Chapter Twelve: Personal Guidance (Part Two)

After a long while, Shi Jun slowly opened his eyes and looked at Huang Quan, whose gentle gaze lingered on him with a smile. An incredibly familiar feeling surged once more within Shi Jun’s heart, yet this time, he no longer felt the urge to question everything as he had at the beginning.

“Sir, your current abilities have far surpassed this old man’s expectations—what a joy and a blessing!” Huang Quan sighed as he saw Shi Jun regain his senses. “But all this was always your innate talent. Heaven merely used my hand to return to you what was lost. Eighteen years ago, the seed was sown, and it should have been my task to erase it today. But things have changed, and I am powerless now... What comes next will depend on your own efforts and fortune!”

“Thank you for your guidance. However, I believe that matters of fate and chance are but another form of rules and order. Should one transcend such constraints, discard the old, and embrace the new, perhaps it would benefit both oneself and others.” Even as he spoke, Shi Jun found his tone peculiar—it was not at all like his usual self.

A strange light flickered in Huang Quan’s eyes, as if he were looking at a stranger. He scrutinized Shi Jun again before replying, “Your words are true, but unless you were already... who could dare make such bold claims? Ah, as the shackles fall away, fortune and misfortune arise on their own. It seems I worry too much.”

Hu Hai had grown impatient with their cryptic conversation. Earlier, when Huang Quan spoke of the hidden powers within Shi Jun, he’d been confused but intrigued—he was a daydreamer, always fascinated by the fantastical. But just as his interest peaked, a white mist rose before his eyes, blocking his view. He heard their voices continue a little longer, but then all fell silent. He wanted to ask questions, but no one responded—he didn’t know the mist was a spatial barrier conjured by Huang Quan, completely isolating him from sight and sound. Normally, he would have shouted and made a fuss, but respect for the middle-aged man kept him subdued; he could only mutter to himself and wait, more patiently than ever, for the mist to clear.

After a long while, the voices resumed, but their conversation was even more inscrutable. When the mist finally faded, Hu Hai could hold back no longer and rattled off, “Ancestor, was it just foggy in here? The weather’s really strange! What were you two talking about? I couldn’t understand a word—why not explain about that eye and heart thing on Old Shi, and how to use them?”

Huang Quan smiled gently and began, “The Eye of Insight and the Heart of Covenant that Sir possesses are manifestations of great spiritual power. Among practitioners, battles rarely rely on mere physical attacks; instead, there are two main forms of offense. The first employs spiritual force, using incantations or hand seals to draw upon the elemental powers of heaven and earth and unleash tremendous attacks. The second uses magical artifacts—these are usually imbued with specific spiritual spells by their owners, so in battle, a simple word or gesture can trigger the artifact’s power, turning the tide.”

For some reason, as soon as Hu Hai spoke, the strange mental state Shi Jun had been in during his exchange with Huang Quan vanished without a trace. He wondered why he’d spoken so oddly before, but then heard Huang Quan shift the topic back to his hidden powers, reminding him of previous battles—Su Su’s object-controlling art was likely the first type of attack, as Huang Quan described. Later, the “Trapped Beast” of the Rakshasa was probably a refined artifact. Unable to resist, he interjected, “I learned an ability called Object Manipulation from a little ghost. At first, I could only use my mind to move small things, but later, without special training, I could conjure objects out of thin air...”

He went on to describe learning the art, his encounter with the monster above the Wasteland, how he conjured a dagger in his desperation, and strange events on the Styx.

Huang Quan listened intently, then suddenly smiled and asked, “So, the Blue Spirits have followed you here as well?”

Only then did Shi Jun remember the Blue Spirits were still in his treasure pouch. He nodded, “Yes, perhaps they were worried about me and came along.” As he thought this, the Blue Spirits emerged at his will, and upon seeing Huang Quan, they swarmed around him, crowding close with obvious affection.

Since the Blue Spirits had rescued him from the Styx, Shi Jun had never seen them show such fondness for anyone but him. He was quite puzzled.

Huang Quan seemed pleased as well, smiling at the Blue Spirits clustered around him. He said to Shi Jun, “It seems you’ve already formed a Heart Covenant with the Blue Spirits—sooner than I expected, though not entirely surprising. I do have some advice for you regarding these little ones.”

Although Huang Quan didn’t appear that old, he always referred to himself as “this old man” and addressed Shi Jun as “Sir,” which made Shi Jun a bit uncomfortable. He quickly said, “Please, Ancestor, speak freely.”

“It looks like these Blue Spirits have already benefited much from following you—ah, the Scarlet Essence Fruit! No wonder their power has increased.” Huang Quan broke into a smile. “But let me remind you: though they’ve signed a Heart Covenant with you, they are still underworld beings. If you take them back to the mortal world, not only would they struggle with mortal customs and cause trouble, but it would also do little for your cultivation. It’s better to leave them in the Styx.”

Shi Jun had never intended to bring the Blue Spirits back, but Huang Quan’s words made him realize that, if he wished, these little creatures truly would follow him always. He now understood—though he possessed great potential, it was not yet fully awakened, and while the Blue Spirits were powerful allies, their help was only temporary. If he relied on them too much, it would hinder his progress. The Ancestor hoped he would seek his own strength, not depend on them.

With this in mind, he nodded without hesitation. “I understand. I don’t wish to take them back either. But you mentioned I’ve made a Heart Covenant with them—what exactly does that mean?”

Huang Quan nodded with a gentle smile. “That is what I was about to explain!”

“The Eye of Insight allows you, in battle, to perceive the subtlest changes in an opponent’s spiritual power—the finest ripples in their spiritual field—and record them, thus comprehending the methods they use: incantations and hand seals. In other words, you can observe an opponent’s techniques and quickly master them, ultimately making them your own. However, this ability is generally ineffective against artifacts, as artifacts are pre-imbued with spiritual power and merged with the owner’s soul over years of cultivation. It’s impossible to grasp their most minute changes in the heat of battle. Still, you can learn the methods to activate and use artifacts, but unless your spiritual power is strong enough to sever the link between artifact and master, it will be difficult to control, even if you know the method. You’d need to release a burst of spiritual strength in an instant that exceeds the artifact’s owner’s centuries of cultivation if you hope to subdue and claim it through the Eye of Insight.” Huang Quan’s tone was grave and low.

“That’s impressive enough!” Hu Hai muttered. “It’s as if you’re a martial arts master who can instantly learn any move your opponent uses... Rather like the Murong clan of Gusu!”

Huang Quan likely had no idea what the Murong of Gusu was, so he ignored Hu Hai’s comment and said to Shi Jun, “Forgive my bluntness—though you are gifted, you have only awakened a fraction of your power. Do not grow complacent. The Eye of Insight can help you unravel simple spells, but for more complex and profound incantations, unless your power matches them, you cannot learn them.”

“I understand.” Shi Jun nodded, feeling genuine gratitude toward Huang Quan—his care extended even to the smallest details.

“Earlier you mentioned a ghost named Su Su—he is but a lowly soul. Once you learned Object Manipulation, you could easily use it, since it’s a basic method for cultivating spiritual power. But as for your later ability to conjure objects out of thin air—I've gleaned from the Blue Spirits that when you encountered them and the Nether Shadows on the Styx, your abilities were triggered anew, and your control over spiritual force advanced another step. The more you cultivate, the stronger your command will become.”

“I see,” Shi Jun mused. “May I ask, Ancestor, where does my power come from?” He tapped his chest. “Hu Hai and I once saw a white light emanate from here.”

“That is the Light of the Heart’s Eye,” Huang Quan replied slowly. “The heart is the repository of the spirit, and thus the source of your spiritual power. But this strength has been sealed for too long; it cannot fully awaken in a short time.”

“A seal!” Hu Hai, always sensitive to such matters, pressed on. “What kind of seal? Who did it?”

Huang Quan seemed lost in memory. After a long pause, he murmured, “Heaven’s designs are inscrutable... Perhaps you were right—transcending the old, embracing the new, may indeed benefit all.” He shook his head, as if trying to dislodge unpleasant memories, and softly intoned, “Yesterday is gone, never to return; today’s worries weigh upon my heart.”

Seeing Huang Quan lapse into riddles again, Hu Hai grew impatient. Squirming, he called out, “Ancestor, Ancestor...”

Huang Quan awakened from his reverie with a laugh. “Ah, back to the point—let us now discuss the Heart of Fusion, or the Heart of Covenant. This ability allows you to observe the essence of an enemy’s spiritual force, use your own powerful spirit to mimic their spiritual field, and through resonance, invade their mind. By planting a spiritual shackle deep within, you can subdue and control them, binding their heart to yours.”

To win without fighting! The phrase leapt into Hu Hai’s mind, leaving him stunned. He slapped Shi Jun on the shoulder and grinned, “Old Shi, you’ve really been hiding your talents! If you’d been born a few centuries earlier, maybe you’d have become an emperor—and I could’ve basked in your glory!”

Huang Quan, however, did not find it amusing. He sighed, “You are destined for greatness, Sir. At any time or place, the world’s power could be yours with a wave of your hand. But how you choose to use that power is up to your own heart.”