267: Chapter 266 Preparing for the Upper Realm 267: Chapter 266 Preparing for the Upper Realm Hou Niao remained silent, simply waiting in place until, after a moment, the Finger Cicada conveyed two tapping sounds again, signaling him to draw closer.
They chose not to speak loudly because, in such a Banyan Cave, sound wave propagation is a very dangerous means of communication.
Sound waves would echo and bounce countless times within the complex structure of the Banyan Cave, lingering for a long time, not only making it difficult to hear clearly what was said but also potentially attracting many cave-dwelling creatures that navigate by sound, such as bats.
In such a deep and secluded cave, no one could guarantee that demon bats would not appear.
Even if they could handle them, it would cause serious collective harm.
They were there to search for opportunities, not to slaughter bat colonies.
Even as a Sword Cultivator, one should respect nature in different environments and honor each creature of the natural world.
Approaching cautiously, Hou Niao came to Xiang Zhiwen’s side and immediately noticed a unremarkable stalactite hanging from above his head, from which Stone Spirit Milk imbued with a powerful spiritual aura was continuously forming.
Every moment, a drop would condense and then fall into the water, infusing the entire Spring with threads of Spiritual Power.
This is the source of the Spiritual Spring,” Xiang Zhiwen said with some excitement.
Hou Niao examined it carefully, even going so far as to collect a drop to smell and taste, and inadvertently rubbed some into his eyes.
It wasn’t emerald green; it was Stone Spirit Milk with a different attribute.
“Is this the bridge guide you need, Senior Brother?
Xiang Zhiwen nodded emphatically, “I am sure!
For years I’ve been searching for a bridge guide , to irrigate the sapling in my Purple Mansion.
But you know, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects are not common in the Jinxiu Continent.
After so many years of searching, I’ve finally found it today.”
Hou Niao nodded, happy for him, even though this item was not the bridge guide he needed.
“Two questions—one, are you going to attempt your Breakthrough right here, Senior Brother, or will you collect some Stone Spirit Milk and find a safe place outside?
The other question is, do we need to continue looking a bit further?
To see if this is the only place where Stone Spirit Milk can form?
It seems to me that the formation here is rather slow?”
Xiang Zhiwen hesitated a little, “I need to study its properties in detail.
I suspect it would be difficult to take this material out and preserve it for long, so it’s very likely that I will attempt my Breakthrough here.
As for going further, I don’t think I need a large quantity of Stone Spirit Milk.
As you know, the reason it’s called a ‘bridge’ is that it has a property similar to that of a catalyst in an elixir; there’s no need for much, and it’s certainly not for drinking.”
Hou Niao understood that the ‘guide’ they discussed was more about a spiritual kind of enlightenment than ingesting large quantities of elixirs that could cause bitterness in the lungs.
Still, he insisted, “Well, you can meditate here, Senior Brother, while I’ll go a bit deeper.
Firstly, to see if there is Stone Spirit Milk of higher quality or that condenses faster, and secondly, to see what else is within.”
Xiang Zhiwen realized that his brother was concerned about his safety.
They had checked the way they came, and it was safe, but what might lie further inside was uncertain.
Naturally, the safest course of action was to make sure things were clear, at least ensuring a sufficient margin of safety.
“Alright, then I’ll trouble you.
But I suggest not going too far—how about no more than the time it takes for two moments?
Hou Niao joked, “I was only planning on going one moment further.
I’m a coward at heart and afraid of walking in the dark.”
Continuing on, he borrowed Xiang Zhiwen’s bead and placed it on his crown, which proved very convenient, lighting up the area within several zhang in all directions.
As he proceeded downward, he observed whether there were any other places where Stone Spirit Milk dripped, especially for signs of human Cultivator activity.
As he expected, even after over two moments of walking, he didn’t find a second stalactite that formed Stone Spirit Milk; there was still nothing that didn’t belong to nature, not even a pile of firewood, a series of footprints, or some abandoned object.
The Banyan Cave was spotlessly clean, devoid of human intrusion for so long, and without sand or wind penetrating so deep underground, the water was clear to the bottom, the rock surfaces smooth as mirrors, forming its own ecosystem completely isolated from the external world’s chaos and disturbance.
He hoped their intrusion this time wouldn’t change any of that.
Hou Niao returned to his original position, Xiang Zhiwen was still sitting there with his eyes closed, concentrating.
A long while later, he finally opened his eyes.
Xiang Zhiwen smiled, “That’s expected because the creator’s miracles have one thing in common; they never repeat.”
Hou Niao looked at him, “Have you decided?”
Xiang Zhiwen let out a contented sigh, “I have decided.
Actually, from the moment I stepped in here, I had an intuition that this is the most suitable place for me.
It matches my Five Elements Attribute, Purple Mansion, and now I also have Stone Spirit Milk—a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object.
It’s already perfect; I shouldn’t ask for more.”
Hou Niao stood up, “I’ll protect you.”
Xiang Zhiwen didn’t refuse, “Thanks, but there’s no rush.
Let’s talk for a bit more.”
Hou Niao laughed, “Elder brother, you actually still feel like chatting?
If I were in your shoes, I’d probably be too eager to wait.”
Xiang Zhiwen began to take things out of the Treasure Gourd, arranging them one by one, “Chatting can relax the mind.
I still have some things I cannot let go of.
For instance, before I came here, my wife gave birth to a child…”
Hou Niao felt a bit reluctant to chat, sensing that the ambiance was somewhat off, tinted with sadness.
This wasn’t the kind of mood a cultivator facing the Upper Realm should have, but since he couldn’t point it out directly, he could only try to keep the atmosphere light.
“That’s genuinely good news.
I think it’s more important than your breakthrough, Elder Brother, because you have life’s continuation.”
Xiang Zhiwen smiled tenderly, clearly thinking of the child still in swaddling clothes, “It’s a pity that it’s a girl.
My family was hoping for a boy who could continue the lineage and ensure the bloodline and wealth endure long into the future.”
Hou Niao disagreed, “Regarding whether a son or a daughter has more influence on the family’s future, I think people’s views are very biased; they value boys too much.”
“If a son isn’t educated well, he will ruin his own family; if a daughter isn’t educated well, she’ll ruin someone else’s family…”
Xiang Zhiwen relaxed a little amid Hou Niao’s pestering, “Your mouth really is…
These years of misspent time have made me understand many truths.
It doesn’t seem like a bad thing.
Cultivation needs to be refined; faster isn’t always better, as long as you don’t forget your initial resolve…”
“Not forgetting one’s initial resolve?
I keep forgetting, changing, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
As a child, I wanted to eat delicious foods.
When I grew up, I aspired to inherit my father’s Criminal Investigation business and do it all my life.
Later, after joining the path, I desired longevity.
When I joined the Quanzhen Sect, I wished to dominate the world with my sword.
So, what exactly is my initial resolve?
Honestly, I don’t know.”
Xiang Zhiwen shook his head, “Can one’s initial resolve change at will?”
Hou Niao nodded, “There was someone who kept a fish; when the fish died, he was very sad because the fish had been with him for many years, a companion in his loneliness, always silently by his side, never talkative or bothersome.
He decided to cremate it then scatter its ashes into the sea so that its spirit could return home.
So, he built a fire to start the cremation.
During the burning, he found the fish growing increasingly fragrant, and he couldn’t help but sprinkle some spices and fetch a pot of wine…
You see, one’s initial resolve will constantly change in the face of temptation.
Why insist on a decision made in one’s immaturity for a lifetime?
You haven’t seen the whole world in its entirety, don’t understand its truths, let alone the vast universe, so what then about one’s initial resolve?”