The Dynasty of Cultivating Immortality

C7 – The Spiritual Bead Entered My Body

Ni Huibo held the intricately carved box up to his eyes. The lifelike phoenix and the simple patterns etched into the wood suggested an ancient origin. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t manage to open it. Treasures from City Hall were bound to be exceptional, and he was certain this box was no exception.

Was the treasure inside truly from City Hall? If so, it had to be of great significance. Should he turn in both the box and the thief? Yet, Ni Huibo quickly dismissed the thought. Having lived in solitude for sixteen years in this small courtyard, with no one to guide him in the ways of cultivation, how could he possibly apprehend a thief?

Doing so would mean he could no longer live peacefully here. But if he didn’t turn in the thief, how would he return the treasure?

​As Ni Huibo gripped the treasure box, his hand clenched involuntarily, the pain snapping him back to reality. His unusual strength could bend a silver coin, yet this wooden box remained unscathed, even injuring him instead. Blood seeped from his hand onto the box, and a sudden red glow emanated from the eyes of the carved phoenix. To his astonishment, the box sprang open on its own!

A brilliant white light spilled from the opening, and as the box fully opened, a bead the size of a thumb materialized before him. The air around it whirled into a cyclone centered on the bead—a sight that would have astounded any cultivator, for it was composed of spiritual energy.

Could this be the lost treasure of City Hall, brimming with spiritual essence?

In that moment, a flash of red crossed Ni Huibo’s eyes. Compelled as if by a spell, he extended his bleeding finger toward the box, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the Spiritual Bead. Upon contact, the bead burst into a blaze of fire and surged into Ni Huibo, settling in his dantian.

Startled, Ni Huibo dropped the box to the ground. A sensation akin to a fierce fire engulfed his belly. The bead seemed to harbor a power capable of apocalyptic destruction as it roamed freely within Ni Huibo’s dantian.

Ni Huibo’s blood vessels and meridians felt like cotton scorched by an inferno. Within minutes, his body seemed to be burning chaotically, the pain causing him to convulse and tremble uncontrollably.

The excruciating pain radiated from his abdomen throughout his body, making him wish for death to come swiftly.

Ni Huibo couldn’t help but let out a low roar as the pain intensified.

As the Spiritual Bead absorbed the surrounding Spiritual Qi, the searing agony escalated. Ni Huibo’s pain worsened, his blood vessels threatening to burst at any moment. His expression twisted into a terrifying grimace, his body swelling like a balloon, resembling a demon from the depths of hell. His hands pounded and clawed at the earth in a futile attempt to alleviate his suffering.

On the brink of collapse, a blaze ignited within his Spiritual Sense, and a fiery phoenix burst forth, taking its place protectively behind him.

In that moment, Ni Huibo’s eyes snapped open, his expression turning to one of icy detachment.

His hands moved in tandem with an unfamiliar voice in his mind, forming a seal he had never known. Simultaneously, a familiar heat surged from his dantian to the Spiritual Bead, which seemed to be consciously thrashing in an attempt to break free.

Soon, the Spiritual Bead’s energy mellowed, aiding in the repair of Ni Huibo’s damaged blood vessels and meridians. They rejuvenated like parched trees finding water in the desert, filling out and revitalizing. His scorched muscles, bones, and organs began to mend. The Spiritual Bead’s energy not only healed his injuries but also fortified his previously malnourished body. The once constricted blood vessels and meridians were now restored, amplifying the energy within him manifold.

When Ni Huibo fully recovered, a vivid red mark briefly illuminated his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze falling on the box that lay on the ground, a residual fear lingering in his heart.

What had just transpired?

Why was he losing control over the energy within him? That force had dominated him for far too long. Why had the bead surged into his abdomen? Whose gentle voice echoed in his mind? How had his parents died, and why had the Ni family treated him so cruelly? A flurry of questions swirled in his mind, leaving him in a state of turmoil.

Now was not the time to dwell on such matters. The pearl lost by City Hall was now inside him, and extracting it would mean cutting open his stomach and certain death. He couldn’t allow that—he wanted to live a full life.

Should he confide in his uncle and aunt? His uncle was practically a stranger, unlikely to have his best interests at heart. But his aunt—what would she do? He alone had discovered the thief tonight. For a moment, he considered keeping the incident to himself, but then he remembered the Ni family had taken him in. He owed it to his aunt to tell her.

But where had the thief gone?

Ni Huibo sprang to his feet and searched the area, but the thief was nowhere to be found. He had definitely knocked the thief unconscious, which sent a chill down Ni Huibo’s spine. When had the thief regained consciousness and escaped? Had he witnessed the incident with the pearl?

Lost in thought, Ni Huibo also felt a twinge of fear. Had the thief attacked while the Spiritual Bead was merging with him, he would be dead. He regretted not securing the thief when he had the chance.

After a fruitless search of the room, Ni Huibo slumped into a chair, feeling helpless. He could only hope that the thief wouldn’t be caught; otherwise, he might reveal the disappearance of the treasure, or worse, the pearl’s location inside him.

Glancing down at his blood-stained clothes, Ni Huibo quickly changed into a fresh set. Once he was cleaned up, he lay down on the bed, expecting sleep to elude him. Yet, to his surprise, he drifted off quickly. Meanwhile, the Spiritual Qi in the air began to seep into the Spiritual Bead within his dantian, circulating through his meridians.