Chapter 6

In the path of cultivation, one first refines the body, stimulating potential to connect the meridians within the body to the dantian. Only then can one use cultivation techniques to harness the primordial energy of heaven and earth, allowing even a young boy to possess the strength to split mountains and shatter rocks.

The realm of cultivation is divided into nine major stages.

These are the Body Refinement Stage, the Innate Stage, the True Essence Stage, the Essence Core Stage, the Essence Infant Stage, the Palace Stage, the Infant Wasteland Stage, the Divine Ability Stage, and the Heaven-Connecting Stage.

Xiao Yun is currently at the seventh level of the Body Refinement Stage.

After the sixth level of Body Refinement, one divides into Bone Refinement, Tendon Refinement, Skin Refinement, and Membrane Refinement. Xiao Yun is clearly at the Tendon Refinement stage.

At the sixth level of Body Refinement, one's bones are as hard as iron, and at the seventh level, the tendons become resilient and hard to break... By the ninth level, the body almost possesses extremely strong defensive capabilities, and a single palm strike can easily withstand ordinary blades and swords.

Of course, this is only in comparison to ordinary people. When someone of the same realm attacks, their power is not easily blocked.

For example, yesterday, Xiao Yun could kick Xiao Li, who was one level below him, to the point where his bones broke.

"I wonder if this martial soul can provide assistance in battle?" After stopping his cultivation, Xiao Yun began practicing martial techniques in the courtyard. However, after practicing for a while, he felt that these martial techniques were too ordinary and would not make him stand out among peers.

With a thought, he began to sense the martial soul.

As his mind touched the martial soul, Xiao Yun immediately felt several different auras.

One was the primordial energy of heaven and earth that he had cultivated over time, and another was the bone-chilling cold aura that had been absorbed into the martial soul after removing the cold from Xiao Ling'er, becoming a part of it. Both auras were very faint.

However, as Xiao Yun continued to sense, his mind stirred.

"This fire primordial energy is so abundant." Xiao Yun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. The fire primordial energy was so vast that it felt like approaching a sea of fire, and he dared not approach it rashly, fearing that his consciousness would be burned away, leading to his demise.

This worry was clearly unnecessary. When Xiao Yun carefully sensed, he found that his mind's movement caused the fire primordial energy to start flowing, as if it had a mysterious connection to him, making them one, like the primordial energy in his dantian.

"This must be due to the martial soul." Xiao Yun thought to himself. The martial soul was originally a part of his body, so it was normal to have this connection. It was also because he had not yet undergone the innate awakening; once he did, he would be able to use the martial soul as easily as moving his limbs.

"I wonder if I can use this fire primordial energy?" After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Yun began to explore.

With the control of his mind, the green branch glowed with firelight, beginning to flow, especially the new red leaf that had sprouted, which emitted a fiery glow like mist, containing an extremely vast amount of fire primordial energy. Most of the fire primordial energy it had absorbed was stored here, nurturing a new leaf. Now, under Xiao Yun's urging, it quickly flowed into his body.

However, as the fire primordial energy began to flow, Xiao Yun's brows furrowed.

"This fire primordial energy is too overwhelming; introducing it rashly into my meridians will harm me." The fire primordial energy that had just flowed out was quickly guided back into the martial soul in his sea of consciousness. Without the martial soul as a medium, guiding the fire primordial energy out would only result in self-destruction.

Xiao Yun did not give up and continued to ponder. If he could utilize the vast fire primordial energy in the martial soul, he would gain a new skill, perhaps becoming invincible among peers, and even challenging higher realms might not be impossible.

After a long day of contemplation, Xiao Yun finally succeeded.

Whoosh!

Xiao Yun slapped his palm out, and a green branch appeared in his palm, with firelight radiating out with the palm wind.

Bang!

The palm wind shook, and a wave of scorching heat swept out, withering the row of plants in his courtyard.

"Such scorching fire primordial energy, I doubt ordinary people can withstand it," Xiao Yun nodded slightly, satisfied with his creation. He had not yet reached the Innate Stage, so he could not control the overflow of primordial energy to harm others.

However, the heat wave released by the fire primordial energy was still formidable, only slightly inferior to the primordial energy released by those at the Innate Stage.

"It seems my martial soul has many uses, not just for healing," Xiao Yun thought, his eyes narrowing as he gazed into the distance, filled with hope, as if he could already see a glimmer of hope.

After a day of pondering how to integrate and utilize the martial soul, Xiao Yun finally rested.

"Xiao Ling, I'm going out." The next day, Xiao Yun changed into clean clothes, gave some instructions, and walked out of the courtyard.

Ziyun County is named after the Ziyun Mountains, and the current head of the Yan family, Yan Rong, is the city lord of Ziyun County.

Xiao Yun was already a regular visitor to the city lord's residence, so he entered almost without any hindrance.

"Good day, Young Master Yun!"

"Is Young Master Yun here to remove the poison for Miss?"

"Um." Xiao Yun nodded to everyone, "Is Miss Shifei in her room?"

"Miss is waiting for you." Some servants said.

"Then I'll go." Xiao Yun, familiar with the way, headed towards Miss Yan's inner chambers.

"Pity, a genius reduced to just healing others." Seeing the young man's departing figure, many members of the Yan family shook their heads. If he could cultivate, he would have long reached the Innate Stage, perhaps even the True Essence Stage.

As Xiao Yun approached Miss Yan's inner chambers, a middle-aged man and a beautiful woman stood at the gate, both with worried expressions. Upon seeing Xiao Yun, they relaxed, their tense brows easing.

"Uncle Yan, Aunt Yan, good day!" Xiao Yun stopped and greeted the middle-aged man.

This man was none other than the city lord of Ziyun County, Yan Rong.

"Xiao Yun, you're here." Yan Rong nodded, smiling, "I've missed you."

Beside him, Lady Yan smiled, but her face was filled with anxiety, as if she couldn't wait for Xiao Yun to remove the poison for her daughter.

"How is Sister Shifei now?" Seeing Lady Yan's expression, Xiao Yun asked.

"The poison in Sister Shifei's body started to flare up the day before yesterday, and it's very serious today," Yan Rong said, his brows furrowed.

"Shiyan went to look for you the day before yesterday, hoping you would come, but you were delayed for a day," Lady Yan said, her eyes filled with reproach.

"Then I'll go remove the poison for Sister Shifei." Xiao Yun seemed to ignore Lady Yan's attitude, said a few words, and entered the courtyard, heading straight for a room inside, which he was very familiar with.

Seeing this, Lady Yan sighed softly.

"Why are you sighing, my lady?" Yan Rong asked beside her.

"I think this Xiao Yun from the Xiao family has feelings for our daughter," Lady Yan said slowly.

Each time this young man came, he seemed very enthusiastic, making her feel uneasy.

Especially her two daughters were quite fond of this young man.

"There's nothing wrong with young people getting close, and besides, our Shifei needs Xiao Yun to save her life," Yan Rong said nonchalantly.

"There's nothing wrong with getting close, but what if they really fall in love?" Lady Yan said, her face filled with worry. "If Xiao Yun had the talent he once had, it would be fine, but his cultivation has stagnated, and his future is limited. How can he match our daughter?"

Hearing this, Yan Rong's brows furrowed tightly, and he sighed, "Yes, it would be better if Xiao Yun still had his talent."

"You need to find a detoxifying pill. Otherwise, I'm not comfortable with him getting so close to Shifei and Shiyan," Lady Yan said.

"I'll try," Yan Rong said, but he couldn't help but smile bitterly. How easy is it to find a detoxifying pill? Besides, his daughter's poison isn't something a regular detoxifying pill can cure, or this wouldn't be an issue.

While the Yan couple were murmuring, Xiao Yun had already pushed open the door to a fragrant room and walked inside.

The room was filled with a pleasant aroma, and all the furniture was made of precious Ziyun wood, which had a soothing effect on the mind.

Inside the inner chambers, a young girl was leaning over a Ziyun wood bed, her face filled with worry as she looked at the girl on the bed.

This girl was Yan Shiyan, who had gone to look for Xiao Yun the day before yesterday.

"Brother Xiao Yun, you're here." Hearing the footsteps, the girl turned around, her face filled with joy.

"How is Sister Shifei now?" Xiao Yun asked.

"Sister's condition is worse than last time. If you had come a day later, she might have fainted," Yan Shiyan pouted, reproachfully staring at Xiao Yun, as if blaming him for being so late. What could be more important than her sister's condition?

"Xiao Yun, you're here." On the bed, Yan Shifei's long eyelashes fluttered, and she struggled to open her eyes to look at the young man.

"It seems the poison in Sister Shifei's body is accumulating and almost reaching the bone," Xiao Yun said, his brows furrowing tightly as he looked at the girl on the bed. "If it's not treated thoroughly, it will be very troublesome in the future."

"Are you tired of Sister being a burden, Xiao Yun?" Yan Shifei smiled, her eyes twinkling, her voice weak.

"Of course not, I wish I could come to see you every day," Xiao Yun said with a smile.

"Stop being so sweet, just remove the poison for my sister," Yan Shiyan said, her face filled with jealousy, her expression stern.

"Then you should go out first," Xiao Yun said, spreading his hands.

"Why do you always make me leave?" Yan Shiyan pouted, her face filled with dissatisfaction.

"Shiyan, go out," Yan Shifei said softly from the bed.

"Ugh!" Yan Shiyan pursed her lips, her eyes blinking rapidly, feeling something was off.

Isn't it just removing poison? Why do I have to leave?

With a bit of resentment, Yan Shiyan slowly left, knowing her sister's condition couldn't be delayed.

"Let's start then." After Yan Shiyan left, Xiao Yun glanced at Yan Shifei and spread his hands.

"Um." Yan Shifei's face turned slightly red, and she said softly, "You go to the side first."

Xiao Yun seemed to be used to this, helped the girl lower the bed curtains, and then retreated to the side of a screen.

Only then did Yan Shifei take a deep breath, sit up with difficulty, and begin to loosen her clothes.