usatvline Chapter 165 Baptism at the Spirit Lake
Chapter 165 Baptism at the Spirit Lake
His gaze fell on Xu Xiaoxiao's face, where she was as pale as paper, devoid of any color, her brows tightly furrowed, and her pained expression was heartbreaking.
Her body curled up uncontrollably, like a wounded little animal, fragile and helpless.
"Xiaoxiao, hang in there!" Jiang Jingzhi's voice trembled, carrying a hint of desperate sobs.
He knew that Xu Xiaoxiao was suffering greatly at this moment, and he dared not delay. He immediately and slowly channeled his spiritual power into Xu Xiaoxiao's body, hoping to alleviate her pain.
The spiritual energy flowed like a warm current from Jiang Jingzhi's palm into Xu Xiaoxiao's body. However, once the spiritual energy entered Xu Xiaoxiao's body, it seemed to sink into the sea without causing a ripple, and she could not absorb it at all.
Jiang Jingzhi's heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition surged into his mind. His hands trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to check Xu Xiaoxiao's dantian. Upon seeing it, his face turned deathly pale, as if he had been struck by lightning.
Inside Xu Xiaoxiao's dantian, the golden core that had once shone brightly was now covered with dense cracks, like glass about to shatter, and could collapse completely at any moment.
"How could this happen..." Jiang Jingzhi's voice became hoarse as he murmured in disbelief.
His eyes were filled with shock and fear. The shattering of the Golden Core was undoubtedly a catastrophe for a cultivator.
If Xu Xiaoxiao cannot form her Nascent Soul in a short time, she will lose her ability to cultivate forever and become an ordinary person. In this world where the strong are respected, losing the ability to cultivate means losing everything. Junior Sister is so passionate about cultivation, so what should she do?
"No, no way! There must be a way!" A resolute glint flashed in Jiang Jingzhi's eyes; he refused to believe this cruel reality.
He held Xu Xiaoxiao's hand tightly, as if that would give her strength. He kept thinking about all possible solutions, trying to find a glimmer of hope.
"Xiaoxiao, you must hold on! Senior Brother won't let anything happen to you!" Jiang Jingzhi's voice was firm and powerful, and his eyes revealed an indomitable will.
He knew that Xu Xiaoxiao needed him at this moment, and he couldn't give up.
He gently placed Xu Xiaoxiao on the ground, then sat cross-legged beside her, placed his hands on her dantian, and tried again to channel spiritual energy into her body.
This time, he controlled the output of his spiritual power more delicately, carefully guiding it to circulate within Xu Xiaoxiao's body in an attempt to repair her shattered golden core.
However, no matter how hard he tried, Xu Xiaoxiao's golden core showed no signs of improvement; in fact, the cracks grew larger and larger.
Jiang Jingzhi's forehead was covered in sweat, and his face grew increasingly pale. He knew that his time was running out, and if he couldn't find a solution soon, Xu Xiaoxiao would leave him forever.
Just when he was feeling desperate, he suddenly remembered a mysterious method recorded in ancient books—the baptism of the Spirit Lake.
Legend has it that deep within the Enchanted Forest lies a mysterious Spirit Lake, whose waters contain powerful spiritual energy. It is said that if one can be cleansed in the Spirit Lake, it might help Xu Xiaoxiao repair her shattered Golden Core.
"Xiaoxiao, you wait! Senior Brother will definitely find the Spirit Lake and bring you back!" Jiang Jingzhi gritted his teeth, gently carried Xu Xiaoxiao on his back, then stood up and walked into the depths of the Enchanted Forest.
The fog in the forest grew thicker and thicker as you went deeper, like a heavy quilt enveloping everything, blurring your vision so that you could barely see a few steps ahead.
Suddenly, a strange hissing sound came from the right. Jiang Jingzhi stopped abruptly, his muscles tensing, and looked warily at the source of the sound.
A giant python, as thick as three people and covered in sharp spikes, was seen slithering down from an ancient tree. Its eyes gleamed with a cold green light, and it flicked its long tongue, seemingly regarding the two people before it as delicious prey.
Jiang Jingzhi's heart tightened. He knew that he absolutely could not abandon Xu Xiaoxiao to fight the giant python at this moment, otherwise, given Xu Xiaoxiao's current condition, she would not be able to withstand any harm at all.
He took a deep breath, circulated his spiritual energy, and made his movements more agile.
With Xu Xiaoxiao on his back, he darted around the giant python and continued on his way.
However, the giant python seemed to be enraged. It twisted its body and pounced on Jiang Jingzhi like a black lightning bolt, its sharp fangs gleaming coldly in the mist.
Jiang Jingzhi swiftly drew his sword, dodging to the side while simultaneously slashing at the giant python's head with a sharp arc.
The giant python nimbly dodged the attack, its tail sweeping across like a whip. Jiang Jingzhi quickly used his sword to block it. With a loud "bang," he was forced back several steps by the python's powerful force, and his arm ached.
But Jiang Jingzhi did not back down at all. He gritted his teeth and launched another attack.
This time, he seized the opportunity and, taking advantage of a gap in the python's attack, leaped forward and thrust his sword straight at the python's vital spot.
The giant python sensed the danger but it was too late to dodge. Jiang Jingzhi's sword accurately pierced its vital point. The python let out a painful hiss, its body twisted violently a few times, and then slowly collapsed to the ground.
Jiang Jingzhi didn't have time to rest and continued on his way. As he went deeper into the forest, the surrounding environment became increasingly strange. Traps emitting eerie lights appeared on the ground from time to time. If you accidentally stepped into one, it would trigger a mechanism and shoot out countless sharp poison arrows.
Jiang Jingzhi carefully observed the surrounding movements, and with his keen senses and rich experience, he avoided these traps time and time again.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Jiang Jingzhi's strength gradually gave out, his clothes were soaked with sweat, and Xu Xiaoxiao on his back became heavier and heavier.
But he had only one belief in his heart: to find the Spirit Lake and save Xu Xiaoxiao's life. Suddenly, a place shimmering with strange light appeared ahead. Jiang Jingzhi was overjoyed and quickened his pace.
As he approached, he discovered a lake surrounded by multicolored light. The water was crystal clear, emitting a faint glow, and strange flowers floated on the surface, emitting a captivating fragrance.
Jiang Jingzhi's heart stirred; he vaguely felt that this was the Spirit Lake recorded in ancient books.
However, before he could rejoice for long, a deep roar came from the bottom of the lake. Immediately afterwards, a huge dragon emerged from the water. Its body was enormous, covered with hard scales, and had a pair of sharp horns on its head, resembling a dragon's head. Its eyes were like lanterns, radiating a bloodthirsty light. It opened its blood-red maw and roared at Jiang Jingzhi. A powerful wave of air rushed towards him, almost making Jiang Jingzhi lose his balance.
Jiang Jingzhi knew that this was the guardian beast of the Spirit Lake, and that he had to defeat it in order to enter the Spirit Lake.
He gently placed Xu Xiaoxiao on the grass beside him, then gripped his sword tightly, his eyes revealing a firm resolve.
"Whether you're a dragon or a jiao, don't even think about stopping me from saving Xiaoxiao!" Jiang Jingzhi roared and charged towards the lake monster.
Seeing this, the lake monster was not to be outdone. It swung its huge claws and slammed them down towards Jiang Jingzhi.
Jiang Jingzhi dodged the attack with a swift movement, then seized the opportunity to stab at the lake monster's eye. The lake monster reacted quickly, blocking Jiang Jingzhi's attack with its other claw, and at the same time, it swung its tail, sending Jiang Jingzhi flying.
Jiang Jingzhi fell heavily to the ground, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he immediately got up and charged at the lake monster again.
After a fierce battle, Jiang Jingzhi was covered in wounds, but he never gave up. He seized an opening in the dragon's defenses, concentrated all his spiritual power, and plunged his sword into its heart. The dragon let out a shrill scream, its body trembled violently a few times, and then slowly sank to the bottom of the lake.
Ignoring his own injuries, Jiang Jingzhi rushed to Xu Xiaoxiao's side, picked her up, and carefully walked into the Spirit Lake.
As Xu Xiaoxiao's body slowly immersed in the waters of the Spirit Lake, a wondrous sensation, like an electric current, coursed through her entire body. She felt as if every pore on her body was being gently opened by a pair of tender hands. Her previously blocked meridians gradually became clear under the influence of this power, and every inch of her skin greedily absorbed the immense spiritual energy contained within the lake water.
The pain that had been persistent and deep in my bones melted away quickly, like ice and snow meeting the warm sun.
Xu Xiaoxiao was immersed in this comfortable feeling, and her consciousness gradually sank into her sea of consciousness. As her consciousness gradually became clearer in her sea of consciousness, the scene in front of her made her gasp instantly.
The golden core that had once shone brightly, symbolizing her cultivation achievements, was now quietly suspended in her sea of consciousness, its surface covered with dense, intricate cracks, like a spider web about to break, so fragile that it seemed it would collapse completely at the slightest touch.
"How could this be..." Xu Xiaoxiao murmured to herself in her mind, her voice filled with shock and fear.
She knew all too well what the Golden Core meant to a cultivator. If the Golden Core shattered, it would be like the foundation of a building being destroyed. All the results of her years of cultivation could be wiped out in an instant. A strong sense of despair washed over her like a tidal wave, almost drowning her.
However, Xu Xiaoxiao was not someone who could be easily defeated. After a brief moment of panic, she quickly calmed down.
She forced herself to take a deep breath, gradually calming her chaotic thoughts, and began to try to recall the records she had seen in countless ancient books.
Gradually, some information about the shattering of the Golden Core surfaced in her mind. She clearly remembered that the book mentioned that for cultivators who encountered the shattering of their Golden Core before forming their Nascent Soul, if they could not successfully advance to Nascent Soul or repair their Golden Core in a short period of time, what awaited them was the depletion of their spiritual power, and they would eventually become a useless person with no cultivation, and be bullied by others in this world where the strong are respected.
"No, I absolutely cannot become like that!" Xu Xiaoxiao clenched her fists firmly in her mind, her eyes revealing a resolute light.
She knew she couldn't just sit and wait to die; she had to find a way to save herself. Just then, she sensed the dense, almost tangible spiritual energy around her. This energy was continuously flowing into her sea of consciousness through her body. A thought struck her, and she instantly understood that this must be the work of her senior brother, Jiang Jingzhi.
"Senior Brother, thank you..." Xu Xiaoxiao murmured in her heart, her eyes slightly moist. She knew that in order to find this spiritual lake and to save her, Senior Brother must have gone through countless hardships and dangers.
Now, I cannot let my senior brother down. I must be strong and seize this hard-won opportunity.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, concentrated her mind, and focused all her attention on the broken golden core. She remembered a case she had read in a book, in which a cultivator, after his golden core shattered, managed to form a nascent soul by relying on his strong willpower and a large amount of spiritual energy. He not only repaired the damaged golden core but also broke through his cultivation bottleneck.
"If they can do it, so can I!" Xu Xiaoxiao secretly vowed in her heart.
She began to guide the surrounding spiritual energy, carefully directing it towards the golden core. The spiritual energy, like agile little sprites, slowly merged into the cracks in the golden core under her control.
With each wisp of spiritual energy incorporated, the cracks in the golden core seemed to shrink slightly, giving Xu Xiaoxiao a glimmer of hope.
She intensified the guidance of her spiritual energy, devoting herself wholeheartedly to the process of repairing her golden core, daring not to slack off in the slightest.
In the real world, Jiang Jingzhi held Xu Xiaoxiao tightly, his eyes filled with concern and worry.
He watched as the pain on Xu Xiaoxiao's face gradually faded, and her tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. A huge weight was finally lifted from his heart.
He knew that the spiritual energy of the Spirit Lake was beginning to take effect, which was a good sign. He became even more vigilant in observing the surrounding environment, ready to deal with any potential dangers, protect Xu Xiaoxiao, and ensure that she could successfully complete the process of repairing her Golden Core.
Xu Xiaoxiao focused intently on manipulating her spiritual power, devoting herself entirely to the crucial task of repairing her golden core.
Every wisp of spiritual energy that flowed in was like injecting new life and hope into the golden core. As the last crack was about to disappear and the golden core was about to regain its former glory, her heart was filled with anticipation and joy.
However, fate always seems to play tricks on people. At that last moment, the crack that was about to heal suddenly split open again, and the damage was even more severe than before.
This sudden turn of events struck Xu Xiaoxiao like a heavy hammer blow, causing her hands to tremble slightly and her consciousness to become somewhat hazy.
This wasn't the first time this had happened; each instance of hope being dashed dealt a severe blow to her confidence.
"Why? Why is it still not working even though I've tried so hard?" Xu Xiaoxiao's heart was filled with despair and resentment, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Just when she was about to give up, all her past experiences flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
She recalled her initial confusion and naivety when she first entered the sect, the various difficulties and challenges she encountered on her cultivation path, the fellow disciples and friends who had helped and encouraged her, and the days she shared life and death with her senior brother Jiang Jingzhi.
"I started with nothing. From an ordinary girl to now embarking on the path of cultivation, it's all something I've earned through hard work," Xu Xiaoxiao murmured to herself in her mind. "Even if I fail this time, I can just start over. What's there to be afraid of?"
Thinking about this, she felt a sense of peace and tranquility wash over her, a feeling she had never experienced before.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and readjusted her state. She slowly sat down cross-legged, closed her eyes, and emptied her mind. She no longer focused on the result of repairing the Golden Core, but instead wholeheartedly felt the spiritual energy around her. She opened her arms as if to embrace the whole world and absorbed the rich spiritual power in the spiritual lake.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and Xu Xiaoxiao was immersed in this ethereal state, forgetting all her troubles and worries.
Finally, the Golden Core was repaired again, but this time, it did not shatter again as before.
Just as Xu Xiaoxiao had no time to breathe a sigh of relief, the golden core suddenly cracked open again. However, this time, she did not panic. Instead, she felt a strange sense of anticipation.
The moment her golden core shattered, Xu Xiaoxiao felt a powerful force surging within her body. Every pore on her body felt as if it were about to burst, and spiritual energy poured out like a spring.
At the same time, her sea of consciousness was also expanding continuously. The originally small space instantly doubled in size. In the depths of her sea of consciousness, streaks of lightning flashed, emitting deafening roars.
"This is..." Xu Xiaoxiao was startled. She immediately realized that she was about to undergo a major breakthrough—transcending the tribulation.
She suddenly opened her eyes and found herself sitting quietly in the arms of her senior brother, Jiang Jingzhi. Jiang Jingzhi's eyes were filled with concern and worry as he held her tightly, as if afraid that she would disappear.
"Senior Brother, I'm about to undergo my tribulation!" Xu Xiaoxiao's voice carried a hint of nervousness, but even more so excitement and anticipation.
Jiang Jingzhi looked up at the rapidly gathering dark clouds overhead, with lightning and thunder. He already understood what was happening. Instead of getting up to leave, he hugged Xu Xiaoxiao even tighter, his eyes revealing a firm determination.
"Xiaoxiao, don't be afraid, I will always be with you," Jiang Jingzhi said softly, his voice full of warmth and strength. "No matter what happens, I will not let you get hurt."