Chapter 100: Taibai Baleful Qi

  The pce of the restriction seed.

  As the Five Metal Baleful Qi from the jade-cleaving steel entered his body, guided by An Jing’s will, the restriction seed began to circute and expand.

  It continuously absorbed these external strands of metal Baleful Qi, merging them into itself. Then it separated countless tiny fragments that scattered and recondensed.

  Afterward, it began to split—one became two, two became four… Like a seed sprouting, it absorbed external nutrients to grow stronger.

  Time passed by, second by second…

  An Jing’s body underwent continuous changes. His skin, flesh, internal organs, bones, and even the tiniest aspects of his deeper bloodline all transformed. It was a refinement brought about by spiritual energy, an optimization of his entire being.

  From birth, the human body is bathed in spiritual energy, but without undergoing Spirit Awakening, one cannot actively absorb that energy, nor will it do any harm.

  Thus, the first time someone actively took in spiritual energy, it caused a tremendous transformation. An Jing felt a fundamental shift from the inside out, becoming more attuned to spiritual energy. The burning sensation in his body gradually subsided.

  The spiritual energy he drew in was insignificant compared to the immense spiritual energy held within the world’s spiritual veins. Yet for An Jing himself, his breathing became deeper, his limbs grew stronger, and even his lower back felt more limber and resilient.

  This was the first time An Jing had ever experienced such a clear surge in capability!

  Within him, the restriction seed absorbed the rge influx of Baleful Qi from the jade-cleaving steel, gradually merging with the vital essence in An Jing’s body, splitting apart, and forming a marvelous white talisman restriction prototype…

  Within that prototype, strands of pure white spiritual qi began to grow.

  This was the unique spiritual power cultivated with 《Radiant White Spirit Divine Restriction》 at its core… Taibai Baleful Qi!

  That trace of spiritual power flowed slowly through his dantian, like rolling mercury and akin to Taibai moonlight. Though it was merely a sliver, it already conveyed a sense of solidity, purity, and radiant brilliance.

  Hu!

  He opened his eyes and sprang to his feet, leaping down from the Gzed Ptform. With a single step, he arrived where the wooden figure stood one zhang away.

  He struck with his palm. The Taibai Baleful Qi in his dantian surged forth, coursing through his entire body before converging in his right arm. As An Jing brought down that hand-bde strike, his right arm glowed faintly white, as if cast from solid steel and utterly unbreakable.

  Boom!!!

  The wooden figure, which could normally withstand a full punch from An Jing without budging, snapped backward under the chopping force empowered by Taibai Baleful Qi. It bent at a startling angle, as though struck by a massive steel hammer, and then rebounded violently!

  By then, An Jing had already jumped back a step, evading the rebounding puppet. He stared at his right arm in astonishment.

  “Cough, cough, cough!”

  After his initial shock, An Jing felt a surge of scalding sharp air rushing about in his Crimson Pace. He immediately activated his Divine Ability, using the sword of sickly qi. In an instant, he coughed up a mouthful of pungent blood essence.

  Within that blood essence, tiny droplets fell to the ground and quickly solidified into a blood-colored metal, emanating a scorched, metallic tang.

  After coughing up that mouthful of blood essence, An Jing felt a wave of relief throughout his entire body. A hot, tingling sensation coursed from head to toe, especially in his right arm’s bones and flesh, which seemed to burn and swell with astonishing power.

  “Well done.”

  Just then, the Subduing Evil Sword Spirit offered praise: “I was about to remind you to release that initial surge of Baleful Qi, lest it accumute inside you. I didn’t expect you to notice and expel it on your own!”

  “Since I previously mastered the Affliction Sword-Finger, I naturally understood this was the time to use it.”

  An Jing gazed at his right hand and nodded slightly. “The Baleful Qi I formed contained too much pure metal qi from the jade-cleaving steel—too sharp for immediate use. Keeping it in my body would have done more harm than good.”

  “It had to be unleashed with a proper technique to perfect it.”

  At that moment, thin strands of white qi converged again within An Jing’s body. This time, the Taibai Baleful Qi felt much gentler and more lively, easily guided by his will.

  It was like brewing tea: one might discard the overly strong first infusion. Although depending on external objects for cultivation sped up progress, it carried many taboos.

  Moreover, the Affliction Sword-Finger erased the subtle, lingering wounds An Jing had sustained from that sinborn demon’s earlier attack.

  He lifted his head and looked at the puppet.

  The puppet had already returned to stillness, but from its shoulder down to the center of its chest was a bde mark so deep it nearly reached its internal framework—evidence of An Jing’s earlier Divine Ability, which channeled Baleful Qi into a sword-finger ssh.

  Such was the power of Taibai Baleful Qi. Even a single sliver could reinforce the human body until it was nearly steel-like, granting enough strength to cleave a puppet in two.

  This exceeded what the Internal Energy stage normally allowed. It was… Internal Fortification! Or perhaps it could be called a qi refining method!

  And yet, that was not all.

  “Look carefully.”

  The Sword Spirit instructed An Jing to examine the center of the cut made by his hand-bde. It was too smooth—unlike a blow delivered by mere flesh or brute force. Clearly, it came from an exceptionally sharp bde strike.

  “This is the outcome of refining Five Metal Baleful Qi using jade-cleaving steel.”

  Even the Sword Spirit was astonished. In his era, there was likely no one who would use jade-cleaving steel as the foundation for 《Radiant White Spirit Divine Restriction》.

  The Subduing Evil Sword Spirit remarked, “Normally, Five Metal Baleful Qi can only enhance your strength and toughen your body to a certain limit. But because of the jade-cleaving steel, your spiritual power also carries a trace of Taibai’s sharpness.”

  “As a result, your flesh itself has become a weapon!”

  Heavy beyond measure and unbreakable. It could split metal and cleave jade as though it were a bde.

  “I never imagined it would have such power.”

  An Jing slowly sat back on the Gzed Ptform, exhaling a long breath as realization dawned. “That being the case, if a sinborn demon attacks me again, I can defend myself—even without a bulletproof rain cloak!”

  “And if I use Taibai Baleful Qi to power the sword case, its might will surely skyrocket… If it strikes a vital spot, it might even be lethal!”

  “Still, don’t be careless,” the Sword Spirit cautioned. “Your spiritual power is limited, and you can’t fight for long. If you can obtain a stronger weapon and end things in one blow, do it.”

  “I understand. I’m simply gd my cultivation has advanced—this moment is worth celebrating.”

  He took a deep breath, preparing to resume meditation.

  Time was short, and having such a safe pce to cultivate was rare. He had only one day. As long as he could condense a few more strands of Taibai Baleful Qi, he would feel more confident about returning to the Huaixu Realm.

  “Wait.”

  However, just as An Jing continued drawing upon the spiritual veins’ energy and the Baleful Qi from the jade-cleaving steel, the Fuxie Sword Spirit suddenly spoke up: “Something is off about these spiritual veins.”

  In the Sword Spirit’s clear, ethereal voice, there was a hint of solemnity: “I sensed something odd earlier.”

  “But now that I’m observing more carefully, there seems to be a trace of Demonic Qi lurking in these spiritual veins?”

  (End of Chapter)