21. Li Wei entered the second stage Body Tempering

"Yes, Master. After Li Wei reaches the second stage, he will surely open the bag and give me some spirit stones or seeds from inside," Mei Lin replied. She quickly bowed and went inside her room to sleep.

Her master didn't say anything and started smiling. 'You're still quite naive. Why would he give you something that belongs to him? Besides, his cultivation hasn't progressed as planned, so he's more likely to keep it for his own use rather than give it away. Perhaps, in the future, when someone betrays you, you'll truly witness the harsh realities of the cultivation world.'

Mei Lin took a bath and then went to sleep. Li Wei, on the other hand, opened his eyes. He had finally broken through the second stage of Body Tempering. His physical potential had risen once again, surpassing the first stage. Breaking his mortal shell, his power became incomparable to that of the initial stage. The first thing that happened was that he started throwing up black mucus composed from dead cells and impurities, that his body tried to dispose of. After expelling the unwanted matter, instead of going to sleep like Mei Lin, he quickly adapted to his new strength. Within a few hours, he had already mastered his newfound power and began his attempts to open the storage bag.

It did not take long, and he opened it. He discovered approximately five high-grade spirit stones, a few mid-grade ones, and probably a hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. Inside the bag were also a few cultivation books, numerous pills sealed in bottles, cultivation robes, wine, and several tokens with different emblems on them. Contrary to Mei Lin's expectations, there weren't any seeds for spirit plants in the storage bag. However, to his surprise, Li Wei found a greeny shining flaying sword inside.

Li Wei took the sword out and began using his spiritual sense to make it his own. This was the Fang Yue Flying Sword from the Green Jade Sect. He had never used it because he already had his own, given by his family. Li Wei couldn't subdue the sword immediately, as there was still a trace of Fang Yue's spirit sense within it. However, with time, he planned to subdue it and imprint his own spirit sense onto the sword.

Li Wei was elated to have finally broken through, considering the spirit stones and pills as a bonus for his achievement. His first dantian brimmed with spiritual energy, transforming his physical power to an extreme level. Now, his focus shifted to learning cultivation spells. Mastery of these spells would enable him to passively utilize his inner natural energy in close combat, thereby enhancing his stamina and strength.

His immediate goal was to create three wisps of cultivation energy within his middle dantian. This, he believed, would turn his body into a formidable, mobile fortress.

After changing his clothes, Li Wei exited his cultivation room and ascended to the roof where Deity was waiting. She remained silent, prompting him to initiate the conversation.

"Did you help Mei Lin?" Deity didn't said anything and didn't even paid attention to him. "What is the core I've had all my life? Where did it come from, and why can I sometimes talk to it? Why should I tell you?" Deity looked at Li Wei with a stern expression. Li Wei fount that he will get no answers from her, so he didn't asked anymore. "I will figure it out myself. I don't need your help", Li Wei asserted. "I will need to find a proper cultivation technique for my soul power. Do you have any?" he asked. "Yes, I have many of these techniques, but you need to find it yourself." Li Wei didn't press further and instantly retreated inside the snail's shell. After searching for a while, he found the cultivation technique he desired and resurfaced.

"I have everything I need. I will leave and join the Green Jade Sect. I found in their cultivation book that they recruit apprentices every summer. I'll be there for the recruitment and enter the Green Jade Sect. I know someone there, so it won't be that hard. Besides, my cultivation potential is quite impressive, they won't refuse me."

The snail was also sleeping, so there was no need to stop. After determining the direction to the Green Jade Sect, Li Wei took out one high quality, half of middle-quality, and thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones from his storage bag, along with a few bottles of pills. "Can you give these to Mei Lin?"

Li Wei didn't wait for an answer and jumped down from the snail, walking through the night towards the Green Jade Sect. His journey would be long, but for a cultivator, it was not a significant problem. He was confident he would reach the Green Jade Sect before the recruitment began. Li Wei started thinking about Mei Lin and set a goal for himself. 'When I arrive at the Green Jade Sect, I will be there as an elder, and we will live in peace.'

Early in the morning, sun rays woke up Mei Lin. After taking a long bath, she approached her master to inquire about Li Wei and ask about blood flowers. Standing before Deity, she respectfully bowed.

"Master, can you tell me how Li Wei's cultivation is and when I can see him? Li Wei already left last night after successfully advancing to the second stage. Before he left, he mentioned that he will be in the Green Jade Sect and left you this." Mei Lin's master showed her another storage ring.

Mei Lin took the ring and started crying her usual blood tears. As the tears fell from her face, they didn't drop on her robe but floated in the air. Mei Lin watched in surprise as they flew around, then merged into one big tear. Deity conjured a crystal bottle out of thin air and collected the tear.

"Mei Lin, your cultivation of the Blood Path has advanced. These blood tears are a manifestation of your progress. Keep practicing, and soon, you will be able to manipulate your blood energy even more efficiently. Now, go and continue your cultivation. As for Li Wei, he has embarked on his own path. Trust in his abilities and focus on your own growth," Deity said calmly, handing back the crystal bottle with Mei Lin's collected blood tear.

"See? If you collect enough blood and then convert it into your own, you can speed up your cultivation. In today's cultivation, try to refine this blood into your own again and turn it into your spirit energy. As for the things Li Wei gave you, use only low-grade spirit stones if you want to absorb their spirit energy. They are less rare, so it's not a waste to use them."

"I will not use spirit stones for cultivation now. Li Wei could break through to the second stage without spirit stones, so I can certainly reach the first stage without them." Mei Lin declared. After that, she attempted to get up but was stopped by her master.

"Why don't you join me for a tea?" Mei Lin wasn't sure if it will be good if they had a tea together, but she desperately wanted to knew her master better. "I would love to." As Mei Lin said before her appeared cultivation mat. She slowly sit on it and take a cup of tea.

Cup was made from crystal like everything else and inside was hot tea. Tea had delicate crimson color and beautiful aroma. Before she asked what kind of tea is that and master start speaking.

"This tea is very special and will help you with your cultivation. You need to drink it hot, so go on." Mei Lin sip a little. "Master this tea is very good, thank you." Than she drink rest. "Of course it is good. Herbs inside are all at very high quality. They help you absorb all spiritual energy from the tea."

Mei Lin was still surprise about beautiful crimson color and because of her curiosity, she finally asked. "And the red color? I have never saw any of the herbs to chance the color this way." Deity smiled creepily at Mei Lin and as Mei Lin saw the face, she knew that something was very bad. "This is thanks to your friends blood."