Ascended Without Me: Cultivating with a Genius Son | Chapter 145 | A Solitary Path of Stars | Novela.app

Chapter 145 - A Solitary Path of Stars The legacy left by the elders of the Yuxuan Sect was more than mere text; it was a collection of profound realizations, the crystallized essence of centuries spent seeking the Dao. Such a privilege was reserved strictly for the sect’s most elite disciples, those whose potential promised to uphold the sect’s glory for generations to come. Li Xue and Li Lin were overcome with a sense of profound fortune upon receiving these insights. Within the sprawling peaks of the Yuxuan Sect, Nascent Soul cultivators were not rare—they numbered in the hundreds, perhaps even a thousand—but the opportunity to study their personal journeys toward transcendence was a rare catalyst. For the mother and son, the path ahead was already illuminated. They had already gained a nascent understanding of the "World" through their unique experiences, and with the Primordial Spirit Pills in their possession, the physical requirements for their breakthrough were well within reach. The treacherous Heart Demon trial, which often claimed the sanity of those attempting to reach the Golden Core stage, had already been conquered during their previous advancements. Thus, the prospect of ascending to the Nascent Soul stage was no longer a distant dream, but a tangible, approaching reality. A year of meticulous preparation flowed by like water over smooth stones. Finally, the day came for Li Lin to begin his journey. He entered a state of deep, uninterrupted death seclusion, sealing himself away within the quietest reaches of the sect to focus entirely on the monumental task of shattering his core to birth a soul. While her son wrestled with the heavens in silence, Li Xue returned to the Chaotic Star Region. Her life settled into a rhythm that many would find agonizingly monotonous. Day after day, she navigated the treacherous, lightless reaches of the void, her existence defined by the cold glow of distant suns and the constant, grinding labor of cultivation. Deep within a pocket of the Chaotic Star Region, a magnificent vessel drifted silently. This was the Golden-Winged Spaceship, a marvel of craftsmanship that shimmered with an opulence that felt out of place in this desolate graveyard of celestial debris. Any asteroid or stray fragment of cosmic rock that dared to drift within ten zhang of the hull was instantly repelled, forced into a new trajectory by the ship’s invisible, protective arrays. Inside the luxurious cabin, Divine Lord Fengchi sat in repose. Dressed in a resplendent golden crown and a belt of fine jade, he reclined upon a couch carved from spirit-jade. He held a delicate jade teapot, sipping slowly on rare spiritual tea that filled the air with a faint, floral aroma. His eyes, however, were fixed intently on the Void Mirror suspended before him. The mirror’s surface rippled with light, displaying a small, agile craft: Li Xue’s Thunder Cloud Boat. It danced through the chaotic field of debris with a grace that spoke of years of practice. The boat swerved around massive boulders of frozen gas and jagged minerals, its movements fluid and precise. When an obstacle proved too large or too fast to avoid, a flash of spiritual energy would erupt from the boat, shattering the threat into a thousand harmless glimmers of dust. Divine Lord Fengchi watched her, a slow, contemplative shake of his head accompanying his sigh. He found himself increasingly baffled by this woman’s choices. In his long life, he had seen countless female cultivators. Most sought the path of Dual Cultivation, especially when presented with a partner of high status and a compatible, high-grade manual. It was a path of shared burden and mutual benefit, often preferred for its relative ease and the protection it afforded. Others, even the more independent ones, usually traveled under the aegis of powerful elders or in the company of trusted allies, seeking treasures in well-charted lands. Yet, the woman he had set his heart upon was different. She chose to bury herself in the harshest environments, laboring in solitude for years on end. There was a grit to her, a quiet, iron-willed tenacity that both commanded his respect and stirred a strange, unfamiliar ache in his chest. She was unlike the others who clamored for his attention. She did not covet exquisite silken raiments or crave the most dazzling, ornate Dharma treasures. She did not seek to be the center of a swirling court of admirers. She was a solitary star, burning with a cold, steady light in the vastness of the dark. As Fengchi gazed at her through the mirror, a surge of admiration—and something far more dangerous—welled up within him, leaving his heart in a state of restless agitation.