Chapter Sixty-One: Breakthrough! The Spiritualist’s Barrier

“Heh, heh, ha, heh!” Lu Zhe punched swiftly by the riverside.

Suddenly, he took a deep breath, chest expanding, and let out a loud shout. His right arm’s muscles tensed, veins bulged, and he strode three steps to the left, thrusting his right fist forward to strike a tree as thick as a bowl.

Boom!

His fist slammed into the trunk, unleashing a deafening explosion. With the thunderous sound, the tree crashed to the ground.

Lu Zhe watched the fallen tree, a faint smile at the corner of his lips. He shook his right arm, crimson with blood, droplets trickling down, staining the earth with tiny red spots.

He walked to the brook, dipping his bloodied arm to wash it clean. Looking at his reflection in the water, he found nothing had changed except his hair had grown longer.

After drinking two handfuls of water, Lu Zhe went to Elder Ye, moving a stone nearby to sit down.

Elder Ye was holding a wooden stick, skewering a chicken he had hunted during idle hours, roasting it over the fire.

“How’s your arm?” Elder Ye asked, eyes fixed on the chicken rolling in the flames.

“It’s much better—not cracking open as much as before,” Lu Zhe replied, examining his right arm with a nonchalant expression.

Elder Ye did not look at him, his gaze unwavering on the roasting chicken. Lu Zhe glanced over, seeing the small fires reflected in those deep, profound eyes.

Lu Zhe picked up some dry twigs and tossed them into the fire. Flames surged, instantly engulfing the twigs, crackling as they burst.

The two sat in silence. Elder Ye focused on roasting the chicken, while Lu Zhe idly watched the fire, occasionally feeding it with twigs to keep the flames lively.

Suddenly, Elder Ye asked, “Zhe’er, how long have we been in these mountains?”

Lu Zhe looked up, thought for a moment, and replied, “About three months, I think.”

Elder Ye nodded, then asked, “How much time until your promised deadline?”

Lu Zhe fell silent, then answered quietly, “Two years and two months.”

Elder Ye rotated the stick evenly, his eyes locked on the chicken, now golden and succulent. After a moment, he said, “Zhe’er, do you really wish to surpass Shangguan Yijing?”

Lu Zhe forced a bitter smile. “Not really. I made that promise mostly out of spite. Since I said it in front of so many people, I have to follow through, no matter what.”

Elder Ye calmly turned the stick, shifting his gaze to Lu Zhe. Though Lu Zhe’s face bore a trace of bitterness, within was a steadfast, upright resolve.

He handed the roasted chicken to Lu Zhe, then slowly stood up, hands behind his back, walking to the brook. He stood still, seemingly lost in thought.

Lu Zhe accepted the chicken, blew on it, tore off a drumstick, and began eating, glancing at Elder Ye as he did.

Elder Ye stood with hands behind his back, his green robe wrapped around his slender figure, the hem fluttering in the wind. Sunlight bathed his tall form, lending him an air of ethereal grace, as if he were a sage above worldly concerns.

Since Elder Ye had his back to Lu Zhe, Lu Zhe could not see his expression. But from his unmoving stance, Lu Zhe sensed Elder Ye was wrestling with a problem not easily solved.

After finishing the drumstick, Lu Zhe tore off another piece of meat and chewed thoughtfully, periodically tossing branches into the fire to keep it from dying out.

Elder Ye remained motionless for a long, long time.

Lu Zhe planted his stick in the ground and turned to look at Elder Ye, who still stood unmoving. It was the first time Lu Zhe had seen Elder Ye behave this way; whatever he was pondering clearly perplexed him.

At last, Elder Ye slowly turned around, stretching lazily. “Ah, getting old—more sun is good for the body. By the way, have you finished eating?”

Lu Zhe was speechless—completely speechless.

Elder Ye paid no mind to Lu Zhe’s reaction, quickly approaching him. But as he came within three feet, he suddenly sensed a powerful spiritual energy gathering around Lu Zhe, far greater than any before, as if only seen when breaking through a spiritual barrier.

Elder Ye was startled, then frowned deeply, staring at Lu Zhe.

“This boy—is he about to break through as a spiritual master?” Elder Ye wondered in amazement.

Lu Zhe, who had been gazing at Elder Ye with a look of mock disdain, now felt the surge of spiritual energy around him. His sensitivity told him this influx was extraordinary, several times greater than what he’d experienced during previous advancements.

“What’s happening?” Lu Zhe muttered in confusion.

“Zhe’er, you’re about to ascend,” Elder Ye shouted.

“Huh?” Lu Zhe asked, bewildered.

“Enough talk! Form the cultivation seal, then switch to the one I taught you!” Elder Ye called out from three feet away.

Lu Zhe nodded, sat cross-legged, and formed his seals, entering a cultivation state.

The spiritual energy whirled rapidly above Lu Zhe, forming a massive vortex—a radius of nearly ten feet, much larger than any before. Lu Zhe sat directly beneath its center, the vortex spinning clockwise, from whose heart descended a wide stream of spiritual energy, pouring straight onto Lu Zhe’s crown.

Elder Ye watched intently, feeling the immense spiritual energy swirling around Lu Zhe. The air currents whipped his robe and nearby branches, but Elder Ye stood unmoving like a mountain.

After a long time, Elder Ye exhaled slowly, murmuring, “This boy—three months to break through as a five-star adept, six months to seven stars, eight months to nine stars, ten months to spiritual master… Such terrifying speed, even across the Divine Xia Continent, is rare indeed. Even I, in my youth, never possessed such audacity.”

He watched Lu Zhe anxiously, worried something might go wrong during his advancement. Interruption at such a crucial time could cause unabsorbed spiritual energy to rampage within, destroying meridians—a disaster for any cultivator.

Time passed swiftly. Five hours had elapsed since Lu Zhe entered his cultivation state. The blazing sun had drifted westward, now only half visible on the horizon.

Elder Ye remained calm, focused on Lu Zhe. His experience told him Lu Zhe was on the verge of breaking through the spiritual barrier.

In the human body, there are ten spiritual barriers—each breakthrough elevates one’s rank, but the energy required doubles each time, and luck and talent become ever more critical. Thus, powerful figures are so rare across the continent.

Elder Ye dared not relax for a moment, not even blinking, lest anything go awry for Lu Zhe.

As time flew by, the sun finally dipped beneath the horizon. The moon rose, casting silver light across the dark night, illuminating the land alongside countless stars.

Elder Ye stood with hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Lu Zhe.

Suddenly, he sensed the vortex above Lu Zhe begin to spin rapidly, the pillar of energy pouring down in a torrent, flooding into Lu Zhe’s crown.

With such immense energy entering, Lu Zhe’s body visibly swelled, as if he had suddenly grown fat.

Elder Ye was astonished—what was happening?

Before he could react, Lu Zhe’s swollen skin deflated, like a balloon losing air.

As Lu Zhe returned to normal, a crimson spiritual force erupted from every pore, whipping Elder Ye’s robe and the nearby branches with a fierce wind, snapping several slender twigs.

The red energy soon receded, like the tide, flowing back into Lu Zhe’s body. With its return, Lu Zhe’s eyes opened.

A red light shot from his eyes, flickered, then vanished, his gaze returning to its usual dark, deep black.

Lu Zhe slowly rose, feeling strength surge within. A smile curved his lips.

Elder Ye approached him, patting his shoulder. “Excellent. With such a swift ascension to spiritual master, you’re surely the first in the southwest of Divine Xia.”

Lu Zhe looked at him suspiciously. “Spiritual master?”

Elder Ye nodded. “Check your spiritual core—is it no longer transparent, but colored?”

Lu Zhe quickly examined his core, and indeed, it emitted a faint red glow, slowly spinning.

He withdrew his focus, his smile widening as he looked at Elder Ye. “Master, my core is red!”

Elder Ye nodded. “I guessed as much, judging from the spiritual force you just released.”

Lu Zhe continued, “So now I possess the power of nature, right?”

Elder Ye nodded again. “Exactly—you have the power of fire.”

Lu Zhe looked at his hands, took a deep breath, then gazed at the starry night sky. A serious expression and a proud smile appeared on his face. He said quietly, “Shangguan Yijing, what took you a year to accomplish—I’ve done in ten months. In two years, I’ll make you regret ever looking down on me.”