Splitting the Heave

It was extremely difficult for cultivators to cultivate both types of qi at once. 

It was a giant obstruction to their cultivation, and it posed a significant risk!

However, that didn’t mean that it was impossible. It just meant that the price one had to pay to cultivate both types of qi at once was great!

Everyone knew how beneficial it was to increase both types of qi while maintaining a balance.

The Polarity Essence Gathering Pool was one great way to do it!

What made it even more special was that the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool could assist cultivators who had only cultivated one type of qi to improve the other such that they achieved a  miraculous balance.

“The Polarity Essence Gathering Pool can allow cultivators to raise their strength in the shortest amount of time possible!” Sun Haiwei explained as they made their way over. “Of course, the prerequisite is that you need to have a high level of control over both types of qi in your body. The better the control, the more essence qi you can absorb from the pool. That would mean that you would improve even quicker! The opposite is true. Make sure to know your limits. If you absorb more essence qi than you can handle, it’s easy to lose control. When that happens, your body will explode and you will die.” 

It didn’t take long before the two of them arrived at a structure located behind the main hall of the Tongyou Peak.

There, Shang Xia met Liu Qinglan again. It seemed as though she had been waiting for some time now.

“This disciple apologizes for making instructor wait.” Shang Xia might not know why she had came, but there wasn’t a need to think so much. She was a Martial Extermination Realm cultivator, and she seemed a little more authority than the other three in the hall previously. She could go wherever she wanted.

…

There was a rule in the Tongyou Institution that Shang Xia heard from his aunt. It was something that was established when she was still a disciple of the Tongyou Institution! 

When the rule was put in place, everyone felt that it was unbelievable. When Shang Xia heard it from his aunt, he even thought that she was playing a prank on him. However, that was precisely what happened in the hall earlier.

Just several moments ago, Liu Qinglan had been speaking on behalf of all four Martial Extermination Realm cultivators in the hall. Regardless of cultivation or seniority, Ji Wenlong, Shang Bo, and Shang Lubing were much higher than her! Even so, she was the one who spoke for all of them. She rose through the ranks in the institution, and the three other experts could even be said to be her teachers! Even so, none of them spoke against her in the hall earlier.

The rule was set by Patriarch Kou Chongxue in the past. Whenever there was more than a single figure of authority present, those of the four great clans would have to give up their speaking rights and stand on the sidelines. The rule was laid down after the four great clans gave their consent! 

That was what Shang Xia learned from Shang Xi. The reason was to ensure that none of the four great clans interfered with the institution’s authority when making decisions!

According to the rule, Shang Lubing should have been doing the talking earlier. However, Liu Qinglan seemed to be the one in control of the situation. Of course, the matter had something to do with Shang Lubing’s identity as Kou Chongxue’s sworn brother. If he stepped out now, he might just infuriate Ji Wenlong even further!

…

Liu Qinglan gently tapped the structure beside her and her fingers danced about its surface. Shang Xia couldn’t even see what she did, and he was naturally unable to memorize the pattern of her fingers.

The structure started to open up and a stairwell leading downwards revealed itself.

“Follow me.” Liu Qinglan said and she took the lead.

Shang Xia wanted to follow behind, but she paused for a second and turned to Sun Haiwei.

“You should come and take a look too…” Liu Qinglan’s voice drifted into her ears.

A look of joy appeared on Sun Haiwei’s face, and she hurried behind Shang Xia.

After descending several tens of feet, the passage started to open up and a stone hall appeared in their sight.

Fluorescent stones lined the walls and emitted a soft glow that illuminated the area.

Shang Xia’s gaze was locked on to the middle of the hall where a giant crater stood. It resembled a dried up pool.

There were rings around the crater, and every single ring was crafted with some sort of transparent jade-like stone. They were essence qi stones, and Shang Xia gasped in shock, “Is this the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool?! There seems to be more than a hundred essence qi stones here!” 

Essence qi stones might not be comparable to essence jade, but they were still precious treasures that contained extremely dense energy in them.

An essence qi stone contained much lesser heaven and earth qi in it than essence jade, but it was a common treasure used to lay down formations. The heaven and earth qi contained within would also be amplified when that happened.

Of course, laying down a formation with a single essence qi stone wasn’t useful at all! The cost of the other materials would make it absolutely outrageous. 

The Polarity Essence Gathering Pool contained a ton of essence qi stones, and it was much more effective that way.

“There’s a total of 285 essence qi stones!” Sun Haiwei gasped at the side.

“Go on down. Cultivate at the bottom of the pool. I will activate the formation once you arrive and how much you gain from this will depend on the effort you put in.” Liu Qinglan explained.

Shang Xia nodded and walked over to the side of the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool. He slid down the side of the crater.

The lower he got, the narrower it became. It was nine feet deep and every foot formed a new layer. Essence qi stones filled each layer.

At the lowest layer, there was only enough space for a single person. 

Standing at the bottom, he raised his head and asked Sun Haiwei, “Senior Sister Sun, didn’t you say that the three of you came together?”

Sun Haiwei poked her head over the side of the crater and yelled, “Yeah! When the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool opens, the type of essence qi can change at will! The three of us took turns to cultivate within!”

Shang Xia nodded. Sitting down, he started to circulate his Triple Mystery Polarity Art.

A smile could be seen on Liu Qinglan’s face as she asked, “Since you learned the Triple Mystery Polarity Art, what type of qi are you the most familiar with?” 

Shang Xia stared at her with a raised eyebrow. 

Once again, Sun Haiwei’s head popped out from the side of the crater again. “You actually cultivated the Triple Mystery Polarity Art?! I know a little about it! It’s extremely difficult to learn, and although you can switch between the different types of qi, it’s not easy to do so. Those who cultivate the Triple Mystery Polarity Art would excel in one of the three pairs of qi! Which are you the most proficient in using? This concerns the benefits you will gain in the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool”

Extremely difficult to learn? Which was he the most proficient at?

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Shang Xia had to carefully consider his reply. He had been too outstanding recently, and he wouldn’t allow himself to reveal all his cards in a moment of happiness.

Ever since he infused the Triple Mystery Polarity Art into his Yin Yang Diagram, he created a new way of cultivation!

He could absorb all types of qi, not just those listed in the Triple Mystery Polarity Art!

“This… It’s probably the fire and ice qi!” Shang Xia casually spoke.

Sun Haiwei’s voice came from above. “That’s great! The two types of qi are the most common out there. It’s extremely abundant on our Tongyou Peak. The effects of the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool will be maximized if you absorb fire and ice qi!” 

“Alright, enough talking. I’m going to activate the formation soon. Dense heaven and earth qi will gather in the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool soon. Shang Xia, don’t be in a rush to absorb all you can. Wait till the two types of qi reach an equilibrium before starting anything!” Liu Qinglan’s voice rang in his mind.

“I am ready!” Shang Xia yelled from the foot of the crater.

As soon as the words left his lips, he felt the ground below him trembling slightly.

Soon after, the essence qi stones around the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool started to light up. The heaven and earth qi in the room they were in started to move.

It didn’t take long for the final layer of essence qi stones where Shang Xia was to light up.

A total of 285 essence qi stones gathered the heaven and earth qi in the surrounding. Due to the formations around the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool, the gathered qi was unable to escape. They started to pool together where Shang Xia was, and it became extremely dense! 

Those standing at the side of the crater could see that the heaven and earth qi became so dense that it had a liquid-like consistency!

Shang Xia was swallowed by the curtain of dense qi.

Liu Qinglan walked across the hall all of a sudden and brought out two artifacts. She had a red bowl in one hand and a gourd caked in a layer of frost in the other.

Pouring the liquid held in both vessels into the crater, a stream of fiery red liquid and a waterfall of frosty mist entered the Polarity Essence Gathering Pool.