Chapter Five: Breakthrough

The "Gathering Spirit Compendium" truly deserved its reputation as the "Devil Cultivation Manual." In just a single year, Li Chengzhu advanced from the mid-Illumination Stage to the late Heart Movement Stage, a mere step away from the Spiritual Silence Stage.

And this was even with the Celestial Envoy deliberately suppressing his progress. Although, during this period under the Celestial Envoy’s watchful eye, this disciple from the mortal world showed no signs of an unstable foundation, the Envoy—who had lived for nearly a millennium—understood well the dangers of haste. If this disciple continued at such a breakneck pace, it would surely end in disaster, falling into demonic deviation.

Now the Celestial Envoy somewhat regretted teaching Li Chengzhu the "Gathering Spirit Compendium." No wonder Celestial Lord Hongxing’s expression had been so strange when he gifted him the manual, as if there was something left unsaid. The Celestial Envoy could now confirm that the cultivation method in this compendium was problematic. Celestial Lord Hongxing must have thought no one in the Celestial Realm would care for mortal cultivation techniques and so gave it away boldly. Who could have predicted that fate would produce a mortal leaping from the Lake of Emerging Immortals, one who had never cultivated before?

Yet he couldn’t very well ask his disciple to stop cultivating now, lest he risk having every hair in his beard plucked out one by one.

Recalling the image of his bare chin, the Celestial Envoy shuddered involuntarily.

The only solution was to seal his disciple’s spiritual channels, slowing his absorption of spiritual energy.

Gazing at Li Chengzhu meditating not far away, the Celestial Envoy formed the appropriate hand seals and, in a flash, appeared behind him. With a stern cry, "Hah!", a beam of golden light shot from his left hand, striking Li Chengzhu’s back. The golden light surged, then scattered, transforming into a Taiji Yin-Yang diagram that sank into Li Chengzhu’s body.

Li Chengzhu, in the midst of absorbing spiritual energy, felt a sudden pain in his back. Instantly, the torrent of spiritual energy flooding into him seemed to have its tail yanked; it now trickled slowly, seeping into his body bit by bit.

The abrupt change threw his internal flow into chaos—his meridians were flush with quickly circulating energy on one side, yet now deprived of replenishment on the other. The pressure imbalance made him cough up a mouthful of blood, finally bringing him some relief.

Opening his eyes, Li Chengzhu felt a deep discomfort throughout his body. Seeing the bloodstain before him, a wave of fear washed over him.

Could he be suffering a cultivation deviation?

At this thought, Li Chengzhu leapt to his feet and shouted, "Master, help!"

The Celestial Envoy, who had been hiding nearby to observe, quickly appeared before him, feigning surprise. "What happened, my disciple? Eh? Why is there blood on the ground… Tsk, did you spit that? Good heavens, what a mouthful—rich, unscattered, and full-bodied. Truly worthy of being my disciple! Ha… ha… Cough. Come, give me your arm."

Coughing to cover his amusement, the Celestial Envoy grabbed Li Chengzhu’s arm, pressing two fingers to his pulse.

Sending a wisp of divine sense to examine Li Chengzhu’s body, the Celestial Envoy grew more startled the deeper he probed. The spiritual veins within his disciple were broader than his own had been at the Nascent Soul Stage. And Li Chengzhu was only at the Heart Movement Stage! While the quality of his spiritual energy was not as refined, its sheer volume was staggering. If he truly achieved immortality, who knew what rank he might reach? Celestial Lord, Golden Immortal, or perhaps even leap directly to Grand Golden Immortal. He could become the second legend in the Celestial Realm to ascend straight to Grand Golden Immortal. And as his master, would he not bask in boundless glory? The thought made the Celestial Envoy smile inwardly. How fortunate that his discerning eye had recognized this thousand-li colt.

Li Chengzhu, however, watched the Celestial Envoy anxiously—first a frown, then a smile flitting across his master’s face—his heart sinking further. He asked nervously, "Master, what’s wrong with me?"

The Celestial Envoy started, coughed to compose himself, released Li Chengzhu’s wrist, and put on a stern face. "Your cultivation is advancing too rapidly. Your spiritual veins can’t withstand such pressure, so you suffered backlash."

Li Chengzhu asked urgently, "Am I all right now?"

The Celestial Envoy snorted, "You’re fine for now, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be fine in the future. I’ve warned you before: cultivation must be steady and gradual. Greed and impatience lead only to disaster. This was a minor warning—if it happens again, you may suffer cultivation deviation. And then, even I won’t be able to save you."

Li Chengzhu’s heart skipped a beat, and he secretly stuck out his tongue—he’d had a close call.

"When you have free time, practice the arts of alchemy and artifact forging I’ve taught you. While our sect isn’t renowned for its alchemy, our artifact forging ranks among the best in the Celestial Realm. In the future, you’ll need to forge your own immortal sword. If you don’t practice now, I won’t help you then," the Celestial Envoy said.

Li Chengzhu scratched his head. "Master, those methods for alchemy and artifact forging are dreadfully obscure. Why don’t you demonstrate—let me observe once?"

The Celestial Envoy spread his hands. "I’ve run out of materials. Guarding this place for a hundred years, I’ve forged and refined everything out of boredom."

Li Chengzhu muttered inwardly about his miserly master, then turned and dashed toward the forest, calling, "Forget it. But, Master, that transformation spell you taught me is really useful! I can already transform into a bearded reedling and ambush them." Before the words were finished, he’d already disappeared among the trees.

"Bah!" The Celestial Envoy almost choked on his own blood. Of all the spells he’d taught, this one was practiced most diligently—just to ambush bearded reedlings!

"Incorrigible rascal!" the Celestial Envoy fumed.

The Celestial Envoy watched as Li Chengzhu plucked and cleaned a plump bearded reedling, summoned rainwater to wash it, then pulled out so-called seasonings from his ring and rubbed them in. Finally, he conjured the True Samadhi Fire in his palm to roast it.

The aroma was so enticing the Celestial Envoy’s throat involuntarily moved. Why had he never realized reedlings could be eaten this way? Truly, the mortal world had its merits.

In the Celestial Realm, no one needed to eat unless it was to consume spiritual fruits that enhanced cultivation—let alone eat roasted meats. The first time he tasted these otherwise useless roasted treats, the Celestial Envoy nearly bit his own tongue off—they were simply too delicious. He’d tried roasting them himself, but without seasonings, even bearded reedlings tasted like bland birds. So he had to buy them from his treasure of a disciple—at a ridiculous price: one pill for a single bird.

"Any kind of pill will do," Li Chengzhu replied with a cheeky grin.

He knew full well his master’s pills were no ordinary ones, but the kind every cultivator dreamed of.

"This unfilial scoundrel. I was truly blind back then," the Celestial Envoy muttered, grinding his teeth.

While he was mentally cursing his merchant of a disciple, a burnt smell suddenly wafted over. He looked up in alarm.

Li Chengzhu stood before him with a mournful face, meeting his master’s gaze and speaking in a low voice, "Master…"

"Hmm?"

"There’s something I need to tell you, but please don’t be angry."

"The bearded reedling is burnt? I saw that."

"No, that’s not it…"

"Then what is it?"

"Well… I broke through to the Spiritual Silence Stage!"

"What?" The Celestial Envoy flew into a rage. After all the repeated warnings about the perils of impatience, his disciple had just gone ahead and broken through! Did he have any respect left for rules—or for his master? Raising his trembling hands, he roared, "You little scoundrel! Prepare to meet your doom!"

"No, Master—ah!"