Setting Out Again

Although the materials in the banner cloth and flagpole fragments could no longer be extracted for artifact refinement, adding some fragments when refining Dharma Artifacts of the yin, dark, bewildering, or death varieties should produce fine results. Yan Jujian and Ding Mingde could tinker with them first. In any case, they did not have that many good materials.

Shi Xuan returned to his room and slept soundly. Although visualization and circulating qi could restore his energy much of the time, mental fatigue could only be dispelled through deep sleep. After all, Shi Xuan had not yet reached the realm of longevity.

He slept until the sun was high the next day. Feeling refreshed and clear-headed, Shi Xuan ate lunch and returned to his room early to begin refining his Dharma Artifact.

Shi Xuan held the Black Banner horizontally across his crossed legs. Following the steps for refining a Dharma Artifact, he first visualized a talisman, then drew upon the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to condense it before his eyes. Next, he visualized several more talismans, until every talisman for the first layer of the restriction had formed before him.

Only then did Shi Xuan use hand seals to guide those talismans, making them move along mysterious trajectories before his eyes. In the end, they formed the first layer of the restriction.

The most crucial step came next. Within his soul, Shi Xuan visualized the governing script of the Life and Death Disk Dharma Artifact. This was the key to activating the artifact. He then called upon the power of the Five Elements within himself to condense that script. Opening his mouth, he spat out a complex talisman that seemed both black and white. It was somewhat dim when it first flew out, but it immediately absorbed spiritual qi and stabilized. At last, guided by Shi Xuan, it struck the Black Banner. A faint, ghostly glow instantly surfaced from the Dharma Artifact, forging a strange connection with Shi Xuan.

This was the moment Shi Xuan had been waiting for. He immediately formed a hand seal and pointed, and before the ghostly glow vanished, the first layer of the restriction drilled into the Black Banner.

The Black Banner began vibrating in place with a humming buzz. Shi Xuan continued following the refinement procedure, using hand seals outside it to stabilize the restriction. Only when a deep, heavy bell toll rang out, as though from the depths of the soul itself, dizzying all who heard it, did the Black Banner finally quiet down. At that moment, an image made of strange patterns appeared on its surface. It resembled a demonic eye, brimming with an air that bewitched the heart.

Only then did Shi Xuan relax. This Black Banner could indeed bear the restriction of the Life and Death Disk. At least until his cultivation advanced another step, he would not need to worry about Dharma Artifacts.

According to the Treasure Record and Shi Xuan's own experiments, the Black Banner had two functions. First, like the former White Bone Soul-Driving Banner, it could brush forth black light. However, it no longer robbed Qi and Blood; instead, it bewildered souls, causing dizziness and unconsciousness. It also retained defensive protective abilities, though they were somewhat weaker than before. Second, it could absorb and digest diseased qi, foul qi, filth, and evil objects, then release the mixed foul qi to form a fog of foul qi three zhang in radius. It could corrode flesh and blood, stun souls, make people ill, and contaminate objects.

This Black Banner could no longer be called the White Bone Soul-Driving Banner. Shi Xuan had originally intended to simply call it the Life and Death Banner, an easy and convenient name. But after learning its functions, he abandoned that idea. After all, this Dharma Artifact had nothing to do with life and death at present, so he would call it the Soul-Bewildering Banner for now. Once it gained abilities related to life and death in the future, he could rename it the Life and Death Banner.

Shi Xuan pressed on and finished refining the second layer of the restriction before coming out for dinner. After the first layer, the later restrictions did not need to be completed in one uninterrupted effort as they had during the initial refinement. Instead, like cultivating spells, the talismanic scripts could be added and nurtured one at a time.

After dinner, once Shi Xuan had explained part of the introductory knowledge of artifact refinement to Yan Jujian and Ding Mingde, he said, "You both know that this humble Taoist has matters to attend to outside. I have already delayed here for far too long. At most, in another month, this humble Taoist will set out. If you have any doubts in your Daoist magic cultivation, seize this time to ask. When we meet again in the future, I hope you will not disappoint this humble Taoist."

After several months, the two had passed the foundational stage of Daoist magic cultivation and accumulated more and more doubts. Hearing that Shi Xuan was about to leave, they were both deeply reluctant to part with him. But Shi Xuan was now their elder, so they could hardly bitterly urge him to stay. They could only lower their heads and acknowledge his words.

Over the next half month or so, the two became models of diligence and inquiry. Apart from Shi Xuan's cultivation hours, whenever they had a question, they came to ask him. Shi Xuan also carefully explained the half-volume Daoist text, the Returning to Truth Scripture, that he had given them, lest they suffer Qi Deviation in the future.

During this time, Shi Xuan successfully refined the Soul-Bewildering Banner to the sixth layer of restriction, while all his spells reached the third tier. Among them, Shangqing Hand Pivot Thunder was not far from the fourth tier. With roughly another month of cultivation, he should succeed.

However, after his spells reached the third tier, Shi Xuan discovered that his current soul strength could no longer withstand the addition of further talismans. In other words, unless his cultivation underwent a major increase, he could not cultivate his spells any further. Shangqing Hand Pivot Thunder was the sole exception; this minor divine ability should still be able to reach the fourth tier.

At the same time, Shi Xuan had made a beginning with the Shangqing Yu Yu Secret Transmission Inner Scenery Five Thunder Method. This was the derivative art of the Treasure Record at this stage. In truth, it was merely another name for the Treasure Record during certain stages.

At the beginning of this thunder method, its central principle was stated plainly: Thunder was the pivot upon which the yin and yang transformations of heaven and earth turned.

True to that opening, it was nothing like the ordinary thunder methods Shi Xuan had imagined, filled with Palm Thunder, Thunder Summoning Arts, Invoking the Thunder God, and the like. Instead, it devoted a great deal of space to yin-yang transformations, as well as how to comprehend such transformations through ordinary thunder methods. Finally, it combined those yin-yang transformations with one's own soul cultivation and bodily cultivation. Overall, it was not a secret spell manual, but an orthodox cultivation method.

Thus, after completing its opening portion, Shi Xuan had learned several rather strange thunder arts. For example, the Crimson Flame Thunder born from the yin-yang transformation of fire-element qi had effects similar to ordinary fire-element spells, except it was a little harder to extinguish and its explosive force was a little stronger. There was also the Ice Thunder born from the yin-yang transformation of water-element qi.

However, Shi Xuan had yet to learn the higher-level arts of these yin-yang transformations of the Five Elements' power. For instance, he had not yet learned Divine Water Thunder, born from the yin-yang transformation of water-element qi. This healing art remained beyond him because his cultivation of yin-yang transformations was still shallow.

That day, the mountain winds were bitter and biting. Shi Xuan summoned Yan Jujian and Ding Mingde before him. "You should be able to guess what this humble Taoist is about to say. From now on, cultivate well on your own."

Shi Xuan then stopped them from speaking. Putting on a somewhat solemn air, he said earnestly, "Jujian, although your martial cultivation has reached the Half-step Subtle Realm, and now that you have learned Daoist magic, it appears you have hope of entering the Soul Departure realm in a short time, this humble Taoist believes it will likely still take a long period of cultivation. You have suffered many injuries, and some have already damaged your foundation. They must be slowly tended to." Shi Xuan deliberately paused here.

Yan Jujian nodded thoughtfully. "In my youth, I was hot-blooded and rash. In middle age, I was proud and unruly, and suffered quite a few injuries. Over these years, whenever I meditate and practice, I always feel as though I am just short of a sudden realization. On rainy days, my old wounds also ache faintly. Yet I never connected these things together. It was Uncle-Master who awakened me with a single word. But how did Uncle-Master see that I had suffered so many injuries?"

"Hehe, this humble Taoist observed your qi, Jujian. Though it is dense and abundant, its foundation is somewhat thin, and it is filled with killing intent. Thus, this humble Taoist knew." Shi Xuan discovered that the Qi Gazing Technique was also a marvelous art. If the other party did not know how to restrain their aura, merely observing the qi around their body could reveal much useful information.

Shi Xuan continued his analysis. "As for tending to your injuries, this humble Taoist has already given prescriptions to both of you. Mingde missed the best time for body tempering, so he cannot avoid putting in much more hard work. Jujian, you are fifty-two this year. If you cannot break through by the age of seventy, then you will never have hope of doing so again. By then, Qi and Blood will begin to decline. Only a great opportunity or extraordinary encounter would give you hope of advancing successfully."

As he spoke, Shi Xuan felt as though he had returned to his days tutoring middle school students. A feeling of elder-like concern rose in his heart, and he continued earnestly, "This humble Taoist tells you these things in the hope that you will have neither an anxious heart nor a slack heart. On the road of cultivation, only with a pure and unstained heart can one undertake the fierce and valiant work of diligent progress."

After hearing their Uncle-Master's instruction, the two answered in unison and thanked him.

Finally, Shi Xuan advised Ding Mingde, "Mingde, you have studied, yet your heart is simple and honest, so you remain rather naive in dealing with matters. You must restrain yourself from temptations and act within your capacity. Although your greatest problem is that you missed the best time for body tempering, this humble Taoist believes that your lack of experience is also an obstacle to your pursuit of the Dao."

"Oh, right. Uncle-Master, please give your disciples Daoist names." Ding Mingde saw that even the Daoist priests they often encountered, those without spells, all had Daoist names. How could he, a future Celestial Master with true methods in hand, lack one?

Shi Xuan thought carefully, recalling a certain pair of names. "Very well. Mingde, you are of the Nan generation. Mingde will be called Nanguang, and Jujian will be called Nantian!" It was becoming rather difficult to suppress his laughter.

"Very well, that's all I have to say. When we meet again in the future, do not sully the name of our school." Without waiting for their reply, Shi Xuan used Minor Clear Wind Escape and departed.

Yan Jujian and Ding Mingde only felt a gust of wind sweep before their eyes, and their Uncle-Master had vanished without a trace. Apart from the sorrow of parting in their hearts, they also marveled at their Uncle-Master's immortal techniques.

Because of the Great Unity Sky Thunder Talisman's power, the two had both misjudged Shi Xuan's strength. Shi Xuan also had no habit of explaining his cultivation level. Thus, in their eyes, Shi Xuan remained an image of a lofty master who had attained the Dao, rather than a novice who had only just broken through to the Soul Departure realm.

Once he reached the foot of the mountain, Shi Xuan stopped Minor Clear Wind Escape, laughing as he did so. Though it was swift and marvelous, he was not in a hurry now, and Shi Xuan did not dare squander his soul power so freely. Nor did he have many talisman papers on him. These minor divine abilities had to be saved for urgent need. Only after cultivating magical power would he dare use Minor Clear Wind Escape when there was no need to hurry.

After carefully determining his direction, Shi Xuan slowly proceeded north along the Official Road. Mang Mountain, south of the great river and north of the Divine Capital, was his destination. Though it was famed as a burial ground, with countless people coming and going there over thousands of years, and no one having heard of anything divine or strange there, Old Daoist Xu had not been there. Therefore, Shi Xuan had to go and take a look.