NOVEL NEXT 57: Next Level (I)
Since his regression, Muchen handled most things with practiced ease. Whether teaching his disciples, planning for the future, laying traps for his enemies, or developing the sect—he was proficient in all.
However, the only thing he struggled with was cultivation—the most important aspect, in his opinion.
Before regression, his cultivation progressed slowly. After regression, the speed became a problem for a different reason: it exceeded what his body could handle.
Thus, Muchen devised a plan to trap a beast that could help him with this conundrum. Now, that very beast stared at him with dubious eyes upon hearing his plan.
"You want me to deceive your spiritual root?" she asked, still unable to believe what Muchen was asking.
"Yes. My body can't handle the speed of cultivation," he restated.
"How the hell can your body not keep up with your spiritual root?" Yae's whiskers twitched. "You... what have you done for power?"
The only reason Muchen's body wouldn't keep up with a spiritual root was if it hadn't originally belonged to him. Most methods to acquire spiritual roots came from the demonic path, often involving ripping a cultivator's soul from their body, leaving them in a vegetative state.
"It's nothing as bad as you're thinking," Muchen said, pointing at the black lotus. "One day, I woke up, and my spiritual root had changed to this."
"And I'm Goddess Nuwa. Your point?" Anger bled into Yae's voice.
"Look, you walk the Dao of Deception," Muchen said, his tone calm. "I'm sure you can tell the difference between a lie and the truth. I haven't harmed anyone to get this spiritual root. It was there when I woke up, and I'm still trying to figure out how and why."
Yae stared at the ground and closed her eyes. "...I understand." She couldn't sense any deception, but she had a feeling he didn't give her the full story.
"Much appreciated." Muchen placed her on his shoulder and walked toward the black lotus. "Your job is to trick the spiritual root into thinking it's running at full capacity. I'll lower its defenses so you won't need to exert too much."
"You trust me enough to leave your spiritual root defenseless?" Yae's eyebrow shot up.
"It's not trust," Muchen said. "I know you won't do anything cowardly like that."
"What gives you that confidence? Like you said, I follow the Dao of Deception," Yae replied. "I've only survived this long because of cowardly acts."
"No." Muchen held Yae in his hands and brought her in front of him. "You've survived because you want revenge for what happened to your people."
"To achieve that, you'll need good backing—insider information on righteous sects and cover from demonic sects until you're strong enough. I'm the ideal pawn. One that's willing to cooperate, so there's no need for extra steps that'll put you in danger."
"You're willing to be a pawn in my revenge?" Yae asked.
"I scratch your back, you scratch mine," Muchen smiled. "Besides, we have a common enemy."
I have other ways to make her cooperate, but no need to walk the harder path just for the sake of it, Muchen thought.
"Your words are sweet, no doubt," Yae said. "But you must have safeguards if I try something, right?"
"Naturally," Muchen nodded. "You'll die in a second if you try to take over my body. It might damage me, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."
"Too bad. I could tame all the female cultivators with that beautiful mug of yours, many men too I bet." Yae clicked her tongue.
"I'm a man heavily sought after," Muchen said, without a hint of denial.
"Heh. Maybe you aren't that irritating after all," Yae chuckled.
"Right back at you," Muchen replied.
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Yae jumped out of his hands. She walked on water and touched the black lotus with her front paws. "This spiritual root is incredible," she said. "At this stage, I can probably suppress it for about two hours a day."
"That's enough for now." Muchen sat down in front of the lotus.
The land rumbled, and mist cloaked the surrounding city on the lake. His spiritual root gathered Qi, its black petals more luscious than a starry night.
Three marks on Yae's forehead glowed crimson, and her eyes turned yellow. A stream of golden words flowed from her tiny body, wrapping around the black lotus like vines. The words absorbed the Qi the lotus tried to gather and glowed brighter. Threads of gold seeped into the petals, pulling more Qi.
The lotus, once an avalanche, became a manageable snowball.
"What output level do you want? Earth Grade, High Rank?" Yae asked, guessing based on what she sensed of his former spiritual root.
"Heaven Grade, High Rank," Muchen said. He didn't intend to play small.
"You think you can handle the Qi flow of a Heaven Grade spiritual root?"
"Certain," Muchen replied.
He had handled worse before. With a strengthened body thanks to the Heaven's Pond, his current tolerance and absorption rate should suffice.
"Well, it's your body," Yae shrugged. "But about the leftover Qi..."
"You can absorb it," he agreed. "Consider it your reward."
"As it should be." Yae turned back to the lotus.
Feeling the torrential rush of Qi, she understood why he'd placed her in the Earth Circle.
His consolidation can't keep up with the lotus' absorption rate. But using the Heaven and Earth Formation and lowering the spiritual root's defenses, he allows me to deceive the root and divert a major portion of the Qi flow away from his body. And if I absorb it while cultivating myself, my recovery will speed up.
Yae began circulating the Qi into her Dantian. Her once-barren core filled—one drop at a time.
It's no doubt a Divine Grade spiritual root, maybe a high rank based on its absorption rate. Yae smirked as she bulldozed through the Qi Gathering stages.
"Not bad," she said, glancing at Muchen's closed eyes. His words echoed in her ears.
You scratch my back, I scratch yours.
"Not bad at all."
What she didn't know was that Muchen had used his cultivation technique to reduce the black lotus' absorption rate to 25%.
***
For the first time since his regression, Muchen felt tranquil while cultivating. To him, cultivation was more than just absorbing Qi. It was a sacred time to shed worldly burdens and immerse in the mysteries of the Dao.
He enjoyed that peace—free from gossip, expectations, and desire. While cultivating, he could focus his entire being and embrace progress, no matter how small.
His new spiritual root had turned that serenity into pain. But with Yae's help, he had reclaimed his sanctuary.
There's a minor discomfort... but it's manageable. The Heaven's Pond had strengthened him, and Yae's precise control over her Dao made the process smoother.
Now, he didn't have to worry about dying from implosion.
His mind raced as Qi flowed through his veins and meridians. In the Golden Core realm, cultivators had to refine their organs. But Muchen had learned they could go further.
Qi Gathering strengthened skin and muscles. Foundation Building tempered bones and tendons. Golden Core refined organs and blood vessels. Together, they formed a complete study of the body. To truly understand the body, one had to study its building blocks:
Cells.
I must imprint the layout of my body onto my soul, like a blueprint, for regeneration. While most cultivators did this unconsciously, doing it consciously brought immense benefits—faster healing, greater control, and sharper senses.
Most didn't encounter the concept of cells until the Form Synthesis realm. Only five cultivators had reached that realm in this era, all recluses.
But as an Earthling and regressor who had once crossed Form Synthesis, Muchen knew one could lay these foundations as early as Qi Gathering.
He wanted the younger cultivators in his sect to benefit from this knowledge. He had even written a book about it—but timing its release was the key to avoiding suspicion.
For now, he worked on completing his body's blueprint and healing existing damage to avoid future issues. His Dantian filled slowly, but that wasn't the goal. He needed the blueprint ready before Nascent Soul if he wanted to maximize the Sword Silk stage.
The saying of complete understanding of body and sword isn't a joke by any means, Muchen thought, chuckling.
By the end of the two hours, he had moved a step closer to the 8th refinement of Golden Core.
"Not bad, brat." Yae's proud, powerful voice echoed as he opened his eyes.
"You could reach the Nascent Soul realm by year's end," she said, licking the single, fluffy tail that had just emerged.
"I have to reach it before two months," Muchen replied, checking his body.
"You're a greedy kid," Yae said.
"Is that a compliment?" Muchen smiled.
"Of course it is." Yae smirked, sharp canines on display. "I can hold out another hour if I push it."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Muchen asked.
Eager to reach the next level, the pair dove headfirst into cultivation once more.