chsdbacks Chapter 232 Tempering
Chapter 232 Tempering
"So that's how it is... so that's how it is..." Nie Lingfeng felt a sudden sense of understanding, mixed with lingering fear and relief. He was terrified because he had been walking a tightrope; a single misstep could have resulted in the backlash from the uncontrolled power of the three "constant stars" within him, obliterating him completely. He was relieved because Azanji had enlightened him, showing him the path ahead and clarifying the direction of his efforts—not simply pursuing the accumulation and explosion of power, but rather solidifying his foundation, stabilizing his "pot," comprehending the essence of the divine objects, seeking the "path" of fusion, and gradually, truly, digesting, absorbing, and transforming the power of these three "constant stars" into his own, effortless power!
Just as he was gaining insight and immersed in the profound realm of introspection, the medicinal power and the vitality of the earth's veins in the stone basin seemed to resonate with his newly awakened and more "clear" will. The medicinal power flowed more smoothly into his meridians and body, repairing his hidden injuries and strengthening his foundation. As for the vitality of the earth's veins, it seemed to have a special attraction for the "Qilin Star Body" within him. Strands of pure and substantial earth-elemental vitality were slowly absorbed by the "Qilin Star Body," causing the dark golden "constant star" to seem to... almost imperceptibly... solidify and stabilize by a tiny bit.
Meanwhile, Chen Duo, lying on the bamboo couch beside her, seemed to be affected by the warm aura emanating from the stone basin, a mixture of medicinal power and the life force of the earth. She unconsciously rolled over, snuggling closer to the basin, a comfortable, reassuring expression on her face, like a small animal finding a warm nest. The faint Phoenix True Fire within her seemed to sense the gentle aura of the same source (the life force of the earth nourishes all things, also belonging to the power of life), spontaneously and slowly accelerating its circulation, and the speed at which her body was repairing seemed to quicken slightly.
Inside the bamboo house, all was quiet. The only sounds were the gentle ripples of the spring water in the stone basin, Chen Duo's steady and long breaths, and the incessant chirping of insects and birds from the rainforest outside the window.
Azanji sat on a bamboo chair in the corner of the room, holding a small black pottery mortar and pestle, slowly pounding some dried root, producing a dull but rhythmic "thump-thump" sound. His deep, pool-like eyes occasionally swept over Nie Lingfeng, who was meditating with his eyes closed in the stone basin, and Chen Duo, who was sleeping peacefully on the bamboo couch. On his calm, still face, a very faint, unfathomable, complex expression seemed to flit across his face, like that of an old farmer looking at the tenacious, peculiar seedlings growing in his field...
Time, in this secluded rainforest safe house, seems to lose its meaning, leaving only the slow healing of life, the quiet settling of strength, and some deeper understanding, taking root and sprouting in the silence...
The morning light in the rainforest always arrives exceptionally early and is exceptionally "noisy." When the first golden-red ray of light, accompanied by a primal clamor of birds, monkeys, and insects that could almost pierce eardrums, roughly ripped open the curtain of night and poured into the "skylight" of Ajarn Ki's bamboo house, Nie Lingfeng had just emerged slowly from a deep, womb-like state of meditation.
He remained seated in the black "Earth Mother Spring" stone basin. The spring water, after a night of soaking and the release of its medicinal properties, had transformed from its initial crystal clarity into a pale, warm amber hue, emitting a unique fragrance that blended the bitterness of herbs, the weight of the earth, and the vibrant energy of life. The water was slightly cool, but Nie Lingfeng felt a warmth, clarity, and even…lightness he had never experienced before.
He opened his eyes, a flash of dark golden light appearing briefly before returning to his usual deep black. However, deep within his pupils, there seemed to be a more restrained, calmer light, as if it could reflect the movement of the stars.
After a night of soaking and meditation, combined with the nourishment from Ajarn Ki's "Strengthening Soup" and "Earth Mother Spring," the effects were surprisingly good. The hidden injuries to his meridians, mental exhaustion, and physical depletion caused by forcibly activating his power and fighting the incarnation of the evil god had been soothed and repaired by about 70-80%. More importantly, he gained an unprecedentedly clear understanding of the current state of his "inner universe" and the three "divine celestial bodies."
"Salt dissolves in water, but is far from being absorbed..." Nie Lingfeng silently pondered Azanji's words, his mind becoming clear. He was no longer anxious about how to "squander" that enormous power, but instead began to think about how to truly, little by little, "taste" the "flavor" of these three "salts," to understand their "essence," and then to find a "brewing" method of his own that could perfectly blend these three "flavors" and even produce a wonderful "chemical reaction."
This requires patience, careful understanding, and, more importantly, opportunity and refinement.
He rose gently from the stone basin, splashing water in his wake. The water slid down his lean, well-proportioned body, its fluid lines conveying a strange harmony while seemingly brimming with explosive power. The minor scratches and burns from the battle were almost invisible on his skin, replaced by a healthy luster, warm and smooth like jade, yet subtly tinged with metallic sheen. He could feel that the foundation of his physique, nourished by the "Earth Mother Spring" and the medicinal power, had been further strengthened and solidified, becoming more resilient than before, capable of withstanding even greater impacts and bursts of power.
"Awake?" Azan Ki's hoarse, flat voice came from the corner of the room. He was squatting by the hearth, simmering something in a small black earthenware pot, the air filled with a rustic aroma of rice porridge and some kind of plant tuber. "How are you feeling?"
Nie Lingfeng dried himself with a clean cloth and changed into a set of simple, clean, and soft dark blue coarse cloth clothes that Ajarn Ki had prepared in advance (the size was surprisingly good). He walked to the fire pit, sat down on a small bamboo stool opposite Ajarn Ki, and nodded sincerely: "Thank you, Master Ajarn Ki. The hidden injury to my meridians is no longer a problem, and my physique has become much stronger. More importantly, your words have given me a clearer view of the road ahead."
Azan Ki stirred the porridge in the pot with a long, thin bamboo chopstick, without even lifting his eyelids: "Seeing the road ahead is just the beginning. Walking still requires your own feet. Any one of those three 'things' inside you would take an ordinary person a lifetime to figure out. Now that you have all three together, the road is more difficult, but also wider. What are your plans for the future?"
"I want to stay here for a while." Nie Lingfeng said without hesitation. "I need a safe and quiet place to try to initially guide and sense the three powers within my body, especially the Qilin power. The 'Earth Mother Spring' seems to be particularly affinity-bound to it. Also," he glanced at Chen Duo, who was still asleep on the bamboo couch beside him, but breathing steadily and with much of her color returning to her face, "Chen Duo also needs time to recover. She's been fighting alongside me all this time, and the damage has been too great."
Azanji grunted in agreement. He poured the cooked porridge into two bamboo bowls, then took out two pieces of pickled root from an earthenware jar—the origin of which was unknown—and placed them on top of the porridge. He handed one bowl to Nie Lingfeng and placed the other bowl beside him, clearly for Chen Duo.
"It's safe here. I've set up a 'maze array' and 'calming incense' around here, so ordinary people can't find us, and malicious 'things' can't get in. There's plenty of food and drink in the rainforest. If you want to cultivate, if you want to ponder, feel free. However," he paused, his deep, pool-like eyes looking at Nie Lingfeng, "don't make too much of a commotion here. Also, after that little girl wakes up, you're responsible for teaching her how to better control her 'fire.' Her bloodline is pure, and she has great potential, but her previous methods were too wild, relying entirely on instinct, which could easily hurt her and also... attract unnecessary trouble."
Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded solemnly: "I understand, thank you for reminding me, teacher."
The two ate their simple breakfast in silence. The porridge was made from ordinary brown rice mixed with some kind of tuber unique to the rainforest. It had a light flavor but was very filling, with a natural sweetness from the grains. The pickled tubers were salty, fragrant, and crunchy, very appetizing. In this secluded depths of the rainforest, being able to eat such a hot, clean, and delicious breakfast was a rare treat.
After finishing breakfast, Nie Lingfeng took the dishes to a clear stream not far from the house to wash them. The stream water was cool, carrying the unique freshness of a rainforest morning. He squatted by the stream, looking at his slightly tired but clear-eyed reflection in the water, and then at the rainforest in the distance, shrouded in morning mist, vibrant yet mysterious, and felt a sense of peace in his heart.
Back at the bamboo hut, Chen Duo was still asleep. Azanji had vanished without a trace; it was unknown whether he had gone deep into the rainforest to gather herbs or to maintain his mysterious arrays.
Nie Lingfeng walked to the bamboo bed and checked Chen Duo's condition again. Her pulse was much more stable and strong. The faint Phoenix True Fire within her body, as if fueled, although still weak, was now able to circulate slowly along a specific and more optimized route, repairing her body and nourishing her spirit. She slept soundly, her little face serene. Occasionally, she would unconsciously smack her lips or curl up in the animal skin, like a small animal that lacked a sense of security but completely relaxed in a safe environment.
Nie Lingfeng gently brushed aside a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly. Then, he walked to the center of the room, sat cross-legged on the open ground next to the black stone basin, and closed his eyes.
Instead of rushing to "guide" or "mobilize" the power within his body, he once again sank into a state of "inner vision," slowly bringing his consciousness closer to that vast "inner universe."
This time, his target was clear—that dark golden, heavy, and stable "celestial body" that represented the power of the Qilin.
His consciousness, like the gentlest breeze, cautiously approached the enormous, dark-gold "constant star," seemingly formed from the essence of the ancient earth. The closer he got, the more he could feel its majestic, boundless, and imposing aura, as if it could bear all things and suppress the heavens. This was not a violent, domineering aura, but a grand and righteous power originating from "existence" itself, from the "foundation of life."
He tried to use his newly realized, more "clear-headed" and "restrained" will to "touch" the outermost layer of this "constant star," the dark golden light that flowed slowly like the atmosphere.
There was no forceful "grabbing" or "commanding," but rather a gentle, exploratory, and appreciative approach to "feeling."
At first, there was no response. The dark gold "constant star" continued to rotate on its own, emitting a steady and majestic light, completely ignoring Nie Lingfeng's faint touch of consciousness.