The Value of Mortal Life, Gift of Heavenly Grotto Essence

Darkness had swallowed the day.

It was night.

Liu Ming stood silently on the veranda of his house, staring at the peaceful moon with his hands resting gently behind his back.

Su Yan was behind him, waiting for him to speak.

She had been there for almost two hours but wasn't impatient or inclined to complain. She was content to keep her patriarch company, especially after all he had been through today.

Unlike her junior sisters, Su Yan didn't know how to interact fully with the young master. She was always so focused on her duties that she often overlooked the importance of forming relationships, and in a sense, she had done the same with the young master.

To suppress her frustration, she squeezed the hilt of her saber and lowered her head.

'I must inquire what has the young master bothered...'

Looking up again, she asked, "Young Master hasn't spoken a word since we've been here. Should I be worried?"

Liu Ming didn't turn or move. He let her question hang in the silence before replying with one of his own.

"Should I say something?"

Su Yan answered his question with silence.

"Indeed. Defeating and painfully crushing the two masters of a clan under our rival sect is something to be proud of, but I can't be. Sigh~ when I was a child, my grandfather told me a proverb I've never forgotten...

"A grain of sand on the mortal shore holds more worth than an unnoticed star in the immortal sky.

"It means that every mortal life, no matter how insignificant it seems, holds more intrinsic value than a lowly cultivator who pales in comparison to the greater powers in the cultivation world. Mortals are like treasures, while lowly cultivators are like grass.

"The cultivation world is fiercely competitive, a place where only the strong survive and rule. Ling Zou and his son came here to fight, but deep down, they knew they were risking their lives. Every cultivator has to be ready to face death and either fight it off or accept it. However, it's often the situation, not the cultivator, that decides the outcome in the end.

In this situation, Liu Ming held all the power to decide their fate. He could have chosen mercy, but he knew well in battles like these, mercy wasn't on the table.

Death didn't spare anyone.

A battle between two cultivators...

One person would bring death, while the other would sadly meet their end.

But this idea seemed alien to Su Yan when considering Liu Ming's stature. From what she had heard and now witnessed, he possessed the greatest cultivation potential in the Yuande Continent.

"Why should Young Master Liu worry about something so insignificant?" Su Yan thought to herself as she watched the young master.

Liu Ming stretched his hand towards the moon, even though he knew it was too far away to touch. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"When the tiger hunts, the hare flees; in this sacred world of cultivation, the strong devour the weak. Strength begets strength, not because the weak are feeble, but because the strong are resolute."

While his voice carried no weight, his words did.

Su Yan gazed at him intently.

She didn't really have any gripe with the cultivation world. That was simply how things had always been, and maybe no one would gripe either because they were too weak or they grew up in the Immortal's world.

It was a stark contrast to the young master who knew both mortal life and the immortal's path.

One accepted being average, the other aimed for eternal glory, and which was more valuable depended on who one asked.

After pondering, Su Yan found her words.

"If Young Master isn't content with the status quo, why not forge a new path? You have the talent; now it's about having the courage to forge ahead. Our world is vast, filled with those blessed with potential, but few can navigate its challenges. Sect Father understood this and prepared you to seize such an opportunity. The decision to act rests with you, my lord."

Liu Ming smiled broadly at her response. "So it seems..."

Su Yan smiled gently, pleased that her patriarch had a clearer vision.

"Oh!" Liu Ming exclaimed suddenly.

He turned to face the beauty behind him and held out his hand.

In it, a glowing, golden orb appeared, radiating with raw, unrefined heavenly grotto essence!

"Once you harness this essence, you'll be able to advance to the Foundation Spirit stage.

"The Heavenly Grotto-Spirit stage is a big milestone in a cultivator's journey, where they turn their spiritual sanctuary into a vast internal world. You need to create internal stars and form a black sky, which represent the harmonious duality of Yin and Yang energies.

"It's generally not recommended for a cultivator to refine the heavenly grotto essence of another cultivator into their own because the previous owner's imprints can cause conflicts with the existing energies in the cultivator's heavenly grotto.

"However, I managed to completely sever his imprint using a minor formation derived from the Sealing Sword of the Sacred Cloud Mountain. I want you to use this to boost your cultivation base."

Liu Ming floated the golden orb over to Su Yan, who accepted it with both hands.

"Hnn..."

Her face showed hesitation, clearly conveying something.

It wasn't that she doubted her ability to advance her cultivation base. Instead, she was apprehensive about the method for achieving the breakthrough.

"Young Master, I really appreciate your kindness, but I'm not sure I can handle this," Su Yan said earnestly. "When a Heavenly Grotto-Spirit cultivator uses another's heavenly grotto essence to break through, it triggers a heavenly tribulation."

That was her true concern.

Using another cultivator's heavenly grotto for a breakthrough was considered unethical and always drew the wrath of the heavens. Even if she achieved the breakthrough quickly, stabilizing her cultivation base in time to defend against the tribulation would be challenging.

Liu Ming smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry about that right now. Just focus on your cultivation. I, Liu Ming, will ensure that you reach the Foundation Spirit stage. After all, you're my disciple."

Su Yan felt deeply moved by his words.

'This feeling…'

It reminded her of Liu Changsheng and how he always promised to protect them, even from afar.

Now, she saw that promise coming true before her eyes.

At that point, Liu Ming was not just her master but also her guardian──he was offering her a chance to advance her cultivation while he protected her!

"Understood, Young Master..."

Su Yan trusted him completely.