Volume Two - The Map of the Nine Provinces Revealed, Joining the Spirit Ruins Chapter 144: Cultivation and Leisure

Chen Yu sprinted all the way, unsure of how far he had run, before he finally stopped, gasping for breath. Unable to hold on any longer, he collapsed into a patch of grass and fell fast asleep.

The night was dim and a light rain began to fall. Chen Yu, still deep in slumber, was startled awake by the icy raindrops. He jerked upright and coughed a few times. With the expulsion of a mouthful of stagnant blood, he finally felt much better.

He gazed out into the distance, but the dense woods under the gloomy night made it hard to see far. Moreover, Chen Yu had no idea where he currently was. He had no choice but to grope his way forward through the dark night. After about half an hour, braving the rain, he finally came across a dilapidated temple.

Chen Yu entered cautiously, wondering if any malevolent spirits or demons might be lurking inside. Fortunately, after walking around and finding nothing amiss, his mind was somewhat put at ease.

Chen Yu did not light a fire; this was the wilderness after all, and without the ability to fully protect himself, it was unwise for him to expose his whereabouts. After eating some casual rations, he began to circulate the Primordial Chaos Scripture to regulate his breath.

For several consecutive days, Chen Yu's injuries were essentially healed, yet he was not in a hurry to leave. Both his body and soul had been invaded and corroded by the malevolent Yin aura. Although it had been neutralized by the Yin-Dispelling Pill, there was no guarantee that hidden, imperceptible ailments wouldn't remain. Therefore, over the next few days, Chen Yu practiced the Heaven-Mending Sun-Bathing Technique to refine his essence, Qi, and spirit.

Sure enough, under the effects of the Heaven-Mending Sun-Bathing Technique, the deep-seated injuries within his body were completely cured, and his magical power was condensed once more.

Only then did Chen Yu finally have the time to sort through his acquisitions from this trip. To his surprise, apart from two bottles of Spirit-Gathering Pills and a manual on Yin-Yang cultivation techniques, there was nothing else. Perhaps Master Xuyang had used all his treasures to set up the Reverse Profound Yang Array and cultivate the Half-Month Purple Lotus. Fortunately, that Half-Month Purple Lotus had ultimately benefited him.

This Yin-Yang manual was presumably Master Xuyang's cultivation method. Chen Yu glanced through it casually before setting it aside, as he had more important matters to attend to.

Because Chen Yu had no proper method to store the Half-Month Purple Lotus after picking it, some of its medicinal potency had leaked away. Consequently, Chen Yu wanted to consume it immediately to avoid further waste. Although at his current stage he could not extract its maximum efficacy, Chen Yu had no other choice.

Chen Yu plucked the purple lotus and swallowed it in one gulp. Moments later, a massive surge of medicinal power erupted violently within his body, rushing toward his limbs and bones.

He immediately circulated his Daoist techniques to refine it, storing the power within his meridians and Dantian. Then, he used the Heaven-Mending Sun-Bathing Technique to condense and neutralize it. Under the impact of this overwhelming force, Chen Yu experienced both excruciating pain and profound exhilaration. He had never expected the medicinal potency of the purple lotus to be so astonishing; within a mere two days, Chen Yu used it to break through his fifth aperture, the Jiaji.

A dragon seemed to roar along his spine, and a powerful aura radiated outward. With the opening of the fifth aperture, Chen Yu's refining power became even more formidable.

Aided by the power of the purple lotus, Chen Yu not only opened the fifth aperture but also condensed and refined his magical power once more. It could be said that he was now merely a step away from opening the sixth aperture. However, Chen Yu was not greedy; he temporarily stopped, intending to steadily consolidate his cultivation first before making a breakthrough later.

The path of cultivation focused on essence, Qi, and spirit—not just raw power, but also the refinement of the heart. In less than half a year, he had consecutively broken through several apertures, which was already exceptionally fast; there was simply no need to rush.

Chen Yu had been living in the dilapidated temple for nearly ten days, and it was time to leave.

The moment he stood up, he sensed someone approaching the temple.

Chen Yu's heart stirred; he instantly reined in his aura and concealed his figure.

Shortly after, two robust figures exuding a fierce and murderous aura burst in. They glanced casually around the dilapidated temple before speaking, "Did you verify it? Will that person from the Cui family really appear in that place?"

"According to the intelligence, there's no mistake."

"Good... The Cui clan is simply going too far. Today, we'll collect some interest first."

"Did you inform the eldest brother about this? We should still be cautious. The Cui clan are no pushovers. If they find out..."

"Rest assured, eldest brother is already aware. Besides, even if they discover us, so what? Once we pull off this job, we'll leave Huangzhou, and let's see what the Cui clan can possibly do to us then."

"Ha ha... That makes sense."

The two of them did not linger long in the ruined temple. After they left, Chen Yu revealed himself. He calmly watched the direction the two men had departed in, paying little heed to the matter. Even if he had overheard a conspiracy, what of it? It had nothing to do with him whatsoever. He only needed to focus on his cultivation.

To avoid drawing unnecessary trouble upon himself, Chen Yu deliberately chose the direction completely opposite to the one the two burly men had taken.

A day later, Chen Yu arrived beside a small waterfall characterized by fragrant flowers, singing birds, clear skies, and pristine water. Upon beholding such breathtaking scenery, Chen Yu felt a wave of refreshing joy wash over him.

Chen Yu stretched lazily and said, "This place is so comfortable. Staying here for a few days wouldn't be bad at all."

He was truly blending cultivation with recreation and recreation with cultivation.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, he could continue to comprehend the Five Elements Great Escape and the various techniques he had learned. As for the Yin-Yang cultivation manual obtained from Master Xuyang, he could also draw some inspiration from it.

He first began to practice the Five Elements Rain-Transforming Sword. As his figure danced, the sword wind fell like rain from the sky, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes heavy, sometimes light...

While practicing the Five Elements Rain-Transforming Sword, Chen Yu would also contemplate the mysteries of the Five Elements Great Escape, combining the two to gain insight into the power of the Water Element.

Although Chen Yu had intended to combine cultivation with leisure, once he truly immersed himself in practice, he reached a state of forgetting food and sleep. Regardless, Chen Yu still felt immensely gratified.

Perhaps because he had already gained some insight into the power of the Water Element beforehand, within a mere two days, Chen Yu caught a glimpse of the grand hall of the Water Element's mastery.

With a single wave of his sword, the sword qi surged like giant waves. Even the small stream and waterfall were affected by his sword qi, kicking up massive waves that splashed against the surrounding flowers and plants.

Chen Yu could not help letting out a joyful, long whistle. He stepped onto the stream, his body slowly sinking into the flowing water before moving forward at high speed, skimming across the surface as if flying over level ground. When he finally burst out from the water, not a single droplet clung to his body.

"Water Element Escape Technique, mastered."

In the days that followed, Chen Yu once more turned his contemplation toward the Yin-Yang cultivation manual. This technique offered a uniquely different perspective on the Yin-Yang realm. Although Chen Yu could not fully comprehend all of it, he still managed to glean a wealth of insights from it.

Afterward, Chen Yu familiarized himself once more with his own cultivation methods, organizing and synthesizing them in hopes of forging his own unique path of cultivation. Unawares, amidst his profound comprehension, Chen Yu's sixth aperture, the Jianggong, naturally opened up—everything fell into place as smoothly as water flowing to form a channel.

Chen Yu smiled knowingly and murmured, "I never expected to break through just like that. It really caught me a bit off guard."

Of course, he did not take it too much to heart, merely viewing it as the natural course of events.