Cultivating Immortality from the Book of Life and Death

Chapter 357 Imperial Cultivation Techniques. (Second Update!)

Zheng Que was surprised and immediately looked around.

This is a flat area as if cut by a knife, with a magnificent palace standing in the center. The palace gate is ten zhang high, and on the left side, there is a carving of immortals enjoying themselves. Countless immortals of different appearances are riding cranes, dragons, or standing in the air, wandering among the mountains and rivers. The rosy clouds and auspicious clouds are endless, and the peace is boundless.

On the right side, evil spirits roamed, all kinds of demons with ferocious faces, roaring, killing, or wielding blades, entrenched above the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, shrouded in miasma and filled with malevolent intent, like an infernal hell.

Standing before this palace gate, it feels like facing a single thought of immortality or demonism, the impact is immense.

Zheng Que stared intently at the palace gate as he walked over step by step. Just as he reached out to try and push the door open, the jade pendant shaped like a carriage in his hand suddenly lit up, and the palace gate opened on its own.

clack clack...

With a sickeningly loud noise, before the tall palace doors were fully opened, a dense aura of spiritual energy rushed out of the palace and thoroughly washed over Zheng Que's face.

He immediately felt refreshed and invigorated.

Behind the door was an extremely vast, even empty, space.

The most attractive feature is a large cauldron in the center, with a pure black exterior and carved cloud and thunder patterns all over it. There are twelve dragons with their mouths wide open and their faces are ferocious.

Centered on this large cauldron, there are three doors on the left, labeled as the storeroom, alchemy room, and weapon-casting room.

On the right side, there are also three doors: the talisman-making room, the array room, and the spell testing room.

Behind the large cauldron, there are nine steps leading to a spacious hall. Above the hall are three steps made of spirit wood, along with high tables, bonsai trees with spirit flowers, and an eight-panel screen depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water, all surrounding a six-column bed with inlaid pearls and gold-painted landscape and figure patterns.

In front of the cloud bed was a table with bat-patterned upturned ends, on which were placed fresh flowers, an incense burner, a whisk, and a bowl of spiritual fruit.

The ground was covered with a thick carpet of light blue with lotus blossom patterns. In the display cases on both sides, there were some openwork sandalwood ruyi with a hundred longevity motifs, bamboo root fishermen, ivory crabs and other ornaments.

It is magnificent and grand, luxurious and comprehensive.

Although he knew that this was a cave dwelling booked by the magistrate and there was no way it could be dangerous, he still ordered the four female ghosts to thoroughly inspect the entire cave dwelling.

A moment later, the four female ghosts searched the entire floating island inside and out several times, but found nothing wrong.

Zheng Que was relieved and walked to the cloud bed, where he sat down cross-legged.

At the same moment, Qingli and Niannu found their favorite spots on the beam not far from him and hung up together.

Shu Yunying walked to the main hall, sat down in the main seat with an air of authority, looked around, and acted as if she were the lady of the house.

Kulan followed closely behind Zheng Que, standing by the cloud bed, turning her head back and forth.

Zheng Que did not immediately begin cultivation, but instead took out the two jade slips that the prefect had just given him.

One of the two jade slips records the imperial martial arts techniques given to him by the prefect, while the other records the basic techniques of the imperial court.

Zheng Que picked up the first jade slip and examined it by placing it between his eyebrows.

The contents of the jade slip flooded into his mind like a torrent; it was a cultivation technique called the "Transformation Scripture".

This cultivation method can be practiced from the Qi Refining stage all the way to the peak of Foundation Establishment, including the most important Foundation Establishment method.

Unlike the [Seed Life Technique], which only absorbs spiritual energy, this [Transformation Scripture], according to the description in the jade slip, not only absorbs spiritual energy faster than ordinary cultivation methods, but also strengthens the physical body and stabilizes the soul.

Practicing this technique during the Qi Refining stage allows one to condense a unique pattern on their physical body. This pattern enhances control over spells that enslave ghosts and reduces the risk of being devoured by the ghost servants.

This effect was of no use to Zheng Que.

Furthermore, if one uses this [Transformation Scripture] to build a foundation, upon successful foundation building, one can cultivate a supernatural power that comes with the technique.

Overall, this [Transformation Scripture] seems to be of a higher grade than the [Thunderfire True Technique] that Chen Zhentao gave him before!

After memorizing all the techniques, Zheng Que then began to examine another jade slip.

This jade slip contains a total of five techniques. The first technique is the [Concealment Technique] that Lu Maohong has already passed on to him.

He is currently using the [Concealment Technique] to hide his aura, and ordinary cultivators with similar cultivation levels cannot discern his true strength.

But for a highly skilled cultivator like the prefect, no magic was of any use.

The second technique is the [Sound Transmission Technique]. Only cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining can practice it. Its main function is to concentrate one's own voice and transmit it to another person's ear. The person receiving the sound transmission feels as if the person transmitting the sound is speaking right next to their ear, but others around them cannot hear a sound at all.

Chen Zhentao had previously used this sound transmission technique to speak with him.

In addition, both the Ghost Bride and Mu Xian Gu know this telepathic technique.

The third technique is the [Air Manipulation Technique], which can only be practiced by cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining or above.

This technique allows cultivators to fly, but it consumes a lot of spiritual energy. If one's cultivation level is only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, one cannot fly for very long.

Under normal circumstances, only cultivators at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, or even the Foundation Establishment stage, can use this technique for long-term flight.

The fourth technique is called the "Illusion-Breaking Technique," which can break through illusions and reveal the yin energy and true form of ghosts. However, it is not very effective against ghosts with excessively high cultivation levels.

The last technique is called [Soul Contract]. Like [Ghost Control Technique], it can enslave ghosts, but the degree of control over ghosts is stronger than that of [Ghost Control Technique]. Moreover, this technique can transmit one's own commands to ghost servants through the power of one's soul and thoughts, so that the ghost servants can execute more complex commands.

This technique was also of no use to Zheng Que.

His ability to control so many ghost servants with higher cultivation levels than himself has absolutely nothing to do with magic.

As for relaying instructions to the ghost servants... telepathy is sufficient.

His ghost servants all possess intelligence and are capable of executing very complex commands.

After reviewing these five basic techniques, Zheng Que immediately began practicing the [Sound Transmission Technique]...

Inside the cave, spiritual energy surged, and time flowed slowly.

Zheng Que sat cross-legged on a futon, his body's energy constantly shifting.

In less than half an hour, he slowly opened his eyes.

These basic spells were very simple for him.

In this short time, he has already learned the [Sound Transmission Technique], [Sky Maneuvering Technique], and [Illusion-Dispelling Technique].

He had already mastered the remaining [Concealment Technique].

There's no need to learn [Soul Contract]...

After mastering these three techniques, Zheng Que began practicing the Soul Searching Technique, which he had obtained from Chen Zhentao's storage bag.

This Soul Searching Technique requires a certain level of spiritual strength from the caster, but for Zheng Que, it posed no difficulty whatsoever.

The more names recorded in the Book of Life and Death, the greater the enhancement to his soul.

Although his current cultivation level is only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he is confident that even a cultivator at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining might not be able to match his current spiritual power...

While pondering, he summoned a ghost from the Soul-Summoning Banner and began practicing the [Soul-Searching Technique].

A moment later, Zheng Que successfully completed the cultivation, and then began cultivating another technique from Chen Zhentao's storage bag, the [Heavenly Wheel Profound Fire Technique]...

Compared to the techniques I've practiced before, the [Heavenly Wheel Profound Fire Technique] should be considered the most difficult one.

Zheng Que cultivated for a full two hours before he barely managed to cultivate the first round of Xuan Fire...

Having practiced five techniques in succession, Zheng Que had consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy. He did not continue practicing the [Heavenly Wheel Profound Fire Technique], but instead closed his eyes and began practicing the [Transformation Scripture].

(End of this chapter)