Chapter Eight: This Difficult Passage Must Be Crossed Alone

Inside a cavern large enough to accommodate many people, luminous pearls embedded in the walls gleamed like starlight, illuminating what would otherwise have been a space as dark as night. Deep within the cave, the occasional sound of air currents drifted through, faint and gentle, as if soft, delicate hands were caressing the space, bringing a sense of comfort and ease.

Looking closely, two figures could be seen seated in meditation at the heart of the cave. The one in front was enveloped by a swirling yellow mist, conjured by the hands of the figure behind, who was channeling spiritual energy. The mist billowed softly, extending countless fine threads of energy that connected to various parts of the front figure’s body, reminiscent of acupuncture needles.

The one tirelessly pouring out energy was Kun himself. Beads of sweat rolled from his brow, his back soaked through, lips pale, and eyes betraying the exhaustion and weariness that came from constantly overextending his own life force to save Bai Qi. Time seemed to lose meaning in that relentless effort.

At that moment, Bai Qi’s body was undergoing a profound transformation, perhaps due to the effects of the earlier medicine or Kun’s life-force-consuming healing. Within his dantian, the spiritual core of cultivation, the energy had originally been like mist, as was the norm for entry-level (Yellow Rank) cultivators—a space no larger than a baby’s fist, the energy as insubstantial as egg yolk vapor. But as one advanced through the ranks, the energy condensed further, and during a breakthrough, the internal barrier shattered, revealing a crystalline state—the sign of advancement to the Mysterious Rank.

Yet, the world's levels did not follow the gentle cycles of nature. Some sought to break the norm, striving to go further and faster than their peers, suppressing their urge to advance and forcibly pushing to the eleventh and twelfth levels of the Yellow Rank. Normally, the tenth level marked great completion and was considered the natural limit. Beyond that, seeking to ascend was a reckless gamble, for the body could barely contain such power. The cultivator had to repeatedly compress and expand the energy within the dantian, risking the rupture of their meridians and instant death. Few dared to stake their lives at this stage, for no one wished to die before their journey had truly begun.

Bai Qi’s body seemed outwardly ordinary, but the "toxins" lurking within remained unresolved. Earlier, the force of Soul Sparrow had struck him with nearly half its power, and were it not for the influence of the zither and his own resilience, he would have perished long ago.

Three forces clashed within him. The wisps of azure mist, though tiny and almost negligible in volume, dominated the internal struggle. The power of the Guangling Zither and the dark energy injected by Soul Sparrow appeared strong, but in the presence of the azure flow, they shrank into a corner, bowing as if before a monarch. Yet, the dantian was only so large, and the energy could only circulate through the meridians and blood.

At first, the force of the Guangling Zither and the dark energy collided fiercely, but the azure current seemed to command them, orchestrating their movement like gentle water, soothing and massaging every structure within. This brief transformation belied the destruction wrought upon Bai Qi’s body before; without Kun’s life-force sacrifices to maintain him, Bai Qi would have succumbed to the chaos.

In the tranquil cave, only the faint “thump, thump” of a heartbeat could be heard.

Time seemed suspended, passing slowly and without flavor. Kun’s eyelids grew heavy as if laden with lead, yet the resolve in his heart would not allow him to falter. For all he knew, a single breath might bring sudden change, and he dared not gamble. The pill he had given Bai Qi, nearly on par with a third-grade elixir, had been refined from Heart-Soothing Grass, a rare herb specifically for healing and protecting the heart meridian. After much effort and cost, he had commissioned a skilled alchemist to create the pill, achieving a high second-grade quality with effects surpassing its rank. Combined with his own full-force guidance of Bai Qi’s chaotic internal energy and the protection of his organs and heart meridian, luck had enabled the removal of sixty percent of the harm. The rest was up to Bai Qi himself.

The pain radiating from every part of his body drew cold sweat from Bai Qi. Though unconscious, he felt the agony distinctly even in his haze. After much struggling, he finally opened his eyes, lips pale from being bitten, sweat soaking the hand clutching his sleeve.

Seeing Bai Qi awaken, Kun hurried forward, supporting him with his right arm and placing his left hand on Bai Qi’s back to sense his condition.

Kun’s brows furrowed and relaxed in succession, and Bai Qi’s anxious heart grew more uncertain. He tried to speak, to ask about his condition, but found he lacked even the strength to move his lips.

Kun sighed and gently helped Bai Qi sit upright. With a tone of helplessness and a trace of something else in his eyes, he said, “Child, your condition is dire, nine parts dreadful. Your internal energy is in chaos, and I cannot sense any change in your dantian.” Hearing this, Bai Qi’s heart plunged into despair, at a loss for what to do.

Kun continued, “But I can feel a mysterious aura within you. I have never encountered it, but its weight and the dense trace of time it carries must be deeply connected to your past. Though you cannot use it yet or know how, if you manage to survive this calamity, it may bring blessings in disguise—benefits beyond imagination!”

Bai Qi, uncertain about his future, wondered instead how to handle the conflicting forces within him.

After a while, Bai Qi felt able to move a little, so he shifted his numb legs, took a breath, and turned to ask Kun, “Grandfather, what was that zither sound emanating from within me earlier? Why do I have such a thing inside me?”

Kun paused at Bai Qi’s question, then gently moved him against the cave wall for support before standing and lowering his head, sighing deeply. “The zither sound emerging from within you originates from long ago, when you first arrived in this world. You and I were at the eastern gate of the market, watching the executioner—Soul Sparrow—slay the shadow. I’ve told you before about my connection with Yin. We met in the martial world, first as adversaries, then as allies through many hardships. Later, we retreated to the mountains—this very Green Mountain. But we were targeted by Liang Sui, lord of Liang Prefecture. He secretly investigated, abducted Yin’s wife to coerce the Guangling Rest Zither from him. As for its origins, I never asked—too private. But I’ve witnessed its power: Yin once used it to utterly obliterate a Mysterious Rank grandmaster. Its provenance is extraordinary, naturally, which stirred envy in others.”

Kun’s eyes reddened with anger as he spoke, and Bai Qi recalled Kun mentioning years ago that Yin's wife had been defiled by Liang Sui. Yin, too, was poisoned and fell to treachery during his rescue attempt—a tragic fate.

Kun drew a deep breath and continued, “The zither was passed to you by Yin with a secret technique as he died. You are his half-disciple. I will teach you its incantation soon so you can slowly learn to control it. Remember, child: unless absolutely necessary, do not use it. You are not yet ready. When you reach a higher realm, the zither will reward your efforts. For now, learn to touch and guide it. If you can do this, the ‘chaotic force’ left in you by Soul Sparrow will be absorbed by the zither’s power. Once these two forces are resolved, your body will recover. But…the azure current, I cannot say what it is. It is no small matter. You must approach it with caution and never reveal it.”

Bai Qi listened intently to Kun’s words, understanding the mystery of the zither within him and why he had lost consciousness upon arriving in this world—it was Yin who embedded the zither’s power inside him, too sudden for his body to withstand. Now, his task was to resolve the turmoil within his spiritual energy.

When Kun finished, his palm emitted a yellow glow, revealing a thin book, only a few pages. He willed it through the air, landing it gently in Bai Qi’s lap.

Bai Qi picked it up and flipped through it. Each page was neatly inscribed with about a hundred words, yet the contents were obscure and difficult to comprehend. The incantations seemed alive—the characters wriggled as if animated, drawing him into their depths.