CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 36 BLACK HEAVEN BOOK

Black Heaven Book.

A martial art imbued with profound fantasy, not operating within the Extraordinary Meridians and other Visible Meridians, but rather affecting the body’s Hidden Meridians. Said Hidden Meridians, if the Extraordinary Meridians and Visible Meridians are rivers on land, then the Hidden Meridians are subterranean rivers flowing beneath. There are thirty-one Hidden Meridians in total, conforming to the numbers of heaven, named after the Three Constellations and Twenty-Eight Stars.

Ordinarily, one practices martial arts from the Refining Essence and Transforming Qi phase, to Refining Qi to God, and then to Refining Spirit to Emptiness; however, the Black Heaven Book skips the Jing Qi Two Gates phase and starts directly from Refining God. Nevertheless, because it skips both Refining Essence and Transforming Qi and Refining Qi to God, its cultivation necessitates aid from another’s Inner Strength.

The cultivator becomes a Tribulation Slave, and the one providing Inner Strength takes the role of the master. If a Tribulation Slave borrows too much Tribulation Power, they must receive Inner Strength from the Tribulation Master; otherwise, they will suffer from the Black Sky Tribulation. Restrained by the Four Laws of Existence, the master-slave relationship can extend for three generations. If the father is a Tribulation Slave, his son will also inherit this relationship. By the grandson’s generation, it weakens but remains that of a Tribulation Slave. After three generations, one can be liberated, which is rich in fantastical elements.

The so-called Black Sky Tribulation is a backlash of borrowed True Qi that can no longer be sustained, causing the cultivator’s body to feel an unbearable, strange itchiness and emptiness, similar to the effects of another method of control—the activation of the Life and Death Talisman.

Generally, the Black Heaven Book is used to control subordinates. If it were to be the primary focus of training, I’m afraid no one would choose it. After all, it is only a lesser version of Refining God, at best, a high-level practitioner of the Divine Origin Realm, and certainly not as good as the original. Even an Innate Expert might not be able to surpass it. This does not live up to its Four-star Secret Manual evaluation.

"Let’s set aside the Black Heaven Book for now. While the shortcut to Divine Origin is appealing, there’s a sense of solidity that comes from cultivating step by step that seems missing," Qing Yu pondered to himself.

Moreover, although Qing Yu already knew about a solution to the Black Sky Tribulation from reading in his past life, it always seemed somewhat unreliable. And then there was the aftermath of the Black Sky Tribulation, with Inner Strength circulating endlessly through Visible and Hidden Meridians—a premise that seemed far-fetched. The law of conservation of energy would be consumed; if Inner Strength could be thrown out and recycled, even immortals would not be this unreasonable.

"System, is it possible to complete the Black Heaven Book?" Qing Yu asked, hoping. After all, the solutions presented in the book were hardly convincing. If it were possible to reach the heavens in a single step without side effects, Qing Yu wouldn’t mind taking shortcuts.

"The Black Heaven Book is merely difficult to cultivate, not incomplete or flawed, and does not require completion."

Well, there it was, from the system itself: the training was difficult. Qing Yu knew he wasn’t the protagonist who could cultivate anything and always come out unhurt. Until he was absolutely certain, he should just treat the Black Heaven Book as a way to control his subordinates.

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"Young Master."

"Mm, Li Xin, have you rested well?"

After leaving the Li Family’s Vault, Qing Yu hurried to start his cultivation. Inside the vault, besides gold and silver, there were many medicinal herbs from the forests of the Southern Border. As long as the storage conditions were right, these herbs could be well-preserved for many years. The Li Family’s years of medicinal stock thus fell into Qing Yu’s hands.

After taking the herbs, Qing Yu made significant progress in opening his Governing Vessel.

However, after cultivating for a few hours, Qing Yu became increasingly restless and irritable. To avoid deviation, he had to stop cultivating. He understood in his heart that the coming storm put tremendous pressure on him and had even started affecting his progress in cultivation. It was worth noting that Qing Yu practiced Taoist School cultivation techniques, which, if followed correctly, wouldn’t risk deviation.

Li Xin’s arrival awakened a contemplative Qing Yu.

It was already dark outside, another day having passed unnoticed.

Seeing Li Xin’s eye circles, which had faded significantly with ample rest, Qing Yu asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Have you recovered your spirits?"

Li Xin replied, "There is a limit to human endurance. When one is completely exhausted, sleep comes no matter what. I am fully rested now."

"But," Li Xin glanced outside at the night sky and said with a wry smile, "I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep tonight."

Qing Yu knew that Li Xin must be feeling better since he was still in the mood to joke. He was also almost past his difficulties.

Qing Yu joked back, "You may not need to rest tonight, but I still do."

"It’s just that I noticed the light was still on in the Young Master’s room, and even the door was open," Li Xin teased.

Qing Yu slapped his forehead and said, "I guess I’ve neglected it."

Serious now, Li Xin said, "Young Master, are you worried about the upcoming danger?"

Though Li Xin didn’t know everything about Qing Yu’s situation, from Li Pingsheng’s words, he had a rough understanding. Thus, he was very aware of Qing Yu’s predicament and the pressure he faced.

Qing Yu gave a wry smile of helplessness, "As for escaping these troubles, I’ve got a strategy and am confident of getting out safely. But this time it’s extremely dangerous. The slightest misstep could spell disaster. After all, I am just an ordinary person, naturally concerned about life and death."

Looking at Qing Yu’s youthful face, Li Xin thought to himself that although the young master was strategic and decisive in command, he almost forgot that the boy was just fifteen or sixteen.

"Man proposes, God disposes; you have done your best, Young Master. The rest is up to fate," Li Xin comforted him.

Qing Yu laughed in acceptance, "Indeed, to do one’s best and leave the rest to destiny. Since I got the news ahead of time from Li Pingsheng, it means my life is not meant to end here. This is divine assistance."

With this realization, many of Qing Yu’s worries dissipated. The night had fallen, and Qing Yu, yawning pointedly, made it clear he intended to sleep.

Li Xin, seeing that Qing Yu no longer appeared weighed down, was quite relieved. Observing that Qing Yu was ready to retire, he tactfully took his leave.

However, before leaving, Li Xin said, "After waking, I went to check on the Li Family Vault’s gold and silver matter. I learned that Li Qiuran is practicing martial arts at Yu Jian Manor. Whether it’s for greasing the wheels, daily needs, or cultivating resources, they require financial support from the Li Family. Over the years, the Li Family has spent nearly two hundred thousand taels on gold, silver, and medicinal herbs to support Li Qiuran."

Having said this, without wishing to disturb Qing Yu’s rest any further, Li Xin closed the door from the outside and left.

Staring at the door, which still bore Li Xin’s departing shadow, Qing Yu felt so heartbroken it left him breathless.

’All that wealth equates to two high-level draws... Missing out this time, it might not be until my promotion to an Innate Expert that I could encounter such fortune again. Li Qiuran, the profligate, damn Li Pingsheng... This Li Pingsheng couple’s blind indulgence of their sons, each more wasteful than the last, serves them right for the ruin of the Li Family.’

Filled with resentment, Qing Yu thought, ’And Li Xin... Leaving after throwing in such a jibe, are you trying to keep me from a good night’s sleep on purpose?’ (Li Xin: (O_o)??)

Bitterly criticizing everyone he could think of.

After a bout of such internal monologue, any residue of pressure within Qing Yu was swept away, allowing him to sleep peacefully.