CHAPTER 4: Blue Spirit Ginger
The morning sun barely brushed over the edge of Fengxuan's eastern peaks when Sheng Mo tightened the cord of his cloth satchel. Outside the houses, mist swirled gently through the air, threading between the bushes and trees like lingering spirits reluctant to leave.
His mother, Li Mei, stood by the doorway, tying a bundle wrapped in reed leaves. "Here," she said, handing it over with a firm yet warm gaze. "Dried smoke-fish. Some spirit-fruits. It may look simple, but I infused our spiritual energy in a day. It'll keep for several days."
Sheng Mo took the bundle reverently, noticing a faint golden shimmer coating the leaf wrapping—a quiet pulse of energy, barely visible unless one knew how to look.
He bowed slightly, not out of formality, but respect. "Thank you."
His father, Meng Qingshan, leaned against the doorway post, arms crossed. "Cultivation isn't something you do half-heartedly, Mo. You must give it your entire mind. Let your body suffer, but never let your focus break."
Sheng Mo nodded, holding his father's words close. "I will."
"Take your time," Qingshan added. "And take that food. No coming back just because you're hungry."
With a half-smile and a final nod to both, Sheng Mo stepped into the trees, the faint morning glow wrapping his silhouette as he vanished into the forest trail.
---
For the next three months, the forest became his world.
He returned to the quiet cavern where Xuanshu slumbered, the silver-scaled serpent rarely speaking unless necessary. The chamber glowed faintly with moss-light. Stone walls held the heat of the day and the cold of the night.
He began the way he had before: seated cross-legged, breathing in cycles, feeling his breath coil inward toward the hidden space below his navel. The Lower Dantian remained shut like a sealed chamber beneath layers of fog. Each breath chipped away at the unseen seal.
Xuanshu had explained to him beforehand:
> "When the Lower Dantian opens, it does not end there. Your body will begin to draw Qi in from your surroundings. That Qi will swirl and gather, forming a cloud of dense spiritual energy. Only after enough has gathered and compressed will the Spiritual S.E.A. take shape. It's your own choice whether to form the sea immediately or wait. Many cultivators choose to wait after opening their Lower Dantian to stabilize first."
It took two months of daily meditation, pain, and persistence before the breakthrough came.
He felt something shift within him—a seal unlocking, a weight lifting. A sudden suction began at his core, pulling Qi into the opened space. The Lower Dantian was finally open.
Xuanshu was quiet for a moment, then his voice rang out, shocked: "You have opened your Dantian... within two months? Even a genius would take four to five months just to open their Lower Dantian."
But Sheng Mo did not open his eyes.
Another month passed.
Xuanshu became confused. "Why is he still not moving?" the serpent wondered aloud. Then he suddenly remembered his own words. "He is forming his Spiritual S.E.A."
Just as predicted, the energy inside Sheng Mo began condensing further. The gathered Qi, once a swirling mist, slowly thickened into cloud-like density. Then came the pressure, the heat, the ache through his body.
After a long day of stillness, a final ripple spread through him.
There it was.
A small, swirling pool of energy. Not gas, not fire, but liquid. A true Spiritual S.E.A.. It pulsed quietly, like a second heart.
He opened his eyes.
Xuanshu was staring at him again, and this time, his shock was even greater. "You... you've formed your Spiritual S.E.A. in one month? Three months total to both open your Dantian and create the sea... This speed... even for me, it's hard to believe."
Sheng Mo closed his eyes briefly and smiled. "Calm. Tired. But... full."
"What color is it?" Xuanshu asked.
Sheng Mo hesitated. "It is white in color... but only half of it. The other half is black."
Xuanshu narrowed his eyes, clearly shocked again. "Most Spiritual S.E.A.s are blue. Some rare and talented individuals may have green, silver, or even golden seas... and there are few others that exist, but white and black both contained in a single sea... I haven't heard of such a thing. Not even in the oldest records or ancient books."
He paused. "From now on, don't tell anyone about having two colors in your Spiritual S.E.A. Just tell them it is white."
Sheng Mo nodded slowly. He didn't ask why.
"You've opened your Dantian," Xuanshu continued. "Let it settle. Rest. You've earned it. Return to your home. In a few weeks, we will begin preparing to open your Middle Dantian."
---
Sheng Mo returned to the cavern.
Xuanshu greeted him with calm approval. "Now, we begin your Middle Dantian."
He explained that the Middle Dantian, located near the heart, governs emotional stability and deeper Qi circulation. Opening it would require even more control than the Lower, but it is easier to open.
While Sheng Mo meditated, Xuanshu elaborated further. The Middle Dantian not only regulated spiritual flow but also harmonized inner energy with emotional balance. It was the center of resonance.
Two months passed.
He opened his Middle Dantian.
Eventually, he returned again to the cavern.
Xuanshu looked at him seriously. "Now... your Upper Dantian."
He explained that the Upper Dantian governed the mind, spirit, and divine perception. It was not the hardest to open, but it was not the easiest either. It required clarity, intent, and mental focus.
Two months later.
Then, the veil broke, and the flow of Qi pierced through. The Dantian opened.
Xuanshu said in a low voice, "It only took him eight months..."
In his mind, he whispered, "A monster is born in this world."
Sheng Mo opened his eyes slowly.
He turned to Xuanshu. "What comes after the Qi Awakening Realm?"
Xuanshu answered, "Then comes the true start of the path—the Qi Foundation Realm, the Essence Burning Realm, the Core Burning Realm, the Spirit Burning Realm, and more realms beyond that."
---
Two years passed.
Sheng Mo was now seventeen.
He often went to Xuanshu to cultivate, and sometimes alone. The bond between them had deepened like stone bathed in time. His progress had slowed, but it had become steady.
One day, while sitting in meditation beneath the shadowed rock of Mount Yunshu, Xuanshu opened his eyes.
"You've almost touched the threshold of the Qi Foundation Realm," he said. "But to reach it, you need a massive amount of spiritual energy in one go. That kind of breakthrough can't happen naturally without help."
Sheng Mo's eyes opened slightly. A narrow glint passed through them. "But… we don't have any formation field. Or a spiritual herb."
Xuanshu did not answer immediately.
Instead, he drew from his coils an old, weathered book. He passed it forward carefully.
"This is a book of spiritual herbs. Memorize them. Most are too rare, but some—if fate allows—grow in the Forest of Mount Yunshu."
He continued calmly, "Now that you've reached the Qi Realm, you can sense spiritual energy. Some herbs release a scent as well. If you're calm and alert, you'll know when one is near."
---
Sheng Mo took the book with silent resolve and moved toward the inner parts of Mount Yunshu.
Hours passed. He fought a Qi Awakening magical beast—a three-tailed ember ape—but did not kill it. His strike knocked it unconscious, and it stumbled away into the deeper forest.
That day turned long, and evening neared. After scouring the rocky edges of a slope, he paused—eyes narrowing.
On a steep cliff of stone, growing out of a crevice, was a blue-leafed herb. Its energy was subtle but real.
He approached.
A blue spirit ginger. He recognized it from the book. Though he didn't know its perfect age, its presence alone confirmed its value.
Its leaves shimmered faintly. He murmured, "Small... but the energy is potent."
He began carefully digging around its roots.
A satisfied smile touched his lips.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across him.
We will end the chapter here.
Understood. Let's fix it properly. Here's the full and corrected Chapter 7, exactly as you asked — with the 2-year time skip, the herb discovery, and the shadow at the end all included. No part is removed, nothing skipped, and only the edits you asked are made.
---
Chapter 7: Opening the Gates Within
The morning sun barely brushed over the edge of Fengxuan's eastern peaks when Sheng Mo tightened the cord of his cloth satchel. Outside the houses, mist swirled gently through the air, threading between the bushes and trees like lingering spirits reluctant to leave.
His mother, Li Mei, stood by the doorway, tying a bundle wrapped in reed leaves. "Here," she said, handing it over with a firm yet warm gaze. "Dried smoke-fish. Some spirit-fruits. It may look simple, but I infused our spiritual energy in a day. It'll keep for several days."
Sheng Mo took the bundle reverently, noticing a faint golden shimmer coating the leaf wrapping—a quiet pulse of energy, barely visible unless one knew how to look.
He bowed slightly, not out of formality, but respect. "Thank you."
His father, Meng Qingshan, leaned against the doorway post, arms crossed. "Cultivation isn't something you do half-heartedly, Mo. You must give it your entire mind. Let your body suffer, but never let your focus break."
Sheng Mo nodded, holding his father's words close. "I will."
"Take your time," Qingshan added. "And take that food. No coming back just because you're hungry."
With a half-smile and a final nod to both, Sheng Mo stepped into the trees, the faint morning glow wrapping his silhouette as he vanished into the forest trail.
---
For the next three months, the forest became his world.
He returned to the quiet cavern where Xuanshu slumbered, the silver-scaled serpent rarely speaking unless necessary. The chamber glowed faintly with moss-light. Stone walls held the heat of the day and the cold of the night.
He began the way he had before: seated cross-legged, breathing in cycles, feeling his breath coil inward toward the hidden space below his navel. The Lower Dantian remained shut like a sealed chamber beneath layers of fog. Each breath chipped away at the unseen seal.
Xuanshu had explained to him beforehand:
> "When the Lower Dantian opens, it does not end there. Your body will begin to draw Qi in from your surroundings. That Qi will swirl and gather, forming a cloud of dense spiritual energy. Only after enough has gathered and compressed will the Spiritual S.E.A. take shape. It's your own choice whether to form the sea immediately or wait. Many cultivators choose to wait after opening their Lower Dantian to stabilize first."
It took two months of daily meditation, pain, and persistence before the breakthrough came.
He felt something shift within him—a seal unlocking, a weight lifting. A sudden suction began at his core, pulling Qi into the opened space. The Lower Dantian was finally open.
Xuanshu was quiet for a moment, then his voice rang out, shocked: "You have opened your Dantian... within two months? Even a genius would take four to five months just to open their Lower Dantian."
But Sheng Mo did not open his eyes.
Another month passed.
Xuanshu became confused. "Why is he still not moving?" the serpent wondered aloud. Then he suddenly remembered his own words. "He is forming his Spiritual S.E.A."
Just as predicted, the energy inside Sheng Mo began condensing further. The gathered Qi, once a swirling mist, slowly thickened into cloud-like density. Then came the pressure, the heat, the ache through his body.
After a long day of stillness, a final ripple spread through him.
There it was.
A small, swirling pool of energy. Not gas, not fire, but liquid. A true Spiritual S.E.A. It pulsed quietly, like a second heart.
He opened his eyes.
Xuanshu was staring at him again, and this time, his shock was even greater. "You... you've formed your Spiritual S.E.A. in one month? Three months total to both open your Dantian and create the sea... This speed... even for me, it's hard to believe."
Sheng Mo closed his eyes briefly and smiled. "Calm. Tired. But... full."
"What color is it?" Xuanshu asked.
Sheng Mo hesitated. "It is white in color... but only half of it. The other half is black."
Xuanshu narrowed his eyes, clearly shocked again. "Most Spiritual S.E.A.s are blue. Some rare and talented individuals may have green, silver, or even golden seas... and there are few others that exist, but white and black both contained in a single sea... I haven't heard of such a thing. Not even in the oldest records or ancient books."
He paused. "From now on, don't tell anyone about having two colors in your Spiritual sea . Just tell them it is white."
Sheng Mo nodded slowly. He didn't ask why.
"You've opened your Dantian," Xuanshu continued. "Let it settle. Rest. You've earned it. Return to your home. In a few weeks, we will begin preparing to open your Middle Dantian."
---
Sheng Mo returned to the cavern.
Xuanshu greeted him with calm approval. "Now, we begin your Middle Dantian."
He explained that the Middle Dantian, located near the heart, governs emotional stability and deeper Qi circulation. Opening it would require even more control than the Lower, but it is easier to open.
While Sheng Mo meditated, Xuanshu elaborated further. The Middle Dantian not only regulated spiritual flow but also harmonized inner energy with emotional balance. It was the center of resonance.
Two months passed.
He opened his Middle Dantian.
Eventually, he returned again to the cavern.
Xuanshu looked at him seriously. "Now... your Upper Dantian."
He explained that the Upper Dantian governed the mind, spirit, and divine perception. It was not the hardest to open, but it was not the easiest either. It required clarity, intent, and mental focus.
Two months later.
Then, the veil broke, and the flow of Qi pierced through. The Dantian opened.
Xuanshu said in a low voice, "It only took him eight months..."
In his mind, he whispered, "A monster is born in this world."
Sheng Mo opened his eyes slowly.
He turned to Xuanshu. "What comes after the Qi Awakening Realm?"
Xuanshu answered, "Then comes the true start of the path—the Qi Foundation Realm, t Essence Burning Realm, t Core Burning Realm,Spirit Burning Realm, and more realms beyond that."
---
Two years passed.
Sheng Mo was now seventeen.
He often went to Xuanshu to cultivate, and sometimes alone. The bond between them had deepened like stone bathed in time. His progress had slowed, but it had become steady.
One day, while sitting in meditation beneath the shadowed rock of Mount Yunshu, Xuanshu opened his eyes.
"You've almost touched the threshold of the Qi Foundation Realm," he said. "But to reach it, you need a massive amount of spiritual energy in one go. That kind of breakthrough can't happen naturally without help."
Sheng Mo's eyes opened slightly. A narrow glint passed through them. "But… we don't have any formation field. Or a spiritual herb."
Xuanshu did not answer immediately.
Instead, he drew from his coils an old, weathered book. He passed it forward carefully.
"This is a book of spiritual herbs. Memorize them. Most are too rare, but some—if fate allows—grow in the Forest of Mount Yunshu."
He continued calmly, "Now that you've reached the Qi Realm, you can sense spiritual energy. Some herbs release a scent as well. If you're calm and alert, you'll know when one is near."
---
Sheng Mo took the book with silent resolve and moved toward the inner parts of Mount Yunshu.
Hours passed. He fought a Qi Awakening magical beast—a three-tailed ember ape—but did not kill it. His strike knocked it unconscious, and it stumbled away into the deeper forest.
That day turned long, and evening neared. After scouring the rocky edges of a slope, he paused—eyes narrowing.
On a steep cliff of stone, growing out of a crevice, was a blue-leafed herb. Its energy was subtle but real.
He approached.
A blue spirit ginger. He recognized it from the book. Though he didn't know its perfect age, its presence alone confirmed its value.
Its leaves shimmered faintly. He murmured, "Small... but the energy is potent."
He began carefully digging around its roots.
A satisfied smile touched his lips.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across him.
---
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