The seventh day of Yu Lingshe's seclusion was finally the day of her awakening. She had cleaned up the day before, and after completing her mantra, she washed up and went to sleep.
Today was an important day, so she took her time, relaxing her mind and feeling the subtle changes within her body before sitting down to meditate for another hour. This was a small test of her calmness, but she found it surprisingly easy as long as she continued to recite the mantra in her mind. The words came naturally to her, and a faint aura of a teacher emanated from her. If a newborn were near her, it would awaken wisdom early; if a student were present, he would be able to memorize things more efficiently.
Pleased with the change, she finally turned her attention to the inheritance treasure within her mind and tapped the central jade pearl on her crown. Connected with jade inside and out, she began drawing in spiritual power. This time, she had gathered all her jade ornaments and furnishings into her room, allowing them to rest quietly around her.
All cultivators thrive best in specific environments, and a jade cultivator has the greatest chance of success when surrounded by jade. Unlike fire or wood cultivators, who must absorb rare water sources or tame specific plants, jade cultivators instead fulfill particular aspects of jade itself. Being enveloped by jade, sensing its aura, and witnessing its beauty firsthand was the ideal way for her to cultivate.
She soon fell into a deep trance. Unbeknownst to her, several hours passed before a small sound resonated from within her body. She struggled slightly but held on. Something akin to a tool was moving within her, polishing her jade root. Surprisingly, this tool did not remove anything but rather smoothed and refined the root.
This was one of the unique characteristics of jade root cultivators—they were born with supreme purity, something other cultivators often strived for but rarely attained. However, this came with its own challenge: a jade root was often crooked or deformed, requiring gradual polishing to reach its optimal state.
If not for this difficulty, jade cultivators would be far more common. Other cultivators could transform their roots from water or gold to ice, so why was it different for jade? The answer was simple: other roots were naturally occurring and could mutate through natural processes, but jade had to be refined into a root of its own. Those without an inheritance would never be able to walk the path of a jade cultivator.
After enduring some pain, a sense of calmness settled over her. Her jade root had been polished into the correct position. Future awakenings would serve different purposes but would no longer impact her cultivation speed.
Now, it was Lingshe's turn to focus on her jade root. Her mind, which had been striving to remain concentrated, slowly drifted into a semi-conscious state.
...
Lingshe found herself hovering in the air, looking down at her own body. She immediately recognized this as the awakening ceremony—something that only happened if the awakening affected one's soul.
Humans possessed three souls and seven spirits. The seven spirits governed key aspects of human behavior, controlled by the human soul residing within the body. Lingshe observed an exact replica of herself, mirroring her position precisely.
The only distinction between her physical body and her soul was the shimmering jade-green glow of her soul. As she gazed downward, she noticed a shadow beneath her, but unlike the usual shadow cast by light, this one resembled a reflection on water. It remained rooted in the ground with an earthy-yellow hue, mirroring her human form yet staying within the earth.
This was the earthly soul. It anchored the human soul and body to the world. Without the earthly soul, one could be seized by the messengers of the netherworld, lose the ability to replenish soul power, and ultimately become like a candle burning on thinning oil—or worse.
Finally, she turned her gaze to the sky and saw a thin jade-green line connecting her body to a luminous white figure hovering above. At first glance, it looked like a cloud, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was another version of herself—her heavenly soul.
The heavenly soul had the ability to commune with the heavens and the order behind all existence. The connection between the body and the heavenly soul was precisely the spiritual root of a cultivator. It allowed one to communicate with spiritual energy, drawing it into the body. As cultivation deepened, this connection enabled the comprehension of the world's laws.
At this moment, she witnessed a transformation—the jade line connecting her body to her heavenly soul began to thicken. The pure white form above her gradually absorbed hints of jade-green, shifting its color.
She could also see strands of jade-colored silk thickening within the connection. An instinctual understanding bloomed within her: with time, her heavenly soul would draw closer and closer, until it eventually fused with her completely.
The process lasted only a few breaths before she returned to full consciousness. As she opened her eyes and looked upward, there was nothing—only the lingering echo of her realization.
"My nourishing talent… is to nourish the heavenly soul?"
She was utterly shocked. Of all aspects of cultivation, the heavenly soul was one of the few that could never be altered. Even the rarest spiritual treasures, capable of expanding spiritual roots, could not touch the heavenly soul. It was something beyond mortal reach.
And yet, she now possessed the ability to nurture her own heavenly soul and strengthen the connection binding it to her.
Her excitement wasn't merely due to the enhancement of her cultivation. There were treasures, though exceedingly rare, that could achieve similar effects—though not as effortlessly or beautifully as her talent. However, the true significance of this talent lay elsewhere.
Every jade root cultivator awakened a nourishment talent, and these talents were not just for their own benefit. She had read about it before—this talent was tied to the responsibilities of jade root cultivators.
She could nourish others at no cost, aside from a small amount of expendable spiritual power!
"This…" She could hardly believe the implications. Even if her ability to nourish others was not as potent as the effect she experienced herself, she was certain of one thing—she could influence the very qualifications of other cultivators.
The impact of this talent extended far beyond her personal cultivation. The ability to nourish and refine the spiritual roots of others was something unheard of. No matter how she tried to process it, she could never have anticipated such a revelation.
"Ancestor…" she whispered, her heart swelling with emotion.
She knew this was a gift from her ancestor. Or rather, it was unlikely that he had the ability to assign talents—but he had granted her the opportunity to awaken something far beyond the limits of her meager bloodline.
Even though she was a direct descendant, her branch of the Blue Star Yu Clan was far removed from the main family. By all logic, this should have been impossible.
Yet, here she was. And the world would soon come to know of her talent.