The Hidden Truth of Female Cultivators

After the two had recuperated for a while, Su Hanxing retrieved several storage magic treasures. He extended them to Chi Qiu, explaining, “These are the storage artifacts belonging to those God Concealing stage cultivators.”

Chi Qiu’s eyes revealed a peculiar glint. She made no move to accept them, instead gently pushing Su Hanxing’s hand back.

“Since you personally slew them, they rightfully belong to you.”

Chi Qiu had no desire to accept Su Hanxing’s gains without earning them.

Su Hanxing smiled, gently pushing the storage artifacts back toward Chi Qiu. “Didn’t we already agree? You would assist me in completing my sect mission, which included slaying Meng Yutang. In exchange, all spoils from this Yinglong Tomb expedition would be yours.”

“We haven’t even reached the Yinglong Tomb yet, so that agreement doesn’t count,” Chi Qiu replied, still refusing the artifacts. “Besides, I didn’t really help you much at all.”

“Furthermore, you were ambushed earlier and trapped deep within Sishui Marsh. Didn’t you lose many of your own artifacts just to escape?” Chi Qiu reasoned. “Consider these a way to replenish your losses and perhaps even boost your strength.” She felt she hadn’t truly aided Su Hanxing, and thus, should not accept unearned rewards.

“Since you insist, then I suppose I’ll accept them,” Su Hanxing conceded, seeing Chi Qiu’s unwavering stance. He then produced two lower-grade storage artifacts and offered them to her. “But you must at least take these storage artifacts from the Heart Scripture Realm cultivators, surely?”

Chi Qiu readily accepted them.

Typically, Heart Scripture Realm cultivators rarely possessed storage artifacts; such items usually became commonplace only after one ascended to the God Concealing stage. However, the emergence of the Sishui Marsh Yinglong Tomb was a matter of immense significance. It was likely that the major sects and influential families had dispatched their elites, which explained why so many Heart Scripture Realm cultivators carried such treasures.

“The Meng family cultivators who were guarding the sub-formations should arrive soon,” Su Hanxing observed. “We should depart from this place immediately.”

With the spoils of war now divided, Su Hanxing summoned a deep blue warship. He gestured for Chi Qiu to board. This warship had been recently acquired from the storage artifact of a Meng family cultivator. It was a mid-grade flying treasure, and while it couldn’t rival the Jade Sand Skiff he had previously commanded, it was considerably swifter than Chi Qiu’s standard flying boat.

The two boarded the warship and swiftly departed the area.

Seated on the warship’s deck, Chi Qiu began examining the various storage artifacts she now possessed. Aside from the two Su Hanxing had just given her, there were also those taken from the Meng family cultivators who had been patrolling outside the outpost before their demise. After thoroughly inspecting each artifact, Chi Qiu was overcome with delight. A broad, irrepressible smile spread across her face.

Truly, killing and plundering is the quickest path to wealth, Chi Qiu mused inwardly.

Each of these storage artifacts was worth thousands of spirit stones individually, and the combined total of spirit stones stored within them exceeded ten thousand. This alone represented a substantial income. Beyond the wealth, the artifacts also contained a modest collection of spiritual herbs, rare fruits, potent elixirs, and even a few manuals detailing secret techniques. These, undoubtedly, were the most valuable treasures among the spoils.

Observing the extensive collections within the Heart Scripture Realm cultivators’ artifacts, Chi Qiu found herself regretting her earlier refusal to accept the storage treasures from the God Concealing stage cultivators. Despite her regret, she did not voice any request to Su Hanxing. She simply did not favor wealth obtained without personal effort.

Having finished cataloging her acquisitions, Chi Qiu suddenly remembered something rather peculiar. She set aside the storage artifacts and turned her gaze toward Su Hanxing, who was currently steering the warship.

“Su Hanxing,” she began, “Why is it that recently, various factions have frequently sought to recruit me, when before, such offers were unheard of?”

The words of the white-haired elder had left Chi Qiu somewhat perplexed. If his offer had merely been a delaying tactic, he wouldn’t have subsequently ordered his cultivators to capture her alive, explicitly forbidding them from taking her life. Having exchanged blows with those individuals, Chi Qiu could discern that they genuinely hesitated to kill her. However, this dynamic shifted dramatically after she slew the black-robed cultivator.

In her past life, when Chi Qiu had still been male, she had often displayed her formidable abilities before disciples from other sects and prominent families. Yet, never once had any faction extended an olive branch. Now, in a mere few months, she had first received an invitation from a cultivator of the Three Peaks Altar, and today, this Meng family elder also sought her recruitment. These developments left Chi Qiu utterly bewildered.

“Aside from the Meng family, have other factions attempted to recruit you recently?” Su Hanxing inquired, turning his head.

“A few months ago, a sect known as the Three Peaks Altar also sought to recruit me, but I declined their offer,” Chi Qiu affirmed with a nod, relaying the truth.

“Little Chi,” Su Hanxing began, instead of answering her question, “Have you ever encountered a female cultivator above the God Concealing stage?”

Chi Qiu pondered deeply, then shook her head. “No, I haven’t. I’ve barely encountered any even in the Heart Scripture Realm.”

Throughout her travels, Chi Qiu had wandered the world without a fixed home, encountering countless cultivators. Yet, she had never once met a female cultivator at or above the God Concealing stage.

“This, then, is precisely why those sects are so eager to recruit you,” Su Hanxing explained. “The number of female cultivators is inherently lower than that of males. Furthermore, once a female cultivator steps into the God Concealing stage, they gain a unique ability…” As he spoke, a subtle, nuanced expression crossed Su Hanxing’s face.

“A unique ability?” Chi Qiu pressed, a flicker of unease stirring within her. “What kind of ability?”

“Once a cultivator reaches the God Concealing stage, their spirit and physical body merge, causing a profound transformation in their flesh, akin to shedding their mortal coil,” Su Hanxing elaborated, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice. “Should a female cultivator achieve this state of bodily metamorphosis, any life they conceive will be born inherently in the Transcendent Realm, possessing exceptional cultivation talent.”

“So, they’re recruiting me… to bear children for them?” Chi Qiu’s expression shifted from detached indifference to profound shock, then quickly hardened into indignation.

“To be precise,” Su Hanxing clarified, adjusting the warship’s course, “they would first assist you in cultivating to the God Concealing stage. Then, they would arrange your marriage to influential figures, so you could bear them progeny. Their willingness to recruit you undoubtedly stems from their belief in your potential to reach that stage.”

“Female cultivators are inherently scarce, let alone those capable of cultivating to the God Concealing stage,” Su Hanxing continued. “Within these sects and aristocratic families, particularly the great clans, God Concealing stage female cultivators are considered exceptionally valuable resources. Their status often rivals that of Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators within the same clan.” Here, Su Hanxing’s tone shifted subtly.

“Given your talent, Little Chi, entering the God Concealing stage will likely be effortless for you. Should you then decide you no longer wish to exert yourself, you could marry an elder from one of these prominent families and live a life of perpetual ease and luxury.”

“No, I would never choose such a path…” Chi Qiu felt profoundly unsettled by Su Hanxing’s words. As a rogue cultivator, she had naturally been oblivious to these intricate family secrets, and their sudden revelation had a tremendous impact on her.

“Are those female cultivators… willing?” Chi Qiu pressed, a desperate urgency in her voice. She had no desire to share their fate.

“Over ninety percent of them are,” Su Hanxing replied, shaking his head. “Little Chi, as a rogue cultivator, you simply don’t understand the underlying reasons. The transition from the God Concealing stage to the Dharma Manifestation Realm is an immense hurdle. Among a hundred God Concealing stage cultivators, barely one manages to ascend to the Dharma Manifestation Realm.”

“Within the major sects and prominent families, comprehensive cultivation and breakthrough methods exist for every stage from Transcendent to God Concealing. However, guidance for the Dharma Manifestation Realm and beyond is conspicuously absent.”

“Why is that?” Chi Qiu asked, recalling the profound impact of ancestral wisdom. She herself had once been stuck in the Spirit Nourishing Realm, unable to advance, until Su Hanxing’s few words had illuminated her path, allowing her to smoothly break through to the Heart Scripture Realm.

“Because every individual’s physical body and divine soul are utterly unique,” Su Hanxing explained. “Their birth, experiences, and circumstances are all vastly different, and the Dharma Manifestation itself reflects this. Each person’s path to breaking through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm is distinct.”

“Some might meditate for centuries before finally finding the spark of enlightenment to break through. Others might, paradoxically, achieve breakthrough after profound sorrow from experiencing life-and-death separations. And some, perhaps, simply attain it while strolling and admiring a scenic view.”

Su Hanxing sighed. “Given how arduous breakthrough is, the resultant surge in strength is naturally astonishing. Though the Dharma Manifestation Realm and God Concealing stage are directly adjacent, their combat prowess differs as vastly as heaven and earth. Hundreds of God Concealing stage cultivators combined would be utterly incapable of shaking even the weakest Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivator. Such is the immense disparity.”

“Consequently, many female cultivators, after achieving the God Concealing stage and toiling for a century with no hope of further breakthrough, simply choose to marry Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators to secure a higher status. Furthermore, raising a family at home offers far greater safety. While they sacrifice much of their freedom, it is undeniably preferable to constantly fighting outside, only to face a sudden demise one day.”

After hearing Su Hanxing’s thorough explanation, Chi Qiu slowly nodded. In light of this, she could finally comprehend the reasoning behind those female cultivators’ choices.

“So, Little Chi, what do you think?” Su Hanxing asked, observing the pensive Chi Qiu with a smile. “If you find it difficult to break through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm in the future, would you consider this path?”

After a moment of contemplation, Chi Qiu still shook her head. “No,” she stated.

“Oh? Is it perhaps because you cannot bring yourself to accept marrying a man, Little Chi?” Su Hanxing probed. In his estimation, though Chi Qiu had embraced her female identity, she likely still harbored some lingering reservations.

“Both yes and no,” Chi Qiu replied, her fingers absently tracing the bronze ring on her little finger. Her answer was deliberately ambiguous.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Su Hanxing’s smile faltered.

“I am a woman now, and my cultivation has reached the Heart Scripture Realm,” Chi Qiu elaborated. “Barring unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to advance into the God Concealing stage. Most cultivators at that stage live for over a thousand years. While I spent nearly thirty years living as a man, I will now live as a woman for the next millennium.”

“Marriage is certainly not something I desire at present, but as for the future… who can truly say?”

Chi Qiu had always been an open-minded individual. She preferred to walk her own path, readily traveling the world to explore famous mountains and great rivers, and fearlessly venturing into dangerous forbidden lands in search of opportunities. Naturally, she harbored no aversion to experiencing life from a different gender’s perspective.

“However, I am unwilling to surrender my freedom,” Chi Qiu declared, shaking her head as she revealed her true reason. “Those women who marry powerful Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators will likely spend most of their lives confined to their inner chambers, constantly pregnant and bearing children. Such a life, to me… would be worse than death.”

Su Hanxing listened to Chi Qiu’s explanation, a smile gradually returning to his face. He nodded. “Little Chi, as a rogue cultivator with no backing, once you enter the God Concealing stage, you might attract the attention of shameless Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators who would try to abduct you. You must be extremely cautious.”

Chi Qiu’s expression changed. She had never witnessed a Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivator in action, but from Su Hanxing’s description, they were undoubtedly immensely powerful. If such a figure were to target her…

“To escape such a fate, the only path is to break through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm. Within the Daqi territory, Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators are entitled to establish their own sects or families, receiving support from the Daqi Imperial Family. Only such powerful individuals can truly roam the world, unburdened and free,” Su Hanxing said, his tone tranquil as he looked at Chi Qiu.

Chi Qiu’s expression slowly softened. She turned her gaze toward the rapidly receding mountains and rivers outside the warship, lost in thought. After a long silence, she finally spoke.

“I understand…”