Promise!

Chapter 241, Making a Move

At this moment, Zhuang Jin also understood that knowing the rules of the city was probably the way for the six people to protect themselves. Seeing this, he couldn't help but feel a little sad and sympathetic, wondering what the Suspended Heaven Division had forced them into.

Upon seeing this, Li Tingguan, Xi Guiling, and the other six exchanged bewildered glances. They had originally intended to display their unique abilities and were already anticipating Zhuang Jin's shocked and amazed reaction, but what was with this expression of sympathy?

"Delicious food! Delicious wine!"

However, before they could think it over, Zhuang Jin clapped his hands and exclaimed, "I came in a hurry today and didn't prepare any gifts to show my appreciation. I've heard that wine tastes especially good when chilled, so I'll just offer it to you as a token of my appreciation."

As he spoke, he turned and transformed into a tornado, rising into the sky. With a flick of his finger, countless invisible, imperceptible, and extremely restrained Ice Soul Sword Qi of the Divine Sword of Intercepting Meridians pierced through the air and fell down.

—This is none other than: "Free and Easy Wind Riding: The Qi Chapter" and "Severing Meridian Divine Sword: The Qi Chapter".

Seven invisible sword energies accurately struck seven wine cups, leaving the cups undamaged and not a drop of wine spilled. Yet, the icy intent within the energy was transmitted, demonstrating remarkable control.
hum!
As the seven cups of wine rippled and spread, the primordial energy of heaven and earth grew increasingly rich. In addition to the scene of wind and clouds dispersing and dragons probing their heads, an illusory image of an ice phoenix, inspired by the image of a fire phoenix, rose into the sky, echoing the dragon in the clouds and forming a Tai Chi symbol of swirling and dancing, converging into a scene of auspiciousness and prosperity.

Li Tingguan, Xi Guiling, and the other six people all changed their expressions slightly when they saw this scene. They all knew that Zhuang Jin had only obtained the Black Python Token in the middle of last month, which gave him the qualification to exchange for martial arts at the Innate Qi level. But how long has it been? In such a short time, Zhuang Jin has already mastered both martial arts.

Such comprehension is truly terrifying!
Cui Pangui, in particular, practiced metal-based techniques and had tried the "Severing Meridian Divine Sword" before, but due to insufficient comprehension, he could not get the hang of it. Later, he switched to the "Falling Flower Divine Sword Technique". At this moment, he understood what this meant and gave Zhuang Jin a deep look.

"Excellent! This dragon and phoenix symbolize good fortune, a truly auspicious sign!"

"My wine has become even more fragrant thanks to Brother Zhuang's methods. I can hardly wait any longer. Brother Xi, you are the host of this gathering, please give the order for everyone to take their seats!"

"Haha, Brother Zong's dishes are excellent, Brother Qin's wine is superb, and now Brother Zhuang has chilled it for us. I can't wait any longer. Everyone, please!"

……

Xi Guiling, Li Tingguan, Shen Tu Biao, Zong Dai, Cui Pangui, Qin Douzhan, and Zhuang Jin, the seven of them sat in a row, looking very harmonious.

When people are in a group, they often need to have a place. The move that Xi Guiling and the other six made was a demonstration of their abilities and a test of who was better. Zhuang Jin's move, on the other hand, showed that he was qualified to sit together and had gained the recognition of this small circle of Qi Refining cultivators.

If Cen Zhanshan, the former leader of the small circle of Innate True Qi Realm, were here and saw this scene, he would surely feel a mix of emotions. He used to try to network and socialize, but he was never welcomed. Even when he forced his way into the Gang Qi Realm circle, he was always subservient and not respected. This was one of the reasons why he was so obsessed with the Innate Gang Qi Realm.

Now, Zhuang Jin has gained acceptance within Li Tingguan's circle in a very short time. This only proves that you can't just mingle in any circle; true ability is the only passport to success.

Each person sat down, with a serving of fish and a cup of fine wine in front of them. The delicious food was not to be missed, so they tacitly began to taste it without saying much.

Zhuang Jin took a bite. The spirit fish at the Five Viscera Realm was already a top-quality ingredient. With the cooking of Zong Dai, the 'Master Chef,' and the help of the others, it tasted truly delicious, befitting its radiant appearance. It far surpassed the dishes on the ninth floor of the Zhenxiufang.

However, this was to be expected. Xi Guiling and the other six had come with the idea of ​​making a deep impression on Zhuang Jin on their first meeting, so they all used their best skills. The dish they made together was naturally extraordinary.

The grilled fish was excellent, and the wine was equally excellent. Qin Douzhan, the "Wine Master," produced wine of extremely high quality, which was further enhanced by Zhuang Jin's use of innate qi to chill it, making them even better.

Enjoying fine food and wine, admiring the elegant scenery in the garden, and listening to the music and instruments played by the courtesans in the Xi Mansion—it was truly a heavenly experience.

"Welcome, Brother Zhuang. Your breakthrough to the Innate Qi Realm adds another person to the ranks of martial artists at this level. Now, in Cangzhou City, the number of Innate Qi Realm martial artists outside of the aristocratic families has once again surpassed that of the aristocratic families," Xi Guiling said with a smile.

"That's right. In Cangzhou City, the number of martial artists at the Innate True Qi Realm is three to two outside of the aristocratic families. But once they reach the Innate罡气 Realm, the ratio becomes one to one."

Zong Dai patted his round belly and sighed.

The reason these two people only mentioned the three great families and not the state government was because the powerful clans, aristocratic families, and wealthy families of the Great Qian Dynasty monopolized martial arts, somewhat like the Han Dynasty in Zhuang Jin's previous life. The high-ranking officials in the state government were all from aristocratic families and wealthy families. For example, the Cangzhou state government was filled with martial artists from the three great families. The only one who truly belonged to the direct line of the Great Qian Dynasty was a governor with a royal surname.

"Could you please tell me the exact number of Qi Refining Realm martial artists in the city?" Zhuang Jin put down his chopsticks and looked over to ask.

"Why not?"

Li Tingguan continued, stroking his beard, "In Cangzhou City, the number of martial artists at the Innate Qi Realm was 48. Previously, there were 24 from the three major families and 24 from outside the three major families. Now, including Brother Zhuang, there are 49."

"Oh?"

Zhuang Jin was slightly surprised; this number was much higher than he had expected.

In particular, considering the number of innate true qi realm martial artists in the state capital, this ratio is already more than ten to one, which is quite high.

"Brother Zhuang, do you think this quantity is a little too much?"

Qin Douzhan took a sip of wine, squinted his eyes comfortably, and said with a smile, "These forty-nine Innate Qi Realm martial artists are half from the three great families. These families have all sorts of resources for breaking through bottlenecks, so there's no need to say more."

"As for the other half outside the three great families, Brother Zhuang is also aware of the situation of martial artists below the Innate Realm in the state city... Let me put it this way, the number of Innate Realm martial artists in the state city is seriously lower than normal. Those who can break through the blockade are all dragons among men. The Suspended Heaven Division's strategy towards Innate True Qi Realm martial artists tends to be moderate and appeasement-oriented, without any direct targeting. Therefore, this breakthrough rate is slightly higher."

For the three major families of Cangzhou, the difference between the Innate True Qi Realm and the Innate Gang Qi Realm is not that great; both are threatening but still within a controllable range.

"I see." Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

"There's also the factor of breakthrough pills."

As the 'Medicine Venerable,' Li Tingguan had a lot to say on this matter: 'Below the Innate Realm, taking breakthrough pills will cause minor damage to the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Regular Meridians, leaving hidden dangers that will erupt when breaking through the three Innate Realm barriers. But after the Innate Realm, there are fewer concerns about this.'

"Oh?"

Zhuang Jin humbly sought guidance, voicing his doubts: "For example, the main ingredients of the Condensing True Pill and Condensing罡 Pill contain the cores of exotic beasts. Won't the residual will of these beasts affect the human spirit? For instance, when breaking through to the Innate Realm, would taking a secret medicine made from beast cores and beast beads increase the difficulty of the three Divine Gates of the Innate Realm?" "Haha, Brother Zhuang, that's a good question. Indeed, the beast cores contain the residual will of exotic beasts, and this will certainly affect the human spirit for a short time, but..."

At this point, Li Tingguan changed the subject: "Just like in nature, the filth of all living beings will be gradually decomposed and will not pile up like mountains. The human body also has a certain ability to purify the will of such strange beasts."

"According to my research, the stronger the soul, the stronger and faster this purification ability is. As long as one does not frequently consume pills containing the cores of exotic beasts in a short period of time, it will not cause irreversible damage to the human spirit."

"All kinds of elixirs are ultimately external forces. We martial artists still have to rely on ourselves," Cui Panggui interjected, playing with the snake pet coiled around his right arm.

He has reached his current level without ever taking any pills to break through bottlenecks, which is something he is extremely proud of.

"Haha, Brother Cui is a 'naturalist,' advocating breakthroughs through one's own efforts. A rough man like me has no taboos about external things. As for those pills that help break through bottlenecks, in my opinion, they are just like the various tools for forging weapons. As long as they are useful, that's fine," Shen Tu Biao laughed heartily.

"Exactly."

Zong Dai empathized with this: "When I cook, any kitchen utensils and seasonings that can make the food more delicious are good things."

"A gentleman's nature is not different; he is good at making use of things." Zhuang Jin was not opposed to pills that could help him break through bottlenecks, but he didn't need them. Seeing Cui Panggui's expression, he didn't voice his opinion.

“You… are not worth mentioning!” Cui Pangui sneered.

"alright, alright!"

Li Tingguan tried to smooth things over, saying, "The pills that help you break through bottlenecks have both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are obvious, but the disadvantages are also clear."

"Firstly, the price is exorbitant. If we want to obtain it from the auction house of the Heavenly Bureau, we would need to complete arduous missions for several or even more than a decade. Secondly, breakthrough pills are sometimes useless, such as those used to advance from the second to the third level of the Innate Qi Realm..."

"Oh, what do you mean?" Zhuang Jin asked, seeing that everyone else present seemed to know and Li Tingguan had no intention of elaborating.

"Oh, Brother Zhuang may not know this, but it is like this: the second level of the Innate Qi Realm is the condensation of attributes. Through this process, the Innate Qi is further purified. If this step is only done by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from the outside world and condensing it on its own, it is extremely slow and would take forever. Therefore, we martial artists usually use external objects, such as natural treasures suitable for condensing attributes, or the cores of exotic beasts."

Li Tingguan said, "Let's talk about natural treasures first. Natural treasures suitable for refining attributes are extremely rare. They also require the same attribute as oneself and have various restrictions. For example, they must be born within a certain period of time to avoid being contaminated by the world's impurities, just like a baby gradually changes from innate to acquired after birth."

"These natural treasures suitable for refining attributes vary in terms of absorption. Some of these natural treasures are difficult to absorb even with the attribute-refining secrets inherent in our cultivation techniques, and require the use of specific secret techniques."

In short, refining attributes with rare and precious materials is the best method, something that can only be encountered by chance and cannot be sought after.

Secondly, another method for refining attributes is using beast cores, but this is also difficult. Many innate Qi Realm martial artists outside of the three great families are stuck at this step…”

This was a bit difficult to say, and he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.

"If the Suspended Heaven Bureau can do it, why can't we speak out? Let me speak. The Suspended Heaven Bureau has sealed and restricted the cores of exotic beasts at the Six Organs Realm Perfection level. It is extremely difficult for us, the martial artists of the Innate Qi Realm outside of the three great families, to break through to the third level of the Innate Qi Realm."

Xi Guiling seemed to have a lot of disapproval of the three great families, and said directly: "When we are at the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, it is best to condense only one beast core. Although the more beast cores of the same attribute we condense, the more we can strengthen the true qi attribute, the beast core is the essence of the beast. Condensing multiple beast cores is not conducive to the purification and unification of the Innate Qi and breaking through the bottleneck of the third level of the Qi Realm."

"If you condense multiple beast cores, it will be difficult to purify and unify your internal energy, and the bottleneck will become extremely solid. Even if you take a Qi Condensation Pill, it will be of no use."

“The scions of those three great families have their elders to help them kill the beasts at the peak of the Six Organs Realm and take their cores, but we are in a difficult position.”

He sighed, "One beast core from a beast at the Six Fu Realm below the Four Lungs level is far from enough. Even if we condense multiple cores, it's almost impossible to break through to the Third Realm. But if we want to condense a beast core at the Perfect Six Fu Realm level, that beast is equivalent to the Third Realm of the Innate Qi Realm for us martial artists. How can we possibly cross the realm to kill it?"

Without reaching the third level, it's difficult to kill a beast at the peak of the Six Organs Realm and obtain its core; however, to break through the third level, one must obtain the core of a beast at the peak of the Six Organs Realm. This creates a vicious cycle.

This is also why Xuantiansi believes that Zhuang Jinji is unlikely to break through the third level of the Innate Qi Realm. His cultivation technique, Black Fiend Technique, is more likely to be blocked by bottlenecks as it progresses. He also has a passive attitude, does not seek out rare and precious materials, and cannot obtain the beast core of a perfect Six Organs Realm beast. If he condenses multiple low-level beast cores, how can he break through the third level of the Innate Qi Realm?

'This problem doesn't seem to exist for me!'

Zhuang Jin discovered a blind spot, thinking to himself: 'Condensing multiple beast cores is detrimental to the purification and unification of innate qi, increasing the difficulty of breaking through the bottleneck of the third realm, but I... didn't have a bottleneck to begin with.'

As for whether condensing multiple beast cores of the same attribute will have any impact on future martial arts development?

will not.

Li Tingguan had made it very clear before that the human body has a certain ability to purify the residual beast will in the beast core. As long as it is not too frequent, it will not affect the soul. Moreover, his soul is much stronger than that of ordinary people.

Condensing multiple beast cores only hinders the purification and unification of innate qi, making it easier to break through the third level. However, once one has broken through the third level, it means that the innate qi has already been purified and unified, which naturally solves the problem.

'However, since this is the superior method of refining attributes using rare and precious materials, it's naturally best to use such materials first. Refining multiple beast cores is a backup option; only if suitable rare and precious materials cannot be found should this method be used.'

'Hmm, I'm afraid I can't find suitable natural treasures for refining attributes on my own. I might have to rely on the Treasure-Seeking Rat, but its current Bone Forging Realm isn't enough. It needs to be at least upgraded to the Five Organs Realm.' Zhuang Jin secretly pondered.

This topic was somewhat sensitive and was quickly diverted from the conversation. After that, no further discussion of cultivation took place. Or rather, it was rare for people in this circle to discuss cultivation; they talked about other things more often.

For example, gossip from other Qi Refining circles: how many women a certain titled Venerable keeps outside, how many wives he has, there are all sorts of birds in a big forest, and one of his wives has been cheated on; a certain titled Venerable brought home his illegitimate child, causing discord in his household; or someone got incredibly lucky, finding a rare plant during last month's Qi Tide...

From these gossip tales to anecdotes from across China, and strange stories from ancient and modern times, all accompanied by delicious food and fine wine, it was truly a delightful experience.

……

(End of this chapter)