Taiyin Ghost Form Manual

The onlookers held their breath, even the short, stocky man who had been arguing earlier stared with wide eyes, terrified of missing anything.

Li Jinrong couldn't help but stand on his tiptoes, craning his neck to get a better look.

Suddenly, the stone-cutter's movements faltered ever so slightly.

The tip of the short chisel in his hand, having peeled away a thick layer of stone skin, did not strike hard rock, but rather encountered a sensation of resilient resistance.

At the same time, a faint, imperceptible coolness traveled through the tool and into his hand.

He immediately changed his technique, abandoning the heavy chiseling in favor of scraping with the very tip of the tool with extreme caution.

More debris fell away, and a section of fine, jade-like texture, roughly the size of a fingernail, was vaguely revealed!

"It's jade?!" someone with sharp eyes whispered immediately.

"That's no ordinary jade. This luster... it looks like ancient jade, but it's different—thinner, more like... a Jade Slip?" Green-Robed Brother Wang leaned forward half a step, his tone filled with shock and doubt.

The stone-cutter became even more cautious, carefully chipping away the surrounding stone bit by bit around the edge of the jade.

Gradually, a jade-like thin sheet about two fingers wide was exposed; it did not exist independently, as its edge seemed to be connected to the stone beneath, or perhaps... it was part of a larger object.

"It's a Jade Slip! A scroll-style carrier used by ancient cultivators to record important diagrams and text, often refined from special spiritual jade!"

The white-haired old man's voice trembled with excitement, "This thing is even rarer than ancient jade, usually used for secret pill formulas, complex formation diagrams, or certain special inheritance techniques! The preservation requirements are much higher; I never expected to see one inside a Yin Stone Seal!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

The value of a Jade Slip was clearly superior to ordinary ancient jade, especially since it likely involved highly practical content like pill formulas or formation diagrams.

The short, stocky man's face shifted, and he muttered, "It's not fully opened yet; who knows if it's damaged..."

Beads of sweat appeared on the stone-cutter's forehead, but his movements grew increasingly steady and precise.

He no longer chased speed, instead working as if carving a piece of art, liberating the jade portion from the stubborn stone bit by bit.

The process was slow, yet no one urged him on.

Finally, after spending nearly twice the time it took to open the previous large stone, the object was presented in its entirety on the thick leather mat spread out by the stone-cutter.

It was a pale grayish-white jade scroll, about half a foot long and two inches wide.

The jade was warm and lustrous, its surface marked with delicate textures like ripples and clouds, while the edges were inlaid with two extremely fine dark-gold metal bands that still emitted a faint glow despite the passage of countless years.

The Jade Slip was not fully unrolled; both ends featured fine dark-gold axles of the same material, and the center was gently bound by a thin black cord.

The entire Jade Slip was in perfect condition, showing not a single sign of damage.

"A complete ancient Jade Slip!" Brother Wang cried out, then immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, unable to hide the shock in his eyes.

The old man, who had been stroking his beard, froze and murmured, "Judging by this form, it is certainly no ordinary object. I fear it is an important inheritance carrier left behind by a cultivator at the Golden Core stage or higher, or perhaps a significant faction!"

"He's struck it rich... that kid really struck it rich again!" Some people's eyes turned red with envy.

"Who was it that said they'd eat the stone skin earlier?"

Someone muttered this quietly, causing the short, stocky man's face to turn a sickly shade of green and white. He stiffened his neck and stayed silent, though his feet quietly shuffled back half a step.

Li Jinrong was completely stunned.

He looked at the priceless Jade Slip, then back at his own dull piece of Yin Marrow Iron; the massive psychological gap made his chest feel tight, and his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The two women behind him also covered their small mouths, their beautiful eyes filled with envy and awe.

Li Zhong's pupils contracted slightly, his hand already resting on the hilt of the blade at his waist.

The appearance of this Jade Slip would likely bring not just wealth, but immense trouble!

He immediately signaled the other guards with his eyes to tighten their formation, shielding Li Jinrong and the others more closely while vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

Sure enough, many gazes had already turned scorching and dangerous, like wolf eyes glowing in the dark of night.

The One-Eyed Stall Owner had straightened up at some point, his arms no longer crossed. His single eye stared fixedly at the Jade Slip before slowly shifting to Chen Mo's calm face, his expression complex and unreadable.

The stone-cutter carefully placed the Jade Slip onto the appraisal stone table.

The black cord vibrated slightly, emitting a circle of soft spiritual light.

"There is a restriction."

The stone-cutter said in a deep voice, "The Jade Slip itself is intact, but there is a protective restriction on the cord, and its strength is unknown. Forcing it open may damage what is stored inside. If you wish to know the specific contents, you must find someone proficient in the way of restrictions with sufficient cultivation, or use a specific token to unlock it."

He paused, then added, "Judging solely by the material, form, and restriction of this Jade Slip, it is already of immense value. What is contained within is certainly no ordinary item."

"An ancient Jade Slip with a restriction!"

"It's even more valuable now! But also much more dangerous to hold..."

"Who exactly is this kid? How can his luck be this good?"

"I don't think it's all luck..."

The buzzing of discussion rose once more, but this time it was laced with a more stifled excitement and greed.

The value of the Jade Slip had already exceeded the imagination of many.

Chen Mo looked at the ancient jade scroll on the stone table, his heart remaining largely undisturbed.

The anomaly of the Moonlight Treasure Mirror had indeed come to pass.

He stepped forward and reached out to pick up the jade scroll.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, its texture delicate and smooth, while the black binding cords possessed a strange resilience, with the spiritual light of the restrictions faintly rippling across them.

At that very moment, the Moonlight Treasure Mirror suddenly began to operate on its own, and new characters emerged upon its surface like flowing water:

[Complete high-tier inheritance record detected... Deep analysis in progress...]

[New fundamental technique available for cultivation: Taiyin Ghost Form Manual]

[Inheritance Grade: Earth-tier High Grade (Potential assessment: Heaven-tier? Due to the extreme nature of the core method, actual power and risk coexist)]

[Inheritance Overview: One of the core branches of the ancient forbidden lineage Nine Nether Profound Chapter. It abandons the conventional path of human cultivation, adhering to the ultimate predatory tenet of seizing the essence of heaven and earth to mend the deficiencies of one's own body. Using the Taiyin as a furnace and all living things as fuel, it forges the Taiyin Dao Body, stealing their forms, seizing their spirits, and extending one's own life!]

[When successfully refining and fusing with the source organs of demons/anomalies, one may utilize the unique secret arts of the Taiyin Ghost Form Manual to strip away and devour a portion of the creature's residual source vitality and lifespan, converting it into pure life essence to nourish oneself and directly increase one's lifespan.]

[Complete cultivation system (requires sequential unlocking; currently, only the Aperture Opening Chapter meets the basic cultivation conditions):

1. Aperture Opening Chapter (Qi Refining Stage): Open the Yin Apertures, condense Taiyin Qi, and temper the soul and physique.

Cultivation Prerequisite: Soul strength ≥ Grade B Low Grade.]

[Current recommendation: Prioritize cultivating the Aperture Opening Chapter to open the Yin Apertures and condense Taiyin Qi.]

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