Innate Body

"I'm not going, Bai Jian. I advise you not to go either. There's no chance for people like us to pick up any benefits there!"

Yang Huai gave a soft snort and left at once.

"Is that so?"

Bai Jian looked somewhat surprised, but a moment later, he muttered to himself as he headed in another direction, clearly unconvinced.

Inside the room.

Yang Huai stared unblinkingly at the twenty-two primordial pattern diagrams spread out across the floor.

The third character should signify earth.

This primordial pattern contained every kind of form and intent associated with earth, intricate and difficult to distinguish.

There was no process of progressing from simple to complex at all.

It was simply that primitive and brutal.

Even an exceptionally gifted Dao novice would indeed find it difficult to identify without firm will and a steady temperament.

Yang Huai could somewhat understand Qingli now.

This kind of cramming education used by the Daoist temple was far too outdated.

Geniuses could easily turn into poor students.

Time passed quickly. It was not until after sunset, when dusk had fallen, that Yang Huai finally managed to deconstruct the third earth-element character.

Perhaps his temperament was resilient, or perhaps his soul was stronger than Qingli's. In the process of identifying this third primordial pattern, he did not encounter much difficulty. Instead, he quickly found the right approach.

"Intent first, then spirit, then form. First understand the meaning of earth through its artistic conception—contemplate its heaviness and form—then meditate it into shape. It's not that difficult!"

Deep within the sea of consciousness, Qingli stared wide-eyed at the scene.

He could clearly see an earth-yellow talisman rapidly taking shape from nothing.

Then, hearing Yang Huai's analysis, he immediately fell into thought.

Yang Huai's way of thinking had opened an entirely new door for him.

After hearing it explained this way, learning primordial patterns did not seem so difficult after all.

Just as Yang Huai successfully learned the third primordial pattern, Bai Jian returned to the room from outside without saying a word, his face deathly pale.

Yang Huai glanced at him but paid him no mind, keeping his attention on the primordial pattern diagrams.

After a while, Bai Jian murmured.

"Too terrifying. That dragon turtle was actually so terrifying. One roar made several people lose their souls in fright. Those people will likely never be able to cultivate again!"

His gaze fell on Yang Huai. Had the other boy not warned him, making him more cautious today and keeping him farther away, he might have been like those people—secretly approaching the dragon turtle to observe its back. He would likely have enraged that relict descendant and met the same fate.

If he lost the qualification to cultivate, would that not mean he could never become a Dao citizen lord and freely enter and leave the tribe?

He did not want to become such an ordinary commoner either.

He, too, came from nobility, a descendant of True Immortals.

Bai Jian looked at Yang Huai and added, "No matter what, Qingli, I'll repay you for this warning someday!"

"Mm."

Yang Huai glanced at him, unsurprised.

His gaze settled on the open volume of diagrams on the floor.

"Keep up the effort. Today, we'll strive to learn the fourth character—the metal character!"

Yang Huai calmed himself and continued to immerse himself in study, his bright eyes fixed on the fourth primordial pattern.

The first eight characters respectively corresponded to the five elements, essence, qi, and spirit.

According to the old Daoist teacher, once one understood these eight primordial pattern characters, one would have a foundation for recognizing other primordial patterns.

The Dao novices could choose another path from among the eight primordial characters and extend it into the Dao.

As his comprehension of the fourth metal character deepened, Yang Huai could clearly feel an invisible force within his body stirring, ready to burst forth at a call.

Moreover, his understanding of the fourth metal character seemed exceptionally smooth.

It was as though his body was extraordinarily compatible with the metal character.

This throbbing sensation secretly astonished Yang Huai and even gave rise to a speculation.

Innately attuned to the metal element? Is this the ability of the Innate Sword Bone destiny?

It was only a guess. Whether it was correct could likely only be determined after he truly entered the Dao.

The third primordial pattern had taken nearly an entire day, but the fourth took only half an hour. He successfully meditated it into being with remarkable ease.

A faint golden light emerged within his body and gradually flowed into his right arm. In Yang Huai's astonished gaze, streams of unusually lively precious light seemed to radiate from deep within his right arm, flashing past in an instant.

Yet even though it vanished in a flash, Yang Huai could still feel that the barrier between himself and heaven and earth had, at that moment, seemingly been pierced through.

An incomparably warm force continuously surged from his right arm.

It was as though an extra little spring had appeared, flowing into the depths of his soul. His colorless soul gradually took on a faint golden sheen, and his entire being felt incomparably comfortable, as if every aperture of his soul had been opened and linked to heaven and earth.

At the same time, the characters on the bronze mirror flickered.

Anchored Object:

[Name: Qingli]

[Age: Eleven]

[Primary Destiny: Innate Sword Bone (Golden)] (Born with two Innate Sword Bones, one in the right arm and one deep within the niwan. Those who possess Innate Sword Bones are born with powerful physical bodies and achieve twice the result with half the effort when practicing secret arts related to sword-shaped weapons!)

Innate Sword Bone awakened (1/2) (The sword bone in the right arm has awakened; the Innate Body has begun to take form)

[Twenty-Two Primordial Patterns (4/22)]

His primary destiny had awakened!

The sword bone in his right arm had awakened first!

"Once the Innate Sword Bone primary destiny awakens, it can cause the physical body to evolve in a certain direction—the Innate Body. It should allow one to cultivate corresponding special techniques, or provide special assistance in cultivating techniques. But for now, it seems I can only use it as leather armor..."

Yang Huai sensed the changes in his body and soul, his expression filled with amazement.

The transformation was astonishing.

His constitution seemed to have undergone an earth-shaking change in an instant—whether it was strength, soul reaction speed, thought processes, mental perception, soul scent, or anything else.

Was this the wonder of a special constitution?

If this had been an ordinary Dao novice, who knew how many medicinal soups they would have needed to consume, or how long they would have had to train bitterly, to achieve such effects.

Sensing the distinctly strange spiritual essence of heaven and earth in the night sky, Yang Huai did not continue to light a lamp and "fight a bitter battle" after comprehending the fourth primordial character.

On the three stone beds beside him, three other Dao novices had already fallen asleep.

And they slept deeply while using a special breathing technique!

Yang Huai noticed that the Daoist temple had unknowingly fallen silent.

Even in the many pavilions deep within the Daoist temple, the lamplight had dimmed, with little brightness to be seen.

"Has the First Prohibition arrived?"

Solemnity filled his eyes, along with a trace of curiosity.

Outside the window.

Countless silver-white starlights streamed down, piercing through layer upon layer of dark clouds.

Yet after only one glance, Yang Huai immediately felt a stabbing pain in his eyes. He felt even more as though countless bizarre ghostly figures had been implanted deep within his soul. He forcibly suppressed the terrifying sensation and painfully withdrew his gaze. At that moment, a taboo surfaced in his mind.

The First Prohibition of the Xi Huang Kingdom: never gaze directly at the stars in the night sky.

It was said that the stars in the heavens were the source of countless evil entities. If one's Dao cultivation was insufficient, it was all too easy to draw demonic and evil qi into the body.

That demonic and evil qi was incomparably strange. It could easily strengthen the evil thoughts of spirituality, and it was muddy and filthy beyond measure. Once it entered the body, at best it would destroy one's Dao body and make purity impossible to attain; at worst, it would cause one to fall and transform into an evil entity or demon, bringing calamity upon the mortal world.

Yang Huai did not dare look further, though many conjectures arose in his heart.

He had many ancient mythologies from his previous life in mind, and he could not help making connections. But those were myths after all. If they were false, then so be it—but if his guesses contained even a grain of truth, it would be even more terrifying.

Forget it. He would simply blend in with the light and dust, sitting cross-legged in the room.

"Return!"

With a single thought, it was as if an illusory realm had shattered, and he appeared once more inside the bridal chamber.

The little courtyard outside had already grown lively.

Roosters crowed, donkeys brayed, earthen jars clinked, and cooking smoke curled upward.

As far as his eyes could see, daylight had already appeared on the horizon.

Dawn had come!

And Yuan Xiuxiu was no longer beside his pillow.

Thinking back on everything in the Xi Huang Dao Kingdom, it had seemed like a dream.

But Yang Huai knew it was not a dream.

Deep within his sea of consciousness, that precious mirror was still emitting golden light.

With a single thought, he could still return to the Xi Huang Dao Kingdom and continue his unfinished task.

And time over there had not frozen. It was merely that Qingli's body had temporarily been placed under the joint care of the precious mirror and Qingli himself.

As thoughts raced through his mind, Yang Huai suddenly raised his head.

He heard distinct footsteps approaching from afar outside.

At that moment, the door to the room opened. A delicate young girl dressed in coarse hemp clothes entered from outside, her hair arranged in a new bride's coiffure. She possessed a beauty and elegance ordinary women lacked. Her bright eyes fell upon Yang Huai, a smile at the corner of her lips.

"Did my husband sleep well?"

But after examining Yang Huai carefully, surprise appeared in her eyes.

Yang Huai nodded slightly. He stepped forward at the same time, took the clothes from Yuan Xiuxiu's arms, and walked out of the bridal chamber with her.

Outside, Old Yang and several younger brothers and sisters had already gone out to work. Only the sound of chicks pecking for food remained in the courtyard. Morning light spilled down, and everything seemed especially peaceful and tranquil.

Standing beneath the morning light, Yang Huai slowly closed his eyes, but his expression was somewhat strange.

He only felt a faint glow suddenly emerge deep within his brow. His five senses extended outward, and he could more clearly sense the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method within his body becoming active at an unprecedented speed in tandem with the adjustment of his breathing. Hidden minor acupoints were pierced through by a thin current as they pulsed gently, accomplished in one stroke.