Cultivation Foundation

Body Tempering strengthened the physique. A strong body gave rise to abundant essence and vitality; refining essence into Qi made one an Origin Scholar.

Whether one was in the Body Tempering realm or an Origin Scholar, one could only be called a martial artist. Only upon achieving the Profound Martial Realm could one barely be called a cultivator.

Because the Profound Martial Secret Treasure was the foundation of cultivation—the seed of cultivation.

Gu Yuanqing looked inward at his Secret Treasury and saw that it occupied the entire Crimson Palace. A grand formation formed from the shimmering light of the Acupoints throughout his body and the endlessly circulating Vital Energy bound the Profound Martial Secret Treasure firmly within the Crimson Palace like chains.

Vital Energy flowed into the Secret Treasury and then flowed back out, tempered and transformed into strands of purer True Qi.

Within the Martial Secret Treasury, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water had gradually settled, as though they had formed a tiny Small World. Yet this Small World remained in its earliest state and still needed the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha gathered into it to spur its transformation and growth.

Gu Yuanqing observed the outer membrane of the Secret Treasury. Seeing its black and crimson hues streaked with seven-colored radiance, his eyes immediately lit up.

"This lies between a Mysterious Martial Secret Treasure and a Supreme Saint Martial Secret Treasure. If properly nourished, it can transform into a Saint Martial Secret Treasure!"

The opening of a Secret Treasury was not set in stone. It was simply that the price of further transformation after opening it would far exceed the cost before it was opened.

Nor did a better cultivation method necessarily mean one would open a better Secret Treasury. It was also related to one's aptitude, talent, and even fortune. Superior cultivation methods merely gave one a greater chance of opening a higher-grade Secret Treasury.

For example, the Profound Heaven Art, which nourished thirty-six Acupoints, would most likely open an Earth Martial Secret Treasure. Yet quite a few people would open a Human Martial Secret Treasure instead. Those of extraordinary talent, if they possessed a solid foundation and were favored by fortune, might even open a Heavenly Martial Secret Treasure.

And with a Heavenly Martial Secret Treasure, one had the possibility of becoming a Grandmaster!

Gu Yuanqing was quite satisfied with his current condition. Though it was merely streaked with seven-colored radiance, it would save him immeasurable effort in transforming a Mysterious Martial Secret Treasure into a Saint Martial Secret Treasure!

Gu Yuanqing opened his eyes and saw that only his head was sticking out above the bed. He did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"I was thorough in every respect, yet overlooked this one thing. I thought of the problems that might arise during cultivation, but not this. It seems I can only find somewhere else to rest tonight."

He got up and climbed out of the bed, drank some water, then went outside. Breaking through the layer of ice on the water vat, he used the cold water to wash the sweat from his body.

He then returned to the room, changed into a fresh set of clothes, wrapped up the bedding on the bed, and carried it to another room in the courtyard.

It was already deep into the night, but he had no desire to sleep.

After coming here several months ago, he had finally achieved the Profound Martial Realm. Only now did he truly feel the gap between the Profound Martial Realm and an Origin Scholar.

The Acupoint formation locked down the Profound Martial Secret Treasure, but was it not also using that Secret Treasury as its core to unite the power of every Acupoint into one?

The Qi channels throughout his body had connected into a single whole. With a thought, Qi followed; a casual punch now carried the power he once needed to circulate his cultivation method at full force to achieve!

It was only after a long while that Gu Yuanqing's emotions completely settled.

He sat on the bed and entered Mountain Observation. He saw that the old man was still busy inside the cave in the dead of night.

"He truly is diligent. In the past few months, he has rested for no more than five days."

Gu Yuanqing lightly clenched his fist and could not help thinking, Would I now have the strength to fight this old man? He then laughed silently.

"I have nothing to do with him. Why should I think about this?"

Yet the moment this thought arose in Gu Yuanqing's mind, the old man's movements stiffened once more, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Gu Yuanqing did not see this. His attention had shifted to the foot of the mountain, where some of the soldiers stationed at the North Spring Sword Sect's Mountain Gate remained awake deep into the night. In the cold wind, two patrols moved along the mountain path.

Within the military camp, several soldiers huddled around a blazing bonfire for warmth.

One young, still somewhat immature soldier could not help asking, "Uncle Qian, aside from two deaf-mute old servants and some rich young master who knows what crime he committed, there is not even a ghost in North Spring Mountain. What are we doing stationed here year-round?"

"North Spring Mountain was once the grounds of the North Spring Sword Sect. Rumor has it that there is a Secret Sword inside, one that points straight beyond the Grandmaster realm."

"I know that too, but I heard that over the past several decades, the Imperial Court has sent countless people to search and still found nothing. I think that Secret Sword is most likely not in North Spring Mountain. Besides, this is supposed to be a Forbidden Ground, but we only guard one approach. The other three sides may be sheer cliffs, but for true experts, they would still be as easy to walk as level ground."

Uncle Qian laughed heartily. "You young people really do think too much. The Imperial Court must have its reasons for arranging things this way. We only need to obey orders."

The young soldier said, "I just think this godforsaken place is far too dull. Oh, right, Uncle Qian, do you know what crime that rich young master committed? Last time, I followed an eunuch from the palace up there, and I was not even allowed to say a single word. After coming down the mountain, General Chen even summoned me for questioning."

Uncle Qian reached out and smacked the young soldier on the back of the head. "Boy, don't ask about or pry into matters connected to the palace. Are you tired of living?"

Gu Yuanqing watched the scene below the mountain with great interest. On this mountain, there was no one with whom he could speak. Ever since his Mountain Observation range had covered the encampment, he had gone to listen for a while almost every day.

Only after a long time did he withdraw his gaze. He then cleared away the distracting thoughts in his heart, sinking his consciousness into North Spring Mountain and feeling its own rhythm.

Vaguely, he sensed that as North Spring Mountain expanded and contracted like breathing, a strand of Spiritual Qi was slowly taking shape and growing at its very core.

"Soon. Perhaps in a few more months, North Spring Mountain's Spirit Imbuing will be initially complete, and it will transform into a Spirit Mountain!"

At that thought, Gu Yuanqing frowned again.

The transformation of a Spirit Mountain would inevitably bring outward changes. Given enough time, people might notice it and trouble might arise.

That was also one reason he had decided to break through to the Profound Martial Realm today. He needed to raise his cultivation as much as possible to deal with any changes.

Early the next morning, while the sky was only beginning to brighten, Gu Yuanqing rose and washed up. He then left the courtyard and sat cross-legged on a flat rock on the eastern side of the mountain, regulating his breath.

After one night, the Secret Treasury had become more stable within the Crimson Palace, and its connection to his Vital Energy and the various Acupoints had grown even closer.

Gu Yuanqing silently circulated his Mental Method, sensing the subtle changes in the Vital Energy within his body.

Strands of sunlight spilled into the mountains. Supreme Yang Qi gave rise to changes in Qi, wearing away the Supreme Yang Fire and transforming it into Heavenly Gang Qi. Just as Gu Yuanqing was about to draw this strand of Qi into his abdomen, sudden inspiration struck him, and he entered the Mountain Observation state.

In an instant, the changes in Qi became far clearer.

With every breath, the Heavenly Gang Qi produced by the changes in Yin and Yang Qi was drawn into North Spring Mountain, gathered under the guidance of Gu Yuanqing's consciousness into the North Spring Mountain Phantom within his Sea of Consciousness.

The sun gradually rose, Yin Energy scattered, and Heavenly Gang Qi ceased to form.

Gu Yuan looked inward at his Sea of Consciousness, overjoyed.

The difference between the power of one person and the power of a mountain was more than ten millionfold. Strands of Heavenly Gang Qi circulated within the North Spring Mountain Phantom.

He suppressed his emotions. With a thought, the Heavenly Gang Qi dispersed from his Sea of Consciousness and descended into the Crimson Palace along with his True Qi.

Changes arose once more within the Secret Treasury. It was like sweet dew suddenly falling upon parched earth, and life slowly began to revive.

Only after every last strand of Heavenly Gang Qi had been transferred into the Secret Treasury did Gu Yuanqing finally reveal a smile.

"I can use North Spring Mountain to gather Heavenly Gang Qi, and the same applies to gathering the Qi of Earth Sha. With this, my cultivation progress will be who knows how many times faster than that of ordinary people! If I can become a Grandmaster before the transformation of the Spirit Mountain is discovered, all my previous worries will vanish like ice in spring!"