Sweat accumulated on my body as I sat down on the ground in a cross-legged position. My blood circulation rushed and impurities started oozing out of my pores. I quickly undressed and started practicing star pagoda.
This breakthrough seemed important. More impurities would come out once I reach the ninth rank and there would be a major breakthrough after that, which would open the paths for my meridians.
Abundant Yang energy entered through my acupuncture. With a crack of my skeletons, I felt a stream of cold and my pores relaxed. My blood flow returned to normal and I knew I had broken through.
Rank 8! I felt more powerful and my senses seemed more clear. There was a noticeable boost to my vision, hearing, smell, and touch. I didn't know about taste but guessed that it had improved as well when my saliva felt sweet.
However, I suddenly grimaced, smelling my own body. The grey impurities smelled worse than poop. I didn't even know there was such a thing mixed with my internal organs.
'Chengde river isn't that far. I'll go take a bath,' I thought and picked up my clothes.
Equipping my sword over my naked body, I ran in the southern direction. My body felt lighter and I didn't have that much problem while running. The sword felt 30% less heavy, making my movement more fluid.
In about half an hour, I could hear the flow of water. This was rather upstream from the place we took bath previously. The stream was faster and the river wider. However, I wasn't deterred by its power this time.
I was only a Body Tempering practitioner at that time but now as a near-peak Viscera Purifying practitioner, this water was nothing to fear!
I unequipped my weapon, pulled my pants, and jumped straight in. The flowing water tried taking my body further down but when I found my footing, I was immovable. All the waste on my body was cleansed underwater and I didn't even have to use my hands.
"Wow! Rivers of this world are truly fierce." Intrigued, I started walking against the current.
There was a surge of power in my body and I honestly wanted to check my limits again. The water pressured my body and I felt more pressure the more I walked upstream.
At first, the water was only up to my belly, then it reached my shoulders and after walking more, the water reached my neck. However, I was unhindered. I could stroll this river without any difficulty and only a flood could make it problematic for me.
'I suppose that's enough.' I went underwater and swam back. The water was clean and I even saw some exotic schools of fish. Helped by the current, I was back to my previous location in a few minutes.
I got out of the water a little earlier and saw my clothes and my sword ahead. Stepping on the rocky floor, I stopped myself and crossed the river. Getting out, I stood under the sun for some time.
After my body dried, I donned my clothes and tied The Piercer on my back again. It felt refreshing now but in a moment, extreme hunger spread from my stomach, rumbling through my intestines.
This was no good. I had to get back to the city. Maybe I could hunt down some low-rank beast and have an outdoor feast…
…
In the end, I didn't take the risk and went straight to the city. I was feeling tired as well and fighting a demon beast was not the best thing to do with an empty stomach.
I didn't go to Immortal Wine Hotel but went to Bina's house. I found her there and she told me that she had gone to settle the score with some Blood Fang mafia members.
''Why were you looking for me? I was just preparing to go the hotel you mentioned.'' Bina asked after we had a sumptuous meal. I had eaten every single bite of her sister's cooking. Lina was a great cook.
Seeing me at the eighth rank, both sisters were left speechless. The younger one even seemed a little jealous and became sad instead.
''Look here, Bina.'' I pulled her to one corner where no one could see or hear us and said, ''I have a secret. I will not say that everything I have gained is because I worked harder than you all.''
''Then how? It hasn't even been a month, you were only at fifth rank like me and now you have already surpassed us.'' Bina's habit was to not speak until it was necessary. However, I seemed to have magical means and she wanted to know what sorcery I was using here.
They said people practiced demonic techniques to gain power but I hadn't gone insane until now. There was no craving for blood nor was I doing suspicious things lately. If anything, an aura of purity was radiating from my body.
I wanted to meet her because I thought it was time. Time to make her one of my servants. She had a good potential to be an assassin. From the start, I had been collecting servants. I had a much greater reason for doing this.
I tried something different for Bina, saying, ''I was a cultivator in my past life, a far greater being than you can imagine.''
My words seemed genuine as I didn't fake a deep tone nor do I put on airs. I spoke like any other person, as if it was a trivial thing to mention that I was reborn.
This was another way of bullshitting, though there was some truth in it.
''Past…life? Cultivator?'' At first, there was denial. Flat disbelief. It was normal, I was even expecting her to laugh at me but she didn't. I seemed different today.
''I know more cultivation techniques than you have ever heard in your life. You seem like you will be useful to me, so I am giving you an opportunity, Bina.''
There was something a person gains after having experienced a whole lifetime. It wasn't just confidence but something more. Something indescribable.
That was what Bina felt when standing before me today. But if that much was enough to convince her then every con man could have done it.
''Heal my sister and I might believe. You know many techniques, right? You even knew my Shadow Body technique. Then, show me your knowledge.'' Of course, she would ask that. Even if I was only pranking her, trying would not hurt.
''No,'' I said. ''I am not some divine doctor, I was an Inscription master in my past life. I can't heal your sister.'' Lina's condition wasn't on my agenda but I was well aware that if I wanted to make use of her elder sister, I would have to do something about it.
''But I might be able to help her after I turn into a cultivator.'' Well, I did have something in mind. I stroked my chin, maybe it could be possible when I get my Perfect Yang Body.
''I mean..." Bina rolled her eyes. I talked as if Qi gathering stage was nothing.
"If you had been a legendary cultivator who could reincarnate himself then why would you even need someone like me?'' She then asked, uncertain. This intelligence was something I liked about her.
'Why would I need you? Because I want to make a Shadow Lady out of you.' I thought. Well, I couldn't voice out such complicated things right now. I was thinking far ahead, and she would only be more confused if I started going into details.
''I know you rank up very quickly but…'' Bina remembered the time when she first met me. I was only at the Body Tempering stage.
How many months had it been? Barely three. Normal Practitioners required tens of years of training to get to the stage I was at currently.
A thought formed in her mind, that it actually might be true. But, she soon dismissed it. Rational thinking did not permit such thoughts.
There were instances of people reincarnating in this world's history but they were all great figures. Unlike on earth, there was heavy evidence that reincarnation was totally possible here. However, people only knew that one had to be a great cultivator, most possibly at Core Condensation Stage to try such a thing.
For now, I could only do that much. Bina would judge me based on her opinion. If I continued ranking up like I had been and performed more miracles, then I had no doubt that she would believe it was true.
We stopped discussing when Lina came asking if everything was okay. Bina didn't tell her sister about the talk we had. She still thought that the girl wasn't old enough, even though her sister was already nineteen.
I left the scene after that. When I returned to Immortal Wine Hotel, I finally remembered that there was a cut on my back due to the earlier fight. When I asked Feng Yi to look at it, she told me that there was nothing.
She exclaimed instead, surprised. ''Whoa, you're rank eigh-''
''What's there to be surprised about? This is normal for His Highness, the genius, isn't it?'' Lingling was here, voicing her sarcasm.
I sighed. Feng Yi had kept the door open again.
''Qiai is asking for you,'' Ling'er said and my sigh turned into a chuckle.
'Hoho, I thought that it would take a bit more time.. It seems young Miss Fu is a curious creature.'