As Li Yao descended the mountain slope, he found the terrain unexpectedly peaceful. Unlike the dangerous encounters he had braced himself for, the journey downward was calm. The deep green canopy rustled softly overhead, and the chirping of birds echoed like faint bells through the air. There were no signs of ambushes or hidden beasts, just the serene, untouched beauty of the forest.
Eventually, he stumbled upon a sunlit clearing amidst towering trees. The ground was carpeted with soft moss and dotted with small, delicate wildflowers. Realizing this was an ideal place to rest, he settled cross-legged and began cycling his qi, preparing to restore his strength after the taxing battle with the Skywing Eagle.
To his surprise, the moment he focused his breath and activated his Blazing Heart Flaming Scripture, his qi absorption accelerated far beyond what he was accustomed to. Threads of qi streamed toward him from the surrounding environment, infusing his meridians with vigor and warmth. His master's words echoed in his memory: "In the secret realm, the speed of refining qi is manyfold compared to outside, almost two hundredfold for early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Encouraged by the swift replenishment of his reserves, Li Yao decided to explore deeper into the forest. For the next week, he carefully sought a secluded location to enter deep meditation. Along the way, he encountered various spirit beasts—some majestic, others fierce—but quickly realized a pattern. The beasts didn't attack unless he lingered too long in their territories or disrupted their natural balance. If he passed through swiftly and respectfully, they mostly ignored him.
After seven days of cautious exploration, Li Yao finally discovered a hidden cave beneath an outcropping of weathered stone. Its entrance was partially concealed by a curtain of vines, and the surrounding air felt unusually calm. Judging it to be a safe spot, he set up protective measures using the items his master had provided, including the compass inscribed with a top-tier illusion formation. This formation would buy crucial moments to react if an intruder breached the cave's defenses.
Satisfied with his preparations, Li Yao sat cross-legged within the cave's heart. He inhaled deeply, feeling the dense qi of the secret realm envelop him, and activated the Blazing Heart Flaming Scripture. His fire qi circulated through his meridians like molten lava flowing through a network of channels. Gradually, he sank into deep meditation, his mind retreating inward as his body grew still.
As his consciousness settled, Li Yao found himself suspended in an expanse of pitch-black emptiness. Around him, countless motes of light shimmered faintly—red, green, purple, gold—each representing some hidden essence. They hovered nearby but remained distant, as if waiting for something.
Suddenly, a single mote—a brilliant red particle—floated toward him. It shimmered before him and then pierced his forehead. A surge of understanding filled his mind. The Dao of Fire, the affinity he had long known. His connection to fire was deep, resonant, and natural, as his spirit root is of the fire element.
Yet even as he processed this revelation, another light approached. A shimmering purple particle drifted toward him, graceful and mysterious. It entered his mind like the brush of wind against candlelight, and a new understanding emerged. The Dao of Chaos. A rare and potent affinity.
Stunned, Li Yao was beginning to comprehend his dual affinities when yet another mote—a soft green glow—drifted closer. It too entered his mind, imparting knowledge of the Dao of Life. His thoughts spiraled. Fire, Chaos, and now Life? The realization left him breathless.
He scanned the surrounding motes, wondering if there were more, but none advanced. The void remained silent.
"Is that all?" he thought, preparing to withdraw from the space. But to his dismay, his consciousness refused to shift. No matter how he focused or commanded his qi, he remained locked within this dark expanse. Panic surged at the edges of his mind. Was he trapped?
Just as dread began to seep in, Li Yao felt something—a presence. He couldn't describe it. It wasn't a beast, spirit, or deity. He couldn't see its form, couldn't name its color. It was a presence that existed and yet defied existence. It was there, yet unseen, vast beyond comprehension. His heart trembled under its silent weight.
Before he could process its nature, another surge of information poured into his mind—not about Dao affinities, but about a location deep within the secret realm. The fragment of knowledge spoke of a Heavenly Treasure hidden there, something of immeasurable value.
Then, without warning, he was hurled from the strange space. His eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air. Sweat clung to his skin, and the fire qi within his body roiled like a furnace.
His thoughts raced. What was that… thing? He called out to his system. "System, you claim to know all under the heavens. What was that presence I encountered?"
[Host, you are not powerful enough to know.]
Li Yao gritted his teeth. "Not powerful enough, again. Then at least tell me about that Heavenly Treasure."
[Host, you do not have enough Observation Points to access that information.]
Frustration bubbled within him, but he exhaled slowly, forcing his thoughts into order. He redirected his focus inward, observing his body's state. His meridians were thick with refined fire qi, and the faint glow of his Axe Intent shimmered at his core. He had accumulated and refined enough fire qi to breakthrough at anytime.
"How long has it been since I entered deep meditation?" he asked the system.
[This will consume 1 Observation Point. Proceed?]
"Yes."
[Time elapsed: three weeks and two days.]
Li Yao's eyes widened in disbelief. To him, it had felt as though only two hours had passed. Was the vision of the affinities and the presence… did that time lapse happen within my consciousness?
Now that I know about my affinity towards chaos and life dao, should i condense the qi, but how should i even do it?
Let's ask these to master after leaving the secret realm
He exhaled a shaky breath. What matters now is advancing.
He adjusted his posture, focusing entirely on his dantian. Flames rippled beneath his skin, dancing with the rhythm of his breath. He guided his qi in a spiral, condensing it at his core, feeding the fire with his will.
As the qi condensed, the bottleneck shattered like brittle stone, and his qi erupted into a new pattern. His cultivation base expanded, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, Second Stage.
Li Yao gasped, sweat dripping from his brow, but a triumphant gleam shone in his eyes. He thought, flexing his fingers, feeling the surge of vitality within. "But what was that presence, and what Heavenly Treasure lies ahead?"