"What exactly is this scripture?"
Even with Yuan Tianzong's extensive knowledge and experience, and having read numerous Daoist and Buddhist texts, as well as all kinds of unorthodox works, he had no idea where to begin with the scripture before him. He was completely at a loss.
It had already gone beyond his basic understanding of scriptures. It had no words, nor any diagrams showing the routes of energy flow through the human body.
He and the Old Celestial Master had little to do with each other, so there was no reason for the old man to deceive him.
Besides, the Old Celestial Master already knew he was a Grandmaster. He would have to be out of his mind to deliberately make trouble for him.
Either it really was a scripture.
Or the Old Celestial Master had been deceived, and thought it was a scripture.
After some consideration, Yuan Tianzong decided it probably was a scripture—one recorded through some special method. To understand it, he would first have to find the right way to read it.
With that in mind, Yuan Tianzong once again cleared his mind of distractions and studied the pattern carefully. It resembled a spacetime tunnel, with line after line of white marks outlining a profound, time-crossing depth that drew his gaze toward an unknown shore.
He studied it for a long time, but still found nothing.
Yuan Tianzong rubbed his temples, sat cross-legged, and rested his right cheek on his hand as he tilted his head to examine the scroll spread across the ground.
In his eyes, the lines of white seemed to detach from the scroll and rise into the air.
There were so many white marks—at least thirty or forty thousand. They were packed so densely that even looking at them for a little while made his eyes blur.
Apart from the white marks, all that remained on the entire scroll was darkness, as dim as the universe.
"If it really is a scripture, then these white marks are the only thing that could be the 'text.'"
"Could the white marks be some kind of writing I can't recognize?"
Immersed in his deductions, Yuan Tianzong kept talking to himself.
Bone, watching from a distance, had no idea what he was doing, but thought he looked impressive. He quietly backed away, careful not to disturb him.
"One, two, three, four, five..."
A glint appeared in Yuan Tianzong's eyes. He focused all his thoughts and began counting the white marks on the scroll.
"Forty-nine thousand."
"That's a lot."
Yuan Tianzong sighed, still unable to grasp their deeper meaning.
Feeling a little tired, he rolled his neck and looked up at the sky.
Just then, a flock of birds flew over the mountains in a V formation.
His previously distracted gaze suddenly sharpened. A flash of insight seemed to cross Yuan Tianzong's mind as he thought of a possibility!
Flocks of birds habitually flew in a V formation for a reason. This formation could reduce wind resistance to a certain extent. The bird in front grew more tired, but made things easier for those behind it.
This formation allowed the birds to fly longer during their lengthy migrations. They only needed to switch leaders from time to time.
Shape, position...
Different positions could produce different results.
Armies had battle formations.
Groups of cultivators also had all kinds of coordinated battle formations.
If so, could the arrangement and positions of these white marks be the key?
Following this idea, Yuan Tianzong came up with a plan: he would follow the positions of the white marks and use his true qi to simulate them, forming a true qi model of the pattern.
The idea seemed simple enough: use true qi to imitate the white marks.
But putting it into practice was incredibly difficult. There were forty-nine thousand marks. Simulating such an enormous number with true qi required an exceptionally high level of control and precision.
Even Yuan Tianzong felt suffocated at the thought of the undertaking, and a hint of retreat crept into his heart.
Yet after taking only one deep breath, he decided to give it a try.
With a thought, pure white, searing true qi surged out of his body. It was true qi he had refined through the Extreme Yang Genesis Technique, incorporating various true qi arts from the Age of Dharma Decline. He had created it specifically to break through the Grandmaster bottleneck.
Whoosh—
Air currents swirled as line after line of white marks took shape behind him. The simulation began.
Some marks were straight as lines, others flicked like brushstrokes, curved like hooks, or formed half-arcs and full circles. The immense undertaking rapidly consumed Yuan Tianzong's mental energy. He was already feeling tired by the time he had simulated the first hundred.
Two hundred...
Three hundred...
Lines of white true qi drifted around Yuan Tianzong, slowly unfolding like scripture.
He had no attention to spare for arranging their positions and could only do his utmost to control the true qi.
Four hundred and eighty-seven...
With a muffled boom, all the white marks of true qi around him burst apart, sending air currents surging in every direction.
Bone jumped in fright and hurried over, worried that something had happened to his master.
From within the dust came the sound of heavy breathing.
A moment later, Yuan Tianzong emerged from the cloud, covered in dust. Sweat on his face had mixed with the dirt, leaving him looking rather wretched.
Ever since he had reached the Grandmaster realm, he had never had an experience like this. In the past, accomplishing anything had been as easy as breathing; he could do whatever he pleased. He had never felt so frustrated, brought to a halt by a scripture.
He had managed to simulate four hundred and eighty-seven marks, and that was without even trying to arrange them in their proper positions.
At this rate, he still had a long way to go before he could simulate all forty-nine thousand marks and arrange them in their correct positions.
"A challenge. Good." Yuan Tianzong stretched, a bright smile spreading across his face as he found something to enjoy. A sudden gale swirled around him, scattering the sweat and dust from his face and leaving him spotless.
"Clack!" Bone waved a bony hand beside Yuan Tianzong, clumsily trying to sweep away the remaining dust.
"It's fine. It's just a little dust." After spending so much time with Bone, Yuan Tianzong had gradually learned to understand some of his gestures. They no longer had to communicate by writing.
Footsteps approached. Yuan Tianzong looked up and saw Xue Ding from the Celestial Master Temple.
His grandmaster had sent him to build a rapport with Yuan Tianzong. He had heard the muffled boom and, thinking something had happened, hurried over with his sword in hand.
"Senior Yuan, what happened here?" Xue Ding asked, looking around at the swirling dust in confusion.
Yuan Tianzong shook his head. "It's nothing. What brings you here?"
"I... Huh? A demon?!" Xue Ding suddenly spotted Bone. His heart jolted, and his long sword slid halfway out of its sheath as his righteous true qi surged.
"His name is Bone. He's with me," Yuan Tianzong replied calmly, discreetly stopping Xue Ding from trying to vanquish evil.
He's with you?
Xue Ding was taken aback. His ancient sword slowly slid back into its sheath.
He found it astonishing that a skeleton could be so sentient—and even knew to fan Yuan Tianzong. It looked just like a servant.
"By the way, what did you come here for?" Yuan Tianzong asked again.
Hearing this, Xue Ding scratched his head and spoke frankly. "Please don't laugh, Senior Yuan. My grandmaster and master sent me to build a rapport with you and strengthen our ties."
"I guessed that was the reason." Yuan Tianzong understood and didn't mind. With a Grandmaster like him nearby, it would have been strange if the Celestial Master Temple had done nothing.
Xue Ding's frankness actually made Yuan Tianzong feel more favorably toward him. He wasn't bothered by it.
"Fine. I've gotten tired of eating grilled meat these past few days. Go make me something else. If it tastes good, I can give you a pointer or two. That's all."
Xue Ding was overjoyed and hurriedly clasped his hands. "Thank you, Senior Yuan! You can count on me. I'm a pretty good cook."
"Talk is cheap. I'll have to taste it to know."
Before you continue