Longzang

Chapter 100 How to Understand the Sorrow of Parting

Creating a cultivation technique is roughly similar to writing an article. First, one must understand the principles and basic framework of the Heaven and Earth Madman, a step Wei Yuan has already completed. Second, one must consult other Qi cultivation techniques and foundational cultivation methods, gathering diverse perspectives and drawing on the strengths of various schools to determine the overall approach. The third step is to create the technique. The fourth step is to test the new technique and identify problems. Finally, based on the problems encountered, one must return to either the first or second step and repeat the entire process.

Now, Wei Yuan needed to proceed with the second step. Since repairing the spiritual veins seemed like a massive undertaking, and it was unclear when it would take, Wei Yuan got up and went to the Bosi Hall.

The Foundation Establishment Realm has a dedicated Bo Si Hall, which is much larger than the Body Forging Realm, consisting of a palace complex of nine halls and pavilions. Although Wei Yuan did not have any immortal silver at this time, he had a lot of merit points, so he paid his merit points to enter the Bo Si Hall. Under the guidance of the steward, he found the area for Qi Luck Secrets and Foundation Establishment Techniques, carefully selected more than a dozen books, and sat down to study them carefully.

The Bo Si Tang in Dao Ji Realm no longer restricts the number of books that can be borrowed, and it is equipped with numerous desks and tables for reading. These desks and tables are all magical implements, possessing the effect of calming the mind and nourishing the spirit; one can sit on them and read for three days without tiring. Furthermore, the Bo Si Tang in Dao Ji Realm charges a daily fee, and those who wish to read there for an extended period will be provided with free Qi-drinking pills.

Wei Yuan read through the cultivation techniques and secret manuals one by one, and before he knew it, three hours had passed. He put the batch of techniques back in their original place and selected another twenty or so to continue studying. In this way, a day and a night passed, and Wei Yuan finished reading more than fifty books on Qi cultivation techniques.

After taking a Qi-Drinking Pill, Wei Yuan brought back a bunch of Foundation Establishment cultivation techniques and continued to study them.

After reading through a hundred books on Qi Luck Secrets and Dao Foundation Techniques, Wei Yuan had a general direction in mind. Although it was still somewhat vague, he had found the path forward.

Only then did Wei Yuan understand why the Immortal Sect's unified examination included a written test. Most of these Qi-gathering techniques and cultivation methods were collected by the Taichu Palace from the outside world, and they largely retained their original appearance. Therefore, they contained language from various eras, and many of the methods used obscure and deliberately mysterious terms. Although some cultivators had specifically proofread and edited them during the collection process, removing errors and overly obscure words, these cultivation methods, passed down from ancient and medieval times, remained generally difficult to understand.

If one is not fluent in literature and reasoning, one cannot even understand the most basic cultivation method, let alone innovate or create one's own path.

Wei Yuan continued reading, delving deeper and deeper into the long bookshelves.

At this moment, inside the Heavenly Craft Hall, a dark-skinned, burly cultivator frowned and said to the Taoist priest in black robes before him, "To repair the Spirit Gathering Array of the entire mountain, nine hundred thousand taels of immortal silver is hardly enough, not to mention that we also need to build an additional branch. This job will cost at least one million five hundred thousand taels!"

The Taoist priest in black robes said softly, "The Immortal Lord means that the palace's expenses have been enormous recently, and he is thinking that the Heavenly Crafts Hall can share some of the burden, so this time we don't need to make any money."

The cultivator's eyes widened: "Does this mean we work for free without making money? The disciples in the hall don't need to cultivate or consume resources? So you're saying the Heavenly Mystery Hall and the Creation Temple are the only ones who can profit? We're already very poor; this is absolutely unacceptable!"

The Taoist priest in black robes was not annoyed at all, and said, "No matter how expensive the pills sold at the Creation Temple are, each person pays for them out of their own pocket, and the palace has no say in it. The same applies to the Heavenly Secrets Hall. But most of the work you do is paid for by the palace, and that's the difference."

The burly cultivator snorted heavily and said, "One million exactly, no less! Otherwise, don't blame me for being unreasonable!"

"can."

Seeing the Taoist in black robes agree without hesitation, the burly cultivator immediately cried out that he had been tricked, realizing he was about to be overcharged again. He huffed and puffed, "Let me make this clear from the start: the Spirit Gathering Array is fine this time, but if it breaks down again next time, many parts and materials will need to be replaced, and the price won't be this high!"

"Of course I know that."

A month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Having read countless cultivation techniques and secret manuals, Wei Yuan's accumulated knowledge gradually became clearer, and his understanding of what the Madman of Heaven and Earth should be like grew increasingly clear. One day, he suddenly had an epiphany, so he took out paper and pen and began to write furiously. A moment later, a vast and flowing manual of cultivation techniques appeared on the paper—the foundational chapter of the Madman of Heaven and Earth!
The moment he finished writing the last word, Wei Yuan suddenly felt something, as if he had touched something invisible in the world. He looked out the window and felt that the blue sky above the empty valley seemed a little dimmer than usual, and the wind was a bit stronger, but there was nothing else unusual about it.

Wei Yuan withdrew his gaze and suddenly saw a young Taoist priest who had appeared in front of the table at some point. He was wearing a black Taoist robe and was looking at the Dao Foundation Chapter of the Madman of Heaven and Earth that Wei Yuan had just written.

After silently reading it, the Taoist in black robes praised, "It is already rare for someone so young to be able to innovate, but what is even more rare is this world-changing spirit."

Wei Yuan couldn't see through the black-robed Taoist's cultivation level at all, and knew that the other party's realm must be far above his own, so he stood up and respectfully said: "This is just a doodle, please give me your guidance, senior."

The Taoist in black robes shook his head: "I can't give you guidance. My mind is too extreme, and giving you guidance would only lead you astray. Let's get down to business first. I have some miscellaneous matters to attend to before Palace Master Pei. I've come to you today on the orders of the Palace Master; there's something I need you to do."

The mission had finally arrived, and Wei Yuan stood at attention to listen.

"This is not the place to talk. Let's go to your place."

Wei Yuan then returned the borrowed books and left the Bosi Hall with the Taoist in black robes, returning to his residence. The cave was now filled with spiritual energy again, indicating that the spiritual veins had recovered after a month of repairs.

The Taoist in black robes placed two pieces of jade paper in front of Wei Yuan. One of them depicted a young female cultivator. She looked to be under twenty, with large, mischievous eyes. She was pointing a finger at her lips, seemingly plotting some prank.

The Taoist in black robes said, "Since you wish to hone yourself against other races, then go to the Broken Domain west of Ningzhou, find her, and bring her back. If you can't bring her back, then bring back her belongings. This is the information for this mission; you can review it carefully later. Furthermore, the risks of this journey are unpredictable. To ensure everything is in order, the Palace Master has specially bestowed upon you a magical artifact belt. It can be used for Dao Foundation cultivation, contains a mesmer space, and is also imbued with a divine thought of a Celestial Lord, equivalent to a strike from a Dharma Aspect True Person. If used properly, it can save your life."

"Oh, by the way, there are some small items in the belt. Use them as you see fit."

After explaining the details, the Taoist in black robes disappeared without Wei Yuan even realizing how he left.

Finally, we can deal with other races, although this time it's not the Liao race but the Wuyu race. However, all four races must be killed; it doesn't really matter who comes first or last.

Wei Yuan first examined the image of the female cultivator. The image on the jade paper was incredibly lifelike; it could be viewed from various angles and even materialized, as if the real person were standing right before him. Even the hem of her clothes and the tips of her hair could move with Wei Yuan's divine sense, which was truly miraculous. At the same time, a trace of her primordial spirit aura was also added to the portrait, so even if she changed her clothes or her appearance was disfigured, Wei Yuan would not mistake her for someone else.

Wei Yuan memorized her appearance and aura, then picked up another piece of jade paper and read it carefully.

The female cultivator's name is Yun Feifei. She is twenty-four years old and at the Foundation Establishment stage, her cultivation level between the Solidification and Rebirth stages, possibly already at the Rebirth stage. She comes from a small sect called Lan Shen Palace. The origin of Lan Shen Palace is related to Tai Chu Palace. Four hundred years ago, a disciple of Tai Chu Palace, Yun Xihe, went to the western part of Ningzhou to explore and, after obtaining an opportunity, cultivated to the Dharma Aspect stage. He then left Tai Chu Palace and founded Lan Shen Palace. Lan Shen Palace focuses on incense offerings and the Daoist traditions of Tai Chu Palace are not connected.

Yun Xihe lived for another fifty years after founding the Lan Shen Palace. For the next three hundred years, the Lan Shen Palace had four successive palace masters, all of whom possessed profound cultivation, only slightly inferior to Yu Jing. This allowed them to establish a foothold west of Ningzhou, surrounded by foreign tribes.

Three years ago, the Wuyu Clan suddenly launched a major attack on Ningxi, resulting in a crushing defeat for the human race. Over six thousand miles west of Ningzhou were occupied by the Wuyu Clan, one grotto-heaven was shattered, and six minor sects were destroyed, including the Lan Shen Palace. The human race subsequently counterattacked and recaptured the region, but suffered repeated defeats within three months, forcing them to retreat to Yunzhou once again. The Wuyu Clan also suffered heavy losses and retreated to their original location to recuperate, leaving this region vacant once more.

The two-year-long war shattered the earth's veins and disrupted the celestial order across thousands of miles. Fragments of shattered grotto-heavens fell to the earth, creating perilous and dangerous places. These fragments were not opportunities, but rather burial grounds for cultivators. The spiritual energy of the entire region might take hundreds of years to gradually recover, hence the name "Shattered Land," rendering it largely worthless.

This great war was also a conflict between the human race and the Wuyu race, involving the two major states of Western Jin and Zhao, with various sects participating to varying degrees. The relationships between these forces were intricate and chaotic. After the Wuyu race retreated, neither Western Jin nor Zhao had the capacity or interest to take over the region. Moreover, the Wuyu race could return at any time, and neither the major nor minor sects were willing to establish their own sects there. Thus, this vast territory spanning thousands of miles became a lawless land, devoid of any laws or rules.

Originally, the Taichu Palace treated this place the same as any other battlefield. However, not long ago, a surviving disciple of the Lan Shen Palace sent back a message saying that the first founder of the palace had a significant opportunity and wanted to send it back to the Taichu Palace in exchange for the right of several bloodline successors to return to the Taichu Palace. The message didn't specify what the opportunity was, only that the clue was on Yun Feifei. Finding Yun Feifei and bringing her back to the Taichu Palace would reveal the answer. The mission information didn't specify what the opportunity was, nor what Yun Feifei possessed. But clearly, this opportunity was extraordinary; otherwise, a Celestial Lord wouldn't have personally arranged it. Such an important mission wouldn't be entrusted entirely to Wei Yuan, a novice who had just advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage. There must be several hidden agents involved; it's unknown whether Wei Yuan is an open or covert agent.

After reviewing the information, Wei Yuan examined the belt. It was a typical silk belt with a jade buckle in the center, devoid of any other embellishments. However, the true core of the magical artifact wasn't the conspicuous jade buckle, but rather an inconspicuous silk thread within. This thread, activated by Dao power, could hold an object approximately three feet square, and contained a wisp of a Celestial Lord's divine thought; when released, its power was equivalent to a strike from a True Immortal.

After all, it was the divine sense of a Celestial Lord, possessing numerous wondrous qualities beyond its power. First, apart from Wei Yuan, even a True Lord's divine sense wouldn't detect anything unusual about the belt. Second, once activated, it would automatically seek out and attack the most powerful and threatening target in the vicinity, even if Wei Yuan was unconscious. Furthermore, it activated without warning, moving with lightning speed, and wouldn't be weakened by any defensive artifacts or formations below the True Lord level. In other words, this attack was guaranteed to hit its target immediately; even if Wei Yuan and the enemy were standing face-to-face, fully focused, it could still achieve a surprise attack effect.

Wei Yuan immediately changed his belt and then carefully examined each of the small items inside.

The scheduled departure time is seven days from now. Before setting off, Wei Yuan will visit Zhang Sheng to ask him to give guidance on the Dao Foundation Chapter of the Madman of Heaven and Earth and see if there is anything that needs improvement.

It was already late, so Wei Yuan decided to cultivate for the night and go find Zhang Sheng early the next morning. After entering the cultivation room, Wei Yuan sat cross-legged, lost in thought, and took a deep breath.

suck…………

This time, Wei Yuan was completely surprised to find that he had absorbed all the spiritual energy in one breath. After absorbing enough spiritual energy, a light drizzle began to fall in his entire sea of ​​consciousness, nourishing the parched and lifeless earth.

Wei Yuan exhaled, then inhaled.

suck……………………

At this moment, Wei Yuan was unaware that another spiritual vein had branched off from the mountain's spiritual veins, leading directly to his cultivation chamber. This newly added spiritual vein was almost as thick as all the others combined, and it was directly connected to the mountain's root vein.

In Wei Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness, the rain was continuous, and spiritual energy transformed into specks of life, merging into the earth. Once it accumulated to a certain degree, life would sprout, and he didn't know what changes would occur. But at this moment, Wei Yuan could sense that the life force within Jade Mountain was becoming even more vibrant, beginning to absorb the spiritual energy from the rain.

However, beneath the futon, the newly formed spiritual vein began to dim again. The surging spiritual energy could not withstand the consumption, gradually thinning and then drying up. Because this spiritual vein was directly connected to the main vein of the mountain range, its drying up meant that the spiritual energy of the main vein would also dry up.

Then the Spirit Gathering Array reappeared, and after a brief flash, the spiritual energy of the mountain peak was cut off again! Chaos erupted once more in the many caves, and several disciples who had just entered seclusion broke out of their cultivation again, almost suffering from qi deviation.

Wei Yuan was jolted awake from his suffocating state by an intense feeling of suffocation, as if he were drowning. He probed his spiritual veins with his divine sense and immediately realized that the spiritual energy had dried up again. Having learned from the previous two experiences, Wei Yuan now finally understood that the problem lay with himself.

He checked the time; this cultivation session had lasted a full four hours, and he was only half an hour away from his scheduled visit to Zhang Sheng. Wei Yuan simply got up, picked up the copied Dao Foundation of the Madman of Heaven and Earth, and silently read it aloud, pondering possible improvements.

Before establishing his Dao Foundation, the Madman of Heaven and Earth could only empower and control one living being other than Wei Yuan, and that being could not be human or any other race with naturally powerful divine souls. After establishing his Dao Foundation, Wei Yuan's primordial spirit was much stronger than before, and at this time he could empower several to dozens of living beings simultaneously, the specific number depending on the amount of fortune empowered and the depth of control.

In addition, Wei Yuan himself will experience a significant boost after activating the Heaven and Earth Madman technique, with all his functions increasing by 50%. At this point, both Wei Yuan's physical body and primordial spirit will be greatly enhanced; if he only used the original version of the Heaven and Earth Madman technique, he could only achieve a 30% increase. Furthermore, when activating the Heaven and Earth Madman technique, Wei Yuan and others temporarily replace their own personal fortune with celestial fortune. At this time, their status is extremely high, and all Taoist techniques based on fortune, such as calculation, tracking, attraction, and bewilderment, are basically ineffective against Wei Yuan.

The Madman of Heaven and Earth in the Dao Foundation chapter also uses Qi Luck more meticulously. For example, with the same horse, he can choose to slightly improve it to greatly extend the blessing time, or he can choose to greatly improve it in a short period of time, but afterwards the horse will die from exhaustion of its vitality.

Half an hour later, Zhang Sheng held the Dao Foundation Chapter of the Madman of Heaven and Earth written by Wei Yuan and read it quietly.

After looking at it several times, Zhang Sheng finally looked up and saw the disciple in front of him who was already taller than himself.

Zhang Sheng smiled with satisfaction and said, "Your secret technique has grasped my true meaning. What's even more remarkable is that after its innovation, its lofty ideals are no less than those of your master back then. This is the most commendable thing. How many people have cultivation but lack the mindset to keep up, living a petty and narrow-minded life, ultimately failing before reaching the summit? If we cultivators don't have a heart that dares to live as long as heaven and earth, how can we coexist with heaven and earth?"

Zhang Sheng put down the jade paper and said, "I have nothing more to guide or correct. When you use this secret technique in the future, you can experience and improve it on your own. This path is for you to walk alone, and how far you go depends on yourself."

Wei Yuan nodded.

"I will submit this secret technique for you, and you will get some merit points. However, since no one else can use this technique, the merit points will not be much."

Wei Yuan was aware of this. The Taichu Palace valued practicality, and a unique, isolated work like "The Madman of Heaven and Earth" was far less valuable than the six introductory body-forging methods.

Next, Wei Yuan discussed the mission. The specifics couldn't be revealed, but the nature of the journey could be roughly outlined. Since it was a mission orchestrated by a Celestial Lord, Zhang Sheng naturally had no objections. He himself was still recovering from his injuries and couldn't accompany Wei Yuan. Besides, after Wei Yuan had forged his Dao foundation and completed the great test, he would officially embark on the path of immortality and begin his solo training.

Back then, Zhang Sheng had just established his Dao foundation when he descended the mountain alone to hone his skills, enduring countless perilous battles. After achieving mastery of his Dao foundation, he embarked on a quest to find a dragon across the land, eventually leading him to Wei Yuan.

Zhang Sheng was suddenly filled with emotion. Unbeknownst to him, the little child he once was had reached the age to leave the nest and fly high. At this moment, he felt a strange pang of sadness.

Zhang Sheng never wanted to reveal his feelings. He patted Wei Yuan's shoulder calmly and said, "Be careful."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Sheng added, "Preserving your life is the most important thing; don't be reckless."

Wei Yuan nodded again.

Zhang Sheng thought for a moment and then added, "If you really can't beat me, remember to come find your master."

Wei Yuan nodded earnestly, but Zhang Sheng was still a little uneasy. After thinking it over, he realized there wasn't much else he could tell him, but Zhang Sheng felt he should say something more.

Now, even patting his shoulder requires raising your hand, and his head is no longer easy to touch... Zhang Sheng suddenly understood Wei Youcai's feelings ten years ago.

“There are still a few days before we set off. If you encounter any problems in your cultivation, you can come and ask me anytime,” Zhang Sheng said.

Wei Yuan did have a question: "Teacher, you said that you comprehended the Immortal Sword's sorrow on your own during the forging process. I still can't understand how you, with your temperament, could comprehend that state of mind of universal sorrow?"

“What’s so difficult about this? All you need to do is…” Zhang Sheng paused halfway through his sentence, ultimately deciding to tell his apprentice the truth:
"...relying on affectation."

(End of this chapter)