above the galaxy

Chapter 633 One thought arises, all things perish!

The cave was deep and secluded, and the cold pool was still and quiet.

An old man and a young boy sat on the ground.

Shen Xinglan looked calmly at Shen Boyu and asked, "Second Grandfather, what kind of opportunity is it?"

"Let me ask you, how do you feel about your current state of spiritual practice?"

Shen Xinglan remained silent for a moment, then frankly told him: "Instead of progressing, we're regressing."

Actually, he didn't want to say it.

Making an extremely proud person admit defeat is more painful than killing him.

However, the person in front of him was an elder who cared for him deeply, and he had no reason to hide anything from him.

Besides, it can't be hidden anymore.

When Shen Xinglan was very young, she felt that her second grandfather had eyes that could see through everything in the world.

In his presence, all thoughts and secrets are laid bare.

Shen Boyu understood his feelings and continued to press, "Is it because of the Tang bandits?"

"Yes, because of the Tang bandits."

Shen Xinglan said through gritted teeth.

That is the truth.

He comes from a distinguished family and is exceptionally talented.

From a young age, he was given titles such as "genius boy," "martial arts prodigy," and "one grandmaster a year, Shen Xinglan a hundred years." He lived up to these praises, and his body tempering, qi control, and spiritual insight soared all the way to new heights.
What is an insurmountable barrier for other cultivators—a single grade, a single mountain, a single realm, a single heaven—is as simple and easy for him as eating and drinking.

With a single step, he crossed it.

Then, at the age of eighteen, he broke through the mountain gate and advanced to the rank of Grandmaster, attracting worldwide attention.

Such an achievement would be a source of pride for anyone.

But then, he happened to meet the man destined for him.
He vied for the master's seat, stole his girlfriend, and even surpassed the latecomer in cultivation level.

He became a Grandmaster at eighteen, while others entered the profession at seventeen.

When he first arrived at Xinxing, he was just a minor Qi Control Realm cultivator, someone I could easily crush with my little finger.

What about yourself?
At that time, he was a top-ranking official, with one foot already in the mountain gate.

How to do this?
Is it cheating?
Who can beat a cheater?
The Battle of Fengcheng plunged him into despair.

Tang Fei destroyed not only his body, but also his inner world.

He spent this period recuperating at the cold pool. His body recovered, but his heart could not.

One blow after another, one failure after another.

This extinguished his ambition and left him unable to fulfill his aspirations.

They even developed 'fear of Tang Dynasty' and 'fear of bandits'.

Thinking that since he was around anyway, I was bound to lose in the end, what was the point of trying?
Having such thoughts in one's mind creates an obstacle to one's martial arts progress.

If one's thoughts are not clear, one's swordsmanship will not be sharp enough.

Therefore, during these eighty-one days of forbidden cultivation, his cultivation level not only did not improve, but actually regressed to some extent.

He could no longer be as dashing and fearless as before.

"Because of failure?"

"Because of failure."

"Because you feel you can't beat him, no matter how hard you try, you can't win?"

"Yes."

Now that we've already talked it out, there's nothing left to hide.

This is both an admission of guilt and a sign of resignation.

Shen Boyu looked at Shen Xinglan and sighed deeply.

The child has a problem with their mindset.

If this problem is not solved, he will continue to sink into despair, eventually fading into obscurity and becoming a mediocre talent.

It's not easy for the Shen family to produce someone of note, especially for the current Shen family.

However, solving this problem cannot be done by simply saying a few words or spouting motivational platitudes.

He needs to win.

He needs to regain his confidence.

“If it were before, I think you and Tang Fei would be evenly matched. Not fighting for temporary gains, but for lifelong victory. And victory or defeat often hinges on a single thought.”

"But the situation has changed dramatically now. You're overthinking things and your mind is blocked. It's unrealistic to expect to improve in a short period of time."

"The Tang bandits, on the other hand, strengthened their resolve and solidified their divine status through victory after victory."

"He confronts your fearlessness with his courage, and you have no hope of winning."

"I'm sorry to have disappointed Second Grandfather," Shen Xinglan said in a deep voice.

Even as he expressed his disappointment, his eyes remained unusually cold.

This is what it means to be utterly despondent.

What else could possibly stir his heart?
"You can't afford to lose anymore, you have to win. Even if it's just winning one small match first." Shen Boyu looked at Shen Xinglan and said in a deep voice, "It's very difficult to do this by relying solely on your own strength."

"That's why I said I would give you this opportunity. I want to lend you my power."

A look of doubt flashed in Shen Xinglan's eyes, and she asked, "How do I borrow it?"

"As you know, I have only ever practiced one technique in my life, namely the Northern Darkness Kun Breath Technique."

"With this divine skill, Second Grandfather can sweep across the world."

"I wouldn't call it sweeping, but when it comes to one-on-one combat, I've never been afraid of anyone."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "The Northern Darkness Kun Breath Technique requires water as a neighbor and a guide, to devour and absorb the power of the ocean for one's own use."

"This is why I spend all my time sea fishing and almost never leave Luojia Mountain. Luojia Mountain is surrounded by the sea, making it my natural place for spiritual practice."

"The outside world only knows that the 'Northern Darkness Kun Breathing Technique' is mysterious and magical, but they do not know that its true wonder is that it can condense the Yin and Yang Qi in the Qi Sea into a pill, transforming the formless into the tangible."

"Dragons have horns, snakes have gallbladders, and Kunpeng has its own primordial core."

"I will give you this inner core, which can help you absorb a massive amount of Yin and Yang power in a short period of time, thereby enhancing your personal strength."

"If you can calm down and carefully comprehend it, our Shen family might produce another grandmaster."

Shen Xinglan looked at Shen Boyu and asked, "Second Grandfather gave me his inner core, what about you?"

"Me?" Shen Boyu gave a bitter laugh and said, "What can an old man like me expect?"

"No," Shen Xinglan shook her head and refused, saying, "What I want, I will take myself. If I gain it, I'm fortunate; if I lose it, it's fate. I cannot take what belongs to Second Grandfather."

"Xinglan, listen to me. In the battle of the East Sea, I was attacked by Xuanyuan Mingjing and Zhong Daoling, and my injuries were extremely severe."

"Even after resting in this ghost coffin for more than half a year and being nourished by the ocean's energy every day, it is still difficult to recover to its original state, let alone hope to make any further progress."

"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life and cannot be defied. I am getting old, and my body will only continue to decline."

"Unless one can advance to the legendary third realm of the Burning Star Immortal Realm, but that's a realm of gods; we've only heard of it, no one has ever seen it."

"Originally, I wanted to compete and try to see what life was really like for those immortals."

"Now, they have severed my path in martial arts, leaving me with no other option but to stop here."

"Xinglan, you are still young and have unlimited potential. As long as you have confidence and don't get discouraged, with your foundation and talent, you can go further than all of us. I believe in you."

"Second Grandfather, I can't accept this. I will work hard on my own." Shen Xinglan's mindset finally changed, and she said urgently, "Give me some time. When I become a Grandmaster, our Shen family will have two Grandmasters. If we join hands, who will be our opponents?"

Shen Boyu shook his head slightly and said, "If it were before, we would have had plenty of time for you to grow. But now it's too late."

"Second Grandpa"

“The situation is turbulent.” Shen Boyu looked up at the sky, where there was a hole that stretched straight to the clouds. “On the surface, it seems that we have Zhong Tianque as a puppet and hold the legitimacy of the empire.”

"Qishan has a large army and many generals; we occupy three-tenths of the four seas."

"In fact, the decline has already begun. If there is no effort to turn the tide, the Shen family will lose completely."

"Second Grandfather, how could it be so serious? Even if the situation gets worse, as long as you have a large army, we still have a chance to turn things around." Shen Boyu shook his head and said, "You can't blame your grandfather. He was born into the military and spent his whole life in the army."

He knew about military affairs, but not about the people. He also lacked understanding of the principles of governing a country.

"Because of his rough and uncouth nature, he was incompatible with those cultured people and found it difficult to get their genuine help."

"Both Shang Xiulin and Sheng Jing were capable of being prime ministers. But as you have seen, they were both unyielding and would rather die than submit."

"Shi Hongchuan is ignorant of economics, while Su Zhenlie is cunning and calculating, only seeking personal gain and shirking responsibility."

"The others are either incompetent, obsequious, or betting on multiple fronts. None of them are genuinely considering our best interests."

"On the other hand, Tang Fei got Phoenix's public support first. That girl is much better than her two brothers. Whether it's her ability to handle political affairs or her vision and breadth of mind, they are not even in the same league."

When the phoenix was mentioned, Shen Xinglan's eyes dimmed.

That was the girl he had liked, and the only partner he had ever thought of spending his life with.

Unfortunately, my heart was set on the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter.

Childhood sweethearts are no match for a sudden arrival; once inseparable friends become enemies.
What exactly happened between them?
Oh, I ran into a man.
The third party is truly hateful.

"With the full support of the Qin and Lu families, the Dushan Army changed course, and the Yuhuo Army defeated the newly surrendered forces. We have fewer and fewer bargaining chips to play."

"It was precisely because the situation was dire that your grandfather, in a fit of rage, ordered Sheng Jing to be killed. That was a terrible move."

"Shengjing was a paragon of scholars and a model of gentlemen. If he killed Shengjing, wouldn't those intellectuals hate the Shen family even more to the core?"

"Besides, Sheng Jing doesn't care about the Shen family, but he cares about the people. If you put him in that position, he will wholeheartedly work for the benefit of the country and the people, and focus on the economy."

"You killed him and then brought in Shi Hongchuan, who is far less capable than him. If the economy doesn't improve and the people have no money, they'll really start cursing you. Who will support you?"

"Throughout history, the struggle for supremacy has not been merely a matter of victory or defeat in war; it also requires plans to ensure the well-being of the people and strategies to strengthen the nation, neither of which can be lacking."

"Therefore, we cannot delay any longer. The Shen family needs a shot in the arm."

"Xinglan, for my sake, for your grandfather's sake, and for the Shen family's sake, please don't refuse."

"This is not only a tremendous opportunity, but also a tremendous responsibility."

Shen Xinglan knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily to Shen Boyu.

"Xinglan will never let down her second grandfather's high expectations."

"Alright, sit up straight and focus on your inner self."

Shen Xinglan immediately sat up straight, closed her eyes slightly, and placed her hands naturally on her knees with her fingers forming a lotus shape.

Shen Boyu sat cross-legged in the cave, deep in the sky, his eyes closed as if sinking into an abyss.

There was no wind around him, yet his robes billowed slowly as if submerged in the deep sea, before finally drooping.

It encased his body in something resembling iron.

As the "Northern Darkness Kun Breathing Technique" reached its peak, the void behind him suddenly collapsed.

It was not darkness, but an endless expanse of pale blue to black, as if a piece of the sky had been forcibly ripped out and filled with the projection of the Northern Abyss.

No one, no self.

There is neither heaven nor earth nor anything else.

All streams return to nothingness!

A giant whale soared into the sky, engulfing the heavens and the earth.

Within a radius of a hundred miles, the sea of ​​clouds, like a bottomless whirlpool, transformed into a surging, pale dragon, roaring as it poured into that azure abyss.

The mountain stream broke free from its riverbed and soared upwards.

The morning dew in the forest evaporated, condensing into countless crystal-clear water lines, all of which were swallowed up by the 'Northern Darkness Phantom' behind Shen Boyu like a whale.

Luojia Mountain, spanning hundreds of miles, had its entire area's water elemental energy forcibly plundered.

It is still spreading to more distant sea areas.

A strange light flickered from Shen Boyu's abdomen, frost condensed on his left side, and dark blue ice formed on his body, turning his breath into snow.

Crimson flames rose from the right half of his body, and the cracks in his skin revealed a golden-red hue like lava, as he inhaled and scorched the air.

Ice and fire, clearly distinct, clashed and intertwined wildly at the lower dantian, forming a rapidly spinning chaotic vortex of Tai Chi.

Shen Boyu's body could become a giant furnace, half snow and half fire.

Using the body as a cauldron, and the essence and true energy of a hundred years of cultivation as a medicinal guide.

Alchemy.

boom!
A loud bang was heard as countless yin and yang energies were refined and fused together.

A 'Chaos Pill', neither gold nor jade, neither black nor white, with chaotic nebula patterns flowing on its surface, floated in Shen Boyu's Qi Sea.

Dan Cheng!

Shen Boyu suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils transforming into swirling chaotic vortexes.

He pointed his fingers like a sword and aimed at Shen Xinglan's brow, who was standing in front of him with her eyes closed and focused on her thoughts!

hum!
The chaotic inner core left their bodies, but instead of flying in a straight line, it created a bizarre and fantastical spacetime passage between the two of them.

Inside the passage, one can witness the mysterious phenomena of stars being born and dying, the changing of the world, and the creation of all things by the two energies of Yin and Yang, only to return to chaos.

The inner core, like a fallen ancient star, trailing a long, chaotic tail of flame, crashed into Shen Xinglan's dantian along this 'star bridge'.

Time passed second by second, day and night came and went, and the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter came and went.
On Luojia Mountain, the vegetation has lost its verdant green, and the veins of the leaves are curled up.

The bamboo in the bamboo forest cracked and popped like bones breaking.

The rocks faded, covered in a deathly gray. Birds fell to the ground, and beasts lay limp and suffocated.

A single thought can cause the destruction of all things.
-
Fengcheng.

The City Lord's Mansion, Phoenix Courtyard.

Phoenix held Sheng Xinhuai's hand and pleaded, "Sister, why don't you stay with me? It's so boring living alone in such a big courtyard. If you're here, we can have a drink and chat at night."

Sheng Xinhuai's long eyelashes fluttered, and she smiled with narrowed eyes, teasingly asking, "Are you really trying to keep me here?"

"Of course, how could something like this be fake?"

"I'm fine with sleeping with you, but what if some womanizer climbs into the wrong bed and touches the wrong person in the middle of the night?"

Phoenix forced herself to remain calm and argued, "Oh dear, this is the city lord's mansion, the security is excellent, how could there possibly be a flower thief here?"

"That's hard to say. You can guard against anything, but it's hard to guard against a thief within your own ranks." As Sheng Xinhuai spoke, he deliberately glanced at Tang Fei, who was pretending to drink tea not far away.

"Where would I find a thief? I'm trained; no matter what kind of thief comes, I'll beat them to a pulp."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to bring yourself to hit me."

"Caring for Sister"

"Okay, okay, I'm just going back to stay with my parents for a few days, otherwise they'll suspect I'm hiding outside drinking, even though that's true."

"Besides, we live so close by, you can just let me know when you miss me."

"Alright then, I'll come find you whenever I miss you," Phoenix said with a hint of dependence.

Sheng Xinhuai patted Phoenix's head and said, "Then I'm leaving."

After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and said, "Just a friendly reminder, you'd better keep it down. I'm a light sleeper and I'm afraid you'll disturb me."

"Sheng Xinhuai"

Sheng Xin laughed heartily and left.

After Sheng Xin Huai left, Tang Fei said angrily, "Is there no trust between people at all? This is the city lord's mansion, heavily guarded. How could there possibly be a womanizer here?"

Phoenix glared at Tang Fei and said, "Could you take your hand away when you're talking?"

"Huh? How did my hand get into yours? When did you take my hand away?"

"."

Phoenix leaned against Tang Fei's chest, sighed softly, and said, "I feel something's not quite right about Sister Sheng's visit this time."

"Really? What's wrong?" Tang Fei asked in surprise.

Phoenix pinched Tang Fei's tender waist hard and said angrily, "You know perfectly well why I'm asking this."

(End of this chapter)