Chapter Thirty-Nine: Spiritual Power

“I’ve seen it recorded in the sect’s classics before!” Wu Ming began to improvise wildly.

“You really are well-read, little brother. I’m not sure if you’ve truly come across such obscure texts, but I actually have. There is indeed a record in the ‘Chronicle of Spiritual Phenomena in Divine Lands’!” Ling Mei swayed her slender waist as she entered from the doorway.

“Really?” Wu Ming and Monk Luokong exclaimed in unison. Clearly, Monk Luokong didn’t believe Wu Ming at all, he was just looking for a bit of comfort.

“In the section ‘All Things Possess Spirit’ within the ‘Chronicle of Spiritual Phenomena in Divine Lands,’ it states that everything in the world has its own spirit and can develop consciousness. A magical artifact that awakens consciousness is called a sentient treasure. I remember it went something like this: ‘A treasure with spirit becomes a spiritual treasure; as long as its spiritual light endures, the treasure endures. If the spiritual light is extinguished, the treasure ceases to exist…’”

Wu Ming listened, utterly baffled, not understanding a word about spiritual light, spiritual treasures, or artifacts.

“In other words, once a magical artifact gains sentience, it becomes a spiritual treasure. As long as the artifact’s spirit remains, it can absorb spiritual energy and repair itself. But if the spirit disappears, the artifact is ruined. Yours, however, seems indestructible!” Ling Mei pointed at the string of large Buddha beads hanging on Monk Luokong’s chest, from which dangled a demon-subduing staff made of some unknown metal—likely impossible to damage.

Monk Luokong reached out and gripped the demon-subduing staff; it felt icy cold to the touch.

“Spiritual energy, spiritual energy! Now that the world of mortals is devoid of spiritual energy and the spirit realm is inaccessible, how are we supposed to obtain it?”

“Exactly! Without spiritual power, we can’t use any spells—I’m practically turning into an ordinary human!” Music took out a lollipop, crunching it away until only the stick remained, then flicked it out the window before jumping down from the sill and dusting off her hands.

“There is actually another way to obtain spiritual energy!” Grandpa Dog crawled in through the window as well.

“You mangy mutt, you finally decided to come back! You dog traitor, so disloyal!” Wu Ming grabbed the loose skin on Grandpa Dog’s back and hoisted him into the air.

“Do you want to know how to obtain spiritual energy or not? Show some respect to your elder!”

“Let him go, Wu Ming!”

“That’s better. Come on, my back itches. Someone, give it a scratch!” Grandpa Dog strutted around with his splayed feet.

“Alright, right here, grandpa? Do you want it gentle or hard?” Music diligently scratched Grandpa Dog’s back, making him purr with pleasure.

“Ah, that’s it, that’s it. Since Music’s service has put me in such a good mood, I’ll tell you all!”

“Do you know what spiritual energy actually is?” Grandpa Dog asked smugly.

“Some kind of energy between heaven and earth, right?”

“And how is it produced?”

“There’s nothing about that in the books!” Wu Ming shrugged helplessly.

“According to the records in the sect’s texts, it’s believed that the World Tree releases the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. In the beginning, the World Tree was known as the Axis Mundi—it maintains the cycle of spiritual energy in the world.” Ling Mei’s knowledge was the deepest among them.

“If the World Tree releases spiritual energy and circulates it, then what does it use as nourishment?”

“I get it now—it’s those half-finished dream worlds! No wonder there are always unknown, incomplete worlds appearing in the spirit realm; the World Tree must be absorbing them from the mortal world!” Ling Mei was stunned by this revelation.

“But that can’t be. I read that the World Tree was chopped down long ago by the Heavenly Emperor. If it’s been cut down, how can it still produce spiritual energy?” Wu Ming objected.

“The World Tree, or Axis Mundi, doesn’t exist in just one time or space—it’s a higher-dimensional being than us. Lower dimensions can’t comprehend higher ones; put simply, it always exists, no matter what. Back when Emperor Zhuanxu, Supreme Sovereign of Heaven, exhausted all his spiritual power to sever the World Tree and block passage between the realms of immortals and mortals, he wasn’t truly successful. All he did was increase the distance between heaven and earth—at most, he used spiritual power to block a fragmentary projection of the World Tree in a particular space-time dimension. The World Tree has a peculiar trait—even at high noon, it casts no shadow; light passes through as if through transparent glass. The true reason is that what we see is just a projection of a higher-dimensional tree in our world—it’s impossible to destroy the real thing.”

“Sister Ling Mei, you really deserve the title ‘Mobile Library of the Spirit Realm.’ Even these secret records are known to you. I’d wager not ten people in the world know these things. I’m in awe!” Grandpa Dog looked at Ling Mei with fawning admiration. He was clearly most afraid of her and seized every chance to flatter her, even raising his paw to give a thumbs-up gesture with his big toe.

“So our problem of obtaining spiritual energy isn’t really about the World Tree? If it’s been destroyed, where do we find it?” Wu Ming felt a headache coming on.

“You fool! If even Emperor Zhuanxu couldn’t sever the World Tree, how could a few elders from our sect manage it? Didn’t Sister Ling Mei just say the World Tree can’t be destroyed?” Grandpa Dog raised his middle claw in disdain at Wu Ming.

“As the Axis Mundi, all things—every blade of grass and every tree—are divisions of the World Tree. It’s everywhere!”

“So that’s it: a flower contains a world, a leaf is a bodhi. The wonders of all things truly are miraculous,” Monk Luokong seemed to understand.

“I don’t get a word you all are saying! Just tell me plainly—where is the World Tree? Or better yet, how do we replenish our spiritual energy?” Wu Ming yanked the tissue from his nose and hurled it into the trash, visibly annoyed.

“This has to do with our summoning ritual!” Director Tyrannosaurus entered, supported by Little Fatty. His arm, which had been bitten off by the Nine-Headed Serpent, had already regrown.

“Director!” “Senior brother!” The crowd greeted him with surprise and joy, gathering around to inspect his miraculously restored arm.

“There’s nothing much to see. The modern Bian Que’s medical skills are astonishing—this arm is exactly as it was, no different from my original!” Director Tyrannosaurus stretched out his arm, turning it back and forth for everyone to see, grinning foolishly at his own recovery.

“As for obtaining spiritual energy, I do have a thought. You all know I can invite deities to possess me, right?”

Everyone had witnessed the awe-inspiring power of Director Tyrannosaurus when he channeled Hou Yi, and nodded in agreement.

“Our summoning ritual only requires a small amount of spiritual power as a guide, and then we can invite powerful gods to assist in battle. Even if the World Tree is completely sealed, deities can still bring immense spiritual energy…”

Everyone’s eyes lit up—right, the summoned gods could provide enormous spiritual power.

“You mean we should all learn to summon deities and smuggle spiritual energy from the spirit realm?”

“No! Let me finish!” Director Tyrannosaurus was clearly annoyed at Wu Ming’s interruption, his voice rising sharply.

“Having deities bring spiritual energy isn’t possible—they’re not our laborers, and we mustn’t profane the divine. But have you noticed, some demons and monsters can sneak into dreams, siphoning off human desire as nourishment!”

“So we could defeat or capture these demons in dreams, and thus obtain spiritual energy!”

“Exactly! Why didn’t I think of that?” Wu Ming slapped his forehead.

“But as for how to locate these dream worlds, that I don’t know,” Director Tyrannosaurus shrugged evasively.