I Draw Purple Qi Back to the Mortal World

On Great Sorrow Mountain, the National Teacher saw Hu Ma summon a bolt of blood-red lightning, and his expression instantly turned both startled and delighted.

"So you already had the ability to take the second step across this bridge?"

"..."

Previously, under his guidance, Hu Ma had cultivated nine pillars of life-incense, reaching the utmost limit of the mortal world.

But then Hu Ma had seized a tenth pillar of incense at that very limit. This went beyond the bounds of heaven and earth. It was as if, while still in this mortal world, he had gained divine powers beyond the status of a "human." By comparison, it corresponded exactly to the "Human Non-Human" realm of those who crossed the bridge.

After obtaining the tenth pillar of incense, however, Hu Ma had devoted himself to changing heaven and earth. He had made no further progress in the art of cultivation, which had been a serious blow to the National Teacher.

After returning to Great Sorrow Mountain, he had suffered setbacks and fallen into despair, dwelling on them day and night as he accepted his own failure. For a man like him, a failed plan was difficult to accept, but even harder to bear was suddenly having no goal.

The White Jade Capital plan had once been a goal worth devoting all his energy and paying any price to achieve.

After that plan was thwarted, however, he had found no interest in the other things that anyone else could accomplish.

It was only when Hu Ma came to ask about returning to his hometown that the National Teacher's interest stirred once more. Even then, he had merely been intrigued, without any particular hopes. Not until now, when he saw Hu Ma transform into a bridge, had he felt such overwhelming excitement.