C13

It was a winter morning, and the world was covered with fog. The ground was covered with a layer of frost.

Beside the lake, Han Yan opened his eyes and his first reaction was to look at his surroundings. Han Yan secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He was in a barren mountain, so if a wild beast came, his life would be forfeit. Thinking about what happened before he fainted, Han Yan's heart tightened and hurriedly looked to his side. The Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal was lying quietly by the lake, without any changes.

Han Yan frowned, he was continuously pondering over the reason, suddenly, he thought about something, and quickly looked at his wrist which was covered in runes. There were no more runes there, only the black powder of burning runes. Talismans only burn when one consumes all of their spiritual energy. Even if you count them all at once, this talisman will only take three days. How did you use up all of your spiritual energy?

A Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, it must be a Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal. All the spirit energy in his body was forcibly absorbed by the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal before he passed out, what was the use of the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal absorbing that energy? Han Yan picked up the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, carefully touched it, and did not find anything abnormal. Just at this moment, the first rays of sunlight shined upon the world, causing the fog in the surroundings to become slightly thinner. At the same time, waves of spiritual energy came out from the ground and echoed between the heavens and the earth.

Han Yan knew that the spirit energy of the heaven and earth was the densest in the morning, and when the first rays of sunlight shone on the land, the spirit energy would be the best time of the day. Sensing the spirit energy in the air, Han Yan hurriedly selected a concealed location and sat cross-legged underground, entering into cultivation. This time, just as he was in a meditative state, he could feel the surrounding spirit energy crazily surging towards him. Han Yan was overjoyed, and increased his breathing speed. After a few breaths, there was no spiritual energy in his body. The spiritual energy didn't seem to enter his body, but rushed into his arms.

"What's going on?" Han Yan woke up from his cultivation, and while sensing the direction that the spirit energy was flowing in, he looked into his arms.

This look made Han Yan widen his eyes, because other than the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, there was nothing else. Could it be that all the Spirit Qi was directed at the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal? Since that was the case, why hadn't he seen such a phenomenon when he was cultivating in the past? Last night, the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal absorbed the spirit energy inside the runes, and today was the day it did this. Could it be that after the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal absorbed the spirit energy, one of the functions of the seal was activated?

The more Han Yan thought about it, the more he felt that it was possible. But no matter how valuable a treasure was, it was useless if it couldn't be used by him. Han Yan did not have the mood to continue training, so he simply started to study the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal. Since the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal could absorb spirit energy, what would it do after absorbing the spirit energy? Could it be that it could cultivate and become an immortal just like humans?

"No, impossible!" Han Yan rejected this idea. If that was really the case, then why didn't he have this sign before? Suddenly, a thought flashed through Han Yan's mind, causing him to jump in fright, "Could it be that the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal want to help me cultivate?"

"Unfortunately, this guy doesn't know how to talk. If only he could tell me what I'm thinking." Han Yan played with the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, dragging his chin and continued to think, he did not believe that he would not understand what this fellow was trying to do. After thinking for a while, he still could not come up with an answer. The spiritual energy that had rushed into the Heavenly Dao in a surprise attack also gradually weakened, finally disappearing without a trace.

Han Yan raised his eyebrows, and immediately continued cultivating. The moment he started meditating, spirit energy once again surged crazily into the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal.

Looking at this result, Han Yan became excited. What he had thought of was completely right, this guy normally wouldn't absorb spirit energy, only when he was cultivating would such an anomaly occur. What he needed to do now was to use the Spirit Qi that the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal was absorbing for himself. Han Yan held the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal in his hands and tried to cultivate. In the end, he only cultivated for half a day and there was no difference.

"Perhaps the method I used just now is wrong. To condense spiritual energy by breathing, it is impossible to absorb it through physical contact." When Han Yan thought of this, he immediately held up the Imperial Jade Seal, placed it in front of his nose, and took a deep breath. This suction force was too great, it actually caused him to choke. He heavily coughed a few times to catch his breath.

However, just as he was catching his breath, Han Yan felt a numbing sensation in his body, as if ten thousand ants were biting and tearing at him. There was a clear record on the paper that if the body could feel a numbing sensation, it would mean that there was a trace of spirit energy in the body. That would mean that he had reached the first stage of cultivation, and if he continued to cultivate, and stored a certain amount of spirit energy, he would be able to practice the first stage of Qi Cultivating Stage according to the method.

Han Yan thought until this point, his entire body was in a daze, and he said in shock: "It's so mystical, to be able to absorb so much spiritual energy in one breath?" After all, he had been cultivating for more than a month and still couldn't get any spiritual energy in his body, but he could complete it with just one breath. Everything happened too fast, making him feel like it wasn't real.

Han Yan pinched his thigh again hard, and only after feeling the pain from it did he confirm that he was not dreaming. Since this isn't a dream, then let's continue! Han Yan wanted to see how many more surprises this Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal could give him. He closed his eyes and returned to his cultivation. Following the breathing technique, he absorbed the air in front of him again and again.

As the spiritual energy entered his body, it began to circulate by itself, and the feeling of an ant biting at his flesh became more and more intense.

Han Yan seemed to have forgotten everything as he wholeheartedly immersed himself in cultivation. Time slowly passed, and only after the sunlight had completely shined on the ground did Han Yan finally wake up from his cultivation. After waking up, he felt that his body was very comfortable. The cold of winter was no longer felt. His body was like an energy body, and waves of spirit energy were slowly circulating in his meridians, blocking out the surrounding cold energy.

If he continued to train at this speed, it wouldn't take long before he reached the first level of the Qi Cultivating Stage.

In that moment, Han Yan had an unprecedented confidence in cultivation, but in the next second, everything dimmed. It would be fine if they did not see the inner disciples chasing Tang Xiaofeng for a certain thing, but after seeing it, their thoughts changed. Han Yan was certain that Taoism was also a world where the strong preyed on the weak. It was the same as the mortal world, where killing people and robbing for treasures would occur, and it was even more obvious than the mortal world. Human desires were limitless, especially in the world of cultivation. Whoever didn't want to have a profound cultivation base, or who didn't want to live the same life as the heavens, in front of these things, the conscience of mankind would become much dimmer, or even disappear.

He had to keep the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal well and not let anyone see it. Otherwise, it might bring about a fatal disaster.

Thinking about it, Han Yan put the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal in his undergarment pocket, looked at the direction, and ran towards Tianming Sect.

Without the Wind Controlling Sigil, he could only walk. Luckily, this place was not far from the Tianming Sect, and after walking for half a day, he reached there.

Arriving at the foot of the mountain of the sect, the two disciples that were guarding the sect were startled to see Han Yan, and one of them said: "You are an outer disciple?" He had been an outer disciple for a few years, and this was the first time he saw someone walk up the mountain. There were a few thousand disciples at the outer sect and most of them did not know each other, so it was not strange that the two of them did not know who Han Yan was.

Han Yan took out the identity token from his pocket, and waved it in front of the two of them, and said: "Senior Brother, I accidentally used my head when I went home to visit my family, and used up all of the spirit energy in the Wind Controlling Talisman."

Hearing that, the two of them could not help but burst out laughing, and said to Han Yan: "Go in!" They could accept Han Yan's words. After all, going back home was not easy, who wouldn't want to show off in front of their relatives and friends?

After returning to the Outer Academy, Han Yan was even more careful in his cultivation. Every day, he would leave his room early in the morning to gather herbs.

One day, when the sky was just bright and Han Yan was about to go out, Xie Hu suddenly shouted: "Han Yan, wait a moment."

Han Yan's body tensed. This guy was clearly still asleep, why did he wake up? He turned around and said, "Xie Hu, is there something wrong?"

Xie Hu put on his robe and waved his hand at Han Yan, signalling him to come over. He then asked solemnly: "Han Yan, do you take me as a brother?"

In this period of time, Xie Hu had always taken care of him, and she had long treated him as a friend. She did not even think about it, and replied: "Of course."

Towards this answer, Xie Hu was very satisfied, and said: "Han Yan, these few days you have been acting in secret, going out early, just what are you doing?"

Han Yan's heart tightened, but his expression did not change at all. He replied: "Xie Hu, you also know it's very difficult to gather medicinal herbs, most of the surrounding medicinal herbs have already been picked by everyone. If you don't wake up earlier, I'm afraid you won't have any more to eat." All of the herb picking disciples in the Outer Academy woke up earlier than the average person, but they would not wake up so early like Han Yan, who woke up as soon as the sun rose.

After he finished speaking, Han Yan saw Xie Hu looking at him with a strange expression, his expression slightly changed as he said in a deep voice: "Xie Hu, I regard you as a brother, why don't you believe me?" Since the other party didn't believe him, he could only pretend to be angry. Han Yan liked to listen to books when he was young, and he understood more about human nature than his peers.

Xie Hu waved his hand, and said: "Han Yan, since you don't want to say it, I won't ask, but ?" After saying that, he paused for a moment, then quickly walked to the door. After opening the door to take a look, he suddenly locked it, and then closed the window. Then, he walked in front of Han Yan, mysteriously took out a slightly yellowish piece of paper from under the blanket, and handed it over to Han Yan: "Take a look."

Han Yan took the paper and only read the first line of words. His eyes widened as he said in shock: "Xie Hu, where did you get this from?"

Xie Hu laughed and said to Han Yan: "Shocked!"

Han Yan was truly shocked, the thing that Xie Hu had shown him just now, was exactly the same as the thing that Tang Xiaofeng had given him.

"I'm telling you, you mustn't tell anyone." "I have been here for the past few months and have thoroughly studied the relationship between the outer sect disciples. Only then did I realize one thing, that the so called fortuitous opportunity does not mean that one would have to work here for three years before cultivating.

"A simpler way?" Han Yan couldn't tell Xie Hu his secret, so he could only pretend that he didn't know anything, "How did you get this?"

Xie Hu let out a long sigh of relief, and said: "Of course they relied on it. When I came, I brought a lot of silver notes, which I used on them, so I could buy this from an honorary disciple."

Han Yan's eyes were wide open as he said in shock: "This thing can be bought?"