Within the grand halls of the Ledal Empire's castle, Xu Fang stood before his mother and stepmothers, Zheng Yu, Shen Yin, Lie Ning, and Long Xiu, each seated regally upon their respective thrones. His sisters, Xu Min, Xu Zhi, Xu Jing, and Xu Ling, positioned a few steps away, witnessed the unfolding scene.
Feeling a surge of camaraderie and perhaps a touch of competition, Xu Jing and Xu Ling expressed their desire to practice alongside Xu Fang in cultivation.
"Little brother, can I also practice with you?" Xu Jing implored, not wanting to lag in the journey of cultivation.
"I'd like to join too," Xu Ling added, echoing her sister's sentiment.
"You don't need my approval, big sisters. Seek Mother's consent for joining the practice," Xu Fang advised, directing them to obtain approval from their mother rather than himself.
Turning their gazes toward Zheng Yu, the two sisters wore expressions of earnestness and charm, their eyes reflecting a hint of innocence and determination.
Witnessing the earnest expressions on Xu Ling and Xu Jing's faces, a warm smile graced Zheng Yu's lips. She turned her attention towards Shen Yin, seeking approval for her daughters' request to practice alongside Xu Fang. Shen Yin nodded in agreement, giving her consent. With the green light from their mother, Zheng Yu faced the eager sisters and addressed them with a smile.
"Xu Ling, Xu Jing, you have our permission to start practicing. However, be mindful not to push yourself too hard initially. Xu Fang has been training diligently for the past two months, and his physical prowess has advanced. Don't compare yourselves to him right away."
"Exactly. Start with modest practices and gradually increase. You are at the beginning of your cultivation journey," Shen Yin added, offering her daughters guidance not to overexert themselves initially.
"Thank you, Mother," Xu Ling and Xu Jing expressed their gratitude, their faces reflecting happiness.
"Xu Zhi, if you wish to join them, you have our approval." Lie Ning extended the invitation to Xu Zhi.
"Thank you, Mother. I would like to join them." Xu Zhi conveyed her gratitude for the permission to partake in the practice sessions.
"Great, Xu Fang, can you guide them in practicing what you've been doing?" Zheng Yu inquired, seeking Xu Fang's assistance to ensure his sisters followed a proper and beneficial practice routine, avoiding any potential harm to their bodies.
As the request was made, Xu Fang contemplated his options, finding an alternative approach to help them that might not match the efficacy of Yin and Yang but could still be beneficial for all. A silent chuckle escaped him as he devised a plan.
"Mother, don't worry. I'll assist them," Xu Fang assured his mothers, signaling his readiness to support his sisters in their cultivation.
"Thank you, little brother." The three sisters expressed their gratitude with beaming smiles, unaware of the intriguing thoughts running through Xu Fang's mind.
"Very well. Now, all of you may return to your routines," Zheng Yu instructed, signaling the end of their discussion.
"Understood," they chorused simultaneously, acknowledging their mother's directive before exiting the throne hall, prepared to resume their daily activities.
As the lunchtime sun bathed the training grounds, Xu Fang made his way to absorb Yang Qi. Having already accumulated Yin Qi from the Moon and his family during the recent test, he intended to balance it with the invigorating energy from the Sun. However, the unexpected surge of Yin Qi during the brief touch from Long Xiu lingered in his thoughts.
Motivated by this newfound insight and to aid his sisters in cultivation, Xu Fang recalled the contents of the Love of Goddesses treasure's storage. His exploration had been limited to books previously, but now he delved deeper and discovered a treasure trove of resources.
To his astonishment, the storage held an abundance of Qi stones resembling miniature mountains, representing various elemental types. Gold coins and Manifeat coins formed substantial piles, each akin to towering mountains. His eyes widened in shock and gratitude toward the Goddesses for such an abundance.
The storage also revealed an assortment of rare herbs, albeit not as easily discernible as other items due to his limited knowledge. His previous studies in alchemy and poison sections had equipped him with some information. The wealth within extended to herb seeds, pills, ingredients for crafting pills, and various cultivation aids. Some items remained a mystery, prompting curiosity and excitement about their potential uses. Armed with this newfound knowledge, Xu Fang felt a renewed sense of determination to enhance his cultivation journey and extend support to his sisters.
The Qi stones were classified into various elemental types, encompassing fire, wind, earth, water, lightning, light, nature, and darkness. In addition to these elemental variations, there were also rare neutral Qi stones. These neutral stones were less common due to their universal utility, making them suitable for all types of elemental practitioners. Beyond their role as a source of Qi, these stones served as a form of currency, though the prevalent barter system remained the preferred method for high-value transactions, given the limitations of silver and gold coins.
While Xu Fang possessed a substantial quantity of neutral Qi stones, he had only utilized them once to enhance his cultivation within the Cultivation Chamber. Inspired by the desire to aid his sisters, he decided to employ these neutral Qi stones in a novel way. However, when attempting to absorb Qi directly from the neutral stones, he encountered a challenge. Despite his efforts, he could only absorb some of the Qi contained within the stones.
This difficulty stemmed from the inherent nature of the neutral Qi stones. Designed for cultivation at the Qi Meridian level, these stones posed challenges for individuals attempting to absorb their energy. Whether due to inadequacies in their cultivation foundation or potential meridian damage, extracting the full potential of these stones proved to be a more intricate process.
Cultivating the Qi from his dantian, Xu Fang absorbed the Yang Qi from the Sun's rays until lunch. After the midday meal and a refreshing bath with his family, he returned to his room to change into fresh clothes, ready to resume absorbing Yang Qi. As he approached his cultivation spot near the training grounds, he was surprised to find not one but all four of his elder sisters already there.
"You're here! We were starting to think you skipped practice today," teased Xu Zhi, wearing a playful smile.
"Do you all want to start practicing today?" Xu Fang inquired, curious about their sudden enthusiasm for practice.
"Yes, we're here to begin our practice, so please guide us," requested Xu Min, seeking Xu Fang's guidance for their cultivation.
"Elder Sister, you've already awakened your Elements Qi, so why do you want to practice with us?" Surprised by Xu Min's decision to join them, Xu Fang questioned her, considering she had already awakened her Elements Qi.
"Indeed, I am a cultivator, but I wish to practice alongside you all. Though, if you'd prefer I not join, I understand." Xu Min responded with a sincere expression, she wore a slightly sad expression, anticipating Xu Fang's response.
"No need to be sad, Elder Sister. I'm just checking in, and I'm always here to help you whenever you need me, now or in the future," Xu Fang assured, offering comfort and a promise of support for his elder sister.
"What about us?" The other three sisters chimed in, asking. Curious eyes from the other three sisters turned towards Xu Fang, and the twins even went so far as to put on cute puppy faces.
'They are so cute,' he thought, his heart warming at the sight.
"Yes, yes, the same goes for all of you too." Xu Fang responded, extending his willingness to help all his sisters.
"So, let's begin our practice. Now, all of you sit cross-legged and focus on the Qi around you, but don't start to absorb." Xu Fang guided his sisters through the initial steps.
Cross-legged, they followed his instructions, beginning with relaxing their minds, tuning into the Qi within their bodies, gently releasing Qi outward, and eventually attempting to absorb the Qi from their surroundings. After a few rounds of practice, they were already successful in absorbing the Qi around them.
"Good, now let's start running for an hour and then do the same exercise again. Tell me the difference you notice," Xu Fang instructed his sisters, signaling the beginning of their hour-long run.
"Why aren't you joining us for the run?" Xu Zhi inquired, curious about Xu Fang's decision to abstain from their physical activity.
"I prefer to meditate while you all run. Before you start, observe your surroundings for the next five minutes. It will help you understand the Qi gathering around my body," Xu Fang explained to her. He then assumed a cross-legged position, signaling the start of his meditation session.
Xu Fang began absorbing the Sun's rays, converting them into Yang Qi to store in his dantian. His sisters observed him closely, marveling at the thick concentration of Qi gathering around him. Little did they know that this wasn't just ordinary Qi; it was the potent Yang Qi.
"Wow, this Qi is very thick. No wonder he was able to achieve his fifth breakthrough so quickly," Xu Min whispered in amazement, and the other three nodded in agreement.
Five minutes later, they embarked on their hour-long run. Meanwhile, Xu Fang continued his absorption of Yang Qi at an accelerated pace, storing it swiftly and amassing a quantity greater than his routine absorption. His goal was clear; he aimed to absorb Yin Qi from his sisters, implementing a strategic plan. An hour later, when his sisters returned, they joined him in the absorbing process as instructed by Xu Fang.