Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation-Chapter 107 - 101: Ling Qiyue: As Long as You Can Take It
The scorching medicinal liquid, carrying a faint oppressive force, seeped slowly and steadily through his pores, making Ling Changqing feel an unprecedented pressure.
It felt as if his body were deep within a thick layer of rock, being slowly ground into a pulp. This was the furthest thing from comfortable.
"How are you holding up, Junior Brother?"
Beside the grand cauldron, Ling Qiyue asked with a concerned expression.
"It’s a little rough, but nothing I can’t handle."
Ling Changqing said, frowning as he tried his best to quiet his mind. He began to circulate the introductory Chapter of the Vajra Tula Demon Suppression Technique.
Although he had been mentally prepared, he only realized once he began that a Body Cultivation Technique was truly not so easy to train.
The resource demands for Body Cultivation were just as terrifying as those for the Hundred Skills of Cultivation—pills, talismans, artifacts, and arrays. It was on a completely different level from Sword or Magic Cultivation, something an ordinary power could never afford to support.
In fact, any power below the Golden Core Realm would find it impossible to train a respectable Body Cultivator.
"How long does he need to soak in this medicinal liquid?"
Tang Qiu Yao asked. She knew nothing about Body Cultivation Techniques, but seeing Ling Changqing’s tightly furrowed brows told her the Body Refinement process must be agonizing.
"It will take at least one or two hours to fully absorb and refine the essence of the medicinal liquid in this cauldron,"
Ling Qiyue explained. "And this is only the first time. From now on, he’ll need a medicinal bath like this at least three to five times a month.
If you want to make rapid progress with this Body Refining Technique, you have to constantly soak in the medicinal liquid. The more, the better!"
Tang Qiu Yao’s expression faltered. "Doesn’t that mean he’ll be constantly suffering? And the resource consumption... If we weren’t so wealthy now, I’m afraid the entire Ling Family wouldn’t have enough to support him."
Concocting a single cauldron of this medicinal liquid to the required specifications consumed almost as many resources as a Foundation Establishment Pill, and it was all gone in just a couple of hours.
"Exactly. It’s a good thing we’re not short on resources right now. Otherwise, we never would have dared to let him try this!"
Ling Qiyue said with a laugh.
The two women weren’t worried in the slightest. A single trip out to sea now brought back enough treasures to fund Ling Changqing’s extravagance for a long time to come.
Inside the cauldron, Ling Changqing gritted his teeth and withstood the pressure assailing him from all directions. He circulated the Vajra Tula Demon Suppression Technique again and again, slowly refining the medicinal power that surged into his internal organs and meridians.
The process was agonizing, but he could only grit his teeth and endure. Fortunately, as the Era Star Palace within his body trembled slightly, a layer of mysterious, ethereal light appeared and effectively eased his pain.
"Let’s see... it’s about time to turn up the heat. Brace yourself, Junior Brother!"
As she spoke, Ling Qiyue lightly formed a few hand seals for a Spirit Technique. The Spirit Flame beneath the Grand Square Furnace, which had nearly died out, suddenly flared to life, sending out waves of scorching heat.
The temperature of the medicinal liquid in the cauldron shot up, boiling with countless splashes and ripples as billows of white steam rose into the air.
"...You’re not trying to cook him, are you?"
Tang Qiu Yao couldn’t help but mutter under her breath. It was her first time seeing a Body Cultivator’s training method, and it was indeed different from that of ordinary Sword Cultivators and Magic Cultivators.
Ling Qiyue snorted. "You think I enjoy this? This is just how this kind of Cultivation Technique has to be trained. The process is unbelievably painful. Very few people can actually see it through to the end!"
"Mmm, but our Junior Brother is different. He’ll definitely succeed."
A smile blossomed on Tang Qiu Yao’s face.
Ling Qiyue didn’t disagree. Although neither of them could say why, both women had a strange, unshakable faith in Ling Changqing.
In the time they had been speaking, a little over an hour slipped by.
As Ling Changqing continued to refine the medicinal energy, the liquid in the cauldron gradually changed from pale green to an inky black, giving off a faint, acrid smell.
Ling Changqing had successfully absorbed and refined every last drop of essence from the medicinal liquid.
In his sea of consciousness, a message exuding a mysterious Dao Rhyme silently appeared:
[Body Cultivation Technique: Vajra Tula Demon Suppression Technique (Level 1) 99/8000]
Ling Changqing looked at his skin. It was fair as jade, but now held a faint, pale golden luster. Its toughness had clearly improved as well.
At the same time, he discovered that his physical strength had increased significantly. His qi and blood felt abundant and vigorous, which in turn made certain desires feel exceptionally intense.
According to the introduction of this Cultivation Technique, as long as he persisted in cultivating to a high Realm, his physical body would be tough enough to withstand attacks from Spiritual Artifacts of the same rank.
Once Ling Changqing advanced to the Golden Core Realm in the future, withstanding attacks from Magical Treasures of the same rank would be no problem either.
However, when Ling Changqing glanced down at his "third leg"—now standing at attention, as imposing as a geoduck—he felt a rare blush creep up his face.
This was a side effect of the Body Cultivation Technique—an insuppressible surge of certain desires.
’Of course, this can’t really be considered a side effect,’ he thought. ’For someone like me with Dao Companions, it should at least improve the effects of Dual Cultivation. I’m sure Senior Sister will be very satisfied, too.’
"...Junior Brother, how are you feeling?"
With her lovely face flushed crimson, Tang Qiu Yao moved to block Ling Qiyue’s line of sight, saving him the embarrassment.
She raised a hand, forming a Spirit Technique to summon a large ball of water. She carefully cleaned Ling Changqing before helping him get dressed.
"Very good. I’ve successfully reached the entry-level of the Vajra Tula Demon Suppression Technique. From now on, I just need to follow the steps and cultivate normally!"
Her expression back to normal, Ling Qiyue’s voice was full of laughter. "You’ll have to soak again in a few days. Besides, if you want to make rapid progress and reach the Great Success Realm quickly, you’d better increase the frequency of these medicinal baths."
Ling Changqing looked taken aback. "You mean I can take these medicinal baths every day?"
"Of course. As long as you can handle it!"
Ling Qiyue said with certainty.
In truth, this was an outrageous suggestion. Even talented Cultivators from the Buddhist Sects needed three to five days to recover between baths; otherwise, their bodies simply couldn’t take the strain.
Ling Changqing nodded. "If it’s possible, that’s good enough. Let’s try for once a day, then! I think I can take it."
’With the Era Star Palace helping me,’ he thought, ’I’m sure I can handle it. I’ll be able to reach the Perfection Realm much sooner.’
"Okay! That’s all I needed to hear!"
Ling Qiyue agreed, her expression full of delight. Concocting the medicinal liquid was an arduous process, but as long as he could grow stronger quickly, a little hardship was nothing to her.
After a bit more conversation, Tang Qiu Yao proposed:
"Now that things at home have settled down and the resources in our storehouse are nearly depleted, why don’t we... get back to work at sea?"
"Sounds good, I have no objections!"
’The resource drain from this Cultivation Technique is just too insane,’ Ling Changqing thought as he agreed. ’We really do need to build up our reserves.’
Ling Qiyue had no objections either. And so, the trio activated the Array and Restrictions around the Women’s Embroidery Tower, announcing to the outside world that they were entering seclusion and were not to be disturbed under any circumstances.
They produced a Grade Two Shifting Talisman. Amidst a blazing red light, the three of them vanished without a trace.
When they reappeared, they were already at sea, dozens of miles away from Longhuan Island.
Using the same method as last time, Tang Qiu Yao summoned the Flying Ship. The three of them hid inside it, submerged just below the surface as they headed in the direction of Desolate Spirit Island.
"Senior Sister, how long do you think this underwater Spirit Stone Deposit will last us?"
Inside the cabin, Ling Changqing asked.
Ling Qiyue thought for a moment. "That’s hard to say. Mining ten or twenty percent of it shouldn’t be an issue. It should be enough to help all three of us reach the Late Stage Golden Core Realm, I suppose?"
A glint appeared in Ling Changqing’s eyes. "Are you saying... the Mu Family might find out what we’re doing?"
"It’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?" Tang Qiu Yao said. "No matter how careful we are, we can’t expect to keep this a secret forever."
If the Mu Family leadership found out about their secret operation, they’d be furious. Out of desperation, they might do something drastic.
For instance, they could sell the information about this underwater Spirit Stone Deposit to a Nascent Soul power from outside the region. It’s a classic case of inviting the wolf into your home, all just to cause trouble for the Ling Family.
After all, if they just let Ling Qiyue take this entire underwater Spirit Stone Deposit for herself, her power would inevitably skyrocket. What future would be left for the Mu Family then?
’If I can’t have it, then you can forget about getting it!’
Once a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator learns about this underwater deposit, they would undoubtedly monopolize it. None of the other powers in the Feiyu Sea Region would get so much as a taste.
Ling Changqing said grimly, "In that case, we should find a way to eliminate the Mu Family as quickly as possible!"
