The Snow Dragon Mountain, its peaks blanketed in pristine white, was a desolate world shrouded in ice and snow.
Amidst the swirling, vast white of the snowfall, Shi Yan stood barefoot, as unmoving as bedrock, his eyes tightly shut, seemingly listening to the very voice of the earth.
The path of cultivation demands a certain enlightenment for the ascetic practices of the Status Realm; it cannot be achieved by merely condensing Jingyuan (Essence Energy).
Through the harsh tempering of this period, the tattoo of the Black Brute Lotus upon his chest ensured that when he cultivated in stillness, his Jingyuan accumulated several times faster than that of ordinary people.
The depth and purity of the Jingyuan within his body had reached the necessary foundation for a breakthrough; vaguely, he realized that ascending to the third heaven of the Status Realm required only a single moment of epiphany.
After consulting with Yi Tianmo, Di Shan, and the others, he learned that breaking through the Status Realm truly required communion with the earth itself.
The earth beneath his feet had existed for countless eons, holding infinite profundities within its core. Deep within the earth resonated mysterious movements, vibrations that mortals could rarely perceive, much less detect.
However, martial artists who reached the Status Realm, if they quieted their minds and allowed their consciousness to sink into the ground, releasing their spiritual energy and pouring their Jingqi Shen (Essence, Qi, and Spirit) into the earth beneath their feet to contemplate in peace, might actually feel these terrestrial pulsations.
According to Di Shan and Yi Tianmo, the earth harbored various wondrous oscillations; the rhythm differed with every stage and every season. If one could clearly sense these oscillations and harmonize the rhythm within their own body with those profound waves, the martial artist’s comprehension of the earth would enter an entirely new realm.
To rapidly advance through the Status Realm, in addition to tempering Jingyuan, soul, and physical body, communion with the earth was absolutely indispensable.
Taking advantage of the fact that the leaders of the Heavenly Pool Holy Land and the Gu family had not yet arrived, and while Di Shan, Yi Tianmo, and the others were still reshaping Snow Dragon Island, Shi Yan focused his energy entirely on his own advancement—his mind free of distraction, devoted wholly to ascetic practice, longing only to break through soon, to reach the peak of the Status Realm and ascend swiftly to the Nirvana Nest Realm.
Only by entering the Nirvana Nest Realm would he have any hope of commanding the Cloud-Piercing Sky Prism. This bizarre weapon, obtained from the Abandoned Land, possessed a weapon spirit that was arrogant and disdained to converse with him much, a situation that secretly irritated Shi Yan, though he remained helpless.
In the icy expanse, Shi Yan had stood motionless for three days and two nights.
On the third night, the cold stars filled the sky, the bright moon hung frigidly, and a bone-chilling, fierce wind howled, like malevolent ghosts rampaging, permeating the world with extreme Yin coldness.
Shi Yan’s expression remained utterly unchanged.
The thick accumulation of snow had silently covered his entire body; amidst the drifting flakes, he had long since become a living snowman.
In his Sea of Consciousness, stillness reigned; the Five Demons were subdued. Wisps of divine sense slowly permeated the earth, stretching toward the deep underground. His sense penetrated a thousand zhang (a unit of length) beneath the surface before it could advance no further.
The divine sense, reaching a thousand zhang deep, expanded in all directions, perceiving faint traces of life. Astonishingly, even a thousand zhang down, small life forms persisted—a discovery that greatly surprised Shi Yan.
His feet pressed against the ground; on one hand, he used his divine sense to comprehend, and on the other, he used his heart to feel every minute change beneath his soles.
Alas, three days and two nights of silent contemplation yielded little harvest; he still could not detect the marvelous oscillations described by Di Shan and Yi Tianmo emanating from the earth.
According to Di Shan and Yi Tianmo, various wondrous rhythms occurred beneath the earth every second, every minute; if one could contemplate diligently and grasp the profound essence, one could certainly perceive it with the heart and spirit.
But Shi Yan failed to immediately perceive the connected peaks.
On a snow-covered peak where ice prisms glittered coldly, Yu Rou, the matriarch of the White Wing Tribe, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the stern-faced Di Shan, gazing from a distance at Shi Yan, who had been standing in the swirling snow for three days and two nights.
Moonlight, sharp as ice blades, slanted down, adding even more frigid white to the surrounding peaks.
“After tonight, it will be three full days and nights; Master truly possesses extraordinary perseverance,” Yu Rou said, spreading her luminous white hands. Two snowballs in her palms seemed crystal-like under the moonlight. A trace of cool, Yin-cold energy condensed within the snowballs, which slowly settled, transforming into two crystalline spheres.
“So beautiful. In the Abandoned Land, it never snows…”
Yu Rou gently raised her hands in a graceful motion. The crystalline snowballs in her palms spun rapidly in the void, emitting beams of pale white light. “When I advanced from the second heaven of the Status Realm to the third, it took me a full three years. To perceive the earth’s rhythms with my spirit, I wasted I don’t know how much time.”
Di Shan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the sky, as if lost in distant memories. “It took me two and a half years as well. Though the earth’s vibrations occur ceaselessly, to truly sense them requires not only a clear Sea of Consciousness and diligent tempering, but sometimes, a bit of luck…”
Yu Rou nodded with a smile. “Indeed, luck is something intangible, yet it truly exists. Fortunate people often gain an advantage over others. Destiny is also a part of the Heavenly Mandate; if one can align with the Heavenly Fortune, progress is certainly twice as fast with half the effort.”
“We didn’t tell him that perceiving the earth’s vibrations is most advantageous in areas prone to frequent earthquakes. The earth’s rhythms during a tremor are the most obvious. If one can grasp the frequency of those earth-shaking waves at that time and perfectly align the vibrations within one's body with the earth’s rhythm, one will truly recognize and master the essence of this realm,” Di Shan observed Shi Yan from afar, saying calmly, “…However, sensing the celestial rhythms during an earthquake is a shortcut. It’s not as profound as comprehending them through diligent contemplation in a stable environment. I firmly believe that the most valuable realizations come from experiences gained in adversity.”
“Exactly. I believe he can do it. Perhaps not long from now, he will reach the peak of the Status Realm,” Yu Rou smiled softly.
Di Shan gently shook his head, disagreeing. “It’s not that easy. The reason his cultivation advanced so quickly is twofold: partly due to the spiritual elixirs we provided, and partly because his body harbors many exotic treasures. Of course, I know his innate talent is extraordinary, but he only entered the second heaven of the Status Realm a few months ago. Expecting him to grasp the earth’s vibrations in such a short time is clearly unrealistic, considering that it took you and me nearly three years each.”
“I maintain that his talent far surpasses ours,” Yu Rou said, a smile playing on her lips. “Haven’t you noticed the subtle shift in Old Ghost Yi Tianmo’s attitude after spending time alone with him? Initially, even though Yi Tianmo agreed to serve him as master, it wasn't sincere; it was entirely because Shi Yan possessed three types of Heavenly Fire, and Yi Tianmo feared the extermination of his clan. But now, it’s different. I see true reverence in the way Yi Tianmo looks at him!”
Di Shan fell silent, pondering for a long time before nodding with perplexity. “It is true. I find it very strange too. How could Yi Tianmo have become so convinced of him in just five short days?”
“Heh, this is what they call charismatic leadership. Master must possess many secrets unknown to us. Among the three great commanders of the Yin Specter Tribe, Yi Tianmo is the most cunning and calculating. If even he is convinced, I expect Zha Meng and Ka Ba will soon follow with genuine loyalty,” Yu Rou murmured with a light laugh. “Some people are simply born with that inherent quality of a leader.”
Di Shan was surprised.
Cloud Wind Island.
Amidst the desolate, barren mountains, a graceful and beautiful figure flashed past, like a forest spirit, breathtakingly lovely, moving with weightless ease.
“Crack!”
The figure lightly stepped across the stones, heading toward a nearby valley. Only after she had swept past a hundred meters did the stones she had trod upon emit crisp sounds of shattering under the sudden release of pressure.
“My cultivation is still unstable; my control over my power isn’t fine enough…”
Xia Xinyan thought to herself, suddenly quickening her pace, appearing in the valley like a streak of dark light.
The valley was not large, dotted with sparse, crudely constructed dwellings that lacked refinement. The valley possessed no rich spiritual energy, making it unsuitable for martial cultivation.
Currently, several dozen Xia family martial artists were stationed there. In the newly opened training grounds within the valley, about ten martial artists from the Heavenly Pool Holy Land and the Gu family stood.
Among the warriors from the Heavenly Pool Holy Land and the Gu family, two strikingly handsome young men stood out among the rest.
Gu Yu of the Gu family, possessing three divine swords of his clan within his body, stood at the second heaven of the Status Realm. His face was like polished jade, and he possessed an elegant bearing.
Feng Hai of the Heavenly Pool Holy Land was also at the second heaven of the Status Realm, harboring the ‘Profound Water’ Martial Soul. His physique was soft and gentle, and his beauty surpassed that of women.
As he stood there, many young women of the Xia family stared with shining eyes, secretly observing him while whispering amongst themselves, their gazes filled with burgeoning affection.
Gu Yu and Feng Hai were the leading figures of the new generation in the Gu family and the Heavenly Pool Holy Land, second only to Gu Linglong and Qu Yanqing. Both possessed outstanding looks and respectable cultivation. They were the key figures in the planned marriage alliances intended to link with Xia Xinyan, with the goal of controlling the power held by the Xia family through these unions.
The battle against the Demon race was rapidly approaching; securing the power of the Xia family before the conflict would undoubtedly be a great stroke of fortune for the Heavenly Pool Holy Land and the Gu family.
Xia Xinyan, descending as gracefully as a forest sprite, possessed an elegant and noble temperament and a captivating, well-proportioned figure. She stood there without a word, yet like the bright moon in the heavens, she drew the gaze of every male present.
Gu Yu and Feng Hai, who had been haughtily accepting the flattery of some younger Xia members, appearing unwilling to engage much, suddenly had their eyes light up upon Xia Xinyan’s arrival. Their bodies gave the slightest imperceptible shake, and the cold arrogance on their faces was instantly replaced by warm smiles as they focused intently on her.
“Xinyan, let me introduce you. This is Gu Yu from the Gu family, and this is Feng Hai from the Heavenly Pool Holy Land—both are leading talents among the younger generation of the Boundless Sea. They…” Xia Ruixing greeted Xia Xinyan with a beaming, cheerful face, hastily introducing Gu Yu and Feng Hai while showering them with praise.
Xia Ruixing belonged to a collateral branch of the Xia family, but due to his Nirvana Frame Realm cultivation, he held a certain status, sometimes even looked down upon by the direct lineage members. He was Xia Xinyan’s nominal uncle.
“No need to elaborate,” Xia Xinyan interrupted his torrent of praise, her delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her tone was cold. “I know their purpose. Since I am here, whoever among them can defeat me, I will agree to the demands of their respective factions. If they lose, they are to leave immediately and stop bothering me.”
The complexions of those present shifted slightly.