If anyone from Xuanqing's group had the sudden urge to turn back, they would undoubtedly see their "Immortal" laughing uproariously, slapping his knee and pounding the ground. Unfortunately, that group of people had been thoroughly frightened, and in this short span, they had already traveled several miles away. Even if Yu Ci laughed louder, they wouldn't hear him.
Yu Ci, having had his fill of laughter, no longer posed with the intimidating grandeur that had cowed the crowd. He simply found the most comfortable position, leaning against the incense table behind him, casually placing the long sword aside.
Why did he identify Xuanqing as a kindred spirit from the start? Because in the world of deception, big or small, everyone is cut from the same cloth.
"Immortal, Immortal, what a load of Immortal nonsense."
Yu Ci was very clear about his own capabilities. What sort of Immortal was he? At most, he was at a similar cultivation level as Xuanqing, plus some strong men with decent skills. If they saw through his disguise and he was surrounded, it would indeed be troublesome.
Of course, he could have bypassed this situation, or directly revealed his true colors at the entrance, escaping before everyone could surround him. But then, how could he enjoy the comfort and happiness of having a sheltered place all to himself, as he did now?
As he relaxed, he also began to estimate Xuanqing's true abilities. Judging from the Clear Mind Incantation, this man was able to use ordinary cinnabar to draw talismans and achieve spiritual responses, indicating that he was a cultivator of some skill, perhaps at the peak of the Acupoint Developing Stage.
In the world of cultivation, Qi Moving, Qi Breathing, and Acupoint Developing are known as the "Three Barriers of the Mundane".
Qi Movement is about tempering the body, guiding and expelling breath, resulting in a sensation of Qi, known as "Refining Essence into Qi".
Long Breathers are those whose Qi is abundant, forming Inner Breath True Qi. With each breath, great power is unleashed, and the Qi permeates the entire body, leading to Fleshly Metamorphosis. At this stage, ordinary people can extend their lifespan by a cycle of sixty years, living up to 150 years.
As for the Acupoint Developing Stage, there is no further progress in the physical body, but nourished by True Qi, the Divine Soul of a person becomes stronger, gradually opening the Spirit Orifice and experiencing some magical Spiritual Response. At this stage, if the Cultivation Level is reached, and supplemented by good cinnabar and peach wood, among other Spirit Guides, they can use Talismans, techniques, sorcery, and other methods. Even spells that Summon Wind and Rain, Scold Thunder and Draw Lightning are not impossible to perform.
Yu Ci was just like this. He was proficient in over a dozen talismans. Usually, he could use talismans to calm his mind and dispel evil, and he could barely manage to cast a few Palm Thunders. He figured Xuanqing must be similar.
However, this man was truly lacking in courage. The long sword that Yu Ci casually placed on his knee was originally intended to be used to strike first in case his true identity was exposed. But he didn't expect it to scare the man into jelly legs.
Perhaps, Xuanqing had tasted the bitterness of the 'higher realm'?
This was not impossible.
If one said that Acupoint Developing was the final stage of the 'Three Barriers of the Mundane', the pinnacle of worldly cultivation, then transcending the 'Three Barriers of the Mundane', advancing from the Acupoint Developing Stage to the next level, would truly catapult one out of the common, into a wondrous group composed of special humans and non-humans, and into a bizarre world of fantastical landscapes.
The people in that group were called Cultivators, and 'Drawing Qi to Form Talismans' was a unique ability exclusive to Cultivators.
Xuanqing, due to his limited understanding, could not discern clearly, and thought that he was a Cultivator from legends, which frightened him to the core. Yu Ci, on the other hand, had witnessed it firsthand...
As he stared into the campfire, Yu Ci gradually lost himself in thought. The fiery red light penetrated his half-closed eyes, casting a bewitching dance of shadows. In his trance, the flames licked his body, almost roasting his internal organs, and he leaped from this boundless sea of fire towards the table, towards the glint that could change his fate.
With a 'clink', Yu Ci abruptly snapped out of his reverie, realizing that he had accidentally bumped into the 'demonic creature's skull' next to him, which made him chuckle.
The demonic creature's skull rolled twice, its face facing the roaring campfire. Under the firelight, the red eyes emitted a strange glow, which caught Yu Ci's attention. To be honest, he didn't like this ugly thing, but when he was pretending with it earlier, he found that it felt very strange in his hand. It didn't feel like flesh and blood, but beneath the cold bone shell, there seemed to be a faint warmth emanating.
Well, it might be worth studying later.
Despite his intention to keep it, Yu Ci still found it odd to keep an unknown skull close to him. So, he wrapped it in a piece of cloth, adding another layer for good measure, before tucking it into his sleeve.
As he was storing the item, his fingertips brushed against something else. He laughed again, carefully put away the demonic creature's skull, straightened his body, and took out the object.
It was a round Divine Bronze Mirror, just palm-sized, with a flawless round shape and a smooth mirror surface that reflected every detail of one's face. However, when looking at the back of the mirror, there was no Mirror Button, only Engraved Yin Patterns, faint and irregular, as if they were casually drawn.
Indeed, it was a mirror, but Yu Ci didn't use it as one.
With the mirror surface facing up, he injected True Qi and gently shook it. The mirror surface suddenly emitted a green light, casting his hair and beard in a jade hue.
He bent his index and middle fingers and plucked at the green light reflected from the Divine Bronze Mirror. A hazy radiance separated from the main body of the green light, following the movement of his fingertips, creating clear trails in the air, attracting Divine Light dots, like glowing specks dancing around him.
This was the true face of 'Drawing Qi to Form Talismans'.
Yu Ci, after all, had not transcended the 'Three Barriers of the Mundane'. He also needed a Spirit Guide to draw talismans. The difference was that Xuanqing relied on Cinnabar Talisman Paper, while Yu Ci used the Divine Bronze Mirror in his hand as a substitute.
He drew forth a green radiance from his sleeve, tracing it in the air. With deft skill, he could easily create an image of gathering the Divine Light without the aid of any external object.
This kind of trickery, fooling and deceiving others, was second nature to Yu Ci. This was because of his background. When he was just a child, barely old enough to start cultivating his Qi, he was already known as the Immortal Child within the Twin Immortal Sect. Within a thousand miles, countless believers worshipped him, making him far more revered than Xuanqing, who pretended to be an immortal in this desolate mountain temple.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh again. However, his smile was cold, and the green light in the Divine Bronze Mirror was frosty, as if sensing his mood.
To the north, countless miles away, lay a country spanning a thousand miles, known as Chen. In Chen Country, home to a hundred thousand households, people didn't believe in Buddhism or Taoism, but in the so-called "Twin Immortals". The Twin Immortals, the male immortal Purple Thunder and the female immortal Red Yin, founded their sect in Chen Country. They could command the wind and summon the rain, create clouds and fog, and in the eyes of the people of Chen Country, they were no different from immortals.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Yu Ci served closely in the Twin Immortal Sect and was also revered as the "Immortal Child", worshipped by thousands. However, his temperament was different from ordinary people. He did not share the same fanaticism for the "Twin Immortals" as the people of Chen Country. After several years of service, he saw clearly that the so-called Twin Immortals were also flesh and blood, with their own desires and fears. In some respects, their desires were even stronger than those of ordinary people.
For example, their fear of death.
The Twin Immortals spent most of their time studying the so-called "Longevity Methods". Their ultimate goal of founding the sect in Chen Country was to achieve immortality, for which they were willing to sacrifice everything.
Because of this, the lives of the "Immortal Children" like Yu Ci were not as glamorous as they appeared to the outside world. Yu Ci knew very well that the so-called "Immortal Children" were actually used by the Twin Immortals to test various longevity methods. The Twin Immortals used the bait of "Eternal Youth and Immortality" to make them practice these strange and bizarre methods of longevity, regardless of the possible serious consequences.
The luckier ones, like Yu Ci, were assigned to study talismans. Although it was hard, it was relatively safe. But those who were less fortunate suffered from damage to their internal organs, ruptured meridians, madness, and eventually disappeared without a trace.
Yu Ci had been by the side of the Twin Immortals for more than four years, and the "Immortal Children" who were his peers had changed several times. He understood very well that if he continued like this, he would eventually join the ranks of those who had disappeared without a trace.
Fortunately, he was somewhat lucky. One night when he was thirteen, the Twin Immortals seemed to have been visited by an enemy. The sound of swords echoed throughout the universe, like thunder, with occasional aftershocks causing houses to collapse and trees to break, as if the end of the world had come.
While most people were burying their heads in fear, waiting for fate to decide their future, Yu Ci decided that this was his best chance to escape.
He was incredibly bold. Before running away, he rushed into the burning palace of the Purple Thunder Immortal and stole two treasures - the Divine Bronze Mirror in his hand and a copy of the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book". Then, amidst the chaos, he made his escape, disguising himself on the run.
Perhaps he had divine protection. In the following months, he managed to evade capture and escape from Chen Country, far away from the influence of the Twin Immortal Sect. The Twin Immortals never pursued him. However, he dared not linger near Chen Country. In the following years, he traveled south, covering thousands of miles, his knowledge and experiences growing every day. He realized how vast the world was and how many talented people there were. If he had only focused on Chen Country, he would have been as ignorant as a frog in a well.
He came to understand what kind of people the Twin Immortals were.
The Twin Immortals were also cultivators. This group of people, whether they were Dining on Rosy Clouds and Drawing in Energy, Consuming Elixir Refinement, Worshiping Gods and Ancestors, or Seeking Celestial Caves, all aimed to increase their cultivation level through various means, such as receiving incense offerings from others like the Twin Immortals. Their ultimate goal was to extend their lifespan through cultivation, eventually achieving eternal existence in the world and immortality.
Among cultivators, there were also differences in strength.
Nature-Connecting, Golden Elixir, Vacuum Walking, Taoism Immortal, Thunderbolt Tribulated, Earth Immortal.
These six realms, from low to high, were used to categorize the cultivators.
These six realms, along with Qi Movement, Qi Breathing, and Acupoint Developing, known as the "Three Barriers of the Mundane", were considered the nine stages of cultivation. However, they were not comparable at all. Starting from Nature-Connecting, each step up represented a drastic change.
The more detailed situation was not clear to Yu Ci, but he did know that Purple Thunder and Red Yin were experts at the Golden Elixir Stage. They could control instruments to fly in the sky, kill people hundreds of miles away with flying swords, had a lifespan of hundreds of years, and eternal youth. In the eyes of ordinary people, they were already very remarkable, like immortals.
Above them, however, there existed an even more profound realm. It was said that the strongest among the Cultivators could Dragon-Ride Cloud-Surf, overturn mountains and seas, and wield all sorts of unimaginable Great Mystical Powers.
Humans are always like this, once they see enough, they no longer find it strange. After wandering for a while, the shadow of the Twin Immortals that hung over Yu Ci's heart was blown away, replaced by a surge of adventurous impulse.
So, if they were not unique, nor was what they could do, why couldn't he?
Thus, Yu Ci began his cultivation, up until now.
A loud pop sounded from the campfire, breaking the tranquil atmosphere within the hall. Yu Ci exhaled, pulling himself out from his past memories, gently caressing the edge of the Divine Bronze Mirror, a pure sense of gratitude welling up in his heart.
Indeed, he could not help but be thankful for this treasure in his hand.
When he broke into the sleeping chamber of the Purple Thunder Immortal and stole this "Divine Bronze Mirror", it was the most valuable risk he had taken in his life.
Only after truly starting cultivation did he realize the difficulty of cultivation.
From learning the method of storing thoughts and breathing at the age of eight, aided by the Talisman path in the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book", he had only reached the peak of Acupoint Developing after more than ten years. He was still a long way from the basic standard of a true Cultivator - the "Nature-Connecting" realm, a hurdle that seemed insurmountable.
Catching up or even surpassing the Twin Immortals was a simple idea, but to implement it, besides unwavering belief, it required extraordinary courage, unparalleled luck, and of course, unimaginable consumption.
Cultivation might just be two words, but to truly practice it, it required a method, elixirs, spirit veins, and even for the path of Talisman, it required top-notch Cinnabar, Talisman paper, incense, and other full gear. As a Wandering Cultivator roaming all over, where could Yu Ci find these resources?
Thankfully, there was the Divine Bronze Mirror.
Over the years, Yu Ci did not just use it for show. In fact, saying it was for show was not accurate, the effect of the Divine Bronze Mirror was real.
Once stimulated by True Qi, this mirror would reflect a green light. This light was an excellent Spirit Guide. When used for Drawing Talismans, its effect was even more potent than that of Cinnabar or Talisman paper. It was readily available and could be produced as needed, almost without any consumption. For Yu Ci, who was not wealthy, this was more practical than any Miraculous pills.
The reason why Yu Ci was able to cultivate to this level, without anyone's guidance, relying on the stolen "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book", was largely due to this Divine Bronze Mirror.
However, this was still not enough. The road of cultivation was not something that could be sustained by merely one or two treasures. Yu Ci walked alone, enduring hardships. Every small progress required a price unimaginable to ordinary people. Yet, he did not lose heart. He was actively seeking a path to rapid progress, even if he gained nothing in the short term.
He wondered if the "Three Yang Talisman Sword" that White Sun Mansion used to exchange for the Shrimp Whisker Grass could serve as a reference, enabling him to make progress in the art of talisman.
His thoughts slowly dispersed, eventually returning to nothingness. Yu Ci entered a state of tranquility, as if asleep yet not. At this time, the vital energy of his five internal organs appeared as green, yellow, red, black, and white, with a misty state, gradually converging and rolling in the square inches of the spiritual platform.
Simultaneously, the cool energy in his Niwan organ circulated like a bead, like a bright moon, casting a clear radiance, its light raining down onto the five-colored mist in his heart, creating a gravitational pull between the two. The bright moon hung still in the sky, and the colored clouds slowly rose under its force, reaching the base of the twelve-story tower at his throat, then slowly sinking again, repeating the process.
During this process, his five internal organs, limbs, body, and orifices seemed to be drawn by this force, subtly resonating with the Niwan organ, interconnected. Gradually, the breath of his entire body merged into one, indistinguishable from each other, with the vital energy of the five organs as the core, forming a slightly thinner mist that permeated his body. Only in the brain, under the illumination of the moonlight, centered on the Niwan organ, the nine squares were serene, undisturbed by the mist below.
Because of its serenity, it was sensitive. After an unknown amount of time, Yu Ci, originally in a vague state, suddenly felt a sensation. A thought flickered, and the scene of the bright moon and colored clouds naturally dispersed, and he opened his eyes.
This method of contemplation was taught to Yu Ci in his youth by Red Yin Immortal. It was called the "Nine Houses & Moon Method," also known as "Chasing the Moon with Colored Clouds." As the name suggests, it used the spirit as the moon and the energy as the cloud. During contemplation, the intention was to merge the spirit and energy, penetrate the top of the head, and use this as a path to progress.
This method was not particularly extraordinary, but it was easy to start with, and its path was considered moderate and balanced. Yu Ci had practiced it intensively for twelve years and had reached the stage of spirit and energy resonance, opening the Spirit Orifice, and was able to constantly nourish the Divine Soul with True Qi, which was considered an achievement.
But now he was not in the mood to marvel at his own progress in cultivation. Because at this moment, there were some figures approaching outside the house. Purely based on their scent, Yu Ci knew that these people were not from Xuanqing's group, but he didn't know what their intentions were.
He tucked the Divine Bronze Mirror into his sleeve, held the long sword in his hand, slightly adjusted his state, ready to adapt to any changes.
After a short wait, there were shadows outside the house, but no one entered. Instead, someone knocked on the door frame through the front door that no longer had a door panel. "Friend inside, we're herb gatherers heading to Sky Rift Valley. May we come in?"
Yu Ci let out a small sigh of relief, released his grip on the sword, and then laughed heartily, "In this wilderness, there's no such thing as first come, first served. Please, come in."
His straightforward and generous demeanor undoubtedly eased others' doubts, and the night once again became lively.
*******
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e