A thunderous tremor echoed within Yu Ci's mind, as a flood of cryptic information poured in along with a beam of light. It suddenly sprang to life, forming a string of brief, clear sentences, which ultimately combined into a mantra. It was a guide on how to balance one's breath, how to mobilize one's intent, and what method to use to harmonize the two, finally applying it to the Divine Bronze Mirror.
"This is..." Yu Ci mulled over it more than a dozen times in his mind before realizing: This was the refining technique of the Divine Bronze Mirror!
This piece of information had always been hidden deep within the Divine Bronze Mirror in some form, even when it fell into the hands of Purple Thunder and Red Yin Twin Immortals, it had not been discovered. Perhaps Yu Ci was truly fortunate, having accidentally triggered the mechanism and received the information.
The mantra was concise, simply instructing one step by step without any unnecessary explanations. Fortunately, Yu Ci had already learned the basic concepts from Ye Tu, so he was not completely lost. In fact, this straightforward narrative style suited his taste better; there was no need to ponder over any profound mysteries, just follow the instructions.
Yu Ci also noticed that in this Refining Ritual mantra, there was only one part that he considered "nonsense". That was the initial step of "nurturing the mirror", where one's breath was to be merged with that of the Divine Bronze Mirror. The mantra achieved this through a lengthy and complex ritual text, filled with numerous praises to the so-called "Limitless Vacuum God". It explicitly states that it is with a sincere heart that the response of the deity is sought, to unlock the Divine Mirror Power.
However, Yu Ci obtained this Refining Ritual mantra a bit late. He did not worship the deity wholeheartedly as instructed by the mantra, but instead used the most crude method, keeping the Divine Bronze Mirror close to his body, constantly infusing it with True Qi, obtaining the Green Spirit Guide for the use of Drawing Talismans.
After living in such close quarters for twelve years, the nature of the object and the breath of the person harmonized naturally, bypassing the worship step. Once he stepped into the Nature-Connecting Realm and met the most basic refining requirements, everything fell into place.
This was precisely why Purple Thunder and Red Yin Twin Immortals could not unlock the magical effects of the Treasure Mirror - given their status, how could they possibly carry a mirror close to their bodies all year round? Even if they did carry it, they would store it in a Storage Ring, so how could they, like Yu Ci, keep it close to their bodies at all times, to the point of mutual breath communication?
Yu Ci's body stilled for a moment before he reached out and took down the suspended Divine Bronze Mirror. The Divine Bronze Mirror was surprisingly hot, as if it had been roasted on a fire for a long time, and a strange luster flowed on the mirror surface. He stared at the mirror, wishing he could dismantle it to see what incredible secrets were hidden inside.
Regardless, twelve years after acquiring it, he finally obtained the refining method for this treasure, declaring that he was, without a doubt, the rightful master of the Divine Bronze Mirror.
With such a gain, the dangers he had faced earlier seemed insignificant.
As if responding to his joyful mood, the Divine Bronze Mirror shone again, and the Divine Map, which had just disappeared, reappeared in the void. With a shift of thought, he could see a middle-aged man dressed in a Black Gold Long Robe and a Jade Belt around his waist, stepping onto a carriage on top of Cinnabar Cliff. Chief Steward Lu Yang, leading two young men, stood respectfully to one side, while the rest of the servants and warriors were prostrated on the ground, as if in the presence of a deity.
The carriage, drawn by four majestic Step Cloud Beasts, was constructed with ferocious beast bones and covered in Heavenly Silkworm Silk. It was not just an epitome of luxury, but also a marvel of engineering that could traverse mountains and wade through waters, covering thousands of miles in a single day with ease. Who else could command such respect and ride in such a carriage within the White Sun Mansion, other than its master, Jin Huan?
As this thought crossed Yu Ci's mind, he suddenly froze. The next moment, a thick fog descended, shrouding the clear scene in a heavy gloom, blurring the view.
Was that really Jin Huan he had just seen?
Yu Ci was still in doubt. He took a deep breath and focused his gaze again. The area within his sight was indeed blurred... But if he strained his eyes, he could still see the movements of figures within, albeit their faces were indistinguishable. Although the scene could not be restored to the crystal clarity of the previous moment, the intensely distorted light and shadows were no longer visible.
This was progress, and there was nothing more intuitive than such "progress."
Suppressing his joy, Yu Ci focused on the movement of the foggy spots. He noticed that they descended from the Cinnabar Cliff and turned towards the East Gate of Sheer Cliff City, heading in the same direction as him.
How good it was to be on the same path!
******************
Among the countless mountains in the world, the Broken Realm Mountain Range was not the most majestic, nor was it the richest in Spiritual Veins. However, it still held a significant position in the hearts of the inhabitants of this realm. This was because it was the source of the two longest rivers in this realm and the westernmost point of the Eastern Cultivation World. Heading west from here, one would reach the Sky Rift Valley, the boundary between the east and west, effectively dividing the geographical Cultivation World in two.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The Western World was far away. The legendary Boundless Buddha Country was a place most people, even most cultivators, never got the chance to visit in their lifetime. Therefore, in the minds of many, the Broken Realm Mountain was considered the end of the world.
It had been sixteen days since Yu Ci left Sheer Cliff City. He roamed the depths of the Broken Realm Mountain Range like a ghost in the wilderness. The mountain range was so vast that even with a Divine Map, he almost lost his way. Fortunately, he had a clear goal.
The Broken Realm Mountain Range was rarely visited by humans. Jin Huan's group of ten was probably the largest team within a thousand miles radius. They did not make any deliberate attempt to conceal their tracks, which made Yu Ci believe that even without the Divine Map, he would not lose them.
Of course, Yu Ci would never risk getting too close. After observing for a while, he felt the overwhelming power of a Golden Elixir cultivator more keenly. At a fixed time every day, when Jin Huan was meditating and adjusting his breath, the True Sha energy he emitted stirred the surroundings, causing the Primordial Qi within a mile radius to boil and affect an area of ten miles. As depicted in the Divine Map, that region almost seemed to be on fire. Lu Yang and others had to keep their distance to carry on their activities normally.
This also afforded Yu Ci an opportunity to gather information. Over the past few days, he had identified the identities of everyone present, aside from Jin Huan, Lu Yang, and Kuang Yan Qi, there were six accompanying warrior guards. Additionally, there was Jin Huan's grandnephew, Jin Chuan, who was a year younger than Kuang Yan Qi, yet at the same Divine communication cultivation level, and was considered alongside Kuang Yan Qi as one of the new generation of cultivators in the mansion.
Jin Huan held great expectations for them. This time, he brought the two young men along, seemingly preparing to send them into a certain sect’s "Mountain Gate" for cultivation. Along the way, although Yu Ci did not see Jin Huan in person, he heard Lu Yang mentioning "the Mansion Master said" more than once, instilling the value of this opportunity into the two youngsters.
Looking back now, it seemed that Lu Yang, before leaving, had also roped in Kuang Zheng to give lessons to his own disciples, in preparation for what was to come.
As for the sect, it was called the Lichen Sect.
The sect sounded unfamiliar, but judging by the importance Jin Huan and the others placed on it, it was evidently not to be taken lightly.
It was time for Jin Huan to practice his skills again. After Lu Yang had inspected the defenses of the accompanying warriors, he turned back and spoke to the two young men, "We will arrive in just three hundred miles. The Mansion Master's intention is for you to conserve your energy and rest here for the night. Tomorrow, you must be in your best condition. We cannot lose face for the White Sun Mansion."
With Lu Yang saying this, his disciples naturally obeyed. However, as the grandnephew of the Mansion Master, Jin Chuan could afford to ask a few more questions:
"I remember Uncle mentioning that the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate is near the source of the Luo River, a full seventy thousand miles from the sheer cliff city. Even if we travel at a rate of eighteen hundred miles a day for half a month, we would only cover less than thirty thousand miles, not even half the distance. How is it that we are already arriving?"
As the third in command in the mansion, Lu Yang maintained a minimum level of respect for this young master. He chuckled and said:
"The Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect is not a place where ordinary people can enter. We cannot go directly, but must first arrive at the Sect's External Affair Temple, the Still Heart Temple. Once we reach there, we can ask the Immortal Elder from the mountain to come down and receive us. However, in a few days, young master, you are likely to become the first person on the tens of thousands of miles of land around the sheer cliff city to step into the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate as an Outer Sect Monk."
Lu Yang's status was clear and present. Even if Jin Chuan were overly proud, he wouldn't dare to outright accept his flattery. He chuckled and replied, "Traveling with Senior Brother Kuang, we naturally encourage and inspire each other..."
While these individuals were exchanging pleasantries, unbeknownst to them, someone from miles away was observing their every move, missing nothing but their voices.
"Still Heart Temple?"
Yu Ci seemed lost in thought, but his attention quickly returned to the Divine Bronze Mirror in his hands.
At this moment, a warm sensation filled his body, like being soaked in warm water. The heat permeated his pores, enveloping his body inside and out. Under his spiritual guidance, this warmth was channeled into the Divine Bronze Mirror. Currently, he was refining the Divine Bronze Mirror.
Refining was a crucial step that no cultivator in the Cultivation World could bypass. The treasures of the Cultivation World were classified into Magical Treasures, Magical Instruments, and Artisan Tools. Among them, Magical Treasures were the best, followed by Magical Instruments, and lastly, Artisan Tools. These categories were further divided into various levels, making it quite complex.
Artisan Tools only required the touch of an Artisan Master and could be used immediately after being forged, without any refining. Therefore, they were considered ordinary tools with limited power.
However, Magical Instruments and Magical Treasures not only required a great deal of effort from the Artisan Master, but also required the user to blend their own essence, energy, and spirit with the tool over years of refinement. This process allowed the user to connect with the tool, not only increasing its power during combat but also allowing the two to grow together. Even the most ordinary tool could become a powerful treasure.
Take for example the Golden Knife and the Jade Knife that Ye Tu used in the Sky Rift Valley. The materials used for both were not vastly different, both were as tough and sharp as iron. However, the former was much more powerful than the latter, mainly because Ye Tu had spent time refining it during his travels, resulting in this stark contrast.
With such a precedent, how could Yu Ci not put his heart into it?
The method of refining the Divine Bronze Mirror was peculiar, and the Divine Map played an extremely important role in it.
The Refining Ritual also included a method to activate the Divine Map, but it relied on the preceding incantations, invoking the "Limitless Vacuum God" to open it. However, with his years of experience as a charlatan, Yu Ci felt there was more trickery involved.
Although his method of activating the Divine Map seemed inexplicable, it was more practical than the shamanistic method. Interestingly, the image reflected in the void was also referred to as the "Divine Map", a coincidental agreement.
Of course, all these were trivial details. The real key was the entire set of refining methods based on the Divine Map. This truly opened Yu Ci's eyes and proved infinitely beneficial.
*******
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e