Chapter 116: Spiritual Soul Power, the Body and Bones Begin to Mature

"Master, have you finally broken through to the Xian Tian Realm?" Lu Qing asked, his voice brimming with joy.

"Not quite yet," the Old Doctor replied. "I’ve only just refined my spiritual soul power. I haven’t officially entered the Xian Tian Realm yet."

Lu Qing wasn’t disappointed.

Spiritual soul power was the most crucial step in ascending from the Hou Tian Realm to the Xian Tian Realm. His master had already been at the Half-Step Xian Tian stage—what was missing was precisely this spiritual soul power. Now, that final missing piece had been completed. His master was now just one step away from true breakthrough. The path ahead was now clear, no longer blocked by any obstacle.

"When do you think you’ll finally step into the Xian Tian Realm?" Lu Qing asked.

"Perhaps a few more days," the Old Doctor said. "Once I’ve adjusted my essence, spirit, and qi to their peak state, I can attempt to draw in the heavenly qi and take that final step."

"But earlier, you said it would take at least half a year to break through. How come it’s happening so much sooner?" Lu Qing asked, curiosity in his voice.

"It was sheer luck," the Old Doctor admitted, a faint sigh in his tone. "Your Xian Tian Method was extraordinarily profound. Coincidentally, I’ve been studying the Green Bag Medical Canon by the Divine Physician. The two texts complemented each other perfectly, deepening my understanding of the connection between vital essence and spiritual soul. That’s what allowed me to take this step ahead of schedule."

Lu Qing fell silent.

He hadn’t been wrong—his master truly was a prodigy in cultivation.

Back when he was young, he had managed to deduce the complete and refined Nourish Body Fist from a fragmented combat technique. Now, he was drawing insight from ancient medical texts to accelerate his breakthrough.

And yet, his master had no formal lineage. His ancestor was merely a wandering folk doctor with only basic martial skills—certainly not even a true martial cultivator.

In short, his master had forged his path entirely through self-discovery.

And yet, here he stood—having refined spiritual soul power, standing on the very threshold of the Xian Tian Realm.

Sure, the Dipulse Spiritual Fluid Lu Qing had provided had given him rare opportunities, but no one could deny that his master’s innate talent was nothing short of extraordinary.

Still, Lu Qing knew his master likely didn’t see himself that way.

To him, he probably still saw himself not as a martial cultivator, but merely as a doctor who knew a few cultivation techniques.

But now, his master was about to break through. That was a joyous event—especially for Lu Qing.

He had already offended the Tian Cang Sect deeply—saving Wei Fu Ren and her son, and slaying Wang Qing Shan and Tong Cang Lang.

Though the sect might not yet know, it remained a dangerous liability.

Now, with his master finally on the verge of breaking through, Lu Qing felt his own confidence grow.

With that thought, he pulled a jade slip from his sleeve.

"Master, congratulations on your breakthrough. I don’t have anything worthy to offer, but this Heritage Jade Scroll—I present it as a token of my respect and joy."

Lu Qing handed the jade slip to his master.

"Heritage Jade Scroll?" The Old Doctor looked at it curiously.

"Yes. These scrolls can only be crafted by Xian Tian cultivators whose spiritual soul power has reached a certain level. A single slip can contain vast, intricate information. Only those who have cultivated spiritual soul power can read them. The Xian Tian Method I gave you? It came from this very scroll."

"But if only those with spiritual soul power can read it… then how can you, A Qing…?" The Old Doctor frowned.

He knew his disciple hadn’t yet cultivated spiritual soul power.

"During my time in the cave," Lu Qing explained smoothly, "I had a fortunate encounter. I managed to absorb all its heritage. But that was a one-time event—I can’t access its contents again. The scroll is now useless to me. It’s perfect for you, Master."

He delivered the rehearsed words without hesitation.

He knew his master wouldn’t press him on the details.

After all, the cave had produced Dipulse Spiritual Fluid, a miraculous elixir. It was only natural it would hold other wonders.

The Old Doctor took the scroll and examined it closely.

Of course, this wasn’t ordinary jade. Only the purest essence of jade—its core—could be used to craft a Heritage Jade Scroll.

The quality of this slip was exquisite. Even as a mere decorative object, it would be priceless.

But the Old Doctor wasn’t focused on its appearance. He was drawn to the ancient, intricate patterns etched into it—patterns that carried a unique resonance.

After a long moment of scrutiny, he couldn’t decipher their deeper meaning.

His cultivation level was still too low.

The patterns left by Li Weitian, a Xian Tian Realm peak-level master, remained beyond his grasp.

Following Lu Qing’s instructions, the Old Doctor pressed the scroll to his forehead and cautiously sent a thread of his newly refined spiritual soul power into it.

The power flowed in smoothly.

Inside the scroll, he sensed several small glowing orbs. He directed his spiritual essence toward one of them.

As his power touched it, a flood of information surged into his mind.

Lu Qing watched silently.

Unless the scroll was sealed with spiritual soul prohibitions, reading it was entirely safe.

And Li Weitian hadn’t placed any such restrictions. Anyone with spiritual soul power could freely access its contents.

The Old Doctor’s expression shifted—his face flickered with awe.

Lost in the flow of knowledge, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.

His spiritual soul power had reached its limit.

After all, it was still new and weak. Overuse would be dangerous.

Reluctantly, he withdrew his focus.

"Truly… the fate of this elder, Li Weitian, was a tragic one," he murmured, his voice heavy with emotion.

He had seen the final words Li Weitian had left behind.

"Master," Lu Qing asked, "have you ever heard of Li Weitian?"

"No," the Old Doctor shook his head. "I’ve traveled far and wide, but I’ve never heard of this elder."

Lu Qing said nothing.

He wasn’t surprised.

Li Weitian was likely from over seven or eight hundred years ago. In that span, entire dynasties had fallen and risen.

For a Xian Tian Realm master to be forgotten? That was only natural.

"Master," Lu Qing said, "I’ll leave this Heritage Jade Scroll with you. Once you officially enter the Xian Tian Realm, you can begin cultivating the combat techniques within."

The Old Doctor nodded without hesitation.

At this stage, formalities were unnecessary.

The bond between master and disciple had long surpassed words.

"One more thing," the Old Doctor said. "I’ll need to enter seclusion for three days to refine my essence, spirit, and qi. On the third day, I’ll attempt to draw in the heavenly qi and break through. Be sure to come by then."

"Three days?" Lu Qing’s eyes lit up. "I’ll be there to guard your cultivation!"

"Guard me? Who would dare harm me?" the Old Doctor chuckled.

"Sorry, Master. I spoke ill-omened words," Lu Qing quickly apologized.

"Enough. I’ve noticed your blood and qi are perfectly balanced. Your body and bones are supple yet powerful—every step carries a spring-like force. You’re clearly nearing the small maturity stage, aren’t you?" the Old Doctor remarked.

"Your perception is sharp, Master," Lu Qing said. "I actually came up here to ask for a few days’ leave, so I could focus on my own breakthrough. I didn’t expect to hear such good news from you."

"Your cultivation speed is astonishing," the Old Doctor sighed. "Even the famed martial prodigies from the provincial capitals wouldn’t match you."

Just a short while ago, Lu Qing had only just broken through to Jin Gu Jing. And now, he was already nearing the small maturity stage.

But the Old Doctor knew the truth—Lu Qing had consumed the Dipulse Spiritual Fluid. His innate talent had been vastly enhanced. In terms of martial potential, he might even rival the greatest geniuses of old.

"Master will be in seclusion for three days," Lu Qing smiled. "Perfect timing. I’m about to break through to Jin Gu Jing Xiao Cheng myself."

…

Descending from the Half Mountain Small Courtyard, Lu Qing’s mood remained light.

His master’s early breakthrough was a gift he hadn’t expected.

Once fully in the Xian Tian Realm, and with Li Weitian’s heritage at his disposal, his master would surely rise quickly to the rank of a powerful cultivator.

That meant a much stronger foundation for Lu Qing.

With a heart full of satisfaction, he returned home.

Inside the house, Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were engrossed in a game of Five-in-a-Row.

The two little girls seemed never to tire of it, playing countless rounds every day.

And their fierce competitiveness was evident—each loss and win was remembered with precision.

Thanks to this, their counting skills had improved rapidly.

Now, both could count past a thousand, saving Lu Qing a great deal of trouble.

He’d even considered getting them a battle chess set to mix things up, but seeing how they still loved the Five-in-a-Row game, he decided against it.

Not wanting to disturb them, Lu Qing simply said a quiet word and then stepped out, blade in hand, heading toward the Back Mountain Bamboo Grove.

For the next few days, Lu Qing devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

And on the third morning, he succeeded—breaking through to Jin Gu Jing Xiao Cheng.

In the bamboo grove, he practiced a fist technique—Mighty Tiger Fist, a Qi Xue Jing martial art he had discovered in the master’s private collection.

The reason?

His swordsmanship had reached the Balanced Strength and Gentleness, Exquisite Precision stage. Now, it had hit a plateau.

With nothing left to explore in that path, Lu Qing turned to the master’s other martial texts—those he had once passed on.

Including the two Jin Gu Jing pole and sword techniques he hadn’t chosen.

Knowing Lu Qing’s exceptional talent, the Old Doctor had no objections.

And Lu Qing, with his clear sense of priorities, had no intention of wasting time.

After acquiring the texts, he used his Abilities to instantly master them all.

With his current Zong Shi mastery in swordsmanship, and the aid of his abilities, he not only learned every technique—but mastered them deeply.

Even the two Jin Gu Jing martial arts he had once dismissed were now fully within his grasp.

Yet, after testing them all, one truth remained clear:

He still preferred the blade.

So, no intention to switch weapons.

Now, as he practiced Mighty Tiger Fist, every strike was explosive.

His entire body, every tendon and bone, resonated like a drawn bowstring—tensing with a sharp, metallic ping with every punch.

The power surged forward, roaring through the air as if a real tiger roared from within him.

The sheer force was terrifying.

Had the original creator of this technique witnessed it, he would have been stunned—unable to imagine such power emerging from his creation.

Roar!

With the final move—Tiger Roars Over the World—Lu Qing slowly lowered his stance.

His blood boiled like a furnace. Sweat vaporized instantly into thick white mist around his body.

"Tendons like bowstrings, bones like the bow’s frame. Draw the bow to full moon. Power like a volley of arrows. Deliver a hundred strikes in a single breath without fatigue—this is the Small Maturity of Body and Bones."

"The secret lies in 'Draw the bow to full moon, power like a volley of arrows.'"

"Only when both the strength and suppleness of tendons and bones are refined to the same level—able to snap and release power at will without injury—can one truly achieve Small Maturity."

"That day, Tong Cang Lang survived my full-force strike, unharmed, not even a trace of internal injury. Part of it was his armor’s defense. But the other reason? He had already achieved Small Maturity. His body was like a spring—able to absorb and deflect my force through trembling, rebounding movements."

Lu Qing stood still in the bamboo grove, mind filled with revelation.

His understanding of the Jin Gu Jing stage deepened.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Though his mind was now filled with high-level heritage, opening his eyes to realms far beyond,

The path of cultivation remained one of steady, grounded progress.

Only when one’s actual strength reached a stage could the teachings within the heritage be truly understood.

"Jin Gu Jing Xiao Cheng... Next comes the Great Maturity of Body and Bones. With the help of the Bone-Strengthening and Tendon-Regenerating Pill, I won’t be far from that stage."

Lu Qing felt joy—yes—but more than that, peace.

After so many blessings, his perspective had risen.

His goals were no longer small.

Now, there was only one path: reach Nei Fu Jing perfection, then charge toward the Xian Tian Realm.

"Tomorrow," he thought, "I’ll see just how profound the Xian Tian breakthrough truly is."

He looked forward to it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end