137: Chapter 137 Purple Light

Moonlight was like water, spilling into the courtyard and dyeing everything silver-white.

The leaves of that crooked tree had fallen even more, its bare branches reaching toward the sky like a hand grasping for something.

The sea breeze blew from afar, carrying the chill of late autumn.

Lin Xuan stood in the courtyard, looking up at the moon.

The moon was round and bright, hanging in the sky like a silver platter.

"Next, it is time to prepare for a Breakthrough in Qi Refining cultivation." He muttered to himself.

Qi Refining Level 6 to Level 7 is the most important threshold in the Qi Refinement Stage.

Crossing it means reaching the Late Stage of Qi Refining; both the total amount of Spiritual Energy and the power of Spells will undergo a qualitative leap.

But this threshold is not so easy to cross.

He needed to be well-prepared—enough Medicinal Pills, sufficient time, and a stable state of mind.

He was not lacking in Medicinal Pills. Over these past few months of talisman making, he had saved up quite a few Spirit Stones, and his Storage Pouch had a stock of peiyuan pills and rejuvenation pills.

The peiyuan pills were for assisting with cultivation, while the rejuvenation pills were for dealing with accidents.

Time was also abundant. Although Chenjiao Island was remote, it had the advantage of being quiet, with no one to disturb him. He could enter seclusion with peace of mind, without worrying about safety issues.

As for his state of mind...

Lin Xuan took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He could feel that thin Bottleneck in his Dantian.

It was like a membrane, wrapping around the Qi vortex and restricting its expansion. As long as he pierced through this membrane, the Qi vortex would undergo a qualitative leap.

But not now.

Now, he needed to first digest the gains from his Body Refining Breakthrough and let his body fully adapt to the new level of strength.

He opened his eyes, returned to the Quiet Room, and sat cross-legged.

He circulated the Thunder Body Refining Technique, guiding the Thunder Spiritual Energy to nourish his newly broken-through internal organs.

His heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—these five organs became tougher and more powerful under the nourishment of the Thunder Spiritual Energy.

He could feel that his heart was beating more steadily, his lungs were breathing more deeply, his liver's detoxification ability was stronger, his spleen's digestive function was better, and his kidneys were more full of vital essence.

Under the guidance of the Thunder Spiritual Energy, the power of the Five Elements cycled back and forth, endless and ever-flowing.

This feeling was truly wondrous.

It was as if his body had become a small universe, his internal organs were the Five Elements of the universe, and the Thunder Spiritual Energy was the primal force driving the operation of the Five Elements.

The universe was in his heart, and the thunder was in his body.

Lin Xuan was immersed in this wondrous feeling, and before he knew it, another hour had passed.

He opened his eyes, stood up, and pushed open the door to the Quiet Room.

It was already dawn.

The sun rose from the horizon, and golden-red sunlight spilled into the courtyard, dyeing the fallen leaves on the ground gold.

The sea breeze was gentle, carrying the unique freshness of the early morning.

Lin Xuan stood at the doorway and took a deep breath.

The sea breeze filled his lungs, cool and moist.

He felt that his body had never been so light and so powerful.

He walked into the courtyard and began to practice boxing.

It was not the kind of violent, full-force explosive boxing style, but a slow one, like flowing clouds and moving water.

Every punch had a rhythm, and every step had a cadence.

This was a state he had realized from the Thunder Body Refining Technique—a balance of hardness and softness, combining movement and stillness.

When hard, it was like the force of a thunderbolt.

When soft, it was like a spring breeze brushing against one's face.

The wind from his punches echoed in the courtyard, sweeping up the fallen leaves on the ground and swirling them in the air.

The Herb-Seeking Mouse squatted on the crooked tree, tilting its head to watch, occasionally squeaking.

The Pangolin lay at the base of the courtyard wall, half-closing its eyes with an expression that seemed to say, "I am watching, but I am not saying anything."

The Thunder-Light Bug flew back and forth on the windowsill, its purple light flashing on and off, as if keeping time for Lin Xuan.

After finishing the set of boxing, Lin Xuan withdrew his stance and stood still.

There was a light sweat on his forehead, and his breathing was steady.

He felt as if his entire being had become transparent.

"It is time to go around the marketplace." Lin Xuan wiped his sweat, changed into clean clothes, and pushed the door open to leave.

Walking east along the gravel path, passing through the dwarf forest and over the gentle slope, he arrived at the marketplace.

The early morning marketplace was already bustling. A few vendors were setting up stalls, selling some low-grade Spiritual Plants and Yao Beast Materials.

A few Loose Cultivators squatted in front of the stalls, haggling with loud voices.

Lin Xuan went straight to Shopkeeper Qian's shop.

"Fellow Daoist Lin!" Shopkeeper Qian was wiping the counter and greeted him with a smile when he saw him enter. "I haven't seen you for quite a few days. What have you been busy with?"

"I have been in seclusion for a few days." Lin Xuan walked to the counter. "Is there any recent news?"

"There is some news." Shopkeeper Qian put down his rag and lowered his voice. "The commotion in the sea area to the southeast is getting bigger and bigger. The night before last, someone on the island saw the sky in the southeast direction light up all night, with purple light soaring into the sky, visible even from hundreds of miles away."

Lin Xuan's heart stirred.

"Does Island Master Zhou have anything to say about it?"

"No. Island Master Zhou is still the same, remaining in seclusion and not coming out." Shopkeeper Qian shook his head. "However, I heard that Bibo City has sent people over again. This time, three Cultivators came, and one of them seems to be a Golden Core big shot; they didn't show their face and went directly to stay in the Island Master's Mansion."

"Golden Core Stage?"

"Yes." Shopkeeper Qian nodded. "It seems that the thing in that sea area is not simple."

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment, then took out thirty Thunder Shield Talismans from his Storage Pouch and placed them on the counter.

"Shopkeeper Qian, please take these."

Shopkeeper Qian picked one up to look at it, and his eyes lit up. "The quality has improved again! Fellow Daoist Lin, your craftsmanship is getting more and more refined."

"It's alright." Lin Xuan smiled. "By the way, get me two stacks of purple-patterned paper and a jar of thunder-patterned cinnabar."

"Alright."

Shopkeeper Qian rummaged under the counter, brought out two stacks of purple-patterned paper and a jar of cinnabar, and placed them on the counter. He then counted out Spirit Stones and pushed them toward Lin Xuan.

"The price of purple-patterned paper has gone up; it is 180 per stack. Two stacks make 360, and the cinnabar is 100, totaling 460. The thirty Thunder Shield Talismans are 20 each, totaling 600. After deducting 460, I owe you 140."

Lin Xuan took the Spirit Stones and put them into his Storage Pouch.

After leaving Shopkeeper Qian's shop, Lin Xuan walked around the marketplace.

A few Loose Cultivators were gathered together, discussing something.

He went over to listen.

"...The people from Bibo City have already been staying on the island for three days and have not left yet."

"What are they waiting for?"

"Don't know. Maybe they are waiting for reinforcements, or maybe they are waiting for the right moment."

"I heard that the thunderous light in that sea area is not there every day, but has a pattern. On the fifteenth of every month, the thunderous light is strongest, and it is relatively weak at other times."

"Then what day is it today?"

"Today is the thirteenth. The day after tomorrow is the fifteenth."

"Then will the people from Bibo City make a move the day after tomorrow?"

"Who knows. In any case, let's just not get involved."

Lin Xuan stood outside the crowd, listening silently.

The day after tomorrow, the fifteenth.

If the people from Bibo City really intend to make a move, then there will surely be a big commotion in that sea area the day after tomorrow.

He turned and left the marketplace, walking back along the gravel path.

When he reached the dwarf forest, that Iron-beaked Stork was still standing on top of the dwarf tree.

Months had passed, and it was still here, with that same vigilant appearance, squawking a few times.

Lin Xuan ignored it, quickened his pace, went over the gentle slope, and returned to his small courtyard.

Upon returning to his residence, he began to Cultivate.

He circulated the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Art, and the Thunder Spiritual Energy flowed slowly through his Meridians.

The Qi vortex in his Dantian was as solid as substance, and the purple thunder seed shone brilliantly.

Outside the window, the sound of waves came in bursts.

Lin Xuan sank into his Cultivation, his mind calm and peaceful.

What he did not know was that while he was immersed in Cultivation, a streak of purple light flashed across the sky in the southeast direction and vanished.

Although it was only for an instant, that instant of light was brighter than the moon and brighter than the stars.

It was as if something had opened its eyes at the bottom of the sea.