Chapter 109: A Feast of Spiritual Energy!

While Yang Fan was still tangled in Lee Hyun-il’s ridicule, Hu Dao spoke up, “By your logic, as long as the Earth’s spiritual energy becomes abundant, could everyone on Earth become martial artists?”

Lee Hyun-il replied, “In theory, yes.”

After hearing Lee Hyun-il’s response, Hu Dao continued, “But first and second grades don’t require spiritual energy. It’s only after reaching the third grade, when one opens the Qi Sea and gathers Qi, that spiritual energy begins to affect cultivators. First and second grades refine the internal flow of Qi and blood. Whether Earth’s spiritual energy is sufficient or not doesn’t affect first and second-grade breakthroughs, right?”

Lee Hyun-il looked at Hu Dao and the other military cultivators and began a patient explanation.

Yang Fan listened but felt uneasy. What did this mean? They answered Hu Dao’s questions readily, but treated him with disdain. Who was your junior, and who was part of the same elite training program as you? Unable to distinguish between close and distant comrades—what a jerk!

Though Yang Fan was resentful, his ears remained sharp, intently absorbing Lee Hyun-il’s words.

At this moment, Yang Fan truly felt how little he understood the path of cultivation.

He resolved that once he returned, he must attend some classes, to solidify his foundational knowledge.

“The most basic prerequisite for stepping onto the cultivation path is the presence of spiritual energy,” Lee Hyun-il explained. “Although first and second grades cultivate internal Qi and blood, refining limbs and meridians, these processes still depend on spiritual energy. It’s just that in those early stages, we lacked a Qi Sea and Qi aura, so we couldn’t perceive the effects of spiritual energy.”

Lee Hyun-il paused, then asked, “Do you all remember how we stepped into the first-grade realm?”

Yang Fan immediately responded, “Of course, we entered the first-grade realm through the Qi and Blood Induction Elixir, stepping onto the cultivation path!”

Lee Hyun-il glanced at Yang Fan but showed no reaction, then continued, “Correct. We all entered first grade by using the Qi and Blood Induction Elixir. Do you know what it’s made of?”

He scanned the crowd; no one answered. He glanced once more at Yang Fan, sighed, and continued, “The elixir’s composition is actually quite simple: abundant medicinal ingredients rich in spiritual energy, plus a drop of liquid spiritual energy. That’s what makes up the Qi and Blood Induction Elixir. Our first step into cultivation was sensing the Qi and blood within. But how could an ordinary person perceive the flow of Qi and blood? We rely on a massive influx of spiritual power into the body to forcibly enhance our senses, allowing us to feel the force of Qi and blood.”

“Yang Fan, this is covered in the textbooks and also in major lectures at the Magic City Cultivation Academy. You’re really disappointing,” Lee Hyun-il added.

Yang Fan had been listening with great interest, but Lee Hyun-il’s last remark suddenly plunged him into embarrassment.

What? If you had something to say, why not say it plainly? Why drag me into this, making me seem ignorant?

Everyone saw Yang Fan’s awkwardness; except for Lee Hyun-il, the others were barely containing their laughter.

Then, there was a knock at the private dining room door, and dishes began arriving one after another.

...

When everyone saw the spread of dishes, they were stunned.

Lee Hyun-il said, “Hu Dao, I might have been wrong. Even if Earth’s spiritual energy can’t compare to the ruins or the Kunlun secret realm, as long as we have these kinds of food supplied over time, Earth could probably have everyone becoming warriors.”

The others, including Yang Fan, nodded in agreement.

These dishes weren’t ordered by Yang Fan and his group; the servants who brought them had been instructed to treat them as honored guests of the clan leader.

The restaurant, upon hearing this, didn’t even give them menus, simply arranging the meal.

At first, Yang Fan and the others didn’t pay much attention. But when the dishes arrived, they realized these were truly exceptional.

Every dish was brimming with spiritual energy!

The ingredients in each dish were far from ordinary.

The meat was essence meat from exotic beasts; the vegetables were seasoned spiritual medicines and herbs aged to perfection.

Each was rich with spiritual energy, and Yang Fan and the others hesitated to eat—preferring instead to absorb it directly.

It’s known that items infused with spiritual energy are more effectively absorbed through cultivation techniques than by eating.

For example, the Qi and Blood Induction Elixir is soaked, not swallowed.

They steadied themselves, and Lee Hyun-il spoke, “Enough, don’t be pathetic—eat!”

Yang Fan gave Lee Hyun-il a sideways glance. “You say don’t be pathetic, but you’re practically swallowing your saliva with great effort. Not very composed!”

Then everyone dug in.

As the food dwindled, their eating became faster and more frantic.

With each bite, the quantity lessened, and no one wanted to waste anything—especially Zhang Liang and the other second-grade cultivators, who were on the brink of breaking into third grade. Naturally, they fought to get more of these precious dishes.

...

At the Kunpeng Tribe’s chieftain residence, Kun Sha looked helplessly at Kun Yuan lying on the bed, just examined by the healer.

There was no choice—his eldest daughter had been scolding him for a long time, and hadn’t stopped yet.

“Father, you went way too far this time. If anything happens to my little brother, I won’t let you off,” Kun Li roared angrily at Kun Sha.

Kun Sha nodded helplessly.

No choice—when it came to his own flesh and blood, what could he do but let them quarrel?

The healer nearby watched the family with amusement. Kun Sha had ascended as chieftain 330 years ago, but had never married until 40 years ago, when he took his first wife. Twenty years ago, their first child, eldest daughter Kun Li, was born. Two years later came Kun Yuan. Unfortunately, the mother passed away during Kun Yuan’s birth.

Since then, Kun Sha cherished his children profoundly, feeling he owed them greatly.

As for how Kun Sha’s wife died, rumors swirled throughout the Kunlun secret realm.

Some said she died of complications during childbirth, but such claims were harshly criticized. Though not as powerful as Kun Sha, she was still a seventh-grade Grandmaster, about to enter the eighth-grade Revered realm. Such a cultivator wouldn’t be harmed bearing a child, let alone multiple children!

Others said the chieftain’s wife was gravely injured by external forces on the eve of Kun Yuan’s birth, and the subsequent trauma and blood loss combined led to her death.

Many supported this version—not out of belief, but because it seemed no cultivator would perish giving birth unless external forces were involved.

...

Kun Li seemed to have worn herself out from scolding, now resting atop her brother, watching over the unconscious Kun Yuan. Tears fell as she choked out, “If Mother were here, she’d never let Father treat you like this. Wahhh...”