46: Chapter 45 Elixir Selection 46: Chapter 45 Elixir Selection Hou Niao began a brand-new cultivation life in his new residence, and it was during the first evening session in his new home that he, for the first time in his life, swallowed the legendary Energy Induction Pill.
As for taking or not taking elixirs, he had no obsession; if everyone was taking them and indeed there were no obvious side effects, why not take them?
Within the cultivation circle, there are purists who regard elixirs as king, as well as those who follow nature and refuse to consume elixirs until their death—both extremes, of course.
For most cultivators, though, the principle everyone follows is simple: take them when available and endure without when not.
The crux of the matter is ultimately a question of resources.
Elixirs are nowhere near plentiful enough to be consumed as casually as one would eat candy.
This is a mode of cultivation only the wealthy can afford.
Take Hou Niao as an example, hailing from a renowned sect, he now receives only a bottle of ten Energy Induction Pills monthly.
With morning, noon, and evening cultivation sessions, he could only sustain for just over three days.
Who could he turn to for the remaining twenty-plus days?
It is said that the higher the realm, the more precious and challenging to refine the elixirs become, the fewer are distributed, and one’s ability to obtain them relies on their skill at earning extra income.
In Hou Niao’s view, take them when you have them, don’t fret when you don’t; embrace what comes.
Upon consumption, the Energy Induction Pill melted instantly, transforming into a stream of pure Qi that rushed directly towards his viscera, carrying a slight spiciness, as if he were holding a hot water bag inside his body.
The effect was not bad; his first impression was that the pill was consumable and its assistance to cultivation was self-evident.
However, his second impression was rather unpleasant because he suddenly discovered that the mysterious vortex, which had always appeared during the circulation of Qi in his lower Dantian, had suddenly vanished.
If that thing had truly disappeared and he returned to normal, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad development, given that the abnormal is bound to be monstrous; however, if it was just the ingestion of the pill that impacted the appearance of the mysterious vortex, then the problem could be quite tricky.
To swallow the elixir, or not?
To continue the journey of the vortex, or not?
That is the question!
It left him feeling agitated.
Stepping out of his room and looking up at the night sky in the courtyard, he pondered alone; the intermittent singing of a woman could faintly be heard from a neighboring yard:
…Clouds drift by morning light, as evening rains gently sweep, peaks embrace in the chaos.
In Wu Gorge, high in Gao Tang, the regal hues of emerald court.
Spears of spring displaced, makeup bright, welcomes the horse, towards a city’s embrace.
A thousand miles to desolation, a lone shadow cast, what joy does this being hold?
They all say Qian Nan, a mere Heavenly Five Feet from the sky, eyes reaching the ends of Shen Zhou, a nation wrapped in smoky veils.
In noble halls toast with favored men of the morning court.
Cheeks flushed deep with lychee, musk perfuming the navel.
It was the voice of a woman, deep and magnetic, the melody beautiful with lingering sentiment; compared with the melodious and undulating tunes of Anhe, it conveyed a uniquely desolate tone, something unlearnable, stemming from the ambiance of the surroundings.
Each land nurtures its people, each landscape fosters its emotions.
He did not seek out the origin of the voice, nor did he desire to know which lady was sharing her sorrow with the mirror.
These mortal stories were becoming ever more distant to him; having left, he should not turn back.
The next day dawned clear, and as the golden sun leapt into the sky, he began his morning session; this time he did not swallow the elixir, and sure enough, the mysterious vortex reappeared.
Entering the Soul Realm, his Divine Soul advanced through the passage.
Before long, he encountered a problem that had been worrying him: a fork in the path lay ahead, and he did not know which was the correct way to choose.
He had no foundation for judgment!
Over these days, he had slain hundreds of Wandering Souls, each kill allowing him to absorb their strength to enhance his own, but what he absorbed was only energy, devoid of consciousness.
These lower-ranked Wandering Souls were intrinsically muddled and irrational, left only with the instinct for slaughter.
This prevented him from gaining knowledge of this Soul Realm by absorbing these energies.
If this were a maze, the only choice he could make would be to always take the left path or always take the right path; he would eventually find his way out.
It was a foolish method, yet it ensured that the correct path was not missed.
He chose the left path at the two diverging roads and, before leaving, marked the junction with his own complex signs, hoping that this place wouldn’t change unpredictably.
Otherwise, it really would be a road that could never be traversed.
Another Soul Body appeared in front of him.
He assumed a cautious stance, no longer rashly believing that he could bulldoze his way through here just because he had overpowered a Sword Soul before.
For he realized that the abilities of the Wandering Souls that appeared were also quietly increasing; was it because his own powers were improving, or was this Soul Realm inherently , with challenges growing stronger and stronger?
If he wanted to pass through this Soul Path, how powerful would the most formidable Wandering Soul he met be?
He couldn’t blindly rush forward, because the current Wandering Souls, many of them, not only wielded weapons but also used spells!
Or, some had exceptionally tough Soul Bodies, just like the real Cultivation World with Daoist, Demon Cultivator, Sword Cultivator, Bone Cultivation, Body Cultivation, Blood Cultivation, and so on.
The Soul Realm was also evolving in this direction.
Before contact, he couldn’t predict what kind of thing he was about to face.
In their cautious probing, the distance between them closed.
The Wandering Soul opened its mouth, and a burst of flame shot out…
Hou Niao ducked to avoid the flames, shooting forward close to the ground and swaying from side to side to dodge continuous fire.
Still, one licked past him enough to destabilize his soul state momentarily, but he could endure it all!
Only when he drew near did he suddenly leap up and cleave down with his sword!
He had to admit that his sword technique was becoming increasingly simple and ferocious, secretive and unpredictable.
Basically, Daoist couldn’t escape his overhead strike once he closed in on them.
But this time, there was a surprise!
Seeing him approach and leap up, the Wandering Soul didn’t dodge or evade.
Instead, it shone with a soul light and its Soul Body surged forward, throwing a fierce and unparalleled punch, which nearly shattered Hou Niao, who was still hovering in the air, into pieces.
Not a Daoist but a Body Cultivator!
The flames just now weren’t a spell, but a divine skill!
Or, perhaps, he was a Daoist who enjoyed practicing punches?
He knew he couldn’t retreat.
Otherwise, he would have to risk approaching again, and there was no telling whether he could endure until he reached this opponent.
Fists and swift swords flew together, their Soul Bodies entwined in an indistinguishable clash.
Hou Niao could no longer remember how many punches he had taken, but he was very clear about how many sword strikes his opponent had suffered!
It was a tragic fight where both sides suffered.
When the opponent’s Soul Body was slashed to pieces and dissipated like smoke, he too was shattered, his soul form barely recognizable as they both returned to nothingness.
Opening his eyes, Hou Niao woke from the Soul Realm.
He suddenly realized that he seemed to have grown attached to this kind of exhilarating battle, so, let the Elixir be damned!
That was the decision he made; he swallowed the first Elixir of his life, which would also be the last Elixir of his life.
So he just continued to walk forward indifferently.
Why bother doing things one doesn’t like just for the sake of speed?
…Learning the path doesn’t need to be strange, the unforced is better than the busy.
When the Qi is even without interruption, the heart is calm and naturally pure.