Chapter 7: Ninth level of vital essence tempering realm
"This humble one has personally investigated the areas surrounding Devil Mountain Valley," the third elder began. "Though our powers are insufficient to penetrate deep into the valley itself due to the thick Miasma Fog and death qi that permeates the region. However, I've observed significant changes in the area's spiritual fluctuations."
He paused, his expression grave. "There is something awakening deep within the valley. The signs suggest ancient ruins have been disturbed or perhaps unsealed after centuries of dormancy."
Murmurs rippled through the hall at this revelation. The third elder raised his hand for silence before continuing.
"According to local folklore, Devil Mountain Valley was formed over the mass graves of millions who perished during the Ancient Demon Wars over a thousand years ago. The tales say something of great power lies buried beneath, sealed away by the ancient cultivators who survived that calamitous era. For a millennium, the valley has remained silent and forbidding, but now..." He shook his head ominously. "Something has changed. The ruins must have been opened."
"And you believe this is connected to the disappearances?" Bai Xueyin asked.
"I cannot say with certainty, Senior. The powerful beasts that roam the valley's perimeter prevented me from investigating further. But the timing of these events cannot be coincidental."
As the elder spoke, Bai Yuexian's eyes gleamed with interest. Ancient ruins... a thousand years old... potentially filled with treasures and opportunities for cultivation advancement. His heart quickened at the thought, but he quickly reined in his excitement. He was here primarily to investigate the disappearances, not to explore ancient ruins that would be his sister's domain.
"Sister Xueyin," he said, drawing all eyes to him. "Perhaps we should send word to Elder Junze, requesting that he arrive sooner and bring an elite team to explore these ruins. Meanwhile, I will focus on investigating the disappearances themselves."
Bai Xueyin considered briefly before nodding. "A sound suggestion."
Bai Youyou stared at Bai Yuexian with a mixture of surprise and reassessment. The rumors she had heard painted him as kind but somewhat foolish clearly, those rumors were mistaken. His calm assessment and decisive suggestion demonstrated a sharp mind.
Turning to Bai Youyou directly, Bai Yuexian asked, "You've investigated the area where people have been disappearing, correct?"
Startled at being addressed so directly, Bai Youyou quickly composed herself and nodded. "Yes, Young Master."
"Where exactly is this mine located?"
"It's on the eastern outskirts of the city," she replied, her voice sweet yet composed. "About ten kilometers from the city center."
"And how far is Devil Mountain Valley from the mine?"
"Approximately fifteen to twenty kilometers further east," she answered without hesitation. "The mine sits roughly between the city and the valley."
Bai Yuexian nodded thoughtfully. "Tomorrow I will go to inspect the area personally."
Bai Youyou leaned forward slightly, her eyes bright with intelligence. "Does Young Master Yuexian believe the disappearances are connected to the strange activities in Devil Mountain Valley?"
Bai Yuexian opened his mouth to respond but paused, not entirely understanding what she was suggesting. Bai Xueyin sighed almost imperceptibly beside him, a subtle reaction that only he noticed.
Taking charge of the situation, Bai Zhenhai stood. "It's been a long day of travel for our honored guests. Youyou, please show Young Master Yuexian to his courtyard. We will continue these discussions tomorrow after everyone has rested."
The gathering began to disperse, with branch family members bowing respectfully as they departed to their various duties or sleeping quarters. Bai Yuexian rose and followed Bai Youyou out of the hall, while Bai Xueyin remained behind to speak privately with Bai Zhenhai and the elders.
As they walked through the elegantly landscaped gardens of the compound, Bai Yuexian decided to address what had been left hanging in the hall.
"Bai Youyou, were you trying to suggest something earlier when you asked about the connection between the disappearances and Devil Mountain Valley?"
She glanced at him, a smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Young Master Yuexian. I've been investigating not just the mine but also the local political landscape."
"Tell me about the local clans here, besides our Bai clan."
"There are two major local clans the Qu and the Yu," she explained. "Traditionally, they've maintained independence and haven't affiliated with other major clans like ours. However, since the strange occurrences began at Devil Mountain Valley, there have been movements from the Lei and Yan clans within the Qu and Yu territories."
Bai Yuexian's eyes narrowed at the mention of those names. From his inherited memories, he knew that the Lei and Yan clans were based in Vermillion Capital City and were rivals to the Bai and Jiu clans in Flower Capital. Though not powerful enough to directly oppose the Bai family, who controlled approximately 40% of the trade and resources in the region, they were formidable in their own right. The Jiu clan held about 15%, with the remainder divided among the imperial palace, various academies, and other powerful sects.
"You think they might be behind the disappearances?" he asked.
"It's possible," Bai Youyou replied thoughtfully. "Both the Qu and Yu clans see our Bai family of this city as their greatest enemies. Sabotaging our mining operations would be consistent with their past tactics."
"I see," Bai Yuexian nodded. "You know a great deal about the Qu and Yu clans. You must accompany me tomorrow when I investigate."
They had reached his assigned courtyard, a spacious and elegantly appointed area with a central garden featuring a small pond and several frost-resistant flowering trees. The architecture echoed the icy-blue aesthetics of the main family compound but on a more modest scale.
"It would be my honor, Young Master Yuexian," Bai Youyou replied with a slight bow. "I will come for you after breakfast."
With that, they parted ways. Bai Yuexian entered his quarters and carefully secured the door behind him. The room was comfortably furnished with a large bed, a meditation platform, and several cabinets for storage. Moonlight streamed through the latticed windows, casting intricate patterns on the polished floor.
Alone at last, Bai Yuexian sat cross-legged on the meditation platform, assuming the lotus position. He withdrew the jade box containing the Spirit Fruits gifted by Mother Xu. The fruits glowed with inner spiritual light, their translucent flesh pulsing gently as if alive.
"These fruits are incredibly powerful," he murmured to himself, recalling what he knew from his inherited memories. "For someone at the Vital Essence Tempering Realm, a single fruit could potentially raise my cultivation by several levels."
He contemplated his current situation. At the sixth level of Vital Essence Tempering, he was still relatively weak compared to the challenges that lay ahead. The investigation tomorrow might prove dangerous, especially if the Qu and Yu clans were indeed involved. A cultivation breakthrough now would significantly improve his chances.
Having made his decision, he took one fruit from the box and examined it closely. The spiritual energy radiating from it was almost intoxicating. With a deep breath, he consumed the fruit in a single bite, swallowing it whole as cultivation manuals recommended to maximize its efficacy.
For the first few seconds, nothing happened. Bai Yuexian maintained his meditative state, his breathing even and controlled. Then, suddenly, a surge of essence energy erupted within him like a dam bursting in what had previously been a small, placid lake. The energy threatened to overwhelm him, but Bai Yuexian maintained his focus, drawing on both his inherited knowledge and his previous life's mental discipline.
Carefully, he directed the flow of energy toward his remaining vital organ that had yet to be refined. His body's six other vital organs already shimmered with a golden-black hue of energy, the mark of his sixth level of Vital Essence Tempering. Now, the final organ began to transform as well, absorbing the spiritual energy of the fruit.
The process was intense but not painful. Bai Yuexian felt as though his body was being forged anew from the inside out. After approximately half an hour, his final vital organ had been completely refined, glowing with the same golden-black energy as the others. But the spiritual energy from the fruit was far from exhausted.
Without pausing, he directed the remaining energy toward his bone marrow. In cultivation theory, refining the bone marrow was a critical step in advancing to the higher levels of Vital Essence Tempering. It would strengthen his physical foundation and increase his body's capacity to store spiritual energy.
Hours passed as the energy worked its way through his skeletal system, transforming his bone marrow into a reservoir of spiritual power. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he maintained perfect control over the process, ensuring that the energy was distributed evenly and that no part of his body was neglected.
When his bone marrow had been completely refined, Bai Yuexian still felt an abundance of energy flowing through him. Rather than stopping, he decided to press on, directing the energy toward his meridians the channels through which spiritual energy flowed throughout his body. Refining and tempering these meridians would be the final step in reaching the ninth level of Vital Essence Tempering.
The moon had traversed much of the night sky by the time Bai Yuexian completed the final refinement of his last meridian. With a surge of power that sent ripples through the spiritual energy of the entire courtyard, he ascended to the ninth level of Vital Essence Tempering Realm.
As the excess energy from the Spirit Fruit finally dissipated, Bai Yuexian opened his eyes. The world around him appeared different sharper, more defined, as if someone had placed a magnifying lens over his vision. He could make out the individual veins in a leaf rustling outside his window, could hear the subtle movement of a night creature scurrying through the garden dozens of meters away.
His body felt simultaneously lighter and more powerful, as if the laws of physics had been rewritten in his favor. He stood from the meditation platform and moved through a simple martial arts form, marveling at how effortlessly his body responded. Each movement generated a small disturbance in the air, a testament to the increased strength now contained within his slender frame.
"So this is the ninth level of Vital Essence Tempering," he whispered to himself, flexing his fingers and watching as tiny sparks of golden-black energy danced between them. "Still a long way from my sister's level, but progress nonetheless."
He glanced at the jade box, which still contained three more Spirit Fruits. The temptation to consume another and attempt to break through to the Essence Purification and Crystallization Realm was strong, but he resisted. From his inherited memories, he knew that rapid advancement without proper consolidation could lead to an unstable foundation, limiting one's potential in the higher realms.
"Better to approach this methodically," he decided. "Tomorrow's investigation will provide an opportunity to test these new capabilities."
Satisfied with his progress, Bai Yuexian returned to the meditation platform. Rather than continuing his cultivation, he spent the remaining hours until dawn consolidating his breakthrough and planning for the coming day. The mystery of the disappearing miners, the ancient ruins in Devil Mountain Valley, the machinations of rival clans all these threads were beginning to form a pattern, one that he was determined to unravel.