Chapter 248: The Upper Sect Shakes! The Berserk Iron Ox! (2)

In fact, she had been pondering this question repeatedly in her mind since Lu Guizhou mentioned the relationship between the quantity of primordial qi and one’s foundation.

On one hand, there was Luo Song’s cautionary example.

That arrogant old man, still lying unconscious on Tianyangfeng, was a direct result of being counterattacked by two strands of primordial qi.

On the other hand, Tianqing Sect desperately needed a true primordial martial artist to hold its ground.

Jiang Lao’s strength was unfathomable.

But he had not yet fully perfected his Gangqi , and still needed time before attempting to break into the primordial realm.

Meanwhile, she had already fully perfected her Gangqi , and only lacked this final threshold—making her the most likely candidate to enter the primordial realm in a short time.

If she, like Luo Song, dared to absorb more than two strands of primordial qi to secure a stronger foundation and failed, Tianqing Sect’s position would become dire.

Thus, she chose to break through with a single strand of primordial qi—the safest and most reasonable option.

Hearing this, Jiang Ye nodded slightly.

He had already left the choice to Liu Qingyu.

How she decided, he would not interfere with.

He slowly opened the blue jade vial, tapped its side gently, and a strand of primordial qi, as thin as a hair and pure white without flaw, drifted out.

The moment that strand of primordial qi touched the outside air, the entire courtyard filled with an indescribable purity of spiritual essence; merely breathing it in made one feel every limb and bone expanding in relief.

Liu Qingyu drew a deep breath, summoning star-speckled water true Gangqi from her palms, and carefully cradled the strand in her hands.

She gazed down at the slender thread of qi in her palm—carrying so much hope—and her heart surged with waves of emotion; her starlit eyes reflected the pure white glow of the primordial qi, faintly glistening with unnoticeable tears.

Finally, she could take this step.

After a long while.

She calmed her emotions, carefully stored the strand, and looked up at Jiang Ye with solemnity:

“Jiang Lao, since we now have the primordial qi, I won’t delay any longer.”

“I will now enter seclusion for a time...”

“Please take care of the affairs on the peak.”

Jiang Ye smiled calmly: “Very well. I shall wish you good fortune, Liu Fengzhu, and success in entering the primordial realm.”

Liu Qingyu smiled brightly: “Then I accept your auspicious words, Jiang Lao.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the courtyard without further pause.

Jiang Ye watched the receding back of Liu Qingyu’s moon-white robe, then turned his gaze back to the blue jade vial on the stone table.

Five strands of primordial qi still remained inside, slowly swirling, emitting a pure and gentle glow.

He picked up the vial, his fingers tracing its smooth surface, silently calculating...

If Liu Qingyu succeeded in breaking through with just one strand of primordial qi,

then the remaining primordial qi would be entirely his.

According to Lu Guizhou’s account, the more primordial qi one absorbed, the more stable one’s foundation upon entering the primordial realm, and the higher one’s ultimate ceiling.

So how many strands should he use when he breaks through?

He had weighed this question repeatedly while drinking tea earlier, yet still had not reached a satisfying answer.

After a moment, he shook his head slightly and returned the blue jade vial to his robe.

It was still too early to think about this.

The immediate priority was to refine his Gangqi to full perfection before even considering the primordial breakthrough.

He walked over to the Qingyan herb field, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began planning his next cultivation path in his mind.

Though all five elemental true Gangqi had been fully refined, there was still considerable room for further polishing.

In addition, he must break through to the full realm of the Golden Body Art as soon as possible.

According to Lu Guizhou’s teachings, the more resilient a martial artist’s body, the stronger the primordial qi it can withstand, and the lower the risk during breakthrough.

This was excellent news for him.

His Golden Body Art was nearly at its full realm.

Once his body entered the legendary “Golden Body” state, a true transformation would occur.

Then, with the deep foundation of his five-element true Gangqi and the carrying power of his Golden Body, his upper limit for absorbing primordial qi might even surpass those three famed women of the Zhou state.

Meanwhile,

the outcome of the primordial qi struggle on Tianyunfeng spread like a stone dropped into water, sending ripples through the upper sect’s inner disciples, racing from peak to peak faster than mountain winds.

And among these ripples, the first to be shaken was Lingniu Peak.

In a spacious, luxurious courtyard, Zhang Kun sat cross-legged atop a massive black iron stone, his aura dense and heavy, subtly drawing in the surrounding heavenly energy.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard, followed by an inner disciple rushing in, gasping for breath as he reported everything that had happened on Tianyunfeng.

“What? Tianqing Sect seized six strands of primordial qi?!”

Zhang Kun shot upright from the black iron stone, his copper-bell eyes wide with disbelief, his dark face etched with shock, his voice shaking the stone table:

“How the hell is that possible?!”

“They don’t even have one primordial martial artist—how the hell did they snatch it?!”

“You’re not joking with me, are you?!”

The inner disciple standing before him trembled violently, his back already soaked in cold sweat.

He had spent years on Lingniu Peak—he knew this Zhang Lao’s temper all too well.

Beneath that seemingly simple, honest face lurked a wild ox ready to go berserk.

Once he lost control, he became as terrifying as a mad bull.

Unfortunately, Zhang Kun’s current state looked exactly like the moment before his rage erupted.

The inner disciple swallowed hard, gritted his teeth, and repeated every detail he had heard.

With every word he spoke, Zhang Kun’s breathing grew heavier; the air blasted from his flared nostrils like a bull snorting, flattening the grass around him.

Veins swelled on his forehead, like writhing snakes hidden beneath his dark skin.

“That old Jiang bastard... that old Jiang bastard...”

Zhang Kun muttered the phrase over and over through clenched teeth.

The image of that calm old man standing beside Liu Qingyu flashed in his mind.

He had never taken the man seriously before—just another hanger-on of Liu Qingyu’s.

Yet now, that hanger-on had stolen all six strands of primordial qi from three primordial martial artists.

How could he possibly use primordial qi to control Liu Qingyu now?!

Crash—

A deafening thud.

The thick, solid stone table before Zhang Kun was shattered into dust by his enraged palm strike, shards flying everywhere.

Who dares ruin my plans?

I’ll tear him apart alive!

Zhang Kun stared fixedly toward Tianyunfeng, his copper-bell eyes churning with unrestrained fury.