Qian Renxue began cultivating

After eating and drinking their fill, Xiao Ran took Qian Renxue up Mount Yan under the cover of clouds and mist.

Deep within Mount Yan, the scenery was beautiful, but people were few and far between.

Xiao Ran had specifically scanned the area with his divine sense. Within a ten-mile radius, there were no places where people gathered.

When they reached a gentle slope, Xiao Ran stopped.

"Let's do it here. Xue'er, I'll teach you immortal cultivation. You'll convert your soul power into magic power. If it causes too much of a stir, I'll be right beside you to help conceal it."

Qian Renxue nodded, her expression bright with delight.

"Sorry for the trouble, then."

In this world of Blue Star, every bit of soul power she used was gone for good. To avoid exhausting it and becoming an ordinary person, she could only change her cultivation method and adapt to Blue Star's rules.

Xiao Ran had never received orthodox instruction in immortal cultivation, but he was now a mighty Golden Core cultivator. From that lofty vantage point, he had developed his own understanding of cultivation.

He explained profound concepts to Qian Renxue in simple terms: what qi refining was, what foundation establishment was, what a golden core was...

Then came some specifics.

"To cultivate, you first need a spiritual root. Your spiritual root determines your affinity with the energy of heaven and earth."

"But a spiritual root isn't strictly necessary. I have a true dragon bloodline, so I entered the Dao through that bloodline."

"You came from the Douluo Continent, possess an angel martial soul, and were born with level-twenty soul power. Your talent was extraordinary on the Douluo Continent, so it shouldn't be bad for immortal cultivation either."

"In a moment, I'll help you refine your angel martial soul. It possesses the two attributes of light and fire. You'll use it as your spiritual root, convert your soul power into magic power, and step onto the path of immortal cultivation."

Qian Renxue looked thoughtful. A spiritual root was probably something similar to a martial soul, but could spiritual roots and martial souls really be used interchangeably? She had her doubts.

But to continue cultivating in this world of Blue Star, she had to try, no matter what.

"Xiao Ran, go ahead. I'm ready."

With that, Qian Renxue sat cross-legged, her palms, soles, and the crown of her head facing heaven. She guarded her mind and entered a meditative state, yet she still couldn't absorb the energy between heaven and earth!

Xiao Ran stepped in front of Qian Renxue and held a hand above her head. Streams of magic power poured out, entering her body through the pores of her skin.

Qian Renxue trembled as she sensed a pure energy enter her body. That energy was of such a high order that it suppressed her soul power, forcing it to shrink back.

Xiao Ran located the angel martial soul. This was the culprit-a divine-grade martial soul bestowed by the Angel God of the Douluo Continent, utterly incompatible with the rules of Blue Star.

With a thought, Xiao Ran transformed the magic power within Qian Renxue's body into a wisp of core flame. It burned her angel martial soul, discarding the dross and extracting the essence.

The angel martial soul tried to resist, erupting with sacred flames to fight back. Flames possessing both light and fire attributes would have ranked among the finest on the Douluo Continent.

But before the core flame of a mighty Golden Core cultivator like Xiao Ran, they were truly insignificant.

Under the tempering of his core flame, the angel martial soul fell apart, and its origins of light and fire were extracted.

"Pfft!"

As her martial soul shattered, Qian Renxue's face instantly turned pale, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

Xiao Ran commanded in a low voice, "Steady your mind!" "Next, I'll merge the origin of your angel martial soul into your own life origin."

The next moment.

Under Xiao Ran's control, the angel origin, gleaming with golden light and seeming both gaseous and liquid, merged into Qian Renxue's life origin.

Qian Renxue's complexion visibly improved. Although she had been able to control her martial soul before, there had always seemed to be something separating her from it.

Only now, with her martial soul origin and life origin fused into one, did Qian Renxue truly understand what it meant to command something as naturally as an arm commanded its fingers.

Without her angel martial soul, Qian Renxue was finally accepted by Blue Star. That faint sense of rejection was gone.

The soul power within her began surging wildly. After repeated purification and refinement, it finally condensed into a thread of magic power.

Qi Refining First Layer!

Qi Refining Second Layer!

Qi Refining Third Layer!

Qi Refining Ninth Layer!

Qian Renxue's Soul Saint-level soul power ultimately converted into magic power at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. Some strength remained, but it lacked the momentum needed to break through fully into foundation establishment.

Half an hour later!

Qian Renxue opened her eyes and awoke. The divine radiance in her eyes was contained, but a trace of helplessness flashed through them.

"So this is the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, and this is magic power. It really is much purer than soul power. Now I can absorb the energy of Blue Star and continue cultivating."

"But..."

A bitter smile appeared on Qian Renxue's face. She looked at Xiao Ran and bit her lip.

"Without my angel martial soul, even if I return to the Douluo Continent, I'm afraid I won't be able to inherit the angel godhood anymore."

"And all my soul rings have been washed away. I've lost my soul ring skills, too."

Not far away, Xiao Ran raised his eyebrows.

"If your martial soul is gone, then it's gone. Follow me on the path of immortal cultivation from now on, and stop thinking about inheriting the angel godhood."

"Being a god in your Douluo Continent's Divine Realm isn't all that wonderful. Those gods are trapped in the Divine Realm. They seem lofty and exalted, but in truth, they're birds in a cage."

"Otherwise, why would the Sea God and Asura God of your Douluo God Realm give up their perfectly good positions as gods, insist on passing down their godhood inheritances, and then run off?"

"Immortal cultivation seeks unfettered freedom and true independence. As for your soul ring skills, I'll teach you spells later. Even if you absorb all the soul rings you possibly can, you'll only get nine skills. But there are hundreds upon thousands of spells-more than enough for your everyday battles."

Qian Renxue nodded gently. Having already learned to use the internet, she also knew what sort of place the Divine Realm was.

It was like a cage imprisoning inmates who possessed eternal life.

"Xiao Ran, I'm sorry. You were doing this for my sake. I shouldn't have blamed you."

"How should I cultivate next, then? I want to establish my foundation, but I don't even have a foundation establishment cultivation method."

Xiao Ran rubbed his chin.

"As for the cultivation method, tell me the Meditation Method you used before. I'll combine it with the insights I gained when I broke through to foundation establishment and try to devise a foundation establishment cultivation method for you!"

"To break through to foundation establishment, you need a Foundation Establishment Pill. I know the recipe for refining one, but I think there's a better way for you to establish your foundation."

"Your angel martial soul shattered, but your light attribute remains. By killing evil cultivators and vengeful spirits, then refining them, you can turn them into your magic power. I know a place with countless vengeful spirits who slaughtered countless people."

"If you blow that place up, the merit you gain might even raise you to a level stronger than mine."

Qian Renxue grumbled inwardly. He shattered my martial soul before he even had a cultivation method ready.

But things had already come to this. She could only follow Xiao Ran down this road to its bitter end.

"Where is this place you mentioned? If there really are countless vengeful spirits, purifying them could indeed let me increase my strength quickly."

Xiao Ran looked toward the sea, his eyes narrowing as though his gaze could cross a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers.

"Japan. The Yasukuni Shrine. They enshrine many vengeful spirits who slaughtered countless people there. Every last one of them was a butcher."

"There's no rush. We'll get your foundation establishment cultivation method ready first, then I'll take you to Japan."