It seemed that the monster in the lake was also aware of Evan Parker approaching. As Evan Parker circulated his energy, the resistance and interference grew stronger and stronger. For every bit the true energy advanced, Evan Parker had to expend a tremendous amount of time and mental effort. Judging by the current speed of the true energy’s flow, Evan Parker was like a complete novice who had just sensed qi for the first time and had never even completed a single major circulation. Even for a beginner, it was impossible for the flow to be this slow, as if the meridians were completely blocked by something.

Being in the water, it was impossible to tell sweat from lake water. In any case, Evan Parker had already closed his eyes, focusing his mind on his entire body, concentrating fully on resisting the pressure from that never-before-seen “friend” in the lake. In the past, days were spent in this kind of unseen contest between Evan Parker and that monster, and today was no exception—only the intensity had increased severalfold.

Chapter 5: Tempering in the Lake (Part 2)

The movement of the lake water was barely noticeable; otherwise, in Evan Parker’s current state, he would surely have been swept away by the current. His whole body, except for his head above the surface, was submerged. From time to time, small fish swam past him, seemingly puzzled by his motionless state. These little fish and shrimp were completely unaffected; the immense pressure so close to Evan Parker left no trace on them.

Time seemed to pass quickly. Soon, the sun slanted toward the west, already resting on the mountain peaks, and would set in about the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Evan Parker seemed completely unaware of the sun’s movement, devoting himself entirely to resisting this sudden pressure, several times greater than on the shore. He endured the increasingly vivid and realistic scenes of bloody battlefields he had experienced, as well as all sorts of eerie and terrifying images that seemed to come from nowhere, all while suffering the pain of true energy exploding within his meridians. Most crucially, he had to painstakingly control the flow of true energy; otherwise, there was no telling how it might run amok within his meridians.

Unnoticed, the moon had already risen into the sky, with a few stars twinkling now and then. From the dense forest and grass around came the chirping of crickets and the rustling footsteps of unknown animals. Evan Parker had reached the most critical moment: the true energy had circulated through most of his body, with only a short distance left to complete a full cycle. But the pressure in his mind grew ever greater, as if someone was deliberately making things difficult for Evan Parker.

Evan Parker knew well the saying, “Ninety miles is only half of a hundred-mile journey”—the last stretch must not be abandoned halfway. “Building a mountain only to stop for want of one final basket of earth” is a martial artist’s greatest taboo, especially at such a crucial moment. If he failed to complete the cycle now, the best outcome would be to revert to his original state, as if all his cultivation had been destroyed after an injury—perhaps even worse, since at least then he had some ability to protect himself. If he failed now, he might never recover.

It felt as if a giant hammer was pounding in his head, terrifying scenes spinning through his mind like a revolving lantern, even some bizarre, dizzying images that could not be avoided—even closing his eyes was useless, as these visions were forced directly into his mind. Amidst all this chaos, the true energy kept exploding, as if his meridians were filled not with energy but with a string of powerful firecrackers, crackling from his dantian all the way to the current position of the true energy.

As his meridians throbbed with pain, he also felt alternating waves of hot and cold, as if his body was being violently beaten by a mob while he cultivated. He had never faced such difficulty before—why did it become so intense as soon as he entered the water? Could it be that this monster truly lived in the water? Otherwise, why would things change so drastically after entering the lake, even for such a short distance?

Evan Parker could only rely on his tenacious willpower to endure. He had thought he was completely accustomed to the monster’s influence, but hadn’t expected to encounter such a situation upon entering the water. Still, though the current ordeal was tough, if he could persevere, the reward would be far more than simply completing a cycle of true energy—it would be a transformation of Evan Parker’s willpower itself.

With his eyes closed, Evan Parker could not see that, at some unknown moment, a strange red light had appeared on the surface of the lake, tightly enveloping Evan Parker. The surrounding water had turned blood-red. The schools of fish that had been swimming around Evan Parker had long since vanished without a trace, and even the underwater plants clung tightly to the lakebed, no longer swaying in the water as before.

At this moment, Evan Parker was still struggling, just a step away from success. If he could endure this last bit, he could finish his cultivation and no longer worry about any mishaps. But the pressure was immense, his meridians wracked with pain, the true energy stuck at the final barrier. He struggled to force the true energy through, but it was as if he was pushing against a solid wall, unable to advance even an inch.