Chapter 1044: Tofu Princess

In Kyushu, there are many Ninth-Realm True Lake cultivators. These individuals have immersed themselves in this realm for years, pushing their foundations to the extreme, meaning their physical bodies meet the requirements. Yet, they still struggle to break through to the Divine Sea.

Therefore, not everyone who has the opportunity to break through to the Divine Sea can achieve their aspiration. Only a select few can transform the power of their spirit, nurture a Soul Body, and manifest it as Divine Sense.

Lu Ye had already taken this step, but it was a fortuitous coincidence, a protective response from his subconscious mind under external stimulation. Because his physical strength was still at the True Lake Realm, and his Divine Sense was sufficient to control it, his Divine Sense hadn't grown much. According to his Senior Disciple Brother, only when the foundation of his physical body improved to a point where his Divine Sense struggled to control it would his subconscious mind desire change. At that point, cultivation would be the key to advancing to the Divine Sea.

So, what Lu Ye needed to do now was simple: continue cultivating and constantly strengthen the foundation of his physical body.

"Of course, while enhancing your physical strength, you must also temper your spirit. Only by advancing hand-in-hand like this can you achieve the best results. However, your situation is unique, Junior Disciple Brother. Others face bottlenecks when advancing to the Divine Sea, but for you, it should come naturally. After all, you have already nurtured a Soul Body; there are no hurdles to speak of. Once enough power is accumulated, you will naturally advance."

"How does one temper the spirit?" Lu Ye humbly asked.

Feng Wujiang smiled slightly. "For ordinary True Lake Realm cultivators, the best method to temper the spirit is visualization."

"Visualization?"

"During quiet meditation, visualize the structure of objects in your mind, reproducing them as completely and perfectly as possible. Start by visualizing simple things, then increase the difficulty as you become proficient. This process of visualization will consume mental energy. When your mind is fatigued, you slowly recover, repeating the cycle of consumption and recovery. In this way, your spirit can be nourished." Feng Wujiang said, looking at Lu Ye. "Cultivators from major sects generally begin preparing for this as early as the Seventh-Realm True Lake, or even earlier, simply to lay a good foundation. Each sect has its own visualization methods, with their own strengths and weaknesses; this is part of their inherent foundation and cannot be generalized. Junior Disciple Brother, if you were in Kyushu, the Sect Master would likely have taught you these."

Lu Ye nodded. In this regard, his situation was somewhat unusual, primarily because his cultivation progressed too quickly. He hadn't heard of such things before, probably because the Sect Master and Second Senior Disciple Sister thought his cultivation was too low and he wouldn't need it yet, so they didn't tell him, to avoid disturbing his mental state. As a result, by the time he could have used them, he was captured by that woman Yu Daiwei and then brought to the Blood Refining Realm. Had his Senior Disciple Brother not mentioned it today, Lu Ye truly wouldn't have known about such a secret technique.

His Senior Disciple Brother changed the subject. "Of course, that's the method for tempering the spirit for ordinary True Lake Realm cultivators. Since you already possess Divine Sense, Junior Disciple Brother, it's much simpler. You just need to continuously consume your Divine Sense and then slowly recover it."

"Can I use any auxiliary recovery items?" Lu Ye asked, "Like Soul Cleansing Water?" If so, the effect of tempering his Divine Sense would be countless times better than for ordinary people.

"Better not." Feng Wujiang shook his head. "This period is crucial for you. Any act of trying to speed up growth is not encouraged. It's best to let nature take its course. You still have about a year. I believe you can do it, Junior Disciple Brother."

"A year?" Lu Ye was puzzled. "What will happen after a year?"

Feng Wujiang smiled. "You don't want to stay here forever, do you? After one year, the Heavenly Secret Pillar will be activated."

Lu Ye's spirits lifted. "Senior Disciple Brother, are you certain?"

Feng Wujiang replied, "Your situation is different from ours. We are all people who have reached the end of our cultivation paths. Kyushu's Heavenly Secret sent us here, on one hand, to find ways to save the human race here and plan for their future in this realm. On the other hand, perhaps they feared leaving us in Kyushu would stir up trouble."

Throughout the years, those qualified to be sent to the Blood Refining Realm by Kyushu's Heavenly Secret were the top powerhouses of various eras. They had reached the end of their cultivation path, with no further progress possible. Such individuals remaining in Kyushu would ultimately be destabilizing factors, so Kyushu's Heavenly Secret sent them here to let them shine and contribute. Lu Ye was the first True Lake Realm cultivator to be sent here, and he came as an aid. It was thanks to his arrival that the Blood-Jade Sacred Land was able to withstand the blood race army's encirclement this time.

"I can't be certain, but I estimate you have a good chance of returning to Kyushu, Junior Disciple Brother."

"Senior Disciple Brother, you and the other senior masters can't return?" Lu Ye asked.

Feng Wujiang shook his head. "We tried before when the Heavenly Secret Pillar was activated, but it was not possible."

Lu Ye composed himself and said, "I understand."

Within one year, he must advance to the Divine Sea and return to Kyushu. This was his next task. Lu Ye was quite confident about this. Though his cultivation journey so far had been fraught with many dangers, at the very least, he hadn't encountered too many major obstacles on his path of self-improvement, having long accumulated an unyielding mindset and momentum. He believed this time would be no exception.

After bidding farewell to Feng Wujiang, Lu Ye didn't rush into cultivation. Instead, he took Dao Thirteen down the Sacred Mountain and casually walked around the Sacred Island. A year was still a long time; there was no need to rush, and his injuries had just healed, so it wasn't good to immediately enter a state of cultivation.

The entire Sacred Island was a large human settlement where cultivators and mortals lived together harmoniously. Perhaps because they had just repelled the blood race army, the island was filled with joy and excitement, the atmosphere was relaxed, and festive decorations were visible everywhere. Along the streets, people rubbed shoulders, numerous shops lined both sides, exuding a lively, everyday atmosphere.

Lu Ye rarely saw such scenes; some mortal-populated cities in Kyushu were like this, but since embarking on his cultivation path, he rarely encountered large numbers of mortals, so he found it novel. As Lu Ye walked, he saw a vendor selling sugar-coated hawthorns, loudly hawking his wares. The pole he carried was filled with strings of shimmering, translucent sugar-coated hawthorns. Lu Ye stopped the vendor, inquired about the price, and was about to buy two to try, when he suddenly remembered that he had no local currency. He had no spirit stones or spirit pills either; he had used up all his stored cultivation resources when he advanced to the Eighth-Realm True Lake.

A woman selling tofu nearby spoke up, "Give him two hawthorn skewers, I'll pay."

Lu Ye turned his head at the sound, his eye twitching. A moment later, Lu Ye and Dao Thirteen each held a skewer of sugar-coated hawthorns, standing beside the tofu seller. Lu Ye still couldn't quite believe his eyes. "Senior, I almost didn't recognize you with clothes on."

Yue Ji raised a hand and lightly tapped his head. "Speak properly."

Lu Ye knew he had misspoke, mainly because he hadn't expected Yue Ji to be here, let alone in such attire. Previously, Yue Ji had always been clad in sheer gauze, her graceful figure faintly visible, provoking a surge of blood. Now, she was wearing rough peasant clothes, a scarf on her head, and sleeves rolled up to her elbows, the exact image of a farmer's wife.

"Senior, what are you doing?" Lu Ye was truly puzzled.

"Selling tofu," Yue Ji replied matter-of-factly. "One needs a livelihood, after all."

Lu Ye was dumbfounded. The dignified Seventh Sect Master of the Myriad Laws Sect from Leizhou, a peak Divine Sea Realm powerhouse, running a tofu stall here in the Blood Refining Realm—what would the disciples and grand-disciples of the Myriad Laws Sect think if they saw this? Moreover, where would a senior master like Yue Ji need mundane things to sustain her life? Lu Ye realized she was just playing at life. He could only lament that the actions of a master were always unfathomable.

"Can I not sell tofu?" Yue Ji eyed him askance.

"You can sell! You can sell!" Lu Ye wouldn't dare utter a single negative word.

"When I was young, I sold tofu for a living. Later, a cultivator from the Myriad Laws Sect recognized my talent and took me as a disciple. Now, I'm just returning to my old trade; what's so surprising about that?" Yue Ji said, then pointed across the street. "Look at that old man over there."

Lu Ye followed her gaze and saw an old man dozing in the sun at the entrance of a small shop. A few children ran up to him and poked his nostrils with foxtail grass. He didn't even open his eyes, just occasionally waved them away, making the children giggle. A banner with a large, striking "Fortune" character was stuck beside him.

"He looks familiar..." Lu Ye thought for a moment. Wasn't that one of the seventy-odd senior masters? "That senior... is he telling fortunes?" Lu Ye was speechless.

"Just a little hobby," Yue Ji smiled, pursing her lips. "We people, we can't die, and living is boring, so we just have to find some fun for ourselves."

"Senior, what you're saying..." Lu Ye didn't know how to respond.

But perhaps it was the truth. The senior masters' lifespans were still long, but their paths forward were gone. For any cultivator who had spent their entire life pursuing higher realms, this was nothing short of torture. If there truly were no path ahead, that would be one thing. The crucial thing was that each of them could clearly feel that there was still a path ahead; they just couldn't find it. So, they harbored no resentment towards Kyushu's Heavenly Secret for sending them to the Blood Refining Realm. At the very least, upon arriving here, they found things they wanted to do, unlike in Kyushu where they had to maintain their demeanor as senior masters and uphold their status.

"Is it good?" Yue Ji suddenly asked.

Lu Ye offered his half-eaten sugar-coated hawthorn. "Would you like a taste?"

Yue Ji rolled her eyes. "Eat quickly. When you're done, help me hawk my wares."

Lu Ye nearly choked. After finally swallowing the hawthorn, he said, "Senior, that's a bit much. Two skewers of hawthorns aren't worth much; I'll pay you back later."

"Less nonsense!"

A moment later, a crisp hawking sound echoed from the tofu stall: "Selling tofu, fresh and tender tofu..."