108: Hidden Healing: A Choice for the Future
Liu Qingtian regained consciousness while enveloped in a warm, vital energy.
The spiritual ripple vortex in the tree heart, which had been dim and nearly extinguished, was now being nourished by pure and gentle Origin power, slowly but surely relighting and accelerating its rotation.
The shattered willow branches and cracked tree trunk were also healing at a speed far exceeding natural recovery.
He suddenly 'opened' his tree soul Eye, warily scanning his surroundings. He found himself within a completely sealed, peculiar space. The space was small but extremely stable, and profound Runes flowed across the surrounding walls, isolating it from all external detection.
Wang Gou and Fu Yisheng were not far away. Wang Gou was sitting cross-legged, pressing his hands lightly, and the vital energy nourishing Liu Qingtian's body originated from the Geomantic Vein Essence activated by his Hand Seals.
Fu Yisheng, meanwhile, sat in a corner, looking distressed. The dense Aura of Bad Luck surrounding him was suppressed by a faint layer of golden light, but it still made Liu Qingtian feel uneasy.
"Awake?" Wang Gou noticed Liu Qingtian's movement, put away his Incantation, and walked over. He wore his usual slightly frivolous expression, but a hint of imperceptible seriousness lay deep in his eyes. "I say, Old Liu, are you uncomfortable if you don't bring back some injuries every time you go out? This time was even more outrageous; you almost became a literal Fire Poker."
Liu Qingtian ignored his teasing, sensing the rapidly recovering injuries within his body. He asked in a deep voice, "Where is this place? How long was I unconscious? What about the pursuers?" He remembered the certain-death situation in the final moments and the strange disappearance of the pursuers.
"Don't worry, it's very safe." Wang Gou patted his chest. "This is my brother's trump card, the 'Mustard Seed Hiding Cave.' Forget those few small fry in the Golden Body Realm; even if a Profound Void Realm big shot passed by, they wouldn't find it without a careful search. You were unconscious for three days. The pursuers? Those idiots searched outside like headless flies for two days, found nothing, and dispersed long ago."
Fu Yisheng also came closer, his face full of guilt. "brother Liu... I'm really sorry this time! I didn't expect that even from so far away, that Bad Luck could... could still make you run into a piece of wood..." He sounded unconvincing even to himself.
A flash of understanding crossed Liu Qingtian's tree soul. It was indeed due to Fu Yisheng's Bad Luck! There was no other explanation for such an absurd encounter except for this bizarre Cultivation Technique. He glanced coldly at Fu Yisheng, saying nothing, but the warning was clear. This time it was running into wood; next time, who knows what it might be.
"Did you get the soul-eroding grass?" Wang Gou was more concerned about the actual gain.
With a thought, Liu Qingtian summoned the soul-eroding grass, whose Essence had been Sealed, from the willow leaf grotto-heaven. It floated in the air; although somewhat withered, its Soul fluctuations were still pure and intense.
"Good stuff!" Wang Gou's eyes lit up. "With this, your Divine Soul's Hidden Injuries should recover quickly. You might even turn misfortune into a blessing, elevating your Divine Soul Power to the next level."
Liu Qingtian put away the soul-eroding grass and began to focus on guiding the pure Geomantic Vein Essence and his own Power of the Stars within his body to accelerate his healing. The energy provided by Wang Gou was very miraculous; it seemed to contain the Law of some kind of life Origin, which greatly benefited his Ancient Wood Body.
In the safe environment for healing, coupled with the efficacy of the soul-eroding grass, Liu Qingtian's recovery speed was extremely fast. After just seven days, his damaged Demon Body had mostly healed. Not only were his Divine Soul's Hidden Injuries completely gone, but due to the Tempering effect of the soul-eroding grass, it became even more condensed and transparent, making the Eye of Delusion Breaking easier to use. His cultivation also stabilized completely at the Kāishān Realm Mid-stage, even faintly touching the Threshold of the Late Stage.
Although this trip to the Black Wind Domain was a near-death experience, the gains were immense. Not only did he obtain the desperately needed soul-eroding grass, but having gone through successive fierce battles and an Extreme Escape, his Combat Experience, adaptability, and the utilization of his Divine Abilities, especially the Star Dome Shadow Escape, were greatly honed.
With his injuries fully recovered and his strength even improving, Liu Qingtian began to consider his next move.
He looked at Wang Gou and Fu Yisheng. After this incident, he felt more and more that these two were not simple. Wang Gou's miraculous Concealment Methods and his ability to draw upon such pure Geomantic Vein Essence were definitely not something an ordinary Loose Cultivator could possess.
There was even less need to mention Fu Yisheng. That bizarre Bad Luck Cultivation Technique was simply a Double-edged Sword; having him around meant both Opportunity and risk increased exponentially.
"What are your plans next?" Liu Qingtian asked proactively. He needed to know the goals of these two 'Temporary Companions' before deciding his own path.
Wang Gou rubbed his chin and chuckled, "As for me, I'm idle anyway. Following Old Liu is quite interesting, and I get to broaden my horizons. Wherever you go, I'll go." His words were still vague, but his eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept over Liu Qingtian, seemingly observing his reaction.
Fu Yisheng immediately stated his position: "brother Liu, I... I still want to follow you. Don't worry, I'll try my best to control... uh, I'll try to stay a little further away from you, and I'll rush forward if there's any danger!" He seemed terrified that Liu Qingtian might abandon him.
Liu Qingtian was silent for a moment. His original plan was to find a safe place for Closed-door Cultivation, strive to break through to the Late-stage Kai Shan Realm, and deeply study the myriad manifestations star disk fragment.
However, taking these two individuals whose motives were unclear and whose strength was a mystery made Closed-door Cultivation unrealistic. Furthermore, he subconsciously felt that following them might lead him into more complicated events, but it could also expose him to higher-level Opportunities.
The anomalies occasionally revealed by Wang Gou and Fu Yisheng were like lighthouses in the fog, attracting him.
Risk and Opportunity coexist.
"I need to increase my strength," Liu Qingtian finally said. "I need combat, Resources, and to comprehend higher-level Laws."
Wang Gou squinted his eyes and laughed, "What a coincidence, I know a place that's quite suitable for you right now. Have you heard of 'Meteorite Slope'?"
"Meteorite Slope?" Liu Qingtian's heart stirred. That was a famous Dangerous Place in the Myriad Realms Battlefield. Legend had it that Ancient Stars had fallen there, creating a unique environment filled with chaotic Power of the Stars and various strange Extraterrestrial Minerals. It also bred many powerful Star Beasts and bizarre Celestial Phenomena, making it a paradise for Adventurers and Body Cultivators.
"Exactly. The Power of the Stars there is chaotic yet dense, which is beneficial for your Cultivation. Moreover, I recently heard that there's been Unusual Movement deep within the Meteorite Slope; it seems some Ancient Ruins are about to emerge, attracting many people. Chaos means Opportunity," Wang Gou said meaningfully.
Fu Yisheng quietly added, "It's just... I heard that place is already prone to being hit by Meteors, so going now..."
Liu Qingtian automatically ignored the latter half of Fu Yisheng's sentence. Meteorite Slope, Power of the Stars, Ancient Ruins... this indeed matched his current needs. Moreover, such a chaotic place might, to some extent, 'dilute' Fu Yisheng's Bad Luck.
"Alright, we'll go to Meteorite Slope." Liu Qingtian made his decision.
He had a faint premonition that the trip to Meteorite Slope would be anything but peaceful. And the true intentions of Wang Gou and Fu Yisheng might also gradually surface there.
The three finished their rest, left this temporary hiding Immortal Cave, and once again set off on their journey, aiming for the Meteorite Slope—a place fraught with danger, yet potentially holding immense Opportunity.
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