Chapter 121: Lotus

Chapter 121: Lotus
Chapter 13: Cold Ripples on the Sea of Emotions; Distant Shadows in the Immortal Abyss; Discovering Ancient Treasures in a Strange Cave (Part 6)

Countless strands of spiritual energy within the sea of consciousness roared like a thunderclap or an avalanche. In an instant, the sea of consciousness was whipped into a frenzy; turbulent waves surged toward the cliffside, crashing against the rocks and sending silver sprays hundreds of feet into the air. The bright colors faded, the heavens turned dim and dark, and the scenery grew desolate and harrowing, with a sound like rolling thunder that deafened the ears and chilled the soul. Before long, the waves had swept onto the shore, flooding the flat ground several feet deep. As the wind rose and the tide swelled, the waves stood like mountains, surging with ever-greater violence.

Ye Hua, hovering in mid-air, witnessed this and chanted a restrictive mantra, pointing his finger downward. The waves instantly flattened and stilled, the surface becoming smooth and motionless. The vast ocean stretched out, clear and bright, and under the light of the autumn moon, the sky’s radiance and the clouds’ reflections merged into one. One could walk upon the surface, finding it as level and smooth as polished glass, without a trace of moisture. Reflections in the water were so clear that even a single hair could be counted, as if it were an immense crystal mirror. After a while, the night clouds dispersed and the breeze softened; the vast, limitless surface shimmered with the brilliance of daylight, its ripples sparkling with thousands of golden scales, stretching beyond the reach of the eye—a scene of boundless wonder.

Ye Hua knew in his heart that this was merely an illusion within his sea of consciousness. Calming his mind, he circled his palms and pushed forward diagonally. Two beams of emerald light shot into the water. The surface, which had been as clear as a crystal mirror, was suddenly veiled in a light, pink mist, faintly exuding an immortal aura.

Ye Hua let out a soft shout, and the green radiance intensified. After a while, the pink mist on the water stirred, then gently coalesced, as if attempting to form an object. Seeing the pink smoke drifting and gathering, Ye Hua felt a surge of joy, yet he became all the more cautious, daring not to be careless. He opened his mouth and exhaled a stream of pure, milky-white primal energy into the mist. The pink smoke churned and grew significantly more solid.

Thus, a moment passed. Though Ye Hua possessed a profound internal foundation, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he felt a slight strain. The pink mist on the lake surface had become extremely dense, and by now, it seemed pressed to its absolute limit; no matter how much internal energy Ye Hua injected, its form changed only slightly. Seeing this, Ye Hua furrowed his brows, feeling a flicker of anxiety, fearing that if there were no result in another moment, all his previous efforts would be in vain.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw the pink mist suddenly flash with a hint of red—a change so subtle that it would go unnoticed by an inattentive eye. Ye Hua’s heart leaped with joy. "Good! It’s coming!" he exclaimed. He spat out another, more intense blast of primal energy, and the red glow grew increasingly vibrant, finally coalescing into a dazzling red sphere.

Ye Hua’s left hand suddenly formed a peculiar incantation gesture, and his right hand made a sweeping, pointing motion. A thin, crimson line of blood shot out, striking the water beneath the pink mist. Instantly, the water for several yards around turned as clear and red as ruby, while the mist above it surged and condensed, releasing a brilliant red light before retracting to slowly reveal a patch of lotus flowers.

The lotus flowers floated in mid-air, their roots exposed above the lake surface. Each stalk was about two feet thick and over ten feet long, divided into three, four, or five segments. They were whiter than jade, appearing exceptionally smooth and tender, as if they would shatter at a touch. From each segment grew either a lotus leaf or a lotus flower. The stems were as thick as a human arm and about ten feet long, with leaves six or seven feet in circumference. The flowers came in four colors: pink, red, cyan, and white, their fully bloomed size about half that of the verdant leaves. Some were buds about to burst, as large as melons, set off by the emerald leaves and golden stems, appearing like two or three precious canopies held aloft upon a boat of white jade. The ancient poem, "Flowers blooming ten feet tall, lotus roots as large as boats," was now seen in reality; it was truly incomparable in beauty. However, they were few in number—only four or five in total—and with very few seeds, only the central white lotus revealing a seed pod.

Ye Hua was slightly startled, then filled with immense joy. He withdrew his hands, intending to step forward for a closer look, but his spiritual sense suddenly wavered, and he nearly collapsed. He was slightly alarmed, realizing immediately that his internal energy and spiritual sense had been depleted too severely. Regaining his composure, he flew closer. The clear water and green waves were unfathomably deep. As a breeze blew, ripples danced across the surface, reflecting the shimmering lotus roots and setting off ten thousand golden scales. The light was dazzling and gorgeous. Though the lotuses were few, their fragrance filled the air, permeating the nose. The flowers were vibrant in color; the red ones were as enchanting as the sunset, the white ones as cold and elegant as snow—like fairies walking upon the waves, quietly posing, or beauties bathing in the moonlight, their faint fragrance stirring the heart, their beauty like a morning dressing.

A verse in praise:
*Jade umbrellas hold their buds, fair cheeks condensed in green,*
*The straight stalks disdain the clinging vines.*
*Stepping from the bath, untainted by the mire,*
*Snow-white souls dissolve the hidden grief.*
*How could the dusty world contain such pure fragrance?*
*Lightly wrapped in misty gauze, prettily blooming by the lake,*
*Waiting for the clear breeze and moon, the jade stems and seductive leaves,*
*Dreams sunk in distant incense.*
*Shy brows and dimples, lightly plucking the scent,*
*Quietly opening the rounded canopy, as rain taps the fragrant petals.*
*Welcoming the dancing butterflies, wiping away the leaden powder,*
*Falling teardrops like sleet.*
*Standing like a monk in meditation, how many ice-cold souls,*
*The lotus heart unfolds and curls.*
*Such cultivation, holding the uncut jade, the purity unchanging through the ages.*

Another verse:
*Dwelling in the sludge yet remaining unstained,*
*White stalks buried in the earth, unknown to all.*
*Life blooming in the green and clear,*
*Before the wind even arrives, the pool is filled with scent.*

The more Ye Hua looked, the more delighted he became, realizing that the manifestation of these lotuses meant he had gained an initial glimpse into the profound mysteries of the "Original Heaven Treatise." These flowers were the condensation of his refined consciousness; as his cultivation deepened in the future, these lotuses would manifest in greater numbers and with greater power. Yet, the "Original Heaven Treatise" had not mentioned such a thing; it only spoke of the condensation of spiritual sense, where all things under heaven—be it sun, moon, person, or object—could be transformed, but once condensed, the form is set. He had not expected to manifest lotus flowers. As for why, he would have to ask Ancestor Shou-Chang for guidance later!

Though slightly puzzled, Ye Hua pondered for a moment before shaking his body and withdrawing from the sea of consciousness. Opening his eyes, he saw a faint white light filtering through the gray mist overhead, suggesting a new day had begun. He stood up and headed outside. Listening intently, the howling sounds from the deep cave seemed to have subsided, becoming barely audible. A thought stirred in his heart: he should go provoke that skeletal monster now, to gain some ghost energy, which would help the golden eagle recover faster. Relying solely on his own vital essence to nourish it would take who knows how long.

Having made up his mind, Ye Hua reached the deep cave in moments. Focusing his mind, he leaped to the entrance and released his flying sword, stirring the darkness within for a while. The skeletal monster let out an angry roar and flew out. Ye Hua, naturally, would not fight it head-on; he circled the cave entrance, constantly provoking it from a distance with his sword. When the monster flew into a rage, he channeled the "Nine Yin Secret Ghost Arts" to absorb the pure, dark ghost energy. Seeing he was no match, he retreated immediately. Fortunately, the skeletal monster was restrained by an iron chain and could not pursue him, allowing Ye Hua to escape safely.

After several such encounters, Ye Hua discovered a marvelous benefit. Whether it was due to his increased cultivation or the merging of the absorbed ghost energy with his own Buddhist energy, or perhaps progress in the "Original Heaven Treatise," he found that with every palm strike he unleashed, his internal energy erupted so powerfully that the skeletal monster’s various spells could no longer reach him, dissipating naturally before they could touch his body. Even though he was quite far from the monster, and the monster’s attacks were greatly weakened, each blow was still not to be underestimated.

Seeing this, Ye Hua grew bolder. Initially, he would only exchange a few blows before fleeing, but later, each skirmish lasted nearly a quarter of an hour. Then, one day, while Ye Hua was calming his mind and gathering his breath, he felt his entire body shudder. His long-accumulated internal energy suddenly erupted, rushing toward his body’s various yin meridians. The narrow passages that had previously been blocked were cleared. In less than half an hour, several streams of yin energy flowed through the three hand-yin and three foot-yin meridians, finally reaching the Dantian at the chest. He felt the ghost energy surging in his Dantian; the "Nine Yin Secret Ghost Arts," which had long been stagnant, had broken through to the fourth level.

Ye Hua was naturally overjoyed. With this, he could now perform several secret techniques recorded in the "Nine Yin Secret Ghost Arts," regaining some ground against the skeletal monster. After pondering for a moment, he took out the Shu-Ying Qiankun Bag. A flash of light revealed several small banners—the very ones he had obtained from the Divine Lord Huo-Shu. To Ye Hua now, these banners were of little use and beneath his notice, but for the moment, they would have to suffice until he could refine them to increase their power.

A day later, when the wind died down, Ye Hua returned to the deep cave. With a wave of his hand, several beams of black light shot out, landing around the stone cave and revealing dozens of small banners, each a foot or so long, painted with various naked demons. He planted them among the strange rocks surrounding the cave, forming a hidden formation. Then, he flipped his hand to reveal an oil lamp, and as the wick flickered, it released a bowl-sized mass of green fire...