Chapter 1289: The Weakest Among the Grandmasters

Zuan was momentarily stunned. He had been so engrossed in admiring Yan Xuehen's beauty that he hadn't paid attention to himself.

Only after her reminder did he notice that the spiritual injuries from the backlash of Jianlai were almost completely healed, and the cracks on his body were also beginning to close.

He felt remarkably refreshed. In that instant, it was as if he sensed a subtle change in the world around him.

His entire being was filled with surging power; he felt much stronger than before.

He also discovered a new image in his mind: lines outlining a strange, colossal bird. Though it was merely a phantom in his thoughts, its back seemed thousands of miles wide, and its wings resembled clouds hanging from the sky. In a corner, two characters in small seal script read: Kunpeng.

Zuan was somewhat lost in thought. Kunpeng? He wondered if it had any relation to the Rocs in this world's demon race.

Just as he was about to try summoning the Kunpeng to see what it did, he suddenly frowned, feeling a strong sensation from behind him.

Instinctively, he glanced back. Why did it feel so hot near his nether regions?

At that moment, Yan Xuehen was also somewhat dazed. How much time and how many years had it taken her to break through to the Grandmaster realm back then?

Countless talented individuals throughout history, many of them, never managed to take that final step in their entire lives.

Yet he had broken through just like that?

Dual cultivation with a partner could indeed promote cultivation speed, but it usually only increased it by 10 or 20 percent. She had never heard of such a drastic increase; otherwise, few cultivators worldwide would practice diligently, instead seeking partners for yin-yang synergy.

Crucially, she herself had benefited immensely. Not only was the speed of her injury recovery astonishing, but even her realm, which had been stagnant for years, began to loosen.

Could his "Primordial Chaos Scripture" truly be so miraculous?

However, with her extensive knowledge, she quickly dismissed that guess. She had just experienced the "Primordial Chaos Scripture," and it primarily focused on healing and recovery, with no possibility of causing a breakthrough in her realm. Furthermore, mere recovery wouldn't typically achieve such exaggerated speed.

She recalled that Yu Yanluo had also been severely injured and near death, and even her disciple Chu Yan had been in a similar state. Both had quickly recovered after his treatment. A thought sparked within her: it seemed the legends were true. The essence blood of someone with a super-tier aptitude was indeed a supreme tonic.

It was a miracle this fellow hadn't been drained dry by female demon spirits yet.

She understood the immense temptation this presented to cultivators; even a person as ascetic as herself felt a slight stir.

She wanted to warn Zuan never to reveal his super-tier aptitude, but she worried it might be misunderstood as her wanting to keep the secret to herself. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to speak.

Besides, this fellow seemed quite shrewd; he probably wouldn't do anything foolish.

At that moment, she noticed Zuan's actions and couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"

"It just feels a bit hot back there," Zuan said, feeling slightly embarrassed. He was the one who had "broken" the other person, yet why did he feel like he was the one who had been bullied?

Yan Xuehen didn't overthink it. She replied, "That's quite normal. New Grandmasters often experience that sensation."

Zuan was startled. "All Grandmasters get this 'burst'... *cough*, this experience?"

Yan Xuehen looked surprised. "You don't know? Below the Grandmaster realm, one cultivates the physical body—skin, flesh, bones, internal organs, and such. Above Grandmaster, one cultivates the spiritual soul, specifically the three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls. When first entering the Grandmaster realm, one cultivates the 'Heroic Soul' among them."

"Three souls and seven corporeal souls?" Zuan seemed to recall a similar concept from his previous life.

Yan Xuehen explained, "The three ethereal souls are the Celestial Soul, Terrestrial Soul, and Life Soul. The seven corporeal souls are the Heavenly Impulse Soul, Spiritual Wisdom Soul, Qi Soul, Strength Soul, Central Pivot Soul, as well as the Essence Soul and Heroic Soul."

"The Heroic Soul is located at the base of the tailbone, outside the butt... *cough*, outside the buttocks. This spot is also known as the Root Chakra, where the Kundalini fire slumbers."

"Kundalini fire?" Zuan was somewhat bewildered.

Yan Xuehen frowned slightly. "Your strength is clearly very high, yet your fundamental knowledge is so weak it's unlike someone from this world."

Zuan chuckled sheepishly. He truly wasn't from this world. His previous cultivation knowledge had been learned at Bright Moon Academy, but that institution catered to the younger generation, and there wasn't even a single Grandmaster in the entire Bright Moon City. This naturally led to a lack of knowledge regarding anything beyond the Grandmaster realm.

Seeing his reaction, Yan Xuehen had no choice but to continue explaining, "The so-called Kundalini fire isn't fire in the elemental sense; it refers to the fire of life. As long as a person is alive, there's a warmth within their body, and this is actually the effect of the Kundalini fire. However, below the Grandmaster realm, it's difficult to perceive its existence, let alone utilize it."

"After becoming a Grandmaster and forming a spiritual soul, one can perceive it. The Heroic Soul is like a vast ocean, and the Kundalini fire slumbers at its bottom. Upon breaking through to Grandmaster, the Kundalini fire awakens. Throughout the Grandmaster cultivation process, one guides this fire upwards, refining the three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls located in other parts of the body. The reason you feel hot right now is precisely because the Kundalini fire has awakened."

"So that's it," Zuan sighed in relief. Otherwise, he might have thought he had been... well, you know.

Noticing her peculiar expression, he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, how many realms are there for Grandmasters? Three souls and seven corporeal souls, does that mean ten realms?"

"Of course not," Yan Xuehen shook her head slightly. "Actually, there isn't as much of a difference between Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters as you might think, because both cultivate the seven corporeal souls. The seven souls are divided into three groups for various reasons: the lower two realms are the Heroic Soul and the Essence Soul; the middle three realms are the Central Pivot Soul, the Strength Soul, and the Qi Soul. These five realms are all considered Grandmaster. Cultivating to the upper two realms, the Spiritual Wisdom Soul and the Heavenly Impulse Soul, falls under the scope of Great Grandmaster."

Seeing Zuan's bewildered expression, she huffed, "You were so reluctant to call me 'Master'...

"...Today, I'll properly teach you."

Zuan muttered, "I was calling you that just now; it was you who kept saying 'no, no'."

Yan Xuehen blushed deeply. "Are you going to listen or not?"

"Listening, listening, Master, please continue." Because of what had just happened, calling her "Master" felt exceptionally natural.

Yan Xuehen gritted her teeth slightly, but there was nothing she could do about him. She could only continue explaining, "The realm you need to refine now is the Heroic Soul, which is located below the tailbone."

"The next realm requires guiding the Kundalini fire forward, to... to the place where you 'did evil.' That's where the Essence Soul resides. This cultivation helps prevent cultivators from being ensnared by various desires, as it can lead to inner demons, which are extremely dangerous. Therefore, the more powerful a cultivator is, the less likely they are to have offspring."

Zuan immediately exclaimed, "Then it's better not to cultivate this Essence Soul! If even desires are gone, what's the fun in life?"

Yan Xuehen glared at him. "Is your mind always filled with such vulgar things? 'Desires' refers to all kinds of human worldly desires, like greed, not specifically the one you're thinking of."

"I didn't say which one," Zuan protested. "Besides, how can natural human desires be called vulgar?"

Yan Xuehen clearly didn't want to dwell on that topic. She continued, "The next realm involves guiding the Kundalini fire up to the vicinity of the navel. While it's easy for the Kundalini fire to rise, it's very difficult to stabilize it again. This realm requires observing the Kundalini fire's ascent and entering a meditative state."

"The realm after that is refining the Strength Soul near the heart. At that point, even without relying on the power of heaven and earth, one can single-handedly achieve the strength to uproot mountains and overshadow the world."

"Next is the Qi Soul in the throat. Grandmasters in this realm can transmit voices over a thousand miles and search for souls, and they can even shake a Grandmaster of the first realm to death with a single shout."

Seeing Zuan's exaggerated expression, Yan Xuehen added, "Don't worry, even though you're currently in the first Grandmaster realm, your combat prowess is strangely potent. A single shout certainly won't kill you."

Hearing her say this, Zuan finally felt a little relieved.

"Following that is the Spiritual Wisdom Soul in the brow. Cultivating to this point allows one to form their own unique domain. Because reaching this stage grants an overwhelming advantage over lower realms, cultivators at this level are respectfully referred to as Great Grandmasters to distinguish them. Both Yun Jianyue and I are at this realm," Yan Xuehen said.

Zuan's expression was odd. "I used to think you and Sister Yun were incredibly powerful. So, it turns out you're the weakest among Great Grandmasters?"

Yan Xuehen: "???"