He slowly swallowed the saliva.
This is also the "Jade Liquid" mentioned by the Innate Finger.
After taking it, Xu Qing immediately felt comfortable and refreshed as if his entire being was about to ascend.
He suppressed this thought and slowly condensed his Qi-Blood.
He felt the surging Qi-Blood throughout his body, more solid and thick than before, akin to handling mercury and lead.
"Unfortunately, the Innate Finger is just a Divine Skill combining magic and martial, not a complete Quanzhen Dao cultivation technique."
Xu Qing understood that the Innate Finger concentrates spirit, Qi, and essence to create "Jade Liquid," which when used at crucial times, makes the Innate Finger an indestructible Absolute Skill.
In fact, using this Absolute Skill against enemies is secondary; the core is the cultivation of "Jade Liquid."
This is the basis of the highly profound Inner Elixir Method of Quanzhen Dao.
The next step is "Returning Elixir."
In Quanzhen Dao, the Jade Liquid Rejuvenation technique is best represented by the Purple Mansion Primordial Sect of the Southern Patriarch Master Ziyang.
Xu Qing cultivated the Xuantian Visualization Method and the Golden Light Spell, one for the divine soul and the other for the physical body, benefiting each other but unable to merge completely.
To fully integrate them, one actually needs a sophisticated Inner Elixir Method to harmonize the metaphorical dragon and tiger into one.
At that point, the divine soul and martial arts advance together, without distinction.
Like the Chongyang True Master and Ziyang True Master, who have followed this path.
Xu Qing thought that if his predecessors could achieve this, he naturally had a chance too.
"Cultivating Jade Liquid is like an internal medicine, but as humans live between heaven and earth, to extract the essence of heaven and earth, internal medicine alone is insufficient. External medicine is still necessary," thought Xu Qing, recalling the Three Curves Spiritual Ginseng rejected by Feng Wu.
He wasn’t greedy for spiritual medicines, but felt the need to pay more attention to this information in the future.
However, spiritual medicines are indeed hard to find; any traces of them are quickly divided among aristocratic families or offered to the Imperial Family. Just starting out, it’s difficult for him to catch up in this regard.
Fortunately, King Lin overseas has better luck and can more easily find things that aid in cultivation.
Xu Qing recalled a recent gift from Old Lin, a huge clam larger than a washbasin. The clam broth not only tasted delicious but also slightly benefitted his Martial Arts Qi-Blood.
No wonder ancient notes mention that some cultivators, disappointed with worldly affairs, choose to go to sea.
The bottom line is that they cannot compete on land and find it easier to obtain cultivation resources overseas.
Xu Qing comforted himself.
Once he finishes his current affairs, he’ll find a chance to travel overseas for a bit.
Xu Qing candidly expressed a bit of disapproval for a moment.
Soon, visitors arrived at the Xu Mansion.
He went to meet the guests.
"Mr. Hu, what brings you to Heavenly Capital?"
Scholar Hu had someone set down a box of gifts and said, "I heard that Xu Jieyuan recently proposed to the Inspector. I happened to be passing through Heavenly Capital, so I came to congratulate you."
Xu Qing barely held back a smile, surprised at Scholar Hu’s blatant lie as an excuse, and simply smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Hu. Is there anything else?"
Scholar Hu solemnly said, "The other day, Xu Jieyuan urged us to write a petition for ’Land Survey.’ After thinking it over, I finally understood Xu Jieyuan’s sincere intentions. Unfortunately, many then misunderstood. After realizing this, I gathered everyone to decide to apologize to Xu Jieyuan."
He bowed deeply to Xu Qing during his speech.
Xu Qing hastily stepped aside, "I’m truly ashamed."
Scholar Hu said seriously, "I know that some local scholars in South Zhili recently heard about this and thought we weren’t sincerely petitioning but were coerced by Xu Jieyuan. I’ve come to Yingtian Prefecture specifically to clarify this matter. This was entirely voluntary on our part. We wronged Xu Jieyuan’s earnest intentions and even more so wronged the Court..."
He said this and covered his face, weeping.
This time, tears came out without using pepper or other spices.
After all, it was truly painful.
Not to mention the box of carefully chosen gifts, it hurts to say that it didn’t. And with the upcoming ’Land Survey,’ another hefty expense would follow.
Of course, if one did not intend to curry favor with Xu Qing, just cooperating with the "Land Survey" would suffice.
But one must be forward-thinking.
If you don’t get on the board now, when he has the power to summon winds and rains in Jiangning Prefecture later, saying how much tax your family must pay, it would just take a little manipulation in this area and in just a few years, Hu Family would decline.
Moreover, local scholars dominate the localities because of their influence on local governance.
Later, when others dismiss these troublesome locals and servants, they will naturally disdain the Hu family, drifting away gradually, which would be unsustainable.
Actually, the consolidation of land ownership in South Zhili is severe, and while it’s true that scholars grow in influence, scholars also face a serious issue.
That is, slaves overbearing their masters.
Now, the Jiangnan area is already fraught with underlying tensions.
All noble families intend to strengthen their own martial forces to prevent slave revolts.
Thus, practicing martial arts and incense-burning are prevalent not only as proactive measures by the nobles but also as forced measures.
In order to strengthen martial forces, they have to increasingly exploit their tenants and servants, and the heavier the exploitation, the more intense the dissatisfaction at the lower levels.
Thus, they collude with Officials to hide and transfer tax burdens to ordinary people, not only out of the natural profit-seeking instincts of the local scholars but also to shift the focus from their own master-slave conflicts.
Over a hundred years, the land registered for tax has decreased by half, and the burden on the populace has increased significantly, with this being one of the main reasons.
This is also why Xu Qing’s Recovery Society’s proposal rapidly gained support in Jiangning Prefecture.
Addressing the urgent conflicts of today’s Jiangning Prefecture and even the entire South Zhili, regardless of one’s background, stating, "The rise and fall of the nation concern every individual."