Spiritual Vein [2 chapters]

"Is there anyone else here besides you?" Su Kang asked calmly.

"Rest assured, there is no one else here," the beast replied with a weary sigh.

Once his suspicions were confirmed, Su Kang turned and left to find Bai Yunxi. When he arrived at the mountain cave, he found her seated quietly, worry clouding her features.

He made no effort to conceal his presence. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up with relief. She rushed into his arms, and he embraced her without hesitation.

"Haha, Xi'er. You really are my lucky charm," he said, kissing her forehead with a chuckle.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he began walking, explaining the situation as they moved.

He enveloped her in his Qi before plunging into the river. Soon, Bai Yunxi spotted an enormous underwater tunnel.

They emerged in a vast underground chamber, illuminated by glowing stones and shimmering crystals embedded in the walls.

As Bai Yunxi marveled at their surroundings, Su Kang took out a token and took her with him.

She followed Su Kang and saw a giant butterfly with blue and silver wings. She could feel this beast was beautiful and dangerous as well.

Noticing her unease, Su Kang gently squeezed her hand before issuing an order. "Take us there."

The moonlight butterfly nodded and moved ahead. They followed closely through another tunnel, the passage sloping downward into the depths of the earth.

The air grew denser, saturated with spiritual energy so thick it seemed to swirl like mist.

Eventually, they reached a new chamber—and the sight before them took their breath away.

At the chamber's center lay a third-level spiritual vein, its energy swirling like a vortex.

Just standing in its presence revitalized both Su Kang and Bai Yunxi.

"This… this is incredible!" Bai Yunxi exclaimed, her emerald eyes wide with awe. The spiritual vein was a treasure beyond her imagination.

Even Su Kang was stunned. He had expected a second-level vein at most—this was far more than he'd hoped for. This was the jackpot the lizard beast had spoken of.

Looking around, he observed the carved architecture of the surrounding rock. The chamber was clearly man-made.

"Who is the person behind all this? Explain," Su Kang asked.

The entire area was covered by the array; such a feat couldn't have been accomplished by these two beasts.

The Moonlight Butterfly hesitated, then responded softly.

"This array and chamber were created by a human cultivator centuries ago. Back then, a poisonous green lizard ruled this place."

"That human found the spiritual vein and battled the lizard, damaging the vein slightly in the process. After defeating it, he constructed this array to hide the vein and left my mother here to watch over it."

"But he never returned. After my mother's death, I inherited the duty of watching over this place."

"Hundreds of years later, this vein was promoted again to third level. Before I could advance to the third level..." The butterfly trailed off.

Su Kang pieced the truth together. This Moonlight Butterfly was the descendant of that cultivator's spiritual pet.

His earlier doubts were laid to rest. He had worried that a major sect or powerful family was involved, but this vein was truly ownerless—an unclaimed treasure.

Since the human cultivator could arrange a third-level array formation, he must have been either a Core Formation cultivator or at the peak of the Foundation Building realm.

A thought stirred in his mind, echoing an old legend Bai Yunxi had once mentioned.

"The tale of Rift Valley City…" she murmured, her eyes gleaming with realization.

According to the legend, Rift Valley City had been founded by two powerful cultivators. Eventually, a bitter conflict erupted between them. One died, while the other fled north.

Some versions claimed they discovered a treasure and fought over it. Others said one returned from the north but refused to share the secret map to the treasure.

Many cultivators later searched for the secret treasures in the northern regions, but none found anything.

Now, Su Kang understood why. The energy of this vein had been sealed, leaving no trace. Even if minor leaks occurred, the Qi would have dispersed into the river, hiding all signs.

Watching the excitement gleaming in Bai Yunxi's emerald eyes, a strange bitterness welled up inside him.

He had risked his life many times to acquire rare items, yet this time, a third-level spiritual vein had practically fallen into his lap.

The lizard beast, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment threat, and the Moonlight Butterfly, at the peak of the second level—he could have killed them both with ease.

Still, the true value of what lay before him wasn't something one could measure with strength alone.

A third-level spiritual vein… In all of Jiang State, even fourth-level spiritual veins were unheard of. This was already the highest tier available.

"Should we report this to the Su family?" Bai Yunxi asked softly, still captivated by the pulsing energy.

Su Kang didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the nearby Moonlight Butterfly.

"You're right, Xi'er," he finally said.

"This spiritual vein could become a great asset to our clan. It could solidify our position."

But deep inside, he knew—declaring ownership of the vein would invite challenges.

Building a city around the vein would be a declaration of their possession, but they were not yet ready to face the challenges that would come with such a claim.

The Su family does not have enough members now. They have to collaborate with other families or sects to build a city around this place.

Spiritual veins could not be uprooted. Attempting to do so would damage the earth's meridians, potentially harming nearby veins as well.

This could only be done by someone skilled in techniques related to Earth veins.

Such techniques were not found in the Jiang State, leaving him with no other option.

Just then, Fate's voice echoed in his mind.

"Can you give this spiritual vein to me?"

Su Kang immediately understood its intent.

Spiritual veins were the accumulation of blessings and fortune, birthed slowly by the world over countless years.

Even in war, no faction dared destroy them. To do so was taboo, inviting the wrath of the Heavenly Dao.

Destroying one could doom a cultivator's path forever—barring breakthroughs or invoking calamities during tribulations.

If Fate consumed the vein, Su Kang feared the consequences. Even mortal enemies refrained from destroying such sacred ground.

But Su Kang wasn't willing to lose a spiritual vein.

With this treasure, his family could nurture several Core Formation cultivators in the future.

The road ahead was long, and a resource like this could shape the future of the Su family for generations.

This vein wasn't just valuable—it was essential.

"Fate, this spiritual vein is essential to my family," he said, voice firm and unyielding.

"You will get more opportunities related to your family in the future," Fate replied, its voice calm, almost indifferent.

"Right now, you should focus on gaining strength."

"If you are powerful enough, then your family is untouchable."

"Remember, spiritual items and resources are for your use; use them to get stronger."

"This world bows to the strong, and that should be your only aim."

Fate's words hung in the air, its weight pressing on him.

Su Kang remained silent, his fingers tightening into a fist as he processed them.

Fate believed this spiritual vein was replaceable—that in the grand scheme of things, there would be better treasures, better opportunities.

Su Kang had to choose—a more stable future for his family, or greater strength and power for himself in the present.

His mind flashed back to that tragic vision—the burning Su Manor, its halls consumed by fire, and the bloodcurdling screams that tore through the night.

He could still see the cruel smiles of the demon cultivators, their eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as they tortured his family before his very eyes.

The suicide of his mother, her final act of defiance swallowed in silence. The slow, brutal butchering of his father. The utter humiliation of the Su clan.

Women forced to their knees, pleading in torn clothes for mercy that would never come.

Mothers made to beg for their children's lives, only to be given a twisted choice: devour the raw flesh of their killed husbands or watch their sons and daughters be slaughtered before them.

Fate had told him that his soul hadn't traveled back in time—that what he saw was merely a glimpse of a possible future.

But that didn't make it any less real.

:—39. Weighing The Future

His hatred for demonic cultivators had deepened beyond words. No matter how much he tried to forget, the memories clung to him like a shadow.

Even though he had changed his future, Su Kang feared this vision might one day take the form of a heart demon. That lingering possibility gnawed at the edges of his mind.

The emotions he had long buried surged up without warning, overwhelming his reason.

His breath grew ragged, uneven. Unconsciously, his Qi stirred—wild and unstable.

The temperature of the chamber plummeted, an unnatural cold seeping into the air.

Bai Yunxi gasped, clutching her arms as the oppressive aura pressed against her like an invisible weight.

The Moonlight Butterfly trembled, its delicate wings losing their usual glow as it cowered in the corner, sensing the overwhelming shift in Su Kang's presence.

Just as suddenly as it had descended, the pressure vanished.

The air returned to normal, but its impact lingered. Bai Yunxi's legs buckled slightly, and she staggered.

Su Kang reached out and pulled her into an embrace.

"I lost control..." he realized grimly.

Bai Yunxi tilted her head up, her jade-green eyes filled with concern.

"What… was that terrible pressure?" she whispered, her voice tinged with worry.

Su Kang exhaled slowly, pushing down the emotions threatening to consume him.

"Don't worry," he said softly, his arms still around her.

"Everything is fine now."

Bai Yunxi didn't respond immediately. He could feel the tension slowly leaving her body, her heartbeat gradually calming.

The Moonlight Butterfly, however, couldn't bear to remain any longer. With a soft flutter of its wings, it flew toward the exit.

Su Kang watched its retreating figure for a moment before turning to Bai Yunxi.

"Wait for me outside," he gently instructed.

She hesitated but nodded, stepping out of the chamber.

Only after she left did Su Kang turn back to the spiritual vein.

He had made his decision. Fate's plan would proceed—but not without caution.

"If we go through with this," he murmured, "I need confirmation. There won't be any backlash from the Heavenly Dao, correct?"

"Do not worry about this," Fate answered calmly.

"I merely intend to utilize it; you will not face any hindrance in your breakthrough. I will extract its blessings and fortune from the Heavenly Dao, and it will turn into a lower-grade vein."

"So it won't affect the earth's core or surrounding veins?" he questioned further.

"I can move it into my personal space pocket without causing any damage to the earth veins," Fate assured him.

Su Kang narrowed his eyes, studying the swirling energy of the spiritual vein.

After a moment of contemplation, he stepped forward.

The spiritual vein pulsed, radiating an ethereal glow.

As Fate took action, runes of intricate design bloomed in the air around the vein, glowing with a golden light.

They danced and twirled, forming a protective cocoon around the spiritual source.

The crystal rose into the air, suspended in the magical embrace of the runes, before vanishing in a flash of golden light.

The ground where the vein had once pulsed was now dull and gray, the spiritual energy slowly dissipating into a fine mist.

Without this vein, the array formation guarding this cave would soon collapse without spiritual energy.

He went outside and took Bai Yunxi with him.

"Let's go. I have already taken this vein with me. You will also get your share," he told her.

Bai Yunxi shook her head with a soft smile. "I don't need anything."

The Moonlight Butterfly, sensing the abrupt absence of the spiritual vein, felt a pang of loss. This cave had been its home, its sanctuary.

It saw Su Kang emerge but did not question anything. It had felt his oppressive aura—it knew better than to speak.

"You will come with us," Su Kang told it.

The Moonlight Butterfly lowered its head, silently accepting its fate.

As they walked away from the now-defunct chamber, the butterfly's glow dimmed slightly, its wings folding inward, as though mourning the death of its sanctuary.

Su Kang visited his cave in the mountain to pack their belongings.

Soon, they set off toward the Su family, the Moonlight Butterfly trailing behind them.

...

The journey back to the Su family's manor was nearing its end. Only a couple more days remained.

By now, Fate had fully absorbed the destiny housed within the spiritual vein. The once third-grade vein had degraded into a first-grade one, its brilliance dimmed, its value spent.

In return, Fate had recovered some of its abilities. It was slowly adjusting, its presence within Su Kang more vibrant than before.

Oddly, Su Kang felt a pang of sorrow—not for the vein itself, but perhaps for the price paid. Still, that fleeting emotion vanished when he heard the results.

"The spiritual vein yielded sixteen thousand destiny points," Fate reported. It was a massive gain.

"Fate, how are we going to divide these destiny points?" Su Kang asked.

"You may add two thousand to your own destiny," Fate replied.

"The rest has been used to aid my recovery, but I will compensate you with suitable cultivation resources."

With those two thousand, Su Kang's destiny would reach ten thousand—a respectable figure for his current realm.

But it was not enough.

Li Fang had thirty-two thousand when he left Jiang State. I'm still chasing his shadow.

He couldn't help but voice the thought. "Fate… I'm far too behind to ever match Li Fang."

Fate remained silent for a moment before responding, its voice calm and impassive.

"Stop trying to compete with people who are blessed by heaven."

"You just have to become strong by different methods and think of ways to collect more destiny."

Then, it asked, "Now tell me—what kind of cultivation resources do you seek?"

Su Kang fell into thought. Right now, there was only one thing he truly needed above all else.

"Superior qi cultivation techniques," he murmured.

"I want better cultivation techniques," Su Kang said. "My current Qi cultivation method is above average… but compared to the supreme techniques wielded by other geniuses, I'm still far behind."

Cultivation techniques were categorized into seven major grades, each further divided into four tiers—low, middle, high, and supreme.

A low-tier skill could never match the might of a middle-tier one at the same level, let alone a supreme-tier technique.

His current technique—the one from the Five Sword Mansion—was Exquisite-grade. Respectable, but far from exceptional.

His attack skills varied between middle and high-tier, and while they had served him well, they would not be enough for the future he envisioned.

If he wanted to reach the Nascent Soul realm and forge an unshakable foundation, he would need nothing less than a Legendary-grade cultivation technique.

But this wasn't just about himself.

He needed techniques for Bai Yunxi as well, and eventually, for the Su family. A legacy required more than a single powerhouse—it needed structure, inheritance, and adaptability.

"Very well," Fate responded. "Tell me the specific qualities or attributes you seek in these techniques. What do you require?"

Su Kang fell silent, his eyes narrowing as thoughts raced in his mind.

Choosing a technique wasn't something to do impulsively. A good cultivation method had to align with one's talent and environment.

A technique too advanced would be wasted on those lacking the spiritual resources or talents to cultivate it.

I need something scalable, he thought.

Not just for myself… but for Yunxi and the clan. Something that can grow with us.

"I'll tell you later," he finally said, voice steady. "I need some time to think about this."