Chapter 90 (1/2)
Chapter 90
Breakthrough
Chu Shen sat down in a lotus position. Taking out the ten beast cores he had bought, he prepared to start breaking through. He thought back on what Master Ti Wu had explained why Void const.i.tutions were superior to all others.
In order to explain that, one must understand the cultivation process of those with other types of innate const.i.tutions. For this explanation, Master Ti Wu had used fire const.i.tutions as an example.
Those with a fire const.i.tution only had to absorb fire Qi in order to advance their cultivation. They didn’t need to grow their souls since they could control their Qi without worry about a cultivation deviation, just like Chu Shen.
But it was also true they could only absorb fire Qi.The reason for this was that their body would reject any other kind of Qi. If they tried absorbing other types, it would either cause them tremendous pain.
However, people with these kinds of const.i.tutions were both lucky and unlucky. There was always two edges to a blade. While it was true that they only had to absorb Qi that was related to their element, they also had to have increasingly stronger sources. As their body and soul became stronger, it needed a stronger and more pure source.
For example, those at the mortal realm would easily advance when they cultivate around campfires or a candle-rich environments. However, upon breaking through to the martial realm they would need to find a better source like a hot spring.
Later on they would need to find volcanoes or other sources rich with natural fire Qi. Eventually even places like this would not be sufficient and they would need to find abnormal places with extreme fire. And these abnormal places would be quite dangerous, only the lucky would survive.
However, those with a Void const.i.tution are favored greatly by the heavens. Maybe it was a result of having all of the elements, including their opposites, in one form that resulted in such a heaven-defying ability.
It was all because null Qi has the unique characteristic of being able to absorb and convert all kinds of Qi. Because of this unique feature, it surpa.s.ses all other forms of const.i.tution. Whereas others have to search for places with extremes of their elements, those with Void Const.i.tution only have to absorb and convert regular Qi around them.
If others knew about this they would cough up blood in shame. They had pay terrible prices to cultivate but these Void users can just cultivate like normal? No, it would be more accurate to say that all they have to do is absorb energy to cultivate. They don’t even have to go through hards.h.i.+p to grow their soul!
Truly a heaven defying ability. The only reason why Chu Shen wasn’t cultivating like mad was so that he could temper himself with others the same power level as him.
Otherwise he wouldn’t have enough combat experience, unlike those wily foxes who clawed their way to the top. With this Chu Shen was able to feel the dangers of death and improve his battle sense. Otherwise if the two were on even terms or even if Chu Shen only had a slight advantage, he would lose because of being outwitted and outmaneuvered.
Chu Shen started to cultivate. Circulating his Qi, he also reached his soul out to ‘grab’ Qi. Qi flooded into his dantian. Using this Qi he started directing it towards the many minor meridians located at his pores.
In order to advance to the Martial Student stage, one needed to unblock the outer meridians, which was a collection of minor meridians right under the skin.
Each tiny meridian, which numbered in the billions, was a channel that let Chu Shen’s soul out into the world to absorb Qi. It was also how Chu Shen was able to release Qi.
Each successive breakthrough would lead to an increase of Qi that could flow into or out of the body at one time and also how much could be stored inside the meridians. This led to each level increasing the amount of power one could unleash at one time and also how many times one could unleash such a move.
Chu Shen started using his Qi to unblock the meridians, pus.h.i.+ng past and expelling the impurities located inside the meridians. It took a long time to go to each cl.u.s.ter of minor meridians and break through it. With one swift swoop, he broke through to level 5. As he broke through, thick stinky black slime was exuded from all of his pores.
Repeating the process he broke to level 6, then level 7. However, Chu Shen sense his stamina fading. He didn’t have enough Qi to continue this breakneck speed. Chu Shen had been conserving as much energy as possible by pa.s.sively absorbing Qi to slow down the expenditure of Qi.
But the rate of Qi being used far exceeded that of Qi absorbed. He just couldn’t split his attention, or rather soul, to breakthrough and absorb Qi. Sighing, Chu Shen stopped just as he finished breaking through to level 7. He opened his eyes and looked at the beast cores surrounding him.
Chu Shen reached out his hand, covered in gray Qi. Beast cores looked like glowing crystal orbs, emitting soft glows that were different colors based upon their attribute.
Upon Chu Shen’s energy coated hand touching the beast core, the energy moved, covering the beast core in gray energy. When that happened, the gray Qi started pulsing with energy. With each pulse, the gray Qi started getting brighter and the beast core became dimmer.
After a while, the beast core became a dull, see through crystal orb. Chu Shen, who looked a little pale from Qi exhaustion, regained his color. Sighing again, Chu Shen closed his eyes and started the breakthrough process again.
The beast core he just absorbed helped him regain about 70% of his energy, enough to continue breaking through. Continuing, Chu Shen managed to breakthrough to level 8. However, now his Qi reserves were down to 12%.
Each time he broke through he would gain a surge of Qi, but this surge of Qi was miniscule compared to what his capacity was with each breakthrough. Not to mention that the energy needed to break through increased exponentially.