Chapter Forty-One: Third Level of Innate Realm!

Outside the valley, silence reigned. The demon beasts had long since departed. It was now daylight; sunlight, like fiery threads, pierced through the leaves of shrubs and spilled into the cave.

Inside, the three sat cross-legged, their breathing steady as they quietly cultivated. Time slipped by unnoticed, until Shi Yan finally awakened from his deep meditation. He twisted his neck, stood, and stretched his joints slowly.

The Third Heaven of the Innate Realm!

Taking a deep breath, Shi Yan felt clear-headed and invigorated. All fatigue had vanished from his body, and his senses were keener than ever before. With the aid of those strange energies, his cultivation had advanced like an arrow loosed from a bow, propelling him swiftly into the Third Heaven of the Innate Realm.

Standing at the cave entrance, he could faintly sense the spiritual energy permeating the world. Once invisible to him, that energy now brushed against his awareness, barely perceptible yet present.

Sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was a hallmark of the Third Heaven Innate warriors. Only by perceiving this energy could one draw it into their cultivation or harness it in the execution of martial techniques.

A thought flickered through his mind, and his body grew as hard as iron. His skin darkened to a dusky brown, and a faint black sheen shimmered across its surface, much like when he conjured the Blacklight Shield.

Surprised, Shi Yan realized upon closer examination that he had not used any essence to activate the Blacklight Shield. In other words, the subtle black glow seeping from his skin arose purely from the second stage of his Petrification Martial Spirit.

He considered this for a moment, a smile curving his lips as he understood the wondrous transformation of his skin was indeed connected to his martial spirit.

The cave was no longer dim. Shi Yan’s dark eyes shifted, glancing over Mu Yudie and Di Yalan.

Both women remained seated in meditation, eyes closed, faint halos of dim light drifting about them. Within, their essence flowed along unique trajectories.

Shi Yan had infused a portion of that strange energy into Mu Yudie, partly to see if it could be transferred without intimacy, and partly to bolster their group. He had no idea what dangers still lay ahead, and if Mu Yudie remained a burden, it would be disastrous for their journey.

As Di Yalan had mentioned, before her meridians were severed, Mu Yudie had also been a warrior. If she could fully recover, it would be a great advantage for the road ahead.

With these considerations, he’d shared a fraction of his strange power with her.

Shi Yan held his breath, focusing intently on Mu Yudie. Suddenly, he detected a thick, pure essence flowing within her body.

Astonished, he studied her closely. The more he observed, the greater his surprise grew.

Mu Yudie’s essence was far more refined than Di Yalan’s. In fact, her cultivation was deeper than Di Yalan’s!

This revelation startled him. He had always known Mu Yudie was a warrior, but assumed she was only at the Innate Realm at best. After all, she was much younger than Di Yalan; it would be unreasonable for her to have surpassed Di Yalan in cultivation.

Yet reality defied his assumptions. Mu Yudie, still so young, had already stepped into the Human Rank, a full realm above Di Yalan’s previous level!

As he stood there, marveling, he sensed Mu Yudie’s essence gradually settling.

He knew she was about to awaken.

Sure enough, not long after, Mu Yudie’s long lashes fluttered and her eyes slowly opened.

Her bright, limpid gaze lit up the cave, set within her delicate features. She resembled a woodland spirit, her entire being exuding an unspeakable charm that was truly captivating.

Shi Yan stood stunned, staring at her in a moment of dazed bewilderment.

“Have you looked your fill?” Mu Yudie’s expression remained cool. She rose gracefully, stretched, and smiled lightly. “From today on, I’m no longer a burden.”

As she stretched, silvery streams of light slipped from her slender hands, flickering through the air like harp strings.

Her fingers gently trembled, plucking at the void, causing those vanished strands to flash in and out between her jade-like digits.

“I’m just practicing. It’s been so long since I played the zither—I’d hate to grow rusty.” Mu Yudie’s smile was as fresh and clear as a mountain brook, ethereal and serene, with an intoxicating charm of its own.

“You’re even more beautiful than before,” Shi Yan said candidly after gazing at her for a while.

With her meridians restored, essence at the peak of the Human Rank flowed within her. Her skin grew even more radiant, her complexion rosy, her eyes bright and clear. She seemed beyond the reach of hardship, brimming with confidence, her entire aura transformed.

With her power restored, she seemed like a different person, her allure more than doubled.

At that moment, Mu Yudie, in Shi Yan’s eyes, outshone Di Yalan and Mo Yanyu by an entire tier. In both cultivation and demeanor, she surpassed them completely.

“Thank you,” Mu Yudie replied calmly, her tone casual. “How long was I out?”

“About two days,” Shi Yan mused. “I can’t be sure, but it felt like we spent more than a day in this cave. Are you fully recovered?”

“Yes.” Mu Yudie nodded with confidence. “Once Sister Lan wakes, let’s leave this place.”

“Very well,” Shi Yan answered absentmindedly, feeling a subtle disappointment.

Before, Mu Yudie, though overly compassionate, was still endearing—like a mischievous little sister. But now, with her strength restored, her charm was overwhelming, yet the sweetness was gone. She projected a lofty, untouchable aura that made Shi Yan uncomfortable.

Irritated, Shi Yan said nothing more. Ignoring her, he walked out of the cave and wandered the valley.

He retrieved the martial technique book titled “Magnetic Domain” from his pack, flipping through a few pages without reading closely. Satisfied that the text was intact, he carefully stored it again.

A spirit-level technique required at least the Earth Rank for cultivation. He was only in the Innate Realm, far from that threshold. Attempting it prematurely might damage his mind and hinder rather than help his progress.

Understanding this, he tucked the technique away after confirming its contents.

Half a day later, Di Yalan and Mu Yudie emerged from the cave, their clothes neat and spirits high, clearly ready to set out again.

“Kid, thanks. My realm is stable now,” Di Yalan said heartily.

Breaking into a new realm was always risky. One had to quickly fortify their essence, or else instability could lead to disaster during battle or cultivation.

The energy Shi Yan had infused into her had taken effect again, helping her stabilize her new realm so she could fight without fear of losing control.

“Alright, let’s go,” Shi Yan replied with a faint smile, taking the lead out of the valley.

***

Seven days later.

Shi Yan and his companions finally emerged from the boundless, shadowy forest. Looking back at the towering ancient trees, all three felt as though they’d survived a great ordeal.

During those seven days, they encountered no further danger. The warriors and mercenaries in the dark forest had fled or perished, unwilling to linger in such a perilous place. For some reason, the demon beasts led by the Thunderwing Silver Wolf had also fallen silent, ceasing their rampages.

With both demon beasts and mercenaries keeping to themselves, the rest of the journey was unexpectedly smooth. They passed safely through the perilous lands and out of the forest.

The road to the Commerce Alliance led through Silent Town, and on the way lay a vast stone forest.

The stone forest was filled with bizarre rocks, some as large as hills, some only as tall as a man, riddled with countless caves—natural hiding places.

Within that forest, ruthless warriors lay in wait throughout the year, preying on passersby.

Those who emerged from the dark forest were either merchants or warriors and mercenaries returning from adventure. Merchants from other nations brought goods, and any warrior or mercenary who survived the forest carried valuable herbs and beast materials.

Both groups were lucrative targets.

Thus, experts lurked in the stone forest year-round, lying in wait for such prey. If they deemed someone vulnerable, they would strike mercilessly.

At times, the stone forest was even more dangerous than the dark woods. Anyone entering alone, unless an elite of the Calamity Rank, would almost certainly run into trouble.

“The stone forest is dangerous—perhaps people from the Shadow Sect are lying in ambush,” Di Yalan warned Mu Yudie.

“It’s alright. We’ll have reinforcements waiting for us in the stone forest; there’s no need to worry,” Mu Yudie smiled, glancing back at Shi Yan. “Are you heading into the stone forest?”

“Yes. I’m with the Commerce Alliance, so naturally, I’m going back,” Shi Yan replied.

“Good. Then let’s stick together. As long as you stay with us, there’s nothing to fear in the stone forest,” Mu Yudie said confidently, not waiting for Shi Yan’s answer. “Come on, let’s go. You can relax now—we’re safe.”

Shi Yan responded coolly, but remained on guard. As soon as they entered the stone forest, he focused intensely, alert for any sign of danger.

From another Shi Yan’s memories, he knew the stone forest was a chaotic place, teeming with rival factions—even some great houses of the Commerce Alliance operated in secret.

He didn’t know what preparations Mu Yudie had made, but he did know that lowering his guard here could mean instant death.

Within the stone forest, Shi Yan’s mind was as calm as still water, his eyes darting constantly. Every five steps, he glanced back over his shoulder.

…