Chapter 66: Lin Moyi's Teachings

Jiang Feng remained seated on the ground, listening intently as Lin Moyi explained the intricacies of the Foundation and Essence Condensation stages. Lin Moyi's voice was steady, carrying an air of patience and wisdom.

"The firmer your foundation, the farther you can go on the path of cultivation," Lin Moyi began, his tone didactic. "It's like building a structure—without a solid groundwork, there's no hope of constructing a tall, stable building. Cultivation follows the same principle. Neglect your foundation, and you'll falter before you even glimpse true power."

Jiang Feng nodded slightly, taking in the metaphor.

"In the Essence Condensation stage," Lin Moyi continued, "your cultivation revolves around the formation and expansion of the Essence Lake. This lake forms when your meridians have developed enough to withstand the burden of channeling martial skills or cultivation techniques. The strength of your meridians determines the quality and potency of techniques you can handle. Weak meridians will break under strain, rendering you incapable of progress—or worse, crippling your body."

Lin Moyi's words struck a chord with Jiang Feng. Though his father had been a formidable warrior blacksmith, his ultimate goal was to lead a peaceful life, far removed from the chaos of the upper realms. He had abandoned his vast wealth and status to start anew, hoping to shield his son from the violent path he once walked.

But destiny rarely bends to mortal desires.

Before leaving, Jiang Feng's father had taken note of a remarkable opportunity: the Skyforge Flame Seed, one of the most revered flames in the universe. Though it was still young, he recognized its immense potential. He saw in it a future of unrivaled power and possibilities. With this in mind, he initiated the path of reverse cultivation for his son—a process few dared to undertake. He entrusted Jiang Feng with the Eternal Flame Codex, an artifact of unparalleled wisdom, designed to sharpen its wielder's comprehension to an extraordinary degree.

And yet, the codex itself seemed to be a teach of hard learning, its intentions enigmatic. It didn't spoon-feed knowledge to Jiang Feng but instead withheld insights, forcing him to seek understanding through personal growth and worldly experience. It demanded that he forge his own path, a flower that thrived not in the safety of a greenhouse but amidst the storms of the wild.

That was why Lin Moyi's teachings now felt like a lifeline.

"To progress in the Essence Condensation stage," Lin Moyi continued, "one must focus on expanding their Essence Lake. By absorbing spiritual energy and refining it into Essence Drops, you can increase the lake's size. For instance, someone with a thousand-meter Essence Lake at the first stage would need to double its size to two thousand meters to advance to the second stage. If their lake spans fifteen hundred meters, then it must grow to three thousand, and so forth."

Jiang Feng's expression contorted as he tried to process this daunting revelation. His face twisted into a peculiar grimace, half-resigned and half-desperate.

Lin Moyi chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the moment. "Based on your situation, just to reach the second stage, you'll need to expand your Essence Lake to four thousand I'm assuming. For most cultivators, that would be akin to entering the fourth stage of Essence Condensation. For you, it's merely the second."

Jiang Feng's shoulders sagged, and he let out a long, exaggerated sigh, 'If only you knew, I have to expand it to six thousand meters, that's like someone entering the six stage' he thought to himself. The sheer enormity of his task loomed over him like an unscalable mountain. No wonder Jiang Feng felt like crying. He clenched his fists, muttering under his breath, "Damn it, I want a refund."

Unfortunately, his words didn't escape Lin Moyi's sharp hearing. The older man chuckled, his amusement clear. "Haha, now you see why I call you a bottomless pit." Placing his cup on the wooden table with a soft clink, Lin Moyi stood and stretched before walking to an open area nearby.

"Pay attention," he said.

Closing his eyes, Lin Moyi's aura suddenly flared to life, rippling outward like an invisible tide. Above his head, a colossal eagle materialized. Its majestic wings seemed to stretch into the heavens, its presence imposing and fierce. The bird was locked by nine shimmering chains, though one of them hung broken, swaying as though freed from some ancient restraint.

The moment the eagle appeared, Jiang Feng felt an overwhelming weight descend upon him. His chest tightened, and breathing became a laborious task. It was as though he had been dropped into a bottomless swamp, the air itself thick and suffocating. The eagle's aura was sharp and unyielding, its silver feathers gleaming like countless razor-edged swords poised to strike at any moment.

"The third stage of cultivation: the Golden Core stage," Lin Moyi began, his voice calm despite the storm of power radiating from him. "Every three levels of cultivation form a divide, a threshold that separates the ordinary from the exceptional. Entering the Golden Core stage is no small feat—it pushes you toward greater heights, toward true mastery."

Lin Moyi waved a hand, and the space around them rippled faintly. Once again, he had isolated their surroundings, using a technique only cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or beyond could perform.

"To reach the Golden Core stage, one must condense their Essence Lake into a single, unified Golden Core. That's why it's called Essence Condensation and then Golden Core." He gestured subtly to the eagle above him, its piercing eyes locking onto Jiang Feng as though assessing his worth.

Jiang Feng, seated on the ground, struggled to meet the eagle's gaze. The pressure from its presence alone was enough to paralyze him. If Lin Moyi truly desired his death, Jiang Feng had no doubt it would be over in an instant.

"The Golden Core acts as a vessel," Lin Moyi continued. "It stores all the spiritual essence of your body and remains with you until your death. It is also the stage that marks the separation of flesh from spirit. That's why the Golden Core realm is one of the most transformative stages in cultivation."

At this point, Lin Moyi raised a hand, and the eagle let out a shrill cry that echoed through the isolated space. Its wings flapped, creating gusts of wind so powerful that Jiang Feng was forced to shield his face.

"At this stage," Lin Moyi said over the roar of the winds, "those with strong bloodlines can manifest spirit projections. This eagle is my Gale Wind Eagle. It is both a symbol of my strength and a reflection of my potential. Spirit projections not only enhance your cultivation speed but can also aid you in combat. However, not everyone can manifest one. Weak bloodlines may fail, and those without bloodlines at all will never awaken a spirit projection. This is one of the greatest divides between the strong and the weak."

Jiang Feng squinted through the powerful gale, recalling the events at Poor Man's Corner. He had seen Lin Moyi's Gale Wind Eagle then, just as he had seen the serpent spirit projection of the man from the Shadow Church.

His thoughts wandered to the Aetherion Dragon, the mysterious and ancient force tied to him. Unlike Lin Moyi's spirit projection, the Aetherion Dragon felt different—more real, more permanent. When the dragon had manifested above his head, it had felt as though the heavens themselves had bowed. Yet the dragon around his heart remained. 'Could it be a deeper connection than even Lin Moyi's projection?'

As if in response, a deep, scornful voice rumbled in his mind. "Pitiful."

Jiang Feng froze. It was the Aetherion Dragon. Its voice dripped with disdain as it seemed to scoff at Lin Moyi's Gale Wind Eagle. Though the dragon didn't materialize as it had in the past, its presence was undeniable. He smiled wryly, knowing it wasn't the time to dwell on the dragon's aloof critique.

Lin Moyi lowered his hand, and the winds calmed. "At the Golden Core stage," he resumed, his tone somber, "you will face another challenge: the heart demon. Everyone must confront their heart demons before stepping into the Nascent Soul realm. Fail, and it will consume you, killing you before you ever reach the next stage."

Jiang Feng's eyes widened slightly. Another layer of difficulty. As if his cultivation journey wasn't already daunting enough, now he had to contend with the inner demons lurking within his soul.

Lin Moyi's gaze softened, though his voice remained firm. "Cultivation isn't for the faint of heart, Jiang Feng. Remember that."