Covering the Heavens: Fishing for the Heavens Starting from the Great Accomplished Holy Body

"Bait?"

Someone instinctively asked a question in return.

"Good bait!"

Lu Ming's tone became agitated: "If it's bait, then where is the angler? Where is the fishing line? And who are we?"

He looked around at everyone and dropped a bombshell guess:

"We keep trying to 'catch' the bait, but for fishing, it's instinctive for fish to grab the bait, but it's also a trap! The fish that actually gets the bait isn't the one trying to catch it, but the one willing to 'bite'!"

"But this 'biting' is probably not what we understand as physical contact or energy resonance!"

He tried to organize his thoughts and continued, "In fishing, the bait is the lure, but what the angler wants is the fish itself, or some kind of 'value' that the fish represents."

"So, thinking about it the other way around, if this 'bait' is suspended in this world, could the 'fish' that the angler wants be something unique to our world?"

"For example, our 'Tao,' our 'understanding,' or even the 'price' or 'sincerity' we are willing to pay for this 'opportunity'?"

"Our previous 'sacrifices' were merely throwing treasures away, like dismissing a beggar, with no intention of communication. Our activation of our own special abilities was like flexing our muscles. Our blood-dripping chanting was like gambling!"

"We've never truly viewed it as a 'rule-based phenomenon' that requires 'interaction' and 'correct responses'!"

Lu Ming's words were like a stone thrown into a stagnant pool, creating ripples.

Many people looked thoughtful, but many more wore expressions of doubt and mockery.

"absurd!"

A young man dressed in fine clothes, clearly from a prominent family, scoffed, "So, according to you, we have to bargain with this speck of light? Does it even understand?"

"Exactly, a mere child, full of wild ideas!"

Someone agrees.

Hong Hu stroked his chin, a look of interest in his eyes: "Kid, this is interesting. So, according to you, how should we 'respond correctly'?"

Lu Ming felt the questioning and scrutinizing gazes around him, feeling immense pressure, and even sweat beaded on his forehead.

But he still gritted his teeth and took out a jade box that he kept close to his body from his bosom.

The jade box was opened, revealing a crystal the size of a pigeon egg, entirely crimson, with what appeared to be flowing magma inside, radiating a pure and scorching fire-attribute energy fluctuation.

"Crimson Flame Spirit Crystal?!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise, recognizing it as a spiritual item that was quite helpful for cultivating fire-attribute techniques or tempering the body. It was incredibly valuable, and for a down-on-his-luck young man like Lu Ming, it was probably his most treasured possession.

Lu Ming looked at the Crimson Flame Spirit Crystal in his hand, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a resolute determination.

Unlike the others, he didn't casually toss the spirit crystals towards the light spots.

Instead, he held the jade box in both hands, his expression unusually solemn, and walked step by step toward that distorted realm.

About ten feet from the edge of the domain, he stopped, took a deep breath, and slowly bowed to the ball of starlight bait.

Then, in a clear and steady voice, he spoke less to the point of light and more to articulate his own thoughts:

"This junior, Lu Ming, happened to encounter Your Excellency offering bait here."

"I do not know what Your Excellency desires, nor do I know the price of this bait."

"I have nothing of value but this spirit crystal, a legacy from my ancestors. It has accompanied me through the seasons and contains a trace of the true essence of fire in this world. Although it is insignificant, it is the most sincere thing I can offer at this moment."

"I wish to offer this as my 'answer' to your 'question'."

"I don't seek to obtain everything, but only to know... Is this path open?"

After saying that, he bowed again and then gently pushed with both hands.

The jade box containing the Crimson Flame Spirit Crystal was not thrown, but rather seemed to be supported by a gentle force, slowly and steadily flying towards the starlight bait, towards the center of that distorted domain.

This time, the jade box did not pass directly through like the previous items.

When it touched the edge of the distorted domain, the stable spatial ripples actually swayed slightly!

Then, under the sudden, breathless gaze of everyone...

The "spot of light" made of starlight bait, which had remained motionless, flew towards the direction from which the jade box had come, extremely faintly yet with unparalleled clarity.

He nodded!

Like the tip of a fishing rod, when you see a fish bite the hook, that subtle but certain tremor.

hum!

An invisible ripple swept by.

The jade box that flew into the distorted area vanished instantly.

It wasn't passed through, nor was it broken; it simply vanished into thin air, as if it had been collected by some invisible pocket.

At the same time, a wisp of essence, as thin as a hair yet incredibly concentrated, separated from the center of that starlight bait.

This wisp of essence transformed into a fine, needle-like yet dazzling stream of light, shooting out at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye and disappearing directly into Lu Ming's brow below!

"Well!"

Lu Ming's body trembled, he let out a muffled groan, and froze on the spot.

A gentle yet incredibly powerful pure energy, mixed with some ancient Daoist principles that point directly to the movement of stars and the origin of life, exploded within his body!

His pale complexion visibly regained its rosy hue, and specks of dark impurities seeped from his pores, a purification of the acquired turbidity deep within his body.

His aura began to rise steadily!

Initial stage of the Innate Realm... Innate Realm stabilized... Minor achievement of the Innate Realm...

More importantly, his soul seemed to be cleansed by a clear spring, becoming clearer and stronger than ever before. Many obscure and difficult aspects of his previous cultivation suddenly became clear.

A concise and ancient method, yet directly addressing the essential foundation of tempering the physical body and strengthening the soul, was naturally imprinted deep within his consciousness.

This method is not some earth-shattering divine skill or secret technique, but rather more like a "general outline" or "introduction," explaining how to more efficiently utilize energy to strengthen one's own origin.

Its concept is so advanced that it far surpasses any basic cultivation technique that Lu Ming knows!

In just a few breaths, Lu Ming's cultivation level stabilized at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm, and he was only one step away from the Grandmaster Realm.

More importantly, his physique seemed to have undergone some subtle change, with a significantly increased affinity for the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and his foundation was solidified to an unparalleled degree.

When he reopened his eyes, they were gleaming with a sharp light, and his entire demeanor was completely transformed.

The valley was deathly silent.

Everyone stared in disbelief at Lu Ming, at the changes that had occurred in him, and at the puddle of excrement at his feet.

Then, countless gazes turned in unison to the starlight bait in mid-air.

It remained hovering there.

However, upon closer inspection, the starlight seemed to be slightly dimmer than before.

The distorted, untouchable realm surrounding it remained firmly in place.

A conclusion that sent chills down everyone's spine and made their hearts race struck their minds like lightning:

This is not a one-off adventure!

This is a sustainable and mysterious spectacle with clearly defined "rules"!

You can gain incredible benefits in return for offering something "correct," something that contains "sincerity" or "value."

The essence contained in that "bait" is limited; it diminishes with each use. But the rule domain remains, which means... the transaction can continue!

"Gulp."

Someone swallowed hard.

Immediately, the entire valley erupted in chaos!