The Path of Cultivation has a total of Eight Realms.
The First Realm: Beginning
The Second Realm: Inheriting
The Third Realm: Turning
The Fourth Realm: Uniting
The Fifth Realm: Comprehending
The Sixth Realm: Sensing
The Seventh Realm: Connecting
The Eighth Realm: Dao
Above the Eight Realms is the Celestial Being.”
“I will help you enter the First Realm to repay your life-saving kindness, but what happens after Entering the Dao is entirely up to you.”
Qi Wanxi walked to an open space, and Chu Canyuan followed closely behind her.
“To enter the First Realm, you must first be able to sense the existence of Qi, which is Spiritual Power.”
“Next, I will inject a stream of Spiritual Power into you. You need to strive to sense and accept it until you can convert it into your own Spiritual Power.”
Qi Wanxi signaled Chu Canyuan to sit down, then she sat down behind him.
Her two delicate Jade Hands pressed tightly against Chu Canyuan’s back: “Strive to sense its existence.”
Immediately, a warm sensation filled Chu Canyuan’s body, causing his brow to furrow slightly.
“Once you sense its existence, diligently guide it to flow throughout your entire body, attempting to circulate the Spiritual Power through every part of your body.”
Chu Canyuan nodded slightly, guiding the flow of that warm energy. Because Chu Canyuan had studied the way of Medicinal herbs since childhood, searching for, preparing, and testing herbs was a daily necessity.
This meant Chu Canyuan already possessed a body immune to all poisons, and the impurities within his body had been completely purged.
Chu Canyuan now possessed the physique most suitable for cultivation; he could absorb Spiritual Power more quickly and stably, allowing the Spiritual Power to reach any part of his body freely.
Spiritual Power instantly flooded Chu Canyuan’s entire body, flowing rhythmically within him.
Qi Wanxi was somewhat surprised as she sensed the astonishing changes within Chu Canyuan’s body.
It was the first time she had seen such a special physique; the Spiritual Power flowed through his body without the slightest obstruction.
“Has he truly never cultivated before? How could he accept my Spiritual Power so quickly, and even guide it to fill all his meridians?”
Qi Wanxi quickly withdrew her hands and moved in front of Chu Canyuan. However, Chu Canyuan’s face showed no sign of discomfort; instead, it seemed as if the fatigue of the past few days had been swept away.
“An unprecedented feeling, as if something has been added inside me,” Chu Canyuan said, opening his eyes to look at his hands.
“That is Spiritual Power. The most crucial step to reaching the First Realm is being able to circulate Spiritual Power freely within your body. You have now stepped into the First Realm: Beginning Realm.”
The Young Girl turned and straightened her collar before speaking.
“It was that simple? It took less than half an hour.”
Chu Canyuan only knew that cultivation was difficult. Since childhood, he had heard the Mountain City Residents say that aspiring to the Path of Cultivation was like ascending to heaven.
But why was it so simple for him? He couldn't help but suspect that Qi Wanxi was deceiving him.
“What do you mean by that look? I am not lying to you; you have indeed Entered the Dao.”
Qi Wanxi looked at Chu Canyuan’s suspicious gaze with some helplessness.
For ordinary people to Enter the Dao, they would inevitably have to repeatedly cleanse their tendons and marrow to remove useless matter, then rely on the power of Elixirs to nourish their physique, and only then could they open their meridians to allow Spiritual Power to flow.
But who would have thought that Chu Canyuan’s physical quality and talent were so high? It was no exaggeration to say that Chu Canyuan’s current body was born for cultivation.
Although Chu Wanqing and Xia Liuli possessed extraordinary strength, they only wished for Chu Canyuan to live an ordinary, uneventful life, so they never taught him cultivation methods.
Unexpectedly, Chu Canyuan, relying on the way of Medicinal herbs he had studied since childhood, had stumbled into possessing the most suitable physique for cultivation.
Seeing Qi Wanxi’s determined expression, Chu Canyuan saw she wasn't lying and stopped overthinking it.
“Although you have entered the First Realm, do not become overly complacent.”
“In the First Realm, you can circulate Spiritual Power to strengthen various parts of your body. You can understand the First Realm as strengthening the physique.”
“The Second Realm: Bearing Realm allows you to mobilize Spiritual Power to manipulate objects at will using Qi. This realm is far superior to the First Realm, which only rigidly strengthens the self with Spiritual Power.”
“But you don't need to worry. Although a person in the First Realm has just stepped through the door of cultivation, they are still invincible compared to ordinary mortals.”
Chu Canyuan looked Qi Wanxi up and down, hesitated for a long time, and couldn't help but ask, “What realm is Miss Wanxi in?”
Qi Wanxi’s lips curved slightly upward, and she said with a hint of pride, “Even if you had ten more years, you wouldn't catch up to where I am now.”
But thinking of Chu Canyuan’s monstrous physique, Qi Wanxi couldn't help but lose some confidence. Perhaps in ten years, he really could surpass her current self.
The more Qi Wanxi thought about it, the more indignant she became, and she kicked a pebble on the ground into the lake.
“I’ve always wanted to ask, since you said you are a Mountain City Resident, why did you insist on coming here to clean up?”
“Because I need to travel to the Sacred Hall, and I encountered some unexpected issues along the way.”
Chu Canyuan certainly could not tell Qi Wanxi the truth.
Setting aside whether she was someone from the Sacred Hall, Chu Canyuan still didn't know how to explain the current situation to others.
“To the Sacred Hall? Do you know where the Sacred Hall is, and do you know how far the Sacred Hall is from here?”
“I don’t know, but I can ask as I go. I can endure hardship; I’m not afraid of how long the journey is.”
Qi Wanxi looked at the overly optimistic Chu Canyuan with a troubled expression.
“This mountain is located at the southernmost point of Qingzhou, while the Sacred Hall is in the center of Huangzhou, several states away. If ordinary mortals traveled only by foot, it would take three years to arrive.”
Chu Yuan stammered, “Th-three years?!”
“What? Didn’t you say you weren’t afraid of how long the journey was?” Qi Wanxi said with schadenfreude.
“It’s not exactly about that…”
Chu Canyuan frowned deeply, his heart filled with heavy worries.
For him, the distant journey was not the biggest obstacle; what truly weighed on his mind was the urgency of time.
The passing of every minute and second could mean missing a crucial opportunity. By the time he finally reached his destination after countless hardships, the murderer who cruelly killed his parents might have already vanished without a trace.
The thought made Chu Canyuan’s heart feel as if it were being tightly gripped by an Invisible Great Hand, causing unbearable pain.
He wished he could instantly sprout wings and fly to the scene, but reality mercilessly told him this was just a fantasy.
Both of them needed to descend the mountain. After exchanging a glance, they decided to travel together. After a long period of arduous trekking, they finally reached the foot of the mountain.
This was the first time Chu Canyuan had descended the mountain in ten years. The streets below were bustling with people, lively and extraordinary, as if the entire city's population had gathered there.
Shops lined both sides of the street, with various signs shining brightly, far livelier than in the Mountain City.
Qi Wanxi turned and looked at Chu Canyuan’s worn-out long robe, sighed, and walked toward a clothing shop named Yabu Fang.
Chu Canyuan quickly followed. As soon as he stepped inside, Qi Wanxi thrust a snow-blue robe patterned with white plum blossoms into his arms.
“Go try it on.”
“Miss Wanxi bought this for me?” Chu Canyuan asked doubtfully.
“What else? Do you have Silver Taels?” Qi Wanxi asked, stifling a laugh as she looked at the overwhelmed Chu Canyuan.
“No, no, I can’t accept it.”
“Just try it on if I tell you to,” Qi Wanxi urged, waving her hand.
Soon, Chu Canyuan emerged after trying it on. Dressed in the long robe, a gentle breeze made the fabric flutter.
Qi Wanxi was somewhat mesmerized watching Chu Canyuan before her. His eyebrows were like painted ink, his eyes like stars, his lips tightly pressed into a line, and strands of black hair hung down to his chest.
“Why does a man need to be this handsome? He is already so beautiful now; what will he become when he grows up?” Qi Wanxi felt a mix of jealousy and confusion.
“Here.”
Qi Wanxi handed Chu Canyuan a white Jade Hairpin. Chu Canyuan took the hairpin and tied up his long hair, making him look even more refined and handsome.
“Thank you, Miss.”