After explaining to Jiang Yun the secrets of cultivating in the Grand Unity Realm, Jieyin and Zhunti began preaching the Dao to him once more.
A Dao Sound like the tolling of immense bells resounded throughout the great hall.
"Let all worldly ties fade away. Let no thoughts from outside enter, nor thoughts from within emerge. Do not allow a single thought to arise, and forget all worldly matters. Concentrate your ears, contain your gaze, seal your tongue and qi, regulate your breathing, preserve your spirit, settle your mind, and guard your inner self with a single heart."
"All things in the world possess cause and effect. Cause and effect circulate endlessly, like a ring without beginning or end..."
"The Way of Bodhi—the meaning of Bodhi is enlightenment. Enlighten yourself, enlighten others, and perfect your practice..."
As waves of Dao Sound reached him, Jiang Yun felt countless Great Daos within arm's reach. He hurriedly focused his spirit and studied them, afraid of missing this rare opportunity. Cause and effect, Bodhi, and Nirvana interwove like beautiful musical compositions, causing him to become completely immersed, relaxed and delighted, unable to extricate himself.
A hundred years passed in a flash. On this day, the Dao Sound suddenly ceased. Jiang Yun awoke from his enlightenment, suddenly feeling a deep sense of loss.
"That concludes today's sermon for now! Disciple, after you return, make sure to carefully comprehend what you have learned. Do not pursue too much at once."
Jieyin and Zhunti took the initiative to end the sermon. Taking in too much at once would not benefit understanding or assimilation.
With that, he took out a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Golden Spirit Pearl—and called Jiang Yun forward before bestowing it upon him. He then said, "The Innate Metal Element Spiritual Power within this treasure can help you cultivate the Five Qi in the Chest and forge a stronger foundation. Your master and martial uncle will also keep a close eye out for the other top-grade innate spiritual objects of the four elements."
Although it had only been a short time since he had taken Jieyin as his master, the two of them had already imparted everything they knew to him without reservation. The Western World was impoverished, and before the treasure distribution at the Purple Cloud Palace, Jieyin and Zhunti themselves had possessed only a few Innate Spiritual Treasures. Yet now, for the sake of his cultivation, they had bestowed such a precious treasure upon him. Jiang Yun was deeply moved. He secretly resolved to cultivate diligently and, in the future, do everything he could to help his masters fulfill their grand aspiration of bringing about the Great Prosperity of the West.
He respectfully accepted the Golden Spirit Pearl and rose to his feet. "Thank you for bestowing this treasure, Master! Master, I was born with the Earth Spirit Pearl accompanying me, and later, while repairing the Western World's ley lines, I happened to obtain the Water Spirit Pearl. Now that you have bestowed the Golden Spirit Pearl upon me, I possess three of the Five Elements Spirit Pearls. Only the Fire Spirit Pearl and Wood Spirit Pearl remain, but I have no idea where they are."
"I am grateful for the treasure you bestowed upon me. On my way to Mount Sumeru last time, I received guidance from the Heavenly Dao by chance and entered Pengxuan Grotto-Heaven, where I obtained some Three Lights Divine Water. I have brought it especially to offer to you and martial uncle."
As he spoke, he took a container of Three Lights Divine Water from his inner world, manifested a bowl with his spiritual power, poured the water into it, and presented it to the two of them.
The two were stunned by this. They had heard of the Three Lights Divine Water, and knew that it was extremely rare. Even for Grand Luo Golden Immortals like them, it was a precious treasure. They had never expected their disciple to be able to produce an entire container and give it to them. Moreover, he possessed two Mid-grade Congenital Spirit Pearls of his own. It seemed that this disciple was quite wealthy.
Neither of them was the sort to be overly coy. Since it was their disciple's heartfelt gift, they accepted it. After all, he was their personal first disciple, incomparable to their other outer and nominal disciples. In the future, he would inherit their teachings and carry on their work of establishing a sect and spreading the Dao.
After accepting the Three Lights Divine Water, Jieyin felt greatly comforted. He said to Jiang Yun, "Take out the three spirit pearls. Your martial uncle and I will work together to deduce the whereabouts of the other two."
The Five Elements Spirit Pearls had originated from the same source. They had formed from the origin of the Thirty-Six-Petaled Green Lotus, Pangu's protective treasure, after it shattered. Later, when Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire gave rise to the Five Elements, the lotus's origin merged with the elements and produced the five spirit pearls. They contained the origins of the Five Elements from the beginning of Heaven and Earth, mutually generating and restraining one another while remaining closely connected. Now that three of the pearls were in hand, deducing their approximate locations would not be difficult.
Jiang Yun took out the spirit pearls. The two accepted them and used them as a medium to work together in making deductions. After some time, they finally obtained a result.
The Fire Spirit Pearl was in the region of the Immortal Volcano in the south. Flames filled the area, which was also the stronghold of the Phoenix Clan, one of the Three Innate Races. The pearl had likely already been obtained by the Phoenix Clan. The Wood Spirit Pearl was in the region of the North Sea. After the Great Tribulation of Fierce Beasts, some surviving fierce beasts had remained in the Northern Wasteland, so perhaps the pearl had not yet emerged.
After reaching this conclusion, Jieyin returned the three spirit pearls to Jiang Yun and told him the results. However, neither the Phoenix Clan in the south nor the fierce beasts in the north were easy to provoke. Besides, he already had three spirit pearls in hand, so there was no need to rush in search of the other two. He should focus on cultivating first.
After offering him some further encouragement, Jieyin had him leave the great hall and first establish a cave dwelling in the mountains.
Jiang Yun found a nearby mountain rich in spiritual energy. He used his magic power to open a cave dwelling and, after setting up a warning formation, began refining the Golden Spirit Pearl.
Elsewhere, after Jiang Yun left, Jieyin and Zhunti began discussing him.
"Junior Brother, what do you think of my disciple?" Jieyin asked Zhunti.
Zhunti assumed Jieyin was showing off his disciple and replied, "Senior Brother's disciple possesses an Aura of Merit and profound blessings. He is a Person of Great Fortune. He cultivates both Dharma and the body, with a solid foundation in both his physical body and primordial spirit. Even among those in the same realm, he is among the very best."
Jieyin shook his head. Under Zhunti's slightly puzzled gaze, he said, "Junior Brother, you do not know this, but when I went out previously and tried to deduce this child's location, I discovered that it was completely impossible. Had I not been guided by the fortune of the Western World, I would have had difficulty finding him at all."
"Oh? Could it be that he possesses a Treasure that Conceals Heavenly Secrets?"
"Possessing a Treasure that Conceals Heavenly Secrets would not be strange. What is interesting is that when he accepted me as his master, the fortune of the Western World surged and boiled. The spirit of fortune conveyed a feeling of joy to me. I believe his existence is of vital importance to the Great Prosperity of the West. You know that I cultivate the Way of Causality and possess a profound understanding of cause and effect. I can vaguely sense the immense benefits brought by this Master-Disciple Affinity. The two of us must take it seriously." Jieyin spoke sincerely.
Cultivators placed the greatest importance on such mysterious intuitions. After hearing this, Zhunti nodded in agreement.
The two of them merely committed today's conversation to memory. Afterward, they closed their eyes, focused their spirits, and went off to meditate on Chan Buddhism and comprehend the Dao.
Inside Jiang Yun's cave dwelling, he was still refining the Golden Spirit Pearl. He directed the magic power within his body to wash over the restrictions inside the pearl. One restriction after another was broken through and refined, while his primordial spirit simultaneously comprehended the Power of Metal Element Laws contained within them.
Another hundred years passed in a flash. Of the spirit pearl's twenty-four restrictions, he had refined eighteen. This was also the limit his current cultivation allowed him to refine. He put away the pearl and entered seclusion, comparing the contents he had recorded while listening to the sermon with his own insights and slowly digesting what he had gained. Next, he referred to the contents of the Mount Sumeru Treasure Record along with his insights from the sermon, continuing to organize everything he had learned and beginning to construct and perfect a cultivation system suited to himself.
Another three hundred years passed in this manner. Not only had he initially established his own cultivation framework, but he had also perfected the Divine Path Techniques he had previously created. His Attack Dharma Seals and Escape Divine Abilities had both been greatly strengthened. As his cultivation advanced, he had also re-refined all the magical treasures in his possession with his primordial spirit and magic power, strengthening his control over them and making them much easier to wield.
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