Chapter 197: Chapter 187: Opening the Heavenly Gate
"Elder, there’s something I don’t understand."
Zhao Lin had a nagging question and couldn’t help but ask, "Those masked men were all at the Blood Realm. They were powerful, yes, but the disciples of our Wuxiang Institute shouldn’t have been completely helpless."
"Why didn’t they send warriors from the Primordial Realm? Wouldn’t their chances have been much better?"
Elder Water Mirror’s expression grew grim. "The power of a Primordial Realm warrior is undeniable," he said gravely. "However, the Great Yue has a pact with the surrounding nations. Any Primordial Realm expert must announce their entry in advance. To do otherwise is tantamount to a declaration of war!"
"Those shadowy fiends and bootlicking curs probably don’t have the nerve for that."
"That’s one reason. The second is that once a warrior reaches the Primordial Realm, they no longer rely on brute, physical force. Their meridians contain only Primordial Qi, and any action they take will invariably leave behind an aura."
"To other Primordial Realm warriors, these auras are like beacons in the night. They can instantly discern the Cultivation Technique their opponent practices and even their place of origin."
"So, unless they’re ready for an all-out confrontation, they can only send warriors from the Blood Realm to handle this sort of thing."
’So that’s how it is.’ Realization dawned on Zhao Lin.
...
Two days later, Zhao Lin received the medicinal rewards bestowed by the sect.
One Wuliu Pill, three doses of Marrow-Cleansing Soup, and one drop of Dragon Bone Tree Blood.
He had used Wuliu Pills and Marrow-Cleansing Soup before and knew they were quality items, but this was the first time he had ever heard of Dragon Bone Tree Blood.
According to Elder Water Mirror, Dragon Bone Tree Blood came from a plant called the Dragon Bone Tree.
Dragon Bone Trees grew in the jungles of the Weizi Kingdom in the Western Regions. Reaching heights of up to a hundred zhang, they were hailed as the King of Divine Trees.
These trees were exceedingly rare and possessed an astonishing life force; wherever a Dragon Bone Tree stood, not a single blade of grass could survive within a radius of several dozen zhang.
A thousand-year-old Dragon Bone Tree had a certain chance of growing burls on its trunk.
When these burls were cut open, a thick, viscous sap as red as blood would flow out.
When the locals were injured, they would apply this sap to their bodies, and their wounds would heal with incredible speed. It was also said to have other miraculous properties, such as increasing one’s strength or even restoring youth.
Hence its name: Dragon Bone Tree Blood.
Later, warriors discovered that Dragon Bone Tree Blood contained the generative power of the Wood Attribute. Consuming it allowed one to shatter the shackles of their current realm and achieve a massive boost in power. Only then did word of its properties begin to spread.
It was by leveraging this divine tree that the Weizi Kingdom of the Western Regions rose to prominence, cultivating numerous Primorial Realm warriors and vaulting to become the foremost power among the nations of the West.
"After years of harvesting, few Dragon Bone Trees remain, making their Tree Blood exceptionally precious."
"Warriors of the Blood Realm covet it to no end, but even we of the Primordial Realm can rarely obtain a single drop. You are the first disciple at the Qi Realm ever to receive such a reward!"
Elder Water Mirror instructed Zhao Lin, "You’ve just reached the Third Layer of the Qi Realm. First, you must solidify your foundation. Cultivate for a while in Yunjian Cave, and only then should you consume this drop of Dragon Bone Tree Blood."
"With your talent, I’m confident you’ll break through to the Blood Realm by the end of the year!"
Yunjian Cave was one of the sect’s treasured cultivation grounds. The Sect Leader, Lu Chaohuan, had promised to let Zhao Lin train inside for seven days.
Primordial Qi was dispersed throughout the world, but its concentration was not uniform. Some places were richer in it, while others were poorer.
The Primordial Qi in Yunjian Cave was far more abundant than elsewhere. It had always been used in rotation by the sect’s Primordial Realm warriors, so sparing seven days for Zhao Lin was an immense favor.
Since the sect had invested so heavily in him, Zhao Lin temporarily halted his practice of other Cultivation Techniques. He dedicated himself fully to the Sea Return Skill, hoping to break through to the Blood Realm as quickly as possible.
...
Time is like a wild donkey; once it starts running, it never stops.
Two months passed in a flash.
Aside from his regular visits home and a trip to the Haoyue Martial Arts Hall every ten days to instruct its disciples, Zhao Lin spent all his time cultivating.
The wisp of Thunder Attribute aura within his body hadn’t grown in the slightest. No matter what food or medicinal herbs he consumed, nothing had any effect.
After all, medicinal properties were divided into "hot" and "cold," but he’d never heard of a "thunder" property in herbs.
Zhao Lin wasn’t concerned. He set that particular training aside for the time being, deciding to focus on breaking through to the Blood Realm first.
At the end of May, Xiang Bao broke through to the Blood Realm.
Half a month later, Zhong Yewu also broke through to the Blood Realm.
The two were among the top disciples at the Wuxiang Institute and had been at the Third Layer of the Qi Realm for over a year. Their breakthrough was well within everyone’s expectations.
Zhao Lin took the time to attend both of their "Breakthrough Banquets." Afterward, he returned to his own training with renewed diligence.
「Mid-July.」
「Yunjian Cave.」
Yunjian Cave was located atop Xingyun Mountain, situated at the center of a wide valley. It acted like a great funnel, gathering the Primordial Qi from the summit into its depths.
The main reason the sect had been established on Xingyun Mountain was this very cave.
Early morning was when the Primordial Qi in Yunjian Cave was most abundant.
The cave wasn’t large, consisting of a single circular chamber. Zhao Lin sat cross-legged within it, eyes half-lidded. His Celestial Gate Acupoint pulsed, silently sensing the Primordial Qi in the air around him.
Without the Primordial Qi between heaven and earth, a warrior’s cultivation would hit a ceiling at the Third Layer of the Qi Realm. To break through to the Blood Realm, one had to borrow a wisp of this worldly Primordial Qi to overcome the barrier.
This step of absorbing Primordial Qi was called "Opening the Celestial Gate."
The Celestial Gate Acupoint, located on the forehead’s centerline between the eyebrows—also known as the Cuanzhu Acupoint—was the very gateway through which Primordial Qi entered and exited the body.
Only by opening the Celestial Gate Acupoint could a warrior absorb the world’s Primordial Qi into their physical body, allowing them to condense and nourish their vital essence and blood to truly enter the Blood Realm.
This step seemed simple, yet it had been an insurmountable obstacle for countless warriors.
’Yunjian Cave is truly extraordinary. The Primordial Qi concentration must be at least ten times stronger than it is outside. I’ve been here for six days, and my Celestial Gate Acupoint is already starting to react.’
’This is a rare opportunity. I’ll try to push for the Blood Realm today. If I fail, I still have one more chance tomorrow.’
As the thought crossed his mind, Zhao Lin took a porcelain vial from within his robes and tipped out a thumb-sized wax pellet.
Dragon Bone Tree Blood was exceedingly precious; a thousand-year-old tree could only produce a few dozen drops. Storing it directly in a vial would cause it to lose its potency, so it was commonly encased in a wax pellet and then sealed in a vial.
He popped the wax pellet into his mouth and swallowed. While the wax coating dissolved, he vigorously kneaded his Celestial Gate Acupoint until it grew hot and began to throb.
Then, he waited.
A moment later, a potent current of life force began to flow from his abdomen.
Wherever it passed, it felt like a gentle spring rain nourishing the earth, like a stream trickling into a parched riverbed. Every pore on his body opened, as if drinking the sweetest nectar.
The Wood Attribute governs growth. A Dragon Bone Tree could reach a hundred zhang in height; its generative power was especially potent.
Zhao Lin guided this generative force to circulate among his internal organs before sending it surging upward, straight toward his Celestial Gate Acupoint.
Operating his Sea Return Skill at full capacity, he formed a vortex at his Celestial Gate Acupoint.
The Primordial Qi in the cave seemed to be drawn in, gathering and crashing relentlessly against his Celestial Gate Acupoint.
Zhao Lin felt a tearing pain, as if a seed within his Celestial Gate Acupoint had taken root and was about to sprout, breaking through the soil.
His body had been reforged by the Spirit Beast Scroll many times, and his tolerance for pain had long surpassed that of an ordinary person. He was completely unaffected.
After an unknown amount of time, a great RUMBLE echoed in his mind as the Primordial Qi pierced through his Celestial Gate Acupoint.
Overjoyed, he followed the method Elder Water Mirror had taught him, guiding this new stream of Primordial Qi through his torso.
A moment later, the Primordial Qi gradually settled within his internal organs.
Zhao Lin opened his eyes. He could feel an abundant power coursing through his body—it had easily doubled!
The Celestial Gate was open.
