"What is this Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form?"
Yu Ci had not heard clearly, but He Qing did not wish to repeat herself for the moment. Instead, she reached out and seized the worm-like Fish-Dragon.
The little creature did not resist, and Yu Ci did not try to stop her. Given He Qing's status, it was unlikely she would cause trouble for him, an Outer Disciple.
As expected, He Qing merely held the creature, twirling it in her hand before releasing it. It was only a brief confirmation, her attention eventually returned to Yu Ci.
"How did you extract the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form?" she asked.
"What is the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form?" Yu Ci asked back, having heard clearly this time.
He Qing frowned, realizing that Yu Ci truly did not understand. After a brief pause, she explained:
"Every Fish-Dragon possesses the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline, you know this, right?"
Yu Ci nodded. This was something Old Daoist Yu Zhou had explained long ago.
"The Heavenly Dragon Bloodline is a conceptual entity. When it manifests in the physical world, particularly in a Fish-Dragon, it becomes the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form. It is gradually accumulated and transformed through a series of processes, from the Shrimp Whisker Grass, to the Fish Dragon Grass, and finally to the Fish-Dragon itself. It is the source of all life energy in a Fish-Dragon."
He Qing lightly pressed her hand on her Fish-Dragon's head, drawing an imaginary line from between its two short horns, extending backwards.
"This Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form is concentrated and does not disperse, running from head to tail, forming a long string that penetrates the entire body of the Fish-Dragon. With it as the center, flesh and blood are distributed, and the Divine Soul is derived. It is the core of the Fish-Dragon. All aura changes start from it, and all spirit energy concentrates here..."
Isn't this the "Spine" core of the Fish-Dragon?
Yu Ci had a real sense of this. Once He Qing described it, he realized that this was the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form.
"The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form is the essence closest to the True Heavenly Dragon Form. Legend has it that the Shrimp Whisker Grass in the Sky Rift Valley was transformed from the blood of the Primordial Heavenly Dragon. After countless generations, its Heavenly Dragon Bloodline is now extremely diluted. Fish-Dragons start from the Shrimp Whisker Grass, they devour and evolve each other, aiming to gather and refine the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline, thereby deducing the Aura of the Celestial Dragon and achieving the Body of the Heavenly Dragon."
"The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form is the embryonic form of the True Heavenly Dragon Form. The three levels of Skin and Flesh Piercing Scales, Squama-Breaking and Horn-Growing, and Dragon Eye Formation are also correspondingly related to the True Form Qi. The value of the Fish-Dragon lies in this Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form."
He Qing, a woman, stared into the eyes of Yu Ci, a man, and continued, "In comparison, the flesh and divine soul of the Fish-Dragon itself are insignificant. However, it is still the vessel for the True Form Qi. Without this shell, the True Form Qi would be directly exposed to the air and would instantly burn to nothingness. Without the True Form Qi, the Fish-Dragon would gradually dissipate, becoming nothing more than mud.
"Yet, your Fish-Dragon no longer possesses the True Form Qi, but it still clings to life. This must be because the True Form Qi has successfully been preserved outside the Fish-Dragon's body, and is mutually connected with its aura, thus maintaining its existence. How did you manage to do this?"
"Uh…"
If Yu Ci understood correctly, what He Qing referred to as the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form was the Fish-Dragon's "Spine" core. It had already been absorbed into his "Inner Void of the Heart" after a series of changes, transforming into a lively Fish-Dragon, swallowing clouds and exhaling fog, shaking the void within him.
However, explaining this situation was beyond his capabilities.
Just as he was scratching his head, He Qing suddenly took a step forward, narrowing the distance between them. Simultaneously, the head and neck of the Fish-Dragon beside her also extended forward. Both maintained the same pace, a peculiar sight.
A Vacuum Walking Cultivator and a giant creature resembling a python adopting such a posture exerted considerable pressure. Yu Ci merely raised his eyebrows and stood still. At this moment, he was only about three steps away from He Qing. The Fish-Dragon's neck was extended even further, and with its body length, a slight stretch would touch Yu Ci.
At this distance, Yu Ci felt an eerily familiar sensation—it was the sense of danger brought about by the powerful and greedy instinct of the Fish-Dragon's "Spine" core, also known as the "Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form".
The Fish-Dragon before him, intending to devour him?
At this moment, He Qing's delicate white hand was placed on the Fish-Dragon's head. Without any apparent exertion, the creature shuddered violently, its elongated neck retracting swiftly. It dared not linger above the maple forest and took off into the high sky.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
He Qing drove away the Fish-Dragon, then turned to Yu Ci with a nod. "I apologize, it's difficult to control the Fish-Dragon's instinct."
"No offense taken." Yu Ci bowed slightly. He Qing's attitude was rare, and he understood the nature of the Fish-Dragon, so naturally, he didn't mind.
However, when he raised his head, he saw He Qing staring at him with burning eyes. "The Fish-Dragon sensed something, the 'Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form' is indeed in you? How did you manage that?"
How many times had the female cultivator asked this?
Yu Ci was certain that he had accomplished something extraordinary, but the problem was he wanted to know the answer too!
Considering that the Immortal Elder before him might be the most knowledgeable person about the path of the Fish-Dragon within the Sect's Mountain Gate, Yu Ci had no intention of hoarding his knowledge. He organized his words and explained the process of how, on the night on the shady slope of the mountain, his Yin Spirit was devoured by the Fish-Dragon after leaving his body, successfully opened the "Inner Void of the Heart" by connecting with his flesh body, the Fish-Dragon's "Spine," also known as the "Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form," rushed in to compete for the control of the "Inner Void of the Heart," and was eventually defeated by him.
Out of habit, he still concealed information about the Divine Bronze Mirror, and his explanation was inevitably vague in some places. But the events he described were so bizarre that some ambiguity was to be expected, and at least He Qing didn't question it.
After his narration, he looked up to find He Qing staring at him with an indescribable look. The habitual seriousness and rigidity on the female cultivator's face had vanished, replaced by surprise, emotion, and even...
Before Yu Ci could figure out the underlying elements, a new emotion unfolded in He Qing's eyes and brows—it was a smile.
In terms of beauty, He Qing might not be comparable to Murong Qingyan or Red Yin. But her usual reserved demeanor made her sudden smile as radiant as sunlight breaking through the clouds, seeming to light up the entire maple forest.
This was the first time Yu Ci had seen He Qing's smile.
In her smile, He Qing shook her head, "Connecting the inner and outer void... I wonder what expression Junior Brother Jie will have upon hearing this news?"
"Connecting the inner and outer void?" Yu Ci was baffled.
He Qing's smile gradually faded, yet her tone remained gentle, "I'm merely speculating. You should consult Junior Brother Jie for the specifics. He should be able to provide you with a more detailed explanation. I wouldn't want to mislead you. However, one thing is certain. You have indeed absorbed the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, and stored it in your 'Inner Void of the Heart', where you absorbed and transformed it for your own use."
From He Qing's description, it seemed to be a good thing. Yu Ci asked, "What are the benefits of absorbing it?"
"Benefits?"
He Qing glanced at him, "You do have some of the style of our empirical department."
Was this a compliment? Yu Ci felt a bit embarrassed.
He Qing didn't mind, "The exact benefits are hard to describe. After all, True Form Qi is transformed from the Heavenly Dragon Bloodline, with infinite mysteries. When it merges with human flesh and Divine Soul, it will definitely enhance the strength and quality of the flesh and Divine Soul. This is the most basic...
"From another perspective, once your Cultivation Level has reached a certain point, you can trace back to the mysteries of the Primordial Heavenly Dragon's true form through the True Form Qi. Since it's a personal experience, it will greatly benefit your immortal cultivation. You can use the True Heavenly Dragon Form as a reference for your own True Form and Yang Spirit."
Yu Ci roughly understood the reason behind He Qing's previous expression of 'envy', but it seemed too far-fetched for him...
Seemingly perceiving his thoughts, He Qing paused before continuing, "From your description, the Fish-Dragon transformed by the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form has resonated with your 'Mental Image of Void', involving the most profound connection between Physical Image and Mental Image. I speculate that once you've fully absorbed the 'Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form', and there's no distinction between the inner and outer, there will definitely be a major leap in the 'Primordial Root Qi Method'. As for how much progress you can make, you'd better consult Junior Brother Jie."
Given He Qing's temperament, it was clear that she did not speak lightly. Yu Ci was delighted and quickly bowed in gratitude. Before he could rise, he heard He Qing speak in a deep voice:
"The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form and the human flesh and blood Divine Soul are ultimately different. Through permeation and absorption, and the long passage of time, the future integration period will be lengthy. I have a 'Method of Returning to Void and Combining' here. Although it cannot enhance your Cultivation Level, it is specifically designed to dissolve foreign Qi. You might as well take it for reference."
Before Yu Ci could react, she continued, "You are not a direct disciple of the Sect's Mountain Gate, so when I teach you this method, it cannot be written down. Listen carefully, I will only recite it three times."
Even if Yu Ci had a thousand questions, he had to suppress them. He listened intently. The mantra was not very long, just over a thousand words. After reaching Yin Spirit Perfection, Yu Ci's Divine Soul potential was stimulated. With full concentration, it was not difficult to remember everything after hearing it three times. After the third time, he had memorized it correctly.
He Qing had him recite it again. Seeing that he had memorized it, she pointed out a few key points to him before finally concluding this part of the teaching.
Yu Ci studied diligently, but his doubts only accumulated. Today's He Qing was almost a completely different person from the female cultivator he had first met. What on earth had happened?
He Qing didn't seem to intend to answer his questions, only saying, "In the path of cultivation, opportunity comes first, temperament second, and innate talent last. You have joined our sect and have been fortunate to receive guidance from your senior brothers, paving the way for your future. In terms of opportunity, you are already admirable. In your future cultivation, you must devote yourself fully, advance courageously, and not waste this opportunity... Do not disappoint him!"
Yu Ci was taken aback. Although she didn't specify, the last sentence was heavy with ominous implications. The "him" she referred to must be the recently deceased Old Daoist Yu Zhou.
Doubts piled up like a mountain. He looked at He Qing, but the female cultivator had regained her serious expression. Yu Ci could no longer read any information from her face. Then, a voice called out:
"Yu Ci."
This was He Qing calling his name again. Yu Ci was startled and responded with a "Yes".
"You were in charge of coordinating various sects in Cliff City to jointly defend against the Demons. However, during the battle with the Demons, your planning was not thorough, and your actions were crude, causing many cultivators and civilians in the city to die. Are you aware of your mistake?"
Yu Ci was taken aback, but he quickly recovered and bowed, saying, "I am aware of my mistake."
As he bowed his head, he almost laughed out loud.
Could this be the legendary serial explosion? Updating at night, I can only beg my brothers and sisters to vote for a breakthrough, and seize the initiative...
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e