Tongyou Spell

The people in the village soon noticed that something was wrong with Chili Mu. As a spirit child blessed with an Immortal root, she had always drawn plenty of attention, especially from Man Xiongmu.

Chili Mu was quickly taken away by Man Xiongmu. She was still too young to be exposed to matters of life and death, so the villagers naturally handled the aftermath on her behalf.

The little girl clung tightly to Wu Tian as if he were the last stalk of life-saving straw, refusing to let go no matter what.

Man Xiongmu brought her to the Bamboo building that the Chieftain had arranged in advance. The surrounding noise gradually faded away, leaving the room quiet.

Seeing the little girl's silent, forced show of strength stirred pity in anyone who looked at her. He sighed softly and said, "Little Chili, don't be sad. The arts of Skull Mountain possess the wonder of communicating between yin and yang and bringing the dead back to life."

"As long as you cultivate diligently, perhaps you'll be able to see your Grandpa again someday."

"Really?" Chili Mu's eyes lit up at once. In less than a year, she had lost two relatives one after another. Now, apart from White Dragon, she had no family left at all.

Man Xiongmu stroked her head and said gently, "Of course it's true. Uncle would never lie to you."

"Little Chili, I'll pass a Breathing Technique on to you. From now on, you must begin cultivating. You absolutely must not delay, all right?"

Chili Mu nodded vigorously. "I'll definitely cultivate hard."

Man Xiongmu said solemnly, "The Breathing Technique I'm about to pass on to you is a secret art of Skull Mountain that is never taught to outsiders. You must not pass it on to anyone else, or you'll bring down a great calamity."

"Besides, anyone without the aptitude for an Immortal root will only harm their own life if they cultivate this art."

"So you must never reveal it to anyone else."

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Although Chili Mu was young, children in the Miao Territory matured early. She was especially clever, and immediately nodded hard. "Uncle, I understand. I won't tell anyone."

Seeing her gradually calm down, Man Xiongmu also relaxed slightly. After all, she was one of his clansmen, and people with the aptitude for an Immortal root were exceedingly rare. Naturally, he would take her seriously.

The arts of Skull Mountain could indeed communicate between yin and yang, but the dead could not truly be brought back to life. He had only been comforting the little girl. Once she grew up, she would understand his good intentions.

Various thoughts flashed through his mind. Man Xiongmu glanced at Wu Tian. Some spirits that had cultivated sentience possessed wisdom no weaker than that of human children, and the white dogs in the village were especially clever by nature.

However, the art he was teaching required the aptitude for an Immortal root. Only spirits that had cultivated sentience or spirit children could practice it, so he had no fear that the white dog would secretly learn it.

"The Breathing Technique I'm about to teach you consists of eighteen ancient sounds. In essence, it is a sound-spell art. Through the eighteen ancient sounds, you vibrate the five viscera and six bowels, resonate with heaven and earth, and thereby draw the essence of heaven and earth into your body..."

Man Xiongmu had not finished speaking when he saw Chili Mu's blank, bewildered gaze. He could not help smiling, interrupted his explanation, and directly began teaching her the eighteen ancient sounds.

Chili Mu was very clever. Before long, she had completely memorized all eighteen ancient sounds.

"Little Chili, I still have to visit the other villages. Stay here obediently and cultivate the breathing and circulation art. When I return to the mountain, I'll take you with me."

Man Xiongmu repeatedly confirmed that Chili Mu had memorized the eighteen ancient sounds precisely, without any errors or omissions, before finally feeling at ease.

Chili Mu obediently nodded in agreement.

Man Xiongmu could not remain in the village for long. He needed to inspect the Eighteen Villages, and with Chili Mu's relatives having just died, he left behind a spell formula before riding away on a black wind.

From beginning to end, Wu Tian had remained hidden in Chili Mu's arms, and he naturally memorized the breathing and circulation art in its entirety as well.

Since Chili Mu no longer had an elder to care for her, the Chieftain Grandpa directly arranged for clansmen to look after her daily needs. He also let her remain in the Bamboo building where the envoys from Skull Mountain were being received.

If she returned home now, it would only remind her of the painful scenes.

Moreover, handling the funeral inevitably involved certain ceremonies. If the little girl saw them, it would only bring another wave of grief.

After obtaining the breathing and circulation art, Wu Tian devoted all his attention to it.

The System Panel also displayed information about the breathing and circulation art.

Tongyou Spell: Skull Mountain's secret breathing and circulation art. A spirit child with the aptitude for an Immortal root can draw in the essence of heaven and earth through this art, tempering the physical body. Once cultivated to perfection, it can condense Tongyou Qi and serve as the foundation of all the arts of Skull Mountain.

Although the Tongyou Spell was also a skill, compared with all the other skills Wu Tian had cultivated before, its difficulty was on an entirely different level.

This art was easy to learn but difficult to master. Even the disciples of Skull Mountain found it difficult to cultivate it to perfection. More often than not, before their cultivation was complete, they would practice other arts as well, causing their foundations to become unstable.

Wu Tian hid inside the Bamboo building and began cultivating this spell.

With the System Panel, he never made a mistake during cultivation. Every movement was incomparably precise, and every time he practiced, he gained something and made progress.

The longer time passed, the more deeply he felt the System's wondrous nature.

The eighteen ancient sounds of the Tongyou Spell had to be recited according to a fixed rhythm and cadence, thereby vibrating the five viscera and six bowels. For an ordinary person, even reaching the threshold would take a very long time.

Yet Wu Tian accomplished it with ease. As he cast the Tongyou Spell, his five viscera and six bowels immediately gave off rumbling sounds, like thunder and yet also like the howls of ghosts.

When the sound first appeared, it startled Chili Mu, but she quickly noticed Wu Tian's movements.

"White Dragon, are you cultivating the breathing and circulation art Uncle Man Xiong taught you?"

Chili Mu's face filled with astonishment. "That breathing and circulation art is so difficult. I only barely memorized it. I didn't expect you to already be able to start cultivating it. My White Dragon is so clever."

"But Uncle Man Xiong said not to pass this art on to anyone else!"

A trace of worry immediately appeared on her fair, delicate little face, but she soon giggled. "No, no, you aren't a person. You're a little white dog."

"So that doesn't count as letting anyone else know. Hee-hee!"

The little girl patted her tender white hands and said with pursed lips, "White Dragon, you've already succeeded in cultivating it. I can't fall behind either!"

She also sat cross-legged and began cultivating the breathing and circulation art according to Man Xiongmu's instructions.

Wu Tian had discovered long ago that casting the Tongyou Spell alone brought him no benefit at all. In fact, the vibrations in his five viscera and six bowels would lead to extremely terrifying consequences. If it continued for too long, his organs might rupture, killing him.

Only by casting the Tongyou Spell while using his Qi Eater talent could he draw in the essence of heaven and earth and nourish himself under the spell's effects.

However, unlike ordinary Qi Eater cultivation, the essence of heaven and earth he drew in through the Tongyou Spell seemed purer. It also possessed distinct attributes. Wisps of essence tinged with the aura of wind, resembling blue-green silk ribbons, surged in through his mouth and nose, nourishing his five viscera and six bowels.

Using Qi Eater and the Tongyou Spell at the same time not only consumed his mental energy, but also placed a burden on his five viscera and six bowels if maintained for too long.

Wu Tian discovered that practicing once each morning and evening, for fifteen minutes each time, was his current limit. He had to stop and rest in between.

After seven days, Chili Mu finally reached the threshold of the Tongyou Spell.

Wu Tian did not know whether her speed was fast or slow, but after Chili Mu reached the threshold, the phenomenon she produced far surpassed his own.

Every time he entered the Qi Eater state, he could see the incomparably dense essence of heaven and earth surrounding Chili Mu. That essence burned like flames.

As Chili Mu recited the Tongyou Spell, crimson-cloud-like essence flowed in and out, enveloping her entire body in a glow of rosy light. It was extraordinarily mystical.

This scene was not something ordinary people could see. Everyone else could only hear rumbling sounds and low murmurs resembling the muttering of ghosts and gods.

"Chili Mu's cultivation talent is probably astonishing!"

Wu Tian's own cultivation sessions were short, and the Wind Spirit Qi he could draw in was extremely limited. Compared with Chili Mu, there was simply a world of difference.

Chili Mu had just begun cultivating, yet she could already continue for half an hour. If she had not been too young, with her five viscera and six bowels unable to bear the strain, she might have lasted even longer.

This result made Wu Tian realize that he was not some extraordinarily gifted Spiritual Beast. He was merely an ordinary white dog that had barely stepped into the realm of cultivation by relying on the System Panel.

"I can't slack off!"

A sense of urgency rose in his heart. After the funeral for Chili Mu's Grandpa was finished, he continued accompanying the Hunting Team during the day to hunt.

During this period, Chili Mu immersed herself in cultivation and briefly forgot her grief. As long as she rested for one or two hours, she could continue cultivating, and her cultivation efficiency was far higher than Wu Tian's.