Chapter 100: Refining Righteous Energy

After handling the matters at Fengbie Palace, Mu Yuan and the other two bid farewell to Ao Lie. Ao Lie was naturally very grateful to them and repeatedly urged them to stay. Mu Yuan simply said that he was about to start Refining Righteous Energy, and promised to visit again if he achieved Elixir Formation in the future.

Once again embarking on the return journey, besides practicing the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light, Mu Yuan also began refining the gourd!

The gourd method taught by Ao Jing was very profound and was a complete set of techniques, capable of refining the gourd all the way to the great perfection of the Thirty-Six Layers of Restrictions. Mu Yuan naturally didn’t put it aside. This gourd was the first magic treasure he had obtained, and most commendably, it wasn’t a Flying Sword!

Mu Yuan wasn’t lacking in Flying Swords at all; he already had quite a few in his possession. Although they were powerful, they were somewhat monotonous. Even though Sword Qi Division could derive countless techniques, it still wasn’t as formidable as a magic treasure!

The restrictions inside Ao Jing’s gourd were gradually activated using Zhenqi, but Mu Yuan had an idea. The Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light had exceptional defensive effects, making it perfect for setting up restriction spells. Following the formula, it only took him half a day to fully refine the first layer of restrictions!

However, Mu Yuan also knew that refining the restrictions of a magic treasure would take longer and longer as he progressed. Moreover, he had just reached the stage of Condensing Evil Energy and could at most refine up to twelve layers. The majority of the Thirty-Six Layers of Restrictions required the cultivation level of Refining Righteous Energy to achieve!

Although that was the principle, for cultivators, after Condensing Evil Energy, as long as they had the appropriate mental formula, they would immediately begin to condense righteous energy. And refining the restrictions of a magic treasure was a skill that only became available after Condensing Evil Energy. In the interim, there simply wasn’t enough time for a Qi Refining Practitioner to refine twelve layers of restrictions. Similarly, after Refining Righteous Energy, although it was possible to refine a magic treasure to the great perfection of thirty-six layers, the further one progressed, the more profound the Primordial Qi required, which was something a cultivator at the Refining Gang Realm couldn’t afford!

Even many Peak Qi Refining cultivators had never refined a magic treasure to the great perfection of restrictions. For someone like Mu Yuan to refine the first layer of restrictions in just half a day was already considered very impressive!

Mu Yuan was also aware that he had never studied artifact refinement methods. What he was doing now was simply because he had a ready-made magic treasure and was setting up restrictions inside it. Although the most difficult process was omitted, he was still far from being an expert in refining restrictions compared to specialists in artifact refinement!

Inside the Black Water Gourd, a mass of five-colored divine light hovered in the Void, with countless Talismanic Scripts drifting and flickering, dazzling to the eyes. Mu Yuan let out a long sigh and thought to himself how fortunate he was. His first attempt at refining a magic treasure had gone so smoothly, which truly surprised him!

The Black Water Gourd was originally a miraculous natural gourd that could gather water-attribute spiritual energy on its own. Over countless years, the black water elemental power inside the gourd had accumulated to an astonishing density. With that peculiarly shaped porous strange rock, wisps of Primordial Qi were converted into Yin Cold Ice Evils, churning within the Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array. Mu Yuan skillfully manipulated methods to connect with the formation, and the churning refined evils immediately flowed into the restrictions, where this layer of restrictions transformed them into thunder evils!

The Tidal Flow originally contained spells for condensing water into thunder, but their power wasn’t as great as thunder evils formed by clustered refined evil energies. The method passed down by Ao Jing contained the secret of condensing evils into thunder. These thunder evils floated gently within the restrictions formed by the five-colored divine light. Mu Yuan secretly made hand seals, and the Black Water Gourd immediately manifested. Clusters of thunder evils burst forth, exploding upon the water and stirring up waves, which delighted him immensely!

“What a wonderful method!” Using a magic treasure he had refined himself for the first time, Mu Yuan was very excited. Countless Flying Swords formed by the Witch Clan Sword Formula appeared around him, and he collected them all into the gourd. They tumbled into the restrictions, and the scattered floating evil energies immediately adhered to them, repeatedly tempering the Flying Swords. Slowly, these Flying Swords took on a dark green hue, and their quality became even finer!

The Witch Clan Sword Formula contained numerous sword arrays. The “Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens” was just one of them; there was also another set called the “Dutian Hundong Sword Array,” which was also extremely powerful, though Mu Yuan hadn’t studied it yet.

The “Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens” was a formation for destruction and slaughter, while the “Dutian Hundong Sword Array” was a set that swallowed Primordial Qi and refined all Primordial Qi and Zhenqi into Chaos. It was created jointly by the twelve Witch Clans and was considered the best among the Witch Clan sword arrays. However, this sword array had very high requirements for Flying Swords, unlike the “Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens,” which could be set up casually. Mu Yuan planned to form this sword array inside the gourd. In the future, when facing enemies, it would be more powerful than his current Greenwood Divine Radiance and Canglang Water Sword!

After doing all this, Mu Yuan finally stood up. Using his Spiritual Sense, he slightly perceived that both Chu Yunfei and Qi Wei were consolidating their Condensing Evil Energy stage, preparing for the next level of Refining Righteous Energy. All three had now cultivated the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light to the third layer. It could be said that if they didn’t achieve Refining Righteous Energy, progress would likely be extremely slow. Therefore, none of them spent too much effort on this Divine Ability and were preparing to refine righteous energy.

Chu Yunfei wanted to refine the Polaris Heavenly Righteous Energy, which had extremely strong killing power. Qi Wei was preparing for the Wood Mansion Heavenly Righteous Energy, which was very suitable for her own mental formula and would make achieving Elixir Formation in the future much simpler. Mu Yuan, however, hadn’t decided yet.

After hearing Shui Jingzi’s words and preparing to refine the Five Elements Elixir, Mu Yuan had to consider this point.

The Longevity Art could be said to be a shortcut on the path to the Primordial Spirit, relatively easier compared to many other techniques. However, correspondingly, cultivators from the Longevity Palace of the same rank often had inferior combat power compared to disciples from other sects. Moreover, Mu Yuan hadn’t obtained the Nirvana Art and the Eternal Art yet, and the variables involved were hard to predict. If he refined the Azure Dragon Righteous Energy or Wood Mansion Righteous Energy like most people in his sect, it might be more difficult in the future.

“The mental techniques most compatible with our sect’s methods are none other than water or fire attributes. Although water and fire are merciless, they are both powerful methods. However, in the Five Elements Path, fire governs annihilation and has even greater power! Among the famous fire-attribute mental techniques, aside from the Great Sun True Fire of the Great Sun Divine Sect, there are also the Nirvana Art and the Southern Bright Leaving Fire technique. Any one of these three techniques would be good. If he could directly obtain the Nirvana Art, that would be best. If not, he would have to consider the other two.”

Mu Yuan knew that refining Heavenly Righteous Energy was best done within his own sect. Therefore, he now thought about first sending Chu Yunfei and Qi Wei back to the mainland, then heading to the Kingdom of the Sky south of Tiandu Kingdom.

The Great Sun Divine Sect was far away in Tianyu Kingdom, in the western borderlands. Meanwhile, the Southern Bright Leaving Fire Sect and the fire path inheritors of the Five Elements were both in the Kingdom of the Sky, so the probability was relatively higher. Mu Yuan thought it would be best to go to the Kingdom of the Sky.

“Ah, actually, being like our sect, able to achieve Primordial Spirit and Eternal Life isn’t bad either. But what’s the use of Eternal Life without sufficient Divine Abilities? In the end, it’s still like walking on thin ice, living under someone else’s thumb. Living as long as heaven and earth, not decaying with the grass and trees—this is the hope of all living beings! However, Eternal Life alone is not enough. Cultivation seeks Eternal Life, but the various sects have countless techniques. These techniques aim to seek a kind of unrestrained freedom beyond Eternal Life!”

Mu Yuan didn’t really want to rush around like this, and he felt somewhat weary in his heart. But thinking of this, he felt a surge of determination again. “What about the Primordial Spirit? It still faces obliteration. Living between heaven and earth, who can be as selfless and desireless as the heart of heaven? With selfishness and desires come conflicts. If you want to truly roam freely between heaven and earth, without any constraints, fearing nothing, you need powerful Divine Abilities and peerless Magical Power. This is freedom! This is the true meaning of Eternal Life!”

Fengbie Palace wasn’t far from the mainland to begin with. With the Jade Sunken Dragon Boat pushed to its full speed, they quickly saw the edge of the mainland within a day and a night. Chu Yunfei and Qi Wei were already standing at the bow, gazing at the land, and couldn’t help but show a slight smile.

It had been about half a year since Mu Yuan and Qi Wei set out to sea, and even longer for Chu Yunfei. Although all three were cultivators who refined Qi and treated heaven and earth as their home, they had grown up on land since childhood and still weren’t quite accustomed to the turbulence of the sea.

“We’re finally back! Little Mu, let’s part ways here. I need to return to my sect to refine righteous energy, and I suppose it’s the same for you. If fate allows, we’ll meet again someday!” Chu Yunfei said earnestly, with some reluctance.

Mu Yuan said with a smile, “As long as we don’t die, there will always be a day we meet again. Next time I see you, don’t let me leave you behind!”

Chu Yunfei laughed heartily, “Don’t forget, from the moment I met you, I’ve always been ahead of you. Even in Condensing Evil Energy, I was earlier than you. How dare you laugh at me? I’m afraid Miss Mo Xue is now sailing smoothly and has already left both of us behind!”

Hearing Chu Yunfei say this, Mu Yuan also missed Mo Xue a little. He smiled slightly and said, “Yes, Sister Mo Xue’s cultivation was higher than mine from the start, and she didn’t encounter as many troubles as we did during Condensing Evil Energy. She might have already stepped into the Refining Gang Realm by now. We really need to work hard.”

When Qi Wei heard the name Mo Xue and saw that both of them seemed familiar with her, she felt curious but didn’t ask. Throughout the journey, her impression of Mu Yuan had improved considerably. The two of them weren’t as strictly formal as at the beginning; they talked and laughed, and their relationship had improved a lot.

After parting with Chu Yunfei, Mu Yuan had witnessed the might of the Heavenly King Polaris Vanquisher, with endless Divine Abilities emerging one after another, far more powerful than their sect’s techniques. Chu Yunfei had many magic treasures on him. If he ever reached the Heavenly King Polaris Vanquisher’s level, he would only be more formidable. For Mu Yuan to keep pace with Chu Yunfei, he absolutely had to take the path of Five Elements Elixir Formation.

“This only strengthens my resolve!” Mu Yuan thought to himself.

“Junior Brother, should we return to the Longevity Palace too?” Qi Wei noticed that Chu Yunfei had gone far and Mu Yuan seemed lost in thought, so she spoke up.

Mu Yuan shook his head, “Senior Sister, you go back first. It’s appropriate for you to return to the sect to cultivate Wood Mansion Heavenly Righteous Energy. But I have other ideas and need to make a trip to the Kingdom of the Sky.”

Qi Wei was surprised, “What matter is more important than cultivation?”

It was important to know that for Qi Refining Practitioners, until they achieved Elixir Formation, their lifespan compared to ordinary people was only extended by twenty or thirty years at most due to successful body cultivation and Qi refinement. One could say that cultivation matters brooked no delay. Hearing that Mu Yuan wasn’t returning to the sect to refine righteous energy, Qi Wei was very puzzled.