Chapter 137: Spiritual Object Ripens, Preparing For Promotion To Innate!
“What’s your name?”
Ji Qing asked.
“My name is Han Gao.”
“Han Gao, are you a cultivator who awakened from a seal?”
“No, this humble one is just a shop assistant. That day, a group of people suddenly burst in, abducted many young people my age, and tested them one by one for aptitude. Only a few had aptitude, and I was one of them. Then they gave me a cultivation technique, taught me to cultivate, and I somehow succeeded in cultivating…”
Ji Qing was pensive.
This Han Gao should possess cultivation aptitude and was abducted by people from the Black Demon Sect to become a cultivator.
Now heaven and earth spiritual energy is gradually reviving, so as long as one has cultivation aptitude and a cultivation technique, it is possible to become a cultivator—at least reaching the Qi Refining Stage is no problem.
“This formation…”
“The formation wasn’t set up by me; the Black Demon Sect gave me formation flags. I just purely input magic power to activate the formation…”
Ji Qing understood.
Han Gao was merely at Qi Refining Layer One, having just become a cultivator—how could he set up such a profound formation?
This was a set of formation flags.
Han Gao was merely a “container” that purely inputted magic power.
No wonder the group of five didn’t even give Han Gao a proper glance, not even the Meng Family Three Fiends.
“Then collect the formation flags.”
“Yes, Mister Ji.”
Han Gao formed seals with his hands, channeling with magic power.
“Buzz.”
Subsequently, the formation truly disappeared.
A set of formation flags flew over and landed in Ji Qing’s hands.
Ji Qing nodded in satisfaction.
This Han Gao was quite perceptive, directly handing over the formation flags to Ji Qing.
His desire to survive was very strong!
Moreover, he bowed and scraped, showing not the slightest air of a “cultivator.”
Hmm, indeed quite like a shop assistant.
Perhaps his mindset hadn’t transformed yet.
However, the Black Demon Sect treated Han Gao merely as a tool as well.
“Han Gao, if I let you go back…”
“No, Great Hero Ji, can I follow you? Don’t worry, I’ll do whatever you tell me to do… I don’t want to go back. Going back to that place, I’m just a tool for the Black Demon Sect, not even as good as continuing to be a shop assistant…”
“Moreover, who knows which day this tool of mine will become useless, and then they could kill me at will…”
Han Gao gazed at Ji Qing full of expectation.
Although he was a nobody, just a mere shop assistant, he wasn’t stupid—in fact, he was quite shrewd and had the wisdom to survive.
He would rather follow Ji Qing than return to the Black Demon Sect.
“Mister Ji, keeping this Han Gao is useful. Although he is only at Qi Refining Layer One, he is still a cultivator with magic power, and he can actually help you with many things. For example, he could develop his talents in pill refining, talismans, artifact refining, etc. in the future.”
Ling Ling’s voice transmitted into Ji Qing’s ear.
Ji Qing pondered for a long time.
The only issue was control.
A cultivator was still quite dangerous.
“Is there a method of control?”
Ji Qing asked.
“There is a blood curse; once applied, even if they flee millions of miles away, the exact position can still be sensed.”
Ji Qing nodded.
“Have him apply the blood curse.”
Thus, Ling Ling taught Han Gao the blood curse method.
Han Gao also readily performed it.
It was just sensing his position, right?
He hadn’t even thought of betraying.
Thus, after readily performing the blood curse, Ji Qing could clearly sense Han Gao’s position.
“Alright, Han Gao, you’ll follow me from now on.”
“Thank you, Mister Ji!”
Han Gao felt like he had latched onto a thick thigh.
Even Cui Wuwei was dead.
And the Meng Family Three Fiends were similarly no match.
One must know, Cui Wuwei was already an elder of the Black Demon Sect.
He held great power, not some nobody.
At this time, many people had actually already gathered outside the ruins.
After all, although the formation had trapped Ji Qing and the others, anyone could see from their moves that they were no ordinary people.
Even Eunuch Hong had received intelligence and hurried over anxiously.
“Oh dear, Mister Ji, are you alright?”
Eunuch Hong was panting after just two steps.
Ji Qing said indifferently, “I’m fine, it was just some people sent by the Black Demon Sect to surround and kill us.”
“Black Demon Sect? These lingering rebel scum again! Now that the world is in chaos, the Black Demon Sect is stirring up trouble, but the imperial court army will sooner or later wipe out all these rebels!”
Eunuch Hong seemed very indignant.
After all, he was a eunuch in the palace.
If the imperial court was gone, he would have no status at all.
Eunuch Hong truly loathed the Black Demon Sect from the bottom of his heart.
“No matter, they’re all dead!”
“Mister Ji, please report these rebels’ names to the imperial court; there will likely be rewards.”
Ji Qing nodded; currently, the imperial court classified the Black Demon Sect as rebels.
Those he killed weren’t ordinary Black Demon Sect members.
If there were truly rewards, he wouldn’t refuse them.
Thus, Ji Qing said, “The Black Demon Sect sent four people. The leader was ‘Primal Hand’ Cui Wuwei, who was already an Innate Grandmaster and an elder of the Black Demon Sect. The other three were the Meng Family Three Fiends, who are said to be able to fight a grandmaster when joining hands!”
As for “Han Gao,” Ji Qing didn’t mention him.
After all, “Han Gao” was now his man.
Naturally, he had to “remove” Han Gao from it.
However, as soon as Ji Qing finished speaking, Eunuch Hong’s expression changed drastically.
“One grandmaster? And three first-rate experts who can fight a grandmaster together?”
Eunuch Hong couldn’t help but look at the four corpses again.
They were already dead.
Not a single one alive.
But Ji Qing had actually slain a grandmaster?
This was simply too terrifying.
Not only did Eunuch Hong’s expression change drastically, the group of jianghu people nearby also had drastic changes in expression, their hearts surging with stormy seas.
Eunuch Hong wasn’t a person of jianghu and didn’t know the details of “Primal Hand” or the Meng Family Three Fiends.
But people of jianghu knew.
“That was ‘Primal Hand’ Cui Wuwei who dominated jianghu thirty years ago. Who would have thought he joined the Black Demon Sect and even became a grandmaster?”
“And the Meng Family Three Fiends, they were also infamous villains. Who would have thought they joined the Black Demon Sect too.”
“Whether Cui Wuwei or the Meng Family Three Fiends, now they came together to surround and kill Mister Ji, yet all died? What level has Mister Ji’s strength reached now?”
“Ling Xiao Pavilion once evaluated Mister Ji as comparable to a grandmaster, and many didn’t believe it, but now it seems Mister Ji isn’t just comparable to a grandmaster—he’s probably strong even among grandmasters.”
“Mister Ji is clearly just a first-rate martial artist, yet he defeated a grandmaster—this has never happened in jianghu…”
Many people’s gazes toward Ji Qing changed.
That was defeating a grandmaster!
In jianghu, a second-rate expert defeating a first-rate expert was rare but had happened.
But a first-rate expert defeating a grandmaster?
Not to mention seeing it, they hadn’t even heard of it.
Yet just now, they had witnessed it with their own eyes.
However, Ji Qing ignored the crowd and had already disappeared.
The news from Liang City was too big.
Moreover, too many people had witnessed this battle.
Thus, the news quickly spread throughout the entire jianghu, even the entire world!
In the eighth month of the twelfth lunar month of the sixteenth year of Yongchang, “Astonishing Swan Saber” Ji Qing defeated a grandmaster in Liang City!
Saber Slash killed Black Demon Sect’s Cui Wuwei and Meng Family Three Fiends!
Not long ago, Ling Xiao Pavilion evaluated that Ji Qing had comprehended saber intent and was comparable to a grandmaster, so they removed Ji Qing from the jianghu ranking.
Many still felt Ji Qing wasn’t truly a grandmaster and the reputation was undeserved.
Who could have thought Ji Qing could actually defeat a grandmaster?
This was simply inconceivable!
This news caused a huge uproar in jianghu!
The entire world was shaken!
……
On the shore of Yunmeng River, an incense table and offerings were prepared.
Eunuch Hong read the “Deification” imperial decree in his shrill voice.
From now on, the Yunmeng Goddess was the Water God of Yunmeng River.
Moreover, she was the Water God officially enfeoffed by the Great Shang Imperial Court.
The current Great Shang Imperial Court still represented the orthodox humanity of the world!
After the imperial decree was read, Ji Qing didn’t notice any changes.
However, he believed a single imperial decree definitely had an effect on the Yunmeng Goddess.
“Mister Ji, this humble one has finished reading the imperial decree and will soon return to report. Do you want to…”
Eunuch Hong asked with a smile.
Ji Qing shook his head and said, “Eunuch Hong, please go ahead. I won’t return to Shangdu.”
“Then take care, Mister Ji.”
Eunuch Hong took his people and left.
“Mister Ji, we…”
Han Gao asked cautiously.
Ji Qing flipped his hand, and the Water-Repelling Pearl appeared in his palm.
He grasped the Water-Repelling Pearl.
He was also grabbing Han Gao.
“Let’s go!”
Ji Qing leaped into the water, actually grabbing Han Gao and jumping in.
Han Gao was startled and struggled violently.
But he found he could actually breathe underwater.
Ji Qing didn’t use the Yunmeng Goddess’s mark to return to the Water Mansion—after all, he could still go to the Water Mansion, but what about Han Gao?
He couldn’t leave Han Gao alone.
He could only use the Water-Repelling Pearl to “swim” to the Water Mansion at the river bottom.
Han Gao found it very miraculous.
He roughly guessed that Ji Qing had a treasure that repelled water.
Soon, the two swam to the Water Mansion at the river bottom.
After entering the Water Mansion, Han Gao found he could breathe freely.
He widened his eyes and looked around.
He found it very miraculous.
Although he himself was now a cultivator, where had he ever been to such a miraculous place?
“Splash.”
Suddenly, a golden carp leaped into the air, then transformed into a woman of stunning beauty emanating a sacred aura.
“Goddess.”
“Greetings, Goddess.”
Han Gao also flailed in panic, even kneeling on the ground, trembling with fear.
The Goddess chuckled.
“Get up.”
Ji Qing shook his head.
This Han Gao, although a Qi Refining Cultivator, showed not the slightest poise of a cultivator.
It was a bit like… virtue not matching position!
Han Gao’s mindset was still that of a shop assistant.
Seeing a true “deity” like the Yunmeng Goddess, how could he keep his composure?
Ji Qing couldn’t be bothered with Han Gao anymore.
He asked the Yunmeng Goddess, “Goddess, the imperial court’s ‘Deification’ imperial decree has just arrived. You are now the officially recognized Water God of Yunmeng River by the imperial court. Does it have an effect?”
The Yunmeng Goddess smiled faintly and said, “Of course it does, and the effect is very good! Look, isn’t my body more solid now?”
Ji Qing looked closely.
It seemed it really was.
He hadn’t noticed before, but now carefully observing the Yunmeng Goddess, she appeared like a real person.
She just had that layer of divine light draped over her, making her look more sacred.
Completely different from her previous illusory appearance.
“This is the manifestation of divine power improvement.”
“Can you now condense spiritual liquid to nurture spiritual objects?”
“Of course. However, you seem injured?”
The Yunmeng Goddess saw at a glance that Ji Qing had some injuries.
Ji Qing nodded and said, “I was ambushed and surrounded earlier and got some injuries.”
Although his internal energy had healing power.
He had even had a doctor apply medicine.
But injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days, and this time Ji Qing’s injuries weren’t light.
Recovery would take at least two or three months.
He was merely a martial artist, not a cultivator, and he didn’t even have Innate True Qi.
Recovery was naturally a bit slow.
“Let me help you.”
The Yunmeng Goddess reached out and gently pointed at Ji Qing.
“Buzz.”
A strand of white light instantly entered Ji Qing’s body.
Immediately, Ji Qing felt extremely comfortable.
His injuries visibly healed rapidly.
Even the hidden injuries inside his body seemed to disappear.
“Thank you, Goddess.”
Ji Qing knew this was probably a divine art that consumed divine power.
The effect was indeed very good.
“Alright, let’s go see the medicinal garden.”
The Yunmeng Goddess directly took Ji Qing to the medicinal garden.
In the medicinal garden grew four spiritual objects.
Respectively spiritual objects of metal, water, fire, and earth attributes.
And they were all growing well.
However, they were still far from maturity.
Ji Qing also looked at the earlier wood attribute spiritual object, which was also growing well.
“Mister Ji, I’ll use divine power to condense four drops of spiritual liquid.”
Divine power began gathering on the Yunmeng Goddess.
Subsequently, four drops of spiritual liquid were truly condensed, falling respectively into the four spiritual objects.
A miraculous scene occurred.
The four spiritual objects actually grew rapidly at a visible speed.
“How long to fully ripen all five spiritual objects?”
Ji Qing asked.
The Yunmeng Goddess thought for a moment: “Now my divine power has greatly increased, and the amount of divine power I can condense daily has multiplied several times. If fully ripening the five spiritual objects, it would probably take only eight years!”
“Eight years?”
Ji Qing actually knew this was already very fast.
Before, it would take thirty years for these spiritual objects to fully mature.
Now only eight years.
Indeed much faster.
However, for Ji Qing, it was still too slow.
Waiting eight years, he couldn’t wait!
Ji Qing thought for a moment.
“If you only ripen three spiritual objects, how long?”
“Three spiritual objects?”
Actually, Ji Qing already had spiritual stones of wood and fire attributes.
He only needed the remaining three five elements spiritual objects.
The Yunmeng Goddess thought carefully and answered, “If only ripening three spiritual objects, probably a little over four years, less than five years.”
“Still too long…”
Ji Qing was still not satisfied.
He frowned tightly.
This time needed to be faster.
At least halved!
“Now although my divine power has greatly increased, divine power recovery also takes time; this is as fast as it can be…”
The Yunmeng Goddess had indeed done her utmost.
“Wait, if there are spirit stones, could the speed be faster?”
Ji Qing suddenly asked.
“Spirit stones?”
A hint of joy flashed in the Yunmeng Goddess’s eyes: “If there are spirit stones, then while condensing divine power, I can also absorb spiritual energy from the spirit stones. Overall, my efficiency would be higher!”
“If spirit stones are sufficient, I have confidence to ripen three spiritual objects in two years!”
The Yunmeng Goddess said confidently.
“One year! I can only give you one year!”
“Goddess, in one year, how many spirit stones do you need?”
“One year?”
The Yunmeng Goddess stared at Ji Qing, knowing he wasn’t joking.
“If one year, the required spirit stones would be enormous, causing great waste… at least three hundred spirit stones!”
The Yunmeng Goddess still gave a number.
Three hundred spirit stones—that was an astronomical figure.
In the Dharma-Ending Age, absolutely impossible to have so many spirit stones.
Finding three to five spirit stones would already be heavenly luck.
“Ling Ling, how many spirit stones are in the Storage Jade Pendant?”
Ji Qing asked via transmission.
“Mister Ji, the Storage Jade Pendant is mostly spirit stones, at least over ten thousand.”
“How many?”
“Over ten thousand…”
Ji Qing fell silent.
Over ten thousand?
Were cultivators from before all so wealthy?
“Mister Ji, my master was different; he was a talisman master who was poor except for spirit stones…”
Ji Qing understood.
Not all cultivators were wealthy; Ling Ling’s master was very wealthy.
Thus, Ji Qing naturally wasn’t stingy.
“Goddess, here are four hundred spirit stones. You must ripen three spiritual objects in one year! The shorter the time, the better.”
At this time, Ji Qing wasn’t stingy either.
He vaguely felt that heaven and earth would greatly change.
He must promote to Innate as soon as possible.
“Four hundred spirit stones?”
The Yunmeng Goddess felt like she was dreaming.
However, as Ling Ling controlled the Storage Jade Pendant, a pile of spirit stones immediately appeared before the Yunmeng Goddess.
Not too many, not too few—exactly four hundred, all attribute-less spirit stones.
“There really are four hundred spirit stones…”
The Yunmeng Goddess gave Ji Qing a deep look.
She roughly guessed it must be a Storage Magic Tool.
However, she had no greed.
She walked the Divine Path.
Spirit stones were useful, but divine power was more important.
Moreover, the current Ji Qing still gave her an extremely dangerous feeling.
Even though her divine power had greatly increased, she still felt Ji Qing was very dangerous.
Ji Qing didn’t leave the Water Mansion.
Anyway, it was just one year.
He stayed in the Water Mansion, watching the Yunmeng Goddess nurture the three five elements spiritual objects.
As for Han Gao, he also cultivated in the Water Mansion.
The spiritual energy in the Water Mansion was quite good; after all, it was the goddess’s residence, counting as a small grotto-heaven blessed land.
Although Ji Qing’s cultivation could no longer improve.
Even the might of Astonishing Swan Saber couldn’t improve.
But he could still cultivate Ice Palm and Thousand Mile Divine Movement.
He was confident he could cultivate both martial arts to perfection within a year.
There was also saber intent.
This progressed a bit slower.
But it wasn’t impossible to improve.
Merging saber momentum was useless now; he could only rely on “enlightenment.”
And Ji Qing’s saber intent was “heaven and earth.”
The Yunmeng River bottom was also a form of “heaven and earth.”
Hiding at the Yunmeng River bottom, Ji Qing could similarly comprehend the Yunmeng River and integrate the artistic conception of the Yunmeng River into his saber intent.
Time passed quickly; in the blink of an eye, a year went by.
This day, the Yunmeng Goddess suddenly came before Ji Qing.
“Mister Ji, mission accomplished—the three spiritual objects have matured!”
“Whoosh.”
Ji Qing abruptly looked up.
“Let’s go!”
Ji Qing immediately went to the medicinal garden with the Yunmeng Goddess.
He saw the three spiritual objects in the medicinal garden.
Emanating rich fragrance and spiritual energy aura.
Undoubtedly, these three spiritual objects had truly matured!
Thus, Ji Qing now had all five elements spiritual objects.
He could finally cultivate the Innate Five Elements Destruction Scripture, attempt to open the Heaven and Earth Bridge, and prepare to promote to Innate!
