After the conversation with the Empress, the place fell silent again, interrupted only by the sound of the wind and the flapping wings of the white eagle.
This silence persisted until they finally crossed the Green Mountain Range, leaving the dense vegetation behind and arriving at a yellow river that seemed as though it had been dyed with golden pigment, meticulously spread across its expanse.
"Master, at the end of this river, there is a waterfall," Tian Kai said, breaking the silence as he pointed with his left hand toward the direction the yellowish water flowed.
The Empress, hearing his words, narrowed her scarlet pupils and fixed her gaze on the depths of the river, as if seeing something beyond common perception.
"Disciple, all this water is polluted with the blood of a Lord-Level beast... You can use it to create a perfect foundation."
"What...?"
Tian Kai was speechless. For a brief moment, his face showed shock before he tried to regain his composure. Inside, however, his mind was in turmoil.
A beast died here? A Lord-Level one? What level is that?
Having no idea what it meant, he sighed deeply.
It's so hard being from a small family... My knowledge is so limited.
"Master, what is a Lord-Level beast?" he asked, a trace of curiosity in his voice.
"A powerful beast that is almost at the highest level of the Lower Realm... The one that polluted this place must have died at the bottom of the river, contaminating all the water.
In cultivation, the more you grow, the more you shed mortal chains. There are levels where a single drop of blood is enough to cause a catastrophe."
Hearing this, Tian Kai nodded. At the same time, he felt grateful to have a master.
It was convenient, especially since he knew so little.
"My current understanding of the world is like a child's..."
He murmured internally, smiling. Little by little, he would discover more about the world.
I think I'll start traveling later...
He thought to himself. His journey would be to explore new places. It would be such a waste to live in a fantasy world and not explore what it had to offer.
Of course, while traveling, he would remain focused on his main goal. Everything else was secondary.
"Master, can I still cultivate at the waterfall?"
Tian Kai looked at his master, who smiled upon hearing his question. It was terrifying.
Too late for regrets...
He wondered about that as he saw that smile—one resembling a nymphomaniac. This woman is so scary...
"Disciple, with this, I will help you build the perfect foundation. You will feel pain, but you can endure it, can't you? All for immortality."
She placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling. The moment reminded her of her childhood when she did everything she could to grow stronger.
Even though it was hard, and the weather was unbearably hot due to the destruction of the environment, it was enjoyable.
In the Dharma Era, there were many body refiners. Much of modern cultivation still carries strong influences from that time.
In the past, people didn't refine the body; they started directly at the Second Realm, opening the meridians. A flawed approach that ruined the path for many geniuses of the time.
"Well, disciple, enough talking. Let's begin."
Without waiting for his response, the Empress grabbed Tian Kai by the tunic and dashed toward the waterfall. Her speed was so absurd that her feet barely touched the water. Even without using Qi due to the seal, her physique was so superior that it was enough to dominate this Lower Realm.
Tian Kai felt the world around him blur as his mind spun. It was his first time experiencing such speed, and the disorientation was inevitable.
Before he could regain control of himself, they reached the waterfall. The water gushed with monumental force, creating a liquid curtain so intense it seemed to swallow the entire river.
He had no time to admire the scenery; his head was still spinning as if he had just stepped off a roller coaster.
To avoid sinking into the water, the Empress pulled out a two-meter pink lotus from her mansion. Sitting on it as if it were an improvised throne, she observed her disciple staggering, struggling to regain his balance.
A smile played on her lips. This boy is so weak...
I wonder how he will react to using a teleportation formation...
Tian Kai, still feeling a little dizzy, pulled a Bigu pill from his ring and popped it into his mouth. His logic was simple: the pill would quell his hunger and restore his energy.
It worked. He felt better almost immediately.
He looked at his master, who maintained that slightly mocking smile. For a moment, he felt a rebellious urge.
He wanted to punch her...
Mentally, of course. He would never dare to show it, as he didn't want to die so soon.
The Empress, being an experienced figure, noticed the boy's thoughts. However, she said nothing. She wasn't petty enough to harm a child over negative thoughts.
"If you don't like your master, you can say so openly. I don't mind..." she said, pulling his cheeks.
Tian Kai, being treated like a child, didn't dislike the attitude, but the desire to punch her remained.
It was a rebellious feeling...
Even so, he laughed internally. He knew he was acting like a child at that moment, both physically and mentally. But it wasn't so bad to behave that way in lighthearted situations.
Letting out a laugh and calming his negative thoughts, he looked at his master and pointed to the waterfall.
"Master, teach me the Body Refinement technique."
"Yes!"
Hearing her disciple's request, she couldn't help but get excited. When it came to Refinement Cultivation, she was the best—and in Qi as well.
In summary, it was no wonder the system classified her as one of the greatest geniuses of the Nine Heavens Domain.
"Kai," she approached him and touched his forehead, "this will make your head hurt a little."
With those words, she sent a flood of information into his mind.
It was a mental technique that allowed her to transfer memories to the other party using her consciousness. Of course, this wasn't easy and required an extremely strong soul cultivation.