35: Chapter 35 Five Elements Spells, New Understanding of Space, Further Advancement in Cultivation

The turbulence in the Rotten Bone Forest and the unusual movements in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains were like an invisible net, quietly shrouding the sky over the Black Water Swamp.

Ye Qing became increasingly cautious in his actions. He no longer visited the Blackwater Market regularly; the frequency of selling "moonlight heart-clearing powder" and Talismans was reduced to once a month, and he changed into more diverse and inconspicuous disguises during transactions, while the trading locations also became more random.

Shopkeeper Qian of the Baicao Pavilion also seemed to have sensed something. During transactions, they had a tacit understanding; he no longer asked too many questions, merely signaling with his eyes to be careful.

Most of the time, Ye Qing stayed in his temporary stone chamber or moved about in the dense, secluded forests within a radius of several dozen li around it.

Cultivation became the absolute core of his life.

His Sixth Level of Qi Refining cultivation, with the space's continuous feedback, the nourishment of the moonlight jade tree, and his own unceasing diligent practice, was steadily advancing toward the Perfection of the Middle Stage. His spiritual power became increasingly thick and pure, his Divine Sense became daily more resilient and powerful under the tempering of the Divine Refining Technique, and his control over spiritual power became increasingly meticulous.

On this day, he was practicing Spells in a secluded valley beside the stone chamber.

"Pseudo-Fireball Technique" could now be cast instantaneously, with its power stabilized at nearly eighty percent of a standard Late Stage of Qi Refining Fireball technique, and the consumption of spiritual power was extremely well-controlled. He attempted to further compress the fireball, making its flight speed faster, its penetrating power stronger, and even capable of slightly altering its trajectory, as if it were a living thing.

The defensive area and strength of the "Triangular Spirit Shield" had also greatly improved, capable of easily blocking several full-force strikes from a Middle Stage Cultivator. He was currently deducing how to further optimize its structure, perhaps attempting to simultaneously activate two or three spirit shields to form a more three-dimensional defense.

As for the Light Body Technique, he had played around with it until he came up with various tricks. Short-distance explosive charges, small-scale ghostly movements, and even rebounding and leaping off trees and rocks had become increasingly skillful and agile.

But Ye Qing was not satisfied.

"I possess a Five Elements Pseudo-Spiritual Root, yet currently, I only focus on Fire, Metal, and Wood attributes. I have barely touched upon Earth and Water attributes. If I could complete the Five Elements, even if just to a rudimentary level, my methods when facing enemies would become more varied and difficult to guard against. Moreover, the Five Elements generate and overcome each other; perhaps I could use this to further optimize my Qi Circulation, or even... draw parallels to deepen my understanding of space and the Origin of all things."

Once this thought arose, it was hard to suppress.

He possessed the super-high Comprehension Ability bestowed by the space, had the moonlight jade tree to nourish his Divine Soul and increase his thinking speed, and even had the pure spiritual power fed back by the space, giving him the capital to attempt this.

He started from the most basic Five Elements theory, combined with the vast number of classics he had read in the Library Pavilion, as well as his own practical experience in controlling Fire, Metal, and Wood spiritual power, and began to deduce and simulate basic Earth and Water attribute Spells.

Earth: heavy, bearing, defensive, restrictive.

Water: extremely soft, changing, nourishing, permeating.

Without specific incantations, he started from the "intent."

He stood by the stream, closed his eyes to concentrate, and sank his Divine Sense into the space.

Inside the space, the black earth was heavy and fertile, and the stream (Spirit Mist Pool) flowed with a gurgling sound. The moonlight jade tree quietly breathed, and the Five Elements Spiritual Qi circulated endlessly within the ecological cycle.

He used his mind to perceive the "heavy and bearing" intent of the earth, attempting to mobilize the spiritual power within his body to simulate that feeling of steadiness, solidity, and inclusiveness of all things.

At first, the circulation of spiritual power was sluggish and difficult to form.

But he was neither impatient nor rash, trying repeatedly. Combining his understanding of the "stability" true intent in the "Shape Stabilizing Rune" and his experience with the resilient characteristics of the iron wire vine, he gradually grasped a trace of the feeling.

Spiritual power circulated at his fingertips, evoking an extremely faint, almost imperceptible earthy yellow halo.

He slowly crouched down and pressed his palm against the ground.

As his mind moved, a hard rock the size of a fist on the ground trembled slightly, and then it actually began to slowly soften like a mud swamp, swallowing his palm up to the wrist.

The embryonic form of the "Earth Trap Spell"! Although the range was extremely small, the effect weak, and the consumption quite large, it had truly invoked the power of the Earth element!

"It worked!"

A flash of joy appeared in Ye Qing's eyes. He dissipated his spiritual power, and the rock returned to its hard state. He then turned to the stream beside him.

He perceived the "extreme softness and change" of flowing water, combined with the concept of "nourishing and permeating" from the "Spirit Nurturing Technique," as well as the "gentle" characteristic that his own spiritual power already possessed.

The spiritual power at his fingertips turned pale blue, carrying a moist and cool intent.

He pointed into the empty air, and a wisp of pale blue spiritual power probed into the stream like a silk thread, actually managing to slightly guide a small stream of water to change direction, tracing a small arc in the air before falling.

A rudimentary application of the "Water Guiding Spell"! It was equally weak, but the principle was understood!

"The key to Five Elements Spells lies in the comprehension of the 'true intent' of the corresponding attribute, as well as the meticulous control of one's own spiritual power. My spiritual power has been purified by the space, so it already possesses excellent plasticity. Combined with the space's Comprehension Ability, entering the path is not difficult. The difficulty lies in mastery, in integrating Spells of different attributes to form a combined force."

He felt a sense of clarity in his heart, and his interest grew even higher.

In the following days, apart from routine cultivation, he devoted a large amount of energy to the deduction and practice of Earth and Water attribute Spells.

The Earth Trap Spell progressed from only being able to soften a fist-sized rock to being able to make a square foot of ground muddy, delaying an enemy's footsteps.

The Water Guiding Spell progressed from guiding a small stream of water to being able to condense a palm-sized water ball, which could be used to extinguish fires, clean, or even try to simulate the embryonic form of a "Water Arrow," although the power was pitiful to behold.

Although rudimentary, he had already mastered four of the Five Elements. Only the Metal attribute remained. His own spiritual power already carried a trace of the sharpness and resilience of "metal and iron," and he had the deepest understanding of Metal attribute Spells like the "Metal Blade Spell" and "Metal Shield Spell," only lacking systematic incantations. Now, by drawing parallels, he also had more insights into controlling Metal attribute spiritual power.

On this day, he suddenly had an epiphany while practicing.

When he simultaneously attempted to mobilize the weak but definitely existing four types of attribute spiritual power (Fire, Metal, Wood, Earth) within his body, and supplemented it with his understanding of the "Water" intent to simulate the circulation of the Five Elements generating each other—

The thirty-five zhang space within his body suddenly emitted a strong resonance!

In the center of the space, the moonlight jade tree shone with brilliant silver light, reflecting the Five Elements aura emitted by the black earth, the Spirit Mist Pool, and various spiritual plants.

A profound and mysterious epiphany surged into his heart.

The Five Elements are not isolated, but generate and overcome each other in an endless cycle. Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood. Similarly, Water overcomes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal, Metal overcomes Wood, Wood overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water.

The stability and growth of the space itself required the balance of the Five Elements, endless and ceaseless. As the "Heavenly Dao" of the space, his comprehension of the balance of the Five Elements was far deeper than that of other Cultivators.

At this moment, when he attempted to simulate the circulation of the Five Elements, the space fed back a pure, harmonious, and all-encompassing strange energy, which merged into his limbs and bones, pushing the circulation of spiritual power within his body.

Boom!

The barrier of the Middle Stage of the Sixth Level of Qi Refining shattered silently.

His cultivation naturally advanced, stepping into the Late Stage of the Sixth Level of Qi Refining!

The total amount of spiritual power surged again, becoming thicker and purer, and faintly carrying a sense of wholeness from the rotation of the Five Elements, endless and ceaseless. His sensing and control over the five types of attribute spiritual power also instantly became much clearer and smoother.

"The Five Elements generating each other, comprehending the Dao of spatial balance, actually helped me achieve a Breakthrough!"

Ye Qing was both surprised and happy. This Breakthrough was not merely an accumulation of energy, but an improvement in Realm brought about by a deeper understanding of the "Dao."

He felt that he had more ideas for his understanding of Spells, especially for the optimization of his self-created Spells like the "Pseudo-Fireball Technique" and "Triangular Spirit Shield." Perhaps he could try to integrate the concept of the Five Elements generating each other into them to increase power and reduce consumption?

Exiting the state of cultivation, he sank his consciousness into the space.

The space also seemed to have benefited from his epiphany this time. The circulation of Spiritual Qi was more harmonious and natural, and the Five Elements aura achieved a more perfect balance under the harmonization of the moonlight jade tree. Various spiritual plants were growing better, especially those few iron wire vines; a metallic luster faintly appeared on their dark red vine bodies, and their vitality was even more vigorous.

"It seems that cultivation and the growth of the space are complementary. My deepened understanding of the 'Dao' can promote the Perfection of the space. The growth of the space and the ecological balance, in turn, feed back into my cultivation, enhancing my Comprehension Ability."

Ye Qing's heart became increasingly clear.

Steady development is not just the accumulation of resources and strength, but also the continuous deepening of understanding of the Laws of heaven and earth and one's own path.

The path of a Loose Cultivator is long and arduous.

I shall seek it high and low.

He looked outside the stone chamber; the forest was deep and the fog heavy, with crises hidden within.

But in his heart, there was nothing but calmness, and it was full of the passion for exploration.

Inside his body, the thirty-five zhang space had the Five Elements circulating, and the moonlight was like water.

The spiritual power of the Late Stage of the Sixth Level of Qi Refining surged endlessly.

Although the road ahead is dangerous, his Dao Heart is increasingly firm.