Wu Yu had come from the extreme east, and now he had seen the sheer scale of Shushan, where the mighty gathered. Although he had come from humble beginnings, his desire to compete was stoked.
And now that he had seen so many talents, geniuses, and nobles, his desire to become stronger and cultivate further only intensified.
Within Jindan Cave, it was actually very quiet despite its size and the number of people within. Only occasionally could conversations be heard as you walked by.
Under the shimmering golden light from the walls, the Shushan disciples concentrated on condensing qi. Rarely did anyone ignore the unspoken rules and disturb others.
Within the small chamber, faint, golden light shone through the sword shadow. Although Nangong Wei was young, her features were very pretty. It was almost as though the Ninth Spirit was sitting before him.
That perfect face. Every dimple and smile made his heart race.
"She's not Ninth Spirit. She's but a child. And even if she was Ninth Spirit, she wanted to kill me. There is no need to develop any further feelings for those who wish me harm."
Afterwards, Wu Yu concentrated all his will, beginning to mature his spiritual sources according to the Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art in the Great Way of Immortality Art. Through his veins, and other meridians, he pulled them towards his Sea of Breath Meridian.
"Argh!"
Wu Yu soon felt the excruciating pain that made his vessels convulse.
"Let me think on this. The spiritual sources are the keystones within my body. They are the nuclei of spiritual power. I spent so much effort simply condensing them. And now the spiritual power vortexes are stable. But to destabilize them and shift them would definitely be a process of extreme pain and suffering."
After tasting the pain, Wu Yu knew the reason.
"However, other Jindan Condensation Wondrous Arts move the spiritual sources one by one, whereas my Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art demands the perfect balance between all 10 spiritual sources. This is a single effort to shift all of them. Will the pain not be amplified tenfold as well?"
But this did not scare Wu Yu.
He had a determined look. His eyes blazed with golden fire, a reflection of his blazing will.
"The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal also had a purpose, and challenged heaven itself. Since Uncle Sun has given all of this to me, how can I waste it? Since the beginning of time, countless people have chased the Immortal Dao, but few have succeeded. Since I chose the Immortal Dao, then I naturally must walk a path 10 times harder than the rest!
"The path of cultivation includes many things that ordinary people cannot do, and that makes one a cut above the rest. The Great Way of Immortality Art will give me a high-quality Jindan that will be an ample reward for all this torment!"
Wu Yu convinced himself, moving past the apprehension of the physical pain. He was extremely fearful that his Jindan condensation would fail, and he gritted his teeth, truly beginning to move his 10 spiritual sources according to the Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art in the Great Way of Immortality Art.
"You thought this through? I don't know how fearsome this Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art is. If you die, don't blame Granny." Ming Long appeared from nowhere to tut at him.
"Life or death is up to fate. I can only do my best."
Wu Yu said in a low grunt. Faint, golden lines were appearing on his body, surfacing from within to blanket his entire body. At times, he looked like a huge Buddha, and sometimes he was himself. If it was not for the fact that Jindan Cave was already golden, the light from his body would have been even more apparent.
Those that passed by inadvertently stopped to stare at Wu Yu.
"Very good. If you can reach the Jindan Dao Realm, then you can cultivate the next one, the Ground Demon Transformation Art. The rest are even better than that Fixed Body Art you so prize. It's all up to fate now," Ming Long said.
"Prepare yourself." In truth, Wu Yu was eagerly looking forward to it. Especially since in his recent fights, the Fixed Body Art's efficacy had been growing and growing, turning the fights for him more often than not. He knew too well the potentially fearsome ability of the Ground Demon Transformation Art.
"I dare not imagine: If one day I master all 72 transformations, who will be my match?"
Perhaps that would be true invincibility!
Afterwards, Wu Yu used the marvelous technique of the Great Way of Immortality Art each and every day to tug at his 10 spiritual sources.
From his Sea of Breath Meridian's spiritual source, nine golden lines appeared, extending out like snakes. They were already entwined with the other nine spiritual sources, as though trussing Wu Yu up.
These nine lines were called Dan-Drawing Lines, and Wu Yu spent half a month to create and stabilize these. Finally, he could begin pulling at the nine spiritual sources.
What followed could not be stopped. At no stage could he afford to fail. Once the Dan-Drawing Lines were severed, one's body would be completely thrown into disarray. The spiritual power would run rampant until the cultivator was dead.
And that was why Wu Yu reminded Nangong Wei not to disturb him in the following period.
In these days, Wu Yu had had many lighthearted moments with Nangong Wei. He found her charming and adorable. She knew how to make people smile and was a bit of an oddball.
Since she did not volunteer, Wu Yu did not ask about her identity.
But he could roughly guess that this girl seemed to have run away by herself - a little similar to his own story - to hide within Jindan Cave. She seemed afraid that she would be recognized, as she had only come here to condense her Jindan.
That was why before she reached Jindan, she would not go out either.
Their encounter was fated, and in a few days, they became fast friends.
Wu Yu's instincts told him that this Nangong Wei might be of a very high status. From the way she carried herself and spoke, one could sense that she was highly born, a presence only tempered by her young age.
"Perhaps if one day Zhang Futu makes trouble for me, she might be able to help me out."
Just as Wu Yu said that he should not be disturbed, Nangong Wei piped up as well. "Me too! I will run towards condensing my Jindan in one shot! If I don't succeed, I won't talk to Big Brother!
"It's a competition~" she reminded him, and then abruptly shut her eyes.
This little girl always made Wu Yu smile. He was in a good mood, and he relaxed. When he entered the world of his body, he used this good feeling to immediately tug at the Dan-Drawing Lines, with his Sea of Breath Meridian as the target. He began to move the Heaven's Hall Meridian from his head, the God's Dip Meridian and Chest Meridian from his torso, as well as those from his limbs through the Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art. He drew them all towards his Sea of Breath Meridian.
Each spiritual source's path was determined by the Great Way of Immortality Art. The drawing process ensured the wholeness of each spiritual source.
"I must succeed...."
Wu Yu endured the excruciating pain as he urged himself on.
Luckily, he had experienced the limitless torture of the Inner Vajra Buddha before and therefore was more used to pain than others was. So when the spiritual sources cut across his body like knife blades, he could endure.
A path to immortality like the Great Way of Immortality Art was truly impossible to trek without a resplendently solid body to take the pain.
Bang, bang, bang!
If Wu Yu's body could be likened to a forest, then the spiritual sources were like golden tornados. A tempest of nine tornados moving through the forest. Everywhere they went, trees were uprooted and soil was churned in their wake, creating carnage.
The key was that because of the Dan-Drawing Lines drawing them in, they had to move at a rather slow pace in order not to disrupt the mechanisms of the spiritual sources or destabilize the spiritual power vortexes. Each day, it would only move ever so slightly, which meant that it required more than two months for the spiritual sources to finally be drawn to the Sea of Breath Meridian.
Let alone the most crucial fusion.
"Condensing a Jindan is not easy. Who would have thought that so many others have cleared this hurdle?
"Of course, my way of condensing Jindan is different from others.”
Sometimes, he would sneak a look at Nangong Wei, only to see her extremely serene. Not even an eyelid moved, but the presence and aura generated from her 10 major spiritual sources was impressive and equal to Wu Yu's. That indicated that her own Jindan Condensation Wondrous Art was also of the highest quality!
To Wu Yu, there were no shortcuts to becoming immortal. Even with an immortality art like the Great Way of Immortality Art, he had to take it step by step and endure tenfold the trials that others did!
In this small chamber, Nangong Wei was silent and serene, completely still, while Wu Yu's body continued to shoot golden light randomly. Sometimes he transformed into a Buddha, while at other times he was himself. His contorted expression made passerbys think that he had failed Jindan, and they sympathized with him.
It’s important to know that if one were to stop halfway through the shifting of spiritual sources, then that spiritual source would basically be wrecked, unless one could send it back.
Wu Yu gritted his teeth.
Each time he could hold on no more, he would recall the height of the Clear Sky of Shushan, and think that one day, he would stand at the peak, every other mountain miniscule before him.
He imagined the likes of Zhang Futu, who would have to kneel and genuflect before him.
He wanted to become immortal and live forever more!
With such a firm reason, no matter how strained his mental faculties were, he would hold on. He would move forward to the next step.
Day after day passed, and many came and went from Jindan Cave. But Wu Yu and Nangong Wei remained together till the end.
In a flash, Wu Yu had endured through the extreme pain. His tenacity was far beyond that of others. If others knew what he had endured in these two months, they would be shocked.
And now, under the pull of the Dan-Drawing Lines, the nine spiritual sources were miraculously gathered at the Sea of Breath Meridian, expanding it many times over. The entire Sea of Breath Meridian was shaking, and causing Wu Yu's Invincible Vajra Body to sway.
This was the final step.
The 10 spiritual sources fused. At the critical point, they would shift into a Jindan. Once the Jindan was completed, that meant that he would have made a great step forward on his cultivation journey.
Wu Yu's speed was no faster than usual. Ordinary people drew the spiritual sources in and fused them one by one, and that might actually be slightly quicker.
Wu Yu had put all his spiritual sources in one basket and fused them all together.
Without question, this was more risky, and also demanded enormous control over one's strength.
He did not hesitate. He could not wait anymore for this moment!
"Complete dan!"
His 10 spiritual sources were at 10 different positions all within a single small area once occupied by the Sea of Breath Meridian.
10 raging, swirling spiritual power vortexes!
Each spiritual power vortex did not harmonize with any other. Even a slight nearing would cause them to tear at each other like beasts, trying to suck the other into themselves.
These 10 beasts wrested for control of Wu Yu's body.
Bang! Bang!
A spectacular sight of spiritual power vortexes.
From outside, one could see 10 golden points at Wu Yu's stomach. They seemed to shine through his skin, so even the naked eye could see these 10 spiritual sources moving.
In order to complete the fusion, Wu Yu needed tremendous physical control, superb force of will, as well as the tenacity that surpassed that of most martial cultivators!
He had come so far. Damn it, this was it!