Chapter 857: Chapter 857
The depiction of the Qi Restraining Stage had, in fact, already been mentioned within Earth's martial cultivation theories.
In traditional martial arts, Qi Restraining was defined as the ability to close the body’s pores and lock in its inner heat and energy. This ensured that the results of cultivation would not easily dissipate, thereby preserving the body's vitality and blood energy.
In some high-martial realms, however, the definition of Qi Restraining went further. It was seen as the perfect and skillful control over one's true qi, allowing the qi to circulate internally in a profound and mysterious manner without leaking out. This meant that an opponent could not judge one’s cultivation level or combat strength based on aura or pressure.
As for the Four Extremes Realm, its interpretation of the Qi Restraining Realm, specifically in regard to the extreme of ‘Essence,’ was extremely straightforward. In addition to the two aforementioned requirements, one's physical body had to be flawless and without weakness. Even in the most intense battles, no immortal force should leak unintentionally. Every ounce of immortal force had to be used to its fullest potential. Read complete versıon only at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍
Seal the pores. Lock the immortal force. Even in the fiercest of combat, not a single drop of energy should be wasted. Li Xiaofei did not possess any secret manuals or cultivation methods specifically for training in the Four Extremes Realm. However, he carefully examined his physical condition and gradually began to gain some insights.
The first two aspects posed no difficulty to him at all in his current state. As for the third... He had opened a cultivation field for himself within the Secret Time Pavilion, where he practiced saber techniques, spear techniques, and sword techniques. Even at the peak of his abilities, he could still sense immortal force leaking out. It seemed to be an inevitable side effect of executing his battle skills and techniques.
Bit by bit, he continued to explore. Progress was rather slow for Li Xiaofei, since this was purely a matter of personal comprehension and discovery.
Two hours later, Li Xiaofei ended this inefficient exploration. He returned to the real world and made his way to the marketplace in Starblossom City, where he purchased several manuals related to cultivating the Four Extremes Realm. These foundational cultivation techniques were not particularly rare.
Here, it was worth highlighting the major contribution once made by Heaven. The five Immortal Emperors had spent a full decade organizing the cultivation system of the human race across the starry rivers. They compiled and standardized an entire set of scientific and methodical cultivation processes, and made it completely open to the public.
The significance of this act was immense. It was somewhat akin to Emperor Qin Shi Huang unifying China by standardizing carts, writing systems, and units of measurement. This move had forced many self-policed martial and immortal sects to abandon their secrecy and offered a fully standardized formula.
They had nearly achieved the ideal of making cultivation accessible to all. Perhaps, that was one of the intentions the five Immortal Emperors had for the Four Extremes Realm.
Back in the training chamber, Li Xiaofei began reading, understanding, and cultivating. He spent a full ten days inside the Secret Time Pavilion before he finally grasped the profound essence of the Qi Restraining Stage. He could now control the power of his physical body more precisely, using his meridians and the Three Origin Realm to lock in his internal immortal force.
The next step was to maintain the Qi Restraining state even during the most intense battles, and while wounded. This required verification through real combat. At the very least, Li Xiaofei had now achieved entry-level mastery over the extreme of Essence.
He glanced at the time. It was already time for his meeting with Chu Xiang. Fortunately, he had the Secret Time Pavilion, which allowed him to consolidate the gains from the battle in Heaven, and once again break through in strength. Otherwise, the two days they had agreed upon would not have been enough.
“If I encounter a Sub-Primal Giant Ruo again, I can easily fight and defeat it.” Li Xiaofei let out a long breath of turbid air.
He was in a good mood, but it didn’t last long. The moment he returned to his rented apartment, Huang Dinggou came rushing in as if his tail were on fire, exclaiming, “Hall Master, something’s wrong. Our goods have been seized...”
Li Xiaofei couldn’t help but frown. Before entering seclusion, he had instructed Huang Dinggou and the mute girl to take Black Emperor and Shin Koharu, along with a small piece of Mother of All Beasts hide, to the marketplace in Starblossom City to see if anyone could craft armor from the material.
If a suitable artisan could be found, they could first forge a few sets of treasured armor to be used in critical moments for protection.
“Speak. What happened?” Li Xiaofei asked.
Still panting, Huang Dinggou replied, “We went around the market asking everywhere. We found lots of professional establishments, but none could process that hide. Even the master craftsmen from century-old shops were completely helpless. Forget forging armor—they couldn’t even leave the slightest mark on the hide.”
At this point, he paused, took a sip of water, and said, “Later, quite a few master blacksmiths and armor forgers came from other orbital planets to try their hand together, but they all failed. I was about ready to give up when, out of nowhere, a young man with quite the presence appeared and asked to try. And wouldn’t you know it? The kid looked young, but he really had some skill. He managed to cure that hide and refined it into a piece of heart-protecting leather...”
A thoughtful look appeared in Li Xiaofei’s eyes.
Huang Dinggou continued, “The young man asked me where the hide came from. I followed your instructions, Hall Master, and tried to bluff him with a story. But the guy didn’t buy it. He suddenly turned hostile and detained both our people and our goods.”
Li Xiaofei gave a barely noticeable nod and asked, “Is he powerful?”
“Very powerful.” Huang Dinggou replied, “At the very least, he’s in the Four Extremes Realm. But the real problem is the four female sword immortals guarding him. Each one is a beauty as cold as ice, and all of them are terrifyingly strong. They should be in the Five Dragons Realm. They’re the kind who wouldn’t hesitate to kill. If I had to guess, that young man definitely comes from a major power.”
“What makes you so sure?” Li Xiaofei asked again.
Huang Dinggou said, “Hall Master, think about it, female sword immortals are already rare. What kind of young man could afford to keep five of them as personal guards? And not only are they all beautiful, but their strength has reached the Five Dragons Realm... He must be a descendant of some powerful clan.”
Li Xiaofei said coldly, “I told you to keep a low profile. This is your idea of low profile? Provoking such a strong enemy directly?”
Huang Dinggou instantly felt guilty. The Hall Master had indeed told him to stay low-key. But that really didn’t fit Huang Dinggou’s style. Who was Huang Dinggou, after all? Back in the ruins of Heaven, he had faced millions of Ruos without fear, enduring wave after wave without falling behind. Why should he hide in a small place like Starblossom City?
Besides, that piece of hide was truly extraordinary. The eyes of many of the veteran managers and master forgers from old, established shops had nearly bulged out when they saw it. They had treated Huang Dinggou like a guest of honor, receiving him with utmost care. Naturally, Huang Dinggou had gotten a little carried away and flaunted a little.
“I was just trying to complete your task, Hall Master,” he said, defending himself cautiously. “So I made a bit of a splash. Otherwise, how could we attract someone truly capable?”
Li Xiaofei didn’t rush to react. He wasn’t an idiot, of course he understood the value of that hide. It was the outer hide of the Mother of All Beasts. It would be considered an absolute treasure even across the entire starry river. If anyone recognized it, it would undoubtedly provoke a bloody struggle. That said, anyone capable of identifying that hide surely wouldn’t be ordinary either.
For instance, people from Eden would certainly be able to identify it. His plan, in part, had been to draw out hidden threats, to stir the grass and see what snakes would emerge. After all, with Heaven backing him now, Li Xiaofei had nothing to fear, not even from the most powerful clans or military factions.
“Let’s go,” Li Xiaofei said. “Let’s see who this person is—someone who knows good materials, but also happens to be so unlucky.”
He instructed Huang Dinggou to lead the way.