Chapter 200: First Level of the Transcendent Realm

Chapter 200: First Level of the Transcendent Realm

Zi Zhui'er's mother was none other than the Dao Lord of the Fox Immortal Dao, one of the Six Great Dao Lords of the Demon Sect.

The Old Crone was a senior servant by the Dao Lord's side, having watched Zi Zhui'er grow up, and thus doted on her immensely. Even after learning that Zi Zhui'er had killed the Wooden Young Master, she didn’t reprimand her.

Though she was merely an old servant, her martial prowess was exceptionally high—she was one of the Four Great Martial Venerables of the Fox Immortal Dao.

The Old Crone sighed inwardly. Mu Honglai is the Chief Altar Master of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao. If even his son isn’t worthy of you, little ancestor, then who else could possibly be?

It was so hard to arrange a match for you, and after just one day together, you killed him. How are we supposed to clean up this mess?

Zi Zhui'er narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I already have someone I like. No one in this world is more outstanding than him. So don’t try to find me any other men—I’ll kill every single one you bring. Hehe."

"Who? Whose son is he? Hey… don’t walk away! At least tell Third Mother, what’s his background? What’s his name? Why have you suddenly become so lovesick? Have you already given yourself to him?"

The Old Crone was deeply concerned about this matter, but Zi Zhui'er refused to answer and simply walked away.

The Heavenly Pivot Pill was an Advanced Pill.

This was Ning Xiaochuan’s first time consuming an Advanced Mystic Pill. The moment it entered his throat, the pill exploded, releasing an immense force that surged violently into his meridians, permeating his internal organs.

The potency of an Advanced Pill was anywhere from ten to a hundred times greater than that of an Intermediate Elixir.

Martial Artists in the Transcendent Realm rarely had the opportunity to take Advanced Pills—only Martial Venerables could use them to enhance their cultivation.

For Ning Xiaochuan, refining an Advanced Pill at his current Divine Body Realm cultivation was like pouring the waters of an ocean into a lake. A single misstep could cause the lake’s banks to collapse, unleashing a flood.

The reason Ning Xiaochuan dared to consume an Advanced Pill was his confidence in his own physical resilience—he believed he could withstand its power.

He circulated the Seventh Layer of the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to absorb the Elixir Qi of the Advanced Mystic Pill.

The speed at which he absorbed the Elixir Qi gradually increased, growing faster and faster—from thirty-two times the normal rate, all the way up to forty-eight times.

At the Great Perfection of the Seventh Layer of the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi, the absorption rate reached sixty-four times. Ning Xiaochuan simply hadn’t reached that level yet.

The Elixir Qi fused into Ning Xiaochuan’s blood, bones, and organs, simultaneously strengthening his divine abilities while elevating the quality of his Profound Qi.

Impurities within his body were forced out, gathering beneath his skin.

His skin grew thicker, emitting a faint Profound Light that grew increasingly radiant, so bright it stung the eyes—like a piece of iron set ablaze.

"Boom!"

Ning Xiaochuan’s body shot into the air like a White Rainbow Piercing the Sun.

When he landed again, he stood 30 meters away, surrounded by swirling Profound Qi. His skin had become delicate and fair, like that of a newborn baby.

He had finally reached the First Level of the Transcendent Realm.

Ning Xiaochuan's vision became exceptionally clear. Standing atop the pavilion of the desolate courtyard, he could see every blade of grass and tree within a radius of 15 kilometers, even the fluttering wings of a bee on a flower petal were vividly visible.

With a lift of his arm, he could distinctly sense the flow of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.

"Is this the Transcendent Realm? Transcending the mortal world, transforming into a true body."

Ning Xiaochuan felt as though he had undergone a monumental change, yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed.

However, his current body was indeed different from that of an ordinary person. Even if he went without food or drink for a month, he wouldn't starve to death.

The path of martial cultivation was also a process of transcending the mundane. The body would grow increasingly powerful, eventually surpassing the limits of "humanity" and transforming into a "god."

God—that was the ultimate goal of all Martial Artists in the world.

In the spot where Ning Xiaochuan had previously been meditating, another "Ning Xiaochuan" still sat cross-legged.

No— To be precise, it was merely an empty shell, just a layer of human skin.

The Transcendent Realm was divided into nine levels. With each advancement, the body would shed a layer of skin, known as "Mortal Skin."

When a Martial Artist shed all nine layers, they would fully transcend the mortal world, their body becoming even more powerful, transforming into an "Earthly Venerable" and earning the title of "Martial Venerable."

Ning Xiaochuan had only shed his first layer of skin so far.

With a flick of his sleeve, the "Ning Xiaochuan" sitting on the ground withered into a limp human skin pouch, falling into his hand.

"Legends say the Heaven and Earth Bag is refined from the seventh layer of skin shed by a Transcendent Realm Martial Artist."

Each layer of skin shed by a Transcendent Realm Martial Artist possessed unique properties, naturally lending itself to different uses.

The first layer could be used to craft unbreakable leather armor, boasting astonishing defensive capabilities.

The third layer could be used as medicinal ingredients to refine Mortal Pills, aiding Martial Artists in transcending faster.

The fifth layer could be refined into a human-skin puppet, which, once successfully crafted, would possess combat strength comparable to a Transcendent Realm Martial Artist.

The seventh layer could be used to refine a Heaven and Earth Bag.

The ninth layer could be refined into a flying carpet—riding on human skin, one could soar through the skies.

Ning Xiaochuan stored away his first layer of Mortal Skin, not intending to sell it but to preserve it forever as a testament to his martial cultivation.

With each layer shed, he moved further away from being "human." Shedding all nine layers and transforming into a Martial Venerable would render him only "half-human," while the other half would have already ascended beyond humanity.

Ji Hanxing emerged from the room and said, "You've stepped into this realm as well."

Ning Xiaochuan glanced at her. Her complexion was still poor, her face deathly pale, but the fact that she could walk meant she was no longer in serious danger.

Ji Hanxing continued, "When I first entered this realm, I was also lost. Martial cultivation does not refine humanity—it gradually distances us from it, eventually aligning us with divinity. With each layer of skin we shed, we lose a part of our human nature. Is this truly what we seek in martial cultivation?"

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "If one day we cultivate into gods, we will no longer be human at all, but another kind of being."

Ji Hanxing shook her head and said, "At first, I thought the same way, but later I realized. That fear only stems from the unknown. In truth, gods and humans are no different. Human nature never changes, and our emotions and desires remain constant."

"I’ve come to understand that what changes is merely our physical form and the power we possess. What truly controls this body is ourselves, not the power. As long as our core remains unchanged and steadfast, there’s no need for fear at all."

Ning Xiaochuan’s inner turmoil was completely resolved, and he no longer dwelled on the issue. Smiling, he said, "Ji Hanxing, I saved your life. You owe me 800 million Small Coins. When do you plan to repay me?"

"800 million Small Coins? Why don’t you just rob me? Cough—"

Ji Hanxing had initially begun to feel goodwill toward Ning Xiaochuan, but upon hearing this, she gritted her teeth in anger, nearly aggravating her injuries and coughing up blood.

Ning Xiaochuan said solemnly, "As an Advanced Heart Nurturer, saving a life for just 800 million Small Coins is already a very low price. Besides, you, Ji Hanxing, are the captain of the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion. Isn’t your life worth far more than 800 million Small Coins?"

"Do you really think 800 million Small Coins is just pocket change? All my savings combined don’t even amount to 100 million Small Coins," Ji Hanxing retorted.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "That’s your problem. If you can’t pay, then sell yourself to me."

In the Yulan Empire, it wasn’t uncommon—in fact, it happened quite often—for Martial Artists to voluntarily sell themselves as servants to Heart Nurturers in exchange for life-saving treatment.

"You wish! How could I ever degrade myself by selling myself to be your woman?" Ji Hanxing was furious. If her injuries had healed, she would have loved to pin Ning Xiaochuan to the ground with her Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear.

Ning Xiaochuan raised an eyebrow. "You’re overthinking it. With your temper, even if you wanted to be my wife, I wouldn’t agree. But… given your cultivation level, you’d make a decent guard."

"Go die!"

Ji Hanxing grabbed Ning Xiaochuan by the collar, intending to lift him up. But this time, it was she who was lifted. Just as she tried to resist, Ning Xiaochuan pinned her down on the bed.

Panicked, she demanded, "What are you doing?"

Ning Xiaochuan took out an Intermediate Elixir and pressed it into her mouth. With a light tilt of her chin, the elixir slid down her throat, its Elixir Qi dispersing and enveloping her body completely.

"Your injuries haven’t fully healed yet. Taking another Intermediate Elixir should speed up your recovery. Now you owe me another 800 million," Ning Xiaochuan said.

Ji Hanxing stopped arguing with him and asked, "What kind of elixir did you just give me?"

Ning Xiaochuan glanced at the jade bottle in his hand and shook his head. "This Intermediate Elixir was refined specifically for your condition at the time. It doesn’t have a name."

"Since it was made just for me, it should naturally be named after me. Call it ‘Hanxing Dan,’" Ji Hanxing said as she refined the Elixir Qi.

"Whatever," Ning Xiaochuan replied indifferently.

"How many are left?" Ji Hanxing asked.

"Ten," Ning Xiaochuan answered.

"Fine, I'll take them all. I owe you 9.6 billion Small Coins." Ji Hanxing snatched the jade vial from Ning Xiaochuan's hand and carefully stored it away.

Ning Xiaochuan hadn’t expected Ji Hanxing to pull such a move. "Your injuries only require two pills to fully heal," he said.

"I know," Ji Hanxing replied arrogantly.

"If you know, then why take so many?"

"None of your business."

Ning Xiaochuan had the urge to curse. "Nonsense! You can’t even scrape together 100 million Small Coins—how do you plan to repay me 9.6 billion? Are you sure you’re not scamming me? Hand back the remaining pills, and I’ll give you half off."

"Once something falls into my hands, there’s no chance of it being returned. Ning Xiaochuan, if I say I owe you 9.6 billion Small Coins, then I’ll repay you—even if it takes me a lifetime, I won’t go back on my word," Ji Hanxing declared.

"Fine, I’ll believe you this once." Ning Xiaochuan stopped demanding the ten Intermediate Elixirs and slowly backed out of the room, muttering under his breath, "She’s insane—spending 800 million Small Coins on a single Intermediate Elixir, and buying twelve at that. With 800 million, she could’ve gotten an Advanced Pill. As expected, women’s money is the easiest to earn. Too much money, too little sense."

Ji Hanxing watched Ning Xiaochuan leave before taking out the jade vial again, cradling it in her hand with a sweet smile, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.