Inventory

The Cave Mansion's main gate thundered shut. The glow from the Luminous Pearls and the bronze lotus lamp intertwined, making Man Xiongmu's expression look even gloomier.

"Tong Guan's fellow is clearly up to no good."

He sat upright on the stone chair, his voice cold. "Things are chaotic beneath the mountain these days, with great demons appearing frequently. Our trip down the mountain this time will probably be very dangerous."

Wu Tian, however, remained calm and did not panic. "Master, I have the ability to sense danger. Whatever schemes he may be plotting, it's still unknown who will emerge victorious."

"Besides, with Senior's decree in place, I doubt he'll dare make a move openly."

"If he resorts to any underhanded tricks, we'll deal with soldiers with generals and floods with earth."

At this, Man Xiongmu could not help being slightly stunned. Only after a moment did he laugh. "I never thought that at my age, I'd still need you, little dog, to comfort me."

"Haha, it seems I really am getting old. I'm actually not as steady and composed as you, little dog. Haha..."

As he spoke, he shook his head and flicked his hand, sending the jade slip flying toward Wu Tian. "Regardless, we've finally gotten our hands on the Moon Swallowing Qi Circulation Diagram. Take it and cultivate it. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to come ask me."

Wu Tian sprang up and bit the jade slip with astonishing precision. Somewhat excited yet also uneasy, he asked, "Master, could Tong Guan have tampered with this Qi Circulation Diagram?"

Man Xiongmu shook his head. "Don't worry. The Qi Circulation Diagram has to be combined with the subsequent techniques to form a complete inheritance. On its own, a single Qi Circulation Diagram is actually nothing special."

"Otherwise, he couldn't have agreed to give it to you so easily."

"Moreover, the most important part of the Qi Circulation Diagram is the Dharma-intent contained within it. Tong Guan himself cannot produce this jade slip. Instead, he imprinted the diagram's Dharma-intent onto it through an inheritance seal."

"That cannot be faked. Just cultivate it without worry."

"So that's how it is. Thank you, Master. I understand." After his excitement faded, Wu Tian bit down on the jade slip and suddenly asked awkwardly, "Master, how do I use this inheritance jade slip?"

This was his first time encountering such a thing, and he truly had no idea how to use it.

Hearing this, Man Xiongmu smiled. "That was my oversight. Focus your mind and circulate the Tongyou Qi to the spiritual platform between your brows."

As he spoke, he waved a hand. A black wind scattered forth, wrapping around the jade slip clenched in Wu Tian's mouth with pinpoint accuracy and placing it against his brow.

Wu Tian circulated the Tongyou Qi. When the True Qi reached his brow, the jade slip suddenly shone brilliantly, as if a full moon had fallen into the space between his brows.

A diagram outlined by seventy-two acupoints surfaced in his mind. The Qi Circulation Diagram was incredibly complicated, its densely packed lines crisscrossing like they had woven a giant mouth that clamped down on a full moon.

"What an exquisite Moon Swallowing Qi Circulation Diagram..."

Wu Tian's mind surged with emotion. This Qi Circulation Diagram was simply too perfect for him, too well suited. His canine body had only seventy-two acupoints to begin with. No matter how wondrous other Qi Circulation Diagrams were, none of them matched him.

Seeing him immersed in the Moon Swallowing Qi Circulation Diagram's method, Man Xiongmu said with a smile, "There's no need to hurry. I've only just returned to the mountain gate. Even if we're going down the mountain, I'll need to rest for a while."

"Besides, I also need to investigate and see exactly what that fellow Tong Guan is trying to do."

"And there's this Thousand-Year Ironwood Heart..."

He placed the section of Thousand-Year Ironwood Heart on the table. "This is a Mid-grade Spirit Material. It can be used to refine artifacts and is extremely precious. I think you should set it aside for now. The Bitter Bamboo outside the door is enough for you to use for the time being."

"Wait until your cultivation is higher before using this."

Hearing Man Xiongmu's words, Wu Tian remembered that he still had several Curse Artifacts hidden in his belly. He hurriedly opened his mouth and spat them out: a banner, a Black Net, a bell, and a purple-green Ruyi Rope.

"Master, look. These are my spoils from before."

"And this Ruyi Rope—I personally refined it during this period..."

Man Xiongmu looked at the objects spat out of the dog's mouth, seeming somewhat reluctant to touch them. After dryly clearing his throat and sweeping his eyes over them, he said, "These three Curse Artifacts are all relatively common inheritances within the mountain gate."

"The Cloud Covering Banner, Yin Soul Net, and Soul Stirring Bell. The Cloud Covering Banner can conceal one's form, but it has quite a few restrictions. Our Qiyun Cave lineage has its own concealment techniques, making this thing rather useless."

"The Yin Soul Net is more suitable for many people to use together. If hundreds of people use the Yin Soul Net at once, they can lay down a vast Heavenly Net in the blink of an eye, leaving the enemy no escape even if they sprout wings."

"But for you, little dog, it isn't very useful."

"This Soul Stirring Bell, however, suits you quite well. When the bell rings, it seizes the soul and snatches away the spirit. As long as the enemy is delayed for even an instant, you can seize the opportunity to kill them."

After pausing slightly, Man Xiongmu still beckoned with his hand. A black wind lifted the purple-green Ruyi Rope and brought it into his grasp, where he examined it carefully.

There was no saliva or other debris on the rope. Its entire body was purple-green, with Water and Fire patterns woven across it. It was about four feet eight inches long and flowed with a warm, lustrous sheen. Its appearance was quite impressive.

"You refined this by Drawing Silk from the Ironwood Staff in the Wild Dog Cave disciple's hands, didn't you? Your Ruyi Rope seems to have been made by combining four strands of Yin Soul Silk. Two of the strands bear the Cloud Water Spell and Gather Wind Spell, but I can't make out the other two techniques..."

Wu Tian sent a voice transmission. "They were the two curse techniques Senior taught me. I imprinted them onto it as well."

Man Xiongmu nodded. "You certainly have lofty aspirations, little dog. Combining four strands of Yin Soul Silk requires far more time and effort than other Curse Artifacts."

"However, the best thing about this Ruyi Whip is that its materials are simple. It only requires Yin Soul Silk as a single Spirit Material. With continuous refinement, it can even be refined all the way into a prized Ruyi Lariat."

"Other Curse Artifacts require complicated materials, and many cannot be refined into artifacts at all. Even those that can usually require additional Spirit Materials to refine together."

"Since you've chosen the Ruyi Whip, don't give up. Once you refine it into a Ruyi Lariat in the future, it will be an excellent Guardian Artifact."

Wu Tian nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I plan to do, Master. I only need Yin Soul Silk to keep refining this Curse Artifact, so I won't have to search for other Spirit Materials."

"Although it will still take hard work, it will save me the time spent searching for Spirit Materials."

Man Xiongmu nodded. After pondering briefly, he said, "I'll take the Cloud Covering Banner and Yin Soul Net. I can exchange them for some Merit points at the Affairs Hall."

"I can use those to exchange for the Soul Stirring Curse Technique. It's the curse technique used to activate the Soul Stirring Bell. I don't have it either, so I'll need to exchange Merit points for it at the Transmission Pavilion."

"For now, stay in the Cave Mansion and cultivate. You can use the Bitter Bamboo outside the cave to practice the Silk Drawing Curse Technique. Don't slack off."

Wu Tian hurriedly agreed. He caught the purple-green Ruyi Rope Man Xiongmu tossed over and swallowed it into his belly. Then, without paying attention to anything else, he leaped onto a stone chair and began that day's practice.

He had now opened sixty-eight acupoints. He was not far from reaching perfection in the Unblocking of Acupoints. At most, another four or five days would be enough to complete it...

As the curse incantation rang out, Water, Fire, Wind, and Thunder surged. The essence of heaven and earth flowed like rosy clouds, completely enveloping his body.