Yang Zhen slowly turned around, his gaze deep and distant. A strange, half-smiling expression on his face made him impossible to read.
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The Dao of Heaven takes from what has excess and gives to what is lacking. When friends come from afar..."
Yang Zhen spouted nonsense with a perfectly serious face, wearing the expression of an enlightened master. Suddenly, his whole body shuddered.
Boom!
A terrifying blast of Qi erupted around Yang Zhen. Heavenly sounds rang out in a great chorus, like the majestic might of heaven and earth, striking fear into every heart.
Countless glowing patterns of heaven and earth swirled around him like a vortex. True essence surged with violent force, and the Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan within Yang Zhen began to circulate madly in an entirely different manner.
Yang Zhen jumped in fright and hurriedly tried to rein in the true essence that had become a runaway horse. The next moment, he stared in dumbfounded disbelief.
The Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan had broken through the limits of a heaven-grade cultivation method and reached spirit grade!
Th... that works too?
At the sight of the terrifying vortex of true essence and the mysterious, abstruse patterns of heaven and earth, not only were Duan Langcai and his two companions stunned-even Yang Zhen himself was somewhat bewildered.
Although Yang Zhen had been talking nonsense, everything on his mind had come from the Tao Te Ching. After its contents connected with the Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan, the scripture had advanced through a freak combination of circumstances!
This really was an unexpected windfall. Overjoyed, Yang Zhen hurriedly sat down to comprehend the changes in the Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan, paying no further attention to the others.
The Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan had originally circulated through only sixteen meridians. Now it rushed like a mighty river through nearly thirty meridians in Yang Zhen's body. Terrifying waves of Qi burst forth, his presence soared, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.
Duan Langcai and his two companions stared dumbfounded, their eyes and mouths opening wider and wider. They looked at Yang Zhen in disbelief, their faces filled with horror.
They had never even heard of such a terrifying phenomenon of heaven and earth, much less witnessed one with their own eyes.
Neither the Shangyuan Sect nor the Sword Attendant Sect could produce even a single heaven-grade cultivation method, so how could they ever have seen the terrifying power of a spirit-grade cultivation method? Faced with such a violent upheaval of primal Qi, all three regarded Yang Zhen as a Celestial Person.
Yang Zhen roared with laughter, feeling utterly exhilarated. This time he wasn't putting on an act; he was genuinely happy.
With his aptitude off the charts, Yang Zhen's comprehension had already surpassed that of ordinary people by far. Now he had also "comprehended" the Tao Te Ching, which did not exist on the Youzhou Continent at all. The combination immediately raised the Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan to another level!
Almost in the blink of an eye, Yang Zhen's cultivation had climbed to the Essence Condensation Stage Sixth Layer, and it was still rising rapidly.
Like a drunkard bursting into wild song, Yang Zhen was suddenly filled with bold spirit. He scooped up a handful of Spirit-Cleansing Marrow, tilted his head back, and drank it down, his laughter ringing out without end.
"The nameless is the beginning of all things; the named is the mother of all things. Thus, ever without desire, one observes its mysteries; ever with desire, one observes its limits..."
Thank the great Laozi for creating such a brilliantly inspired masterpiece!
After Yang Zhen drank the Spirit-Cleansing Marrow, the terrifying true essence erupting from his body grew even more violent, sweeping through the entire cave like a storm. Frightened, Duan Langcai and his two companions hurriedly retreated, their eyes filled with horror and their mouths hanging open.
Boom!
After the Ancient Scripture of Shangyuan completed nine cycles, a surging, violent fluctuation of power suddenly erupted between heaven and earth. Countless patterns of heaven and earth in the surroundings poured into Yang Zhen's body. In the blink of an eye, the entire cave returned to normal, while Yang Zhen's cultivation had broken through to the Essence Condensation Stage Eighth Layer, only one step away from the ninth layer.
Looking at Duan Langcai and his companions, who had long since been scared stiff, Yang Zhen said calmly, his expression indifferent, "Who are you? You've disturbed this old man's peaceful seclusion. For that alone, I have reason to scatter your souls and bring your lives and paths to an end!"
Duan Langcai's expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "Senior, we meant no offense. We thought the Spirit-Cleansing Marrow belonged to no one. Who could have known it was yours? Please forgive our offense."
The woman surnamed Fang and the young man surnamed Lü also hurriedly explained that the three of them had stumbled in by accident.
Yang Zhen gave a quiet snort. Noticing that Duan Langcai was slowly approaching under the pretext of speaking, he knew the man was probably still suspicious. He exclaimed in surprise and asked, "Are you from the Sword Attendant Sect?"
Duan Langcai had never imagined that Yang Zhen already knew who he was. Startled, he asked in surprise, "Senior, how did you know I'm a disciple of the Sword Attendant Sect?"
Yang Zhen was secretly amused, but his expression grew even colder as he scolded, "Nonsense! You've cultivated the Ghost Shadow Sword into such a ghastly state. How did that brat Wan Quan not cut you down with a single stroke?"
"You..." Duan Langcai staggered back two steps in alarm and said, horrified, "Senior, you know my master, the sect master?"
"Sect master?" Yang Zhen chuckled. "I never thought that brat from back then would actually become the Sword Attendant Sect's master. No wonder the Sword Attendant Sect is declining more and more. Never mind. This old man has some karmic ties with that brat Wan Quan. In terms of seniority, you ought to call me grandfather. Perform the Ghost Shadow Sword for me, and I'll give you a few pointers."
At that, Yang Zhen's expression turned cold, and he shouted at the woman surnamed Fang and the young man surnamed Lü, "You two, why aren't you getting out? Do you expect this old man to see you out himself?"
The woman surnamed Fang and the young man surnamed Lü hurriedly apologized. After exchanging a look, they withdrew.
Seeing this, Yang Zhen immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He was still a little nervous-his back was fucking soaked.
Still full of doubts, Duan Langcai seemed to have some lingering suspicions about Yang Zhen.
Yang Zhen closed his eyes and said with an air of ceremony, "You only have one chance!"
Duan Langcai's body shuddered. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Please instruct me, Senior!"
Even if Yang Zhen was only pretending to be profound, once Duan Langcai performed the Ghost Shadow Sword, he would have nowhere to hide. Duan Langcai could simply kill him then. Duan Langcai recited the Ghost Shadow Sword's principles as he performed it.
Outside the cave, the woman surnamed Fang took a deep breath and asked the young man surnamed Lü, "Senior Brother Lü, was that a spirit-grade cultivation method the senior was practicing just now?"
Senior Brother Lü smiled bitterly. "How would I know whether it was a spirit-grade cultivation method? But a heaven-grade cultivation method probably wouldn't be so terrifying. I once heard Master say that any cultivation method capable of drawing out the patterns of heaven and earth and making them manifest is above heaven grade."
The woman surnamed Fang's expression shifted in alarm. "But that senior looks about the same age as us."
"Ambition is not measured by age," the young man surnamed Lü said, shaking his head. "Besides, most truly powerful seniors have ways of preserving their youthful appearance. It's hard to tell their real age from their looks."
"Senior Brother Duan is truly lucky. With the senior's guidance, his strength might advance by leaps and bounds!" the woman surnamed Fang said enviously.
A trace of jealousy flashed in the young man's eyes. "Or perhaps that person isn't a senior at all and is just making a fool of him. What true expert would give us guidance so easily? Once he comes out, we'll know."
The woman surnamed Fang nodded and said regretfully, "You're absolutely right, Senior Brother Lü."
Just then, Duan Langcai emerged from the cave, looking somewhat dazed. Wounds covered his body and face, blood streaming from them, and his expression was filled with horror and shock.
The woman surnamed Fang and the young man surnamed Lü hurried up to him and asked in puzzlement, "What happened? How did you get hurt? Was that person really not a senior, but a fraud?"
Duan Langcai abruptly raised his head and pointed his sword at the young man surnamed Lü. "You will not insult my grandfather!" he said in a low voice.
(End of chapter)