Chapter 95: Cultivating [2]

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Cultivating [2]

For several minutes, nothing seemed to happen.

Xi Yunxui remained seated beneath the enormous ancient tree, her back straight and her hands resting naturally upon her knees as she followed the cultivation method the system had given her. With every measured breath, the spiritual energy surrounding her responded, gathering from the forest in increasingly dense currents before being drawn toward her body.

At first, the sensation was so faint that she almost wondered whether she was imagining it.

The spiritual energy merely brushed against her skin before being absorbed little by little, but as Xi Yunxui became more accustomed to the strange sensation, she gradually learned how to guide it. What had initially felt like scattered mist began moving according to her thoughts, flowing through her meridians in a steady stream before gathering within her dantian.

A comfortable warmth slowly spread through her abdomen.

Her breathing became deeper and more rhythmic as she settled further into the cultivation method.

She had expected cultivating to be difficult, especially since she had only recently entered this strange world and possessed almost no practical understanding of cultivation. Yet this mountain seemed to make the entire process far easier than she had anticipated. The spiritual energy here was so abundant that she barely needed to search for it; it surrounded her from every direction, as though the entire mountain were offering itself to her.

What Xi Yunxui failed to realize was that the mountain was responding to her presence as well.

The spiritual energy surrounding the ancient tree had already begun gathering into a faint vortex, its movement so subtle that an ordinary person would never have noticed it. Leaves trembled high above Xi Yunxui despite the complete absence of wind, while tiny strands of pale light appeared between the branches and drifted toward her.

The closer they came, the brighter and denser they became.

King C was the first to notice that something was wrong.

His ears suddenly perked up, and the little creature lifted his head to stare at Xi Yunxui.

"Huh?"

Biyu immediately followed his gaze.

The little bird tilted its head, then gave a questioning chirp.

King C sniffed the air several times, his expression becoming increasingly puzzled.

Hui tilted her head as she studied Xi Yunxui. After staring for a moment, the little girl’s eyes widened.

"Big Sister has light around her."

King C immediately looked again.

He could not see the spiritual energy as clearly as Hui could, but even he could feel that something about the atmosphere had changed. The air seemed heavier, richer, almost alive. Spiritual energy that had previously been scattered throughout the forest was now moving toward a single location.

Biyu spread its wings slightly, its instincts warning it to remain cautious.

The little bird gave a low, uneasy chirp and glanced between Xi Yunxui and the surrounding forest.

Hui shook her head without hesitation.

"No. Big Sister is cultivating."

King C scratched his head with one hoof.

"How do you know?"

Hui looked at him with complete seriousness.

"Because she told us."

King C stared at her for a moment before nodding.

"That makes sense."

Biyu gave him an unimpressed look before turning its attention back toward Xi Yunxui.

The little bird remained perched nearby, its feathers slightly puffed as it watched the swirling spiritual energy.

None of them noticed what was happening much deeper within the mountain.

Several hundred meters away, beneath layers of soil and tangled ancient roots, something that had remained dormant for an unknown length of time stirred for the first time in countless years.

A faint vibration traveled through the earth.

One of the enormous roots shifted.

Dust fell from an ancient stone wall buried beneath the ground, revealing a narrow crack that had not existed moments before. From the darkness beyond that crack came a faint pulse of energy.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

The entire mountain seemed to breathe.

At the center of that strange disturbance, Xi Yunxui remained completely unaware.

Her consciousness had already become immersed in cultivation, leaving her unable to perceive anything beyond the flow of spiritual energy within her body. The energy entered her meridians in an increasingly powerful stream before gathering inside her dantian.

At first, everything remained smooth.

Then the spiritual energy suddenly became denser.

Much denser.

Xi Yunxui’s brows furrowed.

She instinctively attempted to slow the flow, concerned that absorbing too much spiritual energy at once might damage her body. However, the moment she tried to reduce the amount entering her meridians, the energy around her surged forward instead.

It was almost as if the mountain itself had responded to her attempt.

Xi Yunxui’s expression changed.

’What’s happening?’

She tried to stop the cultivation process entirely.

She genuinely did.

Yet the spiritual energy continued pouring toward her, entering her body with increasing force. Her meridians became hot, and a faint pressure began building inside her dantian.

Xi Yunxui gritted her teeth and concentrated, abandoning her attempt to stop the energy and instead focusing on controlling it.

The cultivation method immediately began guiding the spiritual energy into a more orderly circulation.

One complete cycle passed.

Then another.

With every circulation, the chaotic energy became increasingly stable, and the pressure within her body gradually transformed into something else.

Power.

The sensation continued building until Xi Yunxui felt as though her entire body had become saturated with spiritual energy.

And just when she thought she could absorb no more—

Something inside her broke through.

A powerful wave of energy swept through her meridians.

Xi Yunxui’s body trembled.

The spiritual energy surrounding her erupted outward before being drawn back into her body at an astonishing speed.

For a brief moment, the forest itself seemed to lose its breath.

Then everything became still.

Xi Yunxui remained motionless with her eyes closed, but a profound sense of clarity had settled over her consciousness.

Her body felt lighter.

Her senses had become sharper.

Even without opening her eyes, she could suddenly perceive things that had previously been completely beyond her awareness. She could hear the faint rustling of leaves several meters away, distinguish the movement of insects beneath the soil, and sense subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy traveling through the trees.

Most importantly, she could feel the tremendous amount of spiritual energy now circulating within her body.

Xi Yunxui slowly opened her eyes.

"What just happened?"

She looked down at her hands, turning them over as though expecting some obvious change to have occurred.

Nothing appeared different.

Yet she knew with absolute certainty that she had become stronger.

Before she could investigate further, the familiar system panel appeared before her.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Host!]

[The Host has successfully advanced to Intermediate Level, Stage 3.]

Xi Yunxui stared at the notification.

"Already?"

She had not expected to advance so quickly, especially considering that she had only begun cultivating a short while ago.

The system continued displaying information.

[Due to the exceptional concentration of spiritual energy within the Host’s current location, cultivation efficiency has increased significantly.]

[Current cultivation: Intermediate Level, Stage 3.]

Xi Yunxui’s mouth fell slightly open.

She had advanced to Intermediate Level, Stage 3 after such a short period of cultivation.

Her gaze slowly traveled across the surrounding forest.

This mountain was far more valuable than she had initially realized.

"If the spiritual energy here is really this dense..."

Her eyes gradually brightened.

"...how strong can I become if I cultivate here regularly?"

The thought alone was enough to make her excited.

Xi Yunxui had never dreamed of becoming some legendary cultivator capable of overturning mountains or splitting the earth. Her original goal had been much simpler: survive in this strange world, complete her system missions, earn enough rewards to make her life comfortable, and eventually enjoy a peaceful existence far away from unnecessary trouble.

However, after experiencing the mountain’s spiritual energy firsthand, she could not deny that curiosity had begun taking root in her heart.

Perhaps she really could become stronger.

Perhaps one day, she would be capable of protecting herself without having to depend on anyone else.

And if this mountain truly possessed spiritual energy of such extraordinary purity, there was a good chance that other treasures were hidden somewhere within it as well.

Xi Yunxui stood up.

The moment she did, Hui immediately hurried toward her.

"Big Sister!"

Xi Yunxui smiled and crouched down.

"What is it?"

Hui pointed excitedly toward her.

"You were glowing."

"I was?"

Hui nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes!"

King C immediately interrupted.

"You were also sucking up all the energy around you."

Xi Yunxui glanced at him.

"That sounds a little strange."

"But it’s true."

Biyu flapped its wings in agreement and chirped emphatically.

Xi Yunxui laughed softly.

"So all three of you were watching me cultivate?"

The three creatures nodded, though Biyu added another quick chirp as if insisting that it had been especially vigilant.

She shook her head with amusement before turning her attention toward the surrounding forest.

"All right. I’ve cultivated enough for now."

King C immediately perked up.

"Does that mean we’re exploring?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean we can find carrots?"

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"We’re exploring a mountain, not a supermarket."

King C looked genuinely disappointed.

"I don’t know what that is, but it sounds like a place with food."

Xi Yunxui rubbed her forehead.

She really needed to stop expecting King C to think about anything other than food.

After recovering from her amusement, she began examining the forest more carefully. The place was beautiful, but the farther she looked, the more unusual everything became.

Many of the plants growing around the ancient tree were unlike anything she had encountered at the Huo residence. Some flowers were larger than her palm, their petals carrying faint traces of spiritual energy, while several herbs growing near the exposed roots gave off subtle fragrances that left her feeling refreshed simply by breathing them in.

Xi Yunxui crouched beside one particular plant.

Its slender leaves were covered in tiny droplets that shimmered despite the shade of the enormous tree.

"Could this be a spiritual herb?"

She reached toward it but stopped before touching the plant.

Her knowledge of cultivation might have come largely from stories and the system, but she knew enough to understand that randomly picking an unfamiliar spiritual plant was probably not wise.

"System."

[Yes, Host?]

"Can you identify plants?"

[The System possesses a basic identification function.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes brightened.

"Can you identify this?"

A small panel appeared above the plant.

[Dewmon Grass.]

[Grade: Low-level Spiritual Herb.]

[Effect: Can improve the recovery of spiritual energy and may be used in several low-level medicinal formulas.]

Xi Yunxui stared at the information.

A low-level spiritual herb.

She looked around.

There were at least a dozen more Dewmon Grass plants growing nearby.

Her expression gradually became more excited.

"How many of these are there?"

Before she could investigate further, Hui tugged at her sleeve.

"Big Sister."

Xi Yunxui looked down.

"What is it?"

Hui pointed deeper into the forest.

"There are more over there."

Xi Yunxui followed the direction of her finger.

At first, she saw nothing unusual.

But after focusing her newly sharpened senses, she noticed a faint blue glow flickering between two enormous trees.

Her curiosity immediately returned.

"Let’s go take a look."

The four of them ventured deeper into the forest.

King C remained close behind Xi Yunxui, occasionally stopping to sniff unfamiliar plants, while Biyu flew between the branches overhead. Hui stayed beside Xi Yunxui, her small hand firmly gripping the edge of Xi Yunxui’s sleeve as they continued farther from the enormous tree.

The deeper they went, the stranger the mountain became.

The spiritual energy grew noticeably denser, the plants became larger, and the trees appeared increasingly ancient. Some trunks were so enormous that even several adults standing side by side might not have been able to wrap their arms around them.

Eventually, Xi Yunxui stopped.

A narrow stream flowed between several enormous rocks ahead, its water so clear that the smooth stones beneath the surface were visible despite the depth. Tiny blue flowers grew along the banks, their petals glowing faintly beneath the canopy, while a thin layer of mist hovered above the water.

Xi Yunxui approached cautiously.

The moment she stepped closer, the system panel appeared.

[Ding!]

[Detection successful.]

[Spiritual Spring discovered.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

"A spiritual spring?"

[Yes.]

[The Spiritual Spring contains highly concentrated spiritual energy.]

[Regular consumption may assist cultivation.]

Xi Yunxui stared at the flowing water.

Her heart began beating faster.

This mountain did not merely contain abundant spiritual energy.

It contained spiritual herbs.

It contained a spiritual spring.

And she had explored only a tiny portion of it.

Xi Yunxui slowly turned toward the forest behind her.

For the first time since arriving, she understood just how enormous the mountain truly was.

There was no telling what else might be hidden within its depths.

King C suddenly stopped moving.

His nose lifted into the air.

The playful expression that had been on his face disappeared.

"Wait."

Xi Yunxui turned toward him.

"What is it?"

King C sniffed again.

His ears slowly stood upright.

"I smell something."

Biyu immediately flew down from the branch above.

The little bird gave a questioning chirp.

King C stared toward the deeper part of the forest.

"It smells..."

He swallowed.

"...good."

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"Good?"

King C nodded, his eyes already beginning to shine with anticipation.

"Very good."

He started walking forward.

Xi Yunxui immediately caught him by the collar.

"Where are you going?"

"To find the thing that smells good."

"Wait."

"But it smells delicious!"

Xi Yunxui tightened her grip.

"We don’t know what it is."

"It could be food."

"It could also be something dangerous."

King C finally hesitated.

That seemed to be the first time the possibility had occurred to him.

Before Xi Yunxui could say anything else, Hui suddenly stopped.

Her small face had lost all traces of excitement.

"Big Sister."

Something in her voice made Xi Yunxui’s expression change.

"What?"

Hui stared toward the trees ahead.

"I can hear something."

Xi Yunxui released King C and listened.

At first, there was nothing unusual.

Only the soft sound of the stream flowing over stones, the distant rustling of leaves, and the faint calls of unseen creatures somewhere within the forest.

Then she heard it.

Thump.

Xi Yunxui’s body stiffened.

The sound had not come from the forest.

It had come from beneath them.

A second vibration traveled through the ground.

Thump.

This time, the water in the spiritual spring trembled.

The tiny blue flowers along its banks swayed even though there was no wind.

King C’s ears flattened.

Biyu’s feathers rose along its body, and it released a sharp, frightened cry.

Hui instinctively stepped closer to Xi Yunxui and grabbed her sleeve with both hands.

Xi Yunxui slowly looked down.

The ground beneath her feet was trembling.

Not violently.

Not yet.

It was a deep, rhythmic movement that seemed to originate from somewhere impossibly far beneath the mountain, as though something enormous were shifting in its sleep.

Thump.

The sound came again.

Only this time, it was louder.

Several loose stones rolled down the nearby slope.

Birds erupted from the distant treetops, fleeing the forest in a chaotic swarm.

Xi Yunxui’s face became serious.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

She immediately extended her spiritual senses, attempting to determine the source of the disturbance.

The moment her consciousness touched the earth beneath them, a terrifying pressure slammed into her mind.

Xi Yunxui’s pupils contracted.

She staggered backward, one hand clutching her chest.

For the briefest instant, she had felt something.

Not an animal.

Not an ordinary spiritual beast.

Something far older.

Something that had existed beneath this mountain long before she had arrived, long before the Huo family had ever known the mountain existed, perhaps even before the current world had taken its present shape.

And it had noticed her.

Xi Yunxui’s blood ran cold.

Deep beneath the earth, a pair of enormous eyes opened.

They were not human.

They were not even the eyes of an ordinary beast.

They were vast, ancient, and filled with a cold awareness that made the spiritual energy throughout the mountain tremble.

For countless years, whatever had been sleeping beneath the mountain had remained completely still.

Until today.

Until Xi Yunxui began cultivating.

A low vibration rolled through the earth.

The spiritual spring suddenly surged upward, sending water splashing over the surrounding stones.

The ancient trees groaned as their roots twisted beneath the soil.

Then, from somewhere deep below them, came a sound so low that it was almost impossible to call it a roar.

Yet every creature in the forest heard it.

The mountain shook.

Xi Yunxui’s expression changed completely as she instinctively pulled Hui behind her.

"Stay behind me."

King C abandoned every thought of food and moved beside her, while Biyu spread its wings protectively and cried out in alarm.

Another tremor struck.

This time, cracks appeared across the ground.

They spread outward from the center of the forest, splitting the soil and winding between the roots of the ancient trees like dark veins.

Xi Yunxui stared at the largest crack.

Something was moving beneath it.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

A massive pressure began rising from underground, forcing the surrounding spiritual energy upward until the entire forest seemed to distort beneath its presence.

The system panel suddenly appeared before Xi Yunxui.

But unlike before, there was no cheerful notification.

No congratulations.

No explanation.

Only a single warning flashing across the panel.

[Warning!]

[Warning!]

[Host has awakened a dormant entity.]

Xi Yunxui’s face went pale.

Before she could ask what that meant, another line appeared.

[Entity identification failed.]

[Entity identification failed.]

[Entity identification failed.]

For the first time since she had obtained the system, Xi Yunxui saw something it could not identify.

Then the system issued one final warning.

[Host...]

[RUN.]

Xi Yunxui barely had time to process the word.

The earth beneath them exploded.

A tremendous wave of spiritual energy erupted from the depths of the mountain, tearing through ancient roots and sending rocks flying into the air as a deafening roar shook the entire forest.

And somewhere beneath the shattered earth, something enormous began climbing toward the surface.