Daoist Arts Unveiled

Wu Ming's gaze locked onto the text after reading just a few lines, and he continued to read carefully. He had been trying to research information on soul cultivation but had never found anything. Now, he had stumbled upon it while browsing the Cautious Punishment Division's archives.

"So that's how it is. Cultivating martial power requires condensing blood energy, while cultivating Daoist arts requires condensing the soul. However, soul cultivation is much more difficult, with only one in ten thousand having the aptitude. Furthermore, the resources needed for soul condensation are much rarer than those for blood energy condensation."

"With my current Primordial Spirit strength, I should be at the Second Refinement of the Primordial Spirit, which corresponds to the Martial Path's Second Blood Forging?"

Wu Ming mused as he read the contents of Daoist Arts Unveiled.

It was no wonder he had barely heard of soul cultivation in Jingye City. Even older masters like Hong Jiu, who had undergone Third Blood Forging, dismissed it as a heretical path. This was partly because soul cultivation demanded far greater aptitude and was much harder to begin than the Martial Path. Moreover, soul cultivation offered almost no practical power in its early stages.

The first two refinements of the Primordial Spirit merely enhanced one's soul perception. Even when used in combat, they could only be applied through 'bewitching' techniques, which were often ineffective against martial artists with strong wills.

"The first two refinements of the Primordial Spirit indeed lack substantial offensive capabilities. Even the 'Lin' word incantation evolved from the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram only temporarily disorients others' minds and still requires martial techniques for offense."

However, Previously, Wu Ming knew very little about soul cultivation and lacked any reference points. He only knew that the 'Lin' word incantation evolved from the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram was undoubtedly a profound technique. Now, he understood the true power of this secret method.

Daoist Arts Unveiled even recorded a soul secret method called 'Ghoul Bewitchment.' Its effect involved using soul念 to visualize a phantom ghoul, causing mental and spiritual bewilderment and fear in a person. However, this technique was difficult to apply effectively against martial artists with strong wills and abundant blood energy, as they could often ignore it with their formidable willpower.

But the 'Lin' word incantation was different!

Compared to techniques that leaned more towards bewilderment and intimidation, the 'Lin' word incantation was a true method of soul deterrence. Regardless of the opponent's willpower or the abundance of their blood energy, they would undeniably suffer a shock to their soul.

The effect of this shock was also quite significant. A martial artist at the First Blood Forging stage with weaker willpower might even fall unconscious directly from it. Even someone like Liu Chuan, who was at the Second Blood Forging stage that night, could be thrown into a state of confused consciousness, suffering splitting headaches and fragmented thoughts, exposing numerous weaknesses in a short period.

After a brief contemplation, Wu Ming quickly skimmed past the 'Ghoul Bewitchment' technique and continued reading.

Third Refinement of the Primordial Spirit.

This step corresponded to the Martial Path's Third Blood Forging. It was from this point onward that the soul cultivation path began to possess true power. At this stage, the soul condensation reached a state between ethereal and substantial, becoming vigorous and powerful, capable of manipulating objects with soul念, which is the 'Object Manipulation' ability!

When paired with meticulously crafted Daoist Mystic Artifacts, one could easily kill at a hundred paces at this level!

As for confronting martial artists at the Third Blood Forging stage, it would depend on the distance between them. If the distance was too short and their true form was exposed to the martial artist, the latter could withstand the Mystic Artifact's attacks and strike at the physical body in a short time.

If the physical body died, the soul would lose its anchor and gradually perish.

However, if the distance was sufficient, and the martial artist could not reach the true form, only engaging in ranged combat with the Mystic Artifact controlled by the Daoist cultivator, then the martial artist would likely be killed or injured. This was because controlling Mystic Artifacts from a distance with the soul meant the caster's main body was not nearby, implying no vulnerabilities and allowing for continuous fierce attacks.

Although martial artists at the Third Blood Forging stage had sustained stamina and refined techniques, enabling them to withstand Mystic Artifact attacks for a short period, they were still flesh and blood. Over time, their stamina would wane, exposing weaknesses and leading to their death on the spot.

Generally speaking, Within a hundred paces, martial arts reigned supreme; beyond a hundred paces, Daoist arts were revered!

"The Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram deep within my mind... no, to be precise, this divine diagram integrated into my soul, is essentially a 'Mystic Artifact' of a very high caliber."

Wu Ming thought of the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram he possessed.

Daoist Arts Unveiled recorded that matter belongs to Yang, while the soul belongs to Yin. Therefore, it was difficult for the soul to control matter. Special secret Daoist patterns needed to be inscribed within the matter using soul power, transforming it into a 'Mystic Artifact' for easier control.

Mystic Artifacts also had clear distinctions in quality based on their material and the level of the secret Daoist patterns.

Wu Ming sent a wisp of his consciousness into the depths of his soul, observing the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram located there, attempting to discern the secret Daoist patterns that formed its essence to determine its quality. However, no matter how he observed, he could not perceive any secret Daoist patterns on its surface. The entire Demon Subduing Diagram seemed naturally formed and did not match the description of Mystic Artifacts in Daoist Arts Unveiled.

Wu Ming inferred that the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram might be a higher-level Mystic Artifact. However, this Daoist Arts Unveiled only categorized Mystic Artifacts into three grades: superior, medium, and inferior. It did not elaborate on whether there were higher-level Mystic Artifacts.

After a brief contemplation.

Wu Ming did not delve deeper and continued to the subsequent sections of Daoist Arts Unveiled.

"Soaring Spirit Sigil."

Daoist Arts Unveiled also detailed a Daoist secret sigil named 'Soaring Spirit Sigil.' Inscribing it within specific materials allowed for the refinement of Mystic Artifacts, which could then be controlled to fight enemies.

This Soaring Spirit Sigil appeared quite profound, but without comparison, there was no discernible difference. Wu Ming mentally compared it with the 'Lin' word incantation, and it felt like the difference between heaven and earth; the two sigils were incomparable.

Clearly, This Daoist Arts Unveiled was quite basic, and the techniques and sigils it recorded were far from profound.

Wu Ming continued to flip through, hoping to find content on the Fourth Refinement of the Primordial Spirit, but there was none. The subsequent sections were about general knowledge of the Daoist arts, such as the relationship between Daoist arts and martial arts, which were described as Yin and Yang, fundamentally opposite in many aspects.

One sentence stated, "Martial arts are overt, while Daoist arts are covert."

This referred to the techniques and moves in martial arts cultivation, such as swordplay and spear techniques. Once displayed, one could tell what moves and methods were being used; they were all direct manifestations. In contrast, Daoist arts were internalized. Whether it was the 'Ghoul Bewitchment' technique or manipulating objects with the soul in the Object Manipulation realm, the underlying secret patterns could not be discerned from the surface.

This was good news for Wu Ming. He knew the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram was of extremely high quality, and the 'Lin' word incantation evolved from it was also a supreme secret method. He had always worried about these things being exposed. However, according to the descriptions in Daoist Arts Unveiled, the execution of Daoist arts was extremely covert, and their specific type could not be directly seen.

Therefore, even before other Daoist masters, when he used the 'Lin' word incantation, they would find it difficult to know what specific method he was employing. Martial artists, of course, would be even less able to discern it.

Turning to the last page of Daoist Arts Unveiled, Wu Ming stopped, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"It seems that whether it's martial arts or the soul, the third refinement is the most crucial threshold. Crossing it signifies a qualitative change. Although my current soul level is ahead of my martial arts level, I am still far from the Third Refinement."

"Next, I need to quickly achieve the Second Blood Forging."

He possessed the Black Emperor's Demon Subduing Diagram, which allowed him to refine blood energy to nourish his soul by suppressing evil spirits and utilizing their power. Therefore, for him, the cultivation of Daoist arts was inseparable from the foundation of martial arts practice.