I have a composite mirror

Chapter 58 Superior Spirit Core

Gu Shenyan's heart suddenly raced.

He dared not make any rash moves, but carefully maintained the circulation of spiritual energy within his body.

Water carries earth, earth gives rise to flames, fire transforms into smoke and wind, wind amplifies water's momentum... The four forces swirl faster and faster, gradually converging into a vortex at the dantian.

The vortex was initially only the size of a pea, yet it contained astonishing energy.

Gu Shenyan could feel that with each flow of spiritual energy, the vortex would grow stronger.

It's like a seed that's growing, greedily absorbing nutrients from its surroundings.

In my mind, Father Moore's voice echoed softly.

That was something the priest said during the last meditation class when he explained "spiritual core condensation":

"The spiritual core is the foundation of the art of magic."

"The four elements of spiritual energy converge, collide, and merge in the dantian, eventually condensing into a core."

"Once this core is formed, it is like a seed falling to the ground, and all future cultivation will be based on this."

"Deep roots make lush foliage, shallow roots make trees easily broken."

"Therefore, when the nucleus is solidifying, one must not be impatient, but proceed slowly and gradually, and things will fall into place naturally."

"Spiritual essence is like water; when dispersed, it is formless; when gathered, it forms a pearl."

"To condense a spirit core, three key techniques are required."

The priest held up three fingers:

"Firstly, the introduction."

"You need to use a specific method to guide the scattered spiritual energy in your body to your dantian."

"The method is different for everyone."

"Some people use visualization techniques to imagine a seed taking root and sprouting in their lower abdomen (Dantian);"

"Some people use breathing techniques, employing a special rhythm of inhalation and exhalation, to gradually compress their spiritual energy."

"Some people even use runic magic to construct runic circuits in their minds, allowing spiritual energy to flow along these circuits..."

He paused:

"No matter which method is used, the goal is the same—to gather spiritual energy."

Secondly, pressure.

"Gathering together isn't enough; you need to compress."

"It's like squeezing a ball of cotton into a single bead."

"This process is extremely painful because you have to use your own will to fight against the 'dispersed' nature of the spiritual essence itself."

"Spiritual energy is naturally meant to disperse, yet you insist on compressing it."

"This is going against the will of Heaven."

The priest's eyes deepened:

"Many people fail at this step."

"They couldn't withstand that pain; their will collapsed, their spiritual energy backfired, resulting in the loss of all their cultivation at best, and at worst..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the "serious" consequences.

Thirdly, it is solid.

"When you compress spiritual energy to its limit, you will need to use some means to solidify it."

"The method is different for each school of thought."

"Taoists use true qi to refine, Buddhists use mental power to condense, and Western sorcerers use prayers to bless..."

"No matter what means are used, there is only one goal—to stabilize that 'core' and prevent it from disintegrating."

The priest, having said this, looked at the crowd:

"Once the spirit core solidifies, you will have truly embarked on the path of magic."

"From this day forward, you will no longer be mortals."

"You can draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, cast spells, and control wind, thunder, water, and fire..."

"This is the difference between a student of magic and an ordinary person."

As Gu Shenyan recalled these words, a sudden realization dawned on him.

To draw, to compress, to solidify.

The three steps seem simple, but are actually extremely dangerous.

However, with the assistance of the Three Elements Mirror and the blessing of the [Life Flow] method, the process went much more smoothly than he had imagined.

At this moment, deep within his dantian, the spiritual essence that had been compressed to its limit had begun to solidify.

It requires no tempering with true qi, no concentration of mental power, and no blessing through prayer.

The four elements themselves form a delicate balance through mutual checks and balances.

Water overcomes fire, fire overcomes metal, metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, and earth overcomes water...

The five elements generate and restrain each other, which are originally in opposition.

But when they merge into one, this antagonism becomes the best coagulant.

It's like a set of interlocking gears; the tighter they mesh, the harder it is to loosen.

boom!

At one moment, Gu Shenyan felt a soft sound coming from deep within his dantian.

The sound was very soft, as soft as a seed sprouting from the soil.

But in his perception, it was like the sky and the earth collapsing.

A "core" the size of a thumb slowly took shape deep within the dantian.

The core was crystal clear, and four colors could be faintly seen flowing within it—blue, red, yellow, and black.

It corresponds to wind, fire, earth, and water.

The power of the four elements condensed into a core, which became his spiritual core!

In an instant, Gu Shenyan felt as if the whole world had changed.

What was once a hazy perception has now become incredibly clear.

He could "see" the spiritual energy floating in the air, like countless tiny specks of light drifting in the void.

He could "hear" the breath of the wind, the whisper of the water, the roar of the fire, and the murmur of the earth.

These things, which could only be vaguely perceived through meditation, are now truly and vividly presented before his "eyes".

This is the difference between a student of magic and an ordinary person; their level of perception is already different.

The Three-Element Mirror appeared in my consciousness:

[Congratulations, host, on condensing your spirit core and officially entering the realm of apprentice in the art of magic!]

[Cultivation Level: Apprentice in the Path of Arts (Early Stage)]

[Spirit Core Quality: Superior (Balanced Four Elements, Stable Foundation)]

[New Ability: External Awareness (Can sense fluctuations of spiritual energy within a small area)]

[Increased Source Qi Acquisition Efficiency: Green Source Qi +50%]

Looking at these prompts, Gu Shenyan felt a great weight lifted from his heart.

It has truly not been easy to get to this point on this path.

He tried to activate his spiritual sense, and an invisible perception spread out from between his eyebrows.

The sensation was like a transparent net, enveloping the entire room.

Every object in the room, every fluctuation of spiritual energy, was clearly presented in his mind.

He could even hear his sister's steady breathing from the next room.

Outside the courtyard, Shi Quan was practicing his boxing, his breathing rising and falling.

Gu Shenyan withdrew his spiritual sense, a slight smile playing on his lips.

This feeling is truly indescribable.

No wonder people say that there is a world of difference between a student of magic and an ordinary person.

Only by experiencing it firsthand can one know that this statement is true.

………………

Every morning at the Crane Style Boxing Gym begins with breakfast.

In the main hall, the members of the Gu family sat down in order on both sides of the long table.

The moment Gu Shenyan stepped into the main hall, everyone's eyes turned to him.

This is……

Everyone present was a martial artist and extremely sensitive to changes in aura.

They noticed almost immediately that Gu Shenyan had undergone some kind of transformation.

Be careful what you say.

Gu Sidu spoke, his voice carrying a hint of inquiry:

"You...broke through?"

These words shocked everyone in the room.

Zhao Qingyun suddenly raised his head, staring intently at Gu Shenyan, his pupils slightly contracted.

The other disciples also turned to look.

"Reporting to Father."

Gu Shenyan bowed with his hands clasped in greeting:

"Last night, I was fortunate enough to condense a spiritual core and step into the realm of apprentice in the art of magic."

Gu Sidu was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with undisguised joy:

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, his voice trembling slightly.

"My family has finally produced a cultivator of magic!"

"Our ancestors are watching over us! Our ancestors are watching over us!"

Zhao Qingyun, standing next to him, clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

But he quickly regained his composure, forcing a smile:

"Congratulations, young master! Congratulations, young master!"

He stood up and bowed to Gu Shenyan:

"Young Master is exceptionally intelligent, and now that he has embarked on the path of magic, his future is sure to be limitless."

"We warriors can only look up to them in awe."

These words sound nice, but anyone could tell they weren't entirely sincere.

The other disciples also stood up to congratulate Gu Shenyan.

Congratulations, Senior Brother Gu!

"Senior Brother Gu is young and promising; his future is limitless!"

"I hope Senior Brother Gu will take good care of me in the future!"

Congratulations and compliments poured in like a tide.

Gu Shenyan simply nodded and didn't say anything more.

This is reality.

With strength comes status.

With status comes respect.

Whether this respect is genuine or not, what does it matter?