Chapter 249: Yuan Ci Li – Secret Realm Dialogue, Great Opportunity

“Give me this Divine Weapon?” Wei Zian stared, stunned, as Lu Qing handed him the black staff.

“That’s right. Among us, only you wield a staff. This Divine Weapon is perfectly suited for you,” Lu Qing said with a smile.

“But… this is too valuable,” Wei Zian hesitated.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want it—he truly did—but a Divine Weapon was beyond priceless. Even the entire Wei Family possessed only one such weapon, wielded by the Ancestor himself. Not even Wei Zian’s father, the Family Head, had ever held a Divine Weapon.

Now, Lu Qing was offering him one outright. The weight of the gesture left him speechless.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s something we acquired for free—why not use it? Who else here knows staff techniques better than you? Just take it,” Lu Qing insisted, placing the staff firmly into Wei Zian’s hands.

Seeing Lu Qing’s firm resolve, Wei Zian could only accept. Yet his expression remained dazed, as if still struggling to believe he’d actually obtained a Divine Weapon so easily.

The cool, smooth grip of the staff sent a shiver through him. He almost couldn’t tell if he was awake or dreaming.

“Still, though a Divine Weapon is extraordinary, your current cultivation level isn’t yet strong enough to fully harness its power. For now, focus on cultivating your Qi and blood to grow familiar with it. Avoid using it in combat—wait until you’ve advanced to the Inner Fu Jing realm. Only then will this weapon truly become a powerful asset to you,” Lu Qing cautioned, watching Wei Zian’s reverent handling of the staff.

Even the most basic Divine Weapon carried faint traces of artifact-like abilities. At Wei Zian’s current stage, he simply lacked the strength to command it.

“I’ll remember,” Wei Zian replied with a solemn nod.

Across the carriage, Ma Gu, who was driving, couldn’t help but smile. Wei Zian was his sole disciple, and seeing him receive a Divine Weapon filled the old master with pride.

“By the way, A Qing,” Old Doctor suddenly spoke, “when you fought the Liu Yun Zong Sect Master earlier, what kind of power did you use? It was… unusual.”

He’d been deeply impressed by Lu Qing’s display of strength during the battle with Mo Zhen. As an outsider, the Sword-Wielding Man hadn’t been the right person to ask—now, finally, he could inquire.

“That’s a power I only recently mastered,” Lu Qing replied, extending his hand. A faint golden glow shimmered across his palm. “I once obtained a treasure. With recent changes in the world, I’ve managed to partially refine it, and gained this ability.”

With a gentle motion, Lu Qing flipped his hand downward.

Instantly, the others in the carriage felt an invisible force press down on them, making their bodies feel heavier.

Of course, Lu Qing hadn’t applied much force—just enough to let them feel it. Otherwise, the horses might not have held up.

“This power…” Old Doctor’s eyes widened slightly.

He could tell the weight wasn’t an illusion. His body had truly become heavier.

“This is Yuan Ci Li—the force of the Soil Element. It’s akin to gravity, but under my control. I can shift its direction at will.”

Lu Qing raised his palm upward. Instantly, the pressure shifted, lifting them slightly off the seats, as if they were about to float.

“Yuan Ci Li? Your mastery of this power is truly extraordinary. Among Soil Element techniques, this is rare indeed. Even cultivators at the Xian Tian Great Achievement level, who specialize in earth Qi, might not possess such control,” Old Doctor marveled.

The others were utterly stunned—especially Xiao Yan, whose eyes widened in wonder. “Brother, I feel so light… if I get even lighter, will I be able to fly?”

“Flying isn’t that simple,” Lu Qing chuckled. “But if you really want to learn, there’s a way.”

“Really? Brother, I want to learn!” Xiao Yan’s voice rang out, full of eager determination.

Wei Zian blinked, equally surprised. Could people really fly? From what he knew, even Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe couldn’t achieve flight. Only Old Doctor seemed to ponder something, a flicker of thought crossing his face.

“But learning to fly isn’t easy,” Lu Qing said seriously. “It’ll require great hardship. Are you still willing?”

“Of course I am!” Xiao Yan declared without hesitation.

“Then from tomorrow on, I’ll begin teaching you the art of flight,” Lu Qing smiled.

Originally, he’d planned to wait until they reached Zhong Zhou, when the journey would be over and they could settle down. But the treasures he’d obtained from Liu Yun Zong had changed his mind.

Now that he possessed the Jiu You Bing Ling Ye, Xiao Yan’s cultivation could begin sooner.

“A Qing, are you truly going to teach Xiao Yan cultivation?” Old Doctor asked.

“Yes, Master. I found some items in the Liu Yun Zong’s Treasure Vault—things that can greatly assist Xiao Yan’s training,” Lu Qing replied.

Old Doctor nodded. Yet he couldn’t help but feel curious. He’d mentioned Xiao Yan’s cultivation before, but Lu Qing had always refused, saying the timing wasn’t right. Now, at last, the decision had been made. He wondered what kind of cultivation path Lu Qing would choose.

Wei Zian, hearing this, finally understood: Lu Qing had used the promise of flight to spark Xiao Yan’s interest in training. The flying technique was likely just a ruse.

The carriage rolled forward at a steady pace, jolting slightly over uneven terrain. After so many battles, Old Doctor was visibly fatigued. He closed his eyes, quietly resting and regaining his spirit.

Wei Zian and Xiao Yan fell silent, respecting the stillness.

Lu Qing, however, felt no exhaustion. With his Unique Treasure constantly nourishing his body, he remained alert. But seeing the quiet, he too closed his eyes, sinking his mind into his Brow Qi Cavity.

Inside, the Soil Spirit Pearl sat at the center of the meridian space, like a golden-yellow star. It exuded a heavy, solemn aura, rotating slowly. Around it orbited five glowing orbs of different colors. A thin, mysterious Shen Hun Fu Lu hovered at the very core of the pearl, silently ruling over the entire space.

To Lu Qing, the Soil Spirit Pearl’s slow spin felt like a cosmic millstone—each rotation grinding away impurities in his body, refining his flesh and spirit power, one fraction at a time.

This constant, silent refinement had doubled his physical and spiritual strength since leaving Jiu Li Village.

He estimated that now, even without using any secret techniques, his raw physical power alone could easily kill the old Zheng Jia Lao Tai Po.

Moreover, his growing mastery over his Spirit Soul Power allowed deeper control over the Soil Spirit Pearl. He had already refined it to nearly half its potential. The day of complete mastery was drawing near.

With that mastery came deeper understanding of the soil treasure’s abilities. The Yuan Ci Li he’d used earlier was one such power.

Yuan Ci Li was strange and powerful—so much so that even Lu Qing couldn’t fully explain its essence. If he had to compare it, he thought it was like manipulating gravity. But his current control was limited. He could only restrain someone at the early stages of Xian Tian cultivation—Mo Zhen, with his Small Achievement level, had broken free when he unleashed his full power.

The range was also small—only about ten zhang. It wasn’t a decisive killing move, but excellent for clearing out lesser enemies.

If he fully refined the Soil Spirit Pearl, however, Yuan Ci Li would become a devastating weapon.

“I can feel it,” Lu Qing mused inwardly. “In no more than ten days, my body and spirit will reach another limit. That’s also when we’ll arrive in Zhong Zhou.”

He wondered: would he find his own destiny there?

If not… he’d simply break through and enter the Xian Tian Jing.

For a long time, his cultivation had been ready to step into the Xian Tian realm. Yet some instinct had held him back—something told him the timing wasn’t right.

Then came the Soil Spirit Pearl, which pushed his strength beyond previous limits, allowing further growth. So he delayed the breakthrough, waiting.

Now, that limit was approaching again.

And this time, he sensed it would be true completion—perfection. Even with the finest elixirs or treasures in the future, he doubted his body and spirit could grow further.

To progress, he would have to enter Xian Tian Jing.

So he decided: once his body and spirit reach their peak, if the mysterious fortune he sensed still remains elusive, he would break through.

In cultivation, opportunity is vital—but so is relentless determination. As the old saying goes: One effort, two efforts, three efforts, and then it ends. He had delayed his breakthrough once, and again. If he kept doing so, it would harm his cultivation resolve.

Hesitation, fear of loss—these were dangerous pitfalls.

If he let a fleeting, uncertain chance paralyze him, it would do more harm than good.

Having realized this, a sudden clarity washed over Lu Qing’s mind. His Spirit Soul Power stirred, becoming more vibrant, more pure—infused with a subtle, indescribable vitality.

He paused, then understood.

“Even just resolving a single doubt and making a firm decision can trigger a small breakthrough. My spirit power has become purer, more lively. It seems the old adage—‘frequent self-reflection’—is truly wise.”

With this small breakthrough, his resolve solidified.

Time passed. After nearly two hours, dusk began to fall.

They passed a small village. Lu Qing paid some silver to a relatively wealthy farmer, renting a room for the night.

While the group busied themselves arranging lodging, deep within a hidden realm…

A place of towering peaks, ancient palaces, flowing waterfalls, swirling clouds, and circling cranes—a true immortal’s paradise.

At the mid-slope of the tallest mountain, before a magnificent pavilion of jade and crystal, stood a vast plaza.

There, a white-robed elder, with snow-white hair and beard, tied in a high bun, stood gazing at the drifting clouds. His expression was unreadable, lost in thought.

Moments later, footsteps echoed.

A tall, broad-shouldered man with black beard and hair, dressed in a black Daoist robe, approached.

“Senior Brother, what are you contemplating?”

“I’m thinking—now that the outer world has changed, Qi has returned… should we prepare to emerge?”

“Senior Brother, has the time truly come?”

The black-bearded elder’s eyes lit up with surprise and joy.

“The time for us is not yet here,” the white-robed elder replied, shaking his head. “Though the world has shifted, the laws of heaven and earth are still evolving. If we step forth now, we’ll only be suppressed by the nascent laws—our foundation could be damaged.”

“But you just said…” the black-bearded elder frowned.

“The moment for our emergence hasn’t arrived. But the time for the younger generation’s fortune… is drawing near.”

The white-robed elder’s gaze lifted to the sky, a mysterious aura flaring in his eyes.

“If my calculations are correct, within half a month, the world’s laws will evolve to a critical point. At that moment, the first great opportunity of this era will appear. Whoever claims it will become a true prodigy—laying the strongest foundation for their immortal path. In the Great Contest of Destiny, they will gain the ultimate advantage. Who knows? Perhaps one day, they could become immortals, even ancestors.”

“Such a chance? Senior Brother, what exactly is this great opportunity?” the black-bearded elder gasped, his voice filled with awe.

“I don’t know the specifics,” the elder admitted. “I only know from ancestral records and my own divination. The nature of these great opportunities isn’t fixed. Only when they manifest will people truly understand their form.”

He sighed.

“Then… can we not reach out and seize it?” the black-bearded elder asked.

“No,” the white-robed elder shook his head. “The world has spirit. It will not allow all opportunities to be monopolized. This is a gift for the young cultivators. If we old ones go out, the laws will crush us instantly. Even if we seized the fortune, we’d lose more than we gained.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end