From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 10

Originally, Xiao Minghuang planned to draw qi into her body and break through to the Qi Refining Realm after obtaining the cultivation method. However, upon learning that the Body Tempering Realm had three additional levels, she changed her mind.

“I will achieve the great perfection of the Body Tempering Realm before making the breakthrough.”

After making up her mind, Xiao Minghuang activated the Spirit Gathering Array.

The Body Tempering Realm is about drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cleanse the body, thereby tempering the flesh, bones, and meridians.

“With one hundred mid-grade spirit stones and the Spirit Gathering Array, I should be able to break through to the twelfth level of the Body Tempering Realm!”

Xiao Minghuang took out one hundred mid-grade spirit stones and placed them all around her.

The moment the large pile of spirit stones appeared, the air in the training room seemed to freeze for a moment.

The dense spiritual energy formed a white mist, almost dripping with moisture.

Xiao Minghuang activated the Spirit Gathering Array and, sensing the gradually increasing density of spiritual energy around her, immediately sat down cross-legged and silently recited the scriptures of the 《Purple Star Imperial Path Scripture》.

“The Purple Star is the North Star, residing in its place while all other stars revolve around it…”

The 《Purple Star Imperial Path Scripture》 harnesses the power of the stars. When cultivated to the extreme, the myriad stars obey its command, making it incredibly powerful.

In the blink of an eye, strands of dense spiritual energy were drawn to her body, continuously cleansing her physical form.

Xiao Minghuang’s skin became increasingly radiant, with golden light swirling and starlight shimmering, as if forged from divine metal beyond the heavens. Every inch of her skin sparkled, resembling the brilliance of stars, dazzling and majestic, making her appear more and more like an empress.

This indicated that her physical body was growing stronger, with her flesh and blood becoming crystalline and her bones translucent, all having undergone a thorough baptism.

The spiritual energy contained in the large amount of spirit stones around her suddenly plummeted, with many losing their spiritual essence entirely, turning into powder as they were completely drained.

Suddenly, Xiao Minghuang’s cultivation surged, her vital energy and blood force surging like a tide, her petite figure resembling a slumbering ancient beast.

Tenth level of Body Tempering!

Eleventh level of Body Tempering!

Having ascended two levels in a row, Xiao Minghuang’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow, instead becoming even more serene, her entire being solemn and dignified, noble and transcendent.

“It’s not over yet!”

Xiao Minghuang exclaimed in a low voice.

In the next moment, her aura climbed once again!

Twelfth level of Body Tempering!

The pinnacle of Body Tempering!

Achieved!

At the moment her aura surged, her vital energy and blood force completely converged, and a humming sound emerged.

A faint light flickered between Xiao Minghuang’s brows, and a golden light emerged from her body, circling around her.

“《Purple Star Imperial Path Scripture》, when cultivated to a minor achievement, allows one to harness starlight for protection!”

Xiao Minghuang’s face lit up with joy.

The depth of a cultivator’s comprehension of a technique is divided into five levels: entry, minor achievement, major achievement, perfection, and pinnacle.

She was only at the Body Tempering Realm, yet she had already comprehended this Heaven-tier technique to a minor achievement. Such insight was terrifyingly exceptional!

But just as she felt joy, the one hundred mid-grade spirit stones beside her all lost their spiritual essence, turning into powder!

The spiritual energy in the entire cultivation chamber was completely drained!

Without the support of spiritual energy, the golden starlight quickly became illusory and vanished without a trace.

“The golden starlight is both offensive and defensive, incredibly powerful, but my current cultivation level is too low to sustain it for long. I need to reach a higher level of cultivation to use the starlight freely.”

Xiao Minghuang let out a light sigh and looked at the pile of spirit stone residue.

“Just breaking through the last three levels of Body Tempering consumed one hundred mid-grade spirit stones. How many spirit stones will I need when I reach the Qi Refining Realm?”

Fortunately, the Spirit Gathering Array was protected by mechanisms, and the spirit stones within it were not completely drained.

Beneath the array’s compass, there were still one hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones.

“This time in seclusion, I consumed two hundred and forty low-grade spirit stones and spent two days.”

Xiao Minghuang’s thoughts stirred slightly as she felt the changes within her body, once again circulating the《Purple Star Imperial Path Scripture》.

As she activated the technique, streams of spiritual energy seeped through her flawless skin, coursing through her meridians, and finally converging in her dantian.

Drawing qi into the body is something that naturally occurs when the physical body reaches its peak.

Ordinary martial artists only cultivate to the ninth level of Body Tempering, with physical strength of around forty to fifty thousand pounds and insufficient vital energy and blood force. Even if they prepare a large number of spirit stones to make ample preparations for breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm, they may not necessarily succeed.

But for her, it could be easily accomplished in a single thought.

Xiao Minghuang’s thoughts stirred slightly as she felt the changes within her body.

“So this is the Qi Refining Realm…”

Qi Refining is both a realm and a method of cultivation, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to enrich oneself, enabling the use of various miraculous techniques.

This is the Qi Refining Realm, the first threshold after embarking on the path of cultivation.

As Xiao Minghuang stepped into the Qi Refining Realm, a faint light flickered in her lower abdomen, where a small vortex gradually formed, emitting a soft glow. It continuously drew in and pulled the spiritual energy from the surrounding world, gathering it within and making it her own.

This vortex, constantly absorbing the spiritual energy from the outside world, was akin to seizing the essence of heaven and earth to replenish herself.

“The Qi Refining Realm consists of 360 acupoints throughout the body, with ten major acupoints. Each time a major acupoint is unblocked, it signifies an advancement in one level of the realm.”

The ten major acupoints are located at the top of the head, between the eyebrows, the chest, the lower abdomen, the palms of both hands, the knees, and the soles of both feet.

“When entering the Qi Refining Realm, the Qihai acupoint is opened. I have now reached the first level of the Qi Refining Realm.”

The acupoint located in the lower abdomen is the Qihai acupoint.

Xiao Minghuang murmured to herself, calming her breath, and the vortex in her lower abdomen dissipated.

Compared to the Body Tempering Realm, advancing in the Qi Refining Realm is significantly more difficult. Even if she continued her seclusion here and exhausted all the spirit stones in the gathering array, it would be impossible to make further progress.

“Two days have passed, it’s time to end my seclusion.”

The system’s compensation count has been refreshed, and the pills she won from the Seventh Prince have yet to be delivered. She wondered what rewards she might receive this time.

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Minghuang’s mouth, and her eyes showed a hint of amusement. In a flash, she stepped out of the door.

After breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm, her spiritual sense had greatly enhanced, allowing her to feel every movement within the entire mansion.

Under the coverage of her spiritual sense, every plant and tree in the mansion was exposed to her.

“Let me see if Xiao Ruoshui has been diligently cultivating…”

Xiao Minghuang remembered that before her seclusion, she had given Ye Ruoshui the 《Dragon Soul Heart Technique》 and instructed the young girl to practice earnestly.

However, given Ye Ruoshui’s aptitude, not to mention two days, even twenty days might not be enough for her to get started.

Moreover, the current Ye Ruoshui was not even at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm and was completely clueless about cultivation.

Her spiritual sense lingered outside Ye Ruoshui’s room, sensing no presence of cultivation within.

“As expected, she hasn’t been able to get started. It’s time to help the little girl improve her cultivation.”

Xiao Minghuang sighed softly, withdrew her spiritual sense, and took a few steps. In a few breaths, she arrived outside Ye Ruoshui’s room.

“Ruoshui, Sister is here to see you. Open the door.”

As soon as the words fell.

A delicate yet trembling voice came from inside the room.

“…Wait… just a moment.”

Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, puzzled by the response.

“Ruoshui, haven’t you gotten up yet?”

She glanced up at the sun in the sky, which was at its zenith, warm and bright, clearly indicating it was noon.

“…Almost… hmm~ almost done!”

Xiao Minghuang didn’t understand what Ye Ruoshui was doing, so she waited for a while.

After about a quarter of an hour, the door slowly creaked open. Ye Ruoshui’s fair little face was flushed, making her look exceptionally charming and alluring. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, her hair was not neatly arranged, and her tender lips were panting slightly, as if she had just done some particularly exhausting work.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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