Chapter 161
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Chapter 161: Cultivation at the Jade Pool
Fang Lie flew frantically for an entire day according to the location recorded on the jade token before finally arriving.
Before him stood a majestic White Jade Hall towering atop the mountain, a hundred zhang tall, surrounded by drifting immortal clouds that gave it a dreamlike appearance.
Four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers guarded the hall, alongside a plump middle-aged Taoist clad in Eight Trigrams Immortal robes and wielding a Dust Wand. Despite his attire, he resembled anything but a proper Taoist—his face bore a shrewd, worldly expression, accentuated by a black mole on his lip and his rotund frame, making him seem utterly untrustworthy.
Fang Lie approached and assessed the man. Though repelled by his appearance, he recognized the Taoist as at least a Purple Palace realm cultivator and dared not show disrespect. He promptly bowed and declared, "Disciple Fang Lie, here to cultivate at the Jade Pool by order!"
He presented the jade token.
The fat cultivator’s face had initially brightened at the sight of a visitor, but upon hearing Fang Lie’s name, it twisted into a grimace.
The reason was simple: he agonized over whether to demand the toll.
In the past, the Jade Pool required no guards—anyone with a jade token could enter after showing it to the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers. But at some point, this Steward had appeared, barring entry unless he approved. His usual excuse was that the Jade Pool’s capacity was full.
To gain entry, visitors had no choice but to bribe him, and over time, the demanded sum had ballooned.
Now, the toll stood at one hundred thousand spirit stones.
One hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones—a fortune most outer disciples would never amass in their lifetimes. Yet for Inner Elite Disciples qualified to enter the Jade Pool, this amount was trivial.
This unspoken rule had persisted for millennia, tacitly accepted by all. Even the Clan Leader’s direct disciples paid without protest, as it was never codified in the sect rules.
Today, however, the fat cultivator faced a dilemma. Fang Lie’s fearsome reputation left him too terrified to demand payment.
But the steward couldn’t afford to cover the missing ninety percent himself—the bulk of the toll went to his superiors. Greedy and miserly, he’d never willingly foot the cost, yet Fang Lie’s notorious temper paralyzed him with fear.
After a prolonged silence, Fang Lie grew impatient and barked, "Senior! I must enter the Jade Pool. Grant me passage!"
The steward jolted, then reluctantly stammered, "Y-You may enter… but the rules require a fee of one hundred thousand spirit stones…"
Fang Lie’s smile vanished. His brow furrowed as he silently consulted Old Bird, "Bird Bro, is this toll legitimate?"
"Ridiculous!" Old Bird snorted. "The sect rules mention no such fee. This place used to be free! Those four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers alone guarded it before. Clearly, they’re fleecing the rich."
Fang Lie’s face darkened. "Do I look like a fat sheep to you?"
"Misunderstanding!" The steward hastily wiped sweat from his brow. "This… this is an age-old custom! Ask anyone!"
"Save your breath," Fang Lie sneered. "I don’t care how ‘old’ this scam is. If it’s not in the sect rules, it’s worthless. Choose: let me in, or I’ll kill you and walk over your corpse."
Trembling, the steward cried, "Go! Just go!" He scrambled aside, inwardly wailing, *Ninety thousand spirit stones gone! A Purple Palace realm cultivator bullied by a Qi Sea realm brat—what humiliation!*
Ignoring the man’s turmoil, Fang Lie strode past him with a contemptuous snort.
Inside the hall lay an enormous teleportation array spanning fifty zhang, its intricate patterns beyond Fang Lie’s comprehension. He stepped boldly into its center without hesitation.
The steward activated the array with frantic haste, as though dispatching a Plague Spirit Immortal. Light flashed, and Fang Lie vanished.
He reappeared in a realm engulfed by white fog—thick Spiritual Energy condensed into mist so dense he couldn’t see his own feet.
Fang Lie didn’t expect to go blind the moment he entered. To observe his surroundings, he instinctively sent out his divine sense. But his divine sense could only stretch one zhang before it was completely drained. This place clearly suppressed divine senses.
Unwilling to accept this, Fang Lie tried activating the Earth Eye Divine Skill again. To his shock, the once-mighty skill refused to activate at all.
Fang Lie froze before blurting, "Bird Bro, what’s happening here? Suppressing divine sense is one thing, but why can’t I even use the Earth Eye Divine Skill?"
"Earth Eye, Earth Eye—the eye of the earth!" The old bird chuckled. "There’s no earth here. How could there be an Earth Eye?"
"No earth? Then what’s under my feet?" Fang Lie crouched and touched the ground.
The surface felt smooth as polished jade, warm and soothing. But he knew this wasn’t ordinary ground.
The old bird explained, "I once told you—this Jade Pool formed from an ancient Powerful Being’s Golden Pool. Its essence is pure Magic fused with Heavenly Dao laws. Mysterious beyond words. In short, it’s not earth."
"I see." Fang Lie pressed further, "But Golden Pools hold Jade Nectar. If this is a Golden Pool, why’s the Spiritual Energy mist instead of liquid?"
"Liquid Magic—especially from that ancient expert—is too potent. Even Thunder Tribulation Immortals avoid it. How could disciples cultivate here?" The old bird said. "So the sect divided the Jade Pool. This area’s misty Spiritual Energy is perfect for Qi Sea cultivators like you."
"Got it." Fang Lie sat cross-legged. "Let’s not waste time. Time to cultivate!"
He began Cycling Energy. Immediately, he sensed the place’s advantages.
Misty Spiritual Energy wasn’t rare—strong spirit gathering arrays could create it elsewhere. But forcibly gathered energy carried harsh, fiery impurities.
Here, the energy was flawlessly pure. It absorbed effortlessly, converting into Magic with near-perfect efficiency. Stranger still, it carried faint spirit that gently guided one’s mind toward comprehending the Dao’s mysteries.
Fang Lie devoured it greedily. His pores gaped like hungry mouths, voraciously swallowing the mist. Since practicing the Innate Great Five Elements Nascent Fetus Classic, his cultivation speed had grown monstrous. Now he drank so fiercely the mist thinned around him.
Soon, clarity flooded him—he’d reached an optimal state. Without delay, he devoured Arhat Immortal Fruits.
The spiritual items melted instantly, warmth surging through his meridians. Each pulse widened them further. By the time the energy subsided, his meridians had more than doubled in width.
Meridian width dictated Magic flow efficiency. Wider channels meant greater explosive power—a cultivator with broad meridians could unleash more Magic faster than a peer, overwhelming them instantly.
Even cultivation benefited. Smooth energy circulation boosted efficiency. Thus, meridian width marked a cultivator’s talent—their spiritual bone.
A cultivator’s three key talents: spiritual root (absorption rate/affinity), spiritual bone (cultivation speed/physique), and willpower (determining one’s ceiling).
Fang Lie’s spiritual root and willpower were unmatched. But poverty had stunted his spiritual bone—unlike family disciples raised on spirit pills.
Now, reshaped by Arhat Immortal Fruits, his spiritual bone rivaled Inner Elite Disciples like Bai First Young Master. Not supreme, but no longer ordinary.
