The night was deep, a silver crescent moon hanging in the sky.
In a room, two figures sat cross-legged on a bed, facing each other. Nearby, a graceful figure lounged in a chair, propping her chin as she watched them.
"Xiao Bai, is there really a soul cultivation method?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, still incredulous despite Xiao Bai's earlier explanation.
The soul! She'd always assumed Xiao Bai's potent soul force was innate, like how some were born with fire and wood attributes suited for alchemy. The idea that the soul could be cultivated was astonishing.
"Xian'er, that's the third time you've asked!" Xiao Bai rolled his eyes. When he'd first mentioned the soul cultivation method, her rosy lips had parted wide enough to fit a duck egg.
"Hehe, Xian'er, the soul can be cultivated. It's just that soul cultivation methods are rare and seldom seen, so few know about them," Xiao Xun'er said, covering her mouth with a delicate laugh.
She'd long suspected Xiao Bai possessed such a method but never pried. Today, he'd shared it because Xiao Yi Xian's new cultivation method from the Scripture Depository, the Poison Spirit Heart Scripture, required a strong soul to practice safely.
The Poison Spirit Heart Scripture allowed practitioners to guide bodily toxins with soul force, converting them into usable power while reducing toxin leakage. However, it placed immense strain on the soul, and a single misstep could let toxins invade it.
"Xian'er, with the Poison Spirit Heart Scripture, your poison body's eruptions won't knock you out like before, leaving toxins to spread unchecked. The method will also ease the pain you've endured. But you need a strong soul to avoid backlash," Xiao Bai explained.
"While it can't fully resolve the Calamity Poison Body's eventual eruption, it's a vast improvement. Plus, with the method, you'll control your Dou Qi more precisely. Combined with soul cultivation, you might even fulfill your wish someday!"
"What wish?" Xiao Yi Xian blinked, puzzled. She hadn't mentioned any wishes to Xiao Bai. Her deepest desire was to fully control her Calamity Poison Body and stay with him forever, but she'd kept that buried in her heart, never voicing it. Does he know?
Curiosity flickered in Xiao Xun'er's eyes. What wish did Xian'er share with Brother Xiao Bai?
"To become an alchemist," Xiao Bai said, smiling at her. "Who knows? One day, you might become one too."
He'd never forgotten Xiao Yi Xian's old dream. As his cultivation grew and he mastered four of the five elemental thunders, his understanding of the five elements deepened, boosting his confidence in helping her become an alchemist. With soul cultivation and her passion for herbs, she could excel in the craft.
"Oh! Really?" Xiao Yi Xian's face lit up, but a faint disappointment stirred within. Once, the prospect of becoming an alchemist would've thrilled her to no end. Now, while happy, the excitement wasn't as intense as she'd expected.
She understood why. Her greatest wish had shifted. Her heart was wholly tethered to Xiao Bai, and her former obsession with alchemy had faded.
"Of course it's true!" Xiao Bai said, grinning. He wasn't a wish-granting machine, but he remembered every desire his girls had mentioned, striving to fulfill them when possible.
"Xun'er, interested?" Xiao Bai turned to her, struck by a thought. Theoretically, Xiao Xun'er could become an alchemist more easily than Xiao Yi Xian. With her Gu Clan heritage, strong soul, fire attribute, and a Heavenly Flame, adding a wood attribute would make her an instant alchemist.
"Nah, my family's full of alchemists. They're kind of a hassle," Xiao Xun'er said, pausing with a playful smile, shaking her head. "I'm more into formations."
"Formations? That's a good choice," Xiao Bai mused. The Dou Qi Continent lacked formation legacies, but the Great Thousand Worlds had Spirit Array Masters. If Xiao Xun'er was interested, she could become one if the opportunity arose.
Three major cultivation professions: alchemy, artifact crafting, and formations. Looks like we're just missing an artifact crafter, he thought.
"Alright, Xian'er, I'll now teach you the soul cultivation method, Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter. Clear your mind, banish stray thoughts, and I'll guide your cultivation," Xiao Bai said, his expression turning serious.
As Xiao Yi Xian closed her eyes and calmed her mind, Xiao Bai extended his right hand, forming a sword gesture with his fingers, and touched her forehead. His soul force flowed into her sea of consciousness.
Her sea was modest, shrouded in gray mist—her soul force, roughly at the early Mortal Realm. Thanks to her Calamity Poison Body, her innate foundation was already strong compared to most.
It was decent, but for Xiao Bai and Xiao Yan, who'd lived two lives, it was merely good. The mystery of transmigration was too profound for him to grasp yet.
Sitting cross-legged in her sea of consciousness, Xiao Bai said softly, "Xian'er, I'll recite the mantra and guide you through one cycle. Follow along and try cultivating."
Xiao Yi Xian's consciousness couldn't yet project into her sea, but Xiao Bai knew she could sense and hear him. He guided her personally, rather than giving her the method to practice alone, due to its nature. He wasn't sure if the Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter was suitable for her.
The method was written in Chinese from his past life, not the Dou Qi Continent's language. He could translate it, but feared inaccuracies. To ensure safety, he chose to guide her directly, avoiding the risk of her misinterpreting it alone.
After all, even translating Chinese to English on his past world's Earth caused issues. This was a leap across universes!
"The heavens hold true qi, spirit, soul, and will align. In utmost stillness, the heart sees the divine, and clarity naturally arrives."
Infusing his insights, Xiao Bai recited the method in a way she could comprehend, guiding her soul force to circulate according to the technique.
As Xiao Yi Xian's soul force began to follow his lead, Xiao Bai tensed. This was his greatest concern in teaching her the Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter, and another reason for guiding her personally: the chaotic space. He needed to know if she'd enter it.
If she did, he'd halt immediately, wait, and find another soul cultivation method for her. That space remained an enigma, and he harbored a lingering wariness of it.
Outside, Xiao Xun'er watched the two in meditation. When Xiao Bai had offered her the soul cultivation method, she'd declined, having her own method passed down from the Gu Clan's Ancient Emperor, tailored to her bloodline.
"Hm? Spiritual qi? So soon?" Xiao Xun'er, stifling a yawn from boredom, perked up. Her lively eyes darted, sensing a faint, wondrous aura around Xiao Yi Xian. She muttered, "Xiao Bai's gege method is pretty remarkable!"
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