Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Brahman Saint Vanishes Without a Trace

Under the combined pressure of that gentle energy and his own divine consciousness, the Azure Dragon Sword Qi began to yield, flowing slowly from the opening of the Void Cauldron into his meridians.

For Bai Mu, this was a truly historic moment. He had been locked in a grueling struggle with this sword qi for over half a month, ever since it first invaded his body. Each previous confrontation had ended in a crushing defeat, leaving his meridians shattered and ravaged. Had he not previously consumed the Human-Shaped Ganoderma at Lutai Mountain to cleanse his marrow and refine his body, the mere force of the sword qi’s initial intrusion would have been enough to claim his life.

Seeing the unruly Azure Dragon Sword Qi finally responding to his consciousness, his joy was boundless. Knowing such an opportunity was rare, he thought to seize the moment: why not push forward and guide all the sword qi from the Void Cauldron to complete a full cycle through his meridians? Once the Azure Dragon Sword Qi merged with the spiritual energy cultivated by his own body, the threat would be eradicated forever.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a stern warning from the mysterious figure echoed from within the Void Cauldron: "Bai Mu, do not let your ambition outweigh your judgment. You have only just begun to cultivate the 'Supreme Virtue Like Water' technique; you are nowhere near capable of controlling all the sword qi inside the Void Cauldron."

"If you release all of it at once and lose control, the sword qi will run rampant through your body. Even with the protection of the Human-Shaped Ganoderma, you would likely be crippled again!"

"Ah?" Bai Mu’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn't help but whisper, "Are you serious, Great One?"

"Of course!" the mysterious figure replied solemnly. "Haste makes waste. In the cultivation of the Righteous Path, one must take it one step at a time. I am sure that old ghost, your master Bai Ze, told you about the importance of steady progress, did he not?"

"He did, he did," Bai Mu replied, trembling. He withdrew a portion of his consciousness, guiding only a small wisp of the Azure Dragon Sword Qi out of the Void Cauldron. It flowed gently through his Tanzhong acupoint on his chest, merged with his own spiritual power, and traveled along the Foot Jueyin Pericardium Meridian toward the Baihui and Tianting acupoints at the crown of his head. From there, it passed through the Fengchi and Jianjing acupoints at the base of his skull, surged toward the Mingmen and Shenshu acupoints on his back, and finally flowed back into the Void Cauldron through the Huiyin acupoint, completing a minor and major circulation.

When this spiritual energy returned to the Void Cauldron and merged with the "Supreme Virtue Like Water" technique and the small wisp of sword qi instilled by Fan Sheng, its strength had increased by more than thirty percent. Considering this was his very first day practicing the technique, the progress was nothing short of miraculous. At this rate, within a few months, he could gradually consume all the sword qi in the Void Cauldron. Once he mastered the four sword arts promised by Fan Sheng, traversing the Wilderness would be a simple task.

Once the energy in the Void Cauldron settled, Bai Mu calmed his mind and slowly opened his eyes. Fan Sheng was still standing by the pool, holding his white jade flute, watching him with a gentle smile—though in his eyes, there was a hint of admiration mixed with his joy.

Behind him, the water flowed, and a gentle breeze brushed his face. The golden rays of the setting sun hit the dark basalt rocks by the pool, casting an extraordinary glow. In the woods, birds returning for the night sang their final songs, as if calling their young to nest before darkness fell. The plum blossom grove on the distant mountains glowed with a beautiful pink under the sunset; even from hundreds of meters away, Bai Mu could smell the faint fragrance wafting from the blooms. The evening glow on the western horizon struggled to emit its final brilliance, painting the sky in breathtaking colors.

Without realizing it, Bai Mu had been meditating for an entire day. Surprisingly, he felt no hunger, no soreness in his limbs, and his spirit felt as though it had reached a new level. Most importantly, the wound on his back—inflicted by a palm strike from the Heavenly Burning Venerable at the Ruins Temple—had healed as if washed by a spring breeze after the circulation of the "Supreme Virtue Like Water" technique.

"Senior, have I really been sitting here for a whole day?" Bai Mu asked, standing up slowly with a slightly naive expression.

"Yes," Fan Sheng replied calmly, striding toward the plum grove down the mountain. Bai Mu had several questions and thoughts he wanted to share, but seeing Fan Sheng’s hurried pace, he realized there would be no opportunity for conversation and had to let it go for now. Upon returning to the grove, Fan Sheng entered his room alone and gently closed the door.

Though his expression appeared tranquil, Bai Mu caught a flicker of anxiety in the corner of his eyes as he turned away. His intuition told him that something major had happened.

He hurried to the Yan Water Pool deep in the grove, where Ling Yan still sat in the icy water like a statue, showing no signs of waking. The fierce bird, Bifang, lay quietly at the edge of the pavilion, seemingly standing guard over her. Seeing it there, Bai Mu felt some relief.

That night, back in his wooden hut, he lay in bed and recited the "Supreme Virtue Like Water" technique, running it through his body several times. He felt incredibly refreshed, as if an inexhaustible strength was surging within him.

The next morning, as the first rays of the sun pierced through the tall trees, Bai Mu leaped out of his room, eager to begin. To his surprise, Bifang was not dancing in the woods, he heard none of Fan Sheng’s crisp, life-filled flute music, and even the door to Fan Sheng’s room remained shut. This was highly unusual. Given Fan Sheng’s status and cultivation, it was unthinkable that he would break his promise to teach the four sword arts. People always said that one should rise with the crowing of the rooster to practice the sword; with the sun already high in the sky, there was no reason for Fan Sheng to remain in bed.

Could something have happened? The image of Fan Sheng’s anxious eyes from the night before flashed through his mind, and a faint, ominous premonition took hold. Driven by this thought, he hurried to the door of Fan Sheng’s cabin and called out loudly, "Senior Fan Sheng, are you there?"