28: Qingxin Powder and "Internal Network" Upgrade

The afterimage of the "Pure Bamboo Residence" dissipated like a dream or a bubble, and the valley was once again shrouded in a deathly greyish-white. The core five people stood in the open space, their moods completely different from when they had arrived.

The harvest was massive!

It wasn't just those dozen or so portions of heart-clearing powder that could neutralize the poison of the "heart-confusing pill"; more importantly, the information left by Yun Zhi was like a key, opening the door to the truth for them.

"the net," "heart-confusing pill," "star core fragment," "Primal Array"... these terms swirled in Wen Youyi's mind, sketching the vague outline of a massive conspiracy.

"Little Wen, what do we do now?" Zhao Iron Pillar rubbed his hands together, looking longingly at the jade bottle in Wen Youyi's hand, which contained life-saving treasures.

Wen Youyi took a deep breath, suppressing his churning thoughts. He knew it wasn't the time for overambitious goals. "star core fragment" and "Primal Array" sounded extraordinary, far beyond their current reach. For now, the most important thing was to digest this harvest and improve their immediate combat strength.

"First, let's find an absolutely safe place." Wen Youyi's gaze swept over the surroundings. "We need to test the effects of this heart-clearing powder and... summarize the feeling we had in the 'Pure Bamboo Residence' just now."

He was referring to that independent and pure Spiritual Qi, as well as that wonderful state of being self-contained and isolated from the outside world. That brief experience had given him a more intuitive understanding of his Concept for the "Inner Network."

The core five people cautiously left the valley and found a natural stone cave nearby, half-hidden by a giant skeleton. The entrance was narrow and concealed, but the interior space was quite large, making it an ideal temporary base.

Wen Youyi placed a few simple warning Talismans and small concealment measures at the cave entrance; though crude, they were better than nothing.

Inside the cave, The core five people sat in a circle.

Wen Youyi first took out the heart-clearing powder. The milky-white powder emitted a cool scent; just smelling it made one's mind feel peaceful.

"Fairy Yun said this heart-clearing powder can neutralize the poison of the calming heart pills, but the quantity is limited, so we must use it where it counts," Wen Youyi said solemnly. "I suggest we each take one first to experience the effects firsthand. Once we've confirmed everything is correct, the rest will be kept as strategic reserves."

Naturally, no one had any objections.

Wen Youyi was the first to take a portion of heart-clearing powder and put it in his mouth. The powder dissolved instantly. The cool sensation didn't go down his throat but instead acted like an invisible current of Qi, rushing straight into his Sea of Consciousness (where the consciousness at the center of the forehead resides)!

In an instant, Wen Youyi felt his mind become clearer than ever before! It was as if a thin veil that had been draped over his soul was gently lifted. Many details usually overlooked and hidden anxieties and irritations became clear, like rocks appearing as the tide recedes, only to be slowly smoothed and dissolved by that cool sensation.

Even more wonderfully, he felt that the faint "sticky feeling" between his own spiritual power and that invisible "the net"—a feeling caused by long-term consumption of calming heart pills—seemed to be washed and loosened slightly by this cool Qi! Although the extraction from "the net" continued, the feeling of his moods being subtly influenced and negative emotions being amplified was reduced!

"Good stuff!" Wen Youyi opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing momentarily. This heart-clearing powder didn't just detoxify; it also had the effect of concentrating the mind, calming the spirit, and stabilizing the Dao Heart! Taking it long-term would definitely be effective against "Heart Demon Harvesting"!

Zhao Iron Pillar and the others also took it one after another. Their reactions were similar, each showing surprise and clicking their tongues in wonder.

"I feel like my head is much clearer! Before, I always felt an indescribable stuffiness in my heart, but now it seems to have dissipated a lot!"

"Me too! The distracting thoughts during Cultivation seem much easier to suppress now!"

Having confirmed the miraculous effects of the heart-clearing powder, Wen Youyi carefully put it away. This was a strategic resource for countering the "Heart Demon System."

Next was the even more important topic—the optimization of the "Inner Network."

"Brothers, how did you feel back there in the bamboo residence?" Wen Youyi asked, leading the conversation.

"Comfortable! My whole body feels great!" Zhao Iron Pillar answered quickly.

Wang Wu pondered and said, "It seems... that little hand-in-hand cycle of ours was spinning more joyfully inside? It wasn't as much effort."

Senior Brother Li added, "Yes, and it felt like the 'line' between the five of us became a bit clearer."

The feedback from everyone confirmed Wen Youyi's own feelings. In the independent and pure Spiritual Qi environment of the "Pure Bamboo Residence," the operational efficiency of their crude "Inner Network" had improved, and the connection seemed a fraction more stable.

"That's because the environment there is itself a perfect model for an 'Inner Network'!" Wen Youyi explained excitedly. "It tells us that the key to a successful 'Inner Network' lies in creating an independent and stable 'micro-environment'!"

Inspired, he began to adjust the method of "Spiritual Power Linkage."

It was no longer just simple physical contact and the crude twisting together of spiritual power. He tried to guide everyone to integrate their Mental Energy as well, to "visualize" an invisible, harmonious "Spiritual Qi field" existing between the five of them. In this "field," their spiritual power was like five small streams—no longer twisted together, but harmoniously converging and circulating, forming a self-sufficient little world.

At the same time, he drew on the Concepts of Five Elements generation and energy flow from the Elementary Explication of the Minor Five Elements Formation. Although they didn't possess Five Elements Spiritual Roots, they could simulate that Concept of mutual generation and circulation, allowing the spiritual power of the five people to form a more organic flow within the "Inner Network."

This process was more difficult than before, requiring extremely high Mental Energy and mutual understanding. After dozens of failures, everyone was dizzy and their spirits were flagging.

But hard work pays off!

After countless attempts, at a certain moment, that wonderful sense of resonance appeared again, and it was clearer and more stable than ever before!

The bodies of The core five people trembled slightly as they felt the invisible bond between them grow stronger. Although the amount of shared spiritual power was still small, the mental exertion required to maintain the connection was greatly reduced, and the flow of spiritual power within the "Inner Network" was smoother and more natural, even showing a faint tendency to grow on its own!

"Inner Network version 2.0... is a success!" A brilliant smile broke out on Wen Youyi's exhausted face.

Though it was only a minor improvement, the direction was right! This meant that their "Inner Network" could be continuously optimized and upgraded!

With the heart-clearing powder and the upgraded "Inner Network," the D-7 Courtyard team's survival capabilities and confidence for exploration in the peril-filled Ancient Ruins had received a qualitative boost!

Wen Youyi gazed with burning eyes at the dim sky outside the cave.

It was time to encounter the other "Opportunities" and "dangers" within these Ancient Ruins.

(End of Chapter)