Chapter 185: Useful Little Spells
Not long after, the door of the bathhouse was pushed open again. Zhongli returned, accompanied by Wise and Belle.
"You're back... Whoa!" Stelle heard the commotion and turned to greet them, but her words caught in her throat, morphing into an exclamation.
March 7th glanced over at the sound and let out a similar gasp. "You... how are you guys so clean?!"
Their astonishment was hardly surprising. After a full day of running and fighting through the ruins, drilling through collapsed passages and smashing stone monsters, Stelle, March 7th, and even Dan Heng had inevitably collected a thick layer of grime. Traces of battle still clung to their hair and clothes. While they weren't exactly disheveled, they were certainly travel-worn.
In stark contrast, Zhongli, Wise, and Belle, who had just stepped inside, were spotless. They were utterly free of dust, looking as if they hadn't spent a day exploring ancient ruins but had just returned from a leisurely stroll through a park. Only the cuffs and shoulders of Wise's scholar's robe showed a few obvious tears, the sole proof that they had indeed experienced intense combat.
Wise was taken aback by the question, subconsciously looking down at himself before he understood the source of their surprise.
"Oh, Dan Heng isn't back yet?" he replied first. "We were going to debrief once everyone was here." He then gestured to their pristine state and explained, "As for this, it's all thanks to Mr. Zhongli."
Belle added with a smile, her tone brimming with a sense of novelty. "That's right! Mr. Zhongli just used a little spell called the 'Dust-Cleansing Art' back at the anchor point."
"With just a flick of his finger, all the dust and dirt on us vanished completely! Not even a hint of a smell was left!" She pointed to the damaged section of her brother's clothes, her expression turning regretful. "Of course, this spell can't fix the places where my brother's clothes were torn during the fight."
"Dust-Cleansing Art?!" Stelle's and March 7th's eyes instantly lit up, as if they had just discovered an very useful treasure. For two girls who couldn't always maintain their elegance (especially Stelle), the appeal was immense.
Imagine it: no matter how dirty or messy the place they explored, no matter how grueling the fight, a single spell afterward could make them fresh and clean again. How convenient! How miraculous!
"Mr. Zhongli! Is that spell difficult to learn? Are the requirements high? Can people like us learn it?" Stelle immediately zipped over to Zhongli, bombarding him with questions, her eyes shining with yearning.
"Yes, yes! Are there any similar ones... like a 'Cleaning Art'? The kind that can instantly clean an entire room?" March 7th's thoughts had already wandered further, fantasizing about doing housework with magic—no, with spells.
Looking at the two girls'expectant faces, Zhongli smiled gently and answered with his usual patience. "The'Dust-Cleansing Art' is not a deep spell."
"Besides this, there are similar arts like the 'Cleaning Art'and the'Object Manipulation Art.'In the records of the'Shushan Disciple's Enlightenment Casket,' they are all considered basic minor spells, created to help the daily lives of disciples. They consume very little spiritual power, and one can attempt to learn them after cultivating even a slight sense of Qi. There is no excessively high threshold."
He paused, then continued his explanation. "The 'Cleaning Art'you mentioned does indeed exist, with a wider scope of effect that can be used to clean residences and courtyards. The'Object Manipulation Art' allows one to move objects from a distance, saving the trouble of running back and forth."
"These spells are intended to allow cultivators to save time on trivial matters and focus more on cultivating the Great Dao. The 'Enlightenment Casket' that Paimon drew truly contains a wide array of practical content."
Upon hearing this, Stelle's and March 7th's eyes were already gleaming, wishing they could immediately go and study that cultivation method.
Then, unable to contain her curiosity, March 7th cautiously asked, "Then... Mr. Zhongli, what... what realm have you cultivated to now? You seem to use these spells so effortlessly."
Zhongli pondered for a moment before answering frankly, not seeing any reason to conceal it. "Thanks to the environment of the cultivation room, my progress has been satisfactory. I have now completed Foundation Establishment and am currently sorting through my insights, preparing for Core Formation."
"Core Formation?!"
"That fast?!"
The moment the words left his lips, it wasn't just Stelle and March 7th who were stunned. Even Wise and Belle, standing beside him, wore expressions of pure shock.
How many days had it been? From the moment they first encountered the cultivation method until now, even at the most generous estimate, it hadn't been long at all. And he was already about to undergo Core Formation?
This speed was simply astonishing! In many of the cultivation stories they knew, countless people could be stuck in the Foundation Establishment stage for their entire lives.
Facing their collective surprise, Zhongli's expression remained calm. "There is no need for you all to be too surprised," he explained. "I, too, used the convenience of the cultivation room."
"The flow of time within it is different from the outside world, and the energy environment is extremely similar to the ancient grotto-heavens and blessed lands of legend, with exceptionally abundant spiritual energy. It is indeed a great boon to cultivation, which is why I have made such progress."
His explanation helped everyone feel a little more at ease, but they also understood the truth. While the cultivation room's environment was a huge advantage, the fundamental reason for Zhongli's rapid progress was far more likely his deep experience accumulated over long millennia, his crystal-clear state of mind, and his deep understanding of the fundamental laws of heaven and earth.
They had all, more or less, read some cultivation novels or stories and knew the critical importance of one's 'state of mind' on the path of cultivation.
For an Emperor of Stone who had experienced thousands of years of vicissitudes, witnessed the rise and fall of countless nations, and had long since seen through the illusions of the mortal world, his mental cultivation was probably more stable and deep than that of the most powerful beings described in any cultivation novel.
For him, perhaps there was no bottleneck to speak of between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation. All he had been missing was a suitable energy environment and the catalyst of a cultivation method.
Having understood this, the group looked at Zhongli again, their surprise gradually melting into deep admiration. Great power might be acquired quickly, but the wisdom and insight honed by the passage of time were the truly irreplaceable treasures.
Just then, the bathhouse door was pushed open. Dan Heng walked in, carrying a large bag of takeout from what smelled like the Cloudstone Restaurant.
He saw everyone in the living room staring at Zhongli, who was sitting with his eyes closed, with an almost dazed look on their faces. He was slightly taken aback. Placing the food on the table, he asked in confusion, "What happened?"
Stelle immediately seemed to have found her audience. She took a quick step toward Dan Heng and lowered her voice in an exaggerated, conspiratorial tone. "Dan Heng! You're back! Big news! Zhongli... he's already completed Foundation Establishment and is about to undergo Core Formation!"
Dan Heng's hand, which was still holding the bag, paused almost imperceptibly. A clear look of surprise flashed in his usually placid eyes. "Core Formation?"
"It's that Core Formation! The one from the cultivation realms! The Golden Core Great Dao! The kind where your strength will skyrocket!" Stelle gestured wildly, trying to emphasize the monumental significance of the news.
March 7th nodded vigorously in agreement, her face still showing a lingering sense of shock. "Yes, yes! It's too fast! It feels like we've just started to explore, and Mr. Zhongli is already almost at the finish line!"
Hearing this, Dan Heng's eyes flashed with genuine admiration.
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