Yu Ci counted them—one by one—until he reached six. They were almost evenly distributed across the spherical structure, none adjacent to another. Yet, upon closer inspection, the twisted Rune Patterns converged in the distance. Even if all other Talismans were removed, these six alone could interlock to outline the sphere.
"Could this be... the six talismans of the Nine Luminaries?" Yu Ci quickly recognized his target.
The art of the "Heavenly Flying Stars" formed a system unto itself, comprising of three categories—Gods Impelling, Alchemical Refinement, and Prayer Incantation—totaling thirty-six symbols, which were further divided into four levels based on the number of Key points: Nine Luminaries, Twelve Celestial Stems, Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and Celestial Stars Numerology (thirty-six). Each of the Nine Luminaries and Twelve Celestial Stems levels contained six Talismans, while the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and Celestial Stars Numerology (thirty-six) each held twelve.
The six talismans of the Nine Luminaries were the simplest within the "Heavenly Flying Stars" Talisman series, with each Talisman having no more than nine Key points. Even Cultivators at the Communion with the Divine Cultivation Level, with a decent grasp of Talisman craft, could wield them. Among these six Talismans, Yu Ci often employed the Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman, the Supreme Polaris Star Pivot Avatar, and the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation. One was used to condense swords for slaying enemies, another to bewilder foes and escape, and the last to expel poison and ward off evil—each exceedingly practical.
The remaining three, however, he seldom used. Yet, observing the results of the Yin Yang Transformation, in order to form the Golden Elixir, it seemed essential first to elevate these six symbols to the Seed True Talisman standard, assembling and combining them to achieve the contour of the Golden Elixir. For Yu Ci, this was no easy task.
After all, it was not as straightforward as the profound foundation of the Half-Mountain Mirage Sword Intent, which came naturally. Even the Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman, which he practiced most diligently, was a hair's breadth away from reaching the Seed True Talisman level, and the others were even further behind.
Such a challenge!
As he wrestled with his headache, He Qing, who stood beside him, said, "Don't be so conceited; you still need to corroborate with the actual methods."
This was advice given with weight and gravity, and Yu Ci naturally heeded it. At the same time, he realized that He Qing had already assisted him, and now it was his turn to fulfill their agreement by obtaining the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form to nourish Shan Gu.
"Immortal He, how should I proceed?"
He Qing gazed intently at his face, silent for a long while. Yu Ci felt bewildered under her scrutiny. Finally, the female cultivator spoke, "There's no need to rush. Today, in the main tower, time is precious. First, stabilize the technique of 'Yin Yang Transformation' and commit to memory the method of the Golden Elixir. In another ten days or half a month, once all preparations are complete, we'll proceed."
Yu Ci was initially inclined to agree, but upon further reflection, he realized that if he continued to dwell on this matter, it would likely hinder his ability to concentrate on his cultivation in the near future. Moreover, at the critical stage of Forming the Golden Elixir, the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, which was fundamental to him, was better maintained in a relatively stable state.
"Is there anything else that needs to be prepared?" he asked.
The implication was clear: whether he faced the issue head-on or avoided it, the outcome would be the same—it would be better to deal with it sooner rather than later.
He Qing glanced at him and suddenly laughed. "You seem even more anxious than I am, which is good. But not now, we must wait a bit longer, for the moment when yin and yang of heaven and earth interchange. Do you remember the time we had in Cliff City?"
"Uh, midnight tonight?"
She nodded, "There are still a few hours to go. You should stay here and experience the wonders of the Star Plucking Main Tower..."
As she spoke, she paused to ponder, then released a Sword Light Messenger, sending it down the mountain: "I will send a message to Mr. Zhu on your behalf. The 'Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman' is not an easy practice to cultivate, even in the ancient Shangqing Sect. During this critical phase of Forming the Golden Elixir, every detail must be handled with the utmost caution. There is no room for error."
Yu Ci silently admired He Qing's thoroughness, yet he felt something strange about the situation. His mind raced, but he eventually let go of these distractions, closed his eyes gently, and began to calm his heart.
It was only then that Yu Ci had the leisure to sense the nimbus Qi flowing within the tower. He realized that this place was indeed a "Tri-Element Convergence" site, where the purity of the primordial Qi was far stronger than that of the auxiliary tower above. The key lay in the fact that the nimbus Qi here, entwined in Transformation, pulsed rhythmically, resonating with the heartbeat, blood flow, and the vibrations of the spirit and soul, beckoning one to delve deeper, as if to merge seamlessly with the cosmos.
This was why Yu Ci had a vague feeling that, in this place, the natural constraints of heaven and earth on a person were lessened by a degree. He Qing's assertion that this place could enhance the chances of "breaking through the barrier" was indeed not unfounded.
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Unfortunately, Yu Ci was not yet in need of such a breakthrough. He was still in a state of contemplation, merely using the nimbus Qi within the main tower to nourish his physical body and soul, to cleanse his mind and sharpen his intellect, nothing more.
When one is fully immersed in a task, time seems to accelerate. To Yu Ci, it felt like only a few breaths had passed when the sound of a Sword Howl, cutting through the mist, startled him awake. He looked up to find the sky had already darkened.
Approaching was a Communication Flying Sword, which He Qing caught in her hand, gave it a cursory glance, and then tossed to Yu Ci. His divine consciousness penetrated it, and as expected, it was Old Master Zhu's reply, surprisingly succinct:
"The 'Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman' indeed follows specific principles. Yet, basing it on the Primordial Root Qi Method is unprecedented since the creation of the technique. The old rules are outdated and not instructive. Knowing its essence is sufficient..."
The following passage outlines the fundamental knowledge and requirements for forging one's personal Life-Defining Golden Talisman, presented in a simple and straightforward manner that is immediately comprehensible.
"Nine Luminaries Formation, Celestial Stem foundation building, Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions in minor completion, and the Heavenly Cycle Numerology brings the practice to fulfillment."
Yu Ci then confirmed that to achieve the "Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman," one must undergo three stages. Each stage involves the accomplishment of twelve Seed True Talismans, interlinking the Aura disc until it merges harmoniously, signaling the grand completion of the personal golden talisman.
At this point, Yu Ci was naturally in the first stage. The six talismans of the Nine Luminaries, followed by the six talismans of the Primordial Celestial Bodies, are the initial steps in shaping the golden talisman and establishing its fundamental contours. The latter serves to solidify the foundation. At this juncture, the Golden Elixir Embryo is already formed. Although referred to as the first stage, it essentially involves the work of the Middle Stage of the Golden Elixir. In fact, once the six talismans of the Nine Luminaries are achieved, his Cultivation Level is already comparable to an ordinary cultivator at the Middle Stage of the Golden Elixir. The subsequent practices are merely to perfect the process.
The stages of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and Heavenly Cycle Numerology are exponentially more challenging. However, once the entire set of Seed True Talismans is completed, in terms of quality alone, it surpasses the common Xuanmen Golden Elixir by a significant margin, not to mention the various Divine Powers it encapsulates. These will lay the most solid foundation for future practices such as Vacuum Walking and cultivation in the Realm of the True Being. The only concern is the difficulty of cultivation leading to a scarcity of time, but at present, Yu Ci finds it hard to relate to such a personal experience.
After reading this message, Yu Ci let out a long sigh, his thoughts becoming clearer. He even began considering his future cultivation plan.
The time was almost up, and Yu Ci turned to look at He Qing. The female cultivator stood leaning against the railing, her gaze fixed on the void outside the building, lost in thought, seemingly preoccupied with something on her mind, appearing to have some concerns.
Yu Ci was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly understood where that odd feeling during the day had come from:
He Qing was indeed deep in thought, but she seemed to lack the focus necessary for cultivation. Moreover, when Yu Ci had raised an objection earlier, she had readily agreed, which made him feel that she lacked a clear plan for assimilating the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, or perhaps she still had doubts?
Emotional influences can sometimes be this direct. Yu Ci was quite perceptive, even sensitive, and he had picked up on the slightest irregularity in He Qing, which naturally stirred his own thoughts. Correspondingly, his musings could not escape He Qing, as the female cultivator's brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze became intent.
Their eyes met squarely. In such a situation, Yu Ci was not one to choke back his questions. He immediately spoke up:
"Immortal He, is there something troubling you?"
He Qing pressed her lips together, remaining silent for a long while before suddenly breaking into a radiant smile, "No, it's long gone!"
As Yu Ci was taken aback by her behavior, so different from usual, a female cultivator let out a low shout, "The hour of Zi (11 PM - 1 AM) has arrived, be alert!"
A Yang Spirit transformed into a streak of pure light, emerging from the crown of He Qing's head and instantly dominating the Yin-Yang transformation within and without the Star Plucking Main Tower. The powerful control it exerted was like a magnet, causing Yu Ci's heart-mind to tremble violently. His Yin Spirit involuntarily left his body and was drawn into the vortex of Yin and Yang energies.
In an instant, the perception of the Yin Spirit replaced the work of the five senses and the six consciousnesses. Although the sensation was not much different, Yu Ci's perspective had changed; he was now suspended in mid-air, ten feet away from the ethereal shadow of He Qing's Yang Spirit. Unlike her usual appearance, her hair was now disheveled, wildly dancing in the wind, her body seemingly emitting light, while her eyes were abnormally dark and bottomless.
With one glance, Yu Ci's entire heart-mind was nearly sucked in.
"The energies of Yin and Yang can annihilate all things. If you cannot guard your heart-mind and lose your self-identity, don't blame me for your downfall."
He Qing's words were far from courteous, creating a sense of crisis like a bucket of ice water, waking Yu Ci from his daze. His thoughts instantly condensed, and He Qing sent new information to guide him in adjusting the state of his Yin Spirit and slowly approaching her Yang Spirit.
Ahead, He Qing's ethereal shadow had hair cascading like a waterfall, with a finger glowing with light reaching out to gently press upon Yu Ci's Yin Spirit.
In that moment, the transformation of Yin and Yang energies seemed to return everything to a primordial state. All of Yu Ci's externally manifest thoughts dissipated, and he naturally lost the concept of time, leaving only a clear, unwavering spirit deep within his heart, like a shielded candle flame—seemingly extinguishable by a mere breath, yet in reality, steadfast and immovable.
When he awoke, it was dawn, and his Yin Spirit had already returned to his body. Looking around, He Qing was nowhere to be seen.
He immediately opened the Inner Void of the Heart to check the Divine Power External Appearance of the fish-dragon figure within, only to find that the slender shadow was as vigorous as ever, without any trace of having been "sliced." Of course, this was consistent with He Qing's initial promise, but the lack of any change was baffling...
Yu Ci couldn't help but marvel once more at He Qing's unfathomable actions.
As he stood there, puzzled, a thought struck him. He rose to his feet and gazed towards the east.
There, where the sunrise began, clouds were adorned with gold, and the sky was ablaze with rosy light. Behind that breathtaking cloudscape, he could sense a seed that had absorbed enough Cosmic Qi, Essence of the Mysterious Truth, and Purple Aura of the East. Finally undergoing transformation, it cautiously extended delicate roots and unfurled two tender green shoots in the void.
***********
Phew, I dozed off and overslept!