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Lin Mu's POV:
The contemplative stillness of my Dao Field began to dissipate, replaced by the familiar hum of the Verdant Heaven. A sense of quiet resolve settled within me, the decades of introspection having steeled my spirit for the trial ahead. The Cultivation Tree within my inner world now seemed to radiate a soft, understanding light.
The moment I returned to the crystalline desert, the sky above tore open with a silent, ethereal violence. No thunder, no lightning, but a vast expanse of swirling, silver winds descended, carrying with them an ancient and profound pressure. These were the Severing Winds, each gust imbued with the power to slice through worldly attachments, to test the purity and detachment of the soul.
The first gust washed over me, and a pang of longing resonated deep within my being. Images of Earth, of my past life, flickered through my mind – the warmth of the sun, the hum of technology, the faces of people I had once known. The Severing Wind sought to latch onto these memories, to pull me back to the world I had left behind. But the centuries of secluded cultivation, the focused introspection within my Dao Field, had created a distance, an understanding of impermanence. The longing was there, but it did not cling.
The next wave of silver winds carried with it the weight of my connection to Ling Yue. Her radiant smile, her unwavering support, the shared tranquility of the Verdant Heaven – these precious bonds tugged at my soul, whispering of comfort and belonging. The Severing Winds sought to find any clinging, any dependence that would hinder my spiritual ascent. I focused on the essence of our connection – the shared journey, the mutual growth, the respect for each other's path. Love and companionship were not chains to be broken, but anchors of the spirit, understood and cherished without possessiveness. The winds flowed past, finding no purchase of unhealthy attachment.
The tribulation intensified. The Severing Winds became sharper, imbued with the weight of ambition, the desire for power, the fear of failure. These were the internal shackles, the ego's desperate grasp on worldly validation. The echoes of the ancient beings within the Verdant Heaven, their pursuit of ultimate power, their triumphs and failures, flashed through my mind. I recognized the seductive pull of these desires, but the centuries of observing the ebb and flow of existence within the Verdant Heaven had instilled a sense of balance, a detachment from the relentless pursuit of external validation. True strength lay in the purity of the spirit, not in the accumulation of worldly power.
The Severing Winds continued their relentless assault, each gust probing for weakness, for any lingering tendril of worldly desire. I stood firm, my nascent soul resonating with the quiet understanding I had cultivated within my Dao Field. The Primordial Star Compass, though silent now, seemed to point inward, guiding me towards the core of my being, the unburdened spirit.
As the tribulation reached its peak, a final, overwhelming wave of silver winds descended. It felt as if the very fabric of my being was being pulled apart, every worldly tie stretched to its breaking point. But within the storm, a sense of profound clarity emerged. Severance was not about annihilation, but about refinement, about shedding the unnecessary weight that hindered the spirit's flight.
Slowly, gradually, the silver winds began to dissipate. The oppressive pressure lifted, replaced by a sense of lightness, of liberation. The sky above the crystalline desert, now clear and vast, seemed to beckon.
The system notification chimed, carrying the quiet triumph of transcendence:
[Heavenly Tribulation endured. Spirit Severing Realm (1st Severance) achieved.]
[Worldly Connections partially severed. Spiritual perception enhanced.]
[Dao Field space significantly expanded. Nascent Soul solidified within.]
A profound shift had occurred within me. The nascent soul within my Dao Field had solidified, a radiant core of spiritual energy. The world around me felt sharper, my senses reaching beyond the physical, perceiving the subtle flows of spiritual energy with newfound clarity. The ties to the mortal world were not broken, but they were understood, acknowledged, and held with a detached affection.
The ascent to the Spirit Severing Realm was not a severing of love or connection, but a severing of unhealthy attachment, a purification of the spirit that allowed it to soar higher. The whispers of primordial knowledge had guided my understanding, and the quiet contemplation within my Dao Field had prepared my soul. The journey of the Eternal Earthling continued, now with a spirit unburdened and a vision clearer than ever before.