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Sky Prison.
Room No. D24.
[Mirror Master: Xu Xing.]
[Taoist Fruits: Lifetime of mediocrity (White), Broad Knowledge and Strong Memory (Grey↑).]
[World: Late Qing Country (All Heavens).]
[Descent: Soul.]
[Time flow rate: One to Five.]
[Destiny: Broad Knowledge and Strong Memory (White), Average Martial Arts (Red).]
On the gold clear mirror surface, his Destiny changed once again.
"Your Grey Destiny [Broad Knowledge and Strong Memory] has been promoted to White Destiny. Do you choose to solidify it with [Taoist Fruits], transforming it from an illusory cause into a real fruit?"
"You have gained a new Destiny: [Average Martial Arts]."
"Do you choose to solidify it with [Taoist Fruits]?"
One sentence after another flowed across the mirror surface.
"No!"
"No!"
Xu Xing rubbed his temples, refusing both Destinies.
It wasn't that he didn't want to solidify the two Destinies with [Taoist Fruits] now; it was because his current physical condition was extremely depleted. If he took another dose of Musk Dragon Powder or solidified a Destiny now, he would likely die instantly.
Moreover, his current Grey Destiny [Broad Knowledge and Strong Memory] was sufficient. He wasn't in a hurry to change it to a White Destiny.
As for the Red Fate [Average Martial Arts], it was something he urgently needed. If he solidified this Red Fate with [Taoist Fruits], he could directly change his fundamental aptitude and instantly gain Qi Sensation.
But—
He didn't have enough vital energy to exchange for this Destiny. Perhaps as soon as he exchanged it, his life force would be exhausted, and he would die on the spot.
Moreover… after the Red Fate [Average Martial Arts] manifested, Xu Xing discovered that by mentally clicking on the Red Fate, he could see a secondary page explaining it.
It was only after seeing this explanation that he refused to solidify it immediately.
[Average Martial Arts: Those born with a fluke of innate Qi Sensation advance rapidly in the early stages of the Martial Dao, but their actual aptitude is average, making significant progress on the Martial Path difficult.]
Relying solely on Destiny is not the solution.
If I can find Qi Sensation in the Instance World, I should be able to find it in Reality as well.
Xu Xing strengthened his resolve.
Once again, he took advantage of the night to sit cross-legged, searching for the elusive Qi Sensation.
In the first few days, he made no progress at all.
It wasn't until the fifth day had passed that, finally, a wisp of internal energy slowly formed in his Niwan Palace.
After this wisp of internal energy was born, the meat that had accumulated in Xu Xing's body, as well as the excess fat he had recently gained, gradually transformed into strands of internal energy under the operation of the Stony Heart Method, accumulating in his Dantian.
However, Xu Xing didn't focus on accumulating internal energy. Instead, he circulated it back into his body, tempering his internal organs, especially his kidneys. Due to the Musk Dragon Powder, his kidneys were the most severely depleted.
There are five realms of internal cultivation in the Martial Dao: Qi Sensing, Body Cultivation, Storing Truth, Innate, and Grandmaster.
Xu Xing had already passed the Qi Sensing stage. What remained was Body Cultivation, which involved strengthening the internal organs.
Realizing that his internal organs could no longer assimilate more internal energy, Xu Xing began to accumulate it.
In one night, he amassed about four strands of internal energy.
Only after one full circulation of the cultivation method could a strand of internal energy be born in the Niwan Palace. The time required for one full circulation depended on a warrior's fundamental aptitude, proficiency, realm, and so on. With Xu Xing's ordinary aptitude, circulating the method for one full cycle took at least one hour.
At this moment, the sound of a rooster crowing came from outside the Sky Prison.
Rooster crowing heralded the time before dawn.
It's almost dawn... My body has recovered to normal. If I'm discovered...
Xu Xing's expression flickered.
He immersed his consciousness in the Bronze Ancient Mirror. Only then did he choose to solidify the Red Fate [Average Martial Arts] using [Taoist Fruits].
Instantly, the four strands of internal energy stored in his Dantian were completely exhausted. At the same time, a large portion of his vital energy was drained from his body.
He immediately wilted, returning to a near-death state.
However, the moment the Red Fate [Average Martial Arts] was solidified, Xu Xing also felt as if his body had changed somewhat. Although it hadn't reached the level of complete rebirth or marrow cleansing, it was a visible change compared to before.
The most immediate change was a heightened sensitivity to Qi.
Xu Xing immediately swallowed all the leftover food from the previous day, then circulated the Stony Heart Method to extract the essence from the meat…
As expected, one full circulation now only took him one hour.
The speed of accumulating internal energy had doubled. Moreover, his ability to refine the essence of food also increased from forty percent to seventy percent.
Only a little residue from the food in his stomach remained.
But Xu Xing stopped meditating after accumulating only two strands of internal energy in his Dantian.
Just before the sky brightened, he leaned back and lay on the straw bale, feigning deep sleep.
It only took… ten days? He achieved Qi Sensation?
Xu Xing's unusual state could deceive Wu, the book handler, and Scholar Su, who were not martial artists, but not Fifth-Rank Dingyuan General Chang Ji, who had taught him the cultivation method. Not long after dawn, Chang Ji noticed Xu Xing was different.
Chang Ji was deeply shocked by this.
Although it took Xu Xing three days longer than the promised seven days to achieve Qi Sensation, it was important to remember that during this period, Xu Xing had received no guidance from any master and had cultivated Qi Sensation entirely on his own.
Ten days, no master's guidance, achieving Qi Sensation by himself.
In terms of aptitude, he's even better than me. Back then, under my family's guidance, it took me eight days to successfully achieve Qi Sensation. Could it be… I was mistaken? His aptitude is extraordinary?
Chang Ji looked thoughtful.
He casually made an excuse, lured Xu Xing to his side, and then examined his bones.
His aptitude is much stronger than I anticipated. It seems I was mistaken.
Chang Ji sighed. He didn't suspect anything else, merely thinking that he had been hungry for too long, making him weak and his vision blurry, causing him to misjudge Xu Xing's aptitude ten days ago.
"Two adults," Wu, the book handler, quickly separated the two men, pleading, "fighting is not allowed in the Sky Prison…"
Looking at Chang Ji's expression, my physical aptitude must have truly changed, and it can be discerned through bone examination. This change isn't significant enough to be dangerous, so it was a close call. But in the future… I need to be careful about this. I must remember not to easily expose my aptitude.
Xu Xing stepped back, putting distance between himself and Chang Ji, pondering.
With my cunning, Chang Ji can't outwit me. The reason I let him succeed was, firstly, to put his mind at ease and prevent him from becoming suspicious, which might arouse the suspicion of Wu, the book handler, and the other Prison Officers. Secondly… with Chang Ji's current physical strength, he isn't strong enough to kill me. And I, at this moment, am not entirely defenseless; I have some ability to protect myself. Chang Ji is currently hanging on by a thread. Of course, I'm also confident that even if Chang Ji had the power to kill me, he wouldn't risk it now. In other words, the two of us are now grasshoppers on the same string.
"Mr. Xu…" Old Li's voice came from the entrance of the passageway. "Your wife has come to see you again."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xing's expression suddenly darkened.
It had been over half a month. He had taken Musk Dragon Powder four times and been in the bridal chamber with Zhao Yunniang four times. Yet, during all this time, he had managed to cling to life, not breathing his last.
This time… is the fifth. If I still don't die… in the long run, it will definitely arouse Han Sui's suspicion.
It seems I need to start planning. I wonder if Yunniang is… with me or with Han Sui. She… probably wouldn't want her child to be born without a father, right?
...
PS: This week is recommended for pursuit, try not to stockpile books, thank you on my knees.