Chapter 5

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The cultivation of Daoists is an extremely vast system, but in summary, it is nothing more than the absorption, comprehension, and application of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. In most places in this world, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is mixed, not just the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. In some places, it also includes rare elements like lightning and ice. This requires cultivators to be able to guide the absorbed elemental energy through cultivation techniques, transforming it into pure single-element energy, thus truly making it a part of themselves.

Of course, if one can encounter naturally occurring single-element energy in the world, it is a heavenly opportunity for cultivators, allowing their cultivation to advance rapidly. Such places are already rare, and lightning energy is even more difficult to come by compared to other elements. This is why the cultivation of lightning element practitioners becomes increasingly difficult as they advance, and high-level lightning cultivators are even rarer. Bu Yuan is one of them.

The Lightning Elemental Technique, as the foundational cultivation technique of the "Jian Sheng" lineage to which Bu Yuan belongs, naturally has its unique aspects. This technique not only cultivates the spirit but also has miraculous effects on the physical body. Among peers of the same level, lightning element cultivators have stronger resistance to physical attacks and recover much faster.

In the mountains, time is without measure. Ye Bai sat cross-legged, breathing in and out, completely unaware of how long he had been in the cave. He only knew to seize every second, guiding the spiritual energy from the air into his body, over and over again.

This process was tedious and long. What Ye Bai did not know was that while he was cultivating, a faint purple circular light point was forming in the center of his right eyebrow, and from this light point, tree-like filaments were extending, spreading throughout his body with each breath.

One day, while breathing in and out, Ye Bai clearly felt the spiritual energy in his body flowing throughout his body. Two long white dragons shot out from his nostrils, circled in the air twice, and then returned to his nostrils.

Ye Bai took a deep breath and opened his eyes, a never-before-seen brilliance flashing in his eyes.

Although he had not yet broken through the ninth level of the Qi Condensation stage, he had stabilized his rapidly increased cultivation. As long as he slowly digested it, advancing to the next level was just a matter of time.

What was reassuring was that the damage to his physical body had mostly healed, except for a few minor fractures in his ribs, which were almost completely recovered.

Feeling the abundant elemental energy in the various acupoints of his body, Ye Bai nodded in satisfaction. He understood that this trial journey was a great opportunity for him. In just a few days, he had advanced from the fifth level to the eighth level of the Qi Condensation stage. Such a rate of progress was unprecedented. Even the first among the young generation of the Yun Dao Sect, Ji Cangmang of Bright Moon Peak, took nearly two years to pass through this stage, and he was already considered a top genius.

Originally, this great opportunity should have been shared by his fellow disciples, but now only Ye Bai remained.

Scenes of his cultivation on Old Tree Peak flashed through his mind. His eldest brother sacrificed his time to repeatedly teach him the essentials of cultivation techniques. His second brother sneaked into his room and gave him a bottle of newly refined pills. His third brother, usually quiet, always encouraged him when he was disheartened, saying, "Hey, you need to catch up quickly, we haven't compared who is tougher yet." His fourth sister then punched his third brother and smiled. Even his fifth brother, who often bullied him, now seemed not so hateful.

A hint of bitterness flashed across Ye Bai's lips, and he gained a deeper understanding. Cutting ties with the mundane world and letting go of attachments, the further one progresses on the path of cultivation, the more isolated one becomes. Family and friends will eventually leave you.

Sighing lightly, Ye Bai dusted off his tattered clothes and stood up.

He took out a spare set of clothes from the storage bag at his waist and put it on. This storage bag, which creates its own space, is an essential item for Daoists when they travel, suitable for storing valuable items. Once marked with the owner's spiritual imprint, it can only be opened by the owner, unless someone with much higher spiritual power forcibly breaks it or the owner dies, in which case the imprint naturally dissolves.

Ye Bai's storage bag was given to him by his teacher before he left the mountain. It was used to store some personal items and, in case of significant gains during this trial, to carry them conveniently.

Thinking of this, Ye Bai did not hesitate. He formed a hand seal and created a small fireball to observe the surroundings.

With a slight "hiss," a fireball the size of a washbasin appeared, burning fiercely. Ye Bai was greatly shocked. He did not know many spells, and the fireball spell was one of the most basic. Previously, the fireballs he created were only the size of a fist and had limited power. But now, this one was several times more powerful. It was perfect for lighting the way.

The sky was still gray and gloomy, but there was a hint of life. Occasionally, a few shrill bird calls broke the silence, a reminder that the law of the jungle was inescapable. Ye Bai extended his spiritual senses and clearly felt the strong spiritual energy fluctuations where the birds had landed, the aura of beast demons.

The vines on the ground began to grow wildly, reaching up to his ankles, making the white bones from before barely visible in the breeze.

Ye Bai walked over and searched carefully but found nothing. The bones on the ground were severely weathered and gnawed. Even if there were any items left by previous cultivators, they had been eroded by time.

But how to explain the bead? The more Ye Bai thought about it, the more confused he became. He had clearly swallowed it, but afterward, there was no trace of it, and it had no effect on his body. This was incomprehensible. Could it have been an illusion?

As he thought, Ye Bai left the cave and reached the bottom of the swamp cave. The ground became muddy, and aquatic vines crisscrossed, making it impossible to determine direction.

After a quick scan, Ye Bai followed the cracks in the cave walls upward. There was no concept of time or direction here, but he still planned to go to the familiar places above the swamp. First, it would be easier to find a way out, and second, the swamp cave was too strange. The incident with the purple bead still loomed over him like a dark cloud, making him reluctant to stay any longer.

Holding the fireball in his hand, Ye Bai felt no heat as he rapidly ascended the cave. The fireball, like a torch in the darkness, became the best signal. All living things within ten miles felt the abnormality in this area at that moment.

Several powerful auras emerged from the mud at the bottom of the swamp, quickly rushing toward Ye Bai.

Creatures that lived in the darkness were abnormally sensitive to light and heat. Ye Bai waved his hand and quickly extinguished the fireball, activating the elemental energy in his body. His body shot upward like an arrow, disappearing after a few leaps.

After he left, a huge water boa emerged from the mud, revealing half its body, looked around in confusion, and then returned underground.

Immediately after, a swarm of three-inch-long, mosquito-like creatures with long proboscises came, searched the area where Ye Bai had been, and then left disappointed.

This wave of abnormal activity by the creatures continued for a while before returning to normal.

＜/a＞

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