Chapter 312: The Path of Cultivation, Return to Qinglong City

Old Doctor stared in shock at Lu Qing’s palm. There, on its center, floated a small Domain, about the size of a chicken egg, slowly rotating. The same kind of Domain he had once demonstrated to Lu Qing—yet utterly different.

The Domain he had shown was a Sword Qi Domain, brimming with the forces of water and fire. But Lu Qing’s Domain was a dull, hazy gray, filled only with swirling mist—unimpressive at first glance. Yet Old Doctor could feel it: a profound, complete presence radiating from it, far more complex than it appeared.

“A Qing,” Old Doctor thought, his heart pounding, “your Domain… does it contain multiple types of Spirit Force?”

Not only was Lu Qing’s mastery of the Domain nearly on par with his own, despite having studied it for such a short time—but the sheer depth and mystery of the Domain left even him baffled. He couldn’t fathom its true nature.

“Master, your perception is truly sharp,” Lu Qing smiled. “Indeed, my Domain contains several types of Spirit Force—metal, wood, water, fire, earth. All five elements are present.”

“Five elements… all complete?” Old Doctor’s body tensed. “So when you absorbed all five Qi simultaneously earlier…”

“That was a new combat technique I’ve cultivated—what the ancients called a body refinement method, one that trains all five elements at once. After passing through the thunder tribulation, my body underwent a profound transformation. My capacity to absorb and contain various Qi types has greatly increased. Practicing this technique now is far more efficient.”

“A body refinement method?” Old Doctor’s interest sharpened instantly.

“Yes. In the ancient age of cultivation, the path was divided into many schools. This is one of them. If you’re interested, I’ll compile a detailed record for you shortly.”

“Very well,” Old Doctor nodded. He knew Lu Qing had inherited ancient knowledge—more than most alive today.

“Your Domain contains only Spirit Force, no primordial Qi. You’ve transformed all the Qi within your body into Spirit Force?”

“Correct. My technique is unique. The Spirit Force it produces is extremely potent—so powerful that it cannot coexist with Primordial Qi. The two would inevitably clash, and my Spirit Force would devour the Qi entirely. So I chose to focus solely on Spirit Force cultivation.”

Old Doctor understood completely. Spirit Force was undeniably stronger than Primordial Qi in power, refinement, and potential. As someone who had once cultivated both, he could feel the stark difference.

“Master,” Lu Qing said, “the tide is turning. Qi is rising once more, and Spirit Force is proving far superior—more powerful, with higher limits. In time, cultivation will return to a world where Spirit Force reigns supreme. It would be wise for you to decide your path now.”

Old Doctor fell into deep thought.

Indeed, in his recent cultivation, he had encountered the same dilemma. Spirit Force and Primordial Qi were fundamentally different. In terms of power, spiritual refinement, and bodily nourishment, Spirit Force was clearly superior. Though cultivating Qi via the Qi Ingestion Method was harder than the Xian Tian Combat Technique, and progress slower—those drawbacks were negligible compared to the benefits.

He had made up his mind.

“Very well. In the past, I practiced both because Qi was still scarce, and refining Spirit Force was difficult. But now, Qi is growing denser, and my cultivation no longer faces obstruction. It’s time to commit to one path.”

“Then, Master, which school would you like to pursue? I’ll prepare a Heritage record for you.”

“No need to rush,” Old Doctor said. “I know nothing of these paths yet. I’ll first learn about the different cultivation streams you mentioned, then decide. For now, I’ll transform my internal Primordial Qi into Spirit Force.”

“Then allow me to assist, Master,” Lu Qing said.

Old Doctor was decisive. Once his choice was made, he wasted no time. He immediately sat cross-legged and began his cultivation.

His Dantian contained four energies: Water and Fire Spirit Force, and Water and Fire Primordial Qi. Having mastered the profound Yin-Yang Harmony of Water and Fire, he could perfectly balance both elements. As a result, the Qi and Spirit Force didn’t clash—they enhanced each other, flowing in perfect harmony.

Yet, as Spirit Force was stronger, it had begun to dominate. Like before, the Water and Fire Spirit Force now occupied the center, while the Primordial Qi was pushed to the periphery. Old Doctor sensed that, if left unchecked, as his cultivation advanced, the Spirit Force would eventually leave no room for Primordial Qi at all.

To prevent a catastrophic conflict, he chose to act now.

Calm and focused, he used his mind to guide the Primordial Qi toward the core. The Spirit Force, without hesitation, began consuming it. Though different in nature, the two were born of the same source—so their fusion was smooth and swift.

Before long, the Spirit Force had devoured every trace of Primordial Qi.

When the last of the Qi was absorbed, Old Doctor felt an instant emptiness in his Dantian—followed by a wave of profound lightness, flowing through his entire body. The Spirit Force now moved with flawless ease, unimpeded.

He knew: his choice had been right.

If he had delayed any longer, the conflict between the two forces would have hindered his cultivation.

“Master’s transformation is remarkably swift,” Lu Qing observed, watching closely. He felt the subtle tremor in Old Doctor’s body, the sudden surge of calm and completeness radiating from him. He knew the transformation was complete.

After a moment’s thought, Lu Qing retrieved a jade slip. With a surge of Spirit Soul Power, he inscribed the entire record onto it—details on the various cultivation paths, their methods, and histories.

Back then, even Li Weitian on his deathbed had managed to craft a Heritage Jade Scroll. Lu Qing’s Spirit Soul Power now surpassed Li Weitian’s by countless degrees. Crafting such a scroll was effortless.

Half a time later, Old Doctor awoke from his meditation.

His eyes sparkled with vitality. A faint, ethereal aura surrounded him—like that of a true immortal. Ma Gu and the others stared, dazed.

Now, both master and disciple had fully transformed their inner Qi. They were no longer merely cultivators—now, they were true cultivators of the Dao.

Lu Qing handed the jade slip to Old Doctor.

“Master, all the information on the different cultivation schools is inscribed here. You may study it at your leisure.”

Old Doctor nodded, accepting it and tucking it away.

No more formalities. The old distance had vanished.

He glanced at the sky, then noticed Xiao Yan, already yawning heavily.

“Well then,” he chuckled, “it’s late. Everyone should rest. We’ll discuss matters tomorrow.”

Hearing this, everyone suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. They had traveled nonstop all day, and the intense cultivation sessions had drained them. It was already past midnight.

Without protest, they each returned to their resting places.

Lu Qing remained behind to keep watch.

His Spirit Soul Power was vast. He could go days without sleep—guarding was merely a matter of sitting in meditation. In fact, he kept watch through the entire second half of the night, never once calling for Ma Gu to relieve him.

By morning, not only had he guarded the entire night, but he had also prepared breakfast.

“Lu Qing, Old Doctor,” Ma Gu asked during breakfast, “what’s next? Should we head straight back to the village, or take another route?”

They had fled at breakneck speed the day before, traveling nonstop to escape spies from Sheng Cheng. Now, they were thousands of li away. The spies could no longer catch up.

Lu Qing paused, then said, “Let’s go straight back to the village. It’s been too long. I want to see how things are there.”

He thought of the man in Yunlai Town—bitten by a venomous snake, yet the poison was strange. It was Sha Qi, a rare, deadly toxin. And the snake? It was supposed to be harmless.

This meant: under the resurgence of Qi, even the most dangerous Sha Qi toxins were returning.

Jiu Li Village stood deep in the shadow of the ten-thousand-li Da Shan. He worried—what if the mountains had changed? What if similar mutations had occurred?

His heart heavy with concern, he wanted to return as soon as possible.

Old Doctor nodded in agreement. “A Qing is right. We’ve been gone too long.”

“Then we’ll continue tomorrow,” Ma Gu said.

“Hu Ze Zhi,” Lu Qing turned to her, “we’ll reach Qinglong City in two days at most. You’ll be reunited with your father soon.”

Hu Ze Zhi looked down, her eyes soft with longing.

Though she’d only been away for less than a month, so much had happened. She’d nearly died several times. She missed her father—the man who had always smiled, who had protected her for years, whose embrace was warm and safe.

For the next two days, the group pressed forward. Thanks to the Array Cart’s incredible speed, by the third morning, they arrived at the entrance to Qinglong Pass.

“Lu Qing, Old Doctor,” Ma Gu returned from asking around, grinning, “today’s the day Qinglong City opens its gates!”

At the edge of the One Line Sky Canyon, a crowd had gathered. The news was spreading fast.

“Looks like our luck is holding,” Lu Qing smiled.

Hu Ze Zhi stood at the cliff’s edge, gazing down. The three Red-Clothed Women who had once tried to kill her—those who were meant to escort her—had been thrown into this ravine by Ma Gu.

That day, she had first truly understood the cruelty of the world. It was far more dangerous than she’d ever imagined.

Now, standing here again, her heart still stirred with mixed emotions.

“Big sister!” Xiao Yan called from below. “We’re leaving!”

Hu Ze Zhi snapped back to reality. She glanced one last time into the misty depths, then turned and ran to join the others.

Back in the One Line Sky Canyon, the atmosphere remained unchanged—same eerie pressure, same solemn grandeur. Even Lu Qing, now a true cultivator, still felt a deep sense of awe.

He couldn’t fathom what kind of force had carved this valley into existence.

Crossing the vast Qinglong Bridge, the familiar scenery unfolded once more. Though majestic as ever, the awe had faded. No longer the wonder of first sight.

They stepped onto the Great Platform before Qinglong City.

Numerous merchants and travelers were already waiting, but the gates hadn’t opened yet. They would have to wait.

“The Qi here is even denser than when we left,” Lu Qing noted. “It’s nearly on par with Zhong Zhou now.”

This meant Qi throughout the surrounding regions was likely rising as well. That eased his mind.

Since Qi diffusion spread outward from Zhong Zhou, Jiu Li Village—so remote—would probably have changed little.

With his heart lighter, he began scanning the surroundings.

Then, a conversation nearby caught his ear.

“Did you hear? Rumor has it, Sheng Cheng experienced a great calamity!” someone said.

“Zhao Xiong? You actually made it to Sheng Cheng?” another replied, stunned.

“I didn’t. But I heard it from a disciple of my sect. They say, days ago, a celestial phenomenon erupted—divine opportunities rained from the sky. The martial masters of Sheng Cheng fought like mad, even killing each other. Even Xian Tian Jing masters died in droves!”

“Xian Tian Jing masters dead? What kind of opportunity could be that powerful?”

“Don’t know exactly,” the man said. “But during the Heavenly Gift, the sky darkened with swirling storm clouds. Thunder raged, and strange signs appeared everywhere.”

“Such a spectacle… the opportunity must have been extraordinary,” others murmured.

“And it wasn’t just Sheng Cheng,” another added. “I heard a white wolf, ten feet tall, appeared in the north. It was majestic, could command entire packs of wolves. Even Gui Yuan Zong sent many experts—none could stop it. Several were wounded. Now it’s vanished into the deep mountains.”

“Ten feet tall? It could swallow a man whole!” someone gasped.

“White wolves? That’s nothing,” another said. “In the south, a white elephant appeared. Its trunk could rip mountains apart!”

Lu Qing’s expression shifted slightly. He turned toward the source of the conversation.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end