Qi Warriors and Aperture Openers

Some books say that the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation was a battle formation diagram laid out by a military strategist among ordinary people;

Some books say it's an High Antiquity immortal's soul-capturing formation;

Some books even say it's just a chess game record...

Tang Tianshu also tried to inject his True Qi into the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation, but there was no reaction whatsoever.

However, since he could increase the medicinal lifespan of herbs through this array handkerchief, Tang Tianshu cherished it greatly.

After much thought, Tang Tianshu sewed a woman's bellyband himself and put the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation inside.

In the library, Tang Tianshu read and memorized a set of Swordsmanship, a set of body-training techniques, and some disguise Cultivation Method.

With the blessing of the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation, Tang Tianshu obtained a large number of century-old herbs and refined over a hundred century-old True Gathering Pill.

Cultivation Method requires a gradual and progressive approach.

Tang Tianshu didn't want to explode and die after consuming a large amount of the Hundred-Year True Gathering Pill.

Tang Tianshu only took the True Gathering Pill when he felt that his True Qi was encountering a bottleneck.

Just as a person wants to eat when hungry, Tang Tianshu only chooses to use the True Gathering Pill when he craves replenishment of his True Qi. Otherwise, he continues to cultivate diligently according to the established methods.

Winter passed and spring came, cold came and heat went. On June 2nd of the new immortal calendar year 4050, Tang Tianshu had been at the Diancang Sect for two years and his cultivation had reached the Initial-Stage Martial Venerable Realm.

A martial artist's level of cultivation can be discerned by observing with the naked eye or taking their pulse; a martial artist's True Qi is also located in their Dantian.

Tang Tianshu discovered that after reaching the initial stage of Martial Venerable, he could temporarily channel his True Qi into the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation that he had placed in his bellyband.

And with one's own will, this True Qi can also return from the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation.

In addition, Tang Tianshu also specially cultivated the "Concealment Art," a technique rarely practiced by martial artists, which allowed him to conceal his true cultivation level.

After all, most martial artists hope that their opponents will know their cultivation level and back down; few are willing to hide their cultivation level.

Therefore, during each sect's cultivation test, Tang Tianshu gave everyone the impression of being only Mid-Stage Martial Master...

One's cultivation level cannot be hidden too low, otherwise it would mean that one is truly a good-for-nothing and there is a risk of being expelled from the sect.

In just two years, he rose two levels from Peak Martial Warrior Martial Meridians artist to Mid-Stage Martial Master, a truly astonishing improvement in his cultivation.

Tang Tianshu explained that he learned this by reading alchemy books in the library.

With the addition of some special herbs from the Samsara Valley, a special elixir was developed to enhance the True Qi qi of those with less Martial Meridians – the "Youran Pill".

In fact, this Youran Pill is just a hundred-year-old True Spirit Pill with some common medicinal herbs that have a strong aroma added.

To prevent his fellow disciples from asking him for it, Tang Tianshu specifically mentioned that the refining of the Youran Pill had a random element to it.

Moreover, once it is refined, it must be taken within half an incense stick's time, otherwise its medicinal effects will be completely lost.

This dispelled the idea of others asking him for the Youran Pill.

Shen Wenjing was not giving up, so he moved to Carefree Residence and lived with Tang Tianshu for three months.

However, in these three months, Tang Tianshu failed to refine a single Youran Pill.

Although Shen Wenjing was annoyed and suspicious, there was nothing he could do but move out of Youran Residence.

If he continued to live with Tang Tianshu at Youran Residence, his reputation would be ruined—people would suspect him of having homosexual tendencies, after all, Tang Tianshu, with his delicate skin and handsome appearance, was quite good-looking.

For the sake of convenience when moving around in the Diancang Sect, Sun Ruoya's long, white legs still need to be held tightly.

Every now and then, when Sun Ruoya encountered a bottleneck in her cultivation, Tang Tianshu would inadvertently tell Sun Ruoya...

"I've also observed the celestial phenomena; there's a high probability I'll succeed in refining the Youran Pill tonight."

Of course, Sun Ruoya, who understood perfectly, had to spend the night with Tang Tianshu —she drank tea and watched the stars in the courtyard of Youran Residence, while Tang Tianshu closed the door and refined elixirs inside.

However, sometimes, Tang Tianshu would deliberately fail to refine the Youran Pill.

To be fair, Sun Ruoya really went all out to improve her cultivation.

Completely ignoring the other disciples' sour gossip, he nonchalantly accompanied Tang Tianshu in refining pills.

Over the course of a year and a half, Tang Tianshu gave Sun Ruoya a total of seven "Youran Pill"...

Clang!...

"Quick, quick, Senior Sister Sun."

"Eat it while it's hot! This pill is full of my Essence Blood!" One late night, Tang Tianshu excitedly pushed open the door and went out.

Sun Ruoya excitedly accepted the warm pill, but just as she was about to take it, her face suddenly turned red, and she frowned, saying, "You naughty boy!"

What did you just say?

"This elixir contains your essence and blood?!"

"Oh oh...

I blurted it out; it contains all my hard work, senior sister...

"It's a labor of love..." Tang Tianshu said with a wicked smile.

"Hmph, lately you've been talking to me less and less honestly..."

"Some of the new disciples think we're a couple..." Sun Ruoya pouted.

"Okay, I'll be more careful in the future..."

Senior sister, I'd better refine it while it's still hot, otherwise it will take too long...

Then it won't be effective...

"If you don't eat, I will..." Tang Tianshu said with a smile.

He deliberately said ambiguous things to let the other disciples know that his relationship with the sect leader's daughter was unusual.

This way, I can move more freely within the Diancang Sect and "borrow" treasures sooner.

"Hmph, I'll settle the score with you later..." Sun Ruoya pouted, immediately swallowing the pill and refining it...

Half an hour later, a dense aura of True Qi surrounded Sun Ruoya...

Sun Ruoya gave a soft shout and unleashed a sword strike, the Sword Qi carving a deep trench in the stone table.

I've broken through!

I, Sun Ruoya, am Great Martial Master!

"I, Sun Ruoya, am the youngest Great Martial Master in the Diancang Sect's three-hundred-year history!" Sun Ruoya jumped three feet high, laughing excitedly.

Watching the two groups of people moving around before the New Year, Tang Tianshu swallowed hard.

"Great Martial Master, aren't you going to offer something?"

Tang Tianshu sat down with a smile on his face.

"Hmph, I know..." Sun Ruoya immediately sheathed her sword and began massaging Tang Tianshu's shoulders.

"Uh-huh...

Not bad, not bad...

"Your massage skills have improved..." Tang Tianshu said with a look of enjoyment.

"Hmph, I learned that from the brothels down the mountain."

"Would you like me to massage your legs?" Sun Ruoya asked with a smile.

Tang Tianshu's lips twitched, "Let's not..."

It was the dead of night, and they were alone together.

What if I lose control? The sect leader might just chop me to death with one blow...

Senior sister, I've asked you many times, does our Diancang Sect really not have any treasures related to cultivators?

"Cultivators, cultivators..."

You think about cultivating immortality all the time...

Do you know that cultivators must be "Aperture Opener" to achieve immortality?

The highest cultivation level for us martial artists is Qi Warrior. I've heard that Qi Warrior is the lowest level for cultivators. Becoming Qi Warrior means you're a naturally Aperture Opener. If you become Qi Warrior, perhaps the cultivation sects will consider you.

However, a martial artist's lifespan is only about a hundred years. You are a Martial Meridians, and if your cultivation level doesn't reach that of a Qi Warrior, you will die.

Why covet the lifespan of a cultivator, which can exceed a hundred years? Why not spend a few decades happily in the mortal realm...?

Tang Tianshu sighed softly. If he didn't become a cultivator, the Gu worms in his body would awaken in three years, and he would die a terrible death then.

"Whether or not I choose the path of cultivation is another matter. I just want to ask if our Diancang Sect has any treasures related to cultivators..."

"No.

I already told you.

"Besides, I even stole my dad's treasure chest and showed it to you. There's nothing in it that's related to cultivators." Sun Ruoya pouted. "But if you insist on talking about cultivators' treasures, then Senior Brother Shen Wenjing's dagger could certainly be considered one."