The danger of the bamboo grove ambush and that malicious backward glance from the shadow lingered like icy needles, leaving Su Yan with a chill even after returning to Chang'an. Even the small courtyard he rented no longer seemed safe; the air appeared to retain the watchful gaze of those dead eyes.
Without wasting a moment, he immediately began studying the [Corrupted Jianmu Root]. The root was cold to the touch, its surface covered in twisted black patterns. Though damaged, it still exuded a nauseating aura of decay and ending. Little Big Dipper showed extreme disgust toward it, lying far away. Even its beloved [Roasted Wolf Meat] temporarily lost its appeal.
Su Yan tried using the spiritual power of the Star Qi Drawing Art to make contact. The instant his spiritual power drew near, it was swiftly corroded and dissolved by the dense "Breath of the End," like clear water falling into concentrated acid. He then tried using the Compass's "Star Power Resonance" to analyze it. Silver Star Power clashed violently with the black aura, producing faint sizzling sounds, yet it could not penetrate the core. It could only barely suppress its activity and slow the loss of energy.
"This thing... is of a very high tier." Su Yan frowned deeply. With his current abilities, it was nearly impossible for him to completely analyze this root and uncover the origins of the "Sower." If he forced the issue, he might even suffer backlash from the sinister aura within.
He thought of Patriarch Bodhi. His master was immensely knowledgeable and unfathomably powerful. Perhaps he could recognize this object and even know the secrets behind it.
Time was of the essence. Su Yan carefully sealed the root inside a jade box reinforced with star talismans and immediately set off for Mount Fangcun.
Mount Fangcun of Lingtai, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars. It remained as ethereal and detached from the mundane world as ever. Yet when Su Yan presented the jade box to Patriarch Bodhi, the patriarch's usually placid face showed an exceptionally grave expression for the first time.
He did not immediately open the jade box. Instead, clear radiance blossomed from his fingertips as he added several more profound Seal Runes to its surface before slowly opening a narrow gap.
Just the aura leaking from that tiny gap caused the light in the cave to dim and the temperature to plummet. Little Big Dipper's fur stood on end as it let out a low, threatening growl.
Patriarch Bodhi's gaze flashed like lightning as it swept across the black root. Only after a long while did he slowly close the jade box and seal it heavily.
"The root of Jianmu... corrupted to such a state..." The patriarch's voice carried a rare trace of grief and killing intent. "So it truly was their handiwork."
"Them?" Su Yan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Master, what exactly are these 'Sowers'? What connection do they have to the 'Calamity of the Era' and the 'Breath of the End'?"
Patriarch Bodhi looked at Su Yan, his eyes deep. "The shadow you saw was not a complete living being. It was more like a puppet or a projection. Its true body should be a member of the End Times Cult, hidden deep within the Netherworld and existing in dependence on those Rule Tumors."
"The End Times Cult?"
"A group of madmen immersed in ending and devoted to worshipping nothingness." The patriarch's tone was icy. "They believe that all things will eventually return to silence, treating that as the 'Great Dao,' and actively push the world toward collapse. This Corrupted Jianmu Root is one of the tools they use to defile Earth Veins and sow Seeds of the End. Jianmu was originally a divine object that connected Heaven and Earth and contained boundless vitality. Once twisted and corrupted by them, it instead became a breeding ground for spreading deathly stillness."
Su Yan sucked in a sharp breath. They were actively pushing the world toward destruction? What kind of madness was that?
"Why would they do this? What benefit does it bring them?"
"I do not know. Perhaps to obtain power from the collapse, perhaps to welcome some so-called 'Lord of the End,' or perhaps... simply because of their twisted nature." Patriarch Bodhi shook his head. "This cult acts in secrecy. Though its members are few, they are extremely powerful, and their use of the Breath of the End far surpasses that of ordinary demons and monsters. That you managed to destroy one of their 'sowing devices' and repel one projection this time was already fortunate. Should you encounter them again, you must be exceedingly cautious. Their true bodies are absolutely not something you can contend with at your current level."
Su Yan nodded heavily. The enemy's strength and madness had exceeded his expectations.
"Master, then what should we do now? Can we only watch helplessly as they continue to 'sow' and erode the world?"
"Of course not." Patriarch Bodhi's gaze fell upon the Compass in Su Yan's hand. "Your karmic destiny is one of the variables. Repairing this Compass and clearing anomalies is resistance. Moreover, Heaven and Earth possess the power to save themselves. The Heavenly Court, the Underworld, the major immortal sects, and even reclusive forces such as the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion have all noticed something and are taking action in secret. But calamity aura pervades the land, heavenly secrets are muddled, and many forces restrain one another, making it difficult for them to act with full strength."
He paused, then continued, "Remember this: guiding is better than blocking, and transforming is better than destroying. Though these Seeds of the End are calamities, the Breath of the End they contain is also part of the laws of Heaven and Earth—extreme and pure. If you can find a way to use its power against itself, or transform and absorb it with rare objects containing the origins of 'creation' and 'order,' you may be able to forge a different path."
"Use its power against itself? Transform and absorb it?" Su Yan fell into thought and could not help glancing at Little Big Dipper, which was licking its paws. The little fellow's "Star Fire" could purify anomalies, which seemed to follow the same principle.
"Your strength is still shallow. You should focus on stabilizing your foundation and raising your cultivation." Patriarch Bodhi earnestly advised him. "Though the Compass's guidance is important, you must not rush recklessly. Level, cultivation method, skills, magic treasures, spirit pets—none can be lacking. Only once you have successfully established your foundation will you be qualified to step into deeper vortices."
"This disciple understands." Su Yan responded respectfully. He knew his master's words were invaluable. The helplessness he had felt when facing the Sower's projection had made him deeply understand the importance of level and absolute strength. Tricks and special abilities alone would never carry him far.
"This is for you." With a sweep of his sleeve, Patriarch Bodhi sent a token, neither gold nor jade and engraved with intricate star patterns, falling into Su Yan's hand. "This is a Star Pavilion Token. Star Pavilion is a hidden place for exchange. Its members are mostly cultivators of the Way of Stars or those with a connection to it, and there are many among them with broad knowledge. You may use this token to go there. Perhaps you can trade for the resources you need or gather useful information. Its entrance lies beneath Chang'an's Star Observation Platform. On a night when Star Power is at its peak, activate this token with Star Power."
[Star Pavilion Token] (Special Item) Description: A credential granting access to the hidden force known as Star Pavilion. Within Star Pavilion, one can trade star-related materials and intelligence, exchange for special cultivation methods, and more.
Su Yan was overjoyed. This was exactly what he needed! He had been worrying about how to acquire Star Iron and related resources more quickly to improve both the Compass and his own strength.
"Thank you, Master!"
With Patriarch Bodhi's guidance and the newly acquired token, Su Yan left Mount Fangcun. This time, his goals were clear: raise his level, strengthen his foundation, and use Star Pavilion's power to accelerate the Compass's repair and the accumulation of resources.
He did not immediately use the token. Instead, he first returned to Chang'an. The Star Observation Platform required waiting for a night when Star Power was at its strongest, and he had something more important to do first—reach level 20 and complete his foundation establishment.
In the system of Fantasy Westward Journey, level 20 was an important threshold. It marked the point at which players officially left the beginner stage, allowing them to learn more sect skills, equip higher-level weapons and armor, and undergo a qualitative leap in strength.
Su Yan checked his experience bar. He was already well past level 15. After planning his route, he decided to head to the southern part of the Datang Borderlands. The monsters there ranged from level 18 to 25, making them challenging without being as dangerous as the Northern Continent of Jizhou or Meteorite Valley. Moreover, the Compass showed several Anomaly Nodes there that needed clearing, which he could handle along the way.
He replenished his supplies and specifically bought some [Monster Jerky] that could slightly increase physical attack power for Little Big Dipper. Then, with the eager little fellow, he once again set out on the path of leveling.
In the southern Datang Borderlands, official roads wound through rolling forests and hills. The monsters here mainly consisted of [Skeleton Monsters], [Ram-headed Monsters], and [Fox Spirits], all at levels well suited to Su Yan's current strength.
The combat pattern remained the same: Su Yan controlled the battle while Little Big Dipper handled the main offense. After reaching level 15, Little Big Dipper's physical attacks had become sharper, the effects of [Advanced Poison] were remarkable, and its [Life Steal] gave it greater endurance. Its new skill, [Star Fire], served as a means to deal with certain enemies or finish them off. Su Yan's talisman arts had also grown more refined. His use of the [Body Double Technique] had become masterful, while the [Soul Chasing Talisman] possessed astonishing power.
He no longer avoided battle blindly. Instead, he actively sought suitable groups of monsters and used terrain and tactics to farm them efficiently. His experience steadily increased.
Several days later, on a thorn-covered slope, Su Yan finally received the glow of a level-up!
[System: Congratulations, you have reached level 20!] [System: Health +100, Mana +80, gained 10 potential points!] [System: Congratulations, you have completed foundation establishment and officially embarked upon the path of cultivation!] [System: New sect skill learning permissions unlocked!] [System: Equipment level restrictions unlocked (may equip equipment up to level 40)!]
A surging sense of power flooded through every limb and bone. Su Yan could clearly feel his life level rising; his meridians had become broader and tougher, while both his total spiritual power and recovery speed had increased dramatically! Without hesitation, he allocated the 10 potential points as 4 Strength, 3 Agility, and 3 Endurance, further strengthening his damage output, speed, and survivability.
He immediately opened the sect skill list and found several new advanced skills available for learning:
[Heavenly Dipper Qi]: Passive skill. Increases the user's maximum spiritual power and spell damage.
[Wood Escape]: Active skill. Instantly moves to a designated location within sight or to a marked point, consuming a large amount of mana.
[Armor Shattering Talisman]: Active skill. Reduces a single target's physical defense.
Su Yan learned all three skills without hesitation! [Heavenly Dipper Qi] directly increased his base spell damage, [Wood Escape] was an extremely powerful life-saving movement skill, and [Armor Shattering Talisman] could greatly improve Little Big Dipper's physical damage efficiency!
His strength had soared!
Overwhelmed with excitement, he could not help letting out a long shout, startling birds into flight from the distant woods. Little Big Dipper also sensed its master's joy and ran happily around him, the starry markings on its body gleaming.
With his foundation establishment complete, it was time to visit Star Pavilion. Su Yan raised his head toward the night sky. Tonight was precisely a night of bright moonlight, sparse stars, and dazzling Star Power.
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