Chapter Eighteen: Sudden Enlightenment Beneath the Forest

With a muffled laugh, Yu Youwei reached out and poked his forehead, scolding, "We're on the run for our lives, Fourth Master. Can't you be a little less picky?" But when she met his dewy, pleading eyes, she surrendered without principle, hurried off to catch two rabbits, dressed them simply, and set them over the fire. The mouth-watering aroma drifted away on the wind, making Ning Mofei swallow his saliva hungrily.

At last, when Yu Youwei declared the food ready, she tore off a rabbit leg and handed it to him. Before he could take it, a flash of white darted by, and the fragrant roast was snatched away. He glared in frustration at the audacious little white bear, protesting, "My wife roasted that for me!"

The little bear shot him a disdainful glance, then carried the rabbit leg over to squat beside Yu Youwei. She stifled a laugh, tore off another leg for Ning Mofei, and flicked the bear on the head. "You don’t show up to help in a fight, but as soon as there’s food, here you are. What a glutton!"

With a mouthful of rabbit, the white bear mumbled, "If I hadn’t taught the young thunder eagle to attack their eyes and distract one of them, you’d be dead by now."

Ning Mofei cried out in amazement, "It can talk?"

Yu Youwei grabbed the little bear by the scruff and held it up, asking with mock severity, "Did you speak just now? Say something again, or I'll roast you for dinner."

The little bear’s cheeks were bulging; first, it nodded, but at a sharp look from its unscrupulous master, it shook its head vigorously, looking so adorable that Ning Mofei instantly forgot the earlier grievance, snatched the bear up and cradled it protectively. "I must have misheard."

"Where would you ever find a talking bear cub?" Yu Youwei said, and then tore off two more front legs, giving one each to Ning Mofei and the bear cub, silencing both the boy’s protests and the bear’s resentment.

The evening breeze sweeping through the forest shook loose the leaves of the apple tree above. One drifted down to land on Ning Mofei’s nose; he blew at it, but the wind whirled it back to his forehead. Yu Youwei couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to pluck the leaf and toss it into the fire. As she watched the green leaf turn to ash, a faint melancholy welled up in her heart.

"Are you unhappy?" Ning Mofei leaned in, asking earnestly, his gaze pure and clear, reflecting her face perfectly.

Her heart was inexplicably at ease. Gently, Yu Youwei answered, "Just a little tired, that's all. I'm not unhappy."

With greasy hands, Ning Mofei patted his thigh and offered generously, "If you’re tired, lie down on my lap for a nap. I’m not afraid of the dark." Though he said he wasn’t afraid, his eyes darted restlessly about.

The sun, hidden by clouds, had long since slipped behind the mountain. Night rose like a mist from all directions, shrouding the world in gloom. The wind rustled the branches and leaves—a sound like countless wild beasts closing in around them.

Seeing Ning Mofei’s face pale with fear, though still pretending to be brave, Yu Youwei’s heart softened. Reason dictated they should travel farther while there was still light, but instead, she impulsively drew him onto her lap, saying softly, "I’ve just rested. You sleep a little. I’ll watch over you—don’t be afraid."

"I’m not afraid," Ning Mofei muttered, curling up closer to the fire, soon drifting off in her lap. The little white bear, done with its rabbit bone, found a comfortable spot in his arms and fell asleep as well. The young thunder eagle, after hopping about the branches above, fluttered down to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek affectionately with its sharp beak.

Listening quietly to the crackling of burning wood and the wind sweeping through the woods, over the fields, and stirring the distant lake, Yu Youwei slipped into a mysterious, indescribable state. A gentle, enigmatic smile played on her lips, serene yet full of secrets.

The fire’s spiritual energy in the air began to flow toward her, drawn by some hidden force. The little white bear sensed the change first, opened its eyes briefly, then closed them again. The thunder eagle beat its wings in alarm, taking flight; Ning Mofei, half awake, mumbled, "The sun’s out—it’s so warm."

Yu Youwei’s milky, luminous face began to glow, her features blurred by the radiance, only her half-open eyes shining like stars.

This was enlightenment—a state every cultivator longed for. If undisturbed, her cultivation would soar, her realm advancing by leaps and bounds, and for a time she would face no bottlenecks.

Cultivation was the path to defy fate and seek immortality. At the lowest stage, the Qi Refining period, a cultivator might live at least one hundred and fifty years. Breaking through to Foundation Establishment added another century or more to one's lifespan, while reaching the Golden Core stage could double it—eight hundred or even a thousand years was not unheard of. Nascent Soul cultivators were ancient monsters who had lived for millennia.

But the path of cultivation was shackled by the laws of heaven. Each stage brought a bottleneck. The realms of cultivation were: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Projection, Soul Division, Unity, Great Perfection, and finally, Tribulation Transcendence—a transitional phase. Those who survived the tribulation shattered the void and ascended to the Celestial Realm. Each stage was divided into early, middle, and late sub-stages, with the breakthrough point known as Completion. Many cultivators reached the peak of Qi Refining but could never break through, living their lives unable to build their foundation.

Without a spiritual root, one could not cultivate. Those with spiritual roots would generate magical power even at the lowest Qi Refining stage; by high-level Qi Refining, they could use spells and talismans to slaughter mortal practitioners.

The classification of spiritual roots was equally intricate. For example, she possessed both wood and fire roots—a true spiritual root, inferior to the heavenly single root, but hers had mutated and ascended, making it even stronger than a heavenly root. If not for her past-life memories, which made her see through worldly affairs and refuse to join any sect, she could have entered any great sect—even the likes of the Immortal Chen Sect—as easily as stepping into her own garden.

The campfire faded, and the evening wind grew chill, yet Ning Mofei didn’t feel cold at all. The red glow swirling around Yu Youwei seeped into his pores, beading his skin with fine sweat.

Suddenly, from the east, the thunderous sound of hooves rolled in, growing rapidly nearer.

Yu Youwei’s eyes snapped open. She swiftly laid Ning Mofei on the ground, leaped into the treetops, and looked out. She saw a company of black-armored cavalry sweeping over the ridge like a tornado. Their murderous aura merged into a single, overwhelming force, coiling like a giant serpent in the air. With her sharp eyes, she could make out the banner they carried: the characters for "Cloud Wasteland."

"What’s that?" Ning Mofei, roused by the noise, scrambled up the slope to peer into the distance. He could see the approaching cavalry, but not the words on their flag.

"No wonder they’re famed as one of the East Continent’s elite legions," Yu Youwei murmured. "Even while marching at full speed, they maintain such a presence. I only hope they’re not here for us."

"Why would they come after us?" Ning Mofei asked, full of bewilderment.