Complaints aside, Wen Xiancheng took several deep breaths and suppressed the irritation in his heart.
Since he had chosen to cultivate illusion arts, he had to keep going, no matter how great the difficulties.
Otherwise, wouldn't all the effort he had put in over so long go flowing down the drain?
Besides, in this world that revered cultivation, what else could someone with poor aptitude like him do besides cultivate illusion arts?
Having made up his mind, Wen Xiancheng followed the instructions recorded in Cui Qianqian's notebook and opened a video of a rose blooming.
The video was only thirty seconds long, showing the entire process of a rose growing from a seed, blooming, and finally withering.
Following the notebook's requirements, Wen Xiancheng watched for two full hours. Only after confirming that every change the rose underwent was indelibly etched in his mind did he begin practicing.
What he was practicing was the logic governing the rose's existence.
According to the method in the notebook, he first had to construct a rose at each stage of its transformation using illusion arts, then link them together in a particular chronological sequence.
That timing actually involved manipulating spiritual power to control how long each illusory rose existed.
This required an extremely high level of control over spiritual power.
Wen Xiancheng worked until dawn, yet still couldn't get it right.
Compared to the earlier pages of the notebook, whose contents he could usually master in a single night, this dealt Wen Xiancheng a heavy blow.
After an entire night, he had actually accomplished nothing besides conjuring over a thousand roses with illusion arts.
Every attempt to link them together had failed.
Wen Xiancheng felt somewhat discouraged.
Could it be that I have no talent for cultivating illusion arts?
Wen Xiancheng rubbed his temples and walked over to the washbasin where the Mouse Clone was undergoing marrow cleansing.
The water in the basin had originally turned emerald green after he poured in the Marrow-Cleansing Liquid.
Now, however, it looked like clear water again.
According to the marrow-cleansing process described online, animals needed two or even three rounds for proper results.
Wen Xiancheng fished the Mouse Clone out, emptied the water, filled the basin with fresh water, and poured in the remaining Marrow-Cleansing Liquid so the Mouse Clone could continue cleansing its marrow.
He himself got dressed and locked the door.
He planned to go to Iceheart Hall and find its leader, Zhang Lu.
After leaving, he took a bus and made his way to Iceheart Hall.
It was a building that resembled a hospital.
What startled Wen Xiancheng was the long, dragon-like line stretching from the hospital entrance.
There were all sorts of people in that long line.
Exceptionally beautiful women.
Somewhat weary middle-aged men.
Stooped elderly people.
Whoever they were, even with dissatisfaction written all over their faces, they did their utmost to endure and waited silently in line.
At the very front of the line, a young man in a white coat with a lotus leaf printed on the chest was patiently explaining something to the person before him.
Wen Xiancheng felt both helpless and a little pleased.
He felt helpless because, with such a long line, there seemed to be no option besides waiting. Would his turn even come by tomorrow morning?
He felt pleased because, with such a long line, there still seemed to be no option besides waiting. At least that showed the people of Iceheart Hall truly took care in treating every patient.
While Wen Xiancheng waited in line to enter Iceheart Hall, at around two in the afternoon, the Mouse Clone climbed out of the washbasin in his rented room.
After a full day of marrow cleansing, the Marrow-Cleansing Liquid in the basin had once again changed from its original emerald green to the color of clear water.
The Mouse Clone climbed onto the table, lay flat on its surface, and closed its eyes, remaining motionless as it sensed its surroundings.
No, more precisely, it was sensing the spiritual energy in nature!
Only by sensing the spiritual energy in nature could it absorb that energy into its body, channel it through its meridians into its dantian, and convert it into spiritual power for use.
Only then could its cultivation advance step by step.
One minute passed.
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
Half an hour passed.
Finally, the Mouse Clone felt something burrowing into its body.
The sensation was like ants biting at its skin.
As the seconds and minutes passed, the sensation grew increasingly intense.
After nearly ten minutes, the Mouse Clone felt as though its entire body was suffering the pain of ants tearing into it!
The Mouse Clone knew this was normal when cultivating for the first time.
It had to endure.
Only by enduring the initial pain could it see things through to the end!
Only after absorbing spiritual energy for nearly an hour did that gnawing pain gradually fade.
Its body seemed to have become a piece of gauze.
Countless fine breezes of spiritual energy slipped into its body through the tiny holes.
The Mouse Clone distinctly felt a light, floating sensation in its body.
I can cultivate now!
The Mouse Clone hurriedly opened its eyes, got up from the table, and scurried toward the head of the bed where the Spirit-Gathering Powder was stored. It bit open the bottle's cap and poured the Spirit-Gathering Powder into the washbasin.
Then it climbed inside and floated in the basin.
Surrounded by the Spirit-Gathering Powder solution, it immediately began absorbing spiritual energy much faster.
The Mouse Clone secretly reveled in its success.
I'll cultivate for a while first and raise the Mouse Clone's cultivation a little, then start cultivating with both my human body and the Mouse Clone at the same time.
When that happens, my progress in cultivating illusion arts will double!
Outside Iceheart Hall, the sky had already darkened, and Wen Xiancheng let out a long breath.
The Mouse Clone's success in cultivating greatly eased the exhaustion of his body and mind after standing for so long.
Only after another hour in line did his turn finally come.
The young man asked, "What's wrong with your body?"
Wen Xiancheng said, "There seems to be another voice inside my body, and it troubles me every day. I read online that in the seventh year of Yue Minghuang, your leader cured a patient named Fan Jin who had multiple personalities. That's why I came to consult her."
The young man's eyes widened as he looked at Wen Xiancheng with fascination. "It's been over a decade, and now I've actually met another person with multiple personalities!"
Pointing farther inside on the left side of Iceheart Hall, the young man said, "Only our leader can treat this problem. Go straight down here. She's in the room at the very end."
Wen Xiancheng thanked him and hurried in the direction he indicated.
At the far end of the first-floor corridor, a plaque identifying the leader hung on a door.
Wen Xiancheng knocked.
An elderly woman's voice came from inside. "Come in!"
Wen Xiancheng pushed the door open and entered.
The smell of medicinal herbs greeted him.
The room was large but sparsely furnished.
At a desk, a figure in a white coat was bent over, writing something.
Without looking at Wen Xiancheng, she pointed to an empty bed opposite her desk. "Sit there and tell me what's bothering you."
Wen Xiancheng sat on the bed and looked at her.
She was an old woman with snow-white hair and a face full of wrinkles.
A faint smile rested on her face, making her seem very approachable.
This is Zhang Lu, the leader of Iceheart Hall?
Author's note: Thank you to the two readers [Pure Man] and [If the sovereign orders his subject to die, the subject must die] for your tips.
(End of chapter)
Before you continue