As the blood pearl entered her mouth and its energy barely began to refine, it immediately transformed into a hot current surging into her abdomen.

Huai Qing experienced the same agony Xu Qi An had endured before. She felt as if she hadn’t swallowed a blood pearl but rather a mouthful of magma. The scorching heat first exploded in her throat, “melting” her pharynx, destroying her vocal cords, and robbing her of speech.

Then it burned down her esophagus, entering her stomach.

During this process, a small portion of the blood pearl’s power had already merged with her blood, surging through her vessels toward her limbs and organs, tearing apart her flesh from within.

This agony was a thousand times worse than death by a thousand cuts. Anyone below the Spirit Refinement Realm would instantly perish from such torture.

Huai Qing’s consciousness rapidly scattered, growing confused and immersed in tremendous pain.

Using a blood pearl to advance to supernatural rank required enduring terrifying agony capable of easily killing any Fourth Rank cultivator. This was the necessary price for advancing through such a shortcut method.

Xu Qi An had warned Huai Qing of all this.

Though mentally prepared, she hadn’t anticipated such horrifying, terrifying pain.

Unbearable, utterly unbearable… Huai Qing’s Primordial Spirit swiftly annihilated, like snowflakes dissolving in water, shattering apart.

In her remaining consciousness, only fear remained.

Fear of death, fear of pain, like a child walking through ice and snow, longing for the appearance of lamplight ahead.

“Hold the origin, endure it!”

Through her murky consciousness, she heard a deep, gentle voice beside her ear.

The little girl in the ice and snow saw the lamplight she yearned for.

Huai Qing’s consciousness suddenly cleared. She discovered she had somehow rolled off the dragon bed, lying bloody in Xu Qi An’s arms.

Her rationality didn’t last long before being submerged by waves of pain like ocean tides.

“Endure it. Right now, you must prevent your Primordial Spirit from collapsing,” Xu Qi An said deeply.

“You… you went through this back then…” Huai Qing’s voice was faint as mist, her consciousness murky as she spoke intermittently.

She couldn’t look in a mirror now, or she’d certainly be frightened by her hideous appearance.

The flesh on Huai Qing’s face was splitting open, blood seeping out like impurities being expelled from her body.

Her body was the same.

“For me back then, failing meant the execution of my entire family,” Xu Qi An said softly. “I had no choice. Huai Qing, you have no choice either now. If you can’t endure this, you can only die.”

Huai Qing spoke no more, desperately fighting against her Primordial Spirit’s collapse.

At this moment, a golden dragon emerged from within her body, coiling like a python, “wrapping” her dispersing Primordial Spirit, preventing it from scattering.

Time passed minute by minute, second by second. Xu Qi An silently guarded beside her, maintaining a barrier that contained Huai Qing’s screams and the blood pearl’s essence, preventing any from leaking out.

Not until the sandalwood incense ceased rising from the golden beast’s mouth did Huai Qing’s condition gradually stabilize.

Her mortal shell had shed its mundane nature, every cell brimming with vigorous life force, endless and regenerating, capable of regrowing severed limbs and moving mountains to fill seas.

The Nine Provinces’ first female supernatural warrior was born.

The golden dragon dispersed, and Xu Qi An withdrew his barrier. He held Huai Qing’s blood-covered hand, transferring energy to her.

“Did I succeed?”

Huai Qing opened her eyes, two sharp streams of energy piercing through the hall’s ceiling—she still struggled to perfectly control this power.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Felicitations, Your Majesty!”

Xu Qi An repeatedly cupped his hands, smiling.

Huai Qing softly exhaled, sitting cross-legged. She beckoned, drawing over a clean handkerchief to carefully wipe her flower-like face.

After barely cleaning herself up, she said gently:

“Thank you.”

“No need for ‘thanks’ between us,” Xu Qi An waved dismissively, thinking to himself that she was his sister-in-law after all.

Huai Qing said softly:

“Since there’s no need for ‘thanks,’ then Silver Bell Xu needn’t always have ‘Your Majesty’ on his lips in private.”

Though she often had “Silver Bell Xu” on her lips, when in a good mood and without others present, she would call him Ning Yan.

Is she wanting me to call her by her intimate name, or just Huai Qing? Xu Qi An said:

“As you wish, Your Majesty!”

“…” Huai Qing ignored him now, saying coolly:

“When will Li Miao Zhen advance to Third Rank?”

Xu Qi An answered:

“Tonight. She’ll gather Merit Light at the Eight Trigrams Platform of the Star-Watching Tower and break through to Third Rank in one go.”

Huai Qing nodded, then asked:

“What are her chances?”

“According to Golden Lotus Daoist, in her three years of wandering the jianghu, Miao Zhen has gathered an enormous amount of merit power, but the karmic backlash that comes with it will also be extreme,” Xu Qi An said:

“Would you like to observe tonight?”

Huai Qing nodded.

With matters discussed and Huai Qing’s successful advancement, Xu Qi An glanced at the sky, feeling it was time to leave.

He had already arranged to listen to music at the entertainment houses with Song Ting Feng and Zhu Guang Xiao in the afternoon, followed by flower arranging and jade flute playing. He needed to finish before dusk, as he had to instruct Lin An at night.

Oh right, this morning before coming, he had also made time to satisfy Fu Xiang.

Time truly flies, there’s never enough… Xu Qi An sincerely sighed, saying:

“Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave first.”

Huai Qing pressed her lips together, somewhat disappointed, but still nodded in response. Yet somewhat unwilling, she said neutrally:

“Silver Bell Xu lives quite freely after marriage.”

“There’s never enough time. That girl Lin An likes to cling, wanting to stick together with me every day.”

Just as Xu Qi An finished speaking, he saw Huai Qing’s face darken as she said emotionlessly:

“No need to see you out!”

He immediately transformed into a melting shadow, vanishing from the bedchamber.

…

Night.

A cold, lonely moon hung high, the night sky studded with a few scattered stars. The bustling capital had fallen into slumber, with occasional night bird calls from the distance.

At the Eight Trigrams Platform of the Star-Watching Tower, a group of spectators had gathered.

Sun Xuan Ji and Guardian Yuan beside him; Yang Qian Huan standing with his back to everyone; the blue-robed swordsman Chu Yuan Chen with a streak of white hair at his forehead; Huai Qing wearing her white plum-embroidered palace garments; the deeply resentful Heng Yuan; Asura who didn’t fear mind-reading; the unworthy disciple Miao You Fang; Li Ling Su who regretted his loosening robes and was haggard from hating Xu…

And of course the core figures of this event: Li Miao Zhen and Golden Lotus Daoist.

Xu Qi An sat by the table, looking at the Asura King’s young son:

“Once Miao Zhen successfully advances, we’ll attack Alanda.”

Asura took a deep breath, “Good! I’ve waited for this day for a long time, since returning to my position. Since helping remove your Demon Sealing Nails, I’ve been waiting for you to say these words.”

The Buddhist sect had committed genocide against the Asura race and killed his father.

No one wanted to trample Alanda more than him.

Asura fighting for Great Feng in Yun Province wasn’t for country or people—what did the Central Plains commoners and Great Feng court matter to him?

He was placing a bet!

Betting that Xu Qi An could rise, betting that Great Feng could win, then counterattack the Western Regions’ Buddhist sect.

He had bet correctly.

Miao You Fang yawned and asked:

“Why choose nighttime for advancement?”

Li Ling Su, with two dark circles under his eyes, said deeply: “Night is good, night is very good.”

Finally able to rest for one night.

Golden Lotus Daoist explained:

“Day or night makes no difference, just that this poor Daoist is more energetic at night.”

More energetic at night? Daoist, have you been on Cat too much, has your schedule completely “felinized”? Xu Qi An glanced at Golden Lotus Daoist, deeply suspicious.

Noticing Xu Qi An’s gaze, Golden Lotus Daoist coughed, looking toward Li Ling Su to change the topic and attention, saying in surprise:

“You’ve already cultivated Bronze Skin Iron Bones?”

You’ve been forced to cultivate martial arts to Sixth Rank? Everyone felt sympathy in their hearts.

Li Ling Su ignored everyone, just turning his head away bitterly.

Miao You Fang said excitedly:

“Brother Li, perhaps you can become a Fourth Rank powerhouse dual-cultivating martial arts, outstanding below supernatural rank.”

Bastard, this isn’t something to be happy about… Li Ling Su felt no joy internally, grinding his teeth:

“This is thanks to Xu Ning Yan’s urging.”

Back when he established his stronghold and recruited refugees, he was already at Eighth Rank. Seventh Rank Spirit Refinement cultivated the Primordial Spirit, basically no challenge for the Heaven Sect’s Holy Son. Afterward, he had been stuck at Spirit Refinement, unable to break through to Sixth Rank.

“No need for thanks, that’s what brothers are for,” Xu Qi An said sincerely.

“…” Li Ling Su turned away again.

At this time, Asura looked at Guardian Yuan, clicking his tongue:

“You’re still alive? Found out who issued the bounty? I think it was the Emperor.”

Huai Qing’s expression remained unchanged as she said coolly:

“We think it was you!”

Li Ling Su shook his head:

“I don’t think it was Your Majesty or Asura, it was Xu Ning Yan’s sister. That girl appears delicate and lovely on the surface, but her heart is quite black. Besides, that night, she lost the most face.”

Xu Qi An immediately retorted:

“Why not say it was you? In Sword Province, you lost far more face than her.”

Having his old wounds exposed, Li Ling Su’s new and old hatred surged forth:

“You dog, I’ve endured you for a long time.”

Yang Qian Huan immediately echoed:

“Dog! Yang has also endured you for a long time.”

Miao You Fang hurried to mediate:

“Alright, alright, stop arguing. I issued the bounty, okay? I put up seventeen thousand taels of silver for Guardian Yuan.”

Everyone looked at him:

“You’re not worthy!”

Miao You Fang: “…”

Li Miao Zhen opened her eyes at the right moment, saving Miao You Fang from embarrassment. “Daoist, I’m ready.”

She had adjusted all aspects of her condition to their peak.

Golden Lotus Daoist nodded slightly:

“I’ll oversee for you, but my help is limited. Success depends on yourself.”

Li Miao Zhen then glanced at Xu Qi An—this guy had protected Huai Qing during the day.

Xu Free-Loader had strong survival instincts and said softly:

“I’ll watch over you, don’t worry.”

Huai Qing snorted internally.

Li Miao Zhen closed her eyes, circulating the Earth Sect’s heart method for gathering merit.

All humans have karma and merit. The Earth Sect’s heart method simply gathered one’s merit power, materializing and making it practical.

In her three years wandering since leaving the mountain, practicing chivalry and upholding justice, how much merit had Li Miao Zhen gathered?

No one knew.

Even Golden Lotus Daoists struggled to make an accurate estimate.

Half an incense stick later, the observers at the Eight Trigrams Platform saw scattered golden lights, like a grand swarm of fireflies, floating in from the pitch-black distance.

Pure, gentle, divine, like the most beautiful force in the world.

“How beautiful…”

Huai Qing said softly.

Above Li Miao Zhen’s head rose a form like reality, just one step from substance.

This was her Yin Spirit.

The Yin Spirit sat cross-legged like her physical body, eyes closed.

The dancing “fireflies” floated over, covering Li Miao Zhen’s body surface, covering her hair strands, enveloping her whole body, then slowly merging inside.

In an instant, Li Miao Zhen’s Yin Spirit was enveloped by vast, divine merit power.

“Unexpected that in just three short years, she gathered merit that took this poor Daoist thirty years to accumulate.”

Golden Lotus Daoist shook his head in wonder:

“Ordinary people doing good deeds consider their capabilities, even their mood. Thus even good people have limited occasions for kindness. Blue Lotus practices chivalry without thought of reward, rushing to serve justice without delay. Such pure intention is rare in the world.”

Blue Lotus flower, ah ah~~ The familiar melody echoed in Xu Qi An’s mind again as he frantically complained internally:

No, Daoist, please stop calling her Blue Lotus.

One incense stick later, the merit power surging from the horizon grew less and less until it ceased arriving.

By now, Li Miao Zhen’s Yin Spirit had solidified into substance, emanating divine golden light.

The Yang Spirit was formed.

“This is using merit power to form the Yang Spirit?” Asura discerned some principles.

“Correct!” Golden Lotus Daoist nodded:

“Only a Golden Body formed by merit power can maximize Earth Sect’s merit techniques.”

He then showed concern:

“Miao Zhen’s merit power is more than enough to enter Third Rank, but the corresponding karmic backlash cannot be underestimated.”

So-called “merit”—benefiting an area creates merit.

Generally speaking, helping others and doing good can gather merit, but this doesn’t mean helping and doing good necessarily constitute merit.

For example, a ruthless bandit being pursued by authorities collapses dying by the roadside, and a passing traveler saves him.

The kind person carefully tends to the bandit, saving his life. After surviving, the bandit immediately goes on a killing spree, causing innocent deaths.

The bandit should have died, but due to the traveler’s kind act, he escaped death. Though the traveler did a good deed and gathered merit for saving a life, the karma incurred is ten or hundred times more than this merit, or even greater.

Similarly, if the traveler had saved just a petty thief since the thief’s karmic burden was minimal after merit and karma canceled out with a surplus remaining, then the traveler would have gathered merit.

Thus, the Earth Sect faces the crisis of karmic backlash, but by carefully accumulating merit, not saving evil people, and keeping merit always “profitable,” the danger of falling into demonic cultivation can be prevented.

Years ago, Golden Lotus Daoists had deceived an emperor to cultivate the Dao, causing decades of neglected governance and difficult lives for commoners. This karmic force directly became Black Lotus nourishment, leaving Golden Lotus Daoist no chance for remedy.

Though Li Miao Zhen had practiced chivalry for years, saving countless people, she had also wrongly helped some people. These karmic burdens caused no problems when not cultivating merit.

Once Earth Sect’s merit, karma would backlash.

In Earth Sect’s teachings, this was a “karmic backlash.”

Miao You Fang pointed at Li Miao Zhen’s brow, exclaiming:

“It’s, it’s turning black!”

An ink-black mark appeared at the Flying Swallow Heroine’s brow point, rapidly expanding.