Chapter 266: Am I Beautiful?
Jiang Nianyu hummed, "I told you not to be so polite. The soundproofing is very good, so you can go ahead and do what you need to do now."
As soon as she said this, an odd look appeared in Zhao Dong's eyes. Jiang Nianyu coughed twice, her face flushing as she hurriedly added, "What I mean is... you can start refining it now. I... I'm going to take a bath."
Zhao Dong was stunned, his mind going blank. "You're going to take a bath while I'm here?"
Jiang Nianyu smiled brightly, already retrieving her pajamas from the closet. "What's the big deal?" she said with a grin. "What does it matter if you're here? It's not like you'd dare to make a move on me, would you?"
Zhao Dong touched his nose and remained silent, while Jiang Nianyu, humming a cheerful tune, continued to search for her clothes.
Zhao Dong coughed twice and walked out onto the balcony. He then took out the Purple Xuan Grass and the giant python's inner core.
Looking at the two items, Zhao Dong thought for a moment and said, "Nianyu, let's split this Purple Xuan Grass and the inner core fifty-fifty."
Jiang Nianyu raised her eyebrows. "Why?"
Zhao Dong smiled. "Tonight's gains were thanks to both of us. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten anything. It's only right that you get half."
Jiang Nianyu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled gently. "There's no need. The Purple Xuan Grass and this inner core are only useful to cultivators, and I'm not one. They would be useless to me."
Zhao Dong furrowed his brows slightly and, after a moment of thought, said, "Nianyu, there's something I need to tell you."
"Go ahead."
Zhao Dong hesitated before saying seriously, "Actually, cultivation talent can be developed. I think you have great potential and could perhaps embark on the path of cultivation yourself. If you're willing, I can help you open your governor and conception vessels to give it a try."
Jiang Nianyu froze, then exclaimed in shock a moment later, "You... what did you say? It can be developed?"
Zhao Dong smiled. "Yes. In fact, many ordinary people have a talent for cultivation, but most of them go their entire lives without ever realizing it."
Jiang Nianyu was astounded. She stared blankly at Zhao Dong before finally saying, "If it's really as you say, then I'd like to ask for your help to try opening my meridians. After all... I want to be able to protect myself, too."
Zhao Dong smiled. "No problem. Go ahead and take your bath."
Jiang Nianyu hesitated for a moment, her face turning red. "Okay, I'll just take a quick shower and be right out. You can start refining the Purple Xuan Grass."
"Alright!"
Jiang Nianyu went into the bathroom, and Zhao Dong began his preparations to refine the items.
He divided both the Purple Xuan Grass and the inner core in half, set one half of each aside, took a deep breath, and began the refinement process!
He held the Purple Xuan Grass in his palm. Wisps of Spiritual Energy, invisible to the naked eye, began to emerge from the herb and seep into Zhao Dong's body!
Zhao Dong was not a cultivator; he was a Cultivator. Cultivators could directly absorb Spiritual Energy, and by extension, the energy contained within medicinal herbs. Cultivators, on the other hand, were different. They tempered their own physical constitution—their flesh, blood, and meridians—by absorbing the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth to nourish their bodies. Therefore, Cultivators were much stronger than cultivators. In other words, cultivators were essentially a less advanced version of Cultivators. Moreover, upon reaching a certain realm, Cultivators could continue to advance, while cultivators would hit a permanent ceiling.
Zhao Dong was absorbed in refining the Purple Xuan Grass, steadily drawing the vast Spiritual Energy it contained into himself.
Soon, an expression of shock slowly spread across Zhao Dong's face!
Truly a heavenly treasure! This Spiritual Energy... it's so abundant!
After absorbing just a small amount, Zhao Dong felt the bottleneck of the seventh layer of Qi Refinement loosening!
A moment later, Zhao Dong's eyes snapped open, a sharp light bursting from them, filled with profound shock and excitement! An indescribable pressure emanated from him, and his entire aura instantly became formidable!
The eighth layer... of Qi Refinement!
Just by absorbing a small fraction, he had broken through from the seventh layer of Qi Refinement to the eighth!
Zhao Dong's eyes blazed with fervor. No wonder even Kou Hongmin, the number one expert on the Heavenly Ranking, coveted this thing! This is a true treasure!
Soon, Zhao Dong felt the Spiritual Energy of the Purple Xuan Grass coursing through his body, repeatedly cleansing his muscles, bones, and meridians.
Zhao Dong exhaled a turbid breath. The Purple Xuan Grass also had the effect of purging filth and cleansing the body. Before long, a black, oily sludge began to slowly seep from his skin. These were impurities hidden within his flesh and meridians. Over time, they would have hindered his cultivation, but now they were all being expelled.
Zhao Dong took a deep breath, and then his body suddenly shuddered violently!
The bottleneck of the eighth layer of Qi Refinement had loosened, and a powerful surge of Spiritual Energy flooded his body!
CRACK!
The sound of a bottleneck shattering, audible only to Zhao Dong, echoed within him. His body trembled violently, his face beaming with unparalleled excitement.
The ninth layer... of Qi Refinement! I've actually reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement!
This meant he could now likely hold his own against a cultivator at the Great Grandmaster realm! Previously, as a seventh-layer Qi Refinement Cultivator, he could fight a peak Grandmaster among cultivators. Now that he was a ninth-layer Qi Refinement Cultivator, facing a cultivator of the higher-ranked Great Grandmaster Realm would be no problem at all!
Across the entire East Sea, Great Grandmasters could be counted on one hand. This meant he now stood almost at the apex of power in the East Sea!
Zhao Dong's heart pounded with excitement. Tonight... was unbelievably rewarding!
He didn't dare to slack off. The Purple Xuan Grass, having already lost much of its Spiritual Energy, was beginning to wilt. Zhao Dong immediately began to absorb the remaining Spiritual Energy from the herb!
「Fifteen minutes later.」
Zhao Dong let out a low growl. His eyes flashed with brilliant light, and his entire body exuded an astonishing pressure!
Peak... of Qi Refinement!
He was just one step away from the Foundation Establishment Realm!
At this moment, Zhao Dong's entire aura had changed. His eyes seemed to contain bolts of lightning, his gaze terrifying. He walked to the balcony, opened the window, and threw a punch! A fierce gust of wind exploded from his fist.
Ten meters away, a large tree with a thick trunk snapped in two!
Zhao Dong stared at his fist in shock, his heart filled with an indescribable mixture of joy and excitement!
Is this the power of the peak Qi Refinement stage? If this punch were to land on a person...
Zhao Dong's heart pounded. He could sense that he was now several times stronger than before. For a Cultivator, every major realm advancement meant their strength would multiply. Zhao Dong felt an indescribable power coursing through his entire being.
Just then, the sound of the shower in the bathroom stopped, followed by footsteps. The bathroom door opened.
Zhao Dong's heart skipped a beat. Through the reflection in the glass, he saw the figure emerge from the bathroom. He turned around. His gaze fell upon Jiang Nianyu, dressed only in a nightgown.
Her wet, ink-black hair was draped over her pale shoulders like a waterfall, resting against her delicate, snow-white collarbones. She wore a black silk nightgown that exuded a unique and mysterious allure. The low-cut, short-skirted style perfectly outlined the magnificent curves of her bust, threatening to spill out. Below, her long, fair legs were on full display, her small, pale feet in a pair of house slippers. She looked as beautiful and ethereal as an elf.
Zhao Dong's gaze shifted to her face. Her stunning face was flushed with a rosy, delicate blush, and her beautiful, limpid eyes gazed softly back at him.
Jiang Nianyu bit her lip gently, wringing her hands. With a shy blush, she whispered in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum, "Zhao Dong, am I beautiful?"
Zhao Dong's heart trembled violently...