Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art

Land of Ancient Shu.

"Just as expected... it's a cesspit of Heavenly Secrets."

Having crossed over once more, Fang Qing frowned as he inspected his magical artifacts one by one. Most crucially, there was that Second-Order "Heavenfrost Ice Blade Talisman"!

With his current mana, supplemented by Spiritual Sense, its power would absolutely surpass anything a Hua Family cultivator could unleash. He could even control its direction somewhat, avoiding injury to himself.

"I wonder what level of power a talisman equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator's full-force strike would have over here? A Dao Foundation cultivator's all-out blow? A casual attack? Or perhaps slightly weaker?"

He had naturally come here after receiving a signal from Dark Candle Adept, that old fox of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, confirming that they could trade.

For the cultivation method of Great Sun Violet Qi, he had no choice but to make this trip.

Unfortunately, Heavenly Secrets were muddled on the Ancient Shu side. Even with the Dao-Born Pearl, Fang Qing could only barely calculate his own fortune and misfortune.

And according to his Plum Blossom Divination, this operation was one where "danger hid within fortune, and fortune hid within danger"!

After interpreting it for half the day, Fang Qing felt that both beginning and end pointed toward fortune. It should be a false alarm, so the trade still had to proceed.

He merely needed to prepare his equipment more thoroughly.

"That old fox's cultivation is only at Qi Ingestion... one Second-Order talisman is enough to kill him."

"He shouldn't be hiding his cultivation to prey on the weak. Otherwise, the divination would definitely have said 'great misfortune'!"

"Forget it. I'll play it by ear."

"At worst, after this job, I'll abandon the identity of Fang Shui and make another one."

Late at night.

The moon had set, crows were crying, and beneath a withered tree.

Fang Qing stared at the entwined old vines in silence.

In the darkness, several dots of jade-green foxfire emerged. Then a ghastly white skull appeared, like a demon ghost walking the night.

Only upon closer inspection did he realize it was an old fox wearing a skull atop his head.

"Dark Candle Adept, you finally came."

Fang Qing lowered his voice.

"Please forgive me, Daoist friend. Ba Commandery has seen some unrest again, so I arrived late."

Dark Candle Adept pressed his two little paws together in greeting, looking thoroughly guileless and adorable. "This old man thought I would see Daoist friend again at that exchange gathering..."

Knowing that Shabby Daoist had a problem, why would I go over there? Was I looking to die?

Fang Qing mocked inwardly, but instead asked, "What happened in Ba Commandery?"

"It seems Daoist friend has been in seclusion all this time. There is no need to mention the affairs of Ba Commandery's mortals. The cultivation world has become chaotic again lately."

Dark Candle Adept sighed.

"Oh? Why has it become chaotic?"

Seeing the old fox beat around the bush, while neither the Plum Blossom Divination nor the Dao-Born Pearl issued any warning, Fang Qing casually continued the questioning.

"Because... someone from Cliff-Top has come." Dark Candle Adept spoke gloomily.

"What cliff?"

Fang Qing looked bewildered.

"This Ba Commandery, this Land of Ancient Shu... hehe, there are countless cultivators, yet only Dao Foundation cultivators count as regional powerhouses. Purple Mansion cultivators dominate a region and may be called feudal lords... but Cloud-Touching Cliff is the sky of Ancient Shu! Don't be fooled by how the Pu Family of Yulin and the Black Blight Sect are fighting like fire and water. So long as a single word comes down from the cliff, the Purple Mansion cultivators of those two factions must obediently kneel and heed the decree."

The old fox spoke leisurely.

"A force above the Purple Mansion?" Fang Qing was greatly astonished. Then he thought of something and tested, "Could it be... something similar to the Fallen Phoenix Mountain where Daoist friend resides?"

"Hehe, indeed, rather similar... except their lineage was passed down by the one above [Root Earth]."

As Dark Candle Adept spoke those words, Fang Qing suddenly sensed all manner of wonders within the void. It was as though they connected to an omnipresent yet illusory Fruit Seat, and shadows of countless plagues and insects surfaced.

"Merely mentioning it produces such a reaction..."

His heart turned solemn, and he deliberately said, "So Cloud-Touching Cliff is a tradition left behind by a mighty figure such as [Year Guardian]?"

"No, no, no! Those who ascend to the Golden Seat are Golden Core True Lords, but not every Golden Core True Lord is a [Year Guardian]..."

Dark Candle Adept hurriedly shook his head. "[Year Guardian] governs the imagery of the months. In theory, they are stronger than other Golden Core True Lords, but in reality... who knows how many times the twelve positions have changed hands, or how many people still hold their seats?"

"Can people like us, lower-level cultivators, speak of such matters?"

Fang Qing's scalp prickled, terrified that lightning might strike down the next instant.

"Still, above Purple Mansion lies Golden Core? This is clearly completely different from those so-called Core Formation ancestors... perhaps it is even far stronger than the Nascent Soul of the Qi Refinement Way..."

"Enough, back to the matter at hand. With people from Cliff-Top arriving, the Pu Family and Black Blight Sect will most likely be unable to fight. Yet before things settle, the chaos will instead worsen for a while."

The old fox seemed to recall something as well and covered his mouth.

"Li Rulong... is about to be harvested?"

For some reason, Fang Qing had already watched one familiar person after another fall upon the road to immortality.

Zha Zhu, Huo Tianhuo, Li Yusu, Hua Lian...

Yet when he thought of Li Rulong about to walk onto a dead end, he still felt deeply moved.

"Enough... let's discuss business. Where is the Great Sun cultivation method?"

Ever since learning that Shabby Daoist was likely a Purple Mansion cultivator, Fang Qing had somewhat regretted asking about cultivation methods at that exchange gathering.

But time could not flow backward. Shabby Daoist had since shifted his attention elsewhere, so that was that.

"The cultivation methods... after receiving the task last time, this old fox rushed back to Fallen Phoenix Mountain overnight and searched through Langhuan Library. I found no fewer than three for Daoist friend! Three cultivation methods from the Great Sun Tradition!"

At the mention of this, the old fox immediately grew excited, even the whiskers on his mouth bobbing upward and downward.

He spread open his paws, and three booklets unfolded in sequence like a fan.

The highly familiar sight made Fang Qing's mouth twitch.

And when he saw the names of the three cultivation methods, he nearly failed to keep his expression under control.

"Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art? You're trying to fool me with a Secret Treasury Domain cultivation method? Is this something a person can cultivate?"

Fang Qing was indignant, nearly grabbing the old fox by the fur on his neck to demand an explanation.

"Hey, hey... let's talk things over properly. This Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art is indeed a Secret Treasury Domain cultivation method..." The old fox spoke with a lotus blooming from his tongue.

"So... if I want to cultivate this art, do I first need to find a guru to empower me?" Fang Qing sneered.

"No, no, no! The Secret Treasury Domain belongs to the Great Snow Mountain tradition, and it is actually divided into two branches. One branch does not require its disciples to undergo Qi Ingestion. They cultivate by relying upon a guru, entrusting their lives entirely into another's hands. It is called 'a separate transmission outside the teachings.' How great their future fortune becomes depends entirely on how far their guru can go, and whether he is willing to promote them..."

"The other branch consists of True Disciples selected from among the finest. Great Snow Mountain calls them 'Directly Transmitted Secret Vehicle disciples.' Like us, they must also undergo Qi Ingestion to enter the path... This Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art can be entered either by receiving empowerment from a guru who cultivates the same art, or by consuming Great Sun Violet Qi..."

"So the Secret Treasury Domain tradition has such a distinction?" Fang Qing was half-convinced.

"This Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art is incomplete and only reaches Dao Foundation. Our Demon Race cultivators killed a red-robed monk from the Secret Treasury Domain and casually seized it... The Qi-Gathering Formula for Great Sun Violet Qi has long since become useless. This old fox merely brought it for Daoist friend's reference—just reference, that's all..."

The old fox pointed at the second book. "This one is different. Even in the present era, it can still be cultivated!"

Fang Qing looked suspicious. "<Rhapsody of Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Union and Great Bliss>? Why does this cultivation method sound so improper?"

"Hehe, this cultivation method is extremely famous within the demonic path. It is the introductory art of the Harmonious Bliss Sect... As everyone knows, the Great Sun can transform into the Three Yangs: Solar Yang, primal yang, and lesser yang... Great Sun Violet Qi has long been severed, so this great demonic sect blazed a different trail, drawing upon a man's 'primal yang qi' for cultivation. If Daoist friend cultivates this method, you can condense True Qi of Seventh-Order quality or above. Purple Mansion will be within reach in the future... and after entering the path, you may even directly go to the Harmonious Bliss Sect's mountain gate to take a master!" Dark Candle Adept inadvertently revealed several more secrets.

"What hidden dangers does this cultivation method have?" Fang Qing remained suspicious. Recalling Shabby Daoist's previous warning, he suspected that most of the cultivation methods this old fox was selling had problems!

"Hehe... it is not a major matter. This <Rhapsody of Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Union and Great Bliss> involves the secrets of yin-yang transformation. It cultivates [Room Sun], with the Dao Foundation 'Walk Along the Ground'... After entering the path, cultivators easily undergo yin-yang transformation."

The old fox looked embarrassed.

"Yin-yang transformation? In other words... men become women, and women become men? What kind of wicked art is this?"

Fang Qing's mouth fell open.

He had originally thought Secret Treasury Domain cultivation methods were already thick with demonic qi, strange and bizarre beyond measure.

He had not expected the Harmonious Bliss Sect's cultivation method to open his eyes even wider today.

"What about the last one?"

Fang Qing looked toward the final booklet in the old fox's paws. It was dark red, and its title was Great Sun True Interpretation!

"This was only discovered in a corner while this old fox was doing the final cleanup. It is a genuine ancient cultivation method... If <Rhapsody of Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Union and Great Bliss> merely requires ruthlessness to gather qi and enter the path, while Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art can still be cultivated by going to Great Snow Mountain to receive empowerment from a guru of the Great Sun Tradition, then this ancient cultivation method is not only obscure and awkward, but also imposes incredibly harsh requirements for gathering qi. Virtually no one can enter the path with it... unless Daoist friend is a natural prodigy of cultivation and just happens to find Great Sun Violet Qi left behind from High Antiquity in some ruin..."

The old fox grinned, clearly expectant. "Daoist friend... which one will you choose?"

"I naturally..."

Fang Qing no longer hesitated. With a stretch of his hand, he took all three secret manuals. "I want them all!"

"All... of them? Then the Spirit Assets you promised last time... must be doubled again!" Dark Candle Adept was clearly startled.

"What difficulty is that?"

Fang Qing directly took out a string of gourds and tossed them to the old fox. "I also have several gourds of spirit water that can increase the mana of Late Qi Ingestion cultivators. I'll give them to you as well. Is that enough?"

"Enough, naturally enough."

The old fox was overjoyed and hurriedly accepted the gourds, sniffing this one and tasting that one like a little fox drunk on wine.

"Spirit Assets in this world... truly are scarce."

Fang Qing said nothing further, took the manuals, and left directly.

Caw! Caw!

At some unknown time, a pitch-black crow had perched atop the old tree. Its beak shone with the luster of refined steel. "Dark Candle Adept, why didn't you make a move? Didn't we agree that once you gave the signal, we would slaughter the fat sheep together?"

"Hehe... did this old man not wish to rob that man? Though the chance was so slim as to be nearly impossible, perhaps he might possess a portion of [Great Sun Violet Qi]."

Dark Candle Adept shook his head. His fox face stared gravely in the direction Fang Qing had departed. "But when I approached just now, I sensed that man was extremely dangerous. The last time I felt such a thing was at the exchange gathering... Either this man has disguised his cultivation, or he possesses Dao Foundation, perhaps even Purple Mansion methods. We cannot fail to guard against him!"