The living room was quiet. Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyun sat motionlessly without making a sound, afraid of disturbing the focused youth. In the purple-bronze incense burner, the spirit-calming incense that cleared one's mind burned slowly.
Qin Ming set down the three sheets of paper and stepped into the courtyard. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled in a distinct rhythm, his eyes shining like stars. Following his own comprehension, he transformed his heavenly light force into an astonishing number of fine, dense lines that expanded through his flesh and blood, corroborating the three diagrams corresponding to the three pages.
His heavenly light force was his foundational pillar at this stage. Once fused into unity, it was like a golden, blazing sun shining down upon outer realm disciples. Now, the heavenly light force turned into golden rivers flowing through his flesh and blood, corresponding to the dense, sprawling network in the first diagram.
He felt warm and remarkably comfortable throughout his whole body. At this moment, the space between his brows glowed, his physical body heated up, and he seemed limpid and ethereal from head to toe, as if he were about to ascend in glowing clouds. Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyun stared with slackened jaws. This went far beyond experiencing an unusual sensation—he had already produced tangible results?!
From beginning to end, how much time had even passed? The thought alone left both of them in a daze!
"Everyone's insights are different. Has he opened an entirely new circulation pathway?" Li Qingyun sent a secret voice transmission, not daring to speak aloud for fear of startling the intensely focused youth.
He knew very well that the diagrams carved on the bronze plates possessed an appalling number of lines, baffling anyone who looked upon them. Every person who sought to comprehend them would derive their own circulation pathway. Filled with immense anticipation, a brilliant gleam lit up the old man's eyes. To think he would witness with his own eyes a youth forging a new pathway!
"A scripture that left many patriarchs throughout history utterly helpless, yet he has already comprehended it to such depth and is blazing a new path!" Meng Xinghai nodded inwardly, praising him in his heart. As expected of the young man he favored!
Next, Qin Ming transformed his conscious spiritual light into wisps of thread, letting them wander through his flesh and blood to construct a dense network. Soon, however, he furrowed his brows. It was not nearly as smooth or comfortable.
Back in the Mountains and Rivers Spiritual Nest, his spirit had not only undergone a qualitative transformation, but he had also practiced the mnemonic Li Qingyue taught him, giving rise to conscious spiritual light. Most of it had fed back into his physical body, leaving only a tiny amount to maintain balance.
Over the past two days, by cultivating the method in that slim esoteric booklet, sacred light had emerged within him, and a similar phenomenon occurred. That light had nourished his body, ultimately leaving behind only a sliver to maintain equilibrium.
This so-called sacred light was precisely what people of the esoteric sects called "divine wisdom," which underwent qualitative transformations with cultivation and could continuously accumulate and elevate.
Qin Ming discovered that when he attempted to construct dense lines in his flesh and blood using conscious spiritual light and divine wisdom separately, allowing them to expand naturally, he encountered immense resistance. Furthermore, he lacked that earlier feeling of lightness and clarity; it felt very uncomfortable, which ran counter to the scripture's true essence.
"Is it truly only suited for those who walk the Newborn path?" Qin Ming muttered to himself. Standing motionless in place, he silently pondered the scripture and the three carved diagrams.
Then, he twisted heavenly light force, conscious spiritual light, and divine wisdom together like three strands into a single rope, letting them spread through his flesh and blood to construct a mysterious network that expanded outward.
Instantly, Qin Ming's body felt ethereal and his mind cleared, as though the turbid air of the mundane world had been severed and the dust on his soul wiped clean. From body to spirit, he experienced a sense of enlightenment and consummation akin to what was recorded in ancient religious scriptures.
"This feels like nourishing oneself."
Attuning himself carefully, he realized the true wonder of this scripture: if practiced over a long time, it could alter one's skeletal constitution, elevate vitality, and nourish the essence, qi, and spirit. In this state, the mind became limpid and consciousness lucid, boosting his efficiency in comprehending techniques and instilling a joyful sense of contentment, as if he had gained enlightenment in a single morning.
Qin Ming suddenly realized: weren't these precisely the "remarkable accomplishments" that Li Qingyun had mentioned various luminaries developing from it?
He had actually touched upon all of them. He now understood that the content of the three pages and the diagrams on the bronze plates served as the outline and foundation of this scripture. Qin Ming knew that he had comprehended and mastered it.
'This technique has many wonders. Practicing it persistently is practically a slow alteration of one's destiny, but it is still very far from immortality,' he mused. Looking up, he saw fiery light shining in the eyes of both Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyun as they stared at him.
"You comprehended it?"
"You've already forged a new pathway?" the two asked fervently, their excitement showing.
Evidently, they cared far more than Qin Ming himself did.
Qin Ming nodded. "I don't think it's all that difficult."
He spoke the honest truth, as this scripture hadn't hindered him for even half a day.
After all, he had cultivated a single silk book for over a decade, crossing a mortal tribulation just to step through its threshold and formally embark upon the Newborn path. In Qin Ming's heart, no technique was more difficult to cultivate than the silk book.
Yet Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyun knew nothing of this, and their hearts were naturally filled with mixed emotions.
This was especially true for the latter, who found himself questioning his life and even feeling a twinge of sorrow for himself. Li Qingyun had once spent years in secluded contemplation painstakingly trying to decipher it, yet he couldn't compare to a youth's sudden enlightenment in a single morning.
Qin Ming said, "Are you both so invested in this book? It is indeed extraordinary; it can enhance talent and extend longevity. I can teach you."
"This..." Li Qingyun hesitated. At his advanced age and profound cultivation, sponging off a junior's sudden epiphany felt embarrassing, and he couldn't bring himself to lower his pride. Meng Xinghai, being more freewheeling, immediately followed along to learn.
Li Qingyun gritted his teeth and threw caution to the wind as well.
Before long, however, both were staring in bewilderment. They could not circulate according to the new pathway Qin Ming had forged; trying to force it almost caused blood to stagnate and pool within them.
"What's happening?" Qin Ming was also taken aback. He then had them follow his lead and even allowed them to send out conscious spiritual light to observe the pathway he constructed. Yet even mimicking it proved futile; they simply could not make it circulate.
Possessing profound cultivation, Li Qingyun ultimately observed that each time Qin Ming circulated his heavenly light force, those dense lines adjusted themselves over time. "How are you controlling it?" he couldn't help asking.
Qin Ming explained, "This scripture is actually talking about 'internal strengthening'..."
The term "internal strengthening" nearly broke the composure of both Li Qingyun and Meng Xinghai. This was an ancient scripture tied to longevity, with a monumental origin traced to the depths of the night fog world. Yet this youth was treating it like common martial arts traded in street markets?
Qin Ming explained, "This technique is indeed extraordinary. Persisting with it over months and years can alter one's skeletal constitution, nourishing both body and spirit, ultimately triggering a qualitative transformation." The two nodded, acknowledging that it was a method for altering one's destiny, a secret tome.
Qin Ming continued, "It might not be what you imagined. It cannot grant immortality. Overall, it really is just a method for 'internally strengthening' oneself." Their expressions shifted again; the words "internal strengthening" were truly grating to their sensibilities.
Qin Ming pondered and said, "Perhaps in ancient times, the path people pursued differed from ours. They sought only to extend life and alter their physique, which is why the entire method is so placid—far lacking the power of Sky-Upholding force or Six Imperials force. Looking at its outline, this is a book on health preservation."
"Are you saying you have thoroughly comprehended and completely mastered all of it, rather than just grasping a part?" Li Qingyun asked.
Qin Ming nodded. "Regarding these three pages and the corresponding bronze plate engravings, I believe I have grasped the true essence within them."
"Explain to me how you forged those pathways and managed to circulate along them," Li Qingyun said, no longer caring about losing face as he openly consulted and questioned him on the spot. He was still somewhat skeptical.
Qin Ming spoke, "This scripture speaks of grasping the shifts of yin and yang, breathing in spiritual quintessence, and integrating consciousness and divine wisdom into heavenly light force, planting them into the physical body. They become yin and yang to each other, harmonizing with heaven and earth..."
He then added, "If one lacks conscious spiritual light and divine wisdom, heavenly light force alone is sufficient."
He then demonstrated, telling them that once they let nature take its course and aligned with heaven and earth, the heavenly light force would spread naturally. Wherever it passed became the circulation pathway, leaving the practitioner feeling comfortable, light, clear, and imbued with a sense of consummation.
Li Qingyun was dumbfounded. Only after a good while did he say, "This is far too subjective. You completely allowed the heavenly light force to choose on its own, then memorized the pathway and told it to us?"
Meng Xinghai sighed. "How is this forging a new path? It sounds more like a spontaneous path of the mind."
The two stared helplessly. Everyone's heavenly light force was different, and the pathways it flowed through would naturally vary. How could anyone possibly emulate this?
"This ancient scripture is too mysterious, far too abstruse. One can't even copy someone else!" The old man Li Qingyun looked up to the sky and sighed in resignation, feeling somewhat despondent. The hope he had just seen was snuffed out in an instant, leaving him thoroughly exasperated.
Qin Ming said, "It isn't mysterious at all. Where is the difficulty? You both can expand it as you please and attempt a spontaneous path of the mind."
"Don't speak. Just let me have some quiet." Li Qingyun felt an urge to hit someone. What spontaneous path of the mind? Who would dare try that on a whim? One misstep could severely wound oneself.
Qin Ming reflected that perhaps the heavenly light force cultivated from the silk book's method was in perfect harmony with him, allowing him to perceive and steer it acutely toward pathways that made him feel light and lucid, following the intent of his mind.
If that was the case, he couldn't help others.
Qin Ming said, "This technique is indeed remarkable. It can enhance talent and prolong life, making it a priceless treasure. But there is no need to over-revere ancient methods. In terms of offensive might, I think it falls far short of Sky-Upholding force."
"Besides the outline, there are specific methods that follow. They should be very useful to you, worth far more than ordinary extraordinary arts." Li Qingyun departed, looking at Qin Ming with an intensely complicated expression before he left.
"Why did Senior Li have that look on his face?" Qin Ming watched his disappearing figure, somewhat puzzled.
"He was shocked out of his wits," Meng Xinghai chuckled.
Then, his smile faded, and he said, "Before arriving, he viewed you as Qingyue's future jade-armored guard, divine-armored guard, her foremost protector in the days ahead. After all, he had heard of your extraordinary qualities. But after coming here, your performance far exceeded his expectations. It rivals the youthful showings of certain patriarch-level figures on the mutation path. For instance, the patriarchs of the Five Elements Palace, the Yinyang Daoist Temple, and the Pure Yang Palace only managed to comprehend a portion of that scripture."
Qin Ming's expression shifted slightly. He had once sworn an oath that he hadn't cultivated with such bitter effort just to become someone else's follower.
Meng Xinghai said, "Don't fret. He harbored no malice; he simply believes that there is truly no visible hope for the mutation path. Patriarch-level figures like Sky-Upholding and the Six Imperials also had to grind through vast stretches of time to slowly raise their cultivation realms. This path is difficult to walk, and it only becomes harder the further one goes."
Then Meng Xinghai laughed. "In your current state, you definitely intimidated him. You look like a young patriarch lying low in dormancy..." He then sighed, "Your showing today shocked me considerably as well."
Qin Ming shook his head. "What does my meager achievement amount to? During the contest for the near-immortal item, when the core disciples clashed, I couldn't even participate. We are of the same age, yet I stood to the side watching like a minion. At the banquet that followed, among the outer realm disciples and those from the esoteric sects, who wasn't a prodigy of heaven? Their cultivation was profoundly deep. They aren't much older than me, yet some have already stepped into high realms and are seen as seeds close to immortality. Leaving the others aside, just consider Cui Chonghe, who failed twice to possess a body—thinking on it carefully, he is terrifyingly formidable. He is the same age as me, yet what level is he at now? His defeat was merely an unfortunate encounter with Qingyue's spirit pupil, being exposed purely by accident."
Meng Xinghai looked at him. "You call yourself a minion? You merely embarked on the path later than they did. There's no need to belittle yourself; sooner or later, you will forge a patriarch's path."
Qin Ming said, "Lagging behind is a simple fact. When some people were much younger than I am now, they were already at a higher realm than mine. I still need to strive with everything I have."
Meng Xinghai asked, "Your sights are set on the other paths, aren't they? You're comparing yourself against rivals on other paths?"
Qin Ming nodded. "Yes. The other paths are unfathomable. The outer realm casually leaves a scripture that our path values immensely lying out in the open, allowing outsiders to view it as long as they pay a price. That shows they don't care much about it, and their own foundation far exceeds our imagination."
Qin Ming felt that during the Era of Great Pioneering, the people beyond the mundane world must have gained far greater harvests in the depths of the night fog world. Meng Xinghai knew this was indeed the truth.
Then, Meng Xinghai thought of the Grand Examination, which had reached a critical stage, and asked, "Have you decided where you want to go? I have immense faith in you and look forward to seeing you stride along the path of a patriarch."
Chapter 126