Crazy

"I'm gonna transfer a cultivation technique to you," Xu Ling pointed a finger to Wu Xue's head, "It's the best cultivation technique for the Essence Refining Realm I know."

The cultivation technique began to take shape in Wu Xue's mind, he quickly grasped its essence and began to use it. It was called "Boundless Heart Technique," and had the forte of refining a cultivator's cultivation base to an extreme degree, it turned the cultivation base increase slower but could build a better foundation.

He used specific meridians and acupoints, as well as complex aura and True Qi control, to refine his cultivation base. The Aura was ruthlessly refined into True Qi, much faster than before, but the True Qi stored in the Dantian didn't increase in quantity but rather in density.

"Teacher..." Wu Xue was somewhat troubled, "I do like this technique because of the benefits... but it will take way too long for me to break through with this!"

"What you are worried about won't happen," Xu Ling explained, "You are still unable to properly feel it because of your low cultivation base, but this place has an unbelievably rich aura, and your family son't lack treasures to aid you either."

"If this place really has such a rich Aura, why can't I advance more quickly?" he asked with a dubious expression.

"Because your parents put a restriction spell on you," Xu Ling explained, "This restriction makes you unable to sense and absorb more aura than what your body and mind could bear, although it doesn't get in the way of the Aura to wash your body day by day."

Wu Xue felt bitter after hearing the truth and asked, "Can't I do something about it?"

"Well... there is a way," Xu Ling said with a strange smile.

Wu Xue's eyes immediately sparkled and he waited for her to continue.

"Body Refining," Xu Ling spat two words.

"No way!" Wu Xue immediately shook his head in denial, "I saw how much Big Brother suffer when doing this stuff, I won't do it!"

"Have you given up your goal?" Xu Ling provoked, "Wu Qing also practices body refining, and she is very good at it!"

Wu Xue's face instantly turned dark and he struggled for a while before saying, "Okay, I will do it."

Xu Ling smiled and passed another technique to him.

"It's called "Innermost Life Refining Technique," Xu Ling explained, "It focuses on refining your marrow and blood, which in turn strengthens the rest of your body.

"It's an orthodox technique, unlike others that begin refinement from the skin and muscles before going to the marrow."

"Awesome!" Wu Xue's fighting spirit was burning, "Thank you, teacher!"

"It's too early for you to be thanking me..." Xu Ling said meaningfully, "I will prepare a medicinal bath for you, you need to bathe in it every day to speed up your progress."

"Okay!"

After that day, Wu Xue focused solely on body refining, leaving his cultivation base stagnant on purpose, he learned from Xu Ling that it was better for him to first tap his full potential in all aspects before breaking through each layer.

The medicinal bath Xu Ling prepared was incredible in its effects, although she had to personally go to a very low-end world to get the materials.

A few months later, Wu Xue was inside a bathtub full of medicine as he ran the body refining technique. His whole inner marrow began to crack and heal in a continuous process before finally stabilizing, it began to change his whole blood with the help of the energy from the medicine.

After a whole day, the process ended and his whole blood was like a raging crimson flame, full of energy and vitality, his marrow turned pure white like snow.

"Finally, initial success!" Wu Xue was very happy, he could feel the rest of his body changing at a fast speed. His internal and external organs all began to get strengthened and refined by his powerful new blood.

With the help of the medicinal bath, the process of strengthening was very quick and after a few hours the changes stabilized, but the medicinal bath was still far from being exhausted.

He officially entered the first Realm of the Body Refining Path, the Smithing Realm.

In this Realm, the cultivator had to temper and refine his body until it reached a certain limit, a limit that couldn't crossed no matter what, at that time he would then go through a body tribulation, a kind of backslash caused by the body being too strong to it's actual life level. If the cultivators pass this test, their life level would advance and their body will also be greatly strengthened, they will then enter the second Realm.

The Smithing Realm was divided into nine layers, and it was a relatively simple path, there normally was no bottleneck in this Realm.

Wu Xue could feel he was many, many times stronger than before, he could feel more Aura around him and his body could absorb more of it. With this change, his cultivation speed would be much faster.

"Don't slack off from now on just because you achieved initial success, you are still far away from reaching the peak usage of the body refining technique, your body can still be exponentially strengthened by it," Xu Ling commented as she observed the stunned Wu Xue.

"I know!" Wu Xue nodded his small head, "Teacher, I want to reach perfection first before increasing my cultivation base."

"Hoh?" Xu Ling raised her eyebrow, "Why?"

"I just had this thought in my mind," he explained, "All the knowledge I got from you, teacher, it suddenly felt connected, and now... I also want to refine my soul after reaching exemplary results with the body refining technique, before I increase my cultivation base."

"You are naturally ambitious, huh?" Xu Ling smiled, "I understand what you want to do, but it will be very difficult, are you sure?"

"...Teacher, I finally found a bright path in my heart," Wu Xue looked at her with a very rare serious expression and clenched fists, "I will do it, no matter what."

Xu Ling looked at him with a serious gaze and said, "You also need to understand an Artistic Conception to reach your goal, otherwise it will be impossible."

"Huh? Artistic Conception? What is it?" Wu Xue was interested in the new term, and his face immediately returned to its childish nature.

"I didn't teach you about it because I didn't want you to be overwhelmed," she explained, "But listen very well to what I'm about to say.

"The most important thing for a cultivator is not his cultivation base, strong body, or strong soul. The most important thing is his comprehension of the rules of the world he is in!

"There are many levels for this comprehension, and the most basic one is the Artistic Conception. It is the beginning for all cultivators alike, and everyone has a unique Artistic Conception of their own, despite it being inspired by the same rules of the world surrounding them.

"For example, someone who has the Artistic Conception of Fire can easily control this element and use this control to fight and refine the cultivation base. There are also Artistic Conceptions of other elements, such as water, yin, yang, space, time, and more!"

After a moment of silence, Wu Xue excitedly shouted, "Incredible, there is such a thing! Cool!"

"Don't be so happy just yet," Xu Ling said, "It is very difficult for most cultivators to understand Artistc Conceptions, and only those with very special talents can do it with ease.

"But you don't possess any apparent talent besides your quick wits, so don't be eager for quick success. It's still unknown if your wits will be effective in comprehending them."

"So?" Wu Xue grinned, "Could it be that time isn't on my side? I know my family is very powerful! They can easily get for me treasures that extend my life span. If I don't comprehend it quickly, I will eventually do it no matter how long it takes."

Xu Ling looked at him with appreciation, "That's right, your family can also be considered part of your strength."

"So teacher, I want to first to tap my full potential, and reach my limits in all aspects, before increasing my cultivation base," Wu Xue boldly proclaimed his will, "Will you help me?"

Xu Ling couldn't help but laugh at his bold and arrogant act and expression, "I'm your teacher, so be at ease.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention one thing."

"What?"

"Wu Qing will be leaving to gain experience in a sect, you won't be seeing her for a long while."

"Whaaaaaattttttt!?"

"What about using this time to try and catch up to her," Xu Ling tried to lift his fighting spirit on purpose.

"I will not only catch up, I will surpass her!"

"Your chances are slim."

"Why?"

"She is tens of Great Realms ahead of you," Xu Ling mercilessly attacked his fighting spirit after lifting it.

"#!@$"

"It seems someone taught you some nasty words, who was it?" Xu Ling asked with dangerous eyes.

The next day.

"Hey, Wu Qing!" Wu Xue took a deep breath and shouted with all his might, "I will surpass you! Just wait and see! Next time we meet, I will be much stronger than you!"

Xu Ling twitched the corners of her mouth, she never expected he would boldly declare his rivalry at the farewell party of Wu Qing.

Everyone there was related by blood, except Xu Ling, but even so most of them looked at him strangely.

"Son, what's happening?" Wu Ying asked with sharp eyes, causing shivers in his body, she was clearly angry at his lack of manners.

"I... I..."

"Hah!" Wu Qing interrupted and laughed proudly, "You sure are bold! How dare you have those thoughts!?"

"You always beat my big brother!" Wu Xue exploded with red eyes, "I can't help but want to beat you myself!"

"Hmph! He is just a weakling!" Wu Qing snorted, "So what if I beat him? What can you do?"

"I swear I will get revenge for my brother one day!" Wu Xue said with clenched fists, "I will make sure you pay for your wrongdoings!"

"You will never have the chance!" Wu Qing said and gave him her back, "Next time we meet, I will make sure to educate you properly! You will be my underling!"

"You!!" Wu Xue was almost throwing punches at her, but he knew he wasn't her opponent, so he held back.

"A rivalry can be a good stimulus, but it seems it's just a one-sided rivalry," some people muttered, everyone found the scene interesting.

On one side, Wu Qing was a teenage genius with a great reputation. On the other, Wu Xue was someone with talents still unknown to most people and who was just about five years old.

"Don't misunderstand!" Wu Xue suddenly shouted, "I like Big Sis Qing, but I don't like Wu Qing who beat my big brother!"

"Puhahaha," Wu Cang couldn't hold back his laughter, just like most people there.

Xu Ling helplessly shook her head.

Even Wu Qing was somewhat caught off guard and didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, Wu Tian appeared behind Wu Xue and gave him a good smack on his head, "I never asked you to seek revenge in my place."

"Big brother..." Wu Xue mumbled while feeling down.

"How dare you smack his head!" Wu Qing was furious, "Only I can do it!"

"You are just a distant cousin, I'm his real brother," Wu Tian said with a proud face, "I'm higher in status than you!"

Wu Qing couldn't bear it anymore and began to beat Wu Tian with punches and kicks.

"Beat her, big brother!" Wu Xue cheered, but he knew it was a one-sided massacre.

After a while, Wu Qing felt it was sufficient and left Wu Tian on the ground, bruised all over.

"You!" she pointed at Wu Xue, who felt cold, "You aren't allowed to be beaten by anyone else but me, do you understand?" 

Wu Xue nodded quickly, afraid of being beaten too.

"Hmph!" Wu Qing snorted and left the place.

After that, it was Wu Ying who taught her sons a lesson, it was a hard and public beating, and she was truly a traditional mother.

"Why didn't she interrupt at that time?" a relative asked Wu Cang.

"Well... I don't have the guts to tell you," Wu Cang answered with a strange face.

On the same day, Wu Qing departed along with her parents for the sect they were going to live in, the Red Clouds Sect.

It was one of the greatest forces known and was a place full of talented and strong people. Wu Xue's parents also planned to send Wu Tian there when he reached around the same age as Wu Qing.