Chapter 2177: Moon Clear Pond

Previously, the Undying Lava Pool was linked to all the Heavens, offering a limited number of spots each year for geniuses to cultivate and refine themselves. Everyone took pride in being able to go there. Now, the Lava Pool has extinguished and is no longer usable, so all the Heavens have established their own body-tempering facilities; every major power has one! Our military camp also possesses such a facility, though it's primarily for deities. When it comes to the most effective place for a Celestial God to temper their physique, it's likely only the Qi family's Moon Clear Pool. However, the Qi family never opens this place to outsiders... Even we, their old subordinates, have no way to access it!

Zhuo Feng offered a bitter smile.

Zhang Xuan, puzzled, asked, "Old subordinate? Are you affiliated with the Qi family?"

"I was once a soldier of the Qi family!" Zhuo Feng found it inconvenient to elaborate, as it touched upon military secrets. Zhang Xuan, having no intention of prying, said, "If the Qi family never opens it to outsiders, then there's nothing we can do. To your knowledge, are there any other methods to enhance one's physique?"

If it's not shared externally, then so be it. One can't just sneak in and use it, can they? He always adhered to rules, never engaging in such acts, and certainly never damaging others' possessions... Yes, exactly.

"None..." Zhuo Feng shook his head. "Once one reaches the Celestial God realm, they are no longer considered weak in the God Realm. For physical advancement, the necessary resources are inevitably extremely precious. How could ordinary people afford them, apart from large families or official powers? People like us primarily rely on slowly refining our true qi, gradually improving over time..."

Zhang Xuan remained silent. What the other person said was accurate; only after breaking through to the Celestial God realm did he truly understand the power of this level. Anything that could effectively help him now was prohibitively valuable, and rapid physical advancement was indeed beyond the reach of ordinary individuals. Therefore, one could only improve over time.

"If... Instructor Zhang truly insists, I can swallow my pride and go try, but that doesn't guarantee success..." Zhuo Feng said.

"Thank you, Brother Zhuo!" Zhang Xuan said, cupping his fists. He couldn't afford to waste time; he truly needed to rapidly increase his strength.

"Alright!" Zhuo Feng nodded and turned to leave. Zhang Xuan did not linger, but returned to his residence. As he entered the courtyard, he saw Qi Ling'er already standing there, her fair face marked by weariness.

"Young Master Zhang..."

Zhang Xuan frowned. "Did your inquiry not go well?" He had specifically asked her to come from Nightgloom City to help him find information about Luo Ruoxi. Her exhausted face suggested she might have returned empty-handed.

"I went to the black market in the Imperial City and found some old acquaintances to inquire for information. Unexpectedly, Qi Wei'er learned of my return, deliberately made things difficult for me, and reported it to the family... I just received a summons from the clan, instructing me to return immediately!" Qi Ling'er shook her head. "Once I return to the family, I'll likely be imprisoned and probably won't be able to help Young Master Zhang with inquiries anymore. So... I specifically came to inform you!"

Zhang Xuan was confused. They were all members of the Qi family. Under normal circumstances, they should be pleased by her return, so why would she be imprisoned?

Qi Ling'er explained, "While the black market is a taboo, the upper echelons are well aware of its existence. They also understand that without it, the current stability of the God Realm would surely be unsustainable..."

Zhang Xuan nodded. He could figure it out without her explanation. The decline of spiritual energy in the God Realm was a massive disaster for cultivators. Lacking resources while desiring to cultivate was akin to ruining someone's livelihood and was highly prone to causing instability. A few rogue cultivators breaking rules wouldn't amount to much, but if their numbers grew, it would naturally cause significant and undeniable turmoil throughout the entire God Realm.

Although Imperial Lords were present to maintain order, preventing major issues, city lords would still find local chaos unacceptable. This is why the black market came into being. It allowed for transactions without strict adherence to rules, providing a necessary outlet that alleviated pressure and contributed to the God Realm's stability.

It's better to guide than to block! This was similar to certain specialized professions in his previous life; despite strict prohibitions and enforcement, they persisted, with many places even turning a blind eye. It wasn't a lack of desire to control them, but rather the understanding that complete eradication would lead to greater negative repercussions. Between the two, they chose the lesser of two evils.

"The black markets in Underworld Heaven are mostly controlled by my Qi family," Qi Ling'er continued. "It appears glamorous, but in reality, it's an unsavory business that can't be included on one's resume! Consequently... those assigned to manage the black market are almost always disciples who have been suppressed and marginalized!"

Qi Ling'er smiled bitterly. As a core disciple, if not marginalized, who wouldn't want a respectable and presentable resume? A black market controller... even with significant achievements, there's no way to showcase them publicly! It's like spies or undercover agents; even if their accomplishments are significant, perhaps even surpassing those of ordinary generals, it's impossible to publicly list these contributions and formally commend them.

"My bloodline, strictly speaking, isn't a distant offshoot; it's actually quite close to the main lineage," Qi Ling'er continued. "However, due to some issues with our branch's ancestors, we've always been suppressed by Qi Wei'er's branch! Now, she's flaunting her brother's status, acting arrogantly, and even though I'm also a Qi family disciple, there's nothing I can do!"

"Her brother?"

"He is currently the most talented junior in the entire Qi family," Qi Ling'er explained. "He's under forty this year, has already reached the High-grade Celestial God realm, and managed to stay in the Moon Clear Pool for two hours... According to the family, he possesses the potential of a Divine King! As a result, he has received the most abundant cultivation, and his corresponding branch has naturally seen its status rise!"

"Stayed in the Moon Clear Pool for two hours?" Having just heard about the pool, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be curious when she mentioned it.

"The Moon Clear Pool is where my Qi family members reshape their bloodline and temper their bodies," Qi Ling'er explained. "The purer one's bloodline, the longer they can stay inside. A normal core disciple who can endure for half an hour is already considered a genius. Those who have stayed for two hours, including him, only total five in the family's long history, and the previous four all became Divine King experts!"

Qi Ling'er nodded. Because of these precedents, in the eyes of the clan members, he was already considered a "quasi-Divine King"! The Qi family's ancestor, Qi Meng, was a Conferred Divine King, and there were also several ordinary Divine Kings within the clan. If another could emerge, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous honor, greatly increasing their power. The other two major families would then be powerless to compete.

With the status of a quasi-Divine King, the attitude of the clan members naturally changed. Qi Ling'er and others, who had a feud with that branch, were consequently suppressed! No wonder, as a Qi family member, she was dispatched to such a distant place. It turned out that these internal family disputes were at play all along.

"Have you been inside this Moon Clear Pool?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"I went in once, but I couldn't even last for a quarter of an hour before leaving..." Qi Ling'er shook her head. If she could also endure for two hours, the clan would be too busy currying favor with her; who would dare offend her? Without strength, one would be bullied—that was simply how it was.

"You couldn't even last a quarter of an hour? Is this Moon Clear Pool you speak of that difficult to endure?"

"The power inside is extremely violent, and it profoundly suppresses both true qi and the soul," Qi Ling'er explained. "This means that once you enter, you cannot use true qi to resist. Relying solely on your physical body, you won't last long before being torn to shreds. Being able to endure for a long time indicates not only a pure bloodline but also strong talent!" It wasn't that she didn't wish to stay longer, but rather that she simply couldn't endure it. Being inside felt like undergoing death by a thousand cuts; fifteen minutes was her absolute limit.

"Given the family situation, I would have originally refused your invitation to return," Qi Ling'er said with a slight hesitation. "However... after taking the beauty pill you refined, the previous injuries to my body disappeared, and my recovery ability significantly increased. It seems I'm more resistant to that kind of flame now, which is why I agreed... I hope to have a chance to return to the family and try again!"

"So... your request is for me to refine enough beauty pills to give you a chance to re-enter the Moon Clear Pool?" Zhang Xuan asked. Earlier, when he had asked her to bring him here from Nightgloom City, he had requested her to state her conditions. She had hesitated then and not disclosed them, but now it seemed they were related to this Moon Clear Pool. The duration one could stay in this place symbolized talent; the longer one endured, the more highly they were regarded. In her estimation, with a sufficient supply of beauty pills, she could surely withstand the pool's immensely violent power and avoid failing to last even half an hour.

"Yes..." Qi Ling'er did not deny it.

"Since I've agreed to your conditions, I can help you!" Zhang Xuan said. "However... I need to go to the Moon Clear Pool with you!" He had just been contemplating visiting this most formidable body-tempering place in Underworld Heaven, and now Qi Ling'er was returning. He could try to observe it first, not necessarily to learn its techniques, but to discern its structure. If all else failed, he could figure out a way to create one himself.

"Thank you, Young Master Zhang..." Qi Ling'er's eyes lit up. In truth, her primary reason for coming was to seek his assistance. While the beauty pill's effects were excellent, it couldn't possibly enable her to stay in the Moon Clear Pool for two hours; at most, it might add ten or eight minutes. However... he was so exceptionally skilled in alchemy, possessed so many remarkable methods, and had already created countless unimaginable miracles... if he genuinely offered his help, perhaps there could indeed be unexpected results.

"I can take you to the Moon Clear Pool," Qi Ling'er said, "but without the Qi family bloodline, you won't be able to enter. Otherwise, the violent power within would tear you to shreds on the spot; even a peak High-grade Celestial God would find it hard to resist..." She wasn't concerned about him having other intentions. Only Qi family members could enter the Moon Clear Pool; he, standing before her, could only observe it. Precisely for this reason, the family had no particularly strict restrictions, such as rules against outsiders approaching. Since outsiders couldn't use it anyway, being close posed no threat.

"Don't worry, I'll just look around outside, I definitely won't go in..." Zhang Xuan said with a smile. He had heard Zhuo Feng mention its existence, and merely witnessing it would be sufficient; he didn't harbor any extravagant hopes of entering. Of course, if an opportunity arose to enhance his physique, he wouldn't abandon it. He simply needed to be careful not to damage it.

"That's good..." Qi Ling'er breathed a sigh of relief.