Chapter 52: Covering Heaven Method, Bitter Sea Realm

Upon entering the city, to avoid trouble, Su Changqing thought of the mixed crowd here, where there was no lack of eyes and ears from the Demonic Cult, so he proposed to everyone that they change out of their Qingyun Sect Disciple robes and into everyday clothes before proceeding.

Following this suggestion, they did not encounter any trouble or suspicion along the way, but Lu Xueqi was naturally beautiful and hard to conceal, drawing many passersby to stop and watch, their words of amazement endless; Su Changqing walked by her side, seeing the coldness on her face and a hint of anger, he could not help but break into a cold sweat for these passersby, fearing that if 'Tianya' were to be unsheathed, half of Heyang City would be destroyed instantly.

"Senior Sister, stay closer to me."

Su Changqing suggested to Lu Xueqi.

"What is it?"

Lu Xueqi looked at Su Changqing in confusion, yet she still slowly moved a little closer to his side.

Su Changqing immediately recited the 'Heaven-Deceiving Art' incantation, and after using it to shroud and shield the two of them, these onlookers did not notice at all that the two had vanished from before their eyes, so they each went their own way, and the sounds of discussion ceased along with them.

"Junior Brother, what kind of technique is this?"

Lu Xueqi also felt the mystery within it and asked Su Changqing with great curiosity.

"This technique is called the Heaven-Deceiving Art; it can be used to shield oneself from the probing of outsiders and remain invisible among the crowd. If you would like to learn it, Senior Sister, shall I find an opportunity to teach you?"

Su Changqing gave Lu Xueqi a rough explanation.

Regarding the wonders and secrets Su Changqing possessed, Lu Xueqi was already accustomed to them, so naturally, she did not ask any further, but happily nodded in agreement; with this Covering Heaven Method of her Junior Brother's, she would be able to avoid quite a bit of trouble when traveling in the future.

After the five of them wandered around Heyang City for a while, they chose to stay at an inn named 'Shanhai Garden' to rest. All matters were handled by Qi Hao, who had the most experience among them, and afterward, they were arranged into the most superior small courtyard in the backyard, with one room for each person.

After putting down their luggage and other items, Qi Hao called everyone to the front courtyard to eat. He chose a VIP dining hall and ordered the most expensive food. Besides the table of five including Su Changqing, there were about four or five other tables of guests eating, but they did not disturb each other, and it was quite quiet.

Just as the group was laughing and talking while eating, Su Changqing felt a gaze upon him, as if it were there and yet not.

Following this gaze, he looked over at a table of guests not far from them. That table sat eight people: six men dressed in yellow, and two women.

One woman wore a pale purple long dress and had a light veil covering her face, so her appearance was unknown, but the bit of skin revealed was as white as snow. The other woman was the one who had cast the probing gaze; she was not very old, about fifteen or sixteen, the same age as Su Changqing and Zhang Xiaofan. She wore a water-green long dress and was incomparably beautiful, with moth-like eyebrows and phoenix eyes; her pair of eyes, in particular, were the most spirited, not losing out even to Lu Xueqi.

Su Changqing looked back without any avoidance. The woman seemed unwilling to admit defeat and stared back at Su Changqing, but in the end, she could not hold her own and shifted her gaze away.

The pale purple-clad woman beside her noticed her anomaly, first asking her, "What's wrong?" and then glancing at Su Changqing, seemingly understanding something.

"Lecher!"

After the woman in pale purple robes cursed Su Changqing under her breath, she very earnestly cautioned the young girl about something.

Su Changqing naturally heard her curse and smiled helplessly in his heart. It was clearly she who had been rude first, so how did he become the lecher? Both sides stopped there, not rashly causing any other commotion, and the dinner passed peacefully. That night, Su Changqing returned to his room early and began his cultivation directly.

However, this mortal world was not like the immortal mountain treasure land where the Qingyun Sect was located; the spiritual energy was extremely thin. Using ordinary cultivation methods was no different from fishing in a withered marsh, and he could make no progress at all.

This was where the heaven-defying nature of the 'Covering Heaven Method' was demonstrated: it required no spiritual energy of heaven and earth to be carried, no Dao of heaven and earth to guide it, only the tempering of one's own body to cultivate.

The 'Covering Heaven Method' is divided into five major realms, and each major realm is further divided into several minor realms.

The first realm is the Wheel Sea Mystery Realm, which is also the most basic realm. It is divided into four minor realms: in order, they are the Bitter Sea, Life Spring, Divine Bridge, and finally the Other Shore Realm.

The Bitter Sea Realm is the first stage of a cultivator's practice. Those who possess cultivation talent must open up a Bitter Sea in their dantian, below the navel, during the initial stage of cultivation.

According to the Covering Heaven Method, the Bitter Sea is the endless sea of suffering that shrouds the wheel of life for all mortal beings. If one wishes to cultivate, one must create within the Bitter Sea, allowing it to gradually grow and be reborn, and communicate with the wheel of life to release endless life essence to swirl above the Bitter Sea, overflowing to all parts of the body to nourish the flesh and internal organs, strengthening the mortal shell and transcending the mortal life spring.

And now, Su Changqing, having just begun to learn the Covering Heaven Method, was precisely about to open the Bitter Sea and enter the Bitter Sea Realm.

The Life Spring Realm is the second realm of a cultivator's practice. A cultivator who has already opened the Bitter Sea must chisel a spring eye within it. Once a cultivator chisels a spring eye from the Bitter Sea, they can connect to the wheel of life through this spring, allowing the Life Spring to gurgle and flow; this is reaching the Life Spring Realm.

The so-called Life Spring is the source of a cultivator's divine power; it is the source of the power they use to perform profound arts and supernatural abilities. After a cultivator succeeds in forming the Life Spring, spiritual power can be generated within the body, allowing them to use magic power and drive ordinary supernatural abilities.

The Divine Bridge Realm: in order to explore their own potential and mysteries more deeply, a cultivator must forcefully cross the Bitter Sea. To do this, they must transform their physical shell, growing a divine vein within the Bitter Sea to help them break through obstacles and reach the other side of the Bitter Sea.

This process is difficult and full of obstacles, requiring long-term tempering. Only those who become braver with each setback can achieve it, ultimately allowing the Bitter Sea to sublimate, forming a divine vein of heaven and earth, releasing their own endless potential, and thereby building a Divine Bridge over the Bitter Sea within their body.

The final realm is the Other Shore Realm. This is the realm of questioning the heart. Only those with a firm Dao heart can cross the Divine Bridge to reach the other shore and enter the Other Shore Realm.

But as for questioning the heart, how many people in the world can truly be without shame in their hearts? In the ten thousand years of the Dao path, how many can keep their Dao heart firm? Therefore, this realm has trapped countless people; countless cultivators spend their whole lives unable to reach the other shore, finally becoming lost and muddled in the sea of suffering.

After Su Changqing sat cross-legged on the bed, he began to recite the incantation.

He emptied his mind and let his consciousness drift within his own body.

He saw that at his dantian, a Golden Core stood steadily, suspended in the air. It was incomparably large, containing countless spiritual charms, and the golden light it radiated was brilliant. Yet, in the space below it, there was a place of silent emptiness; spiritual energy did not flow there, and essence did not dare approach it by a single step, as if it had been sealed by something.

"Is this the Bitter Sea?"

Su Changqing muttered to himself.

(End of chapter)