Chapter 40: Stepping into the Galaxy Realm

Upon returning home, Chen Mobai first placed the Gloomy Parasol sapling on his balcony. He wanted to water it but feared drowning the young tree. He then pulled out his phone to research its care, finding a wide range of differing opinions. Yet, one piece of advice was consistently given: it was best to cultivate the sapling in an area rich in spiritual energy, as the more spiritual energy available, the faster it would grow.

The Gloomy Parasol sapling is one of the few spiritual trees in the Immortal Sect capable of infinite advancement. The highest-grade example currently known is the top-grade, fourth-tier Jade Parasol Tree located in Danxia City. However, despite its boundless potential, the Gloomy Parasol sapling grows exceptionally slowly. The Jade Parasol Tree in Danxia City was planted by a third-tier Spirit Cultivator, and it is said to have taken 200 years just to evolve from a sapling into a first-tier spiritual tree. Once established, a Gloomy Parasol sapling naturally regulates the earth veins, enhancing spiritual energy, creating a symbiotic relationship between the tree and the spiritual land. Yet, even if it had initially grown in a fourth-tier spiritual land, this Jade Parasol Tree would not have taken over four millennia to finally ascend to a fourth-tier spiritual tree.

The mention of abundant spiritual energy immediately brought Chen Mobai's water mansion to mind. With a shimmer of silver light, he teleported to the Celestial River Realm. He placed the Gloomy Parasol sapling on a desk in the side hall, then activated the Clear Water Grand Array. He scooped a pot of water from outside the protective shield and poured it at the sapling's roots.

Online, it was widely stated that this was the easiest spiritual tree to cultivate, requiring only placement in a spiritually abundant area and regular watering. Once the Gloomy Parasol sapling flowers and bears fruit for the first time, watering becomes unnecessary as it will continue to grow on its own. A mature Gloomy Parasol tree is entirely valuable. Its bark and leaves can be used to make talismans, its sap serves as ink and repels insects, and its wood is an excellent material for musical instruments and caskets. However, its most precious components are its flowers and fruits, which are the primary ingredients for refining the top-grade, first-tier Clearfire Pill.

The Clearfire Pill is one of the few elixirs within the Immortal Sect that can enhance divine sense. For cultivators in the later stages of Qi Condensation, it is considered one of the most precious elixirs available.

The thought of divine sense made Chen Mobai involuntarily close his eyes. The effects of the Startling Dream Melody lingered, though not as vividly as the previous night. The spiritual energy he now perceived seemed shrouded, no longer transparent. According to Chen Baolan's advice, the melody's effect would likely persist for three to four days. During this time, it was best to refrain from cultivating spiritual energy and instead to meditate and focus his mind, sensing the nascent divine sense and the feeling of seeing through the mist.

Divine sense is the sixth sense, transcending the conventional five. It originates in the heart-sea and fully forms within the consciousness-sea. Once cultivators master divine sense, they gain the ability to examine their internal physical state. When spiritual energy circulates, they can compare its flow to the correct pathways outlined in cultivation manuals, making precise adjustments to refine spiritual energy in its most optimal state.

The more potent one's divine sense, the more internal body parts can be scrutinized. Upon successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, this divine sense can even extend beyond the body to perceive the external world. Furthermore, many spells designed to break through illusions and falsehoods are fundamentally based on divine sense.

As Chen Mobai's divine sense had only just been awakened, he could merely observe his Dantian and Qi Sea, sensing the fluctuations and rotations of spiritual energy. He recalled Qingping mentioning in a lecture that spiritual energy circulating in this manner could aid in its condensation. However, previously, without divine sense, he could manipulate spiritual energy to rotate but remained unaware of the precise details. Now, observing with his divine sense, he saw that the spiritual energy's rotation was agonizingly slow, and its path was not circular at all, but a flattened, irregular shape.

“When I truly master divine sense, I’ll have to correct this,” Chen Mobai muttered to himself. Lost in thought, he then opened his auxiliary cultivation software and searched using the keywords “divine sense” and “Qi Condensation stage.”

The search yielded meager results: just two pages containing a mere dozen or so posts. This was understandable, as anyone capable of posting on the auxiliary cultivation software had to be at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator. By that stage, they would generally no longer concern themselves with cultivating divine sense during the Qi Condensation period.

Fortunately, given the large user base, some Foundation Establishment cultivators had indeed researched the secrets of cultivating divine sense during the Qi Condensation stage, primarily for the benefit of their descendants or disciples. To make the most of the Startling Dream Melody's effect—and since he was unable to cultivate spiritual energy at the moment—Chen Mobai decided to thoroughly study these posts.

After reading them, he furrowed his brow slightly. The two pages of posts surprisingly detailed two distinct methods for cultivating divine sense. One was the orthodox path of self-cultivation and mental nurturing, where mental power gradually blossoms until it naturally coalesces into divine sense. Those pursuing this route could exchange for the "Nourishing Thought Divine Casting Art" at the National Library.

The other method was somewhat more aggressive, involving the use of specially prepared thought-incense to induce an out-of-body mental experience. This path adhered to the belief that human divine sense is naturally located deep within the brain, only sealed off by the intrusion of acquired qi. Yet, divine sense, being the master of the human body and inherently active, merely requires a small catalyst to be reactivated. However, Qi Condensation cultivators, possessing weak divine sense, cannot sustain an out-of-body-experience for extended periods like Foundation Establishment cultivators. Therefore, when practicing this method, an attendant must be present to immediately extinguish the thought-incense as soon as the mind is induced to leave the body. After several such out-of-body activations, cultivators would naturally grasp their divine sense; it was considered a long-term stimulating cultivation method. Those who followed this path had given it a distinctive name: "Divine Sense Fitness."

“Isn’t this just like listening to the Startling Dream Melody every day?” Chen Mobai mused, “But listening to the melody is enjoyable, whereas this sounds more like torture.” He immediately understood. He then checked the National Library for this stimulating cultivation method and discovered it was indeed cataloged under the name “Activating Spirit Sky Roaming Art,” though its acquisition required the authorization of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Evidently, the Immortal Sect did not strongly endorse this method, unlike the orthodox “Nourishing Thought Divine Casting Art,” which Qi Condensation cultivators could download for merely 1,000 points. It appeared that the “Activating Spirit Sky Roaming Art” was a technique primarily for Foundation Establishment elders to help their juniors awaken their divine sense.

Chen Mobai was someone who appreciated the concept of exercise, but his appreciation rarely translated into action. Leveraging his high authority, he accessed the catalog and outline for the “Activating Spirit Sky Roaming Art.” Upon discovering that the required thought-incense was a second-tier elixir, his fleeting interest immediately dissipated.

Second-tier elixirs were considered controlled substances by the Immortal Sect, requiring real-name authentication from Foundation Establishment cultivators for purchase.

Thus, it appeared the “Activating Spirit Sky Roaming Art” was a method primarily for those with Foundation Establishment elders in their families, used to awaken the divine sense of their younger generations.

After a moment of thought, Chen Mobai decided it was time for his main task of the day. He stood and opened his school bag, taking out a period-style wig he had ordered online—an accessory designed to mimic ancient fashion. These items had actually arrived yesterday, but he had only found the chance to try them on today after escorting Chen Xinglan to the Scarlet Cloud Academy. The sizes were all correct. Dressed in the ancient costume and wearing the hair-bound wig, he cut the figure of a graceful young man. Checking his reflection in a small handheld mirror, and satisfied that there were no flaws, Chen Mobai took a deep breath and activated the water mansion's grand array. He was finally about to step onto the land of the Celestial River Realm.