Primordial Qi
[Return to Origin: Normalizes powers from different systems.]
With a stir of Fang Yu's divine sense, the Yuanchen Pearl spun around, drawing the "Everlasting Spring Technique Law Power" he had just refined in his Dantian into itself and turning it into a power called "Primordial Qi."
The power felt exceptionally pure to Fang Yu, and it could be directly transformed into Flowing Flame True Fire.
The next moment, a wisp of Flowing Flame True Fire flowed out of the Yuanchen Pearl and merged into his heart meridian.
"Hm! This Flowing Flame True Fire seems a little too pure!"
Though it was only a wisp of Flowing Flame True Fire, Fang Yu immediately noticed that it differed from what he had cultivated.
The Flowing Flame True Fire transformed by the Yuanchen Pearl was so pure that it was somewhat out of harmony with his own Flowing Flame True Fire.
What if I transform all of it and see what happens?
At a thought from Fang Yu, the Yuanchen Pearl spun again, and the seven strands of Flowing Flame True Fire in his heart meridian surged into the pearl and became Primordial Qi.
Fang Yu could tell that a third of it had vanished just like that.
The next moment, the Primordial Qi transformed into Flowing Flame True Fire and flowed back into his heart meridian.
In an instant, a brilliant red light burst from Fang Yu's entire body, and the temperature in the meditation chamber soared. The chamber's cave walls showed signs of melting, and an intensely dense layer of protective spiritual light appeared over his body.
Back!
Fang Yu hurriedly drew the escaping Flowing Flame True Fire back into his body, but he was already a little too late. The walls of the meditation chamber had melted, and scorching magma dripped down steadily, like an old-fashioned ice pop melting away.
"This Flowing Flame True Fire has actually become so pure!"
Fang Yu jumped to his feet in delighted surprise. The meditation cushion beneath his backside had already burned to ashes, and the floor had long since turned to bubbling magma.
He ran out of the meditation chamber in a few strides and took a deep breath, doing his best to control the incomparably pure Flowing Flame True Fire inside him.
"The seven strands of Flowing Flame True Fire are down to just four, yet their power has increased by at least a third. At the same time, I feel much lighter, as if I'd been carrying a huge stone on my back and it's gone now."
Murmuring to himself, Fang Yu went to the metal-fire chamber, took out a Spirit Stone, and began restoring his Flowing Flame True Fire Law Power.
As he circulated the cultivation method, wisps of Law Power streamed into his heart meridian. But Fang Yu could now clearly tell that the Law Power he was transforming was exceptionally insubstantial, and there also seemed to be a hint of a familiar presence within it.
That presence had been there ever since he began cultivating the Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon at the age of six, so he was extremely familiar with it. But now, after the Yuanchen Pearl's normalization, it stood out like a sore thumb, as though it were not his own.
"Could there be something wrong with this cultivation method?"
Fang Yu murmured to himself and hurriedly guided that wisp of Law Power into the Yuanchen Pearl to normalize it, turning it into Primordial Qi before channeling it into his heart meridian.
Seven days later.
Fang Yu's heart meridian was once again filled with seven strands of Flowing Flame True Fire Law Power. But his Law Power was now as different from before as heaven was from earth. Though it was still Flowing Flame True Fire, it was so pure that a single strand was worth three of the old ones.
It was not just an improvement in the quality of his Law Power. The power of his Law Techniques, the strength of his protective spiritual light, and the strength of his body had all improved as well.
His body in particular was growing tougher under the constant tempering of the Flowing Flame True Fire, and that discordant presence from before had vanished completely.
"No matter what was wrong with this cultivation method before, the hidden danger must have disappeared after the Yuanchen Pearl purified it. But my presence must be different from before too, so I should leave some of the problematic Law Power to conceal the change in myself."
Murmuring to himself, Fang Yu transformed one strand of Flowing Flame True Fire into Primordial Qi and stored it in the Yuanchen Pearl. Then he took out another Spirit Stone and transformed its spiritual power into a strand of impure Flowing Flame True Fire.
Now my presence is the same as before!
Sensing his current presence, Fang Yu thought to himself. His trust in the Fire Stone Immortal Sect had been shaken, and he had begun to suspect Tie Feng as well.
Although he still did not know exactly what was wrong with the Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon and the Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture,
there was definitely something wrong with them.
The Qi Refining Realm Law Power cultivated through the Everlasting Spring Technique, on the other hand, was merely somewhat insubstantial and contained no impure presence.
At Fang Yu's thought, the Primordial Qi in the Yuanchen Pearl turned into Everlasting Spring Law Power and surged into his Qi sea, filling it.
"I've reached Qi Refining First Layer Great Perfection!"
Fang Yu thought to himself, and the divisions of the Qi Refining Realm surfaced in his mind.
The Qi Refining Realm was divided into ten layers. The first through third layers were Early Qi Refining, the fourth through sixth were the Qi Refining Middle Stage, the seventh through ninth were the Qi Refining Late Stage, and the tenth was Qi Refining Great Perfection.
Once one reached the tenth layer, one could attempt Foundation Establishment.
The Everlasting Spring Technique, however, could only be cultivated to tenth-layer Great Perfection at most and contained no method of Foundation Establishment. To establish his foundation, he would need a subsequent Foundation Establishment cultivation method.
He reckoned that the Foundation Establishment realm should be roughly equivalent to the Dao Foundation realm, though he did not know whether breaking through would also require accumulating the corresponding Dao Attainment.
Just then, his divine sense stirred, the restrictions on his cave abode opened, and a message talisman flew in.
"Is it already time for the gathering to begin?"
Three months had passed before he knew it. At a thought from Fang Yu, the Yuanchen Pearl spun, and the Law Power in his Qi sea surged into it, becoming pure Primordial Qi.
The presence of the Dao of Qi Refining vanished from him, leaving only the "pure" presence of the Dao of Qi Ingestion.
Since he was going to a gathering, he could run into all sorts of people. It was better to hide all his Law Power from the Dao of Qi Refining inside the Yuanchen Pearl.
The Return to Origin ability could not only purify different powers but also conceal his presence. If he wished, he could disguise himself as a first-layer Qi Ingestion cultivator.
If this ability had activated before he entered the secret ground, he would not have needed to shoulder thirty years of "secret-ground debt." He could simply have concealed his cultivation.
But it was too late to say anything now. He could only take things one step at a time.
Leaving his cave abode, Fang Yu mounted his cloud platform and flew toward the place Tie Feng had mentioned in the message talisman. In just over two hours, he arrived at a mountain peak with beautiful scenery.
Although this place was within the Flaming Mountain spiritual land, there was not a trace of fiery heat. The air was unusually moist and carried a faint floral fragrance.
The gathering was being held in a courtyard at the summit. Once Fang Yu entered, he saw many familiar faces, mostly Fire Stone laborers who had broken through to the seventh layer of Qi Ingestion in the secret ground.
Besides them, there were sword cultivators of the Tie Household, each dressed in fine clothes, standing straight and bearing a cold, austere air.
Within the Metal Stone Immortal Sect, there might be disciples surnamed Tie among the fire-virtue cultivators, but every metal-virtue sword cultivator was a member of the Tie Household. Only Tie Household disciples were qualified to become sword cultivators.
The strongest cultivation presence among the sword cultivators before him was only at the third layer of Qi Ingestion, which struck Fang Yu as a little odd. But on second thought, they were all Tie Household disciples, so it seemed reasonable enough for them to start preparing profound-grade flying swords now.
"Junior Brother Fang, you're here! Quick, come inside!"
Tie Feng's voice was as welcoming as ever, making those who heard it feel as though bathed in a spring breeze. But Fang Yu now felt a trace of wariness.
This was the man who had recommended the Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture he cultivated. If there really was something wrong with it, Tie Feng was surely involved.