Chapter 162: Grandmasters Cultivate by Gathering Spiritual Qi

"So it is exactly as I hoped. I would hardly dare ask for such a favor!" Fang Han immediately sensed that the old man before him was anything but ordinary.

He was certainly no typical Grandmaster martial artist.

The aura surrounding him resembled a boundless abyss or an endless ocean, containing an immense reserve of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Although it could not compare to the amount once gathered within the tortoise shell, it had nearly reached the level of a Grotto Mystic cultivator from the Great Qian world.

What puzzled Fang Han, however, was that the old man had not refined this Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi into his own strength. Instead, he had forcefully stockpiled it within his fleshly body.

As a result, while his presence was overwhelmingly imposing, his actual power seemed strangely lacking.

Carrying these questions in mind, Fang Han calmly followed behind the old man into the grandest villa atop the mountain.

A young man and woman stood respectfully at the old man's side. Both appeared to be only in their twenties, yet each had already stepped into the True Qi realm. They secretly sized Fang Han up from head to toe, clearly curious about this peer whom their elder had respectfully addressed as "little friend."

"You two may leave."

After entering the study, the old man casually waved his hand.

Though the pair looked surprised, neither dared disobey. They respectfully withdrew.

"This old man is Wen Ye. May I ask how I should address you, little friend?"

The old man was remarkably approachable. Not only did he introduce himself first, he personally picked up the teapot and poured Fang Han a cup of steaming tea.

There were countless locations throughout this martial world where Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi gathered. Fang Han had never intended to seize every opportunity by force.

Seeing Wen Ye treat him with such courtesy, he naturally responded in kind.

Besides, he had many questions that only the old man could answer.

Taking a light sip of the fragrant tea, Fang Han calmly replied, "Fang Han."

Wen Ye stroked his beard and sighed in admiration.

"To reach the True Qi realm at such a young age, and already carry the bearing of a Grandmaster in every movement... truly, the younger generation is to be feared."

"Elder Wen, do you know why I've come here today?"

Fang Han skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

Wen Ye laughed heartily.

"Some time ago, this old man sensed someone secretly watching me. Not long afterward, little friend quietly arrived..."

"I presume you've come for the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi stored within this old body?"

"Spiritual Qi?"

Fang Han immediately caught the unfamiliar term and repeated it thoughtfully.

Wen Ye looked slightly surprised.

"What? Isn't that the case?"

"This old man can tell that your True Qi is exceptionally pure, completely free of the acquired impurities of blood and vitality. Instead, it is filled with innate spiritual vitality."

"I presume such cultivation wasn't achieved solely through tempering your body with painstaking effort?"

"Elder Wen truly has keen eyes."

Fang Han nodded openly.

"That's correct. I was fortunate enough to discover a place where Spiritual Qi had gathered, allowing me to attain my current cultivation."

"Unfortunately, before I could fully absorb it, most of the Spiritual Qi had already dispersed back into Heaven and Earth."

"That is precisely why I was so astonished to discover that Elder Wen could actually store Spiritual Qi inside his own body."

"Previously, the Spiritual Qi I encountered had gathered upon an ancient relic."

Fang Han answered truthfully, deliberately omitting any mention of the strange tortoise shell.

Wen Ye revealed an expression of 'just as I expected' before sighing.

"Without a special method, for us martial artists to restrain such intangible Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

Fang Han immediately cupped his fists.

"I hope Elder Wen can enlighten me."

Naturally, Fang Han knew how to absorb and even cultivate using Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

However, those methods belonged to Great Qian's cultivation systems, not to martial artists.

His purpose in descending into this world was to obtain the Xuanhuang Qi of Heaven and Earth.

If he became the strongest in the world by relying on another world's cultivation system, not only would he fail to attract the descent of the Xuanhuang Qi of Heaven and Earth, he would most likely be identified as an Otherworldly Celestial Demon and immediately suffer heavenly lightning tribulation.

It was far better to cultivate step by step as a martial artist.

With the boundless life force provided by the Verdant Wood Invocation as his trump card, he was fully confident he could crush every martial artist of the same realm.

Wen Ye smiled but did not answer immediately.

Instead, he let out a long sigh.

"Ever since Heaven and Earth were severed after the ancient era, the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth has steadily withered away."

"It is like the tide receding into the sea, never to return."

"Only a few lingering traces remain, collecting like stagnant pools within certain special vessels."

"Some are ancient spiritual relics."

"Some are rare spirit beasts."

"Others are ten-thousand-year-old ancient plants."

"Or secluded grotto heaven hidden deep within famous mountains."

"If we martial artists are fortunate enough to discover and refine one of these Heaven and Earth treasures, the gains often equal several years, or even decades, of bitter cultivation."

At this point, Wen Ye's gaze grew profound.

"However, all things possess spirit."

"In a world where Spiritual Qi has become so scarce, attempting to seize another's Spiritual Qi is no different from murdering their parents."

"Every struggle inevitably becomes a battle to the death."

"Only the last survivor can claim the Spiritual Qi for themselves."

"I imagine that when little friend obtained yours, you too must have narrowly escaped death."

Fang Han neither confirmed nor denied it.

"If not for a stroke of luck, I would already be dead."

Wen Ye sighed.

"But in the end, you succeeded."

"It's only a pity you couldn't retain all of the Spiritual Qi."

"Otherwise, reaching the Grandmaster realm would have been guaranteed."

"The Grandmaster realm isn't difficult."

Fang Han answered calmly.

Wen Ye opened his mouth, then ultimately smiled bitterly without arguing.

"As I said earlier, the only way to obtain Spiritual Qi is through plunder."

"But by then, the Spiritual Qi has already become inseparable from its host."

"The moment the host dies, the Spiritual Qi escapes into Heaven and Earth like an untamed horse breaking free."

"With nothing but mortal flesh, martial artists simply cannot absorb it quickly enough."

"The overwhelming majority disperses into the world, wasted beyond recovery."

"Because of this, the unparalleled senior Long Xuanji observed ancient spiritual relics and spiritual plants before creating a supreme art known as the Abyssal Assimilation Method."

"The essence of the technique is to transform one's own body into a bottomless abyss capable of receiving the waters of every river."

"The deeper one's comprehension of this technique, the more Spiritual Qi one can imprison within the body, and the longer it can be preserved."

"It is precisely because of this supreme art that today's Grandmasters are able to cultivate by gathering Spiritual Qi."

Wen Ye slowly recounted this hidden history of the martial world.

Hearing the familiar name "Long Xuanji," Fang Han was not surprised in the slightest.

"How many years have you cultivated by gathering Spiritual Qi, Elder Wen?"

Fang Han asked.

"It has already been more than fifty years."

Wen Ye replied with some emotion.

"Then why..."

Fang Han finally voiced the question that had troubled him all this time.

"...does it seem like you only gather Spiritual Qi, but never cultivate with it?"

"Only gather, but never cultivate?"

Wen Ye froze, completely baffled.

He clearly had no idea what Fang Han meant.

After a brief pause, Fang Han explained more plainly.

"You've already accumulated such a vast amount of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

"Why not completely refine it into your own power?"

"For example, into True Qi or Astral Qi."

"Why continue storing Spiritual Qi within your body?"

Only then did Wen Ye understand.

His expression instantly became rather strange.

"So..."

"You don't even know such basic martial knowledge?"

He shook his head with a laugh.

"Once a martial artist crosses the heavenly chasm into the Grandmaster Realm, they return from the acquired state to the innate realm."

"At that stage, there is no longer any distinction between True Qi and Astral Qi."

"Because we are already capable of directly wielding the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth itself in battle."

The moment he finished speaking, Wen Ye's expression suddenly became solemn.

In an instant, a terrifying Spiritual Qi storm erupted around him.

His robes fluttered violently as the old man slowly rose into the air.

His silver hair and beard danced wildly beneath the surging Spiritual Qi.

"With the supreme wonders of Spiritual Qi, we Grandmasters may soar through the skies, condense Spiritual Qi into tangible form, and unleash all manner of miraculous divine abilities!"

Suspended high in the air, Wen Ye proudly extended a single finger and pointed into empty space.

The air ahead instantly distorted.

Boundless Spiritual Qi rapidly gathered, taking shape as a ferocious tiger with three heads.

The beast was majestic and lifelike, far more than a mere illusion.

When the three-headed beast raised its heads and roared toward the heavens, Fang Han could even clearly sense the overwhelming aura of bloodlust rushing toward him.

Wen Ye displayed the full might of a Grandmaster without holding anything back.

Yet, to his complete surprise and disappointment, the young man before him did not reveal the expected shock or reverence.

Instead...

Fang Han slowly frowned.

"Little friend..."

"Why are you making that expression?"

Now it was the airborne Grandmaster's turn to be utterly bewildered.