Chapter 106 - Star Lake

Star Lake was a combination of a beautiful landscape with some phantom impression, making it more ethereal, like a dream.

Unlike what I thought, Star Lake was a subterranean lake, it was under the ground level surrounded by a rocky wall with an open ceiling where you could see the sky. The lake was more than a kilometer long, had a mixture of blue and green color, it was so clean that you could see its profundity without any problem, being possible to even see the fauna that lived inside.

Around the Lake grew a type of moss, similar to the ones at the Portal Forest cave, but this one was even more bright and shined in yellow and blue light over all the Lake. Some spirit beasts were laying around, all of them peacefully coexisting making a perfect picture.

Breathing you could sense the rich and pure essence of the lake. Breathing was enough to calm your soul, all negative thought leaving your mind. I could sense the greatest vitality ever, a lot stronger than Lingling one. Looking at Lingling I could sense that her own aura had fused with the Lake.

This was. This was the best place for any light intent. The perfect counter for Paul's Slaughter. If was in this place, I may be able to improve my Intent even evolving to a greater one, making it possible to go against Paul's.

"For now on, always speak in a low voice. This is a sanctuary of peace and calmness. If you try to destroy it, you would become an enemy of not only the spirit beasts of the lake, you would become the enemy of every spirit beasts. If you disturb this calmness they will exile you and in the case of you making the minimum sign of fighting, it would mean your death. Be careful" Explained Lingling very calmly. Her tone remembered me of her previous one, before her spirit evolution, her melodic but empty voice, at least now it seems a little more lively.

I looked around "So this is the Star Lake. I never thought that it would be under the ground. The records explained that it was inside the Inner Area of Star Luo Forest, surrounded by trees"

"That would be the fake Star Forest. The water is the most similar to the original Star Lake and it is situated near here, but that lake is only a fake used to mislead humans off the true Star Lake. The people that have passed the Forest Portal Trial would be guided there. Only after most of its life and complete trust of the spirit beasts would they be permitted here. Of course, for this chosen one, it's unthinkable that they would talk about the true Star Lake, they will always keep the secret. The false one is the greatest defense of the Star Lake" Lingling explained.

"So it's that. I would be able to use my sword here? Or it would be considered an offense?" I asked.

"I know your intent, there won't be any problem. It would even help you make the spirit beasts trust you. But in any case, show any hostility here. Only use your own Protection Intent, an ounce of some offensive intent will expulse you from here" Lingling explained "Another thing, can you see the waterfall there" Lingling signaled far away.

Concentrating in the direction that Lingling signaled, I could see a little waterfall, not more than 2 meters tall, but more than 200 meters wide. The most strange was that the water drops were falling very slowly like if the gravity were a lot weaker, you could even see some drops floating. The water falling to the lake didn't emit any sound.

I turned to Lingling and nodded. "Never go over that waterfall, over it lives Bi Ji. She won't take kind an invasion" Lingling explained. Suddenly, she seemed to have remembered something "Sorry, Bai. I need to do something important. Let's talk again later. I look forward to your growth" She started walking to the upper side of the Lake, over the waterfall. She stopped and turned to me "One last thing. Swimming would greatly help you, but in case you do, don't be too loud. And if you want to enter the water you would need to enter without any robes, never invoke your sword in there. Lastly, before entering clean yourself in one of the gorges outside" she said before continuing to walk.

Now that I was alone I decided to see how the new environment could influence my cultivation, the spirit, and the sword. I sat cross-legged in lotus position closing my eyes. I breathed profoundly, sensing the rich vitality of the place. Thanks to the calmness of the area I entered the trance state the quickest, even without noticing it.

After some time I opened my eyes. I don't really know how much time it had passed, but somehow I found my body covered in moss. Just as I was about to move, the moss seemed to react at my intention and started moving, retracting from around my body and directing to a nearby wall.

I stood up and stretched a little sensing the difference. It seems that more than a day passed, as the changes were too good. I noticed my Protection Intent improving, increasing its amount and quality. Now it was easier to move around and the previous pressure of Paul had disappeared.

I invoked my sword and started making my sword routine, maintaining my Protection Intent all the time. I white aura surged from my sword surrounding the area "<Sword Domain: Protection>". I concentrated on my sword and surroundings. I activated my skull bone <Skull Bone: Bullet Time>, seeing the white, green and blue particles that composed the majority of the place.

I concentrated in the white one, the most similar to my Protection. The particles started being suctioned by my sword, followed by my own domain. A very bright white light shot from my sword, a pure concentration of my comprehension. I lifted the sword up "Sword Heart" I said slowly and quietly. The white light scattered in all directions, luckily, it didn't seem to damage any place that hit it, but caused the moss hit by it to shine even brighter.

"It's closer, but I have a long way to completely control the Sword Heart" I analyzed.

"It seems that you're doing fine," a voice said. I turned to it, finding Lingling smiling at me.

"Yeah" I nodded "This place is perfect. Do you know how much time I expend?"

"You stood there in trance for a week. You should eat something, there's a lot of fruit all around, you can take them, but ask for permission first" She answered.

"Permission? To whom?" I asked.

"To the plant. Who will be if not them?" She giggled.

"Lingling, can I ask something". Lingling nodded. "I obtained an external spirit bone in the form of wings. The problem is that is tainted by Paul Slaughter Intent. Can I invoked it here and try to purify it"

"No" She calmly said "Your lingering Slaughter Intent was strong enough that it was difficult to purify, for a tainted spirit bone, it would be like a dark spirit. You would break the peace of the lake so it won't be permitted"

"I understand" I nodded.

"However" I looked at her hopefully "If you increase the comprehension of your Protection Intent, I could help you to purify it. Of course, it would be difficult and we should try it outside of the lake"

I bowed to Lingling "Thanks Lingling. I owe you a big one"

"Don't bow, Bai. We are even. You already help in my spirit evolution. I will not be able to help you if not. Try to at least control the energy of before. I am not really knowledgeable about sword arts, but that energy was powerful but uncontrolled. Let's wait until you can control it"

"Okay," I nodded. My dėsɨrė to become stronger growing even more. (I will win over you Paul!)

"Don't think that I would help you for free. When you improve your control I would require your help for something" She demanded.

"Of course. Anything for you, Lingling" I said smiling.

She giggles "If you excuse me. I have something to do, continue your hard work" She said before leaving.

Sensing that she left, I decided to try to take a bath. I went to a near gorge, I took out my clothes and went under a torrent of water. The water was not hot if I must say I would say it was cold, however, the moment that the water touched my skin I felt a burn sensation. It seemed to burn all around my body. It wasn't extremely painful but was annoying.

For what it seemed this water was burning my impurities, not only the dirt of my body, it even cleaned little impurities inside my body. Even when you cultivate correctly, without any problem, the body little by little is becoming polluted by the impurities of the air, this water was cleaning them.

There has been a lot of time that I didn't look at my body attentively. As a boy in puberty, I had many changes in these 3 years. My muscles were strong but not overstimulated, they were finely defined. My facial features became sharper and even my hair grew a little. I also find a series of scars around my body, the most provident on my ċhėst "I lost years of my life"

Once cleaned I went to the Star Lake, slowly walking entering it. Once inside I put myself face up and floated. I could sense the water affecting me, eliminating the most hided impurities and cleaning even my soul, making me a lot calmer. A warm and pleasant feeling permeating me "This is truly a treasure. This water vitality is so high that seems a concentration of pure life. My even sense my Protection Intent growing little by little"

I stood there floating entering a trance state "All the organism had life. Life is the power to move around, strengthen ourselves. Not only serves as healing, life support us..." My comprehension seems to be growing "...We are life, life is all"

Opening my eyes a green glint shined in my pupils.