Could it be that I haven't awakened?
Is this a sign of eating too many awakening pills?
Lu Li's heart instantly hung in suspense upon hearing this.
"Mud Monkey, don't worry, this is definitely an awakening," Qin Shouren said, seeing Lu Li's tense expression, stepping forward to comfort him.
However, Fan Zhengping's expression became indifferent, thinking to himself: three awakening at once, clearly all mixed spiritual roots. The master probably won't accept three mixed spiritual roots disciples.
He walked out with a troubled heart.
Seeing this, Lu Li called Qin Shouren and Chen Zhong over, asking quietly: "In the past two days, have you noticed any changes in your bodies?"
The two exchanged glances. Qin Shouren said: "No other changes, but our eyesight and hearing seem much sharper. Also, sometimes when we close our eyes, we can see our own bodies. According to the novice formula Senior Brother Fan gave us, we're probably condensing Divine Sense."
Chen Zhong nodded: "Me too."
Lu Li knew that formula too. After awakening, the spiritual meridians become visible. Condensing Divine Sense allows internal viewing of the spiritual meridians. Then, during the Qi Refining stage cultivation, one absorbs and refines the so-called heaven and earth Spiritual Qi to open the meridian apertures, making the meridians unobstructed to store True Qi.
There are twelve auxiliary meridians and two main meridians. Opening all twelve auxiliary meridians allows Foundation Establishment, which is Qi Refining twelve layers.
True geniuses don't establish their foundation at twelve layers. They choose to open both main meridians as well, making Qi Refining fourteen layers. Only then can they circulate the Great Heavenly Cycle. When casting techniques, their power far surpasses those who established foundation at twelve layers.
Each meridian has one hundred apertures. Only when completely opened does it count as one layer's Perfection. So cultivation isn't that simple, especially for mixed spiritual roots like them, it's even more difficult.
Because heaven and earth Spiritual Qi attributes are mixed, single spiritual roots only need to refine the one attribute True Qi corresponding to their spiritual root to use for aperture breakthrough.
But multi-attribute spiritual roots must refine multiple attribute True Qi to break through a single aperture.
For example, the five-element spiritual roots need to refine metal, wood, water, fire, and earth attributes of True Qi. The refining speed isn't simply one-to-five.
Because you can't guarantee the Spiritual Qi you absorb contains all five elements.
Mixed spiritual roots below the five-element category don't even need mentioning.
Lu Li nodded: "Good, after condensing Divine Sense, you can view your meridians and also absorb and refine Spiritual Qi. Then you'll know what spiritual roots you have."
"What I want to say is, Fan Zhengping's expression was wrong just now. With both of you awakening successfully, plus me possibly awakening successfully too, Qingliang Temple has run out of test subjects."
"And I suspect that old Daoist probably won't accept mixed spiritual roots as disciples. Even if he does, he wouldn't accept three at once. So... we still need to plan ahead."
Chen Zhong and Qin Shouren immediately nodded upon hearing this. Qin Shouren suddenly realized: "You're clever. I nearly forgot myself. We're just mixed spiritual roots, not much different from mortals. We probably still can't avoid being test subjects."
"They killed Xiang Yun. This Fan Zhengping isn't completely evil-hearted, but still holds the view that mortal lives aren't lives. We really need to be careful."
Chen Zhong said: "Mud Monkey, just tell us what to do. We'll listen to you."
Lu Li pondered for a moment: "Deceive outwardly while complying, watch and wait."
"Good."
The group chatted a bit more before the other two left.
That evening during meal preparation, Fan Zhengping suddenly said: "I feel the master might return soon. Starting tomorrow, you can't go into the courtyard anymore. But rest assured, after the master returns, I'll report truthfully. The master is kind-hearted. Your chances of becoming his disciples are still quite high."
Kind-hearted?
Lu Li and the other two exchanged glances, all seeing mockery in each other's eyes. But none refuted it, instead happily agreeing.
After dinner, Fan Zhengping brought the three back to their rooms, locking them one by one. Only after triple-checking did he leave. His heart was very uneasy. Creating three mixed spiritual roots at once, he didn't know if he'd be punished.
Listening to the departing footsteps outside, Lu Li finally sat cross-legged.
He had no cultivation technique, only a crude novice formula for condensing Divine Sense and sensing Spiritual Qi. It didn't even include absorption and refinement methods.
According to Fan Zhengping's explanation, Divine Sense is part of the soul, can replace human eyes for seeing, and powerful Divine Sense supplemented with True Qi can manipulate objects.
Lu Li closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and began condensing Divine Sense according to the formula.
An incense stick of time.
One hour.
Two hours.
Suddenly, Lu Li felt himself suddenly float up. He could even see his own cross-legged body. Even at night, everything within three zhang became clearly visible. Lu Li felt joy in his heart: "Is this so-called Divine Sense?"
Wasn't Divine Sense supposed to be extremely difficult to condense?
This is too amazing.
With a thought, that wonderful feeling disappeared instantly. Opening his eyes, the surroundings were still dark. When he focused his sensing again, everything immediately became clear once more.
After using it several times consecutively, he became more and more adept. Just a thought, and he could use Divine Sense.
Moreover, he felt his eyesight and hearing had become more sensitive. Originally unable to see at night, now even without Divine Sense, the room wasn't as dark as before.
Right then, Lu Li suddenly felt intense heat in his palm.
Lu Li raised his hand to look. The pagoda-shaped tattoo was actually flowing with faint light. Simultaneously, a strange feeling surged in his heart. He felt this thing was like a real entity, and it seemed he could control it at will.
With a doubtful expression, he tentatively focused his thoughts.
Hum.
The small pagoda actually flew up, transforming into a real three-story small pagoda. The pagoda was dull gray with several cracks. Overall only thumb-sized, looking like a small decorative piece.
With another thought, the small pagoda transformed back into a cyan tattoo imprinted on his palm.
"Boundary, Space, Time. What do they mean?" Lu Li stared at the small characters on the pagoda, frowning in thought.
"Three Treasures Glazed Pagoda!"
"First floor Spiritual Things Hall, Immortal Mansion World. Planting spiritual herbs, raising spiritual beasts, improving soil quality, etc., can all increase space size. Initially one zhang square..."
"Second floor Space Hall, storage space. Space size is always ten times the first floor's space, limitless ceiling..."
"Third floor Time Hall, can enter for cultivation. Initially tenfold time ratio. The larger the first floor space, the higher the time ratio..."
While Lu Li was pondering, streams of information suddenly flowed into his mind, all about this small pagoda.
This...
"Treasure!"
An absolute treasure! Lu Li stared dumbfounded at the small pagoda pattern in his palm, his heart too excited to contain itself.
"Mud Monkey, where's the treasure?" Qin Shouren next door suddenly heard Lu Li's exclamation, pressing his eye against the hole to stare at Lu Li.
"Ahem, nothing. I said my spiritual roots are too mixed, I need treasure..."
This kind of treasure absolutely mustn't be revealed, otherwise it would immediately invite fatal disaster.