Chapter 310: The Secret of the Domain – Simultaneous Five Elements Cultivation

Lu Qing sat cross-legged on the ground, silently meditating on the Domain insights simulated by Abilities. Old Doctor and the others watched him in quiet stillness, even their idle chatter having ceased—afraid to disturb his cultivation.

Time slipped by unnoticed at first. But gradually, an inexplicable aura began to emanate from Lu Qing’s body. It was as if divine authority had returned—overwhelming, suffocating, pressing down upon all things.

Old Doctor’s expression flickered with alarm. “Everyone, step back—A Qing seems to have grasped something profound.”

They immediately retreated. In truth, they didn’t need the warning. A suffocating unease had already gripped them. Though the aura was faint, it stirred dread within their hearts—like the air before a storm, warning of a catastrophe if they lingered.

Lu Qing, still deep in meditation, sensed it too. Though absorbed in receiving the mental insights, he wasn’t entirely oblivious to the outside world.

Once the group had cleared to a safe distance, he exhaled, relaxed, and fully surrendered himself to the profound understanding flooding his mind.

This time, Master had demonstrated his entire Domain mastery—entirely contained within the small Sword Qi Domain that had once formed on his palm. Abilities had meticulously captured and downloaded the simulation, transforming it into raw spiritual insight, then transmitted it directly into Lu Qing’s consciousness.

Now, for the first time, he truly understood what a Domain was.

“So this is it. A Domain is nothing more than the mastery over one’s surrounding space. By infusing one’s Spirit Soul Power into the cosmos, harmonizing with Heavenly and Earthly Qi, one can form a Domain—manifesting countless techniques for combat.”

The application of a Domain varied from person to person. Each cultivator’s unique insight gave rise to different methods. The Third Holy Lord, Shen Rong Tian Di, had forged a colossal presence by gathering the four elemental energies—overwhelming his foes with sheer momentum. Master’s palm-sized Sword Qi Domain, by contrast, was exquisitely refined—a different path entirely. But their differences lay not in the concept, but in their direction.

Moreover, Domains differed in strength. The potency of one’s Domain depended on the power of their Spirit Soul, their mastery over Heavenly and Earthly Qi, and their cultivation level.

“Master’s Domain is rooted in the essence of Water and Fire. That’s why his control over those two elements is so precise. Water and Fire complement each other—amplifying his power far beyond a typical Domain. But what about me? Which element shall I control?”

Lu Qing pondered.

Most martial cultivators, after breaking through to the Xian Tian Jing, would focus on mastering a single element’s Heavenly and Earthly Qi, cultivating a unique, personal Zhen Qi. Only a rare few—like Master—had stumbled upon the rare Water and Fire Harmonization Yi Jing through serendipity, allowing them to cultivate two opposing Zhen Qis in harmony, accelerating their cultivation without conflict.

Lu Qing, however, had never had the time to refine his own Zhen Qi since entering the Xian Tian Jing. He was torn—what path should he take?

Or… should he try all five?

The thought struck him suddenly—something he’d always considered.

Back when Master first entered the Xian Tian Jing and explained that the human body harbored all five elements, and that one could choose any element to cultivate based on personal will—Lu Qing had once asked if it were possible to cultivate all five simultaneously.

Master’s reply had been clear: “While theoretically possible, it’s impractical. The human mind and spirit have limits. Attempting to master five elements at once would slow cultivation to a crawl. By the time you perfected it, your lifespan would already be ending. What good is a perfected technique if you die before you can use it?”

But for Lu Qing, that limitation didn’t apply.

Thanks to Abilities, he could learn anything at a speed far beyond ordinary cultivators. While others feared overloading their spirit, he had no such concern.

So, for him, cultivating all five elements wasn’t just possible—it was the ideal path.

No hesitation. No doubt.

Lu Qing made his decision.

Closing his eyes, he settled his mind and began to focus on refining his own Zhen Qi.

He calmed his breath, extended his Spirit Soul Power from his Brow Qi Cavity, and reached out to connect with the cosmos.

Instantly, he sensed the dazzling, colorful energies of the five elements swirling through the air—gold, green, blue, red, and yellow. And beyond them, deeper in the higher spatial layers, he sensed a more refined, sentient Qi—alive with spiritual essence.

“So this is it,” Lu Qing thought. “Tian Di Bian Hua has been restored. Qi is returning, growing stronger with each passing day. Soon, it may even return to the glory of the ancient cultivation era. When that happens, cultivation methods will rise once more—reclaiming their rightful place.”

“The current dominance of martial arts? It’s not fading—it’s simply returning to its proper role.”

He realized now: the martial arts of today were likely born from the ancient body cultivation lineage of cultivation. The similarities were too many to ignore. Both systems relied on absorbing and refining cosmic energy to refine the body. The only difference? Martial artists consumed Heavenly and Earthly Qi, while body cultivators absorbed a higher, more refined form of Qi.

And Qi, too, was divided into the Five Elements.

“Maybe I don’t need to cultivate a specific Zhen Qi at all,” he mused. “Perhaps I should directly refine Spirit Force. After all, I’ve already refined nine Benyuan Qi, and my body now radiates a divine light—perfect for body cultivation.”

His mind shifted.

Memories of the Lihuo Sect’s inherited techniques flashed through his consciousness. Among them, several combat arts stood out—some of the finest body cultivation methods in the sect.

The highest of these could even reach the Golden Pillar stage, with some capable of attaining the Golden Dan realm.

After careful consideration, his focus settled on one particular technique.

Five Elements Body Cultivation Scripture.

Fittingly, it was a method for simultaneously cultivating all five elements.

At its core, it taught the absorption of the five elemental Qis—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—to forge five distinct types of Spirit Force, then combine them into a single, unified Five Elements Spirit Force.

A powerful body cultivation method, it was said to create a body so resilient that even at the same cultivation level, its strength far surpassed that of ordinary body cultivators.

But the method was infamous for its slow progress. Even the great cultivator who created it only reached the peak of the Golden Dan realm before his time ran out—unable to break through, he died in regret.

After his death, the technique scattered, eventually falling into the hands of various sects. But due to its slow advancement and limited ceiling, it was treated more as a relic than a practical path. Few dared to pursue it.

The Lihuo Sect, a once-renowned cultivation sect, had naturally preserved this scripture among its treasures.

After reading through its teachings, Lu Qing made his decision.

There was no other choice.

Among the Lihuo Sect’s finest body cultivation methods, the best only reached the Golden Dan level. Since the upper limit was the same, why not choose the strongest?

As for the slow cultivation speed? He didn’t care.

With Abilities at his disposal, he had the confidence to master even the most difficult path.

With his mind fully prepared, Lu Qing activated Abilities and began to study the Five Elements Body Cultivation Scripture.

A flood of insights surged from within his mind. He absorbed them rapidly, his understanding deepening with every passing moment.

The scripture consisted of three parts: the Qi Cultivation Chapter, the Foundation Establishment Chapter, and the Golden Pillar Chapter. Each stage contained an immense volume of information.

Had Lu Qing not advanced to the Yang Fu level of Spirit Soul after breaking through to the Xian Tian Jing, he might not have been able to fully receive these insights.

But now? It was effortless.

He sank deep into the sea of cultivation knowledge.

How long passed, he did not know.

When the last fragment of insight had been absorbed, his spirit jolted with sudden clarity.

He had fully grasped the Five Elements Body Cultivation Scripture—especially the Qi Cultivation Chapter, which he now understood completely, without a single doubt.

With a thought, he extended his Spirit Soul Power once more from the Brow Qi Cavity, seeking the flow of Qi.

This time, he ignored the colorful Heavenly and Earthly Qi. Instead, he focused on the higher-level, sentient Qi hidden in the subtle layers of space.

It was the first time since entering the Xian Tian Jing that he had truly felt Qi.

And what he sensed was astonishing.

The Qi was alive, vibrant, full of spirit. Though existing in a higher dimension, it was easily detectable by his Spirit Soul.

But extracting it and drawing it into his body? That was another matter entirely.

It required immense mental strength.

This was why, despite Qi’s revival, so few could actually draw it into their bodies and refine it.

Most Xian Tian Jing cultivators today, unless blessed with rare opportunities, possessed only weak Spirit Souls.

Lu Qing, however, attempted to draw a single thread of Qi from the void.

With his current Spirit Soul strength, it was no challenge.

He pulled one strand free and guided it into his Dantian Qi Sea.

Then, he activated the core cultivation method of the Five Elements Body Cultivation Scripture, beginning to refine and temper the Qi.

As the technique flowed through his body, it didn’t take long—within moments, he had successfully formed his first thread of Spirit Force.

But this was only the beginning.

The Qi he had drawn was water-elemental. The resulting Spirit Force was also water-based.

Yet the Five Elements Body Cultivation Scripture required the simultaneous refinement of all five elemental Spirit Forces—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—and their fusion into a single, unique Five Elements Spirit Force.

This was the true reason the method was so slow.

While others refined one unit of Spirit Force, he would need five times as long.

No wonder few dared to pursue it.

Even in ancient times, few attempted it. Power meant little if one’s life was short. Strength could not defy time. Only immortality was ultimate.

And even if the Five Elements Spirit Force was powerful, it could only dominate at the Golden Dan level. Against higher-tier cultivators, it would be crushed.

Yet none of this mattered to Lu Qing.

He had already made his choice.

After forming his first Spirit Force, he immediately began searching for the next thread.

This time, he sought wood-elemental Qi.

And just as easily, he drew it in, guiding it into his Dantian.

Perhaps because his body had already absorbed nine Benyuan Qi, the wood-elemental Qi showed no resistance. It flowed smoothly, obedient to his will, allowing him to refine it without issue.

As Lu Qing continued refining, the scene unfolded far from him.

Old Doctor, sensing the shift in Lu Qing’s aura, felt a flicker of surprise.

“Spirit Force… A Qing has become a Lianqi Practitioner? But why… why do I sense two distinct types of Spirit Force?”

“Is he attempting to cultivate multiple elements at once?”

Old Doctor himself had mastered both water and fire Spirit Forces—but only because he had achieved the rare Water and Fire Harmonization Yi Jing.

He couldn’t fathom how Lu Qing, without such an insight, could possibly manage multiple Spirit Forces without conflict.

A wave of concern washed over him.

But despite his worry, he remained silent.

He knew Lu Qing. His disciple never acted without reason.

If he dared to attempt this, he must have a foundation—some secret strength.

Just as he feared, Lu Qing successfully refined the wood-elemental Spirit Force.

Without pause, he moved on.

And so it continued.

With each refinement, the Dantian Qi Sea grew richer.

Until finally, five distinct Spirit Forces—each representing one of the Five Elements—now floated in the Dantian, occupying five separate positions.

Lu Qing stilled his mind.

This was the most crucial moment.

Now, he would use his immense mental strength to forcibly blend these five forces—fusing them into the true Five Elements Spirit Force.

The process was perilous. A single misstep could cause elemental conflict—triggering a catastrophic explosion.

If it happened, he would be severely injured—his Qi Sea damaged, or worse, his Dantian utterly destroyed, rendering him a broken man.

But Lu Qing had come too far to turn back.

He believed in his current cultivation base. He trusted his control over his own body.

“A mere Five Elements Spirit Force? This is nothing.”

With a deep breath, he returned to a state of perfect stillness—like a still pond.

Then, with his Spirit Soul, he began to guide the fusion.

The five Spirit Forces began to converge, swirling toward the center.

Lu Qing watched with unwavering focus—every nerve taut, every breath measured.

But to his astonishment…

The fusion happened effortlessly.

Almost instantaneously, the five forces merged into one.

And in the center of his Dantian, a new, radiant Spirit Force emerged—pure, balanced, and alive with the essence of all five elements.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end