Free Web NovelChapter 84: Chapter 57: Practicing Daoist Arts
Xuzhuang hadn’t even had time to get his hopes up before another thought struck him. ’Even if these pills were properly preserved, after so many years, how much of their medicinal efficacy could possibly remain?’
Xuzhuang took two steps forward. With a flick of his large sleeve, he lifted the lid of the furnace. Inside, as expected, was a furnace full of dregs. When he sniffed, not even a trace of an aroma remained. Xuzhuang shook his head and checked the pill racks on either side, only to find his harvest was meager.
The dregs in the various bottles and jars were no different from those in the jade furnace. The jade pellets he poured from a few gourds bore some resemblance to the Golden Cores refined by the Tai Su Orthodox Sect and were likely mineral-based pills. However, though the pills were still as round and smooth as pearls, their medicinal energy had long since dissipated. The few Magical Artifacts were all of an inferior grade; even if he took them to reward his disciples, they would likely be scorned.
However, there were the remaining Scripture Daoist Scriptures. Xuzhuang briefly scanned through them. While the contents weren’t particularly profound, a few volumes were Ancient Elixir Books, starkly different from the modern Alchemy Dao. These might have some value. Xuzhuang collected them but couldn’t be bothered with the rest. He stepped out of the grotto chamber and continued deeper.
Following the passage inward, he opened several more grotto chambers. Some were completely empty. Some were furnished with what seemed to be training dummies and stone locks for practicing Daoist techniques. Others contained beds, meditation cushions, tables, chairs, and ritual vessels. Of course, most of them were Alchemy Rooms.
Xuzhuang gradually discovered that the cultivators in this Grotto Heaven were divided into two factions. One faction seemed to consist entirely of Pill Masters, while the other practiced a chaotic mix of everything—talismans, spells, swords, artifacts, you name it. As for why he concluded they were one group, it was because various clues he’d found along the way seemed to point to this Grotto Heaven being co-owned by a pair of High-Achieving Cultivators who were Daoist partners. The rest were all disciples of this pair.
Besides this discovery, his gains along the way had been truly scant. Yet, Xuzhuang was not disappointed. He gradually reached the deepest part, where, as expected, there were two grotto chambers side by side. Xuzhuang opened one of them, and his eyes immediately lit up.
This grotto chamber was no different from the other Alchemy Rooms outside. In fact, aside from a Cyan Jade Pill Furnace in the center, it was completely bare. But what pleasantly surprised Xuzhuang was the clear shimmer of spiritual light flowing over this Pill Furnace, an obvious sign that it was protected by a restrictive spell.
Xuzhuang walked into the room, reached out a hand from his sleeve, and swept it over the Pill Furnace. The spiritual light flashed violently and then vanished—the restrictive spell was broken.
This did not surprise Xuzhuang. The spell on the Pill Furnace was clearly meant for preservation, not for offense or defense. Naturally, it couldn’t withstand his Magical Power.
With the spell broken, Xuzhuang was suddenly in no hurry. He exhaled, formed a Magic Formula, and pointed at the air, creating a shroud of Magical Power above the Pill Furnace. Only then did he lift the lid. Instantly, two rays of brilliant light shot out from within. They were caught by Xuzhuang’s Magical Power and revealed their forms, causing him to pause in surprise.
Floating in the air were two pills, one red and one white. They emanated auras of warmth and coolness, respectively, yet they did not repel each other. Instead, they circled one another endlessly.
A slightly odd expression appeared on Xuzhuang’s face. As it turned out, these two pills—one red, one white—were recorded in the Ancient Elixir Books he had acquired earlier. They were called the ’Kanli Daoist Treasure Pill,’ a top-grade elixir that aided in dual cultivation.
In terms of value, this pill was naturally extremely precious. In terms of effect, it was an invaluable treasure for cultivators who specialized in the path of dual cultivation.
For Xuzhuang, however, it was a bit of a white elephant—too good to discard, but of little use. He shook his head, but still took out a Pill Gourd and stored the Kanli Daoist Treasure Pills inside. He then turned, left the chamber, and opened the other room.
The moment this room opened, Xuzhuang’s expression shifted again. He unexpectedly sensed a profound aura. Looking inside, the first thing he saw was a large Bronze Cauldron in the center of the chamber. This cauldron had no restrictive spells on it and seemed to be merely decorative. Xuzhuang peered inside and saw a Vermilion Gourd resting within it.
Xuzhuang retrieved the gourd and inspected it briefly. He realized it was some kind of capturing treasure, surprisingly refined with a complete set of restrictive spells. Xuzhuang applied a bit of his Magical Power and instantly refined two layers of the spells, giving him a tenuous level of control. He then gently activated it.
WHOOSH... A faint breeze stirred in the room, then vanished in an instant.
"This..." Xuzhuang shook his head vigorously. Such paltry power... Although it was partly because he had only refined two layers of spells, it was still far too weak. With a flick of his hand, he stored the Vermilion Gourd away and paid it no more mind.
There wasn’t much else in the room. To the side was a treasure shelf with a few small trinkets scattered on it, but most of the shelves were empty. At the very back was an ice couch, completely translucent and impeccably clean.
Xuzhuang walked to the couch and lightly brushed his fingertips across its surface. He immediately felt a faint coolness—not a bone-chilling cold, but a refreshing sensation that cleared his mind. ’What kind of Profound Ice is this? It hasn’t melted in millennia and even has a mind-clearing effect?’
But this alone wasn’t enough to truly surprise Xuzhuang. ’Where did that aura of Daoist technique I sensed when I opened the door come from?’
Xuzhuang pondered for a moment, then suddenly leaped up and landed sitting on the ice couch. A look of slight astonishment immediately appeared in his eyes.
"What level of cultivation could leave behind a lingering resonance of a Daoist technique in the air, even after tens of thousands of years?"
"Is it because we’re inside a Grotto Heaven, or is it due to the special properties of this Profound Ice Couch?"
Before his eyes, invisible lines interwove in the air, demonstrating profound transformations. In Xuzhuang’s perception, it was as if time in this grotto chamber had rewound, returning to countless millennia ago, when a High-Achieving Cultivator sat upon this very ice couch, practicing his Daoist techniques.
"So, it’s the transformations of fire techniques." A thought suddenly struck Xuzhuang. He raised his hand and pointed, a wisp of Magical Power drifting like smoke from his fingertip. He then opened his mouth and exhaled, transforming the Magical Power into a bright flame that floated into the air and began to change, following the demonstration of the Daoist technique.
A single flame transformed into a sparrow, then a fire crow, then a fire phoenix, dancing elegantly in the air. Abruptly, it shifted again, taking the form of various blades...
Having mastered the Tai Su True Form Scripture, Xuzhuang’s comprehension of the ways of Magical Power transformation was now truly on display. As he freely manipulated the flame, he gradually diverged from the Daoist technique’s changes in the air.
Suddenly, an idea came to Xuzhuang. The flame in the air abruptly stretched and coiled. After a series of transformations, it finally took the shape of a Fire Dragon with distinct scales and claws.
A ’Five-Clawed Flame Dragon,’ created just like that. Unfortunately, this ’Five-Clawed Flame Dragon’ was all form and no substance; it lacked immense power and fiery might.
Xuzhuang shook his head slightly. Just as he was about to disperse its form, a thought occurred to him. He formed a Magic Formula with his hands and exhaled another stream of Magical Power, which transformed into a light smoke and blew upon the Fire Dragon. The Fire Dragon’s eyes immediately blazed, and with a single sinuous movement, it came vividly to life.
"Just as I thought!" Xuzhuang was delighted. In a flash of inspiration, he had used the Tai Su False Shape Technique to give the Fire Dragon form and substance, instantly endowing it with real power.
The Tai Su False Form Method was a very basic Daoist technique within the Tai Su Sect. However, it was also a technique that nearly every practitioner of the Tai Su True Form Scripture learned. Even Golden Core Cultivators and Nascent Soul Venerables wouldn’t cast it aside. In fact, as their cultivation progressed, they would come to value this technique even more.
It was called the ’False Form’ technique, yet it could bestow both form and substance. When combined with the Tai Su True Form Scripture, its applications were endless. It was rumored that if one cultivated it to the highest level, one could even turn illusion into reality.
During his cultivation in the Flowing Water Grotto Heaven, Xuzhuang had already focused on practicing this Daoist technique and had achieved the Fifth Realm. Now, when he used this technique, he could spend Magical Power for the form and core energy for the substance to create a clone that was identical to himself.
As long as Xuzhuang endowed it with enough Magical Power and core energy, this clone could even use all of his techniques, acting like an external avatar.
However, false was still false. A clone created with this method could only act within his range of control; it was not a true external avatar.
And it was this very method that Xuzhuang used to give the Fire Dragon form and substance. As long as he infused it with more Magical Power and core energy, he could naturally increase the Fire Dragon’s size and power.
Even so, it was still not worth celebrating. Lacking immense fiery might, it was less a Fire Dragon and more a ’Dragon of Magical Power,’ possessing strength only by virtue of the quality of Xuzhuang’s own Magical Power.
"If I want to refine a Divine Technique like the Five-Clawed Flame Dragon, what must I do?"
