Dantian Awakening (2/2)

'Ah, the fun begins.' Wei Wushang thought to himself with a laugh. With all eyes planted on him, he walked out with a faint smile.

Without wasting much time, Wei Wushang ventured into the Spirit Pressuring tunnel. Instantly, a heavy layer of pressure enveloped him, akin to a thick blanket of snow descending upon his young body, pressing down with an oppressive force.

This pressure came from the spiritual essence in the air, which stemmed from the Immortal Spring deep in the Flower Sea. The Immortal Spring produced an abundance of spiritual essence, and because the spiritual essence here was so potent, it caused this abnormal pressure.

As Wei Wushang stepped forward, the blue-colored destiny flowers beneath his feet emitted shimmering azure threads. These threads coiled around his body like celestial silk before piercing into him, filling him with their enriching warmth.

These strings of light are known as threads of destiny. They hold a crucial role in the formation of a cultivator's dantian, and the color of the destiny thread directly determines the individual's talent. For instance, the azure-colored flowers emit blue destiny threads, while green flowers produce green destiny threads, and similarly for golden and purple flowers.

Moreover, the absorption of destiny threads follows a specific sequence, with azure destiny threads being the first to be absorbed, followed by green, golden, and finally purple destiny threads. Only when a person has absorbed enough azure destiny threads will the green destiny threads be attracted to them.

It was the threads of destiny that decided a person's fate in cultivation, whether a person could cultivate or not was entirely at its whim. This was the true might of destiny, encompassing everything within its grasp.

As Wei Wushang ventured further into the Spirit Pressuring tunnel, a substantial number of threads of destiny had already entered his body. These threads swiftly gathered in his abdomen, forming a cohesive group.

With the influx of destiny threads, the pressure on Wei Wushang seemed to ease, enabling him to take more steps forward. Each step he took was met with strands of azure light that emerged from the sea of flowers, entering his body and joining the growing orb of light within him.

The orb of light grew brighter and brighter, and Wei Wushang's eyes shone with delight.

Ninth step!

'The number of destiny threads is greater than I expected, although not sufficient to enter the green flower sea. Reaching the fifteen-step mark, there is hope!' Wei Wushang steadied his emotions and remained focused on the task. He had already taken nine steps; only six more steps, and he would meet the minimum requirement to awaken a Dantian!

With his teeth clenched, Wei Wushang took another step, feeling the spark of hope transforming into a blazing torch within his heart.

Hope was a double-edged sword, serving as both a curse and an antidote. For some, it acted as a lifeline, providing them with the strength to persist during tough times. However, for others, it appeared as a cruel illusion, forever just out of their reach.

To have hope, one had to be brave!

Wei Wushang kept counting the steps silently as he pressed forward.

Eleventh step...

Twelfth step!

"Only three more..." Wei Wushang smiled ruthlessly. His body was drenched in sweat, and his back was bent under the brutal pressure. But most importantly, the number of destiny threads in the area had gotten dangerously low.

The odds of him reaching the fifteenth step mark were starting to become increasingly low, but he resolutely held on to the tiny bit of hope in his heart and continued to walk.

Thirteenth step...

Fourteenth step...

"Huff, huff, huff!" Wei Wushang gasped for air, his entire body shaking violently. Pausing briefly to regain his composure, he gritted his teeth and mustered all the energy he had left. With every fiber of his being, he took that final step, unleashing a fierce growl that seemed to emanate from the very depths of his soul.

Fifteenth step!!!

The moment Wei Wushang took that 15th step, he heard a resounding bang as the orb of light within his body reached its limit and abruptly exploded.

Within Wei Wushang's body, a burst of energy erupted, concealed from prying eyes. Only he could feel the cataclysmic eruption that had occurred at that very moment. Instantly, the fine hairs on his body stood up, and his mind swiftly adapted to accommodate the overwhelming power surging within. His senses intensified, and a rush of heightened awareness flooded through him.

Soon after, his mind went blank, and his entire body softened as if he had entered a state of weightlessness. His heart relaxed, and his fine hairs gently smoothed down, while his pores opened and closed rhythmically, creating a soothing, warm sensation that enveloped him.

Despite the process feeling prolonged, it actually occurred in a brief span. The sensation vanished as quickly as it had come.

After a brief moment of blankness, Wei Wushang returned to his senses. Inwardly, he focused his attention and made a discovery - a closed space had materialized below his navel, the Dantian!

The Awakening Ceremony was a success!

Eternal freedom was now a possibility!

•••••

"Can you continue?" Elder Shang asked upon noticing Wei Wushang's prolonged struggle on the fifteenth step.

Wei Wushang didn't reply but simply turned around and walked back toward the crowd. He responded with his actions; the elder then noted down the details and declared, "Wei Wushang, low-grade talent. Next, Wei Sang."

A peculiar silence enveloped the scene as no one stepped forward.

"Wei Sang!"

"Wei Sang-!!"

It wasn't until the elder had repeated the name three times that Wei Sang finally mustered the courage to make his appearance.

Lowering his head, Wei Sang evaded the gazes cast upon him. He hastened his pace, as he hurried towards the tunnel.

Around halfway, a dark shadow emerged ahead and shrouded his feet. Wei Sang's heart shuddered as he raised his head, only to discover Wei Wushang standing before him.

The shadow of darkness was coming from his younger brother Wei Wushang. Perhaps in this life, he would never be able to escape from the darkness of his brother.

Wei Wushang was expressionless; he did not say anything. The two brothers gazed at each other.

Wei Sang's eyelids trembled, and he quickly lowered his gaze, seeking refuge from his younger brother's cold and unfeeling gaze.

Since that ill-fated day, he found himself incapable of meeting his younger brother's gaze. Those abyssal black orbs seemed to radiate an unsettling aura of oppression, causing Wei Sang to feel stifled and suffocated in their presence.

Wei Wushang lightly glanced at Wei Sang, the fear in his older brother's heart was as clear as day.

However, Wei Wushang didn't care; not anymore. Ever since the incident where he had questioned himself, Wei Sang's place in his heart had been slipping away. And now that Wei Wushang had unexpectedly awakened his dantian, Wei Sang's value in his heart had diminished significantly.

In other words, this difficult older brother of his was no longer important.

And something worth noting is that, upon awakening his dantian, Wei Wushang felt incredibly free. As though the invisible barriers constraining his true nature had suddenly dissolved.

Wei Sang's hands clenched tightly around the fabric of his robe, his gaze remained fixed on the ground. His heart suddenly jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder, but then he heard his brother say to him; "Go on, walk your path, you're free."

Wei Sang was stunned, he slowly lifted his gaze to meet Wei Wushang's eyes. However, Wei Wushang's attention was set on the path ahead as he patted Wei Sang before walking away.

Wei Sang stood there with a complex expression as he stared at his younger brother's receding figure, he was unsure...

"Enough dilly-dallying, you little rascal! Start moving, now!" Shang Fei's furious roar reverberated from the other side.

Wei Sang snapped out of his trance and hurriedly ran out, but he couldn't suppress the tempest of emotions in his heart. 'Free? Can I be free from all the sins I committed? Is it even possible?' Lost in contemplation, Wei Sang entered the spirit-pressuring tunnel.

On the opposite side, Wei Wushang was similarly lost in deep thought: 'Now that I have awakened my dantian, Wei Sang's usefulness has dropped. Nonetheless, he still has some usefulness with his divine innate strength. Perhaps I could deduce a strength path recipe to refine him into a pill and integrate his strength path dao marks into my body. However, this is easier said than done. Deducing such a recipe would be time-consuming.'

'I might as well put him to work for the time being, seeking more resources. Though my previous approach of capitalizing on his brotherly affection seems unnecessary now. Tapping into the fear within his heart should yield better results in the short term. Furthermore, deducing the refinement process during this period should pose no issue.'

'The only remaining uncertainty is Wei Sang's potential talent. Ideally, Wei Sang awakening a low or mid-grade talent would make him the perfect tool for manipulation. If he awakens a high-grade dantian, the sect's elders will undoubtedly attempt to recruit him. If that occurs, I will have to abandon this useful tool.'

Wei Wushang finally snapped out of his thoughts as he joined the group, but the atmosphere felt strange. All around him, people had their eyes wide open and mouths agape, their attention seemingly directed toward him. However, upon closer inspection, Wushang realized they weren't actually staring at him, but rather at something transpiring behind him.

'Don't tell me...' As if a realization had struck him, Wei Wushang turned his head, his eyes narrowing in an instant.

In his vision, he saw his younger brother Wei Sang standing absentmindedly deep within the sea of flowers, standing in a distance that no one else had reached before him.

Purple Sea– Top-grade talent!!