Chapter 95: Ingesting Dipulse Spiritual Fluid, Potential Skyrockets, Return Home

Watching Xiao Li vanish right before his eyes, Lu Qing felt nothing short of awe.

The little beast hadn’t just concealed its body—its very presence, its life force, had been utterly suppressed. Even with his refined senses, Lu Qing could detect nothing. For all intents and purposes, the space before him was empty—yet a living creature still lurked within it.

Such flawless concealment, combined with claws that could rend steel—had Xiao Li chosen to walk the path of darkness, it would become the most terrifying assassin in the world. Even a Zong Shi-level master with fully refined internal organs might not survive its fatal strike.

At that moment, a shadow flickered from another direction—Xiao Li had reappeared.

It had slipped to the other side without a trace, moving so silently that Lu Qing hadn’t even sensed the shift.

“Even its movement doesn’t break the invisibility?”

Staring at Xiao Li, as if it had emerged from another dimension, Lu Qing was once again struck with wonder.

Xiao Li, clearly delighted with its newfound ability, began darting through the air like a phantom—zigzagging, vanishing, reappearing, as if it could pierce the fabric of space itself.

“Xiao Li,” Lu Qing finally asked after watching it play for a while, “how long can you maintain this hidden state?”

The little beast tilted its head, thinking, then let out a soft “Awooo.”

“You mean… you can keep it up as long as you want?”

After all this time living with the creature, Lu Qing had grown quite adept at interpreting its expressions and vocalizations.

Xiao Li nodded eagerly.

“Such a gift… truly unfair.”

Lu Qing sighed in admiration. He was thoroughly impressed—and deeply satisfied.

Those five drops of Dipulse Spiritual Fluid had been worth every ounce. With this hidden talent awakened, Xiao Li’s killing power had multiplied tenfold, perhaps more.

More importantly, Lu Qing no longer had to fear anyone discovering the little beast.

Even the Wei Family Grand Manager, a man of great power and cunning, could no longer pose a threat to Xiao Li.

“Xiao Li,” Lu Qing smiled, “now that you’ve got this ability, you can come fishing with us.”

Normally, to avoid suspicion, Lu Qing would bring Xiao Yan along when he went fishing, leaving Xiao Li behind. But now, with its invisibility, the little beast could venture out freely—even in broad daylight.

Hearing that, Xiao Li’s eyes sparkled instantly.

A creature utterly obsessed with fish, it had longed to join Lu Qing on fishing trips. Now, its dream had finally come true.

“Alright,” Lu Qing said, “now it’s my turn. Xiao Li, keep watch while I take the Dipulse Spiritual Fluid.”

After confirming that Xiao Li no longer needed the fluid, he made his decision.

Seeing how much benefit the little beast had gained, Lu Qing couldn’t help but feel a tingle of anticipation.

Once the instructions were given, he pulled out the jade vial and poured a single drop into his mouth.

He didn’t take more.

According to the Divine Seal Sect Heritage, ordinary Hou Tian beings typically only needed one drop of Dipulse Spiritual Fluid to push their innate talent to its absolute limit.

Lu Qing’s body, after all, was merely that of a common man—no special bloodline like Xiao Li’s. So he decided to test it with just one drop, to avoid waste.

As the liquid slid down his throat, a warm, strange, and immensely powerful energy surged through him—gentle yet vast, not oppressive, but deeply nurturing.

It felt like the embrace of Mother Earth itself—rich with life, as if it had always belonged to his flesh and bones.

The moment it entered, the energy spread through his body, seeping into his muscles, bones, and every fiber of his being.

Lu Qing instantly felt his body undergoing an unimaginable transformation.

A wave of blissful warmth washed over him, relaxing him from the inside out—body and mind alike.

Yet because he’d only consumed a single drop, the effect wasn’t overwhelming. Though his mind grew pleasantly drowsy, he remained fully conscious—unlike Xiao Li, who had immediately fallen into deep slumber.

Lu Qing remained still, quietly observing the changes within.

The gentle energy continued to nourish his form, subtly reshaping his very essence—not by instantly boosting strength, but by breaking through the deepest limits of his natural talent.

He didn’t know how long passed.

Eventually, the warmth began to fade, but he sensed his transformation was far from complete.

Without hesitation, Lu Qing reached for the jade vial again and poured in a second drop.

The energy surged back, stronger than before, and the transformation resumed.

He repeated this process—three drops in total—before the changes finally ceased.

To his surprise, he’d needed three drops.

He’d originally assumed one would be enough. After all, the original body had been weak, lacking in Xian Tian potential. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have succumbed to a simple Wind-Cold Illness.

Later, through martial training and consuming powerful tonics like Golden Loach and Blood Nourishing and Qi Invigorating Pills, he’d built up his foundation.

But even so, he’d remained a mere mortal—nothing extraordinary.

Now, he needed three drops of Dipulse Spiritual Fluid to complete his transformation.

Was it because he was a reincarnated soul? Or because of his Qi Xue Jing cultivation?

He pondered it for a moment, then gave up. It didn’t matter.

The more Dipulse Spiritual Fluid his body could absorb, the higher his potential—so why overthink it?

He stood up, assumed the stance of the Nourish Body Fist, and began to practice.

The movements flowed like water—graceful, powerful, effortless.

When he finished, his eyes lit up with surprise.

His body had changed in ways he could barely comprehend.

Though his Qi levels hadn’t surged—still stuck at Qi Xue Jing Xia Cheng—the sheer potential within him had skyrocketed.

Now, he could likely defeat multiple versions of his former self, all in one fight.

Because same cultivation level, greater capacity, greater power.

“Hmm,” Lu Qing mused, “those ginseng roots I dug up earlier… might not be enough anymore.”

He’d originally unearthed one two-century-old ginseng and three one-century-old ones, plus one more at home—five in total.

If all were refined into Blood Nourishing and Qi Invigorating Pills, it would easily sustain him to Qi Xue Jing completion.

But now, with his body’s talent vastly improved, those five roots would no longer suffice.

He’d need more.

“Looks like I’ll have to dig some more,” he decided.

“Xiao Li, let’s go. Time to head back.”

All the treasures of the cave had been secured. There was no reason to linger.

Inside the cave, time meant nothing—no day, no night.

But Xiao Li had slept for a long while. If they didn’t return soon, his master and Xiao Yan would be worried.

Still, they could always come back. No need to cling.

With Xiao Li on his shoulder, Lu Qing stepped out of the cave and returned to the valley.

Sunlight poured through the trees—bright, golden, the morning sun now high in the sky.

It was morning. But was it the second or third day since they’d entered the mountains?

Thinking of how long he and Xiao Li had been gone, Lu Qing realized his master and Xiao Yan must be frantic with worry.

He didn’t delay.

Before leaving, he turned one last time to gaze at the waterfall’s hidden entrance.

This journey had brought them far more than they’d ever imagined.

He’d not only obtained a combat technique from a Xian Tian-level master, but also the mysterious Divine Seal Sect Heritage—plus the precious Dipulse Spiritual Fluid.

Any one of these treasures, scattered outside, would have caused wars among sects and clans.

And yet, all of it had fallen into his hands—alone.

Lu Qing still couldn’t believe it.

…

[Ginseng: A rare medicinal herb, non-toxic and edible.]

[This ginseng has grown for over five hundred years.]

[Legend says ginseng possesses miraculous properties. Those ancient enough may even develop spirit, gaining sentience.]

Staring at the ginseng before him—its roots glowing with a faint half-white, half-red aura—Lu Qing couldn’t suppress his excitement.

After leaving the valley, he and Xiao Li didn’t head straight back to the village.

Now that it was morning, Lu Qing had no rush.

They’d already spent so long in the mountains. What was another half-day?

So he decided to keep searching—this time, to gather enough resources to reach Qi Xue Jing’s peak.

This time, he didn’t insist on doing it alone.

Instead, he let Xiao Li use its extraordinary sense to lead him straight to ginseng roots of the right age.

After ingesting the Dipulse Spiritual Fluid, the little beast’s sensing ability had grown sharper.

Under its guidance, Lu Qing unearthed several more century-old ginsengs—among them, one that was three hundred years old!

But the greatest surprise came at the end.

They found a ginseng that had lived for over five hundred years.

Yes—Treasure Ginseng.

The crimson glow dominating its aura confirmed it.

“Probably the oldest ginseng we’ll find in this area,” Lu Qing concluded, scanning the surroundings.

Now that he had the Divine Seal Sect Heritage, he understood why this forest was so rich in ancient ginseng.

And why Tian Qi, a herb that usually grew in different conditions, also thrived here.

The answer was simple.

It all traced back to the mysterious figure who had carved the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber.

After creating the chamber, that ancient cultivator had scattered medicinal seeds across the land, intending to turn this place into a secret herb garden for the sect.

The intricate patterns within the cave were no accident—they were a sacred rune array known as the Dipulse Gathering Spirit Array.

It could refine and gather the local earth qi, drawing the essence of the land’s spirit.

The presence of the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber caused the earth qi within a hundred-mile radius to converge naturally.

The thick, nourishing qi allowed plants to flourish—especially medicinal herbs.

And because of the chamber’s power, the purest essence of the earth qi condensed into Dipulse Spiritual Fluid.

Thus, the herbs in this region absorbed a trace of that spiritual energy.

That was why Chen Laodaifu had been surprised by the ginseng Xiao Li gave Lu Qing—it had unusually potent effects.

That trace of spiritual essence was the source.

Lu Qing had once believed the oldest ginseng he could find would be around five hundred years old.

But beyond that, ginsengs developed their own spirit, gaining instinct and the ability to move.

Once sentient, they could burrow into the earth and vanish—impossible to track.

So five hundred years was the practical limit.

But now, with this Treasure Ginseng in hand, Lu Qing had finally secured all the resources he needed to reach Qi Xue Jing’s peak.

Carefully, he dug up the five-century-old ginseng, wrapped it tightly in his herb basket, and smiled.

He glanced up through the tree canopy.

The sun was nearing noon.

“Alright, Xiao Li,” he called. “Time to go home. If we don’t get back soon, Xiao Yan’s going to start crying again!”

Xiao Li shot up to his shoulder in an instant, eyes bright with joy.

It missed its tiny two-legged companion.

And more than that—it craved the fish feast at home.

In all this time in the mountains, it hadn’t tasted a single fish. Now, it was starving.

With Xiao Li perched on his shoulder, Lu Qing began his journey back through the mountains.

After half a day of climbing and descending, they finally emerged from the forest.

Only a true martial artist—especially one with Xiao Li’s guidance—could navigate so efficiently.

For ordinary herbalists, even three days wouldn’t be enough to find their way out.

Standing atop a mountain peak, Lu Qing gazed at the distant Jiu Li Village.

A genuine smile spread across his face.

The mountains were beautiful—full of wonders, treasures, and places like the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber.

But only here, in this village, did his heart truly relax.

Without realizing it, he had come to see Jiu Li Village as his real home in this world.

He adjusted the herb basket on his back and began walking toward the village.

Just as he reached the outskirts, a villager spotted him.

“Ah, A Qing! You’re back from gathering herbs?”

“Yeah,” Lu Qing replied. “Just got back. Hong Shu, how long have I been in the mountains?”

Hong Shu blinked. “You went in yourself—how could you not know?”

“I was searching for a rare herb, stayed in a cave for a long time, even slept. So I lost track of time.”

“Ohhh,” Hong Shu said, understanding dawning. “No wonder you look so tired. It’s already the third day since you went in.”

“The third day?”

Lu Qing froze.

He hadn’t expected Xiao Li’s slumber to last so long.

And he hadn’t realized how much time had passed while he’d been deciphering the patterns on the silver plate.

To him, it had felt like only a short while.

But now, he was even more anxious.

Two days gone—Xiao Yan must be beside herself with worry.

“Thanks, Hong Shu. I’ve got to go—better get to Master’s place before Xiao Yan starts a scene.”

“Go on,” Hong Shu waved. “We’ll talk later.”

Lu Qing gave a quick nod and sprinted toward the Half Mountain Small Courtyard.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end