Zhi Xuan’s steps were so calm that the slippery limestone seemed to yield to him. He was not just walking—he was merging with the cliff. Within his body, the Heavenly Samsara Wheel spun slowly, filtering the poisonous abyss air into a breath of life, and channeling pure essence to every one of his footfalls.

  Meanwhile, Shi Zi and He Xin struggled fiercely behind him. Their every movement was accompanied by the sound of scraping rock and ragged breaths. When they tried to stabilize their bodies with their Divine Wheels, the green mist around them trembled—a sign that their essence was unbalanced.

  "Focus downwards!" Zhi Xuan's instruction sounded flat, but the faint echo in his voice carried a spiritually calming effect. "Don't use your Divine Wheel to defend. Use it to support. Let five percent of your spiritual essence be bound to your feet and five percent to your hands. The rest, anchor it to your ribs!"

  Shi Zi gasped as his foot slipped on loose gravel, and he nearly tumbled toward the edge of the abyss. In a split second, a cold yet strong hand gripped his forearm. Zhi Xuan pulled him back with a movement so subtle, almost effortless, as if Shi Zi were just a pile of clothes.

  "Too much essence in the shoulders," Zhi Xuan hissed, immediately releasing Shi Zi. "Shoulders must be relaxed, Shi Zi. You are not fighting the Steel-Tusk Wild Boar. You are negotiating with gravity."

  Shi Zi was pale, his face covered in cold sweat. He nodded, forcing his Divine Wheel to spin slower, locking the essence around his ribs as Zhi Xuan commanded.

  He Xin, who witnessed the event, tightened his grip. He was more methodical, channeling essence into his palms to increase adherence to the rock. Although he did not slip, his every step looked tense, consuming energy.

  "He Xin," Zhi Xuan called, climbing a step above him. "You are a calm Gold Foundation. But you are too rigid. Remember, the Divine Wheel is already refined. The essence within it is pure. Don't fight the abyss mist; let it touch your skin and then expel the remaining poison with a single rotation of the Divine Wheel."

  He Xin responded with a nod. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, his expression became more relaxed. He allowed his Divine Wheel to spin one full rotation, and a wave of pure spiritual energy spread out, dispelling the green mist around him. His steps became lighter.

  They climbed in tense silence for another hour, honing their essence control on the treacherous terrain. Finally, they arrived at a small niche that offered a stable and safe foothold. They stood there, breathless, except for Zhi Xuan who merely touched the rock wall with his fingertips.

  From the niche, they had a sweeping view to the east.

  He Xin, catching his breath, straightened his back and stared at the horizon. The Shadow Cliff they were on looked steep, but at least it was covered in faint moss and vegetation. However, his gaze froze when he saw the cliff in the distance.

  "Zhi Xuan!" He Xin whispered, his voice filled with fear. He pointed with a trembling finger to the northeast, across a vast abyss. "What cliff is that? Look!"

  Across the abyss, towered an impossibly sheer cliff of pitch-black rock. No vegetation grew on its surface. No moss, no vines. The cliff was dark, shrouded in a shadow that never lifted, even by the morning sun. It looked like a gaping wound on the face of the world, radiating a cold, empty, and deadly aura.

  Zhi Xuan followed He Xin's gaze. His sapphire-blue eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the Heavenly Samsara Wheel in his consciousness pulsed sharply.

  "That is..." Zhi Xuan mumbled, his voice slightly changed, carrying a brief, familiar tone. He touched the edge of the rock niche, his expression turning cold. "That is the Cliff of Death."

  Shi Zi, who had just managed to calm his Divine Wheel, approached and saw the sight. The cold aura that crossed the abyss felt like it was cutting his skin.

  "The Cliff of Death?" Shi Zi repeated, horrified. "I've never heard of it. Not even our veteran hunters have mentioned the cliff to the northeast!"

  "It is a forbidden area avoided even by Consciousness Realm Transformation cultivators like Grandpa Wu," Zhi Xuan explained, his gaze fixed on the black shadow. "I saw it a year ago, when Tang, Mingling, and I were trying to find Pure Forest Ginseng around here."

  He Xin touched his chest. "It feels like... my Divine Wheel, which I just controlled, wants to stop spinning and flee from there. Is there a Spiritual Creature living there?"

  "Nothing lives there, because nothing can survive there," Zhi Xuan replied. "That cliff is the limit of mortal energy. Hunters say it is the place where the Heavens do not reach and the Earth refuses to sustain life."

  "That cliff," Zhi Xuan continued, turning his face away from the terrifying sight, forcing He Xin and Shi Zi to focus their eyes on him. "The Cliff of Death is a reminder. A reminder that out there are powers that surpass Star Village. Powers that can erase us with just their shadow."

  He patted Shi Zi's shoulder with a cold calmness. "That is why we train here. We must be strong. We must have absolute control. Otherwise, when we meet the true Cliff of Death in our lives, we won't have the strength to look away."

  Zhi Xuan then pointed to a narrow crack above them. "The Nine Dew Leaf is in the rock fissure up there. The fissure is narrow, and beneath it is a strong spiritual wind. You two will climb. Train your use of the Divine Wheel to overcome that wind."

  He Xin and Shi Zi looked at the terrifying cliff in the distance once more, then at Zhi Xuan. Their fear had transformed into cold determination and admiration for their unique senior. They nodded simultaneously, then began to focus on the task ahead of them.

  Zhi Xuan stood as an unwavering anchor. He knew, even though he gave cold instructions, he had to be an example of stability so his friends would not falter. The silence between them was a tense and respectful silence.

  He Xin and Shi Zi immediately shifted their focus from the cosmic abyss in the distance to the physical challenge before their eyes. They stared at the narrow rock fissure above them—a crack that snaked into the cliff, just enough for one person to pass through. A cold wind containing spiritual essence roared from the fissure, carrying a chilling whistling sound.

  "I'll go first," He Xin said, his voice steady. He channeled five percent of his essence into his palms, searching for the strongest point of contact on the rock.

  He Xin was the first to begin the climb. He was not fast, but his every move was a careful consideration. He gripped the thick tangle roots dangling from the fissure, using the strength of his arms and legs. His Divine Wheel spun, emitting a subtle vibration that supported his core body.

  The spiritual wind from the fissure tried to push him, but He Xin, remembering Zhi Xuan's instruction, used his essence control to counteract the wind pressure, like a boat moving against the current.

  Shi Zi followed him. Shi Zi was younger and less methodical than He Xin, but he had the instincts of a new Gold Foundation. He channeled ten percent of his essence to his fingertips, making his skin seem to have natural adhesion.

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  "Damn, this root is slippery!" Shi Zi muttered quietly, wiping moss from his grip. He looked down once, and immediately regretted it. The abyss below looked like an endless hole that swallowed the light.

  "Don't focus on the abyss!" He Xin called down, his voice muffled by the cliff. "Focus on the root! Tight grip, Shi Zi!"

  Shi Zi took a deep breath and forced a tense smile. "I hear you! But my root is smaller than yours, He Xin!"

  "Then use your root properly! Find the thickest one!" He Xin retorted.

  Zhi Xuan, without visible emotion, followed behind. Compared to his two friends who were still struggling against the laws of nature, Zhi Xuan's ascent looked like a graceful dance. He did not need to forcefully grip the tangle roots. His every step was supported by the silently spinning Heavenly Samsara Wheel, creating a low-pressure zone around his body. He merely placed his palm on the root, rather than gripping it.

  He moved slowly, ensuring he was in the right position to catch one of his friends if they slipped.

  "Zhi Xuan!" He Xin whispered, his voice slightly excited. "I found a solid rock grip! I'm almost at the fissure entrance!"

  "Good," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice cold and calm, but a subtle smile was hidden in the corner of his lips. This was quick progress. He Xin showed he had learned from the pressure earlier.

  Shi Zi, now directly below Zhi Xuan, struggled through a thick root strand. "I hate climbing! I should have chosen archery like Zhuwei!"

  "Archery requires more tedious calculation, Shi Zi," Zhi Xuan countered, his voice now softening with a hint of sarcasm. "Besides, you need to practice speed. Zhuwei would laugh at you if you were slower than him in close combat."

  Shi Zi snorted, but the words gave him a strange boost of motivation. He increased the rotation speed of his Divine Wheel slightly, letting essence flow to his arms. With a strong pull, he successfully climbed up.

  After a short struggle, the three of them finally crawled into the narrow rock fissure. The light inside was dim, and the air felt cold and damp, but it was more stable than outside the cliff.

  "Ah! Finally!" Shi Zi exclaimed, leaning his back against the cold rock, taking a relieved breath. He felt his depleted spiritual essence refilling as his Divine Wheel spun in peace.

  He Xin, who recovered faster, had already activated a bit of his essence to look around. "The Nine Dew Leaf... should be here. In the narrow, cold fissure."

  Both of them began to sweep their eyes around the damp crack, searching for the legendary herbal leaf that had Nine Layers of clear Dew on its surface.

  "Nothing," Shi Zi muttered, after checking every corner of the damp rock. "I only see some small jade mushrooms and..."

  Shi Zi stopped. In the corner of the fissure, embedded in a narrow rock crack, something they recognized was growing. It was a pale blue Pure Forest Ginseng, but its size was tiny, only the size of a thumb, indicating the ginseng was only a few days old.

  "Pure Forest Ginseng," He Xin said, his voice filled with disappointment. "But this is too small. Even Grandpa Wu's goat would refuse to eat it."

  Zhi Xuan, standing still, nodded. "That's just Mortal Ginseng. Its essence is not enough to support a divine wheel foundation, let alone repair a severely damaged foundation like Deng's."

  Shi Zi reluctantly picked it. "Well, at least we're not going home empty-handed. Maybe Grandma Mu can use it for herbal soup."

  Both of them looked at Zhi Xuan with a faint sense of guilt. Their mission had failed.

  Zhi Xuan showed no disappointment. He smiled faintly. "It's alright. Your essence control is much better. This is a result more valuable than the Nine Dew Leaf."

  Then, Zhi Xuan took something out of a small silk pouch on his robe. It was a worn, ancient map scroll made of primitive animal skin.

  Bashan had given him this scroll a week ago. Bashan was the most methodical, and after hearing that the Nine Dew Leaf was very rare, he took the time to compile a prediction map based on geographical data and essence patterns he learned from Grandpa Wu's old texts.

  Zhi Xuan opened the scroll. The scroll showed a simple picture of the Shadow Cliff, with several small red circles.

  "Bashan made this," Zhi Xuan explained, pointing to one of the red circles on the map. "The Nine Dew Leaf... grows exclusively in areas covered by concentrated cold mist and have rich essence from waterfalls."

  Zhi Xuan pointed north. "The Nine Dew Leaf does not grow in this fissure; we must slowly circle this cliff until we reach a point where there are jade stones."

  "Jade stones?" He Xin said, his voice filled with surprise at Zhi Xuan's information. "Doesn't that mean we have to keep searching for fissures with jade stones until we find the Nine Dew Leaf?"

  Zhi Xuan nodded, the faint smile on his face now showing certainty. He folded the worn map and stored it back in his silk pouch with a subtle movement.

  "Exactly. Jade Stone is the condensation of pure earth essence. Valuable spiritual plants like the Nine Dew Leaf will only thrive near such a source of purity, especially if the cold mist of the abyss continues to provide nourishment," Zhi Xuan said calmly.

  "Bashan deduced that the correct path to find the Nine Dew Leaf is to follow the hidden jade stone vein line in this cliff."

  Shi Zi shook his head in amazement. "Bashan is truly a genius. While I was busy worrying about the Steel-Tusk Wild Boar, he was busy mapping the jade veins throughout the Shadow Cliff!"

  "Bashan respects the process," Zhi Xuan replied, his tone complimentary. "He dislikes uncertainty. This is the true Gold Foundation. It doesn't rely solely on strength, but also on the brain. We will not waste energy with inefficient cultivation methods."

  He Xin sighed, his guilt slightly lessened. "So, we must move again. Which path, Zhi Xuan?"

  Zhi Xuan pointed north, to another fissure that was much narrower and more hidden. "This path is a dead end. We must exit this fissure, climb down a bit, and then circle the cliff toward the northern fissure. That path is narrow, but there should be rocks shining from the sun's reflection there."

  The three of them exited the rock fissure, climbing down carefully. Although climbing down was easier than climbing up, maintaining stability remained a challenge, especially for He Xin and Shi Zi.

  This time, both of them were much better at controlling their Divine Wheels.

  Shi Zi, who still slipped occasionally, quickly channeled controlled essence to his feet, making him recover rapidly without panicking. He didn't waste energy by shouting or trying to grip forcefully, but allowed his Divine Wheel to spin once to balance his body.

  "Look, Zhi Xuan!" Shi Zi exclaimed, although his face was slightly strained, there was pride tucked into his voice. "I slipped, but I held myself back. I didn't panic!"

  Zhi Xuan merely nodded, but in his heart, he smiled. Good progress.

  "Don't be complacent, Shi Zi," Zhi Xuan said. "Good control is control that you don't need to think about. Let your Divine Wheel become a second instinct."

  After twenty minutes of climbing down and circling the cliff, they arrived at the northern fissure. This fissure was more open, and Zhi Xuan was right: there was a faint glint of white light coming from inside.

  "Jade stones!" He Xin whispered, his eyes sparkling. He rushed into the fissure, followed by Shi Zi.

  Inside, the fissure widened into a small cave. The floor was covered with grayish-white pebbles, and in some places, there were thin veins of mortal jade stone reflecting a dim light. The air here felt colder, but also purer—as if the air had been washed clean by the jade stones there.

  "Incredible," Shi Zi muttered, touching the cave wall. "This air... is much purer than in the Five Star Formation, Zhi Xuan!"

  "Of course," Zhi Xuan replied, stepping inside. He felt his Heavenly Samsara Wheel spinning slightly faster, absorbing the pure essence from the cave.

  "Our Five Star Formation is limited to the best Mortal Jade. This cave has veins flowing from the earth's core. This is more natural."

  He Xin immediately knelt beside the largest jade vein. He closed his eyes and activated his Divine Wheel. Waves of his spiritual essence spun out, and he felt the jade veins resonating with him.

  "I can feel it," He Xin whispered. "My Divine Wheel is absorbing the Pure Jade essence at an incredible speed! It feels like... my foundation is becoming denser!"

  Shi Zi imitated He Xin, kneeling next to another jade vein. "Me too! This is amazing! We have to take some of these jade stones back to the village!"

  "Nine Dew Leaf!" Shi Zi suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence of the cave. He pointed to a small niche on the cave ceiling.

  There, nestled in a protected rock crack, grew a broad, emerald-green leaf. On its surface shone Nine Layers of clear Dew that faintly reflected the moonlight sneaking in.

  The leaf emitted a soft herbal aroma, which immediately calmed their minds and made their Divine Wheels spin smoother.

  "That's it," He Xin said, his eyes shining. "The true Nine Dew Leaf!"

  Shi Zi jumped up, trying to reach it. "I'll pick it!"

  "Wait," Zhi Xuan said, his voice sharp. He stepped forward and stopped Shi Zi with his shoulder.

  "The Nine Dew Leaf does not grow without a protector. Usually, it is a Jade snake or spider. Both of you, use your hidden essence. Scan the surrounding cracks," Zhi Xuan instructed, his voice cold again.

  He Xin and Shi Zi immediately nodded. They closed their eyes, releasing a thin strand of spiritual essence from their Divine Wheels.

  "I feel it!" He Xin exclaimed, his eyes widening. "There is something cold and smooth behind that rock crack! Something coiled!"

  "That's it. A Jade Snake," Zhi Xuan muttered. "Shi Zi, never fight a snake in a cave. We only need the leaf."