155: Chapter 114 Tempering the Heart in Southern Xinjiang

"Junior Brother, what do you think the Southern Frontier will become?"

Liu Lili leaned on his shoulder and thought for a moment.

"It should be very desolate. After the volcanic eruption, nothing is left."

Chen Xuan nodded.

"But some things will remain."

"What things?"

"Those who survived by luck, and the Opportunities that survived by luck."

He placed the empty bowl on the ground and took a Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch.

It was the summary of intelligence on the Southern Frontier from the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce.

After the volcanic eruption, the habitable area of the Southern Frontier shrank by 70%.

The remaining 30% was distributed on the periphery of the volcanic group, near the direction of the Long Sea.

There was a port there called Nanming Port.

Before the volcanic eruption, Nanming Port was the largest gathering place for Cultivators in the Southern Frontier, with more than 3,000 resident Cultivators.

After the volcanic eruption, Nanming Port was mostly submerged by magma, with only the outermost dock area surviving.

Less than 300 Cultivators survived.

Most of them were Foundation Establishment Cultivators who escaped through the magma by relying on protective spiritual light and fire-avoidance Talismans.

There were also some Qi Cultivators who were lucky enough to hide in cellars and avoid the first wave of volcanic ash.

Chen Xuan put the Jade Slip away.

"We will wait at Nanming Port."

Liu Lili looked up at him.

"Wait for what?"

"Wait for the miasma to dissipate."

Chen Xuan pointed to the gray clouds outside the window.

"The miasma in the Southern Frontier formed after the volcanic eruption. If Cultivators below the Golden Core Realm inhale the miasma, their cultivation base will regress. So we must wait for the miasma to dissipate to a safe concentration before we can go deep into the volcanoes."

"How long do we need to wait?"

"One to two years."

Liu Lili was silent for a moment.

"Then what will we do for these two years?"

Chen Xuan looked at her.

"Open a shop."

Liu Lili was stunned for a moment.

"Open a shop?"

"Open a Medicinal Pill shop." Chen Xuan's tone was very calm. "Although Nanming Port was destroyed, people are still alive. Those who survived need Medicinal Pills to heal their injuries, need Talismans for self-defense, and need Magical Artifacts to hunt Yao Beasts. We brought many supplies; it would be a waste not to open a shop."

Liu Lili thought for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay. I will help you."

Senior Sister Wen Yao was wiping her sword on the side, not even looking up.

"I will help too."

Xiao Ye opened his eyes.

"I will be responsible for watching the shop."

Chen Xuan looked at them and nodded.

"Then it's settled."

The flying boat continued south.

Three days later, Nanming Port.

The flying boat landed on the open space of the dock area.

Chen Xuan jumped off the boat railing and stepped onto the scorched ground.

The stone slabs underfoot had been deformed by the magma, making it uneven to step on.

The air was filled with the smell of sulfur and rot, choking enough to make one want to cough.

He looked up and surveyed his surroundings.

The dock was not large, only a few hundred zhang in radius.

On both sides were collapsed houses; the bricks had been scorched black, and the wooden structures had completely carbonized.

In the distance was the volcanic group; the peaks were looming in the gray-black clouds, and occasionally white smoke could be seen rising.

Some volcanoes were still smoking.

Some had already completely extinguished.

A few dilapidated flying boats were parked in the port, their hulls covered in volcanic ash and cracks.

There were a few Cultivators walking on the shore, wearing tattered Taoist robes, looking haggard with vigilant eyes.

When they saw Chen Xuan's group, they were stunned for a moment, then quickly walked over.

The leader was an old man at the Early Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, with gray hair and burn scars on his face.

He walked to Chen Xuan and bowed.

"Is Senior from the north?"

Chen Xuan nodded.

"Wanyao Immortal City, Liuyang Sword Sect."

A glimmer of light flashed in the old man's eyes.

"Liuyang Sword Sect! Someone has finally come!"

His voice trembled slightly.

"After the volcanic eruption, we waited here for five years. No one from the The Three Sects came, and we all thought the Southern Frontier had been abandoned."

Chen Xuan looked at him.

"The The Three Sects did not abandon the Southern Frontier. It's just that the miasma is too heavy, and Cultivators below the Golden Core Realm cannot enter."

The old man nodded, his eyes slightly red.

"I understand. I understand."

He turned and pointed to a row of stone houses deep in the port.

"If Senior does not mind, you can stay there. We rebuilt them after the volcanic eruption; although simple, they can shelter from the wind and rain."

Chen Xuan glanced at the stone houses.

The stone houses were not large, but they were sturdy enough.

"Many thanks."

The old man shook his head.

"Senior, no need to thank us. We are satisfied that someone has come."

He paused.

"Is Senior here to investigate the volcanoes?"

Chen Xuan nodded.

"In a way."

The old man sighed.

"After the volcanic eruption, the Southern Frontier changed. Miasma is rampant, and Yao Beasts are running wild. The places we were familiar with before are now unrecognizable."

He pointed to a smoking mountain peak in the distance.

"Under that mountain is the main altar of the White Lotus Sect. After the volcanic eruption, the main altar collapsed, but it seems there is still something underneath. Occasionally, one can hear sounds, not human sounds."

Chen Xuan's pupils shrank slightly.

The White Lotus Sect main altar.

The true body of Immortal Master Kumu.

The remnant body of Maitreya.

It was right there.

"I understand," Chen Xuan said.

The old man bowed and turned away, his steps somewhat unsteady.

Chen Xuan watched his back and was silent for a moment.

Then he turned and looked at Liu Lili.

"Senior Sister, tidy up. We need to live here for a while."

Liu Lili nodded.

The four walked towards the row of stone houses, chose a few that were close together, and began to clean up.

The stone houses were very dirty, the floor was full of dust and gravel, and there were spider webs in the corners.

Liu Lili took a Spirit Beast pelt out of her Storage Pouch and spread it on the floor, then lit a burner of soul-calming incense.

White smoke curled up, dispelling the moldy smell in the air.

Senior Sister Wen Yao was wiping her sword in the stone house next door, her movements slow and careful.

Xiao Ye was standing guard at the door, his hand on the hilt of his sword, looking at the volcanic group in the distance.

Chen Xuan sat cross-legged in the center of the stone house, closing his eyes to look inward.

The five-colored light of the Purple Mansion circulated in his Dantian.

He opened his eyes and took a Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch.

It was the Divine Ability sent by the Central Province Liu Clan, Meteor.

A Tier 4 Divine Ability.

He had not practiced it, not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't dare.

Meteor requires the mana of the Golden Core Realm to activate; if a Foundation Establishment Cultivator forces themselves to practice it, it will only damage their Divine Sense.

But he could comprehend it in advance.

Comprehension is not practice; it is understanding.

Understanding the laws of celestial movement, understanding how Star Power condenses, and understanding the principle of a falling Meteor.

When he reached the Golden Core Realm, practicing it would be natural.

Chen Xuan pressed the Jade Slip to his brow and probed with his Divine Sense.

The starry sky unfolded in his mind.

Stars were brilliant, and the Milky Way was like a ribbon.

Countless starlight flowed in the Void Realm; some fast, some slow, some bright, some dim.

Each star followed a fixed trajectory.

It went on and on, never stopping.

Chen Xuan's Divine Sense captured the trajectory of a star.

That star was very bright and particularly striking in the starry sky.

Its trajectory was not circular but elliptical.

When it was close to the center, the speed was fast.

When it was far from the center, the speed was slow.

Between fast and slow, Star Power condensed and released.

When condensing, the starlight was dim.

When releasing, the starlight was brilliant.

The Meteor Divine Ability was to imitate this natural phenomenon.

Condensing one's own mana into the prototype of a star, then letting it fall from high altitude.

During the falling process, mana constantly condensed and accelerated until it hit the target.

At the moment of impact, all condensed mana was released at once.

The power was enough to destroy a mountain.

Chen Xuan withdrew his Divine Sense, and a layer of fine sweat beads appeared on his forehead.

Just comprehending it consumed nearly 30% of his Divine Sense.

A Tier 4 Divine Ability was indeed not something a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could easily touch.

But he did not give up.

He closed his eyes and continued to comprehend.

Once, twice, three times.

Each time he comprehended, his Divine Sense was consumed by more than half.

After each consumption, he swallowed a Mind-Concentrating Pill to restore his Divine Sense.

Medicinal Pills were consumed rapidly, and his understanding of Meteor was slowly deepening.

A month later, he finally touched the threshold of Meteor.

Not the threshold of practice, but the threshold of understanding.

He understood the principle of Meteor, the laws of star movement, and the way Star Power condensed.

But he still could not practice it.

Because one thing was missing.

Connecting to the power of the stars.

The Meteor Divine Ability was not to create a star out of thin air, but to connect with the true power of the stars in the sky, using one's own mana as a guide to let the Star Power fall from high altitude.

Without Star Power, Meteor was just an empty shell.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes and walked out of the stone house.

Moonlight shone on the scorched ground, illuminating the dock area in a sickly white.

In the direction of the volcanic group in the distance, red light was flickering.

That was the afterglow of magma.

Chen Xuan looked up at the sky.

In the night sky of the Southern Frontier, there were more stars than in the north.

Although the miasma was thick, it could not block the starlight.

He saw many stars, some bright, some dim, some big, some small.

But he did not know which one could be connected.

He did not know which star's Star Power could resonate with his mana.

Liu Lili walked out of the stone house, holding a bowl of soup in her hand.

"Junior Brother, you are looking at the stars again."

Chen Xuan took the bowl and took a sip.

"I am looking for a star."

"What star?"

"A star that can be connected."

Liu Lili leaned against him and also looked up at the sky.

"With so many stars, which one are you looking for?"

Chen Xuan shook his head.

"I don't know. But the Heavenly Book will tell me."

He put down the soup bowl, took a Spirit Stone from his Storage Pouch, and held it in his palm.

He injected mana into the Spirit Stone, and the Spirit Stone glowed with a faint light.

He recited silently in his heart: I need a star that can be connected.

The light of the Spirit Stone flickered three times and then dimmed.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes and looked at the sky.

In the northeast, a star was flickering.

It was brighter and bigger than the other stars.

The light of that star was particularly striking in the miasma.

Chen Xuan stared at that star for a long time.

Then he withdrew his gaze and turned to walk into the stone house.

He sat down on the prayer mat and closed his eyes to sense.

His Divine Sense spread to the sky, crossing the miasma, crossing the clouds, and crossing the gale.

He sensed that star.

The Star Power poured down from the high altitude, like an invisible river, passing through the miasma, passing through the clouds, and landing on him.

Chen Xuan's body shook violently.

The Star Power entered his body and fused with his mana.

Mana flowed through the Meridians, and the two images in the Purple Mansion trembled at the same time.

The four images of Heavenly Fire shone brightly, as if responding to the Star Power.

The four images of City Wall Earth trembled slightly, as if supporting the Star Power.

Chen Xuan guided the Star Power to circulate in his body, following the operating route of the Meteor Divine Ability, condensing little by little.

It was too slow.

The Star Power was too thin; condensing the prototype of a star required at least three years.

Three years.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed.

It was too long.

The competition was in three years; he did not have time to condense it slowly.

He needed a faster method.

A better connection position, thicker Star Power.

Chen Xuan stood up and walked out of the stone house.

He looked up at the star in the northeast.

That star was still flickering, and its light was very bright.

But the Star Power was too thin.

Because the miasma in the Southern Frontier was too thick.

The miasma blocked most of the Star Power, and only a small part could penetrate through.

If he could get above the miasma, the Star Power would be thicker.

Chen Xuan withdrew his gaze and walked into the stone house.

He sat down on the prayer mat and continued to comprehend Meteor.

If he could not practice, he would continue to understand.

The deeper the understanding, the faster the practice.

He could not waste time.

Time waited for no one.

Liu Lili pushed the door open and sat beside him.

"Junior Brother, I want to go to the port tomorrow to have a look."

"Look at what?"

"To see if there are any suitable storefronts." Liu Lili's tone was very serious. "Didn't you say you wanted to open a shop? You weren't joking?"

Chen Xuan nodded.

"I wasn't joking."

Liu Lili smiled.

"That's good. I asked Xiao Ye to inquire; there are a few empty storefronts near the port. The location is good, close to the dock, with high foot traffic."

Chen Xuan looked at her.

"Senior Sister, you are becoming more and more like a Chamber of Commerce president."

Liu Lili reached out and flicked his forehead.

"That's for sure. Having been with you for so long, I've learned a little bit through osmosis."

Chen Xuan smiled.

"I will accompany you tomorrow."

Liu Lili shook her head.

"No need. You are comprehending the Divine Ability; I can go alone. Senior Sister Wen Yao will go with me."

Chen Xuan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Be careful."

"I know."

Liu Lili stood up and walked out of the stone house.

The door closed behind her.

Chen Xuan closed his eyes and continued to comprehend Meteor.

His Divine Sense spread to the sky, connecting to the Star Power of that star.

It was slow but steady.

Like a stream flowing over stones, neither fast nor slow.

He was not in a hurry.

He still had two years.

Two years later, when the miasma dissipated, he could go deep into the volcanoes, save Xiao Muting, obtain the gold-attribute fragments of Heavenly Fire, collect more images, and impact the Golden Core Realm.

Before that, what he needed to do was comprehend, practice, and wait.

And open a shop.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

Open a shop.

Mortal World, refining the heart.

In his second life, he opened the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce in Fusheng Immortal City, having seen enough of people coming and going, and seen enough of human warmth and coldness.

In his third life, he wanted to open a Medicinal Pill shop in Nanming Port.

Not to make money, but to watch people.

To watch how those who survived the volcanic eruption lived.

How they struggled, how they persisted, how they died.

And then from this, comprehend the Dao Heart.

The Dao Heart is not created by closing oneself off; it is walked out, seen out.

After seeing enough partings and reunions, joys and sorrows, the Dao Heart would naturally become firm.

Chen Xuan closed his eyes and continued to comprehend.

It was late at night.

Moonlight shone in from the window and fell on his face.

On that young face, there was no youthful vigor, only the calmness after experiencing the vicissitudes of life.

Only by walking in the Mortal World could one comprehend the true Dao.

This is what is meant by 'Mortal World, refining the heart'.

Whether it is practicing Divine Ability or proving the Dao to the Golden Core, it is all the same.

In this Realm, the Golden Core and Divine Ability have extraordinary power.