Chapter Five: Absorbing the Spiritual Essence

Chapter Five: Absorbing Spiritual Essence

Part Two: Peril and Immortal Fate, Enchanting Encounter with the Crimson Enchantress (2)

The Daoist said, “I have yet to learn your esteemed name, young friend! I am called Lord Huoshu, though you may not recognize me. My elder brother is Master Huode, who resides in the Firecloud Cave on Mount Li in the north of the Lesser Five Terraces. Since you dwell at the foot of these mountains, you must have heard of him!” With that, he wore a self-satisfied expression.

Ye Hua’s heart stirred; suddenly, he recalled what Elder Lingxu had once warned him: “You must not venture to the Flying Cloud Cave behind the mountain. Should you wish to visit the Water Spring Cave on Dim Peak to the south, the Firecloud Cave on Mount Li to the north, the Heavenly Lion Cave on Bluestone Altar Mountain to the west, or the Azure Cloud Monastery on Heavenly Peace Mountain to the east, you must take great care—formidable cultivators reside in seclusion in all these places!” So the Firecloud Cave on the northern peak was indeed Master Huode’s abode. Judging by his junior brother’s demeanor, he was likely not a kindly soul either.

Ye Hua smiled faintly. “Of course I know of him—Master Huode resides in Firecloud Cave on Mount Li, north of the Lesser Five Terraces. However, my fortune has been lacking, for I have never had the honor of meeting him in person. Your mastery of the flying sword, soaring through the skies and burrowing beneath the earth, is truly marvelous—beyond anything I have witnessed. In my opinion, you are far more accomplished than either Elder Lingxu of Longevity Palace or Master Huode himself!”

Lord Huoshu looked awkward and replied, “Perhaps I might surpass Elder Lingxu somewhat, but to say I am more capable than my brother is pure nonsense!” He paused, then asked curiously, “From your words, it seems you have met Elder Lingxu?”

Ye Hua replied, “Indeed, I have. I spent several days at Longevity Palace, and learned much. Yet I believe your magical prowess and Daoist arts far exceed theirs.”

Hearing this, Lord Huoshu was beaming with pride, thinking, “At least this brat knows his betters. If I weren’t injured, I might almost regret having to kill him!” He said, “My elder brother is far more powerful than I. Do not speak such nonsense.”

Ye Hua found it curious: “As the saying goes, ‘Flattery never wears out.’ Yet this demonic Daoist is modest thrice over when it comes to his brother!” In truth, Ye Hua did not know that Lord Huoshu most feared his elder brother. When Lord Huoshu first entered the sect to pursue immortality, it was Master Huode who oversaw his instruction, acting as both brother and teacher. Lord Huoshu was dull-witted, ill-suited for the Dao. After decades of cultivation, he had still not broken through to the Sage Realm; his Daoist arts lingered at the Fifth Level of the Seven Treasures. If not for Master Huode’s reputation and the superior spiritual treasures he provided, Huoshu would long since have perished in some quarrel. Worse yet, every time he met his brother, he was harshly reprimanded.

Thus, even if you gave Lord Huoshu the courage of two men, he would never dare agree that his abilities surpassed his brother’s.

The two sat down at the table. Lord Huoshu poured a cup of clear wine, saying, “This is my own brewed Star Anise Lotus Wine. It is excellent for strengthening the body—do have a taste, young friend.”

With that, he raised the cup and drank it himself. Ye Hua eyed the wine before him: it was green with a red sheen, like threads of blood. Though he harbored suspicions, he, too, lifted his cup and drank. At once, a cool, icy thread seemed to wind its way through his belly. Immediately, he felt refreshed and invigorated, and could not help but praise, “Excellent wine!”

Lord Huoshu, seeing Ye Hua drink without hesitation, was momentarily surprised. His eyes revealed a trace of approval as he smiled slightly. “You have some courage, young friend. Not everyone dares drink my Star Anise Lotus Wine.” Ye Hua replied, “It is but a cup of common wine—what courage is required?”

Ye Hua said no more, but simply focused on his meal. He had not eaten since the previous day, yet curiously he did not feel especially hungry. He set aside his confusion—for now, all he wanted was to eat his fill, so he would have the strength to seek an opportunity to escape.

Lord Huoshu said nothing further. After they finished, he said, “You may go rest in the side chamber, young friend. I must go to the main hall to meditate.” With that, he rose and departed.

Ye Hua found this odd, but it put him at ease. Watching the old Daoist leave, he returned to the side chamber. There, he sat down and began practicing the cultivation method from the Six Essences of Heavenly Enigma, forming hand seals and reciting incantations, refining qi into essence, preserving spirit and nurturing vitality. Soon he felt a gentle heat wandering through his body, finally settling in his lower dantian as a cluster of vital energy.

Unknowingly, half a day had passed before Ye Hua finished his meditation and opened his eyes, exhaling a breath of turbid air. His lower abdomen felt full and warm; as described in the book, there was a sensation of essence returning to its source. He had successfully entered the Six Essences method, attaining the initial level of the Seven Treasures Realm. This realization filled him with joy and satisfaction.

The path of cultivation is arduous. Even the initial steps, though seemingly simple, are beyond the reach of most; many spend a lifetime without sensing the vital energy, thus lacking affinity with the Dao. Having entered the gateway, one can now cultivate toward immortality. Though achieving true immortal or sagehood is fraught with hardship, it is not impossible.

Ye Hua stood and glanced outside. All was quiet; he had no idea where Lord Huoshu was meditating, so he slipped out quietly. It was noon, sunlight pouring down, tree shadows swaying. He surveyed the surroundings but saw no sign of the demonic Daoist. Guessing that Lord Huoshu was behind the main hall, he crept in that direction.

Sure enough, upon entering, he saw the Daoist sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat before the idol, seemingly oblivious to all. Ye Hua’s heart leapt—he nearly hurled the two Spirit Pearls at the Daoist to catch him off guard, but thought better of it, lowering his hand. He knew this villain would never be unprepared.

Indeed, as he took another step or two forward, he felt an invisible barrier, as if something was pushing and squeezing him back. To move forward required tremendous effort.

Ye Hua thought, “This fiend is indeed cautious. I must tread carefully.” So he quietly withdrew and sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, keeping a close eye on the Daoist’s back in the main hall, silent and still.

After a while, glancing at the sun now lowering in the sky, Ye Hua saw that the Daoist remained meditating, unchanged. Growing impatient, he suddenly heard the Daoist exhale a long breath, as if awakening. At once, the Daoist ended his practice, rose, turned, and saw Ye Hua sitting in the courtyard watching him.

With feigned surprise, he said, “You’ve waited long, young friend. Let us have a few more cups together.” He fetched another pot of clear wine from the side room, and the two sat and drank in silence. Ye Hua asked nothing, and the Daoist remained quiet as well. As night fell, Ye Hua returned to the side chamber to meditate. The Daoist did not spy on him.

So it went for several days. The Daoist’s vitality was nearly restored, and Ye Hua also made progress in his secret cultivation. One day, after the Daoist’s usual practice, he brought out another pot of clear wine and said to Ye Hua, “Ye Hua, do you know that each day I have added a Jade Tiger Pill to this Star Anise Lotus Wine? Drinking such an essence-nourishing elixir with you—can you guess my purpose?”

Ye Hua noticed Lord Huoshu’s eyes glinting with malice and felt a chill. He knew the Daoist was about to make his move. Smiling, he replied, “Forgive my dullness, Daoist, but I cannot imagine your intent.”

Lord Huoshu grinned, “Why not hazard a guess?” Ye Hua replied, “Could it be you’re cultivating my spiritual essence, using me as an ingredient to heal your wounds?”

Lord Huoshu was momentarily stunned, then sneered, “So you see right through me. No need for courtesy, then!” His face grew sinister as he laughed, “Ha! I raised you for days just to drain your spiritual essence. You’re clever, I’ll give you that. I almost regret it! Ha ha!” He burst into wild laughter.

He then produced a purple-gold bell, and before Ye Hua could react, shook it. At once, a clear, enchanting sound rang out.

Ye Hua immediately felt his mind grow hazy and reeled with alarm—he hadn’t expected the Daoist to act so swiftly. He hurriedly circulated his inner Dao energy, sending a thread of it throughout his body. Instantly, his mind cleared, and he regained some lucidity. Lord Huoshu, seeing Ye Hua’s vacant gaze and sluggish movements, believed his treasure had taken effect.

He chuckled wickedly and said, “Come with me to the main hall.” He strode toward the temple hall, and Ye Hua, feigning stupor, followed obediently.

“Sit!” Lord Huoshu commanded. Ye Hua sat upon a prayer mat at the side. Lord Huoshu nodded in satisfaction and, with a wave of his hand, cast several streams of colored light to the ground. Ye Hua glimpsed them—small, multicolored flags encircled him, each painted with depictions of malevolent ghosts. It was clear the Daoist was arranging a formation.

The Daoist began to intone a chant. Suddenly, Ye Hua felt a bitter wind rise all around, chilling him to the bone. Faint wailing echoed in his ears. This was Lord Huoshu’s Soul-Refining Demonic Array, used to absorb spiritual essence and seize souls. His mastery of the Huyan Fiend Skill owed much to this array.

The formation complete, Lord Huoshu pressed a hand to Ye Hua’s Zhiyang acupoint on his back, channeling Dao energy through his palm into Ye Hua’s body, sending it down his meridians toward the lower dantian, intending to draw Ye Hua’s spiritual essence into himself.

Yet Lord Huoshu sensed something amiss. His Dao energy reached the other’s dantian with uncanny ease; instead of extracting Ye Hua’s essence, he felt a powerful suction pulling his own energy away. The closer he got, the stronger the pull, and Ye Hua’s inner energy was oddly dissolving his own, dissipating it.

He was astonished—never before in his use of the Huyan Fiend Skill to absorb spiritual essence had he encountered such a situation. He hastened to forcefully draw Ye Hua’s essence.

Ye Hua, meanwhile, felt a heat pass down his spine, following his meridians in a pattern opposite his usual practice. He did not know what trick the Daoist was playing. He tried to use the Six Essences of Heavenly Enigma to gather the heat into his dantian and hide it among his organs, but the heat would not obey, and instead, a suction began to churn his spiritual essence violently.

Earlier, Ye Hua had absorbed the venom of the serpent demon, its power sealed in his dantian. The demon’s inner core contained formidable force; though tamed, it now erupted fiercely.

Ye Hua exerted all his skill. Though Lord Huoshu’s Dao energy was deeper, the difference was not vast. Moreover, he had ventured his own Dao force into Ye Hua’s dantian—the sea of lower qi, the strongest point for Dao energy. The Six Essences method ran counter to common practice, adding a further layer of mystery.

Lord Huoshu was thus attacking strength with weakness, and the two were evenly matched. He was both puzzled and enraged, for normally, his absorption met only feeble resistance—never had he encountered such a stalemate.

He began chanting again, forming hand seals. At once, the colored flags on the ground shone with black light, and a whirlwind arose, spinning like pillars all around. Soon, dense clouds and thick fog enveloped the space; Ye Hua grew dizzy and weak, unable to tell direction.

Within the chilling winds, dozens of ghastly specters appeared, their shrieks echoing in the storm as they clawed toward him. Ye Hua, frightened as never before in his life, instinctively hurled the two Spirit Pearls, reciting the Mystic Pearl Incantation.

At once, the pearls radiated golden light, and from within, shadowy Buddha figures emerged, their halos swirling around Ye Hua, almost corporeal, chanting faint Sanskrit. The charging ghosts, caught off guard, collided with the golden Buddhas and were instantly reduced to drifting ashes without a sound. The remaining ghosts dared not approach, circling warily and whimpering in fear.