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Chapter 193: Earthly Origin Lotus
Chapter 193: Earthly Origin Lotus
Chen Mu sheathed the Evil Exorcising Thunder Spear.
He leaped back into the pool, disappearing within the stone cavern.
Retracing his steps, he passed by the underground grotto, but there was no sign of the black water serpent.
"There are still many demons in this earth pulse," he thought.
Chen Mu carefully scanned his surroundings, but unable to locate the serpent, he decided to let it be for now. A fifth-tier demon appearing above ground could cause significant havoc, and it would be difficult for a cultivator below the Organ Realms to resist.
However, with the serpent appearing so deep underground, it was unlikely to venture above.
The sound of rushing water filled the air.
Chen Mu navigated the narrow waterway, returning to the cavern.
The underground tunnels were intricate, but for a cultivator of his caliber, getting lost was not a concern. He could retrace his steps with ease.
Carving through the rock wall had taken too much time. Although the damaged earth pulse should not recover so quickly, it was still necessary to return and check to ensure safety. Otherwise, being trapped underground would be a significant problem.
A moment later, Chen Mu made his way through the grotto, finally reaching the upper lake. However, he did not emerge from the water; instead, he examined the nearby damaged earth pulse, which seemed to require more time to recover. Then, he dove back into the water.
He retraced his path, returning to the stone cavern where Meng Dan Yun had been ambushed. But the cavern was empty, with no sign of Meng Dan Yun or the Xuanji Pavilion overseers.
"I killed Han Guang, and the Blood Concealment Tower's assassin was heavily injured. With Meng Shijie's Water Hexagram Intent, she should have been able to retreat safely. I don't think anything happened to her, but after all this time, I don't know where she went."
Chen Mu pondered.
He tried to sense the fluctuations in the water flow, but being a man, he lacked this ability. After cultivating the Whistling Wind Intent, he was supposed to cultivate the Water Hexagram Intent next. However, due to a twist of fate, he obtained the Mountain Root Concept from the He family and a Soil Primordial Orb, so he prioritized cultivating the Mountain Root Concept.
If he had mastered the Water Hexagram Intent, he would have been more at ease in this underground cavern.
But life was unpredictable, and it was difficult to foresee what might happen. If the cavern hadn't been flooded, the Mountain Root Concept would have been easier to utilize. To cope with all the celestial and earthly phenomena, one must master all eight trigrams.
In any case, after returning, he would follow the original plan, taking one step at a time. He would first cultivate the Mountain Root Concept to the second step, then attempt the Water Hexagram Intent. However, the more likely option was to go to the Seven Mysteries Sect and try the Heavenly Sky first.
The water surged, and Chen Mu's figure disappeared within the stone cavern.
...
In a certain part of the underground cavern, there was another stone chamber, but it was filled with pitch-black sediment. Suddenly, the sediment bulged, and a figure emerged, shaking off the dark mud that clung to their body.
Meng Dan Yun looked at the palm-sized black orb with a faint glow in her hand, feeling delighted.
This was a Primordial Yin Earth Orb, which could only be found deep within the earth pulse and had the effect of nourishing qi and blood, aiding cultivation in the Organ Realms, and for women, it also had the effect of beautifying the complexion. It was well worth her effort in searching through the vast amount of sediment.
After escaping her predicament, she had relied on her Water Hexagram Intent to track down the heavily injured Blood Concealment Tower assassin and eventually killed him with her sword. However, she had been unable to find the three Xuanji Pavilion overseers who had fled in different directions.
As for Chen Mu, he had no idea where Han Guang had gone. The underground caverns were intricate, with numerous interconnected passages. Even if Meng Dan Yun had reached the second step of the Water Hexagram Intent, it would be impossible for her to sense all traces in such a complex terrain. That would require the abilities of a deity, not a mere cultivator.
Perhaps.
Reaching the third step of an intent was extremely difficult. The difference between the second and third steps was far greater than that between the first and second steps. It was like a vast chasm, seemingly just a step away, but in reality, it was a world apart.
Meng Dan Yun put away the Primordial Yin Earth Orb and continued her exploration.
She followed the underground waterway, delving deeper into the tunnels. After numerous twists and turns, her gaze flickered, sensing something unusual.
"This feeling is..."
She vaguely sensed that following this waterway would lead directly to the surface.
But this place should still be deep underground.
Meng Dan Yun's thoughts raced. She realized that she had encountered a rare unflooded cavity in the underground cavern, so she immediately headed forward, following a slanted upward waterway.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the water like a swimming fish, leaping out from the depths of a pool.
In the very instant she broke the surface, a streak of blood-red light flashed from the pitch-black shadows, attacking her. This attack was all too familiar, undoubtedly from someone of the Blood Concealment Tower.
"Lingering ghost!"
A cold glint flashed in Meng Dan Yun's eyes as she brandished her Silver Water Sword, blocking the blood-red light. Simultaneously, the entire pool erupted beneath her feet, and a torrent of water gushed forth, transforming into several surging currents that rushed forward.
However, the blood-red light missed its target, and the attacker immediately retreated, disappearing once more into the darkness. This left Meng Dan Yun's counterattack hanging in the air, as her opponent's skills and movements were far superior to those of the Blood Concealment Tower assassin whom Chen Mu had previously defeated. It was unclear if this new assailant was a true transmitter of the Blood Concealment Tower.
Despite the Blood Concealment Tower's public presence, its internal intelligence was always scarce. From the tower master who instilled fear in all the major sects of the North to the average assassins, their identities remained unknown. They all wore black robes and blood-concealing masks, making it difficult to discern their features unless they were killed.
However, Meng Dan Yun's attention wasn't solely focused on the Blood Concealment Tower assassin. Instead, she gazed into the distance, where, several dozen zhang away, another tranquil pool lay. Growing within it was a green lotus pod.
"Earthly Origin Lotus?"
Meng Dan Yun was immediately captivated by the sight of the green lotus pod.
Earthly Origin Lotus!
One of the extremely rare spiritual treasures of the world!
According to ancient records, it could only grow deep within the earth's veins and required hundreds, if not thousands, of years to mature. Once ripe, consuming a single lotus seed could open the spiritual barrier, allowing one to comprehend the essence of heaven and earth.
For martial practitioners, regardless of the concept they cultivate, the process involves deepening their understanding of the power of heaven and earth. However, from the moment of birth, a thick spiritual barrier, also known as the 'Heavenly Barrier,' separates humans from the heavens.
Only upon reaching the Organ Realms and forming an internal qi cycle can a practitioner establish a preliminary connection with the external heavens. Advancing to the Bone Marrow Washing Realm allows them to truly break through the heavenly barrier, establishing an unobstructed connection with the heavens.
The seeds of the Earthly Origin Lotus are among the few spiritual treasures that enable one to temporarily open the spiritual barrier, even before breaking through the heavenly barrier. Although the effect is temporary, it greatly aids in comprehending concepts and understanding the essence of heaven and earth.
Currently, Meng Dan Yun's comprehension of the Water Hexagram Concept was nearly unhindered. With just a short period of secluded cultivation upon her return, she was certain to advance to the second step. However, the Gale Wind Concept was not as straightforward.
If she could obtain the assistance of the Earthly Origin Lotus seeds, Meng Dan Yun was confident that she could advance the Gale Wind Concept to the second step within a short time. This would even allow her to attempt cultivating a third concept. If she could cultivate all three concepts to the second step before entering the Six Viscera Realm, her path would become much broader.
"Gu Hong, Hua Nongying..."
Instead of rushing towards the Earthly Origin Lotus, Meng Dan Yun remained calm and shifted her gaze to the two figures engaged in a fierce battle beside the lotus. Astonishingly, they were Gu Hong, a true transmitter of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and Hua Nongying from the Joyful Bliss Sect.
Their displayed strength captured her attention, and she witnessed Gu Hong standing motionless, his eyes cold and unmoving. Despite his stillness, invisible threads of Primordial Energy condensed into terrifying sword auras, attacking Hua Nongying.
Each sword aura felt incredibly powerful to Meng Dan Yun's perception.
"Is this the invisible sword aura of the Heart Sword Concept? But this power... Has his Heart Sword Concept reached the second step?"
Meng Dan Yun's eyes narrowed with intense focus.
Although her Water Hexagram Concept was close to breaking through to the second step with a brief period of secluded cultivation, it was, after all, the most complete system among the current world's Eight Concepts. Compared to the Heart Sword Concept, the Blood Slaughter Concept, and other intangible and ethereal concepts, the Water Hexagram Concept was more tangible and easier to comprehend and cultivate. The difficulty of advancing to the second step was entirely different.
Gu Hong's advancement to the second step of the Heart Sword Concept would undoubtedly elevate his ranking among the true transmitters of the Heavenly Sword Sect, even if he couldn't catch up to Zuo Qian Qiu. At the very least, he would rise from the bottom to the middle or even the upper ranks.
As for Hua Nongying, although she was currently at a disadvantage, she could withstand the invisible sword aura of Gu Hong's Heart Sword Concept at the second step!
Meng Dan Yun observed that despite being enveloped in the captivating Desire Bliss Concept, a chilling coldness emanated from her fluttering garments, causing the entire underground cave's temperature to drop. Streams of water rose from the pool, freezing into ice chips in the air, only to shatter upon colliding with Gu Hong's invisible sword auras.
(End of Chapter)
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