Half a month later, on the back of Celestial Gate Mountain, Situ Jingyu’s expression was calm, but her steps were heavy. She followed a winding path forward, and before long, an icy, crystal-like vapor drifted from up ahead.
It was a frigid pool, shrouded in mist. Fang Qingyuan’s figure could be seen dimly within it.
"Aunt Situ, Elder Fang is in the middle of his training. It’s not a convenient ti for him to see visitors."
A woman with a cool expression was in attendance in front of the frigid pool. After seeing Situ Jingyu, she greeted her respectfully and blocked her path.
When Situ Jingyu saw this beautiful woman, she felt an instant dislike. She recognized her—it was Zhan Zhi’er. Recently, Zhan Zhi’er had been constantly by Fang Qingyuan’s side, practically becoming his spokesperson.
’You dare block even ?’ Situ Jingyu’s brow furrowed. She was just about to speak, but before she could open her mouth, she heard Fang Qingyuan’s voice co from the frigid pool behind the woman:
"Senior Sister Situ is no outsider. Please let her in."
Only after receiving Fang Qingyuan’s order did the woman move aside, clearing the way for Situ Jingyu.
Situ Jingyu shot her a glance and walked in with her head held high.
In the frigid pool, Fang Qingyuan was subrged up to his torso. The edge of the pool was lined with solid, white ice, and the temperature was extrely low.
However, for a Body Refining Cultivator like Situ Jingyu, such low temperatures were nothing to be concerned about.
Fang Qingyuan wore only a pair of shorts, his bare torso not particularly muscular. From the cold, his skin had taken on an unnatural, pale-white hue.
"How can you be in the mood to train at a ti like this? There are only two and a half months left! What good will this bit of progress in your Body Refining do?"
Hearing Situ Jingyu’s faintly complaining words, Fang Qingyuan laughed from within the frigid pool:
"Every day of training counts. This frigid pool refreshes the mind and tempers the body, which is perfect for the introductory stage of my Five Elents Undying Body’s Path of Water.
And what about you? Aren’t you supposed to be on the front lines fighting the Spirit Wood Alliance? Did you hurry back just to lecture ?"
Situ Jingyu looked slightly embarrassed. She had been on the front lines, and by the ti she heard the news about Fang Qingyuan’s life-and-death duel with Qu Jianyan, it was already quite late. She had imdiately pushed off her duties and made an excuse to co back.
She never expected that after finally managing to see Fang Qingyuan, this would be the attitude she received.
"I had official business and was just passing by, so I thought I’d check on you. Wouldn’t want to miss my chance before Qu Jianyan kills you."
Situ Jingyu’s words were caustic. She found a random spot to sit and watched the man in the frigid pool. In her mind, Fang Qingyuan was just an Early-stage Cultivator who had only reached Foundation Establishnt three years ago. How could he possibly be a match for a veteran Foundation Establishnt Cultivator like Qu Jianyan, who even had a Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Companion Beast?
Fang Qingyuan looked at the ever-straightforward Situ Jingyu and asked lightly:
"You don’t believe in either?"
Situ Jingyu’s expression froze. She lowered her voice and said:
"I believe in you, but I’m terrified Qu Jianyan will actually kill you. In a ’life-and-death duel,’ no one can interfere. If he’s truly set on killing you, you won’t make it out alive."
SPLASH.
As icy droplets of water rolled off him, Fang Qingyuan stepped out of the frigid pool. He took a clean robe from his storage pouch and put it on before saying confidently:
"Qu Jianyan wouldn’t dare. And even if he went mad and tried to kill , he doesn’t have the ability. He’s nothing but withered bones in a tomb. The man hasn’t fought anyone in decades."
"But he has the advantage in cultivation realm! And on top of that, he has that Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Spirit Beast. How on earth do you plan to win?"
Situ Jingyu grew agitated. She had even considered finding an opportunity to severely injure that old bag of bones herself beforehand.
"I can’t tell you right now. But since you believe , Senior Sister, you can do a favor."
"What favor?"
Hearing Fang Qingyuan ask for help, Situ Jingyu’s face lit up, but then he continued:
"I need you to go to the various betting houses in the Nanchu Sect and the Artifact Talisman Alliance and place a bet of ten Top-grade Spirit Stones at each one—betting that I’ll win!"
...
Situ Jingyu left, fuming and carrying a bag of Spirit Stones, while Fang Qingyuan carefully contemplated the results of his recent Body Refining session.
After drinking a bowl of nourishing dicinal soup worth over one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, Fang Qingyuan sensed that so wonderful changes had occurred deep within his body as a result of his training.
His resistance to Water Power was increasing. The price was a depletion of his body’s foundational essence, but the dicinal soup was now converting its potency to replenish what had been consud.
Even for soone as wealthy as Fang Qingyuan, it was painful to see that spiritual materials worth a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones were only enough for a single training session.
Fang Qingyuan sensed that his current body was still a long way from reaching the Qi Refining Great Success Realm described in his cultivation technique. He would need at least a hundred more sessions like the one he had just completed.
The Qi Refining Level of the Five Elents Undying Body required one to temper their body in extre environnts corresponding to each of the five elents, allowing it to develop sufficient adaptability to the Five Elents Power.
Take the frigid pool where Fang Qingyuan had just trained, for example. Its temperature was so low that if a mortal fell in, they would be frozen into an ice sculpture within monts.
Even with his current physique, Fang Qingyuan had to actively circulate his Body Refining Technique just to withstand the cold after entering.
However, after this one day of training, Fang Qingyuan discovered that his body’s resistance to Water Power had increased slightly. If he continued like this and trained a hundred more tis, he was confident that he could withstand attacks from Low-Tier Water Techniques using only his physical body, without any other ans of defense.
In the Cultivation Realm, the power of techniques is divided into Low-level Techniques, Middle-level Techniques, and High-level Techniques.
Qi Refining Cultivators generally use Low- and Middle-level Techniques in combat. High-level Techniques are occasionally used by late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators, but they are most commonly employed by Foundation Establishnt Cultivators.
Above High-level Techniques are those on the level of the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Celestial Lords, the Twenty-Eight Constellations, and the Zhoutian Stars.
Just like the grading of Talismans, the power of a technique primarily depends on the number of core constructs that form it.
Of course, a low-level spell casually cast by a Nascent Soul Cultivator would still be more powerful than a Celestial Lord-level technique used by a Golden Core Cultivator.
Ultimately, it all depends on one’s cultivation level. Furthermore, when a Nascent Soul Cultivator makes a move, they imbue it with their own True aning of the Great Dao. Even a Low-level Technique, once infused with this True aning, is no longer sothing that can be easily countered.
The techniques Fang Qingyuan had used most frequently in the past were primarily Low- and Middle-level. He rarely used High-level Techniques, to say nothing of those on the level of the Nine Luminaries or the Twelve Celestial Lords.
Techniques on the level of the Nine Luminaries and the Twelve Celestial Lords were typically only used as a primary combat thod by cultivators who specialized in them. Ordinary cultivators would simply prepare Talismans of a corresponding quality instead.
This was because practicing such techniques consud an enormous amount of ti and resources.
The effort and Spirit Stones required to practice a single technique to the point of mastery were by no ans a small sum.
But once mastered, their power was astonishing. Most importantly, they could be activated at any mont, eliminating the need to constantly spend Spirit Stones on Talismans.
Naturally, Fang Qingyuan had no ti or energy to practice other Five Elents Techniques. He was already stretched thin; raising the Purple Spirit Crystal Fish fry and handling matters for the Ministry of Affairs occupied most of his ti.
Adding the practice of his Five Elents Undying Body and his regular daily cultivation to the mix, he had even less ti to study those Five Elents Techniques.
Thinking of the duel in two and a half months, Fang Qingyuan shook his head slightly. ’Strategically, one should look down on the enemy, but in practice, one must still treat the situation with caution.’
At this thought, Fang Qingyuan imrsed his consciousness into the Immortal Mansion. It had been a long ti since Jinbao had gone to sleep. ’Counting the days, it should be waking up soon.’
And so, inside the Immortal Mansion, Fang Qingyuan’s soul quietly appeared in the cave where Jinbao rested. He stared at Jinbao’s small ears for a mont, then let out a laugh.
’This little guy, Jinbao, is already awake,’ he thought. ’He’s just lazing in bed.’
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