Flashes of the outline of the Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique appeared in Shuro's mind, and gradual enlightenment arose within him.
"The great elixir cures the greatest illnesses. I have gone through nine deaths and one life, transforming danger into vitality, awakening the hidden potential within the human body. With a single leap I have entered the Foundation Establishment stage. The merits of this first great elixir have been fulfilled, with eight more revolutions remaining. When the time comes, the great elixir will surely appear again."
Calm was restored within Shuro. A faint joy arose in his heart, and his comprehension of the Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique progressed another layer.
He did not know at which stage the second revolution would arrive, nor what would happen then. The less he knew, the more Shuro anticipated it.
Above the elixir field, the newly born true qi broke free of the water and fire maelstrom's constraints and began circulating along the meridians.
The birth of this strand of true qi signified that Shuro had officially completed the first stage of the four major phases of the Foundation Establishment stage. Once it was thoroughly stabilized, he could begin charging towards the second phase of Foundation Establishment. Generally, the first phase of Foundation Establishment corresponded with the Small Emptiness Spiritual Realm's cultivation level, while the second phase corresponded with the Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm's level.
To cultivate from the first phase to the second phase of Foundation Establishment, true qi must flow through the two vessels, seven chakras, and twelve regular meridians to form a completely new grand circulation, called the "true fate grand circulation." Only after opening up the "true fate grand circulation" and gathering qi flow within it to circulate endlessly could one be considered to have stabilized in the second phase of Foundation Establishment and attained the minor accomplishment of Foundation Establishment.
Next, by congealing true qi into liquid, one could charge towards the next layer of the third phase of Foundation Establishment, corresponding with the cultivation level of Half-Step Scattered Immortal.
The true qi circulated slowly as Shuro did not know how much longer it would take to open up his own "true fate grand circulation." He was in no hurry, having reached the first phase of Foundation Establishment at fifteen, firmly surpassing the Small Emptiness Spiritual Realm's level and catching up to Marco's cultivation speed when he was young. As for the Third Young Master, he was far behind.
At this moment, a verse flashed through Shuro's mind from Nine-Dragon Sovereign's memories.
This verse was hundreds of words long, a nameless mystic art collected by Nine-Dragon Sovereign.
Although the Third Young Master had cultivated true qi, compared to the real Great Dao, it was still but an insignificant first step in a journey of ten thousand miles. The vast majority of techniques and mystic arts in Nine-Dragon Sovereign's memories were top three grade, lowest being fourth grade, requiring higher cultivation realms to practice - far beyond what Shuro could currently learn.
But this nameless mystic art was obtained by Nine-Dragon Sovereign in his early years, with an uncertain grade. It was relying on this mystic art that Nine-Dragon Sovereign made a name for himself in the cultivation world, eventually becoming number one of the younger generation in the sect. It was also this mystic art of unknown origin that led Nine-Dragon Sovereign onto a road of no return, lovesick unto madness, heartbroken to despair, rebelling and leaving the sect overnight, killing his master and destroying the ancestral temple, embarking on the path to devil cultivation.
This nameless mystic art, its opening line was just four words: I, devil, compassion, mercy.
"I, devil, compassion and mercy?"
As Shuro recited these four words, he contemplated their meaning before continuing on.
"I, devil, compassion and mercy, bestowing benevolence and virtue. I, devil, great virtue, subduing all living beings. I, devil, innate wisdom, blessing all things in nature..."
The verse grew more complex and profound as it went on, increasingly hard to comprehend.
Two faces appeared in Shuro's mind lake - Pang Guan and Leonard.
Pang Guan was vicious and merciless, infamously cruel.
Leonard was perverse and decadent, a twisted degenerate.
When killing these two men, Shuro did not hesitate in the slightest. Not because he was cold-blooded and ruthless, but first, Shuro had endured endless humiliation before, and second, he had no choice in those situations - sparing them would have doomed himself.
"Even if it happened again, I would still execute those two beasts!"
Shuro's will remained resolute as iron, without the slightest regret or guilt from the nameless mystic art's influence.
"Is that it? Just the mystic art?"
Having read through it, Shuro was astonished to find this nameless mystic art did not describe any techniques or moves at all, only an incomprehensible mystic heart art.
Yet with just this heart art, Nine-Dragon Sovereign had somehow enlightened the marvelous Twelve Heavenly Sword Methods.
Shuro did not think highly of Nine-Dragon Sovereign, but seeing this memory, he still could not help but sigh in admiration, awestruck by the man's brilliance.
In that year, the seventeen year old Nine-Dragon Sovereign was merely a disciple of an immortal family in the northern borderlands of the Tynche Continent's North Region, and it would be inaccurate to call him a disciple - he was but an outer court servant boy tending cranes. By a twist of fate, he saved a spiritual ape and was imparted this nameless heart art, gaining enlightenment for ten days and ten nights, creating the first form of his Marvelous Heavenly Sword Methods.
"Relying solely on a heart art to enlighten one's own mystic arts, how many under heaven could accomplish this?"
As Shuro understood more about Nine-Dragon Sovereign, he increasingly felt the man's extraordinary talent.
Nine-Dragon Sovereign was born into the lower classes, the son of a groom in some marquis' estate in the northern borderlands of the Tynche Continent's North Region.
Before thirteen, he did not have any great ambitions. His biggest wish was that one day he could raise the most majestic horses in the kingdom for his young miss.
When he turned thirteen, the young miss was chosen by an immortal family to enter cultivation.
For three days and three nights, Nine-Dragon Sovereign did not sleep well. On the fourth night, he came before his father's bed and kowtowed nine times.
Carrying rations only enough for ten days, Nine-Dragon Sovereign set off on the road towards the immortal sect.
By the time he arrived at seventeen, his right arm was half severed, his left ear deafened by others, ragged and emaciated. Even his former young miss could not recognize him. The immortal path was merciless - even if his previous mistress was here, he still had to pass the trials to enter.
In all three entrance trials, Nine-Dragon Sovereign placed last.
No one was moved that he had trekked thousands of miles to arrive. Any sect disciple who knew of his story laughed and mocked him without exception, ridiculing the toad lusting after the swan's flesh.
Nine-Dragon Sovereign stood at the foot of the mountain, gazing longingly at the swirling mists and clouds ten thousand feet above and the tip of a green pillar, unwilling to leave for a long time.
Finally, he waited until his young miss arrived.
The young miss who had liked to joke and chat with him while riding her Azure Dragon horse now had the bearing of an immortal, standing on a crane with an expressionless face looking down on him. On the crane's back there was also a man, smiling as he embraced the young miss by the waist, gently caressing her jade buttocks, an extremely mocking look in his eyes as he gazed condescendingly upon Nine-Dragon Sovereign.
After that day, Nine-Dragon Sovereign joined the sect, becoming a lowly outer court crane caretaker.
No one expected that this crippled and blind caretaker boy would go on to establish the Ninth Dragon Immortal Palace in the coming millennium, unleashing a storm of blood and terror across eighty thousand miles of the Tynche Continent, practically unmatched, making even the heavens and immortals, gods and demons quake in fear of his peerless magnificence.
And it was this nameless mystic art that set him on the path to devil cultivation.
"I, devil, compassion..."
Shuro murmured the four words, imitating Ninth Dragon Lord's state of mind back then to gain comprehension.
Time trickled by second by second, yet all kinds of strange thoughts swirled through Shuro's mind, demon shadows flashing, roaring unrestrainedly, but he could not calm his mind.
The more he forced himself to quiet down, the more chaotic Shuro's heart became.
Just as Shuro's mind was in turmoil and he was growing irritated, a sense of vigilance flashed through his mind lake, instantly jolting him awake from his meditative state!
His eyes flashed open, two bolts of phantom lightning shooting out from his pupils.
The night was still and the moon hung in the sky. Shuro had been in meditation from early morning directly until night, a full half a day's time.
Next, he discovered there was another person in the secret chamber aside from himself!
This person wore a loose indigo robe, face veiled, head covered by a wide rain hat, appearing travel-worn. Seeing the phantom lightning in Shuro's eyes, their body shuddered, clearly shocked despite not speaking.
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"Who are you?"
Shuro also was shocked, sternly shouting.
As he spoke, a sound like rolling thunder actually rumbled up from his dantian, buzzing and rumbling, like the deep resonance of a bell. It was as if it originated from every bone in his body!
"True qi?"
The person was even more astonished, a captivating pair of crane-pupiled eyes under the hat brim revealing deep surprise.
It must be someone from the Third Young Master!
Shuro instantly realized, aside from the Third Young Master, who else would care about him? Having killed two foreign guests, with the Third Young Master's intelligence, he might have already guessed.
Since this person from the Third Young Master could sneak in here undetected, it meant... Lewis guarding outside had likely already met misfortune.
Shuro's heart ached.
Ever since six years old, this was the first time he had felt warmth from another person.
"Did the Third Young Master send you? Hmph, courting death again!"
Shuro slid forward, face cold as he charged straight at the blue-clothed veiled figure.
Having fought with others over his life before, Shuro naturally understood the advantage of striking first. In the small, less than ten-step chamber, Shuro attacked with his full power.
"I, devil's, wholesome teachings, nourishing all things like water..."
A verse flashed through his mind. Shuro did not use the Seven Method Concealment Art, yet his movements flowed seamlessly like water, omnipresent as he pounced on the veiled figure.
"What! Pang Guan was killed by you?"
The blue-clothed veiled woman's voice was somewhat hoarse. Although mentally prepared, when seeing Shuro's abstruse and unfathomable movements, she still could not help being shocked.
Shuro did not recognize the other's voice. When there was still three steps between them, Shuro suddenly shouted fiercely, "A mere dog, killing it is like crushing an ant."
Shuro intentionally infused his shout with true qi, unconsciously emanating a trace of Ninth Dragon Lord's aura from back when he looked down on the world. Although less than a ten millionth, it was still enough to daze the woman.
In just one step, Shuro appeared before the woman, his fist crashing down like a falling star, smashing powerfully down towards her head. The nascent true qi within Shuro abruptly sped up, spurring his blood and qi to surge and churn with unprecedented vigor. The droning buzz from his bones was louder and more powerful than when he had killed Pang Guan and Leonard!
This punch contained all of Shuro's might.
Whether for avenging Lewis or his own sake, Shuro had to permanently keep this person here.
He first caught them off guard, then used his aura to intimidate and undermine their morale before finally striking like thunder. Although it was less than a ten millionth of Ninth Dragon Lord's experience in killing, it represented great progress for Shuro as he gradually integrated Ninth Dragon Lord's battle knowledge.
Another verse flashed through his mind, seemingly persuading people to be virtuous, yet also mocking the hypocrisy of the world.
"Compassion..." Shuro's eyes seemed veiled by mist. He vaguely grasped enlightenment on something from the mystic art, yet it remained blurry, as if separated by a thin sheet of paper.
His crashing punch fiercely smashed down. Shuro only felt the true qi within him seemed to resonate with some call, circulating faster and faster, in the blink of an eye opening up half of the Conception Vessel among the two vessels and seven chakras.
In an instant, Shuro suddenly understood why the immortal sects and families, who deemed Nine-Dragon Sovereign's talents abysmal, were astounded when he made great strides overnight, gaining enlightenment on the Eighteen Heavenly Sword Methods from the unnamed merit law brought by the spiritual ape, thus embarking on the path of cultivation.
The world is unfair, youth is wasted away.
The immortal path is merciless, life and death predestined by heaven.
I, devil, am compassionate, yet because the Great Dao is attained, I am not compassionate, only seeking to attain the Great Dao.
"I, devil, compassion... I am not compassionate!"
Shuro's eyes revealed crazy joy. That paper window was finally pierced through, as easy as breaking ice into water. Although creating his own mystic arts was still far off, it allowed Shuro to instantly gain enlightenment on the essence of the nameless heart art.
Abandoned by his father for fifteen years, living alone in the manor, forcing smiles to hide his loneliness, enduring humiliation just to survive, future uncertain... Although Shuro did not experience the tragedy of love and death that Nine-Dragon Sovereign had with his young miss, the hardships and dangers Shuro faced were no less than Nine-Dragon Sovereign's.
The nobles' homes are as deep as oceans, dangers fill the heavens.
Only because heaven and earth are unfair, the immortal path merciless, to attain compassion, one must abandon compassion!
The circulation speed of the newly born true qi reached a shocking level. In the snap of a finger, the Conception Vessel was fully opened, slowly advancing towards the Governing Vessel. And Shuro's heavily crashing punch also suddenly transformed. In the blue-clothed veiled woman's eyes, it seemed to have a miraculous effect of turning decay into magic.
That punch was like a distant flying mountain peak. In the bloom of his fingers contained nine different variations, linked like nine stars in a chain. No matter which variation, they all completely sealed off her escape, making it difficult for her to evade.
An intense sense of danger enveloped the woman's heart. She no longer hid anything, purple electricity spilling from her palm as her left hand drew an arc from the side, attacking towards Shuro's lower back. Her right palm chopped like a saber, bursting with a sky full of palm silhouettes to meet Shuro's crashing punch.
The power of thunder-attributed true qi surged from the woman's arms, its momentum vast and heavy like galloping thunder.
The Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm corresponded to the second phase of Foundation Establishment.
And for the woman to be able to turn her palms into lightning and thunder showed her comprehension of the Seven Method Concealment Art had reached an extremely high level.
As their fists and palms collided, the delicate body of the blue-clothed veiled woman trembled violently as she was forced back five steps. Shuro only retreated half a step.
Before congealing true qi, Shuro was already able to kill the Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm's Leonard. His strength approached the Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm. Now with true qi congealed, the power brought by the circulation of true qi, along with the physical strength tempered by the Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique, had firmly surpassed the level of the Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm.
The thunder-attributed true qi invaded Shuro's body, numbing his five viscera slightly. But in the blink of an eye, the newly born true qi surged forth, easily dispersing the thunder-attributed true qi.
After one exchange, Shuro's confidence grew greater, his spirit rising once more.
Brilliant light flashed in his eyes. Shuro's feet did not stop as his fist crashed down like a falling mountain, directly striking towards the woman's head.
Facing the oncoming ferocious Shuro, the woman suddenly smiled. Her body flashed as she leapt out of the battle zone, lifting her hat and calling out, "It's me!"
When Shuro saw the woman's appearance clearly, his heart trembled and he forcibly halted his punch which was already committed.
"It's you! Why are you here?"
Shuro suppressed the surging blood and qi churning in his chest, staring suspiciously at the woman.
The woman looked to only be in her early twenties, but was actually thirty years old. Tall and coldly beautiful, with upright peaks on her chest, she was a perfect beauty. However, in the York family branch manor, her reputation did not solely come from her beauty, but more because she was the only female young master in the York family or even all the prestigious families of Caelius Capital.
"You really are surprising." Faithe's beautiful eyes were misty as she looked Shuro up and down. Compared to over ten days ago in the Azure Cloud Hall, Faithe's expression was clearly much gentler, containing astonishment and tenderness in her eyes.
In that moment, several thoughts flashed through Shuro's mind.
Back when he was cultivating the Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique and discovered his elixir field had not been completely ruined, Shuro felt this young miss of the branch manor was up to something. At the time, Shuro was focused on cultivation and did not think deeply about it. Now it seemed Faithe's goodwill far outweighed her ill intent - she had not heavily struck out in their earlier bout either.
Feeling extremely uncomfortable from Faithe's fiery gaze, the hairs on Shuro's body stood up as he secretly thought, could those dog-blood dramatic tropes from unscrupulous storytellers be about to play out on him?
"So young, yet you bear it so well. Just like your father."
Faithe spoke lightly, the resentment in her tone apparent even to Shuro.
Here comes the dog blood drama.
Shuro felt somewhat averse, but also curious. Seeing the misty look in Faithe's beautiful eyes, he could not help asking, "Mistress Luo recognizes my father?"
"Back then in the York family, who didn't know Tutor Luo of the branch manor? Don't be so courteous, just call me auntie." Faithe put away her reminiscence and smiled at Shuro.
When she smiled, it was like a bright flower blooming. The traces of time had not damaged her beauty, like a fine wine growing mellower with age.
"Auntie?" Shuro frowned slightly and said indifferently, "Shuro is just a side descendent of the York family branch manor, I cannot overreach myself."
Faithe's expression froze, then realized. If she acted like this, it was easy for Shuro to think she was deliberately trying to get close to him after finding out about his true strength.
Just as Faithe was about to explain, she saw Shuro cup his fists towards her, "That day, Mistress showed mercy and did not completely destroy my elixir field. Shuro keeps this in mind. I am already orphaned, and now in disgrace. If I became close with Mistress, it would be harmful to you. Mistress, if there is nothing else, please leave."
Seeing the serious yet coldly distant look on Shuro's face that he could not completely hide, Faithe immediately understood.
"Are you resentful that your father left without a word back then?" Faithe asked.
Shuro did not speak.
"Who is willing to leave their loved ones? To bear separating flesh and blood? If not forced by circumstances, how could your father bear to leave you?" Faithe sighed.
Shuro remained silent. Although after so many years he was already accustomed to it, whenever he saw other branch descendants able to enjoy their parents' care and family love, he was forever a lone child, helpless and without support, inevitably feeling depressed.
Towards that man who had left without a word when Shuro was six, he had very complicated feelings, and correspondingly, did not have much sense of belonging to the entire York family.
"When you were seven, you fought with brothers from the clan school and they locked you in the dried up well behind the school. You slept a night in the well and found yourself in a room when you woke up."
"When you were eight and a half, you wanted to find your father and stole a treasured horse from the stables that was prepared as tribute for the royal family. This matter was discovered by the steward who reported it to the manor lord. The manor lord was furious and originally ordered twenty lashes for you. But nothing came of it in the end."
"When you were nine, in order to learn alchemy martial arts, you searched all over Caelius Capital and encountered the Giant Serpent Gang who specialized in kidnapping boys and girls. The next day, the Gang Leader of Giant Serpent Gang was killed and the gang dissolved."
"When you were ten, you took the savings of three years and went to buy martial art manuals. Even the most common alchemy martial art manuals need a gold ingot, yet you used the sixty silver coins you had to buy the best manual from that alchemy martial arts store..."
Shuro looked at Faithe in disbelief. With each sentence Faithe spoke, Shuro's heart trembled.
That year when he was seven, he had looked up at the night sky and fallen asleep in the dried up well. Waking up to see his clan school tutor first thing, he naturally assumed the tutor had saved him.
When he was eight, as he was locked in the punishment hall looking at the salt and sand covered whips, he thought he was going to die there. He did not expect that after two days there was still no movement, so Shuro assumed he had been forgotten.
When Shuro was nine, he and a bunch of kidnapped children escaped from the now ruined Giant Serpent Gang headquarters, and did not think there were any coincidences at all.
When Shuro was ten, after bringing that manual back home, he secretly rejoiced for over a month, thinking he had gotten away with great luck.
A fragrant breeze blew from behind. Shuro hesitated for a moment but did not evade.
"Was it you helping me in secret all along? Why?" Shuro forcefully calmed himself despite the inexplicable palpitations in his heart.
All this time, Shuro thought he was the only one struggling bitterly in this cold manor. Although the people around him shared the same surname and ancestry as him, to Shuro they were no different than strangers outside the manor. Only today did he find out he was not without kin in this manor.
"Need you ask?"
Faithe also seemed to recall something. A pure, innocent smile like a young girl's appeared on her face as she naturally pulled Shuro into her embrace, gently caressing him.
"Because you're that bastard's son."
Shuro thought back to over ten days ago in the Azure Cloud Hall when Faithe looked at him with that strange gaze. Only now did Shuro suddenly realize, it was not contemptuous disdain, but a subtle hint of concern.
"Before your father left, I had already been conferred as a young mistress. Your father on the surface was a proper scholar, but was very sly underneath. He knew I would look after you in secret, which is why he took on the merchant identity and left without worries."
A hint of warmth flowed in Faithe's crane-like eyes as she looked at Shuro and reprimanded in a tender voice, "Speaking of slyness, you father and son are like two peas in a pod. I watched you grow up, the amount of mischief you got up to since little is already quite a lot. Yet I didn't expect I still underestimated you, for you to be able to hide so deeply."
Hearing this, Shuro's face flushed slightly. "Auntie exaggerates. Shuro only entertains himself occasionally, absolutely harmless."
Upon hearing Shuro change how he addressed her, the warmth in Faithe's eyes grew stronger. "Little Chuan, don't you want to know why your father left you, and where he went after?"
"Auntie, let's deal with the present matter first." Shuro subconsciously shifted the topic, "I received news that the Third Young Master plans to make a move against the branch manor during Old Lady York's birthday banquet."
Faithe's eyes turned cold and severe. "So you've found out too. That's right, the main manor's line has always wanted to swallow up my branch manor, yet never found an opportunity."
"Never found an opportunity?" Shuro murmured.
Faithe nodded, "Admittedly, the main manor's strength has always exceeded the branch manor's. There are four people at the Half-Step Scattered Immortal Realm in the main manor, only the Manor Lord in the branch manor. There are seven people at the Great Emptiness Spiritual Realm in the main manor, only three Young Mistresses including me in the branch manor. However, don't forget that above the two manors of the York family, there is still Old Lady York. As long as Old Lady York does not permit, the main manor cannot make any moves."
So it was because of Old Lady York.
Shuro understood. He had always thought Old Lady York belonged to the main manor.
A thought arose in his mind. Shuro blurted out, "Could it be that the Third Young Master plans to use the immortal family's pressure on Old Lady York during the birthday banquet to swallow the branch manor?"
Faithe looked approvingly at Shuro and sighed, "That's right. The Third Young Master has been designated by the immortal family. Old Lady York's birthday banquet is his best and last chance. At the banquet, as long as the immortal family speaks, and the prestigious families of Caelius Capital who attend respond, even if Old Lady York is unhappy in her heart she will be powerless. This is the open plot, upright and open, leaving us no choice."
Shuro nodded, remaining silent.
He understood Faithe's helplessness.
Ever since Shuro gained awareness, the relationship between the main and branch manors had been strained. The York family's resources were limited. Once the branch manor was swallowed by the main manor, it was easy to imagine the ending for the branch manor members. And the main manor's strength far exceeded the branch manor's. With the immortal family's backing this time, the main manor's victory and branch manor's demise seemed set in stone.
"This situation is very difficult to break." Shuro said.
"I know. The Manor Lord also knows." Faithe brushed back a strand of hair and softly said, "But the matter is not entirely hopeless. You don't know that just today, something big happened."