Innate Minor Divine Ability

"Soul guiding to the Hundred Acupoints" is a phenomenon mentioned in the "Treasury Records," the "Returning to Truth Scripture," and even the "Great Method of Ghost Control" as a precursor to breaking through to the Soul Departure realm. Shi Xuan was delighted and quickly withdrew from his visualization. The appearance of this precursor indicated that the time was ripe, and his soul could no longer grow before breaking through to the next realm.

However, breaking through realms was not that simple. Shi Xuan still needed to make some preparations, especially to calm his mind and regulate his emotions to achieve the optimal physical and mental state.

For the next few days, Shi Xuan did not cultivate. He either went hunting in the mountains with Yan Jujian or went into the city with Ding Mingde to shop and enjoy some delicacies. In the evenings, he guided the two in matters related to soul cultivation. This was mainly because, after observing them both openly and discreetly during these days, Shi Xuan was very satisfied and felt he could teach them about this aspect, albeit not in a systematic manner.

Yan Jujian himself was at the Half-step Subtle Realm, but martial arts manuals rarely contained content on tempering the soul or specialized methods for enhancing it. He could only hope to reach the Subtle Realm through gradual accumulation over time. Now, with Shi Xuan's guidance, it was as if a new door had opened for him. He was lost in thought all day, sometimes frowning, sometimes jumping for joy.

On the last day of November, the sun shone brightly, bringing a warmth that could be felt even in the winter. Shi Xuan's condition in all aspects had been adjusted to its best. After dinner, he told Yan Jujian and Ding Mingde that he would be cultivating a spell tonight and would not be able to guide their homework afterward.

Late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Shi Xuan closed his room door, took out three specially made incense sticks, bowed three times to the void, and then inserted the incense sticks by his bedside, lighting them with the Ignition Technique.

These incense sticks, secretly made by Old Daoist Xu, not only calmed the mind and emotions but also protected the soul. They were specifically prepared for the first few instances of Soul Departure.

The faint scent of sandalwood entered Shi Xuan's nostrils. With an even more ethereal mood, he sat cross-legged by the bed, carefully recalling the contents of the "Treasury Records" he had studied these past few days. After reaching the Soul Departure realm, he could cultivate the "Secret Inner Scenery Five Thunder Method of Shangqing Yuyu" from the "Treasury Records." This was a derived technique for the "Treasury Records" at this stage, but its core, the "True Form Diagram of the Five Directional Thunder Gods," was a supreme visualization method comparable to the "True Method of Clear Wind and Bright Moon Illuminating the Spirit."

In the "Treasury Records," after the Soul Departure realm and before the Golden Core Stage, the "True Form Diagram of the Five Directional Thunder Gods" and the "True Method of Clear Wind and Bright Moon Illuminating the Spirit" were the only two required visualization methods, and neither could be neglected.

The "Secret Inner Scenery Five Thunder Method of Shangqing Yuyu" could only be cultivated after reaching the Soul Departure realm, but visualizing the "True Form Diagram of the Five Directional Thunder Gods" could be done as early as the breakthrough to the Soul Departure realm, as it could greatly increase the success rate of the breakthrough. It was a supreme method even better than the blood sacrifice of forty-nine living people from the "Great Method of Ghost Control." This was why Shi Xuan had previously disdained the contents of the "Great Method of Ghost Control."

Shi Xuan circulated his internal energy for a full cycle to activate his body, then regulated his breathing and entered a state of visualization. This time, Shi Xuan was going to visualize the "True Form Diagram of the Five Directional Thunder Gods."

The Eastern Thunder God is named Kui. He is grayish-blue, a one-legged, hornless bull, belonging to wood, located in the liver. After Shi Xuan visualized this Thunder God, he felt that his physical liver was subtly connected to his soul visualization.

The Southern Thunder God is named Gong. He has a monkey-like face and pointed mouth, resembling a strongman, with a bare chest and two wings on his back. He belongs to fire and is located in the heart. After visualizing this Thunder God, his soul visualization sensed the physical heart.

The Western Thunder God is named Ji. He has a pig's head and scaly body, with two fingers on each hand and foot, holding a red snake in each, belonging to metal, located in the lungs. This Thunder God caused the soul visualization to connect with the lungs.

The Northern Thunder God is named Ze. He has a dragon's body and a human head, puffing out his abdomen. He belongs to water and is located in the kidneys. After visualizing this Thunder God, the soul in the visualization state sensed the kidneys, but the connecting points were only faintly visible and not clear.

The Central Thunder God is named Nine Heavens Responding to Yuan Thunder Sound Universalization Heavenly Venerate. He has a human head and body, a majestic face, and a third eye on his forehead. He belongs to earth and is located in the spleen. After the Central Thunder God was visualized, Shi Xuan's soul seemed to suddenly open up. The five internal organs were connected to the soul's Five Elements. Through these connections, thoughts flowed back and forth. Shi Xuan suddenly understood that this was the Spiritual Sense mentioned in the "Treasury Records." This was the first time he had clearly felt it.

What people generally call "Soul Departure" is basically the Spiritual Sense leaving, but the soul not leaving. Otherwise, the soul would have long been scattered by the yin wind, and it would be impossible to remain conscious. After death, the soul transforms into a ghost, which is a different situation.

During the visualization, the five internal organs were connected to the soul on one side and drove the physical body on the other. Shi Xuan felt that his physical body and soul were breathing in unison, and with a single thought, the power of his physical body could be transmitted to his soul. It was the physical body returning to the five internal organs, the five internal organs returning to the soul, exerting the power of the upper and lower parts. How could the Hundred Acupoints not break open?

With the power of his physical body amplified, Shi Xuan's soul reached an unprecedented level of power in his visualization. The feeling of loosening at the Hundred Acupoints became increasingly intense.

Seeing that the timing was right, Shi Xuan began to silently recall the steps of Soul Departure. His soul ascended step by step from the Purple Mansion, like climbing a sheer cliff. Upon reaching the peak, he gathered the strength of his entire body and leaped down fiercely.

With a "boom," Shi Xuan felt that what he saw before him was different from before. The surroundings of the room were misty. The left side was cold and yin, while the right side was hot. An evil wind attacked from left to right, and fierce lightning struck from right to left. His soul felt like it was dissipating. At this moment, a scent of sandalwood wafted over, and Shi Xuan suddenly became clear-headed. The evil wind and fierce lightning were drawn into his body and vanished completely.

The room was the same as usual, but behind Shi Xuan, there was another Shi Xuan sitting cross-legged. Shi Xuan then understood that he had successfully broken through the barrier and reached the Soul Departure realm.

Shi Xuan floated gently in front of his physical body. The scent of sandalwood in the air made his soul feel more solid, unlike the faint sense of dissipation he had felt earlier.

Shi Xuan's soul was only slightly human-shaped. With a thought, it transformed back to its previous appearance. He sighed, and it transformed back to its current appearance. Carefully observing his current soul state, Shi Xuan found that within his soul, there were several ancient and mysterious markings, resembling talismans but not quite.

These markings were connected by his soul's essence. To be precise, they were a part of his soul. After careful identification, Shi Xuan discovered that each marking was a mixture of Primordial Thunder Patterns and Ancient Cloud Seal Script, seemingly representing some kind of Spiritual Power.

Shi Xuan focused his mind on these markings, and information suddenly appeared in his consciousness. It turned out that since these markings were his soul's essence, the information they carried was naturally a part of him. He didn't need to think about what it was; it was just that he was unaccustomed to this state earlier.

Shi Xuan had known before that after Soul Departure, the first direct connection with heaven and earth would cause the soul to resonate with certain laws of heaven and earth based on its essence and cultivated techniques, giving rise to wondrous Innate Minor Divine Abilities. Apart from two basic Innate Minor Divine Abilities that were the same for everyone, the other Innate Minor Divine Abilities varied. Of course, for people cultivating the same technique, most of their other Innate Minor Divine Abilities would also be the same, but there would always be one or two differences.

The basic Innate Minor Divine Abilities referred to those arising from the soul's special state, which were the same for everyone: the Yin Yang Eye (also known as the beginner-level Heavenly Eye) and the Qi Gazing Technique.

As for the other Innate Minor Divine Abilities, some people had one or two, while others had four or five. Generally, most people had between two and four. Shi Xuan, however, was in a top-tier situation, having developed five other Innate Minor Divine Abilities. Therefore, including the Yin Yang Eye and the Qi Gazing Technique, Shi Xuan had a total of seven markings.

Shi Xuan's five other Innate Minor Divine Abilities were: Minor Clear Wind Escape, Golden Blade Divine Wind Slash, Shangqing Hand Pivot Thunder, Golden Dragon Armor Charm, and Invisibility and Qi Concealment Technique.

Minor Clear Wind Escape was a dùn fǎ (escape technique) that transformed into a clear wind, moving as fast as the wind. If the Minor Clear Wind Escape was cultivated to the sixth stage of spells, one could even ride the wind and soar into the sky, traveling over three thousand miles a day.

Daoist Magic (spells) included spells, Daoist Magic, Immortal Methods (Immortal Techniques), and the Great Dao. Each subsequent category represented a qualitative leap over the previous one. Some spells, once learned, were directly at the Daoist Magic or Immortal Technique level because they directly imparted the essence of the technique to the cultivator.

These four types of spells were divided into nine stages. After cultivating each spell to the ninth stage and comprehending its essence, one could advance. For example, after cultivating a spell to the ninth stage and then comprehending its essence, it could be promoted to Daoist Magic.

Immortal Methods and the Great Dao were encountered in the Primordial Spirit Realm. Without reaching the Primordial Spirit True Person stage and experiencing the trials of life and death, one could neither learn nor advance in Immortal Methods and the Great Dao.

In the Qi Refining stage, most people used spells. However, it was only upon reaching the Golden Core Realm that one could truly cultivate spells. This was because only in the Golden Core Realm could spell markings be engraved onto the soul through visualization, integrating with the soul's essence and Magical Power. At this point, spells could also be called Spiritual Powers.

The "Minor" in Innate Minor Divine Ability referred to the fact that it only integrated with the soul's essence and had not yet integrated with Magical Power. After all, Magical Power was the product of integrating heaven and earth spiritual energy with one's internal energy in the Qi Induction Realm.

However, Innate Minor Divine Abilities could now be cultivated. After all, through the first connection with heaven and earth, certain spells had been engraved onto the soul. Although they had not yet integrated with Magical Power, it only meant that the cultivation speed would be slower, the casting speed would be slower, and there would be some circulation involved in their use.

Therefore, the spells Shi Xuan knew, apart from his Innate Minor Divine Abilities, could only be cultivated after reaching the Golden Core Stage. Before that, they were all first-stage spells.

After reaching the Golden Core Stage and beginning to cultivate spells, the time required varied depending on the spell. Generally, it would take a few days to cultivate to the second stage, nearly a month for the third stage, over half a year for the fourth stage, over a year for the fifth stage, about four years for the sixth stage, nearly ten years for the seventh stage, twenty years for the eighth stage, and about forty years for the ninth stage.

As for those that were directly Daoist Magic upon learning, they were either sect-preserving techniques or rare encounters. Shi Xuan's "Treasury Records" contained a few such techniques, even Immortal Techniques and Great Dao. However, those Daoist Magic techniques were marked as not to be cultivated before the Golden Core Stage, and forcing oneself to practice them would lead to death and dissipation. However, the few Spiritual Powers that were cultivated using external objects were marked as Daoist Magic! And one of them could be cultivated in the Soul Departure Stage!

The cultivation of spells and the refining of restrictions here were similar. Both involved adding talismans and inscriptions daily according to one's own cultivation method, followed by nurturing. Therefore, one did not spend all day cultivating a spell or refining a restriction. Only when encountering a bottleneck was it necessary to enter seclusion for a long period of continuous refinement.

PS: Last night before going to sleep, I sent the revised manuscript to my work QQ, but I didn't receive it today. I don't know if I sent it to the wrong place or if Tencent swallowed it == Fortunately, I have the draft in the office. I've been working on it until now.