Heaven Rewards Diligence

After reaching level twenty-nine, Ning Buhui threw himself into cultivation with even greater abandon.

The gap between level twenty-nine and level thirty looked like a single level, but it was the threshold between Soul Grandmaster and Soul Elder, and the Soul Power it required was equal to that of several previous levels combined. By his original estimate, even if he spent every day cultivating in the tower, it would take him more than half a year at the very least to break through. But there were only a little over two years left before the next Continental Soul Master Tournament. If he wanted to participate, he still needed to qualify, and that required the corresponding strength. Time waited for no one.

So he cut another half hour from the afternoon time he spent reading and relaxing. At night, he went without sleep whenever he could, spending the time meditating instead. Sometimes he meditated into the small hours, growing so tired that he fell asleep without realizing it. Only when he opened his eyes the next morning did he discover he had slept sitting there all night, but he still spent the following night meditating. Hu Liena scolded him for having no regard for his life, Yan dragged him off to eat, and Zhou Qing shook his head whenever he saw him.

A little over a month passed like this. That night was no different from usual.

He returned from the training ground, washed his face, and entered the tower. The gray mist churned on the second floor as it always did, while the twin fish of yin and yang swam slowly along the tower walls. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and entered a meditative state. At first, he could still feel his Soul Power flowing slowly through his meridians like a stream. Then his consciousness gradually grew lighter, like a feather drifting down from on high. Everything was so quiet that he could no longer hear even his own breathing. He seemed to forget who he was and where he was. There was no time, no direction, and no boundary.

He felt as though he had become a grain of sand.

And then it seemed he had become a wisp of mist.

Without him directing it, the Soul Power in his body began circulating through his meridians on its own, each circuit faster than the last. It was like spring water spilling over a parched riverbed, like the tide rolling onto a deserted beach. He could not tell whether he was absorbing Soul Power or whether it was burrowing into his body of its own accord. Everything was profound beyond understanding, yet as natural as rain soaking into the earth.

He was asleep.

And yet he was awake.

He did not know how long had passed before he suddenly opened his eyes.

The same gray mist filled the tower, and the floor beneath him was as cold as ever. He felt as though he had risen from the depths of very, very deep water. A sudden coolness washed through his chest, his meridians swelled, and his Soul Power surged fiercely, far more than twice as dense as before. He looked down at his hands. His fingertips trembled slightly, and his Soul Power was so abundant it seemed ready to burst out through his body.

Level thirty.

Ning Buhui sat there in a daze for quite a while before slowly breathing out a turbid breath. He had thought he would be wild with joy, but now that the moment had truly come, he felt perfectly calm, like a stone that had finally fallen into its proper place. He stood, his knees cracking. His legs were a little numb, but he was full of vigor, as though someone had washed him clean from the inside out.

Looking at the dust on his clothes, he murmured, "How much time has passed? Is this the Deep Meditation Teacher spoke of?"

It had to be. Ordinary meditation could never have carried him across the threshold of level thirty while he slept, nor could it have made his foundation so solid. He had heard Bibi Dong mention that Deep Meditation was something one could encounter but not seek. Once inside it, Soul Power circulated on its own, comprehension soared, and the chances of a breakthrough increased greatly. He had thought he would have to endure another three or four months, but this mysterious dream had abruptly shortened that time to today.

He left the tower, took a bath, and changed into clean clothes. But when he stepped outside, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.

Four deacons stood at the door, two on either side, like four pillars. All four froze when they saw him emerge, then saluted in unison. "Your Highness, you've come out of seclusion."

"Out of seclusion?" Ning Buhui frowned.

"You haven't left your room for five days," the man in the lead said. "Her Holiness the Pope came to see you in person. She said you might be at a critical moment and forbade anyone from disturbing you, so she had us stand guard here."

Ning Buhui felt warmth in his heart, followed by a lingering fear. Five days-he had stayed inside for five whole days without being aware of it. If he had been outside and someone had happened along and interrupted him, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Fortunately, Bibi Dong was there.

"Where is Teacher now?" he asked.

"Her Holiness should be handling official business in the main hall."

"I'll get something to eat first, then go see Teacher. Thank you all for standing guard these past few days. You can go back and rest." With that, he strode away.

He had not gone far from the quiet room area when he ran into Yan and Xie Yue coming back from the training ground. Seeing him approach looking full of vigor, Yan first froze, then his eyes flew wide. "Y-you're out? Do you know you were in your room for five days? I was ready to charge straight in and see if something had gone wrong with your cultivation."

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Yan. I only just found out I'd spent five days cultivating myself," Ning Buhui said.

"Did you break through to level thirty?" Xie Yue suddenly asked, sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power emanating from Ning Buhui. His gaze fell squarely on him.

Ning Buhui nodded. "I got lucky. I just broke through."

Yan drew a sharp breath. "You... you're a damn monster! Didn't you just break through to level twenty-nine the month before last? How are you at level thirty already? Are you going to leave anyone else a way to live?!"

Xie Yue said nothing. He simply stared at him for several seconds, then clicked his tongue softly. "I've been preparing for my Fourth Soul Ring for a long time, and I've been working hard to cultivate my Soul Power too, but you came from behind and overtook me. You reached the level where you can absorb a Soul Ring before I did."

"I got lucky," Ning Buhui said. "Let's go inside and talk. I haven't eaten in five days. I feel like I could eat a whole cow."

"Then you'd better eat first." Yan hooked an arm around his shoulders and led him toward the dining hall.

Only when they reached the dining hall did Ning Buhui feel hungry. His stomach was so empty it made him feel faint, and even his legs went a little weak.

"Freak," Yan was still muttering. "A damn freak."

The three of them went to the cafeteria first. Ning Buhui wolfed down three bowls of noodles and gulped down half a pot of hot tea before he felt alive again. Hu Liena also came rushing over after hearing the news. As soon as she saw him, she circled him twice, clicking her tongue in amazement. "Junior Brother, that sleep of yours really makes me envious. Teacher said you might have entered Deep Meditation, but I didn't believe it. I didn't expect it to be true."

"How have you been these past few days, Senior Sister?" Ning Buhui wiped his mouth.

"Same as ever," Hu Liena said. "Brother is still refining his cultivation realm, and he spars with Yan whenever he has time."

"What about you?" Ning Buhui asked.

"I recently finished refining a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue, and my Soul Power has reached level thirty-eight. I'm getting ready to push for level forty." Hu Liena smiled. "Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you really kept it quiet. If Teacher hadn't told me you were the one who came up with the Whale Rubber method, I wouldn't have known I'd benefited so much thanks to you."

Ning Buhui waved a hand and said no more.

After the meal, he went to the main hall.

Bibi Dong was reviewing memorials behind her desk. When she saw him enter, she merely glanced up. "Out of seclusion?"

"Your disciple has made you worry, Teacher." Ning Buhui bowed.

"I wouldn't say I was worried." Bibi Dong put down her brush, leaned back in her chair, and studied him. "But I certainly didn't expect you to enter Deep Meditation. Tell me, what did it feel like?"

Ning Buhui described the sensation in detail: his consciousness had dissolved, his Soul Power had circulated on its own, and he had been unaware of time or anything outside himself. He neither exaggerated nor tried to make it sound mysterious. Bibi Dong listened intently, nodding from time to time, as though confirming certain information.

"You're very lucky," she said when he finished. "Many Soul Masters never experience it once in their entire lives. You're only seven, and you've already encountered it. And you said that when you woke up, your foundation was very solid, with no instability at all. Those five days not only helped you break through to Soul Power Level thirty, but also saved you at least a month of refinement."

"Yes." Ning Buhui thought so too. "After this breakthrough, your disciple also feels that the Soul Power in his body is purer and more condensed than before."

"That is your good fortune," Bibi Dong said. "But don't celebrate too soon. Level thirty only qualifies you to absorb a Third Soul Ring. You haven't obtained the Wind Thunder Winged Tiger yet, and you know that hunting Soul Beasts depends on luck."

"I understand," Ning Buhui replied. "Teacher, is there any news about the Wind Thunder Winged Tiger?"

"A batch of intelligence just came in." Bibi Dong drew a sheet of paper from her desk and handed it to him. "Someone saw signs of a Wind Thunder Winged Tiger in the northern section of Thunderstorm Canyon in Sunset Forest, just half a month ago. If we go now, we should still be able to find it."

Ning Buhui took the paper and quickly skimmed it. It listed several locations and dates, as well as the approximate area and weather when the Wind Thunder Winged Tiger had last appeared. When he finished, he handed it back to Bibi Dong. "When does Teacher plan to set out?"

"Since you've already reached level thirty, we'll leave the day after tomorrow." Bibi Dong rose. "Make your preparations. This trip will be harder than the previous two."

"I understand," Ning Buhui said.

After he left the main hall, a gust of wind swept past, and leaves rustled down from the branches in the autumn breeze. Before he knew it, autumn had come around again. In a few more months, he would be eight. As an eight-year-old Soul Elder, he would presumably have some ability to protect himself, and by then he could ask Teacher for permission to go out and gain experience. For now, though, he still had to secure his Third Soul Ring as quickly as possible.

Back at his residence, Ning Buhui began gathering what he would need for the trip, then stuffed everything into his ring.

The Wind Thunder Winged Tiger, the Third Soul Ring... I hope everything goes smoothly.

He clenched his fist. His knuckles turned white, but his palm was burning hot.