29. Entering the Sixth Floor

"Chen Cunyuan is still running a high fever. The swelling in his limbs has gone down, but he remains unconscious!" Fan Yijun said as she saw Lin Fan walk in, placing a wet towel on Chen Cunyuan's forehead.

Due to the limited supply of medicine, they had to rely on physical cooling methods. When they crossed over from the Changbai Mountains, the research institute had plummeted from the sky, shattering into pieces and destroying most of the supplies inside.

"I’m sorry to trouble you."

Lin Fan touched Chen Cunyuan's forehead; it was frighteningly hot. He couldn't help but feel worried. Chen Cunyuan was one of the few friends he had; they had been in the same unit back in the Changbai Mountains, where Chen would often ask him to tell stories about the mountains. If Chen were to die, Lin Fan would be heartbroken.

Qin Fen, who had only suffered external injuries—less severe than the ones Lin Fan sustained during their fall—jumped up in excitement upon hearing that Huang Dongshan was dead, only to wince in pain.

"Lin Fan, from today on, you are my idol..."

"Sigh! Back in the Changbai Mountains, Huang Dongshan seemed so polite. Nobody could have guessed he was a beast in human skin. And then there was the venerable Elder Yang..."

After chatting with Qin Fen for a while, Lin Fan began to focus on recovering from his own injuries. His primary wounds were from the blow dealt by Yang Muyu after he had transformed into an ape-like monster; several of his ribs were broken, and there was a deep claw mark running from his left chest to his right flank, alongside the blood loss he had suffered. These injuries made it impossible for him to take any risks in the short term.

"Hoo... hoo..."

He channeled the Yuxu Breathing Technique. His breathing became steady, rhythmic, and perfectly timed. Zzz! Vital energy flowed through his Laogong acupoints, spreading to his limbs and circulating throughout his body via the eight extraordinary meridians.

Vital energy is the primordial energy of heaven and earth, a form of innate qi. Back at Zhenwu Mountain, where the ambient energy was nearly zero, Lin Fan would sit on the peak at dawn to capture the first rays of the morning sun—the "purple qi coming from the east," which was pure primordial energy. He would often sit there for an entire night just waiting for that single wisp of energy. Over time, even Wu Xuzi grew to admire his perseverance, though the old man was too stubborn to ever say it aloud.

After entering the Nether Ghost Ship, with the abundance of energy available, Lin Fan easily broke through his physical barriers.

If an outsider were watching, they would see Lin Fan breathing with natural ease, not with the deliberate, uneven patterns of a beginner. While maintaining a steady rhythm, his mind was operating at high speed. Entering a meditative state is only the first step; afterward, one must deliberately guide the energy through the body. Many people, when first learning to meditate, find their minds filled with stray thoughts and images—moments of joy or sorrow. When a person is grieving or heartbroken, their thoughts are at their most complex, sometimes leading them to believe the whole world revolves around them. Only by ignoring these thoughts—what the Taoists call "not a single thought arising"—can one reach a state of natural emptiness, where the heart is free of external distractions and the true self can be revealed.

Why is it said that childhood is the easiest time to enter the Dao? Because a child's mind is simple and innocent, making it the most suitable state for cultivation.

"Hum!"

Lin Fan took out a drop of orange-red blood—Golden Crow blood. Since taking it last time without any adverse effects, he had asked Fan Yijun for some more. He swallowed it, and a scorching heat surged into his mouth, like gulping down boiling water. It was unbearable, but he forced himself to swallow.

Under the influence of the Yuxu Breathing Technique, the Golden Crow blood gradually turned cool and gentle. His cells signaled their desperate hunger, like parched earth after a spring rain, bursting with infinite vitality. A new silver vein began to grow within him; initially the length of a finger, it gradually lengthened as he absorbed the energy. The seventh silver vein had been born!

"Crack! Crack!"

Suddenly, Lin Fan felt the sunken bones in his chest being straightened by a pair of powerful hands. The broken bones knit back together, and scabs formed over his wounds. The Golden Crow blood lived up to its mythical reputation; it was truly a treasure that could bring the dead back to life.

As time passed, Lin Fan, deep in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes. He rose slowly, a layer of morning dew shedding from his body. After a night of cultivation, he had opened three more silver veins, bringing his total to nine. Furthermore, his wounds had fully scabbed over and healed. This was the miraculous effect of the Golden Crow blood—not only did it restore his injuries, but his strength had also reached a new level. In addition, the side effects of being absorbed by the Pure Yang Sword had diminished significantly.

"Time to head to the sixth level!"

Lin Fan had not forgotten Senior Sister Qi. If he hadn't been so severely injured yesterday, he would have gone to find Qi Lingshan immediately.

"Golden Crow blood... he really did use the Golden Crow blood. I should have realized its miraculous effects sooner!" Fan Yijun watched his retreating figure, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She knew he was heading to the sixth level and felt a twinge of envy toward Qi Lingshan. If she had been the one to tend to his wounds and feed him every day, would Lin Fan have developed feelings for her? Would he have risked his life to go to the sixth level for her?

Unfortunately, at that time, she hadn't helped him; she had spoken harshly to him and forced him to be the first to take the Golden Crow blood. If not for that, their relationship wouldn't be so strained. Back then, she never imagined he would kill Huang Qiushan and the others.

"Lingshan, I never realized you had such a good eye..."

Lin Fan, unaware of Fan Yijun's inner turmoil, carried the Pure Yang Sword and made his way through the ancient, towering buildings, descending to the sixth level. No one had ever been to the sixth level before; the guard Chu Yucheng had only seen ghost soldiers emerging from it.

"I just don't know what level those ghost soldiers are at, or if the Pure Yang Sword can hold them off." Lin Fan thought to himself. If it came to it, he would sacrifice the Pure Yang Sword again. For his senior sister, what was a little blood?

Every level of the Nether Ghost Ship was different. Upon reaching the sixth level, Lin Fan felt as though he had stepped into an ancient, desolate wasteland. He didn't know where he was, only that the surrounding darkness was eerie and unsettling. Walking along a dim, ancient path, he saw a dilapidated tower. Amidst the crumbling walls, he discovered a palace constructed of massive stone blocks—though it could no longer be called a palace, as its interior was completely destroyed. He also saw a stone lion with half its head collapsed. The area was heavy with yin energy, and the walls were riddled with cracks.

In the darkness, he felt as if something was watching him. This feeling had persisted since he first stepped foot here, making his skin crawl. He would rather fight a ten-meter-tall monster than be here.

He walked cautiously, channeling his vital energy, ready to strike at any moment.

"Senior Sister? Senior Sister? Are you here?" Lin Fan called out into the darkness.

But he was met only by his own echo. His voice had been loud enough that if Qi Lingshan were nearby, she certainly would have responded. Could she not be on the sixth level?

Suddenly, a night-luminescent pearl in the darkness flared to life, its dim purple light appearing both monotonous and sinister.

"Who's there?"

Lin Fan gripped the Pure Yang Sword. He could sense that the thing in the darkness was filled with malice toward him, and he knew that if he took another step forward, something unexpected would happen.

Silence. There was no response.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, not knowing what he was facing. "I have no intention of disturbing you; I am only looking for someone, and then I will leave!"

The surroundings remained pitch black, and still, there was no reply. It felt as if Lin Fan were talking to himself in the void.