Chapter 41: Opening the Sea of Suffering
Over the past two months, Old Man Wu Qingfeng had devoted himself wholeheartedly, earnestly teaching Pang Bo and Ye Fan, guiding them onto the path of immortality. Pang Bo’s cultivation progressed smoothly; having sensed his own Wheel of Life, he could now guide the flow of vital energy. His next step was to open the Sea of Suffering, preparing to release the source of divine power within.
Ye Fan, however, still could not sense his Wheel of Life. It remained calm and still, utterly silent. Yet, after each day of cultivation, he felt refreshed, his body comfortable and his energy surging. In recent days, his strength had grown significantly, and his speed had increased by a large margin. It seemed his body possessed an inexhaustible supply of vitality.
Time passed quickly, and two months flew by in an instant. Old Man Wu Qingfeng was about to leave, no longer teaching them individually.
“The path of immortality is treacherous. Only with unwavering resolve and persistent effort can one achieve anything.” Having said this, the old man drifted away.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo bowed deeply to Wu Qingfeng’s retreating figure. This was not an empty gesture of courtesy but a sincere expression of gratitude.
Before the low hill stood a few thatched huts and a couple of bamboo groves, peaceful and natural. Living on simple tea and plain meals, Ye Fan and Pang Bo gradually grew accustomed to this life.
Tomorrow, they were to go to the Spirit Ruins Cliff for cultivation. Ye Fan had been hesitant at first; since he hadn’t joined the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven, it felt improper to continue learning techniques alongside Pang Bo. However, Old Man Wu Qingfeng had given him a jade token. With this token, even though he wasn’t a disciple of the Spirit Ruins, he could still cultivate there.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting down its pure, silvery light. The moonlight was as gentle as rippling water, shrouding the woods near the low hill in a hazy veil, as if draped in a thin layer of gauze.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo both gazed up at the starry sky, remaining silent for a long time. They were searching for their own star, but beneath the night sky, countless stars twinkled. Everything was so unfamiliar; they could no longer see the familiar constellations.
They had arrived at the other shore of the starry sky. The past was too distant, forever beyond reach.
“I wonder, in the celestial palaces above, what year is it tonight…”
“People have their joys and sorrows, their partings and reunions; the moon has its waxing and waning, its clear and cloudy phases… May we all live long, sharing the beauty of this moonlight, even a thousand miles apart.”
They lay on the grass, gazing at the stars, holding coarse tea cups. But the tea didn’t reach their mouths; it was almost entirely spilled onto their faces.
“We can never go back…”
After that, they fell into a long silence, lying there quietly, staring at the stars, no longer speaking.
It was a long time before this stillness was broken.
“We have to live on well…”
Both Ye Fan and Pang Bo were optimistic people. This brief moment of loss was a farewell to the past; from now on, they would face the future with composure.
They quickly set these thoughts aside, shifting their conversation to cultivation matters. Although they had only cultivated for two months, it felt like a “rebirth” to them, an unprecedented experience. The path of immortality was ethereal and unpredictable. Since they had already set foot on this road, they could only walk it with unwavering determination.
The Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven was one of the six blessed lands of the Yan region. Although it couldn’t compare to the long-renowned great sects, it still housed nearly a thousand cultivators, with several hundred young disciples.
The morning sun rose, its golden light spilling over the cliffs, shining brilliantly.
Spirit Ruins Cliff was a sheer precipice, composed of over a dozen low stone cliffs. They were not connected to each other, each separated by a certain distance. They were not tall, only about seventy or eighty meters high.
In the early morning, many young disciples gathered here. Since their cultivation levels varied, their choices naturally differed. They went to different stone cliffs to listen to the profound techniques suitable for their current level of cultivation.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo also arrived early. As beginners, they had only one choice, so they went straight to the last stone cliff. Quite a few people had already gathered there, both male and female, totaling forty to fifty individuals. The youngest were only seven or eight years old, with tender, childish faces. The oldest were over thirty, their faces marked by the passage of time.
A flash of light, and a divine rainbow streaked through the air, landing on the stone cliff. The light faded, revealing an old man with white hair and beard sitting cross-legged on top. He glanced down indifferently, pausing briefly on Pang Bo and Ye Fan, then began to transmit the teachings.
At the same time, divine rainbows descended on the other cliffs as well, all of them elders of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven. The various cliffs were spaced apart, so they wouldn’t interfere with each other.
Listening to the cultivation methods while facing the morning sun, many below felt a novel sensation. A lot of them had only recently become disciples of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven.
The old man on the cliff was as calm as an ancient well. His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion, but his explanations were very detailed. He covered all the issues that beginners on the path of immortality needed to pay attention to.
Half an hour later, the teaching session ended. The old man on the cliff looked down expressionlessly and said, “Those with questions may ask. If there are none, today’s session is over.”
Several young disciples hurried forward, asking questions one after another. The elder on the cliff answered them one by one. Seeing that no one else had questions, he mounted his divine rainbow and shot into the sky.
Their first time here to listen to the profound techniques was plain and unremarkable, with nothing novel about it. That was Ye Fan and Pang Bo’s feeling; they even found it a bit dull. Over the past two months, under Old Man Wu Qingfeng’s instruction, their foundation had become very solid. They were already clear on all the issues that needed attention.
“The opening chapters of the ‘Dao Scripture’ are enough to support our cultivation for two years. These minor techniques are very boring; the old man has already guided us.”
“Don’t aim too high. Didn’t the old man warn us? The foundation must be solid. Since he emphasized this and told us to come here to cultivate, there must be a reason.”
Over the next half month, although they found it very dull, they persisted in coming every day. Finally, they began to discover the benefits. Occasionally, the elder teaching on the cliff would share some of his own insights and experiences from his cultivation journey. This was very important! For beginners, such a cultivation journey was like a guiding lamp. By comparing it to their own situation, they could easily gain inspiration and thus accelerate their cultivation speed.
One morning, the elder on the cliff suddenly opened his palm, and dozens of beams of light shot down, landing in the hands of Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and the others. Each person received a small, smooth jade bottle. When opened, it emitted a fragrant aroma.
“This is a medicinal liquid to help you open your Sea of Suffering,” the elder said, as concise as ever, not wasting a single word.
The Sea of Suffering and the Wheel of Life were integrated. To release the vast vital energy stored within the Wheel of Life, one had to continuously open the Sea of Suffering.
The medicinal liquid in the small jade bottle was very precious. It was distributed only once every three months, and each person could only receive four bottles per year.
Pang Bo’s Sea of Suffering had been slowly changing. Over three months, it had expanded from the size of a jujube pit to that of a fingernail. It was now surrounded by wisps of life essence, making him look much more spirited.
Although Ye Fan had also drunk a small bottle of the medicinal liquid, there was still no change. His Sea of Suffering remained utterly still, impossible to open. He couldn’t activate even an area the size of a sesame seed, and not a single wisp of life essence flowed.
However, during this time, his strength and speed had both increased. Vital energy within his body seemed to be boiling over, his blood and qi exceptionally vigorous, surging and rolling, almost comparable to a flood dragon or an elephant.
“I’ll just keep cultivating slowly like this. Although I can’t cultivate the Sea of Suffering for now, nor communicate with the Wheel of Life, my physique is becoming stronger and stronger. That can’t be a bad thing.”
“Right, I think you’re much more impressive than me like this. I’m cultivating my Sea of Suffering all day, but I haven’t seen any increase in strength or speed, and I can’t even use any profound techniques. I really don’t know what use this cultivation is,” Pang Bo complained.
The next day, he couldn’t hold back anymore. At the stone cliff, he asked the elder, “Do we have to keep cultivating like this forever? When can we ride a divine rainbow?”
The elder glanced at him indifferently and said, “You have to eat your meal bite by bite, and walk your path step by step. If you can’t even walk, trying to run will only make you fall.”
Although the elder was reprimanding him, he ultimately gave an answer, mainly to give hope to everyone below. He spoke a bit about the later stages of cultivation.
“When your Sea of Suffering is large enough, you can proceed to the next step. That is to open a passage within the Sea of Suffering that leads straight to the Wheel of Life at the bottom, forming a ‘spring eye.’ This will release the divine power source of the Wheel of Life. Only then will you have achieved something and be able to initially use profound techniques—the divine abilities you all hope for.”