Chapter 30: The Price of Progress and Unwelcome Encounters

“The True Meridian Pill, as Senior Chen had predicted, was exactly as Huaxi described: its modified formula enhanced its effects but introduced additional side effects.”

That sole side effect was ‘pain,’ and Lian Yueying found herself intensely curious about its severity, especially given the enhanced potency of the True Meridian Pill.

Without further deliberation, and certain it posed no threat to her safety or foundational cultivation, Lian Yueying promptly swallowed the pill.

She circulated the Sea Convergence Art and began her meditative breathing within the Spirit Gathering Array.

As the medicinal properties dispersed, Lian Yueying immediately perceived her breathing rate to be more than three times faster than on the night she broke through to the seventh layer.

While the Spirit Gathering Array contributed to this acceleration, the True Meridian Pill was largely responsible.

This surge in cultivation speed was accompanied by excruciating pain, as her meridians were inundated with a torrent of spiritual energy, clearly exceeding their capacity.

It was a sensation akin to severe muscle cramps, causing Lian Yueying to furrow her brow deeply, repeatedly contemplating a pause, yet her unwavering conviction compelled her to persevere.

[‘I cannot stop. It should numb soon, and stopping now would only prolong the agony.’]

Lian Yueying harbored no illusions of adapting to the pain; a faster cultivation pace inherently demanded a greater toll.

Compared to the rapid depletion of spirit stones, she deemed enduring this intense pain a more cost-effective trade-off, thus she yearned for numbness.

In that moment, she desperately wished she could simply shut off certain neural pathways, but alas, it was not to be; meridian pain, unlike muscle or bone aches, offered no respite comparable to the gradual relief experienced during a strenuous climb.

Wave after wave of intense pain stirred a flicker of anger within Lian Yueying, a primal human response.

A thin sheen of cold sweat beaded on her smooth forehead, and her delicate face twitched involuntarily.

[‘Hiss… I truly feel like I can’t bear it much longer. However, speaking of climbing, could this pain be alleviated by using the Spirit Burying method?’]

Lian Yueying remained exceptionally clear-headed, simultaneously performing her meditative breathing and the Spirit Burying technique.

However, the incredibly rapid pace of her breathing transformed her meridians into veritable highways, accelerating the buried spiritual energy to such a degree that Lian Yueying struggled to control it.

In an instant, the buried spiritual energy surged into her Dantian and Sea of Qi.

[‘I still need to adapt. There’s no rush; it’s just like when I first began cultivating this method.’]

The intense pain continued to fuel her indignation, forcing Lian Yueying to both console herself and re-initiate the Spirit Burying technique.

If burying three streams simultaneously proved too difficult, she would start with just one, securing its flow before gradually adding more, until six streams of spiritual energy circulated rapidly at once, reaching her current limit.

Her half-year of experience with the Spirit Burying method had granted Lian Yueying exceptional mastery over the spiritual energy within her body, a skill honed through consistent practice.

The buried spiritual energy, much like during her mountain climbs, brought a faint coolness that perceptibly lessened much of the pain, allowing her to gradually acclimate to this accelerated pace.

[‘Still, I’ve certainly broken out in a significant sweat.’]

Lian Yueying’s freshly changed robes were already drenched, yet this was no time to concern herself with such trivial external matters.

With such an astounding rate of spiritual absorption, her Sea of Qi continuously expanded, fully igniting Lian Yueying’s drive; her mind was singularly focused on cultivation, devoid of all other thoughts.

As morning light filtered into the room, Lian Yueying sensed a sudden drop in her cultivation speed, signaling the True Meridian Pill’s effects had worn off, prompting her to cease her practice.

Rising to stretch her limbs, she observed the distinct imprint of sweat left on the spot where she had been meditating.

Lian Yueying sniffed her damp clothes, finding surprisingly little odor, which struck her as peculiar.

The body-tempering and impurity-expelling effects were excellent, yet Lian Yueying knew deep down that odorless sweat was merely the beginning; a lack of scent did not signify a lack of impurities, and she would need to persevere for a long time to achieve a truly clear and unblemished physique.

Removing her clothes, cleansing herself, and donning fresh garments was a daily ritual for Lian Yueying.

In the past six months, she had worn out five or six sets of disciple robes, but being a rather fastidious person, she simply couldn’t help herself.

Turning her gaze, she noted that the spirit stone consumption rate of the Spirit Gathering Array had increased by sixty percent, yet this didn’t cause her any heartache, for every bit consumed had served her purpose.

“This single night of cultivation was equivalent to four previous nights combined. At this rate, the eighth layer is within reach, and what’s more…”

The Earth Mother Meat she had acquired through trade lay quietly in her storage bag, but Lian Yueying had no immediate plans to use it, intending to wait until her body-tempering was complete.

Thus, her days unfolded: mountain climbing and body-tempering in the mornings, transcribing texts and studying in the afternoons, and cultivating the Great Cycle in the evenings.

This routine persisted for a month, not due to any specific event, but because the True Meridian Pills given by Huaxi had been entirely consumed.

The alternative True Meridian Pill had proven remarkably effective.

Combined with the maximum output of the elementary Spirit Gathering Array, it had, in just one month, significantly solidified Lian Yueying’s cultivation, suggesting she could likely break through to the eighth layer in a few more months.

Such a pace of cultivation had been utterly unimaginable to Lian Yueying before.

Recalling her first six months in the sect, she felt she had taken many detours; had she possessed such resources then, she surely would have broken through to the seventh layer before the treasure hunt, and her subsequent experiences would not have been nearly as difficult.

Lian Yueying still remembered the Breath Harmonizing Fruit she had been forced to destroy in a desperate, all-or-nothing move.

After mentally cursing Zhou Yan, she finally stepped out of her room.

During this period, many disciples who had participated in the treasure hunt had made rapid progress thanks to the Earthspring Spirit Water.

However, Lian Yueying felt not a shred of envy; the Earth Mother Meat in her storage bag was far superior to the Earthspring Spirit Water, and her mindset was more aligned with patiently biding her time for an opportune moment.

As she needed to descend the mountain today, Lian Yueying forewent her usual physical ascent.

With her movement techniques fully activated, almost no one could outpace her; she could reach the summit of the thousand-zhang Pine Mountain in mere dozens of breaths.

Of course, even the fastest sprint couldn’t compare to flight.

Just as Lian Yueying stepped onto the peak, someone quietly landed beside her.

Turning her head, she was surprised to find it was Zhou Zhongchen.

Inner disciples who broke through to Foundation Establishment were required to move to a Heaven-rank cave dwelling and could accept tasks assigned by the sect, making them difficult to encounter without direct interaction.

This was Lian Yueying’s first time seeing Zhou Zhongchen since the treasure hunt, and coincidentally, he had also spotted her.

“Greetings, Junior Uncle Zhou.”

“Indeed, I was not mistaken in my judgment; your progress is swift.”

“A lack of innate talent naturally demands redoubled effort.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Zhongchen was about to speak when a flippant voice drifted from behind him: “Junior Sister Lian is being modest again. The cultivation method you practice is probably no weaker than the Mountain Bearing Art.”

There was no need to turn around; this irritating voice had replayed countless times in Lian Yueying’s mind during her post-treasure hunt reflections on her setbacks.

She offered a slight nod to Zhou Zhongchen, then turned and walked away, completely disregarding Zhou Yan behind her.

[‘How utterly vexing.’]

“You see, Junior Uncle Zhou, it’s not that we ostracize Junior Sister Lian; it’s simply that she completely ignores her fellow disciples.”

[‘You scoundrel, you can’t speak for all fellow disciples.’]

Lian Yueying couldn’t be bothered to explain herself to them.

After only a few steps, she saw Ouyang Xiu approaching by chance and immediately went up to him.

“Senior Brother Ouyang.”

“Oh? What a coincidence, Junior Sister Lian. I thought you’d be climbing the mountain at this hour.”

As the two conversed cheerfully nearby, Zhou Zhongchen turned to Zhou Yan and sneered, “It seems she just dislikes you.”

Zhou Yan, having just withdrawn his gaze from the pair, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes, quickly suppressed it with a smile.

“I originally thought Junior Sister Lian was an impenetrable block, giving me no opportunities whatsoever, but it seems that’s not entirely true…”

Zhou Yan’s gaze lingered on Lian Yueying’s newly emerging graceful figure, a faint smile playing on his lips.

This sight made Zhou Zhongchen frown involuntarily, but then Zhou Yan turned back to him, still smiling.

“Do you truly think I would say such a thing, Second Brother?”

“I don’t care what you’re thinking; just don’t disgrace the Zhou family name.”

“Yes, yes, indeed. It goes without saying that as the legitimate son, your thoughts are profound, and your vision is grand.”

With that, Zhou Yan bowed, a gesture clearly reminiscent of a commoner deferring to a superior.

This prompted Zhou Zhongchen to pull him aside to a secluded spot, frowning as he spoke.

“I tell you to behave properly, yet you always have an excuse. Once we’ve entered the Immortal Sect, we are fellow disciples. Legitimate and illegitimate births are mere mortal customs; it’s best to forget them as soon as possible.”

“Right, right, such is the Immortal Sect,” Zhou Yan said, relaxing considerably once they were out of earshot.

His smile widened, and a faint earthy-yellow glow circulated around him as he continued, “To receive core cultivation methods upon entry, such preferential treatment, I, a humble illegitimate son, have never experienced before. The path to immortality truly seems effortless.”

Zhou Yan was a genius with dual spiritual roots, specifically Earth and Metal, perfectly aligned with the Mountain Bearing Art.

Zhou Zhongchen naturally envied him upon learning this.

However, when he saw Zhou Yan assigned to the Lake Hall, a different suspicion began to form in his mind, a suspicion that was slowly becoming reality.

What kind of place was Lake Hall? Was it truly a place for a dual spiritual root genius?

Cultivating immortality first required cultivating the heart.

Seeing that Zhou Yan failed to grasp this fundamental truth, Zhou Zhongchen, who was usually gentle with his fellow disciples, deliberately remained silent, his unspoken thoughts hidden beneath a flicker of disdain in his eyes.

Immediately, he looked through the trees towards Lian Yueying, a thoughtful expression on his face.

After greeting Ouyang Xiu, Lian Yueying overheard the departing voices of Zhou Zhongchen and Zhou Yan after only a brief chat, signaling that she was free to go.

“Junior Sister Lian needs to purchase some pills, and it’s been a long time since I descended the mountain myself. How about we go together this time?”

[‘Ouyang Xiu is an upright person, and his reputation within the sect is excellent, so there’s no need for me to deliberately distance myself from him. However, I truly have something important to do on this trip down the mountain, and it wouldn’t be convenient to have company.’]

This time, Lian Yueying genuinely considered the offer for a moment before shaking her head.

“Besides buying pills, I also need to meet a friend on this trip down the mountain. Perhaps next time.”

Hearing this, Ouyang Xiu simply nodded.

Lian Yueying then added, “Regarding the sparring match you’ve brought up several times, Senior Brother, may I ask why you are so eager to spar with me?”

“Because Junior Sister’s combat style is utterly unique within the entire Mountain Bearing Sect. I have never before faced someone adept at using talismans, which is why I’ve extended several invitations.”

[‘Right, right, that’s just Ouyang Xiu. He always speaks plainly about things he can explain clearly. It seems Ouyang Xiu truly only wants to spar. It’s just that the timing of his first invitation was terrible.’]

Through their interactions, Ouyang Xiu had completely earned Lian Yueying’s approval.

This approval stemmed not merely from ‘Lian Yueying’ but from the definition of men held within ‘Liu Sheng’s’ mind.

To live without regret, to cultivate oneself.

To not selflessly sacrifice for others, nor to harm others for one’s own gain.

Noticing Lian Yueying in thought, a visible excitement spread across Ouyang Xiu’s honest face.

He added, “Junior Sister, rest assured, I don’t know your cultivation method, and even if there’s a disparity in our cultivation, it won’t matter. I will only use basic Five Elements spells and certainly won’t take advantage of you.”

“No, it’s precisely that point. I can spar with Senior Brother, but Senior Brother must promise to go all out.”

Seeing Lian Yueying’s resolute words, clearly born of careful deliberation, Ouyang Xiu nodded heavily.

After a brief discussion, Lian Yueying departed.