C19 Training in the Array

Ye Xuan settled onto a cushion near him, crossing his legs comfortably. The cushion was soft and pliable, providing a sensation akin to being enveloped in a gentle body of water—an extraordinary feeling. He gazed at a small stone tablet that had risen from the ground before him. The tablet was roughly a foot in length and a foot and a half tall, featuring five slots designed to hold the Spirit Realm's Purple Cards.

Retrieving his own Purple Card from the storage bag at his waist, Ye Xuan inserted it into the topmost slot to test the concentration of spiritual energy. After gauging the energy of the first slot, he considered whether he should proceed to the second.

The moment Ye Xuan's Purple Card connected with the slot, a pale yellow light barrier surrounded his seated position on the cushion, preventing any spiritual energy from escaping. This ensured the efficiency of his cultivation practice. The cushion beneath him began to emit a soft glow, rising gently and hovering before him, flickering lightly. Observing these glowing strands, Ye Xuan could sense the spiritual energy within, albeit faint. Yet, the sheer number of light strands before him was overwhelming, like a school of fish crossing a river. Though each strand contained a minimal amount of spiritual energy, their collective presence amounted to a significant sum.

Ye Xuan quickly engaged the Prismatic Mantra, drawing in the spiritual energy before him. The strands, once drifting aimlessly, now surged toward him as if drawn by a magnet. He welcomed them all, fully absorbing the energy. Once inside, he channeled the spiritual energy through the pathways outlined by the Prismatic Mantra. Completing a full cycle, a small but pure stream of spiritual energy flowed into his Qi Sea, subtly increasing the volume of vital force within.

A look of delight spread across Ye Xuan's face. In just a short time of cultivation, he had already experienced an increase in vital force. The growth was slight, yet undeniable. In the outside world, absorbing cosmic energy directly would take at least half an hour to achieve such progress. Furthermore, cosmic energy was impure and required refinement before integration, which significantly lowered the efficiency of cultivation.

Within the Aura Converger, the spiritual energy had been purified, allowing for direct absorption into the body. By following the circulation route of his cultivation method, Ye Xuan could transform the spiritual energy into his own vital force, significantly enhancing the efficiency of his cultivation.

Having experienced the benefits, Ye Xuan immersed himself in relentless cultivation. After about half an hour, he sensed that the surrounding spiritual energy was insufficient for further practice. His absorption rate had outpaced the supply from the meditation mat.

Ye Xuan removed the Purple Card from the first slot and checked the Spirit Value. Only one Spirit Value had been deducted after roughly half an hour, leaving two hundred and ninety-nine remaining. "The first slot seems to deduct fewer Spirit Values, likely because the meditation mat's supply of spiritual energy isn't overly generous."

"If the spiritual energy from the first slot is somewhat lacking, then it's time to switch to the second one." With that, he inserted the Purple Card into the second slot, and the light from the meditation mat brightened. More spiritual energy surged forth, and Ye Xuan, eyeing the dense light, licked his lips eagerly before beginning to absorb it with the Prismatic Mantra.

Time slipped away like sand through his fingers. Ye Xuan continued to absorb the spiritual energy light without fatigue. As time went on, the light around him thinned. Despite a continuous flow from the meditation mat, the supply couldn't keep up with his absorption rate, and it gradually dwindled.

Another half hour passed, and Ye Xuan emerged from his state of cultivation. Observing the sparse spiritual energy light remaining, a spark of determination flickered in his eyes. His vital force had grown substantially after this session. At this rate, he was confident he could break through to the fifth level of the Whispering Souls within half a month—an impressive feat, considering he had only recently advanced to the fourth level.

The Aura Converger has played a significant role in my rapid cultivation progress, and my Prismatic Mantra has been incredibly effective as well. The rate at which I absorb spiritual energy and transform it into vital force rivals that of some third-level cultivation methods. Together, they've enabled me to cultivate at such an impressive speed, bolstering my confidence in breaking through to the fifth level of the Whispering Souls in a short time.

I removed the Purple Card from its slot and checked the Spirit Value displayed: 294. Clearly, the second slot, despite generating a substantial amount of spiritual energy, also used up a considerable amount; it was five times the consumption of the first slot. Having come mainly to test out the Aura Converger, I was curious to see if Mu Hua and Bai Lan'er had completed their cultivation. So, I ceased my practice and went to check on them.

Peering through the light barrier that enveloped me, I caught sight of Mu Hua and Bai Lan'er, who had also just finished their cultivation and were waiting for me. I quickly rose and walked over to them, the light barrier dissipating as I moved.

Once we regrouped, Bai Lan'er observed the lingering vital force around me with a hint of astonishment in her eyes. It was evident she had noticed the increase in my vital force.

"How did your cultivation go, Mu Hua?" I inquired, noting his look of amazement.

Mu Hua responded candidly, "The Aura Converger's effects are beyond my expectations. After about an hour of cultivation, the vital force within me has significantly increased. At this rate, I'm confident I could break through to the fifth level of the Whispering Souls in under a month."

"I've also experienced a considerable increase in vital force. The Aura Converger's effects are indeed impressive," I added with praise.

Bai Lan'er, seeing our excitement, gently cautioned us, "Don't celebrate too soon. This is your first time using the Aura Converger for cultivation, so it's natural that your speed is somewhat faster. But as you become more accustomed to it, maintaining this pace will become much more challenging."

Ye Xuan and Mu Hua nodded in agreement.

"The Spirit Gathering Tower is open for just seven hours each day. When time's up, the disciples have to leave. Alright, it's getting late, let's head back," Bai Lan'er suggested to them.

"Mm-hmm," Ye Xuan and Mu Hua concurred without any objections.

As the trio exited the Spirit Gathering Tower, they gazed at the horizon where the red sun had aligned with the horizon. The evening sky was ablaze with the fiery red glow of the sunset, reminiscent of the bashful blush that colors a young girl's cheeks. The radiant red hues were striking. Bathed in the sunset's lingering warmth, the three felt an ineffable sense of comfort and contentment.

As they made their way toward their lodgings, several figures approached them from the distance.