Earth Vein Gale, Fortune and Misfortune Depend on Each Other

"Holy crap! Do they really have to mess with me like this?!"

Xuanwei's mind was a whirlwind of frantic complaints. His immortal qi essence was sprinting for its life through the outrageously narrow spiritual meridians, moving so fast it was practically leaving afterimages—if gaseous beings could even have afterimages.

Behind him, the greedy and furious roars of the Earth Vein Rock Lizards, mixed with the grating screech of their claws on rock, chased him like death knells. These behemoths, usually content to snooze deep underground, indifferent to the tragic tales of their neighbor, the Kirin, would scurry faster than anyone at the whiff of something delicious (referring to the freshly formed Wutu Source Core within him)! They were nothing but underground thugs!

[Warning! Earth Vein Rock Lizard pack distance reduced to fifty zhang!]

[Warning! Three branches detected ahead! Energy fluctuations are chaotic, recommendation...]

"Recommendation my ass! Take the leftmost one! The malevolent energy feels weakest!" Xuanwei had no time to listen to the system's slow analysis. Relying on the keen perception of earth-element spiritual energy he'd gained after fusing with the Wutu Source Core, he made a choice almost instinctively.

Whoosh!

He plunged into the left passage, which appeared darker but had relatively gentler spiritual energy. The lizard pack behind him clearly wasn't as "petite and agile" as he was. The leading few hulking brutes... no, hulking lizards, slammed into the rock wall at the junction with a deafening clang, triggering a minor earthquake and sending gravel raining down, temporarily blocking the advance of the troops behind them.

"Phew... managed to shake them off a bit for now?" Xuanwei breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second, he realized he'd celebrated too soon.

This passage was indeed low in malevolent energy, but... it was a freaking maze! Twisting and turning, with more forks than an anthill! What was worse, the passage varied in width, sometimes wide enough for a party, and sometimes so narrow that his wisp of immortal qi had to suck in its belly just to squeeze through!

"Is this... me passively experiencing the Primordial World version of 'Takeshi's Castle'?" he thought, desperately pushing forward, trying to find humor in his plight. "No prize, but the penalty for failure is being fed to lizards..."

[Energy Level: 8%... 9%...]

Within him, the Wutu Source Core continued to relentlessly release pure origin power, steadily boosting his energy level. It felt like running a marathon with a jetpack strapped on—exhilarating, exhausting, and with a pack of hungry wolves on his tail!

"No, I need to refine it quickly! Otherwise, I'm just a mobile delicacy, coveted wherever I go!" Xuanwei steeled himself. While maintaining his high-speed movement, he attempted to split off a sliver of his consciousness and circulate the introductory incantation of the Nine Tribulations Earth-Guarding Body taught by Mo Xuan.

This technique was incredibly profound, aiming to temper the self with Wutu essence, endure nine tribulations, and achieve the supreme Earth-Guarding Dao Body. Right now, he couldn't even dream of tempering a Dao Body, lacking even a physical form. He could only try to guide that vast Wutu power to reinforce and solidify his immortal qi origin.

It was incredibly difficult at first. Under high-speed movement and extreme mental tension, meditating to cultivate felt like a fantasy. Several times, he nearly crashed headfirst into a sudden stalagmite or got caught in spiritual energy turbulence due to his divided attention.

But the immense pressure of being pursued instead stimulated his potential. Gradually, he found a peculiar rhythm, barely managing to combine the cadence of his running (floating?) with the circulation of the cultivation technique.

"I absorb... I circulate... I refine... Hey, you know what? This 'parkour cultivation method' is quite effective!" He felt the speed at which he absorbed the Wutu Source Core's power significantly increase. His immortal qi essence became more condensed, and the faint yellow glow settling within its white brilliance grew more lustrous and substantial.

Under this high-pressure environment, his control over Deep Immortal Seclusion even became more proficient. Sometimes, he could almost perfectly mimic a normal earth vein spiritual energy flow, fooling some smaller underground creatures with less acute senses.

[Energy Level exceeds 10%! Chaos Heaven-Opening Art Qi-Guiding chapter automatic parsing rate increased!]

[Detected host's preliminary mastery of Nine Tribulations Earth-Guarding Body guiding method, physical body (origin) strength slightly increased.]

The system notifications invigorated him. Indeed, pressure was the best catalyst!

Just as he was beginning to adapt to this crazy rhythm of fleeing and cultivating simultaneously, the passage ahead abruptly reached its end!

It wasn't a dead end, but a... vaster, more bizarre underground space!

This was no longer a simple rock structure. It was filled with various faintly glowing, peculiar crystals: pale blue ice crystals, crimson fire crystals, and more predominantly, earth-yellow spirit crystals. Countless tiny spiritual veins, like luminous blood vessels, crisscrossed and weaved through this crystal jungle, forming a scene that was both magnificent and fraught with peril.

Most importantly, the spiritual energy here was extremely mixed and exceptionally violent! Different elemental spiritual energy flows collided, occasionally bursting into small energy vortices with crackling sounds.

"Good heavens, did I fall into a nest of spirit stone veins? And a mixed flavor at that!" Xuanwei stopped at the tunnel exit, dumbfounded. This place looked beautiful, but it felt more dangerous than the rock lizards behind him!

The roars from behind grew closer again. The rock lizards had clearly also caught the scent of this rich mineral area... and his "delicious" presence, chasing even more fiercely.

Energy turbulence ahead, life-threatening pursuers behind.

"Damn it! I'll risk it!" Xuanwei gritted his teeth. "Fortune favors the bold! Maybe there's a way out in here!"

He carefully controlled his immortal qi essence, like a surfer, seizing the gap between two colliding spiritual energy flows of different elements and plunging in!

Upon entering this crystal jungle, he felt like he'd been thrown into a blender. One moment he was being scalded by scorching fire spiritual energy, making him "sizzle," the next he was almost frozen by chilling cold spiritual energy, and more often, he was buffeted by chaotic forces, tossed around like a ball.

"Steady! Steady! Xuanwei, you can do this! You're the man destined to become a Great Dao Lord, you can't fall in a place like this!" He cheered himself on, pushing Deep Immortal Seclusion and the newly learned "parkour cultivation method" to their limits, struggling to weave and dodge through the chaotic energy streams.

Several times, he nearly got sucked into a suddenly exploding energy vortex. Fortunately, the system gave timely warnings, and his reaction speed was quick enough for him to narrowly evade them.

The pursuing Earth Vein Rock Lizards, however, were far less fortunate. Their massive bodies made them obvious targets, and they weren't as "slippery" as Xuanwei. As soon as they entered, they were subjected to indiscriminate attacks from the energy turbulence. A few lizards that charged too recklessly were directly blasted by a burst of fire spiritual energy, their scales flying off, and they retreated with screams, only able to rage impotently at the edges.

"Hahaha! Big dumb brutes, come in! Come on in!" Seeing this, Xuanwei became smug, dancing in the turbulence while not forgetting to taunt them with his thoughts—though they couldn't hear him.

However, joy turned to sorrow.

He was so focused on dodging the obvious energy turbulence and taunting the lizards behind him that he failed to notice what was beneath him... no, below him, a seemingly calm but subtly profound milky white spiritual vein.

As he inadvertently floated over this spiritual vein—

Buzz!

A powerful yet gentle suction suddenly emanated!

This force wasn't an attack, more like a... beckoning? It was as if the pure innate immortal qi origin within him and the Wutu Source Core had resonated with this spiritual vein!

"Huh? Huh huh huh?! What's going on? Don't suck me! I don't taste good!" Xuanwei cried out in alarm, struggling desperately, only to find himself like a mayfly trying to shake a giant tree in the face of this suction, utterly powerless to resist!

Swish!

His immortal qi essence, directly pulled by the suction, was dragged into the milky white spiritual vein, vanishing instantly!

The pursuing Earth Vein Rock Lizards watched their "delicacy" disappear into the spiritual vein, letting out even angrier and more unwilling roars. However, they dared not step into the milky white spiritual vein even a fraction, as if something they feared existed within it.

Meanwhile, Xuanwei felt as if he'd been stuffed into an incredibly smooth pipe, hurtling towards an unknown destination at a speed far exceeding his own flight!

The surrounding pressure was immense, but it was no longer aggressive. Instead, it felt warm and comfortable, like soaking in a hot spring. The incredibly pure spiritual energy, even purer and gentler than that emitted by the Wutu Source Core, continuously nourished his origin.

"What... what's going on now?" He was a bit stunned. "Just out of the frying pan, into the... huh? This place actually feels quite comfortable?"

His energy level was still steadily increasing, and the fatigue from his escape and resisting the turbulent flow was being rapidly replenished.

After an unknown amount of time, a point of light suddenly appeared ahead, and it rapidly expanded!

Poof--

As if spat out by something, he felt a lightness all over his body, and the suction and pressure that had been enveloping him suddenly vanished.

He "looked around" and found himself in... a completely unexpected place.

This was no longer the dark, oppressive underground, but a vast, naturally formed cave. From the cave's ceiling hung countless stalactites emitting a soft white light, illuminating the entire space as bright as day. In the center of the cave was a small pool. The water was so clear it was transparent, radiating an extremely dense Innate Spiritual Qi, so much so that it even formed a swirling mist above the pool!

And in the center of the pool grew a... plant?

It was only about three feet tall, emerald green and luscious all over. It had nine leaves, each in a different shape, with mystical runes naturally inscribed on every single one. They emanated a rich life force and the rhythm of the Great Dao. At the top of the plant hung three dragon-eye-sized, bright red fruits. Faint phantom images of dragons and phoenixes swirled on the surface of the fruits, and their aroma was intoxicating!

Just by catching a whiff of the fruit's fragrance, Xuanwei felt his Immortal Qi origin stir with joy. All the fatigue and hidden injuries from his escape vanished in an instant!

"I'm... I'm rich?!" Xuanwei's eyes went wide (if he had eyes) at the sight. "Is this the legendary... Innate Spiritual Root?!"

He cautiously approached the pool, feeling the surging vitality and serene Dao rhythm emanating from the spiritual root. He then looked at his energy level, which had surged to nearly 15% thanks to the Wutu Source Core and the continuous "nourishment" he'd received.

Could this be considered... surviving a great disaster and receiving great fortune?

However, just as he was contemplating how to "rationally" pick a fruit to taste--

[Warning! High-intensity life-guarding field detected! Source: Innate Spiritual Root's main body!]

[Warning! This spiritual root has developed rudimentary intelligence and is equipped with natural protective restrictions! Forcible approach will trigger a violent counterattack!]

[Risk assessment: Extremely high! Recommend host...]

The system's warning voice sounded again, but this time, Xuanwei felt a hint of curiosity, wariness, but not outright hostility... a gaze?