Translator: CinderTL
Although he didn't know what use it had, and he couldn't absorb Zuoqiu Zhen's spirit essence, for now, it would serve as a night pearl.
Useless, but it was convenient to take.
Xu Sanyan opened his storage pouch and emptied its contents. Among the items was a book—the second half of the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation—and ten soul crystals, their origin unknown.
Xu Sanyan frowned as he examined the items in his hand. Was she hoping to resolve this feud?
Regardless of her intentions, if the opportunity arose, Xu Sanyan would repay her kindness handsomely.
He opened the book and began to read carefully, but after just one glance, he quickly closed it.
His head throbbed.
The intricate patterns made his head spin. This second half contained the true essence of the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation, and with his limited understanding of array formations, grasping its principles proved exceedingly difficult.
With a thought, his panel materialized in his vision. Seeing the abundant Vitality, Xu Sanyan nodded in satisfaction.
The moment had come to witness the fruits of his hard work and sweat.
"Enhance!"
Instantly, countless insights into formations flooded his mind like a dam bursting. A torrent of knowledge surged into his consciousness, overwhelming his senses.
Xu Sanyan closed his eyes tightly, his mind now filled with the complex and enigmatic mysteries of the Yin-Yang Five Elements, Heavenly Stems, and Earthly Branches.
The Yin-Yang Five Elements interacted in cycles of generation and destruction, while the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches were mutually dependent. Myriad permutations flashed through his mind, too many to fully absorb at once.
This time was far more intense than before. He endured for a full quarter of an hour before feeling his limits approaching, hastily calling a halt.
"Huff..."
Xu Sanyan wiped the sweat from his forehead, his mind still in a chaotic haze. Though the knowledge had been forcibly implanted, he still needed to carefully contemplate and organize it himself.
Glancing at the panel, he saw that the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation remained at the Entry Level, clearly far from reaching the Initial Stage.
"Truly the methods of an immortal..." Xu Sanyan sighed again. Every time he gazed upon this Great Formation, he felt as insignificant as a firefly compared to the radiant moon.
This vast disparity didn't discourage Xu Sanyan; instead, it fueled his curiosity.
He yearned to soar through the void, pluck immortal fruits, and ascend to the Nine Heavens to witness firsthand the legendary path to immortality—to see what wonders truly awaited those who achieved it.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," he reminded himself. He knew this was no overnight feat and never rushed the process.
Besides, he was only in his twenties, with millennia of life ahead. There was no need to hurry.
Xu Sanyan closed his eyes, cultivating his spirit while absorbing insights from the formation.
Now that he possessed the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation, he would master it thoroughly. This formation could help him reach the Dao Harmony Realm, allowing him to seize authority from the heavenly dao itself!
Reflecting on his path to immortality, Xu Sanyan realized it had been remarkably smooth. Since he began cultivating, he had remained undefeated within his realm.
As a mortal, the Blood-Red Dagger had enhanced his physical body, granting him strength far surpassing his peers.
During Foundation Establishment, he used a heavenly earth treasure to forge a supreme-grade Dao Foundation, making his physical body comparable to a mystic treasure.
In the Dao Seeking stage, he obtained a cultivation method from the demonic sect's Holy Scripture, a path leading directly to the immortal dao.
Now, with the Nether Phoenix aiding his Soul Refinement and the benefits he had gained from the ghost city, Xu Sanyan had far surpassed his peers, making him the undisputed leader of the younger generation!
For the next realm, the void harmony realm, the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation would assist him. If he could seize even a portion of the heavenly dao's authority, his power would multiply exponentially!
Other cultivators in the void harmony realm could only barely borrow a wisp of the heavenly dao's power. Take, for example, the Daoist Nun from the Qian Kingdom who had cultivated a forbidden art and transformed into a calamity. Her cultivation path was likely tied to flesh and blood, explaining her abilities after becoming a calamity: surviving countless sword strikes through the heart and remaining indestructible even when her body was torn apart by chaotic blades.
Xu Sanyan speculated that the principle behind forbidden arts might involve borrowing power from the heavenly dao, but the physical body couldn't withstand such force, leading to grotesque transformations. Alternatively, it could be the price one had to pay for harnessing the heavenly dao's power.
Yet Xu Sanyan's cultivation method was precisely about seizing the heavenly dao's power, making the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation perfectly suited for his needs. This Great Formation would aid him in plundering the heavenly dao, providing immense benefits.
The heavenly dao...
What exactly was it?
Xu Sanyan hadn't reached that stage yet, so he couldn't fully grasp the concrete meaning of the heavenly dao. However, he understood that the heavenly dao was essentially the framework of this world.
It was like the underlying code of a game. Countless lines of code formed a virtual game world, just as countless heavenly daos constructed this magnificent world.
For example, the secret realm fruit in his hand must have contained a "spirit-nullifying" heavenly dao, which explained why the entire world was devoid of spiritual energy.
But the secret realm fruit was artificial, and its so-called "heavenly dao" was merely a construct created by cultivators with immense spiritual power. If Xu Sanyan's cultivation level surpassed that of the fruit's creator, he could modify the heavenly dao within it.
But this world...
At that thought, Xu Sanyan suddenly froze, tilting his head back to gaze at the night sky.
The primitive people living within the secret realm fruit had never seemed to venture beyond its boundaries. To Xu Sanyan, they were like caged birds, confined to their small patch of land.
But a question arose: could he himself be like those primitive people, unaware of his own confinement?
Could the world he inhabited merely be a larger secret realm?
Xu Sanyan suddenly recalled the Yaotian Holy Sect, which had flourished thirty thousand years ago, only to be abruptly annihilated...
He also remembered the four immortals who created the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation. They had sought to transcend the realm of immortals through this formation, but ultimately failed and perished...
At this thought, a chill surged through him, rising from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
If that's truly the case...
Is the heavenly dao truly the heavenly dao?
Abruptly, Xu Sanyan shook his head and chuckled, "Heh, worrying about nothing."
What business does a mere cultivator in the Soul Refining Realm have pondering such matters?
When I become an immortal, I'll naturally have the opportunity to explore these mysteries. It's far too early to concern myself with them now.
Though he reassured himself with these thoughts, he firmly etched this doubt into his mind.
Xu Sanyan retrieved a soul crystal and began absorbing it, simultaneously organizing his insights on formations.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Chunmei knocked on the door. "Master, Wang Ying and Wang Yu are here to see you."
Xu Sanyan pushed open the door, sunlight streaming onto the courtyard, illuminating Chunmei with an almost alluring glow. Her delicate features, paired with her fair, jade-like skin, seemed to radiate a translucent radiance.
"Show them in," he instructed.
"Yes, Master."
Xu Sanyan suddenly added, "Come to my room tonight. I'll give you a checkup."
"Yes..." Chunmei replied, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of shyness and hidden delight.
"Bring Xiazhu with you."
"...Yes, Master."
Chunmei's earlier joy seemed to fade slightly.
In the pavilion, Wang Ying and Wang Yu greeted Xu Sanyan with clasped hands. "Greetings, Brother Lin."
"Please, sit down quickly," Xu Sanyan replied with forced enthusiasm, remembering the gifts they had brought last time.
After a few polite exchanges, Wang Ying revealed the purpose of their visit. "Do you recall our conversation about Suspended Bitter Mountain, Brother Lin?"
Xu Sanyan nodded. "I remember."
That was the sect that produced pool milk, from which he had obtained a free drop last time.
"The day for exchanging pool milk is approaching again. We need you to negotiate with them."
"Negotiate again?" Xu Sanyan asked, puzzled.
(End of the Chapter)
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