Qi Refinement

"The fire element is a force of destruction. However, in destruction, there is creation. This is how alchemists are able to use their powerful flames to create miraculous pills. The water attribute and wood attribute you don't have, so it will be useless to tell you anything about it now. The earth attribute is primarily defensive, with cultivators of the earth having tough bodies and high qi reserves. The metal attribute is sharp and decisive, and is a good pair with sharp weapons as it can enhance the weapon's power. The lightning attribute is a mutation of the fire attribute, only that it is faster and domineering. The wind attribute is a mutation of the metal attribute, with swift and sharp attacks..."

Halfway through Zhong Xian's lecture, Bai Hu had already fallen half asleep. Just barely was he clinging on to consciousness.

Over the course of the past month, Zhong Xian would give lectures on the elements, their strengths and weaknesses. He would also make Bai Hu memorize countless tomes and scriptures of ancient languages and texts. Then there will be hours of reciting the names and functions of different herbs, materials, as well as magical beasts.

Bai Hu was a smart kid, but even he started developing a fear towards the sound of pages turning. Who can stand it after hearing it for so long? He was almost certain that his master was trying to traumatize him.

Even the physical course was no better. Hours of intense endurance training, often involving being drowned in water, holding up giant rocks, or breaking wood and stone with his bare hands.

Bai Hu was surprised that he even survived for so long. When he had heard that his master would personally train him, he had been hyped and eager. Now, a month later, Bai Hu only wished to get another hour of sleep.

The worst part was that his master would often watch while reclining in a chair, with a basket of fresh fruits and his gourd of wine. And if he were to get injured, he would either be forced to deal with it, or fed a high grade recovery pill and increase the difficulties of training by 10 times.

Then again, as he reflected on his progress, he noticed that the training got easier as time went on so long as the difficulty stayed the same, and that he was injured less often. Furthermore, his memory got better and he was able to stay alert better.

And finally, the day he was waiting for. His master left him alone as he would have to deal with something outside the sect, and would likely not be back for a few months.

There was only one downside.

"For every month that I am gone, I expect you to advance one cultivation level"

This left Bai Hu pulling his hair when he left.

"This old geezer is too unreasonable! I haven't even begun to sense qi yet and he wants me to advance once every month?!"

He sighed before turning resolute.

"So be it. I guess I'll have to use my cheat or else I will only invite punishments"

He returned to the secret abode which he had decided to keep a secret, even from his master. Sitting on the mat and holding the prayer beads in his left hand, he felt his head cool and all his negative thoughts were pushed aside. He took out a pill bottle from his spatial pouch with his right hand and uncorked it to release a dense medical fragrance.

3 gold pills with intricate lines on them were revealed. These were the Gold Qi Marrow Pills he had found. Bai Hu placed the pills on the ground and took out another bottle. Inside was an azure liquid that gave off a fresh cleansing feeling.

After much digging, Bai Hu found out that this liquid is called the Azurelight Spirit Water. It is a natural treasure that forms on a stalactite, constantly dripping down and gathering for many years. It can't be moved from its place so it is quite a rare treasure.

Its function is to assist with the side effects of consuming other treasures as well as hasten the absorption of medical power. It also keeps the medical power in, making sure the consumer gets the most out of their pills and treasures.

"50 drops, that should be enough"

Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Hu poured the Azurelight Spirit Water into the bottle of Gold Qi Marrow Pills and swallowed everything at once.

As soon as the concoction entered his mouth, Bai Hu recited the scriptures of qi sensing in his head. With his eidetic memory developed from many harsh days and sleepless nights, he was able to correctly recite every single word perfectly.

The Azurelight Spirit Water suppressed the pain that he would have felt and allowed him to concentrate on sensing qi while his body is rapidly being refined and strengthened by the new Gold Qi Marrow Pills.

Within his body, a berserk gold energy flowed through Bai Hu's meridians. Under normal circumstances, that energy would have ripped his meridians to shreds, or at the very least cause unimaginable pain.

However, a faint azure energy flowed alongside the gold energy, seemingly encasing it and slowly dispersing it throughout his body at a fast rate.

Faint crackling and pops could be heard as his entire muscular and skeletal system was strengthened far beyond the level of an ordinary mortal. He evened his breathing again as his eyes stayed shut, unaware of time and any distractions.

After an unknown amount of time, the small amount of gold energy remaining suddenly moved and flowed towards Bai Hu's Dantian. His eyes were closed and his breathing was faint, almost like he was sleeping and unresponsive to any stimuli.

Drip!

The drop of energy entered his Dantian, and like a forest receiving water during a drought, the Dantian shone with blinding light.

Just then, the statue that was Bai Hu moved, making a series of hand seals in quick succession. He opened his eyes and a blinding light shone from his eyes.

"Open!"

Boom!

In an instant, it was as if a whole new world had been opened up to Bai Hu. All of his senses were improved and he could 'see' qi in the air. Small motes of light in different colors gathered around, some he felt attached to, some he felt no resonance with.

Seeing as the qi was abundant and that he was already in a meditative position, Bai Hu let the effects of the mat and the prayer beads wash over him and recited the cultivation technique for the Thunderflame Art.

The 'motes of light' as he calls them, started to fly towards him. Mainly red and purple ones were taken in while a bit of the other lights were also absorbed.

According to his drunkard master, a cultivation art will be designed to mainly absorb their corresponding attributes. However, a bit of other attributed qi will also be absorbed in the process. The art will naturally have a way to convert that qi into the required one so even if one is in an environment with no resonant qi, they could still convert it, albeit at a slower rate.

The abundant lightning qi in the air allowed Bai Hu to cultivate the Thunderflame Art relatively quickly. The wind and lightning qi here is several notches higher than the norm but the qi of 5 elements can only be considered above average.

He took out 2 shiny red stones from his spatial pouch and held one in each hand.

Whoosh!

His cultivation speed drastically increased by 4-fold as soon as he started to absorb the energy in the fire spiritual stones. A red and purple vortex formed inside his Dantian as the cultivation art absorbed and converted massive amounts of lightning qi, while also absorbing the rich fire qi in the spiritual stones.

A crackle suddenly sounded from Bai Hu's Dantian and a soft pressure exploded with Bai Hu at its epicenter. Despite breaking through once, Bai Hu didn't stop and continued to absorb the qi in the air and from the stones in his hands.

Minutes passed and soon it turned into an hour. Another light crackle sounded from his Dantian and a slightly stronger pressure was emitted from Bai Hu's body. The qi in his Dantian swelled and churned, signifying his breakthrough to the second level of qi refinement.

He opened his mouth and expelled a breath of turbid air. Bai Hu checked the time to find that almost an entire day had passed, mostly spent one sensing qi.

He flexed his fingers and admired his muscles. The results of Zhong Xian's training had shown itself and allowed Bai Hu to sense qi in a quick amount of time. No matter how much he hated the training, Bai Hu was still grateful towards his master's foresight.

Bai Hu then took a deep breath and raised an arm. A few moments passed with nothing happening, but if one paid attention, they would see that Bai Hu was in extreme concentration mode.

Just then, a reddish-purple wisp appeared at the tip of his finger and a cry of ecstasy escaped his lips. He smiled at dispersed the wisp before going back into meditation in order to consolidate his realm.