Secret Register

Su Che ran the "Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue" through his mind once, feeling both joy and worry.

What pleased him was this.

This "Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue" was one of the few ghost-cultivation methods within the Yellow Heaven Sect. It was divided into thirteen realms. At the beginning, one had to form a Dharma register within the Mud Pill Palace of the sea of consciousness. The more Dharma registers one cultivated afterward, the more methods one possessed.

Upon cultivating seven Dharma registers, one could combine them into black cords, axes, halberds, Dharma seals, and more, each with its own spells and divine abilities.

Upon cultivating thirty-six Dharma registers, one could manifest Outer Dao ghost deities and send the yin spirit on Night Roaming.

Upon cultivating one hundred and eight Dharma registers, one could evolve into the Great Sage of the Northern Canopy, one of the Nine Heavenly Ministers of the Northern Dipper—red-haired, barefoot, with three heads and six arms, wielding axe, bow, arrow, sword, bell, halberd, and cord, each bearing its own divine ability and marvelous use.

At the highest levels of cultivation, it possessed boundless might. One could command spirits and control ghosts, transform into a deity, and become a ghost king of a region, like a netherworld lord walking the earth.

What worried him was that this method had originally been created for ghost cultivators. Its portions that relied upon Taiyin Moonlight and Ninefold Netherworld Aura required the patient work of water wearing away stone, nurtured little by little.

He truly lacked the corresponding resources. To cultivate thirty-six Dharma registers within twenty-one days was simply harder than scaling the heavens.

Becoming this True Person's registered disciple would likely bring no small number of difficulties.

On one hand, True Person Yulizi was truly righteous. By passing this method to him, he was most likely ensuring that Su Che would possess the status of an outer disciple of the Yellow Heaven Sect in the future and need not fear the pressure from White Deer Grotto.

On the other hand, he was giving him a complete inheritance. Compared to the Heaven-Supporting Jun Sword and the benefits Zhongyuan had offered, this cultivation method was as different as heaven and earth.

That was why renowned sects were renowned sects, while underground organizations that could not bear the light of day were merely underground organizations.

Yulizi pressed down the cloudlight, landing directly within the county yamen.

"The Buddhists have a saying: sentient beings fear consequences, while Bodhisattvas fear causes. Among all the paths of cultivation beneath heaven, who knew how many relied on karma to cultivate? Yet we in the Daoist School must remain unstained by karma from the very beginning of our cultivation. Once one accepts the word 'master,' countless threads of karma will follow in the days to come. That is why taking disciples requires caution."

Yulizi looked at Su Che. "I have only one personal disciple and two registered disciples. Counting you today, there are only four in total. Cultivate diligently. I will first go to White Deer Grotto and settle accounts, seek justice, then return to examine your cultivation."

Su Che was delighted to hear this.

This True Person truly was a good man. Whether or not he could crush White Deer Grotto's arrogance aside, this trip alone would be enough to put those people on alert.

A peach given deserved a plum returned.

"Master, this disciple obtained some news a few days ago. It is said that within Mystic Mountain of Shanyin County, there seems to be..."

"It is the place where Lion Azure Lotus Perfected Tathagata fell in those years."

Yulizi did not care in the least.

"This matter happened centuries ago. If the major sects had the will, they could have mapped it all out even by feeling their way with their eyes closed. That monster cultivated both Buddhism and Daoism, and in those days, he counted as quite a figure. His prestige even surpassed that of several of our sect's Imperial Instructors."

The Yellow Heaven Sect True Person seemed utterly unconcerned with that Old Lion.

"You must understand that in cultivation, the greatest taboo is the four words 'following in another's footsteps.' So-called cultivation, at its root, is the four words 'man battling heaven.' How could one raise the shadow of one's predecessors and battle the heavens? Whether it is a remnant shell or a cultivation method, let it possess a thousand transformations and ten thousand benefits—I seek only my own Dao. Anything not upon the path I seek is a fetter."

"Leap beyond the Three Realms to view the Three Realms; stand within the Five Elements to observe the Five Elements. That is the true meaning of cultivating the Dao."

Yulizi glanced at Su Che before him.

Many years ago, before he had sought the Dao, he had already been friends with the elders of the Su Family. Among them were comrades who had faced life and death together, as well as confidantes of rare beauty.

Over all these years, the two sides had supported one another, giving melons of wood and receiving pendants of fine jade in return.

Taking someone from the Su Family as a disciple had always been one of his thoughts. Now that it had fallen upon this young man, it could be considered the Su Family reaping what it had sown—plant melons and reap melons, plant beans and reap beans.

At a single thought, ten thousand thoughts tangled around his heart like silken threads.

Wei Zhisheng flicked his sleeve, tossing the little fox onto the ground. He chanted a verse and rose upon the clouds.

"How the moon's soul flits and whirls! A white colt flashes through a crack; crimson makeup turns to gray hair, a flick of the finger, a flash of thought. With passion, comrades of life and death; hot blood rolls upon the blade; stiff-necked before emperors, bowing low at a single cry of 'child.' Once there were Yue maidens and Wu girls, gold cups, pearls, and red gauze praised in abundance. Now in whose grandmother's home are mulberry and hemp discussed? Life's first regret is water flowing east; this Daoist returns on blue clouds—yet to whose home? Let us contend beyond the nine heavens for who arrives late and who arrives early!"

Yellow clouds lifted the rosy mists, and in an instant, Yulizi was no longer within this world.

"Mother of me, today I've truly met a master of the Daoist School."

The little fox turned to look at Su Che.

"Say, was that really Yulizi just now? They say he is the one among the Yellow Heaven Sect's next generation most likely to achieve the rank of an Immortal True Person. Teachings are not passed to a third pair of ears—was he taking you as his disciple?"

"Let me introduce myself again. Su Che, registered disciple under Immortal Master Wei of the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"Good heavens, the society is full of lonely ghosts and wandering spirits, yet now we have a disciple of a renowned sect. In the future, Daoist Su, please take good care of me."

Holding her umbrella, the little fox giggled and laughed, utterly unfazed by what had just happened. Su Che felt that she had probably been packed into someone's sleeve by similar means more than once.

Su Che clasped his hands. "Miss Mo, say no more, say no more."

The moment the little fox heard the word "Mo," her face immediately fell.

"Ah, if my aunt finds out that I'm entangled with a human, I'm afraid something will happen."

"Hm?"

A fox maiden matched with a scholar—what could be more classic? What trouble could that cause?

"Speaking of which, Miss Qing."

Su Che reverted to his original form of address. "I do have a few small matters for which I would ask Miss Qing's help."

The many wondrous arts recorded in the "Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue" truly stirred Su Che's heart. He could hardly wait to begin cultivating at once.

This secret inheritance had been created within the Yellow Heaven Sect specifically for disciples who had, through countless mishaps and errors, fallen into ghostly bodies. Over the years, however, there had also been no lack of those who cultivated it in human form.

It was only that at the beginning of cultivation, one had to begin with yin objects.

To form the first Dharma register, one had to draw upon Taiyin Moonlight, along with many yin objects to aid the cultivation.

If he wished to achieve success within twenty-one days, he would inevitably need the little fox's help.

"Ever since I met you, I've always been the one helping you. When have you ever helped me?" The little fox sighed mournfully. "This little servant has met the wrong sort of person. I can only toil like an ox and work like a horse."

"Tonight, I will cultivate a Daoist art. I ask Miss Qing to protect me while I do so."

The "Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue" had three barriers at the beginning of its cultivation.

The first barrier came at the very start of establishing one's cultivation. One had to send the yin spirit out of the body and use Taiyin Moonlight to condense the register script.

At that time, all manner of heart demons could arise. One careless moment could bring an extraordinary calamity.

The second barrier came after the secret registers had accumulated to a certain extent. One had to temper the spirit with yin fire, forging a speck of true yang amid absolute yin.

The third barrier came upon reaching the fifth rank, when one cultivated a Reverted Elixir amid the transformations of yin and yang.

Only after passing these three barriers could the "Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue" be considered to have entered the hall and passed through the gate.