The Science of Cultivation
Chapter 300: Right to Subdue

The mist slowly floated away as Li Lang stared on, not knowing what to do. Recklessly going after it would just put himself in unnecessary danger, but if he didn’t act soon, he might not get another chance without having to fight the heavenly water again.

I’ll figure out how to subdue it after I have it under control. I need to stop it from escaping first, assuming I am correct, and that it really is trying to escape in its gaseous form.

Charging over toward the cloud, Li Lang quickly made use of his needles to deliver his heavenly fire toward his target. They surrounded the escaping mist before he tried doing something he hadn’t tried ever since he reached the Foundation Establishment realm.

The blue-silver fire flared up, forming a wall of flames around the vapor. The temperature in the surroundings then rapidly changed, but not in the usual direction. Li Lang focused on his control over the Primordial Star Fire to get its temperature as low as it could.

Previously, the temperature of the heavenly fire ranged from around room temperature to thousands of degrees. Now that he had raised his cultivation by an entire realm, he was confident it would grow stronger as well, and that increased strength would go both ways.

Even so, everything didn’t go that smoothly. The Primordial Star Fire resisted through their connection, as if it were a child throwing a tantrum. It was not happy that Li Lang was making it go against its nature. As a result, their link was strained, costing Li Lang a lot more Qi to power its functions.

Li Lang’s spiritual sea churned as his energy was rapidly expended, particularly his fire Qi.

No, this will cause an imbalance in my spiritual sea if this continues.

Reacting quickly, Li Lang relaxed himself, taking the lotus position while hovering in the air. He focused his mind internally and began channeling his five-element cultivation technique. It activated the other four-fifths of his Qi that were of the other affinities, creating the generation cycle once again.

It relieved his strain right away, as the energies within him returned closer to equilibrium.

Okay, using a cultivation technique with multiple elements is a lot trickier if I have to be mindful of its balance all the time. I should’ve expected as much.

This was the first time since Li Lang practiced his five-element technique that he had to tap so much into one particular element of Qi. He was happier about how it helped him learn more about its strengths and weaknesses than being worried about it. Nevertheless, he didn’t spend much time dwelling on it, as he was more curious about the results of his heavenly fire.

Drawing his attention back to the mist, the blue-silver flames looked unstable. The layers within them flickered around. The blue and silver colors lost balance as they repeatedly overpowered each other. One second, it became a sea of blue, but a moment later, it became silver.

Li Lang tried his best to adjust it, pouring even more Qi through their connection. With the help of his entire spiritual sea now, he was able to pour a humongous amount at a steady rate.

The fire expanded in response, completely covering the entire cloud of mist.

“What are you doing?” a voice yelled out as a female figure floated over to him.

Li Lang barely spared Mu Hanyue a glance before closing his eyes to remain focused on his spiritual sea.

“Capturing the heavenly water, or what I suspect to be it, anyway.”

“I don’t sense anything. Are you sure you’re not just overthinking it?”

“Heavenly elements each have unique and mind-boggling powers. I wouldn’t dare to assume that turning into small tendrils is all a heavenly water could do, not to mention one that was cultivated to the Saint-grade.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The young disciple from the Radiant Wing Sect shrugged and gestured to her comrades to start surrounding the spectacle in the distance.

Jing Song was yelling about something in the distance, but it didn’t change the fact that over half of the orthodox cultivators quickly flew over to surround the fire.

Just as they got into position, the bottom of the fire subsided, and a chunk of ice dove into the ground below. By the time the dust settled from its crash, all the cultivators present were already surrounding it.

“It seems you were right,” Mu Hanyue muttered. “I can sense it now, though it is quite weak! That’s amazing. This is a genuine Saint-grade heavenly water we’re looking at.”

Li Lang shook his head at the starry-eyed admiration coming from the audience before correcting them.

“It’s been starved of energy for countless years without a host. Even then, it required all of us to barely capture it. If it was anywhere near peak condition, I doubt we would’ve lasted more than a few seconds.”

“Enough. No one asked for your thoughts,” a distinct arrogant voice, that everyone knew, chimed in. “You did a decent job as a decoy. Now it’s my turn to end this threat once and for all.”

Jing Song brazenly approached the chunk of ice, completely unable to read the room. His peers were all looking at him strangely, but he seemed to lack the ability to either notice or care.

Even Li Lang didn’t react too strongly, as his first reaction was to just let the man make a fool of himself. From his experience with the Primordial Star Fire, the chances of someone with such a narrow disposition gaining the approval of a heavenly element were abysmally low.

However, a subtle nudge from Mu Hanyue woke him from his presumptions. An abysmally low chance wasn’t zero chance. Allowing Jing Song to take the first shot at it wasn’t the best option. After all, his political maneuvering on Sword Saint Isle had already gained him some influence, and he should learn to use it for his own benefit. It wasn’t like he planned to be spending more time with Jing Song after this adventure was over.

“Jing Song, halt!”

His voice was calm but well-projected. It drew everyone’s attention to him.

“What do you want?” Jing Song snapped to him without bothering to hide his annoyance.

“I was the one to capture this heavenly water. I should be the first to attempt subduing it. Or is the Radiant Wing Sect so overbearing that they would take this opportunity for themselves after requesting my assistance?”

“You!” the arrogant young master breathed in deeply as he turned his glare at the woman who had requested Li Lang’s help in the first place. “Our inexperienced genius spoke out of turn. While you may have lent a hand, it is undeniable that both me and my fellow disciples contributed much more than your little decoy action. We actually put our lives on the line while you hung back. How dare you ask for the prize when you only swept it near the end.”

“I’m sure not all of your fellowdisciples would agree, but I’m not here to argue that. My takedown, my prize. You can complain to your elders about me once this is over, if you want.”

No longer bothering to bicker with Jing Song, Li Lang briskly walked straight toward the giant chunk of ice. The man predictably moved to intercept Li Lang, only to be blocked by his peers.

“Don’t,” Mu Hanyue called out in a solemn tone. “Li Lang is representative of the task force assigned to tracking down the Abductress after the events in Sword Saint Isle. You’ll cause a huge incident if you harm him while he’s touring our territory.”

“What?”

“We’ve recently decided on the name, Star Gem Academy,” Li Lang off-handedly added from the background. “I’m the head of a small neutral force, but nevertheless, still a leader of a force. That’s why I said bring any issue you have to your elders.”

He then cautiously placed a hand against the ice as he tried to communicate with the heavenly water. The connection between a cultivator and an artifact was similar to that of a heavenly element and its chosen. It wasn’t something Li Lang was clear on the mechanics of at this moment, but he relied on his past experiences in an attempt to invoke this same connection with the heavenly water.

The Primordial Star Fire had once invaded his mind against his wishes, but this time, it was his turn. He soon pressed his forehead against the ice, and he instantly found himself in a dark, empty void. Thankfully, it wasn’t dark for long, as a bright red light materialized beside him. A moment later, the humanoid form of Ruby appeared with a cheerful expression.

“Hello, Master!”

“Ruby? What are you doing here—nevermind. You made contact with this heavenly water too, since you’re in my hat, right.”

“Hehe, I’m sure you already knew this would happen, Master. Would you like me to grab this scaredy-cat out to meet you yet?”

“The heavenly water?”

Ruby nodded without hesitation, causing Li Lang to grin.

“Yes, yes. I would like that. Let us meet the misbehaving heavenly water that has been giving us trouble.”

“Right away, Master!”