The Grotto-Heaven's Wondrous Effects

"Is this the Grotto-Heaven? Why is it so dark?"

Looking at the scene around her, Chen Taozhi sighed with genuine emotion.

With the situation in the Golden Triangle largely settled, Chu Tianshu prepared to visit the Grotto-Heaven.

He noticed that Chen Taozhi was also very curious, so he simply brought her along.

"This Grotto-Heaven is really dark!"

This was also Chu Tianshu's first time entering. Looking around, he felt only emptiness and desolation, with no mountains, no water, no land, only a quiet darkness.

It felt as if one's feet were treading on soft, fluffy clouds.

With a little effort, you can sink a short distance, but then slowly float back up. If you jump, you can only jump a little height before slowly falling.

Surprisingly, although it was dark here, there was no feeling of stuffiness at all; the air was exceptionally fresh, and there was no strange smell whatsoever, which made one feel refreshed and relaxed.

"Actually, you don't even need to move your feet here. Just think about finding someone, and you'll slowly drift towards that person's location."

Yungu introduced the two to each other with practiced ease, while simultaneously closing his eyes, pointing casually into the air, and muttering, "Chen Ying, Chen Ying, Chen Ying..."

Chu Tianshu indeed saw that his entire body began to drift in a certain direction.

The three of them met Chen Ying not long after.

She was still dressed in the same Daoist robe, holding a whisk in her hand, carrying a long sword on her back, sitting calmly cross-legged.

However, compared to when they parted ways in Busan, Chu Tianshu found that he could no longer discern Chen Ying's true character.

Perhaps it was because he was inside the Grotto-Heaven, Chen Ying, the master of the Grotto-Heaven, had an aura that seemed to blend completely with the darkness, as if he could drift away at any moment and reappear at any moment.

However, the moment she opened her eyes, they were filled with the smile of reuniting with a friend, and her ethereal demeanor gained a distinct, vibrant quality.

"Mr. Chu, after several months apart, it's truly embarrassing that we need your help as soon as you return."

Chen Ying stood up, bowed, and said, "Thank you!"

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "Helping your comrades is helping yourself. Come, let me introduce you to your new comrade."

"Haha, you two both have the surname Chen, maybe five hundred years ago... um."

At this point, Chu Tianshu paused for a moment.

The proverb "We were one family five hundred years ago" doesn't seem to apply to Chen Ying.

Five hundred years ago, she was still sleeping in the Grotto-Heaven. Even if we consider the aforementioned eight hundred years, Chen Taozhi would certainly not be among her family members.

Chen Ying looked at Chen Taozhi: "When I brought you in just now, I sensed that this person was also a member of the Daoist sect?"

Chen Taozhi nodded. "I cultivate the Jade Pivot Thunder Inner Art of the Pure Tenuity lineage of Daoism, and I also cultivate a set of skills called ' Toad Art Palm Thunder,' which, according to the secret manual, was also created by the Wudang Golden Toad Sect."

Although one of my colleagues in the team happened to be from the Golden Toad Sect, he found the manual unfamiliar to him.

However, there are quite a few lost secret manuals from various schools of Wudang, and besides, the "Toad Art Palm Thunder" manual also includes an electrotherapy training method.

This was clearly added by Chu Tianshu himself; no one knows exactly how much he modified it.

That colleague didn't hesitate; after a short trial, he exclaimed how delicious it was.

Helai's decision to have them practice this skill was based on profound considerations, and was not simply because the military had a large number of electrotherapy devices that could be used.

It should be noted that Daoist practices are often attributed to the teachings of Huang-Lao, and the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon Classic particularly emphasizes harmonizing the Qi of the five internal organs and six bowels, guiding the limbs and bones, and purifying the quality of internal energy.

These soldiers who practice Daoist internal skills, after diligently practicing "Toad Art Palm Thunder," undergo electrotherapy to cleanse their five internal organs, and their original internal strength will reach a higher level.

"I can see that your energy flow has reached a crucial juncture."

Chen Ying said, "Should we select dozens of acupoints from the existing twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians, and use internal energy to connect them, thus opening up a new energy circulation?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Taozhi was astonished and said, "That's right. The original energy channels in the human body contain weak lightning attributes. If the lightning attribute power accumulates too much, it can easily damage the nerve reaction ability."

"Although this newly opened energy channel uses the body's original acupoints, the selected acupoints are all of unorthodox nature. Once connected into a single energy flow, its circulation principle is quite different from other meridians, making its practice beneficial and harmless."

"This step is also crucial for us to cultivate our invisible internal energy into Thunderclap Gang Qi."

In the darkness, Chen Ying flicked his whisk.

Not far to her right front, a dark cloud seemed to have become exceptionally solid and flat.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, go there, sit down, and focus your energy to break through the barrier."

Chen Taozhi seemed to be deep in thought, but without saying much, she walked over there, sat down cross-legged, and began to attempt to break through this barrier.

Chu Tianshu and Yungu both guessed what was going on and watched quietly from the side.

As Chen Taozhi energy cultivation, her already short hair stood up like steel needles.

An invisible internal force surged around him, flowing into his palms with a low shout.

The originally colorless cloud of energy grew brighter and brighter as he rubbed his hands together, with faint signs of flashing electricity.

After a good ten seconds, Chen Taozhi pressed this ball of internal energy onto her chest, her whole body trembled, and she suddenly opened her eyes.

"Cough!"

He held it in for a moment, then finally coughed up a puff of black smoke and clutched his chest.

"I failed... I failed?!"

Although he was saying that they had failed, his tone rose sharply, full of surprise.

"I failed just now, how come I'm not injured at all?!"

Chen Taozhi had tried to take this step many times before.

Even with his current resources, if he fails to break through, he will need to recover for several days before he can try again.

But now, apart from exhaling a puff of black smoke, he felt no harm whatsoever to himself.

Moreover, failing to pass the test often leads to disordered breathing and a feeling of confusion and discomfort in the mind for quite some time.

Just now, Chen Taozhi experienced the whole process with perfect clarity. Now, after a moment's recollection, she immediately realized exactly where she had gone wrong.

"Yes, yes, yes, when my power flowed horizontally through the Lingtai acupoint, it was a fraction too fast—that's the mistake!"

He couldn't wait to talk to anyone, so he tried using his internal energy again.

Chu Tianshu then confirmed his suspicions and whispered to Chen Ying, "You helped him resolve the backlash from his failed attempt?"

"I didn't help him resolve it."

Chen Ying shook her head, her eyes filled with joy, "It's this Grotto-Heaven."

"Perhaps it was because I was under too much pressure recently that I became more familiar with the Grotto-Heaven. Once the pressure disappeared, I suddenly grasped the most important use of the Grotto-Heaven."

Yungu chimed in, "You only recently mastered it? No wonder I've never heard you mention it before."

Chu Tianshu then asked, "What's the upper limit to helping people mitigate backlash?"

"If it were just someone like Fellow Daoist Chen at this stage, and a hundred or so people came at once, the Grotto-Heaven could easily help them resolve the backlash and even invigorate the Grotto-Heaven's own energy."

Chen Ying had already considered this question, and answered without hesitation.

"If it's a master who already has a 10-20% chance of breaking through to the Taboo, then the Grotto-Heaven can currently only help ten people resolve the backlash at most."

Upon hearing this answer...

Chu Tianshu and Yungu both felt their mouths go dry.

What does it mean to have a 10% or 20% chance of success?

To put it simply, when Lin Chucheng first attempted to break through to the Taboo in the Overflow Zone, he already possessed all the signs recorded in the ancient secret manuals.

At that time, he was at least 90% certain.

Thus, after his failure, he was deeply traumatized and had to take many medications to recover.

When Lin Chucheng attempted to break through the Taboo for the second time, it was in a real-world environment, and he easily crossed that threshold.

This was certainly because he possessed extraordinary talent and had absorbed the special vital energy of the stone tablet from the Queen Mother of the West's Kingdom, but the experience of his previous failure was also crucial.

However, if there is even a 10% or 20% chance of success, one can break through the Taboo without dying or being seriously injured.

Accumulating experience in this way is practically equivalent to saving many lives.

"If that's the case, once you return to the country from this Grotto-Heaven, the country will probably be able to immediately gather ten people like this for you."

Chu Tianshu exhaled slowly, his mind still churning.

Principal Feng has already broken the Taboo.

In China, there are martial artists and sorcerers who are a generation above Principal Feng.

Helai had previously consulted Chu Tianshu about whether he could pass on the Refining Spirit into Qi Method and Chu Tianshu's annotated version of the Sun-Chasing True Art.

That time, Chu Tianshu had a large sum of money in his account, and the pharmacy also gained several new supply channels for special medicinal herbs.

After examining those medicinal herbs, Chu Tianshu knew that these precious herbs were not something that ordinary researchers could cultivate, nor were they grown in a Spirit Realm plantation.

That's probably just some old folks who are too old to do anything else, so bored that they're using their Mind Power to cultivate medicinal herbs.

The medicines that Chu Tianshu used to refine medicinal wine, neutralize radiation, and invigorate blood and qi came from those transactions.

"No wonder!"

Yungu also said with relief, "No wonder this Grotto-Heaven ruins could attract the true form of Ghost God or god to exert its power directly in the Spirit Realm, influencing the trajectory of the Grotto-Heaven."

"If Brother Chu and I overdo it with our training here, or try out some dangerous self-created moves, can we also mitigate the backlash?"

Chen Ying glanced at Yungu for a few seconds, then stared at Chu Tianshu for a moment.

"Brother Yun, your backlash is more than enough to be resolved by the Grotto-Heaven. As for Mr. Chu..."

Chen Ying said, "My perception within the Grotto-Heaven is extraordinary; I can see Mr. Chu's current level of cultivation in terms of essence, energy, and spirit. The intensity of the backlash caused by your cultivation will not exceed the limits of the Grotto-Heaven."

"However, your backlash is taking effect so quickly that, given the current state of the Grotto-Heaven, it may not be able to intercept it all."

Chu Tianshu nodded slightly, his expression calm, and he was not surprised at all.

Chen Ying felt a little ashamed and said, "I can only stop about 70%."

"Seventy percent?!"

Chu Tianshu asked in surprise, "Can it really stop 70%?"

He flipped his hand and took out the Great Void Heavenly Eye. "This treasure has two modes: catalysis and attack."

"Do you think you could mitigate 70% of the backlash if I turned its catalytic mode to its highest setting and blew it onto myself?"

Chen Ying pointed a finger at the Great Void Heavenly Eye, closed his eyes, and revealed an expression as if he were wandering in the void. After a moment, he came back to his senses and nodded, saying, "It's fine."

Chu Tianshu was overjoyed.

Originally, the secrets to transforming one's foundation in the Great Void Sun-Boiling True Exposition were extremely complex.

Chu Tianshu was thinking that he would have to break down the process into at least ten days to complete a single trial performance.

We'll proceed step by step; it's estimated that it will take more than two months to fully transform the foundation.

However, if you are not afraid of backlash, when practicing these new techniques, you should also keep your Great Void Heavenly Eye open and shine it on yourself.

That might save 70% of the time.

He was extremely curious about what it would be like to complete the power conversion.

Yungu quickly said, "Even if you can stop 70%, it means you'll still suffer 30% damage. Too much of a good thing is bad, so it's best not to push yourself to the limit."

"By the way, didn't you come to see Little Yuan? You should tell her the good news that you can go back to China."

That's correct.

Actually, we can use the environment of the Grotto-Heaven to let Sanqi get used to the Great Void Heavenly Eye first, and we can observe and ponder it from the side.

Anyway, the Fortune Bar is still a little short of full.

But it's estimated that once Grotto-Heaven Helai to the country and learns of the news that he can "assist in the breakthrough," his Fortune will soon skyrocket.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Tianshu calmed down and asked with a smile, "Where is Teacher Little Yuan?"

"She is only safe within the Grotto-Heaven, but if she eats or drinks there, impurities will be generated."

Chen Ying waved his whisk, which rolled up something in the darkness, and dragged out a sleeping person.

"I'll have her practice the most advanced breathing technique among the Living Dead Method."

Chu Tianshu looked at Yuan Zhonglü, whose breathing was low but long, and a hint of reluctance appeared in his eyes.

When exactly did this turbid breathing begin?

She used to be a perfectly healthy person, with almond-shaped eyes and a peach-blossom face, but now her cheeks are sunken and her demeanor has become cold and pale.

etc.

Chu Tianshu suddenly thought of Chen Ying's temperament.

"Daoist Priest Chen, you didn't used to practice breath control all the time, starving yourself into an icy aura, did you?"

Chen Ying was puzzled. "The tortoise breathing method calms the mind and body, making the body and breath light, which is very beneficial. The breath will only become more active. How can you talk about an iceberg?"

Just then, Yuan Zhonglü slowly woke up. His eyes, still a little dazed, scanned the room and landed on Chu Tianshu. He was about to greet him when he heard his master's words.

A bitter smile immediately appeared on her face.

Chu Tianshu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Forget it, you can't reason with you ancient Daoist nuns.

"Let me take Teacher Little Yuan out for some porridge first."

Chu Tianshu grabbed Yuan Zhonglü and pulled him up.

"Good food is one of the greatest pleasures in life; how can we stop eating it just because we don't need to?"

Upon hearing this, Yungu exclaimed, "Speaking of food, I'm hungry too! That Tom Yum soup you recommended before was truly delicious!"

"Before I leave, I must have a few more bowls."

(End of this chapter)