Epiphany and Breakthrough

After a night of quiet cultivation, Jian Dan concluded her meditation at daybreak. But instead of leaving the cave dwelling, she slipped into a deep state of contemplation.

She had sensed it—her watcher had changed. The spiritual pressure sweeping past the area every two hours was far stronger now, undoubtedly a Nascent Soul cultivator. Their divine sense combed the area meticulously, leaving no trace of subtlety.

Jian Dan let out a silent sigh. Her luck had been abysmal lately. Just after the flying treasure Cotton Candy recognized her as its master, she had her defensive robe snatched away—practically stolen under the guise of authority.

Now, even the surveillance had escalated. Though she had a clear conscience, it was draining to keep one eye constantly on the outside world.

After venting a bit inwardly, Jian Dan began sorting through her current cultivation techniques, movement arts, weapons, and treasures in preparation for the upcoming sect mission.

Dual Path Cultivation:

Primordial Chaos Art (Dao)

Heavenly Demon Art (Demon)

Body Refinement: Jade-Bone Demon Body Art

Movement Art: Shadowstep Movement Technique

Weapons:

Mo Yue Zhan

Mistborne Lone Swan Umbrella

Treasures:

Obsidian Bracelet

Twin Moon Dragon Sword

Manjushahua Robe (from Mei Ji)

Flight Tools:

Cotton Candy

A commandeered flying boat

All these were publicly known acquisitions. Her space's treasures, however, had to stay hidden—especially under scrutiny. She dared not enter physically, only scanning with divine sense.

Ever since the day the space rejected her, she hadn't dared enter it again. Instead, she monitored it daily with her divine sense. With her cultivation growth, the spatial realm had expanded another hundred li. The spiritual stream within had widened into a small river, flowing through newly tilled spiritual fields and stretching out into distant woods.

Using her divine sense, Jian Dan had planted various spiritual herbs into the vacant fields—lavender mistflower, wisteria grass, thousand-petal orchids, purple-heart fruit, jade mushrooms, red willow azaleas, and moonlight algae. Each had been carefully categorized and sown. A lone banyan tree, already eight feet tall, stood proudly on a field of its own.

The humble bamboo house within had grown into a three-story tower. Scanning it with her divine sense, she noted the additions: a pill refining chamber, a weapon forging hall, and a spirit beast room.

Both the alchemy and forge rooms came equipped with earthfire arrays, pill cauldrons, and forging furnaces. Two serpent eggs rested on the prayer mat within the beast chamber—eggs she had brought from the lower realm. She had painstakingly incubated them with spirit stones, but even after entering the cultivation world and their increased intake of spiritual qi, they had yet to hatch.

These heavenly treasures were things Jian Dan dared not reveal openly. The only items that fit her current identity as a rogue cultivator were those she had fought for since arriving in this world. And for now, that was enough.

Jian Dan believed external treasures were merely aids. True strength came from within. What if you lose your armor or sword? Would you just surrender?

She'd even pondered: "If the Magnolia space vanished, could I still advance?"

The answer had always been yes. From the moment she entered the cultivation realm, she had consciously reduced her reliance on the spatial treasure. She had never used it as a hiding place in times of danger. Fortunately, she hadn't yet faced a true life-or-death crisis that would force her to rely on it.

"But if that day comes, I'll use it without hesitation. Survival precedes the path to immortality."

In her previous life, Jian Dan never had access to the magnolia spatial artifact either, and yet she had still reached the Divine Transformation stage. Back then, she also bore the karmic burden of Du Yanran, who split her fate and set obstacles in her path. Even so, her cultivation had never faltered. There was no reason she couldn't do better now, when the heavens favored her.

This epiphany dissolved her frustration. Her cultivation, long simmering at late-stage Foundation Establishment, smoothly surged to perfection—one step from Golden Core. This breakthrough was thanks in part to the residual spiritual energy from the purple-heart fruit that still lingered within her meridians.

Back then, she hadn't told the elders the full truth—her Foundation Establishment was aided by the discovery of a spiritual energy spring, not merely the fruit. The untouched residue from that event now surged through her meridians, propelling her forward.

Eyes gleaming with clarity, Jian Dan opened them and stood up. She decided to make a trip to the city market—she still had an unused purple-gold spirit card, and she intended to recoup some of her losses.

She pulled out He Jintang's message talisman from her storage pouch and sent a voice imprint:

"Senior Brother He, are you free at the moment? I plan to visit the city market to restock some pills and talismans. Would you be willing to accompany me?"

The talisman floated out of her cave and flew toward a dwelling mid-way up the mountain where the spiritual qi was dense. As it passed the threshold, it paused for a brief moment. Jian Dan didn't think much of it.

Moments later, she received He Jintang's reply. He was free and would be glad to go with her. He also offered to introduce the other companions joining the mission, so they could better coordinate when the time came.

Jian Dan gladly agreed, freshened up, and made her way down the mountain path to the agreed meeting point at the base.

"Junior Sister Shan, we meet again."

She recognized the voice behind her immediately. Turning without surprise, she offered a polite bow.

"Senior Sister Feng."

Feng Nianyue had gone out of her way to wear her Seven-Colored Feather Robe today. She had even altered it to a bright yellow shade that made her look even more youthful and lively. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with charm.

When Feng Nianyue caught sight of Jian Dan's cultivation, her eyes briefly flickered. Her words shifted subtly.

"Junior Sister, your cultivation is advancing rapidly. Just a day apart, and you're already brushing the threshold of the Golden Core."

Jian Dan was aware that nearby cultivators had begun paying attention. After all, this was a main thoroughfare between the mountain's peaks.

"Senior Sister flatters me. I was fortunate enough to gain some life-and-death enlightenment within the purple-tier secret realm. My progress is merely the result of accumulating enough over time. It hardly deserves praise."

"Junior Sister Shan, there you are! Sorry we're late. Oh, Senior Sister Feng is here as well?"