Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

Leaving the secret chamber where Tang Yuanshan was imprisoned, Yann Weiran, the Patriarch of the Yann Family, dismissed everyone else and had Yann Nanshuang stay behind.

"Nanshuang."

"What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Atop a high tower, Yann Weiran stood before a window with his hands clasped behind his back, his distant gaze taking in all of Yunjing Island.

"The Patriarch’s planning is masterful, capable of deciding victory from a thousand miles away," Yann Nanshuang said, offering a respectful salute.

"Not only did we capture Master Tang, who was trying to escape, but we also seized the opportunity to acquire a Core Formation Spiritual Object—the Profound Ice Flame."

"It’s just..."

"The Xiangg Family of Cuihu Island suffered an undeserved calamity."

"Such misplaced compassion!" Yann Weiran’s voice dropped, clearly dissatisfied with her words.

"If we hadn’t moved against Cuihu Island, we would have never obtained the Profound Ice Flame. An opportunity like this comes once in a millennium."

"Besides..."

"The Xiangg Family had plenty of valuable assets. Even after splitting the spoils with the other families in the Commerce Association, our share was substantial. It was killing several birds with one stone."

"Yes," Yann Nanshuang nodded. She felt a pang of pity, but she knew this served the family’s interests.

"Nanshuang."

Yann Weiran paced with his hands behind his back and sighed.

"The Yann Family seems to be at its zenith, but in reality, our prosperity is like oil sizzling over a hot flame—one wrong move, and we will be utterly shattered."

"Your second grand-uncle was killed by a Tribulation Cultivator, and we still haven’t found out who leaked his whereabouts. Your talent in Arrays is on par with Tang Yuanshan’s, but you are still young. It will take time for you to catch up to him."

"I..."

"I will soon be consuming the Profound Ice Flame to attempt a breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm. If I succeed, everything will be fine. If I fail, the Yann Family will lose another top-tier expert."

He turned and looked Yann Nanshuang straight in the eye.

"The Profound Ice Flame isn’t the most suitable Core Formation Spiritual Object for me, but I no longer have a choice."

’What?’

Yann Nanshuang’s head snapped up, her heart lurching.

’He’s right.’

’The Yann Family appeared to be thriving, and Master Tang was still under our control, but in reality, we’re at a critical turning point.’

’If Yann Weiran successfully refines the Profound Ice Flame and breaks through to the Golden Core Realm, the Yann Family will reach even greater heights and seize the chance to become the undisputed master of the Yunjing Commerce Association.’

’But if he fails...’

’The Yann Family will lose yet another Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator. In our current state, we’ll no longer be able to completely suppress the Fang Family.’

’For years, the Yann Family has controlled the Commerce Association and taken the lion’s share of the profits. The other families have been resentful for a long time.’

’At that point...’

’...who knows what might happen.’

"Patriarch."

Her expression shifting, Yann Nanshuang spoke with a solemn voice.

"Your Dao Foundation is solid and your Cultivation is profound. With the help of a Core Formation Spiritual Object, you will certainly achieve the Golden Core Realm."

’Even if he fails, he’ll at least be able to survive.’

Of course...

...she didn’t say that last part out loud.

"Let’s hope so," Yann Weiran said, his expression impassive.

"But historically, not even one in ten who attempt to break through to the Golden Core Realm succeed. While I have some confidence, I have no absolute certainty."

"We must always prepare for the worst."

He fixed his gaze on Yann Nanshuang and said in a low, heavy voice,

"The Yann Family needs the younger generation—your generation—to support it. So..."

"Don’t think you can relax just because life has been easy and the family’s foundations are deep. Now is the time for you to shoulder your responsibilities."

Yann Nanshuang looked up, a complicated expression in her eyes.

’For the Patriarch to involve me in the family’s core affairs today and to lecture me so earnestly... it’s clear he has great expectations for me.’

......

Responsibility!

That word weighed so heavily on Yann Nanshuang’s shoulders that she could barely walk upright on her way back to her Cave Mansion.

VMMMM...

The stone doors of the Cave Mansion slid open to either side.

Yann Nanshuang moved on instinct, heading to the secret chamber where she practiced Arrays.

The floor of the chamber was covered in countless, densely packed patterns, enough to make one’s head spin with a single glance.

If Zhu Ju had been there, he would have recognized them at a glance; the patterns were identical to the island Array he had broken with the Elemental Prohibition Ring.

"Channeling?"

Yann Nanshuang collected her thoughts. Looking at the Array before her, she cupped her chin in thought and took out two items.

These two items were also part of what she had recovered from the island.

When the Tribulation Cultivator appeared, Yann Huachang knew he couldn’t escape, so he had secretly passed these items to her.

She hadn’t told a soul about it.

It wasn’t out of greed; the items were related to Arrays, and she had planned to study them for a while before revealing them.

The heavy responsibility she now carried made her feel an even greater urgency to improve her mastery of Arrays.

CRACK!

The Jade Bracelet cracked open. Particles of a black, rice-sized substance flew out and settled onto the various nodes of the Array.

"After all this time, I’ve finally managed to recreate that Array,"

Yann Nanshuang murmured to herself.

’I wonder what this Array is for?’

She had never seen such a peculiar Array before. It seemed to involve space, time, and even a connection to the celestial stars.

It was somewhat similar to the Teleportation Array Tang Yuanshan had painstakingly prepared, yet fundamentally different.

’It’s like...’

’...something from an Otherworld!’

After a moment’s thought,

she tossed out the Flying Sword she had acquired, threw in a High-Grade Spirit Stone, and channeled her True Essence to try and activate the Array.

VMMMM...

The Array’s Spiritual Light flickered.

The High-Grade Spirit Stone instantly turned to dust, and the Spiritual Light on the Flying Sword dimmed considerably.

"Hm?"

’A single High-Grade Spirit Stone contains a terrifying amount of energy, yet it was drained in an instant.’

"A Tier Two Array?"

"At least Tier Two Middle Grade!"

Surprise filled Yann Nanshuang’s eyes.

’How is that possible?’

She knew full well how complex a Tier Two Array was; it was not something that could be inscribed so easily.

’No!’

’The most difficult part of this Array isn’t inscribing the Array Map, but those unknown substances that were hidden in the Jade Bracelet.’

’Without them,’

’...the Array is completely useless.’

After a moment’s thought, Yann Nanshuang took a grayish stone from her storage bag and tentatively tossed it into the Array.

It was a Necromancer Stone. In theory, it contained energy comparable to a Top-Grade Spirit Stone, but that energy was incredibly difficult to extract.

’But it’s perfect for testing an Array.’

The next instant.

VMMMM...

Tendrils of strange black Qi materialized from thin air, enveloping the stone and frantically devouring the energy within.

’What is that?’

Yann Nanshuang’s face went pale, and she took an instinctive step back.

’This Array...’

’...it’s alive?’

The scene sent a chill down her spine. Her body flickered as she tried to flee, but her vision suddenly went black.

Her consciousness drifted.

An unknown amount of time passed.

"The world of the Demon Heaven Six Paths."

A low, chilling voice echoed from an unknown place:

"A frail Physical Body, but it will suffice. So, your name is Yann Nanshuang..."

"Become one with me!"

"Together, we will achieve Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and even surpass the Nascent Soul Realm! We will be masters of this world! Heh heh... heh heh..."

Yann Nanshuang stood with an expressionless face and vacant eyes. Only after a long while did her eyeballs move, and consciousness returned.

She touched her cheek, her expression flickering between a laugh and a cry. She seemed strangely like a different person.

*

*

*

GLUG... GLUG...

The Primordial Spirit Stone Embryo soaked in a large jar filled with white Honey Milk, with bubbles occasionally breaking the surface.

It looked as if something were breathing below.

As time passed, the Honey Milk slowly receded, and the surface of the Primordial Spirit Stone Embryo began to soften.

Limbs gradually took shape, facial features became distinct, and its once-faint Spirituality grew increasingly dense.

’It’s working!’

Zhu Ju didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He was happy because the Liao siblings’ deduction had been correct: the honey of the Profound Jade Bee truly did help incubate the Primordial Spirit Stone Embryo.

He was distraught because...

...he only had a limited supply of the honey. Once it was gone, it was gone. At this rate, it was impossible to fully incubate the embryo.

’What a pity!’

’The Profound Jade Bee is an Ancient Strange Bee. The Liao siblings stumbled upon a hive by chance and went through untold hardships just to hatch one swarm. Finding another is next to impossible.’

Sighing in resignation, Zhu Ju shook his head and rubbed his forehead.

’Still, I should be able to mature the Primordial Spirit Stone Embryo until it has clear facial features. With another three to five hundred years of nurturing, it should fully form.’

’If I had some Innate Divine Milk...’

’Just ten or so drops would be enough to mature it. That would at least give me something to look forward to. And even if I sold it, it would fetch a sky-high price.’

However, selling such a priceless treasure wouldn’t be easy. There’s an old saying: innocence is no crime, but possessing a treasure is. Showing it off without sufficient Cultivation would only attract the greed of others. Even if he wanted to sell it, he’d have to wait until he was strong enough.

......

「Over the next few days.」

Zhu Ju, in disguise, frequented various Dark Workshops.

He traded his loot, piece by piece, for Spirit Stones, Elixirs, and the materials needed to craft Arrays and Magical Artifacts.

The Liao siblings were notorious Tribulation Cultivators in the area, and Guu Xinglan had been quite wealthy himself, to say nothing of the other spoils.

He now had enough to gather the materials for the third Array in his Inverted Five Elements Array.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu!"

The Drunken Daoist strode over, seemingly treading on a gentle breeze, his long sleeves billowing. He brought with him the strong scent of wine as he called out with a smile:

"Have you heard? That scoundrel Guu Xinglan has gone missing."

"I have," Zhu Ju nodded.

"I heard that after he killed Canx Yunzi, he didn’t dare return to the Yunjing Commerce Association, so he fell in with a bad crowd and became a Tribulation Cultivator."

Of course, he was the one who’d spread that rumor.

However, the part about Guu Xinglan killing Canx Yunzi was true—there were witnesses, and the Commerce Association had confirmed it.

"Indeed!"

The Drunken Daoist let out a sigh, his tone heavy with emotion.

"Desire is like wine, it intoxicates a man until he can’t break free. Who would have thought that the Fellow Daoist Guu we once knew would end up walking this path?"

"Fellow Daoist Zhu."

"I heard you got on his bad side. You absolutely must not go out alone for a while. I fear there could be trouble."

"Mm," Zhu Ju nodded.

"I won’t be leaving the island anytime soon."

’Calculating the time, it should be about time for a change of imperial power back in the Otherworld. A good chance to reap some benefits.’

’I just wonder if my ’Female Disciple’ has found the Method I’m looking for.’

"There is one more thing,"

the Drunken Daoist said slowly, stroking his beard.

"The main line of the Xiangg Family on Cuihu Island has been wiped out. The remaining branch clans have chosen to submit. The Fang Family will be leaving some of their people on the island, basically becoming permanent residents here. Fang Chu of the Fang Family is one of them."

"Oh?"

Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.

’Why is that?’

’Fang Chu is the prodigy of his generation in the Fang Family, his fame rivaling that of the Yann Family’s Yann Nanshuang. He’s a future Golden Core Seed.’

’For someone like that...’

’...why would he be left on Cuihu Island, a place relatively barren of Cultivation resources?’

"What other reason could there be?"

The Drunken Daoist’s gaze was distant.

"It’s because the Patriarch of my Yann Family is about to enter seclusion to attempt his breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm."

"As is tradition, if a Golden Core Grandmaster emerges within the Commerce Association, they will have the final say in all of its affairs."

"Seeing that my Yann Family might soon produce a Golden Core Grandmaster, it’s only natural that the Fang Family would leave a contingent behind to preserve their bloodline, just in case."

He let out a soft sigh.

"The Fang Family is doing this... but is my own Yann Family any different?"

’The Yann Family Patriarch is about to go into seclusion to attempt his breakthrough?’

Zhu Ju’s brows shot up.

’Just as I thought!’

’So the Profound Ice Flame did end up in the Yann Family’s hands after all. I wonder if he’ll succeed in his breakthrough.’

Judging by the Drunken Daoist’s expression, he was also worried.

’Failing to break through to the Golden Core Realm isn’t an automatic death sentence, but it would definitely cause a massive loss of Cultivation and even shorten one’s lifespan.’

’Considering the Yann Patriarch’s age, if this breakthrough fails, he probably won’t have much time left.’

’The Profound Ice Flame...’

’...doesn’t seem to be a perfect match for the Yann Family’s legacy arts, either.’

"When will Elder Yann attempt the breakthrough?"

"I don’t know."

The Drunken Daoist shook his head.

"Then..." Zhu Ju asked,

"How long will the Commerce Association be staying here?"

"Three or four months, I’d say," the Drunken Daoist replied after a moment of calculation.

"There’s still a lot to handle. It could be as short as two or three months, but it might be as long as half a year."

’That’s long enough!’

Zhu Ju nodded slowly.

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