Chapter 114: Cultivating the Art of Mountain Consolidation

As the tremor passed through, the space immediately appeared to collapse. An invisible ripple suddenly emerged, forming a circle that spread outward in all directions. With a leap of thought, he jumped into the circle.

A low hum resonated.

As his intent entered, the ripple accelerated its diffusion. The linked energies flowed into the ripple, and at the moment they touched, a buzzing sound rose. Instantly, numerous small vortices formed within the space.

At that moment, a miniature figure of Zhou Yi materialized, spinning once in midair before transforming into a shrunken version of himself. His expression was solemn as he hovered, his delicate hands—made all the more exquisite by their small size—danced like butterflies weaving through flowers, conjuring ethereal patterns of profound complexity that appeared like threads of mystery in his palms.

“Go!” Soon, the intricate energy coalesced into a massive orb resembling a giant water bubble. Seeing this, the miniature Zhou Yi ceased his movements, thrust both hands toward the countless vortices around him, and intoned sharply.

Swish!

In an instant, the great orb of energy unraveled into countless fine strands, drifting like rain with the wind, each filament falling precisely into a vortex.

A deep hum filled the air again.

Upon receiving these filaments, the vortices immediately changed. They expanded rapidly amid the buzzing before swiftly contracting until only tiny points remained.

Observing this, the miniature Zhou Yi smiled faintly. He reached out and beckoned the now minuscule vortices to him, letting them settle in his open palm.

“Mountain’s veins!” He scrutinized one of the tiny points carefully. The smile on his face deepened, and a quiet relief settled in his heart.

The first step in practicing the Art of the Heavy Mountain was to condense the veins of the mountain. Once these veins were formed, they could be used to construct the heavy mountains themselves.

Using his intent, Zhou Yi guided the energy to rapidly combine. Employing secret techniques recorded in the Ten Thousand Methods of Mountain Arts, he swiftly transformed his ability into magical power. Then, blending this power with the profound energy, he formed the veins of the mountain.

Though many processes occurred, the time consumed was scant—all completed in the blink of an eye.

Countless vortices within his dantian space, enriched by the infusion of energy strands, quickly solidified into veins of the mountain, each flying into his palm under his watchful gaze.

“One, two, three... two hundred eighty-four!” As each vein took shape and entered his hand, Zhou Yi counted silently.

“Altogether, there are two hundred eighty-four veins of the mountain!” Soon, every tiny point in the space had gathered into his palm. He silently tallied once more, then sent forth another wave of intent to draw in energy, swiftly converting it into magical power and then forming additional veins.

“Heavy Mountain has three layers: the First Layer Mountain, the Second Layer Mountain, and the Third Layer Mountain!” Ignoring the miniature figure who continued to absorb energy and form veins, Zhou Yi muttered to himself. Before him, a light screen appeared—the attribute panel.

Name: Zhou Yi

Cultivation: 1,000 years

Magical Power: 284 years

Energy: 326,584

Cell Count: 9,999 (Second Transformation)

Magic Technique: Art of the Heavy Mountain (1/100)

The attribute panel summarized Zhou Yi’s current state. As his strength grew, so did his knowledge, and the panel’s display evolved accordingly.

Examining the new panel, Zhou Yi first observed the rapid increase in energy, a satisfied expression crossing his features. As he expected, the operation of his cultivation method and the surge of energy were like a kind of movement, generating kinetic energy with quite effective results.

The acupuncture points that had been perilously close to the critical threshold of explosion were now stabilized, as the energy diverted into the dantian world increased growth speed dramatically, pulling them back from the brink.

With the danger averted, Zhou Yi’s attention returned to the attribute panel. Compared to before, this updated display had undergone a revolutionary transformation.

Had he not acquired certain information during the Heavenly Inheritance, he might still be unable to comprehend the new panel.

Conversely, without the wealth of knowledge gained from the inheritance, the attribute panel would not have changed so drastically.

After all, the panel is based on his own existence and understanding. Only when he comprehends something will it manifest on the panel, taking his intent as its foundation.

“Cultivation level!” His gaze roamed the panel before settling on these two words. Zhou Yi whispered them softly.

“Cultivation level” was a new term, appearing only after he entered the False Elixir stage and transformed his internal force into magical power.

Cultivation level and magical power were closely linked. To use a metaphor, cultivation level was the vessel, while magical power was the substance contained within it.

The size of the vessel determined how much it could hold.

From Zhou Yi’s current situation, his cultivation level equated to a thousand years’ worth of magical power. This meant he could control up to a thousand years’ worth of power with precision.

However, this did not mean he could not possess more magical power. If the magical power exceeded the vessel’s capacity, the excess would not only fail to aid him but, because it was uncontrolled, would bring various detriments.

It was akin to a term he once heard in his previous life—“going astray” or “demonic possession”—where one’s mind falters and temperament drastically changes.

Magical power was indeed wondrous. Zhou Yi had long believed this firmly, but only now, having personally wielded it, did he truly fathom that magical power was not just wondrous—it was extraordinary.

Magical power served many purposes. First, it empowered the self. Born from the fusion of essence, qi, and spirit, it naturally conferred a near-imperviousness to all manner of techniques, though the effect varied with the strength of the power.

At the False Elixir stage, Zhou Yi gained a divine ability: the Magical Power Shield. This shield was latent, only manifesting when he was harmed to block attacks.

With this shield, even ghosts, monsters, or peak-tier warriors—unless they were as extraordinary as him—would find it impossible to break through.

This was a unique kind of invulnerability.

Furthermore, magical power nurtured the body, allowing it to grow stronger over time through sustained nourishment.

Additionally, magical power flowed within the body like a great river, ceaseless and eternal. Through this circulation, one’s state of mind deepened and gradually ascended.

There were many other effects too numerous to detail fully. Simply put, magical power was essential to one’s accomplishment and must never be compromised. Precise control was paramount.

Most of magical power’s benefits only came into play when it was properly mastered. If uncontrolled, it could not only fail to assist but might inflict harm instead.