Undercurrents and Guiding Lights

The lights below the cliff were a few lights brighter than the night before. As Lu Yuan walked down the path, the eastern sky was already turning a pale white. He returned to the largest cave in the valley—now known as the "Council Hall"—where Su Yan was waiting at the door, holding a newly drawn map of the valley's layout.

"Sir," Su Yan unfolded the map, "The foundation for the eastern residential area will be completed today. The irrigation canal route, as you said, bypasses that rock stratum."

Lu Yuan took the diagram and examined it closely. The lines were neat, the annotations were clear, and even potential nodes causing Soul Power interference were marked with dotted lines. He nodded. "Very good. What about Mo Chen's side?"

"Master Mo Chen and his team are adjusting the ' Dust Purification ' formation on the north slope, saying it can absorb dust in the valley and improve the air quality." Su Yan paused, "But it consumes a lot of energy, and they're adjusting the rune ratio."

"Let him try." Lu Yuan rolled up the diagram and handed it back. "Theoretical verification phase, consumption is allowed. By the way, where is Mr. Shen?"

"In the 'Library' cave, Mr. Shen and several literate disciples spent the entire night sorting through the batch of ancient books that arrived yesterday."

Lu Yuan turned west. The so-called library was actually another, slightly smaller natural cave, with several rows of shelves built of logs inside. Shen Moxin was indeed inside, her crystal glasses reflecting the light of the Soul Guidance Lamp, holding a roll of yellowed parchment in her hand.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, but she seemed to be in good spirits.

"Mr. Lu," Shen Moxin put down the parchment, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement, "Please take a look at this."

Lu Yuan approached. The paper was covered with rough patterns drawn with some kind of mineral pigment, resembling a cross-section of some plant structure, accompanied by crooked ancient characters.

"This was found in that box of miscellaneous books yesterday." Shen Moxin pointed to the pattern, "Look here, it describes a plant called ' Earth-Listening Moss,' which can sense underground water flow and minute vibrations. Although the record is incomplete, its description of the Soul Power flow path is six or seven parts similar to the 'passive sensing of life energy field' model you mentioned last time."

Lu Yuan took the parchment and glanced at the words. Indeed, although the description was rudimentary, the direction was vaguely correct. He pondered for a moment.

"We can conduct a control experiment. Isn't there a disciple in the valley Martial Soul is ' Fluorescent Moss '? Let him try describing it using this ancient method, combined with our improved Soul Power guidance technique, and see if he can induce a similar characteristic."

Shen Moxin lit up. "I'll go arrange it right away."

"No rush," Lu Yuan waved his hand. "Let's eat breakfast first. Theory needs time to be put into practice, and that requires people to have the energy."

Breakfast was eaten outdoors. A large pot of millet porridge was cooked, accompanied by pickled vegetables and baked flatbread. Dozens of people sat around several campfires, dressed simply, but the atmosphere was warm and lively. Lu Yuan, holding a bowl, sat on a rock at the edge and watched quietly.

Lin Xiao jumped down from some tree, holding two wild fruits in his hand, and tossed one to Lu Yuan.

"Next," Lin Xiao took a bite of fruit, his amber eyes sweeping across the crowd, "Tsk, it's actually quite convincing."

Lu Yuan took the wild fruit but didn't eat it. "How did you feel after meditating last night, regarding that sluggish feeling in your Martial Soul?"

"Feeling better." Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth, unusually not raising his chin. "Following your advice, imagining the flow of Soul Power as 'navigating around hidden reefs' instead of 'forcibly breaking through' has made things much smoother. But..."

He paused, lowering his voice. "But sometimes, especially when I'm emotionally agitated, I still feel something scratching deep inside. It's not painful, it's just... uncomfortable."

Lu Yuan nodded. "That's a sign that the deeper structure of your Martial Soul hasn't fully harmonized with your own consciousness. It can't be rushed; it requires continuous observation and fine-tuning. Come to my place this afternoon if you're free, and I'll test you with the newly made Soul Power wave recorder."

"Okay." Lin Xiao finished the fruit in a few bites, then vanished in a flash.

Before he had finished his porridge, Yun Youzi, leaning on his old wooden cane, slowly swayed over. The old man's face was somewhat somber.

"Young man, I have some news." Yun Youzi sat down next to Lu Yuan, his voice extremely low. "An old connection of mine sent a message through clandestine channels last night."

Lu Yuan put down his bowl. "About the Black Stone Mountain Range?"

"Not only that." A glint of light flashed in Yun Youzi's cloudy eyes. "Within the Spirit Hall, a special investigation team has been established. On the surface, they are investigating the connection between my 'defection' and the anomalies in the Black Stone Mountain Range, but secretly... they are probably gathering all information about 'young Soul Master who possess the secrets of ancient ruins'."

Lu Yuan's expression remained unchanged. "As expected. Anything else?"

"The intelligence departments of both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire empires have recently increased their manpower in the border areas. Several major sects, especially those known for their intelligence capabilities, have been frequently conducting covert operations." Yun Youzi sighed, "The most troublesome thing is that some rumors have begun to spread among lower-level Soul Master and smaller forces."

"What rumor?"

"They say somewhere on the mainland, a mysterious organization has emerged that 'disregards background and imparts true knowledge.'" Yun Youzi stared at Lu Yuan. "Although they didn't name names, the description... sounds too much like what we did in Maple Leaf Town and Nuoding Academy in our early days."

Lu Yuan silently took a sip of porridge. The rice soup was warm, and as it went down his throat, the warmth that had just risen in his heart because of the construction scene that morning gradually cooled down.

The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease.

"It seems that even if ' Spark ' is kept hidden, the influence of its ideology has already begun to touch a nerve with some people." Lu Yuan put down his bowl and tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee. "Knowledge monopoly is one of the cornerstones of their rule. In their eyes, our system is probably more deadly than a simple threat of power."

"That makes sense." Yun Youzi stood up, leaning on his cane. "As long as you understand, that's fine. I'll go investigate further and see exactly where those spies have reached."

The old man walked away unsteadily. Lu Yuan sat on a rock, watching the busy crowd in the valley. The sunlight fully leaped over the mountain ridge, dyeing the valley a golden green. Beneath the vibrant life, undercurrents were already brewing.

He got up and walked towards the eastern living area.

The foundation had been firmly laid, and the disciples were Ambrosial Arbor frame. Upon seeing Lu Yuan arrive, they all stopped and bowed. Lu Yuan waved his hand, his gaze falling on a thin young man who was helping to move timber.

The boy's Martial Soul was "Fluorescent Moss," Auxiliary System, and his Soul Power was only level seventeen. He was usually responsible for nighttime lighting and cultivating some shade-loving herbs. At this moment, he was struggling to carry a log, his face flushed red.

"A Liang, come here for a second." Lu Yuan called out to him.

The boy hurriedly put down the wood and ran over. "S-Sir."

"Mr. Shen should have mentioned it to you," Lu Yuan gestured for him to follow him, "About attempting to guide your Martial Soul Evolution."

A Liang's eyes widened suddenly, his voice trembling with excitement. "I... I already mentioned it, sir! I... I really can?"

"Success is not guaranteed," Lu Yuan said calmly, "But it's theoretically possible. The process may involve repeated attempts, discomfort, and even risks. Are you willing to give it a try?"

A Liang nodded vigorously, his fists clenched tightly. "I'm willing! Sir, I've dreamed of... I've always wanted to make my Martial Soul useful, not just for illuminating the way."

Looking at the fire in his eyes, Lu Yuan seemed to see himself many years ago in the backyard of Maple Leaf Town, silently ruthlessly facing that Blue Silver Grass.

"Okay." Lu Yuan turned around. "Come with me."

The experiment was arranged in a quiet stone chamber next to the Mo Chen Workshop. Shen Moxin was already waiting there, with the roll of parchment and several newly drawn Soul Power guidance diagrams spread out on the table. In the center of the stone chamber, a layer of fresh moss collected from the damp parts of the valley was laid out.

"Relax, release your Martial Soul as you normally would during meditation." Lu Yuan stood to the side, his voice steady.

A Liang took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A faint, luminous green moss phantom appeared in his palm, its Soul Power fluctuations weak and gentle.

Following the improved plan recorded on the parchment and deduced by Lu Yuan, Shen Moxin began to gently guide A Liang to adjust the path and frequency of his Soul Power flow. At first, it went smoothly, and the Fluorescent Moss phantom in A Liang's palm became noticeably brighter. But soon, when the Soul Power attempted to converge at a specific structural node, A Liang's body trembled violently, and a look of pain appeared on his face.

"Stop," Lu Yuan said immediately.

A Liang opened his eyes, sweat beading on his forehead. "Sir, just now there... it felt like I was pricked with a needle."

Lu Yuan stepped forward, his finger lightly touching the pulse point on A Liang's wrist, a tiny wisp of Soul Power probing in. He closed his eyes, using the extraordinary perception of energy and rules granted by the Stone Gate Mark to carefully sense the subtle "blockage point" deep within A Liang's Martial Soul.

It's not a structural error. It's that the "rhythm" of the flow deviates extremely slightly from the "resonance frequency" described in that ancient model.

"Adjust the Soul Power output of the third branch of the left meridian, reduce it by 30%, and increase the frequency by half a beat." Lu Yuan opened his eyes and said to Shen Moxin, "Try again."

Shen Moxin quickly modified the guide diagram. A Liang tried again.

This time, the pain disappeared. When the Soul Power flowed through that node, it produced a strange, natural smoothness. The Fluorescent Moss phantom in A Liang's palm subtly changed color, gradually turning from a simple emerald green to a very faint, almost imperceptible grayish-brown.

Immediately afterwards, A Liang suddenly exclaimed "Eh!"

"Sir, Mr. Shen..." he said somewhat uncertainly, "I think... I can feel the 'movement' of these moss on the ground? Not see it, but... I can feel tiny streams of water flowing beneath them, and... Mr. Shen's heartbeat beside me?"

Shen Moxin's hand trembled, and the notebook almost fell to the ground.

Lu Yuan's lips curved slightly. It's done.

Although still very weak, this is indeed the rudimentary form of life perception. It has evolved from a mere lighting aid to an aid with detection capabilities. A small but solid evolution.

"Remember that feeling," Lu Yuan said to A Liang, whose face was flushed with excitement. "Consolidate it during your daily meditation. This new ability currently has a very limited range and low precision; you'll need to gradually familiarize yourself with it and strengthen it."

"Yes! Thank you, sir! Thank you, Mr. Shen!" A Liang bowed repeatedly, almost tripping over the threshold as he ran out of the stone chamber.

Shen Moxin adjusted her glasses, watched A Liang's disappearing figure, then looked at the piece of paper in her hand, and finally let out a breath after a long while.

"It really... did it." Her voice was slightly unsteady. "Although it's just the beginning, it proves that your theoretical framework can indeed guide Martial Soul to evolve in a specific positive direction. If this news gets out..."

"So it can't get out." Lu Yuan interrupted her, his tone serious. "At least not now. It should only be known to a few of us in the core group. You're responsible for reminding A Liang to keep this a secret."

"I understand." Shen Moxin nodded emphatically, but her eyes still gleamed with the fervent light of a researcher. "But this is astonishing, Mr. Lu. It means that many Martial Soul considered ' Trash Martial Soul ' or 'fixed in their direction' may actually possess undiscovered potential paths!"

"The potential has always been there." Lu Yuan turned and walked towards the door. "We've just found one of the Key."

Over the next few days, New Fire Valley operated at high speed amidst tranquility. Wooden houses were erected one after another in the living area, the sounds of hammering echoed in the workshops, and the herb garden was established, planting the first batch of herbs transplanted from the mountains and forests. Lu Yuan participated in the construction and guided cultivation during the day, and immersed himself in deeper theoretical deductions at night.

The Stone Gate Mark between his brows remained silent. But whenever he focused his senses, he could always "touch" Sisi faint yet persistent resonance emanating from the distant northeast. He also sensed the "noise" permeating the background of the Soul Power flowing across the entire continent.

He didn't tell anyone about these findings. The time wasn't right, and knowing it would only add to the pressure.

Seven days later, another piece of good news arrived.

Deacon Wang, who was in charge of internal affairs and discipline, was a veteran Soul Master who had been stuck at the level 59 Soul King bottleneck for eight years. After adjusting his meditation method according to Lu Yuan's theory of "resonance between the frequency of Soul Power and the frequency of one's own Martial Soul Origin," he broke through the barrier in one fell swoop and successfully advanced to the Soul Emperor realm.

The small-scale convergence of the primordial energy of heaven and earth at that time alarmed the entire valley. When Deacon Wang emerged from his secluded stone chamber, tears streamed down his face, and he bowed deeply to the ground in the direction of Lu Yuan.

This matter was also strictly controlled within a very small circle. But the eyes of the Core Circle members were noticeably different. They shone with a light that was a mixture of confidence, hope, and a certain unwavering conviction. Theory was no longer just empty talk; it was bearing real, tangible fruit that was changing people's destinies.

Cohesion is at an all-time high.

Lu Yuan grew increasingly vigilant. The more united the organization was internally, the more significant the achievements, the greater the risks exposed, and the more intense the covetous eyes from outside would become.

Sure enough, on the evening of the third day after Deacon Wang's breakthrough, the two disciples in charge of perimeter security and supplies procurement rushed back to New Fire Valley. Both of them were pale-faced and went straight to Lu Yuan, who was checking the defensive runes.

"Sir, something's happened." The leader of the disciples gasped for breath, "We've run into some trouble at ' Gray Rat Market '."

Gray Rat Market is a hidden black market about 300 miles away from New Fire Valley. Located in a lawless area, it is a melting pot of all sorts of people and is one of the channels through which "Spark" currently obtains information from the outside world and some scarce resources.

"Take your time," Lu Yuan said, gesturing for them to sit down.

"We went to purchase a batch of metal ingots and medicinal herbs as usual." The disciple swallowed hard. "The transaction went smoothly. But just as we were about to leave, we noticed four or five unfamiliar faces in a corner of the market."

Another disciple chimed in, "They were dressed like traveling merchants, but their eyes were off; they kept glancing around. We paid attention and pretended to be looking at goods at the next stall. We overheard them whispering to some local bullies, asking them for information."

"What are you asking about?" Lu Yuan asked.

"I want to know two things," the disciple said, lowering his voice even further. "First, I want to know if any 'special Soul Master groups' have recently appeared in this mountainous area, described as 'low-key but possibly possessing unusual methods.' Second... I want to know directly if anyone has heard of any extraordinary individuals or stories of 'being able to Martial Soul Evolution ' or 'helping people break through bottlenecks.'"

The stone chamber fell silent for a moment.

"You've been targeted?" Lu Yuan asked calmly.

"Probably not." The leader of the disciples shook his head. "We were very careful; we used disguises and fake appearances for the transactions. We also took a detour when we left, making sure no one was following us before returning. But..."

He hesitated for a moment. "But the one who was leading those people, when he turned around, the hem of his robe lifted up a little. I glimpsed the cuff of his inner garment, which was embroidered with a very peculiar dark pattern—like Entanglement thorns, with a blurry animal head pattern in the middle."

Lu Yuan's gaze suddenly turned cold.

He remembered that pattern.

Back in the Star Luo Empire 'Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy, the Zhao Clan family member who relied on his family's power to try to suppress him and steal his research results, only to be exposed in public by his scheme and suffer a humiliating defeat, had a secondary emblem of a "roaring wolf head surrounded by thorns."

The Zhao Clan.

He thought the feud he formed at the academy was over after he left. Unexpectedly, the aftershocks of the Black Stone Mountain Range incident brought this thread back to life. Did the Zhao Clan sense something amiss, or did someone sell them clues about "Lu Yuan"?

"Did you see which direction they went?" Lu Yuan asked.

"After they finished their questioning, they left the market, heading east, probably to the next town," the disciple replied. "Master, have we... been exposed?"

Lu Yuan stood up and walked to the hand-drawn area map hanging on the stone wall. His gaze fell on the black dot representing "Gray Rat Market" and then slowly moved to the green marker representing "New Fire Valley".

Three hundred li. For a discerning Soul Master Soul Master, especially one skilled in tracking, this distance is not safe. Gray Rat Market is a melting pot of all sorts of people, and although the disciples are alert, they may have left behind some clues that could be traced.

Hiding it indefinitely seems to be an unsustainable strategy.

Some flies, if you don't swat them, will keep buzzing, attracting more flies, and even vultures.

Lu Yuan turned around, his eyes devoid of warmth, filled only with a calm resolve.

"Go and invite Elder Yun, Mr. Shen, Mo Chen, and Lin Xiao over," he told his disciple. "Also, have Su Yan prepare the newly completed batch of 'trinkets' in the workshop."

He looked at the map again, his finger lightly tapping the location of the Gray Rat Market.

"It seems it's time to proactively clear out the spies around us."

"By the way..." Lu Yuan's voice was soft, yet carried a certain coldness, "Let's test those new 'gadgets' we've been working on, those based on rule understanding, and see how well they actually work."