Chapter 215: Chapter 104: One Step Closer to the Third Realm

Dongshui Mountain.

Disciples were cleaning up the widespread mess and repairing the damage. Down the mountain, other disciples were surveying the terrain, seemingly planning to build a road to the summit.

In the small courtyard of the Mountain Peak Dao Field, Wang Ping was brewing tea. Yu Lian was draped over his shoulder, flicking her tongue out rapidly, her eyes full of anticipation as she glanced from time to to time at Zuo Xuan, who sat opposite them.

Zuo Xuan was not in good shape. First, the abundance of qi and blood in her body from her recent breakthrough gave her face a feverish blush. Second, the prolonged battle between her divine soul and the Spirit Body had left her consciousness somewhat dazed.

However, these were all issues that could be managed with time and were not major problems.

The real problem was that she would need Sacred Heart Pills or Soul-Calming Soup every few years to stabilize her divine soul, and the more she used them, the more addicted she would become.

"You don’t necessarily need Elixirs to stabilize your divine soul," Zuo Xuan said. "In my sect’s teachings, there are special Arrays designed for that purpose. They utilize the principle that all things generate and overcome one another. For example, since I integrated my Magical Artifact with Taiyin Qi, we could use Profound Sect’s True Qi as a catalyst for the Array to suppress the turmoil in my divine soul."

As Zuo Xuan spoke, she scratched her left cheek. A trace of blood seeped from the skin, making for a rather unnerving sight. In fact, her entire appearance was somewhat unsettling. Her eyes were bloodshot, their irises a pale yellow like Yu Lian’s, and her cheeks were covered in fine cuts.

"There’s an Array like that?" Wang Ping immediately showed interest.

Zuo Xuan gave a bitter smile. "The principle is simple, similar to a conventional Sealing Array. With your level of cultivation, Fellow Daoist, you should understand what I mean just from this explanation."

Wang Ping did understand. He frowned. "But wouldn’t that suppress the circulation of your Qi Sea? It might even inhibit your future advancement."

"I was incredibly fortunate just to break through to the Second Realm and gain several hundred more years of life. How could I dare to hope for the Third Realm?" Zuo Xuan picked up the teacup in front of her and smiled. "While I was in seclusion, I kept thinking about this clear tea of yours, Fellow Daoist."

"Then drink some more. It can alleviate the fatigue of your divine soul," Wang Ping replied with a smile.

Zuo Xuan gently covered her mouth with her hand and downed the tea in one go, making it look as if she were drinking alcohol. She wasn’t normally so bold, but her mouth was full of sores, and she had been speaking by barely parting her lips.

"Truly fine tea..."

After drinking the tea, Zuo Xuan stood and cupped her fists. "I’ll take my leave for now. In a while... when I’m not in such a sorry state, I will come to visit you again, Fellow Daoist."

Wang Ping extended his hand, a medicine bottle appearing in it. "Here are five Sacred Heart Pills. In your condition, as long as you can hold true to your original intentions, these five pills will be enough to see you safely through the next five years. As for future Sacred Heart Pills... I have some dealings with the Upper Dan Sect. When the Holy Heart Grass matures again, take a letter from me, and you will surely gain something."

Zuo Xuan froze. She had practically broken through to the Second Realm at death’s door; it would be a lie to say she had no desire to advance further.

"Words cannot express my gratitude!"

She put away the medicine bottle, offered a deep, respectful bow, and left the courtyard without a backward glance.

Wang Ping didn’t get up to see her off. He quietly watched Zuo Xuan leave until her figure disappeared at the end of the garden path. Yu Lian, holding a teacup with her tail, said, "You’re her savior now. Add to that her bit of a moral-cleanliness complex, and you don’t even need to play these little games. She would’ve done anything you asked."

"People are fickle. You can’t rely on sentiment alone, not even with your closest friends." Wang Ping picked up his teacup and replied calmly. He carried heavy responsibilities now; he couldn’t afford to fail over something so trivial.

"You’re the boss." Sensing Wang Ping’s thoughts, Yu Lian took a sip of tea and flew up to the eaves to rest.

Wang Ping also put down his cup, rose, and walked out of the courtyard. Shen Xiaozhu, who had been waiting quietly nearby, obediently came forward to clear away the tea set and wipe down the Stone Table.

...

Wang Ping still set up the Soul Calming Array for fusing the Luck-Borrowing Talisman and the Spirit Communication Talisman in the core area of the Nine Extremes Array. Of course, the Array that was originally there had been dismantled.

After thoroughly checking that there were no issues with the Array, Wang Ping took out the prepared Nine Heavens Bamboo Nodes and placed them in the calculated center. Then, he formed a Spell with his hands to guide the surrounding Wood Spirit Qi from the edges of the Array Runes slowly toward the core.

A brilliant green halo bloomed as the entire Array lit up. The dense Wood Spirit Qi resonated with the Nine Heavens Bamboo Nodes. Positioned in the middle of the Array, Wang Ping felt most of his senses dull as his thoughts naturally began to withdraw inward.

He sat down cross-legged...

Manifesting his divine soul and mobilizing the Wood Spirit Qi, he immediately sensed the throbbing Spirit Bodies. They were repelled by the properties of the Nine Heavens Bamboo Nodes at the Array Core and kept outside the Array. At the same time, however, they were absorbing the Wood Spirit Qi formed by Wang Ping’s Qi Sea, and at a considerable speed. If Wang Ping didn’t have the Spirit Communication Talisman to connect with heaven and earth, which provided a nearly endless supply of Sea of Qi Spiritual Qi, his Qi Sea would likely have been drained dry in less than Half an Hour.

"No wonder such a powerful Array isn’t widely used. Ordinary Cultivators simply can’t afford the consumption."

Muttering to himself, Wang Ping drove his divine soul to call forth the Luck-Borrowing Talisman and the Spirit Communication Talisman and attempted to fuse them... 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The sensation of fusion was like assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle. He used the sensitivity of his divine soul to find the resonance between the two Talismans, then fused them while imprinting the result onto his soul.

Once, twice, three times...

After ten attempts a day, the degree of fusion between the two Talismans and his divine soul was negligible.

Yet Wang Ping, tempered by the passage of time, felt no disappointment. He understood that cultivation was not something accomplished overnight.

Time flew by.

Before he knew it, October had arrived.

Zuo Xuan came to Qianmu Temple again, with Wenhai following behind her. Both of them were Wang Ping’s contacts in the Daoist Scripture Hall and also had complicated ties to Zi Luan.

Zuo Xuan had returned to her former appearance. She wore fitted gray martial attire, her hair tied in a braid and fastened to her collar with a brooch. Her eyes were clear and bright, but a turbidity and coldness lurked in their depths—a likely result of her prolonged battle against the Spirit Body.

Wenhai’s disposition had also changed. The damaged Spirit Veins in his body were brimming with vitality once more—the handiwork of a Third Realm master. Upon seeing Wang Ping, he immediately took the initiative to explain, "Daoist Zi Luan saw that I was competent in my duties and used a Heaven-Reaching Talisman to fuse an Earth Vein and repair my injuries."

Wang Ping nodded and smiled. "As it happens, I have some connections with other branches of the Earth Cave Sect. If you want to successfully join them, I might be able to put in a good word for you."

"Then I must trouble you, Daoist. I am indeed considering that path." Wenhai immediately bowed in thanks.

Wang Ping smiled again. He knew this was Zi Luan’s wicked sense of humor, deliberately leaving an opening for him. Otherwise, with Zi Luan’s own connections, he could have easily made the arrangements himself.

"For the two of you to come together, is it something important?" Wang Ping’s gaze fell upon Zuo Xuan.