The river of transformation

Haishi looked up and took the sandalwood case containing the primal lotus dew. As its name suggested, the primal lotus dew was a rare treasure produced by the primal lotus flower. It took a full century for a single drop of dew to form, and the potency of the dew was directly tied to the age of the flower itself—a rarity so coveted it could drive the cultivation world into a frenzy of greed, regardless of one's strength or foundation.

Both human cultivators and spirit beasts prized the flower and its dew for one singular reason: their ability to induce a state of epiphany. This property was particularly potent for those with an affinity for the water element, like Haishi.

An epiphany was an elusive phenomenon that cultivators could only hope to encounter. Many spent their entire lives without experiencing it even once, while the luckiest might trigger it only a handful of times. Yet, those brief moments of clarity carried transformative potential. Epiphanies could elevate a cultivator's abilities to unparalleled heights, enabling breakthroughs in cultivation bases, the creation or refinement of cultivation arts, and other life-altering advancements.

Epiphanies were no different from miracles because of all the things and stories they inspired, for examples, a white-grade art being evolved into a gold grade art, thanks to an epiphany or a carp transforming into a dragon.

Because of its worth, it wasn't surprising cultivators of all races relentlessly sought treasures and natural oddities that could trigger an epiphany. However, such treasures were as rare as qilin horns, phoenix feathers, or dragon spit.

The primal lotus flower was one such treasure. Its petals and dew were known to induce epiphanies, with the petals being far more potent than the dew. The stalk itself lacked any epiphany-inducing properties, but it served a critical role: preserving the dew's potency. Without the stalk, the dew would quickly dissipate.

The drop of dew in Feng Xin's possession, though small—no larger than a melon seed—was capable of inducing and sustaining a state of epiphany for a full thirty minutes. Feng Xin had acquired it after trading away several valuable treasures and making numerous promises. Yet, unlike most who sought the dew to advance their cultivation, Feng Xin's motives were… unconventional to say the least.

For him, the dew wasn't a sacred tool for enlightenment but rather it was a delicacy. He had read in an ancient cookbook that primal lotus dew could elevate the flavor of soup dishes to unimaginable levels.

Epiphanies? He could hardly care less about that. To Feng Xin, the pursuit of rare and exquisite flavors ranked above everything else, even his own well-being.

Still, with a sigh of deep reluctance, he handed the dew to Haishi. The fanaticism in her eyes was unmistakable as she stared at the tiny treasure. Her limbs trembled as she reached for the stalk, taking great care not to damage it. She returned the sandalwood box to Feng Xin, her movements careful and reverential.

"Clear your mind of all distractions so you can properly refine the dew. The more you extract, the better the effects, and we'll need every ounce of it. I need you to fly me somewhere at great speed without pause," Feng Xin instructed, his tone firm yet calm.

Haishi nodded solemnly, like a child absorbing the words of a stern teacher. Without hesitation, she swallowed the dew—stalk and all.

Her large compound eyes narrowed into saucer-like shapes as she hovered up and down, a subtle gleam of glee in her movements. The taste of the dew was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and for a fleeting moment, she let herself savor it. But her delight was abruptly interrupted by a sudden change coursing through her body.

Warmth surged within her, intensifying to an unbearable heat. Just when she thought she might be consumed by it, a wave of cool energy swept over her, quelling the searing fire. The refreshing sensation was so overwhelming that it dissolved her tension, even the innate fear she carried from being near Feng Xin. She felt lighter, calmer—almost as if she were floating in a blissful void.

"Haishi, focus..."

Feng Xin's voice pierced through her reverie, sharp and cold, like a blade slicing through fog. A shiver ran down her spine, snapping her out of the euphoric haze.

"Don't lose yourself to momentary satisfaction," he said firmly. "You haven't even started properly refining the dew yet. Time is not on our side. We can't afford to waste even the smallest amount of it.

Calm your mind. Forget your surroundings, and don't waste what precious little time you have by letting your mind sink into the pleasure of comfort. Instead use it to dive into the dew—its nature, its rhythm, its breath. Let it guide you and block out everything else. The deeper your attunement, the greater the effects."

The steadiness in Feng Xin's voice carried a gentle reassurance that helped settle Haishi's racing emotions. She closed her eyes and focused inward. Slowly, she began to sense the dew's presence within her.

At first, it appeared as small as a melon seed, but as she directed her attention toward it, the dew seemed to expand, growing vast and all-encompassing. In her mind's eye, it transformed into a boundless river that suddenly surged forward and swallowed her whole.

Panic overtook her as she tried to escape, her wings beating furiously. But the river's power was relentless. Her wings were turned into stone, heavy and immovable, and no matter how she struggled, she could not turn them back nor break free of the river's hold on her.

Pain exploded through her body, a crushing, relentless force that seemed to compress her very being. It was as though her bones and essence were being forcibly reshaped, the agony increasing the harder she fought against it.

The torment became so unbearable that a desperate thought crossed her mind—to give up, to let the river claim her. As despair took hold, Feng Xin's words resurfaced in her mind: "Dive into the rhythm of the dew."

With trembling resolve, she stopped resisting and surrendered to the river's flow. The moment she let go, the pain vanished as if it had never existed. The transformation continued, but now it was smooth and effortless, like a sculptor refining a block of stone.

Her form changed drastically. She was no longer Haishi, the spirit beast, but a crude, jagged rock. The river's currents dragged her along, tumbling her through its depths. Time became meaningless; the river flowed endlessly, yet she was aware of every subtle change within herself.

Years seemed to pass, though she could not be sure. Her rough, misshapen surface was gradually polished, smoothed by the relentless flow. What began as a coarse rock transformed into a gleaming purple pebble, compact and radiant, the size of a mango. With each refinement, the river's embrace grew warmer and gentler, a tender current cradling her as it carried her forward.

When Haishi finally opened her eyes, she was no longer in the river. Instead, she found herself back in the familiar Peng Zhen Hall, surrounded by unconscious cultivators. The sudden shift in environment— from the river's depths to the hall— left her momentarily disoriented as she struggled to readjust her mind to her new surroundings.

"Congratulations," Feng Xin's voice broke the silence, drawing her attention. He was standing a few steps behind her. "It seems you gained far more from this than I expected."

Haishi turned toward the voice, meeting his gaze. This time, though the familiar dread still lingered, another emotion had taken root: gratitude.

The experience within the river had felt surreal, almost as if it had been conjured from her imagination. But the changes in her body left no doubt that it had been real.

She felt lighter, stronger, her spiritual qi now a thousand times more refined. It flowed smoothly within her, almost as though it had a life of its own, no longer needing her conscious guidance. It was as if her mind had finally synchronized with the workings of her body, granting her a control that surpassed anything she had known before.

The changes didn't stop there. Though her cultivation level still remained the same, at the fourth stage of the core formation realm, she felt like her foundation was much firmer and whatever deficiencies she had were firmed up by the river's transformation. And from the vigor she felt within her spiritual qi, she had confidence that if she wanted to breakthrough to the fifth stage, it wouldn't take more than a few days to do it.

She could hardly believe that all of this had been brought on by a single dew.

"Thank you for the opportunity you gave me, Feng Xin," Haishi said, her voice full of sincere gratitude. She bowed her head deeply. "Haishi will always remember this."

"Don't worry about it," Feng Xin replied with a casual wave, his tone light. "But if you do want to repay me, I need you to fly me in a specific direction. With the changes in your body, I think we'll make good time."

Feng Xin glanced at her wings, now light purple in hue and sturdier than before.

"I will do all that I can," Haishi said, her voice filled with strong resolve.

Feng Xin turned to leave the hall, Haishi following closely behind. Just as he was about to leap onto her back, he paused, as if considering something. His gaze swept over the unconscious cultivators scattered throughout the hall. He then fished a few formation flags from his storage ring, placing them at specific positions around the building.

Once the last flag was set, Feng Xin took out a high-grade spirit stone, crushed it into dust, and sprinkled the powder onto the formation flags. Instantly, they lit up upon contact.

A white fog began to form, expanding until it blanketed the entire hall.

"The Fog of Obscurity formation should be enough to keep them safe, unless a blue-grade formation master or a palace realm expert appears," Feng Xin said, brushing the remaining spirit stone dust from his hands. "But even they shouldn't be that unlucky.." he sofly added as he took one last look at the obscured hall.

"Haishi, let's go. We're heading northeast. Once we're out of the green fog, you'll instinctively know the exact location I want you to fly to. Just focus on flying— I'll take care of everything else," Feng Xin instructed as he jumped onto her back.

Without hesitation, Haishi flapped her wings with full force, disappearing past Peng Zhen's peak. Within moments, they had already left the grounds of the Green Fog Swamp sect.