Chapter 19: Terrifying Resource Consumption

The space inside the storage ring was vast, piled high with all kinds of cultivation resources:

High-grade spirit stones were piled like mountains, numbering at least a million.

Various medicinal pills were neatly arranged on jade shelves, ranging from the Qi Refining Stage to the Nascent Soul stage.

There were even a few bottles of precious pills labeled specifically for the Divine Ability Realm.

Dharma treasures, talismans, array plates, spiritual herbs, ores… a dazzling array of treasures that gleamed with brilliant light.

Chen Ping made a rough estimate. These resources were more than enough for over a thousand ordinary cultivators to progress all the way from Qi Refining to the Nascent Soul stage, with plenty to spare.

This was likely the combined annual resources of ten peaks!

“Sect Master, this…” Chen Ping hesitated.

“Take what is given to you,” Saint Qingyuan said calmly.

“Use the resources inside as you wish. When you run out, come to me again.”

He glanced at Lin Xiaoyu again and added:

“Nurture her well. Within a hundred years, I hope to see a Quasi-Emperor rise within the Qingyun Sect.”

“This disciple will not disappoint the Sect Master’s expectations!” Chen Ping said solemnly.

Saint Qingyuan nodded and said no more, his figure slowly fading into the air.

A Saint^[1]‘s methods left no trace in their coming or going.

Holding the storage ring, Chen Ping was still a bit dazed.

Lin Xiaoyu leaned in as well, and when she saw the contents of the storage ring, her small mouth formed an O-shape.

“Ma-Master… so many resources…”

“Indeed.” Chen Ping put away the storage ring and took a deep breath.

“The Sect Master has really gone all out this time.”

He looked at Lin Xiaoyu and said seriously:

“Xiaoyu, from today onward, you must cultivate even harder. We cannot let such vast resources go to waste.”

“Yes!” Lin Xiaoyu nodded vigorously.

“Alright, let’s eat first.” Chen Ping sat down at the table.

“After dinner, I will draw up a new cultivation plan for you.”

Master and disciple sat opposite each other, eating.

The simple dishes tasted exceptionally delicious.

After dinner, Chen Ping did not make Lin Xiaoyu cultivate immediately. Instead, he led her into the courtyard.

Chen Ping had originally intended to explain the key points of Foundation Establishment to Lin Xiaoyu.

After all, she was already at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining, just a single step away from Foundation Establishment.

However, right at that moment, the system notification suddenly rang out:

【Ding! New quest issued: Help your disciple Lin Xiaoyu reach the Heavenly Dao Qi Refining Great Perfection realm!】

【Quest Reward: Massive infusion of heaven and earth spiritual energy + mystery reward!】

Chen Ping froze.

Wasn’t the ninth layer of Qi Refining already Great Perfection?

How was there a Heavenly Dao Qi Refining Great Perfection?

System, what is Heavenly Dao Qi Refining Great Perfection? he asked in his mind.

【The Heavenly Dao Divine Physique is the darling of the Heavenly Dao, aligning with the thirty-six Heavenly Spirits^[2].

Ordinary cultivators reach Great Perfection at the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

However, the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique can break through the limitations of heaven and earth to reach the thirty-six layers of Qi Refining, which is the true Great Perfection.】

Chen Ping was dumbfounded.

This was the first time he had ever heard of such a concept.

Thirty-six layers of Qi Refining?

What kind of concept was that?

For ordinary cultivators, progressing from the first layer of Qi Refining to the ninth layer of Great Perfection was already incredibly difficult.

Yet the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique had to cultivate to thirty-six layers to be considered truly perfected?

System, how does one break through the limitations of heaven and earth to reach the thirty-six layers of Qi Refining? Chen Ping pressed further.

【Two methods:】

【1. Temper the body with Heavenly Dao Divine Thunder to open the thirty-six Heavenly Spirit meridians.】

【2. Set up a wondrous heaven and earth array, using massive resources to surge into the origin of the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique, combined with life-and-death combat to break through the limitations of heaven and earth under extreme pressure.】

Chen Ping frowned deeply.

The first method: tempering the body with Heavenly Dao Divine Thunder?

Was this a joke? Where was he supposed to find Heavenly Dao Divine Thunder right now?

Besides, enduring Heavenly Dao Divine Thunder during the Qi Refining Stage was practically a death sentence.

If a single bolt of thunder struck, Lin Xiaoyu would probably be reduced to nothing but ash.

Chen Ping immediately ruled out the first method.

The second method: a wondrous heaven and earth array combined with massive resources and life-and-death combat…

Chen Ping fell into deep thought.

He certainly did not lack a wondrous heaven and earth array.

The Map of Mountains and Rivers contained the Heaven and Earth Spirit Gathering Array, which could be slightly modified to become a wondrous array for surging into the Heavenly Dao origin.

Massive resources… he had just received a vast amount of resources from the Sect Master.

Life-and-death combat… the Qingyun Sect had a Cultivation Tower for disciples to use.

Inside, it could simulate all kinds of combat scenarios, and even had a life-and-death arena mode.

It seemed feasible.

System, are these resources enough?

Chen Ping sank his divine sense into the storage ring, taking a rough inventory of the resources the Sect Master had given him.

A million high-grade spirit stones, along with various pills and Dharma treasures, was indeed a lot.

But the system’s reply caused his heart to sink:

【The current total of resources must be multiplied tenfold to be sufficient to set up the wondrous heaven and earth array and support the requirements for breaking through the ninth layer of Qi Refining.】

Chen Ping: “…”

Ten times?

This requirement was simply too high!

The resources the Sect Master had given were already the annual allocation for ten peaks.

To multiply it tenfold, wouldn’t that be the annual resources of a hundred peaks?

Where was he supposed to get that much?

“Master?”

Seeing Chen Ping suddenly freeze with his expression shifting rapidly, Lin Xiaoyu could not help but call out softly.

Chen Ping snapped back to reality. Looking at the obedient disciple in front of him, a sudden surge of pride and ambition rose in his heart.

Since the system had given this quest, there had to be a way to complete it.

Heavenly Dao Qi Refining Great Perfection… it sounded incredibly powerful.

If Lin Xiaoyu could truly cultivate to the thirty-six layers of Qi Refining before establishing her foundation, just how solid would her foundation be?

How immense would her future potential become?

“Xiaoyu!” Chen Ping took a deep breath and looked at her seriously.

“I just carefully examined your physical condition and discovered an issue.”

“What issue?” Lin Xiaoyu asked nervously.

“Your Heavenly Dao Divine Physique has not yet been developed to its limit,” Chen Ping said slowly.

“Ordinary cultivators can establish their foundation at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, but you are different.

“You possess the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique, and you must cultivate to the thirty-six layers of Qi Refining to reach true perfection.”

Lin Xiaoyu’s eyes widened. “Th-thirty-six layers?”

She thought she had misheard.

Wasn’t the Qi Refining Stage only nine layers?

What kind of concept was thirty-six layers?

“That’s right, thirty-six layers,” Chen Ping confirmed with a nod.

“This is the cultivation path unique to the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique.

With every layer you break through, your foundation becomes firmer and your potential increases.

If you can cultivate to the great circle of the thirty-sixth layer before achieving Foundation Establishment, your future achievements will be limitless.”

Confusion flashed in Lin Xiaoyu’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

“Master, what should I do?”

“You will need three things.” Chen Ping held up three fingers.

“First, a wondrous array of heaven and earth to stimulate your Heavenly Dao origin.

Second, a massive amount of resources to support you in breaking through the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

Third, life-and-death combat to break through the limitations of heaven and earth under extreme pressure.”

He paused, then continued,

“As for the wondrous array of heaven and earth, I have a way to set it up.

For life-and-death combat, you can go to the Cultivation Tower.

But as for those massive resources…”

Chen Ping frowned slightly.

Although the Sect Master had given him plenty of resources, it was still far from what the system required.

Seeing her master’s troubled expression, Lin Xiaoyu bit her lip.

“Master, if we don’t have enough resources, I can just cultivate slowly. There’s no need to…”

“No,” Chen Ping interrupted, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

“I will handle the resources. Since this is your opportunity, you must not miss it.”

He suddenly thought of something and asked, “Xiaoyu, do you know where in the Qingyun Sect one can quickly obtain a large amount of resources?”