Chapter 69: One mouthful of true fire inhaled into the body!

"Thank you, Miss Wen, for the guidance, this old man has noted it down."

Jiang Ye cupped his hands at Wen Yueyao with a smile, thanking her with a sincere attitude.

"Haha, just popularizing some small knowledge for Old Man Jiang, no need to thank me."

Seeing him so teachable, Wen Yueyao revealed a gratified smile.

The two continued to walk toward Jiding Peak, their pace unhurried.

Jiang Ye was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked again:

"By the way, Miss Wen, this old man is somewhat curious. Since this true energy is mainly based on the five elements, can a martial artist practice multiple types of true energy? Why do the martial artists on this Tianyang Peak only practice fire-element true energy?"

Hearing this, Wen Yueyao's pretty oval face didn't show surprise, but instead revealed an "I knew you would ask this" knowing smile.

She laughed heartily, her voice crisp:

"Old Man Jiang, you've asked the right question."

"Martial artists can indeed practice multiple types of true qi, there is no restriction on this itself."

"However..." her tone shifted, her expression becoming a bit more serious, then she continued:

"For ordinary martial artists, nurturing one type of true qi is already quite difficult. Nurturing a second type of true qi is even more difficult."

"Even if one really has the opportunity to nurture two types of attribute true qi, the difficulty of future cultivation will increase dramatically."

"Quite a few martial artists have tried this path, wanting to practice more types of true qi to increase their foundation. As a result, they all got stuck at the early stage of the Embracing the Pill Realm, unable to make any progress for a lifetime, which is not worth the loss."

Jiang Ye nodded with realization, "So that's how it is..."

Since one can practice multiple types of true qi, then he won't be polite.

For ordinary martial artists, it's as difficult as ascending to heaven, but for him, who possesses superb comprehension, it's as easy as turning over his hand!

Seeing his expression, Wen Yueyao thought he was lamenting the difficulty of the martial path and added with a smile:

"However, it's not that there are no successful martial artists; for example, Xu Xu Shijie Hua, who ranks in the top two among our true disciples, is a genius who practices two types of attribute true qi!"

Hearing this, a hint of strangeness flashed in Jiang Ye's aged eyes, "The top two among the true disciples..."

He had heard Lu Ming and Chen Lili mention before that the top two on the true disciple ranking were a pair of twin sisters.

It was just that this pair of twin sisters had mysterious whereabouts and didn't show themselves much in the sect, so in the Tianqing Sect, the most famous true disciple was still Jin Hai.

"Besides those two Xu Xu Shijie Sisters Hua, actually, there is one other person in the sect who practices multiple types of true qi."

As Wen Yueyao spoke, a look of heartfelt admiration appeared on her face, her voice lowering a bit: "That is our Sect Master!"

She paused, her eyes full of reverence: "People in the sect all say I am gifted, but actually, compared to the Sect Master... it's like a mayfly seeing the blue sky."

"The Tianqing Sect Master also practices multiple types of true qi?!"

A hint of surprise appeared on Jiang Ye's face.

It seems there is truly no lack of geniuses in this world.

Jiang Ye shook his head with a smile and said: "Miss Wen, I heard that you nurtured Qi for seven days and successfully embraced the pill; this speed is considered unique in the Tianqing Sect. With your talent, it shouldn't be difficult to practice multiple types of true qi, right?"

Hearing this, a rare look of seriousness and determination appeared on Wen Yueyao's pretty oval face.

She shook her head slightly, her voice crisp:

"Old Man Jiang, you've got that wrong."

She paused, her gaze looking into the distance, as if looking at her own martial path.

"My temperament is too impatient, I want to do everything in one step. This kind of temperament is fundamentally unsuitable for nurturing multiple types of true qi."

"For me, concentrating all my energy in one place and breaking through the realm as soon as possible is the right path."

Jiang Ye was slightly stunned, then a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes.

To think this little girl had such a clear understanding of herself.

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing oneself is clarity.

In a certain sense, this could also be considered a clear Dao heart.

"It seems Miss Wen's martial path will go very far."

Jiang Ye praised softly, his tone sincere.

"Hahaha, thank you for the blessing, Old Man Jiang!"

Wen Yueyao laughed heartily, her smile as bright as before, then she also cupped her hands: "I also wish Old Man Jiang, after exchanging for the Qi-Nurturing Method, can form a golden core soon and have a prosperous martial fortune!"

A smile appeared on Jiang Ye's aged face as well, the two smiled at each other, the atmosphere harmonious.

The two walked and chatted, their pace not slow, and soon they arrived at the Administration Hall of Jiding Peak.

The hall door was open, and as soon as the two stepped into the hall, Gongsun Hong, who was sitting there closing his eyes and resting, seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes.

Before Wen Yueyao could speak, he stood up with a "swish," his refined face full of polite smiles, and took the initiative to greet them:

"Congratulations to True Disciple Wen for successfully embracing the pill, I haven't had time to congratulate you yet."

Wen Yueyao's current status and position were no longer comparable to ordinary inner disciples.

The young girl smiled faintly and waved her hand: "Elder Gongsun, you know I don't like those empty rituals. Coming here today is to trouble you to help me transfer thirty thousand contribution points to Jiang Zhishi."

As she spoke, she took out her true disciple token and handed it over along with Jiang Ye's deacon token.

"A small matter, True Disciple Wen, please wait a moment."

Gongsun Hong took the tokens, his attitude even more polite than last time.

At the same time, he didn't forget to greet Jiang Ye, "Jiang Zhishi, are you still getting used to staying in the herb garden? If you need anything, just speak up."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, his expression calm: "Sorry to trouble Elder Gongsun for your concern. This old man is quite adapted to the herb garden, thank you for your concern."

"As long as you're adapted, as long as you're adapted."

Gongsun Hong responded with a smile, his hands not stopping: "If you want to change places, you can come find me anytime. The Administration Hall doesn't have much else, but this bit of convenience is still there."

As he spoke, he had finished transferring the contribution points and handed the tokens back to the two with both hands.

"Sorry to trouble Elder Gongsun."

Wen Yueyao took the tokens, glanced at them casually, and tucked them into her bosom.

The two didn't delay, exited the Administration Hall, and continued upward along the mountain path toward the Merit Pavilion.

Under Wen Yueyao's guidance, not long after, a three-story ancient tower came into view.

The tower was built of blue-gray stone bricks, with flying eaves and brackets, revealing the heaviness of accumulated time.

On the door plaque, three vigorous characters danced like dragons and snakes—Merit Pavilion!

The handwriting was ancient and powerful, each stroke seeming to contain some mysterious charm.

"We're here, Old Man Jiang!"

Before going in, Wen Yueyao lowered her voice and said softly to Jiang Ye: "The elder guarding the Merit Pavilion is surnamed Zhong, his temper is a bit strange, be careful when you go in."

"Temper is a bit strange?"

Jiang Ye was slightly stunned.

Immediately after, Wen Yueyao took him into the tower.

The light on the first floor of the tower was somewhat dim, with only a few oil lamps flickering in the corners, casting mottled shadows on the full room of bookshelves.

An old man with graying hair and a long beard was sitting behind a desk reading a book, his beard hanging down to his chest, looking even older than Jiang Ye.

He was reading very intently, his gaze glued to the book page, as if he hadn't noticed the two entering at all.

Wen Yueyao coughed lightly, walked up, and said in a soft voice: "Elder Zhong, this Jiang Zhishi wants to exchange for a Qi-Nurturing Method!"

After a while, the old man slowly lifted his head, his turbid eyeballs turning, and swept a glance at the two.

Seeing Wen Yueyao, this inner disciple, Elder Zhong's attitude was quite different from Gongsun Hong's; the expression on his face didn't change in the slightest, just saying indifferently: "He wants to exchange for a Qi-Nurturing Method, what are you doing here."

Hearing this, Jiang Ye and Wen Yueyao were both stunned.

This old man's temper was indeed a bit strange.

Wen Yueyao opened her mouth, wanting to explain something, but saw Elder Zhong had already shifted his gaze and landed on Jiang Ye.

He sized him up, his voice still indifferent: "The Qi-Nurturing Method is on the second floor, give me your token, go up and pick it yourself."

Jiang Ye looked at Wen Yueyao, and seeing her nod slightly, he walked forward slowly and handed his deacon token over.

Elder Zhong took the token, casually made a mark in the ledger on the desk, and then nudged his chin toward the stairs not far away:

"Go up."

After finishing, he lowered his head again, continuing to read that unknown book, with no intention of paying attention to Jiang Ye anymore.

Jiang Ye wasn't annoyed, just cupped his hands slightly, and turned to walk toward the stairs.

Passing by Wen Yueyao, he said softly:

"Miss Wen, then I'll go up to pick the Qi-Nurturing Method, you don't need to wait for me, go back first."

"Okay! Old Man Jiang, then I'll take my leave first."

Wen Yueyao was a straightforward woman, didn't stand on ceremony, nodded, and walked out.

Before stepping out of the door, she looked back at Jiang Ye once more, pondering inwardly: "Which Qi-Nurturing Method will Old Man Jiang pick... it should be the 'Furnace True Fire Qi-Nurturing Method'."

Jiang Ye stepped onto the wooden stairs and walked up slowly.

Before going upstairs, he swept a casual glance at the bookshelves placed on the first floor, discovering that most of the techniques placed on this floor were martial arts foundation techniques, similar to the Mountain-Crushing Fist that Liu Qingshi and the others learned, basically not entering the stream.

"It seems the good stuff is on the second floor and above."

He muttered to himself, his footsteps not stopping, and soon he was on the second floor.

Once on the second floor, one could smell a faint medicinal scent permeating the air; that was the fragrance of herbs specially made to prevent insect damage.

Looking around, one bookshelf after another was separated neatly, marked with fist techniques, palm techniques, sword techniques, blade techniques... clearly classified, dazzling.

The central area was clearly marked with three characters—Qi-Nurturing Method.

Jiang Ye walked up quickly, his gaze sweeping across those rows of bookshelves.

In the fire-element true qi column, three ancient secret manuals lay quietly in one place, the handwriting on the covers all different, yet all revealing a heaviness of accumulated time.

"Furnace True Fire Qi-Nurturing Method," cover dark red, faintly having furnace fire patterns.

"Earth Vein True Fire Qi-Nurturing Method," cover deep brown, patterns like earth cracks and rock layers.

"Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method," cover golden red, faintly having light flowing.

Jiang Ye's gaze landed on the last one, without the slightest hesitation, he reached out and took it down.

He flipped to the first page, and what came into view was a pattern.

A great sun hung above the nine heavens, its light ten thousand zhang, as if it were about to burn through the back of the paper.

Flipping further back, it was the Qi-Nurturing circulation diagram.

The diagram marked the human meridians and the circulation route of true qi, accompanied by dense small character annotations on the side.

At the time of the great sun's first rise, face the east and absorb the fire of the morning sun. The morning sun is gentle and can nurture the foundation.

At the time of the great sun's high suspension, face the zenith and absorb the fire of the upright sun. The upright sun is scorching and can strengthen the meridians.

At the time of the great sun's evening fall, face the west and absorb the fire of the twilight sun. The twilight sun is warm and moist and can solidify the origin.

Jiang Ye's gaze swept line by line, the light in his aged eyes becoming brighter and brighter.

Morning sun, upright sun, twilight sun.

In one day, three kinds of fire qi, three kinds of changes.

For ordinary martial artists wanting to comprehend from this, it is indeed as difficult as ascending to heaven.

But for him...

Jiang Ye's mouth curled up into an arc.

This is the one!

Jiang Ye took down this "Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method" without hesitation and held it in his hand.

His fingertips rubbed the golden-red patterns on the cover, as if he could feel the scorching heat transmitted from that great sun through the paper surface.

He didn't rush downstairs, but walked slowly among the bookshelves on the second floor, his gaze sweeping across those rows of Qi-Nurturing Methods marked with different attributes.

Gold, wood, water, earth—the techniques for the four types of true qi were listed in four rows, each book revealing its own unique aura.

His gaze stayed longest on the wood-element true qi column.

A secret manual with a verdant cover and patterns like ancient tree rings lay quietly there, with seven ancient small characters written on it—"Green Wood Longevity Qi-Nurturing Method."

He reached out and took it down, flipping through it casually.

The introduction clearly stated: This technique nurtures the body with the vitality of green wood; practice to major success, and one can prolong life and stay young forever.

"Prolong life..."

A hint of essence flashed in Jiang Ye's aged eyes.

For his seventy-year-old shell, the temptation of the two words "prolong life" was even greater than increasing combat power.

He silently noted the location of this technique and sighed lightly in his heart:

"It's a pity that the contribution points aren't enough now... once I gather enough contribution points, I must complete the other four types of true qi."

The latter half of these Qi-Nurturing Methods seemed to be covered by secret techniques, and flipping down, they were all contentless pages.

Otherwise, with his superb comprehension talent, he could even start practicing directly here, where would he need to exchange for them.

Elder Zhong was still sitting behind the desk, holding that unknown book, reading intently.

Jiang Ye walked to the desk and placed the Qi-Nurturing Method in his hand gently on the table:

"Elder Zhong, I've picked it, I'll exchange for this Qi-Nurturing Method."

Elder Zhong's peripheral vision glanced over, his gaze landing on that golden-red cover.

A smile of unknown meaning suddenly appeared on his wrinkled face.

He put down the book and spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and indifferent: "Seeing that you're also an old man with not many years left to live, I'll remind you: this is the most difficult Qi-Nurturing Method to practice in the sect. It's very likely that until the day you die, you won't be able to nurture a single trace of fire qi."

Jiang Ye looked at him, his expression as calm as water.

He could see that this old man's so-called bad temper was actually just being a bit sharp-tongued, liking to say things that made people unable to step down.

His voice was equally indifferent, without the slightest wavering: "I'll choose this one."

"Fine."

Hearing Jiang Ye confirm, Elder Zhong didn't say anything more, picked up the "Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method" on the table, stood up, and walked into a small room next to him.

About a cup of tea's time later.

Elder Zhong walked out with a thin booklet in his hand; that was the rub-off version of the "Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method."

"Take it."

He handed the rub-off version of the "Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method" to Jiang Ye and said indifferently: "You should know the rules, it is forbidden to spread it outside, otherwise you will die."

"Understood!"

Jiang Ye nodded slightly and tucked the rub-off version into his bosom.

He didn't say anything more, just cupped his hands at Elder Zhong and turned to walk toward the door.

Returning to Tianyangfeng.

Jiang Ye didn't dawdle, directly took out the rub-off version of the "Great Sun Heavenly Flame Qi-Nurturing Method," and was about to start practicing immediately.

He wanted to see exactly where this Qi-Nurturing Method, known as the most difficult to nurture fire qi, was difficult.

He lowered his eyes to flip through it, page by page, carefully and meticulously.

From the general outline to the essential secrets, from the meridian circulation diagram to the breathing method, he didn't miss a single detail.

His superb comprehension talent was revealed here; the points that others needed to ponder repeatedly for several days, he only needed to look at once to understand.

About a cup of tea's time later, he closed the rub-off version and placed it by his side.

At this moment, it was just the time when the sunset was about to set.

The clouds in the sky were dyed into a brilliant golden red, and that white sun no longer had the scorching heat of noon, becoming gentle and moist, like a huge fireball about to sink below the horizon.

The sunlight spilled on his body, not blinding, not scorching, only having just the right warmth.

Jiang Ye lifted his head, his gaze looking directly at the sunset.

According to the breathing rhythm recorded in the Qi-Nurturing Method, he began to adjust his breath.

Deep inhale, slow exhale, heart sinking and breath merging, intention returning to one.

Once, twice, three times...

His breathing became increasingly steady and long, as if quietly fitting into some rhythm between heaven and earth.

His mind gradually sank into a mysterious state of emptiness, everything outside—the sound of the wind, the chirping of insects—faded in his perception, leaving only the warm sunset above his head.

Gradually, the sun in the sky changed in his eyes.

It was no longer an ordinary sun wheel, no longer a dazzling ball of light.

Within that light, a silhouette faintly emerged...

"This is... a Golden Crow?!"

Jiang Ye's mind shook.

That was a three-legged divine bird with a body burning with golden flames, its wings spread, covering the sky and sun.

It hung quietly above the nine heavens, overlooking all things in heaven and earth, those eyes burning with flames seemingly able to pierce through all falsehoods. That kind of majesty, that kind of vastness, made one want to bow down in worship.

It was also at this instant.

What he inhaled was no longer air, but a wisp of scorching true fire. ===== CHAPTER 70 =====