Impurities

Sitting down, Oasis carefully opened the first book, the Phoenix's Heart Cultivation manual, setting the other two aside.

The delicate pages felt ancient under his fingers, and he marveled at the intricate symbols and writing.

His curiosity piqued, Oasis reached for the Stormborn Journal next.

However, as he tried to open it, he found that the book was sealed. Despite his efforts, it wouldn't budge.

"Fascinating, I can't open this one. I wonder what is written inside," Oasis thought, feeling a mix of frustration and intrigue.

Deciding to focus on what he could access, he returned to the Phoenix's Heart Cultivation book.

He settled into a comfortable position and began to study its contents.

"As above, so below; as within, so without. As pure flames dominate, all impurities shall vanish,"

Oasis read aloud, absorbing the profound words of the cultivation technique.

For hours, he immersed himself in the ancient text, feeling a deep connection to the teachings.

The principles resonated within him, and he could feel a subtle shift in his energy.

"I just studied, but it feels like a burden has been lifted off," Oasis murmured to himself, amazed by the effect the technique had on him.

The more he delved into the cultivation method, the more he felt his mind and body aligning with the powerful, purifying energy described in the book.

Before starting the cultivation, he followed the instructions written.

He took out some mana stones from his storage and aligned them in a circle in the middle of the room, mirroring the setup depicted in the manual.

"Emberfrost herb, oh, this one. Elemental ginseng, oh, it's here."

he murmured to himself as he continued to extract various herbs from his storage bracelet.

He also pulled out Fire Lotus, Frostbloom, Thunderroot, and Earthleaf.

"So, I have to sit here and eat the herbs one after another, starting from this one until this one."

Oasis muttered, settling into the circle surrounded by mid-grade mana stones.

The herbs he was about to consume were of different elements, each contributing to the purification process.

As he began eating the herbs, one after another, a surge of energy erupted within him.

"This is painful... ahhhh!" Oasis cried out as the energy forcefully opened his mana veins and arteries.

The pain was excruciating, and he started sweating profusely, releasing impurities.

The agony was so intense that he began sweating blood.

"I feel like I'm going to explode," he thought, as the energy from the mana stones surged towards him, combining with the energy from the herbs.

!!!

The energy filled his underdeveloped mana heart with immense force, causing unbearable pain.

Just before his mana heart was about to explode, his conscious realm awakened.

In this realm, he saw a pair of phoenix eyes gazing at him.

The sight of the phoenix eyes stabilized the rampant energy within him, and it began circulating evenly throughout his body.

A blue, pure flame aura started radiating around him, signifying the completion of his cultivation.

After a period of stabilization, Oasis opened his eyes.

"Oh, I feel different... Newborn stage, 2nd layer," he said, both calm and surprised. "I had a lot of breakthroughs."

Looking outside, he noticed the sun rising.

"How long have I been cultivating?" he wondered.

Sniff, sniff.

"What is this horrible smell?" Oasis exclaimed, realizing the room was filled with the stench of impurities expelled from his body.

"This is embarrassing. I need to bathe and clean the room."

He quickly got up, feeling the sticky residue of impurities on his skin.

Determined to cleanse himself and the room, Oasis headed to find a bath, eager to wash away the remnants of his intense cultivation session.

After cleaning up, Oasis's stomach growled loudly.

"Damn, I'm very hungry. Let me go and eat something," he muttered.

As he moved through the inn, he noticed a significant improvement in his senses.

"I can feel my surroundings more acutely, and my senses have significantly improved," he thought.

"I can tell there are about 30 people in the dining area. So this is the Newborn Stage Realm."

Entering the dining area, the young lady who had brought him the reward earlier approached.

"I haven't seen you in two weeks. What have you been eating?" she asked with a curious smile.

"Two weeks? It's been two weeks?" Oasis thought, shocked.

"Anyways, let me prepare something for you. Sit down," the young lady said, noticing his surprise.

She moved to the kitchen to prepare a meal, while Oasis found a seat, still processing the fact that two weeks had passed since he began his intense cultivation.

As he waited, the aroma of cooking food wafted through the dining area, making his stomach rumble even louder.

He couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and disbelief at the progress he had made during his cultivation, and now, he was eager to replenish his energy with a hearty meal.

The young lady brought a plate of steaming food to Oasis, and he eagerly started digging in.

As he ate, the conversations around him caught his attention, providing a backdrop of voices exchanging news and gossip.

From a table about six feet away, a man started speaking to the person sitting next to him.

"Have you heard the news about the notorious bandit, Barnabus the Slayer?" he asked in a hushed tone.

The other man looked shocked.

"What are you saying? Has he started moving again? I thought he was killed 20 years ago!"

"Maybe he was just injured," the first man speculated.

"Now he's on the move again. I heard that a few days ago he attacked a farmhouse in the land of the Pecunia family."

"He left a bloody mess, using the corpses and blood to send a message. Everyone knows that's how he operates."

Oasis paused, listening intently.

"So cruel, Barnabus the Slayer, huh," he thought to himself, feeling a mix of disgust and curiosity.

The conversation continued around him, but his mind was now focused on this new, dark piece of information.