Chapter 2: First Spiritual Method (1)
Part 1:
The cave was silent.
Only the faint dripping of water echoed through the darkness.
Dim blue crystals embedded in the stone walls released a soft glow, illuminating the narrow cavern with cold light. Dust floated slowly in the air, rising and falling with every breath Ling Chen took.
He sat cross-legged on a flat stone, eyes closed, palms resting on his knees.
Spiritual energy slowly circulated around him like a gentle current.
Thin strands of blue energy entered his body through the pores of his skin, flowing carefully toward the single opened meridian within him.
The process was slow.
Painfully slow.
Yet for Ling Chen, every second felt priceless.
After fifteen years of helplessness… he could finally cultivate.
Time passed quietly.
The spiritual energy around him gradually calmed.
Ling Chen exhaled deeply.
His eyes opened.
A faint glow flickered within his blue pupils before fading.
"My body… is slightly spiritualized now," he muttered softly, observing the subtle change within himself.
His muscles felt lighter.
His senses sharper.
Even the air felt clearer.
But the improvement quickly reached its limit.
"This is the highest I can do for now…"
A hint of frustration crossed his face.
With only one opened meridian, the amount of energy he could absorb was extremely limited.
Just as he was about to stand—
A calm, ancient voice echoed beside his ears.
"There is something that can help you surpass that."
Ling Chen's eyes instantly sharpened.
"…Hmm?"
He stood up abruptly, scanning the empty cave.
"Who said that?"
Silence answered him.
Then realization struck.
His expression changed.
"…Right."
Ling Chen slowly closed his eyes.
Inner World
The surrounding darkness dissolved.
The cave vanished.
Endless space unfolded before him.
A vast ocean stretched endlessly beneath a sky filled with countless stars. Six enormous moons hung above the horizon, bathing the world in multicolored light.
At the center stood the colossal golden tree, radiating ancient brilliance.
Before it
A familiar figure stood calmly.
White hair flowed behind him despite the absence of wind. Golden light surrounded his body like a sacred halo.
Jing Shen.
Ling Chen walked forward, calm yet curious.
"You called me here?"
Jing Shen nodded slightly.
"I have three mysterious methods that you can use."
"Mysterious methods?" Ling Chen raised an eyebrow.
Jing Shen's gaze deepened.
"These methods have no official ranking. Some believe they are 10th Star Divine Methods… while others claim they surpass Divine rank entirely and belong to the realm of God Methods."
Ling Chen's interest immediately ignited.
"That sounds interesting."
Jing Shen lifted one finger.
"For now, you may only choose one. Your current body cannot withstand the power of all three combined."
Ling Chen nodded.
"Then tell me about them."
Jing Shen spoke slowly, each word carrying weight.
"First The Starfall Raging Mantra."
The sky above flickered as falling stars appeared briefly.
"A method focused on explosive power and overwhelming destruction."
"Second Dragon Phoenix Dance Method."
Phantom images of a dragon and phoenix circled the heavens, their roars shaking space itself.
"A balanced method of offense, defense, and regeneration."
He paused.
The surrounding space grew strangely quiet.
"Third…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"The Primordial God Mantra."
The golden tree trembled faintly.
Ling Chen narrowed his eyes.
"What does it do?"
Jing Shen shook his head.
"No one knows."
Ling Chen blinked.
"No one?"
"It is the most mysterious method ever recorded. Its origin is unknown. Its limits are unknown. Even its creator is unknown."
Silence lingered.
Ling Chen smiled faintly.
"Then I choose that one."
Jing Shen stared at him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"This is the last warning," Jing Shen said seriously. "The Primordial God Mantra may be dangerous."
Ling Chen's gaze became firm.
"Nothing is dangerous or impossible for me."
For the first time, Jing Shen showed a faint smile.
"Very well."
Golden light gathered in his palm.
"Because you chose this method, I will grant you an additional secret technique."
Ling Chen's curiosity rose again.
"A secret technique?"
"The Great Golden Spirit Arts."
Golden symbols appeared in the air, rotating slowly.
"There are nine levels. Each level contains five identical skill branches."
Images manifested one after another:
Yellow Spring Finger
Yellow Spring Palm
Yellow Spring Formation
Yellow Spring Transformation
Yellow Spring Manifestation
Ling Chen's eyes widened slightly.
"Nine levels… of each skill?"
"Yes."
Jing Shen nodded.
"Some say these techniques were created by the Yellow Spring Ancestor. Others believe they appeared alongside the birth of the Golden Core."
Ling Chen tilted his head.
"What is a Golden Core?"
Jing Shen's expression turned solemn.
"A Golden Core is a dense, refined pool of golden spiritual energy containing enlightenment itself."
Golden light condensed above his palm.
"It can drastically increase cultivation… and contains Golden Spiritual Essence Blood capable of temporarily multiplying power."
Ling Chen's breathing slowed.
"When did it appear?"
"I do not know its origin," Jing Shen replied. "It manifests every one thousand years. When exhausted, it disappears and returns again after another millennium."
Ling Chen calculated quickly.
"How long since the last appearance?"
"Nine hundred eighty-nine years."
Jing Shen looked directly at him.
"In eleven years… it will appear again."
Ling Chen's eyes flashed.
Opportunity.
A heaven-defying opportunity.
"How is Golden Spiritual Energy created?"
"By merging five energies," Jing Shen explained.
"Normal Spiritual Energy.
Earthly Spiritual Energy.
Heavenly Spiritual Energy.
Celestial Spiritual Energy.
Divine Spiritual Energy."
Ling Chen nodded slowly.
"Five energies…"
Jing Shen produced a small bottle filled with golden liquid.
"You may temporarily convert your spiritual energy using this Yellow Spring Liquid."
Without hesitation, Ling Chen drank it.
Jing Shen blinked in surprise.
Golden energy exploded outward.
BOOM!
A radiant aura surged from Ling Chen's body as his spiritual energy transformed from pale white into shining gold.
The surrounding ocean trembled slightly.
Ling Chen clenched his fists, feeling overwhelming vitality.
"How many bottles do you have?"
"…Only nine left," Jing Shen replied.
"And remember this is only a cheap imitation of true Golden Energy."
Jing Shen studied him carefully.
"Why did you trust me so easily?"
Ling Chen smiled calmly.
"Because you need my help."
Jing Shen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You are only a spirit form. You need a body."
Silence.
Then Jing Shen laughed softly.
"You are correct."
"I need your help because you are the only one capable of restoring me."
"I'm the only one?"
"Yes. Because you possess the Heavenly Insight Eye."
Ling Chen repeated quietly,
"Heavenly Insight Eye…"
"A powerful Spirit Master cursed my spirit," Jing Shen said. "Only that eye can remove it."
Ling Chen crossed his arms.
"But nothing comes free."
Jing Shen nodded.
"Then let us make a deal."
"You help me regain my body… and I will guide you to reach Divine Spiritual Master within one thousand years."
Ling Chen's eyes widened slightly.
"Others spend thousands of years just reaching Immortal Spiritual Master…"
"And you claim I can reach Divine Spiritual Master in one thousand?"
"I possess knowledge and secrets lost to time."
Ling Chen thought briefly.
"And the Heavenly Insight Eye?"
"It is ranked third among treasures," Jing Shen said. "Yet it is the most useful treasure ever created."
"It lacks explosive power," Ling Chen concluded.
"Yes," Jing Shen said. "But it evolves with its user."
"When your cultivation advances… it advances.
When your body strengthens… it strengthens.
When your soul grows… it grows."
"All types of cultivation," Jing Shen continued.
"Normal, spiritual, body, bloodline, bone, skin, alchemy… everything."
Ling Chen smiled faintly.
"That's good."
"I accept."
Jing Shen nodded.
"Then we must gather ingredients to create a powerful body."
"Really"
Ling Chen turned away slightly.
"Who said I will revive you now?"
Jing Shen froze.
Ling Chen's eyes shone with ambition.
"I will collect the ingredients."
His voice became calm yet absolute.
"First, I will create a powerful body for myself."
A faint smile appeared.
"After I reach Divine Spiritual Master…"
"…then I will make a body for you."
Jing Shen stared at him silently.
For the first time
He realized.
The boy before him was far more Bastard than he expected.
Ling Chen smiled faintly inside the Inner World.
Part 2:
The golden ocean shimmered beneath the endless stars while the colossal divine tree radiated ancient brilliance behind Jing Shen.
For a moment, silence lingered between them.
Jing Shen turned around calmly.
"Wait. I will see you later."
Ling Chen crossed his arms.
"Why are you blind now?"
Jing Shen paused.
"…What?"
Ling Chen tilted his head innocently.
"You were looking at me before. Now you're walking away like you can't see."
Jing Shen's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"I will teach you a lesson someday."
Ling Chen grinned wider.
"Oh? Then why are you mute now?"
He laughed loudly.
Jing Shen simply stared at him without speaking.
Ling Chen stuck out his tongue and pulled down one eyelid.
An exaggerated akanbe face.
"…."
Golden spiritual pressure faintly rippled around Jing Shen.
Ling Chen immediately coughed and looked away.
"Anyway, see you later!"
The world dissolved.
Outside Rocky Cave
Ling Chen opened his eyes slowly.
The cold cave returned.
The faint glow of crystals illuminated the rough stone ceiling.
A deep exhaustion suddenly flooded his body.
"I'm… tired…"
The intense spiritual awakening and inner-world conversation had drained him completely.
He lay down on the rocky ground.
Surprisingly…
It felt comfortable.
He adjusted his head against a smooth stone.
"What a comfortable pillow…"
His voice faded as sleep overtook him.
"That Jing Shen… keeps giving me headaches…"
Inside the Inner World, Jing Shen sighed.
"He's trash talking even in his sleep…"
Far Away — Mountain Peaks
High above the clouds, sharp mountain ridges pierced the sky like swords.
Wind roared violently.
Spiritual energy surged chaotically.
A beautiful figure moved between explosions of light.
A woman.
Long dark hair fluttered wildly as blue spiritual energy surrounded her body.
She faced multiple Rank 10 Spiritual Beasts.
Gigantic wolf-like creatures surrounded her, their eyes glowing crimson. Their claws shattered stone with every step.
Narrator: Is she one of the main female characters?
The woman slashed forward, releasing a crescent wave of spiritual energy that cut across a beast's shoulder.
ROOOAR!!
The beasts attacked simultaneously.
Narrator: Where is the author?
She spun mid-air, barely dodging a claw strike that split the mountain rock behind her.
Blood stained her sleeve.
Narrator: Will she defeat the beasts?
A calm voice answered—
"No."
Narrator: Who said that?!
A beast suddenly lunged from behind.
BOOM!
Its claws struck her back.
She crashed into the ground, rolling across broken stones.
The woman struggled to stand, breathing heavily.
Blood dripped from her lips.
Narrator: Now it's good. And what's her name?
She ran.
Blue spiritual energy gathered beneath her feet.
WHOOSH!
She shot forward like a streak of light and jumped from a cliff.
She flew straight across the canyon.
The beasts reacted instantly.
They leapt after her.
Narrator: Why is everyone jumping from cliffs? Are they trying to look cool?
"Yes."
Narrator: WHO SAID THAT?!
"No one."
Narrator: "…Okay— WAIT A SECOND! WHOOO SAID THAAAT?!"
The Chase
Wind screamed past her ears.
The woman's breathing became unstable.
Her injuries worsened with every movement.
Behind her—
Five Rank 10 beasts pursued relentlessly.
One opened its jaws, releasing a sphere of compressed spiritual energy.
BOOM!
The explosion erupted beside her.
She spun midair, forming hand seals.
"Blue Lotus Strike!"
Dozens of blue energy petals shot backward, exploding against the beasts.
Two staggered.
Three continued charging.
Her vision blurred.
She was reaching her limit.
A beast appeared above her, claws descending.
She twisted her body desperately and counterattacked with a palm strike.
CRACK!
The beast recoiled—but another slammed into her side.
She fell rapidly toward the forest below.
Narrator: This looks bad.
She wiped blood from her lips.
Her eyes sharpened.
A mark appeared on her fingertip.
"Invisible Mark."
Light flickered.
Her body vanished.
The beasts halted midair, confused, roaring angrily as they searched.
Narrator: Why didn't she turn invisible before?!
"So the story gets longer."
Narrator: Who asked you?!
"You."
Narrator: "You? What kind of weird name is that?"
"Some brat is really stupid."
Narrator: WHO IS ROASTING ME?!
"Shut up, bro."
Forest Near Ling Chen
Morning light filtered through tall trees.
Ling Chen stepped out of the cave, stretching lazily.
He yawned.
Fresh air filled his lungs.
"I slept well…"
Leaves rustled gently.
Birds chirped peacefully.
Then—
WHOOSH!!
A figure fell from the sky.
Before Ling Chen could react
CRASH!
The woman slammed directly into him.
Both rolled across the grass.
Her knee struck downward
Directly.
Into.
Ling Chen's most sensitive area.
Silence.
Then
"MY BALLS!!!"
Scene Shift Hospital
A doctor adjusted his glasses.
"So… a woman crashed onto him…"
He flipped a page.
"…and he saw heaven before her knee hit his balls."
The doctor stared solemnly.
"At least he saw heaven before leaving us."
Back to Reality Forest
Ling Chen lay motionless, face pale, soul nearly leaving his body.
His expression contained pure existential suffering.
The woman slowly woke up.
She looked confused.
Then noticed Ling Chen.
"…Who are you?"
Ling Chen forced out words through unimaginable pain.
"First… who are you… where are you from… and please pay my hospital bills because you broke my balls…"
She blinked.
"You look like a teenager."
"ARE YOU LISTENING?! YOU JUST BROKE MY BALLS!"
Inside his mind—
Jing Shen's calm voice echoed.
"You saw heaven before that."
"That wasn't even one second!"
The woman sighed and placed her hand on his chest.
Soft spiritual energy flowed into him.
Warm light spread through his body.
Bones stabilized.
Internal injuries healed rapidly.
Suddenly
A surge of power erupted from Ling Chen.
His aura strengthened noticeably.
Ling Chen sat up in shock.
"Wow… my body and soul became stronger…!"
He paused.
"…and my balls are now in good condition."
He blinked seriously.
"I think… they turned into steel balls."
The woman said weakly,
"That… is all I can do…"
Then she coughed violently.
Blood spilled from her mouth.
Her body collapsed.
Ling Chen froze.
"Hello?"
He shook her gently.
No response.
Her aura was unstable.
Jing Shen's spirit form appeared beside him.
"Get inside, old man!" Ling Chen whispered urgently.
Jing Shen ignored him.
"I will teach you the best cultivation methods. You should treat me as a great master."
Ling Chen immediately mimicked him in a ridiculous voice.
"YoU ShOuLd TrEaT Me As A GrEaT MaStEr."
Jing Shen's face darkened.
"You have no respect."
"Respect me first," Ling Chen replied instantly.
"…What?"
"Mind your business."
Jing Shen sighed deeply.
"First, do not panic."
"Why?"
Jing Shen nodded wisely.
"Because great warriors do not panic."
He paused dramatically.
"They run."
Ling Chen stared blankly.
"…What a great speech. Tears are falling from my ears."
The forest wind blew quietly as chaos prepared to unfold once again.
Part 3:
Blood slowly dripped from Ling Chen's nose and ear, sliding down his cheek before falling onto the cold stone floor of the cave. His breathing was uneven, eyes wide yet unfocused, as if his mind had momentarily stopped working.
Jing Shen's voice echoed lazily inside his consciousness. "Nosebleed… how classic."
Ling Chen, however, heard nothing. His gaze was completely locked forward — more precisely, locked onto the unconscious woman resting against him. Her clothes were torn from battle, rising and falling gently with her breathing. Even covered in dust and blood, her beauty carried a dangerous charm that felt unreal within this dark cave.
Jing Shen clicked his tongue. "Ooo… and here I thought we were discussing serious matters."
Ling Chen snapped slightly. "Bark."
Jing Shen fell silent.
Suddenly, Ling Chen's expression changed. The relaxed air vanished instantly as his body stiffened. A cold sensation crawled up his spine.
"…Something's coming," Ling Chen whispered.
A deep growl echoed from outside the cave entrance. Then another. Then another.
Ling Chen's pupils shrank. "Is that… a powerful beast?"
Three massive shadows appeared beyond the cave, their crimson eyes glowing in the darkness. Rank 10 Spiritual Beasts. Their pressure alone caused the surrounding air to tremble.
Without hesitation, Ling Chen lifted the injured woman into his arms and rushed deeper into the cave while Jing Shen remained at the entrance.
The beasts roared, their voices shaking loose dust from the ceiling.
Jing Shen sighed dramatically. "These puppies truly don't know how powerful I was in my prime."
A faint spiritual aura erupted from him not vast, not overwhelming, yet ancient. Terrifying. The aura carried a pressure that did not belong to this era.
The three beasts froze mid-step.
Instinct screamed danger.
Their growls turned into whimpers before they turned and fled into the forest without daring to look back.
Silence returned.
Jing Shen crossed his arms proudly. "…Are they gone?"
There was no response. Only wind.
He coughed awkwardly. "Well… I was strong in my prime. Now I can only release aura intimidation."
Narrator: Clickbait.
Jing Shen ignored the invisible commentary and floated back into the cave.
Inside, he found Ling Chen sitting against the wall, the woman resting across his lap as he checked her breathing nervously.
Jing Shen tossed a pill toward him. "This is a Recovery Pill. Feed it to her."
Ling Chen quickly obeyed, gently helping the woman swallow the medicine. A soft glow spread across her body as wounds visibly closed and her chaotic aura stabilized.
Satisfied, Jing Shen faded into Ling Chen's body.
Narrator: Inner world. Okay — inner world. Nothing else.
Moments later, the woman's eyelashes trembled.
Her eyes opened sharply.
She immediately saw Ling Chen leaning close.
"Where… am I?"
"You're safe now," Ling Chen said honestly.
Slap.
The sound echoed loudly.
She jumped backward, glaring at him. "You were too close!"
Ling Chen froze, stunned. "I saved you and this is how you repay me?!"
The woman quickly inspected herself, sensing her restored condition. Her expression softened slightly. "…Sorry. I thought you were doing something improper."
Ling Chen instantly began crying exaggeratedly, tears flowing like a broken river.
Crocodile tears.
Panicked, she awkwardly stepped closer. "Hey… don't cry. I misunderstood."
She hesitated before gently patting his shoulder, then tried comforting him properly. She spoke softly, explaining she had been chased for days, exhausted and suspicious of everyone. Her voice carried guilt, and slowly Ling Chen's fake crying turned into genuine quiet listening. The cave atmosphere softened, tension melting into an oddly peaceful silence between strangers.
Then suddenly
Her body trembled violently.
She collapsed forward.
Jing Shen's voice whispered urgently inside Ling Chen's mind. "She's poisoned. Eternal Love Poison."
Her aura spiraled out of control. Her eyes darkened, pupils turning crimson as heat radiated from her body like burning flames.
Before Ling Chen could react, she grabbed him.
Her movements were no longer rational — driven by instinct and the poison's influence. She leaned close, whispering faintly into his ear.
"My name… is Lin Xian…"
Her eyes flickered back to normal for a brief moment as she struggled desperately against herself, breathing unevenly, trying to regain control.
But the poison surged again.
The cave echoed with chaotic spiritual energy as fate took its course, the scene fading into shadows while the storm of energy swallowed sound itself.
Time passed.
Kiss,Bite,Lick and.....
Silence returned.
Ling Chen slowly opened his eyes.
The cave was quiet, illuminated only by faint spiritual light. Realization struck him instantly as he noticed the situation around him. Panic exploded across his face.
He scrambled away, grabbed his clothes, and hurriedly dressed while turning his back.
Behind him, Lin Xian stirred awake.
She blinked, confused, then looked down — realization hitting her just as fast. Her face flushed deeply as she hurried to dress herself.
Narrator: The author is making me jealous.
A mysterious voice replied, "Wait. I'll make you more jealous."
Narrator: Who keeps answering me?!
Inside Ling Chen's mind, Jing Shen spoke calmly. "Dual cultivation refined both your energies. Your spiritual power stabilized, your body and soul strengthened, and you obtained pure Spiritual Yin energy. You may refine it later for further breakthroughs."
Ling Chen cleared his throat awkwardly before asking, "What… is your cultivation level?"
Lin Xian steadied herself and replied, "Spiritual Master, ninth Grade."
"Check again," Ling Chen said.
She closed her eyes, sensing her cultivation.
Her expression froze.
"…Spiritual Master… Twelfth Grade."
Ling Chen nodded as if expecting it. "As I thought."
Jing Shen chuckled mentally. "You are absurdly lucky. A mere one-meridian opener benefiting from a Spiritual Master."
Ling Chen replied inwardly, calm yet sincere. "That is fate. I accept both the opportunity… and her existence."
Jing Shen fell silent, slightly surprised. "…I see."
Narrator: I only have expectations for Akira now. At least he won't make me jealous.
Ling Chen stood and turned around.
Lin Xian looked different now. Her aura felt clearer, her presence calmer, and her beauty seemed to carry a faint radiant glow.
Ling Chen raised both hands defensively. "It wasn't my fault. You started everything. I am innocent."
Lin Xian sighed softly. "I know. You don't need to explain."
Jing Shen whispered again, "She is now immune to many poisons."
Ling Chen blinked. "What?"
"When your golden spiritual energy transferred during the process, it transformed her constitution. Most poisons can no longer harm her. Only a handful in the world remain dangerous."
Ling Chen stared at Lin Xian quietly, realizing their meeting had already changed both their destinies in ways neither of them yet understood.
The cave fell silent once more, but this time the silence carried the weight of a new beginning.
[End of Chapter 2]