榆神泪 第 4 章

Seasons changed, and a year passed. Big Elm Village remained calm; no one knew that the silent boy had undergone a complete transformation during countless late nights.

During this year, he practiced 'Guiding Qi' over seven hundred times without ever stopping. Now Li Xian had grown quite a bit taller; although still thin, his originally withered yellow hair had turned black, and a light seemed to flicker deep within his eyes.

Observing inside his body, a pale green 'Spiritual Root' connected directly to his spiritual world, and his 'Dantian' in the abdomen was filled with energy and extremely clear. It was time to 'break through'.

Once he condensed the 'Spiritual Qi' in his Dantian, he would step into the first stage of cultivation—the 'Qi Condensation Realm'. At that time, he would no longer be just an ordinary person; he could use magic spells and fly on the wind.

But this step was extremely dangerous. Condensing spiritual energy required complete concentration; if disturbed, he could be seriously injured at best, or at worst, his Dantian could shatter, turning him into a cripple.

This dilapidated hut had poor soundproofing, and villagers could pass by at any time; it was definitely not a good place for a breakthrough. Li Xian thought for a moment, closed the doors and windows, picked up his polished hatchet, and strode toward the back mountain.

Three months ago, while hunting deep in the mountains, he discovered a hidden cave in a remote location, which was perfect for 'secluded cultivation'.

Passing by the village tea house, the sound of storytelling drifted into his ears. '...Ladies and gentlemen, did you know there are True Immortals above ordinary immortals? Such beings can reverse time, restore flesh to bones, and bring the dead back to life!'

Li Xian stopped abruptly and turned to look at the storyteller: 'Is what you said true, sir? Can dead people... really come back to life?'

The storyteller named Ji waved his broken fan, seemingly smiling: 'It is recorded in ancient books; if you believe it, it exists. Young man, ordinary people turn to dust after death, but the world is so vast, who can say for sure?'

'Thank you.' Li Xian bowed and turned into the forest. The flame in his eyes, originally just for revenge, now held a trace of crazy hope. As long as he was strong enough, maybe his mother could return.

Deep in the back mountain, the trees were tall. Li Xian, knowing the way well, found the cave. Having not been there for three months, the entrance was still hidden by vegetation.

He sniffed cautiously; there was no smell of tigers or leopards, nor the stench of snakes or insects. Everything was perfect.

Li Xian pushed aside the plants and walked into the cave, but the moment he stepped into the depths, the hair on his body suddenly stood up. Something was wrong. This cave... was too clean.

There were no fallen leaves on the ground, no spider webs on the walls, and even the air carried a chill that didn't belong to the wild. This was an occupied cave dwelling!

In these deep mountains, whoever could occupy such a treasure spot and keep it so clean could definitely not be a hunter from Big Elm Village. Li Xian's heart raced, and he instinctively wanted to retreat.

Just then, a very slight sound of footsteps came from outside the cave. Someone was coming! The way forward was blocked, and there was no way to retreat.

Li Xian's gaze instantly turned ice-cold, like a young wolf cornered in a desperate situation. He held his breath, gripped the hatchet in his hand tightly, crouched down, and silently shrank into the shadows at the deepest part of the cave. The footsteps got closer and closer, and finally, stopped at the entrance.