Chapter 215: A Rest in the Woods

In the quiet grove, a small campfire flickered, a slender line of light tearing through the darkness like a rift in the night sky. The fire’s dancing glow illuminated two figures, their shadows shifting and leaping with the flames.

Beside Yang Yan lay two peculiar creatures resembling chickens. They were about the size of ordinary domestic chickens, but their feathers were vibrant and multicolored. Most striking were their elongated tails, straight and slender like bamboo rods, making them resemble peacocks more than chickens.

These magical beasts were among the most basic妖兽—low-tier monsters with little offensive capability but remarkable speed, making them hard to catch. For Yang Yan now, capturing them was as easy as picking up a chick.

As he prepared to catch them, a lively and mischievous image of a young girl suddenly surfaced in Yang Yan’s mind.

The spirited girl who once trailed him, calling him “Brother Yang” in a sweet, childish voice, reappeared vividly. Their shared memory of hunting幻雪兔—a type of magical snow hare—played before his eyes.

Back then, despite his body’s limitations preventing cultivation and the scorn he faced as a so-called “waste” within the family, Yang Yan found joy in hardship, spending carefree days with that charming girl. Those moments might well have been the happiest in his life.

Though his true Taiyin body had since awakened, transforming him from an outcast into someone with talent and aptitude far beyond his peers, this new strength came with crushing burdens and responsibilities. Those simple, innocent joys belonged to another time, disconnected from his present.

That once lively, pure girl had left for a distant place because of him—following a mysterious and powerful figure who departed without a trace.

Years later, the scene beneath the moonlit hill on the night of their parting still lingered in Yang Yan’s mind, settling like a fine wine deep within his heart.

The girl who had grown up with him in shadow, who had abandoned innocence to train tirelessly because of him, who had ventured into unfamiliar lands because of her connection to him—her impact was profound and enduring. Unwittingly, she had claimed an irreplaceable place in his heart.

“Zi Ling… I wonder how you’ve been all this time…” Yang Yan murmured softly, his gaze distant.

Ultimately, it was his own weakness that weighed on him. If only she had grown strong enough, none of the loved ones around him would have been lost one by one.

Shaking his head to dispel the tangled thoughts, Yang Yan found a smooth, slender branch among the dry twigs beside him. He plucked feathers from the two long-tailed turkeys, cleaning them and removing the inedible parts. Then, he skewered one bird on the branch and placed it over the fire, turning it steadily to roast.

Gradually, a faint aroma of roasted meat filled the air.

Though these long-tailed turkeys were low-level妖兽, their meat was far superior in flavor to many spiritual beasts.

Having been ostracized since childhood, Yang Yan had learned to fend for himself. To avoid hunger, he often sneaked with Zi Ling into the back mountains to hunt these delicious birds.

Over time, he had mastered the art of roasting. His fire-roasted turkey was a perfect blend of color, aroma, and taste. Despite the meat’s delicate quality, he knew precisely how to control the heat—too strong, and the bird would char; too weak, and the inside would remain raw while the surface cooked.

Now, his skill was exquisite. His experience roasting countless long-tailed turkeys had made his technique flawless. As a craftsman who forged magical tools, he had a deep understanding and mastery of flame control. If he could painstakingly refine complex artifacts, roasting a small turkey was simple.

However, roasting required care. Using ordinary wood to fuel the fire produced a flavor far superior to using the inner spirit flame for speed and convenience. The pure, original taste could never be replicated by spiritual flames.

Especially since Yang Yan’s constitution was not simply fire-attribute but the rare Taiyin true body. Using his spirit flame would infuse the meat with a chilling coldness, ruining its texture in an instant.

The forest was silent except for the occasional chirping of insects and birds, lending a peaceful ambiance. The flickering firelight cast shifting shadows on Yang Yan’s focused face. Opposite him sat Qing’er, his sister, arms wrapped around her knees, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the earnest young man.

This warm, rare scene was a stark contrast to the tense, battle-hardened days they usually endured—filled with combat and cultivation, leaving little time for tranquility.

In moments like these, the boy who was ruthless and decisive in battle revealed a glimmer of innocent joy and a rare smile.

Now, when he smiled, he resembled a warm, humble boy from next door—like winter’s gentle sun or a soft summer breeze, stirring a comforting, indescribable pleasure.

Perhaps this was the true nature of a boy his age, the defenses and constant vigilance temporarily set aside. Only then could the heavy burdens suffocating him be momentarily forgotten.

Sizzle!

The faint sound of dripping fat returning to the fire snapped Qing’er from her thoughts. The fire leapt and danced again, sparks shooting upward, like fearless moths flying toward the black sky before vanishing into the darkness.

The boy before her continued turning the turkey with care. Moments later, the pale meat had turned a golden hue, the skin curling slightly from the heat, promising a crispy, delicious bite. Qing’er inhaled deeply, savoring the light, non-greasy aroma, her mouth watering.

“Done!” Yang Yan smiled, lifting the golden bird from the flames to gently sniff it, a look of satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

With a sweep of his hand over the universe pouch at his waist, several small jade bottles of various colors appeared on the ground. He quickly picked one up and sprinkled a fine, fragrant powder evenly over the roasted meat.

As he dusted the turkey with powders from three or four bottles, the aroma intensified, teasing their palates like invisible hands, stirring a hunger that made one want to devour the bird in great bites.

Though tempted himself, as a gentleman, Yang Yan offered the turkey first to Qing’er.

“Thank you,” she said, accepting the roasted meat, delicately pulling a thin strip of meat and placing it elegantly into her cherry lips.

The meat slid smoothly down like a slippery fish. As her teeth gently bit down, the savory fat burst forth, filling her mouth with rich flavor and a profound sense of satisfaction. The meat was tender yet firm, with just the right chewiness. As she savored it, the day’s fatigue seemed to melt away.

When the flavor gradually faded, Qing’er swallowed, the warmth spreading like a gentle current down her throat to her stomach—soft and soothing as if caressing the delicate skin of a newborn.

Seeing her content expression, Yang Yan smiled and nodded slightly before turning to prepare the other turkey.

Time slipped by quietly and warmly. Soon, the two had finished both long-tailed turkeys.

Though Yang Yan’s skill was superb, a girl’s appetite was naturally limited. Qing’er became full after eating half and returned the rest to him.

Yang Yan accepted without hesitation and began eating ravenously, careless of manners. His childish demeanor drew a soft laugh from Qing’er, who covered her mouth.

Noticing his lack of decorum, Yang Yan blushed and slowed down his pace.

With their hunger sated, Yang Yan felt his energy replenished. He stood, stretched, then focused his soul power from his brow, cautiously observing his surroundings.

After a time, finding no threat, he settled into a meditative posture to cultivate.

His immediate goal was to refine the sealed energies within his spirit core, a task that promised a significant leap in strength.

The magical beast that had reached the peak of the human summoning realm had left behind treasures far more complex than Yang Yan had imagined. Recently, busy with the Artisan’s Tournament and the Holy Spirit Tower, he had little time to refine the energies within.

Seeing Yang Yan close his eyes and enter cultivation, Xue Qing followed suit. Though unaware of his exact burdens, her sixth sense as a woman told her the gravity of his responsibilities.

Now resolved to stand by him for life, she vowed to use all her strength to help ease his troubles.

The quiet forest grew even more still as the two entered deep meditation, broken only by occasional insect or bird calls.

Yang Yan’s mind gathered all his spirit power. The dark, black primordial energy embedded within the sealed spirit core began to peel away under his control. The vast energy trapped within the seal slowly emerged.

The energy took the shape of translucent white snakes. After Yang Yan refined them through his spirit core, they transformed into the purest spiritual energy, flowing relentlessly through his meridians, strengthening his muscles, veins, bones, and flesh.

At his command, the energy gathered finally into the wood-attribute spirit core located at the Tian Shu acupoint.

His water-attribute spirit core had neared perfection after refining the Luo Divine Tears, but his newly opened wood-attribute spirit core remained in its infancy.

According to his calculations, the innate grade of his wood-attribute spirit core hovered between levels three and four.

Such a grade was outstanding in a small city like Jinhuan, but Yang Yan’s ambitions were higher. As his enemies grew stronger, this level offered little advantage in battle.

Moreover, when fighting with wood-attribute spiritual energy, it often took two or three attacks to withstand a single strike powered by other attributes.

This disparity between innate spirit core grades was like an unbridgeable chasm.

Therefore, Yang Yan intended to use all the magnificent energy sealed within the spirit core to elevate the quality of his wood-attribute spirit core.

He expected that after fully refining the entire power of a peak summoning realm magical beast, the wood spirit core’s grade would rival or surpass that of his water spirit core.

At the thought, anticipation stirred quietly in Yang Yan’s heart.

Among the five elemental attributes, each possessed unique characteristics.

Water spirits symbolized continuous, enduring flow, excelling at countering rigidity with softness. For example, the shockwave force Yang Yan had discovered was a formidable attack based on water attribute power.

Wood spirits were not known for aggressive techniques but for vitality and endless growth. Crucially, wood attribute energy contained immense life force, enabling Yang Yan to perform simple healing.

Combined with the mysterious Supreme Heavenly Martial Art he practiced to strengthen his body, Yang Yan’s recovery was astonishing. Short of fatal injury, he could heal far faster than cultivators of his level.

Such a rare phenomenon—mastering multiple elemental spirit attributes—was only achievable by someone with the Taiyin True Scripture and the Nine Nether Taiyin Technique, like Yang Yan.

It was hard to imagine, but once he opened all the spirit cores within, he would wield five elemental attributes simultaneously, gaining a tremendous advantage in combat.

The five elements interacted through cycles of mutual generation and restraint. For instance, if he faced an earth-attribute opponent, his wood attribute could counter it; if facing wood, he could deploy metal attribute power.

This interplay would make him nearly invincible.

Moreover, he could amplify his attacks through the cycle of mutual generation—water nurturing wood, wood fire, fire earth, earth metal, metal water—creating a cascading surge of power that would far exceed the innate strength of other cultivators’ spirit attacks.

Such thoughts filled Yang Yan with excitement.

Yet, he forced himself to return to the present, focusing first on perfecting the wood-attribute spirit core.

Exhaling deeply, he banished distractions and began the continuous process of refining the sealed energies.

Time passed swiftly in meditation. When Yang Yan finally opened his eyes, dawn’s first pale light was creeping over the horizon. He had cultivated through the entire night.

For Yang Yan, cultivation was the best form of rest. Despite no sleep, his spirit remained vigorous and alert.

After a night of ceaseless absorption and refinement, his strength had risen to the peak of the fourth stage of the Summoning Realm, on the verge of breaking into the fifth stage.

Advancing each stage beyond the Summoning Realm was notoriously difficult—a truth Yang Yan knew intimately.

His rapid progress owed not only to his exceptional constitution but also to fortunate encounters.

Previously, in an ancient ruin, he had obtained and refined the Luo Divine Tears, catapulting his strength from the Spirit Perception Realm directly to the third stage of the Summoning Realm.

Later, deep within the Duanyun Mountains, a near-fatal encounter with the Tiger-headed Ice Python ultimately granted him boundless benefits.

Without these fortunes, even with his talent, it would have taken at least half a year to advance from the third stage to his current level. Instead, he had accomplished it in less than a month—shortening the time by five to six times.

However, such opportunities were rare and fraught with immense risk.

Power in this world was never gained without cost. Refining the Luo Divine Tears had been a near-death ordeal, only survived thanks to the Supreme Heavenly Martial Art and a mysterious love story between the legendary God of War and the Luo Divine.

Otherwise, even a single drop of the tears left by an ancient superpower would be impossible to refine for a Spirit Sea realm cultivator.

Similarly, the Tiger-headed Ice Python’s blessing came only after Yang Yan embraced certain death, enduring unbearable agony inching toward demise.

Only by overcoming such unimaginable hardships did Yang Yan achieve his current level.

These fortunate events were both enviable and terrifying. Few would dare to seize such chances despite the immense rewards.

The path of cultivation sometimes demanded a fearless spirit, a willingness to risk life itself.

Merely following routine, even with talent, to reach the pinnacle of the immortal world in a short span was utterly unrealistic.

(End of chapter)

Recommended: Witch Doctor Awakening, available for mobile reading.