Teaching a Secret Technique

After all this commotion, Zheng Zetian realized that his physical body was indeed a huge problem, envied by the heavens, inexplicably attracting karma and endless tribulations. Although he had managed to buy himself a few days of peace and quiet to cultivate, he knew he probably wouldn't get that chance, and he could be inexplicably dragged into trouble at any time.

Moreover, Zheng Zetian is slowly remembering that his temper used to be quite bad. Not to mention doing whatever he wanted, he was certainly not humble or kind at all. When faced with trouble, even if he tolerated it for a while, he would eventually get his revenge, which would inevitably drag him into endless troubles and disputes.

Although Zheng Zetian was not afraid of those dangers, he did not want to be completely driven by his past life's nature. If he had to go through the same old path again and become that mad demon, what would be the point of this reincarnation?

It seems I need to pay attention to cultivating my Dao heart. I wonder if any learned masters have any good methods.

Empty Star

Li Fan, now dressed in a Daoist robe, rubbed the jade slip between his sleeves, studying the 'heavenly book written by Ancestor Luo after his madness,' as he answered,

"Fellow Daoist wants to exchange this celestial book for a method to uphold one's Dao heart? No way, do you not even have a Heart Sutra for calming the mind and tranquilizing the spirit?"

Zheng Zetian then munched on his apple.

"I did have some in the past, but back then I followed the path of 'I am the only one who matters,' dominating the world and being the sole ruler. So I never bothered with that nonsense. I just used jade slips to transcribe other Cultivation Method, or simply changed their names and sold them for money."

Li Fan was speechless.

"You're so awesome... then keep being awesome, why change course? Are you afraid of going crazy?"

Zheng Zetian shook his head and sighed.

"Back then, my entire family was wiped out by my enemies. I barely survived and wandered the martial world as a rogue cultivator, struggling and fighting my way through life. I never received the protection of my sect or the guidance of my mentor. I relied on myself for everything and never asked for help. It was through such trials that I was able to forge my own domineering nature."

Now that I've been reincarnated and am cultivating in Ink Bamboo Mountain, I'm bound by a sect and have formed such ties. How could I possibly replicate my past life's path? Of course, I can't follow this path anymore. I humbly request guidance from the Grand Master."

Li Fan shrugged.

"That's easy, but the path I've chosen is to benefit all living beings and save the world. Would you like to join me as a partner in justice?"

"A partner of justice... well, never mind then..."

Zheng Zetian curled his lips.

"I always thought the Mohists were even crazier than me, but I never imagined the Grand Master's doctrines would be even more outrageous. Please forgive this disciple for not being able to accept it."

Li Fan sighed.

"Sigh, never mind. I know you probably have no interest in taking over my Dao, but as long as you don't destroy the world, you've already done me a great favor. But no matter what, as a disciple of Ink Bamboo Mountain, you still need to have some righteous principles in your conduct."

I have here the "<Ten Theories> of the Great Masters" and the "<Six Classics> of the Mohist School." Although they are not cultivation Cultivation Method, they are collections of biographies and sayings of great masters and Mohists throughout history, teaching some principles of conduct and interpersonal relationships. Fellow Daoist, please take a look; perhaps you will find something of value."

Although I don't believe in this, since I've become a disciple of Ink Bamboo Mountain, I still have to put on an act.

Zheng Zetian then bowed and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you very much, Master, for transmitting the Dharma."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. Didn't you take those two sword attendants as your partners? Do you want the people or the swords?"

Zheng Zetian asked in surprise, "What, can't you take both the person and the sword?"

Li Fan sighed.

"I understand your desire to have it all, but you don't know that these sword-forging children serve the sword with their own bodies and feed their lives to the sword spirit. They basically don't live for long. Asking too much will only result in losing both your life and your wealth."

Let me tell you, this method initially involved using secret techniques to forge a sword, creating a sword embryo the size of a willow leaf, the tip of a sword. The embryo was then wrapped in celestial silkworm silk and given to a sword attendant to swallow and nurture within his dantian. Once the silkworm silk was digested, the attendant would then consume a sword-forging pill, along with Golden Core, and practice breathing Dao Breath day and night to nourish the sword embryo.

Initially, the sword embryo is small and merely consumes battle qi. Taking pills and golden sand may cause slight abdominal pain, but one can still cultivate normally and not notice any significant difference. However, as the sword embryo implanted in the spine is nurtured by Dao Breath, it gradually develops a sharp edge, pierces the spinal cord, and begins to draw marrow and fluids on its own. At this point, the sword boy becomes restless, suffering from unbearable pain and itching day and night, a pain that pierces to the very marrow. In the later stages, he can hardly walk, sit, or lie down, and can only recuperate on a couch, while constantly being careful to avoid being disemboweled by the Sword Qi within his body.

Moreover, every three years, the sword must be opened again using a secret method to retrieve it, its blade warmed, imprinted with a sword seal, and polished and maintained. Otherwise, if there is any mishap and the sword's position shifts, the blade may break through the sword's body, tearing apart the lungs and internal organs, killing the sword boy on the spot. The sword may also break free of its sheath and fly away to another place.

Such training methods are unbearable for ordinary people. A typical sword-wielding apprentice can only endure two abdominal incisions to nourish the sword at most. Moreover, most of them die on the spot during the first incision to remove the sword. Those who survive are severely damaged, their spines are shattered, and they are bedridden and unable to move. They can only be fed and cared for by a special person, and they can only last for two or three years before they can no longer survive. It is completely about feeding the sword with a human, which is extremely cruel.

I understand your desire to have the best of both worlds. However, those two sword children have been consuming sword embryos for some time now, and their sword embryos are complete. They can unleash their flying swords at any time. Before, when they were with that True Person, they received elixirs to suppress their sword power. Now that they are no longer nourished, their flying swords could go berserk inside their bellies at any moment, independently seeking out flesh and blood essence. It wouldn't be surprising if they suddenly died.

Although I possess the secret techniques of the Sword Sect and various elixirs, and I am confident in my medical and surgical skills, theoretically I can assist those two girls in nurturing and sharpening their swords. As long as they can persevere to the Nascent Soul Realm and nurture their sword infants, they will naturally be able to break through the Xuan Gate, achieve great success, and from then on, become one with their swords, wielding them at will, as if controlling their own arms, and becoming unparalleled sword immortals.

"But fellow Daoist, you must know that even if our sect were to spare these resources to help you nurture your sword, the first requirement for this method is that the sword attendant himself possess unwavering perseverance and an extraordinary Dao heart, capable of enduring constant excruciating pain and the risk of sudden death to persist in his cultivation. To this day, there has only been one person in the world who has successfully traversed this path."

One person... but can that really be considered a person?

Zheng Zetian remained silent for a long time. "Then what other options are there? What can we say if we want people, or what can we say if we want swords?"

Li Fan said, "If you need someone, I'll first prescribe a pill formula. Take it for a few years to dissipate the Sword Qi. Then, use external internal energy to blast it apart and dissolve the sword embryo. After that, cultivate diligently day and night, and spend one or two hundred years refining this sword embryo in your dantian. That would be a great opportunity to become an immortal."

"If you want the sword, then have surgery as soon as possible to remove the sword from their abdomens. Although the two sword attendants have had their cultivation crippled, their foundation and essence are inevitably damaged, and their cultivation is ruined, it's still better than letting the sword embryo grow too large and losing their lives. Besides, my Ink Bamboo Mountain has so many body-refining and health-preserving methods; they can recuperate slowly later, and there won't be any major problems."

Zheng Zetian considered it for a moment, then said, "I'll take the sword."

Li Fan asked, "Oh? Aren't those two your Dao Companion? I thought you would give them a destiny and choose who you want to be with?"

Zheng Zetian shook his head, "That's not how it's calculated. Those two flying swords are priceless treasures painstakingly forged by Tianfu Mountain. How could they be lost so easily? With the attitude of the Extreme Truth Sect, how could they let them off so easily?"

If we don't take it out now, and wait until they're free to settle accounts, how will Chan'er and Juan'er possibly have the chance to keep this divine opportunity?

Who knows, if I'm not around to protect them, they might capture someone and disembowel them. Even if they shatter the sword embryo, it won't be fully digested in an instant. They could just throw the person into the furnace to blast them up and reforge them.

Therefore, it's best to remove this life-threatening danger as soon as possible. Even if one can no longer follow the path of the Xuanmen, I find this Yuling Great Law to be extremely wonderful and easy to cultivate. Without illness or disaster, one can still attain the righteous path of the Nascent Soul Stage. There's nothing wrong with that."

Li Fan nodded, "Alright, I will arrange for Blood God Child to descend to the mortal realm again as soon as possible to retrieve the sword for them. However, speaking of which, there is something I need to instruct you to do."

Zheng Zetian thought for a moment, "How about tracing the origin of the Tianfu Mountain Sword Sect's techniques?"

Li Fan sighed, "It's so easy talking to smart people. Indeed, the Sword Child Technique, such an evil art, could harm countless people by raising a single sword. This method has never been passed down from our main sect, so it can only be a tradition from outside the sect. Who knows, other even more inhumane killing techniques might have been passed down as well..."

In short, this lineage likely exists within Tianfu Mountain. Since those people still have a karmic connection with you regarding the Heavenly Book, this matter won't end so easily. If you have the opportunity, help me eradicate this lineage; we mustn't allow this evil path to spread, harm people, and damage the reputation of my Sword Sect."

The Sword Sect has no reputation whatsoever. What's the difference between killing with righteous methods and killing with evil methods? Would you be happier to be killed with righteous methods...?

But it seems the Grand Master truly is a direct descendant of the Nine Yin Mountain sect. Could he be a successor of Brother Yan? Ah, could he be one of those foxes...?

Forget it, whatever. Anyway, the big boss is powerful now, so whatever you say goes.

"Yes, Your Majesty's order."

"Um... oh, there's one more thing."

Li Fan flicked his sleeve, and a purple epiphyllum flower floated out and landed in Zheng Zetian's hand.

Zheng Zetian had an epiphany, and he released the black lotus on his forehead, holding one in each hand, which complemented the purple hibiscus.

Li Fan said,

"This is a new Cultivation Method I developed based on my latest observations and insights from your recent data rollbacks, using the Great Dao of Spacetime in the Empty Star. Fellow Daoist, please try it out and see how it works. I can't just take a heavenly book from you for nothing, can I?"

Watching the epiphyllum bloom and fade, constantly withering and blooming, and feeling the infinitely profound Daoist principles within it, Zheng Zetian was quite shocked.

So this means you've mastered the power of space and time, and gained some insight and innovation!

That makes sense, now that the Giant is stuck in the Empty Star by himself, he's really bored...

So he saved his game, discussed the Yuling Great Law with the Grand Master, and learned the Dao Heart, Sword Child, and the new Void Star Purple Lotus Technique. Zheng Zetian gained a lot, then awakened his soul and returned to the Revered Heavenly Demon Field.

He himself also looked at the epiphyllum flower and used the evil energy to transform the power of the Empty Star. He rubbed his fingers together and picked out an epiphyllum flower. However, he did not expect that this Cultivation Method would consume evil energy so much. Zheng Zetian was not prepared for this. The epiphyllum flower in his hand bloomed and withered in the blink of an eye. It was not like the epiphyllum flower of the giant, which could keep blooming. For the time being, he could not see any special effects.

Just as Zheng Zetian was trying to study this new Cultivation Method, he suddenly heard a soft sound in his ear, as if a wisp of electricity had shot through his forehead, triggering his Divine Sense and sending a divine thought.

Teacher Qian sent a telegram inviting them to meet at the Tianyu Mountain Mission Hall at Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Hmm? Was it that Outer Sect Disciple instructor who stole the Gui Xu Dao Yi? So even he survived this time? Oh, so that's how telegrams are sent...

Zheng Zetian was absent-minded and didn't bother to pay attention to him for a while, and then plucked another epiphyllum flower.

This time he was prepared, using even more malevolent energy to prolong the bloom of the epiphyllum by one second, but the flower quickly withered, and the effect remained unseen...

Teacher Qian sent a telegram inviting them to meet at the Tianyu Mountain Mission Hall at Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Huh? Why is it being sent again? Telegrams are free, aren't they...? Hmm? Could it be...?

Zheng Zetian suddenly had a guess, so he plucked another epiphyllum flower and waited for the petals to wither.

Teacher Qian sent a telegram inviting them to meet at the Tianyu Mountain Mission Hall at Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Hiss...

This probably means that it wasn't an important matter that was sent three times; rather, it was a telegram that was only sent once, but was repeated three times.

Just like how he repeatedly reverts to previous save files!

The power of spacetime! Terrifying indeed!

However, Zheng Zetian could not continue testing. After plucking three flowers, he clearly felt that his magical power was exhausted, his heart was pounding and he was panting, his hands and feet were trembling, his forehead was throbbing and he had a high fever, and he was so dizzy that he could hardly stand up.

He was very clear about these symptoms; they were typical of someone who had overused magic, was exhausted, and had completely depleted their Qi and spiritual power.

Clearly, even though he is already Golden Core cultivator, his current level is still insufficient to control the Ephemeral Flower and manipulate space and time.

However, if the Grandmaster himself were to unleash this power, who could possibly be his match? He would truly be invincible...

Zheng Zetian had seen many brilliant Daoists, but to be honest, he had never seen one as extraordinary as the "Grand Master." Although he had established his own altar and become an ancestor in his previous life, he hadn't created much of it himself. He mostly integrated the true teachings of various schools or took other people's things and used them for his own purposes.

But this great man truly developed all sorts of new methods and taught them to the world.

They're so bored they have nothing better to do than be ridiculous...

Zheng Zetian took a breath, basked in the moonlight, and absorbed the evil energy. After a while, he recovered his energy only when the sun rose in the east. He decided not to go back. Instead, he practiced breathing exercises in the morning sun, finished his morning prayers, and then took a Nine-Flower Pill to regain some strength.

It was about time, so I decided to ride my Tu Lou straight to the Tianyu Mountain classroom to keep my appointment and see what I had to say to Teacher Qian.

Of course, he could guess that Teacher Qian, as a disciple instructor, had used his connections to secure the lecturer's assignment at the Tianyu Mountain). He was using the opportunity of lecturing to the Inner Sect disciples to inquire about Zheng Zetian's 'Sweet Dew' telegram and how he knew the assassination attempt on the eunuch had been leaked. So Zheng Zetian had already prepared his answer.

"The tycoon told me to post it."

"The Giant???"

Teacher Qian looked at him with a "I don't believe you for a second" expression.

Zheng Zetian remained expressionless.

"The Grand Master is omniscient and omnipotent. He instructed me to relay his message, and I did so. He probably wants to instruct the instructors to collect some sweet dew for the sect."

Teacher Qian frowned for a moment. He had indeed stolen the master's things, and he felt uneasy, somewhat doubtful.

"Have you really seen the Grand Master?"

So Zheng Zetian conjured up a lotus flower for him to see.

"Of course! I'm exceptionally talented, having thoroughly studied the Great Learning. The Grand Master admires me greatly and even personally appeared to impart his teachings to me. If you don't believe me, Instructor, just go ask the Grand Master directly. Would I dare to lie based on the Grand Master's reputation?"

Teacher Qian was momentarily embarrassed and muttered under his breath.

"The Grand Master hasn't shown up for over a year, where am I supposed to find him...?"

Zheng Zetian kindly suggested,

"Instructor, you could go and collect the Dew of Nectar. This Heavenly Treasure is extremely rare, perhaps it would be useful to the Grand Master. Or you could study the Great Learning thoroughly, then the Grand Master would appear before you on his own initiative."

Where would Teacher Qian get his hands on any nectar, let alone get into university? He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the kid.

"Alright, Junior Brother Zheng, it's truly remarkable that you possess such talent and skill at such a young age. However, cultivation requires a down-to-earth approach. To excel in cultivation, you must also keep up with the Six Arts. Today, I will teach you the Seven Star Temple's method of refining treasures. Go and get a handout and sit in the front row."

"Yes, instructor."