“Hmm… it really is a Celestial Fox Dharma Manifestation.” Lin Yin observed the nine tails behind Lu Li.
“Lu Li, are you truly a man?”
“This disciple is indeed a man.” Lu Li replied helplessly, looking at himself in the Water Mirror.
“At least, I used to be.”
But now, with the Charm Technique activated, he was far from the common impression of a man.
“I can’t tell…” Lin Yin placed a book aside.
“And according to ancient texts, the Celestial Fox Dharma Manifestation only appears on women. Among humans, there are quite a few who can display an Yao Race Dharma Manifestation, like the Beast Gate’s Beast Mimicry Art. At high levels, one can even transform into beasts…”
“Although our Yin Yang Sect can change one’s gender and form, those born with the Celestial Fox Bloodline should be women. So what’s your situation… Is it the influence of the Divine Charm Spirit Root, or did one of your ancestors—a Fox Clan Great Demon—inject a trace of Celestial Fox Bloodline into a male body? That would be an excellent seal, and then after you turned into a woman, it fully integrated into your blood and spirit soul…”
“Don’t let that happen!”
“No need to be so anxious. You are the Saintess chosen by our Yin Yang Sect. Even with a Celestial Fox Dharma Manifestation, there’s nothing wrong with it.” Lin Yin waved her hand, looking at the coquettishness in Lu Li’s brows and eyes, and couldn’t help sighing.
“Besides, wasn’t it only by turning into a woman that you were able to sweep through the Secret Realm?”
“That was an unexpected situation…”
“Just as well, you still have two days to return to your male form. Use this time to cultivate properly. I’ve already sent the Heavenly Fire Fruit and Earth Vein Flower you brought out to Cheng Suwen in the Alchemy Room to refine them.” Lin Yin said.
“As for the reward, wait until you’ve settled your mind, then come ask me for it.”
“Yes, Grand Master.” Lu Li bowed again and retracted the fox tails behind him. When the Small Courtyard fell silent again, he let out a long sigh.
“Alright, Lu Li, take this time to cultivate first.” Su Wanqiu also walked over from the adjacent courtyard.
“Venerable Master said that with your cultivation, even without taking pills, you could probably reach Foundation Establishment within two years.”
“Two years?!” Hearing this, Lu Li couldn’t help widening his eyes.
“Yes, two years in your female form.” This sentence from Su Wanqiu made Lu Li deflate again.
“Lu Li, don’t be so upset.” Jiang Yuebai, seeing that the conversation in the courtyard had ended, also came out and bowed to Su Wanqiu.
“Just treat it as training.”
“That’s true, but…” Lu Li looked at himself in the pond water.
“I’m worried that if it goes on too long, I might forget that I’m actually a man.”
“Isn’t that good? Then I’ll have another senior sister.” Qing Luo skipped into the courtyard with a grin. “Senior sister is better.”
“Not good at all.” Lu Li flicked his sleeve in annoyance, which made everyone cover their faces and laugh. “I’m going to cultivate!”
Bidding farewell to the others, Lu Li returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and began to condense Yin and Yang Qi.
The 13th layer of Qi Refining was a bottleneck that cultivators with ordinary talent could hardly cross in a lifetime.
First, one needed to sense where the Ren and Du Meridians were.
Second, one had to refine complete Yin and Yang Qi into each acupoint.
Even if one refined one acupoint per day, the twelve principal meridians had 360 acupoints.
The Ren and Du Meridians together had forty-eight.
In total, 408 acupoints would take a year and a half.
If one wanted to speed up, they could take a Yin-Yang Dual Qi Pill to saturate the body with intense Yin and Yang Qi.
Or directly take a Foundation Building Pill to leave the potent medicinal power in the acupoints.
‘But I have to say… being in a female body makes manipulating Yin and Yang Qi far too easy.’
Lu Li closed his eyes and subconsciously used the Charm Technique again.
With just a thought, the free-flowing Yin and Yang Qi in his body obediently entered the acupoints, then slowly converted Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into True Qi.
When the abundant True Qi was transformed by Yin and Yang Qi and finally condensed into True Yuan, that would count as Foundation Establishment.
This was the first stage of Foundation Establishment: Refining Self.
It required transforming all 408 acupoints into True Yuan.
A night passed by in a flash.
When Lu Li exhaled a mouthful of turbid air and opened his eyes, the pent-up dissatisfaction in his heart gradually dissipated.
Because the cultivation speed of the female form combined with the Charm Technique far exceeded Lin Yin’s expectations.
That night, Lu Li filled over a dozen acupoints with Yin and Yang Qi.
‘If I combine this with the Foundation Building Pill later, maybe the speed can be even faster… The Flower and Grass Dew I usually refine for Shen Zhaoxue can also be made of better quality.’
While pondering, Lu Li’s body subconsciously walked over to the vanity table.
For the past month, his nights had been spent here.
‘Over sixty Heavenly Fire Fruits, combined with Earth Vein Flowers—even with the worst luck, I can get three Foundation Building Pills.’
Lu Li raised his wrist, condensed Qi into water, and simply washed his face.
Then he picked up pearl powder and spread it evenly.
‘With good luck, I could get six, and if the alchemist’s skill is excellent, eight—eight grade pills…’
Thinking of this, Lu Li smiled, dipped his finger in rouge, patted it on his tiger’s mouth, blended it, and lightly dabbed it on his cheekbones.
‘Once I succeed in Foundation Establishment, I can go to the Northern Domain and see the Mind-Viewing Mirror…’
‘But not necessarily. In two days when I return to my male form, I can practice Sword Zen and see my spirit soul earlier… But that would slow down my cultivation…’
With a light sigh, Lu Li picked up a bamboo brush, dipped it in dark eyebrow powder, and aimed it at his own brow.
‘Wait, what am I doing!’
After completing nearly half the makeup process, Lu Li came back to his senses—he was holding a fine brush and drawing his eyebrows.
“What’s wrong, Senior Sister Lu? It’s the middle of the night.” Qing Luo pushed open the door, yawning and rubbing her eyes.
“Did you break through to Foundation Establishment?”
“…Uh…”
Lu Li weighed the bamboo brush in his hand, unsure whether to continue or stop.
“What’s wrong? Did you encounter a problem in cultivation? Then let me… wait, Lu Li, what are you doing!” Qing Luo opened her eyes wide, momentarily stunned at the sight of Lu Li already with rouge applied.
“Qing Luo, this is an accident.”
“Of course I know it’s an accident. The Lu Li I know wouldn’t do—wait, that’s not right, we’ve been practicing for a month.” Qing Luo laughed and sat down beside Lu Li.
“What, suddenly want to be a woman?”
“That’s slander!”
“Alright, Senior Sister Lu, if you don’t make a move now, you’ll have to dip again, and it won’t be even.” Qing Luo gently placed her hand on Lu Li’s shoulder.
“Or do you want this junior sister to draw your brows for you?”
“I never thought the phrase ‘drawing eyebrows’ would apply to me.”
“It appeared over a hundred times last month.”
“That was during the Enthronement Ceremony…” Lu Li let out a long sigh and handed the bamboo brush to Qing Luo.
“It’s up to you.”
“I’ve been waiting for that!” Qing Luo happily took the bamboo brush and gently traced his brows. Then, adeptly switching to a finer brush, she drew a line at the inner and outer corners of his eyes.
“Senior Sister Lu, want some lip rouge paper?”
“No.”
“But if you don’t, it won’t look good.”
“…Really, no need.” Lu Li looked at the young girl in the mirror, and a ridiculous thought surfaced in his mind again.
‘This is myself, yet not myself.’
In his daze, Qing Luo slyly picked up the lip rouge paper and pressed it against Lu Li’s lips.
“Qing Luo!”
“Now this is my beautiful, celestial-like Senior Sister Lu.” Qing Luo waved the paper with the lip print, then studied Lu Li’s current face.
“Alright, Lu Li, let’s wash off your makeup.”
“Huh?”
“I’m not that insistent.” Qing Luo pulled open a drawer and condensed Qi into water.
“I know you don’t like it, Lu Li. Tonight you just sat here out of habit from the Enthronement Ceremony.”
“…Thank you, Qing Luo.”
“No need to thank me. You’re my best senior sister.” Qing Luo smiled.
“Just remember to bring me some Fragrance Condensing Pills next time.”