In a stone chamber within the Lost Realm, Li Wuyang began a long period of recovery. Though the energy here was sparse, it was exceptionally pure and tranquil, remarkably effective at stabilizing his injuries and nourishing his meridians. Combined with the spirit fruits Ai Xi had provided, each rich in life essence, he recovered far faster than expected.
Bao Bao became his only companion—Ai Xi rarely showed herself. The little jellyfish seemed especially fond of the peculiar Dao rhythm around Li Wuyang, even though it had been suppressed. It circled him all day, waving its tentacles as it recounted its "adventures" in the fragment space. Though its stories were muddled and disjointed, they added a little amusement to the dull days of recuperation.
During this time, Li Wuyang also tried to communicate with the Annihilation Crystal again. With the Lost Realm's environment aiding him, he was much more cautious this time. Rather than forcibly stirring it, he used the true essence of the Huang Ting Jing as a bridge, attempting to "understand" and "guide" that Power of Annihilation.
The process remained perilous, and several times he nearly suffered another backlash. Yet he discovered that when his heart remained absolutely "still" and "empty"—akin to the state described in the Huang Ting Jing as "attain utmost emptiness, maintain steadfast stillness"—the Power of Annihilation's erosion weakened drastically. He could even form a faint, subtle resonance with it, as though listening to the Dao sound of all things coming to an end.
That gave him a glimmer of hope for controlling the Power of Annihilation. Perhaps the key lay in his state of mind, rather than brute-force suppression.
A month later, his injuries had mostly healed. His cultivation had also stabilized at the mid stage of Spirit Refinement and Void Return, and he had