Chapter 626: Cultivation and the Rift
Chapter 626: Cultivation and the Rift
In the depths of the ocean, Chen Chuan accompanied Taru on their descent, initially surrounded by light. However, as they ventured deeper, the surroundings gradually darkened, and everything became increasingly blurred.
This didn't hinder Chen Chuan, as his enhanced senses, a result of his transformed body, were incredibly acute. Even without these abilities, his spiritual power and the projection of his field of influence allowed him to clearly perceive the changes in the external environment.
Taru, ahead of him, made a gesture, indicating that the entrance to the rift was not far ahead.
Chen Chuan, however, couldn't sense anything, even when he projected his spiritual power to its maximum limit.
It seemed that this long-established rift was indeed different from the kind that suddenly burst open.
The rift he had encountered in Central City had emitted bright lights and powerful air currents, with numerous creatures emerging from within, creating an overwhelming presence. Yet, here, he couldn't detect even a trace of it, which explained why it had been so difficult to locate after its disappearance.
Chen Chuan was deeply impressed by the previous generation of Taru who had managed to rediscover this rift. The previous Taru had no certainty about the rift's existence or its precise location, making the task of finding it in the vast ocean a seemingly impossible endeavor.
As they continued their descent, Taru suddenly vanished from Chen Chuan's senses. Intrigued, he followed her trail and felt the seawater around him recede.
The next moment, he found himself standing on solid ground in a place illuminated by a soft glow. The space resembled a vast hall, supported on both sides by rib-like, curved bone structures. The light emanated from the inner walls, growing brighter as they approached, yet not glaring. This place didn't resemble a typical rift.
At that moment, the water droplets on both of them evaporated from their skin, especially Chen Chuan, whose body emitted white steam, drying his clothes within moments.
Taru's eyes, beneath her thick eyebrows, sparkled, "Mr. Chen, are you using the Furnace Breathing Technique?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Yes."
Taru said, "The Furnace Breathing Technique is a secret tradition within our sect. I've heard that its cultivation conditions are quite demanding. I've met practitioners of the breathing technique before, but your performance seems different from theirs."
She had seen their skin turn red and hot, with a thin layer of steam. However, she hadn't encountered anyone like Chen Chuan, who seemed to emit white smoke. If it weren't for the sensation of heat at close range and his unique breathing rhythm, she wouldn't have been so sure.
Chen Chuan nodded, "Secrets and techniques can vary among fighters due to differences in the coverage of their transformed bodies and individual traits."
His transformed body had an extremely high coverage rate, and he practiced the Zhou Yuan Technique as his foundation. Therefore, his external manifestation might even surpass the orthodox Furnace Breathing Technique in terms of momentum.
However, anyone familiar with these techniques could identify his cultivation from his breathing rhythm at close range.
Chen Chuan surveyed his surroundings, "I've been to some rifts, and this one is vastly different."
Taru looked upward and explained, "This is because our ancestors from the Solitary Stream Pavilion have continuously developed this place, achieving a balance with the other side.
One of our ancestors from the Solitary Stream Pavilion even merged with a life form within the rift, and many of our secrets are contained within his field of influence."
"So, he is..."
Chen Chuan was about to ask about the ancestor's whereabouts but quickly realized a possibility. He looked around once more.
Taru spoke candidly, "We are inside his body."
She walked a few steps forward onto an open area and continued, "It is because of this ancestor's body that the corrosive influence from the other side of the rift is blocked, making the entrance extremely stable. However, all the corrosive forces are endured by this ancestor's body.
It is said that long ago, he still had consciousness, but gradually, only his body's instincts remained, maintaining this place."
Chen Chuan understood why he hadn't felt the usual sensations upon entering the rift. It was due to the unique life form's influence.
Taru added, "It is said that every stable rift inherited from ancient times has a life form merged with the existence from the other side, and they are likely ancestors from various martial halls."
At that moment, Chen Chuan sensed the life form, which was peculiar. It lacked spiritual power, as Taru had mentioned, and only a certain instinct remained.
Following Taru, Chen Chuan reached the end of the space, where a wall made of countless intertwined tendrils stood.
As Taru approached, she didn't seem to make any physical movements. It was as if she merely sensed the dispersion of the life form's field of influence, causing the intertwined tendrils to loosen and slowly open outward. In an instant, a bright light radiated from the gap.
Chen Chuan immediately felt a spiritual invasion, accompanied by strands of essence, similar to what he had experienced during the opening of the Heavenly Gate, but much weaker. Undoubtedly, a rift had appeared.
Taru gently reminded, "Mr. Chen, if you're going to cultivate, you should do it here. Don't go out there, as it's hard to say what might be out there. The senior's body can protect you here, but once you're outside, I won't be able to help you."
"This senior has an innate ability to reject all foreign objects. If you go out there, you might be sealed off and won't be able to come back easily."
Chen Chuan nodded solemnly and said, "I understand. Thank you for the reminder."
Taru took a few steps back, and the tendrils closed up. She said, "Mr. Chen, the rift is very unstable right now. If it stays open for too long during the day, it will create many anomalies, which might be noticed by those above. If you want to cultivate, it's better to wait until nightfall. Let's go back for now."
Chen Chuan nodded in agreement. He already knew the location, and he had some preparations to make. So, together with Taru, they climbed back up the cliff and returned to the top, which was not a difficult task for either of them.
Once the moisture on his body had evaporated, he made his way towards the grass hut.
Chao Ming was standing on the suitcase that Chen Chuan had left behind. Upon seeing him approach, Chao Ming let out a chirp.
Chen Chuan patted the suitcase a few times, picked it up, and followed Taru down the mountain, intending to find a place to stay first.
Fei Guang Island had a population of around three to four thousand residents. The largest village, located at the base of the central mountain cliff, had over two thousand inhabitants, and most of the disciples at the Solitary Stream Pavilion came from this village.
Of course, there were also some who had traveled from afar to seek apprenticeship, but as their backgrounds were often unclear, few were accepted in the end.
The Solitary Stream Pavilion had always been the protector of Fei Guang Island and its surrounding waters. Before the decline of the Martial Hall, Taru held a very high position. In the past, the rulers of Ro Wang Island would often come here to become nominal disciples.
However, with the decline of the Martial Hall, Ro Wang Island was annexed by other island nations, becoming a purely tourist island. Over a hundred years, the memory of the surrounding waters had faded, except for the people of Fei Guang Island, who still revered them as their guardian deities.
Chen Chuan was personally brought here by Taru, so the villagers arranged for him to stay in the best guest room available. After settling his belongings, he took a quick shower and went out to buy some things and tools.
He found a 16-19 book bar with an error-free version!
Around five or six o'clock, he returned to the cliff with a newly purchased waterproof duffel bag, carrying Chao Ming. He sat down at the cliff's edge.
With one hand resting on his bent knee and the Snow Lady's Sword casually placed by his side, he admired the magnificent sunset in the sky, his expression relaxed and carefree.
The sea breeze ruffled his hair, causing it to flutter, and the setting sun's glow illuminated his face and front clothing with a golden-red hue. The surrounding sky was enveloped in a deep purple dome.
Ever since arriving on the island, he had felt a sense of relaxation, a mental easing, as if soaking in a warm spring.
With his spiritual level, he could sense the benefits of this place for a fighter's mind and body coordination.
Apparently, not only was the rift below a treasure land, but the island itself was also a valuable cultivation site. The Solitary Stream Pavilion had good reasons for choosing this location for its founding.
He sat until the sky darkened completely, then stood up, picked up the waterproof bag, and leaped down from the top, plunging into the sea.
Having been there once during the day, he could already sense the presence of that place. This time, he quickly found it and dove hundreds of meters down, feeling the water current recede as he entered the rift once more.
As he walked forward, water droplets rolled off his body, and white smoke rose in waves.
When he reached the tendrils, they immediately split open, perhaps because they had sensed his field during the day. Light shone through from the other end, illuminating him, and a strong airflow accompanied it, causing his clothing and hair to flutter.
He stood there, feeling the effects for a moment. Although the cultivation effects were better in the past, he heeded Taru's advice and had no intention of going further.
Letting go of the bag, he allowed it to drop to the ground. He took a step, just over a meter away from the entrance, and sat down. He placed the Snow Lady's Sword to the side and began to cultivate, sensing the strands of essence flowing from the rift. He started to practice the Spirit Illumination Technique taught to him by Teacher Xue.
After cultivating for a while, he realized that it was indeed much faster than his usual cultivation, and he didn't need any additional medicinal assistance.
Normally, when he cultivated his spirit, he would use incense and medicine to aid him, and as his spiritual power strengthened, the quality of these aids would increase. However, here, he didn't need any of that. But there was an unavoidable issue: his second self had begun to show signs of strong virtualization.
Some kind of contamination had come with it.
He ignored this and sat cross-legged, closing his eyes and immersing himself fully in cultivation.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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