PID Chapter 56

(3/5)

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Chu Jinglan’s condition improved slightly after this episode.

 

Specifically, when he opened his eyes, he no longer immediately coughed up blood uncontrollably. Instead, he could hold it for a second or two before lowering his head to spit it out.

 

Even small progress is progress, Xiao Mo thought consolingly. It’s okay, they were prepared for a long battle.

 

After spitting blood, Chu Jinglan skillfully took the spiritual medicine Xiao Mo had placed beside him. Meanwhile, Xiao Mo’s cleaning spell orb immediately activated, cleaning both Chu Jinglan and the ground.

 

The whole process was very efficient.

 

On the seventh day, Chu Jinglan finally managed not to pass out from pain. He was only weakened to the point of collapsing on the edge of the stone bed, without even the strength to take medicine.

 

Feeding medicine to someone awake was much easier than to someone unconscious. Whatever medicine Xiao Mo offered, Chu Jinglan opened his mouth to take. Thankfully, they had gained a lot in the Phantom Moon Secret Realm, otherwise the daily consumption of medicine would have been a huge burden.

 

Now they didn’t need to worry about external matters and could focus solely on cultivation.

 

Xiao Mo checked Chu Jinglan’s pulse and found that the fragment wasn’t entirely unchanged. Although it hadn’t grown in size, being forced to refine by spiritual energy had made it a tiny bit more solid.

 

It was just so small that they could only sense its minute changes by checking daily.

 

Because of Chu Jinglan’s worrying state, Xiao Mo couldn’t leave him unattended and couldn’t meditate deeply. So he simply kept an eye on Chu Jinglan’s condition while breaking off pieces of crystal to hold in his hand, directly absorbing the spiritual energy and slowly digesting it.

 

Absorbing energy without carefully guiding it through meditation was somewhat wasteful, but it still provided some benefits. It was suitable for Xiao Mo’s current multitasking, allowing him to cultivate in fragments of time without wasting a moment.

 

That’s how a cultivation maniac operates.

 

Chu Jinglan lay on the stone bed, steadying his breathing. Each cultivation session was still painful, truly a matter of life and death. When the pain became too unbearable, one couldn’t control the mind’s wandering thoughts. Pain burned through thoughts, and thoughts amplified the pain.

 

But at the end of this agonizing torment, Chu Jinglan wasn’t shattered. A coolness like a moonlit lake surface supported his consciousness.

 

It was the palm Xiao Mo had forcefully placed in his hand that day.

 

As long as a person is tethered to something, they can always return to their anchor.

 

On the tenth day, Xiao Mo took out his flute. To avoid disturbing Chu Jinglan, he put himself in a sound-isolating barrier, not practicing techniques but simply working on music theory.

 

Chu Jinglan opened his eyes, paused for two seconds, turned his head to spit out blood, and noticed Xiao Mo playing the flute. He paused: “Sound-isolating barrier?”

 

“Mm.” Xiao Mo dispersed the barrier to speak to him, “I was afraid of affecting your cultivation.”

 

Chu Jinglan’s current tempering of the dantian fragment was delicate work. Even a tiny deviation could be infinitely magnified, at best resulting in spitting up more blood, at worst… there was no worst case, since Chu Jinglan would definitely succeed.

 

But Xiao Mo didn’t want his flute to cause him to spit up even one extra mouthful of blood.

 

Chu Jinglan swallowed the blood-replenishing pill, mixing with the taste of blood in his mouth. In the midst of the bitter taste, he said: “Remove the barrier.”

 

Xiao Mo quietly looked at him.

 

He said: “When it’s too painful, having some flute music might actually help keep my consciousness clear.”

 

Xiao Mo raised an eyebrow, gently caressing the flute: “Are you sure?”

 

“Mm.”

 

Chu Jinglan swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth: “I’m very used to your flute sound, so it’s fine.”

 

Xiao Mo’s fingers brushed over the jade-smooth flute. He pondered for a moment before saying: “Let’s try then. If it doesn’t work, we’ll stop.”

 

Chu Jinglan: “Alright.”

 

He closed his eyes again, and Xiao Mo held the flute horizontally, playing at a moderate volume.

 

Xiao Mo’s biggest problem with flute playing now was occasional off-key notes and discontinuity. Each melody played its own tune. Individually, they were no longer the terrifying weapon that killed indiscriminately, but together, they were incomprehensible and not at all pleasant to the ear.

 

As he played, Xiao Mo observed Chu Jinglan’s expression. He started with a low volume, and seeing that Chu Jinglan’s reaction was no different from his usual cultivation state – still in pain but without any unexpected reactions to the flute sound – he gradually increased the volume.

 

He first played “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” then the half-finished tune he had been working on.

 

Chu Jinglan, with eyes closed, infused spiritual energy into the fragment. The intense pain still let him hear his body’s screams, but in the darkness, the flute sound slowly rose, leaping into his ears and occupying the most prominent position.

 

The immature flute sound, stumbling and intermittent, was like someone tiptoeing on the ground after rain, carelessly stepping in small puddles. Sparkling water droplets splashed up, creating a light but discordant melody. Whether one understood or liked it depended on the listener’s state of mind.

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t know how others might perceive it, but in this flute sound, he caught familiarity, the bits and pieces of day and night spent together, accumulating like sand into a tower, constructing a tangible place of comfort.

 

Xiao Mo’s earlier worries didn’t materialize at all. In his flute sound, Chu Jinglan’s spiritual sense became even more stable.

 

After a month, when Chu Jinglan finished each day, he was no longer completely drained of energy. At least he could support himself to sit up on the stone bed. Xiao Mo checked Chu Jinglan’s pulse, his eyes brightening: “I think the fragment might have grown from a pea to a peanut?”

 

Chu Jinglan thought the comparison was apt, but then heard Xiao Mo add: “More like a yellow pea and a fried peanut.”

 

Chu Jinglan: “…Are you craving food?”

 

Xiao Mo withdrew his hand, firmly denying: “No.”

 

Chu Jinglan, half-leaning on the stone bed, rummaged through his storage device and, based on his knowledge, took out several tasty spirit herbs. These herbs hadn’t been roasted to remove impurities because they were entirely precious, having absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, and had no impurities to begin with.

 

Chu Jinglan extended his hand to offer them, but Xiao Mo pushed them back without hesitation: “Hey, I’m really not craving. We shouldn’t waste just because we’re rich now. Frugality is a virtue.”

 

Precious spirit herbs should be saved. Even if they couldn’t be used later, they were still fixed assets.

 

Chu Jinglan pushed them forward again: “It’s for you to eat, not a waste.”

 

Xiao Mo: “…”

 

Xiao Mo suddenly felt these weren’t spirit herbs but hot potatoes. His rejecting hand trembled and quickly withdrew.

 

“You…” Xiao Mo uncomfortably pinched his fingers under his sleeve. After saying just one word, he realized his voice was off and immediately closed his mouth. His eyes darted around, occasionally glancing at Chu Jinglan, observing his expression.

 

But Chu Jinglan’s expression remained calm, as if he had just said something completely ordinary.

 

If Xiao Mo overreacted, it would make the atmosphere awkward.

 

Xiao Mo fidgeted with his fingers again. He tried to convince himself that given their current harmonious relationship, this level of kindness from Chu Jinglan was reasonable. He shouldn’t act so surprised, but should calmly accept it—

 

But he really wasn’t used to it.

 

Chu Jinglan held the spirit herbs, not withdrawing his hand, but not speaking either. He calmly and quietly watched Xiao Mo, waiting for him to act.

 

Under Chu Jinglan’s steady gaze, Xiao Mo’s uneasy fingers went from fidgeting to slowly clenching. Then, steeling himself, he reached for the spirit herbs—

 

Xiao Mo took the spirit herbs.

 

He still couldn’t help adding stubbornly: “Once I eat them all, you can’t take them back even if you regret it.”

 

Chu Jinglan withdrew his now empty hand and said: “I won’t regret it.”

 

Hearing this, Xiao Mo immediately stuffed a spirit herb into his mouth, chewing vigorously and lowering his head without a word.

 

…Why is this spirit herb so sweet?

 

The fragrance of the spirit herbs lingered in Chu Jinglan’s palm. He felt he was gradually learning how to be kind to someone.

 

Now it was just a matter of when Xiao Mo would get used to accepting kindness from others.

 

After a brief rest, the grueling cultivation had to continue.

 

In many written descriptions, cultivators often seem to make earth-shattering breakthroughs easily and frequently. But Xiao Mo watched Chu Jinglan’s state change bit by bit. Even if a major breakthrough came, it would be the result of accumulated effort – something Chu Jinglan would have earned when the time came.

 

Two months in, Chu Jinglan suddenly opened his eyes and uncontrollably spat out a mouthful of blood.

 

Xiao Mo was startled, thinking the situation had worsened again. He rushed to Chu Jinglan’s bedside in two quick steps, disregarding his hem sweeping through the blood on the ground, staining it.

 

He was wearing a long goose-yellow robe today, its hem trailing behind him, creating a beautiful arc as he moved, shimmering with light. He was about to speak when he saw Chu Jinglan raise his hand.

 

A very faint spiritual light appeared on that hand.

 

So faint it seemed it could extinguish at any moment, yet it made Xiao Mo’s eyes widen.

 

Using this tiny bit of spiritual energy, Chu Jinglan cast a cleaning spell on Xiao Mo’s hem.

 

The spiritual energy caused a slight ripple in the air, washing away the blood stains and restoring the warm yellow robe to its pristine state.

 

Inner demons have no blood, their eye sockets cannot turn red, but Xiao Mo truly felt an indescribable warmth mixed with a bittersweet feeling instantly flooding his eyes. His lips trembled, momentarily unable to speak.

 

It was just a small cleaning spell, incomparable to the sharp spiritual light when Chu Jinglan once wielded his sword.

 

At that moment, they both heard the surging of ocean waves and saw on the distant horizon a newborn sun rising brilliantly, breaking through the endless darkness.

 

Xiao Mo tremblingly raised his fingers, curling them several times before finally controlling his strength to gently touch Chu Jinglan’s fingertips glowing with spiritual light.

 

Xiao Mo laughed once. Inner demons have no tears, but his laugh carried a misty quality.

 

In response, a faint smile curved Chu Jinglan’s lips.

 

The dantian was no longer a dry bean. After countless persistent refinements, it had finally begun to grow.

 

Not a shaky Qi Condensation stage on the verge of breakthrough, but a stable and solid early Qi Condensation stage.

 

“Chu Jinglan.”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Congratulations.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Xiao Mo tapped Chu Jinglan’s fingertip again, warm skin touching cold spiritual body. Smiling, Xiao Mo pressed with some force, pushing Chu Jinglan’s finger forward: “Quick, I want to see you dominating the world.”

 

Chu Jinglan’s fingertip pressed against his, his usually calm voice carrying some new meaning: “Alright.”

 

Xiao Mo couldn’t fully understand that tone, and Chu Jinglan himself didn’t quite understand it either. But it didn’t matter. At this moment, their fingertips touching, rejoicing together over something – that was enough.

 

[Ding, mental attack successful, +200!]

 

—-

 

In the mountain, there was no sun or moon. Time passed both slowly and quickly. After Chu Jinglan’s condition stabilized, Xiao Mo could also focus on cultivation. But he didn’t completely seclude himself. Usually every few days, he would leave the stone room.

 

Chu Jinglan no longer coughed up blood daily, and the blood essence lost initially had been replenished through spiritual medicines and cultivation. Xiao Mo didn’t go far, just walking around nearby to change scenery and get some fresh air, and to chat with the Jinxiu Pavilion’s patrolling guard disciples.

 

He would ask about recent noteworthy news in the cultivation world to avoid being completely ignorant of current events when they left.

 

Thus, after a year—

 

Today was another day for Xiao Mo to leave the stone room and relax.

 

He brought Qiuqiu out for some air too. Qiuqiu perched on his shoulder as Xiao Mo wore a cyan round-collared robe with an outer garment embroidered with bamboo leaves. He looked like a tall, elegant bamboo, graceful whether moving or still.

 

The patrolling cultivators who passed by were already familiar with him and raised their hands in greeting.

 

Xiao Mo noticed one looking a bit forced in his smile, seeming fatigued. He politely asked: “Senior, you look unwell. Has something happened?”

 

He still presented himself as having Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivation. Anyone patrolling here was at least at Foundation Establishment, so Xiao Mo could call them all seniors.

 

The Jinxiu Pavilion patrolling cultivator pinched his brow: “Ah, I had a small setback in cultivation, feeling unsettled.”

 

He had provided Xiao Mo with much information before. Xiao Mo smiled and put his flute in hand, as payment for the news: “How about I play you a tune to calm your mind?”

 

The man: “Sure! I’ve seen you carrying that flute but never heard you play!”

 

Xiao Mo flipped his wrist, holding the flute horizontally. He placed his lower lip on it, then breathed—

 

The jade flute emitted a clear, melodious tune that bounced off the cliff walls on both sides. The lingering sound echoed through the empty valley, carrying the essence of clear wind and bright moon, a poetic scene entering the heart.

 

After a year, the discordant flute sounds were completely a thing of the past. Xiao Mo had become someone who could play beautiful melodies.

 

Even the system had to marvel at how miraculous human growth can be.

 

After all, Xiao Mo had honed his musical skills by practicing on Chu Jinglan’s and the system’s hearing.

 

The cultivator listening to Xiao Mo’s music was also full of admiration.

 

Inner demons excel at controlling people’s minds, but Xiao Mo’s method of calming the mind differed from righteous music cultivators. Righteous cultivators amplify positive emotions to directly stabilize the spirit platform and suppress distracting thoughts. Xiao Mo’s technique, however, worked on the distracting thoughts themselves, brushing them away while absorbing their power for his own use.

 

When the tune ended, the cultivator indeed felt much better mentally. He thanked Xiao Mo: “You play so well! You must be very talented in music theory. I can’t do it – can’t play instruments or blow tunes.”

 

Xiao Mo: “What talent? It’s just diligence making up for lack of skill.”

 

The cultivator took it as modesty: “Haha, not arrogant or impatient – you’re bound for great things!”

 

Xiao Mo held his flute, thinking to himself that he was telling the truth.

 

The system confirmed it could absolutely testify to that.

 

After helping the man, Xiao Mo began inquiring about news: “Has anything noteworthy happened outside recently?”

 

The cultivator, in good spirits, was happy to chat: “Of course, quite a lot! But the biggest event among them is definitely the Cloud Platform Grand Competition!”

 

Xiao Mo showed great interest: “Oh?”

 

The Cloud Platform Grand Competition is held in both the middle and upper realms, organized by the five major powers. They invite disciples from various sects and rogue cultivators, dividing them by cultivation levels. Cultivators of each level compete in magical battles. Winners, based on their rankings, can obtain pre-promised treasures.

 

Notably, the five major powers include the demon race.

 

Indeed, this is not only an opportunity for righteous sects to showcase their strength and promote their prestige, but also a chance for the two races to test each other in the current delicate situation between demons and human cultivators.

 

The upcoming Cloud Platform Grand Competition in the middle realm is set for three months from now. The minimum cultivation requirement for participation is Golden Core. The rewards for the top 100 winners are being revealed one by one, but the prizes for the top ten haven’t been announced yet. Everyone is speculating and discussing excitedly.

 

For the Cloud Platform Grand Competition, the Cloud Peak Six Sects from the upper realm will also send representatives, including the Yingyue Sect.

 

As Xiao Mo pondered this, he was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something and quickly turned his head.

 

The Jinxiu Pavilion cultivator also noticed spiritual energy rapidly flowing into the room behind them, surprised: “Is someone about to break through?”

 

But the amount of spiritual energy was too extreme!

 

Xiao Mo hurriedly bowed to him: “I’m sorry, I need to go check. We’ll chat another day!”

 

Cultivator: “Mm, I understand. Go ahead, Mo Lan.”

 

He hissed, remembering that if he wasn’t mistaken, the other person who came here was at Qi Condensation stage. Does a Qi Condensation breakthrough need this much spiritual energy?

They didn’t know that half a year ago, Chu Jinglan had already recovered to Foundation Establishment mid-stage, and now…

 

Xiao Mo put Qiuqiu back in the spirit pet bag, entered the stone room and closed the door. He saw the crazily rushing spiritual energy almost forming a vortex around Chu Jinglan. At the center of the vortex, Chu Jinglan’s expression was serene, his back straight, boldly and calmly absorbing all the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

 

His aura rose steadily with it.

 

Foundation Establishment mid-stage, late stage… Golden Core.

 

Golden Core early stage, mid-stage — peak Golden Core!

 

At this moment, Xiao Mo finally felt relieved. Though he knew Chu Jinglan would definitely succeed, seeing him actually rebuild his dantian and reclaim his rightful cultivation level made the joy, excitement, and dissipating worry truly settle in his heart.

 

After bitter comes sweet. The frost and pain were finally worn away by willpower, transforming into a fierce wind to help him soar.

 

Chu Jinglan’s aura paused at peak Golden Core for a while, but it hadn’t solidified yet.

 

Just as Xiao Mo’s emotions were about to be suspended again, Chu Jinglan’s aura actually continued to rise!

 

Spiritual energy vortexes gathered one by one in Chu Jinglan’s dantian, spinning wildly, but all were suppressed by Chu Jinglan. Not one could disturb his body. The luster of the spirit crystals in the stone room rapidly dimmed, completely drained.

 

Cultivating strength and advancing a thousand miles in a day.

 

Breaking through those heavy shackles, roaming free in the universe, spirit wandering through nature — Nascent Soul formed.

 

The immense spiritual energy was suppressed, the strong winds gradually subsided. Chu Jinglan’s cultivation settled at early Nascent Soul stage as he slowly opened his eyes.

 

A Nascent Soul at nineteen!

 

Unprecedented and unrepeatable. A cripple had crawled step by step out of a thorny hell with his own flesh and blood. The favored son of heaven had returned to the clouds.

 

The instant Chu Jinglan’s aura stabilized, Xiao Mo felt himself lifted to the clouds as well. His recent cultivation pierced through that thin paper, allowing him to step up another level.

 

Inner demon, mid-stage Nascent Soul.

 

Chu Jinglan opened his eyes to see Xiao Mo also surrounded by spiritual energy. Perhaps due to just stepping up a small level, Xiao Mo’s eyes had turned dark red again, mysterious and gorgeous, stunningly beautiful.

 

The aura of breakthrough in Chu Jinglan’s eyes gradually receded upon seeing Xiao Mo, frost and snow melting into an ancient pond, finally rippling slightly.

 

Xiao Mo twirled spiritual energy around his fingertip, smiling at him.

 

“Congratulations on returning to the great path, Chu Jinglan.”

 

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter