Starlight pressed down from a hundred miles above, bringing with it the overpowering notion of "resting in peace." Yu Ci, a man, found himself unable to resist, pressed hard into the earthen layer. All his breathing and metabolism ceased, making him appear as a corpse. Yet, his Heart-Mind remained crystal clear and pure, unflustered, fearless, dwelling within the Inner Void of the Heart.
The Inner Void of the Heart was no longer as it was before, it could hardly be called a "void" now, only a swirling mass of Nebulous Chaos. The original Bright Moon Forest and the creatures of the small lake, such as the Fish-Dragon, had all merged into it, their previous forms barely discernible.
This was the result of the Black Fear Tide burning his Divine Soul Vitality and assaulting the Inner Void of the Heart. Though the black tide had receded, it would take some time to recover. Yu Ci had no immediate intention of allowing it to heal. He understood that the current Chaos Qi, even more tumultuous than when the Black Fear Tide attacked, was brimming with vitality and potential for growth.
Having gained profound insight into the Life-Death Mechanism at the brink of life and death, and dispelled the great fear of mortality, Yu Ci had entered the legendary realm of "Divine Enlightenment." The mysteries he had failed to comprehend before were now illuminated, and when one thing was understood, everything was:
"Using the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form to form a Mental Image indeed has a fatal flaw."
Relying on external forces was not the righteous path. If the image was truly formed by his own profound insight and fused with his body and spirit, he should not be confused by the Ten Orientation Hell Ghost Shaking Technique. The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form was too strong and mysterious before, masking the flaws. But now, facing a true power, such problems were highlighted, almost dragging him into the abyss of the Ten Thousand Thunderbolt Tribulation.
"Now I understand, and it's not too late."
Yu Ci's mind was filled with divine light, and he was confident: "I was thinking in the wrong direction before. Forming a Mental Image is difficult and easy at the same time. The grand way is actually very simple. We Cultivators only need to focus on one thing. Having gained insight into the Life-Death Mechanism, this alone can represent the essence of my ten years of cultivation. Together with the Physical Spirit, I will use this as the foundation to rebuild the Mental Image and recreate the void!"
These principles sound simple, but if he had not been cultivating in the Lichen Sect for several months, guided by Old Master Zhu, and gradually learned the Profound Principles, he would not have such a clear understanding. But just as he was about to reshape the Inner Void of the Heart, another thought jumped out:
"Wait, speaking of Old Master Zhu... What am I missing?"
Yu Ci's current state of Divine Enlightenment was very precious. Not only could he understand many principles and solve problems, but he also had a more mysterious intuition that flickered from time to time. Once he gained insight, he would naturally attach Profound Principles to it, making it more substantial. In just a blink of an eye, the vague thought became clear:
"The Life-Death Mechanism is my painstaking creation, tangible and real. It serves as my pen tip, integrating and controlling the billions of Qi Mechanisms within me. The Depicting Mental Imagery is fitting, yet the principles behind this method are too profound. I have managed to achieve success by roughly applying the structure of the Three Realms of Yin and Yang and invoking the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, but my Taoist Foundation is unstable. This is because I lack clear understanding and have taken shortcuts. If I would devote myself to studying the Taoist Scriptures and understanding the Profound Principles, perhaps in three to five years, it wouldn't be like this.
"However, I started my Taoist journey late, naturally making me weaker in the area of Profound Principles. The elders have me cultivate in the Empirical Department, presumably because they share this view. Therefore, to merge with my Physical and Spiritual Foundation and Depicting Mental Imagery, I need to begin from the most practical and reliable aspects. What is practical and reliable? Naturally, it is what I am most stable at, best at, and can rely on the most... Ah, I see!"
So that's it!
With this thought, thousands of Divine Lights burst forth, a thunderclap sounded, and the Chaotic Cloudy Qi exploded open, just like Pangu Creating the World, Distinguishing Between the Pure Sky and the Impure Earth, Spiritual Nurturing, and the birth of all things. Even though it was a simple and brief process, it faintly resembled the Creation of Heaven and Earth. A void was created in an instant, but it was empty and grey, filled with deathly silence.
Yu Ci's heart and mind were clear, and he was not surprised. The Primordial Root Qi Method was activated, with the Manipulation of Divine Consciousness as the hand, and the Life-Death Mechanism as the pen and ink, drawing in the void. The strokes were complex, and he first wrote the character for "quiet."
This is the Clear Mind Incantation, the most basic Talisman. But no matter how simple the Talisman is, it is written by gathering the Divine Soul Vitality. Yu Ci's whole body's Qi and Blood Divine Soul solidified. However, this Talisman was not enough to control Yu Ci's Physical Spirit, and it faded away after a slight shake.
Yu Ci didn't mind, and he drew a few more strokes. This time he drew the Palm Thunder, naturally, this Talisman was also not qualified, and it faded away as soon as it was drawn. This set off a chain reaction, with Talismans like the Evil Exorcise Talisman, Great Sun Talisman, Five-Thunder Talismans, Seven Dipper Star Sword Talisman, Mist Flow Concealing Talisman, Five-orientation Telepathizing Talisman, and other low-level Talismans flashing and disappearing. After dozens of breaths, even the recently learned Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman, Heavenly River Prayer Incantation, Supreme Polaris Star Pivot Avatar, and a series of "Heavenly Flying Stars" Talismans were all drawn once.
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There was no suitable talisman here, yet every time a talisman was drawn or scattered, the divine light of the disassembled talisman danced in the void, with the Divine Soul Vitality following its rhythm. The frequency of this cycle increased in a short period, intensifying the mental effort required. The Divine Soul Vitality subtly showed a trend of internal cohesion, no longer dispersing easily. In such layered accumulation, when it reached the extreme, a humming resonance finally reverberated, counter-impacting Yu Ci's heart-mind, transforming into an impulse, swelling his entire Qi and Blood, and prompting his pen to move again.
Boom!
At this moment, Yu Ci's Divine Soul Vitality seemed to converge, and where the pen fell, at the Inner Void of the Heart, a strong light suddenly emerged. The distorted light waves circulated like a wheel within a radius of several feet, humming and spinning. The edges were as sharp as a sword, and in the center, a Seal Script appeared.
Upon closer inspection, it was the character "生" (life). With a slight stir of Yu Ci's thoughts, the Seal Script suddenly blurred, and when it became clear again, it had transformed, becoming the character "死" (death). This continuous transformation from life to death accelerated, and after watching it a few times, it could almost confuse the viewer.
However, Yu Ci was not confused at all. On the contrary, he felt exhilarated, almost wanting to laugh out loud:
"The Mental Image has been formed! Indeed, this is a talisman!"
He transformed the Mental Image into a unique talisman. This talisman was unique in the sense that it had never existed between heaven and earth before, but was a convergence of his Divine Soul Vitality and Cultivation Philosophy.
The subtlety of the Primordial Root Qi Method could not be fully embodied by a single talisman, even if it was drawn with the insight of life and death. But where in the world does one achieve perfection in one step? In the past, when Yu Ci practiced the Primordial Root Qi Method, his biggest shortcoming was his pursuit of all-encompassing knowledge, which was abstract and unreal. Now, being able to draw this talisman with the insight of life and death, although he could not exhaustively explore the essence of this method, it provided him with a tangible ladder in his study of this method, which could be used for climbing.
In his future cultivation, he would follow the theory of Constructing Talisman, and complete this talisman step by step. This practical approach was far beyond what could be reached by the obscure and profound principles. This talisman was precisely the pointer to the subtlety of Yu Ci's Primordial Root Qi Method's transition from the abstract to the concrete. Old Master Zhu's judgment was insightful, and it was a pity that he only realized it today!
Returning to the matter at hand, had he not spent the previous four months diligently studying the Talisman under a renowned master, he would not even be on the brink of enlightenment!
"Life and death, a cycle, a transformation of the God of Death, this Talisman is indeed the Life Death Talisman!"
As this thought settled, the Life Death Talisman shone brighter, casting its radiance into the murky Inner Void of the Heart, transforming it into a panorama of dazzling colors. With another thought from Yu Ci, a ripple spread from the Talisman, emanating from within and spreading throughout his body.
"Summon the Divine Power from all directions!"
In an instant, the Inner Void of the Heart underwent a transformation. In the blink of an eye, the scene of a moonlit lake in a dark forest appeared, with a Fish-Dragon frolicking amidst it, as if time had reversed to before the onslaught of the Black Fear Tide.
"The Life Death Talisman is fundamental, everything else is but an accessory, this is true for the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, the Divine Bronze Mirror, and so on!"
Therefore, Yu Ci did not mind the external appearance of the Inner Void of the Heart reverting to its previous form. It now had a solid and stable core, with the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form taking a secondary role, serving only as a mental image for shape-shifting.
After some thought, Yu Ci cast a beam of white light, and an imprint appeared on the Fish-Dragon's forehead. It was the characters "Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure", the reflection of the Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal in the Inner Void of the Heart. This was not the end, the front half of the Fish-Dragon's body suddenly twisted, slowly extending two sharp claws, its body taking on a strange golden-green hue, with a chilling glint. This was the transformation of the Double Hook Palace Tassel.
In addition to the Hundred Spirits Transforming Radiance Veil and other Magical Instruments, which Yu Ci used less frequently, he set them aside for the time being. After these transformations, he looked again at the Inner Void of the Heart, particularly the transformation of the Fish-Dragon. It seemed as simple as child's play, but it was proof that the Inner Void of the Heart was completely controlled by Yu Ci's mental image, making it more lively than before.
"Wonderful, truly wonderful!"
Upon "donning" these Magical Instruments and Divine Power External Appearances, Yu Ci felt that the Rune Patterns on the core Life Death Talisman naturally made minor adjustments to better adapt to the newly acquired abilities. The profoundness was indescribable, yet it was indeed achieved.
With a heart filled with joy, Yu Ci was eager to know the extent of his progress after reorganizing the Inner Void of the Heart. He strained himself, intending to break free from the depths of the earth.
However, he remained immobile!
Startled, Yu Ci remembered that he had been buried alive. Affected by the Ten Orientation Hell Ghost Shaking Technique, the memories of over forty cultivators lingered in his Sea of Consciousness before their death. The terrifying imprint of the Armored Cultivator was especially vivid and intense. The method used by the Hundred Miles Flying Star to imprison him beneath the earth was beyond imagination.
"Which powerful being has come to play in the Sword Garden?"
Yu Ci was both puzzled and annoyed, yet he felt no fear. A cultivator who could withstand the Ten Orientation Hell Ghost Shaking Technique indeed had the right to claim fearlessness.
However, among the residual fragments of memory, one matter greatly concerned Yu Ci. In his view, its importance even surpassed the Armored Cultivator who had harmed him repeatedly. He must prepare early. But for now, the most important thing was to break free.
He didn't think any further, gathering his strength to break through the surrounding confinement. Unexpectedly, the surrounding soil and rocks were as hard as iron due to some technique used by that person. They had perhaps undergone some property change, and he couldn't escape even with the Five Elements Escape Technique.
In fact, the person had also placed a Seal on Yu Ci that was stronger than the confinement of the surrounding soil and rocks. However, he didn't expect that Yu Ci, who practiced the Primordial Root Qi Method and reorganized the Inner Void of the Heart, would optimize his Divine Soul Vitality during the change of Mental Image, effortlessly bypassing most of the Seal. The remaining part was gradually swallowed under the surge of Yu Ci's Primordial Qi.
Therefore, when Yu Ci gathered his strength for the second time, the flow of Primordial Qi around his body became even more abundant, penetrating his limbs and contending with the external Earth Prison, wave after wave. Moreover, when the Primordial Qi within Yu Ci's body was at its most turbulent, a sudden roar sounded in his ears, the Inner Void of the Heart trembled, and some internal Mechanism was activated.
External Primordial Qi surged in like a flood breaking through a dam.
...