Chapter 23 Beginning of Body Refinement with Ice-Cold Skin and Jade Bones
"Miss Qing Tan, my name is Sun Deren, a clerk at Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion. I owe you my life from our encounter in the Trial Demon Tower, but I had nothing of value on me at that time. Today, I have brought this item to express my gratitude," he said.
The first visitor to come in was someone Qing Tan also remembered: he was the man who followed Deacon Sun from the Ges' birthday banquet, and in the Trial Demon Tower, it was because of her that he escaped the deadly grasp of the Phantom Mist Desolate Butterfly.
Although Sun Deren modestly claimed to be a mere clerk of Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion, Qing Tan knew that being able to follow behind Deacon Sun likely meant he was a junior member of his family, not an ordinary clerk.
"Brother Sun is too kind. As fellow members of the Human Race, it's only right that we help each other. There's no need for any gift to thank me," Qing Tan replied.
"Miss Qing Tan is noble in spirit, but Sun cannot allow himself to be ungrateful. Moreover, having the pleasure to enjoy Miss Qing Tan's music today is a great honor for me. I hope you will not refuse my token of appreciation," Sun Deren insisted.
"Then I shall humbly accept it," Qing Tan said.
Next, the servant brought a Jade Slip into Qing Tan's hand. Qing Tan received it and instructed the servant to draw back the curtains.
She pressed the Jade Slip to her brow, perusing the contents.
"Ice Skin Jade Bone Art!"
After reviewing the introduction, Qing Tan was surprised. It turned out to be a rare Body Refinement Cultivation Technique.
Body Refinement was a path that had become less popular in the Cultivation World due to its great consumption of resources. Now, Body Refinement Cultivators were rarely seen.
However, some cultivators who did not lack resources would often practice body refinement alongside their other practices; after all, a strong body was beneficial to cultivation as well.
The Ice Skin Jade Bone Art was a technique that could be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Due to being a less common path, its value was around seven to eight hundred Spirit Stones.
"Thank you, Brother Sun. I just recently composed a new piece called 'Love of Butterfly Lovers.' Would you please appreciate it?" Qing Tan proposed, exhibiting no psychological burden as she claimed 'Love of Butterfly Lovers' as her creation.
"It's my fortunate pleasure," said Sun Deren, delighted to see that Qing Tan was quite pleased with his gift.
The melody, succinct and elegant, began to play, with a clear and lively rhythm.
After the piece concluded, Sun Deren applauded and praised it.
"Although I'm no expert in music, I found this tune to be melodious and moving, rich in emotion, truly wonderful! It is unexpected that Miss Qing Tan could create such an exquisite piece; truly the mark of a great family," he said.
"It was a story I heard that inspired me to create the piece," Qing Tan remarked.
"Miss Qing Tan, may I ask what story it was?" inquired Sun Deren.
"It is said that in the Mortal Realm there was a noble lady named Zhu Yingtai, who, loving literature from a young age, disguised herself as a boy and entered an academy, where she met a poor scholar named Liang Shanbo…"
"…Just when Yingtai, in despair, sought to dash herself against Shanbo's tomb, suddenly the grave burst open, and Yingtai leaped within. Before long, two butterflies emerged and flew towards the distant horizon."
Qing Tan briefly narrated the story of the Butterfly Lovers to Sun Deren.
"That is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful love story," he said.
"I wish to share this story with everyone in the Immortal City. Brother Sun, do you have any way to help?"
Qing Tan had carefully considered this; she wished to earn more Charm Points and Affection Value, and needed to become famous. She had already made a preliminary plan for gaining fame.
The story of the Butterfly Lovers was part of that plan.
"Such a fine story indeed deserves to be shared with more. This is what I'll do: once I return, I'll have it written into storybooks and then I'll contact some friends to distribute them as complimentary goods in the Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, and other shops. What do you think of this plan, Qing Tan?" Sun Deren suggested after some thought.
Qing Tan knew that in Suichuan Immortal City stories were circulated through storybooks, but as they offered no benefit to cultivation and could be bought with gold and silver, they had not become a significant industry.
"That would be excellent, I thank you, Brother Sun, for your help!" Qing Tan said appreciatively.
"Being able to do something for Miss Qing Tan is a great honor for me," Sun Deren expressed.
"Brother Sun, I have another question. As my main focus is on water-based Cultivation Techniques, do you have any Spell recommendations for my further studies?" Qing Tan asked.
"Asking me about Spells? You've come to the right person. For water attributes, I recommend the Water Dragon Spell and Water Blade Technique for offense, the Water Sphere Spell and Water Curtain Technique for defense, and for movement, the Water Wing Spell and Water Escape Technique. Among them, the former are easier to learn while the latter are more effective. The choice will depend on your own circumstances," Sun Deren explained.
"I see. How much do these Spells cost?" Qing Tan inquired.
"Usual Qi Cultivation Stage Spells cost between 400 and 500 Spirit Stones. Those that are exceptionally good, uncommon, or special may cost between 800 and 1,000 Spirit Stones," he replied.
"I understand. When I have saved up enough Spirit Stones, I will come to you, Brother Sun, to buy them," Qing Tan stated.
"Mm-hmm, I'll definitely give you the best price when the time comes,"
...
The visitors that followed were all newcomers, whom Yu Qingtan greeted normally with "Yearning".
That evening, returning to her own room, Yu Qingtan took out the jade slip, held it to her forehead, and infused a thread of consciousness into it.
A surge of information flowed into Yu Qingtan's mind— it was the content of the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art.
Then, the jade slip cracked and lost its luster.
Jade slips like these, sold containing cultivation techniques and spells, were specially made for single-use.
When consciousness touched upon a certain node inside the jade slip, the content would pour directly into the mind, while also signing one's name onto a heavenly contract that ensured the content wouldn't be transmitted elsewhere.
The Ice Skin Jade Bone Art was divided into two parts: the upper part mainly refined the skin and flesh, suitable for Qi Cultivation Stage practitioners, while the lower part mainly refined sinews and bones, suitable for Foundation Establishment Stage practitioners.
The cultivation technique was quite simple, but it required assistive items for cultivation.
Wasteland Crystals were among the items that could assist in cultivating the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art and were quite good ones at that.
"It seems Sun Deren put a lot of thought into selecting the gift, such a pity there's no Affection Value; could it be that his favorability isn't high enough?" Yu Qingtan muttered to herself. She had checked the system panel, and the Affection Value was still 0.
Let's start cultivating the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art today; there's also that matter to take care of.
Yu Qingtan's eyes were profound.
In the System Space, 1000 Spirit Stones disappeared.
Foundation Establishment Stage's Spiritual Power surged through the Dantian and meridians, generating a Divine Sense in the mind.
It was Luo Xiang's "Love's Protection".
Heavenly Fragrance Sword Art, Decay and Flourish Technique.
These were the two new spells that Yu Qingtan knew at the moment.
Yu Qingtan swept her body carefully with her Divine Sense.
Soon, under the skin of her right shoulder, she discovered a mark of Spiritual Power.
"Heh, as expected..."
Such marks of Spiritual Power were very secretive, and the master of the mark could sense the position of the mark within a certain distance.
Yu Qingtan continued to scan her body.
There were no further discoveries.
Yu Qingtan scanned her body once more, still finding no toxins or Gu Insects.
Yu Qingtan then cast the Decay and Flourish Technique on herself.
The Decay and Flourish Technique could harm as well as save.
Yu Qingtan felt herself exuding a vibrant vitality, with nothing amiss.
"That bastard, actually deceiving people!"
Yu Qingtan clenched her teeth, although there was still a chance that Master Fu's methods were too sophisticated, the likelihood was too low.
After all, back then she was just a minor shrimp at the second level of Qi Cultivation.
Casually erasing Master Fu's mark of Spiritual Power, Yu Qingtan took advantage of the protection time still in effect, took out two Wasteland Crystals, and began to cultivate the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art.
Body Refinement required stimulating and tempering the physical body with Spiritual Power, but the effect of tempering with Chaotic Power was far superior to that of Spiritual Power.
However, since ancient times, the concentration of Chaotic Power in the Cultivation World had been diminishing, becoming almost too meager to absorb.
Wasteland Crystals contained a scant amount of Chaotic Power, barely sufficient for absorption.
Following the circulation route of the cultivation technique, Yu Qingtan slowly guided the mysterious essence from the Wasteland Crystals, this Chaotic Power, to temper her physical body, focusing primarily on skin and flesh.