'What is happening? I just sensed that he successfully opened his first path, so why is his spiritual energy consumption increasing? This shouldn't happen. What exactly is going on?'
While Shan Yan is lost in thought, Su Lin's spiritual energy consumption gradually increases even further.
Suddenly, the spirit stones around Su Lin turn into dust.
Seeing this, Shan Yan quickly takes around fifty spirit stones out of his storage bag and places them around Su Lin.
Half an hour later, all fifty spirit stones have also turned into dust.
Seeing this, Shan Yan places another three hundred spirit stones around Su Lin and puts his hand on Su Lin's back.
When Shan Yan looks at Su Lin's dantian, a tiny drop of sweat appears on his forehead. Although it is only a small amount, it is enough to show how tense he has become.
Su Lin has only just stabilized his first path and is already moving on to open the second one.
A short while later, when Su Lin opens his second path, a suction force ten times stronger than before suddenly emerges from his body.
Gradually, all three hundred spirit stones turn into dust.
Seeing this, Shan Yan's expression darkens. He immediately takes seven hundred spirit stones out of his storage bag and places them around Su Lin, forming a small hill.
Then he takes out another hundred spirit stones. These are much larger than the previous ones—they are all mid-tier spirit stones.
After placing them around Su Lin, Shan Yan looks at him with a worried expression.
However, Su Lin has no idea what is happening around him. His consciousness is completely cut off from the outside world.
Slowly, Su Lin manages to almost completely open his second and third paths as well.
Seeing that the spirit stones are no longer being consumed at an alarming rate, Shan Yan finally lets out a sigh of relief.
However, when Su Lin tries to open his fourth path, he finds it extremely difficult.
Despite his efforts, he still fails to open it.
When Shan Yan sees that Su Lin is unable to open any more paths, a thought suddenly crosses his mind.
It's all over.
But Shan Yan has no idea what Su Lin is thinking at this moment.
'Is this my limit? No... it cannot be.
I have endured so much suffering just for this opportunity. I have already lost everything.
First, Feng Yin took my Uncle away from me. Then, when I decided that I would take revenge on him and become an immortal, that girl destroyed everything I done.
Then that hypocritical Elder Sima Tai told me that I could never cultivate because I had no talent for cultivation.
Hahaha... and then there was that disciple of the Heaven's Dao Sect who expelled me from the sect.
Everyone thinks that they are some supreme being who has descended from the heavens. And they thinks that in my providence, there is only one thing written for me—to remain nothing more than an insect.
If that is truly my providence, then either today my providence will kill me... or, if it does not, than one day i will destroy this providence with my own hands.'
With this thought in mind, Su Lin uses all his strength and desperately tries to open the fourth path.
Seeing Su Lin's reckless attempt, Shan Yan becomes worried. However, there is nothing he can do. If he interferes at this moment, Su Lin may suffer a backlash.
Ten minutes later, the suction force that had almost disappeared from Su Lin's body gradually begins to increase again.
Seeing this, a faint smile appears on Shan Yan's face.
After some time, just as Su Lin awaken his fourth path, something happens that neither Shan Yan nor Su Lin expects.
It is not because Shan Yan lacks experience or because Su Lin is new to the cultivation world. Anyone in their place would have been filled with disbelief.
The moment Su Lin awakens his fourth spiritual path, a mysterious aura suddenly bursts out from his body.
This unknown presence erupts from his dantian, and make all the spirit stones around Su Lin disappear. Even their remnants are gone, as if they had never existed in the first place.
A deep suction force emerges from Su Lin's dantian, as though it comes from the depths of some endless abyss.
Seeing this, Shan Yan is first filled with confusion. However, gritting his teeth, he immediately takes around four hundred mid-tier spirit stones and three thousand low-grade spirit stones out of his storage bag and places them around Su Lin.
"What is happening? And what is this aura? It feels like my skin is burning."
At this moment, Shan Yan can only see what is happening outside Su Lin's body. He has no idea what is happening inside his dantian.
Inside Su Lin's dantian, however, a black-and-golden flame is slowly taking shape.
'What is this? Shan Yan never said anything about this... and it is gradually covering my dantian.'
Within moments, the black-and-golden flame completely engulfs Su Lin's dantian and begins circulating through his body. Normally, something like this would take a considerable amount of time, but this happens almost instantly.
A twisted expression appears on Su Lin's face.
When Shan Yan sees this, his expression changes. He realizes that Su Lin could suffer a dangerous backlash in this state.
"Su Lin!"
Shan Yan immediately calls out to him and uses all his strength to suppress the terrifying pressure.
Gradually, Su Lin's body begins to vibrate violently.
But after only a short while, the black-and-golden aura suddenly erupts from Su Lin's body like lava erupting from a volcano—as if even nature itself cannot contain its power.
The terrifying eruption forces Shan Yan to lose control of his own Qi.
Two mouthfuls of blood burst from his mouth.
"Su Lin, what did you do? Now, only the heavens know about you. Who knows what will happen in the future?"
After saying this, Shan Yan looks toward Su Lin.
Most of the spirit stones around Su Lin have already been consumed. Seeing this, Shan Yan reaches for his storage bag to take out more spirit stones, but he suddenly realizes that all of his spirit stones have been exhausted.
Before he can do anything about it, Su Lin's eyes suddenly open.
At that moment, Su Lin spits out four mouthfuls of blood. However, unlike normal blood, all four mouthfuls are black.
When Shan Yan sees Su Lin awaken, he immediately rushes toward him and supports him so that he does not lose his balance.
He helps Su Lin sit against the wall. Then Shan Yan places his hand on Su Lin's dantian to examine it.
But the moment he examines Su Lin's dantian, Shan Yan initially cannot understand what has happened.
A few moments later, a deeply confused expression gradually appears on his face.
Seeing his expression, Su Lin asks in a trembling voice,
"Did I succeed?"
Hearing this, Shan Yan smiles and nods toward Su Lin.
However, a few moments later, Shan Yan falls into deep thought. Seeing his reaction, Su Lin asks,
"What happened? Is there some problem?"
Hearing Su Lin's question, Shan Yan gives a slight laugh and says,
"No, no. There's no problem. It's just that the situation is a little different."
Seeing that Su Lin still cannot understand, Shan Yan continues,
"I can't tell you everything about it right now, but I can tell you one thing. Whenever someone awakens their dantian, they only gain the qualification to begin cultivating. After that, they still need to form the nine circles of the Qi Refining Stage. But…"
"Your first circle has already formed, and it was formed using Strength Qi. However, your dantian itself has been formed from some unknown type of Qi."
"But don't worry. I can't say anything more about this foundation right now. For the moment, you should focus on stabilizing it. Come, I'll help you."
Hearing Shan Yan's words, Su Lin sits down to meditate and carefully follows everything Shan Yan has told him.
Two hours later, after his foundation becomes stable, the two of them leave the room and return to the counter.
There, the same man they met earlier is still present. Seeing the two of them, he smiles and says,
"Little brother, how did it go?"
Hearing this, Shan Yan replaces his usual cold expression with a smile and simply nods.
Then, he leaves the building together with Su Lin.
When they leave the building, Su Lin gazes at the silent evening sky.
At this moment, his mind is neither dwelling on the past nor thinking about the future.
There is only an empty thought within him—
To move forward.
And forward.
On this path of cultivation.
After some time, Su Lin looks toward Shan Yan and asks,
"By the way, which sect are we going to?"
Hearing Su Lin's question, Shan Yan replies,
"The sect is called the Gentle Sword Sect. Don't let the name fool you. There's nothing gentle about those people."
As they make their way back toward the inn, Su Lin gradually begins circulating the First Circle of the Qi Refining Stage.
As the circle spins, a powerful feeling of strength spreads throughout his body.
"So this is how cultivation is used... This feeling is simply fascinating."
Hearing Su Lin's words, Shan Yan smiles to himself as they continue moving forward.
Su Lin keeps observing his cultivation as they walk. After some time, he and Shan Yan pass by a gambling shop.
Suddenly, Shan Yan says,
"Su Lin, I'm quite tired from traveling. Let's have some fun at this gambling shop."
Hearing this, Su Lin calmly replies,
"Alright, but I don't know how to gamble."
Hearing this, Shan Yan laughs.
"So what? I know how to gamble. Besides, we only have two hundred spirit stones left. What's the harm if we lose a few more? Your awakening ceremony has already nearly made me bankrupt anyway. Come on."