Chapter 2: The Sea-Suppressing Pearl

After confirming multiple times, Li Qing withdrew his vigilant gaze.

He had specifically sought out this location because, for the past few days, he had been experiencing strange sensations within his body.

According to his intuition, today was the day the secret within him would be revealed.

Li Qing sat cross-legged, waiting slowly.

In the few months since he had transmigrated here, he had gradually formed a new plan.

Having lived two lifetimes, he had spent a long time reflecting after his rebirth.

This was a world where one could become an immortal.

What could be more worth pursuing than eternal life?

An ordinary mortal enjoys at most a hundred years of life.

Once one becomes a cultivator, even a mere Qi Refiner, their lifespan extends to over one hundred and sixty years.

As one’s cultivation deepens, their lifespan increases further.

Foundation Establishment cultivators live for over two hundred and fifty years, Golden Core cultivators for over five hundred, and the legendary Nascent Soul ancestors live for a thousand years.

The path to immortality is long, with only the Dao as a companion.

For Li Qing, Dharma cultivation was the only certain path to eternal life, so he would not abandon it.

He also did not want to give up the extremely precious Thunder Spirit Art; compared to the tens of thousands of other outer sect disciples struggling in their pursuit of the Dao, this was his only current advantage.

Li Qing currently had an idea: to cultivate both Dharma and body.

Every means was merely to make himself stronger.

As for the resources needed for cultivation, he would have to secure them through his own methods.

*Hum! Hum! Hum!*

Waves of slight vibrations emanated from within his body, and Li Qing’s expression brightened.

He immediately immersed his consciousness into his sea of consciousness.

Li Qing’s divine sense transformed into a ball of light, appearing within his sea of consciousness.

This was a dark and desolate space, a void of endless, empty darkness.

In the center of this void hung a cerulean orb.

Streaks of blue, ghostly light illuminated the space, and the azure sphere stood firm like a needle pinning the sea, anchoring the entire space.

This blue bead was the greatest secret of Li Qing’s body.

This spherical object had transmigrated along with him.

Its origins were bizarre, and Li Qing did not know its background.

In his previous life, Li Qing had discovered a sacrificial temple on a deserted island by the sea, where this mysterious orb was being worshipped.

Li Qing only knew the orb was called the "Sea-Suppressing Bead"; he knew nothing else about it.

When he transmigrated and discovered its existence, he knew in his heart that this object was extraordinary.

"Sea-Suppressing Bead."

Li Qing’s divine sense observed the mysterious object carefully from a distance.

The halo around the Sea-Suppressing Bead gradually began to expand.

Arcs of blue energy shimmered throughout the space.

The blue power emitted a deep, ghostly light, appearing dreamlike.

Li Qing controlled his divine sense to retreat, fearing that a single mistake might annihilate it.

Divine sense is the foundation of a cultivator’s spirit; any slight error would be irreparable.

The blue, ghostly power persisted, continuing to vibrate steadily.

Gradually, the sea of consciousness returned to calm.

The Sea-Suppressing Bead began to rotate automatically, and the blue energy that had spread out was slowly absorbed back in.

*Hiss!! Hiss!!*

Mysterious black inscriptions began to appear in circles on the surface of the azure Sea-Suppressing Bead, and a vast, ancient aura began to permeate the space.

*Bang.*

A muffled sound rang out.

Li Qing felt his mind shake, and his thoughts instantly went blank.

He did not know how much time had passed before he slowly regained his senses.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*

The sound of crashing waves startled him awake.

Li Qing clearly saw that the void of his sea of consciousness was filled with towering waves.

Several endless, massive torrents appeared in his sea of consciousness, rushing toward the Sea-Suppressing Bead like rivers flowing into the sea.

The Sea-Suppressing Bead was like a glutton, swallowing all the seawater infinitely.

Li Qing observed everything around him with caution.

Suddenly, Li Qing felt that something was wrong.

"Not good," Li Qing thought to himself.

He felt carefully and realized that the endless seawater appearing in his sea of consciousness did not seem to be an illusion.

At this moment, a thought vaguely occurred to him.

Li Qing immediately withdrew his consciousness back into his body.

When he opened his eyes, he discovered that his body was already surrounded by countless currents of water.

*Rumble, rumble, rumble.*

The calm sea seemed to have been disturbed by something terrifying, and it began to fluctuate violently.

Countless tidal waves surged in the sea before him, and a powerful, mysterious force condensed massive amounts of seawater, turning them into black currents that rushed toward him.

As the endless seawater touched Li Qing’s body, it vanished.

Li Qing knew in his heart that the Sea-Suppressing Bead was using an incredible, mighty power to absorb the surrounding seawater.

The seawater that disappeared into his body was currently being devoured by the Sea-Suppressing Bead.

A wave of panic rose in Li Qing’s heart.

He wanted to stop it all immediately.

He was located on an outer island of the Thousand Waters Spirit Sect; the distant sea was the inner island, where powerful cultivators were stationed.

Li Qing had some knowledge of the power in this world; not to mention the legendary Nascent Soul ancestors, even the strength of a Golden Core cultivator was terrifying beyond measure.

Li Qing’s predecessor had once witnessed an island being destroyed by the power of a Golden Core cultivator, sinking into the sea.

Once his situation was discovered, the consequences would be unpredictable.

In the world of cultivation, various bizarre soul-searching techniques were endless. If his transmigration were exposed, not only would his life be forfeit, but he might even find it difficult to die.

Just as Li Qing tried to control everything to stop, he found that he could not move his body.

The pressure emitted by the Sea-Suppressing Bead had locked him firmly in place.

He struggled desperately to break free from the restraint, but he was undoubtedly a mantis trying to stop a chariot—a futile effort.

Several streaks of rainbow light had already appeared in the sky over the distant, silent sea, and a look of despair appeared in Li Qing’s eyes.

He had just seen from afar that light and shadows had already appeared from the legendary inner island.

"What do I do? What do I do?"

Even with Li Qing’s calm temperament, he began to panic.

"My life is over."

A look of helplessness appeared in Li Qing’s eyes. Who would have thought that on the very first day his secret awakened, he would end up facing death?

At this moment, the Sea-Suppressing Bead deep within his sea of consciousness seemed to have sensed the crisis outside, combined with the information Li Qing had been sending.

The massive torrents of seawater that had been circling Li Qing’s body suddenly dissipated in an instant.

The Sea-Suppressing Bead retracted its blue light, becoming dim and lusterless.

"It's done."

Li Qing realized he could move his body again.

He immediately stood up, intending to flee.

"No."

Li Qing suddenly stopped his flight.

With his strength of only the third level of Qi Refining, how could he possibly escape the pursuit of the sect’s cultivators?

Judging by the speed of those escaping lights, they were likely the legendary Golden Core cultivators.

The gap between them was like heaven and earth; there was simply no hope of escape.

After clearing his thoughts, Li Qing stopped where he was, forcing himself to regain his composure.

The more critical the moment, the calmer one must be. The path to immortality is difficult and rugged; this was merely the first small setback.

Li Qing hid beside a giant rock, watching the light and shadows in the depths of the sea with a calm gaze.

Even from a great distance, Li Qing could still feel the inexplicable pressure of a Golden Core master.

*Hoo!*

A ruthless look appeared on Li Qing’s calm face.

The faint spiritual power within his body began to emerge.

He began to force his internal spiritual power to circulate rapidly.

Stabs of pain shot through his meridians.

Enduring the agony, he mobilized his spiritual power once more, forcing it to flow in reverse through his meridians.

*Puff.*

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

Li Qing’s vision began to darken, and without trying to force himself to stay awake, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.