Chapter Forty-Two: Breakthrough! Five-Star Spirit Master

Lu Zhe sat cross-legged atop a boulder, eyes closed, breathing steadily as the spiritual energy between heaven and earth swirled around him, drawn into his body and transformed into his own power.

With a long exhale, Lu Zhe released a breath of turbid air, which drifted upward into the blue sky and gradually dissolved into nothingness.

“Why haven’t I broken through yet?” Lu Zhe opened his eyes, examined his body, and looked inward at his spiritual core, his tone unguardedly filled with helplessness.

“Have I reached the limits of my talent since I haven’t advanced for so long?” he fretted to himself.

Master Ye, whose ears were sharp, caught his words and replied coolly, “When did you last break through to four stars?”

Lu Zhe thought for a moment. “Nearly two months ago.”

Master Ye regarded him with a calm expression. “No need to rush. Haste brings nothing but trouble.”

Lu Zhe frowned. “Master, I can’t keep wasting time like this. Back when I made that wager with Shangguan Yijing, she was already at the Spirit Master level. Even if she’d just broken through then, I bet she’s advanced another star or two by now.”

Master Ye glanced at him. “And how are you so sure she’s advanced a star or two?”

Lu Zhe waved his hand in explanation. “Her talent is exceptional, and with the Wind Dominion Sect backing her, of course she’s advanced.”

Master Ye stood, looking at Lu Zhe. “And so what? So long as you have the will, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.”

Lu Zhe shot Master Ye a look, then glanced at his bandaged right arm, drew a deep breath, and stared into the depths of the forest ahead.

Master Ye watched him silently for a long time before speaking, “Do you want to win against her this badly?”

Lu Zhe nodded, gripping his arm even tighter.

Master Ye, noting his disciple’s determination, suddenly chuckled and then said, “Do you want to know why you haven’t reached five stars yet?”

Lu Zhe perked up, turning to face him, his eyes bright. “I don’t know, Master, do you?”

Master Ye only smiled. “If you want to break through to five stars, there is a way.”

At this, Lu Zhe raised his hand, stopping him. “Master, I want real strength—strength that truly belongs to me, not something borrowed or hollow.”

Master Ye raised an eyebrow, then smiled. “You do have some backbone. I do have those medicines that can raise your rank, but I won’t give them to you.”

Lu Zhe was taken aback. “Then what will you give me?”

“A method for cultivation, of course,” Master Ye replied lightly.

Seeing Master Ye’s nonchalance, Lu Zhe thought darkly that his easy days were about to end—if he’d ever had any easy days at all. In fact, his life seemed to be one hardship after another.

He took a deep breath. “Very well, Master. I’m ready.”

Master Ye looked at him, arching an eyebrow, then gave a slight shudder. At once, a pair of broad, emerald-green wings unfurled from his back.

Lu Zhe stared at the wings, suddenly remembering something, and was about to speak when, with a whoosh, Master Ye grabbed him by the collar and soared into the sky.

“Ah!” Lu Zhe cried as he was whisked into the air.

“Master, where—where are we going?” he managed to shout, only to have the wind snatch the words from his lips.

“You’ll know when we arrive,” Master Ye called back, then increased his speed.

Before Lu Zhe could react, Master Ye halted, holding Lu Zhe in front of him. “Sit cross-legged and cultivate here for a day.”

Lu Zhe looked down and gasped. Beneath his feet was the summit of a mountain, but unlike any other—its peak was a single, pillar-like stone thrusting into the clouds, just wide enough for a person to sit. There was nothing else around; one false move and he’d plummet to his death.

Lu Zhe glanced up at Master Ye, who was now smiling, his eyes narrowed as he observed him.

Lu Zhe sighed.

No sooner had the sigh left his lips than Master Ye tossed him onto the bare pillar.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Lu Zhe struggled desperately to keep his balance. At last, he steadied himself, and heard Master Ye’s voice from above:

“Cultivate here, cross-legged, for a day. Remember, put your whole heart and soul into it. If you can truly devote yourself in these conditions, you should break through to five stars within three days.”

Lu Zhe peered down—the pillar was at least tens of meters high. He quickly looked away, took a sharp breath, and settled into cultivation.

At first, he could scarcely manage it, opening his eyes every few seconds to check his surroundings, terrified he might fall.

High above, Master Ye hovered on his broad emerald wings, watching Lu Zhe and murmuring, “If you can find calm in such a state, you’ll break through for sure. The reason you’ve been unable to advance is that you don’t fully commit yourself when cultivating. The spiritual energy you absorb remains unsettled, resulting in unstable power. Your body compensates automatically for this, but after all this time, your total spiritual power is barely more than half that of someone who cultivates with total focus.”

Lu Zhe kept glancing around, unable to concentrate, but after a while, he bowed his head in thought. Then, closing his eyes, he finally entered a meditative state.

Seeing this, Master Ye folded his wings and stood in the air, quietly watching over him.

Once in the zone, Lu Zhe felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surge into him. Every pore opened, greedily drawing in energy, his fear of falling forgotten.

Master Ye nodded in approval. “This boy adapts with remarkable speed.”

Lu Zhe himself didn’t know why he could so quickly adjust to being at such a height. But as he thought about it, he realized that without Master Ye’s help, there was no way down. Since this was deliberate training, worrying about falling was pointless—better to throw himself into cultivation and perhaps forget his fear altogether.

With this thought, he devoted himself entirely to his practice.

As his concentration deepened, his spiritual core began to change. The transparent core spun rapidly, absorbing energy like a black hole. As it did, the core expanded, and Lu Zhe’s pores opened wider still, drawing in even more power.

The more spiritual energy he absorbed, the faster and larger his core grew, until, after a dazzling flash of light, it returned to its original state.

Master Ye watched Lu Zhe quietly. Suddenly, sensing something, he unfurled his wings. At that instant, Lu Zhe’s eyes snapped open, and a powerful aura radiated from his body, a sharp light flashing in his gaze.

The brilliance faded quickly, and Lu Zhe soon returned to himself.

He rose swiftly, examined his body, looked inward at his core, gazed up at the sky, and murmured, “Five stars.”

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