Chapter 102: External Projection of True Qi, Establishing the Foundation of the Physical Body

After a brief moment, Qin Ming collected two buckets of royal jelly from the hive, weighing over eighty jin in total. However, the color of this royal jelly was unusual—like blood-colored amber, crystal clear and radiant. Yet, the spiritual energy it contained was so potent that Qin Ming could sense it from a great distance.

It is said that royal jelly of this rank has many uses. Adding a small amount when refining pills can neutralize the medicine’s properties, increasing the success rate by ten to twenty percent, and even improving the quality of the pills on occasion. If consumed directly, it has beautifying and nourishing effects. Moreover, it is one of the main ingredients in crafting rejuvenation pills. Finally, it serves as a sacred antidote, capable of curing nearly all poisons. In short, it is a treasure with countless benefits.

Qin Ming casually took some royal jelly from the bucket and tasted it. Boom! Instantly, a surging force of vital energy and blood power flooded through him like a tidal wave. He stood frozen in astonishment. This blood-colored royal jelly could significantly amplify his vital energy—its effect was even better than the finest Blood Locust Grain.

Perhaps it was connected to that eerie skeletal demon flower.

In a flash, the name of a certain pill flashed involuntarily through Qin Ming’s mind. It was one of the rarest formulas recorded in Su Yuqing’s notes. Its main ingredient required a nectar imbued with vital energy and blood power. This pill was called the Blood River Pill, a first-grade top-tier elixir, extremely difficult to refine, and a legendary treasure for body refinement.

The key ingredient was royal jelly infused with vital blood energy, something rare and precious in the cultivation world. Fortunately, Qin Ming had several spiritual materials needed to refine this pill. Without hesitation, he set to work.

He made another trip to the Tianhe Market to purchase the remaining auxiliary ingredients. After several days spent with Aunt Long at Mirror Snow Pavilion, he gathered all the materials.

Several days later, Qin Ming returned to his cave on Moonwatch Island and began extracting the pill embryo, proceeding with practiced steps. He released the Soul-Devouring Poison Flame to heat the alchemy furnace. Time passed slowly.

After several failures, Qin Ming finally succeeded in refining a batch of Blood River Pills. Since mastering the Soul-Devouring Poison Flame, his success rate in alchemy had steadily increased. Even a rare elixir like the Blood River Pill was perfected on his first attempt.

He raised his hand, catching eight crimson pills radiating a shocking aura of vital energy.

“So this is the legendary Blood River Pill?” Qin Ming examined one carefully. A strong metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils. Without hesitation, he popped a pill into his mouth.

A tremendous force of vital blood surged through his limbs and meridians like wild roaring waves. He activated the “Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture” to refine and absorb the pill’s power. Gradually, layers of blood scabs oozed from his skin, enveloping him completely like a colossal blood cocoon. The crimson glow flickered faintly within.

For two full hours, Qin Ming endured.

At last, the blood cocoon cracked layer by layer, revealing his figure.

He had broken through the ninth level of the “Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture”!

An unmatched, sharp innate energy converged within him, his physical strength rising again, nearly reaching its limit. Now, he resembled a great base-stage demon beast. Explosive power surged within his body.

Encasing him was a crystalline armor formed from vital blood energy, solid as if tangible.

More importantly, reaching this stage meant he could now project his vital energy externally. The innate energy’s power rivaled that of a base-stage cultivator in attack strength.

Qin Ming rose and stepped out of his cave. Within a few breaths, he ghosted to the cliff beyond the mountain peak. Then, he unleashed his vital blood energy toward a massive boulder in the distance, slashing out a crimson blade of energy!

Boom!

The vital energy detached from his body like a crescent moon slicing through the sky, cleaving the ten-zhang-tall boulder into countless fragments with smooth, polished surfaces.

Qin Ming then tried another technique—his vital blood energy rippled all around him. Instantly, countless fine rays of innate energy radiated outward.

Pupu!

Anything struck by these rays was instantly riddled with holes, the destructive power terrifying. This technique rivaled base-stage methods.

Excited, Qin Ming threw another punch. The blood-red energy surged forth, and whatever it contacted turned to ash.

In terms of strength, a base-stage great demon beast far surpassed ordinary human cultivators. Demonic beasts rely on bloodline cultivation, possessing formidable racial talents and inherited divine abilities, with bodies of immense toughness. Consequently, their difficulty in reaching the base stage was often several times that of humans.

If Qin Ming encountered a newly risen base-stage cultivator now—an elder like Gu Chang Lao—he could crush them with overwhelming force.

However, against someone like Lin Zixiao, who had obtained a demonic legacy and was a late base-stage powerhouse, he would still need to be cautious.

“The immortal path values life; why engage in constant killing?”

“If they can’t provoke me, why should I hide from them?”

Having stepped into this realm, Qin Ming had finally established himself within the cultivation world.

Yet, the outside world remained chaotic. He still needed to find a way to advance his magical power to the base stage.

The conflict between Spirit Feather Sect and Thunder Origin Sect was unpredictable. Battles over resources were inevitable, as Wei Kingdom’s pie was limited, and many beasts fought for scarce meat.

At this level of power clashes, base-stage cultivators falling in battle was all too common.

Though Qin Ming’s strength had risen a tier, the external situation still pressed heavily upon him. More than ever, he needed to improve his magical cultivation for added security.

Double insurance—more trump cards meant a better chance at longevity in this ruthless cultivation world.

No matter the turmoil outside, Qin Ming had decided. He would root himself on Moonwatch Island, farming and cultivating, avoiding worldly conflicts.

Moonwatch Island lay at the northern edge of the Lingqi Archipelago, far from any major hotspots or fortresses. For months, not a single soul passed by—it was almost secluded from the world, perfect for steady growth.

Now, with strength slightly above that of an ordinary base-stage cultivator, Qin Ming could freely obtain resources without restraint.

“I wonder what will happen when I cultivate the first level of the base stage in the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture?”

He grew increasingly eager for the next stage of cultivation. The base-stage section of this body-refining scripture had only three levels: early, middle, and late. Completion would grant strength far surpassing peers.

Upon finishing the first level, one would enter the “True Energy Transformation” realm—a first metamorphosis of vital blood energy.

According to the scripture, this required more than just consuming vital blood materials; pills could only assist.

Two prerequisites stood:

First, refining high-grade demonic beast essence blood—the higher the grade, the better, determining the technique’s power and potential.

Second, activating the Hundred Beasts Visualization Diagram in the Beastskin Scripture, requiring a sufficiently powerful vital energy—higher-level beast visualizations yielded greater power.

Given Qin Ming’s current vital energy reserves, he was far from activating the diagram.

As for high-grade demonic beast essence, he could entrust Gu Qingzhao to keep an eye out; after all, Canghai Immortal City bordered the Beast Roar Mountain Range. The city’s auctions often featured high-grade demonic beast essence for sale.

Next, Qin Ming planned to visit Tianhe Market to inquire about the Jade Marrow Mushroom.

Just then, his communication talisman buzzed with a message. Opening it, he saw it was from Wu Jiang.

“Daoist Qin, I have discovered the whereabouts of another spiritual material. The situation is urgent; come quickly near Dragon Scale Island.”