Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Onslaught

Chen Jin knew nothing of what transpired deep within Inspiration Mountain, but he was aware that these few days demanded unwavering vigilance. His mind remained taut as a drawn bowstring, never slackening for an instant.

On this particular night, he found himself recalling the flood of information that had surged into his mind when Master Yunxiang ascended to celestial immortality. In truth, Chen Jin revisited this vast trove of knowledge every day, for it was intimately tied to the path his future cultivation would take. How could he not treat it with utmost seriousness? Each day brought different perspectives and insights; combined with what he observed and heard along the way, he was able to comprehend more and more.

He allowed his thoughts to sink, nurturing within himself a faint sense of understanding toward the natural workings of heaven and earth. The deeper he pondered, the emptier his mind became, his consciousness immersing itself in the boundless expanse of time and nature. All the confusion of the mundane world, the disappointments of life, and the tangled affections of youth—he cast them aside. His perception of the universe grew ever more profound, yet it seemed forever out of reach, separated from him by a thin veil. He could see but not touch, leaving him restless and helpless.

Yet, even though he could not pierce that membrane, Chen Jin found joy in repeatedly brushing against its limits. The itch in his heart was persistent, but he willingly let it tease him; perhaps this was some kind of thrill.

In any case, this was a ritual he undertook daily, for he found the sensation invigorating.

He had also come to understand much about the Five Energies True Essence required for the Realm of Focused Spirit. Although each cultivator’s Five Energies True Essence varied due to differing methods, the fundamental medium remained unchanged.

One needed five spiritual items, each embodying one of the five elemental properties. Alternatively, one could directly gather the primordial energy of heaven and earth and transform it into the Five Energies True Essence—but this method consumed much time.

First, the primordial energy must be converted into elemental energy, with a conversion ratio of one hundred to one. Then, refining this elemental energy into the five organs would again consume much of it, at a ratio of ten to one. Thus, typically, a cultivator crossing from the Realm of Focused Qi to the Realm of Focused Spirit would spend as long as ten years, and no less than five.

Such a duration was acceptable to most cultivators. After all, one’s mind had been thoroughly cleansed through repeated cultivation by that stage. Moreover, long seclusion became a habit, as it had for Master Yunxiang.

But there were always those impatient souls, even among cultivators. Otherwise, why would there be distinctions between orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic paths? The difference lay in their hearts.

Of course, gathering elemental spiritual items to cultivate Five Energies True Essence was not unorthodox, much less demonic. It was an ancient method, from a time when all cultivation was still experimental. Borrowing external objects was common, and inner cultivation was not highly valued—survival and longevity were the primary concerns.

Since leaving Mount Lao, Chen Jin had collected many elemental spiritual items. Of these, only seven satisfied him.

Among those seven, three pairs overlapped in elemental type, so in truth, Chen Jin still lacked one element.

What he needed was a wind-elemental item. But wind, being shapeless and formless, was exceedingly difficult to obtain.

---

After much consideration, Chen Jin decided to gather primordial energy from nature and refine it into wind-elemental energy himself. At least refining a single element would be faster than all five.

He was eager for speed; slow and steady cultivation was a luxury in the modern age. Time waited for no one, and he was already three years behind his peers. He had to catch up—no, surpass them—as quickly as possible.

That was why he chose this method to enter the Realm of Focused Spirit.

At least it was orthodox. There were other, more sinister methods that advanced even faster, but would drive practitioners mad. For instance, slaughtering people to harvest their organs, collecting the organs of three hundred ordinary people to forge five elemental pills, then consuming them and gathering primordial energy to convert the energy in the dantian into Five Energies True Essence. That would suffice for passage to the Realm of Focused Spirit.

Such a method was unspeakably abhorrent, even more repulsive than the Three Corpses method.

Moreover, it had its drawbacks: every year on the third day of the third month and the seventh day of the seventh month, one needed to consume another elemental pill or else regress in cultivation.

So once someone had killed, they could never stop; it was a relentless cycle of murder... and cannibalism...

“Phew...” Chen Jin breathed out a long sigh.

His thoughts were scattered tonight, perhaps due to mounting pressure.

After all, the Lord of Inspiration was still a mystery.

But having taken up the challenge and provoked a confrontation, there was no turning back.

A bow may be drawn and released, but once the arrow has flown, there is no retrieving it.

“You must be troubled,” the local earth spirit drifted over.

“Yes,” Chen Jin did not hide his feelings.

“I once felt much the same,” the earth spirit mused. “But later... I became the earth spirit myself, and all my worries vanished.”

... Was he suggesting that death brought an end to all troubles? Truly a wise master, Chen Jin thought wryly.

---

Chen Jin regarded the earth spirit speechlessly.

“Haha, just joking. When I led the villagers south to settle here, we hacked our way through countless hardships. I gave so much, and finally even lost my life. I was young then and thought my death rather unjust. But over time, as I watched the villagers thrive, saw their descendants grow up—Zheng Chang, he’s my grandson—thinking that I even have great-grandchildren now, all my resentment faded. They remember my deeds, even built a shrine to honor me, made me the earth spirit. My worries disappeared entirely,” the spirit continued.

... So he still meant that death ended all worries, Chen Jin reflected.

“Trouble is only human. Before attaining immortality, who doesn’t have worries? Perhaps even immortals are troubled,” the earth spirit added.

“Your advice can wait for another day. The Lord of Inspiration is here,” Chen Jin rose from the kang bed.

He sensed an aura approaching—it must be the Lord of Inspiration.

“He’s certainly impatient,” remarked the earth spirit.

“Have the villagers ready themselves to defend,” Chen Jin hurried from the house. He was staying with the village chief, but did not intend to wake him—instead, he went to rouse Zheng Chang, who was younger and stronger.

He told Zheng Chang to gather the villagers.

A noisy group, torches blazing, assembled at the village entrance.

Chen Jin felt the Lord of Inspiration’s aura coming from that direction.

Sure enough, a tremor shook the land ahead of the village gate.

A horde of wild beasts charged at Qianan Village in utter chaos, led by a massive black bear.

...