Chapter 253: Chapter 180: Beauty Offers Herself (Seeking Monthly Votes)_2
She felt that even without speaking, just by sitting there, Jiang Shu plunged the entire atmosphere into chaos, uncontrollably drawing her in again and again. Dangerous, yet lethal.
"Actually, your friend, if she wants to continue being a star, that’s also possible."
"There’s no need to worry about the Starlight Group."
Jiang Shu briefly explained that, as he was now, no matter how big the Starlight Group became, it had to keep a low profile and try its best to please him. It wouldn’t harm his interests as Lu Jinli might think.
Of course, the decision lay with Lu Jinli. Since they had only met by chance, he wouldn’t interfere unnecessarily.
His previous silence was because he was pondering the issue with Ye Zhenzhen.
Harmonizing with Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi could indicate an extremely special constitution. In the treasure vault of the Danxia Chamber of Commerce, he had seen secret records concerning constitutions. The world was vast, containing all sorts of constitutions.
Some, with minimal Martial Arts practice, possessed immense strength, far surpassing an ordinary Martial Artist.
Some were born with robust vital organs; those in the Refining Internal Realm even had a chance to live up to one hundred and fifty years.
Some were even born with powerful blood-production capabilities and could reach the Blood Exchange Realm without doing anything.
But the most magical was the Spiritual Body, of which records were sparse.
Spiritual Bodies were divided into awakened and unawakened. Once awakened, the owner of a Spiritual Body naturally harmonized with Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.
It was both a blessing and a curse.
The blessing was that the owner of a Spiritual Body, provided they had sufficient Martial Arts talent and resources, could enter the Blood Exchange Realm without any bottlenecks and easily step into the Acupoint Passage Realm. In the state cities of the Da Jing Dynasty, they could hold their own and become true powerhouses.
The curse was also clear. In Martial Arts cultivation, one must undergo Body Refinement before Qi Refinement. Ultimately, Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was a burden to Martial Artists whose bodies hadn’t reached the Blood Exchange Realm. It was like people who had lived at high altitudes for a long time; when they came to the plains, they could enter a state of oxygen intoxication.
Ye Zhenzhen’s previous coma was very likely because she hadn’t adjusted after awakening, and her physical body couldn’t support the affinity with Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, leading to chest tightness and dizziness.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Shu waved his hand, and a shield of Yuan Qi surrounded them, blocking all eavesdropping. Although there were no listening devices here, the secrets of Martial Arts cultivation from another world were of great importance, so it was better to be cautious.
"The Martial Arts of Xia Country encompass Visible Strength, Dark Force, and Transformative Strength. These represent levels of power application and also reflect a Martial Artist’s talent. Although Martial Arts have been promoted for three years in Xia Country, very few Martial Artists who enter Transformative Strength become Grandmasters."
"You have been practicing Martial Arts for two years, and although distracted by mundane affairs, you still haven’t grasped Visible Strength. This shows that your own Martial Arts talent isn’t outstanding. You might never reach the Transformative Strength level in your lifetime."
"It’s normal that the hospital couldn’t find anything wrong with you. Your coma wasn’t caused by a physical issue. Rather, it’s highly probable that, unlike ordinary people, you’ve entered an awakened phase and sensed the Yuan Qi of this world."
Jiang Shu paused here, watching Ye Zhenzhen, who resembled a primary school student with one hand supporting her face, looking at him with a mix of understanding and confusion. He continued to explain, "The path of Martial Arts truly transforms when one reaches Dan Jin. A Dan Jin Great Grandmaster unifies Essence, Qi, and Spirit. The ’Qi’ here refers to Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. Only at this stage can one withstand its affinity."
"Awakening your constitution and sensing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi prematurely is both your talent and your tribulation. If you can smoothly break through to Transformative Strength, you have a high probability of advancing to Dan Jin. In the future, barring accidents, your minimum lifespan could reach two hundred and forty years."
"But if your Martial Arts Realm is too low, your lifespan might not even match that of some ordinary people."
There was an undisguised pity in Jiang Shu’s words.
If Ye Zhenzhen had been born in the Da Jing Dynasty, as a child of a noble family, once her Spiritual Body awakened, she would definitely become the most dazzling genius, at a minimum entering the Dragon Tiger List. She might even have a chance to participate in the Hundred Dynasties War and shine there.
But in Xuanxing, in Xia Country, with the Martial Arts system of Xia Country that required talent to advance, in this life, at most, she could only be a Martial Artist of Visible Strength and Dark Force. If it weren’t for him, under the influence of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, she might not even live past seventy or eighty years.
"To become a Dan Jin Great Grandmaster... only then can you live a bit longer..." Ye Zhenzhen murmured with a bitter smile. She understood her body better than anyone. When Jiang Shu mentioned Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, she knew he was right. Since that coma, she had indeed felt that the air in this world was different, active. What she initially thought was a blessing turned out to be...
"Jiang Shu."
"Hmm?"
"You... how long can you live now?"
"I don’t know. Based on my current realm, two hundred and forty years. In the future, five hundred years at a minimum."
Dan Jin had laid a solid foundation for Jiang Shu. By integrating Essence, Qi, and Spirit, he just needed to continue his practice, and he could surely break through to the Detachment Realm, aiming for the Furnace Fire Realm. A lifespan of five hundred years was likely just the beginning for him.
"Five hundred years..."
As Jiang Shu spoke with such calmness, Ye Zhenzhen felt as if her heart was being fiercely grasped. In fact, from a very early time, she knew that she and Jiang Shu were not from the same world. He was a Martial Arts genius who could easily obtain a very high position of power in Xia Country. Even international elites or the most sought-after ladies, he could have them at his call. She was just a passerby in his Martial Arts journey. But she had never imagined that the gap between them would be so vast. She, a hundred years later, would be a pile of dust, while for him, it would just be one-fifth of his life.
Jiang Shu naturally did not know what Ye Zhenzhen was thinking.
From their previous interactions, he trusted Ye Zhenzhen’s character. Although Xia Country had now sent a Hua Jing Master to protect his parents, he still needed to have some contingencies in place. After all, once the Hundred Dynasties War was over, if he really had the chance to enter the True Martial Sect, he couldn’t be sure what the situation within the Sect would be or if he could return to Xuanxing in time. His parents needed someone to look after them, someone to guide them in Martial Arts.
Ye Zhenzhen, possessing a Spiritual Body, just needed to cultivate the Cultivation Techniques of the Da Jing Dynasty, and her progress might be even faster than his. In a few short years, she could completely step into the Acupoint Passage Realm. She was worth investing in.
"Actually, I do have a way to rapidly enhance your strength. Whether it’s resources or Cultivation Methods, I can provide them all to you. Once you accept, your lifespan would start at two hundred and forty years. I only have two demands."
"First, without my permission, neither resources nor Cultivation Methods can be revealed to anyone."
"Second, for the near future, you cannot get married or have children. You need to stay by my parents’ side, teach them Martial Arts, and protect them."
Jiang Shu’s words were clear-cut and utterly candid.
Agreeing would mean sacrificing her freedom in exchange for a prosperous path in Martial Arts, an extended lifespan, and the future possibility of becoming another Martial Saint of Xia Country.
Refusing would mean gaining her freedom, enjoying a few decades of glory and wealth in an ordinary life.
He looked at Ye Zhenzhen, waiting for her choice.
However, he never expected that presented with this binary choice, Ye Zhenzhen would suddenly stand up. As if she had made a decision, her hands moved, and her long dress slid down smoothly.
Her skin, fair and translucent, shimmered seductively in the sunlight, utterly flawless. Every line of her body was alluring. Her peaks were exquisitely shaped, her waist slender and soft. Beneath an ultimate waist-to-hip ratio, her legs were long, full, and shapely.
"I am willing..."
This scene... she had only ever encountered in the risqué films she secretly watched. She never expected it today... Her heart thudded violently. In Xia Country, even common people knew how arduous the path of Martial Arts could be after three years of its implementation. To elevate someone like her, whose Martial Arts talent was less than ordinary, to the Dan Jin Realm, or even higher... this must be a tremendous secret. It might even be the very foundation of Jiang Shu’s power. In such a situation, her mere agreement was far from enough. Jiang Shu was willing to share this, to trust her this much. She also needed to give Jiang Shu enough security... with her body. A pledge of loyalty. Would it be enough?