Free Web NovelChapter 157: Chapter 157: Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman
The Bone Mirror revealed flesh and bone.
It was a mystery how Old Man Gai used it to groom himself; he was certainly a strange one.
Even someone as brave and daring as Wei Xianxing felt a chill standing before the bronze mirror.
Bai Mo glanced over. The mirror’s surface showed what lay beneath the skin: muscles and sinews, with blood flowing like liquid lead and mercury.
His internal organs shifted subtly, supplying his body with vitality and nourishment.
Each beat of his heart pumped out viscous blood, forceful and resilient.
His gleaming white bones were revealed, long and slender like bamboo. The telltale signs of healed injuries knotted together like bamboo joints.
The small bronze mirror had somehow managed to contain all of the large, living Wei Xianxing.
Old Man Gai commented, "As expected of a Broken Blade Peak disciple. You truly have a fine physique, superior even among the outer sect."
"After you die, the corpse fire at your grave will burn for a good ten or twenty years, no problem."
Wei Xianxing gave a wry smile.
"Please, Elder Gai, don’t joke..."
He was halfway through his sentence when the little old man held up a hand, cutting him off.
The old man’s gaze was fixed on the surface of the Bone Mirror. The image within was growing darker, as if peering into some impossibly deep and distant place.
Wei Xianxing didn’t dare to breathe.
Old Man Gai turned, meeting the nervous and curious gazes of Bai Mo and Wei Xianxing, then suddenly snatched the Bone Mirror back.
He held the Bone Mirror in his hands, furtively examining it himself.
As if his old eyes were failing him, he brought his aged face extremely close, staring at it for a long moment.
"All right, you’re fine."
"You’re a good lad. You can go."
Wei Xianxing let out a sigh of relief.
"Elder Gai..."
"Go on, go on," the little old man said with a wave of his hand.
"Don’t ask too many questions. When a Cultivator sees their own true soul, it can be a terrifying experience. If your state of mind isn’t strong enough, it can cause problems."
With that, he ignored Wei Xianxing and turned to Bai Mo.
"You, young man. Come here."
Rebuffed, Wei Xianxing looked embarrassed. He rubbed his nose and stepped back, letting Bai Mo come forward.
CLINK.
The Bone Mirror was placed on the table.
Bai Mo calmed his mind and gazed into the mirror. The flat surface seemed to ripple like water.
A wave of dizziness washed over him in an instant, but it receded just as quickly, like a fading tide.
Flesh, sinew, and bone appeared in the mirror with perfect clarity, flashing past one after another.
His physique wasn’t as powerful or resilient as Wei Xianxing’s, but his flowing blood was in perfect harmony with the rhythm of his internal organs.
His bones were like jade, radiating with vigorous life.
"Hmm, your frame hasn’t fully developed yet, but you’ve been conditioning it very well."
"Have you studied any life-nurturing arts?"
Old Man Gai studied him for a moment before speaking softly.
Bai Mo quickly replied, "This disciple has some small skill in the Alchemy Dao and has dabbled in pharmacology."
Elder Gai nodded.
"That explains it."
"You have a good foundation. If you temper it well in the future, you could also master the body-refining methods of Broken Blade Peak."
He had seen the bones of many Sect Disciples and had developed a keen eye.
Wei Xianxing was overjoyed to hear this and exchanged a glance with the senior inner sect disciple standing quietly by the door.
’Broken Blade Peak has gained another fine talent!’
’Even if he fails to cultivate the Hundred Weapons Sacrificial Dao Skill, he can still focus on his physical conditioning.’
Bai Mo was greatly surprised. He’d never imagined he possessed such an aptitude.
But before he could dwell on it, the image in the Bone Mirror suddenly turned pitch-black.
Flesh, blood, sinew, and bone all vanished. All he could see was a profound darkness.
Bai Mo’s Divine Thought stirred within his mind, and he faintly felt as if he were sinking.
Elder Gai glanced back at him in surprise and quickly pulled the Bone Mirror into his arms.
Ignoring everything else, he widened his old eyes and leaned in to peer at the mirror’s surface.
After a long moment, he finally lowered the Bone Mirror.
Bai Mo glanced at the mirror. The blackness had already faded, and its surface now reflected the strange patterns on the ceiling.
Elder Gai sized up Bai Mo with a puzzled expression.
"Young man, have you offended someone out in the world?"
Bai Mo’s heart jolted. Before he could speak, Wei Xianxing’s brow furrowed, and he cut in to ask:
"Elder Gai, what makes you say that?"
The little old man, wrapped in his purple robe, said casually, his expression unchanging:
"There’s something... like a stain, lingering and clinging to the side of this young man’s Divine Soul."
"Based on my years of experience, I’d say it’s from a Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman."
Bai Mo was stunned.
’A method that can target the Divine Soul would naturally be incredibly valuable.’
’How could I have possibly caught the eye of an enemy like that?’
Wei Xianxing said with a grim expression:
"The Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman is a specialty of the Marvelous Dharma Sect. They’re famous far and wide and worth a fortune."
"Junior Brother, you came from Immortal Arrival City. Did you run afoul of some scoundrels who secretly placed a Talisman on you?"
’Immortal Arrival City was a juicy prize. The Marvelous Dharma Sect must have been loath to give it up.’
’His mind instantly filled with schemes of political struggle and power plays.’
Bai Mo quickly waved his hands and said:
"I was just making a living in the city. During the chaotic period before the handover, I did have some run-ins with their disciples..."
"But to be frank, even if you sold them all, you wouldn’t get enough to buy a single Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman."
With that, he recounted all of his troubles in Immortal Arrival City.
When he finished, everyone fell silent.
"Third-rate crooks like that wouldn’t even know what a Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman looks like..."
Bai Mo looked toward Elder Gai, but just as he was about to speak, the old man turned his head away and said languidly:
"Don’t look at me. Even if I did see something, I wouldn’t be able to tell you."
"My work already involves prying into the true nature and destiny of living beings. If I reveal any more secrets, these old bones of mine will be ground to dust!"
Hearing this, Bai Mo actually felt his heart calm.
He cupped his hands in a salute before asking sincerely:
"I’m not asking about the origin of the Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman. I only wish to ask you, Elder, how can I remove this stain from my Divine Soul?"
Only then did Elder Gai speak. "That’s a simple matter. Lad, do you cultivate any Divine Thought techniques?"
"Yes, I am. It’s the sect’s Divine Thought Transformation Scripture, but I haven’t yet manifested my Divine Thought."
"Oh." Elder Gai nodded.
"So it’s that scripture. It is indeed quite profound. You haven’t even formally begun your training, yet your Divine Thought is already this sensitive."
"It wasn’t for nothing that a group of senior brothers fought to bring it back..."
He trailed off, noticing the three juniors in the room staring at him with wide eyes, their ears pricked up.
Elder Gai’s face hardened, and he finally projected some of the authority befitting a Sect Elder. Even his ill-fitting purple robe seemed to straighten.
"You juniors! What are you doing prying into such matters?"
"Focus your minds on your cultivation!"
With that, he turned to Bai Mo.
"As for the issue with the Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Talisman, just channel the Thunder-Invoking Intent a few extra times."
"The pure yang energy of lightning can easily wash that stain away completely."
"The scripture is an excellent one. Since you have a talent for this path, you must study it diligently!"
Bai Mo bowed low.
"This disciple will certainly remember the Elder’s teachings."
By now, the sun had risen high in the sky, and a bit of warmth drifted in from outside.
The Cultivators from the base of the mountain would be coming up soon.
Not daring to delay, the senior inner sect disciple bowed and asked:
"Do my two junior brothers have any other issues?"
Elder Gai waved a hand dismissively.
"If there were a real problem, would I be wasting my breath talking so much? All of you, be on your way."
He still had to tidy up to prepare for the next batch of disciples.
The senior inner sect disciple quickly led the two of them out.
Bai Mo felt rather gloomy.
’To think a problem would be found out of thin air.’
"Huh? Oh, right. About the fate-reading... didn’t you say there were two tests, the Bone Mirror and the Destiny Gaze?"
Wei Xianxing pointed to his own eyes.
"That’s Elder Gai’s eyes. It’s an innate ability. Others can’t learn it."
"Let’s go. When we get back, you should go to Suspended Blade Cliff for a few days first. We can talk after you’ve cleansed your Divine Soul."
Bai Mo nodded silently.
’I still have three Cultivation Techniques to memorize and comprehend in less than two months. I just hope this doesn’t cause any delays.’
