Free Web NovelChapter 393: Chapter 183: True Astral
Chen Qing focused his Heart and Spirit, Embracing the Origin and Guarding Unity.
With his Twelve Orthodox Meridians fully cleared, his body’s True Qi was harmonious and full, having reached the very pinnacle of the Embrace Pill Realm.
His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were now in perfect unison. He cautiously guided the vast, ocean-like Cyan Wood True Qi to strike at the Heaven and Earth Bridge—the link between the human body and the mysteries of the universe.
At first, there was no earth-shattering phenomenon—only absolute silence.
Chen Qing’s entire consciousness was immersed in introspection. He could see his own True Qi, like a colossal dam ready to burst, surging with incredible power. Yet, it was constrained by his formidable willpower, tirelessly crashing against that invisible yet resilient barrier, again and again.
Time seemed to lose all meaning.
An unknown amount of time passed. It could have been an instant, or it could have been a year.
Suddenly!
Chen Qing’s body trembled slightly. From the depths of his mind, a sound echoed—faint, yet impossibly clear.
It was like the cracking of an eggshell, heralding the birth of a new life! fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
The Heaven and Earth Bridge, the barrier separating the human body from the greater world outside, had finally been shattered by his unparalleled, robust foundation and unwavering will!
In that instant, the world itself seemed to convulse!
With Chen Qing’s Quiet Chamber at its epicenter, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi for dozens of yards around began to churn violently, as if stirred by an unseen giant hand, and rushed madly toward him!
Inside the Quiet Chamber, the phenomenon was even more spectacular.
A cyan stream of energy, so dense it was almost tangible, materialized from thin air. As if answering a summons, it joyfully coiled around Chen Qing, pouring madly into his body through every pore, especially through the Baihui Acupoint on the crown of his head!
This Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was incredibly pure, yet also wildly volatile. The moment it entered his body, it violently collided and began to merge with his own vast Cyan Wood True Qi.
HUMMM—!
A deep, grand hum emanated from within Chen Qing, like the morning bell of an ancient temple, washing over his Heart and Spirit.
A flicker of pain crossed his face, and his body trembled slightly.
This was the most crucial—and most dangerous—step.
Energy Introduction, to refine the True Gang!
If he lost control, not only would he fail to convert the energy, but he could also damage his meridians or even destabilize his entire foundation.
This was the stage where, as Shen Xiuyong had once explained, many people failed.
Heaven Rewards Diligence; success is assured.
For Chen Qing, the breakthrough was a natural progression.
The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi flowed smoothly into his body. He then guided every wisp of this external energy, forcing it into the circulatory path of his own True Qi.
Compression! Refinement! Fusion!
During this painful yet wondrous process, a strand of Cyan Wood True Qi within his Dantian Sea of Qi began to undergo a fundamental transformation.
After absorbing a massive amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, the Cyan Wood True Qi became increasingly dense and heavy. Its color shifted from a deep cyan to one tinged with a lustrous, jade-like sheen. As it flowed, it no longer sounded like crashing waves but instead produced the razor-sharp sound of something tearing through the air!
A quantitative change had triggered a qualitative one!
When the very last trace of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was successfully refined, Chen Qing’s Dantian jolted violently!
All of his Cyan Wood True Qi contracted suddenly, only to erupt a moment later!
A new form of energy was born!
It was still cyan, but it was as dense as mercury and as heavy as a mountain!
Though it was just a single strand, it contained a terrifying power far surpassing his previous True Qi. With a mere thought, it could burst from his body, stir the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and unleash earth-shattering might!
Next, Chen Qing had to refine all the Cyan Wood True Qi in his body into Cyan Wood True Gang.
...
Deep within the Gui Water Institute, the stone door of a Quiet Chamber slowly slid open.
Nie Shanshan walked out slowly. Her face was pale with exhaustion, but her eyes were still clear, and her aura was more stable and reserved.
Chu Jinyun, the Dean of the Gui Water Institute, and Peng Zhen, the Dean of the Kun Earth Institute, who had been standing guard outside as Protectors, hurried to greet her.
Chu Jinyun’s gaze swept over Nie Shanshan. Noticing the absence of the unique aura of flowing True Gang, a flicker of disappointment crossed her heart, but it was quickly replaced by composure.
She knew well how difficult it was to break through to the Astral Force realm. How could she expect success on the first try?
"How did it go?" Chu Jinyun asked, her voice gentle.
Nie Shanshan stopped and bowed respectfully to Chu Jinyun and Peng Zhen. "I have disappointed you, Master, Uncle Peng. I was fortunate enough to connect to the Heaven and Earth Bridge and perform Energy Introduction, but in the end... I failed to refine the True Gang and break through my bottleneck."
"To succeed in connecting to the Heaven and Earth Bridge and performing Energy Introduction on your very first attempt is already an extraordinary feat!"
Peng Zhen stroked his beard, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
He knew just how difficult that first step was. Countless cultivators at Embracing Pill Perfection were stuck before this stage, unable to even touch the threshold of the Heaven and Earth Bridge.
Chu Jinyun also nodded slightly and comforted her, "Brother Peng is right. Although you failed to condense the True Gang, your True Qi has been tempered by the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. It will surely be purer, and your foundation more solid. That in itself is significant progress."
Nie Shanshan nodded, feeling the more condensed True Qi within her. "You are perceptive, Master. The purity of my True Qi has indeed improved, and its total volume has also increased slightly."
A failed breakthrough was not a total loss.
After this tempering, her True Qi was more powerful and resilient than before, laying a more solid foundation for her next attempt.
Chu Jinyun, Peng Zhen, and even most of the Astral Force Elders in the Sect had all undergone this tempering process several times.
Peng Zhen’s expression was serious, tinged with a hint of envy. "With a foundation like this, after a bit more accumulation and settling, your chances of success on your next attempt will increase dramatically!"
He knew well that Nie Shanshan’s results from this "first time" were already far beyond ordinary.
"Yes. As long as your strength has improved, this period of seclusion was not in vain," Chu Jinyun affirmed once more.
Nie Shanshan’s expression was calm, showing little sign of discouragement.
