Qiu Jibo said to Sui Yue, “Your inner demon stems from the past. If you wish to eradicate it, you must learn to trust and, even more importantly, know how to let go. Remember, true strength does not lie in conquering others, but in conquering one’s own heart.”
Sui Yue nodded thoughtfully, determination reflected in his gaze.
Qiu Jibo extracted Yun Mu’s divine consciousness, which was attached to the hidden spirit fox, and set up a barrier so that he could undergo the trial of the Dao of the Heart independently. Although Sui Yue could not see him, he could still hear Yun Mu’s inner voice, as communication of the soul and mind are no different.
Unlike the chaotic ramblings Yun Mu usually indulged in mentally, this time he pondered for a long time, reviewing his past life like a fast-forwarding film projected within his mind.
He had grown up in an orphanage, working hard through his studies until graduating university. Just as life was finally looking up and he was able to fulfill his ideals and properly start his own business, he died in an accident.
【…I am most afraid of loneliness, I suppose! 】 Yun Mu murmured. 【 Afraid of living one’s life unattached and alone, afraid of dying silently and alone. 】
A solitary wisp of a soul had drifted for ten years, and now, having transmigrated into another world via a book, he was still entirely by himself. Even though a myriad of people in various colors surrounded him, that single shred of true bond was always missing, and he himself remained detached from the crowd from beginning to end.
Sui Yue looked at the hidden spirit fox in his arms. That sharp, scrutinizing edge had faded somewhat, replaced by a trace of subtle, unquantifiable complexity.
After quietly listening to the end, Qiu Jibo nodded in gratification, a flash of imperceptible approval glinting in his eyes. “Fearing loneliness is human nature. Yet the path of seeking immortality is, by its very nature, an act against the heavens; one must endure loneliness and guard their original mind. That you can face this fear head-on is already quite remarkable. You have passed the first trial.”
“Next is the second trial comprehending the Dao. Those two rays of light swords will each provide you with guidance. The two of you must separate and seek out your own fortuitous encounters to comprehend your respective Daos. Remember, fortuitous encounters cannot be forced; let everything follow its natural course.”
With those words, Qiu Jibo’s figure gradually blurred until it finally dissolved into specks of light that scattered across the grand hall.
Yun Mu stretched out a beast’s paw to scratch his head, looking in a daze as Sui Yue set him down and walked off on his own, following the light sword into the left-hand passage.
【 System, in the original text, only Sui Yue underwent the trial alone. Now that I’ve been added because of the mission, will it affect the future plot development? 】
The System replied: *『 It shouldn’t, seeing as you’re currently in the state of a hidden spirit fox… Oh no, my system energy is low, insufficient… Bzz… Mu-mu, hurry up and complete the mission to accumulate energy for me… me… 』
Speechless.
It crashed offline again?
Such an unreliable piece of junk!
Following the light sword into the right-hand passage, Yun Mu walked every step with utmost caution. Within this inheritance palace, mysterious auras pervaded everywhere, as though concealing boundless secrets.
Suddenly, his divine consciousness was tugged by a force, slowly detaching from the paper body of the hidden spirit fox as the scenery before his eyes underwent an abrupt transformation.
An ethereal posture stepped among the starry expanse, with churning seas of clouds beneath his feet, every single cloud concealing the rhyme of the Dao.
Yet the moment he reached out to touch it, the cloud before him burst with a ‘boom’, revealing an even more magnificent glow of dawn.
“To think it is the Dao rhyme of the Deity Transformation stage?” Turning his head in shock at the voice, Yun Mu saw Qiu Jibo’s phantom standing beside him out of nowhere. “This young friend of mine is truly interesting. Clearly possessing the cultivation of the mid-Nascent Soul stage, your Dao rhyme has already reached the Deity Transformation stage.”
Yun Mu acknowledged this without denying it: “I originally cultivated up to the Deity Transformation stage, but as fate would have it, I had a battle with the Demon Lord some time ago, and my cultivation dropped straight back to the Nascent Soul stage.”
“So that’s how it is.” Qiu Jibo nodded.
“The Dao rhyme of this secret realm is far too shallow for you now. Furthermore, your spiritual roots are mottled and your cultivation has plummeted drastically; ordinary cultivation methods will yield half the results with twice the effort for you. Observing that your physical body still holds potential for molding, I shall bestow upon you an ancient body-refining technique.” A yellowed piece of silk slipped out from his sleeve. “This is the Nine-Stars Bone-Forging Art. Back then, I used this very technique to forcefully endure the Ascension Tribulation. If you begin body-refining from this moment on, when your cultivation recovers, your physical strength will directly match your realm. By then, your power will far surpass what ordinary Deity Transformation cultivators can compare to.”
“This method does not focus on spiritual roots and talent, but specializes purely in physical cultivation. If you can achieve mastery, forging a body to become a saint and refining a glazed immortal bone is no empty claim. Only the process is intensely painful, and none but those with great perseverance can succeed. I gift this technique to you; whether you practice it or not is your choice.”
The silk transformed into a beam of golden light shot out from Qiu Jibo’s fingertip, plunging directly into Yun Mu’s sea of consciousness.
In an instant, a vast and profound set of techniques flooded into Yun Mu’s mind.
A body-refining technique? It sounds intensely painful! Still, it seems quite suited for my current situation! Enduring the swelling ache in his sea of consciousness, Yun Mu pondered to himself.
As soon as Yun Mu returned to the body of the hidden spirit fox before he could even react, he and Sui Yue were instantly transported back into the grand hall.
Just as the original plot unfolded, Yun Mu saw a short sword roughly half an arm’s length in Sui Yue’s hand. The entire weapon was crystal-clear and snowy white, carved with complex divine beast patterns along the blade that exuded a chilling, eerie luster as he moved, looking almost as though a living creature were swimming within it.
“It has already acknowledged its master, not bad at all!” Looking at Sui Yue with an expression of “the future belongs to the youth,” Qiu Jibo said, “This Zefeng Blade was cast from the leftover bones of an archaic Bai Ze, forged with profound iron from the nine heavens, and possesses peerless sharpness. Since you happen to possess the bloodline of the Bai Ze, this sword’s efficacy can be fully unleashed and can assist you in nourishing your divine soul—a rather fitting match indeed.”
Sui Yue understood this point better than anyone, and could feel the immense power contained within this blade even more profoundly.
“Thank you, Senior, for this generous bestowal,” Sui Yue said, bowing in gratitude.
Whether in his past life or this present one, being able to acquire such a supreme treasure was inextricably linked to Qiu Jibo. Gratitude was due both by reason and emotion.
“No need for formalities.” Waving his hand, Qiu Jibo wore an expression of a certain release as his projection grew progressively fainter. “You should leave now, and I must be on my way as well.”
【 Ah wait, how are we supposed to get out then? 】
“Follow the white jade steps outside the hall, and you will naturally find your way out.” Qiu Jibo’s voice grew fainter and fainter. “Remember, a firm Dao heart is more important than cultivation, and a disciple is more important than a fortuitous encounter.”
When the final syllable dissipated, the palace doors creaked open—
【 Come to think of it, since it’s so quiet and undisturbed here, if this disciple of mine is smart, he should seize the moment to absorb that wood-spirit essence I gave him earlier. With his aptitude, combined with this dense elemental essence, breaking through to the late Foundation Establishment stage shouldn’t be an issue. 】
Casting a glance at the opened door, Yun Mu muttered inwardly while his gaze inadvertently swept over Sui Yue beside him.
Sui Yue had clearly heard every word of his master’s inner voice loud and clear. Lowering his eyes slightly, he concealed a trace of perplexity lurking in the depths of his gaze.
Master… was he truly thinking of him in such a manner?
“Little creature, don’t rush. We’ll leave a little later.”
Without excessive hesitation, Sui Yue sought out a relatively secluded corner, sat cross-legged as instructed, and began silently channeling his energy to absorb that wood-spirit essence brimming with immense vitality.
Pure wood-style spiritual energy surged into his limbs and bones like a gentle stream, nurturing his still-tender meridians.
Yun Mu watched him with deep gratification. The disciple was both clever and hardworking, truly living up to the male protagonist of the original novel.
Three days later, a rich fluctuation of spiritual energy radiated from Sui Yue as he successfully broke through two tiers and stepped into the late Foundation Establishment stage.
When Sui Yue carried Yun Mu and walked out of that inheritance palace following the white jade stairs, a pleasant, long-awaited system chime sounded briskly in Yun Mu’s mind.
#Main Quest 1: Assist Sui Yue in obtaining his natal magical artifact the Zefeng Blade (Completed)
#Point Reward +200, Point Settlement: -500
#System Energy +200
#Sui Yue’s Current Corruption Value: 90%
#Host’s Current Vitality Value: 55% (Divine consciousness damaged, physical condition poor, requires medical treatment and recuperation)
The System announced: 『 Congratulations to the Host for completing the first main quest. 』
Yun Mu was quite happy as well. At least he had gained something, making the trip well worth it.