Warriors refine essence into true qi.
Because of the lack of vital energy in the world, creatures are not nurtured with vital energy and are unable to cultivate true qi, so they have to resort to refining essence into vital energy as a substitute.
Refining vital energy is a way to strengthen the body.
It can be divided into three levels: refining the bones, tendons, and internal organs and exchanging blood.
When the three levels are completed, it is akin to becoming an immortal on land, with vitality and spirit reaching their peak, enabling the cultivation of qi into deities.
In his previous life, Lu Qinghe had already reached the highest level of refining vital energy, but unfortunately, the vital energy was still not true qi. Even though his method was flawless and his foundation extremely solid, he still failed when trying to cultivate qi into deities. He had to use secret techniques to forcefully transform all the vital energy in his body and forcibly become a deity. At the moment when his spirit was just beginning to form, his true spirit left his body and entered the starry power fluctuation, traversing the starry sea.
This method was tantamount to seeking death.
If Lu Qinghe had not seized the opportunity to merge with the starry power fluctuation, crossing the starry sea and regenerating as "Lu Qinghe," he would probably have perished by now.
In the training room of the Tianhe Swordsmen's Guild, Lu Qinghe had already begun to refine his tendons and bones.
In one month, with the help of medicines and the flesh of fierce beasts, he had already trained fifty-one bones of his body, entering the initial stage of bone refinement.
Next, he needed to refine and train the bones of his limbs and skulls to complete the bone refinement phase, amounting to a total of one hundred and twenty-six limb bones and twenty-nine skull bones.
While refining his bones, Lu Qinghe was also cultivating his vital energy.
After a month of continuous practice, his prowess in true qi had been restored from barely reaching the first refining true stage to the peak of the first refining true stage once again.
Moreover...
He was on the verge of a breakthrough!
...
In the training room, Lu Qinghe was continuously practicing the Thunder Sound Refinement Technique. His bones were trembling, his blood and flesh were stimulated, and his vital energy was being condensed to the extreme.
When the physical load reached its limit, Lu Qinghe instantly transitioned into a static position, sitting down cross-legged and continuously refining vital energy, moving it at full speed...
One week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks...
The vital energy in Lu Qinghe's body continued to revolve at an extremely fast pace. In a blink of an eye, he had circulated true qi for eighteen weeks.
After that, he gradually slowed down. As he approached the one-hour limit, true qi had revolved twenty-five weeks. By the end of the hour, he had achieved twenty-six weeks.
"Second-stage refining true."
Lu Qinghe let out a long breath.
Practicing for twenty-six weeks, the true qi went through multiple purifications, making it noticeably more condensed than before.
"Hmm?"
After running through the twenty-six weeks, Lu Qinghe felt his body weakening significantly. When he looked in the mirror, he noticed his face had a sickly pallor.
This was caused by forcibly stimulating the qi and blood in his body through the Thunderous Body Refining Technique.
"Every day I consume a large amount of ferocious beast meat, and the chef also puts a considerable amount of valuable herbs while cooking. But after a month, my own qi and blood are still suffering such a significant loss?"
Lu Qinghe's expression was solemn.
Continuing like this won't work.
Right now, he only had a pale complexion, but given some time, he would become physically weak. If it became more severe, it would even damage his immune system, which would be a serious issue at its root.
*Clap, clap.*
Lu Qinghe rang the bell.
The waiting maid Jiang Qingqing, who was ready to be at his service at any time, respectfully walked in. "Young Master Lu, may I ask if you have any orders?"
"Ask if there are higher-level ferocious beast meats available for me."
"Yes, please wait a moment, Young Master Lu."
Jiang Qingqing retreated, and soon returned with Huang Yu.
"Young Master Lu, do you need higher-level ferocious beast meats? Our Tianhe Swordsman Hall has a special hunting team. Even if Young Master needs meat from a fifth, sixth, or even higher-level ferocious beast, we can obtain it for you, but the price will be much higher."
"How much for fifth-level ferocious beast meat? Sixth and seventh level?"
"The price of fifth-level ferocious beast meat is relatively good, around three gold coins per meal. For sixth-level, it is more expensive, requiring twenty gold coins, and as for seventh-level ferocious beast, the price will reach eighty to a hundred gold coins."
"A hundred gold coins? Even though the sixth and seventh level ferocious beasts are formidable, their prices should not be that high, right?"
"Young Master Lu, you may not know this, but there are no sixth or seventh level ferocious beasts near the Qingyuan City. To hunt them, you need to go to the Kunwu Mountains on the border of Nanxiang County. The Kunwu Mountains are five days' journey from Qingyuan City, and as the days go by, the difficulty of preserving the meat increases."
Upon saying this, Huang Yu hesitated slightly. "Our Tianhe Swordsman Hall has a branch in Longquan Town under the Kunwu Mountains. The fifth-level ferocious beast meat there costs only two gold coins, and the sixth-level ferocious beast meat is also only eight to ten gold coins. If Young Master Lu needs it, perhaps…"
"Shelf-life?"
Lu Qinghe had overlooked this problem.
As time passed, the vital energy contained in the ferocious beast meat would gradually dissipate.
The vital energy contained in the blood and meat of a fourth-level ferocious beast would disperse to the level equivalent to that of a second-level ferocious beast just a day after its death.
Thinking of this, Lu Qinghe had already made a decision.
"For now, let's leave it at that. I'm going out."
"Young Master Lu, are you going to the Liangyun Mountains?"
The Liangyun Mountains, also known as the Three Thousand Li Liangyun Mountains, span several counties. Many third, fourth, and fifth-level ferocious beasts roam the mountains, while seventh-level ferocious beasts, although existing, are extremely rare.
"I have plans."
"Our Tianhe Swordsman Hall can provide Young Master Lu with a special escort team, including a hunting team, to assist Young Master’s spiritual training. A five-person team for the Triple Refinement stage is just twenty gold coins per month, and a four-person team for the Quadruple Refinement stage is also just a hundred gold coins. If Young Master has any needs…"
"The Tianhe Swordsman Hall’s services are comprehensive, but the charges are too high."
"Heh, but the charges at our Tianhe Swordsman Hall are definitely worth it."
"I believe that."
Seeing that Lu Qinghe didn't hire a hunting team from the Tianhe Swordsman Hall, Huang Yu quickly added, "Young Master Lu, if you are going to the Liangyun Mountains, it is best to wait for three to five days. Half a month ago, a Heavenly Heart Camellia appeared in the Liangyun Mountains, triggering a competition among various factions. Although it was settled yesterday, the Liangyun Mountains are still dangerous, and it may take another three to five days to calm them."
"Heavenly Heart Camellia!"
This is a kind of holy medicine for cultivation. For practitioners at the Refinement stage, a single Heavenly Heart Camellia could save them several years or even a decade of hard work.
"I will consider it."
Saying this, Lu Qinghe left the Tianhe Swordsman Hall and began to purchase some essential items for wilderness survival.
Liangyun Mountains map, compass, fire starter, salt…
It took Lu Qinghe an hour to get everything he needed.
Looking at the sky, it was already late today, so it would be inconvenient to set off. Lu Qinghe planned to rest for the night and leave tomorrow.
However, just as Lu Qinghe was about to return to the Tianhe Swordsman Hall, a group of six people quickly surrounded him.
The weakest among the six had a Double Refinement cultivation level, and the leader, a slightly older man, had opened his Ren and Du Meridians, reversed his true qi from postnatal to prenatal, and had reached the Quadruple Refinement stage.
The six obviously came for Lu Qinghe and instantly formed a circle, surrounding him in the center.
"Qin Huailing."
Lu Qinghe immediately spotted the young man at the front of the group.
"Lu Qinghe."
Qin Huailing’s eyes held a hint of resentment.
"You hid like a turtle for a month. I thought you had escaped from Qingyuan City. How come, have you finally decided to come out?"
"Something the matter?"
Lü Qinghe's gaze paused for a moment on the leading man in his early twenties and asked indifferently.
"Hmm!?"
Lü Qinghe's attitude made Qin Huailing's eyes flash with cold light.
But at this time, the young man in his early twenties beside him seemed to sense something. His gaze swept over Lü Qinghe and landed on his sword: "The Moon Cold Sword, one of the six famous swords of the Deity's Pavilion. I quite like this sword and didn't expect it to fall into your hands. Since that's the case, I will show mercy and give you a way out. I will offer you six hundred gold and the Moon Cold Sword, and if you kneel down and apologize, I will let this matter go."
"Cousin Qin Feng, how can you be so lenient to him? He broke Yan Wuchi's tendons, making it impossible for him to wield a sword in the future. I think he should experience the pain of having his tendons broken!" Qin Huailing was full of hatred towards Lü Qinghe and obviously did not want to let the matter go so easily.
"Is that so? In that case, let's break his tendons," Qin Feng said calmly, exuding a deep sense of pride in his tone. "Do I need to do it myself? By then, it might not be as simple as just breaking his tendons and ligaments."
"Lü Qinghe, why haven't you knelt down to surrender!? Qin Feng is a genius who was admitted to Changkong Academy in the previous Blue Soaring Academy entrance exam. If he is willing to spare your life, you should break your tendons and arteries and thank him!"
Qin Feng's companion could not help but shout as soon as Qin Feng finished speaking.
"Whether you choose to break your own tendons and ligaments is up to you."
Lü Qinghe looked at Qin Feng, who seemed to regard him with contempt, and indifferently drew the Moon Cold Sword.
"As you wish."
"Swish!"
"Hmm!?"
Seeing Lü Qinghe daring to draw his sword first, a gleam of light flashed in Qin Feng's eyes.
"How daring!"
"Clang!"
The next moment, the precious sword was unsheathed, and a rotating sword energy burst forth from the edge, generating a wave of qi that tore through the air and struck out.
"The Sword that Unites Heaven!"
The sword swept out and filled the space in front of it as if the momentum of the sword had filled and constrained it.
"Star Pierce Moon!"
Lü Qinghe's figure shook, and his blood and energy surged. His right hand turned into a phantom, stabbing eleven times in an instant, breaking through the solidified void containing Qin Feng's swordsmanship.
"Stellar Sword from Beyond the Sky!"
Then, the killing sword technique began, launching a relentless assault that struck vehemently and heavily on the weak point of Qin Feng's sword.
"Bang!"
A burst of fire shot out.
"Hmm!?"
As the sword technique was broken, Qin Feng instantly realized that, along with the dispersal of the sword energy on the sword, Lü Qinghe's sword was actually sent flying by his profound true energy. Then, his sword closely followed the Moon Cold Sword and attacked, with the sword tip aimed at Lü Qinghe's wrist.
"Boom!"
Seeing Qin Feng's advantage, Lü Qinghe's Moon Cold Sword resonated with a piercing low hum. Under the force of this vibration, the gap between the second and fourth levels of Refinement was abruptly shattered, and Qin Feng's sword was deflected by Lü Qinghe's sword technique.
"Slash!"
A cold light flashed, and the Moon Cold Sword was about to pierce Qin Feng's body.
"Swish!"
At the moment when the victory or defeat was about to be decided, a sword light burst out from the side of the street, carrying a powerful force, and shot through the air.