Cultivation through Skin Making

Chapter 780: 272. Not out of the Sea of Suffering, falling into the vast world (7.4K words – seeking subscription)

The Sea of Suffering surged up waves, forming into whirlpools, where countless grim human faces roared and shouted from the gray murky liquid, mixed with obsession, wrathful madness, love, hate, resentment…

The owner of those past memories had actually already died, yet these obsessions refused to let go. They felt the powerful pull beneath the red flowers of the Other Shore Tree, instinctually wanting to flee but being forcibly drawn back, thereby forming a beautiful bright gray arc.

Song Yan’s use of Substitute Death had limited speed, which gave time for the gray arc of the Sea of Suffering to form…

He sat in the center of the arc, watching the shadowy scenes appearing in the Fifth Layer of the Sea of Suffering, suddenly gaining some realization: whether it be the city within the Great Dao Chessboard or the Visualization Map stone slab, they are hidden within the Nine Heavens.

A mere Fourth Layer cultivation of the Sea of Suffering was originally unworthy as a cost for his advancement, but the obsessions in the Fifth Layer were far stronger.

This originated from the obsession of the first day of Nine Heavens.

Where there’s obsession, there must be life.

The first day of Nine Heavens is a world with a real sun and moon.

Although the red flowers blossoming from the Other Shore Tree did not open a path to the first day of Nine Heavens, they did connect to the Sea of Suffering of that first day.

What Ning Daozhen said about “planting a seed, waiting for it to grow into wood, it will give you a more stable way to enter the first day,” might mean precisely this.

Song Yan gazed at these obsessions, suddenly realizing something.

He looked above, at the red flowers above, noting the peculiar aroma they emitted, isolating all movements here from the outside, making it extremely difficult to detect.

And the purified Sea of Suffering waters became clear and clean, possessing a blue hue that originally should not exist.

A refreshing, relaxing azure blue, akin to the blue seen by the seashore in the Mortal World.

The intense attraction and the enormous gray halo made it difficult for him to stop easily because once he stopped, these strong obsessions from the first day of Nine Heavens would instantly destroy this Fourth Layer cultivation, and only worsen with time.

Soon…

The second flower bud had already formed, yet the entire Other Shore Tree only grew a tender tree body barely the length of a finger. From afar, no one would think it’s a tree, only a flower.

When the second flower bloomed, its fragrance doubled, broadening the path connecting to the deeper parts of the Sea of Suffering, enabling the obsessions flying from the Fifth Layer to nearly double in speed…

Song Yan’s cultivation speed also doubled.

Yet it remained long.

However, he did not find boredom in sitting; he only felt peace.

Compared to being targeted, chased, and running around chaotically, such peace was indeed precious, so precious that he didn’t even want to move.

In the past, it was all about “hide hide hide, kill kill kill,” but now it was entirely different.

Within the Qi Box, Po Xu Yuzhuang would often come out, with little ice perched on her shoulder, and then, innocently, she’d lie beside him, resting her chin, with legs kicked up, slightly swaying, looking at those two vibrant red Other Shore Flowers, sometimes sniffing, other times behaving like a little adult roaming around Song Yan, curiously watching those gray light arcs, observing the chaotic grand obsessions within.

Even without touching, such grand obsessions made it easy for Po Xu Yuzhuang to “fall into the path of evil,” yet Ning Yunmiao undertook the responsibility of a mother.

While the Sea of Suffering had obsession, her wine vessel contained the beautiful Mortal World.

The dual nourishment rapidly enhanced Po Xu Yuzhuang’s intellect.

Ning Yunmiao would often come out too, not only leading Yuzhuang but silently sitting hugging her knees beside Song Yan, watching the obsessions within the gray glow together.

Song Yan joked, “Mortal lovers look at stars on hills, while we can only look at others’ memories they can’t let go of by the Sea of Suffering.”

Ning Yunmiao replied, “Yuzhuang is a good child.”

Song Yan said, “She is like a blank sheet.”

Ning Yunmiao said, “Spirit of the Netherworld born not of evil but shaped by what it experiences afterwards.

Their birthplace must inherently be perilous, evil, destructive, and what they encounter would only be fear and attack. Over time, their temperament becomes naturally suspicious and sensitive, leading only to brutality and slaughter.”

Song Yan laughed, “Senior sister, I really didn’t expect you’d become a good mother.”

Ning Yunmiao moved closer, wrapping her arm around his, slightly leaning her head on his shoulder, murmuring, “All along I’ve been thinking about Ruyin’s words, I truly did not imagine the Celestial Wondrous Sword Palace would turn out like this.”

She laughed self-mockingly, “What I thought was the land of the Righteous Dao turned out to be a haven of filth, not only that, hiding the greatest Evil Demons in the world.”

Word by word she said, “Blood… River… Saint…”

Before Song Yan could respond, she continued, “I also know that Blood River Lord must be greatly constrained, or not awakened at all; otherwise, the Celestial Wondrous Sword Palace would’ve been completely invaded already.

Now that Grandfather knows these secrets, he will surely lead the Ning Family, along with the trustworthy uncles and elders within the Sword Palace, to battle these evils openly and covertly.”

“Mm.” Song Yan withdrew his arm, wrapping around the soft yet powerful back of his senior sister, placing his fingers on her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace.

He listened.

He didn’t say much.

He provided the sister a hug.

He did what he should do, and never lost his composure.

He contemplated all possible events whimsically yet preparedness.

He was like a mountain, offering Ning Yunmiao a sense of steady reliability, even if this mountain was dark, a terrifying mountain.