With a flick of his sleeve, Jiang Yan shattered the air itself before everyone's eyes.
A pitch-black, fathomless void appeared in midair—yet in the next instant, it was veiled by a serene, pure-white mist.
From within the opening drifted birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, a delicate scent that seemed to seep into one's very soul.
Almost at once, Zhongli and the others sensed an indescribable vastness of elemental power brewing within this cave-heaven.
Even the faint traces that leaked out made the elemental force in their own bodies stir restlessly.
"What a dense concentration of elemental power!" Ganyu breathed in awe.
Jiang Yan smiled.
"So this is what you call 'elemental power'? A narrow term, I'm afraid. What you're sensing is but one tiny aspect of a much greater whole—a single, insignificant thread in the fabric of spiritual energy."
"When you formally begin cultivating, you'll be able to sense a power far broader and deeper than elemental force. Elemental power is merely one small branch of it."
"That power is spiritual qi."
"Spiritual qi is the foundation of cultivation, the essential energy source for any cultivator. The denser the qi, the better the cultivation environment. That's why I've inscribed many Spirit-Gathering Formations within the Mount Shu Cave-Heaven."
"They draw qi from the Quantum Sea—and the results are excellent. The spiritual qi here is now at a rather impressive level. Even without cultivating, long-term residence here can extend one's lifespan, strengthen the body, and banish fatigue."
"The uses of spiritual qi are without limit. You'll understand once you begin cultivation."
Hearing this, Ganyu's gaze held a trace of longing.
"A Spirit-Gathering Formation… the methods of cultivators are truly wondrous."
Jiang Yan turned to her with a gentle smile.
"With your talent, Ganyu, once you start cultivating, you'll be able to inscribe one yourself before long. Of course, if you wish, I can inscribe one for you now—at your home or your place of work."
Her eyes lit up like twin stars, sparkling with delight.
"Truly? Thank you, the gentleman!"
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she began wondering whether she should wear something nice when she next waited for him to arrive.
Jiang Yan, oblivious to her thoughts, merely nodded and stepped toward the cave-heaven.
"Come, all of you. The Mount Shu Cave-Heaven is vast, its seven peaks not easily traversed. Besides, I released quite a number of fierce beasts here yesterday for trials."
"If you lose your way, it could be… dangerous."
The group exchanged glances, remembering what Alice had said yesterday—how Jiang Yan had captured so many demon gods in one go.
Their mouths twitched, and they followed him more closely.
"Some danger" sounded like an understatement. This was likely extremely dangerous. Even Zhongli might not make it back unscathed if he got lost.
The thought of rounding a corner and running into a demon god…
Even he might develop a lingering shadow over his heart.
Worse—wouldn't those demon gods become even stronger in such a rich environment of spiritual qi?
If any of them escaped into Liyue, it would be a catastrophe beyond imagining.
The worry began to seep into Zhongli's heart.
Jiang Yan, reading his thoughts, offered reassurance.
"No need to worry. Those beasts may be in my cave-heaven, but unless they surpass my own strength, they cannot leave without my permission. And even if they somehow escaped, I have engraved Soul-Locking Curse into their very spirits. No matter how strong they become—even stronger than I am—I can still control them."
"When bringing such creatures here, naturally I made full preparations."
Zhongli exhaled in relief, though a flicker of curiosity about this Soul-Locking Seal stirred within him.
"The Soul-Locking Seal is…?"
Jiang Yan paused, his expression turning slightly guarded.
"It is… a rather sinister method. Those bound by the Soul-Locking Seal will remain under its control for the rest of their lives, unless they destroy their own soul's foundation and remake themselves entirely.
"You needn't know more. This sort of curse is generally reserved for vicious demons and evil spirits.
"In the old days, Mount Shu's Demon-Suppressing Tower held countless beings who had brought calamity to the world—measures had to be taken to control them."
Zhongli inclined his head, asking no further.
It sounded like a demonic-cultivation technique, but he saw no problem. Spells were neither righteous nor evil in themselves; only the hand that used them decided that.
And Jiang Yan's nature, he trusted.
Still… it was a pity. He could never bring himself to use such a method on Azhdaha. What he sought was the return of his friend's reason—not to make him a hollow puppet under control.
But surely, Mount Shu would have many other arts worth learning. There was no rush.
"Enough. Let's go in."
Jiang Yan turned to Ningguang and the others.
"Will your troops be coming in as well?"
She thought for a moment.
"If the army were to enter uninvited, would it disturb Mount Shu's peace?"
"Not at all. Mount Shu is vast—such a number is insignificant."
Ningguang gave a polite bow.
"Then I must trouble you, The Gentleman."
With a wave of his hand, Jiang Yan widened the cave-heaven's portal to twice its size.
"Follow me."
He stepped inside first. One by one, the others crossed the threshold. Moments later, the crowd in Jueyun Karst vanished into the Mount Shu Cave-Heaven.
A fleeting instant of darkness—then the world before their eyes opened wide.
Even Zhongli, well-traveled as he was, found himself staring in stunned silence.
Ningguang and the others fared slightly better, merely rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
The Millelith soldiers… gaped openly, utterly dumbstruck.
They stood upon the edge of a towering cliff.
Before them rose a white-jade gate so tall it seemed to touch the heavens. The two gate pillars were simple and unadorned, yet the plaque high above—half-lost in the sea of clouds—bore two bold, vigorous characters, each stroke like iron carved in silver.
Mount Shu.
None of them recognized the script, but the meaning seemed to bloom in their minds at first sight. Surely this was one of a cultivator's arts.
The cliff dropped away into mist so deep they could not see the bottom.
And far in the distance, seven colossal mountain peaks speared upward, their summits lost to view, standing like titans in the sea of clouds.
Wave after wave of white mist rolled and broke upon those peaks like surf.
At the center peak, a blazing sun hung suspended, like a peerless jewel crowning the mountain.
From within the clouds came the clear cries of cranes, and a flock of enormous white birds emerged, trailing long wisps of cloud behind them as they circled lazily in the air.
Everywhere they looked was a boundless sea of white.
"An immortal paradise! A true immortal paradise!"
Cloud Retainer clenched her fists in excitement. Compared to this cave-heaven, her own abode—and even all of Jueyun Karst—felt plain and unadorned.
The simplicity of the cloud sea, the stately ranks of cranes, the seven cloud-piercing peaks…
For the first time, she understood what sort of environment a true immortal should seek for cultivation.
Ganyu drew a deep breath, feeling the elemental power within her body swell endlessly. Every breath seemed to carry unimaginable energy.
Ningguang pressed her lips together and murmured,
"This… this is the dwelling of a true immortal. Just breathing here makes the elemental power in my Vision grow purer, denser.
"Even the faint trickle of elemental energy leaking into my body is already reshaping my physique…
"If I lived here for a year, I can hardly imagine how strong I would become.
"The Gentleman… you forged this cave-heaven alone, in a single day?"
Jiang Yan smiled over his shoulder, the wind off the cloud sea tugging at his long hair, his bearing all the more unrestrained.
"Welcome, all of you, to the Mount Shu Cave-Heaven."
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