As he repeatedly visualized, the surroundings continued to shift and change. However, when he attempted to picture the stars across the heavens and the celestial palaces competing for supremacy, the Broken Jade remained utterly unresponsive.
A realization struck him immediately, and he nodded discreetly. The various scenes before him could only transform in accordance with places he had personally visited; their evolution could not arise from mere imagination. Furthermore, entities imbued with spiritual nature—such as flowers, birds, fish, insects, plants, beasts, Dharma Treasures, and Spiritual Artifacts—were absent within.
After testing briefly, he no longer dwelled on the matter. Although the Broken Jade possessed subtle mysteries and hid countless divine wonders, the foremost priority now was to deduce the Dharma technique for employing True Light. All other concerns had to be temporarily set aside.
Sitting upright, he emptied his mind of distractions and performed several slow breaths to regain composure. Once his spirit settled, he followed the Dharma technique detailed in the "Nine Number True Scripture," first anchoring his True Nature, then invoking the Divine Movement spell, focusing on the gate he wished to reach, and fully immersing himself in deduction.
Before long, countless paths emerged within his Sea of Consciousness. These paths branched incessantly, extending further with innumerable bifurcations.
All these paths bore the potential to lead to the desired Dharma technique. However, with myriad possibilities tangled like threads, it was challenging to choose. His task was to identify a single path and steadfastly cultivate along it; if a wrong path was chosen, retracing his steps would be the only recourse.
But he was only just beginning, and it was not yet time to make those decisions. The source of thɪs content is 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽
With clarity of mind, he continued deducing. The paths before him slowly became pruned and trimmed—unnecessary complexities were stripped away, leaving fewer and fewer options.
It was at this moment that he suddenly sensed his inner core’s Elixir Evil draining at an alarming rate, as though a massive breach had opened in a reservoir, spilling forth uncontrollably.
Yet, his expression did not change. Calmly and methodically, he proceeded with the deduction, remaining impeccably composed, as though oblivious to the loss.
The passage of time blurred—perhaps it was a fleeting moment, or it could have stretched into eternity. Finally, his inner core’s Elixir Evil was completely depleted. However, after his meticulous adjustments, only seven paths remained within his Sea of Consciousness.
Even at this stage, he did not yield. His eyes flickered briefly as he adjusted his breath, vibrated his Golden Core, and forced out a sliver of Elixir Evil from within. He persisted in deducing the Dharma technique until his mind roared violently, his vision darkened, and it seemed as though his avatar might collapse to the ground. Yet, conscious that surrender would nullify all previous efforts, he bit his tongue sharply, snapping his mind to clarity, and completed that final step.
When he looked again at his Sea of Consciousness, he saw that one of the seven paths had been eliminated, leaving only six behind.
He sighed softly, aware that this was the furthest limit of his capabilities. Even if he tried again, he might not achieve better results.
If he were at the Nascent Soul Realm, perhaps he could have cut down a few more paths. But with his current Cultivation level and understanding of the "Nine Number True Scripture," moving forward was impossible.
Despite this realization, a smile appeared on his face.
If another disciple of the same generation had reached this stage, they would have had no choice but to select one path to follow. Success or failure would hinge on fortune; choosing a crooked path might doom them to cultivate endlessly without ever seeing the end.
But with the Broken Jade in his possession, he was fearless. He could simply test each of the remaining paths one by one. No matter how poor his luck, he was certain to uncover the most suitable path.
Because the Dharma technique was reverse-engineered from the Five Elements True Light, Zhang Yan was confident that the deduced spell would resemble the original Cultivation Technique but could not be entirely identical. It might lack the same power as the True Sect’s technique, but he had never aspired for instant perfection.
The beauty of the "Nine Number True Scripture" lay in its capacity to refine and enhance the Dharma technique as one’s cultivation advanced.
The most terrifying predicament on the path of cultivation was the inability to discern the way ahead—wandering in confusion and hesitation, leading to indecision about whether to progress or retreat. But now Zhang Yan had a clear goal. No matter how lengthy the road, he could endure patiently, for as long as he treaded this path, ultimate success would be his.
He exhaled deeply, sensing his spirit utterly exhausted. He withdrew from the Broken Jade, and even his True Body showed signs of weariness due to the excessive consumption of mental energy. He seated himself cross-legged on his bedding, closed his eyes, and began breathing to regulate his energy. After a brief moment, when he opened his eyes, his gaze was sharp and dynamic once more.
Just as he considered delving back into the Broken Jade to engage in further deductions, he saw ripples flash within the Little Pot Mirror. A black-clothed scholar emerged, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Master, someone has arrived outside the gate with over ten cultivators, demanding that you come forth to fight them."
Zhang Yan froze for a moment. Though it wasn’t unusual for someone to seek him out for trouble, after the Elixir Tasting gathering, the four Cave Heaven True Masters of his lineage had all entered seclusion. The Xuanmen noble families had also remained inactive, preparing for the sect-wide competition in three years, maintaining mutual restraint. Who would come to provoke him now?
With a wave of his broad sleeve, the Little Pot Mirror revealed the scene outside the Mountain Gate.
A tall, robust, and spirited young Daoist stood above a surge of frothy white waves. His features seemed vaguely familiar. Behind him were over ten Mingcang Sect disciples in various outfits, pointing towards the Zhao You Heavenly Pond, their expressions hostile.
The black-clothed scholar said, "Master, the leading Daoist claims his surname is Xiao and his name Xiao He. He is a disciple of the Xiao Family and demands that you pay for the life of his elder brother, Xiao Han."
Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow and pondered briefly, then sneered. Without rising, he waved his sleeve, and a beam of light shot out from the depths of the Twelve Layered Palace beneath the Little Pot Mirror, ascending straight into the skies!
Xiao He had been hurling insults outside for quite some time, but the Zhao You Heavenly Pond remained utterly silent. It was clear that such Cave Mansions were protected by prohibitions. No matter how skilled he was, entering was impossible. Just as impatience began to gnaw at him, a sudden brilliance surged from the water of the Heavenly Pond, illuminating him from afar. His entire body instantly weakened, and with a startled cry of "Not good!" the massive wave beneath his feet collapsed spectacularly, sending him plummeting from the skies uncontrollably.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to cast votes or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)