C23 Qi Refining Deification

Everyone hopes to see the world shrink before their eyes. Yet, often the stark contrast that emerges in reality is that it is hope itself that dwindles.

Yang Huang was aware that Hanjing City was overrun with zombies today, and he knew the government would soon employ drastic measures to eliminate them. In anticipation, he aimed to hunt down as many zombies as he could before the crackdown. He headed north, commandeering a car from an Evolver along the way. After several hours of driving, he spotted a transparent barrier in the distance.

This was the boundary of Hanjing City, and the barrier served as the city's protective umbrella, shielding it from most threats.

During his journey, Yang Huang dispatched fifteen more zombies. Each encounter required him to inscribe the Thunder Attribute Rune on the spot, which began to deplete his Innate Genuine Qi. Thankfully, the Brain Sea Courtyard facilitated a rapid recovery of his Genuine Qi.

He arrived at a village in the northern part of Hanjing City, known as Qiao Tou Village. Despite its name, few people resided there. Its location on the outskirts meant that Spiritual Energy was scarce, deterring Evolvers from settling and prompting the youth to seek livelihoods in the city center. Consequently, the village was mostly inhabited by the elderly, the infirm, and those with disabilities.

Yang Huang located an old, two-story house that had been long abandoned. Climbing to the roof, he sat down cross-legged to begin his cultivation. He chose this secluded spot over returning to the Corpses Processing Center or the laboratory because of the current chaos in Hanjing City. The Corpses Processing Center, being a government facility with Evolvers on guard, was sure to be on high alert, making it an inconvenient destination. The laboratory's proximity to the Corpses Processing Center also made it a risky option.

A remote village like this one offered the tranquility necessary for focused cultivation.

Yang Huang stowed his mask and retrieved sixteen Dark Red Crystals of varying sizes—the largest as big as a fist and the smallest the size of a walnut.

He grasped the largest crystal, channeling his Innate Genuine Qi. Silken strands converged in his palm, burrowing into the Dark Red Crystal like tendrils. As he summoned more and more Innate Genuine Qi, the strands multiplied until there were over a thousand, each one pulsing with energy.

The silken threads pierced into the Dark Red Crystal, voraciously absorbing the Innate Qi within. Before long, the Dark Red Crystal lost its murky hue and became transparent.

Once the crystal was entirely clear, Yang Huang withdrew the threads into his body and returned to the Brain Sea Courtyard. There, he noticed that the construction of the cottage had progressed significantly; the foundation and pillars were in place, and his strength was steadily growing.

He then took up a second Dark Red Crystal, employing the same technique to extract all the Innate Qi it contained.

After absorbing the essence of eleven Dark Red Crystals, the construction of the cottage in the Brain Sea Courtyard was complete, with a fully visualized roof now present in his mind.

The cottage was constructed with numerous logs for beams and pillars, its exterior covered in pale-yellow straw. The walls thoughtfully featured two windows and a rectangular door, while the roof was angled at forty-five degrees, forming a rectangle from the combination of two sides.

To the casual observer, it might seem like just another simple straw cottage, but Yang Huang was aware that each strand of straw was composed of Innate Genuine Qi.

The entire cottage was a manifestation of Innate Genuine Qi, indicating that he had accumulated a substantial amount of it. Now, he could use the Disintegration Divine Ability to forge a magical artifact with far less effort than it had taken to craft a scalpel.

"After the cottage is complete, my soul will reside within it. Once baptized by the Innate Genuine Qi, my Primordial Spirit will emerge," Yang Huang understood the cultivation process intimately.

The Primordial Spirit, distinct from the soul, is born from it. Humans possess three souls and seven spirits; the soul represents Yang, and the spirit, Yin. The Yang is divided into the three souls of heaven, earth, and humanity. Within these three souls lies a trace of True Yin, the essence of the Primordial Spirit.

To birth the Primordial Spirit, one must cultivate a sufficient amount of Genuine Qi. This Qi is used to purify the soul, and once the True Yin is condensed, the process of Qi Refining Deification can be achieved.

Now that Yang Huang had finished building the cottage, it would serve as the sanctum for the purification of his soul and the eventual dwelling of his Primordial Spirit.

"Next, I need to infuse my soul with Innate Genuine Qi, draw out the three souls of heaven, earth, and humanity, and use the Innate Genuine Qi as a catalyst to separate the True Yin," Yang Huang mused as he held the twelfth and thirteenth Dark Red Crystals in his hands. His Genuine Qi began to flow, ceaselessly drawing in Innate Qi.

The ultimate goal of this realm was to construct a cottage. Additional Innate Genuine Qi could only serve to reinforce the structure. Only when the cottage was fortified to its utmost could it trigger the soul's vibrations.

Once all sixteen Dark Red Crystals had been assimilated into his body, Yang Huang's Brain Sea Courtyard started to quiver. A dull ripple surged from the depths of his heart, drifting into his consciousness.

Boom!

A whirlpool of air, visible to the naked eye, formed around Yang Huang. It was a good thing no Evolvers were in the vicinity; otherwise, the sight would have certainly aroused their curiosity.

Inside the Brain Sea Courtyard, an ethereal figure bearing Yang Huang's exact likeness appeared, sitting cross-legged. Innate Genuine Qi swirled around him, rapidly integrating into his form.

Suddenly, a Golden Small Person burst forth from the figure, identical to Yang Huang and also seated in meditation, facing the ethereal image.

Following the appearance of the Golden Small Person, the ethereal figure vanished with a thunderous sound, leaving the Golden Small Person, who seemed particularly fond of the cottage. A soft aura radiated from him, merging slowly with the cottage.

The next moment, a bed materialized out of nowhere inside the empty cottage, topped with a jade cushion. The Golden Small Person's form wavered as he floated onto the cushion, still in a meditative pose.

This Golden Small Person was Yang Huang's Primordial Spirit. As soon as it manifested, mysterious energies began to traverse Yang Huang's body, further refining his physical form before dissipating into the Golden Small Person within the Brain Sea Courtyard.

"I've achieved Qi Refining Deification!" Yang Huang's eyes snapped open, filled with the sensation of the overwhelming Innate Genuine Qi. He could also sense the Golden Small Person, his Primordial Spirit, sitting in silent meditation within the cottage.

The cottage, conjured from Innate Genuine Qi, could be disassembled and used in a pinch if Yang Huang found himself running low on Genuine Qi during a confrontation.

The Primordial Spirit is the driving force behind all magic. With his Primordial Spirit, Yang Huang was not only able to craft Rank Two Dao Talismans, but he could also employ Innate Genuine Qi to directly inscribe them, saving a considerable amount of time and greatly enhancing his efficiency.

Upon advancing to the Spirit Refining Void Returning stage, he could project his Primordial Spirit outside his body, unleashing its boundless power.

Reaching this milestone, Yang Huang had at last secured the means to defend himself in this abruptly altered world.