Seeing Junior Sister Again, Marrow-Burning Sword Fiend

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, dusk arrived once more.

Lu Xuan opened his eyes inside his quiet room, a trace of helplessness flashing through them.

"Two days are still too short. There simply isn't enough time to cultivate the Orthodox Cultivation Methods recorded in the Qianyuan Six-Dragon Imperial Heaven True Scripture..."

If he wanted to bolster his methods and raise his combat strength, the first thing he naturally had to cultivate was the newly acquired True Scripture.

Lu Xuan sat in bitter meditation within his quiet room for a long while, carefully comprehending the Qianyuan Six-Dragon Imperial Heaven True Scripture. Though he gained much from it and attained a deeper understanding of the Qi Gathering cultivation ahead, there was simply not enough time to practice the Mystic Sect secret arts recorded within.

The Great Sun True Scripture recorded only grand and righteous methods of considerable power, but cultivating them required the grinding effort of water wearing through stone. It was not so easy.

Competing for entry into Sunfire Cave had indeed been somewhat rash.

"But... it is not as though there is no way."

"Qi Refining is the second realm of cultivation. As the Hibernation Academy instructors said, the human body is the most primitive vessel. If two sides fought with techniques and exhausted all their Qi, could they only sit and await death? Naturally, they would have to use fists, feet, blades, and swords to decide victory and defeat."

"Therefore, in the Embryonic Breath Realm, my former self practiced fist and sword arts. His combat techniques had already reached an excellent level..."

As Lu Xuan pondered, he rose and came into the courtyard. He took out a refined iron longsword and casually began to wield it.

In an instant, sword light gleamed like silver serpents swimming, casting the entire courtyard in frosty chill.

Lu Xuan extended two fingers and lightly brushed them across the blade. In an instant, all the light in the courtyard gathered together, transforming into brilliant flames that clung to the sword.

"Boom!"

Lu Xuan stepped forward and raised his sword. Its momentum instantly changed, opening and closing in sweeping arcs, fierce and explosive, as though it possessed the force to topple towering mountains.

Combined with the firelight upon the sword, flames flickered throughout the courtyard, like a Flood Dragon roaring in fury. The heat was scalding and dreadful.

Not only that, the blade shone brilliantly, like dazzling sunlight that no one dared look directly at.

"Though I have never learned spell arts and have not opened the orifices, gathering Qi into flame and condensing Qi upon a sword are instinctive abilities. Combined with the Heaven-Patrolling Sword Technique of the Embryonic Breath Realm, they carry a certain formidable might..."

"Furthermore, my Qi is like the Great Sun. When attached to the sword, it shines with brilliant radiance that can seize the eyes of others. I just do not know how it compares to the fire wheels in Bright Ape's eyes..."

"Besides that, I can turn Cloud Qi into light and withdraw in an instant..."

Lu Xuan swung his longsword, his figure becoming a streak of light as he spun into the sky in an instant before abruptly diving down again. His speed and agility had long surpassed those of an ordinary human body.

After all, he could fly.

"Boom!"

Moreover, with a thought from Lu Xuan, Qi currents surged through an area several yards around him, instantly generating immense thrust and scorching heat, as though an invisible wall stood before him.

Condensing Qi into a wall!

Another basic Qi Refining ability that required no spell arts.

This Qi was powerful and fierce, impossible to break even with the force of ten thousand jun.

Beyond that, there were minor methods such as turning Qi into force to seize or strike people through the air.

Lu Xuan tried them all one by one.

Compared to the Embryonic Breath Realm, he had become countless times stronger. These were no longer the means of a mortal.

"If I faced ordinary Demon Race members or Fire Fiends who have only just entered Qi Refining, this should be enough. But Bright Ape's inheritance has passed down through many generations. Though it is not a great clan, it must have considerable foundations. Sunfire Cave is also extremely dangerous..."

"Without spell arts, it is still not enough..."

"For now, I can only seek another path..."

After examining himself, Lu Xuan still felt it was not secure enough.

But he already had an idea.

Two days were too short. Mystic Sect Orthodox Cultivation Methods were beyond reach, but unorthodox side paths were possible.

As for the hidden dangers brought by such side paths... Lu Xuan smiled faintly.

Gather True Qi, attain the mysterious—this was the confidence with which he would enter the cave.

Turning Cloud Qi into light, Lu Xuan flew through the air toward a quiet room to the north.

Before long, he stopped before a quiet room hidden among a bamboo grove.

Golden bells were scattered throughout the bamboo grove. When the wind blew through the bamboo, it set the bells ringing like bubbling spring water, clear and melodious, like a natural performance.

Clearly, considerable thought had gone into arranging these golden bells.

At the very front of the bamboo grove, a three-foot bell hung from the thickest emerald bamboo stalk, unmoved by the wind.

Lu Xuan flicked his finger, sending out a strand of Cloud Qi that struck the bell.

"Clang!"

The bell rang out at once, alerting the owner of the quiet room.

"Which fellow disciple has come to visit my humble abode?"

A lovely young girl stepped out from the bamboo grove, with a delicate nose, cherry lips, snowy skin, and black hair.

The girl raised her head and looked at Lu Xuan, delight appearing on her face. "Senior Brother Lu, you came. Could it be that you have changed your mind..."

But halfway through her words, the joy on her face suddenly froze.

She stared blankly at the brilliant Cloud Qi beneath Lu Xuan's feet. Her lips moved as if she could not believe it, and only after a long while did she ask with a bitter smile:

"Senior Brother, you... you succeeded in Qi Refining?"

This girl was none other than Jiang Ningxue, the junior sister from Hibernation Academy who had come to Lu Xuan's quiet room seeking a Dao companion.

Lu Xuan had come today partly because he had a favor to ask, and partly because he wanted to extinguish this girl's hopes, lest she waste the time she could use to find another Dao companion.

Thus, he deliberately remained atop the clouds. From midair, he clasped his hands in greeting toward Jiang Ningxue. "Junior Sister, I was fortunate enough to succeed at the Second Grand Rite and enter the inner sect."

"Then... congratulations, Senior Brother."

Jiang Ningxue's expression was complicated as she sighed and offered her congratulations.

Lu Xuan could understand how she felt.

They had both been Withered Dragons of Hibernation Academy, meant to switch together to the Golden Armor Jade Body Method and accept their failure. Yet he had suddenly succeeded in Qi Refining and entered the inner sect. Their statuses had become as far apart as heaven and earth in an instant, and he had even deliberately come today riding clouds. Such an enormous disparity was inevitably painful.

But he had no choice but to come.

Yet there was no pride or mockery in his heart. He smiled gently and said, "Junior Sister, will you not invite me in for a seat?"

Jiang Ningxue smiled bitterly. "In the past, whenever I invited Senior Brother to sit, you always refused. Now that you have succeeded in Qi Refining, why have you come for a visit? Could it be that you seek the pleasures of us Withered Dragons?"

Lu Xuan smiled. "What are you saying, Junior Sister? Succeeding in Qi Refining merely means taking a single step ahead. We have been fellow disciples for nine years. Since you call me Senior Brother, then regardless of my status, I will always be your Senior Brother."

These words eased Jiang Ningxue's heart somewhat. She steadied her emotions and led Lu Xuan into the quiet room.

The two sat in the courtyard. Jiang Ningxue brewed tea and served it. After each of them took a sip, Jiang Ningxue could no longer restrain herself and was the first to ask:

"May I ask, Senior Brother, how did you succeed at the Second Grand Rite? What Qi did you gather?"

This was what concerned her most.

Among the thirtieth-generation disciples of the Heaven-Gazing Sect, there were only a handful who had succeeded at a second Qi-Refining Grand Rite. How had Lu Xuan done it?

Lu Xuan knew this question would come. He answered calmly, "I gained only four words: diligence can make up for clumsiness."

"But Junior Sister must not imitate me. It was a coincidence of opportunity, along with my constant diligence in study. That was why I abandoned the Four Seasons Qi and gathered Great Sun Qi, succeeding only then."

"Gathering and refining True Qi is exceptionally difficult. Unless one possesses extraordinary Qi Sensitivity and is attuned to Qi, one must not gather it lightly."

"My first rite failed, but I sensed the Qi of Great Yang. Therefore, if Junior Sister feels no resonance with Qi at the Second Grand Rite, you must not act rashly. The Golden Armor Jade Body is also a path of cultivation."

Lu Xuan gave warning after warning, speaking earnestly.

He did not state it outright, but he knew it in his heart. Unless one truly sensed Qi, or had some other "opportunity," the Second Grand Rite would fail ninety-nine times out of a hundred.

He possessed the Ancient Characters on the Jade Disc, which allowed him to refuse to give up. Ordinary people were better off following the sect's arrangements.

"Sense Qi and switch to gathering Great Sun Qi?"

Jiang Ningxue smiled bitterly again. "No wonder Senior Brother was so resolute that day. So you already had confidence. Even when I offered myself to you, you remained unmoved..."

Though she said this, Jiang Ningxue felt far better inside.

Having hope of Qi Refining and refusing dual cultivation was better than simply not finding her attractive.

"As for the Second Grand Rite, rest assured, Senior Brother. I will not act rashly..."

Jiang Ningxue sighed.

After her first Grand Rite failed, she had searched through ancient texts for the insights of those who had succeeded in the past at a Second Grand Rite. Their explanations were much the same as Lu Xuan's.

If one attempt failed but one sensed another kind of Qi, then a second attempt could be made.

But if there was no Qi Sensitivity, one must absolutely not act recklessly. The Golden Armor Jade Body granted two hundred and sixty years of lifespan, and that would not be a life lived in vain.

"It is good that Junior Sister understands."

Lu Xuan relaxed slightly.

"Since Senior Brother has already succeeded in Qi Refining, why have you come to see me? Could it be that you wish to fulfill our agreement from that day?"

Jiang Ningxue composed herself and blinked at Lu Xuan.

If such a handsome Qi Refining cultivator became her Dao companion, it would truly be a blessing for Jiang Ningxue.

Yet she could vaguely guess that Lu Xuan had absolutely not come today for that matter.

Still, she had made up her mind. Even if Jiang Ningxue could not become a Qi Refining cultivator's Dao companion, she would become someone's proper wife. She would never seek merely a night of pleasure.

But... as she looked at Lu Xuan's elegant features, firm as pine and bamboo, and his open, radiant bearing like a lone peak bearing snow, her heart wavered slightly.

He was truly handsome enough to kill.

Lu Xuan did not know what she was thinking. Hearing her words, he merely smiled. "Junior Sister jests. We are fellow disciples. How could it be so?"

"I came today to ask Junior Sister for a method."

"A method?" Jiang Ningxue was startled by these words and could not help asking in surprise, "Senior Brother has succeeded in Qi Refining, and your future is bright. You need only wait a few days. Once you enter the Spirit Directorate, Mystic Masters will naturally instruct you, and wondrous methods will be countless. Why come to me seeking a method?"

Lu Xuan sighed. "To be honest, Junior Sister, I seek a method that can be mastered quickly."

"I heard that Junior Sister possesses a Marrow-Burning Sword Fiend Formula. Might I take a look?"