Fortunately, despite his cultivation being crippled, Xu Qingxian had not attempted to cultivate before now. Who knew? Perhaps by this time, he would have already become a mutilated pile of flesh.
He shook his head at the mere thought, then sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor. According to the memories of his predecessor, assuming this posture would allow one's entire body to be nourished while absorbing qi.
Settling into the lotus position, Xu Qingxian focused his attention and began sensing the surrounding qi in the air.
After a short moment of stillness, he felt a faint sensation brush against his skin, like a spring breeze—yet it was not a spring breeze. It was strange, mysterious, and hard to describe.
"Qi," Xu Qingxian whispered, his eyes snapping open briefly in recognition. Then he shut them once again and began guiding the qi gently into his body.
As the qi trickled into his meridians, he immediately felt the environment shift. It was as if the air had thickened, charged with a current of spiritual power.
Suddenly, a sharp stinging pain erupted inside him.
Xu Qingxian gritted his teeth hard, veins bulging on his forehead. The pain lanced through his body like fiery needles, but he refused to falter.
He knew this was part of the process. He was not absorbing qi into his core. Instead, he was guiding it slowly, allowing it to nourish and awaken his shattered meridians. The goal was not forceful cultivation—it was careful restoration.
The process dragged on. Finally, a faint trickle of qi made its way into his broken meridians.
The moment the qi touched the shattered channels, it felt as if a dying tree in the desert had finally received rain. The reaction was immediate and intense. A flicker of vitality returned.
As if sprouting branches and leaves, tiny tendrils of spiritual energy unfurled from the fragmented ends of his meridians. They reached outward, latching onto other nearby channels, reconnecting the broken pathways. Qi surged through them, nourishing and spreading through the previously damaged sections.
Xu Qingxian watched in awe as his body slowly awakened.
When the restoration of his meridians was finally stable, Xu Qingxian shifted his focus inward—toward his dantian.
Within his body, his dantian resembled a shattered glass sphere. Its fragments floated, scattered and lifeless.
Directing qi from his meridians into the area, Xu Qingxian initiated the nourishment process. At first, the fragments remained dormant, refusing to respond.
But he did not panic.
With unwavering will, he focused the qi onto a single shard and began gently bathing it in energy.
Just as before, the result was astonishing.
A faint ethereal glow began to radiate from the chosen fragment, slowly expanding. The broken dantian began to stir, as if awakening from a long sleep.
Hours passed in silence. Xu Qingxian's breaths were slow, his control absolute.
Gradually, the glowing fragment expanded, growing fuller and more vibrant. Like a bud turning into a blooming flower, a new sphere formed. His dantian, once shattered, now reformed into a singular whole.
From one of the countless fragments of his old dantian, a new one had taken shape.
Xu Qingxian's eyes remained closed, but his face glowed with emotion. Overwhelmed with joy, he focused even more qi into the freshly formed dantian, urging it to stabilize and grow.
Soon, his meridians surged with energy, and the reconstructed dantian brimmed with spiritual power.
Then, a sudden explosion of sensation tore through his body.
Bang.
It felt as though a shackle had been broken deep within him. Xu Qingxian's aura shifted completely. The spiritual qi surrounding him surged into his body, nourishing every inch of flesh and bone. At the same time, a black, viscous liquid began to seep from his pores.
Impurities.
He gasped, feeling euphoria and agony crash together in waves. His nerves screamed in pain, yet his soul soared with release.
"This…" Xu Qingxian's voice trembled.
His body convulsed, and a primal roar erupted from his throat.
"I… must endure… I must become a cultivator!" he shouted in defiance, gritting his teeth until blood touched his tongue. He bit his lip and forced himself to withstand the ordeal.
Finally, the pain began to fade.
Xu Qingxian collapsed onto the ground, sprawled and gasping for air. Sweat covered him, and steam rose faintly from his skin. His entire body ached, but deep within him pulsed a spark of power. It was faint, but it was real.
He stared at the ceiling of the cold palace, waves of emotion rushing through him—sorrow, pain, joy, relief.
A soft smile bloomed across his face.
"I have finally done it. I have finally become a cultivator," he whispered.
His aura, once still and lifeless, now pulsed gently, exuding a tranquil strength. It was similar to the evil spirit he had faced, at the first stage of Qi Condensation. However, Xu Qingxian's aura was different—it felt pure, refreshing, and untainted.
He stood, unsteady at first, and suddenly caught a strong stench rising from his body.
Sticky dark liquid clung to his skin. A sour, foul smell lingered in the air.
Xu Qingxian looked down at himself, then chuckled lightly. "This must be the impurities expelled during the breakthrough."
He shook his body slightly, but the grime remained. Looking around and finding nothing useful, he sighed. He needed clean clothes and a proper bath.
At that moment, a knock echoed from the door.
"Young Master…" Lin Fan's voice came from outside. The sun had set, and he had arrived to deliver Xu Qingxian's evening meal.
Xu Qingxian's eyes lit up upon hearing the familiar voice.
"Lin Fan. Bring me a change of clothes and prepare a bath," he called out.
Though slightly embarrassed to make such a request, Xu Qingxian had no other choice.
Lin Fan was startled. This was unlike the Xu Qingxian he knew. Still, he obeyed the request, hurrying off and returning quickly with everything Xu Qingxian had asked for.
…
Clad in fresh white robes, Xu Qingxian looked like a man reborn. The transformation was startling. He appeared noble and calm, like an immortal walking among mortals.
His skin had a healthy glow, his features sharper than before, and his entire presence was more composed.
Lin Fan, standing nearby, blinked in disbelief.
"Was this all from taking a bath?" he thought, baffled and unable to find the words to speak.
Xu Qingxian noticed his expression and laughed gently.
"Quick. Serve my dinner and sit down. Let's have a hearty chat tonight."
Lin Fan hesitated, then spoke cautiously.
"You seem to be in a very good mood today, Young Master."
"Indeed," Xu Qingxian said with a light sigh, his gaze drifting into the distant sky. "Life is good, so there are always things to be happy about."
After a pause, he continued in a soft voice, "You know, Lin Fan, there is a saying. There is always a silver lining in the sky…"
Melancholy laced his tone as he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of meat. The rich flavor filled his mouth.
Tears formed silently in his eyes, trickling down unnoticed. He closed them, took a deep breath, and looked at Lin Fan with a warm smile.
"So, what's the news for tonight?"
Lin Fan, unsettled by the young master's strange behavior, panicked inwardly.
"I must inform the young mistress. With the way he is acting, perhaps he truly intends to take his life before the execution can happen."
Countless thoughts rushed through his mind, but he did his best to remain composed.
After gathering himself, he began to speak.
"From what I have heard, several evil cultivators have entered the royal capital recently. The streets are no longer safe."
He lowered his voice slightly.
"Also, something unbelievable happened this evening. A divine light suddenly shone in the capital. Many believe a cultivator destined to change the era has been born."
Xu Qingxian's ears perked up sharply.
"When exactly did that happen?" he asked with curiosity.
Lin Fan was puzzled by the question, but replied nonetheless.
"Just a few minutes ago. In fact, I witnessed it myself as I made my way here."
Xu Qingxian sat frozen, his expression caught between awkwardness and disbelief.
"It… it can't be a coincidence, right?" he thought, startled.