Chapter 17: Body Tempering

Xiu Qingcheng floated listlessly in mid-air, her sword body swaying erratically, as if she had lost her soul.
However, at this moment, the Ting Tian Sword’s blade was clean and smooth, capable of reflecting its surroundings, and sometimes even emitted a twinkling gleam.
It seemed Meng Yingxing’s recent cleansing of the Ting Tian Sword was remarkably effective.
After Meng Yingxing poured out the dirty water contaminated by the mud from the Ting Tian Sword, he returned, asking Xiu Qingcheng as if seeking praise, “Master, how was it?
My technique is still alright, right?”
“Still alright… still alright…” Xiu Qingcheng muttered, her “soul” still seeping out.
“If Master ever gets dirty again, I will definitely help Master clean up!”
Meng Yingxing declared this to be his supreme honor.
Xiu Qingcheng, upon hearing this, broke into a cold sweat and quickly declined Meng Yingxing’s kind offer: “No need, no need!”
To prevent Meng Yingxing from dwelling on this matter, Xiu Qingcheng quickly brought up the main topic.
“Yingxing, go heat up some hot water.
We can begin body tempering.”
As Xiu Qingcheng spoke, she flew a circle and hooked the basket full of herbs, pulling it closer.
Before long, Meng Yingxing had prepared hot water and poured it into the wooden tub.
Immediately, a hazy white mist filled the small room, somewhat clouding Xiu Qingcheng’s vision.
She squinted slightly, flipped her sword body, and dumped all the herbs into the wooden tub.
The herbs floated sparsely on the water’s surface, like cilantro in soup.
Xiu Qingcheng then used herself as a spoon, stirring in the herbal water for a good while.
‘First a shovel, now a spoon, this Ting Tian Sword of hers should really be renamed the Swiss Army Knife.’
Meng Yingxing watched eagerly from the side.
Although this pot of medicinal water wasn’t activated by any spell, as Xiu Qingcheng repeatedly stirred it, a bitter smell emanated from the water.
Afterward, Xiu Qingcheng shook her sword body a couple of times like a cat, shedding all the water droplets from herself.
“Alright, get ready to soak in.”
Her voice was muffled and low, as if she were holding her breath while speaking to Meng Yingxing.
Although the smell was indeed unpleasant, Meng Yingxing wasn’t as affected as Xiu Qingcheng.
He merely frowned, then removed all the outer clothes he had just put on.
Facing the steaming medicinal bath, Meng Yingxing gasped, then fully immersed himself in the water, only his head showing.
His black hair floated on the water’s surface, like ink.
Next, Xiu Qingcheng taught him a few incantations.
“When you start cultivating, you must continuously recite this incantation silently, while simultaneously circulating spiritual energy throughout your body.
You cannot stop for a moment.” Xiu Qingcheng’s voice became serious, emphasizing that she was not joking.
“You will feel pain during body tempering.
When the pain disappears, it means the medicinal power of this tub has passed, and you can stop.”
Xiu Qingcheng also kindly reminded Meng Yingxing, “If you feel you still have energy, you can repeatedly go over the sword chants I taught you in your mind; that will also help you.”
Of course, Xiu Qingcheng didn’t think Meng Yingxing would have any extra mental energy to cultivate sword chants.
Her only expectation for Meng Yingxing was that he would succeed.
“If you’re ready, begin.” Xiu Qingcheng lightly gave the instruction.
“Yes, Master.”
Meng Yingxing didn’t waste any more words.
He sat cross-legged in the tub, closed his eyes, and began silently reciting the incantation Xiu Qingcheng had given him.
As the incantation began, it immediately took effect.
Xiu Qingcheng could see a faint spiritual energy emanating from the water, beginning to circulate throughout Meng Yingxing’s body, again and again.
But this spiritual energy was not gentle; it surged forward recklessly through Meng Yingxing’s spiritual meridians.
“Ugh!”
Each time the spiritual energy surged, Meng Yingxing would emit a painful groan.
As the spiritual energy continuously surged, Meng Yingxing’s body began to tremble gradually.
His groans of pain became heavier, and the beads of sweat on his forehead were unclear if they were due to pain or the steaming heat.
Xiu Qingcheng watched silently from the side, taking no action.
This was Meng Yingxing’s challenge to himself; she could not intervene.
The only thing she could do now was silently pray that Meng Yingxing could successfully endure this body-tempering pain.
But silently… she couldn’t stay silent at all!
‘Can this kid handle it?’
Xiu Qingcheng swayed gently, unable to resist muttering to herself.
‘He seems to be doing alright?’
‘If he can’t… I’ll find other methods.’
‘If he succeeds, should I give him a reward?
I used to watch videos where people trained their pets like this?’
As someone who could survive in solitude, expecting Xiu Qingcheng to stand quietly was clearly impossible.
“Ugh!”
As time passed, Xiu Qingcheng heard Meng Yingxing’s suppressed groans of pain almost becoming uncontrollable, and immediately snapped back to attention.
‘Is this kid… really okay?’ Xiu Qingcheng’s gaze pierced through the mist to Meng Yingxing, a vague sense of worry creeping into her heart.
Xiu Qingcheng thought for a moment, then still plunged into the mist, her cold sword hilt gently touching Meng Yingxing’s brow.
“Meng Yingxing, hold on, I believe in you.
Don’t let… don’t disappoint me.”
No matter what one cultivated or resisted, maintaining a clear mind was always the most effective.
Xiu Qingcheng tried to use the slight coldness of her sword body to give her little disciple a small bit of help.
Perhaps Xiu Qingcheng’s actions truly had an effect.
Meng Yingxing’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little, but not much.
Xiu Qingcheng had seen others use this body-tempering method before.
Some wanted to compensate for their lack of talent with diligence, like Meng Yingxing, while others who had made no progress for years desired a breakthrough.
But without exception, they all cried out in pain during body tempering.
Yet from Meng Yingxing, Xiu Qingcheng only heard his continuously suppressed groans, not painful screams.
Perhaps her little disciple’s willpower far exceeded anyone’s imagination.
Xiu Qingcheng maintained the posture of gently touching Meng Yingxing’s forehead until the surrounding heat dissipated, until Meng Yingxing stopped groaning, and slowly opened his eyes.
Undoubtedly, Meng Yingxing had succeeded; he had endured the inhuman pain.
As soon as Meng Yingxing opened his eyes, he saw Xiu Qingcheng, close at hand.
He excitedly stood up abruptly from the water, sending splashes of water flying everywhere onto the ground.
“Master, I succeeded!” Meng Yingxing said excitedly to his master, joy overflowing.
“Yes, yes, yes, you succeeded, congratulations!
I knew my little disciple could do it!” Xiu Qingcheng patted Meng Yingxing’s head, like praising an obedient dog, to encourage him.
But seeing Meng Yingxing succeed, she, as his master, naturally became happy as well.
“But Master… my realm doesn’t seem to have improved?” Meng Yingxing looked at his hands, not feeling any enhancement.
Hearing Meng Yingxing’s words, Xiu Qingcheng couldn’t help but roll her eyes: “Whose body tempering method is so powerful that a single soak can raise one’s realm?
I’d like to try that too!”
“You can’t get fat with one mouthful!
Of course, you have to persevere, but it will definitely improve faster than your usual daily cultivation, that’s for sure!”
Xiu Qingcheng finished speaking, then incidentally inspected the spiritual energy within Meng Yingxing’s body.
“Mm… the impurities in your body are clearly less than before, and your spiritual energy has also increased a bit.” Although, due to Meng Yingxing’s peculiar physique, the increase was not as much as Xiu Qingcheng had imagined.
Xiu Qingcheng didn’t voice that last sentence, fearing it would hurt the child’s feelings.
“Impurities?” Meng Yingxing, who hadn’t received a proper cultivation education, was clearly hearing this term for the first time.
Xiu Qingcheng explained to him: “When people absorb spiritual energy to cultivate, it’s easy to absorb impurities.
Various methods can be used to remove these impurities from spiritual energy, achieving the effect of purifying spiritual energy.”
“There are also differences within the same realm.
Between two people of the same realm, the one with higher spiritual energy purity can often display stronger strength.”
Meng Yingxing listened attentively, nodding repeatedly.
“Master, I understand.”
“Master, just now, as you said, I also went through the sword chants in my mind while body tempering.
Now I feel I indeed have a deeper understanding of that set of sword chants.”
Xiu Qingcheng: “?”
‘Good, good, good, you kid, you’re going to compete like this, huh?’