novelraw Chapter 62: Death
Chapter 62: Death
With his provisions, including a bun, salted fish, and a modest amount of water, Wuyi wrapped himself in an additional robe for warmth. Although the skin toughening he had undergone lessened the chill of the desert night, he opted for comfort. This warmth was sufficient, eliminating the need to start a fire, which would serve as a beacon on the nearby dirt road and could attract unwanted attention.
In the stillness of the night, he attempted to cultivate, determined not to succumb to fear.
As the sun came up, Wuyi started his journey, walking all day. By the afternoon, he took a break under a big tree. To pass the time, he used his Statue of Harmony to feel the emotions of nearby animals. He noticed the simple feelings of hunger from mice and birds, and the strong wish of a fox to find a partner. He also felt the determination of a deer trying to clean its antlers.
As it got dark, Wuyi kept moving carefully, missing the comfort of his own room more and more as night came. He stayed alert, knowing that even with little danger, it's important to be careful. Boluo was careless and almost lost his leg.
Being alone and worried made him realize how much he valued his peaceful room in the fort for training. No matter how difficult life was there, he could cultivate peacefully in the fort room without worrying about danger. But no matter how safe the room was, he was not going to stay safe there forever, as sooner or later, he would keep ending up in situations such as this.
Eating a small dinner, Wuyi reminded himself that the outcome of this challenge didn't really matter because he planned to leave the fort after becoming a Qi master. No one could force him to stay. Pushing these thoughts aside, Wuyi decided to take a break and cultivate.
As Wuyi cultivated, the Qi from his statues kept flowing into his muscles, forging every fiber. By morning, Wuyi felt he was close to a breakthrough. So, he decided to just cultivate the whole day until he broke through.
The day passed, and night arrived. Finally, around midnight, Wuyi felt the breakthrough. He had reached the stage of Advanced Muscle Mastery. As he sat in meditation, he could feel his muscles pulsating with energy, as if each fiber had been imbued with the essence of Qi.
It was a sensation of raw power, yet incredibly refined, like a well-forged blade. The Qi provided by his statues was too pure. He was sure if he fought someone at the same level, he could easily defeat them because the purity of Qi made his muscles more refined and stronger.
Another transformation he felt within himself was his body feeling both stronger and lighter, as if he had shed an invisible weight that had been holding him back. Each movement felt effortless, every step imbued with a sense of purpose and strength. It was as if he had unlocked a dormant potential within himself, a reservoir of power that had been waiting to be tapped.
He felt he could run for days without feeling tired. He stood up, flexing his muscles subtly, and felt an exhilarating rush of energy. It was as though his body had become a finely tuned instrument, perfectly calibrated for him. The sensation was empowering.
It was still midnight. Wuyi decided against cultivating further and instead opted to get some rest. It had been a while since he slept.
Even though he was a cultivator now, he was not at the level where he could survive forever without food and sleep, but in the forest, he decided it would not be best to sleep... So the best course of action was to meditate.
Just as he was about to begin meditating, suddenly, he felt a pull and realized he was standing in his sacred chamber, gazing at the statue of harmony.
Wuyi realized he was in a dream; he had understood this a while ago. If the statues wanted to speak with him, they would interact with him in a dream by pulling him in. He did not necessarily need to sleep for it.
Even if he was awake, the statues would pull him into a dream as long as they had enough energy. What surprised him today was suddenly the statue of harmony came to life and pointed. Before Wuyi could understand what the statue was pointing at, he found himself in a stable, the very place where Boluo resided.
Wuyi watched as the stable door creaked open, allowing a chilling breeze to sneak in. He glanced around, sensing the presence of Boluo and the faint aroma of wine that clung to him. Boluo moved through the darkness, reassuring the horses as he passed. When Boluo started going up the stairs, as he reached the top, suddenly, a commotion erupted.
Two men came tumbling down the stairs in a chaotic struggle. Someone was attacking Boluo. Boluo tried to fight off the assailant, but the assailant was stronger than him. Boluo's injury made him more vulnerable. Boluo tried his best to fight back but was overpowered by the assailant very soon.
The assailant struck Boluo with a poisoned blade a few times. Boluo, already inebriated, fought briefly and then lay still in the straw. The scent of his blood hung heavily in the air. In the midst of this grim scene, Wuyi perceived something unusual—a spectral form emerging from Boluo's lifeless body.
It seemed like his soul was about to depart from this world. However, before it could complete its departure, a crimson hand materialized out of thin air, grasping the soul and vanishing into the unknown.
Then, as if in an instant, Wuyi found himself back in the sacred chamber. His gaze fixed upon the Statue of Valor, and he was astonished to witness that the statue of Valor had transformed.
Unlike before, when the statues had an ethereal presence within his mind, this time it felt real, tangible, as if it existed in the physical world, as solid as his own hands and feet.
He stared at the statue, and a profound sense of warmth, care, and the spirit of Boluo emanated from it. Overwhelmed by these emotions, Wuyi found himself shedding tears in the presence of the statue.