The commotion caused by the demon beast uprising left profound doubts in the hearts of Qingxu Temple's upper echelons, but for most low-level disciples, life eventually had to return to normal. Although the alert had not been lifted, cultivation, tasks, and earning contribution points remained the main themes of daily life. Xiao Qi's days also resumed their previous rhythm, only more fulfilling and purposeful. The "Detailed Explanation of Basic Object Control Art" and alchemy materials obtained with fifty contribution points had opened up a new world for him.
Practice of the Object Control Art occupied a great deal of time. From initially only being able to make stones wobble and float unsteadily, he could now relatively stably control a fist-sized rock, making simple movements and turns in the air, and even barely make it briefly accelerate to strike a target. Although its power was negligible and the control range extremely limited, this marked his official entry into the threshold of artifact control. He discovered that his fine control over spiritual energy indeed gave him a unique advantage in the Object Control Art, and his progress far exceeded that of ordinary disciples described in the jade slip.
On this day, he was practicing the Object Control Art with full concentration in the secluded clearing behind the servants' quarters. His goal was to control a sharply angular bluish stone, making it fly steadily along a predetermined figure-eight trajectory. This required simultaneously precise control over the output intensity, direction, and subtle frequency changes of spiritual energy, which consumed a tremendous amount of mental energy. Holding his breath and focusing his mind, his spiritual sense tightly locked onto the bluish stone. The spiritual energy within his body slowly circulated according to the Object Control technique formula, separating into a fine thread that wound around the bluish stone like an invisible silk thread.
The bluish stone trembled as it rose and began moving along the trajectory. Initially, things went fairly smoothly, but when the stone reached the midpoint of the trajectory and needed to make a sharp turn, the demands on spiritual energy control suddenly increased. Xiao Qi's mind was taut as he struggled to maintain stable output and precise guidance of spiritual energy.
Just as his entire mind was immersed in control, and the spiritual energy within his body spontaneously accelerated its circulation due to intense concentration, flowing through certain subtle meridians faintly connected to the jade pendant—the pendant on his chest suddenly transmitted another clear sensation of warmth without any warning!
This time, it wasn't the searing heat of memory transmission, nor the continuous vibration upon waking from a nightmare, but a gentle yet firm guiding warmth, like a faint lamp quietly lighting up in the darkness. Simultaneously, an extremely weak yet distinctly directional intention emerged quietly in Xiao Qi's mind along with this warmth—pointing toward the back mountain! A specific direction that he vaguely remembered!
Xiao Qi's mind swayed violently, and the bluish stone in mid-turn instantly lost control, falling to the ground with a "plop." He didn't bother to pick it up, instinctively covering his chest to feel the clear guidance. That direction... wasn't the path leading to his secret base, but deeper into the back mountain, even... approaching that fog-shrouded mountain basin area designated as a forbidden zone!
Why would the jade pendant suddenly point there? Was it because he had just been practicing the Object Control Art, and the circulation of spiritual energy had touched upon some opportunity? Or was it because that area contained something related to the jade pendant, to the "Purification Source"? Countless thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind.
The Clearheart Grass in the abandoned medicine garden, the records about "Primordial Artifacts" in the fragmentary scrolls in the library building, his parents' final entrustment, and that demon beast uprising full of suspicious points... various clues seemed vaguely connected to this back mountain, to this forbidden zone.
Go? Or not go? Xiao Qi's heart was filled with struggle and hesitation. He had long heard of the dangers of the forbidden zone. Even inner sect senior brothers returning defeated and with damaged spiritual sense after team exploration—for him, a mere Qi Refining third-layer minor cultivator, rashly going would be no different from seeking death. The sect's prohibition was a sharp sword hanging over his head.
Yet, the guidance from the jade pendant was so clear. This might be an important clue to unveil the secret of his parents' legacy and explore his own origins! Could he shrink back simply because of danger? He yearned for power, yearned for the truth, and this guidance might well be a shortcut, or rather, an unavoidable trial.
He recalled the senior brother's steady-as-a-mountain sword intent, the third senior sister's frustration-driven urging, and the vow he had secretly made to himself. The path of cultivation was inherently defying the heavens, contending with the heavens, contending with the earth, contending with others! If he didn't dare to take even the slightest unknown risk, how could he talk about the Great Dao? How could he talk about revenge?
But impulse was the devil. Xiao Qi forced himself to calm down. He deeply understood the disparity in strength. With his current cultivation level, let alone entering the core of the forbidden zone, he probably couldn't even withstand the eerie white fog on the periphery. Slowly loosening the hand covering his chest, the warmth from the jade pendant hadn't disappeared; the clear directional sense remained imprinted in his mind, like an unsolved riddle.
He couldn't act rashly. Xiao Qi took a deep breath, and clarity returned to his eyes. Bending down to pick up the fallen bluish stone, he didn't continue practicing the Object Control Art. The immediate priority was to improve his strength! At the very least, he needed to reach the Qi Refining mid-stage, possessing stronger self-preservation abilities, perhaps only then would he preliminarily qualify to explore that area. At the same time, he also needed to learn more about the forbidden zone—knowing both himself and the enemy.
He buried this sudden guidance deep within his heart, classifying it as top secret. This was an opportunity belonging solely to him, and also a crisis belonging solely to him.
In the days that followed, Xiao Qi cultivated even more diligently. He devoted more time to practicing the "Qi Induction Art," striving to accumulate spiritual energy and break through the bottleneck to the Qi Refining fourth layer. He also became more engaged in Senior Sister Liu Yun's special training, continuously tempering his physique and reactions. Practice of the Object Control Art wasn't neglected either; he even began attempting to use the methods of the Object Control Art to remotely influence the weight of the flat-bottomed wok (though the effect was minuscule), preparing for the future when he would truly control this wok.
During every cultivation break, he would unconsciously gaze toward the direction of the back mountain forbidden zone. That fog-shrouded mountain basin was no longer merely a symbol of danger in his eyes, but had become a treasure trove full of temptation and the unknown, waiting for him to open it one day.
The jade pendant on his chest had returned to calm, but that guidance had taken root and sprouted in his heart like a seed. It quietly waited, waiting for Xiao Qi to accumulate sufficient strength, waiting for a suitable opportunity.
And Xiao Qi knew that when he felt the call of the jade pendant again, perhaps, it would be the moment he set foot on that thorny path leading to truth and power. This road was destined not to be smooth, but he was already prepared.