Chapter 720 - 286: True Essence

Li Yu-jun watched Han Guxi without speaking. She knew this Brother Han wasn’t finished.

"Of course, I wouldn’t want to make things difficult for Junior Sister Li."

Han Guxi’s tone grew more solemn. "If Junior Sister is willing to be flexible on this matter, the True Martial Lineage will cede twenty percent of its Spirit Storage Pill allotment from Danxia Peak for the next three years, transferring it directly to the Nine Heavens Lineage. Furthermore, there are two vacancies for Outer Sect Stewards in resource-rich territories. My lineage will also withdraw from the competition for them, granting priority to disciples from the Nine Heavens Lineage."

Whether Chen Qing could enter the Dubhe Pavilion or not was entirely up to Li Yu-jun’s discretion.

To this end, Han Guxi had presented his bargaining chips—using some of the True Martial Lineage’s already-strained resources and personnel influence in exchange for the chance for Chen Qing to enter the Dubhe Pavilion early.

This was undoubtedly a significant show of sincerity from the True Martial Lineage, given their own difficult circumstances.

Upon hearing this, a faint, unreadable smile appeared on Li Yu-jun’s otherwise placid face. She gently swirled the teacup in her hand and did not answer immediately.

The Quiet Chamber fell into a brief silence, with only the smoke from the incense burner rising in a straight line.

After a moment, Li Yu-jun finally spoke, her tone laced with a hint of mockery. "Brother Han, you’re truly willing to pay a high price for this boy. The Spirit Storage Pill shares, the Outer Sect Steward vacancies... It seems you truly see this boy as the future hope of the True Martial Lineage."

"This boy, Chen Qing, truly has exceptional aptitude and temperament. He may become a pillar of the Sect in the future and is worth the investment," Han Guxi emphasized, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"A pillar?"

Li Yu-jun looked at Han Guxi, her tone suddenly turning cold. "Our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect has a legacy spanning thousands of years. Have we had any shortage of pillar-like talents? But the key is whether this pillar is straight, whether its foundation is set on the Righteous Path! If it grows crooked, or if its foundation is corrupt, then no matter how sturdy the timber, it will only rot the great halls from within and may even bring the entire edifice crashing down!"

Her words were pointed, aimed directly at Li Qingyu, the traitor from the True Martial Lineage of years past.

Han Guxi’s expression darkened slightly, and he sighed deeper in his heart. ’Old grudges are hard to erase.’

This was also why he hadn’t come to see Li Yu-jun right away.

Han Guxi pondered for a moment, then said patiently, "Junior Sister Li, Chen Qing’s record is clean; he has absolutely no connection to the past. The terms I’ve proposed, while not extravagant, are a clear show of our sincerity. This isn’t just for Chen Qing’s sake—I also hope it might ease the rift between our two lineages..."

"Brother Han!"

Li Yu-jun cut him off, her voice not loud. "I appreciate your ’sincerity.’ But the Dubhe Pavilion is the Sect’s wartime core. The standard for entry is an iron law: the True Essence Realm is the absolute minimum! This rule concerns the authority and dignity of the Sect’s laws. It is not something that can be traded for mere resources or positions! If an exception is made today because your True Martial Lineage offers some benefits, can the Xuan Yang and Jade Celestial lineages then follow suit tomorrow? When that time comes, what will the Dubhe Pavilion become? A marketplace? Or a bargaining table for the Four Veins?"

She directly invoked the Sect’s laws, completely shutting down any possibility of a trade.

Han Guxi’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t expected Li Yu-jun to be so resolute, that even such substantial concessions couldn’t move her in the slightest.

"Junior Sister Li, is there truly no room for discussion?" Han Guxi asked in a low voice.

Li Yu-jun stood up directly, her tone as cold as frost. "The Sect’s laws are not for sale! I trust Brother Han will consider the bigger picture. Please, see yourself out!"

Han Guxi looked at Li Yu-jun’s unwavering, icy expression and knew that any further words would be useless.

’He thought of the trauma that Li Qingyu’s betrayal had inflicted on the Nine Heavens Lineage. This resentment was already rooted deep in their bones, not something that could be resolved with material benefits.’

’If he persisted, it might even be counterproductive.’

In the end, Han Guxi slowly rose to his feet. He gave Li Yu-jun a cupped-fist salute, said nothing, and turned to leave the Quiet Chamber, his steps seeming somewhat heavy.

Watching Han Guxi’s back disappear through the doorway, a cold light flickered in Li Yu-jun’s eyes as she muttered to herself, ’Trying to create an opening with just a few resources and a junior? Han Guxi, you underestimate me, Li Yu-jun, and you underestimate the rules of this Sect! The True Martial Lineage wants to rise again? It won’t be that easy!’

In her view, maintaining the rigid entry requirements for the Dubhe Pavilion was far more important than accepting the resources the True Martial Lineage was offering by ’cutting off its own flesh.’

Once a precedent was set, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Especially when it came to making an exception for the True Martial Lineage.

...

「Inside a Quiet Chamber, in a small courtyard on True Martial Peak.」

Chen Qing was completely focused, his Heart and Spirit fully immersed within his body, like an old monk in deep Meditation.

The five colors cycled, generating and overcoming one another, forming a perfect yet violent Inner Heaven and Earth.

The medicinal power had long since been fully activated and absorbed, transformed into the purest Primordial Qi.

A silent roaring boomed ceaselessly within his body.

Beneath his skin, his qi and blood surged like a mighty river, letting out a low roar that resonated with the flow of his True Astral.

The total amount of True Astral in his body had reached an unprecedented peak. His Sea of Qi was swelling, and his meridians were overflowing, as if they could burst from his body at any moment.

The extreme fullness began to collapse inward. The Five-Colored True Astral continuously condensed as it spun at high speed, its colors growing deeper and its texture thicker, as if it were about to transform from a gaseous state to a liquid one.

A strange sensation of ’deficiency’ following ’overflow’ emerged.

He unhesitatingly consumed another of the Elixirs he had prepared.

A pure aura surged in and was instantly devoured by the hungry Five-Colored True Astral, continuing the process of condensation.

Three days later, the air inside the Quiet Chamber grew thick, and an invisible pressure began to emanate from Chen Qing.

The Five-Colored True Astral within his body had already been condensed to the absolute limit of the Astral Force Realm!

The once-rushing river of True Astral had now transformed into a vast, slowly rotating ocean of intermingling five colors.

Only one last step remained!

To completely ignite this vast ocean of Gang Qi, causing a qualitative change into a higher level of Life Energy—True Essence!

[Heaven Rewards Diligence brings certain success.]

[Seventh Layer of Primordial Five Elements True Astral (29999/30000)]

Just one last point!

Chen Qing let out a long breath of turbid air. The breath condensed in the Quiet Chamber, refusing to disperse, and carried with it a scorching wave of energy.

He only needed to complete one more Circulation of Heaven and Earth to trigger the final catalyst and step into a whole new world.

...