The Xie Household Has Produced a Qilin Child

Xie An had transmigrated for over a month now. He had transplanted quite a few martial arts, but all of them had consumed qi and blood.

Today was the first time he had encountered a martial art that consumed mental energy. It seemed rather extraordinary.

As the thought was issued, his mental energy immediately dropped to 0.1.

Bzzzz!

A violent buzzing suddenly erupted in his mind.

What followed was not the weakness of having his qi and blood drained dry, but the utter dizziness of having his mental energy sucked empty... It carried the taste of death!

It scared Xie An into breaking out in a cold sweat.

No matter how much qi and blood had been drained before, at worst he had merely felt weak and powerless, his limbs trembling and convulsing.

But having his mental energy drained brought a panic-stricken sensation that death was closing in.

Countless scenes from both his past and present lives actually began flashing through his mind of their own accord, like a revolving lantern...

Xie An knew that Ten Thousand Questions would lock away his last sliver of mental energy, so his life would not be in danger. Yet the revolving-lantern images surging madly through his mind... still filled him with a measure of terror.

"Just a revolving lantern. It's nothing..."

Before he could finish—

Pfft!

Xie An suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his limbs twitching and trembling.

His hands and feet clearly still had strength, and his qi and blood were clearly at their peak, yet his brain seemed to have nearly stopped functioning. He could no longer control his body, and all he could do was keep coughing up mouthfuls of blood.

The side effects of consuming mental computational power were rather severe... But everything had a first time.

I need to sleep immediately.

"Big Sister, I'm so tired. I need to go home and sleep."

Xie An called out. Soon afterward, he saw his big sister hurrying over, while a peculiar pungent scent faintly drifted into his nose.

When Xie An woke again, he was lying on a bed in the West Courtyard of the Xie Residence.

His head was still muddled and heavy, as though his scalp were about to explode.

He brought up the panel and checked his mental energy. It had only recovered to 0.2.

It seemed that once mental energy was depleted, it recovered very slowly. Unlike qi and blood, which could be restored at once by taking a Vital Blood Pill.

It was like someone suffering a terrible fire. Even years later, they might still fear flames, perhaps even developing post-traumatic psychological disorders.

Mental illnesses were far harder to treat than physical ailments.

"Transplanting mental martial arts is no trivial matter. I'll need to leave enough mental energy in reserve from now on."

"After all, the human body is controlled by the mind. Once something goes wrong with the mind... no matter how strong the flesh is, it is only a pile of dead meat."

Enduring the pain in his head, Xie An brought up the panel.

[Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model Lv1]

[Qi and Blood: 1.9]

[Mental Energy: 0.2]

[Martial Arts Realm: Muscle-Tendon Tempering]

[Talents: Qi-Gazing, Withered Abyss]

[Martial Arts: Taishan Fist. Five Animal True Form Diagram. Red Sun Saber Technique: Tiger-Subduing Stance (Perfected), Sinking Pressure Stance (Perfected). Spirit Preservation Method: Spirit Preservation (Perfected)]

"Although I failed to judge the limits properly when transplanting a mental martial art for the first time, I didn't suffer for nothing. In one day, I traveled the path of bitter cultivation that would take a genius three years."

"I'll test its effects."

Xie An silently recited the Spirit Preservation Method.

The three-meter statue on the ancestral hall's altar immediately appeared in his mind, tightly covered by a red veil.

It was incomparably clear!

It was almost identical to the real thing, every detail vividly lifelike.

Moreover, an indescribable mental force radiated from within the Red-Cloth Statue, spreading outward in ripples, layer upon layer. It gave him an inexplicable sense of clarity and lucidity.

"This is the Spirit Preservation Method?"

"Borrowing the power of divinity to remain clear-headed and break the Cocoon Force of Specters!?"

"It truly is quite miraculous, but there's now a mental force in my mind that doesn't belong to me... That's rather unsettling!"

Xie An carefully sensed it for a while and discovered that the ripples emitted by the Red-Cloth Statue did not seem to harm him. They merely granted him a clear and lucid feeling.

"For now, it feels quite good. If I go to Li Family Village again, with the Spirit Preservation Method protecting me, I won't be possessed by evil."

Xie An took a deep breath, finally feeling a little safer.

Just then, Xie An faintly heard his father and Daoist Master Yusu speaking softly outside the door:

"I was too hasty this time. By rights, we should have waited until Mingxi broke through the Blood Tempering threshold before beginning the Spirit Preservation Method. He is only at Muscle-Tendon Tempering now. If he cultivates the Spirit Preservation Method by force, his body's qi and blood may struggle to keep up. It is all my fault." Daoist Master Yusu's voice was filled with self-reproach.

Xie Zhengtang did not blame her. Instead, he comforted her. "This was Mingxi's own choice as well. Someone now seeks to sever the Xie Household's inheritance. In extraordinary times, extraordinary methods must be used. Physician Li came to examine him just now and said that Mingxi had merely suffered a severe blow to his mind; there was nothing else seriously wrong. He only needs more rest. Do not blame yourself."

Daoist Master Yusu was still deeply self-reproachful. "When Mingxi cultivated the Spirit Preservation Method, I should have watched over him every moment. Seeing Mingxi like this pains me greatly. Mingxi's talent in martial arts is high, but mental martial arts differ from other martial arts. Perhaps Mingxi is not suited to cultivating mental martial arts. How about we simply let it go..."

Upon hearing this, Xie An grew anxious.

Let it go?

How could that be...

After finally encountering an expert like Daoist Master Yusu, how could I let this opportunity slip by?

What would I use to deal with Specters in the future?

Xie An immediately threw back the goose-down quilt, got out of bed, and gritted his teeth through the discomfort as he walked out of the bedroom.

"Father, Daoist... Big Sister."

When Xie Zhengtang saw Xie An suddenly emerge, he was startled. "Physician Li told you to rest properly for several days. Why have you come out...? Are you feeling any better?"

Xie An forced a smile. "I only slept for a while. I'm fine."

"You vomited blood, and you still say you're fine!" Xie Zhengtang resumed his usual stern manner. "I just discussed it with Daoist Master Yusu. From now on, you will stay at home and cultivate ordinary martial arts properly. Forget about the Spirit Preservation Method."

Xie Yu's expression was somewhat complicated. Yet when she recalled Xie An madly vomiting blood in the ancestral hall earlier, she still nodded. "Your father is right. Young Master Mingxi's martial arts realm is ultimately too low. Once he breaks through Manifest Force in the future, it will not be too late to attempt the Spirit Preservation Method again."

Xie An had not wanted to reveal it, lest he seem too heaven-defying.

But if he wanted to learn martial arts capable of resisting Specters as soon as possible, he had no choice.

Besides, one of those present was his father, while the other was practically half a master to him. Both were the people he trusted most. There was no harm in saying it.

Xie An cupped his hands. "Father, Big Sister. The reason I vomited blood was not because there is anything wrong with my body. Rather, I was fortunate enough to succeed in cultivating the Spirit Preservation Method, and merely suffered some temporary discomfort."

"How could there be so many fortunate chances..." Xie Zhengtang rebuked him halfway, then abruptly realized what Xie An had said. He shot to his feet in shock and stared at Xie An in disbelief. "What!? You cultivated the Spirit Preservation Method successfully?"

Whoosh!

Xie Yu crossed the distance in a single step, raising her right index finger to press it against the center of Xie An's brow. "Try circulating Inner Reflection Spirit Preservation."

Xie An did as she said and circulated Inner Reflection Spirit Preservation.

After a long while, Xie Yu withdrew her hand, her face filled with shock.

Xie Zhengtang urgently asked, "Daoist... Daoist Master Yusu, how is my son?"

Xie Yu let out a long breath. "Congratulations, Master. Congratulations, Master. The Xie Household has produced a qilin child rarely seen in a century. Young Master Mingxi has indeed cultivated the Spirit Preservation Method successfully!"