Lin Rui set down his chopsticks.
"It seems that by dealing with Mo Chong, we've earned some positive feedback from the Spirit Web."
Baobao nodded vigorously, his mouth still half-full. "Yeah! It feels way stronger than the feedback from those patrol missions! I feel all warm and fuzzy, like I just ate a super-nourishing spirit meal!"
Xu Yu's eyes glinted.
"There is a reason for that." He cleared his throat, his characteristic scholarly air taking over. "First, Mo Chong used heretical arts, violating the taboos of the Celestial Dao. By subduing him, we have upheld the righteous path. This is a 'great merit.'"
He paused.
"Second, the Unofficial Records of Strange Tales states that whenever an incident involving foul energies like 'yin-sha' is successfully suppressed, the Spirit Web's feedback is more significant. Mo Chong's methods were clearly related to this. Finally, The Celestial Dao's Ledger of Merits and Demerits states: 'To save the common people from peril, there is no greater merit.' We prevented a greater disaster, so the Spirit Web has naturally granted a corresponding reward."
Baobao was dumbfounded. After a moment, he smacked his lips. "Wow, Yu, you know so much! Hearing you say all that, I feel like I've got a little… inspiration! I need to go home and have my mom teach me a new recipe. Maybe I'll create some earth-shatteringly delicious spirit food!"
Lin Rui looked at him with curiosity. "Your feedback isn't a boost to your cultivation? It's an inspiration for cooking?"
At these words, both Baobao and Xu Yu froze. Then, they exclaimed in unison, "What?! Your Spirit Omen is the [Golden-Scaled Carp]?!"
Lin Rui was baffled. "Spirit Omen? [Golden-Scaled Carp]?"
He wracked his brain. Vaguely, he recalled some mention of cultivators having a corresponding "Spirit Omen" at birth, but the specifics were a blur.
Baobao excitedly grabbed Xu Yu's arm. "Yu, quick! You explain it, you're better at it!"
Xu Yu took a deep breath, trying to calm his shock. "Brother Lin, you… you really don't know that your Spirit Omen is the [Golden-Scaled Carp]?" Seeing Lin Rui's confused face, he had no choice but to start the lesson.
"The so-called 'Twelve Spirit Omens' are unique imprints bestowed by the Spirit Web upon a cultivator at birth, based on their innate disposition. This Omen determines the primary tendency of the benefits received from the Spirit Web's feedback. For example," Xu Yu pointed to himself, "my Omen is the [Bodhi Leaf], which symbolizes wisdom. Therefore, whenever I receive feedback, it mostly manifests as mental clarity or enhanced comprehension."
He then pointed at Baobao. "Baobao's Omen is the [Immortal Ganoderma], symbolizing the vitality of herbs. So his feedback often manifests as a sharper perception of ingredients or an inspiration for a new dish."
Xu Yu looked at Lin Rui, his expression complex. "And the [Golden-Scaled Carp]… it symbolizes the carp leaping the dragon gate—a sign of great fortune! For those with this Omen, the most direct manifestation of feedback is a boost to cultivation, the loosening of bottlenecks, or a sudden surge in luck!"
Everything clicked into place for Lin Rui. So that's why he always felt a tangible increase in his cultivation. But if that was the case… the original owner of this body possessed the [Golden-Scaled Carp], an Omen that directly benefited cultivation. Why, then, was he unable to guide Qi into his body for so long, to the point where he was ridiculed as a "waste"?
There's definitely a hidden story here.
Baobao had recovered from his shock. "My goodness, Lin Rui, you really are the one chosen by the ancestors! The Golden-Scaled Carp! That's a top-tier Omen! There might not be even one in Zhuyun Town in a hundred years!"
But Xu Yu's expression grew more serious. "Brother Lin, for every advantage, there is a disadvantage. Just as the [Golden-Scaled Carp] can bring great fortune, its drawback is 'fickle fortune, as great success easily invites envy.' If you rely solely on luck and neglect to be cautious, you could more easily fall into peril."
He paused. "Take my [Bodhi Leaf]. It can aid me in achieving enlightenment, but it also carries the risk of 'wisdom that wounds.' If I overthink things, I might destabilize my mental state. As for Baobao's [Immortal Ganoderma], its benefit is an affinity for plants, but in the early stages, if he can't distinguish between them, he runs the risk of 'confusing medicine with poison.'"
Baobao shrank back at this, clearly recalling some of his own "painful" experiences.
The dinner ended amidst Xu Yu's endless stream of trivia.
Several days had passed. The morning sun filtered through the bamboo grove in Lin Rui's small courtyard.
A figure stepped through the gate. The visitor wore a robe of jet-black silk that made his skin seem even paler. A mane of silver-white, curly hair was draped casually over his shoulders. His features were so handsome as to seem otherworldly, yet his eyes held a gentle smile. It was Lin Tiancheng's partner, Zhang Xuanming.
Lin Rui had just finished a set of fist forms. Seeing the visitor, he hurried to greet him, pausing for a moment, wondering how he should address him.
As if reading his mind, Zhang Xuanming smiled, his voice as smooth as jade. "Little Rui, no need for formalities. Your Second Uncle often speaks of you, says you are exceptionally clever."
With a flick of his wrist, a man-high alchemy cauldron appeared in the courtyard. "That 'Cloud-Rain Cauldron' of your father's—I had someone repair it and even added some fine materials. Take a look."
The cauldron glowed with a faint azure light, the cloud and rain patterns on its body more vivid than before. A faint spiritual pressure emanated from it, far stronger than before. Lin Rui reached out and touched it. The surface was cool and smooth, and to his delight, he discovered a new inscription on its side: Earth-grade, low-tier!
"Heavens, this… this is too valuable!" Lin Rui was overcome with a mixture of shock and joy.
Seeing how much he liked it, Zhang Xuanming's smile deepened. "I'm glad you like it. A fine cauldron, naturally, should go to a talented 'alchemist.'"
As he spoke, he began taking more things out of a storage pouch shaped like a plump peach. With a great clatter, a huge pile of spirit wood appeared, stacked higher than he was tall.
"This is 'Azureflame Wood'—its fire is gentle and long-lasting. That is 'Dragon's Breath Bamboo'—its heat is explosive. And this is 'Fragrance-Condensing Sandalwood'—it can help you stabilize medicinal properties. They are all top-grade firewood for alchemy. Use these for now. If you run out, just let me know."
Lin Rui stared at the small mountain of spirit wood, completely dumbfounded. His tiny courtyard couldn't possibly hold it all.
Seeing his predicament, Zhang Xuanming chuckled, then unfastened the storage pouch and handed it over. "Here, take this. My 'Immortal Peach Pouch' has plenty of space. I'll have your Second Uncle buy me a new one later. I hear Master Yu at the 'Spirit-Craft Ingenuity Pavilion' has just released a new 'Exquisite Latch' series. I've been meaning to take a look."
And so, Lin Rui's days fell into a routine.
By day, he worked as a chore boy in the Alchemy Division, learning from the old masters how to identify herbs and observing the refining techniques for basic elixirs, soaking up all the knowledge he could.
At night, he would return to his courtyard. First, he would sit in meditation, circulating the [Azurewood Heart Chant], feeling the endless vitality of plants flow through his meridians. When his body was full of spiritual energy, he would rise and practice, fusing the combat skills of his past life with the cultivation insights of his current one.
Gradually, his physique, which had been thin due to the poison, grew leaner and more well-proportioned, the lines of his muscles full of explosive power.
After finishing his cultivation each night, he would return to the alchemy room to practice refining elixirs. But the path of alchemy was far more complex than he had imagined. Although the "Cloud-Rain Cauldron" had a wondrous effect, his lack of experience meant his efforts were still clumsy. Several times, the spiritual energy inside the cauldron went berserk, threatening to blow it apart. In the end, he managed to refine a few pills, but they were all duds—their colors mottled, their surfaces pockmarked, their medicinal fragrance a strange mix of burnt matter and raw bitterness.
Each time Lin Rui stared at these "masterpieces," he couldn't help but feel dejected. But alongside the frustration, a novel sense of fun and a strong desire to meet the challenge began to grow. Every adjustment of the heat, every attempt at a different ingredient ratio, captivated him.
Tonight, Lin Rui was alone in the alchemy room. He took a deep breath and threw the last batch of practice herbs—"Green Bud Grass" and "Mind-Waking Flowers"—into the Cloud-Rain Cauldron. The flames of the Fragrance-Condensing Sandalwood licked gently at the bottom. He was completely focused, constantly adjusting the input of his spiritual energy.
Time passed. A medicinal fragrance, though not strong, at least relatively pure, began to fill the cauldron. A thought sparked in Lin Rui's mind. He changed his hand seal, abruptly increasing the heat, then just as quickly reining it in.
"Condense!" he grunted.
A soft pop sounded from within the cauldron. Did it work?
He nervously opened the lid. A mixed smell of grass, faint burntness, and a somewhat indescribable acrid odor washed over him. At the bottom lay a single, fingernail-sized pill. It was a murky dark green, its surface covered in small bumps, its shape extremely irregular.
Its appearance was a disaster. But he could feel that this pill contained a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy, much stronger than his previous duds.
He held the ugly pill between his fingers. "Green Bud Mind-Awakening Pill. I guess I've made one."
An impulse washed over him. Since I made it myself, why not… experiment on myself?
He brought the pill to his nose and sniffed. Ugh. The smell… it was like rotten leaves mixed with animal dung, left to ferment for three days. His face fell, and his stomach churned.
"Shit, is this thing even edible?" He fought back the urge to vomit, gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and tossed the incredibly ugly [Green Bud Mind-Awakening Pill] into his mouth.
"GACK—"
An indescribable stench, accompanied by a bitter, spicy taste, exploded in his mouth. He almost spat it out on the spot. Just as he felt he was about to pass out from the smell, a weak but exceptionally cool current of air rose from his dantian and spread through his entire body. His previously groggy mind was instantly refreshed.
"Huh? It seems… it works?"
The thought had barely formed when the spiritual energy in his body erupted into a frenzy! Immediately, a force of Spirit Web feedback, far more massive than what he had felt after the Mo Chong incident, came surging forth like a bursting dam, pouring into his meridians!
The power brutally scoured every corner of his body. He felt like a leather ball being constantly inflated, a dull ache spreading through him. But at the same time, an indescribable feeling of release accompanied it.
The invisible barrier that had been holding him back for so long shattered under the impact of this immense force!
BOOM!
A roar filled Lin Rui's mind. The spiritual energy in his body instantly surged, its circulation speed multiplying! The spiritual energy of the world around him, as if drawn by a magnet, rushed to pour into his body.
Mystic Art Enlightenment, Stage One!
He had broken through, all thanks to a pill that tasted like shit.
Lin Rui was both shocked and overjoyed. Wasting no time, he immediately sat cross-legged and circulated the [Azurewood Heart Chant], guiding the surging spiritual energy to run its course, stabilizing his newly achieved realm.
A long while later, when the roiling energy had calmed, Lin Rui slowly opened his eyes. He could feel that his perception of the world's vitality was much sharper, and the speed at which he could command his spiritual energy was far beyond what it had been before. The world as a whole, in his eyes, seemed clearer, more layered.
Deep within the Lin family compound, in the Spirit Web Monitoring Hub, several cultivators on duty were staring listlessly at the slowly revolving light array. Suddenly, a point in the center flared brightly. A clear feedback of spiritual energy fluctuation rippled out.
"Huh? The Alchemy Division. The feedback of a new spiritual energy formation!" one of the cultivators said, instantly alert.
Another leaned over to look at the recording jade slip. "It's Lin Rui! The same Lin Rui who caused the 'ancestral manifestation'! He managed to guide Qi into his body and reach Mystic Art Enlightenment?"
"Report it immediately! The Patriarch has been paying close attention to this boy!"
The next morning, a steward from the outer hall visited Lin Rui's courtyard, followed by two servants carrying several heavy chests.
The steward bowed in congratulation. "Young Master Lin, congratulations on officially becoming a cultivator of our Lin family! The Patriarch has ordered these congratulatory gifts to be sent to aid in your cultivation."
The chests were opened, and the courtyard glittered with spiritual light.
One chest was filled with a full hundred low-grade spirit stones. The others contained "Qi-Gathering Powder" for condensing spiritual energy, "Spring-Returning Ointment" for healing injuries, and several bottles of "Azure Dew Pills" for stabilizing his new realm.
The steward cleared his throat. "According to family regulations, now that you are a first-level cultivator, you are entitled to a monthly stipend. This includes ten low-grade spirit stones, one bottle of 'Azure Dew Pills,' and three portions of 'Hundred-Herb Liquid' for your daily cultivation."
Lin Rui was overjoyed. To him, these resources were a godsend. He expressed his thanks and saw the steward off, then couldn't wait to find Baobao and Xu Yu to celebrate.
In a private room at the Drunken Immortal Tavern, Lin Rui, Baobao, and Xu Yu sat around a table laden with snacks. To Lin Rui's surprise, Qu Youyan was also there, sitting quietly in a corner, holding a cup of clear tea. A faint, knowing smile was on her lips.
"Miss Youyan, what brings you here?" Lin Rui asked.
She lifted her eyes.
"Baobao invited me. He said he had some tremendous news to announce, and that he could treat me to a big meal at your expense."
Baobao just grinned and scratched his head.
Remembering Qu Youyan's sharp-wittedness, Lin Rui smiled. "The more the merrier."
After a few rounds of drinks, Baobao's mouth hadn't stopped moving, either stuffing his face or recounting some strange tale. "You guys should have seen it! Madman Qi, the stinky beggar? He went berserk the other day! A few ruffians tried to steal his broken bowl, but Madman Qi let out a roar, grabbed half a carrying pole, and beat them until they were screaming! The scene, tsk tsk, was more impressive than a general on a theater stage!"
He lowered his voice. "But the weird part came after. After he chased them off, Madman Qi just deflated like a popped balloon. He collapsed, his eyes empty, looking even more foolish than before. And, several people said his usual stench was gone. Instead, he gave off a strange… earthy smell. Creepy."
Qu Youyan's fingers tapped her teacup. "Immense strength, followed by a catatonic state, and a change in body odor… that is rather peculiar."
Xu Yu mused, "There are rumors in the market about heretical arts or forbidden drugs that can temporarily stimulate a mortal's potential, but at a great cost."
The group chatted for a while. Lin Rui, remembering his foul-tasting pill, turned to Xu Yu. "Yu, you've read so many books. Do you know of any that introduce the basics of alchemy? The taste of that [Green Bud Mind-Awakening Pill]… sigh, it's just indescribable."
Xu Yu shook his head. "You flatter me, Brother Lin. I know nothing about the practical side of alchemy. I have read quite a few books on elixirs, though. I'll keep an eye out for you."
The next day, at Xu Yu's home, he was true to his word, buried in a pile of old books, searching for a special preparation method for an ingredient called "Bitter-Heart Lotus Seed."
By chance, his fingertips brushed against a tattered ancient book wedged at the bottom of a stack. The cover had long since fallen off, its pages yellow and brittle. Only a few faded characters were faintly visible: Unofficial Records of the Shamans of Qingzhou Prefecture. It seemed to be a rare volume from his family's collection, one that even he couldn't remember acquiring.
Xu Yu had always been interested in such strange tales, and his curiosity was piqued. He carefully opened the book, and a musty smell wafted out.
The script inside was messy, recording many long-lost, bizarre shamanistic arts. One chapter, in particular, caught his attention.
"Blood Oath False Contract… A mortal, using blood as a catalyst and their soul as an oath, prays to mountain spirits or other unspeakable entities… By offering their own vital blood or most intense emotions, they can beseech a moment of great power, or the fulfillment of a single wish…"
Xu Yu read, engrossed. The book described that those who performed this art often paid a terrible price. In mild cases, their vitality would be greatly damaged. In severe cases, they would become mindless, walking corpses. The book also mentioned that performing such rituals often required special mediums, such as "Soul-Guiding Bamboo" or "Resentful-Bone Powder," and the sites were often chosen in places where yin-sha energy was concentrated.
The timing and choice of offerings for some of the rituals bore a subtle resemblance to certain folk sacrificial customs of Zhuyun Town's upcoming "Bamboo-Whisper Wind-Prayer Festival."
Xu Yu frowned, committing the information to memory. He didn't think too much of it, however, simply treating it as another piece of strange, ancient knowledge. After all, such heretical arts had been lost for many years. He closed the book and continued his search for a method to prepare the "Bitter-Heart Lotus Seed."
Meanwhile, on the edge of an area marked on the map as the "Abandoned Altar" deep within the bamboo forest.
Lin Yueyao was walking briskly with five Lin family disciples. They had just finished inspecting the formation nodes for the family's "Azure Tea Ancestor Worship Ceremony" and were now rushing to discuss preparations for the "Bamboo-Whisper Wind-Prayer Festival" with the other families.
Her fine brow was furrowed as she complained to Qu Youyan beside her. "Tsk, I don't know what's going on this year. The 'Azure Tea Ancestor Worship Ceremony' concerns our family's reputation and the fortune of next year's spirit tea harvest. And this 'Bamboo-Whisper Wind-Prayer Festival' is an old town tradition. Having them both fall in the same month… I feel like I'm being pulled in a million directions!"
Her voice held a hint of fatigue, but her back was still ramrod straight.
Qu Youyan's gaze swept over a broken stone tablet half-covered in vines. Her voice was cool. "We've checked the 'Spirit-Gathering Formation' and the 'Year-Prayer Formation.' The key nodes are filled with spiritual energy; there are no issues. As for the Wind-Prayer Festival, it's the same every year. Just a matter of following tradition."
As they were speaking, a light breeze blew past. Lin Yueyao's nose twitched. The spiritual energy in the air seemed more sluggish here, mixed with a faint, sweet, and rotten-wood smell that was out of place with the fresh scent of the bamboo forest.
A disciple couldn't help but ask, "What's that smell?"
Lin Yueyao waved a hand, unconcerned. "It rained so hard last night. It's normal for there to be some damp, rotting wood. Let's go, we don't want to be late."
Qu Youyan only gave a cursory glance in the direction of the altar. The sweetish smell made her slightly uncomfortable, but she quickly dismissed it as a normal phenomenon after a rain shower. The group quickened their pace and soon disappeared down the bamboo path.
In the market, inside the Hundred Herbs Hall, Shopkeeper Wang was discussing the properties of some newly arrived herbs with Li Qing and Lin Rui.
He stroked his beard, explaining, "This 'Three-Leaf Green,' for example, may look ordinary, but if you pair it with the midnight dew from a 'Heart-Piercing Lotus,' its heat-clearing and detoxifying effects can increase by more than thirty percent…"
Before he could finish, two cultivators in the uniform of the Celestial Law Division walked in. One of them looked familiar to Lin Rui; he seemed to have seen him during the Mo Chong incident.
The leading cultivator took out a notice. "Shopkeeper Wang, pardon the intrusion. There have been several incidents of mortals suddenly exhibiting abnormal behavior in the town. The Celestial Law Division is issuing a notice, requesting all shops, especially medicine shops, to be on high alert. If any mortal attempts to purchase large quantities of certain specific herbs, or if any suspicious individuals are asking about remote sacrificial sites, you must report it immediately."
Shopkeeper Wang nodded repeatedly. "Understood, understood."
Lin Rui's detective instincts kicked in. He asked casually, "Honorable brother, what kind of 'abnormal incidents' are these? Could you tell us, so we juniors can learn and not be caught unawares?"
The cultivator glanced at Lin Rui, recognized him as a member of the Lin family, and didn't hide anything. "Nothing major. Just some mortals who suddenly become immensely strong, act erratically, and then become catatonic or even die afterward. We've investigated but can't find a clear cause. Probably just ate something unclean or were exposed to some foul energy."
With that, the two cultivators left in a hurry. Lin Rui silently committed this to memory.
Night fell, and the Thousand Eats House was brightly lit.
Lin Rui, Baobao, Xu Yu, and Qu Youyan sat around a table laden with a sumptuous feast. This was the second small gathering they had planned.
Xu Yu handed several yellowed books to Lin Rui. "Brother Lin, these are a few rare volumes I found on the preparation methods for 'Bitter-Heart Lotus Seed,' and two volumes of Miscellaneous Talks on the Path of Alchemy. They might be of some help to you."
Lin Rui accepted them gratefully. "Yu, thank you."
Baobao, who had just stuffed his mouth with "Honey-Glazed Phoenix-Feather Chicken," mumbled, "Speaking of strange things, I passed by West Street today and heard that the son of Wang the Butcher, who's usually sickly, suddenly lifted half a pig carcass this morning and ran with it! But after a few steps, he started foaming at the mouth and fainted. He's still unconscious!"
Xu Yu set down his chopsticks, his brow furrowed. "Madman Qi, the butcher's son… for so many mortals to exhibit abnormal behavior in such a short time is unusual." He then recounted what he had read in the Unofficial Records of the Shamans of Qingzhou Prefecture about the "Blood Oath False Contract."
"...offering one's vital blood, lifespan, or even intense emotions as a sacrifice in exchange for a brief moment of extraordinary power, with dire consequences afterward. The book mentions that such rituals require special mediums and are often performed in places where yin-sha energy gathers."
Qu Youyan had been listening quietly. At the mention of "rituals" and "sacrifices," her eyes flickered. "Those shamanistic rituals sound sinister. Speaking of which, when Senior Sister Yueyao and I were inspecting the formation nodes for the 'Azure Tea Ancestor Worship Ceremony' today, we passed that abandoned altar north of town and smelled a very strange odor. A bit like… rotten offerings mixed with the smell of blood. Senior Sister Yueyao said it was probably just rotten wood after the rain, but I don't think so. And isn't the 'Bamboo-Whisper Wind-Prayer Festival' coming up soon? I wonder if any of this is connected."
Lin Rui drained his cup of tea and briefly recounted his encounter with the cultivators from the Celestial Law Division, as well as the abnormal incidents they had mentioned. He tapped his fingers on the table, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"Madman Qi, the butcher's son, the incidents reported by the Division, the 'Blood Oath False Contract' that Xu Yu found, and the strange smell Youyan detected near the abandoned altar… taken individually, these might just be coincidences. But if you string them all together, they might all be pointing to the same thing."
Lin Rui scanned the faces of his friends, a familiar smile touching his lips.
"From what I can tell, the Division is just issuing notices. They probably won't devote too many resources to investigating these 'minor incidents' among mortals. The merit points from the Spirit Web are probably very limited. However, if we can determine what's going on, that's a different story. So, what do you say? Anyone interested in investigating this together?"
Baobao was the first to get excited. "Investigate! Of course, we'll investigate! Just thinking about it is exciting!"
A look of eagerness also appeared in Xu Yu's eyes.
"If it's truly as the ancient texts describe, and such a heretical art has reappeared, we must get to the bottom of it."
Qu Youyan's lips curved upward slightly.
"Count me in," she said coolly.