Chapter 11: Beginning Here as the First Stop

Qingshui Palace. After meticulously confirming that the “Spirit Stone Portable Charger Spell” was flawless, Chen Chushi fetched a hefty iron hammer and brought it crashing down on the large spirit stone. The hieroglyphic spells affected only spiritual stones and magical energy, offering no resistance against a heavy iron hammer. The stone shattered into countless fragments.

He selected ten diamond-shaped spirit stones that looked the most presentable, inscribed them with the “Spirit Stone Preservation Spell” and the “Spirit Stone Portable Charger Spell,” and tucked them into his pocket.

Then, he sat cross-legged and began to cultivate, absorbing the shards of the large spirit stone scattered on the table, as well as the spiritual energy diffusing into the air…

He cultivated for a full day and night.

Upon awakening, Chen Chushi had broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement!

His aura surged forth without restraint, shattering the furniture and chairs in the room, leaving chaos behind.

Feeling the power coursing through his veins, Chen Chushi was pleased, but he knew that after absorbing such a substantial piece of spirit stone, advancing to the fourth level was only natural. His excitement was tempered.

With progress in his research, he decided it was time to revisit the spirit stones in the mountains.

After tidying up the mess in his room and carrying the trash past the main hall, Chen Chushi hesitated, then offered three sticks of incense to Master Qingshui. “I’m leaving,” he said quietly. “If nothing unexpected happens, I probably won’t be coming back.” He placed a spirit stone inscribed with a hieroglyphic spell next to the incense, then gently closed the main hall’s doors and departed.

In the dim main hall, the three incense sticks before Master Qingshui’s statue glowed faintly, their smoke curling up to the ceiling in a slow, undispersed spiral.

Chen Chushi, feeling light on his feet, tossed the trash into a bin. As he walked down the mountain path, the energy brimming within him left his hands itching for action. Instinctively, he glanced around with caution, only to chuckle at himself: “There’s no one else left on Earth. Who am I so wary of?”

By the roadside stood a massive boulder, over three meters tall, likely intended as artificial landscaping for the Qingshui Mountain Scenic Area. Traces of carving were still visible, but in their haste, the workers had left this stone here, along with the machinery used to move it.

Chen Chushi ran his hand over the boulder. “I really can’t resist—sorry.”

He drew back, settling into a stance. Clenching his right hand into a fist, he unleashed a shout as magical power gathered in his punch, striking the boulder.

The mountain path had stone steps and, naturally, surveillance cameras. It was broad daylight with clear visibility. Viewers worldwide found the livestream comfortable and immersive. They had watched Chen Chushi spend three days at the Qingshui Palace—two days deciphering strange characters, then a day and night in silent cultivation. It had been tedious, offering no entertainment value.

Now, seeing Chen Chushi ready to test his strength on the roadside boulder, everyone perked up.

[“Everyone hold your breath—the master is about to throw a punch, don’t distract him!”]

[“I’ve been holding my breath for ages—trying to fully immerse myself in his perspective, hoping to catch a bit of his talent…”]

[“Is that all? Last time he punched a concrete wall, there was at least a dent!”]

Chen Chushi held his fist against the stone.

He exhaled slowly. This punch was pure force—no technique, just magical energy and physical strength channeled into the boulder.

Cracks appeared on the stone’s surface around his fist. With a thunderous roar, the far side of the boulder exploded outward. An invisible shockwave tore through the roadside woods, snapping five or six large trees in its path.

The mixing of magic and strength destroyed the boulder’s core instantly, the power twisting and surging out the opposite side with inertia.

The punch almost gave the illusion of lag, like a delayed reaction.

The viewers went wild.

[“Unbelievable! In just a few days, he’s reached this level. Give him a few more months, and he’ll be able to punch through a mountain!”]

[“That’ll be true mountain-shattering strength—no, not just the mountain, he’ll punch the cows off it, too!”]

[“Why are you so excited? It’s not like you’re the one who cultivated!”]

[“You don’t get it—this is collective pride. The master is from Xia, and so am I. Of course I feel proud.”]

[“When you put it that way, it makes sense.”]

[“My country has had legends of immortals since ancient times. Eight million gods, ever heard of them? Proof enough! But we never boast. Anything beneficial to humanity should be shared. The secret texts this man possesses should be published in full for everyone’s advancement!”]

[“Well said! Allow me to offer you a toast of ‘nuclear water’!”]

[“Seconded!”]

[“Count me in!”]

[“We’re all in agreement!”]

Once again, a fierce international debate broke out over Chen Chushi’s abilities. What began as rational argument quickly devolved into emotional appeals to mothers and ancestors, with volleys of comments filling the screen. Shareholders of the streaming platform were delighted by the surging activity.

After testing his strength, Chen Chushi returned to the stream halfway up the mountain, to the hole he had dug before, and got back to work.

Armed with a shovel and mattock, he dug furiously through earth and stone. Whenever he found a spirit stone, he blasted it with magic to force out the hidden hieroglyphs, recording them meticulously in his notebook.

When thirsty, he drank underground water; when hungry, he ate dried food from Qingshui Palace.

He worked from dawn to dusk and back again. When he finally climbed out, it was morning, and the mountain thrummed with birdsong and vibrant life.

His notebook was filled with new hieroglyphs. As he dug deeper, the symbols on the spirit stones began to repeat. After confirming more than twenty repeats, he stopped recording.

He descended to the base of the mountain, standing at the entrance of the scenic area with a backpack brimming with fine spirit stones—he had smashed every large stone in the cave and selected the best pieces. Looking at the faint silhouette of Qingshui Palace atop the mountain, he smiled. “Let this be the first station for building a spiritual energy base!”

He buried a spirit stone near the ticket booth’s flowerbed and dusted off his hands. “Done!”

Each spirit stone was inscribed with preservation and charging spells, allowing it to draw spiritual energy from the air and condense it within.

Spirit stones with the same inscriptions resonated with each other, transmitting spiritual energy between them. If one stone ran low, others would prioritize sending it energy. This was the function of the “Spirit Stone Portable Charger Spell.”

As long as he determined the maximum transmission distance and buried paired main and backup stones at the right intervals along the way, he could sit in the city and still draw fresh spiritual energy from Qingshui Mountain.