Intercalation of Pin Water

Chi Buzi waited for a few breaths before Dangjiang finally stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Reporting to the Immortal General... this person was personally designated by the Sovereign back then, permitted to ascend to the heavens to seek the Dao. Now... having accumulated his initial immortal merits, he comes specially to pay his respects, hoping only for the Immortal General's guidance so that he might have hope for a Golden Core." Dangjiang knelt dutifully, tugging at Chi Buzi with both hands to signal that he should present the token. Though Chi Buzi was an eminent Violet Palace cultivator, he dropped to his knees without hesitation, his expression perfectly natural as he respectfully said: "This humble cultivator offered up two demons in sacrifice to exchange for immortal merits as capital for the Dao. They are all recorded within this token. I beg Your Excellency for guidance." A heavenly soldier immediately came down from the dais, took the token from Chi Buzi's hands, and carried it all the way to Lu Jiangxian, who was manifested as Zhengao. The soldier reported: "Your Excellency, there are six hundred and forty-one immortal merits within the token." Zhengao nodded slightly, glanced at the two of them, and answered: "Go seek an intercalary status." Dangjiang could no longer quite understand these words, and Chi Buzi also hesitated. His Qingchi lineage of Lushui was formidable, enough to overawe all cultivators, but precisely because this lineage originated from Lushui, Chi Buzi's knowledge of the Golden Core realm was surprisingly meager. Though he had made every effort over the years to collect records and gained quite a harvest, he was an astute man—how could he not seize this opportunity to inquire further? He immediately bowed and said: "Reporting to Your Excellency... this humble cultivator's lineage is crude, and my cultivation shallow; I am completely in the dark regarding matters of the Golden Core... It was only in Anhuai Heaven that I received the Immortal Lord's favor and was granted hope. What Your Excellency speaks of is profound; I humbly beg you to explain..." Lu Jiangxian chuckled inwardly. 'He is actually using me to back himself up!' Having read an immense sea of ancient texts and possessing immortal incantations as a guiding thread, he understood far more about the Golden Core realm—whether through empirical evidence or theoretical deduction—than Chi Buzi did, and he was actually quite confident. These secrets were profound lore that could never be lightly imparted. Chi Buzi was someone who would not release the falcon until he saw the hare, and Lu Jiangxian was keen to keep using him, so he did not hold back. He said softly: "Given your current circumstances, that True Monarch of Lushui cannot be removed, so you have no hope of attaining the fruit status; you know this as well... Yet you happen to be of his transmitted lineage, and his gaze is fixed on you. He will not even let you attain a surplus status. If you try to collide head-on with him on the path of Lushui, it is no different from seeking your own doom. The only path left for you is an intercalary status." Chi Buzi's breathing suddenly grew heavy. In a low voice, he asked: "This humble cultivator boldly asks Your Excellency... which intercalary status should I seek?" To ordinary cultivators, surplus and intercalary statuses were entirely ethereal, unheard-of concepts. Even direct descendants of Violet Palace lineages only vaguely knew they existed. Across the Three Sects and Seven Gates, grand Golden Core lineages as they were, not a single scripture or manual clearly recorded how to pursue a surplus or intercalary status... No matter what he had encountered before, Chi Buzi could always seize upon the crux of the problem. The answer to this question weighed heavier than Mount Tai in the entire world, its value unimaginable. Yet Zhengao acted as though he had heard a simple question, shaking his head and saying: "That depends on your divine abilities. Lushui and Pin Water have an intercalation. Among the five divine abilities, 'Sound of the Cavern Spring', 'Ru Chongzhuo', and 'Chougui Cang' are all intercalations of Pin Water. Yet you went out of your way to cultivate 'Clear Dusk Rain'—that makes things troublesome." How sharp Chi Buzi's mind was! As those unhurried words fell, his expression shifted several times. 'Lushui and Pin Water have an intercalation.' What did this signify? It meant that he, Chi Buzi, could use this to pursue the intercalary status of Pin Water! His composure—unshaken even if Mount Tai collapsed before him—finally shattered. In his eyes shone the shock of sudden enlightenment, confusion and realization intertwining repeatedly. Relying on his own cultivation and the ancient books he had gathered, Chi Buzi had actually entertained thoughts about Pin Water and Fushui long ago. Back then, he had even guessed that Yingze was a True Monarch of Fushui, prompting him to take risks to show loyalty... Now that he knew certain divine abilities were known as intercalations of Pin Water, more than half the fog in his mind cleared away. Yet merely knowing that Lushui and Pin Water had an intercalation was not the core issue... The key lay in which immortal foundation to use to make up the shortfall. And what method was needed to seek the gold? Countless thoughts surged in his mind at once, yet he still made a judgment based on his cultivation experience. Suppressing his excitement, he replied: "In former years, the seniors of my lineage sought only the surplus status of Lushui in vain, never daring to dream of an intercalary status. By my generation, having discerned the True Monarch's intentions, I harbored thoughts of scheming for an intercalary status... but I never imagined that 'Clear Dusk Rain' would ruin the grand design..." Zhengao had already picked up a jade slip and begun reading it casually, replying as he did so: "Had you not cultivated 'Clear Dusk Rain', the karmic affinity of the Pin Water path would have been exquisite. But once you cultivated this divine ability—'Clear Dusk Rain' being a late rain and an orthodox fruit of Lushui—it falls into discord with Pin Water." Chi Buzi finally understood. The Chi family inherently possessed 'Ru Chongzhuo' and 'Sound of the Cavern Spring'; only Qingchi's 'Clear Dusk Rain' came from the sect's reserves. Naturally suspicious, he immediately laid the blame on Lushui, saying in a low voice: "As matters stand now... I beg Your Excellency to illuminate the path forward!" Zhengao stroked the token in his hand, and the glow upon it instantly dimmed. Dangjiang watched with an aching heart, but Chi Buzi did not care in the slightest, waiting below with utmost deference until he heard Zhengao speak: "There is a strain in Fushui known as 'Morning Cold Rain'. Are you aware of it?" Chi Buzi certainly knew of it. Without a moment's hesitation, he replied: "This humble cultivator has heard of it. Fushui's 'Morning Cold Rain' is often seen in the East Sea, and quite a few descendants of Lushui demon beasts follow this path..." Zhengao said softly: "If you are to attain your next divine ability, you should cultivate this path." Chi Buzi was taken aback slightly, feeling considerable unease in his heart. After all, if a Violet Palace cultivator attained the wrong divine ability, their cultivation would inevitably grind to a complete halt. Cultivators of Jiangnan only ever dared to use another path to make up their final divine ability, and even then, it required endless calculation to prevent conflicts among the abilities... It was by no means a simple matter. What was more, asking a Lushui cultivator to use a Fushui divine ability to attain a Pin Water intercalary status sounded utterly preposterous. If he had heard this proposal a day earlier, Chi Buzi would have slapped whoever suggested it into ash. He could not make sense of it no matter how he pondered, until he saw Zhengao raise his brows and say: "'Morning Cold Rain' represents falling snow meeting the morning light, transforming into chilling rain. The rain is nestled within the snow, and snow serves as the valley of rain. Within Fushui, it is an intercalation of Pin Water. Fortunately, it can bridge upward to those three Pin Water intercalations and connect downward to 'Clear Dusk Rain'. Though not as ideal as cultivating two other Pin Water arts, it remains a viable path." The more Chi Buzi listened, the more reasonable it sounded. He nodded repeatedly, trust beginning to take root in his heart. In any case, this approach still retained four Lushui abilities, remaining within conventional reason. Even if he had no chance of attempting the Golden Core, his life would at least be preserved. Chi Buzi actually felt that forsaking 'Clear Dusk Rain' to practice three Lushui abilities and two Pin Water abilities sounded more like a joke... 'Predecessors and ancient scriptures have long made it clear: cultivating even a single divine ability outside one's golden nature halts one's cultivation completely. Cultivating two? Even if one could manage it, how many days could one survive before exploding to death?' He mused that if presented with both paths, he too would choose the five divine abilities consisting of four Lushui and one Fushui. He even rejoiced that he had already cultivated 'Clear Dusk Rain'; otherwise, it would have been awkward to refuse the suggestion. He then said: "This 'Morning Cold Rain'..." Chi Buzi was not without this Fushui cultivation method, but he knew nothing of the wondrous subtleties of intercalations and surpluses. Naturally, he wanted to ask to be safe, hoping above all that the other party could produce a tailor-made scripture, his tone full of eager yearning. Lu Jiangxian had been waiting for this very question. Having dangled the carrot, Chi Buzi would naturally take the bait willingly. Controlling Zhengao, he smiled and said: "That is simple enough. 'Morning Cold Rain' is, after all, a Fushui method, so it is best modified to better fit your Dao path. If you have sufficient immortal merits, you need only request a scripture from the Mansion. The subsequent method of seeking gold is the same; neither is difficult." These words made Chi Buzi's heart race with excitement. Yet Lu Jiangxian knew how capable this man was and harbored some concern of his own. After all, composing a cultivation method took time, and he feared Chi Buzi might pull off some massive sweep, sacrificing a mountain of Lianmin in one go. If he could not produce the method then, and with a method for seeking gold being completely out of reach at his current level, things would turn awkward. He promptly added with a sigh of regret: "However, let me remind you that my colleagues in the Mansion are not as easygoing as I am. None of them hold a favorable view of the Purple Gold method. You had best not frequent that place; if you have requests, have Dangjiang make them on your behalf. The cost will not be small either... Strive hard!" The explanation was entirely reasonable. Chi Buzi even felt some doubts resolved and suspicion dispelled. He and Dangjiang bowed respectfully and backed out beyond the terrace. The green-robed man looked utterly refreshed, radiant with vitality. Dangjiang, meanwhile, stared at the token in Chi Buzi's hand. Of the six hundred and forty-one immortal merits, only a fraction—forty-one—remained. Chi Buzi did not care in the slightest. 'What a joke! The mere lives of two demon beasts. That single sentence—"Lushui and Pin Water have an intercalation"—how many lives of a lineage's Violet Palace cultivators is that worth?' Shaohui was waiting outside, cradling her pipa. She had always found Chi Buzi rather distasteful, but she was a very patient person and escorted them out without uttering a word. Once in the courtyard, both men breathed a sigh of relief. This time, Dangjiang was on guard against him, and Chi Buzi brought up no talk of gifts either. Instead, he said solemnly: "Once I return this time, I will gradually gather immortal merits. Doing too much of this will arouse suspicion, and my future path will be one walking on thin ice where soul and body could be destroyed at any moment. If I perish, your path to advancement will vanish as well. "You are safe in the heavens. Please inquire on my behalf about the path of the scripture and how much it will cost. If there is an opportunity, gather some spirit pills, wondrous medicines, or assistance from mighty experts for me—it is also helping yourself." "Does that need you to tell me?" Dangjiang spat in disdain. The words 'foolish ass' nearly slipped from Chi Buzi's mouth, but in the end, he vanished into the circular pool. Dangjiang watched with envious longing, then took a step, suddenly realizing something was off. "Bloody hell... Chi the dog earns three hundred merits at a time hunting demons, while I... I seem to be earning less than his spare change! Why don't I get a cut? When subordinates do the work, how can it be called work if you don't skim sixty or seventy percent off them?!" ... Taiyin Mansion of Huasu Yuanming Shengqing. Heavy snow fluttered. Beside the table, Lu Jiangxian's figure slowly manifested. In the center of the desk sat a jade pot, filled to the brim with a divine ability that shimmered like a starry sky and vast ocean of blue and white, still radiating brilliance. 'Chi Buzi has essentially bought it... At least he can cultivate to the peak of Violet Palace first. With two hundred years ahead, he can be counted as a trump card.' Lu Jiangxian had not really deceived him. By his own deductions, if a matching method of seeking gold could be found, though this path was bizarre and arduous, it was indeed a narrow path pointing directly toward the Golden Core. "Creating a cultivation method for 'Morning Cold Rain' isn't difficult either. Back then, Chi Buzi was able to break through relying on talisman qi, proving that talisman qi is indeed inextricably linked to divine abilities, possessing the power to resonate with and nurture them. As long as I only write it up to Foundation Establishment, it becomes far simpler." Lu Jiangxian had plenty of gray talismans in hand, as well as a stockpile of seven white talismans. Although the sacrificial rites did not document it, the potency of these two grades of talisman qi was bound to differ: "Chi Buzi is highly capable. When the time comes, I'll reward him with a gray talisman and let him grind his way through the breakthrough bit by bit. The white talismans will be saved for that fellow Li Ximing so he can cultivate 'Jun Daowei' faster, sparing him from being chased all over the place." He had molded several human bodies and tested it multiple times: once one achieved the Violet Palace, talisman qi could indeed resonate with the previous divine ability and aid in nurturing the next. "Li Ximing's 'Yetian Gate' is not yet complete. It will take quite some time before it can be put to use." He gathered his thoughts and observed for a while. Finding that Chi Buzi outside was behaving normally, he flicked his sleeve. From the floor emerged an exquisite, miniature seven-colored peacock with a golden beak and golden feet. The true body of this peacock should have been as massive as a mountain, but upon entering the world within the mirror, it had been suppressed by him into a tiny creature. Lu Jiangxian cast two glances at it and formed an estimate: "Far inferior to Fuyu. Both body and soul have flaws. Though its true spirit was forcibly captured by the magical mirror, it ultimately carries not a single divine ability. It can serve as mediocre sustenance, but using it is utterly dull." These Lianmin had heads full of scriptures, and the spells they learned were worthless once divorced from the Buddhist lands, leaving only a few innate instincts of a peacock. Even if he pulled it up to write spells, it would just be an empty-headed mediocrity. Now, raising his hand gently, the peacock on the ground immediately dissolved into wisps of multicolored light that leaped up, swiftly converging into his palm to congeal into a seven-colored glazed orb the size of a fingernail. Lu Jiangxian had originally intended to take a soul and pair it with Fuyu's Shaoyin divine ability to refine talisman qi. However, the Lianmin possessed no divine abilities, only raw cultivation, whereas the Shaoyin divine ability had other uses. So he simply took the entire peacock to use. "Come!" The entire heavenly palace instantly froze. Every heavenly soldier and heavenly general stood motionless as a statue. The golden incense faith suppressed beneath this massive palace surged forth, arching across the sky and flying straight toward the seven-colored glazed orb in his hand. The golden lake that Dangjiang and the others saw beneath the Twelve White Jade Bridges was merely a corner. The incense of millions of common folk around the lake, accumulated year after year, had condensed beneath the heavenly palace into a vast golden lake, which was now diminishing at a terrifying rate. Lu Jiangxian had never experienced such consumption when condensing talisman qi before, never having even considered whether incense was sufficient. Now, the expenditure for azure talisman qi leaped from tens of thousands to millions. Fortunately, thanks to the day-and-night accumulation of nearly fifty years, even as the water level of the golden lake sank little by little, it held out in the end. A speck of azure light emerged before him. Innumerable profound patterns materialized in the air, spreading like spiderwebs, while all sorts of immortal chimes and string music sounded out of thin air. The talisman qi swayed gently, seemingly observing its surroundings with curiosity. Lu Jiangxian caught it with a wave of his hand and pressed it into his palm, causing all anomalies to vanish. The golden lake beneath his feet undulated, leaving behind less than half its volume. "Everything is in place. Once the Li family's sacrificial offering concludes, I can bestow it down via the talisman seed."