In a bamboo forest, Ji Yuan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes closed, weaving a series of hand seals.
Within his body, spiritual energy surged through his meridians like a river, spreading the power of the refined pills throughout his flesh and bones.
Several days passed. His lighter injuries had long since healed. After all, he had been diligently undergoing the inheritance trials for the past three to four months, during which he had also been continuously taking healing elixirs.
When his condition reached its optimal state, Ji Yuan opened his eyes and retrieved a jade box from his emerald ring.
As the jade box was opened, amidst the dense spiritual energy, a Three-Revolving Divine Dew Pill appeared before him.
The pill emitted no fragrance; everything was contained within. If not for the dense spiritual energy enveloping it, it would have looked no different from the elixirs sold by itinerant doctors.
Only cultivators above the Second Realm could sense the immense medicinal power contained within the pill.
Ji Yuan observed it for a moment, then pinched the pill between two fingers, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed.
As soon as the Three-Revolving Divine Dew Pill entered his abdomen, even before it was refined by his potent spiritual energy, a vast medicinal power erupted. Within mere breaths, it had spread throughout his entire body.
He took a deep breath, then mobilized his immense spiritual energy to envelop the pill, beginning to refine it bit by bit.
His Dantian, Purple Mansion, and Sea of Consciousness, the three vital acupoints, began to heal at an astonishing rate. The hideous and terrifying wounds within them were continuously mending.
As his injuries healed, Ji Yuan's aura gradually deepened, becoming more complete and profound without him realizing it.
The three to four months of inheritance trials had significantly boosted his realm. Now, as his injuries healed, this progress was immediately evident.
In the blink of an eye, over half a month passed. The Three-Revolving Divine Dew Pill, worthy of being a seventh-grade elixir, had completely healed his injuries without leaving any hidden ailments. His spiritual energy had even increased by nearly ten percent.
However, despite his realm and spiritual energy being sufficient to break through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Point Realm, Ji Yuan had yet to take that step.
His original expectation was to achieve great accomplishment in the foundational chapters of both his cultivation techniques, and minor accomplishment in the parts corresponding to the early stage of the Spirit Point Realm.
But after these four months, his ideas had subtly shifted. He hoped to reach the best possible state for each realm before breaking through.
At the very least, with sufficient accumulation of realm and spiritual energy, the corresponding chapters of his two cultivation techniques should reach the state of great accomplishment.
And in Ji Yuan's heart, this was merely the most basic requirement.
The path of cultivation was not simply about breaking through realms; every step had to be taken with utmost firmness to go further.
This was the tragic lesson summarized by countless predecessors. How many people, in their haste to break through realms, found themselves ultimately trapped before insurmountable obstacles.
Take, for instance, the master of this water mansion, a grand master of alchemy from thousands of years ago. In his early years, he used the elixirs he refined to forcefully break through one realm after another without regard for his foundation, ultimately becoming trapped in the Dao Illumination Realm.
If not for this, Huang Tianci might have already broken through to the Golden Core Realm, becoming either a distinguished guest of a major sect or invited by the Great Yu Dynasty, where status, power, and wealth would be readily available.
In that case, he would not have been affected by the blood sacrifice of millennia ago, ultimately forced to endure unimaginable pain and cost, transforming his immortal cultivation foundation into a divine one, turning from a mortal into a deity trapped in the water mansion.
"It seems your injuries have completely healed."
One day, Huang Tianci, who had been absent for a long time, reappeared in the bamboo forest.
However, compared to more than half a month ago, his body now exuded an undeniable aura of decay, with divine power constantly collapsing and dissipating.
"The Three-Revolving Divine Dew Pill's effects are extraordinary. My internal injuries have indeed been thoroughly healed."
Ji Yuan nodded. He had now fully recovered to his peak. Not only was his spiritual energy circulating smoothly, but his physical body was free of any injuries, and even his soul light and other aspects had returned to normal.
His cultivation had even made significant progress, and he was much stronger than before he was injured. The only drawback was that his six heavy water pearls were still severely damaged, and he had not had the time to repair them.
It was likely that he would be unable to use this treasure for a long time to come.
"You..."
Sensing the state of the elder, Ji Yuan couldn't help but furrow his brow.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, he saw the old man before him gently shake his head. Although his eyes were increasingly cloudy, they did not betray any fear of death.
Thinking about it, it wasn't surprising. After all, he was a being who had lived for thousands of years, barely clinging to existence after transforming into a divine being for so long. He had long since come to terms with life and death.
If not for the desire to ensure his inheritance did not die out, he might have collapsed his divine body long ago, enduring four to five thousand years of endless loneliness.
"There's probably about a month left."
The old man sighed. Although he had long since accepted it, anyone truly facing death would experience some emotional fluctuations.
After a long silence, he looked at the young man before him, a bitter smile appearing on his face. "It's a pity that to prevent my body from collapsing, I have depleted the water resources of this entire marsh. Otherwise, I could have left you a fortunate encounter."
Although their relationship wasn't one of master and disciple, the other party was ultimately his inheritor, and he still wanted to leave behind something good.
"You have already given me a great deal."
Ji Yuan said with a solemn expression.
He faced the old man directly, his eyes devoid of reverence. Instead, he looked at him as he would a friend.
When they first met, the elder had recreated several old friends from his youth using his divine power and memories. Therefore, Ji Yuan only recognized him as Huang Tianci.
In Ji Yuan's eyes, the person before him had merely transformed from his youthful appearance to his aged one.
Although the old man said nothing, he was clearly pleased with this treatment. He had never assumed the airs of a senior, always treating the young man as an equal.
"Later, I will take you to the medicinal garden. You can choose any spiritual herbs you need."
He thought for a moment and then said, "But don't take too much. Just pick what's suitable for you. I need to leave most of it to mislead those outside."
Outside?
Ji Yuan's brow furrowed slightly, and many guesses arose in his mind.
Hearing this, Huang Tianci nodded. With a gentle wave of his arm, the colorful light above their heads quietly dispersed, revealing the scene outside the water mansion.
It turned out that in the lake illuminated by the colorful glow, at least dozens of cultivators had gathered. The weakest among them were at the mid-stage of the Spirit Point Realm, while the five or six in the center were at the Dao Illumination Realm!
However, Ji Yuan was not overly surprised. As time passed, news of the underground dojo would eventually spread throughout Lingyang Prefecture, and even to the neighboring prefectures.
The four months he spent in the water mansion were enough for cultivators from adjacent counties to hear about it and flock here. Moreover, with the Moon Gazing Sect's instigation, the number of cultivators entering the dojo would only increase, never decrease.
"Only by leaving enough behind can I temporarily divert their attention. Otherwise, it will be difficult to ensure your safe departure."
Huang Tianci spoke frankly. He was now at the end of his strength, his body merely a thread away from collapsing.
If not for the water mansion's formations, even a cultivator of the second realm would be a threat to him. Even with the formations, he could only temporarily hold off one or two cultivators of the third realm.
Having finally found a satisfactory inheritor before his demise, Huang Tianci would not allow him to come to harm. It wasn't that they had a deep bond, but he couldn't bear to let his legacy disappear.
The method of Water Refining into Pills was not something he had acquired by chance; he had spent over two hundred years creating it and had continuously refined it over these millennia.
"At that time, I will transport you to the main gate and conceal your traces with formations."
"Once most outsiders have entered, I will have the two blood jade lions at the entrance escort you away."
"They have been with me for a long time, and in the last few hundred years, they have gained sentience. I hope you will treat them kindly."
Huang Tianci had clearly made arrangements. As he spoke, he took out a blood jade token and handed it to the young man before him.
This blood jade token contained the core of the two jade lions outside the water mansion's main gate. It not only made them unable to disobey the holder's commands but also allowed them to be shattered at a thought.
However, before Ji Yuan could feel surprised, he was doused with a cold shower. The cost of driving the two jade lions, which possessed third-realm power, was also astonishing.
"The power source for these two jade lions requires the consumption of high-grade spirit stones or mid-grade spirit crystals."
Huang Tianci glanced at him and said in a flat tone.
According to him, when one jade lion unleashed its full power, it would consume all the spiritual energy of one high-grade spirit stone or one mid-grade spirit crystal in about fifteen breaths.
If used sparingly, it might last longer, but if it released third-realm power, it would last at most half a quarter of an hour.
"A full-power attack costs at least five hundred thousand taels of silver?"
Ji Yuan couldn't help but gasp. Such consumption was beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators, unless they belonged to a major sect or force.
However, on second thought, the two jade lions themselves were not meant for individual cultivators but as treasures to guard the cave mansion. With the enhancement of formations, they would not consume spirit stones or crystals.
"I have already stored enough spiritual energy in the two jade lions. As long as third-realm cultivators do not attack, it should be sufficient to protect you as you leave the marsh."
Huang Tianci looked up slowly and said.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan also looked at the cultivators gathered outside the water mansion. If no third-realm cultivators were involved, with his own strength, he should be able to safely leave the marsh without any complications.