From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 11 Awakening of Spiritual Veins

On the altar.

Lin Chen held the Time Compass in his hand, and the golden light emanating from it slowly receded, eventually merging completely into his body. A warm power flowed gently within him—the power of the Time Compass.

"From this moment forward, the Time Compass will be your natal magic weapon," Shi Ying's voice rang in your ears. "It will become one with you and evolve as your cultivation level increases."

"A natal magic weapon?" Lin Chen looked puzzled.

"Cultivators rely on spiritual energy as their foundation and magical artifacts as their secondary means. A natal magical artifact is bound to its master's soul and grows along with its master, making it the most important reliance for cultivators," Shi Ying patiently explained. "The Time Compass is a first-level relic left behind by an ancient civilization, containing fragments of the laws of time."

"As you continue to comprehend the laws of time, the Time Compass will gradually awaken more abilities."

Lin Chen looked down at his palm. After recognizing it as his own, the compass had shrunk to the size of his thumb and floated quietly in his palm.

"What abilities does it have now?" he asked.

"Three initial abilities," Shi Ying's voice was calm and clear. "First, the Sensation of Time. You can sense changes in the flow of time around you and foresee danger. Second, Time Reversal. You can briefly rewind time and observe past events. Third, Lifespan Insight. You can see a person's approximate lifespan and vital energy state."

A glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

Each of these three abilities is nothing short of miraculous.

Time Sensing is an enhanced version of his original ability, with greatly improved accuracy and range; Time Travel allows him to glimpse the past, enough to uncover the truth behind the destruction of ancient civilizations; Lifespan Insight allows him to accurately judge the opponent's status in battle and formulate tactics.

"How do I use these abilities?" he asked.

"All you need to do is concentrate and activate the Time Compass," Shi Ying reminded him. "But with your current cultivation level, each use will consume a lot of spiritual energy. Overuse will damage your foundation."

Lin Chen nodded slightly, keeping this warning firmly in mind.

"Now," Shi Ying's voice rang out again, "let me see your physical condition."

A golden light shot out from Shi Ying's body, completely enveloping Lin Chen. A gentle power flowed through his limbs and bones, probing every cell in his body. After a moment, the golden light receded, and Shi Ying withdrew his power.

"Not bad." Its tone carried a hint of approval. "Although your meridians are damaged due to overexertion, your foundation remains intact. Moreover, your physique is more suitable for cultivating the Law of Time than I imagined."

"What does this mean?" Lin Chen asked, puzzled.

"Ordinary people need years or even decades of arduous cultivation to sense spiritual energy. But your Time River Imprint makes you naturally close to the laws of time, allowing you to sense spiritual energy ten or even a hundred times faster than ordinary people," Shi Ying said slowly. "In addition, your physical foundation at the Body Tempering Realm is already very solid... If you are willing, you can try to break through to the Spiritual Cultivation Realm now."

The Spiritual Cultivation Realm!

Lin Chen's eyes suddenly lit up.

That was the realm he had always dreamed of, the true beginning of his journey into the path of cultivation!

"But here?" He looked around. "Is it safe to break through here?"

"This is the Eye of the Observer, a sacred cultivation ground established by an ancient civilization," Shi Ying replied. "Beneath the altar lies a dormant spiritual vein, containing extremely rich spiritual energy. If you break through on that spiritual vein, your success rate will increase by at least 30%."

Lin Chen didn't hesitate at all: "Take me there."

Beneath the altar lies a hidden door.

Lin Chen followed Shi Ying into the hidden door and descended the stairs. The stairs were long, seemingly leading straight to the depths of the earth. With each step, the concentration of spiritual energy in the air increased. By the time they reached the end, the spiritual energy was so dense that it was almost tangible.

"This is..." Lin Chen's pupils shrank, his face filled with shock.

In the center of the enormous underground cavern, a pale golden spiritual vein meanders and coils, like a sleeping dragon lurking underground. Its dazzling light spreads outwards, and extremely dense spiritual energy surges out, transforming into visible streams of spiritual energy that swirl and intertwine within the cavern.

"A spiritual vein!" Lin Chen gasped.

In the legends of the dynasties, spiritual veins are places where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converges, and are the foundation for the establishment of immortal cultivation sects. A small spiritual vein is enough to support the operation of a small sect, but the one in front of us is far beyond imagination.

"This is a medium-sized spiritual vein," Shi Ying said. "If it were in the outside world, it would be enough to support the operation of a large sect for ten thousand years. This spiritual vein is the true value of the iron mine behind Qing Shi Town. More than ten years ago, the iron mine was depleted. On the surface, it was just ore that was being mined, but in reality, the iron ore was just a by-product of the spiritual vein. The real treasure is this spiritual vein."

"Ordinary people simply cannot sense the presence of spiritual energy, which is why they haven't discovered it."

Lin Chen clenched his fists quietly, a mix of emotions welling up inside him.

No wonder the monster tide attacked Qing Shi Town back then. It was no coincidence at all. Someone had secretly planned it, with the goal of seizing this spiritual vein.

"Those people..." he asked in a deep voice.

"Dark Blade Pavilion." Shi Ying's tone was icy. "They are one of the largest forces on this continent, and they have been searching for fragments of the River of Time and spiritual vein resources. Qing Shi Town is located in a remote area, and the spiritual veins have not been discovered until now. However, when your River of Time imprint awakened, it caused fluctuations that were detected by them. Therefore, they planned the monster tide to lure you out and seize the spiritual veins."

It was all a conspiracy.

From the very beginning, he was targeted by the Dark Blade Pavilion.

"Now, this spiritual vein is yours," Shi Ying said. "Absorb it and break through to the Spiritual Cultivation Realm. Only by becoming stronger can you protect yourself and what you want to protect."

Lin Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart: "I understand."

He sat cross-legged in front of the spiritual vein, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and focused his mind into his body.

The surrounding spiritual energy surged wildly towards him, flowing into his meridians and merging with the spiritual power within his body. The Body Tempering Realm refines spiritual energy into spiritual power, while the Spiritual Cultivation Realm merges spiritual power with the soul, opening the true path of cultivation. The two are worlds apart.

The spiritual energy in the spiritual veins surged into Lin Chen's body like a torrent, constantly filling and expanding his meridians. The heavy pressure made him almost suffocate.

"Hold on!" Shi Ying's voice rang out just in time. "Guide your spiritual energy to attack the mark between your eyebrows!"

Lin Chen gritted his teeth and did as instructed, directing the raging spiritual energy within his body towards the Time River Mark between his eyebrows.

The spiritual energy, like a sharp sword, struck the mark fiercely.

A burst of golden light erupted, colliding and merging with the spiritual energy.

boom--

An unprecedented power erupted from the mark, instantly breaking through the shackles within the body. Meridians were forcibly widened, the dantian was filled with spiritual energy, and the soul and spiritual power were completely fused!

"I...succeeded?" Lin Chen was thrilled.

"You've broken through!" Shi Ying's voice carried a hint of excitement. "You've drawn Qi into your body and refined it into spirit! From this moment on, you are a true spiritual cultivator!"

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, and the world was completely different in his eyes. The spiritual energy in the air transformed into clearly visible streams of light, and his range of perception expanded greatly. He could clearly "see" Uncle Chen guarding the entrance above the altar, see every flow of the spiritual vein, and also see a faint black light sealed by layers of restrictions deep in the cave.

"What is that?" he asked in a deep voice.

After a long silence, Shi Ying slowly spoke: "That was a sealed dimensional rift, one of the reasons for the destruction of the ancient civilization."

"A dimensional rift?" Lin Chen's pupils contracted.

"Dimensional rifts are channels connecting different dimensions," Shi Ying explained. "In their experiments with dimensional ascension, ancient civilizations accidentally tore apart dimensional barriers, opening channels to higher dimensions. The power surging from these channels is what we call void erosion. It's an energy form more advanced than spiritual energy, yet it devours all three-dimensional life, leading to the destruction of ancient civilizations."

Lin Chen's expression turned grave: "How long can those restrictions... hold?"

"At most fifty years." Shi Ying's voice was extremely heavy. "Fifty years from now, the restriction will completely collapse. By then, if you have not yet successfully ascended to a higher dimension, the entire civilization will be swallowed by the void."

Fifty years.

Lin Chen's heart sank.

He only had fifty years to grow from a cultivator who had just entered the Spiritual Cultivation Realm to a powerful figure capable of leading the entire civilization to a higher dimension. This goal was so difficult that it was almost impossible, but he had no other choice.

"I will do it." Lin Chen's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally firm. "I will lead this civilization to a successful dimensional ascension and will not allow the tragedy of the ancient civilization to repeat itself. This is my mission, and this is my promise."

Shi Ying didn't speak, but Lin Chen could clearly sense that it was pleased with itself.

Meanwhile, in Cloud City, at the Dark Blade Pavilion branch.

A man in black rushed into Zhao Wuji's room, his expression panicked: "My lord! There's news!"

Zhao Wuji abruptly stood up: "What news?"

"Our informant in Qing Shi Town reports that a strong surge of spiritual energy erupted in the direction of the back mountain half an hour ago, with an intensity of at least a medium-sized spiritual vein awakening level!" The man in black's voice trembled.

Zhao Wuji's pupils shrank sharply: Medium-sized spiritual vein!

"And there's more!" the man in black continued, "After the fluctuation of spiritual energy, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky above the back mountain, with a golden pillar of light shooting straight into the clouds, visible throughout the entire Cloud City!"

Zhao Wuji's expression changed completely.

Extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth are sights that only appear when one breaks through to the Spiritual Cultivation Realm, and can only be triggered by those with extraordinary talent!

"Lin Chen..." he murmured to himself, his eyes flashing with shock, anger, and a hint of barely concealed fear, "He's already broken through to the Spiritual Cultivation Realm!"

Level 3 fragments of the River of Time, medium-sized spiritual veins, celestial phenomena...

This boy has already escaped their control.

"Inform the young master immediately!" Zhao Wuji roared. "Tell him that Lin Chen has been found, and his growth rate far exceeds expectations! We must capture him before he becomes stronger, otherwise, the entire Dark Blade Pavilion will be destroyed in his hands!"

The back mountain of Qingshi Town.

Lin Chen stood at the entrance of the cave, looking up at the night sky, without the slightest fear on his face.

From a mere ant in the martial world to a cultivator in the spiritual realm, from prey being hunted to an existence that can be confronted head-on, this is just the beginning.

The road ahead is long and fraught with danger, but he will never stop.

Because he bore the fate of the entire civilization on his shoulders, because he made a promise.

"I will lead this civilization to a successful dimensional ascension."

"I will let the river of time witness a brand new civilization!"