Condense Divine Soul (Seeking Bookmarks, Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Daoist Yucheng seemed to have seen through Wang Ping's thoughts. "The process of Divine Soul Condensation is no trifling matter. Even with Yulian helping you, you must not underestimate it. I've handed all Strange Pavilion affairs over to Fellow Daoist Gu Heng. For the next month, come with me to the Back Mountain for secluded cultivation... Also, the temple hasn't been short on money lately. Put the alchemy on hold and focus on your cultivation."

As he said this, he looked toward Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping in the small courtyard. "As for the cultivation of your two disciples, let them practice on their own for now. A month... won't hurt."

"I can spare one hour each day to instruct Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping." Wang Ping did not abandon his two disciples.

"That works too!"

Daoist Yucheng did not try to persuade him. Some things became hurtful when said too often; truths were not understood by having them explained, but by living through them. After agreeing to Wang Ping's request, he turned into a streak of light and vanished.

Inside the small courtyard...

Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping had intended to wait until their grand-disciple and Master finished talking before stepping forward to pay their respects, but their grand-disciple had left directly instead, leaving them somewhat uneasy.

"Begin..." Wang Ping ordered.

"Master, we didn't pay our respects to grand-disciple just now... Is that alright?" Liu Shuang asked in a lowered voice.

"Don't worry, it's fine!"

One hour later.

Wang Ping appeared in the familiar small courtyard on the Back Mountain...

As before, Daoist Yucheng sat beside the Stone Table in the small courtyard, attended by a Young Disciple. Seeing Wang Ping, he pointed at the meditation cushion before him and instructed, "Enter Meditation. Remember to communicate with Yulian first."

"Yes, Master!"

Wang Ping saluted him, then stepped forward and sat cross-legged upon the meditation cushion. He easily emptied his mind and entered meditation. First, he communicated with Yulian in his Spirit Sea. "When I circulate spiritual energy to Condense Divine Soul later, you'll be responsible for guiding me."

"What do you mean?" Yulian's tone was full of innocence.

"..."

"Are you blaming me?" Yulian could sense Wang Ping's emotions.

"No!"

"You clearly are blaming me..."

Wang Ping and Yulian bickered for quite a while before he finally explained what she needed to do. Then, he spent some more time calming his mind and settling his breath once again.

Spirit Concentration...

It meant gathering one's consciousness onto spiritual energy, thereby achieving the effect of separating from the Physical Body, or being able to sense the surroundings even with one's eyes closed.

Without Yulian's guidance, Wang Ping would have had to follow the method recorded on the Bamboo Slip. After entering meditation, he would first need to perceive his own emotions and thoughts from a third-party perspective while in a state of selflessness.

This step was exceedingly abstract.

Yet with Yulian's help, Wang Ping easily shut off all his senses toward the outside world. From an inner "third party" perspective, he felt his own emotions and thoughts, then mobilized the spiritual energy in his Qi Sea to envelop himself in that "third party" state. Relying on spiritual energy, he began to experience the world anew.

Then...

Wang Ping seemed to see an entirely new world. First came countless sounds—insects and ants, birdsong, wind, breathing sounds. He could not only hear them, but also "see" them. Next came an expansive field of vision. Just as he became immersed in it, he heard someone seemingly whispering something. When he focused his spirit and listened carefully, bone-piercing cold suddenly swept over him.

The next instant, it felt as though he had passed through hell, and then his thoughts returned to his Physical Body.

"Huff, huff." Wang Ping awoke from meditation. The palpitations made him feel somewhat suffocated, and instinctively, he gulped down great mouthfuls of air.

"Very good. You touched the threshold on your first attempt!" Daoist Yucheng praised.

Wang Ping struggled to settle his thoughts. At that moment, Yulian said in his Spirit Sea, "Why are you so stupid? Don't pay attention to those messy sounds. Just focus on what you want."

"..."

Wang Ping refused to accept this and wanted to continue, but Daoist Yucheng called out, "Come have a cup of tea first."

After finishing a cup of tea, Daoist Yucheng said, "The divine soul perceives the essence of this world. You may even see the Five Elements Spirits, but you must never try to make out what they are saying!"

"I didn't tell you about this at the start because I wanted you to experience the bizarre and ever-changing wonders of the Psionic World. Did it feel wondrous, or frightening?"

Wang Ping nodded unconsciously. When his divine soul had listened to that strange voice just now, it had felt as though he had been dragged into an endless space, where everything around him twisted and shifted. Fortunately, the sensation had vanished in a flash.

"You only need to pretend you can't hear them. Drink this cup of tea, then give it another try." Daoist Yucheng poured Wang Ping another cup.

The tea was clear and bitter, yet drinking it brought peace to the heart.

Afterward, Wang Ping tried again...

After he entered meditation, Yulian first said in his Spirit Sea, "If you ignore those Spiritual Monsters, their voices will disappear on their own before long."

"Alright, let's continue!"

Settling his mind, Wang Ping soon sensed that novel world again. This time, however, his divine soul was scattered by a slightly stronger gust of wind—and it was scattered without ever leaving his body.

Wang Ping was too embarrassed to say anything.

His third attempt.

It was the sound of Yucheng deliberately knocking on the table that scattered his divine soul...

After the tenth attempt, Wang Ping clearly felt mental exhaustion. This was the first time he had felt tired since reaching Qi Refining. It was rather novel, but he also knew that he could not continue any longer.

"That's enough for today. We'll continue at the same time tomorrow morning!" Daoist Yucheng reminded him from behind.

"Yes!"

Upon returning to the mountaintop...

Yang Ziping was doing Daoist coursework, while Liu Shuang had gone somewhere unknown.

"Where is your Senior Disciple Sister?"

"She went to the Training Ground at the Front Hall to spar with someone..."

"Why aren't you going?"

"I..."

"Alright, if you want to go, then go. Spar with others more often, so you won't suffer losses when you go out to gain experience later."

"Yes!"

Yang Ziping could not suppress the delight on his face. After saluting, he packed up his things and prepared to head to the Front Hall to have some fun.

Yulian slipped down from Wang Ping's wrist, rode a cloud as she flipped onto the eaves, and basked in the sun. Somewhat lazily, she said, "I haven't had fresh shrimp in ages."

"Remind me tonight. I'll have Liu Shuang and the others get some for you at the Mountain Foot tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I'll definitely remind you."

Wang Ping had originally intended to meditate and rest, but after thinking about it, he walked to the Huai Tree instead. He had not yet nourished it with spiritual energy today. Yulian also rode her cloud through the low air, tumbling and weaving before landing on a branch of the Huai Tree. One eye was closed as though she were asleep, while the other remained open, watching Wang Ping.

That afternoon, Wang Ping sat before the Old Huai Tree until the end of Shen Shi. He did not rise until Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping returned. As the three walked into the small courtyard, chatting and laughing, a Young Disciple delivered their dinner.

While eating, Wang Ping instructed Liu Shuang, "Remember to buy some Live Shrimp for Yulian when you go down the mountain tomorrow." With that, he took one tael of silver from his Storage Bag. After thinking for a moment, he handed it to Liu Shuang. "Use what's left to buy something you like."

"Thank you, Master!"

Liu Shuang's eyes lit up as she snatched the silver into her hand as quickly as possible.

One month later.

Wang Ping's three-hundredth attempt to Condense Divine Soul...

According to the requirements of the Light Screen Panel, Wang Ping had long since succeeded. But Daoist Yucheng's standards were higher: Wang Ping needed to persist for at least a Quarter Hour amid specific noise. Last time, he had come within a hair's breadth of lasting a Quarter Hour under Daoist Yucheng's shouting!

Thus, before this attempt, Wang Ping first adjusted his condition. Only after communicating with Yulian repeatedly in his Spirit Sea did he continue...