Just a moment later, Zhao Ya returned to his normal state.
The difference now was that Zhao Ya felt his perception ability had sharpened considerably.
Moreover, his True Power had linked with the force drifting between Heaven and Earth.
Undoubtedly, this was a successful advancement.
But Zhao Ya wasn’t especially excited about it.
Because even before meditating, he knew that this breakthrough was a sure thing.
Advancing from Meridian Opening to the Primordial Sea Realm was incredibly difficult, yet for Zhao Ya, who made thorough preparations, it was as natural as flowing water, posing no obstacles.
What Zhao Ya cared about was the method he used to control and kill targets from afar.
If he could always maintain that state, wouldn’t it mean he wouldn’t even need to face his target directly, only needing to know their location to attack them?
It was just like the Sword Immortal from legends who could kill with a sword beam from a thousand miles away.
The more Zhao Ya thought about it, the more excited he became. He first took out the prepared jerky to fill his empty stomach, then stood up and went outside.
In the courtyard outside the meditation hall, Guo Luming was drinking tea while waiting.
When he saw Zhao Ya coming out, a glimmer flashed in his eyes, and then he smiled slightly.
"Made it?"
"Made it!" Zhao Ya nodded.
"It seems you stirred that river of spiritual energy just now?"
Zhao Ya was quite surprised to hear this, "You could sense that too?"
"Of course." Guo Luming calmly picked up the teacup and took a small sip.
Zhao Ya’s eyes widened, his face full of surprise.
Because throughout the whole process, Guo Luming hadn’t moved; the teacup floated up into the air and then to his mouth on its own.
Previously, Zhao Ya could achieve this too, but he had to concentrate, using the surging True Power to precisely control the teacup and lift it into the air.
But Guo Luming did it naturally without using any True Power at all.
"No need to be so amazed, it’s just a little trick." Guo Luming said faintly, then sighed.
"Nowadays, due to the scarcity of spiritual power between Heaven and Earth, even those like us in the Primordial Sea Realm can only perform such minor feats."
"Yet you just advanced and managed to stir the river of spiritual energy, causing harm to a target dozens of miles away. That achievement is truly remarkable."
"But Master... The feeling just now was like a fleeting glimpse, disappearing quickly. What is that about?" Zhao Ya asked, puzzled.
"It’s simple. Because the river is dry now, what you experienced was merely a feedback of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power from your recent advancement," Guo Luming explained.
"So that feeling can never be found again, is it?" Zhao Ya asked, feeling somewhat lost.
"Correct!" Guo Luming nodded and then used a vivid analogy.
"Without water in the river, naturally, the river does not exist."
"Then... Why has the spiritual power between Heaven and Earth suddenly vanished, thinning so much?" Zhao Ya couldn’t help but ask.
Guo Luming smiled bitterly at the question, "The question you’ve asked is one that countless Martial Artists over the centuries have wanted to ask."
"But as for the specific reason, no one knows."
"People only know from ancient records that roughly a thousand years ago, spiritual energy began to deplete, and this process has continued until now."
Zhao Ya fell silent, but there was an indescribable understanding within him.
Yet when he thought about it carefully, this understanding was elusive.
"No more talking about that. Your smooth advancement to the Primordial Sea Realm makes me genuinely happy, but your current strength and realm have not yet stabilized. In the coming days, don’t do anything; focus on diligent cultivation to secure your strength first," Guo Luming instructed.
"Yes!"
Zhao Ya also felt his strength was somewhat unstable, so he agreed without hesitation.
And so he followed Guo Luming’s instructions.
For the next few days, Zhao Ya remained secluded, continuously stabilizing his realm.
Finally, on the tenth day, his strength completely stabilized.
Seeing this, Guo Luming couldn’t help but let out a long breath and then said with some emotion.
"Indeed, the Yangtze River’s waves push the waves ahead. I remember when I advanced to the Primordial Sea Realm, just breaking through took three whole months, and another six months to stabilize my realm. Yet you only took eleven days from entering to steadying."
"That is because of your excellent teaching, Master!" Zhao Ya laughed.
"Enough with the flattery. I know my own level well. Your strength is your own achievement through hard work; I helped you very little."
At that, Guo Luming patted Zhao Ya on the shoulder with great satisfaction.
"Beyond the World often speaks of Jingping Saint’s prodigious talent, labeled as the number one in nearly a century, but I believe your talent far surpasses his."
"Because from start to finish, you have never taken shortcuts. Every path was one you paved step by step, a feat that Jingping Saint can only dream of."
Saying this, Guo Luming once again pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Ya.
"This contains some techniques for using the Primordial Sea Realm, which might serve as a reference for you."
Zhao Ya solemnly accepted the notebook, "Thank you, Master!"
"No need to thank me. This is all I can assist you with, as I am uncertain of how to progress further myself."
"But I believe in one thing: with your talent, the Primordial Sea Realm is just the beginning! You must keep pushing forward, show me what lies beyond the Primordial Sea Realm."
As he said this, Guo Luming’s eyes shone with a peculiar light.
In truth, no Martial Artist is not curious about this.
Zhao Ya also felt the weight of expectation in Guo Luming’s words and nodded seriously.
"Rest assured, Master, I understand what to do."
"Good, I trust your approach, but remember not to push yourself excessively. Rest well when needed. Young people should not be always cultivating."
Zhao Ya noticed something in Guo Luming’s words and asked curiously, "Master, what do you mean by that?"
Guo Luming chuckled, "While you were in seclusion, that woman from the back mountain returned and looked for you several times. Now that you’re out, you should go see her."
Zhao Ya immediately knew Guo Luming was referring to Wu Bao’Er but couldn’t help but smile wryly.
He was quite aware of why Wu Bao’Er sought him.
Actually, her trip was arranged by Zhao Ya himself.
But before Zhao Ya could explain, Guo Luming patted him on the shoulder and left with a cheerful smile.
Feeling helpless, Zhao Ya, indeed feeling a bit concerned about the task he had given Wu Bao’Er, headed toward the back mountain.
After advancing to the Primordial Sea Realm, Zhao Ya’s overall strength hadn’t shown any notable change.
Like his Lightweight Body Technique, it wasn’t that different from before.
The only difference was that it was more effortless.
During his journey, Zhao Ya naturally learned to leverage external spiritual energy, allowing him to glide quickly through the air.
It was fast and convenient, and soon he arrived at the grassy hut before the back mountain.
As he landed lightly on the ground, Wu Bao’Er was in the field weeding.
Being away for just over a month, the field had grown various weeds.
If not cleared in time, this year’s harvest would be a complete failure.
But upon seeing Zhao Ya gracefully arrive, Wu Bao’Er immediately dropped her hoe and quickly came over to meet him.
"Sir!"
"Hmm, was this trip smooth?"
"Smooth!" Wu Bao’Er nodded.
"Then... Did you meet those people I mentioned?" Zhao Ya asked, suppressing his inner excitement.
"Yes, and they also asked me to bring something for you."
With that, Wu Bao’Er ran back inside and soon brought out a package, opening it and solemnly handing the contents to Zhao Ya.
"These shoes and clothes were brought to me by Zui’Er to give to you. They were all personally sewn by her. Would you like to try them on and see if they fit?"