Chen Chuan withdrew his gaze after a single look. Thinking it over, he could roughly deduce that what he had just witnessed was very likely the embodiment of residual mental power from the past.
After all, this was within the Confluence, at a site where the Xuan Cult had once resided, and an even grander esoteric ritual was suspected to encompass the area. Such an occurrence came as no surprise at all.
Moreover, it was no mere illusory phantom—it could at least be substantially observed, and it had communicated through spoken words rather than direct mental transmission, which was why his second self had shown no sign of turning ethereal.
As for why it hadn't appeared when he first arrived but showed itself now, he reasoned that his slashing open of the fissure had likely allowed power from the opposite world to dissipate into this realm, thereby stirring it awake. It was also possible that the newly sprouted jade bamboo flowers outside had played a role.
Naturally, besides these factors, he had another conjecture—the most likely one, in fact—though it could not be proven for the time being.
And regarding what the other party had said at the end...
After a moment's thought, he decided it wouldn't hurt to take a look first.
As to whether it would affect him or conceal some hidden plot, he smiled faintly. He was hardly ignorant of esoteric rituals; if such danger truly lurked, remaining here wouldn't be safe either. He could simply treat this as an investigation. If any problem arose, he could naturally find a way to destroy it or simply pull back and leave.
He immediately picked up the Xuejun Saber and descended tier by tier through the cavern, reaching the bottom before long.
Ahead lay the cave entrance the scout bio-construct had spotted. It was not particularly large, wide enough for only two people to walk side by side, and remnants of jade carvings could still be seen flanking the entryway.
He stepped inside and saw the paintings he had viewed earlier. At first glance, they depicted archaic images of immortals and gods, their style indeed dating back to the early medieval era. Reaching out to touch one, a dusting of powder flaked away.
He could confirm that an esoteric ritual had indeed once existed here, though it was now battered and ruined. What was currently functioning was likely not this ritual itself, but rather something relying on the contours of the surrounding mountains and waters—overall bearing some resemblance to the secret grotto he had seen in Longyou Dao.
He could also see the black snakes Chaoming had been eating, coiled all around the periphery. Yet as he walked forward, wherever the radiance from his body shone, they slithered away in frantic haste, as if desperate to avoid him.
Following the directions the Xuanist had given at the end, he walked roughly two hundred paces deeper inside and came upon a jade-white pool.
The liquid inside had long since dried up, looking like congealed fat. Beside the pool sat two high-stemmed stone bowls, each holding a handful of stone sand.
The Xuanist had warned him not to use the sand on the right, but rather that on the left. Looking at them now, there seemed to be no visible difference between the two.
After a moment's contemplation, he stepped to the left, took a handful of stone sand, and tossed it straight into the pool.
The moment the grains landed, a soft hiss rose up. It was as though the congealed substance in the pool was being rapidly dissolved; the reaction spread wider and wider until it encompassed the entire basin moments later, before unexpectedly coming to a boil and drifting upward in wisps of vapor.
Looking up, he saw a colossal portrait of an immortal or god overhead, its features bearing some resemblance to the Xuanist he had just seen. As the vapor rose into it, the figure drifted between visibility and obscurity, a faint smile appearing on the corners of its lips.
Chen Chuan withdrew his gaze and looked ahead. There was still a path leading beyond the pool, but since the other party hadn't mentioned it, he had no intention of venturing further.
He turned and headed back. By the time he returned to the top, he felt the entire mountain pillar vibrating faintly. A cluster of clouds seemed to have formed over the summit, and an elusive power felt as though it had been gathered together.
Focusing his senses, he felt things were subtly different from before, though it was hard to say precisely how. Not dwelling on it, he returned to the stone bed and continued relaxing.
Once he was fully rested, brimming with vigor, he picked up the Xuejun Saber and slashed forward. With a swift whoosh, where the saber light passed, that fissure manifested before him.
He stepped inside. Once he had settled into his stance, the Spiritual Visage manifested behind him, drawing the energy of this realm into his body to serve as nourishment for the metamorphosis of his mutated tissue.
Yet immediately, he noticed a difference. For the same cultivation, today's efficiency had increased by more than a third. Both the speed of drawing that energy and the activity of his mutated tissue far surpassed what they had been before.
Now he could clearly perceive that the mountain pillar behind him had gathered a force uniquely beneficial to him, rendering his spirit exceptionally transparent and lucid, as if every speck of accumulated grime had been wiped pristine.
He understood in his heart: this was very likely an esoteric ritual set up by the Xuanist who had once resided here to aid in cultivation. Seen this way, as long as one cultivated within this area, one could enjoy such a blessing.
The man had not lied.
Since it was beneficial, there was no reason to reject it. Even if he refrained from using it, the energy would merely dissipate in vain, and judging by the congealed substance left in the pool, it wouldn't last through extended consumption anyway.
He cultivated like this for another ten-odd days, sensing tremendous progress in himself. After all, a one-third boost was no small amount.
However, after a certain day, the blessing on the mountain pillar gradually faded. The contents of the pool below had evidently been exhausted.
Chen Chuan calculated the time; it should be late February by now.
After mastering and connecting the Two Great Stances, breaking through to the Longevity View realm would become relatively much easier. He had previously deduced that if all went smoothly, it would take roughly three to four months, or at most half a year.
If any obstacle arose, it might be prolonged further, but that was a pessimistic scenario.
That was why the maximum duration he had communicated to Center City was half a year; being away from Center City for too long risked unpredictable developments.
Fortunately, he had prepared before departing. After submitting an application to headquarters, he had passed the cultivation method to Xu Chan in advance. If Xu Chan progressed smoothly, he could reach the Fourth Limit within two to three months, ensuring that things would remain stable even in Chen Chuan's absence.
Still, with this recent period of enhancement, he might be able to move that timeline forward a bit.
"How was it? I spoke no falsehood, did I?"
Chen Chuan turned his eyes and saw the Xuanist appear once more. This time, the man stood near the cave entrance, still holding a horsetail whisk in his hand.
Chen Chuan said, "Indeed, you were not mistaken."
The Xuanist said, "That was merely my activating a layer of the ritual laid down here. Yet such blessings are purely external and have now run dry. But if you can correct the errors in your method, you can still ascend to higher realms even without relying on such aids. I wonder if you would be willing to hear me out?"
Chen Chuan replied, "If the Daoist Master is willing to speak, I am naturally all ears." Listening to both sides brought enlightenment, while heedless trust brought obscurity; hearing him out could do no harm. As a martial artist, he naturally possessed his own judgment regarding whether the other party's words held merit.
The Xuanist chuckled heartily. "Very well, then I shall share the key essentials with you." With that, he stepped forward a few paces, sat down before the stone table across from him, and pointed his horsetail whisk outward. "The heavens beyond the mortal realm have always been divided into the Near-Yang and the Far-Yin. You should understand this."
Chen Chuan nodded. This was essentially the distinction between the Period of Flux and the Period of Cold Silence: during the Period of Flux, the two worlds drew close, whereas during the Period of Cold Silence, they drifted apart.
The Xuanist smiled faintly and said, "The methods people use to bridge the Heavenly Bridge are almost all performed in an era of Near-Yang. Extremely few ever attempt to bridge it during an era of Far-Yin."
Chen Chuan nodded. That was only natural. During the Period of Flux, the two worlds drew close, mutated tissue grew active, and cultivating was far easier.
In the Period of Cold Silence, the two worlds pulled apart, and mutated tissue might cease growing altogether, making cultivation inherently difficult. During cold silence, the overall level of fighters across the world would even decline as a result—a restriction imposed by physical reality.
Even so, he glanced at the man again; from the sound of it, there seemed to be more to the matter.
The Xuanist said, "Bridging the Heavenly Bridge in a Near-Yang era is, in truth, merely letting water flow along its natural course." He shook his head. "It cannot be called brilliant. But if one can bridge it during an era of Far-Yin, that alone is true mastery.
"Though we dwell in a Near-Yang era today, employing Near-Yang methods will take you only a few steps forward. Yet by employing the Far-Yin method, one can reach far into the void and behold the profound mysteries."
Saying this, he chuckled again. "If another lacked the capability, I naturally would not speak of it—mediocre fools hardly warrant a second glance." He raised his whisk and pointed toward Chen Chuan. "Yet I see that your spirit reaches high and far. If you do not walk this path, it would truly be a pity."
With that, he lightly waved the whisk twice before his chest. "Moreover, you once practiced the methods of my Xuan Cult. Only by tying the past and present together can you achieve complete cohesion from beginning to end. While the method you currently employ is of superior quality, it ultimately does not fully align with you. Relying on it entirely will only create obstacles. Even if I do not spell out the reasoning, you should understand it yourself."
Chen Chuan pondered. Leaving aside the earlier method for the moment, that latter half was not entirely without merit.
The technique he currently practiced had been acquired from Wansong Company. It was indeed of high standing, but to say it fully suited him was not quite true either, for it only addressed the immediate hurdles he faced without accommodating his past accumulation.
In fact, he had long reflected on this and never intended to follow the technique's prescribed path to the letter; as long as the general direction was sound, adjusting the details posed no problem. Naturally, hearing how other doctrines expounded on the matter was even better.
The Xuanist smiled and said, "I shall impart the practice to you; whether you train in it or not is entirely your choice. Having practiced the 'Lingming Plucking Method,' you naturally know that the higher your spirit traverses, the greater the gains you reap. The principle is simple.
"According to my Xuan Cult, there are multiple Heavenly Barriers above, each bearing different names. But dwelling on them smacks of mystification, so I will not raise them, nor would they be of use to you. You need only know that the highest Heavenly Barrier is the most crucial. If you can entrust your spirit and feed upon the vapors there, immense benefits await. In our tradition, this is known as 'lighting the purple lamp.' Plant the golden lotus, light the purple lamp, refine away the hidden yin, and the Heavenly Bridge will cross itself."
Having said this, he proceeded to explain the method in detail, every clear word imbued with a subtle cadence.
Chen Chuan listened attentively. When the final phrase drifted away, he lifted his head to look, only to find ethereal mist swirling in the cavern. The Xuanist was gone, leaving only the fading echoes of his voice lingering in the air.
Chapter 1007