Chapter 28: The White Lotus Heart
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“White Lotus Seeds, and two cultivation manuals.”
“I never expected that the cultivation manual in the hands of the rebels during Great Qian’s troubled age would actually be a proper human martial art, while demonic techniques are everywhere in the Great Qian army.”
After killing, naturally came the looting.
Once Yang Le had finished cutting down the remaining members of the White Lotus Sect, the surrounding refugee followers scattered in all directions.
Yang Le and Li Qier then arrived at a dilapidated thatched hut beside the official road leading to Cizhou.
He spread open his pack, revealing three items before their eyes.
A white lotus seed radiating a pale white glow.
And two cultivation manuals.
One was called the White Lotus Art. From analyzing the item, Yang Le already knew that it was a proper human martial art.
The other was called the Corpse Refining Method. Although it appeared to be a cultivation technique, it was in fact more accurately described as an incomplete heterodox Dao art, unrelated to the martial arts of Great Qian.
Rather, it originated from the most elementary auxiliary technique among the introductory formulas of the evil human cultivators from the Outer Territories.
“The White Lotus Art can serve as a useful reference to me. I do not particularly care for methods such as corpse refinement.”
In moments, Yang Le put away both manuals. Though they were of little use, they could still serve as references.
“As for this lotus seed…”
Yang Le immediately turned all his attention to the seed. He picked it up, curiosity flashing in his eyes.
[White Lotus Heart: Grade unknown. Not an object of Great Qian. A treasure capable of nourishing and protecting the dantian and meridians. It can devour similar treasures and evolve into a Green Lotus Heart…]
Through item analysis, Yang Le had long since learned of the White Lotus Heart’s effects.
It was a fine treasure. For a martial cultivator, its ability to nourish and protect the dantian and meridians was indeed indispensable.
For Yang Le, its effects were even more extraordinary.
He had held it for only a moment, yet he could already feel warmth nourishing the sword bones within his body. Even the small sword in his dantian seemed to radiate joy.
More importantly, it appeared that the White Lotus Heart in Yang Le’s hand had been acknowledged by the Swordsmanship Reaching the Divine trait. Its enhancement of his dantian and meridians was likewise strengthened by that trait.
The benefits this object offered Yang Le were no less than those of a blue-grade trait.
“Master, the White Lotus Heart is a good thing.”
At that moment, Li Qier had set down her luggage and was also looking at the White Lotus Heart.
“It is a product of the White Lotus Sect. Its origins are unknown, but anyone who rises to the rank of elder can obtain one. It can expand the dantian and nourish the meridians.”
“Mm, I know.”
Yang Le nodded, then looked at Li Qier.
“And?”
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“It is a fine treasure, but it is certainly a great source of trouble as well.”
Seeing that her master already knew the White Lotus Heart’s effects, Li Qier did not explain further. Instead, she began telling him the story behind it.
“This thing is no secret among Great Qian’s martial artists. Almost everyone with even a little knowledge of the martial world knows what it can do, yet none of them dare take one.”
“Why?”
“The White Lotus Hearts can devour one another. After ten of them merge, they become a Green Lotus Heart. They can then continue growing into the highest-grade Purple Lotus Heart. According to legend, a Purple Lotus Heart can transform into a dantian, allowing one to enter the First-Grade Innate Realm in a single day.”
At this point, Li Qier looked seriously at Yang Le.
“Although this rumor has circulated throughout Great Qian’s martial world for decades, no one knows whether it is true.”
Li Qier rose and once again looked at the White Lotus Heart in Yang Le’s hand.
“The moment you obtain this thing, Great Qian automatically considers you a member of the White Lotus Sect. The Night Owls of the Celestial Observatory specialize in killing members of the White Lotus Sect.”
“Moreover, within the White Lotus Sect, anyone who wishes to transform their White Lotus Heart into the legendary Purple Lotus Heart will also assassinate those who possess White Lotus Hearts.”
“Having said all that, I imagine you understand that the thing in your hand is rather difficult to handle.”
Li Qier knew that the White Lotus Heart in Yang Le’s possession was indeed a great treasure. Regardless of whether the Purple Lotus Heart truly existed, the Green Lotus Heart certainly did.
The White Lotus Heart’s enhancement to a martial cultivator was also very real.
Eight years earlier, a beggar had possessed heaven-defying luck and inexplicably found a Green Lotus Heart.
Though he had no foundation in martial arts whatsoever, with the aid of the Green Lotus Heart, he broke through to the Eighth Grade in three years and became a Second-Grade Earth Realm expert, earning fame throughout Great Qian.
And then…
Then there was no “then.”
The old beggar, having only just entered the Second Grade, believed that he had become an unrivaled figure beneath the heavens. Yet, as soon as he entered the Central Province, he was killed with a single punch by Situ Nan, the leader of the Celestial Observatory’s Night Owls.
To this day, that Green Lotus Heart—the only one ever born in this age—remained embedded in the gates of the imperial city in the Central Province.
It served as a warning to all lawless opportunists, and no one dared take it.
When she had still been in the Central Province, Li Qier had personally seen that Green Lotus Heart.
It was crystalline and translucent. In its dreamlike radiance, it reflected the image of a green lotus, its entire body filled with a luminous halo.
The appearance of an extraordinary treasure was self-evident.
“I understand. This thing has both advantages and disadvantages. Taking it may increase one’s martial cultivation, but one would not only have to bear the identity of a member of the White Lotus Sect and face Great Qian’s pursuit. One would also have to guard against sneak attacks from other martial cultivators who possess White Lotus Hearts.”
Li Qier had explained it so clearly that Yang Le naturally understood what kind of trouble the White Lotus Heart would bring.
“Master, your talent in swordsmanship is heaven-defying, and your martial talent is completely unmatched in Great Qian. You do not need such an external object to prove the Innate Dao.”
Seeing that Yang Le understood, Li Qier offered him a suggestion.
“You can simply pretend that you do not know this thing exists.”
In Li Qier’s view, her master’s talent was extraordinary. There was truly no need for him to invite so much trouble over a White Lotus Heart.
“I am afraid I have no choice.”
Just as Li Qier thought Yang Le would abandon the White Lotus Heart, he suddenly spoke.
“This White Lotus Heart has already fused into my dantian.”
“There really is no choice. An object like this is not suitable for Master…”
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Li Qier had instinctively assumed that Yang Le had already abandoned the White Lotus Heart. But when she realized what he had said and turned to look at him, the scene before her left her momentarily speechless.
The White Lotus Heart had originally appeared perfectly ordinary in Yang Le’s palm. Without close inspection, it was no different from a common lotus seed.
But in the next moment—
A phantom of a small sword appeared out of thin air above Yang Le’s palm and pierced straight through the White Lotus Heart, shattering it completely.
Then…
A thick liquid suffused with wisps of white light flowed out from within.
It gradually dissolved from Yang Le’s palm into his body.
“Ding. The host has obtained a trait outside the trait library. Please carefully distinguish it from genuine traits in the official library…”
“White Lotus Heart: Grade unknown. Increases the host’s cultivation speed by fifty percent, expands the dantian by ten percent, and expands the meridians by ten percent. One of ten.”
At that moment, once the system notification ended, a brand-new trait appeared outside Yang Le’s attribute panel.
White Lotus Heart…
“There was no choice. Still, this thing really is excellent.”
Yang Le was entirely unfazed by the outcome.
Was this not simply the path of slaughter, growth, and evolution?
Then he would walk it.
On the path of martial cultivation, struggles and bloodshed were unavoidable.
As for anyone interested in the White Lotus Heart in his possession, if they truly dared to move against him, Yang Le would not mind giving them a sword strike in return.
“Master, you…”
Compared with Yang Le’s calmness, Li Qier stared at the White Lotus Heart that had already been reduced to powder, at a loss for words.
In truth…
The White Lotus Heart possessed another characteristic.
She had not told Yang Le about it.
No matter what happened, the White Lotus Heart could never be destroyed.
That was a universally acknowledged truth in the martial world of Great Qian.
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