"A spiritual seed that only condenses after absorbing blood… It's certainly not simple. Most likely, it absorbed the essence force within the blood."
Looking at the entry about the Spirit Sparrow in the book before her, Chen Jinshu couldn't help but think.
For an ordinary Spirit sparrow to undergo a bloodline transformation, it must absorb a stronger bloodline of the same type, or a spiritual creature rich in essence force. Of course, she didn't believe just any spirit beast could evolve just by consuming a spiritual seed.
That the Shadowpeak Finch awakened the Qingyin Lingque bloodline likely had something to do with its original Fire Sparrow lineage—after all, ten thousand years ago, the Fire Sparrow and Qingyin Lingque were close relatives.
Moreover, given the small size of sprit sparrow, a single spiritual seed imbued with essence force could easily influence them.
"Looks like the Shadowpeak Finch 's diet will need to be upgraded going forward."
She read that the Qingyin Lingque particularly favored a spiritual fruit called the Moonlight Fruit—a fruit that grew under moonlight and brimmed with potent lunar energy. When consumed by cultivators, it could stabilize the mind and enhance spiritual awareness.
An hour later, Chen Jinshu returned to Ink Plum Courtyard, now carrying several moonlight fruits, each the size of a marble.
"The Moonlight Fruit's medicinal effect is strong. Just one should feed you for a month."
"Thank you, Master!" The Shadowpeak Finch chirped gratefully after carrying the fruit back to its nest atop the ink plum tree.
"Also, if you find any spiritual objects outside in the future, do not consume them so casually. If they're tied to others through karmic cause and effect, it might affect our future cultivation."
"Understood, Master."
Seeing the now-talking Shadowpeak Finch gave Chen Jinshu a sense of unexpected joy—perhaps because this little beast she'd taken in on a whim could now respond with words instead of just chirps.
…
Three days later, Chen Jinshu received word again that her master, Shui Huanmeng, would be taking her along on another healing trip. She quickly finished watering two spiritual fields and rushed toward the Pill King Hall.
In the span of an hour, Shui Huanmeng led her through three elders' courtyards to treat their spirit plants. Each case involved different spiritual ailments and greatly broadened her horizons. Along the way, Shui Huanmeng also passed down many diagnostic techniques.
When they returned to the Pill King Hall, Shui Huanmeng instructed her to head to Biyi Palace five days later—where she would activate the Thousand-Tone Illusion Array to help Jinshu prepare for the sect's outer gate tournament.
For disciples participating in either the inner or outer competitions, Shui Huanmeng always arranged special training sessions beforehand—to increase their chances of victory.
Chen Jinshu was thrilled to hear her master would personally help her prepare. So this was what her sixth senior brother meant when he said their master would assist her. Before long, the agreed-upon day arrived.
After reminding the Shadowpeak Finch to stay put, she rushed to Biyi Palace. In recent days, she had asked her senior sister about this "Thousand-Tone Illusion Array." She learned it was a complex formation combining real and illusionary elements. Some sights within were real, some fabricated—it would be up to her to discern which.
What's more—the damage caused inside the array was real.
Her senior sister explained that Shui Huanmeng had personally invited a famed formation master of the sect to design the array, tailoring it to the terrain of the mountain peak where Biyi Palace was located.
The formation had multiple tiers—the lowest for Qi Refiring stage cultivators, while the highest could test Golden Core cultivators, though the latter had yet to be activated.
At Biyi Palace, Chen Jinshu was told by her master to wait in the courtyard, where a teleportation array would soon activate and transport her directly into the illusion.
"Jinshu, though you're only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, I can sense you're on the verge of breaking through to the sixth. The illusion I'll activate today corresponds to the late-stage Qi Refining level. As long as you guard your heart, and don't let the illusion sway your mind, you'll be fine."
"This will be your opportunity to break through—and more importantly, a chance to deepen your mastery of sound cultivation. You've practiced auditory diagnosis for some time now. This is your moment—make the most of it."
As Shui Huanmeng's voice echoed through the courtyard, Chen Jinshu's expression grew more focused and determined.
"I will remember your words, Master!"
"Good. I won't say more. You'll experience the illusion's power yourself—it won't disappoint you."
As soon as Shui Huanmeng finished speaking, a white beam of light shot from the palace and struck Chen Jinshu directly.
A golden glow rose beneath her feet and enveloped her. When she opened her eyes again, the surroundings had completely changed—it felt like a different world. Around her were rows of spirit trees and medicinal herbs.
But Chen Jinshu could sense that most of them were illusions. A light touch would cause them to fade into mist. Ahead lay a silent black swamp, exuding a faint, rotten odor.
"Seems like the swamp is real… I wonder what this illusion is trying to test?"
With suspicion, she surveyed her surroundings, remaining highly alert.
Surely, her master's illusion wouldn't be so simple.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, the sound of wind like razor blades whistled in her ears—sharp and piercing. When she turned around, she saw a barrage of leaf-shaped wind blades flying at her, each glowing green with sharp energy.
"Here it comes—the training has begun."
She realized the calm earlier was just to give her a breather. Immediately, she used her Rainbow Step to dodge rapidly in place. The green wind blades slashed deep grooves—three inches deep—into the ground where she had just stood.
"They're real…" Her expression darkened.
More green leaf blades came flying from the front. Then from all sides, in wave after wave, cutting the ground into a crisscross of gouges. Still, she was pleasantly surprised—her Rainbow Step seemed to have improved in the midst of this trial, advancing to the "mastered" level.
She had long been stuck at the proficient stage. Who would've thought she'd break through so quickly in the illusion?
Her master had been right—this illusion was an all-around opportunity to improve.
Thinking this, she realized something:
"This illusion must be testing my various skills through randomized challenges."
The first trial was clearly about reaction speed.
Soon, more attacks came—wind blades, then flying swords, arrows, and eventually needle-thin projectiles. Dodging became more and more difficult.
"Dodging alone won't work forever. I'll exhaust my spiritual energy eventually. It's probably time for the next phase."
She guessed the second trial was a test of defense and adaptability.
Immediately, she pulled out her Lüqi Zither from her storage bag and began to play rapidly in front of her. Yet no matter how long she played, the sound refused to spread. The once melodious notes turned into dull, heavy tones. She glanced at the nearby black swamp—and suddenly understood.
"So that's it. This silent swamp isn't ordinary!"
"It can actually devour sound!"