138: Spiritual Sea Breakthrough Jade Technique

Through several days of observation, Shen Guyan finally gained a general understanding of the capabilities of the contestants in this year's Youth Genius Competition.

Overall, the Soul Power Rank of most contestants fell between Three-Ring Soul Elder and Fourth Ring Spirit Ancestor; contestants at the Spirit King level could be counted on one hand, and there were only two Spirit Emperors.

Even so, this Youth Genius Competition could be called the highest quality one in history.

The later stages of the competition would definitely involve one-on-one matches. With Shen Guyan's current strength, he might have a chance of winning against a Spirit King level contestant, but once he faced one of those two Spirit Emperors, he would truly have no chance at all.

With the gestation of the Candle Dragon Bloodline in his body and the surge in Soul Power, his current Mental Energy could only be considered above average among his peers, not top-tier.

Human Mental Energy increases with physical growth; it improves steadily every year until the age of forty due to physical development. After forty, ordinary people begin to decline. Spirit Masters, however, can extend this period of continuous Mental Energy improvement until the age of sixty.

Therefore, Shen Guyan decided to have his Mental Energy Breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm before the Death Forest stage ended.

Having made up his mind, Shen Guyan did not go to watch the matches in the afternoon, but instead stayed alone in his hotel room to meditate. Having witnessed the brilliant performances of many young Spirit Masters, he increasingly realized the gap between himself and the truly strong.

Spirit Sea Realm: the mind is like a sea, vast and boundless. It is when Mental Energy truly reaches a high level and becomes the foundation for being a powerhouse. Whether for a Peak Mecha Pilot or a Peak Spirit Master, reaching this level of Mental Energy is essential.

At this Mental Energy Rank, a Spirit Master can carry up to five yellow spirit souls, three purple spirit souls, or one black spirit soul.

Mental Energy at the Spirit Sea Realm level can even support a Spirit Master to continuously Cultivate to the Sixth Ring or even the Seventh Ring Realm; it is a necessary path for powerful Spirit Masters.

Shen Guyan slowly sat on the futon in the center of the room, gently closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart which had been fluctuating due to the matters of Leng Yaozhu and Shen Yue. He began to circulate the Soul Power in his body, flowing slowly along the established Meridians. Every time it passed through an Acupoint, he could feel the Soul Power constantly condensing and settling.

As the Soul Power circulated, Shen Guyan's consciousness gradually sank into his sea of consciousness.

The sea of consciousness was vast and boundless, as if it had no limits. Shen Guyan was like a traveler lost in a vast ocean, wandering through this mental mist. He knew deeply that to Breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm, he had to make his mind like a true ocean—vast, boundless, and all-encompassing.

Shen Guyan tried hard to discard the distracting thoughts in his heart, concentrating all his attention on feeling the changes in the sea of consciousness. He tried to guide his Soul Power to impact the barriers of the sea of consciousness, yet every impact was like an ant trying to shake a tree, only making that invisible barrier tremble slightly without being able to truly break through.

Time seemed to lose its meaning in this quiet mental World. Shen Guyan constantly tried various methods, recalling the various cultivation techniques he had learned, from the most basic meditation methods to high-level mental tempering techniques, performing them one by one. But no matter how hard he tried, that barrier blocking his Breakthrough remained as solid as a rock.

Just as Shen Guyan was feeling somewhat discouraged, he suddenly remembered the Flower Shifting Mind-Cultivation Technique he had accidentally obtained in his previous life. Flower Shifting martial arts use the Bright Jade Art as the Mind-Cultivation Technique; Internal Energy is withdrawn rather than released, like a clear current of the vast sea, endless and ceaseless. Combined with the unique palm technique, 'Flower Shifting, Jade Grafting,' Flower Shifting Disciples traveling through the Jianghu could naturally leave behind legends of being unrivaled in the World, invincible to gods and ghosts alike.

Shen Guyan circulated the Bright Jade Art, and the unique Mind-Cultivation Technique flowed like a gurgling stream, merging into his sea of consciousness. As the Bright Jade Art circulated, the mental mist began to slowly dissipate, and a faint light flickered in the distance. Hope ignited in Shen Guyan's heart as he strove toward the light.

On the way toward the light, a powerful storm suddenly erupted in the sea of consciousness. The wild winds howled like countless sharp blades cutting his consciousness. This storm seemed intent on tearing his spirit to shreds. Shen Guyan circulated the Bright Jade Art with all his might, constructing a tough shield around his consciousness. The shield flickered under the impact of the storm, nearly shattering, but Shen Guyan gritted his teeth and persisted, constantly adjusting the rhythm of the Bright Jade Art to harmonize with the rhythm of the sea of consciousness.

Shen Guyan felt a miraculous change beginning to occur in his sea of consciousness. The originally hazy mist gradually thinned, and a faint light flickered in the distance. Joy rose in Shen Guyan's heart as he strove toward the direction of that light.

In the process of approaching the light, Shen Guyan encountered numerous difficulties. A powerful mental storm suddenly rose in the sea of consciousness, sweeping toward him like a tsunami in the real World, covering the sky and the earth. This storm carried a powerful impact, attempting to scatter his consciousness. Shen Guyan gritted his teeth and circulated the Great Sorrow Scripture Mind-Cultivation Technique with all his strength, forming a protective membrane around his consciousness to resist the invasion of the mental storm.

Under the devastation of the mental storm, Shen Guyan's consciousness was teetering. But the conviction in his heart was unwavering; he knew deeply that this might be the key test for his Breakthrough. Shen Guyan constantly adjusted the way his Mental Energy operated, making it more compatible with the power of the Great Sorrow Scripture.

Finally, after a period of arduous resistance, the mental storm gradually subsided. Shen Guyan continued toward that light. As the distance closed, the light grew stronger, and he gradually saw clearly that the light came from a mysterious mental tower. This tower exuded an ancient and mysterious aura, its body covered in strange runes as if telling of an ancient path of cultivation.

Shen Guyan approached the mental tower, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart. He reached out to touch the tower, and instantly, a powerful Mental Energy poured into his consciousness. Countless pieces of information regarding Mental Energy cultivation flooded into his mind like a tide. Shen Guyan immersed himself in this information, absorbing it hungrily and constantly grasping the mysteries within.

In the process of comprehending this information, Shen Guyan gradually understood the key to breaking through to the Spirit Sea Realm. It turned out that a Breakthrough did not rely solely on powerful Soul Power impacts; more important was the sublimation of the soul—learning to encompass and accept everything within the sea of consciousness, allowing one's mind to truly reach a Realm as vast as the sea.

Following the methods he had grasped, Shen Guyan readjusted his mental state. He was no longer in a hurry to impact the barrier but instead calmed his heart to feel every ripple of the sea of consciousness, merging his consciousness into this ocean and becoming one with it.

As Shen Guyan merged with the sea of consciousness, a miraculous change began to occur in his mind. His originally narrow mind gradually broadened, like opening a door to a vast World. He felt the vastness and inclusiveness of the sea of consciousness, and his consciousness seemed to become a part of this ocean, swimming freely within it.