The vaulted ceiling hung high, studded with luminous pearls arranged in the patterns of the celestial constellations.
Within the Hall of Longevity, the light from the pearls cascaded down, illuminating the central jade platform in a dreamlike, illusory glow.
Here, Lin Qingyue sat cross-legged behind Qin Xiyan, her palms pressed against the other woman’s back.
If one were to open their spiritual sight, they would witness a breathtaking scene.
Countless golden threads, imperceptible to the naked eye, were slowly piercing into Qin Xiyan’s body from Lin Qingyue’s fingertips.
The moment these golden threads entered the Dantian and the sea of qi, they transformed into intricate, obscure runes.
Like chains, they coiled towards the mass of pitch-black mist entrenched deep within.
That was the Divine Punishment, a curse from ancient times.
It sensed the danger, churning and roaring madly, morphing into a ferocious beast’s head that sought to shred these golden chains.
Qin Xiyan let out a muffled groan. “Hnngh…”
Cold sweat instantly soaked through her plain clothes.
Her body trembled violently, her nails digging into her own palms, yet she stubbornly refused to utter another sound.
‘This girl has some backbone.’
In her consciousness sea, the Sword Immortal’s voice held a hint of approval.
‘Little Qingyue, steady your mind. The first “Sealing God Nail” is about to be driven in.’
Hearing this, Lin Qingyue unified her mind and spirit, pouring her spiritual energy out without reservation.
“Endure it!”
She commanded in a low voice.
Ding—
A soft, clear chime.
The first “nail,” condensed from pure sword intent, was directly hammered into the core of that black mist.
The black mist violently convulsed, then let out a piercing shriek as it was forcibly pinned down in one corner.
The power that had been rampaging through her entire body, devouring her vitality, was instantly suppressed by thirty percent.
Qin Xiyan’s body went limp, pitching forward.
Lin Qingyue, quick as lightning, withdrew her palms and caught her.
Lin Qingyue couldn’t hide her exhaustion, speaking softly, “It’s done.”
Her complexion wasn’t much better than Qin Xiyan’s; her lips beneath the veil were completely bloodless.
This was an extremely mentally taxing operation.
Even though her master was the one leading it, as the vessel, she still had to bear immense pressure.
The first stage of the seal…
Was considered complete.
Qin Xiyan weakly opened her eyes.
Though her entire body ached as if she’d just been taken down from a torture rack, she clearly felt that the oppressive discomfort that had been suffocating her seemed…
A little lighter.
“Thank you… Immortal Lady.”
She wanted to bow, but didn’t even have the strength to lift her hand.
Lin Qingyue fed her a pill to restore her vitality.
“No need for formalities.”
Her tone was concerned.
“This is just the beginning.”
“To completely construct the [Nine Nether Sealing God Seal], it will require a long, meticulous process, divided into seven stages.”
“During this time, you will suffer greatly. Be prepared.”
Qin Xiyan swallowed the pill, forcing a faint curve at the corner of her mouth.
“Mhm. As long as I don’t die… this bit of pain is nothing.”
She silently added in her heart: As long as I can protect Gu Qing, I’d willingly walk into hell.
Lin Qingyue, seeing the light in her eyes, was momentarily lost in thought.
Time, like sand slipping through fingers, quietly flowed by.
In the blink of an eye, two months had passed since Qin Xiyan left the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard again.
During these two months, the entire Celestial Authority Star seemed to revolve around the Jianmu Divine Palace, with everyone’s gaze fixed on that physician named “Han Yuan.”
And in that forgotten corner, the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard…
Gu Qing’s life was very stable.
The night was deep.
Inside the Ximo Residence, candlelight flickered.
Gu Qing sat cross-legged on his bed, not sleeping.
His breathing was long and rhythmic.
With each exhalation, the surrounding air would produce a faint tremor.
But within his body, a monumental transformation was quietly taking place.
Ever since Su Li left, he had been following the method in that notebook, using medicine to gently nurture his meridians.
He planned to begin cultivating [Jade Shattering] only after his meridians were fully repaired.
Originally, according to Su Li’s calculations, completely rebuilding those clogged and severed meridians would take at least two to three years.
But where was this?
This was the Celestial Authority Star, the heartland of the Qin Family.
Even though it was just a detached courtyard, the concentration of spiritual energy here was over a hundred times greater than on Canglan Star.
On top of that, there were the top-grade medicinal ingredients Qin Xiyan had the kitchen’s Hong Gu send over.
Although Gu Qing was only responsible for eating and drinking, the medicinal potency accumulated over this month was still astonishingly immense.
And also…
Gu Qing touched his own chest.
There was a warm current there—the original spiritual energy Lin Qingyue had left behind.
This spiritual energy seemed to sense the environment here, becoming exceptionally active.
Like a diligent gardener, it ceaselessly circulated within his body day and night, actively helping him sort out those violent medicinal forces and repair those minute damages.
Under the combined effect of these three factors…
Just tonight…
Gu Qing suddenly felt that heavy, clogged sensation in his meridians that had always accompanied him…
Disappear.
The current Gu Qing was unprecedentedly clear and unobstructed.
Gu Qing slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
“Hoo…”
He closed his eyes, sinking his mind into his body.
Through internal vision, the meridians that were once twisted like dried tree roots and full of cracks now emitted a faint, jade-like luster.
Though not yet broad, they had already connected to form a complete, closed loop.
The broken paths were reconnected!
“Is this… the remolded meridians?”
Gu Qing couldn’t suppress the excitement in his heart.
He tentatively activated that [Jade Shattering] cultivation method, which he both loved and hated.
“Break then establish… break then establish…”
Spiritual energy entered his body.
Gu Qing instinctively gritted his teeth, bracing for the familiar, tearing agony.
However—
The anticipated pain did not arrive.
That stream of spiritual energy flowed along the newly-born meridians, like a clear spring flowing through a riverbed.
Though it felt a bit turbulent, a bit swollen, it no longer carried any of the various pains of the past.
It was incredibly smooth!
The most difficult step had finally been crossed.
Cycle circulation.
In just the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Gu Qing completed a full Grand Cycle.
When the spiritual energy finally returned to his Dantian, Gu Qing opened his eyes.
A flash of sharp light gleamed in his eyes.
Though he hadn’t formally stepped into Foundation Establishment, he could feel his physical constitution had undergone a qualitative leap.
His hearing and sight were sharper, his body light as a swallow, and even the chest tightness and shortness of breath that had always troubled him were completely cured.
“I did it!”
Gu Qing looked at his own hands, a smile tugging irresistibly at his lips.
After the excitement faded, Gu Qing gradually calmed down.
“Su Li, if you knew, you’d definitely be shocked.”
But what path should he take next?
[Jade Shattering] was a method for rebuilding one’s foundation, not a true cultivation technique.
Once [Jade Shattering] had completely remolded his meridians, it would be best for him to choose a Foundation Establishment method to cultivate immediately.
Therefore, to truly set foot on the immortal path, to possess the strength to protect himself in this Big Dipper Star Field teeming with powerful beings, he needed orthodox cultivation techniques.
“Cultivation techniques…”
Gu Qing’s brow furrowed slightly.
Actually, he also had one in his mind.
It was what the Sword Immortal had left him—[Evergreen Qi-Introduction Art].
It was said to be the most balanced and peaceful cultivation technique in the immortal cultivation world, gentle and mellow, most suitable for a body like his.
When the Sword Immortal transmitted [Jade Shattering] and [Evergreen Qi-Introduction Art] to him back then, he must have intended for Gu Qing to cultivate them in succession.
Even though [Jade Shattering] wasn’t finished yet, he needed to prepare in advance, at least to see how [Evergreen Qi-Introduction Art] handled Foundation Establishment.
But the problem was…
He couldn’t understand it.
Su Li had explained every cultivation detail in [Jade Shattering] one by one and even specially wrote a booklet.
But [Evergreen Qi-Introduction Art]…
Those cultivation terms, energy circulation routes, acupoints, and key junctures—for a self-taught amateur like him, there were still many points of confusion.
Gu Qing rubbed his temples.
Su Li and Lin Qingyue had taught him many things, but he wasn’t sure: was it enough to just let the spiritual energy pass through, or did he need to perform some transformations within?
For his body, how much spiritual energy should pass through at once?
How many cycles?
Did he need to make adjustments?
If discomfort arose, how should he respond?
He didn’t know, so it was best to be cautious.
Immortal cultivation wasn’t as simple as he thought.
Relying on blind guesswork with a technique, without anyone to teach you…
Was very difficult.
He now understood why there were so many sects.
Even a genius like Su Li needed a master to guide her.
Different cultivation techniques did share some similarities, but there were far more differences.
If he practiced recklessly without regard, the lightest consequence would be qi deviation, the heaviest would be shattered meridians, rendering this painstakingly repaired body useless again.
“I need information on the [Evergreen Qi-Introduction Art].”
“Best of all… would be to have someone teach me.”
Gu Qing stood up, his gaze sweeping around the room.
The study in this Ximo Residence actually had quite a few books.
He walked over and casually pulled one out.
The cover read: The Tyrannical Sword Immortal Falls For Me.
He pulled out another.
Rebirth: I Am The Demon Lord’s Palm Treasure.
And also…
How To Make Him Fall For You.
Looking at this entire shelf of books, Gu Qing’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.
What in the world was all this?!
These were probably the leisure books Qin Xiyan read to pass the time, which Qin Mo had moved here all at once, under the elegant pretense of “Young Master Gu enjoys reading.”
Gu Qing shook his head helplessly and stuffed The Tyrannical Sword Immortal Falls For Me back onto the shelf.
“That girl…”
It seemed he wouldn’t find anything serious at home.
Ask the Qin Family for it?
No.
If he asked Qin Mo or Hong Gu for beginner immortal cultivation books, wouldn’t that be a case of “protesting too much”?
“Since there’s nothing at home, then I’ll go look outside.”
Gu Qing touched the storage pouch at his waist.
That was his monthly allowance from the Qin Family.
Although he hadn’t spent much, two thousand mid-grade spirit stones per month had accumulated into a considerable sum over these past months.
In the immortal cultivation world, as long as you had spirit stones, there was no basic information you couldn’t buy.
“Perfect timing. I should also go out and see this real immortal cultivation world.”
Gu Qing made up his mind.
Early the next morning.
Gu Qing changed into a set of low-key clothes and arrived outside the Tingyu Tower.
Qin Xiyan wasn’t here, but Qin Momo didn’t stay here all the time either.
She would occasionally return to handle the miscellaneous affairs of the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard and, by the way, keep an eye on whether this matrilocal son-in-law was behaving himself.
“You want to go out?”
Qin Momo sat on a large chair, holding a long-stemmed pipe, lightly tapping it. She squinted, looking Gu Qing up and down.
“The Third Young Lady isn’t here. Instead of staying quietly in the courtyard, where do you think you’re going to run off to?”
Gu Qing respectfully bowed, his expression composed.
“Replying to Momo, this junior isn’t going to run off. It’s just that these past few days, reading those books, I came across some descriptions of the customs and landscapes of the Big Dipper Star Field, and my heart yearned to see them. Since I’ve come to this Celestial Authority Star, I thought I should go out and broaden my horizons.”
Gu Qing paused, revealing a hint of appropriately timed shyness.
“And also… Xiyan mentioned last time that there’s a shop in the market district that sells Honey Spirit Fruit Candy, and it’s supposed to be extremely delicious. I wanted to buy some and bring it back, to surprise her when she returns.”
Hearing it was to buy candy for Qin Xiyan, Qin Momo’s stern expression softened slightly.
“At least you have a bit of a conscience.”
She snorted, pulling a golden token from her sleeve and tossing it casually to Gu Qing.
“Take it.”
Gu Qing caught it with both hands.
The token was heavy.
The front was engraved with the character “Qin,” while the back bore a crescent moon.
“This is the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard’s pass token, also a high-level identity credential of the Qin Family.”
Qin Momo blew out a smoke ring, speaking indifferently.
“Carry this, and no one in Celestial Authority City will dare touch you.”
“But remember this.”
Qin Momo’s eyes suddenly turned sharp.
“This token has a tracking formation inside. Where you go, how long you stay—this old woman knows it all clearly.”
“Don’t go to those unsavory places, and don’t cause trouble for the Qin Family.”
“If there’s any news from the Third Young Lady, I’ll send a message to you through the token. When you receive the message, no matter what you’re doing, come back immediately. Right away.”
“Additionally, anything you bring into the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard, this old woman will inspect.”
“Do you understand?”
This was a warning, and also surveillance.
But Gu Qing didn’t mind.
He hadn’t planned to do anything shady anyway; he just wanted to find a way to learn about the immortal cultivation world.
“This junior understands.”
Gu Qing hung the token at his waist and bowed again.
“Thank you, Momo, for your permission.”
“Go on, go early and return early.”
Qin Momo waved her hand, seeming somewhat impatient.
Gu Qing turned and left.
Stepping out of the main gate of the Moon-Dwelling Courtyard, he stepped onto the teleportation array leading to the outside world.
With a ripple of spatial fluctuation…
Gu Qing appeared in a new place.
He felt a surge of excitement.
Was he finally about to witness it with his own eyes?
The legendary, prosperous, opportunity-filled immortal cultivation world…
Moreover, the Qin Family, as a major clan of artifact refining, was said to have made this planet somewhat different from others—a truly bustling metropolis.
Gu Qing had heard about it long ago and looked forward to it with anticipation.
Exactly how it was, he would have to witness it personally.