Chapter 25 — Opening the Spirit Treasury Once More, Stepping into a New Realm

ernoon, after fighting the Xuan Liao Demon Ape, Shen Mu was helping out as usual at Silent Craftsman's smithy, still watching the fire by the forge as Silent Craftsman had taught him. Within his Essence Womb Spirit Treasury, vital essence was like fire, tempering the Spirit Fetus; everything looked the same as before. Just then, the Spirit Fetus suddenly began madly drawing in the golden light from the golden sea of the Spirit Treasury—countless rays of golden light poured into his Spirit Fetus. Shen Mu was at a loss, utterly ignorant of what was happening. Silent Craftsman could not see what went on within Shen Mu's Essence Womb Spirit Treasury, and naturally did not know that a wondrous change was taking place inside Shen Mu's body. The Spirit Fetus absorbed more and more golden light, and suddenly the little figure stopped absorbing, ceased breathing and guiding vital essence as well, and sank into silence. Shen Mu tried to stir his Spirit Fetus, but it remained motionless. "Has the Spirit Fetus died?" The youth grew uneasy. After a long while, his Spirit Fetus slowly recovered and awakened. Shen Mu let out a breath of relief and went on watching the fire. Just then, he felt his vital essence become incomparably fierce and blazing. When the Spirit Fetus breathed and guided essence, the vital essence was set alight, and when it flowed out of the Essence Womb Spirit Treasury, it had still not gone out! Shen Mu was startled and hastily stopped watching the fire, but it was too late—his clothes had actually begun to burn on their own! Silent Craftsman immediately lifted a great water vat and clapped it over his head, extinguishing the flames. Silent Craftsman raised the vat, and Shen Mu had long since been drenched into a drowned rat. Silent Craftsman was stunned. He checked the burn marks on Shen Mu's clothes, then hastily threw down his hammer and iron bar and rushed off like flying to the headman, gesturing again and again. The headman was astonished and hastily had the Deaf Elder and Silent Craftsman carry him over. He said, "Son Shen, try watching the fire again!" Shen Mu did not know why the headman took it so seriously, but he watched the fire again. Within his Essence Womb Spirit Treasury, vital essence once more became a fiery furnace, encircling the Spirit Fetus. Then a wave of heat gushed from his body, and the temperature at his skin's surface instantly soared! The headman's eyes lit up, and he guided him patiently: "Son Shen, do not let your mind waver. Keep mind and spirit as one. Treat your palm as a blade and cleave out a strike for me to see!" Shen Mu's mind held nothing; his eyes held only the forge fire before him. Vital essence burst forth naturally, and with his hand as a blade, he cleaved forward. Whoosh— His palm actually gave off firelight, like a burning blade of fire chopping down!