Chapter 411: Success Achieved

In the manor, large cauldrons were set up, each guarded by a deer demon who continuously stoked the fires. Inside the cauldrons, experts were being boiled, and the scent of medicinal herbs filled the air.

Besides the cauldrons, there were also huge steamers. Some experts were placed inside the steamers to be steamed. Qin Mu came to inspect, checking the medicinal broth, changing the herbs several times, and giving acupuncture to experts whose divine treasures were injured, using hollow silver needles to guide steam into their bodies.

Emperor Yanfeng, with silver needles covering his entire body, glowered at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu pushed the emperor down into the steamer, but Emperor Yanfeng sat bolt upright again, continuing to glare at him.

Qin Mu smiled and asked, "Is there something, Your Majesty?"

Emperor Yanfeng suddenly changed his expression, speaking amiably, "Qin Aiqing, your hard work and achievements are immense. Do you wish for a promotion?"

Qin Mu was puzzled. Emperor Yanfeng's expression became even more benevolent. "You are still only a fifth-rank official, yet you've accumulated so many merits: modifying the tower ships, creating the True Yuan Cannons and Sun-Shooting Divine Cannons, assisting the Crown Prince with water conservancy and transportation, repeatedly saving me from peril, and this time, even bringing the Feathered Heaven Tribe members. Your achievements are too numerous for me not to reward you. Tell me, what do you desire?"

Qin Mu scratched his head, thought for a moment, and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, treating your injuries this time cost a great deal in medicinal expenses. Buying the cauldrons, silver needles, and steamers also cost a lot. I've covered these expenses first. Could Your Majesty perhaps consider..."

Emperor Yanfeng's face immediately darkened. "That's not a reward! The Ministry of Revenue has money; you should go ask them! The reward I want to give you is something they cannot provide! What do you desire?"

Qin Mu pondered for a moment. Money? He had never lacked money. Official position? He had little interest. Reputation? As the revered Heavenly Devil Cult Master, what more reputation did he need?

Treasures?

He had plundered so many treasures, acquired a considerable amount from the Dragon-Herding Lord, and Fox Spirit also brought a hundred valuable items from the Golden Palace. He also possessed the Worry-Free Sword and sword pellet, so he didn't seem to lack those either.

Heavenly materials, earthly treasures, spiritual pills, and miraculous medicines? He didn't need those either, as Qin Mu himself was a divine physician.

Qin Mu shook his head, finally understanding the feelings of Imperial Tutor Yankang. If the emperor's gifts were unimpressive, it was natural to decline them every time.

"Think about it again,"

Emperor Yanfeng coaxed, "I'm sure I have something you want. It might not be an object, or an official position; it could also be a person..."

Qin Mu suddenly realized, smiling knowingly. "So, Your Majesty wishes to bestow some palace maids upon me. I travel constantly and don't require palace maids to attend to me, but Granny lives here, surrounded by ugly demons and monsters. If Your Majesty could grant me some palace maids to manage the manor, I would certainly not refuse! I think the two maids by the Empress Dowager's side, Jian Qi and Qin Qi, are excellent; they are beautiful, gentle, considerate, and understanding..."

Emperor Yanfeng was furious and lay stiffly in the steamer. "Get out!"

"As Your Majesty commands."

Qin Mu closed the steamer lid and muttered, "Just now he was pretending to be generous and offering rewards, but he can't even part with two palace maids. What a stingy old man..."

"What did you say? Say that again!"

Inside the steamer, Emperor Yanfeng was enraged. "I'll have your head!"

Then Emperor Yanfeng heard Qin Mu's complaining voice from outside: "Yu Xiu, you've come at a good time. Your father said he wanted to reward me, but then he refused and even threatened to kill me."

Ling Yu Xiu's voice came through: "Why do you pay attention to him? He's been manic these past few years, constantly threatening to kill this one or that one. It's all because the affairs of state have worn him down. He's verbally 'killed' so many people, but in reality, very few have actually died. Just ignore him; he'll stop making a fuss after a while."

"Are you here for our dual cultivation?"

"Yes. Our cultivation method is almost complete, but you've been busy treating their injuries these past two days, causing delays. We need to strike while the iron is hot and finish it quickly. Otherwise, in a few days, when Father Emperor's injuries heal, he'll want to take me back to the capital, and then who knows when we'll be able to complete the method..."

As the two walked away, Emperor Yanfeng, inside the steamer, slumped in defeat. He thought to himself, "Xiu'er, this is all your father can do to help you. This young man isn't getting the hint; you'll have to rely on yourself."

A few days later, Qin Mu and Ling Yu Xiu finally completed compiling the Primordial Spirit cultivation method. Both felt a little apprehensive, unsure if this method could successfully enable others to cultivate a Primordial Spirit at their respective realms.

"Let me try it! I'm at that realm!" Si Yunxiang exclaimed excitedly.

Qin Mu shook his head. "This cultivation method is actually two methods combined into one set, divided into male and female versions, with subtle differences between them. Furthermore, two people must cultivate together, completely defenceless and without ulterior motives, for both to successfully cultivate a Primordial Spirit. If successful, it will be achieved by both simultaneously."

Si Yunxiang quickly said, "Cult Master, please cultivate with me."

Qin Mu emphasized, "Saintess, you must be intimate, trust each other completely, and have no hidden agendas!"

Si Yunxiang giggled, "You're the Cult Master; what ulterior motives could I possibly have towards you?"

Qin Mu rolled his eyes at her. No ulterior motives? This young woman constantly took Granny Si as her role model, always hoping the Cult Master would lose his virtue so she could replace him, yet she never learned Granny Si's good qualities.

However, Si Yunxiang did have a side like Granny Si; whenever danger arose, she would always be the first to rush out and save people without hesitation. This showed that, despite her poor upbringing, her nature was not bad.

"If only she had good family education like mine, she wouldn't go astray."

Qin Mu sighed inwardly. Although Si Yunxiang had some ulterior motives, he also needed to verify if the cultivation method he and Ling Yu Xiu had created would succeed. He nodded, "Even if you have ulterior motives, it won't affect me. I'll trust you this once, but I will only cooperate with you one time. If it doesn't succeed, then you'll need to find someone else you can entrust your trust to."

Si Yunxiang eagerly asked Ling Yu Xiu for the female cultivation method, and Ling Yu Xiu taught her everything without reservation. Yan Jingjing also came closer. Ling Yu Xiu smiled, "Sister Jing, do you want to cultivate Primordial Spirit with the cowherd?"

Yan Jingjing shook her head. "I've already cultivated my Primordial Spirit long ago. You cultivate; I'll watch."

"Dual cultivation of the Primordial Spirit is very comfortable!" Ling Yu Xiu said earnestly.

Yan Jingjing was quite tempted but also a little embarrassed. Si Yunxiang asked curiously, "Jingjing, what's your cultivation level now? How did you cultivate a Primordial Spirit so early?"

"It should be the Divine Bridge Realm."

Yan Jingjing, slightly abashed, softly explained, "I didn't cultivate my level on my own; it was through the Sun Ship. I have a Pure Yang Spirit Body, and because I operated the Sun Ship for many years, borrowing its power, I used that power to open all my divine treasures. Originally, when I left the Sun Ship, my divine treasures would close, but after using it many times, they no longer close."

Si Yunxiang and Ling Yu Xiu were stunned, and Qin Mu also widened his eyes in disbelief.

Yan Jingjing was about their age, but she was already a grand master at the Cult Master level!

They hadn't realized before that Yan Jingjing was actually the most powerful among them!

Qin Mu had also piloted the Sun Ship and Moon Ship, but after leaving the divine ships, his divine treasures would close and be sealed again. He never expected that piloting them frequently could actually have the effect of opening divine treasures!

"So, doesn't that mean we can use the Sun Ship to quickly create a large number of Cult Master-level existences?" Si Yunxiang suddenly asked.

Ling Yu Xiu shook her head. "Impossible. To become a Sun Guardian, one must possess a Pure Yang Body. Even the Sun Herding Tribe hasn't found a second Pure Yang Body, let alone other places?"

"But the Cult Master can!"

Si Yunxiang immediately looked at Qin Mu. "The Cult Master can control the Sun Ship, so he can probably also use its power to open all his divine treasures in one go!"

Qin Mu was quite tempted, but Yan Jingjing quickly said, "Opening divine treasures by borrowing the Sun Ship's power can easily lead to unstable cultivation. Grandpa says this is a shortcut and not as solid as cultivating step by step. I came out this time wanting to see how you cultivate and if there's a way to remedy this."

Qin Mu had no choice but to abandon this idea.

Cultivating step by step indeed held many joys and surprises. If he hadn't cultivated incrementally, he wouldn't have discovered the deified form of the Five Elements Realm, nor the Primordial Spirit of the realm.

Someone like Yan Jingjing, who opened all divine treasures by borrowing the Sun Ship, would likely need to re-cultivate, meticulously experiencing the meaning of each realm and comprehending its mysteries.

And standing too high to discern details below often makes them difficult to see clearly.

Si Yunxiang thoroughly comprehended the female cultivation method, then consulted Ling Yu Xiu to clarify all questions about it before cultivating the Primordial Spirit with Qin Mu.

In the distance, the blind man, his eyes covered, said to Emperor Yanfeng, "Emperor, your daughter is very generous, letting the imperial son-in-law go enjoy himself with little Xiang."

Emperor Yanfeng snorted coldly. "Xiu'er has no idea about the true meaning of dual cultivation of the Primordial Spirit; she lacks that concept. If she knew it was something only married couples could do, she wouldn't be so generous."

The blind man asked curiously, "Aren't you going to tell her?"

"No need,"

Emperor Yanfeng shook his head. "Only one pair can dual cultivate a Primordial Spirit. Once their Primordial Spirits resonate with each other, they cannot resonate with a third party. Qin Aiqing's Primordial Spirit has already resonated with Xiu'er's. Even if Saintess Xiang cultivates with him, she won't be able to achieve Primordial Spirit resonance and thus won't cultivate a Primordial Spirit. They are still just children, fond of playing around without understanding the true implications."

He sighed, "It has long been said that emperors have three thousand beauties in their harems, but they don't know that emperors also have their own troubles. Only the Empress can resonate with the emperor's Primordial Spirit. To love others in the harem without resonance makes it difficult to achieve true bliss. This is also why the imperial family often doesn't have many descendants."

The blind man chuckled, "Being with other consorts brings less joy, which is why there are fewer imperial children."

Emperor Yanfeng nodded. "That's why I'm not worried about Xiu'er at all. She already has the upper hand. Even if Qin Aiqing has other women, he will eventually return to her side. Because he cannot resonate with other women's Primordial Spiri..."

"I've cultivated my Primordial Spirit!"

Suddenly, Si Yunxiang's joyful cry resounded. Emperor Yanfeng's expression froze; he stared, wide-eyed and dazed, as Si Yunxiang ran wildly with delight. Ling Yu Xiu was also ecstatic, joining Si Yunxiang in her merriment, and Qin Mu was celebrating the success of the cultivation method with them.

Emperor Yanfeng remained stunned for a long time.

"But you forgot that Mu'er possesses the Overlord Body. While ordinary spirit bodies, once their Primordial Spirit resonates, cannot resonate with others, an Overlord Body can."

The blind man, leaning on his staff, said calmly, "Emperor, I truly appreciate your current expression. It's a pity I'm not a painter; otherwise, I would sketch your current appearance and enjoy it whenever I had the chance."

"I've sketched it," the deaf man's voice came through.

The two old men chuckled, highly amused.

"Cult Master, Princess Xiu, what is the name of this cultivation method you've created?" Si Yunxiang's voice asked.

"This method of dual Primordial Spirit cultivation is called 'Primordial Spirit Guidance'," Qin Mu and Ling Yu Xiu said in unison.