That day, Qing Chen finished his cultivation session in the practice chamber fifty zhang beneath the cave abode of the island-protecting formation.
He had practiced the "Demon Seed Golden Lotus" for four hours and was now sitting on a cushion, quietly resting his soul and recovering his mental strength.
For nearly a month, Qing Chen had chosen to use this practice chamber both for practicing secret arts and for cultivating with his cultivation art.
He raised a hand to rub the space between his brows, his gaze sweeping over the pitch-black tunnel in the corner.
The seashore lay ten zhang beyond the tunnel's end. Its exit was hidden beneath a large reef rock, covered with vines, and impossible to spot without looking closely.
If something really went wrong, he could slip into it and flee into the sea, where no one could find him.
"Good thing I gritted my teeth and bought that formation disk back then."
Qing Chen took the black formation disk from inside his robe. Densely packed runes were carved across its surface.
This "Bewildering Trail Warning Formation" had cost him seventy-eight low-grade spirit stones, the equivalent of two years of his sect stipend.
Back then, he had stood in the marketplace clutching his storage pouch and hesitating for a long time. In the end, he had gritted his teeth and bought it. He could not skimp on something that could save his life.
He had set up this formation inside the cave abode of the island-protecting formation.
Any cultivator who intruded would immediately be enveloped in white mist, with nothing before their eyes but repeating illusions of stone passages.
Even without Qing Chen inside the formation directing it, an ordinary early Qi Refining stage cultivator could forget about finding their way out in less than two hours;
even a middle Qi Refining stage cultivator would be held up for the time it took an incense stick to burn if their methods were unremarkable;
as for late Qi Refining stage cultivators, breaking the formation would still take some time, at least giving Qing Chen a chance to escape.
He pressed his fingers against the formation disk, touching the pale yellow warning talisman beside it.
This talisman was linked to the formation disk. Whenever someone entered the formation, the talisman paper would glow, its brightness varying according to their cultivation level.
He would immediately know whether to fight or flee.
Thus, even while inside his secret cave abode, Qing Chen could accurately gauge the strength of an intruding cultivator.
If the intruder was powerful and could not be overcome by force, Qing Chen would flee swiftly through the tunnel without hesitation.
However, if the intruder's strength was within his ability to handle, he would look for the best moment to launch a surprise attack.
Qing Chen did not want to be so cautious either, fortifying every step he took.
But caution kept a ship sailing for ten thousand years. Only by acting prudently could he ensure his own safety.
"This is too slow."
Qing Chen sighed and clenched his fists. He could feel the little bit of magical power in his qi sea, like stagnant water, increasing at an excruciatingly slow pace.
Over the past month, aside from practicing the "Demon Seed Golden Lotus," he had spent his time sitting in meditation and practicing the "Brahma Demon-Refining Art."
But the spiritual energy on Yellow Bamboo Island was far too thin, much worse than on the sect's Outer Disciple Peak. A full day of cultivation here was worth less than half a day among the outer disciples.
He recalled the days when his "Brahma Aperture" had devoured demonic beasts' blood essence. The magical power in his qi sea had surged as though floodgates had opened.
Even now, recalling that sense of fullness felt exhilarating. His cultivation speed had rivaled that of an ordinary high-grade spiritual root.
"The Brahma Aperture is a furnace that accelerates cultivation. If I could get another one, and have enough blood essence to go with it..." Qing Chen's eyes brightened.
He knew that once he broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm with the "Brahma Demon-Refining Art" and cultivated the art to its fourth level, he would gain another Brahma Aperture.
Even though he had a middle-grade five elements spiritual root.
When that time came, his cultivation speed might rival that of a peak high-grade spiritual root!
Under ordinary circumstances, a disciple with a [peak high-grade spiritual root] was guaranteed to become an inner disciple as long as they did not perish. There was even a strong chance that the sect would directly reward them with a Foundation Establishment Pill.
They could then successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, receive the title of "High Person," and live freely for more than two hundred years.
They might even win the favor of a Golden Core True Person.
But what about him? He had only joined the Condensed Jade Sect at twenty and had nothing but a middle-grade spiritual root. Had he not obtained the sinister "Brahma Demon-Refining Art," he would most likely have remained an outer disciple all his life, reaching the late Qi Refining stage at best.
"I need to get these mortals fighting among themselves soon. Cultivating at this turtle's crawl is far too slow. By comparison, devouring the vital essence of flesh and blood is much faster."
Just then, a faint fluctuation came from outside the cave abode-someone had touched the "Spirit Contact Spell" he had set up.
It was probably the woman who had agreed to deliver his meals, touching the little spell he had placed there.
This little spell was a basic spell that could be learned in the early Qi Refining stage. To cultivators, it was very conspicuous and could be detected with a check using the Heavenly Eye Spell.
Qing Chen did not go out immediately. Instead, he formed the hand seal for the "Earth Escape Art" with his fingertips.
Earth spiritual power circled his body, and he slowly sank down, slipping soundlessly into the practice chamber's stone floor and moving toward the cave abode.
He had to check the situation first. He could not be careless. Who knew whether someone had sent this woman?
The cave abode was a little brighter than the practice chamber. The "glowstones" embedded in its walls clearly illuminated the stone passages.
Qing Chen hid behind a stone wall and looked outside with the Heavenly Eye Spell. He saw a woman in a blue cloth skirt standing at the cave abode's entrance.
Her skirt had been washed until it faded white. She carried a woven bamboo food basket, and the porcelain bowls inside clinked softly against one another.
Her hair was pinned up with a wooden hairpin and was somewhat disheveled. Her face was pale, and her fingers clutched the corner of her skirt. At a glance, she was clearly terribly nervous.
"Come in. Follow the magical markers," Qing Chen said impassively. Whatever the situation, he would not take the initiative to leave the cave abode.
That way, no matter what unexpected situation arose, he would have enough time to respond.
He had drawn the magical markers inside this cave abode himself. They were the pale blue-green runes on the ground;
-following them would lead to the inner chamber. If she dared wander off, she would immediately trigger the restrictions of the Bewildering Trail Formation.
The woman visibly froze for a moment, her voice trembling. "I-Immortal Master, do... do you mean those glowing runes up ahead?"
As she spoke, the food basket swayed again.
Through the Heavenly Eye Spell, Qing Chen clearly saw two white-flour steamed buns, several bowls of side dishes, and a bowl of steaming rice soup inside.
It looked freshly made, with a few beads of oil still floating on the rice soup.
"Mm, come in," Qing Chen replied, his gaze never leaving the woman.
She appeared to be about twenty, with fair skin and a fairly shapely figure, and had something of a look that stirred tender pity in those who saw her.
The woman's steps were light. Qing Chen had spent years cultivating in the sect, keeping his heart clear and his desires few.
Yet at this moment, even he could not help stealing a few more looks, feeling a little heat stir within him.