Nature Exquisite Body? . . .
Cha Eun Xiao ceased speaking and entered a meditative state, endeavoring to draw spiritual energy from the world. This marked his inaugural cultivation session in the Qing-Yun Realm, where the air itself seemed charged with vitality.
Erhuo remained concealed within Cha Eun Xiao's garments, displaying the quiet comportment of a contented child.
Gradually, an immense concentration of spiritual qi began to converge upon Cha Eun Xiao like the rhythmic advance of ocean tides. He sensed as though he were adrift in a sea of spiritual energy, an experience akin to soaring through the boundless cosmos.
The inner core had engendered a vast reservoir of spiritual energy that flowed through a slender opening into Cha Eun Xiao's Jing and Mai. The energy cascaded through his physique like a temperate spring, soft and inviting, yet underlain by a subtle chill. Multiple streams of this energy flowed throughout his body, rendering it increasingly responsive and receptive.
It felt akin to reclining in a soothing spring, the water just warm enough to erase one's perception of time's passage. Each nerve and fiber within his body attained their peak sensitivity.
Simultaneously, the condensed spiritual qi from the Space commenced its infusion into his Jing and Mai. The two sources of energy met within his dantian and seamlessly intermingled, coursing through his entire frame as a unified force.
The spiritual qi from all corners of the world surged toward Cha Eun Xiao, driven by the convergence of his unique martial art and Erhuo's innate abilities. This translated to four distinct sources of energy simultaneously flooding his Jing and Mai.
Over three hundred disciples from the Cold Moon Palace were simultaneously cognizant of the escalating spiritual qi encircling them. Though bewildered, they capitalized on the opportunity to absorb as much of it as possible while assuming meditative postures.
Xiao Mufei, however, wore a perturbed expression. He recognized that the agglomeration of spiritual qi into a singular point was far from ordinary, yet he struggled to pinpoint the cause.
Spiritual qi was elusive and imperceptible to the unaided human senses, only palpable when one activated their own spiritual qi. Nonetheless, he could gauge the density and purity of the spiritual qi in the vicinity.
In the next instant, Xiao Mufei silently catapulted himself upwards, ascending to a height of a hundred meters, seemingly defying gravity. He effortlessly traversed the airspace, ascending dozens of meters higher with each passing moment.
His elevation now exceeded two hundred meters, affording him an aerial perspective of his surroundings. Gazing downward, he couldn't perceive the spiritual qi itself, but the visual cues were evident in the form of the rolling fog.
The fog exhibited synchronized movements with the spiritual qi, forming a vortex. At the vortex's core was none other than the young man he had recently encountered: Cha Chongxiao!
Xiao Mufei's eyes widened considerably, nearly dislodging them from their sockets. He found it difficult to fathom what lay before him.
"He recently arrived from the lower realm," Xiao Mufei muttered incredulously, "His cultivation level should not exceed the second stage of the Spirit Origin Stage. Yet, even a Dream Origin Stage cultivator below the fifth level couldn't perform this feat."
"He absorbs spiritual qi with astonishing efficacy and channels it into his dantian automatically," Xiao Mufei continued. "This level of proficiency is usually characteristic of individuals with a supreme body, such as the legendary Nature Exquisite Body. It's only those with such an extraordinary constitution who can assimilate spiritual qi to this degree in their nascent stages."
"Yet," he pondered, "Nature Exquisite Body hasn't manifested in tens of thousands of years—an elusive, legendary physical trait."
Xiao Mufei couldn't tear his gaze away from Cha Chongxiao, who remained engrossed in his cultivation. His thoughts whirled in disarray.
[Cha Chongxiao's fortuitous consumption of the Golden Scale Fish's inner core has bequeathed him ten thousand years of cultivation. And, if by some incredible chance he indeed possesses the Nature Exquisite Body...]
[How could this alter his destiny?]
Xiao Mufei descended to the ground like a meteorite, moving with the quietude of a shadow. He approached Cha Chongxiao with a purposeful stride, meticulously examining the young man's physique—his skin, visage, and every minute detail.
After a protracted scrutiny, he detected something extraordinary: a concealed mass of pale purple qi subtly interwoven beneath Cha Chongxiao's skin. It was a revelation so nuanced that only a meticulous examination would unveil it.
A shiver coursed through Xiao Mufei's being, and he whispered in disbelief, "He truly possesses the legendary Nature Exquisite Body?"
Seated on the ground, he wore an expression that melded a host of emotions. His gaze remained affixed on Cha Chongxiao, and after a prolonged pause, he released a long, contemplative sigh.
His initial intent had been to escort Cha Chongxiao back to the sect to ensure the young man did not come under the service of rival sects. He had grown increasingly fond of Cha Chongxiao during their journey and felt a growing sense of responsibility toward him. Yet, there were limits to his willingness to invest in this newfound connection.
Contemplating various hypothetical scenarios, he'd resolved that he would strive to shield Cha Chongxiao if the danger escalated but would not squander excessive resources. If the cost of safeguarding Cha Chongxiao's life was prohibitively high, such as sacrificing half of his disciples, he would hesitate no longer—he'd swiftly eliminate Cha Chongxiao. With his demise, the motivation for the conflict would dissipate, and the fighting would cease.
However, the astonishing revelation he'd just unearthed shattered his preconceived notions and reshaped his perspective.