well.
Then his senses quickly returned.
"Something's wrong...!"
He rustled about as he felt himself all over. Where had the Mediating Mother Qi he obtained last night gone?
Doubt rose in Yu Ke's heart. Could that current have already silently merged into his body?
He attempted to mobilize the spiritual energy within him.
Yet sharp pain came from his meridians, as though countless shards of glass were grinding through his veins. Every circulation of spiritual energy left him in unbearable agony.
His previous failure at Foundation Establishment had caused the spiritual energy his former self had painstakingly filled into his acupoints to vanish completely. His acupoints had shattered, and stagnant blood had accumulated.
Now, even the slightest attempt to circulate energy made his chest feel tight and uncomfortable.
"Could this Mediating Mother Qi be useless to me?"
He had thought it would help his cultivation, but apparently that was not the case.
Wasn't this like meeting some cute girl you had dated online, after you had already taken off your pants—
Only for her to tell you that she had one too, and hers was even bigger than yours!
Then should I leave?
Wouldn't that make all this effort for nothing?
Just as Yu Ke was feeling depressed!
A strand of Clear Qi as pure as morning dew quietly emerged from his dantian.
Upon reaching the Second Heavenly Ladder realm, one could already examine one's own body internally.
Though Yu Ke's Dao Foundation had been completely destroyed, his realm remained.
That strand of Clear Qi was anything but ordinary. It seemed to contain the true essence of life, eventually gathering within a shattered acupoint.
"What is this?"
Yu Ke was startled and suspicious, hurriedly focusing his mind to inspect it closely.
In no time at all.
Another strand of Clear Qi spontaneously rose in his dantian, like a babbling stream, continuously flowing into that acupoint.
In only a brief moment, nine strands of Clear Qi had accumulated within the acupoint.
As the nine strands of Clear Qi filled it, the stagnant blood within the acupoint dispersed, then silently seeped out through his pores.
He felt as though his entire body had become considerably refreshed.
Yu Ke was both shocked and delighted at the sight.
"Could this be the wondrous change brought about by the Mediating Mother Qi merging into my body last night?"
Within his dantian, Clear Qi continued to form. A newly generated strand leisurely flowed into another severely damaged acupoint.
The Clear Qi flowed without end, entering that acupoint one strand at a time. When the ninth current merged into it, the acupoint burst forth with vigorous vitality.
At this sight, Yu Ke's mouth nearly stretched from ear to ear.
"This young master can cultivate immortality!"
With a cheer, he simply sat cross-legged.
Though he could not cultivate on his own, watching the "Clear Qi" bustle about in his dantian was still good enough.
By noon!
Every acupoint in Yu Ke's body had been filled and repaired, leaving only one.
Even Yu Ke's mind tensed up.
One strand of Clear Qi poured in, then two, then three... then nine.
The stagnant blood was expelled from his body along with it.
In an instant.
Yu Ke felt as though air flowed freely through his whole body, and even his mind became more alert.
It was as though he had shed three pounds. Before, whether sitting or standing, he had always felt as if a stone were weighing him down, leaving him somewhat short of breath.
Now, he felt utterly refreshed!
"Awesome!"
When he came back to his senses.
Yu Ke caught a whiff of a foul stench, so nauseatingly pungent that it made him sick.
He could not help looking around, then realized it was the smell of stagnant blood and clots expelled from his own body.
It stank too badly!
At that moment, his clothes were completely soaked, as though he had just been dug out of a filthy swamp.
The smell was indescribable. It even stung his eyes, truly enough to make one retch.
Yu Ke nearly threw up!
Fortunately.
There was a bathing area in the inner chamber. The living conditions in the outer sect were excellent, though one had to pay the sect a certain fee, much like water bills and property management fees in his previous life.
His former self had paid for five years in one go, so he could use it without restraint.
As he entered the bathing room, water splashed everywhere, leaving black water all over the floor.
After washing himself, he changed into a brand-new set of clothes.
At that moment, he felt refreshed beyond measure, as though the entire world had brightened by several degrees.
However, his dantian no longer produced that strand of Clear Qi, and the Clear Qi that had been there silently sank into his dantian, vanishing without a trace.
Nor could he sense Clear Qi any longer.
It seemed it had been used up.
When he tried circulating his energy, waves of stabbing pain still came from his meridians.
He still could not cultivate.
After his Dao Foundation had shattered, some of his meridians had even been forced to reroute under the impact, running parallel to one another. Without exception, all had been damaged.
At present, although his acupoints had been repaired, if the problem with his meridians was not resolved, the road of cultivation would still be thick with thorns.
"How difficult!"
Yu Ke let out a soft sigh.
Since things had come to this, he should fill his stomach first.
It was already noon, and his stomach was rumbling with hunger.
Yu Ke took out Spirit Rice, set up a large pot, lit the firewood, and began cooking.
He tossed the leftover beef from last night into the pot. Though there were no side dishes, it still became a delicious hodgepodge stew.
He waited single-mindedly for the food to finish cooking.
Mainly because he was starving!
At that moment, Yu Ke's gaze sharpened.
He saw a graceful purple figure appear at the doorway across from him.
Her curves were astonishing, her figure graceful and enchanting.
Her long legs were slender and shapely, tightly outlined by purple silk stockings.
It was none other than the elegant beautiful married woman from yesterday.
Yu Ke felt slightly puzzled. Why had this beautiful married woman come again today?
Could that white-robed youth be some kind of "mama's boy" who could not leave his mother?
After all!
Since Yu Ke had been sent here, his parents had not visited him even once in the past three or four years.
Sensing his gaze, the beautiful married woman turned and looked back at him with a radiant smile.
Yu Ke nodded lightly in return, then picked up his food and entered the room.
He was truly hungry. Food smelled better than people.
The beautiful married woman was slightly taken aback again. After all, she rarely encountered anyone who could dismiss her beauty so completely.
The beautiful married woman watched Yu Ke's retreating back, doubt in her heart.
She felt that the youth she had met yesterday seemed somewhat different today.
That indescribable feeling was something she could not quite put into words.
If there was any change at all.
It was simply that the youth was visibly more handsome and fairer than yesterday.
Before you continue