Chapter 24 - Arc 2: The Linyuan Small Secret Realm | Chapter 24: Dantian is Abolished
Translator: Lynn
Lost and disoriented, his mind emptied, oblivious to the night, his identity, and his place of origin. He roamed aimlessly in this unfamiliar realm, feeling ethereal as if his body were as fragile as paper, ready to disperse with a gentle breeze.
Suddenly, a thunderclap shook the ground, startling Xu Ziqing. At that moment, a brilliant light emerged, jolting him awake. The elusive figure gradually solidified, still weightless but able to stand firmly on the ground.
Opening his eyes, Xu Ziqing found himself surrounded by darkness. There seemed to be no way forward.
In a haze, Xu Ziqing realized that he must have drowned, sinking to the lake’s depths and becoming a lifeless body. Yet, he couldn’t comprehend why he still possessed consciousness. What had happened?
Although his body felt empty, he could touch physical objects, experiencing a cool sensation.
After pondering for a while, Xu Ziqing considered the possibility that he existed as a mere soul at this moment. Considering the existence of rebirth and immortal cultivation, having a spirit after death didn’t seem far-fetched.
However, the pervasive darkness and deafening silence were overwhelming. Staying in this state, he feared losing his sanity before long.
How could a white shadow be visible in such darkness? How could it be distinguished so clearly?
A sense of unease filled Xu Ziqing’s heart, but in an instant, ecstasy overtook him. Anything ahead would be better than remaining alone in this timeless void.
With renewed determination, Xu Ziqing hastened his steps and moved toward the white shadow.
After walking for approximately a thousand steps, the white shadow grew increasingly distinct. It revealed itself to be a stone platform amidst the darkness, upon which sat a person with closed eyes and long hair.
This person, dressed in white, seemed ageless, emanating an immensely formidable aura.
With an upright posture, his brows appeared as if frozen with eternal ice and snow. He exuded an air of indifference, free from worries, devoid of joy, and immune to anger. Like a frigid sword pointing towards the heavens, he emitted a chilling aura that repelled anyone from approaching.
In the presence of such a person, his physical appearance became inconsequential, for his entire being was enshrouded in a powerful sword intent, giving the impression that he himself was the embodiment of the sword. Boundless killing intent permeated this sword intent, capable of freezing one’s very soul with a single glance.
Even amidst a multitude of people, he would never be overlooked. The soaring sword energy he exuded would capture everyone’s attention at first sight, and subsequent gazes… none would dare to meet his eyes again.
As Xu Ziqing drew nearer, he suddenly stopped. He realized that the white shadow he had seen earlier was indeed the man in white.
The sword energy emanating from this man tinged with an aura of death, was utterly terrifying. Xu Ziqing had previously witnessed the mightiest swordsman, Xu Zifeng, who had already reached the foundation stage and marveled at his ability to neutralize the magical powers of monks of the same level. Yet, when faced with this man, even without making a single move or raising an eyebrow, the sword energy emanating from his very being dwarfed Xu Zifeng’s in comparison.
It was akin to the disparity between a firefly and the radiant moon1the difference is too big between them.
Even Xu Ziqing, a man himself, couldn’t help but deeply admire him. Having lived two lives as a human, born into a prestigious and influential family in his previous life, he possessed extraordinary knowledge. Yet, upon careful consideration, he couldn’t recall encountering anyone who could rival this man’s commanding presence.
If it weren’t for the fact that he was already “dead,” Xu Ziqing would have earnestly wished to befriend this person.
However, he reconsidered his decision. If he had truly entered the realm of the underworld, perhaps the man in white was also a fellow traveler. Maybe he could seek guidance from him.
Enduring the piercing cold, Xu Ziqing composedly navigated through the scattered sword energy, finally offering a slight bow at a distance where he couldn’t approach any closer. “I am Xu Ziqing, lost in this place. I wonder if this brother could enlighten me with the right path?” His voice was youthful and clear, carrying the gentleness acquired through two lifetimes, which held a captivating allure.
The man in white seemed to have heard him. His long hair swayed within the sword energy, and he opened his eyes.
Those eyes appeared to contain an indomitable and resolute killing intent. The moment they opened, two bursts of icy golden light erupted. However, this expression was not directed at Xu Ziqing.
Consequently, Xu Ziqing took a step back, maintaining his composure despite his face paling.
Yet, the man in white remained silent. With a wave of his sleeves, Xu Ziqing felt his world spinning, instantly losing consciousness.
Simultaneously, he heard a few tender birdsongs in his ears, and the chilling atmosphere around his body dissipated, replaced by a comforting warmth.
Upon Xu Ziqing being thrown into the lake, only two individuals on the shore displayed expressions of concern. One of them was Old Man He, who had been training Xu Ziqing for quite some time. He had never expected that his kind intentions of bringing Xu Ziqing to the secret realm for further learning would result in him being stranded here. All their previous efforts seemed to have been in vain. He would have to find another apprentice upon his return. However, Xu Ziqing’s diligence and willingness to learn made him a valuable asset. Old Man He couldn’t help but shake his head while hoping for the blessings of the ancestors of the Xu clan.
The other person was Wei Qing, who had shared some entanglements with Xu Ziqing. First, he accidentally saved Xu Ziqing’s life by beheading a venomous snake. Later, Xu Ziqing returned the favor and saved Wei Qing’s life. Although they initially owed nothing to each other, such a bond had formed between them. Whenever Wei Qing thought of Xu Ziqing’s fate, a sense of pity overwhelmed him.
However, despite their intentions to save Xu Ziqing, the foundation-stage monks engaged in battle before them. The countless sword lights and surging waves of energy prevented them from entering the water to rescue Xu Ziqing.
On the other hand, a slender and handsome man stood by their side. Witnessing his younger brother lose an arm had already distressed him greatly. Now, seeing the moved expression on Wei Qing’s face, he feared that his brother might feel unhappy. Thus, he asked, “Fifth brother, does it hurt?”
Wei Qing was startled for a moment, then shook her head. “It’s just a broken arm, not worth mentioning. Let’s go back and find it.” After a brief pause, she informed him about Xu Ziqing and added, “Second brother, Xu Ziqing has a good character. If he survives, he will surely achieve greatness in the future.”
The second elder brother, Wei Xiao, shared the same mother. Although he had no recollection of Xu Ziqing, he offered comforting words, “Perhaps it’s not over yet. If luck is on our side, maybe we can still save him.”
Wei Qing let out a sigh and said, “I hope so.”
Once their conversation ended, both of them knew it was mere self-consolation. Xu Ziqing’s dantian had been shattered, and his injuries were severe. How could he survive in the cold lake water? Even if, by some miracle, he managed to wash ashore, the secret realm would have already closed by then. Without any cultivation, he wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving within the secret realm until its next opening.
As expected, Xu Ziqing slipped into unconsciousness shortly after entering the water, fulfilling everyone’s expectations. Gradually losing vitality, his body became heavier and began to sink, on the verge of descending to the murky depths of the lake, where it would eventually decay.
Unbeknownst to the onlookers, deep within the lake, a powerful whirlpool churned. Its current was so swift that living creatures steered clear, avoiding its vicinity. However, due to Xu Ziqing’s loss of consciousness, he was unwittingly drawn into its grasp. After swirling several times within the vortex, he suddenly plummeted!
In the depths of the vortex, a significant portion of the lake water was forcefully expelled, unable to descend and leaving behind a gap. This opening led to a stone cave, and Xu Ziqing tumbled straight down, landing at the entrance of the chute outside the cave.
Even in this new location, water was present, albeit shallow. However, it remained bitterly cold. Xu Ziqing lay there, soaked for a while, and soon frost formed on his brows. If left in this condition for much longer, he would freeze to death.
Fortunately, the heavens showed mercy. Today happened to be the day when the vortex descended once a month, following the laws of the secret realm. Witnessing the monstrous jet of water descending, crashing into the ground and creating a tumult, it poured into the cave and swept Xu Ziqing along with it. Helpless, he was propelled uphill by the tremendous impact. The force flung him high into the air before gravity took hold, causing Xu Ziqing to crash down hard and expel a mouthful of blood!
As a result of these unexpected events, a red rope around Xu Ziqing’s neck was dislodged, revealing the eagle egg concealed within his skirt. The mouthful of blood he coughed up spattered onto the eagle egg and the ring hanging from the red string, immediately igniting a brilliant light. Xu Ziqing lay motionless on the ground, unresponsive for some time.
After a while, the eagle egg cracked open, accompanied by the chirping and twittering of birds. The youth lying there gradually began to stir.
Xu Ziqing was swept away by the man in white’s sleeve, and as he spun, his senses suddenly returned, signaling his awakening.
His eyeballs rolled behind closed eyelids. Xu Ziqing vaguely recalled that abruptly opening one’s eyes after a long sleep was not advisable. Therefore, he slowly lifted his aching arms and shielded his eyes. The brightness was truly overwhelming, so he endured it for a while before cautiously parting his eyelids, gradually adjusting to the light.
After lowering his arm, Xu Ziqing weakly lay there for a moment, realizing that his body was in pain from head to toe. Gathering his strength, he eventually mustered the ability to prop himself up with his arms and slowly sit up.
Thankfully, while the pain persisted, it didn’t worsen, suggesting that no bones were broken. However, he had no idea where he was at the moment.
With great effort, Xu Ziqing glanced around, only to discover that he was lying on a patch of grass and verdant surroundings. In the distance, flowers bloomed, and a multitude of trees stood in the forest. Taking a deep breath, he was greeted by a fragrant aroma. The aura in this place was over ten times stronger than that of the secret realm! It seemed that with every inhalation, spiritual energy surged forth without the need for any deliberate cultivation.
A sudden realization struck Xu Ziqing as he comprehended that although the spiritual root remained, his dantian had been destroyed, rendering him incapable of cultivating. Unless there was an elixir capable of restoring his dantian, all progress would come to a halt.
At this moment, such a possibility was utterly unattainable for Xu Ziqing.
That journey of immortality cultivation now felt like a whimsical dream.Translator notesHello! Here’s a sneak peek of my new project. This is a gem, but it was dropped repeatedly, so I decided to pick it up. For release schedule, will be announced in future chapters after I stocked up some chapters for mass release!
Also, the terms in this novel are quite hard to translate. Please give me feedback if I were to make mistakes or if you want me to add more footnotes!
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
1the difference is too big between them