Promise!

Chapter 195, Three Trials

Zhuang Jin remained silent, waiting for the other party's sincerity.

Regardless of whether they agree or not, whether they exchange the Tongxuan Pill and assistance in killing the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon for experience and insights on breaking through to the Innate Realm, as well as secret methods to survive if they fail to break through, it's worth listening to the information about the Three Innate Realm Gates first. If the deal doesn't go through, consider it a freebie.

'In the best-case scenario, the three innate barriers are no problem for me, and I won't need them afterward. I can just turn around and leave, saving myself a Profound Enlightenment Pill.'

He thought to himself, giving the rich guy a look that said, "Rich guy, give me fifty, let's see your strength."

Human emotions can be conveyed through the eyes. Ning Tongxuan saw this and was amused: "Your Excellency... is interesting!"

"Come over here!" He moved swiftly and came to a spot under the eaves.

Zhuang Jin followed, maintaining a distance of three zhang, which was a safe distance for him. Even if the opponent used his ultimate move, "Golden Wind and Jade Dew in One Fan," he could still dodge and leave.

Seeing this, Ning Tongxuan nodded secretly. Although he had no ulterior motives, this was like locking a door to keep out honest people but not scoundrels. Only with necessary caution could one go far... Judging from a single leaf, one could know that this was also a good partner.

"Let me tell you about the Three Primordial Gates!"

Ning Tongxuan wasn't stingy and spoke directly. After all, it was just some information, a benefit without cost. He was confident that Zhuang Jin would agree to further cooperation after hearing it.

It's just like fishing; you have to put in the bait first!
"Of the three innate barriers, the first is the Spiritual Barrier!"

Ning Tongxuan looked at Zhuang Jin: "Have you ever heard of the Mysterious Pass?"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly: "This mysterious passage is said to be extremely mysterious. Some say it's located at the Heavenly Gate on the top of the head, some say it's in the Divine Court, and others say it's in the Third Eye or the perineum..."

These claims are all completely wrong.

Ning Tongxuan said with great emotion: "The mysterious gate is neither inside nor outside, yet it is inseparable from the body. One enters it by concentrating one's mind on emptiness, and opens it by clarifying one's mind in the void."

Zhuang Jin gave him a look that said, "Speak like a human being."

"Ahem, to put it simply: once you awaken your innate spiritual light, you will naturally be able to sense the location of the Xuan Guan acupoint."

"Then how does one awaken their innate spiritual light?"

"It depends on the opportunity."

Ning Tongxuan said, "Some martial artists who practice the fetal breathing technique can awaken their innate spiritual light in a single moment of enlightenment, while others never awaken it in their entire lives."

"Some say that human relationships, the myriad aspects of life, and the thrill of life and death can awaken one's innate spiritual light... It probably has some effect, but I traveled through the nine prefectures under the city for two years and did not awaken it. In my humble opinion, the effect of this method is: better than nothing!"

He paused for a moment, then continued, “There is another most difficult aspect to this natural awakening: awakening the innate spiritual light is not a one-time event. For example, in battle, in the wild, in a bustling city… you might be moved and suddenly awaken, but the occasion might not be right. If you suppress it and find a safe environment to break through, the spiritual light may disappear.”

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, it seemed to depend on luck: "Isn't it said that beast beads can be used to prepare secret medicines that can help awaken innate spiritual light?"

"This is another method, relying on external forces, such as using beast beads to prepare secret medicines, or using hundred-year-old Tongxuan grass, which can slightly help in awakening innate spiritual light. Quantitatively speaking, it's about one in ten, one out of ten will succeed... The beast bead of that Yin-Yang dragon can be called a dragon bead, and its effect is better than ordinary beast beads, with about a 20% chance of success. It's also a gamble on luck."

Zhuang Jin understood immediately; no wonder the four sides were so fiercely competing for the Yin-Yang Dragon's beast pearl during the day, determined to obtain it.

“Even better are the secret medicines made from the cores of exotic beasts at the Five Viscera Realm, or even the innate pills made from five beast cores of the Five Elements and a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass… But these are beyond the reach of ordinary Nascent Soul martial artists.”

Ning Tongxuan sighed three times as he spoke: "Difficult, difficult, difficult! It's harder than ascending to heaven! Of the three innate gates, the first one, the Spirit Gate, alone has stifled countless geniuses!"

'It's difficult for ordinary people, but for me? This first spiritual barrier, awakening innate spiritual light, is somewhat like the bottleneck of previous realms. Such profound and metaphysical things are likely something my talent can directly overcome.'

Zhuang Jin pondered for a moment, then looked over and asked, "I have heard of this pass, but I don't know what the next two passes are of the Three Innate Passes?"

"This second hurdle is the hurdle of self-preservation."

Ning Tongxuan explained, "We martial artists at the embryonic breathing stage, once we open up the Ren and Du meridians, these two bridges of heaven and earth are connected, allowing us to merge with heaven and earth and sense the primordial energy of the outside world."

"After breaking through the Innate Realm, passing the first barrier of the Spiritual Gate, awakening the Innate Spiritual Light, and opening the Mysterious Gate, the external Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi enters the body through the Ren and Du meridians, and is compressed and transformed through the Mysterious Gate, advancing from internal breath to Innate True Qi."

Zhuang Jin understood immediately. If the Ren and Du meridians were like two channels for drawing water, then the Xuan Guan (mysterious gate) was like a water pump, drawing in the primordial energy of heaven and earth, compressing and transforming it, turning the original internal energy into innate true energy.

"The difference in quality between internal breath and innate true qi is beyond reason. When internal breath transforms into true qi, it is still carried by the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians. This places extremely high demands on the meridians. This second barrier, the body barrier, is more accurately described as a requirement for the strength of the meridians."

Ning Tongxuan looked at Zhuang Jin: "Speaking of this, we must mention that the principle of pills that break through bottlenecks is to use the medicinal power to impact the bottleneck. In this process, the meridians are inevitably slightly damaged. Even if these minor damages are healed after the breakthrough, they will be fatal flaws when breaking through to the Innate Realm and facing the second barrier, the Body Barrier."

Like an anthill on a dam, it may not seem like much under normal circumstances, but if it encounters a flood and faces a real test, it will be riddled with holes and collapse.

"If one has taken a breakthrough-boosting pill, what are the chances of breaking through this barrier?"

"Not even one percent, it's negligible. Therefore, aristocratic families and powerful clans would never allow their own innate talents to take pills to break through bottlenecks. Of course, rare treasures such as the Vermilion Fruit and the Peaches of Immortality are not included in this category. These kinds of natural treasures help break through bottlenecks through a subtle and gradual process, and the principle is different."

Ning Tongxuan summarized: "In short, if one does not take a breakthrough pill and the meridians are not damaged, the success rate of passing this second stage, the Body Stage, is about 50% to 60%. If one has taken a secret medicine at the Meridian Opening stage, which enhances internal energy attributes and tempers the meridians, it can add 10%. If it is a finishing move, the explosive type, and one practices it without damaging the meridians, it can add another 10%..."

"Of course, the best choice is still the kind of rare and precious natural treasures that can widen and strengthen the meridians. However, such things are rare and hard to come by. I have only heard that during the last great year of the Yuan Qi tide, someone obtained them in the strange Funiu Mountains, but I have never seen them."

"As expected, Teng Yuansong was right. The breakthrough pill is related to the last two of the three innate gates. And indeed, as I predicted, some of the 'gates' in the three innate gates are not obstacles, but rather dangers in the traditional sense of a bottleneck, rather than obstacles, during the breakthrough process."

Zhuang Jin thought to himself: 'I have no bottlenecks, I've never taken any breakthrough pills, and my meridians haven't suffered any minor damage as a result; the Black Fiend Technique accumulates potential and nourishes my meridians; I've also taken secret medicines to enhance internal energy attributes, which have tempered my meridians; and my ultimate technique, Triple Waves, has never been used in a continuous high-load, extreme burst, damaging my meridians and even training them…' 'So, all things considered, I'm already 80% or 90% confident in passing this second stage, the Body Stage. The success rate is quite high!'

"The third of the Three Primordial Gates is the Divine Gate, the most dangerous and also the most mysterious."

Ning Tongxuan said solemnly, "When you open the Xuan Guan acupoint, your mind will fall into a special state for a short period of time. Some say it is a state similar to enlightenment, while others say it is a state of great bliss on the verge of death... In short, it is a state of selflessness and immersion."

"At this time, you are breaking through to the innate level. Your internal energy is transforming into innate true qi. You need to use great willpower to get out of this special state, recover your mind and control the operation of the technique, otherwise you will explode and die."

"The reason this barrier is called the Divine Barrier is because the speed and difficulty of the mind leaving this special state seem to be related to the legendary 'spirit' of the human body. Some say this 'spirit' is the 'spirit' among the three flowers of essence, energy, and spirit, while others say it is the 'spirit' of the soul. It is said that this 'spirit' is closely related to a person's comprehension, spiritual power, and so on."

Whether it is the "spirit" of essence, energy, and spirit, or the "spirit" of soul, both are mysterious, ethereal, and elusive. This person could hardly explain them clearly, and used various speculative words such as "it seems" and "it is said".

"The third level, the divine level?"

Zhuang Jin thought of something: 'I transmigrated and came into the body of this identical person with the same name, appearance, and almost identical appearance—like a mirror image of the universe. With our two souls combined, is our essence, energy, spirit, and soul far stronger than that of ordinary people?'

"However, this is just my speculation, and I can't guarantee anything. For me, this is the hurdle I'm least confident about."

He looked at Ning Tongxuan: "Do you know of any secret techniques or treasures that can help me break through this barrier?"

"The secret technique requires mental focus, but in that state, the mind is in a state of mental depression, so how can it be used? The treasures that can help with this stage are rare and precious materials that can strengthen the soul, but these are even rarer than rare and precious materials that can widen and strengthen the meridians."

Ning Tongxuan considered his words carefully and used a real-world example: "To put it this way, even the core seeds of powerful families in the prefecture city only break through to the Innate Realm after passing the first two stages. The final stage requires tempering one's character and will, and even gambling with one's life... Even the core seeds of the three great families of Cangzhou may not have the necessary conditions!"

He then changed the subject: "However, I do not possess the secret techniques or treasures to aid in breaking through this barrier, but I do have a secret method to survive a failed attempt to break through to the Innate Realm. When attempting the breakthrough, find a trusted person by your side. When your mind is in a state of deep depression and unable to awaken, use a golden needle to pierce a meridian, releasing your true energy. Although your cultivation will regress and you will almost certainly never be able to break through to the Innate Realm again, you will no longer be in danger of exploding and dying."

"This method is indeed simple and crude."

"It may seem simple and straightforward, but it contains profound knowledge. In this breakthrough state, which meridians can be needled, which cannot, which acupoints to needle, and what techniques to use are all closely guarded secrets."

Ning Tongxuan looked at Zhuang Jin: "These are the Three Gates of the Innate Realm. What do you think of the deal I mentioned earlier?"

"Hmm, I'll think about it!"

Zhuang Jin turned around, thinking that she had already gained quite a bit tonight, and prepared to go back and digest it.

Seeing Zhuang Jin's act of taking advantage of him and leaving as soon as he put on his pants, Ning Tongxuan felt a pang of grievance, like a wronged wife who had been violated. He quickly called out, "Brother, please wait!"

"In that case, I'll take another step back. In return for killing that Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, I'll give you everything else on its body, except for the Flood Dragon Pearl, including its horns, claws, tendons, bones, and all other treasures. How about that?"

"I observe that you have just entered the Eight Meridians Realm. If you obtain the body of a dragon and accelerate your cultivation, you can complete the accumulation of the Eight Meridians Realm in three months and prepare to break through to the Innate Realm."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin seemed to realize something, paused in his steps, turned around, and sighed, "That's true, but the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon isn't something you can just kill if you want to! It escaped again this time, which will probably make it even more vigilant. Not to mention how to find it, even if we do find it, if it doesn't come out of the water, we'll be powerless to stop it!"

"Brother, do you remember how I severely injured the Yin-Yang Dragon with a single blow during the day? I left two things in its wound."

Ning Tongxuan said, "First, it is the Corrosive Blood Powder. If the wound gets wet, it will rot and cause severe pain, and it will most likely come ashore. Second, it is the Mother-Child Yuan Magnetite, the powder of the child stone."

"Oh, the mother-child elemental magnet. The mother-child magnet can sense within a hundred miles. The child stone is ground into powder, and the mother stone is used to make a beast-finding needle. I can then pinpoint the location of that Yin-Yang dragon."

"Tsk tsk!"

Zhuang Jin sighed at the dirty tricks of the people from the state capital. Today, all three parties had benefited from this person's schemes. Then, he asked with suspicion, "Since that's the case, the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon is already seriously injured. Once it exits its Hunyuan Flood Dragon state and is on the shore, you can take it down by yourself, right?"

"Brother, you don't know, but beasts at the Bone Forging Realm have strong resistance. The effects of the Blood-Corroding Powder are unknown, and this dragon is also intelligent. Once the rain stops and it exits its Primordial Dragon state, it will likely endure the torment of the remaining effects of the Blood-Corroding Powder before re-entering the water..."

Ning Tongxuan sighed, "Tonight was the best opportunity, but it's raining heavily, and I can't deal with that beast's Hunyuan Jiao form by myself."

"But what use would it be if you were in your Primordial Flood Dragon form, even with my help? One breath of Yin-Yang Primordial Fiend, you might be able to counter with your ultimate technique, but I would find it difficult to withstand!"

"Brother, you are too modest! As long as I block the first breath attack, you can then use the Black Fiend Palm, which is at the perfect third level, to control the rhythm and interrupt that beast's breath attack, just like you interrupted me before. I will then be responsible for inflicting damage. With that, how can we not accomplish great things?"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, agreeing with the plan, but then immediately shook her head: "It's still too dangerous. If we're not careful and get hit by that beast's breath, even if we don't die, we'll be seriously injured!"

Seeing that Zhuang Jin hadn't left, Ning Tongxuan knew that they were negotiating: "How about this, as long as you help me, if things succeed and I get the Flood Dragon Pearl, the experience and insights for breaking through to the Innate Realm, and the secret method for not dying if I fail to break through, I will gladly offer them to you; even if it doesn't succeed, you can give me a Profound Enlightenment Pill. You can choose one of the two, how about that?"

"I, Ning Tongxuan, have reached this point because I possess pride and integrity. I'm sure you've inquired about this, and I would never do anything so heartless as to turn my back on you."

"On the other hand, tonight's heavy rain has put the Yin-Yang Dragon at its strongest, but it's probably also at its most relaxed... I'll risk my life to accompany you this once."

Zhuang Jin's earlier statement about danger was indeed a form of bargaining.

'I have another trump card. I can't block the breath attack of the Primordial Dragon in its Hunyuan form, but I can dodge it. If Ning Tongxuan has ulterior motives, the same applies.'

'If everything is safe, this business can proceed... With the experience and insights gained from breaking through to the Innate Realm, the success rate of breaking through will increase by one or two points; having obtained the secret method to survive a failed breakthrough, although I am unlikely to fail, it's better to be prepared.'

It can be said that, regardless of the success or failure of the deal, after this transaction, he has almost completed his preparations and is on the verge of achieving enlightenment.

……

(End of this chapter)