Volume 4 Chapter 20

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Volume 4 Chapter 20: Divine Powers

At the peak of Jiuhua Mountain, the ground was covered in snow and ice, with cold winds howling, lifting flakes of snow. Under the midday sun, it looked purer, like a white paradise lost to the world.

Although the temperature was freezing, the moment Xu Qingfan reached the top of Jiuhua Mountain, a warmth filled his heart.

Just as Xu Qingfan had imagined, amidst the snowy white, Liu Huaxiang was teaching Ting’er the ways of immortality with a kind and gentle demeanor. As Liu Huaxiang grew smaller, Ting’er was now an entire head taller than him. Ting’er listened quietly to Liu Huaxiang’s explanations, occasionally showing a hint of confusion but asking no questions, simply following Liu Huaxiang’s instructions repeatedly, then waiting for his corrections.

Of course, at the top of Jiuhua Mountain, Little Green’s large figure was still there, constantly running and rolling around, just as it had before Xu Qingfan left. Although over the years Ting’er had focused more on cultivation and had less close interaction with it, Little Green found joy on its own.

After discovering Xu Qingfan’s return, everything was just as Xu Qingfan had thought: Liu Huaxiang’s gentle greetings and smile, Ting’er’s deep and silent gaze, and Little Green’s intimidating roar, before running far away, as if fearing Xu Qingfan’s retaliation.

Seeing all this, Xu Qingfan’s heart grew warmer; even Little Green’s intimidating roar felt like a welcome. With a slight smile, Xu Qingfan no longer hesitated and quickly walked towards Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er.

As he walked, he carefully observed the two people before him.

Ting’er looked exactly the same as she did ten years ago. Since she grew into her current form and her powers increased significantly, she has retained the appearance of a youthful and vibrant young woman. It seemed as if time had stopped for her.

Although Ting’er’s appearance hadn’t changed over the past ten years, her powers had greatly increased. Xu Qingfan clearly remembered that before he went into seclusion at the "Jiuji Cave," Ting’er had just reached the middle stage of the Inedia Stage. But now, she had reached the peak of the Inedia Stage and was only a step away from the Lingji Stage, progressing almost as quickly as Xu Qingfan, who trained in the "Jiuji Cave."

Compared to Ting’er, the passage of time had left significant marks on Liu Huaxiang. Since the last time, Liu Huaxiang had aged considerably. His aged appearance seemed more like a creature out of legend than a human, defying description with mere human words. Xu Qingfan always thought Liu Huaxiang had reached the limits of human aging, but each day he saw Liu Huaxiang, he appeared even older than the day before.

Many times, in his dreams, Xu Qingfan feared that the kind elder, Liu Huaxiang, might succumb to the relentless march of time and depart from this world. Yet, despite these fears, Liu Huaxiang continually fought against time and pain, living on with resilience.

While Xu Qingfan was observing Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er, both Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er were quietly observing Xu Qingfan as he approached.

Compared to ten years ago when Xu Qingfan had just reached the Condensed Core Stage, he now had complete control over the Spirit Qi within him. His aura was fully contained, yet he exuded a refined, calm, and noticeable demeanor that was quite distinctive. Due to his training in the "Jiuji Cave," away from sunlight, his complexion was rather pale, making the scar on his left cheek and the phoenix design near his eye more pronounced.

Liu Huaxiang noticed that there was now a steadiness and confidence in Xu Qingfan that hadn’t been there before, replacing the hesitation and doubt often seen in his eyes. This newfound determination wasn’t only due to his increased powers, but also a change in his mindset. It seemed that during the ten years of training in the "Jiuji Cave," Xu Qingfan had done more than just practice; perhaps he reflected on Liu Huaxiang’s past teachings.

Pleased, Liu Huaxiang nodded. It’s alright for a person to be weak, but remaining weak isn’t acceptable. Change brings hope.

"Martial Uncle Liu, I’m back," Xu Qingfan said, bowing to Liu Huaxiang as he stood before him.

Liu Huaxiang took a closer look at Xu Qingfan, who had walked up to him, and then smiled, saying, "Not bad, not bad. It seems you’ve gained a lot during your seclusion. Your Spirit Qi has increased by forty to fifty percent, and you’re just a step away from the middle stage of the Fake Golden Core Stage. But remember, the strength of the Condensed Core Stage lies not only in the depth of Spirit Qi and purity of techniques but also in the understanding of the Heavenly Way. A Condensed Core Stage cultivator with merely large amounts of Spirit Qi is like a brute with strength but no skill. Only by progressing in your understanding of the Heavenly Way can you fully wield your power, understand?"

Reflecting back, Liu Huaxiang has always been like this over the years, never missing an opportunity to teach Xu Qingfan.

Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "I understand, Master."

Speaking, Xu Qingfan then turned to Ting’er, gently patted Ting’er on the shoulder, and softly asked, "Ting’er, how have you been these past ten years? Cough, cough."

Yet, as Xu Qingfan was speaking, he couldn’t help but cough midway.

At the moment Xu Qingfan coughed, he distinctly felt Ting’er’s shoulder tremble, and Liu Huaxiang’s expression changed as well. He reached out to check Xu Qingfan’s pulse, sending a thread of Spirit Qi to probe inside Xu Qingfan.

Although this thread of Spirit Qi traveled through Xu Qingfan’s body, Liu Huaxiang’s brow furrowed, and he murmured, "The internal organs, and even the dantian and meridians are damaged. The injuries aren’t severe, but they’ve been corroded, making them very difficult to heal."

Speaking, Liu Huaxiang questioned Xu Qingfan, "What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you to stop cultivating that mutated Wither Qi temporarily? How has it increased by more than half in these ten years?"

Although Liu Huaxiang spoke with unprecedented severity and his words were blunt, Xu Qingfan knew it was out of concern. He wasn’t angry but felt closer to Liu Huaxiang. He slowly recounted the incident from ten years ago to Liu Huaxiang.

After listening to Xu Qingfan’s story, Liu Huaxiang couldn’t help but let out a wry smile, lamenting the tricks of fate and his own lack of foresight. After a long while, he shakily took out a blue jade bottle from his sleeve and said to Xu Qingfan, "This is an elixir I’ve crafted over the years, called the ‘Vitality Pill’. It may offer some help with your current situation. Take it daily, and it might suppress the corrosion of the mutated Wither Qi. As for your current injuries, we’ll have to figure out a way to deal with them slowly."

Receiving the blue jade bottle, Xu Qingfan’s heart warmed. He knew Liu Huaxiang wouldn’t make such an elixir for no reason. Liu Huaxiang was likely worried Xu Qingfan might face such a situation, so he prepared in advance as a precaution.

However, Xu Qingfan wasn’t the type to express gratitude verbally, so he simply put away the ‘Vitality Pill’ silently and bowed deeply to Liu Huaxiang.

Seeing Xu Qingfan like this, a complex expression flashed in Liu Huaxiang’s eyes. He sighed and said, "You’ve been cultivating in seclusion in the ‘Jiuji Cave’ for ten years. You must be exhausted. Go back and rest early; we can discuss any matters tomorrow."

"Yes," Xu Qingfan replied respectfully.

…

In the following three months, Xu Qingfan meditated quietly every night, sensing the changing rules of the world’s Spirit Qi and harmonizing his mind with the Heavenly Way. During the day, he listened to Liu Huaxiang’s teachings on Taoist methods with Ting’er. Although these methods were taught to Ting’er and seemed simple to Xu Qingfan now, Liu Huaxiang’s gradual explanations offered insights Xu Qingfan hadn’t considered before, greatly enlightening him.

When Ting’er practiced alone, Liu Huaxiang would impart knowledge to Xu Qingfan about worldly affairs, decision-making, the transformation of the five elements, and the rules of heaven and earth. Particularly, Liu Huaxiang’s insights on the Heavenly Way profoundly benefited Xu Qingfan. Although Xu Qingfan’s internal Spirit Qi didn’t increase much, he clearly felt his strength had significantly improved.

That night, the moon shone brightly, and the night was as gentle as water.

Xu Qingfan sat quietly in the room, lost in meditation. His mind drifted into the vast emptiness of the universe while he recalled everything he had comprehended since beginning his journey of cultivation—be it cultivation methods, Spirit Qi, the use of mystical arts, or even the warm and cold changes of the world. In these brief moments of reflection, his past life unfolded fully in his heart.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan felt a stir within his heart, as if he had grasped something. Certain doubts within him suddenly became clear, and the four strands of Spirit Qi in his body began to move in a mysterious path. Sometimes they would touch, yet remain unaffected by one another; their distinct attributes harmonized seamlessly.

"The elements of nature indeed complement and restrict each other, but more importantly, they transform all things. The universe is made up of these elements, and they represent the original state of the universe."

Xu Qingfan’s mind remained serene and ethereal as he unconsciously murmured these words.

After seventy years of cultivation, combined with Liu Huaxiang’s recent guidance and his varied experiences over the years, Xu Qingfan had accumulated knowledge and finally achieved an epiphany.

This epiphany was not as exaggerated as becoming an immortal or a Buddha overnight. Rather, Xu Qingfan’s seventy years of insights led him to understand the rules of the universe, also known as the Heavenly Way. Although this understanding was still very superficial, it was crucial for his future development.

Xu Qingfan rose unconsciously and stepped outside the room, opening the door.

Outside, a gentle night breeze greeted him as he opened the door, causing him a slight shiver despite its lightness.

Then, the Wood-type Spirit Qi and Phoenix Spirit Qi within Xu Qingfan surged mightily, eventually intertwining and transforming into a completely new Spirit Qi, ethereal and gentle.

Wood and fire create wind.

As the gentle and flowing Spirit Qi increased around Xu Qingfan, a soft breeze formed and began to swirl around him.

Over time, this gentle breeze grew stronger, soon becoming a whirlwind that enveloped Xu Qingfan and lifted him into the sky.

Strangely, despite the apparent power of this whirlwind, it didn’t disturb a single straw on the thatched roof, nor did it lift a snowflake from the peak of Jiuhua Mountain. The howling wind made the scene even more peculiar.

Eventually, the once-still mutated Wither Qi suddenly surged forth, merging into the wind, turning the colorless whirlwind into a mysterious gray, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Xu Qingfan, who was at the center of all these changes, remained unaware of the anomalies. His mind was still in a tranquil state, feeling as if his body had transformed into an immensely powerful gale, capable of reaching any corner of the world in an instant and easily destroying everything in its path.

Meanwhile, sensing the unusual phenomenon at the peak of Jiuhua Mountain, numerous Jiuhua Condensed Core Stage cultivators stepped outside, gazing upwards at the mountain summit.

Dozens of voices, filled with either surprise or joy, old or young, echoed from the dark void.

"Understanding the universe, creating divine powers?"

"A feeling of the Heavenly Way, creating his own mystical powers?"

"Could it be that the one on the mountaintop has created their own mystical powers again?"

"No, this mystical power is still quite shallow and basic. It should have been created by Xu Qingfan."

"Oh? Xu Qingfan has only been at Core Formation for ten years and has already created his own mystical powers? That’s unlikely, isn’t it?"

"Have you forgotten that the one on the summit of Jiuhua Mountain is also here?"

…

Meanwhile, sensing something amiss, Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er also stepped outside. Though Ting’er hadn’t reached the Condensed Core Stage, her body, transformed by the magic pearl, had greatly enhanced its sensitivity to the World Spirit Qi, allowing her to keenly sense the abnormality as well.

Xu Qingfan appeared bewildered, his body seemingly ethereal and illusory, wavering between reality and illusion, surrounded by a massive whirlwind, constantly rising and falling.

Seeing this scene, a flash of worry crossed Ting’er’s eyes; then, taking the startled Little Green with her, she quickly walked to Liu Huaxiang’s side, gazing at him with a puzzled look.

Liu Huaxiang’s eyes showed a hint of relief as he gave Ting’er a gentle smile and said, "There’s no need to worry, your uncle is simply contemplating the Heavenly Way, he will be fine."

As mentioned earlier, the strength of a Condensed Core Stage cultivator does not lie in their abundant Spirit Qi or mysterious techniques, but rather in their understanding of the Heavenly Way.

The concentrated expression of understanding the Heavenly Way is found in the supernatural abilities of Condensed Core Stage cultivators.

Each Condensed Core Stage cultivator creates unique abilities based on their personal insight into the Heavenly Way and their circumstances. These abilities, though few, are much more powerful than ordinary techniques. It can be said that only with these abilities are they truly Condensed Core Stage cultivators.

The abilities mentioned here differ vastly from those like Sheng Yushan’s "Azure Dragon Hand." Those are skills borrowed from various ancient races and are distinctly different from the cultivation methods humans learn today. Such abilities are often called minor or false abilities.

Xu Qingfan is now creating his own techniques by combining his insight with the world around him, crafting the path most suited to his current state. This is the unique ability of a Condensed Core Stage cultivator.

Observing Xu Qingfan’s situation, the ability he developed is clearly related to the wind, yet distinct from the common wind techniques in the cultivation world.

Xu Qingfan applied the rule of wood and fire generating wind, using Wood-type Spirit Qi and Phoenix Spirit Qi to create a wind mage. Due to the Phoenix Spirit Qi, this wind mage has a unique spirituality, making it easier to control compared to ordinary wind mages. Furthermore, Xu Qingfan added mutated Wither Qi, giving the wind mage an additional corrosive effect of the mutated Wither Qi. Because it’s mingled with the wind mage, the corrosion Xu Qingfan experiences is significantly reduced.

After a long while, Xu Qingfan finally awoke from that surreal sensation, and as he regained consciousness, the gray whirlwind surrounding him gradually subsided and disappeared. Xu Qingfan, who had been hovering in midair, slowly descended to the ground.

At the same time, the Phoenix Spirit Qi, mutated Wither Qi, and Wood-type Spirit Qi within Xu Qingfan started to separate and return to their respective places, as if they were unrelated.

When Xu Qingfan opened his eyes, he saw Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er quietly standing not far away, watching him, with a big smile on Liu Huaxiang’s face.

"Congratulations, Martial Nephew Xu, for your sudden enlightenment and the creation of a divine power. From now on, you are a true Condensed Core Stage cultivator," Liu Huaxiang said with a smile, cupping his hands.

Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback but quickly understood the situation and walked over to Liu Huaxiang, bowing as he said, "Thank you, Martial Uncle Liu, for your guidance. Without your advice, I couldn’t have reached the level of creating a divine power so quickly."

Liu Huaxiang smiled gently and said, "I merely pointed you in the right direction; the key was your own deep understanding."

At this point, Liu Huaxiang’s expression turned serious, and he said, "Since you’ve realized your own divine power, there are some things I must tell you."

Xu Qingfan was slightly surprised but immediately said, "Please, Martial Uncle, go ahead."

Liu Huaxiang nodded and said slowly, "I observe that although your divine power takes the form of the wind, it merely blows by itself and does not interfere with anything, seemingly having a spirit of its own. Later, it even felt somewhat desolate and lifeless. This must be the divine power you created by combining Phoenix Spirit Qi with the two energies of Wither and Flourish, correct?"

Xu Qingfan nodded and replied, "While I was meditating tonight, I suddenly gained some insight and understood a bit about how the five elements form all things in the world. Then, I created this divine power."

Liu Huaxiang nodded and said, "Although you are not the first in our Jiuhua sect’s ‘Qing’ generation to reach Core Formation, you might very well be the first besides Bao Qingfang to create a magical ability. You could say you’ve truly achieved the Condensed Core Stage. But as you mentioned, you’ve only just grasped a tiny part of the rule of transforming all things within the Heavenly Way, so the magical ability you’ve created is still quite shallow and immature. Therefore, you must continue to understand the Heavenly Way and keep perfecting this ability you’ve created."

"I understand, Master." Xu Qingfan nodded and replied.

Liu Huaxiang paused and continued, "Aside from the ‘Qing’ generation disciples, each of the seventeen elders of Jiuhua who have survived so far has, to some extent, created their own magical talents. But most have only created one or two. Even Xiao Huazhe, known as the best in Jiuhua, has only mastered six kinds of magical abilities. Do you know why this is?"

Xu Qingfan said, "Please enlighten me, Martial Uncle."

Liu Huaxiang sighed slowly and then said, "Although humans are considered the most intelligent of all creatures, we often limit our vision to immediate matters, even us cultivators. In the cultivation world, most Condensed Core Stage cultivators, after creating one magical ability, become restricted and confused by the Heavenly Way they understand. Although the power of their magical abilities grows stronger, they lose themselves in their interpretation of the Heavenly Way, thinking it encompasses everything. Because of this, they find it difficult to comprehend other Heavenly Way rules. What they don’t realize is that the Heavenly Way is vast, and what each person understands is but a drop in the ocean. Everyone knows this truth, but no one can escape this limitation. Each time they meditate, they can only sense the Heavenly Way they are familiar with, and they make no further progress. You see, the first magical ability is the easiest to create; it becomes exponentially harder afterward. So from now on, your task is to overcome your limitations, broaden your vision, perceive more, and only by doing this can you continue to grow stronger. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Xu Qingfan felt a shock through his body and quickly bowed in response.

After creating that magical ability, he indeed felt a sense of pride. Now, hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, he suddenly awoke from his complacency.

Liu Huaxiang then smiled slightly and asked, "Regardless of anything, being able to grasp the Heavenly Way and create your own magical ability is a good thing. Have you thought of a name for it?"

Xu Qingfan thought for a moment and then smiled, "Let’s call it ‘Wind of Desolation.’"