Four Springs

Li Weiyi sat cross-legged, forming the Zi Wu Tai Chi Seal with his hands, practicing the Jade Void Breathing Technique.

The Blue Flower Urn hopped around in front of him, saying, "Mana is the power of heaven and earth, existing in every corner. A speck of dust, a wisp of air, a river, a mountain—it's present in large places and small places alike."

"However, the distribution of mana in the world is not uniform."

"In ordinary soil and dust, mana is thin and barren. Where precious herbs grow, where Martial Cultivators gather, where heaven-earth springs exist... mana naturally becomes abundant and more suitable for cultivation."

Zhao Meng, standing nearby, asked, "Places where Martial Cultivators gather are more suitable for cultivation?"

"Exactly!"

The Blue Flower Urn said, "Sacred grounds for mana cultivation can be artificially created. Imagine, if a place has many cultivators, all opening their spring eyes and practicing breathing techniques, the mana in heaven and earth will naturally converge there, making the mana in that region incredibly dense."

"Sometimes, a top-tier mana martial expert, while practicing a breathing technique, or when their nine springs surge, can pull the mana from a thousand miles around to that region. Where they exist, that is a sacred ground for mana cultivation."

"When one person attains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

"Of course, top experts, a multitude of cultivators, and heaven-earth springs often appear together. Who wouldn't want a powerful combination to create the ultimate cultivation spot?"

"Therefore, those major prefectural cities are often the most suitable places for cultivation in a province. Not only because of the convergence of mana cultivators, but also because ancient people, when choosing sites to build cities, would definitely select locations with heaven-earth springs."

"The Spring Realm is one thing; in prefectural cities, it's definitely easier to break through to open a spring eye. In the Five Seas Realm, the advantage becomes even greater."

"What is your greatest advantage, you two? It's the breathing technique you've practiced since childhood."

"Your breathing technique, at the same realm, draws in more world mana, faster, than other cultivators. Breaking through to open a spring eye is naturally easier. Li Weiyi, do you feel a throbbing in your left palm?"

Li Weiyi shook his head.

Senior Urn said, "I will teach you a powerful move today: Spring Convergence Breaking Wall."

"The Labor Palace acupoint in your left palm is the gate to the spring eye. But there's a barrier now, and it must be shattered. Only then can you open the spring eye and obtain the mana surging in from the world."

"Originally, every cultivator grinds away bit by bit, like water dripping through stone."

"But it's too slow."

"We have good conditions, with the blood energy from Golden Crow Blood to nourish and strengthen the body, so we can be more aggressive. Hmm... anyway, it's just the palm, not the central Tanzhong acupoint of the Fifth Spring in the back, or the Sixth Spring's Tanzhong acupoint in the chest, so it won't be dangerous."

The more he said it, the more uneasy Li Weiyi felt, worried his hand might be ruined.

"Senior Urn, perhaps we should be a bit more cautious?" Zhao Meng asked, concerned.

"It's very safe, trust me. This move is a secret art of my lineage; I wouldn't teach it to others!"

Senior Urn was very confident and began to instruct, "First, drink a can of Golden Crow Blood to make your blood energy reach its peak. Then, mobilize all the mana surging from your opened Three Springs. The moment you inhale with your breathing technique, let it surge towards your left arm... yes, just towards your left arm, the mana will naturally rush to your palm..."

"Adjust your breathing, again."

"Inhale! Mana surges out!"

"Adjust your breathing, again."

"Boom!"

With each of Li Weiyi's repeated impacts, his entire left arm gradually became so painful it felt like it would split. He could no longer form the Zi Wu Tai Chi Seal and let his arm hang down.

Zhao Meng saw Li Weiyi was not well and immediately rushed over, shouting angrily, "Your secret art has no technical skill at all! We respect and trust the owner of the Bronze Ship, not you. If you harm my junior brother, I'll throw you into the Blood Sea."

Senior Urn scoffed, "It's just the Spring Realm, how much technical skill can it have?"

"Stop arguing, I think I feel a throbbing in my palm!"

Li Weiyi's left arm recovered, and he raised his hand.

"Whoosh!"

After the throbbing in his palm, a surge of bone-chilling mana erupted. Simultaneously, silver meridian lines extended from the spring eye towards his entire body.

Li Weiyi formed the Zi Wu Tai Chi Seal again and sat cross-legged.

More and more meridian lines rooted themselves in his left palm, finally totaling eleven, the same number as on his right palm.

With this, the total number of meridian lines in his body reached forty-eight.

The Blue Flower Urn, the Spirit Tablet, and the Stone Coffin, the three remnant souls, were all observing Li Weiyi's condition. Not long after, a shallow layer of silver mana energy appeared on Li Weiyi's palm, marking the initial stage of mana externalization.

Within the body, it's strength; externalized, it's transformed into Qi.

The three remnant souls, being experienced, were not particularly shocked or shaken by this sight. However, they secretly gained confidence, finally having a sliver of hope to complete the task assigned by the owner of the Bronze Ship within ten years.

Forge Immortality in Ten Years!

Before this, they had no confidence at all.

Senior Urn muttered to himself, "I thought it would take two or three days, and maybe a dozen attempts, to succeed."

Li Weiyi stood up, his blood energy surging, his spirit so full of vigor that he felt he could go days and nights without sleep. He looked solemnly at the Blue Flower Urn, bowed, and changed his address, "Thank you, Master Urn, for your guidance!"

Li Weiyi knew that the three remnant souls were willing to be his guides for a reason. Perhaps it was the will of the Bronze Ship's owner, or perhaps they had been promised some benefits.

But regardless, he had indeed learned something.

Spring Convergence Breaking Wall wasn't an incredibly profound technique, but without guidance, he would absolutely never have dared to attempt it himself. In the future, this move might still be useful in critical moments.

Similarly, the words from the lingering corpse in the stone coffin had also given Li Weiyi gains and food for thought.

Zhao Meng said, "See? This is the character of our sect. We absolutely respect our masters and elders. Whoever genuinely helps us once, we will repay tenfold."

Senior Urn said, "This is just the beginning. I have much more knowledge that I've accumulated throughout my life. Hmm... Regardless, I will teach you everything I know. Right, after we return to Lingxiao Shengjing, we need to find a major prefectural city to settle down in as soon as possible. Only major cities sell Spring Breaking Needles, and cultivation will be faster. The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Springs are much harder to break through. Let's aim to break through within half a year. By the way, do you have money from this world? Rent in the major cities' courtyards is not cheap."

Li Weiyi naturally had some money, obtained from looting corpses, but he didn't know how expensive "expensive" was according to Master Urn.

He said, "I heard that the price of Blood Sea Otherworldly Coffins in this world is not cheap. Why don't we retrieve a few when we leave?"

The Lingering Corpse in the Stone Coffin said, "You're smuggling coffins. If you're caught by the Jiu Li Tribe's law enforcement, the consequences will be very severe."

Master Urn had previously revealed the identity of the Lingering Corpse in the Stone Coffin. This person likely had deep ties with the Jiu Li Tribe.

Senior Spirit Tablet said, "The Otherworldly Coffins are right in front of us, and we're short on money, so why shouldn't we retrieve them? Weiyi, you can hide the Otherworldly Coffins you retrieve in the Evil Camel Bell, and then quietly sell them at the Nether Realm's Departed Spirit Market."

The Lingering Corpse in the Stone Coffin compromised in front of his wife, "We don't necessarily have to go to the Departed Spirit Market. Every major prefectural city definitely has places for underground trading."

"We'll talk about retrieving coffins tomorrow when we leave," Master Urn asked, "Weiyi, after breaking through the Fourth Spring, besides your mana being able to overflow, did you feel any other changes?"

Li Weiyi's Four Springs surged within him, and mana erupted from his limbs simultaneously. He then practiced the Chan Sect Twelve Loose Hand Techniques on the Floating Coffin.

After finishing one round, he felt exhilarated.

He said, "It feels like all forty-eight Meridian Lines have been opened up throughout my body! Whether it's punching or footwork, there's a feeling of being able to unleash ten-tenths of my strength at will. My combat power has increased more than any of the previous three Springs."

Subsequently, Li Weiyi channeled his mana, circulating it within the Meridian Lines of his body and towards his eyes.

His visible distance in the mist had actually doubled.

It then surged towards his ears, and his hearing rapidly expanded.

In the distance, the sound of the Floating Coffin swaying in the water, the sound of the wind, even the sound of the mist drifting, and... a light and familiar footsteps...

Li Weiyi suddenly opened his eyes and leaped to the top of the giant coffin six meters behind him with a whoosh, looking in the direction of the footsteps.

The people below, including the three residual souls, all tensed up.

Zhao Meng stood up, tiptoed, and looked into the distance behind the giant coffin, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming!" Li Weiyi knew who it was.

Zhao Meng sensed the vigilance in Li Weiyi's eyes and realized the arrival was not friendly, causing his entire body's muscles to tense up.

Not long after, a slender and graceful young girl's figure appeared in Zhao Meng's field of vision, stepping on Blue Mist Light Traces. He was stunned for a moment, seeing that she didn't look like a fierce or evil person. She appeared delicate and weak, and was very cute and exquisite, like an elf under the night sky.

"Brother Jin, I finally found you! How could you leave me all alone?"

Li Ling walked forward quickly, her eyes filled with both resentment and a hint of being wronged.

Li Weiyi also took a while to react, realizing that "Brother Jin" was calling him.

"Thump!"

Jumping down from the giant coffin, Li Weiyi blocked Li Ling, who was about to approach the research team members, worried that she might have bad intentions.

Li Ling looked behind him and greeted them with joy and enthusiasm, "You must be Brother Jin's companions, right? Hello, nice to meet you all."

Her eyes were like crescent moons, her gaze sincere, and when she smiled, she revealed her snow-white teeth. Coupled with her cute face at the age of sixteen, she looked extremely pure.

Zhao Meng strode over, appearing behind Li Weiyi, and said with a smile, "You call him Brother Jin? Who is this girl?"

Li Ling pretended to be frightened by his large frame, her face turning pale, and hid towards Li Weiyi's chest, whispering, "Of course, it's Brother Jin. Doesn't he go by this name?"

Zhao Meng looked at Li Weiyi with a strange expression.

Li Weiyi quickly dodged, not daring to let Li Ling get too close, and was very wary, "How did you find your way here?"

It was too strange. Logically speaking, they were very far apart, and there was no way Li Ling could have found him so accurately.

His vigilance was high; he was certain Li Ling hadn't been following him from the start.

She might have tampered with him.

Seeing Li Weiyi's cold gaze, Li Ling froze, as if she couldn't believe it.

Gradually, her eyes welled up with tears, but she didn't cry. She looked at the ground as if she had been greatly wronged and whispered, "I was the one who brought you out of the Departed Spirit Mist Domain, but you left me alone at the Coffin Dock Crossing. I thought you didn't want me anymore!"

Zhao Meng felt that his junior brother and this woman had a history, but he wasn't just a bystander. He noticed the inconsistencies and said, "Miss, I am your... Brother Jin's senior brother. I'm just a bit taller, but I'm not a bad person. You're so young, and this place is so eerie and dangerous. How are you here alone? Aren't you afraid?"

Li Ling glanced at Li Weiyi and whispered, "If Brother Jin wanted to come back to find you, he had to pass through the Departed Spirit Mist Domain, but he couldn't do it alone. Only I could help him. But after leaving the Departed Spirit Mist Domain, he just abandoned me!"

Zhao Meng frowned deeply and glanced at Li Weiyi, feeling that his junior brother was a bit unkind.

But there were still inconsistencies, so he asked again, "You haven't known each other for long, have you? Why are you helping him so much?"

Li Ling's face was filled with the happiness only a young girl in love could have, "Although we just met, we've already experienced life and death together..."

"You'd better stop talking, and stop causing trouble," Li Weiyi added, "What exactly do you want?"

He felt that Li Ling would weave a ridiculously exaggerated story.

Li Ling immediately shut her mouth, and large teardrops uncontrollably streamed down, splattering onto the ground.

Everyone present felt a sense of grievance and heartache upon seeing this.

Finally, Zhao Meng said, "Junior Brother, this kind of matter is not something a senior brother should interfere with, nor can he. But it's fine to let her finish speaking!"

Li Ling immediately choked back a sob, "We encountered enemies in Immortal Burial Town and faced life and death together. He saved me. I once said I would repay him with my life, and he also said he liked my cold demeanor."

"I took his hand and hugged his neck, and he didn't refuse at the time. He also carried me when I was seriously injured, he was so gentle."

"I promise to lead him out of the Departed Spirit Mist Domain and find his companions... I ask for nothing in return. I said I would find him a beautiful wife. I have a cousin who is eight days short of sixteen. Eight days, actually, eight days from now is my birthday. But after leaving the Departed Spirit Mist Domain... he... sob sob..."

"I swear by the God of Jiu Li that if I tell a single lie, I will die a terrible death. Senior Brother, I know you only trust your Junior Brother, but I haven't told a single lie!"

Zhao Meng had no idea what to do!

Originally, the three remnant souls had been watching the show with amusement, but seeing her dare to swear by the God of Jiu Li, they immediately became serious.

Lying to a god was a sure way to die.

From behind, the lingering corpse in the stone coffin couldn't help but speak: "Child, never casually swear in the name of the God of Jiu Li. This is not a joke, it will definitely be answered."

"I know, of course I know." Li Ling nodded desperately, tears streaming down her face.

"His name isn't Xie Jin, it's Li Weiyi." The Senior Spirit Tablet was clearly a little angry, thinking Li Weiyi had character issues. A Jiu Li girl, barely a teenager, was being toyed with by him, used and then discarded.

And it was emotional manipulation at that.

No wonder he'd asked them to detour.

Li Ling looked at Li Weiyi, her gaze a mix of inquiry and sorrow as she whispered, "Li... Wei... Yi... Is that really your name? Why... why did you lie to me?"

Li Weiyi's head was pounding.

"Junior Brother, Senior Brother understands you best. Your character is absolutely fine," Zhao Meng said to everyone, then lowered his voice to ask, "The name Xie Jin doesn't sound like something she made up. Did you or did you not say those things and do those things? Lying about your name is a small matter, after all."

Li Weiyi was impressed. Li Ling's skill level was far beyond her age. If her acting had been any worse, or if she wasn't so young, she wouldn't have been able to fool these seasoned veterans who had seen countless people.

If it were him, encountering a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl swearing on her life, tearfully recounting a story of deception and abandonment, with every word being true, he would likely also be filled with anger and sympathy.

Seeing Li Weiyi's delayed reaction, his failure to immediately deny or refute, Zhao Meng also started to get a headache.