Chapter 118 - Steady Progress
Su Ming sat at his wooden desk, staring at the green jade slip in his palm.
For the last couple of weeks, he had remained in his study, researching the meridian routes of the Yin element body cultivation technique. The Primordial Yin Origin Art was almost complete.
Reversing his own Yang Body Cultivation Technique would have been useless for this. This Yin element Body Cultivation Technique had to be built from the root as the expression of pure Yin.
The core principle of the technique was simple.
Yang rules, Yin guides.
But Su Ming could not cultivate it himself. He could only mimic a transformation for a short amount of time, similar to his Yang Demon Transformation.
As the temperature in the study recovered to its normal state, Su Ming let out a cold sigh. The layer of white frost that had crept across the wooden desk receded, and he gradually recovered his skin color.
’Sigh. Five seconds is the limit,’ he thought, his fingers tightening around the jade slip. ’Any longer, and I would have faced a severe backlash.’
He exhaled a thin stream of frosty mist.
"I will call this the Divine Yin Transformation," he said, nodding.
The check was successful. It would be a perfect substitute for Lin Yao’s body cultivation technique, matching her natural Yin affinity. Su Ming stood up, tucked the jade slip into his sleeve, and walked out of the study.
***
In the center of the plaza, Lin Yao and Wang Tian were practicing their sword forms. Lin Yao moved with fluid grace, her wooden sword tracing the arcs of the Cloud Dragon form. Her nether flame was quiet, clinging to the edge of her blade without flaring.
Su Ming activated his Essence Sight. Her aura was stable. The Yin cultivation chamber was doing its work, helping her cultivate swiftly.
Wang Tian stood a few paces away, drilling the cuts of the Sky Sovereign sword. His movements were heavier, each strike leaving a faint hum in the air.
As they moved, the waist pendants Su Ming had given them swayed. The Jade Phoenix pendant hung at Lin Yao’s belt, its red stone catching the golden sunlight. The Jade Sword pendant swung at Wang Tian’s hip.
Su Ming did not interrupt them. He took a side path toward the spirit tree.
Under the branches of the tree, the Yunxiao inside a cloud cocoon lay quiet. It was wrapped in a thick pale mist. Nearby, Elder Bai Zhen sat on a stone bench, enjoying the jar of Amber Jade Wine in his hand. His face was flushed lightly with a pleased expression as he took a sip.
He noticed Su Ming and raised the jar with a smile.
"The gardens are stable, Peak Master Su," Elder Bai Zhen said, his voice pleased. "They are growing well."
Su Ming nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, Elder Bai."
He turned his gaze toward the gardens, where Lin Yao had left her companion serpent. The Frost Serpent, Shuang, lay coiled around a branch of a frost herb, its scales dull. He remembered Lin Yao reporting her progress a few days ago.
She had spent all her mission contribution points on a drop of blood essence from an early Demon Lord stage frost element beast. She had fed it to Shuang, hoping to trigger an evolution, but it was not enough.
Su Ming approached the branch. His Essence Sight showed the frost energy sitting half-settled in Shuang’s core, unable to fully merge with the serpent’s bloodline.
Su Ming reached into his sleeve and pulled out the Frost Cicada Shell. The shell radiated a faint blue light. He placed it near the serpent’s mouth. Shuang’s slitted eyes opened. The serpent flicked its tongue, then opened its mouth and swallowed the cicada shell whole.
To aid the serpent further, he flicked a drop of Samsara Resin onto its head.
A reaction followed immediately. A thin layer of frost spread across Shuang’s scales, locking it in place. The serpent closed its eyes, settling into a deep sleep to digest the energy.
The mountaintop pavilion sat in the center of the garden, surrounded by white flowers. Bai Qingxian was already there, a jar of Jade Snow on the stone table. She was preparing tea, her fingers moving with care as she dropped the Frost-Dew leaves into the water.
"You look busy, Su Ming," she said, sliding a cup toward him.
Su Ming sat down and accepted the cup. The tea was sweet and cold, cooling the residual heat in his throat.
"Just finishing some preparations," Su Ming said, taking a sip. "The Yin Body art is ready."
Bai Qingxian nodded. She did not ask about the details.
"What about the dragon vein? Did you decide where to place it yet?"
He paused, looking down at the green tea leaves floating in his cup.
"I have some ideas about how to use it."
Bai Qingxian looked at him, her brows raising.
Apart from studying and preparing the Yin Body art, these last few weeks Su Ming had read every document available in the library regarding secret realms, grotto heavens, and dragon veins, including some classified documents that required permission from the Sect Master. His eyes carried a quiet confidence.
"I may need your help when the time comes," Su Ming said. "You’ll know when."
Bai Qingxian watched him, then smiled. "Alright."
They sat in silence, drinking the tea as the wind rustled the garden.
***
After returning to the stone plaza, Su Ming found Wang Tian waiting for him.
"Master," Wang Tian said, bowing.
"Let us begin," Su Ming said.
He drew a simple practice sword from his ring, stepping onto the plaza. They sparred, relying on physical strength and sword technique alone.
Wang Tian lunged, his sword cutting the air with a sharp hiss. Su Ming deflected the strike, his movements minimal. Since the sword pool tempering, Wang Tian’s physical body had grown stronger, his stance was firmer, and his breath remained steady under the pace.
As their blades clashed, Su Ming recalled the previous week. He had personally helped Lin Yao practice the Primordial Yin Origin Art and guided her through it.
Unlike his own body art, which forced the world to bend, her art would guide energy to reach a state of stillness, and she was making good progress on that.
A sharp strike brought his attention back. Wang Tian’s blade was inches from his chest. Su Ming smiled, his sword flicking outward to deflect the blow and end the spar.
"Good," Su Ming nodded. "Your cuts are clean."
Wang Tian lowered his sword, his breathing steady. "Thank you, Master."
***
A few days later, Su Ming stood on an open peak near the herb gardens.
Before him, five element essences lay open on the stone ground. A row of red Yang pills and medicinal herbs sat beside them, radiating pure Yang energy.
Su Ming sat down, crossing his legs in the center of the array. He was prepared. It was time for the breakthrough.