Chapter 10: Early Stage of Qi Introduction

“Ten years…”
Liu Qingfeng was filled with astonishment.
In the first layer, there were still ten disciples reading, all of whom now looked up at Qu Yi.
De Quan had just stepped out of the room when he heard the noise and turned around abruptly, his expression complex—filled with excitement, shock, and panic.
Liu Qingfeng suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if he had encountered the funniest thing in the world. He looked down on Qu Yi with contempt, yet his eyes flashed with malice.
“Qu Yi, you clueless cultivator. You’ve only been in the sect for a few days already, and you speak so arrogantly. How ridiculous!” Liu Qingfeng laughed loudly.
“Do you dare or not?” Qu Yi replied firmly, ignoring Liu Qingfeng’s mockery.
Liu Qingfeng calmed down, narrowed his eyes at Qu Yi, and smirked darkly. “Fine, Qu Yi. Since you want to ascend early, I’ll fulfill your wish!”
By convention, it took ten years to complete the entire Qi Introduction phase. To break through to the early stage of Foundation Building and then to the later stage required forty to fifty years at the very least. Liu Qingfeng was well aware of this rule. At first, he hesitated due to Qu Yi’s status as the sect leader’s disciple, but after being provoked repeatedly, he no longer cared.
In another ten years, Liu Qingfeng was confident he could reach the Golden Core stage. By then, even if Qu Yi were extraordinary, he wouldn’t be able to reach that stage either. In such a duel, Liu Qingfeng could kill him however he wanted.
Liu Qingfeng sneered repeatedly.
Qu Yi also wore a cold smile. While his actions were partly driven by his dislike for Liu Qingfeng’s mockery of De Quan, the main reason was a voice in his mind constantly urging him to challenge Liu Qingfeng.
This was thanks to that strange sphere within his soul.
Liu Qingfeng laughed heartily and left the room.
Qu Yi went over to De Quan and said with a smile, “Fourth senior brother, don’t blame me for stepping in earlier. I need to set a goal for myself—to surpass Liu Qingfeng. That’s why I spoke harshly.”
De Quan knew full well that Qu Yi was standing up for him, but thinking of Liu Qingfeng’s cultivation level and his background resources, his junior brother faced great difficulties.
“Fifth junior brother, thank you. Over these ten years, whatever you need, I’ll definitely help you,” De Quan said firmly.
Qu Yi smiled and then left the library.
…
Tingfeng Residence.
At that moment, Qu Yi lay on his bed, eyes closed, deep in thought.

He had forgotten the duel oath with Liu Qingfeng; all of Qu Yi’s thoughts were focused on the five-element cultivation techniques he had memorized not long ago. Three techniques for metal, wood, water, and earth, along with two for fire, were all reviewed in his mind as he carefully screened them.

A strict rule in the cultivation world was that one could not practice two-element techniques simultaneously, as it would cause energy conflicts within the body, leading to self-destruction if uncontrolled.

However, upon returning to Tingfeng Residence, Qu Yi tried practicing all five-element techniques initially and found that not only did they not conflict within his body, but they could also blend together.

What surprised Qu Yi even more was that the pathways of his meridians were completely different from those of other cultivators. After spiritual energy entered his dantian, it could also reach the five major organs—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. It seemed that centered around the dantian, these five organs served as containers for vital energy, akin to five external dantians.

Among these five organs, the heart absorbed fire energy, the liver absorbed wood energy, the spleen absorbed earth energy, the lungs absorbed metal energy, and the kidneys absorbed water energy. After spiritual energy entered the body, it first passed through the dantian before naturally dividing, with each type of energy entering its respective organ automatically.

Qu Yi found this phenomenon extremely difficult to understand. Though he couldn’t figure out the reason, he knew that his body would at least not explode due to different energies entering it.

After careful consideration, and also influenced by the mysterious sphere in his soul, Qu Yi decided to practice all five techniques simultaneously.

Metal element… Guixing Gong.
Wood element… Jimu Jin.
Water element… Jibo Gong.
Fire element… Lieyan Zhenjian.
Earth element… Di Huang Gong.

Upon mastering Guixing Gong, one’s body would emit a terrifying aura of metal energy. Jimu Jin was a domineering wood-element technique; after practicing it, one’s wood energy became powerful enough to shatter earth and rocks. Jibo Gong made one’s water energy as calm as an ancient well, yet capable of creating violent waves when activated. Lieyan Zhenjian was a fearsome fire-element technique, with fire energy erupting like a volcano, burning everything in its path. Di Huang Gong created an inexplicable connection between one’s earth energy and the earth itself, allowing continuous supply of energy from the earth.

After mastering these five techniques, their effects all leaned toward offensive power. If combined with five-element spells, the offensive strength would become even greater.

This strong offensive power was why Qu Yi chose these five techniques.

…

After selecting his cultivation techniques, Qu Yi sat cross-legged, practicing Guixing Gong.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered from all over the body—through the limbs, mouth, nose, skin, and head—and flowed entirely into Qu Yi’s body. The metal element energy within this spiritual energy followed the pathways of the “Lonely Star Skill” as it slowly entered the various meridians in his body. Due to consuming the Purple Stem Five-Color Lotus, Qu Yi’s meridians had already changed significantly. Once the metal element energy entered his dantian and filled it, it immediately spilled over into his lungs.

It was a very strange phenomenon, but Qu Yi couldn’t control it and could only allow the metal element energy to enter his lungs. Once there, the metal element energy accumulated on its own, gradually filling the lungs as well.

“My body… is really a freak!” Qu Yi said helplessly as he opened his eyes.

At that moment, with too much metal element energy filling his lungs, it began to spill over into his heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys, causing extreme pain in these organs—like being pierced by countless needles—forcing Qu Yi to curl up in agony.

Just when Qu Yi was at his wits’ end, the strange sphere in his soul acted again, ordering him to practice the “Flame True Scripture” within his body. As the abundant spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed in, the fire element energy entered the dantian, driving out the metal element energy and then penetrating the heart.

The trouble caused by the metal element energy was gone, but the excessive fire element energy began to flare up again. The surplus fire energy rushed into his liver, spleen, and kidneys, causing Qu Yi unbearable pain and uncontrollable convulsions.

The sphere in his soul glowed green once more, instructing him to practice the “Shock Wave Skill.” The water element energy, like a current, flowed into the dantian, extinguishing all the fire energy, before entering his kidneys.

Another wave of pain ensued. With the excess water energy filling his kidneys and unable to enter the lungs already filled with metal element energy or the heart brimming with fire energy, it flowed into his spleen and liver. Qu Yi cried out in pain.

As expected, the sphere acted again, forcing Qu Yi to practice the “Earth Emperor Skill” and the Extreme Wood Energy as well. After practicing all five skills, a strange energy field suddenly formed within Qu Yi’s body. In his dantian, the five elements merged into a unique kind of vital energy, while each of his internal organs contained its own type of energy.

Qu Yi took off his soaked clothes and, after catching his breath, began to examine his body’s condition.

“This body… I’m almost scared to death. But whatever, as long as it doesn’t hurt, who cares how strange it is?” Qu Yi comforted himself, observing the strange form of the vital energy within his body.

However, Qu Yi also noticed that the energies of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—in his body had vastly different capacities, varying in size. The metal element had the most energy, almost bursting the lungs, while the fire element had the least, staying safely in the heart. The energies of the other three elements were moderate. As these five different energies mixed and circulated through the dantian through breathing, they constantly competed with each other, causing Qu Yi to feel pain, itching, or a burning sensation, with various sensations coming in turn.

With a bitter smile, Qu Yi could only keep practicing his martial arts techniques. When he felt his lungs about to burst, he would immediately stop practicing “Lonely Star Skill” and switch to “Flame True Scripture.” Soon after, he would alternate between “Shock Wave Skill,” “Earth Emperor Skill,” and “Extreme Wood Strength,” before starting “Lonely Star Skill” again, in a continuous cycle.

Fortunately, with the help of the mysterious sphere in his soul, Qu Yi was able to move freely, leaving the management of his martial arts techniques to the sphere. Otherwise, he would have been forced to stay in bed, unable to move at all.

“If only there were a technique that could maintain balance among the five elements in the body. That would be great, as I wouldn’t have to practice the five-element techniques constantly.”

Qu Yi muttered to himself, but then smiled bitterly. How could such a technique possibly exist?

Seven days passed. Qu Yi remained in Tingfeng Residence. With the fasting pills available, he would never go hungry, allowing him to devote all his time to practicing martial arts.

“Ah! The spiritual energy has turned into threads! I’ve reached the early stage of Qi Guidance!”

Suddenly, Qu Yi shouted in ecstasy in his room.

It turned out that, with the help of the mysterious sphere, the five martial arts techniques kept circulating, and the absorbed natural spiritual energy was broken down into five types of energy that entered the five internal organs. At this point, the qi entering the dantian had changed from a mixed state to a thread-like form.

Threaded qi was a sign of the early stage of Qi Guidance!

Natural spiritual energy is a mixture of various energies, and when it enters the body, it remains in a mixed state. To reach the early stage of Qi Guidance, these mixed energies must be transformed into thread-like forms that enter the body and reach the dantian.

At this moment, the spiritual energy in Qu Yi’s body entered the dantian in the form of countless thread-like strands, which then transformed into the five-element energies and entered the five internal organs.

Qu Yi had joined the Immortal Cloud Sect less than a month ago, with no one to guide him, yet he had miraculously reached the early stage of Qi Guidance. It was no wonder he was overjoyed.