Chapter 67

The cold wind was fierce, and the city of Xingcheng, on the Winter Solstice, was already covered in silver. The snow on the ground was not even, leaving a series of deep footprints.

Perhaps due to the cold, Xingcheng was not as bustling as usual, but rather seemed somewhat desolate. Occasionally, one could see some pedestrians on the streets, all wrapped in thick cotton coats, constantly exhaling warm breath.

Of course, there were also those forced by life, braving the wind and snow, pulling carts, and calling out to sell the cabbages on their carts with voices almost hoarse. However, the water droplets on these cabbages had already frozen.

Su Xuan, Xiao Yishen, and a dozen or so cultivators from the Demon Blade Sect had just walked out of the Demon Blade Sect's courtyard. After walking a few meters, Xiao Yishen looked up at the sky, facing the wind and snow, his expression somewhat complicated. He looked at Su Xuan and said, "Su Xuan... the wind and snow are very strong now. Why don't we buy more cotton coats at the shops ahead and then fly?"

Although he had no cultivation, Su Xuan clearly knew that if they chose to fly in the sky, in such weather, the cotton coats they were wearing would not be enough to protect them. But if they chose to walk to Dongchen Manor, not only would it take a lot of time, but the Dachen Mountains were full of dangers, and with the snow covering the ground, walking would definitely be very inconvenient.

He then looked at Xiao Yishen and nodded.

At the same time, inside the cave, Bai Shi, with his divine sense, could already see some snowflakes gently falling.

"Winter Solstice... has arrived."

Bai Shi's tightly closed eyes slowly opened. He took a deep breath and, after a moment of contemplation, looked at the location of the Wasteland Cauldron.

"According to the time, it should be time to add blood to the Wasteland Cauldron now." He slowly stood up, and his body seemed much stronger than before. This was because the spiritual energy in the cave had infused him, not only strengthening his internal power but also improving his cultivation to a certain extent.

Moreover, in recent times, while absorbing spiritual energy, Bai Shi felt that the mark of the Cave Profound Realm had undergone some changes. These changes seemed to be a bottleneck for a breakthrough, but Bai Shi was not overly excited, as if everything was within his expectations.

Bai Shi walked to the side of the Wasteland Cauldron and took out the blood from his storage bag. This blood belonged to someone from Beigun Manor.

Pouring the blood onto the cauldron lid, the blood immediately seeped through the small holes into the Wasteland Cauldron. Soon, a series of sizzling sounds were heard, and a bloody smell filled the air.

Smelling the bloody smell, Bai Shi seemed to have an idea. He slowly extended his palm, and an invisible force immediately seeped out from it. This force was a manifestation of the spiritual energy in his body.

This was the final step he had to take after refining each pill.

With the appearance of divine sense, refining pills had become much easier for Bai Shi. As the force from his palm was released, he immediately saw the changes in the Bone-Refining Pill inside the Wasteland Cauldron through his divine sense.

Originally, it was a white object, a crystallization of the Ziyou Grass and Lingluo Flower after their fusion. As the blood fell onto it, the white object immediately underwent a strange transformation. Not only did white smoke rise, but the blood also turned into threads, soaking into the white object.

At the same time, under the control of the force from Bai Shi's hand, the white object, now soaked with blood, slowly split apart, eventually forming five pills with red threads... the Bone-Refining Pills!

"Months have passed... finally, I have refined the Bone-Refining Pills." Bai Shi suddenly withdrew the force from his hand and took a long breath, as if he had exerted a great deal of effort.

Slowly lifting the cauldron lid, Bai Shi took out the five pills from the Wasteland Cauldron. He immediately felt a mysterious aura seeping from the Bone-Refining Pills, which made his whole body tremble, and a sense of comfort instantly spread throughout his body. This was the warmth and nourishment to his bones, and the increase in strength.

"These Bone-Refining Pills are indeed extraordinary." Feeling a surge of joy, Bai Shi put four of the Bone-Refining Pills back into his storage bag and kept one in his palm, as if he had an idea, and stared at it.

"In recent days, while absorbing spiritual energy, I seem to have touched the bottleneck of the Spirit Profound Realm, but I can't find the key... If I take this Bone-Refining Pill, and the remaining spiritual energy in the cave rushes in like a gale... will it break through this bottleneck, grasp the key, and thus... break through?"

As Bai Shi muttered, a strange light flashed in his eyes. He clearly knew that if the Bone-Refining Pill were given to someone who had not yet undergone bone cleansing, the pain might be unbearable, and it could cut off their previous cultivation. However, when he fell into the Abyss of Devouring, his bones had already been torn by the powerful wind blades, and the intense pain had already caused his bones to restructure. Therefore, if he took the Bone-Refining Pill now, even if it didn't break through the bottleneck, it would not harm his body.

After a moment of silence, as Bai Shi's gaze focused, he finally made up his mind and immediately swallowed the Bone-Refining Pill in his hand.

As the Bone-Refining Pill went down his throat, a warm sensation immediately appeared, making his whole body shiver. As his pores suddenly opened, the surrounding spiritual energy, without any control from Bai Shi's divine sense, seemed to flow into his body like white threads.

However, this was just a subtle change, and Bai Shi did not pay much attention to it. Instead, under the nourishment of the warmth, he slowly opened his palm. Under the control of his divine sense, a white halo immediately appeared in his palm.

The white halo was surrounded by a faint white mist, which was a thread of spiritual energy. As the spiritual energy from heaven and earth flowed into Bai Shi's body, he could clearly see the white mist stirring within the white halo. This white mist was the spiritual energy currently flowing into his body.

Feeling the slight agitation of the white halo, Bai Shi clearly knew that this was a sign of an impending breakthrough. However, he had not yet touched the key, which had been troubling him for several days.

"In Xichen Manor, Master Xichen once said... the so-called Spirit Profound Realm is an understanding of spiritual energy. If one has a clear understanding of spiritual energy... that is the Spirit Profound Realm."

In silence, Bai Shi recalled Master Xichen's words.

"But... spiritual energy is just spiritual energy. What is the understanding of spiritual energy?" After some thought, Bai Shi still could not understand.

"Previously, at each stage of breakthrough, as long as I felt the bottleneck, I could break through smoothly... but now, I have felt this bottleneck for several days and still cannot break through... Could it really require a clear understanding?"

In that instant, Bai Shi seemed to forget the warmth and comfort in his bones brought by the Bone-Refining Pill. As he pondered, his brows suddenly furrowed, and he looked at the spiritual energy flowing into his body.

As he focused his gaze, he slowly closed his eyes, as if making a certain attempt. This attempt made him hear a whistling sound as he closed his eyes and felt the spiritual energy.

"Spiritual energy has a sound... it flows into the body and transforms into power... enhancing the body."

Bai Shi murmured with his eyes closed, slowly spreading his hands, and his body subconsciously floated up.

However, after a few breaths, his tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, with a look of confusion. It seemed he still could not understand.

"I thought that after taking the Bone-Refining Pill, the remaining spiritual energy would quickly rush in and touch the key. It seems I was wrong..." Bai Shi, floating in mid-air, gazed at the spiritual energy and muttered.

"Perhaps there is something I have not done yet... spiritual energy is power, the power of the body." Bai Shi's brows furrowed again as he looked at the spiritual energy, as if he wanted to continue trying.

"The so-called understanding must be a feeling of spiritual energy... when spiritual energy enters the body, it can transform into power. If it does not enter the body... can it still transform into power?"

Bai Shi's furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, and the anxiety in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a strange light. This strange light was not just an attempt but a certain affirmation.

This affirmation made him suddenly extend his palm and grab at the void!