After my grandmother called me home in my dream, my spiritual energy revived

Chapter 273 Mirage Paper Realm
However, condensing colored spirit crystals is hundreds of times more difficult than condensing black spirit crystals.

Putting aside the technical requirements, Song Miaozhu's collection of exquisite cultural relics and the spiritual essence gathered from unclaimed spiritual objects were enough to allow her to cross the threshold of skill and reach a higher level.

Song Miaozhu was only unsure about spiritual energy.

Based on the spiritual energy she consumed to condense this first spirit crystal, the top-grade spirit stones she has accumulated over the years should be enough for her to completely condense this colorful spirit crystal staircase.

However, the spiritual energy needed to raise these unclaimed spirit creatures is a bottomless pit.

It's unknown what abilities the spirits nurtured by cultural relics possess, or what kind of spiritual essences they can collect. Without being able to screen them, it's impossible to estimate how many spiritual essences would ultimately be needed for her paper-crafting skills to surpass the requirements of the colored spirit crystal stage.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to accumulate more spirit stones.

Song Miaozhu didn't know how long the global surge of spiritual energy she had attracted by her advancement would last.

But even if it's less, it shouldn't be less than when advancing to the Black Spirit Rank, right?
The global surge of spiritual energy lasted for three whole years, and the surge of spiritual energy in Xiaozhushan lasted for a full ten years.

That's not enough. Any unused spirit souls must be sold off quickly. While earning money to exchange for spirit stones, this also helps other cultivators advance faster.

If even one person breaks through to the White Spirit Rank, it will trigger another global surge of spiritual energy.

Of course, it is also possible that no more people will break through to the White Spirit Rank until this surge of spiritual energy ends, and the spiritual energy will be depleted again.

Song Miaozhu also needs to make preparations in advance for this situation.

It's time to set up a paper mirage in Xiaozhushan.

Her cultivation level is now almost sufficient.

She threw herself into the study of the mirage paper realm, and only by truly protecting Xiaozhushan could she continue her research on the spirit soul with peace of mind.

"Three zhang of Yunmeng Xuan paper, nine seven-year-old peach wood branches, one dou of mirror-finish glass sand, five copper coins of earth vein paper, four wind chimes of formless paper, and one box of peach gum rouge ink..."

Song Miaozhu counted the materials needed to make the paper mirage.

The Earth Vein Paper Coins and the Formless Paper Wind Chimes are themselves paper-made spiritual objects, which Song Miaozhu had already prepared and nurtured to their best condition.

The peach tree branches, which are seven years old, are also collected from Xiaozhushan. As long as they are needed for making the paper mirage, Xiaozhushan has been planting a new peach tree every year for the past ten years.

The Yunmeng Xuan paper was prepared here by Zhangli after he absorbed the experience and memories of many papermakers.

The peach gum rouge ink was made for her by Yue Lin and Guan Hong.

To prevent any unsuccessful attempts, at least one hundred portions of each material were prepared, which was more than enough.

Song Miaozhu can also try without worrying about failure or any lingering concerns.

First, create the core device of the Mirage Paper Realm: the Thousand Illusion Paper Tower.

Take nine seven-year-old peach wood branches, carve them into umbrella rib shapes, and tie them with red rope to form a tower-shaped frame about three feet high.

Actually, bamboo strips split from ten-year-old green bamboo can also be used, but peach wood branches are the best.

Then attach the earth vein paper copper coin at the node, aligning the coin hole with the central axis.

Take another piece of Yunmeng Xuan paper, tear it into irregular pieces, and paste it onto the frame.

Peach gum is needed to paste earth vein paper coins and Yunmeng Xuan paper.

The challenge of this step lies in applying the Yunmeng Xuan paper, which needs to be varied yet orderly, presenting a shimmering, wave-like effect.

Song Miaozhu messed it up several times before finally achieving the best result.

Next, mirror-finished glass sand is inserted into the middle, and a fine pore is pierced into the top layer with a needle—it cannot be too large or too small. Finally, mirage patterns are drawn on the paper structure.

Using the power of the fingertips as a brush, the artist draws waves and clouds counterclockwise, adding three layers of spiral patterns, and finally concealing the tip of the brush at the end.

One stroke ends, and another begins immediately.

Layer upon layer, endlessly repeating, until the paper tower was covered with mirage patterns.

Song Miaozhu had to repeat this step several times before she found the perfect ratio of spiritual energy input, which allowed her to draw spiritual energy mirage patterns all over the paper building before the spiritual energy was exhausted.

With the Thousand Illusions Paper Tower completed, the Mirage Paper Realm was largely formed.

Next, after making the four paper horses, you can set up the paper mirage.

There are four paper horses. Simply make them into horse shapes and then stuff the corresponding natural objects into their abdominal cavities.

Fresh pine needles and jade powder need to be stuffed into the abdominal cavity of the Oriental Trojan Horse.

The abdominal cavity of the Southern Fire Horse needs to be stuffed with charcoal and red jade.

Iron filings and white quartz were stuffed into the abdominal cavity of the Western Golden Horse.

The abdominal cavity of the northern water horse is stuffed with conch powder and moonstone.

Whether it's making paper horses or stuffing things inside, it's not difficult for Song Miaozhu.

The difficulty lay in the fact that these items, representing the four cardinal directions, had different names in ancient and modern times. Song Miaozhu had to compare the descriptions and illustrations in "The Secret Art of Paper Making" with ancient books before she could find out what the corresponding items were.

Despite some setbacks, the Thousand Illusion Paper Tower and the Four Symbols Paper Horse were both completed.

The next step is to set up the paper mirage.

At the third quarter of the Yin hour, at dawn, bury the four paper horses in their corresponding positions.

Each time a paper horse is buried, a special incantation must be recited in a specific tone, accompanied by special footwork, in order to trigger a spiritual resonance and perform the initiation ceremony.

First, at the Eastern Wooden Horse, Song Miaozhu held the Thousand Illusion Paper Tower, her spiritual power gathering in her throat and mouth, vibrating as she recited the incantation:

"The wood element of Jia and Yi awakens, paper horses transform into green dragons, morning dew forms a curtain, and spring thunder conceals their form."

Then, he quickly absorbed the spiritual energy from the top-grade spirit stone to restore his spiritual power, and then teleported to the Fire Horse in the south, continuing to chant the incantation: "The fire wheel of Bing and Ding turns, the red horse bathes in flames, the mirage steams the clouds, and no shadow is seen on the summer solstice."

The Western Golden Horse: "The Geng and Xin metal winds are fierce, the iron horses neigh in the autumn frost, weapons are all vain, the twilight conceals the killing intent."

The Northern Water Horse: "The Ren and Gui water veins are deep, the black horse carries ice, the cold mist obscures a thousand eyes, and the true form is hidden in the winter night."

Finally, holding the paper tower, walk along the edge of Xiaozhushan Mountain while reciting "Paper horse treads the void, copper coins lock the earth's spirit, a grain of sand is a world, a piece of paper is a heaven," until you have walked a full circle, activate the paper tower, and start the mirage paper realm.

From then on, when outsiders entered Xiaozhushan, they were transported into the Mirage Paper Realm, and everything they saw and heard was arranged by the Thousand Illusions Paper Tower in her hands.

The moment the Mirage Paper Realm was activated, Xiaozhushan, which was shrouded in white mist all day long, twisted for a moment.

However, this instantaneous change went unnoticed by the cultivators who were engrossed in their practice.

Even satellite surveillance, which monitors Xiaozhushan 24/7, failed to detect it.

After Song Miaozhu recovered her spiritual power, she did not change the illusion created by the Mirage Paper Realm for the time being, but only made it present a scene that was the same as reality.

When the spiritual energy weakens once again, that's when it will evolve into illusions, deceive others, and reveal its power.

She could also take this time to observe the changes in the illusion and reality, and become familiar with the use of the Thousand Illusion Paper Tower.