Otherworldly Desert Dust

Chapter 329 - 284 Valkyrie Development Plan

Zhenwu judges realms by the flow of True Qi.

If the True Qi wanders inside the body like silk, it is called Qi silk.

And when True Qi flows like a stream within the body, it is called Qi Stream.

After that, there are two more realms: Qi River and Qi Sea.

After Qi Sea, comes True Qi External Release, which is like a tiny universe that can burst forth with terrifying power.

As for reaching the state Du Mao once had, turning True Qi External Release into small arrow-like projectiles that puncture falling snowflakes around him, that is a more delicate control of the True Qi External Release once one reaches the Kingly Aura realm.

Miss Ruan is basically at the entry-level amongst martial artists, a strong one within the beginners.

However, you can tell Miss Ruan Muhuan has good talent. She has cultivated to this realm on her own without the support of a Great Family, and with her nature of heavy loyalty, she likely stumbled along the path of cultivation.

Wu Hen is well aware of the current state of this host body, after all, having Taste Spiritual Awakening is akin to being able to perform an internal view.

Almost zero martial arts talent.

Average intelligence.

Pure of heart, full of Yin De.

But Yin De isn’t cashed in this lifetime, only in the next.

With such a foundation, truth be told, forced evolution isn’t impossible, but it’s a bit wasteful of resources and Yuan You, as the absorption effect is too poor...

Lu Yun and Cai Ting are fundamentally different.

Cai Ting at least has a solid foundation from young, all the Holy Decision spells are imprinted in her muscle memory, Wu Hen just needs to practice a bit, and all the abilities of the Holy Sect can be utilized.

Lu Yun’s head is devoid of any martial arts knowledge; starting from scratch is impossible, Wu Hen has neither the patience nor the time for it.

After much thought, Wu Hen decides to give up on martial arts cultivation altogether, just focusing on keeping his body strong and healthy, leaving the fighting and killing to others, remaining behind the scenes like a Kirin Young Master.

This Miss Ruan is actually quite good, carrying an aura of female knight’s righteousness, and having gone through hardships with the host’s owner, she seems to be a reliable teammate who wouldn’t betray.

Then nurture her.

Her martial arts foundation is solid, and her talent is not bad, cultivating her to be a Valkyrie of the True Martial Continent is indeed possible.

"I’ll teach you a Breathing Skill, which can draw spirit rain from this world. I learned this in my dreams at Sleeping Dream Cliff, a very ancient and powerful secret technique. It should help you break through to the Qi Stream realm," Wu Hen said.

Miss Ruan has a pair of almond eyes. She looked at Wu Hen with deep skepticism.

"Do you think I, a man who has escaped death, would deceive you? What would I gain from lying to you?" Wu Hen said, irritated.

"Since you found the Sleeping Dream Cliff, why didn’t you mention it?" Ruan Muhuan asked, puzzled.

"Everything is predestined; perhaps the situation now is the best arrangement from the heavens," Wu Hen said, feigning mystery.

"I’ll give it a try."

"Heh, guaranteed to break through."

...

The night rain was cold, with not even a flicker of fire to warm the small house.

Wu Hen suggested that there was no need to wear such heavy cloaks indoors. Experience tales at NovelBin.Côm

But Ruan Muhuan politely refused, sitting in meditation by the window in her cloak, breathing rhythmically as Wu Hen had instructed.

When she gradually entered the state, Wu Hen then pushed her to the windowsill to let her body come into contact with the night rain.

Even with the cloak as a barrier, the chill of the rain seeped in, making Ruan Muhuan feel slightly uncomfortable. She shifted her waist slightly, and Wu Hen immediately reached out to hold her shoulders, and in the tone Li Zhongshan used to teach, he told Ruan Muhuan to first sense the natural elements around her.

Dusk, cold rain, mountain forests, mist, clear streams, distant peaks, water clouds, stars...

They all had distinct scents and colors, releasing very faint Spiritual Factors, forming a thin layer of spiritual charm in the world. When one breathes in, these faint Spiritual Factors enter the lungs, and when exhaling, they return to the world. The Breathing Skill learned in the Scroll Realm is about retaining these Spiritual Factors, allowing them to nourish all organs within the body; as the "power" of organs increases, the entire body will transform.

Wu Hen had lived with Du Mao for a long time.

He would always share various Zhenwu perceptions.

He had fallen from heavenly talent and then abandoned Zhenwu, starting from the most primitive perception, the most primitive way of absorbing qi. Slowly, he cultivated back to the realm of the True Martial Monarch. Wu Hen had witnessed the entire process.

So when passing on this knowledge to Ruan Muhuan, it was tantamount to having a Quasi Martial God who embodied the principle of simplicity opening her understanding.

What Ruan Muhuan really lacked was a mentor. She had sought her own martial arts path, and now, gathering special treasures from the world for Mrs. Zeng, she hoped to be accepted by a distinguished master.

From initial skepticism, to gradually finding interest, then from interest to submersion, and from the gains of submersion to surprise and disbelief... when she opened her eyes again, Ruan Muhuan’s eyes were clear, like gentle stars after the rain, her cheeks reflecting an unmistakable joy!

Effective!

Extremely effective!

This Breathing Skill truly allows one to draw the spirit rain from the heavens and the earth to aid one’s cultivation breakthrough!

The Qi silks lingering between the acupoints in her body became thicker and stronger, slowly transforming from thin threads of a spring to the flowing waters of a stream…

It felt like an ancient stream clogged with mud and rotten leaves, obstructing the flow. However, after being washed clean by the spirit rain of the Breathing Skill, the obstructions in the ancient stream were cleared away, allowing the spring stream to flow unimpeded, filling her parched body with vigorous life!

"Did you just spiritedly achieve a breakthrough like that?" Wu Hen, looking at Ruan Muhuan, was also somewhat surprised.

He had only taught her a few times, and it already showed results?

It seemed that Ruan Muhuan truly possessed high martial arts talent. That silly lad Du Mao took several beatings in the estate to understand this, like a revered academic master reluctantly teaching a profoundly dull student.

"Is this cultivation method really from a dream?" Ruan Muhuan asked, a flicker of excitement in her eyes.

"Yes, in my dreams, I met a Martial God surnamed Du. He shared his experiences with me, and I took them as mere stories. I never expected they would actually help you. You are now a Qi Stream Martial Master!" Wu Hen said.

"Yes, yes, even if Jiang Jiutao were to come back to life, he might not be a match for me anymore," Ruan Muhuan said.

"Hehe, then you should be able to handle those Monkey Demons, right?" Wu Hen said.

"I should be able to, my strength has increased several fold," Ruan Muhuan nodded.

It was evident that she was delighted, her cheeks rippling with a smile that revealed her anticipation for each coming day.

You should know that her reason for sitting at the same table as figures like Jiang Jiutao and Mr. Zeng was not because her Cultivation matched theirs, but purely because Mrs. Zeng appreciated her and entrusted her with such a task. Without Mrs. Zeng, her fate would have been just as tragic, even someone like Jiang Jiutao could manipulate her at will.

Ruan Muhuan, having seen too much tragedy and misfortune in her life, knew she couldn’t afford a single misstep. Her excessive caution in this world meant she had very few friends. Lu Yun, a warm-hearted gentleman without any ill intentions, was indeed cherished by her. However, with her meager strength as a woman, she really couldn’t offer much help.

But after becoming a martial master, things would be different.

Though she couldn’t protect a wealthy city like Ya City, dealing with crises in small towns and cities was no longer a problem. Becoming a martial master meant a broader path lay ahead. Being just a Ninth Level Martial Apprentice, nobody would take her seriously.

Territories are defined by realms, and at this moment, Ruan Muhuan realized that it wasn’t that her potential was lacking; in fact, her True Qi had long formed a stream. It was just that her Qi acupoints were filled with too much impurity, related to her past diet, water sources, and the discordant martial arts she had learned. As long as she cleansed and purified, she would become a martial master!

"Third Level Martial Master, so I’ve already reached this realm," Ruan Muhuan was still unable to suppress her joy, and even Wu Hen beside her felt that this once lifeless person now seemed to shine.

"Later, I’ll get you some proper equipment; what you have now is nothing but junk," Wu Hen suggested.

Ruan Muhuan glanced at her straw cloak, then at her Cold Sword, and finally, her gaze settled on Wu Hen, still dressed in prisoner’s garb...

"I’ll find some clothes for you to keep warm," Ruan Muhuan said.

"The food and clothing in the town have been plundered by those monkeys. Forget it, I can manage," Wu Hen said.

"I’ll give you this to wear for now; I can keep warm with True Qi," Ruan Muhuan said as she took off her straw cloak, which, although drenched on the outside, was dry and warm inside.

Wu Hen didn’t refuse this time.

Putting on the cloak, he felt truly warm—a warmth that had been nurtured by Miss Ruan’s graceful body—but it couldn’t be said to have a fragrance. It was probably her only set of decent travel clothes and must have been worn for a long time; the absence of any foul smell showed she still considered herself a girl rather than turning into a rugged man.

Without the cloak, Ruan Muhuan had only a white undergarment that was slightly yellowed, and the belt tied around her waist had been pulled as tight as it could go. It still didn’t hug the skin on her waist, indicating how skinny she was and how limited her food supply must be.

"What do you usually eat?" Wu Hen asked.

"Mostly fruit. An elder told me that my body is full of impurities and that eating meat would likely accumulate toxins and hinder my cultivation… He was right," Ruan Muhuan said, her cheeks blushing slightly as she spoke.

"Getting so thin isn’t good. It seems that besides getting you some proper equipment, you also need nutritional supplements. How can a martial practitioner survive on just berries, even if they contain a hint of Spiritual Power? It won’t sustain your training needs," Wu Hen said seriously.

On the True Martial Continent, people who do not practice martial arts can eat contaminated food without much impact.

But cultivators must be very careful. It’s not as simple as just eating a plate of meat that’s served. More often, they need to consume Spiritual Vegetables and Meat and drink Spiritual Juice and Spring water throughout the day, but the costs are quite expensive.

Ruan Muhuan could only afford some immature Spirit Fruits, while common foods were full of impurities and otherworldly contamination. To prevent accumulation, she chose not to eat them…

Sigh, such a poor, skinny Female Warrior. Once Ya City is reclaimed and back in operation, she’ll deserve to have meals of Spiritual Monkey Fruit steeped in wine and Spiritual Dog Meat to accompany her drinks, to be nourished into a fulsome and elegant Valkyrie!