Time passed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by. Ye Fan and Pang Bo gradually adapted to life here — a change that began first in their mindset, as they slowly came to accept all of it.
During this time, neither of them had yet engaged in what could truly be called cultivation. Instead, they had been absorbing general knowledge and thinking about the road ahead. Elder Wu Qingfeng had not rushed them; on the contrary, he proactively shared with them all manner of experiences and insights about cultivation.
This was of tremendous importance for both Ye Fan and Pang Bo. It was not until yet another month had passed that they felt they had fully internalized and understood everything, and felt ready to begin cultivating.
“The Wheel of Life and the sea of bitterness are intertwined and inseparable. To cultivate the Wheel of Life is also, inevitably, to cultivate the sea of bitterness. So in a certain sense, all cultivation begins from the sea of bitterness.”
Cultivation is an arduous process. For those who have just stepped onto the immortal path in particular, having someone to guide them is an absolute necessity — without guidance, there is truly no knowing where to even begin, no way of knowing how to find the opening.
“Over the next two months, I will help you step onto the immortal path and become true cultivators. After that, I will no longer be teaching the two of you separately. You will need to go to Lingxu Cliff along with the others and listen to the profound methods together.”
Though Ye Fan had not formally joined Lingxu Grotto Heaven, Elder Wu Qingfeng did not ask him to step away when transmitting the methods — he treated Ye Fan and Pang Bo exactly the same. The elder knew that even if Ye Fan committed to cultivation, nothing would come of it. Before the primordial age, Ye Fan’s physique was considered the greatest in the world — yet now, it was nothing more than a useless vessel. Not one person in the post-primordial era with this physique had ever managed to achieve any success in cultivation.
For those who have just stepped onto the immortal path, laying a solid foundation is the most important thing of all. Only in this way can one climb higher in the future. Elder Wu Qingfeng produced a foundational method said to be the most powerful in the world — the Dao Scripture.
The very audacity of taking such a name speaks for itself — a scripture recording the great Dao, a supreme and unsurpassed method. Legend held it to be a transcendent immortal text. In the vast and boundless Eastern Desolation, only a handful of ancient scriptures could stand beside it, and none could surpass it entirely.
Of course, it was impossible for Lingxu Grotto Heaven to possess the true Dao Scripture. A mere Grotto Heaven and Blessed Land simply did not have the foundations to hold such a thing. What they possessed were only the opening chapters of the Dao Scripture. Even these opening chapters were not the sole copy even within the borders of Yan — otherwise, it would certainly have brought catastrophe down upon the sect and wiped it from existence.
Without question, Lingxu Grotto Heaven’s possession of the opening chapters of the Dao Scripture was an immense blessing for disciples of exceptional talent — it could lay their foundations with incomparable solidity, bringing tremendous benefit to their future cultivation.
Though these foundational essentials were precious, they were no longer exclusive to any single sect. For this reason, Elder Wu Qingfeng did not ask Ye Fan to step aside, and transmitted the teachings to both of them directly.
The Dao Scripture was truly a vast and profound ancient text — otherwise it would not have shaken the Eastern Desolation across boundless ages. Even these opening chapters alone were imbued with supreme and boundless truth. Though containing only a few thousand characters in total, Elder Wu Qingfeng took a full half-month to explain them.
Every sentence of the Dao Scripture held deep meaning, encompassing within it endless mysterious principles. The art of cultivation was articulated with such exquisite precision that even powerful practitioners reading these opening chapters would have to exclaim that foundational cultivation could be rendered this wondrous and sublime.
Each day, Ye Fan and Pang Bo cultivated earnestly. Following the guidance of the Dao Scripture, the first step was to sense one’s own Wheel of Life, then guide the Life Essence to assault the sea of bitterness. Within this process, there were supremely subtle methods of perception, as well as uniquely distinctive techniques of guiding.
Yet this alone was still not enough. To break through the gate entirely by oneself was extremely difficult. It was necessary for someone to lead the way through “immortal energy.” Every day, Elder Wu Qingfeng came personally, his body moving in accordance with the foundational essentials recorded in the Dao Scripture, placing his hand against Ye Fan and Pang Bo’s navels in turn.
More than ten days later, Pang Bo finally achieved a response — he sensed the existence of the Wheel of Life. Over the days that followed, he began attempting to guide the Life Essence stored within the Wheel of Life to assault the sea of bitterness.
But Ye Fan still came away with nothing. His Wheel of Life was completely still and silent — solid as divine iron in that place. Even someone as powerful as Elder Wu Qingfeng could not break his “immortal energy” through, let alone speak of guiding anything within.
“It’s truly hard to fathom — how can such a physique even exist…” Elder Wu Qingfeng furrowed his brows and ultimately had no choice but to give up. He had poured virtually all of his Life Essence into assaulting Ye Fan’s Wheel of Life, yet that place remained utterly immovable and unshakable.
“Elder, you simply must help him — lend Ye Fan one more boost. Perhaps the very next moment would be the one that succeeds.” Seeing Elder Wu Qingfeng about to give up, Pang Bo quickly spoke up and pleaded.
“Alas, it’s not that I am unwilling to help — there is simply nothing I can do. With a physique like his, no one can guide the process for him. In the end, he must rely on himself.” Elder Wu Qingfeng shook his head.
“How can that be… Why not try once more?” Pang Bo smiled apologetically and continued to plead.
“This physique was called the number one holy physique of the pre-primordial era — naturally it is beyond the understanding of people like us. There must be many secrets about it that are unknown. Only, for reasons no one can explain, it can no longer recapture the glory of those ancient days. Whether it requires some special cultivation method, or whether there is some other cause, it is very difficult to say.”
At this moment, Ye Fan was still in a meditative state and had not yet awakened.
Pang Bo continued: “I think the elder truly ought to investigate this thoroughly. Who knows — if you were to discover the reason, you might be able to restore the supreme power of the pre-primordial number one holy physique once more. At that point, Lingxu Grotto Heaven’s ascent to greatness would be just around the corner.”
Elder Wu Qingfeng had lived through great ages and seen clearly into the ways of the world — there was no chance he would be taken in by such flattery. He shook his head with an amused laugh: “In the post-primordial era, this physique has appeared several times. Even the mighty sacred grounds of the Eastern Desolation were powerless to do anything about it. With the foundations of our Lingxu Grotto Heaven, do you really think we’d have any chance?”
“Oh!”
Just then, Elder Wu Qingfeng seemed to suddenly sense something. He reached out and once again pressed his hand against Ye Fan’s navel, then gathered the full force of his Life Essence to probe within.
“How is it, Elder… is there hope after all?” Pang Bo asked urgently.
A very long time passed before Elder Wu Qingfeng finally, wearily, lowered his hand and shook his head: “The Wheel of Life and the sea of bitterness remain solid as divine iron, utterly still and silent, without any fluctuation whatsoever. Yet I have a strange sense — the blood essence throughout his body seems to have grown even more vigorous. Though it is being held inward and is difficult to detect, the brief fluctuation just a moment ago was still something I was able to sense.”
“Blood essence growing more vigorous?” Pang Bo was puzzled.
“Indeed. The two of you accidentally consumed a type of sacred fruit in the primordial forbidden ground and then drank the holy spring water, transforming your constitutions completely and bringing about tremendous improvement — your vital blood energy became exceptionally vigorous.” At this point, Elder Wu Qingfeng’s expression took on a note of perplexity: “Over these days, he has made no progress at all in cultivating the Dao Scripture and has been wholly unable to sense the Wheel of Life. Yet now, his blood essence appears even more magnificent and surging — more vigorous even than yours.”
Pang Bo clicked his tongue in disbelief: “Didn’t you say the Dao Scripture is hailed as the greatest foundational method of the Eastern Desolation — a legendary immortal text that should be highly targeted and precise? The opening chapters are meant for cultivating the Wheel of Life — how did he end up cultivating it into his blood essence instead?”
“This…” Elder Wu Qingfeng also furrowed his brows, unable to make sense of it.
Just at that moment, Ye Fan opened his eyes. His gaze shone with brilliant light, his spirit and energy brimming to the fullest.
Seeing how vigorous and full of vitality he looked, Elder Wu Qingfeng was even less certain than before. He asked: “Have you sensed the Wheel of Life?”
Ye Fan shook his head and answered honestly: “No.”
“Then do you have any particularly unusual feelings?” the elder continued.
Ye Fan did not wish to conceal anything from him — the elder had truly been very good to him, giving his full effort and care, not showing the slightest discrimination or bias because of his unusual physique. On the contrary, the elder had been expending large amounts of his own Life Essence every day to help him.
“Although I haven’t sensed the Wheel of Life, I feel completely at ease throughout my entire body, with surging energy coursing through me.”
“Do you feel any change?” Elder Wu Qingfeng asked again.
“It feels as though I have strength without limit.” As he said this, Ye Fan lifted a large boulder in front of the thatched cottage with one hand, perfectly calm and composed, appearing to expend almost no effort at all.
Elder Wu Qingfeng immediately drew a sharp breath: “Judging by how effortlessly you did that, the strength in just one arm must be several thousand catties. Combined, both arms together would likely be close to the force of one elephant.”
Beside him, Pang Bo was also greatly astonished. He and Ye Fan had undergone the same remarkable reversal of aging, and the difference in their strength had previously been limited — but now he felt he could no longer match Ye Fan’s divine strength.
Elder Wu Qingfeng departed, still puzzled, unable throughout to understand why this was happening. The person before him could not sense the Wheel of Life — yet looking at him now, could he truly still be called an ordinary mortal?
After the elder left, Ye Fan suddenly broke into a run, passing before the small hill like a gust of violent wind. Pang Bo’s expression immediately became one of astonishment: “Not only has his strength increased greatly — his speed has gone up a notch as well!”
In the days that followed, the elder taught with even greater dedication, for once this period was over, he would no longer be able to teach them alone in this way. Before long, Ye Fan and Pang Bo would have no choice but to go to Lingxu Cliff and listen to the profound methods together with the others.
The master leads one to the door — cultivation depends on the individual. Once one has formally set out on the immortal path, one must rely entirely on oneself. Lingxu Grotto Heaven would provide profound methods and medicinal elixirs, but as for the transmission of teachings and the answering of doubts, all of that would be done collectively. After all, the elders also had their own cultivation to attend to, and did not have the time or energy to teach each disciple individually.
“Before long, you’ll be going to Lingxu Cliff. Once there, keep a low profile — endure what you can endure, and do not rashly raise your hand against anyone.”