Chapter Forty-Four: Unveiling the Truth (Bonus Chapter)

The most noticeable change was that Feng Ke’er realized her skin had become even better: fair, smooth, and taut, enveloped in a pearly, hazy glow.

Pleased with herself, she activated the Ice Sphere Technique. It, too, had improved significantly—the ice spheres she conjured could now be as large as a basketball, and their color had shifted from pure white to a faint lavender.

She wondered what this meant.

Suspicious, she covered the Phoenix Jade Tablet with her spiritual sense, wanting to see what the manual had to say.

To her surprise, she managed to turn to the second page of the manual.

The content was still the cultivation diary penned by the great god Pangu. In the diary, Pangu recounted biting through a wisp of vital energy that had been binding his wrist. This wisp was at least three times larger than the previous one. After it was torn, his lower abdomen absorbed all of it, emitting a five-colored light—he had advanced! Thus, Pangu wrote that he understood: as long as he tore through a strand of vital energy, he could advance a level.

Reading this, Feng Ke’er suddenly understood: so that’s why defeating monsters allowed her to level up—it was because she absorbed the vital energy within them! As soon as the vital energy she absorbed reached a certain threshold, her cultivation would rise to a new level. It had nothing to do with spiritual energy at all. No wonder taking Spirit Nourishing Pills never boosted her spiritual power!

The diary was heavily annotated, filled with comments and notes. A passage caught Feng Ke’er’s eye: Alas, this is sufficient proof that the legend of Pangu being born without a spiritual root is not mere fiction! This opinion aligned with what the mysterious voice had told her.

The words “without a spiritual root” were circled, and someone had written an objection: Nonsense! Without a spiritual root, how could Pangu have cultivated at all?

Further down, another supported the first viewpoint: In all the world, who else’s root can directly absorb vital energy? This is the Celestial Root, incomparable to a mere spiritual root!

There were several more layers of comments, all praising the name “Celestial Root” as being resounding and impressive.

After reading this, Feng Ke’er touched her own lower abdomen with delight, exclaiming, “Could it be that I also possess a Celestial Root?” Oh my, if that’s truly the case, then I’m a genius among geniuses!

After basking in her pride for a while, she collected herself and continued reading, but could not find any option related to learning new skills.

That’s odd—she distinctly remembered there was one last time. Feng Ke’er turned her eyes skyward, carefully recollecting how she’d unlocked the skill options before.

Blood! Did one have to offer blood to learn a new skill?

With a mindset of giving it a try, she bit her middle finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the Phoenix Jade Tablet.

“Ding—” A golden interface appeared in her mind:

Species: Master
Rank: Mid-stage Qi Refining
Self-created Skill: Intermediate Dagger Assassination
Skills Available to Learn: Ice Spike Technique, Heart-Peering Technique, Rejuvenation Technique.

Damn it, the core features still only respond to blood! Feng Ke’er shook her head and smiled wryly.

Having learned from last time, she decided to proceed more wisely: one skill at a time.

The Ice Spike Technique was an upgraded version of the Ice Sphere Technique, with greater destructive power. The conjured ice spikes were the size of daggers, their sharp tips glimmering with a faint lavender chill, intimidating at a glance.

As for the Heart-Peering Technique, Feng Ke’er already had some understanding from bundled information: it was said that every cultivator had a “sea of the heart” within their chest, where their truest thoughts were hidden. The Heart-Peering Technique was a spell used by mid-to-late Qi Refining cultivators to observe this sea. Unfortunately, the technique could only be used on those of similar or lower cultivation; otherwise, one’s spiritual sense could be harmed by the other’s heart-sea.

Did the “sea of the heart” truly exist? In the modern era, people could dissect the heart, but none had ever proposed such a concept. Out of curiosity, Feng Ke’er used the Heart-Peering Technique on herself. The result was disappointing. Contrary to what the materials described, she saw a magnificent vortex within her heart: its center was white, tinged with lavender light, while around it flowed the same five-colored glow that had surged forth in her body during advancement—red, gold, blue, black, and green, swirling brilliantly, dazzling to behold.

Could this be the source of the five-colored light? And was the lavender tinge on the ice spheres and spikes also from the heart-sea? The materials said nothing of this!

Feng Ke’er was left somewhat perplexed. She flipped through the manual again, but none of the notes or annotations offered any explanation.

Never mind, she thought—best to learn the Rejuvenation Technique first.

The information stated that the Rejuvenation Technique was used for healing—on oneself, on others, on any living thing; however, one needed to be at least late-stage Qi Refining to use it.

Yet the manual showed she could learn it now, so Feng Ke’er was elated to see it here. Without a protective shield, there was no guarantee she’d avoid injury every time she fought monsters. And Rejuvenation Pills were expensive, and she couldn’t yet refine her own. With the Rejuvenation Technique, she could save a fortune on medicine.

To test its effects, she drew her dagger and ran to the courtyard’s old locust tree, stabbing a large hole in its trunk, then used the Rejuvenation Technique, her right hand gently brushing over the wound.

A stream of white warmth floated from her palm. At its touch, the hole rapidly closed, and soon the trunk was as good as new, without any trace of damage.

It was truly miraculous! Feng Ke’er stared at her palm in excitement. Aha, I am now a divine healer! Back in the modern world, with this skill alone, I could live a life of luxury without doing anything else.

Imagining her future days of ease and comfort, Feng Ke’er felt invigorated and hurried back to her room to enter seclusion for cultivation.

Little did she know, on the main peak of the Azure Cloud Sect, the sect leader was once again roaring in fury. All of Sacred Radiance Peak was shrouded in the echo of her wrath.

The reason was simple: the disciples she’d sent to Green Mountain had returned—without the Bodhi Seed; the Feng clan’s residence was deserted, and only the High Priestess’s corpse was left, stripped bare and hanging from a tree behind the mountain.

The High Priestess’s body was battered beyond recognition, as gruesome a sight as possible. On her back were three lines of strange bloody characters. None of the disciples recognized them—they were neither oracle bone script nor any other they knew. They had no choice but to bring the body back for the sect leader’s inspection.

Fortunately, the sect leader recognized the script.

It was three crooked lines of ancient bronze inscription: “Audacious Azure Cloud Sect, dare to meddle with my Feng clan’s bloodline! Death to all!”

A single sentence exposed the sect leader’s plot. Years of careful planning were all for nothing, and the sect leader nearly went mad with rage.

Indeed, the High Priestess was not a descendant of the Feng clan at all, but a spy sent by the sect leader herself. As the sect leader’s most valued hidden guard, her cultivation wasn’t at Foundation Establishment, but at mid-stage Nascent Soul!

Years ago, Master Cai Xia had fallen and bore a daughter with a Feng clansman she’d brought to the sect—a very healthy girl with a fire spiritual root and extraordinary talent. Tragically, the poor child was strangled to death in her swaddling the moment she was born, before her cord was even cut.

Perhaps the Nascent Soul escaped. Clinging to a faint hope, the sect leader scrutinized the High Priestess’s body, only to gasp in horror—the Nascent Soul had not escaped, but lay limp in her dantian. The High Priestess’s abdomen had a gaping hole, and the Nascent Soul’s neck, as delicate as lotus root, was shockingly purple.

The Nascent Soul’s neck had been broken! Someone had reached through the High Priestess’s belly and crushed her Nascent Soul’s neck in one swift move! What terrifying speed! Even with her own cultivation at the Illusionary Void stage, the sect leader dared not claim she could break a Nascent Soul’s neck in a single move.

This person’s cultivation was terrifyingly profound! Even a master at the Ascension stage might not compare!

“Death to all!”

For years, they had been as docile as lambs—why had they suddenly exploded now? How hateful, to be pecked in the eye by the very eagle she’d tried to train! Weren’t their memories erased, hadn’t all knowledge of the divine script been lost? How could anyone still know the ancient bronze script?

And since when did the Feng clan have such a formidable cultivator?

Was it the Fire Phoenix?

Could a mere fledgling phoenix wield such power?

Could Feng Ke’er and the Bodhi Seed have come to the sect for the Fire Phoenix?

The more the sect leader thought, the more fear crept in: with such a powerful enemy targeting them, disaster was surely coming to the Azure Cloud Sect!

After smashing everything breakable in the main hall, the sect leader finally felt a sliver of warmth return to her body. With bloodshot eyes, she collapsed onto a meditation cushion, bracing herself on her thighs, panting as she demanded, “Where have the Feng clan gone? Any leads?”

The disciples all hung their heads, silent.

As expected, there were none. The sect leader’s anger rose again, and she waved them off with a roar: “Useless trash! If even a single word of today’s events leaks, you’ll all be executed! Get out, out!”

Rather than waste her breath on these fools, she’d best consider how to explain this to the elders. The sect leader clutched her jaw in pain, lost in thought.

After a day and night of anxious deliberation, the sect leader convened an emergency meeting of the elders at dusk the following day. That night, the main hall of Sacred Radiance Peak blazed with light, burning bright till dawn.

At sunrise, the elders filed out one by one, faces dark with worry.

Soon, everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect sensed something was wrong: first, all disciples on outside assignments were urgently recalled; next, the mountain gates were shut and the sect’s grand defensive array activated; finally, not only was the outer sect under lockdown, but every peak within the inner sect was placed under strict guard.

Thus, when Feng Ke’er emerged from three days of secluded cultivation, she immediately received two message talismans from Qin Jun.

One read: Qin Heng, security has been tightened throughout the inner and outer sects. Mother has learned of your advancement and is very pleased. Seeing you were in seclusion, she sent word to me by talisman, reminding us to be careful and focus on preparing for the inner sect disciple selection. We must not cause trouble. I have followed her instructions and declined sect tasks, planning to enter seclusion myself for a while.

The other read: Qin Heng, I am now in seclusion. Take care of yourself. Great-Aunt has agreed to Mother’s request to look after you. If you encounter difficulties, seek her help.

Moved, Feng Ke’er extended her spiritual sense to scan the surroundings—with her recent advancement, her spiritual sense had grown far stronger. Now, aided by the Breath Concealing Talisman, she could sense spiritual energy fluctuations for over a hundred li in every direction.

Qin Jun’s words were no exaggeration: the entire Azure Cloud Sect was on high alert, like an enemy invasion.

At that moment, Feng Jiu’s muffled voice came from the house: “Girl, got anything to eat?” Ten days of seclusion sustained only by fasting pills had left him ravenous.

Feng Ke’er turned to see that the feathered bird had also emerged from seclusion.

She was about to reply, but Feng Jiu pointed a wing at her, eyes wide in disbelief. “You—you advanced? When did that happen?” If he remembered right, this girl had only advanced a month ago.

Feng Ke’er tossed her head with pride. “Three days ago.”

Feng Jiu narrowed his eyes at her, then said seriously, “Something happened while I was in seclusion, didn’t it?”

“Mhm.” Feng Ke’er, wary of him, didn’t wish to discuss her advancement, so she shrugged and changed the subject. “All the disciples who went to Wild Pheasant Slope for training are back. Are you hungry? I’m starving—I want to hunt a few pheasants for a feast. Everyone else in this courtyard has moved out; it’s just me here now. You can stroll around the yard and stretch your wings.”

Her words sounded considerate, but the wariness and distance were clear. Feng Jiu was furious, glaring at her before turning away to present her with his fluffy backside.

What a temper! Feng Ke’er pursed her lips and left.

After what happened to Uncle Wen, everyone in the outer sect knew to avoid her—whether on guard duty or patrolling, the disciples all steered clear of Feng Ke’er as if she were the plague. No one dared question her.

Thus, Feng Ke’er made her way unimpeded to the woods at the foot of Wild Pheasant Slope.

Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure several li away. The person looked around furtively, then slipped into the woods.

Old Master Chen? What was he doing here?

Remembering the strange jade insect, Feng Ke’er followed him without hesitation.

The manual’s forty-fourth chapter, “Seeing Through (Bonus Update),” ends here.