Immortal Words Unleash Creation

Daoist in White's sleeves unfurled lightly, and the phantom image of a colossal bronze cauldron appeared over the sea of clouds.

He did not wait for the crowd to prepare. "Everyone knows that alchemy requires a cauldron, but few know that Heaven and Earth are the furnace, and Creation is the work..."

His voice rang like a great bell, carrying a wondrous rhythm that reached straight into the heart.

At his words, every cultivator present, no matter their level of cultivation, felt as if struck by lightning and fell into a state of sudden enlightenment.

Chen Qing felt his mind clear. Countless scenes unfolded before his eyes: mountains and rivers became the walls of a furnace, while the sun, moon, and stars drifted within it.

He seemed to have become a speck of dust inside the cauldron. The spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth seared his whole body like blazing flames, yet hidden within that scorching heat was a profound mystery...

"The cauldron is the body of Heaven and Earth; the Great Medicine is, in truth, Essence, Qi, and Spirit..."

The Daoist's voice seemed to descend from the highest heavens. Each word fell like the morning bell and evening drum, giving rise to Dao Rhyme.

A thousand-year-old cypress by the cliff suddenly rustled. In a fissure in its bark, a pair of amber eyes opened.

A stubborn stone by the stream cracked with a "ka," and a delicate Stone Sprite sprang out, bowing with moss still atop its head.

"Rumble—"

The grass and trees across the mountain suddenly swayed. Seven or eight little spirits, newly transformed, crawled out from the cracks in the rocks, each with dirt still stuck to its head.

The voice grew increasingly ethereal, yet Chen Qing's awareness grew ever clearer. His accumulated cultivation experience in the real world resonated wondrously with the Dao Rhyme he was hearing.

"The mountain ranges in the Sea and Mountain Remnant Scroll conceal the charm of the sea. They seem to accord with the principles of the Heaven and Earth Furnace!"

"Crack—"

A faint sound came from within him. The Mountain and Sea Patterns on the embryonic life talisman began flowing of their own accord.

"Ugh!"

Muffled groans sounded around him.

The first few Aristocratic Clan disciples to wake looked bewildered, clearly having gained nothing. The young attendants had opened their eyes even earlier, rubbing their temples in frustration.

By the time the Daoist reached "Calamity is not calamity; all are merely the tempering," half the cultivators present had already fallen out of their enlightenment. The Aristocratic Clan disciples in the inner circle opened their eyes one after another. The one who had lasted longest had managed no more than half an hour.

Xu Zhaoying's brows were tightly furrowed, and sweat dampened her face. She had clearly reached her limit, too.

As the lecture delved deeper, more and more cultivators emerged from their deep contemplation. Some wore delighted expressions, clearly having gained something; others shook their heads and sighed, seeming to understand, yet not quite.

"...Golden Sand enters the five interiors; mist disperses like wind and rain. This Golden Sand is no external object, but the purest spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth."

When he reached "Golden Sand enters the five interiors," Chen Qing was the only one left, a clear glow shimmering around him. Supreme Harmony Qi circulated of its own accord, bringing together the cultivation secrets of the past and present.

Daoist in White's gaze paused, and the other cultivators looked over in astonishment.

"...Thus, mountains and rivers are the materials, the years are the fire. When the pill has undergone nine turns, do not forget the dust that entered the furnace."

As the final words of the Dao fell, Chen Qing abruptly opened his eyes and found that he was the only one still contemplating. He hurriedly reined in his aura.

"You actually managed to comprehend the whole lecture?" Xu Zhaoying asked, astonishment still in her eyes.

Chen Qing smiled without answering, though he was puzzled himself. Then he remembered that while the body he inhabited in the dream was only at the mid-stage of the second realm, it bore cultivation knowledge spanning countless ages. The techniques of later generations were not necessarily superior to those of antiquity, but standing on the shoulders of giants let him see farther, though he himself was not tall.

Ignoring the many gazes fixed on him, he waited until his thoughts settled, then immediately looked inward at his dantian.

The embryonic life talisman had solidified to nine-tenths, and a wisp of wondrous Dao Rhyme curled around it. This was the very essence of Heaven and Earth as a Furnace!

"My dream body should be able to condense a life talisman soon."

Meanwhile, Daoist in White had not left. He swept his sleeves lightly, driving away the spirits who had gathered around him. "I have no spirit fruits to feed you. Your fortunes lie elsewhere, not here. Go."

With a sweep of his sleeve, the spirits tumbled off the mountain and into the sea of clouds.

"Venerable Taiyan, we all have questions. Could you enlighten us...?"

Seeing this, the crowd hurried forward to ask for guidance.

"Certainly."

The Daoist answered without hesitation, explaining the key points in just a few words.

Chen Qing stood quietly to the side, listening ravenously and memorizing every word. These were priceless truths, impossible to find in the present day!

He was listening intently when he suddenly felt a tug at his sleeve. Then Xu Zhaoying sent him a private transmission: "Look at that attendant's face."

Chen Qing glanced over from the corner of his eye. The previously arrogant attendant was now holding out fine spirit tea, waiting reverently for a break in the lecture so he could offer it.

But Chen Qing had no mind to bother with him. Every word the Daoist spoke was an invaluable treasure. If he could memorize it all and bring it back to the present, it would be worth a fortune!

"I wonder what realm this Daoist has reached..."

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Daoist in White swept his sleeve and mounted the clouds to leave. Just then, he suddenly paused and looked back at Chen Qing.

"This young friend's Root Bone is as deep as an abyss, with the hidden aspect of a sea that takes in a hundred rivers. Ordinary people hear me speak of 'All Things as Straw Dogs' and suffer splitting headaches, yet you listened calmly even through 'Forging Yin and Yang.' You are well suited to the meaning of Heaven and Earth as a Furnace. Your Spiritual Bone should also have the ability to Absorb All Things and Regulate Yin and Yang. What a pity, what a pity..."

With that, he rode the clouds away. His voice faded into the sea of clouds, leaving the cultivators across the peak staring at one another.

Chen Qing was still somewhat dazed.

Root Bone as deep as an abyss?

What did that mean?

He shook his head, realizing that with his meager cultivation, he could never fathom such cryptic words. He decided not to dwell on them.

Noticing the gazes around them growing ever more fervent, Xu Zhaoying called out at just the right moment, "Lord Chen, it's time to prepare for the journey to the capital."

"Let's go." Chen Qing gathered his thoughts, nodded, and took one last look in the direction where the Daoist had vanished.

Deep within the clouds, the ancient bronze palace flickered in and out of view.

The echoes of the bell had yet to fade, but the people on the cloud platform were already rising to their feet.

Several Aristocratic Clan disciples were just about to approach when a streak of jade-green swordlight shot into the sky.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait! We sincerely invite you! You should know that the Tenth Princess can barely look after herself. If you follow her..."

There was no way he was stopping for that!

Chen Qing muttered inwardly, then rode the jade-green swordlight with Xu Zhaoying. In an instant, they vanished into the sea of clouds.

Only the attendant remained, standing dumbfounded with the spirit tea in hand, while everyone else stared at one another.

As the swordlight cut through the clouds and mist, Xu Zhaoying suddenly chuckled. "You're certainly carefree. Those Aristocratic Clan disciples are usually hard to befriend. Their clans have abundant resources, and they face fewer restrictions..."

"They only came because of my reputation for offering counsel." Chen Qing gazed down at the churning sea of clouds and shook his head. "If I joined them, they'd probably hound me for advice every day. How would I ever find peace to cultivate? Better not to befriend them."

A hint of approval flashed in Xu Zhaoying's eyes. Then she said, "There's no need to take Venerable Taiyan's words too much to heart. Even if you've lost your Spiritual Bone, that doesn't mean you can't achieve something..."

Chen Qing smiled. "Don't worry."

Xu Zhaoying nodded, and the swordlight suddenly accelerated, heading straight for the courtyard halfway up the mountain.

Amid the howling mountain wind, Chen Qing pondered to himself: if he could fully comprehend what he had gained from this lecture, it would greatly benefit him when he returned to the present.

When they returned to their Cave Mansion, the two wasted no time. Once they had everything in order, they mounted the swordlight and shot into the azure sky, flying through the clouds.

Standing on the sword, Chen Qing looked back. A thousand peaks crouched like dragons and tigers, the sea of clouds roiled like spilled ink, and the ancient bronze palace hung on the horizon. Now and then, golden light burst forth, illuminating ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers.

"What a blessed abode of immortals! What a natural Visualization Diagram!"

As he marveled at the scene, his mind suddenly shook. Supreme Harmony Qi surged like a tide, and the embryonic life talisman trembled without pause. It had accumulated enough power to condense on its own!

In a daze, Chen Qing saw himself holding a brush beneath a green lantern, copying ancient paintings; sketching the sea of clouds atop a mountain peak; even painting an expert lecturing outside the ancient bronze palace!

"Is this... the Art of Painting my dream body practiced over the past five years?"

He was both astonished and delighted.

His dream body really had followed the obsession he had left behind, studying painting alongside cultivation. Though progress had been slow without a teacher, with time and persistence he had still gained a measure of skill!

"Lord Chen?" Xu Zhaoying noticed something amiss.

"It's nothing." Chen Qing suppressed the agitation of the life talisman. The Mountain and Sea Patterns in his dantian were nearly complete; only the final step remained before they could take shape.

As if sensing the change in the spiritual energy within Chen Qing, Xu Zhaoying spoke while forming hand seals to control the sword. "The journey to Jade Capital is long. We'll pass through several dangerous places along the way, so we must be careful."

Chen Qing gave a slight nod, his gaze lingering on the picturesque landscapes along their route.

As they spoke, the swordlight had already swept past several mountain peaks.

Suddenly!

"Hmm?"

Chen Qing furrowed his brow, sensing a disturbance hidden in the clouds ahead.

Almost at the same time, Xu Zhaoying sensed it too.

The swordlight came to an abrupt halt!

Three streaks of dark light shot out through the clouds, aimed straight at their hearts!

Chen Qing's sleeves whipped around, and Supreme Harmony Qi surged up like a wave!

"Clang!"

Three black bone nails fell with a clatter. Yin Sha Qi corroded the air with a sizzling hiss.

"Yin Sha Bone Nails?" Xu Zhaoying's pupils contracted. "Northern Cold Curse Technique!"

Ssssh!

The clouds tore open. An old man in a fur cloak stood in midair. Wherever his bone staff pointed, black Qi churned into grotesque ghost faces. The pressure of the third realm crashed down like a collapsing mountain, roaring toward them!

"So you're Chen Xu? I've been waiting for you!" he snarled. "If it weren't for your policy of dividing power and dispersing influence, my Northern Cold warriors wouldn't have become slave laborers! Their children wouldn't have been made to recognize thieves as their fathers! Today, you'll pay for it, you Poisonous Strategist!"

With that, he swung his bone staff. The black Qi filling the sky became grotesque ghost faces and lunged straight at the two of them!