At dawn, orange-red sunlight streamed down like ink splashed across a landscape of a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers. Mingling with the thin, smoke-like mist, it draped the lofty peaks in layers of colored gauze.
Su Fan sat cross-legged beside the pool near the thatched cottage, his eyes closed.
The pool was clear as glass, reflecting the rosy sky and drifting mist.
Several strange herbs floated on the water. They resembled willow leaves but shimmered with a faint purple luster. Swaying gently in the breeze, they sent out rings of tiny ripples, and wherever the ripples passed, they refracted specks of silvery light.
A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes. A trace of contemplation passed through the depths of his black pupils, and his brows drew together slightly, as though he were sorting through a tangled mass of thoughts.
Then he gently shook his head, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes.
It had been a full ten years since he had left the "Zuokun Constellation."
During those ten years, he had not set foot outside even once. He had remained hidden in this Portable Secret Realm, keeping the endless starry road of the outside world at bay.
Although the long journey across the starry sky had been so peaceful as to be nearly dull, with even the paths of stardust sweeping past the flying ship looking almost identical, Su Fan had never enjoyed so much as a moment of leisure.
Every day, he had to expend most of his mental energy stabilizing his newly advanced Integration Stage cultivation, or study and ponder the ancient texts that recorded the profound principles of the lightning dao.
Besides that, he had to spend tremendous effort harmonizing the various special energies within his body.
There was no helping it. Su