Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 46 Nine-Story Tower

Gu Qing tidied herself up and then leaned against the door to wait for the servants who would bring her food.

While doing so, I also considered matters related to the cultivation of the Refining Essence into Qi realm.

This realm is the lower level of the eighth grade. There are three more realms: Golden Dew Abstaining from Grains, Gathering Spiritual Energy from a Hundred Apertures, and Consuming the Sun and Moon.

Only after all these steps are completed can one attempt to break through to the seventh rank.

It is said that the seventh rank is the level of the elders of Baiyue Mountain. Don't underestimate the seventh rank. In fact, they can be called immortals. Moving mountains and filling seas, and breaking mountains with a wave of their hand are nothing to them.

With a lifespan of over a thousand years, how can one not be called a human immortal?
The process of refining essence into qi involves nine levels of cultivation.

The term "重楼" refers to the throat.

The human body has 360 joints and 84,000 hair follicles, and three gates at the back: the coccyx, the spine, and the occipital bone.

The coccyx is located at the end of the spine, and this point can connect to the internal kidneys, thus opening a path for the marrow.

It is called "Caoxi" and is also known as "Yellow River".

This is the path of Yang rising, leading up to the point where the two kidneys meet at the spine, and then up to the brain at the Jade Pillow. These are the three gates.

What cultivators need to do is to guide spiritual energy through this three-stage path.

In plain language.

It is from Tail Pass – Spine Pass – Jade Pillow Pass!

This pass, with its three layers of defenses, is known as the Nine-Story Tower, or the "Nine-Bend Pass of the Yellow River."

The three gates are located at the spine; spiritual energy does not travel through the meridians, but through the marrow.

When you have refined 36 strands of spiritual energy, you can try to open the marrow path to the coccyx; when you have refined 108 strands, you can break through the spine; and when you have refined 360 strands, you can reach the jade pillow.

It is further subdivided into nine vertebrae, which is the nine levels of Qi cultivation, up to the Jade Pillow Pass, and then flowing downstream to the Chonglou, which is the "throat".

At that time, one can harvest the Golden Dew Jade Elixir and cultivate the Golden Dew Fasting Realm.

These three gates correspond to the three dantians of the human body, one in front of the body and the other behind the body, and all are inseparable from the three treasures of essence, qi and spirit.

In other words, Gu Qing not only needs to cultivate enough spiritual power to reach the Refining Essence into Qi realm, but also needs to open up this marrow path in order to meet the requirements of the subsequent realms.

Once he truly enters the realm of cultivation, there is much more for him to learn.

It includes not only techniques, methods, attainment of enlightenment, and the art of upholding the Way, but also much more knowledge related to cultivation.

The difference between an eighth-grade True Cultivator and a ninth-grade Foundation Establishment cultivator is like heaven and earth.

There is a qualitative difference.

All the knowledge needs to be learned again.

Presumably, there will be corresponding arrangements on Baiyue Mountain. At midday, the servants brought food boxes up the mountain path and were surprised to see Gu Qing waiting for him at the door.

Why did you go out, Senior Brother?

Gu Qing smiled.

"My path is complete. I shall go and inform the dean of Life and Death Peak."

"He's already broken through?!"

This servant was also a disciple of the Sword Forging Manor. He had been a disciple of the manor for ten years, but he had never been able to sense the Heavenly Gate Divine Palace, so he took on the job of delivering meals at the Peak of Life and Death.

I want to learn from those senior brothers who have already sensed the Heavenly Gate.

If he remembered correctly, Gu Qing had only been at Life and Death Peak for a year.

The breakthrough happened so quickly, silently, without any prior notice.

"This is great news, I'll go and inform the dean right away."

The junior colleague who delivered the food left in a hurry.

Gu Qing followed behind, feeling as if the world had changed drastically.

The change in mood is hard to describe.

Life and Death Peak, Heart Refining Hall.

When Gu Qing first joined the Sword Forging Manor, he had met this old man through Zhou An. Now, seeing him again, he could feel the overflowing spiritual energy emanating from him.

This is a Qi Refining Master who has reached the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens.

It's a pity that his lifespan is nearing its end, and he's already showing signs of decay. Serving as the dean of Life and Death Peak is probably his way of contributing to future generations. "Dean, my name is Gu Qing, and I have broken through to the lower eighth rank."

"Gu Qing?"

The dean of Life and Death Peak scrutinized him, seemingly trying to recall such a person from his memory. However, there were too many disciples from the Sword Forging Manor, and in his year, only Zhou An had received attention due to his physical condition. He simply couldn't remember him.

"Good, good, good. Now that you have broken through, you are a disciple of Baiyue Mountain."

"The reporting time to Baiyue Mountain is uniform, and it only happens once a year, around the time when new disciples report. Counting the days, there is still a month left."

"I will send someone to inform you to meet at the last peak of the Great Snow Mountain."

"Very well, I thank the Dean for his guidance."

Dean Shengsifeng stroked his beard and then spoke.

"Since you are a weapon refiner, I, as your elder, will give you a gift for your promotion. Just remember that you come from the Sword Forging Manor in the future."

"The disciple understands."

The dean touched the pouch at his waist, took out a piece of animal hide, and handed it to Gu Qing.

"These are the blueprints and inscriptions for the top-grade magic weapon, the [Escape Shuttle]. If I can forge it one day, I might become a sixth-grade weapon refiner."

Top-grade magical artifacts are beyond the realm of common sense.

Generally speaking, ritual implements are only classified into three grades: lower, middle, and upper.

They are five, ten, and fifteen patterns respectively. However, if one can refine a set of advanced artifact patterns, which is the prototype of a magic restriction but not quite at the level of a spiritual artifact, it will be a top-grade magic artifact.

These blueprints are mostly defective or made by the craftsman's mistakes, resulting in a decline in the quality of the finished product.

No one in the cultivation world would deliberately forge top-grade magical artifacts.

Because if you can refine top-quality materials, you can already refine spiritual weapons, unless you are a wealthy person who refines life-saving items for your descendants.

For ordinary cultivators, the price is too high.

Magical artifacts correspond to the four realms of the eighth-grade true cultivator. Truly wealthy individuals, upon reaching the fourth step, will begin to purchase magical artifacts and other items.

A sixth-grade weapon refiner is a master-level figure who can refine magical treasures. The weapon patterns in their hands can be freely arranged into a structure similar to an array. By using weapon patterns to transform magical restrictions, they can obtain a spiritual weapon ranked seventh grade. When magical restrictions are fused with spiritual energy, they can obtain a magical treasure ranked sixth grade.

The [Escape Yuan Shuttle] contains the contents of a weapon-crafting method called "Escape Yuan Technique: Prototype" and its blueprints, which are of great value to Gu Qing.

If I accept it rashly, I will inevitably incur a favor.

Seeing Gu Qing hesitate, the dean explained.

"I have jurisdiction over Life and Death Peak. Over the years, I have given almost every successful cultivator a useful gift, so you don't need to worry."

"If that's the case, then this disciple will accept it."

"So good."

"My surname is Chen. From now on, you can call me Dean Chen."

"There are one or two young men in the family. I wonder if young friend Gu knows Chen Yin? He is quite talented in weapon crafting."

Gu Qing was surprised for a moment upon hearing this.

"Senior Brother Chen Yin? Is that the one who's with Master Fang?"

"It seems you've already met him, young friend."

"Yes."

"Chen Yin is a genius of my Chen clan, but he was born into a collateral branch and his parents are no longer alive. He has rarely interacted with his clansmen since childhood, and now that he has joined the Sword Forging Manor, he is even more independent."

"He is about the same age as you, young friend. Judging by the time, he should be able to emerge from the Life and Death Peak in the next few days. Among the disciples heading to Baiyue Mountain, I hope you can offer him some assistance."

See? Now we have to repay that favor.

As for what Dean Chen said, he would give a gift to every disciple who broke through to the eighth rank of true cultivation, he believed it.

But it's definitely not as precious as the [Escape Shuttle].

It's just a small favor, and after thinking it over, since I've already received the benefit, there's no reason to refuse.

"If Brother Chen Yin needs my help within my power, I will certainly do my best to assist him."

(End of this chapter)