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Chapter 22 Mid-stage Qi Refining

With the support of abundant spiritual energy, Liu Chengxi and the others successfully advanced to the early stage of Qi Refining and solidified their cultivation.

After they completed the second task assigned by Huo Chuyu, Huo Chuyu tossed four storage bags to the four of them.

"This is a storage bag, that's right, the kind of storage bag you read about in your mortal novels that can store items."

"Remember, do not put any live animals in."

After the four accepted the storage bag, it was already getting dark.

Liang Junjie and Yu Xueji were already exhausted. As the main force, although they had the amplification of the Foundation Establishment magic treasure, the Spirit Seal, the mental and magical power they had to consume had exceeded their limits.

Just as the last fake human vanished, something inside Liang Junjie's body seemed to make a soft "crack" sound. His previously sluggish sword meridians were suddenly opened up, the flow of spiritual energy accelerated dramatically, and the capacity of his dantian expanded significantly.

Mid-stage Qi Refining, achieved.

But he had no time to rejoice; he immediately turned to look for Yu Xueji. In the chaos just now, he had caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye that she had been struck on the back by the claws of a fake human, letting out a muffled groan.

"Snowy Silence!"

The spot where she had been standing was deserted, with only a few dark red bloodstains on the ground.

"Where is she?" Liang Junjie suddenly looked at Huo Chuyu, his voice a little urgent.

Huo Chuyu casually waved her hand, enveloping Liu Chengxi and the other three, along with their newly acquired storage bags, into a teleportation beam.

"They've been sent back to their home."

After saying that, she turned her head to look at Liang Junjie, "As for that little girl, she was quite badly injured. The fake human's claws were tainted with some foul air, and it would be too slow for her to recover if she stayed here, so I sent her back as well."

"Where did you send her? How badly is she injured? Is she in danger?" Liang Junjie pressed. After all, Yu Xueji was someone he had brought into the cultivation world, and she was also his high school classmate. If something happened to her, he wouldn't be able to explain it to himself and her family.

"They put her back in her own bed."

Huo Chuyu's tone was calm. "She won't die. I used a purification talisman to temporarily protect her heart meridian and dispel the impurities that entered her body. As for the remaining superficial wounds and the depletion of spiritual energy, she can recover on her own by lying down. What, are you worried about her?"

Liang Junjie was taken aback by the question and avoided her gaze. "After all, it's mine... I have to take responsibility."

"Knowing how to take responsibility is a good thing." Huo Chuyu nodded and didn't continue teasing.

The teleportation light completely dissipated, leaving only the master and apprentice in the desolate settlement of the pseudo-humans. Night had fallen completely, with only some strangely shaped plants in the distance emitting a faint phosphorescent glow.

"Master..." Liang Junjie wanted to ask about Yu Xueji's specific situation.

"Speak less."

Huo Chuyu interrupted him, "You've just broken through, your realm is as fragile as cotton. Why don't you hurry up and circulate your cultivation technique to stabilize it? If your spiritual energy runs rampant and damages your foundation, you'll have something to cry about."

Only then did Liang Junjie realize that the spiritual energy within his body was indeed somewhat restless, and his newly developed sword meridians were throbbing with pain.

He dared not be distracted any longer, and immediately sat down cross-legged, focusing all his energy on circulating the "Starfire Technique".

He quickly absorbed the pure spiritual energy remaining after the pseudo-human's demise, which had not yet completely dissipated, and incorporated it into his daily cycle.

Huo Chuyu wasn't idle either. She walked to Liang Junjie's side, extended her index finger, and a point of golden-red light, almost tangible, shone from the tip of her finger. She gently touched the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head.

A gentle yet incredibly pure and vast fire-attribute spiritual energy surged in, quickly smoothing out the minor cracks in Liang Junjie's sword meridian caused by the forced breakthrough, while simultaneously guiding the slightly turbulent spiritual energy within his body back to calm.

This process lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Liang Junjie felt that his mid-stage Qi Refining realm had completely stabilized, his spiritual power was abundant, and his divine sense had also become more refined.

He opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air tinged with gray. "Thank you, Master."

Huo Chuyu withdrew her hand, the golden-red light disappearing into her fingertips. "Not bad. Your performance in this secret realm was so-so. Do you know why I left you behind alone?"

Liang Junjie shook his head.

"First, let's see if the foundation for your breakthrough is solid. Second," Huo Chuyu paused, "Xiaoxue, you have the aptitude of a Class C person, and you're still cultivating the cold-natured 'Heart Water Technique' that I gave you. Your temperament is also quite calm."

Liang Junjie's heart skipped a beat: "What does Master mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything special." Huo Chuyu waved her hand. "I just think you're a silly boy, so treat your junior sister well."

Liang Junjie nodded silently.

"Third," Huo Chuyu changed the subject, her tone carrying a familiar, chilling interest that Liang Junjie recognized, "this time you've truly been pushed to the limit and are now really serious. How does it feel?"

Recalling the tension and exhaustion of the previous battle, and the resolute determination when finally killing the fake man, Liang Junjie honestly said, "I'm tired. But... it's not as hard to accept as I imagined."

Perhaps because of the previous shocks, I was mentally prepared this time.

"Hmph, barely passable." Huo Chuyu seemed fairly satisfied.

"The path of cultivation is never a dinner party. You have to contend with heaven, earth, people, and all sorts of other things. It's good to get used to it sooner rather than later."

After she finished speaking, she looked up at the dim sky above this gathering place of fake humans. "This little secret realm will soon disappear too. Let's go home."

"Go home?" Liang Junjie was taken aback.

"Yes, let's go home," Huo Chuyu said matter-of-factly.

"Otherwise what? Are you going to drive Master and Xiaoxue away?" Huo Chuyu said, covering her face as if about to cry.

"Let's go, Master, let's go home!" Liang Junjie dared not say no. He understood now that his master's actions left him no room for refusal.

"Uh-huh."

Huo Chuyu reached out and grabbed Liang Junjie's shoulder. Liang Junjie felt the scene before him blur and distort instantly, and a familiar feeling of weightlessness washed over him.

The next moment, he felt a slight sense of solid ground beneath his feet. He looked up and realized he was standing in his own bedroom. Outside the window was the familiar night view, and the faint sound of traffic below could be heard.

The room was still the same room, but it was noticeably cleaner and the air was fresher.

Huo Chuyu walked to the bedside and sat down naturally, patting the side next to her. "What are you standing there for? Continue meditating and thoroughly refine the spiritual energy you absorbed today. I'm right here, ask me if you have any questions."

Liang Junjie looked at the beautiful female master who had generously occupied half of his bed, opened his mouth, but swallowed his words in the end. He obediently walked to the other side of the bed and sat down cross-legged.

He was still worried about Yu Xueji's injuries, but knew it would be pointless to ask. Huo Chuyu had said she wouldn't die, so she should be fine. The most urgent thing was to consolidate his own cultivation, as his master had instructed.

Before closing his eyes, he glanced at Huo Chuyu. She was fiddling with her phone, her profile under the lamplight looking very quiet, completely unlike how she had casually cast spells and judged life and death in the secret realm just moments before.

Liang Junjie took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and entered a state of cultivation again.

Only the soft breathing of the two people remained in the bedroom, along with the distant noise of ordinary people coming from outside the window.