Months had passed since Qiqi's incident. Ling was still a little bit curious about her background but everything about her was veiled neatly and it is also hard for him to ask her directly.
Ling never mentioned the incident which would upset her in one way or another.
From what he read in the book, that rare phenomenon only occurred to those who had Yin Body Constitution. Especially for a woman who had royal blood flows in their veins.
This also proved and strengthen Ling's hypothesis about her royal lineage, which quite make him quite complexed how to talk to her.
And thus, the winter has come, bringing the frigid wind from the Northern Region.
Ling and Qiqi continue their training like usual, sparring to the edge of their life once per week and Ling went on the hunt occassionally to vent his steam.
Some time later, both of them had reached Peak Ninth Stage Body Foundation. Just one step away from stepping into Earth Realm.
Due to rigorous training and specified diet and many Cultivation Pills for a good one year, their body had undergone a major growth spurt because of that.
Now, their body had underwent major change, their childish stature is no more and they look like a proper young man and young lady.
After training, the two usually soaked their body together in the ice-cold bath to cooling down. However, they refrain to do so since they already grown a bit.
Ling thought about his future if he kept getting close with Qiqi for the long run while soaking in the bath.
"Once she got out from this mansion, her true nature as someone with Yin Body Constitution would be spread out the second she got careless! Sigh… problem will arise around her and caught anybody that close with her. Should I get out from this mansion instead, to avoid any trouble. Prevention is better than curing after all!"
As his thoughts scrambled around and about, Qiqi's shadow casted upon the paper sliding door.
She had grew taller within a year, her hair and tail were also getting longer. Her feminim stature was palpable, even from her shadow alone.
Although she wrapped her body with bathrobe, she covered her budding bosoms with one hand while the other covered her lower part shyly.
"Ah, are you still inside, Brother Ling?" Her meek voice awaken Ling's mind.
"Yep! I am sorry, I'll leave at once after drying my body."
Ling quickly dried his body and wore his bathrobe.
"There, you can go in."
"Thank you Brother Ling."
Both of them blushed innocently as they passed each other.
***
After having a dinner, Fang Zheng called the two to the training hall for a very important things that he had to tell them.
"Ling, Qiqi…" Fang Zheng looking at them while brushing his long white beard. "It's been a year, and you have already reached the Peak Ninth Stage Body Foundation. Therefore, I will give these pills to both of you."
"Shifu… this is Low-Rank Qi Bursting Pills! Isn't these pills very precious for you also?!"
"Not at all… This pills are only effective for those who are ready to break through to Earth Realm and awakening their Martial Spirits. So… as someone who had reached Second Stage Sage Realm, these pills are useless for me. You two can have it."
Ling and Qiqi looked at each other, if they eat the pills and able to properly absorb its abundance Qi Energy, they would able to break through to Earth Realm swiftly!
"We thank you for your precious gift, shifu!" Ling and Qiqi bowed at him sincerely.
"Now… I will teach you how to discern a Cultivation Pills. Pay attention to my lead don't let your mind swayed by any means."
The two swallowed the brown, bitter-tasted pills in one go.
Soon after, their Qi Energy Fluctuates exponentially, creating a strong gale that wreaking havoc inside the training hall. Fang Zheng quickly tapped their shoulders to calm their Qi Energy.
"Focus on my guidance and follow my lead!"
Fang Zheng began to share a portion of his Qi in order to take control of wilding Qi Energy. Lead the energy into their blood vessels and spread throughout their body and converged inside their dantian.
Following their master's instructions, Ling and Qiqi closed their eyes, their breathing becoming shallow and even.
They immersed themselves in a sea of tranquility, focusing solely on the pill and the immense energy it contained.
With a collective intake of breath, Ling and Qiqi ingested the Qi Bursting Pill. It traveled down their throats, unleashing a burst of vitality within their bodies.
They felt an intense heat emanating from their cores as the spiritual energy of the pill interacted with their dantian.
As minutes turned into hours, the disciples felt a profound change occurring within them. Ling sensed his dantian expanding as well as his Sea of Consciousness.
Qiqi, on the other hand, experienced a deep connection to the world around her, feeling the harmony between her body and the spiritual essence enveloping her.
Their bodies trembled slightly as they absorbed the Qi Bursting Pill's energy, their auras growing stronger and more vibrant with each passing moment. Ling and Qiqi's faces glowed with a newfound determination, their eyes flickering with an inner fire.
Finally, the moment arrived. Ling and Qiqi opened their eyes simultaneously, their gazes meeting. A profound understanding passed between them, an unspoken acknowledgment of their shared success.
The heavens, acknowledged their break through and granted them a permission to awaken their Martial Spirits.
A Frost Vixen Spirit was bestowed upon Qiqi, it was only natural for her due to her unique lineage from her mother.
The little vixen was as small as Qiqi's palm.
Fang Zheng was satisfied with her result. "A Frost Vixen Spirit, huh? Your Martial Spirit might be considered weak in the early stage of its growth! However, once you truly master your Martial Spirit, Frost Vixen is one the strongest Martial Spirit there is!"
"Hehehe!" Qiqi chuckled merrily, caressing the little vixen spirit on her palm. "She is so cute, isn't she?!"
Ling, however, he was indeed feeling something extraordinary inside him but he couldn't describe the weird sensation from within his body.
His right palm was tingling, painful, even. The Blood Iron Spear is urging itself to get out.
"Brother Ling?"
"Urghh!"
Ling eventually couldn't bear the pain and let the Blood Spear come out.
Fang Zheng and Qiqi was shocked upon witnessing the sinister aura from the the spear which floating above Ling's palm.
"A Blood Iron Art?! The very Martial Arts that could bested even the gods! That's explain why you could hunt the Spirit Beasts in the forest! Ling, you owed me a detailed explanation about this Martial Spirit of yours."