Chapter 75: Even Old Luo Faces Calamities (Fifth Update Yesterday)

A hundred and nine golden cores were arrayed overhead, densely packed and shimmering with uncertain brilliance, resembling a star-strewn night sky upon the ceiling of the cave.

Beneath this “starry sky” sat a man, his form wavering between illusion and substance, eyes half-closed in contemplation.

Below him lay another figure, shriveled and desiccated, with yellowed skin stretched tight over bone, as if he were a corpse that had dried in this cave for centuries. Yet, the bone structure revealed beneath the withered flesh bore a striking resemblance to the man suspended above—three parts similar in their features.

“Me.”

Suddenly, the skeletal man opened his mouth, his eyelids lifting to reveal a pair of bright, glistening eyes. Sadly, those eyes were vacant, devoid of wisdom, as dull as those of a witless child.

“It…”

“…is done.”

He uttered the final words.

At that moment, the hundred and nine golden cores above shone even more resplendently. Their multicolored lights converged, forming a stream of radiant white that descended upon the illusory man below.

It was as if flesh, blood, bones, sinews, and organs were being filled into his form; in an instant, his body grew full and substantial. The eyes, previously half-shut, now opened slowly, and the hundred and nine golden cores, having gathered their brilliance, descended gently, merging one by one into his eyes.

With the golden cores absorbed, the man turned and entered the shriveled corpse below. As he merged, that dry, colorless body swelled rapidly, like a balloon filling with air, becoming plump and robust, its original features restored.

His wide eyes regained their spirit, and at last, he reclaimed his true name.

Luo Zu, thirty-eight years old, was the chieftain of the “Cave Dwellers” tribe.

“So this is the subtlety of the primordial spirit,” Luo Zu murmured.

Yet almost immediately, he sensed something amiss around him. In the next instant, his figure vanished from where he stood, leaving behind only a charred trace on the ground.

He moved with such speed that he was invisible to the naked eye; even thunder and fire that fell from heaven could not catch him, allowing him, for a moment, to escape disaster.

But upon landing on a smooth, broad platform, the thunder and fire descended upon him as thick as congee, engulfing him.

He heard the roar of wild winds and the snapping of countless grasses, even as his vision was obscured by a blaze of crimson.

It was the tribulation of thunder and fire.

With a casual sweep of his palm, as though wiping with a cloth, Luo Zu dispersed the relentless thunder and fire as easily as erasing a smear of porridge.

When Luo Zu brushed aside the thunder and fire, he understood the reason for its arrival.

If Yang had drawn down the thunder and fire tribulation, it was because he had actively invoked the might of Heaven. His primordial spirit resonated with the world, stirring the already volatile spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and thus the tribulation was born.

But this was not a true heavenly tribulation, merely a “natural phenomenon.”

The spiritual energy of the world had never been tranquil. The reason it could be refined and absorbed through cultivation techniques was due to the method Luo Zu himself had devised, which allowed the spiritual energy to be channeled gently through the innate abilities of humanity, making it docile and less likely to destroy the body.

As for the people of the World Within the Jar, their spiritual energy caused no issues in cultivation because it had already been transformed once by that magical domain, ridding it of the wildness of primordial energy.

However, when Yang invoked heaven’s power, the spiritual energy within the jar reverted to its original, untamed state, afflicting him with a raging thunder and fire tribulation.

Now that Luo Zu had formed his primordial spirit, even without actively summoning heaven’s might, he was already in communion with it, and thus the tribulation fell upon him automatically.

But now, having grasped the underlying patterns of the thunder and fire tribulation, Luo Zu could evade it altogether, without having to confront it head-on.

“If there exists a thunder and fire tribulation, might there not also be the calamities of the Crow Wind and the Yin Fire?” Luo Zu mused, his thoughts wandering.

The more he pondered, the more he was amused; perhaps he ought to devise a method to avoid all three calamities.

The reason for “avoiding” rather than “overcoming” was plain—this thunder and fire tribulation was not meant to be withstood, only dodged. To force one’s way through would mean endless struggle, a ceaseless battle against the entirety of nature.

Who could contend with the world itself?

Luo Zu did not know, but he certainly could not.

Thus, he devoted himself to studying the art of evasion.

His method was not like the famed Thirty-Six or Seventy-Two Transformations, but rather a mastery of the tribulation’s patterns, allowing him to sidestep its pursuit.

Now, having attained the primordial spirit, he had stepped into the realm of Unity of Illusion and Dao.

But how should one cultivate in this stage?

First, one must refine the illusory; then, unite with the Dao. Thus, one would perfect this realm and enter the ranks of the True Immortal.

“Chieftain? Chieftain?”

As Luo Zu was deep in thought, a group of people hurried up the mountain.

Turning, Luo Zu saw them panting on the earthen steps below the platform, and felt a surge of warmth. Their concern for him had driven them to rush so frantically.

“I’m fine, all is well,” Luo Zu called out proactively.

Relief washed over the crowd.

Luo Zu laughed heartily, then led the group down the mountain in the mountain wind.

Once at the foot, Luo Zu found himself beset with tasks. He had been in seclusion for three days, and much had arisen in his absence that required his attention.

Of course, everyone had brainstormed ideas, but, accustomed to Luo Zu’s decisive leadership, they had only settled on a direction and drawn up a few plans, waiting for his final word.

Yet Luo Zu was unwilling for the “Cave Dwellers” to remain so dependent on him; if things continued this way, none of them would ever truly grow.

In the World Within the Jar, the people had thrived without Luo Zu’s constant guidance, developing and expanding to their current scale. The wisdom that emerged among them often astounded Luo Zu, and he did not hesitate to adopt their innovations.

Beyond not wanting the “Cave Dwellers” to rely too much on him, Luo Zu had considered another matter: he could not remain their chieftain forever; there had to be a successor.

One day, he would devote himself entirely to cultivation, with no energy left to guide the tribe or lead them through adversity.

Thus were Hu Tou Village and Yan Quan Village established.

These two villages were not only to alleviate the population pressure on Luo Village but also to foster Luo Zu’s successor.

This successor need not be the strongest cultivator among the people, but must possess virtue, and secondarily, the ability to govern.

“So be it,” Luo Zu said, setting aside the reports, selecting a few crucial ones, and offering guidance on each.

“Chieftain, Hu Tou Village is nearly completed. Would you like to inspect it?” asked Ironhead Child.

“Let Xi handle it,” Luo Zu replied, eager to delegate his authority.

No one objected, and the proposal passed with ease.

As they discussed the details, Luo Zu suddenly looked up at Ironhead Child, who was scratching his cheek, and said, “Hmm, Ironhead, you’ve had a breakthrough?”

Ironhead Child, now at the level of Spirit Transformation, scratched his head and replied, “Yes.”

The others, upon hearing this, offered sincere congratulations and blessings.

These were genuine well-wishes, free of sarcasm or envy.

I took my wife to get an IV after work this evening; the flu is just too severe. That’s why I didn’t write or post today, but as promised, there will be seven chapters—those will be made up tomorrow and the day after. Tomorrow, I’ll write twelve thousand words.