Chapter 40: The Heavens Are Unfair
It should come as no surprise, but she broke into the Late stage of Qi Refining after only four days following the full optimization of her meridians. It still takes this dual cultivation method for me to be able to do this it is something I intend to change permanently once I am capable of doing so but it ends up benefiting me as well, as I also break into the Peak stage of Qi Refining.
I now use the same method she does and it is certainly beneficial for me in various ways. Firstly, my Dao of Qi receives Insights as my mastery approaches its limit, and my cultivation speed improves two-fold.
However, every day she spends cultivating with me, in the pond, is like seven or eight days for an ordinary cultivator at 100% efficiency. Since I doubt that an ordinary cultivator could even come close to 100% efficiency in other words, reaching the expected speed of the method itself it is better to assume that for each day Lan Xiaohui cultivates, she makes the same progress an average cultivator makes in ten days or more.
After ten days of this, my supply of medicinal herbs dwindles. The Yin-Yang Grass is nearly entirely consumed, and so are the other materials and resources that were useful to cultivators. Often, she would apply medicinal pastes on her exposed body which she no longer even hides from me, and I am beginning to suspect is a requirement for this dual cultivation, as silly as that is only to help her expel the impurities of her body as she reaches for the higher and higher stages in her cultivation. After all, impurities slow her down.
When I compare that to my initial assumption that it would take me twoyears to make any progress, even I have to admit that I had a shallow opinion of what was possible. Certainly, I knew that higher efficiencies were possible, but not by this much.
In a way, I suppose I also have myself to thank for that. Without my assistance, Lan Xiaohuis speed would slow down by two or three times. When discussing spiritual roots, or the highly unlikely event of someone being born with a particular affinity for cultivation, this is probably what it would look like: cultivating at least ten times faster than ordinary creatures.
Most creatures would reach the end of their lifespan before they could break into the higher, prestigious realms; but for someone who can cultivate at this speed? The sky is the limit. But so is also an early, unfortunate demise.
I know a few things about jealousy, greed and scorn.
When she finally reaches the bottleneck, on the precipice of breaking into the Foundation Establishment for the second time in her life, her eyes open and she instantly withdraws the Foundation Pill from my storage.
Though she is trying her best to remain calm any kind of distraction now would be detrimental I can see the excitement in her eyes. She had gone from a lowly Qi Condensation realm exile to breaking into the Foundation Establishment realm in the span of what a month or two.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
After an hour, the result is very anti-climactic. The Heavens dont even bat an eye at this complete and utter abuse of its universal laws. Nevermind the pills and the strong Qi of the area, or practicing a I hate to admit it worthwhile cultivation method. But surely, using dual cultivation to gain access to ones internal body, optimize the meridians and regulate Qi flow must be against the rules somehow.
As far as I can tell, not even a lightning flash. Definitely no thunder.
It seems unfair! I got punished for much less. I only killed about a hundred creatures with an array, and used sword Qi to extract a bit more true Essence than I was supposed to. Sure, maybe I consumed some Heavenly Tribulation Lightning too.
We both used shortcuts! Yet only I was punished?
Lan Xiaohui breaking into the Foundation Establishment realm within an hour? Not unexpected. Lan Xiaohui not getting punished for doing so? Very unexpected.
I suppose it is something I wont learn any time soon. But at the very least, it seems that this method of finding shortcuts around an inefficient system is not against the rules. That is very good. Now that she is in the Foundation Establishment realm, her sword Qi should be much more potent, which means that she is effectively promoted from sentient transport to array engineer.
Still, I am in a good mood and she seems receptive to the sentiment.
Well done, I praise her.
She opens her eyes and her lips quirk into a smile. She doesnt need to say anything. I can tell just by looking at her. She is thinking that our plan is possible.
She will kill the Black Tiger.