Chapter 22: Cultivating the Lengshan Venerable |
Li Shun shifted his gaze toward the center of the spiritual field.
“It seems to have completely transcended the category of ordinary plants. If not for the fact that its aura shares the same origin, it would be hard to believe it mutated from Lengshan Grass.”
Originally, Li Shun had planned to keep this stalk of Lengshan Venerable in reserve, to repair the Threefold Self-Reflection stone statue at a critical moment.
But after successfully cultivating the Lengshan Lord, a different idea began to take root in his mind.
“If I only have one, then once it’s used, it’s gone forever. Yet every time I activate Threefold Self-Reflection, the statue suffers backlash and begins to crack and crumble. I need higher-grade spiritual materials to continuously nourish and repair it.”
“The restorative effect of Lengshan Grass is already growing weaker, nearly negligible. But if I can mass-produce Lengshan Venerable within this Fangcun space…”
The moment this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.
After calmly weighing the pros and cons, Li Shun concluded that this plan had great potential.
Thus, he decisively began his attempt.
“And the fastest way to deepen my understanding of its nature…”
“…is to consume it directly and experience it firsthand!”
In reality, Li Shun entered the completed underground passage. With a flicker of divine sense, he retrieved the Lengshan Venerable.
Looking at the wondrous object floating before him, Li Shun did not hesitate.
He grabbed it and bit into it raw.
The texture was no different from ordinary Lengshan Grass.
The only difference appeared the instant it entered his stomach and its medicinal power erupted.
If the cold current produced by Lengshan Grass was like a gentle stream, then the Lengshan Venerable was a raging flood.
That terrifying torrent of extreme cold surged wildly through Li Shun’s meridians and consciousness, like massive hammers imbued with primal force, constantly smashing and reforging him.
Strangely, he felt no pain or discomfort whatsoever. The icy aura released endlessly by the Lengshan Venerable forcibly protected his will, keeping his mind perfectly clear.
Under the nourishment and reconstruction of this domineering power, his divine soul and consciousness began to expand at an inconceivable rate.
Onefold, twofold, threefold…
Before consuming the Lengshan Venerable, Li Shun’s soul strength was like a newly sprouted sapling. Yet in the instant the medicinal power erupted, that sapling seemed to skip decades of wind and rain, forcefully growing into a towering tree.
His divine sense and thinking speed were no longer comparable to before. Taking advantage of this, Li Shun continuously analyzed the Lengshan Venerable he had absorbed.
When the violent medicinal power was finally exhausted, Li Shun remained seated cross-legged on the cold earth, like a meditating monk. It was as if he was still immersed in its lingering effects.
Only after a long while did he finally open his eyes.
“Lengshan Grass, Lengshan Lord, and this Lengshan Venerable… Though their grades differ vastly, their essence is actually the same lifeform at different stages of evolution.”
“From weak to strong, advancing layer by layer. And above these three, at the end of this evolutionary path, there exists an ultimate apex that overlooks and governs all.”
“Could it be… that this endpoint is the true objective of the Marquis of Changle?”
…
After consuming the Lengshan Venerable for the first time, although Li Shun’s soul was greatly strengthened, he still failed to comprehend a viable method of cultivation.
This outcome was within his expectations.
While waiting for nightfall and the activation of Threefold Self-Reflection, adhering to his principle of never wasting any chance to rewind time, Li Shun once again went to the Jixia Bookshop to take advantage of the situation.
Unlike usual, however, the pavilion’s doors were tightly shut.
Li Shun frowned slightly and stepped forward, knocking heavily on the door.
After a long time, heavy footsteps finally sounded from within, and the door slowly opened.
The moment it opened, an old man appeared before Li Shun. His hair was withered and white, his face covered in deep wrinkles, his back hunched.
Both of them froze.
“Who are you?”
“Who are you?”
After a brief moment of astonishment, Li Shun’s pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill rose in his heart.
Because after only a brief glance, he had already recognized the old man from the contours of his face.
It was none other than the master of Jixia Bookshop, Zhou Xunzhen!
For some unknown reason, in merely a short span of time, Zhou Xunzhen had aged to such an extent.
Yet Zhou Xunzhen, on the other hand, seemed completely unable to recognize Li Shun.
“I’m here to buy the Record of Emperor''s Exegesis,” Li Shun said, suppressing the chill rising in his heart.
“The Record of Emperor''s Exegesis?” Zhou Xunzhen’s memory appeared to have deteriorated severely. Not only had he entirely forgotten Li Shun as a person, he could not even recall what books his own shop contained.
“My apologies… honored guest. It seems… this old man’s shop does not carry the book you are looking for.” After fumbling aimlessly among the dim shelves, Zhou Xunzhen turned back, trembling as he offered his apology.
Staring at the frail, withered figure before him, radiating the aura of impending death, Li Shun parted his lips as if to speak, only to stop himself.
In the end, he chose the most rational course. He said nothing, turned, and quietly left.
On the way back, scenes flashed through Li Shun’s mind like a revolving lantern. Zhou Xunzhen’s once youthful face alternated repeatedly with the horrifying, corpse-like visage he had just seen.
“In just two months, he aged to this extent?”
“Could this be the side effect of the Twelvefold Longevity?”
“Borrowing lifespan from heaven…”
“Debts must be repaid?”
Even as night fell, Li Shun was unable to fully shake off the shock Zhou Xunzhen had left on him.
...
“I examine myself thrice each day!”
As the resounding voice echoed, everything returned to its original state.
The Lengshan Venerable plant that Li Shun had previously consumed reappeared within the Fangcun space.
Meanwhile, his surging soul power was forced back to its original level.
The abrupt contrast, from towering giant back to frail mortal, left Li Shun feeling as though he had been completely drained, his entire body sinking into extreme weakness.
It took quite some time before he managed to adapt.
Once his mind steadied, Li Shun repeated the process. He returned to the underground passage, and with a thought, retrieved the [Lengshan Venerable] and swallowed it.
This time, his attention was no longer on the transformation of his soul.
Instead, he focused entirely on the Lengshan Venerable itself.
From the frigid aura that surged forth like a breached dam, vast and unending like a roaring flood, Li Shun, through intense concentration and resonance, faintly perceived a figure.
A dim, azure shadow. Vague, indistinct, yet deeply hidden.
...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was already May.
Various abnormalities began to surface throughout Lengshan County.
Under normal circumstances, even during the peak of midsummer, Lengshan County was never unbearably hot.
But this year…
Beneath the blazing sun, Lengshan was no longer cold.
Instead, it resembled a massive furnace, mercilessly scorching all living things within it.
Barely into early May, the temperature had already risen to an extreme that ordinary people could hardly endure.
During broad daylight, not a single figure could be seen on the main street. The townsfolk all hid indoors, seeking whatever shade they could find.
The oppressive heat, inescapable and suffocating, began to stir agitation in people’s hearts.
From time to time, fierce arguments sparked by trivial matters could be heard erupting from various corners of the city.
And yet, deep within the Lengshan County Yamen, the scene was entirely different.
The scorching heat outside seemed to be completely isolated by formations. Threads of refreshing coolness permeated every corner of the compound.
Even so, faint beads of sweat still dotted Fang Xun’s forehead, and beneath his seemingly calm gaze lay a trace of urgency.
Then—
A loud, piercing cry of a newborn infant shattered the stifling silence.
Fang Xun’s body trembled as he hurriedly pushed the door open and entered.
Inside, an elderly midwife cradled a newborn child, her face beaming with joy as she repeatedly offered congratulations.
“Congratulations, my lord! It’s a young master!”
Fang Xun did not rush to look at the child. Instead, he first squeezed out a drop of blood from his fingertip and pressed it onto the infant’s forehead.
Only after watching the vivid drop of blood fully seep into the child’s skin, and sensing the blood-bound connection within his soul, did he finally relax.
“It is indeed my bloodline.”
Becoming a father for the first time, Fang Xun was overjoyed. He generously rewarded the midwife.
Holding the small swaddled infant, he paced excitedly around the room.
“My Dear… now that we have a child, when will you formally take me as your wife?” Yu Niang, lying weakly on the bed after childbirth, asked softly.
Fang Xun, who had been teasing the child, had his gaze flicker slightly. He casually avoided the question.
“Heh, no need to rush.”
Then he returned his full attention to the baby in his arms.
He did not notice the fleeting trace of resentment that flashed through Yu Niang’s eyes.
...
Within the Fangcun space,
The Lengshan spiritual field had now been divided into two halves.
One half continued as before, orderly planted with Lengshan Grass.
The other half…
Dozens of stalks of Lengshan Grass twisted and coiled around one another, devouring and strangling in a brutal struggle, as if locked in a battle to the death.
The fight now seemed to be reaching its final stage.
“After dozens of days and nights of nonstop research, and three reversions to repeatedly consume the Lengshan Venerable…”
“It has finally come to this last step.”