Chapter 35: Timelessness in the Mountains

Although the extent of the "great transcendental powers" Gu Caiwei mentioned was unknown, they were certainly no less than those of a Golden Core cultivator, and in all likelihood, comparable to Earth Immortals—figures akin to the Immortals of Longevity.

Cultivation paths are myriad and ever-changing. Due to their differences, they may mutually restrain one another, yet anyone capable of defeating many top-tier cultivators must surely stand at the absolute pinnacle, flawless and nearing the essence of the Dao. Such a person, naturally, could not be bound even by heaven and earth.

Shen Lian asked, "Senior Sister, you have yet to explain the origin of the miraculous utility of the Void Strategy."

"Junior Brother, whenever you sit in meditation to refine your Qi and sense the elemental energies, do you have any insights?" Gu Caiwei’s gaze, as tranquil as water, rested upon Shen Lian as she asked in a soft, gentle tone.

"Senior Sister, are you referring to the eight natural forces? Manifested in the world as the phenomena of Heaven, Earth, Mountain, Marsh, Wind, Thunder, Water, and Fire, they constitute the world we perceive," Shen Lian replied naturally. He had sensed these eight forces when he first entered the Qingxuan Sect and practiced meditation in his bamboo hut. Later, when he began his study of talismans, he learned that talismanic arts relied on using elemental energy to harness these eight forces, thereby manifesting their power.

The talismanic arts he had employed until now were inseparable from these eight forces; or rather, the vast majority of methods in the world that granted cultivators extraordinary, transcendent powers were based upon them.

Gu Caiwei said, "It is only natural that you have such insights since you have begun your study of talismans. The first step of the Void Strategy is to refine these eight energies into your body and realize that trace of the Void Dao intent, making it the foundation of your Golden Core. Simultaneously, it will allow you to enter the realm of 'Manifestation'."

The so-called "Manifestation" implies grasping the divine intent and employing it; thus, it becomes a method. One's supernatural powers and spells can be cast in the blink of an eye, without the slightest obstruction. This was why Yan Bugui could previously trace talismans in the void, casting them with ease and without the slightest trace of effort. Regarding the casting of spells, even with the same technique, Yan Bugui might have cast three or four spells by the time Shen Lian finished his own. One who has attained "Manifestation" can cast spells as they please, truly possessing the grace of an immortal.

***

In the mountains, time passes without count; winters fade, and the years go unnoticed.

Fifteen years had passed. The Qingxuan Sect’s decennial trials continued, and the top three remained unchanged: Gu Caiwei, Yan Bugui, and Shen Lian. Shen Lian had inadvertently become the most renowned disciple among those below the Golden Core level. The thing was, his temperament was excellent; whenever he was not in deep seclusion, he would never hesitate to offer guidance to fellow disciples who sought his knowledge on cultivation.

Those in the Upper Court were mostly relatives of the elders and had enjoyed excellent conditions for cultivation since childhood. Initially, they had felt some jealousy toward Shen Lian’s sudden rise to prominence. However, while Shen Lian was not necessarily a social butterfly, he treated everyone fairly and without prejudice.

Some disgruntled disciples secretly challenged him, only to be easily defeated, yet Shen Lian never spoke of these victories in public. It was actually those fellow disciples who, feeling ashamed, spoke of it themselves, which even led to their punishment by the Discipline Hall.

The white-clad youth, Zhao Siming, had lost his wager with Lu Shouyi. After a moment of sudden enlightenment, Lu Shouyi’s progress was rapid, and he had reached the realm of "Divine Insight," only a step away from "Manifestation." Though he was indeed inferior to Chen Jianmei, no one dared to dispute his worthiness as a disciple of the Sect Leader.

As for the youth taken in by Ge Yuan, named Zhao Wuji, he had never participated in the trials. It seemed the art he practiced did not belong to the one hundred and eight techniques of Qingxuan, and Ge Yuan had forbidden him from using any Daoist arts. A conflict arose with three veteran disciples of the Tianyuan Peak, and the result was shocking: Zhao Wuji remained unscathed, while the others were nearly crippled in their cultivation foundations. This prompted two elders to join forces and confront Ge Yuan, which also allowed the disciples to witness just how formidable Elder Ge truly was. Without anyone realizing, he had stepped into the "Void Walking" realm. Without relying on any artifacts or spells, he stood in the void, treating the gravity of the earth as if it were nothing, and in a few breaths, he had defeated the two Golden Core elders. Although those two elders had only achieved "Golden Core" through external pills, it was enough to illustrate the unfathomable nature of Ge Yuan’s powers.

Fifteen years had passed, and Chen Jianmei had never returned to the mountain. However, the cultivation world had gained a top-tier sword cultivator who had slaughtered all the demons in a mountain range within the Western Wastelands and established a monastery. It was named the "Life-Slaying Temple," and it shook the entire world. Zhang Ruoxu even acknowledged the "Life-Slaying Temple" as an "Extra-Canonical Lineage" of Qingxuan.

Though so many things had happened, they had little to do with Shen Lian. His path of refining the spirit had no bottlenecks, and after his second attainment of "Divine Insight," he had formed a spiritual sense. Usually, this only occurred after reaching the Golden Core stage, when the cultivator’s Yin Spirit was further nourished and strengthened by the Golden Core. Yet, relying on his supreme method of spirit refinement, he had achieved this ahead of schedule. This allowed him to see through the spell-casting of any cultivator below the Golden Core stage, giving him a massive advantage in combat.

However, none of this brought him joy, because fifteen years had passed, and he had yet to achieve the "Eight Energies into the Body" stage of the Void Strategy.

Refining the eight energies—Heaven, Earth, Mountain, Marsh, Wind, Thunder, Water, and Fire—into the body and combining them with magical power would result in eight distinct types of energy. Yet, let alone having eight, even having two or three manifesting in his body simultaneously caused constant conflict. Had it not been for the fact that Shen Lian’s Yin Spirit was far stronger than his actual magical power, his reckless attempts to refine the eight energies into his body would have left him severely injured several times over.

It was only then that Shen Lian realized why so few people practiced the Void Strategy. Moreover, the eight energies were divided into Yin and Yang, two different essences. Every clash made his spiritual consciousness feel as if it were caught between water and fire, leaving him agitated and restless. Even with the meditation method of the *True Explanation of the Upper Clarity Spiritual Treasure's Natural Heart-Locking and Spirit-Calming*, it took him a long time to regain his composure. Even so, he felt he no longer possessed the calm and detachment he had when he first entered the mountain.

He also understood why Gu Caiwei was so gentle and serene; it was to soothe her state of mind and avoid triggering the magical energy within her, which would ruin her cultivation. He did not tire of guiding others in their cultivation, for it was a way to temper his own state of mind, while simultaneously gaining inspiration from their practices to see if he could find the key to the "Eight Energies into the Body" stage of the *Void Strategy*.

Gu Caiwei was not keeping secrets; it was simply that the "Eight Energies into the Body" stage relied on a state between intention and non-intention. If he were told other people's methods, he would become overly focused on them. Zhang Ruoxu was correct in saying he was suited for this technique. The "Void" is energy, it is the Dao; it encompasses everything and points directly toward transcendence. With his superb method of spirit refinement, Shen Lian already held a greater advantage than others in perceiving the heavens and earth and grasping the essence of the Dao.

The Quiet River flowed as silently as it had in the past, yet Shen Lian remained within it, for the painful stimulation the river inflicted upon his Yin Spirit allowed him to forget much of the frustration caused by his cultivation bottleneck. He looked toward the graceful figure on the bank and said, "Senior Sister, although you are quite old now, there is still the difference between men and women. Do not come to see me every time I am stripped bare; is that not a bit awkward?"

Gu Caiwei laughed, clutching her stomach, and said, "Then next time I am bathing, you may come to watch as well."

"You must promise not to beat me to death, then," Shen Lian replied.

Gu Caiwei giggled, "I cannot promise that. But it has been fifteen years; you are truly patient, not having gone mad yet."