Dongting Immortal Clan

As night fell, the moon rose high in the sky, its clear light as smooth as water.

The three brothers, Chen Dajiang, Chen Changhe, and Chen Xiaohu, gathered by Shangyuan Pond.

Chen Changhe took out the small cauldron and placed it in the empty space of the artificial hill in the pond. Before long, a cold wind suddenly rose in the courtyard, making the bamboo leaves rustle.

A moment later, a thin, grayish-white, transparent figure floated on the pool water like a ghost.

It was Mu Tong.

It still looked like a five or six-year-old child, wearing a light blue silk robe with cloud and dragon patterns, with bright and intelligent features, unlike any other.

Upon seeing Chen Changhe, Mu Tong was initially delighted, but then stared blankly at Chen Dajiang and Chen Xiaohu, tilting his head in confusion before looking at Chen Changhe again.

It seemed to be asking: Why are there a few more people tonight?

Chen Xiaohu examined the ghost with great interest, marveling at it.

"Such pure and authentic spirits!"

"The malevolent spirit is not apparent, but the spiritual essence is not extinguished. It is not like an ordinary wandering soul, but rather like the Yin spirit of a cultivator who has suffered a calamity, only the consciousness has been extinguished."

"I don't know its origins either."

Chen Changhe shook his head as he spoke.

"Its intelligence was severely damaged, and it was in a daze. It could only rely on instinct to absorb spiritual energy and had no other magical means. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been trapped by that half-baked sorceress from the Zhou family back then."

After saying that, he ordered the wooden boy to begin breathing in and out evil energy, refining it into spiritual mist.

Upon hearing the sound, the wooden boy moved and, as in the past, began refining the evil spirit.

Chen Xiaohu watched intently as the wooden boy "refined evil," his brows furrowing unconsciously as he pondered in his heart:

"This method of refining evil spirits is so similar to the scene when I went to Yingyue Peak to comprehend the 'Huayin Immortal Stele' before I descended the mountain... Could it be that this wooden boy was also a fellow practitioner of the ancient Taiyin method in his previous life?"

Unfortunately, the wooden child was mentally impaired. After refining the spiritual energy for a while, its movements gradually slowed down and it stopped swallowing and exhaling.

It floated in mid-air, its form seemingly solidifying slightly, its gray eyes gazing blankly at the bright moon in the sky, as if it had exhausted all its strength.

……

Now, the radiance is at its peak, and the moonlight is bright and clear.

Chen Xiaohu sat cross-legged by the pool, circulating his own magic power to activate his pure white Taiyin magic and connect with the small cauldron.

As he poured his magic power into it, the small cauldron underwent a change in a short time.

Beneath the mottled body of the cauldron, ancient patterns gradually light up, gleaming with a mysterious luster!

As if awakening from a deep sleep, the small cauldron began to actively "breathe" and "inhale" the Yin energy that Chen Xiaohu had transferred to it.

At first, there was only a faint shimmering light, but then the light grew brighter and brighter!

"clang--"

A bell rang out from who-knows-where, its sound echoing through the silent courtyard.

The three brothers trembled, as they simultaneously heard rustling sounds, as if ancient people were praying to heaven...

Immediately following, a beam of bright white light, about the thickness of a bowl, shot into the sky, seemingly connecting with the bright moon in the heavens.

In the night sky, the moonlight, which was originally evenly distributed, seemed to be drawn and frantically converged here.

Streams of silver light, like waterfalls, cascaded down from the heavens, were drawn in by the pillar of light, and poured continuously into the small cauldron!

The moonlight, thick and like mercury, illuminated the backyard as if it were daytime.

Chen Xiaohu was deeply shaken and did his best to maintain the infusion of magical power.

This small cauldron seems to be a bottomless pit.

Whether it was the magical power he poured in or the massive amount of moonlight falling from the sky, it was all absorbed as if it were a mud ox entering the sea, while the small cauldron remained completely still, except that its body became even more dazzling, like a star revived in the deep sky.

……

Time slips away unnoticed.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Xiaohu, who was immersed in connecting with the energy of the small cauldron, suddenly opened his eyes!

In his spiritual perception, the small cauldron seemed to finally be satisfied and underwent a new change.

A dazzling Taiyin light emanated from the cauldron, ten thousand times purer than the magic power he had just injected. Ignoring the physical body's obstruction, it fell straight into the depths of Chen Xiaohu's sea of ​​consciousness.

"Well--"

Chen Xiaohu let out a muffled groan, and his aura surged uncontrollably.

One by one, the major acupoints around his body were ignited like stars, bursting forth with dazzling light, illuminating his limbs, bones, internal organs, and even revealing faint golden patterns beneath his skin, resembling innate Dao patterns.

The attracted moonlight did not dissipate; instead, it gathered above his head into a hazy canopy of moonlight, its gentle glow enveloping him.

The exposed magical light clung to his Taoist robe, as if it had solidified into a magical garment, with ancient star charts and lunar phase patterns slowly flowing around it, exuding a natural Taoist charm.

At this moment, Chen Xiaohu, sitting cross-legged by the pond, had a solemn and dignified appearance. Bathed in moonlight, he looked like a banished immortal descending to earth, practicing the supreme Dharma, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at him.

"Taiyin... Immortal Body..."

Suddenly, a soft murmur came from the courtyard.

Chen Changhe and Chen Dajiang were both jolted awake, their bodies trembling violently. They turned their heads abruptly, their gazes falling on the wooden child floating in mid-air.

The wooden child's ghostly aura subsided, losing some of its ethereal quality and gaining a warm, lustrous glow, making it look almost identical to a pale-faced mortal child.

Even more strangely, the gray and black in its dull and lifeless eyes had mostly disappeared, revealing a trace of crystal-clear clarity.

Although her eyes were still filled with confusion, there was now a hint of emotion in them.

"Is it talking?!"

Chen Changhe suddenly got goosebumps all over his body.

He had been cultivating with the wooden boy for many years, but he had never heard it speak, not even through telepathy.

But to my surprise, he actually spoke up today!

……

The wooden boy seemed oblivious to their shock. His lips parted slightly, uttering broken, indistinct sounds as he tried to make them:

"Taiyin...Taiyin..."

"Waaah...waaah..."

An extremely complex emotion surfaced in its clear eyes.

There was shock, reminiscence, longing, fear, and an unyielding sorrow.

Like a toddler learning to speak, the wooden child could only stammer and could not express himself clearly.

Just then, the small tripod placed on the artificial hill suddenly emitted an even louder roar.

Immediately.

The almost liquefied lunar essence within the cauldron burst forth with countless rays of shimmering white light!

Like a tidal wave, it spread in all directions, instantly engulfing the courtyard, over the walls, and surging towards the distant Dongting Lake.

Where the moonlight reaches, the grass and trees are covered in frost, and the water surface shines, making the earth appear as if the moon palace has descended to earth.

The three brothers were slightly stunned.

Since the cauldron was retrieved from the lake ten years ago, they have never seen it fluctuate so violently in all those years.

It was as if the spirit within that cauldron had been awakened by Chen Xiaohu today.

"Boom—!"

The shimmering white pillar of light connecting heaven and earth suddenly increased in brightness tenfold, like a jade pillar supporting the heavens and the earth, piercing through the sky and illuminating half of the night sky.

Within a radius of dozens of miles, anyone who looks up can probably see this pillar of moonlight.

Immediately, from within that dazzling white pillar of light, a stream of moon-white light, like the Milky Way falling down, pierced straight into Chen Xiaohu's brow.

"Buzz".

Chen Xiaohu's sea of ​​consciousness was greatly shaken.

A vast sea of ​​information, like a starry sky, surged in with the moon-white light. It was a complete ancient cultivation method, which was thus imprinted deep within his soul.

The Classic of Pure Mystery and Profound Realm!

Chen Xiaohu was startled and immediately began to read it carefully.

……

This "Quqing Xuanyou Scripture" is a supreme method tailored for him, a "Taiyin Immortal Embryo"!

The text is divided into two volumes, one titled "Heavenly Clarity" and the other "Earthly Seclusion," which expound on two completely different yet ultimately convergent methods of Yin cultivation.

The Earth Book is a scroll primarily focused on the "Mysterious Netherworld" method, condensing "Netherworld Profound Fiend Qi." Upon successful completion, one can cultivate the Immortal Foundation [Mysterious Netherworld Palace].

The Heavenly Book is a scroll that focuses on the "Quqing" method, which condenses the "Xutian Xuanqing Qi". Once the work is completed, one can build the immortal foundation [Quqing Palace].

These two volumes of teachings, with their methods of gathering and refining Qi, ultimately lead to different foundations for the Dao, but both point directly to the Great Dao of Taiyin.

Once refined, they are all truly "immortal-grade Dao foundations" with boundless potential!

Chen Xiaohu's heart was in turmoil, but his face remained calm as a still lake.

The radiance of the small cauldron did not dissipate. After the spiritual consciousness was infused with the "Quqing Xuanyou Scripture", another mysterious and obscure illusory image of the scripture flowed out from the cauldron.

It is called the "Spiritual Essence Refining and External Appearance Method".

This is not a fundamental method of Qi cultivation, but rather a supplementary secret technique for "tempering the essence and refining the form," which can complement the "Quqing Xuanyou Scripture."

As the name suggests, this method requires the essence and blood of living beings as the "guide" and one's own spiritual energy as the "material" to temper a "true form in the external world".

This "outer appearance and true form" is incredibly mysterious.

It can combine with the main body to enhance combat power.

It can also be separated, like an avatar outside the body.

If a suitable soul can be found and sealed into the "external form" using a secret method, a "spirit puppet weapon" can be forged.

After reading it, Chen Xiaohu was both surprised and amazed.

This little cauldron is indeed extraordinary, bestowing upon it profound and mysterious cultivation techniques.

If this "Divine Essence Refining External Appearance Method" is used properly, it can undoubtedly rapidly enhance combat power.

It is conceivable that if the Chen family obtains this method, it is not impossible for them to cultivate spirit puppets with "refined qi combat power" in the future.

However, this method uses the essence and blood of living beings as a catalyst to refine souls into puppets. If someone with an evil heart practices it, they are likely to fall into evil ways, indiscriminately killing innocent people to refine puppets, causing endless harm.

……

"call……"

Chen Xiaohu slowly opened her eyes, the moonlight shimmering in them before gradually returning to calm.

His gaze fell on the small, dark blue-green cauldron in front of him.

At this moment, the radiance had subsided, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

"A small lake?"

Seeing that he had opened his eyes and his breathing was more steady, Chen Dajiang couldn't help but ask with concern:

"What happened to you just now?"

Chen Xiaohu took a deep breath before calmly saying:

"I obtained two cultivation techniques from the cauldron."

"Firstly, it is called the 'Quqing Xuanyou Scripture,' which is the Qi-refining method needed for the subsequent stages of my Nine Revolutions Immortal Embryo. If I can master it, I can build an extraordinary foundation for my Dao."

"Secondly, there is a secret technique for auxiliary cultivation called the 'Divine Essence Refining Soul External Appearance Method'."

He looked at his two elder brothers, carefully choosing his words as he explained:

"This technique is quite unique. It can be used to refine one's vital energy and create an external form to serve as a Dharma body. It has many wonderful uses. If a suitable soul can be found and sealed into it, it can be made into a puppet that can be controlled at will."

"puppet?"

"Driven by souls?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Changhe frowned and muttered unconsciously:

"How come this method... is so perfectly suited to the 'Spirit-Binding and Spirit-Sacrificing Ritual' that I obtained from the Zhou family shaman years ago?"

The "Spirit-Binding and Spirit-Sacrificing Technique" he mentioned is a bizarre and unorthodox art that can forcibly capture wandering spirits and the remnants of cultivators' souls, transforming them into "sacrificial spirits" that are driven by the ritual.

If used in conjunction with the "Shenyuan Refining Soul External Appearance Method" obtained by Chen Xiaohu.

It possesses both physical power and magical abilities; isn't that perfect?

Chen Xiaohu pondered this in his heart, and the more he deduced, the more alarmed he became:

"These two methods, one obtained from a wicked woman and the other from an ancient cauldron, seem completely unrelated, yet they fit together so well... as if they were originally a set of traditions that were deliberately broken up."

But how is that possible?

The origin of the small cauldron is mysterious and ancient. The "Method of Binding Gods and Sacrificing Spirits" is nothing more than a half-baked evil practice by Zhou's sorceress. The two are worlds apart in level, so how could they be the same thing?

Unable to figure out the reason, Chen Xiaohu looked at Mu Tong and asked in a low voice:

Do you recognize this small tripod?

The wooden child was lost in thought when he was suddenly "asked" a question. His clear, glassy eyes turned to Chen Xiaohu, and he nodded involuntarily.

This startled even Chen Xiaohu.

Chen Changhe gasped, exchanging a glance with Chen Dajiang, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

This wooden boy is indeed related to the small cauldron!

"Who...who are you? What's your name? Where do you come from?"

Chen Xiaohu suppressed the turmoil in his heart and continued to guide with his divine sense.

A thoughtful look appeared in Mu Tong's eyes, but he couldn't find an answer for a long time, only muttering to himself:

"Wu...Wu..."

"Taiyin... Immortal Body... Mysterious Netherworld... Mansion..."

Upon hearing the words "Xuanyou Mansion," Chen Xiaohu's eyes narrowed.

This is precisely the immortal foundation formed by refining "Netherworld Profound Qi" as recorded in the earth scroll of the "Quqing Xuanyou Scripture".

This wooden boy actually knew!

"It recognizes the *Qiqing Xuanyou Jing*!"

"This is no coincidence...it must be related to the small tripod."

Chen Xiaohu's mind raced, his gaze intense.

"Mu...named Mu..."

He stared at the wooden boy, pondering deeply.

"Within the thousands of miles of Dongting Lake and even the surrounding prefectures, has there ever been a prominent clan of cultivators in ancient times who used 'Mu' as their surname?"

Chen Xiaohu fell into deep thought.

-

Here's a 9,000-word post. Please add it to your favorites, recommend it, and keep reading!