Chapter 259: Perfection of the Physical Body and Divine Soul, Emerging from Seclusion

Chapter 259: Perfection of the Physical Body and Divine Soul, Emerging from Seclusion

"My physical body and the power of my divine soul have finally reached perfection and their limit once more."

Lu Qing felt the changes within his body and a surge of joy filled his heart.

He had thought it would take a few more days for his physical body and divine soul power to attain perfection, but unexpectedly, it had come several days earlier.

It seemed that last night's epiphany had indeed brought him tremendous benefits.

Even his refinement of the Earth Spirit Pearl had accelerated, further enhancing the nourishing effect on his body.

As a result, his physical body and divine soul power, which were originally still days away from reaching their limit again, had now achieved perfection.

Clenching his fist, without even invoking his qi and blood power, relying solely on the pure strength of his physical body, a faint sound of air bursting echoed from Lu Qing's palm.

"With my current strength, even without using the talismans in my brow acupuncture point and the Earth Spirit Pearl, my physical strength alone is enough to defeat Mo Zhen, who has cultivated the Blood Devil Body.

As for that old hag from the Zheng family, I could kill her with a single punch.

Moreover, my path of cultivation complements each other perfectly.

Now that the power of my divine soul has once again reached its limit, it also accelerates the speed of my refinement of the Earth Spirit Pearl.

It won't be long before I completely refine this Earthly treasure.

By then, my strength will also receive a significant boost."

Lu Qing sensed the perfect and surging power of his physical body and divine soul, feeling extremely satisfied.

It was well worth the wait as he had suppressed his realm for so long, forcibly enduring the temptation to break through to the Innate Realm.

Now, the rewards were indeed bountiful.

"Now that my physical body and divine soul power have both reached the limit of their post-heaven cultivation, the next step is to prepare for the breakthrough."

Ever since he heard Xuanjizi's account of the situation in Zhongzhou, Lu Qing had also developed a sense of crisis.

Zhongzhou seemed to be under the control of the three masters from the Holy Mountain for the time being, but he knew that this was only temporary.

Once someone from the other major sects comprehended the ancient cultivation method and entered an entirely new realm, the balance would be broken, and there would undoubtedly be another upheaval.

Therefore, he decided that after entering Zhongzhou, if he still had no clue about the opportunity hidden in destiny, he would immediately seek a place abundant with spiritual energy and seclude himself to break through to the Innate Realm.

Lu Qing believed that his current foundation, while not unprecedented in history, was likely unmatched in the present world.

With his accumulation, once he stepped into the Innate Realm, his strength would undoubtedly undergo an astonishing transformation.

In addition, he also had numerous trump cards up his sleeve.

By then, even a peerless powerhouse at the pinnacle of the Innate Realm might not be someone he would fear.

The early perfection of his physical body and divine soul power put Lu Qing in a very pleasant mood.

During breakfast, his joy was evident even to the extent that Ma Gu and the others noticed it.

"Qing, what happened to make you so happy?" The old doctor asked curiously.

"It's nothing, just some new insights in my cultivation." Lu Qing smiled and said, "By the way, Master, I contemplated the profound meaning of the words inscribed on the city gate last night and discovered something interesting."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Let's talk about it on the road." Lu Qing didn't reveal it immediately.

The old doctor looked around and understood.

Indeed, the inn was crowded and noisy, and there were two tables of diners not far from where they were having breakfast.

The origin of the inscription on the city gate was not ordinary, and if they really started discussing it here, it might attract unwanted attention.

"Then let's finish our breakfast and prepare to set off. Ma Gu has already asked the innkeeper. Qinglong Pass is only opened once every seven days, and it's always opened at the Chen hour. Today happens to be the day it opens, and it's less than half an hour before the Chen hour."

Upon hearing that the pass would be opened at the Chen hour, Lu Qing and the others quickened their eating pace.

After finishing their breakfast, everyone returned to their rooms to pack their belongings.

Soon, after they had packed their things, Lu Qing went to settle the room charges while Ma Gu harnessed the horse carriage.

"Let's go."

Since riding horses or carriages was not allowed within Qinglong City, Ma Gu could only lead the carriage by hand.

The old doctor and the others chose to walk as well, taking the opportunity to continue admiring the magnificent sights of the grand Qinglong City.

The pass to Zhongzhou was located in the western part of the city. As Lu Qing and his companions strolled and enjoyed the scenery, they arrived at the western gate just before the pass was about to open.

"This is the Qinglong Pass?"

When Lu Qing and his companions laid eyes on the legendary Qinglong Pass, they were slightly dazed.

Qinglong City was built along the river, and the western side of the city was adjacent to the river.

Lu Qing could faintly hear the rushing waters of the river.

Standing before them was a massive gate, spanning over a dozen zhang in width and towering three to four dozen zhang high.

Inscribed above the gate was the enormous characters, "Qinglong Pass," each character spanning several feet in width and towering several dozen feet high.

These characters were weathered and worn, as if eroded by wind and rain for thousands of years, exuding an air of ancient grandeur.

While they didn't emanate any martial will, the essence of time imbued within them far surpassed the weighty might of the three characters inscribed by the Martial Saint above the eastern gate.

"This western pass is even more majestic and imposing than the eastern gate we entered through." Lu Qing couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

"Indeed, it almost feels like the main entrance to the city," Ma Gu and the others nodded in agreement.

"Looks like a lot of people are heading out." Wei Zian observed the crowd gathering in front of the pass, waiting to exit the city. There were at least a thousand people, many of them traveling in groups that ranged from a dozen to a hundred people, seemingly merchants and traders.

Their horse-drawn carriage was rather inconspicuous among the larger groups.

This was just what Lu Qing wanted.

After all, their carriage was inscribed with an array, and although Lu Qing had temporarily deactivated it, one could still spot the faint traces of runes on the carriage with a keen eye.

If they ran into someone knowledgeable, it might draw unwanted attention.

While they weren't afraid, now that they were about to leave the city, the less attention they attracted, the better.

"The pass is about to open!"

Just as everyone was waiting, a loud shout rang out, immediately capturing the attention of the entire crowd.

Lu Qing turned his gaze toward the city gate.

"Ha!"

A chorus of grunts echoed as twenty burly men, bare-chested and exuding raw power, stood on each side of the gate, grasping a massive capstan with all their might. Their faces were flushed, and veins popped out on their arms as they strained to turn the capstan.

With a thunderous rumble, the two halves of the gate slowly parted, revealing a gap in the middle.

"Wow, even the men pulling the gate are all at the peak of the Muscle and Bone Realm or above. No wonder this Qinglong Pass is only opened once every seven days." Lu Qing remarked as he sensed the powerful blood qi surging within the muscles of these men.

Each of these burly men possessed martial prowess beyond the Muscle and Bone Realm, with the strongest among them just a hair's breadth away from achieving the Viscera and Meridian Realm.

Such individuals could easily find a comfortable life in the outer regions, leading a small sect or living luxuriously in a small town.

Yet here they were, serving as manual labor to open the city gate.

The depth of Qinglong City's foundation was truly astonishing.

The gate itself was incredibly heavy, and one could only imagine the amount of manpower and resources required to construct it.

As the bare-chested men grunted and strained, the gate gradually opened wider, revealing a rush of water vapor beyond, along with the thunderous roar of a mighty river.

"This..."

Lu Qing's eyes widened slightly as he sensed the abundant spiritual energy carried by the water vapor.

After another quarter of an hour, the gate finally swung open completely.

The burly men heaved a sigh of relief and took a well-deserved rest, their faces still bearing signs of exhaustion from the strenuous task.

One could only imagine the immense strength required to open this massive gate.

"The pass is now open. Those who wish to exit the city, form a line and pay the toll to enter!"

A loud and commanding voice rang out.

The crowd quickly fell into an orderly line after hearing this.

No one dared to cause trouble in front of Qinglong City, and everyone followed the rules.

Lu Qing and his companions joined the line, leading their horse-drawn carriage behind them.

Due to the large number of people waiting to exit, they had to wait for nearly an hour before reaching the front of the line.

"Sir, we wish to exit the city," Ma Gu said politely to the burly man sitting at a table, his head bent over a ledger.

"Five people and one carriage," Ma Gu added.

The burly man looked up, his gaze sweeping over Lu Qing and his companions, lingering briefly on Xiao Yan before moving to the carriage behind them.

He then continued, "The toll is five taels per person, children are exempt, and one tael for the carriage. That's a total of twenty-one taels of silver."

"Yes, sir. Here's the payment," Ma Gu said as he handed over a money pouch.

The burly man took the pouch, weighed it in his hand, and then opened it, revealing two ingots of silver within.

Then, he took out another ingot of silver from the money pouch, broke off a corner, and threw the rest back into Ma Gu's bag.

"I've always been clear about public and private matters, and I don't accept extra money. Take the rest of the silver back."

Ma Gu took the money bag, his face slightly embarrassed.

But he didn't dare say anything more and just bowed respectfully before putting the bag away.

Lu Qing's eyes flickered as he discreetly fixed his gaze on the burly man for a moment, not showing any signs of it.

After paying the toll, Lu Qing and his companions began their exit from the city.

As they crossed the city gate and reached the outside, they were once again astounded by the view.

Before them was a massive platform large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people, and beneath it was a mighty river with rushing waters.

A majestic and grand bridge, spanning several dozen widths, connected the platform's front end, stretching across the river, with no end in sight.

Looking at the turbulent and surging waters below and the colossal bridge that seemed like a dragon, Lu Qing couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

Truly deserving of the title of the number one pass in the world, Qinglong Pass.

Just this sight alone was enough to make him feel that the journey had been worthwhile.

The old doctor and the others were equally stunned by the spectacular scene before them.

It took a while before they came back to their senses.

"Indeed, the world is vast, and there's nothing one hasn't seen. This old man used to think he had ample experience, but now I realize I was just a frog at the bottom of a well." The old doctor sighed.

As for Ma Gu and Wei Zian, they were even more excited.

If it weren't for following Lu Qing to Zhongzhou, how could they have ever witnessed this breathtaking view?

"Master, let's go."

Seeing that most of the people ahead of them had already started crossing the bridge, Lu Qing reminded them.

The old doctor nodded, and they began to walk forward.

Such a magnificent sight was definitely worth savoring.

Lu Qing and his companions decided to walk across the bridge instead of riding the carriage.

So, Ma Gu continued to lead the horse carriage, while Lu Qing carried Xiao Yan in his arms, walking towards the massive bridge.

As for Xiao Li, who had always disliked water, it had already burrowed into Lu Qing's embrace.

"Xiao Lian, once we arrive at Xuanxin Zong, you must work hard on your cultivation. If you can become a disciple of Xuanxin Zong, it will be a huge step up for you.

This time, it was thanks to the young master of the Ji family who lent a hand that I was able to gather enough silver to buy you a spot. You must not waste this opportunity."

"But, Father, the disciple assessment of Xuanxin Zong is notoriously difficult. How can I possibly pass when I've just barely reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm?"

"If you don't pass, go find your uncle. He's an external elder of Xuanxin Zong, and he'll definitely be able to help."

"But Uncle has always disliked our family, so why would he help?"

"Even if he hates us, you're still his niece. If it weren't for him, your mother wouldn't have died. If he dares not to help, I'll bring your mother's spirit tablet and go find him myself!"

Just as Lu Qing was about to step onto the bridge, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

He looked back and saw a few people not far away. Among them was a middle-aged man instructing a beautiful young girl seriously.

And this middle-aged man with graying temples was none other than Hu Laosan, the city guard they had met when they entered the city yesterday.

Seeing his daughter still hesitating, Hu Laosan's face sank as he admonished, "Remember, you must do your best to join Xuanxin Sect this time. Do you understand? Otherwise, I won't acknowledge you as my daughter anymore!"

"Father, don't be angry. I promise I'll do as you say. If I don't pass the assessment, I'll go ask Uncle for help."

The girl, Xiao Lian, seeing her father's anger, quickly agreed.

"Just remember that."

Hu Laosan's expression softened upon hearing her agreement.

He then smiled at the people standing beside them and said, "Brothers Zheng, Liu, and Sister Wang, I entrust Xiao Lian's safety to you.

This little girl has always been pampered at home, so if she acts spoiled along the way, please bear with her."

"Rest assured, Brother Hu. Since it was the Third Young Master of the Ji family who spoke up, and we're also heading in the same direction, we'll definitely make sure Xiao Lian arrives safely at Xuanxin Zong..."

As they walked further away, and the sound of the rushing waters below drowned out their voices, Lu Qing could no longer hear the rest of their conversation.

However, he didn't pay it much mind and continued walking forward, carrying Xiao Yan in his arms.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end