Chapter 6: Grave Peril

Seeing the Madam so vexed, Jiang Hai frowned slightly. When the Ancestor had arranged the betrothal, no mention was made of a bride price. Now that she had brought it up, he found it difficult to object. He simply waved his hand, dispatching a servant to convey the news to Qin Liang. It was better to give notice early than to let Qin Liang be caught off guard, which would make it hard to answer to the Ancestor upon his return.

...

Upon learning that Li Qiumei intended to make things difficult regarding the bride price, Qin Liang was not overly concerned. He had already intended to prepare a generous amount; he was determined to provide the best bride price to marry Jiang Xuehan.

Back in his quarters, Qin Liang closed the door and, with a flick of his mind, summoned the Heavenly Desolation Cauldron.

"Let's try this."

He tossed the spiritual herbs he had acquired into the cauldron. The precious vessel emanated a cyan glow and began the refining process. Practitioners refine their spirits by absorbing spiritual substances, and spiritual herbs—a specific type of such substance—possess unique medicinal value, rendering them far more precious than ordinary spiritual matter. Common folk rarely see spiritual herbs and must rely on mundane plants for healing, which do not even reach the first grade. Qin Liang, therefore, cherished them greatly and wished not to waste a single bit.

He stared intently at the cauldron, watching as the impurities in the herbs evaporated at a visible rate, while the spiritual essence was extracted drop by drop. After a few breaths, the room was filled with the fragrance of medicine, invigorating Qin Liang’s spirit.

"Is that about it?"

Seeing only a tiny drop of liquid left in the Heavenly Desolation Cauldron, Qin Liang felt a sense of helplessness. Yet, he knew this was the pure essence; anything else would merely be impurity, useless for spiritual refining. Many people fail to absorb pure spiritual substances, resulting in poor refining outcomes or even blocked meridians. But with the Heavenly Desolation Cauldron, Qin Liang had no such worries regarding purity.

After consuming the liquid, Qin Liang began to circulate his cultivation technique to absorb the spiritual energy. As the energy flowed through his meridians, he felt his entire body grow warm, and the impurities within were gradually purged. Thanks to the miraculous nature of his technique, the spiritual essence was fully refined within a few breaths.

Qin Liang’s strength increased once more, though this only deepened his second spiritual refining. To commence a third, this amount of energy was far from sufficient.

"I must find more spiritual substances to enhance my strength as quickly as possible," Qin Liang pondered. His time was running out, and Li Hongcai, who had undergone seven spiritual refinings, was not to be underestimated. The common belief that one should not exceed five refinings in half a year existed because spiritual substances are impure and difficult to digest quickly. However, with the Heavenly Desolation Cauldron in his possession, Qin Liang might be able to break that limitation.

Moreover, the many Dao Roots within his body could not possibly be mere decorations. At the very least, he had felt no ill effects from performing two refinings in a single day, suggesting he could attempt more. Before setting out, however, he needed to possess some means of self-preservation.

Night had fallen, and the sky seemed shrouded in dense, dark mist, deep and profound.

"Let's start with the Wind-Striding Steps and the Seven-Star Fist!"

When Qin Liang walked into the courtyard, he had already selected two low-grade Yellow-rank martial techniques and began to practice. Over the years, he had spent his idle time browsing the Jiang family’s martial arts library. Although he could not cultivate them then, his memory was sharp; he had memorized them perfectly and would occasionally mimic the movements. Now, it was simply a matter of synchronizing those movements with his increased strength—a task of little difficulty.

Low-grade Yellow-rank techniques, also known as foundational martial arts, are the premier choice for those at the beginning stages of spiritual refining. As he took a step, his figure darted and shifted like a ghost. Because he was unpracticed, he soon kicked up a storm of dust, leaving himself covered in grime. Yet, he did not give up, continuing to practice with tireless devotion.

"I need to control my center of gravity and let the body move with my intent."

Qin Liang already knew the essence of these techniques by heart. Once he mastered the control of his newfound strength, it was only a matter of time before he could command his center of gravity. Two hours later, a figure darted rapidly through the courtyard; Qin Liang moved like a nocturnal cat, landing without a sound. He stepped along the rim of a water vat, and the water inside barely rippled.

"It is done."

Qin Liang landed as lightly as a swallow, his proficiency in the Wind-Striding Steps now showing initial success. After a brief rest, he began to practice the Seven-Star Fist. His figure moved swiftly through the yard, his fists and kicks creating gusts of wind, blending hardness and softness—a sign that he had grasped his power to a certain degree. He moved with intent, appearing quite unconstrained and transcendent.

The Seven-Star Fist is so named because each punch delivers seven layers of hidden force. In the Jiang family’s library, it was considered a superior low-grade Yellow-rank technique. Ordinary people at the spiritual refining stage struggle to produce all seven layers, but even after reaching higher realms, one can continue to refine the technique. This was why many disciples chose it. Having memorized the essence long ago, Qin Liang found it easy to execute.

Another two hours passed, and Qin Liang successfully produced three layers of hidden force. If others knew this, they would be stunned by his achievement; the Jiang family’s Ancestor had only achieved three layers after five spiritual refinings, whereas Qin Liang was only at his second.

"Still not enough."

Qin Liang did not let pride get the better of him. He knew he had lagged far behind his peers and needed to accelerate his progress. He continued to practice, moving with ease and grace, possessing the air of a young master. After midnight, he had managed to produce a fourth layer of hidden force. He wanted more, but as someone who had only undergone two spiritual refinings, he lacked the stamina and would have to wait until his next refining to continue improving.

"Not bad."

Qin Liang was quite satisfied as he finished his final move, preparing to return to his room for sleep. Suddenly, a tall, dark shadow leaped down from the wall and reached Qin Liang’s back in an instant, drawing a long blade from his waist with a harsh, grating sound. On the wall stood another, slightly stout man in black, who did not join the fray but stood watch, coldly saying to his companion, "Be swift. Don't let anyone notice."

"Don't worry," the other replied, lunging directly at Qin Liang.

"A third-level spiritual refining practitioner?"

Qin Liang’s expression tightened. The opponent’s speed was significantly faster than a second-level practitioner; he could not afford to be careless. Just as the long blade was about to fall, Qin Liang suddenly had wind beneath his feet, side-stepping the blow. While dodging, he closed the distance to the man in black and struck his chest with a palm.

"How is this possible?"

The man in black had been careless and could not believe Qin Liang’s speed.

*Bang!*

The man in black flew backward as if struck by an ox, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale.

"You... you are not a first-level spiritual refining practitioner?"

The tall man in black looked shocked, staring at Qin Liang in disbelief. He knew Qin Liang had only just tested his Dao Root; it had only been a day! How could he have completed two refinings? Setting aside his first-grade Dao Root qualifications, where would he have found so much spiritual substance?

"Did Li Hongcai send you?" Qin Liang asked in a deep voice, approaching the man, a chill emanating from his body.

"Hmph, you only have yourself to blame for provoking someone you shouldn't have," the man in black sneered, struggling to his feet.

The man on the wall looked down and saw the scene, his expression changing slightly. "What a nuisance."

He leaped down, blocking Qin Liang from the other side. He, too, was a third-level spiritual refining practitioner. Surrounded from both front and back, Qin Liang’s situation looked grim.