Chapter 46: Past Events

When Mu Yuan heard True Lord Tiemu and Cang Qing Zi asking, he remembered what Shui Jingzi said about possible mind division during Five Elements Elixir Formation and the method of creating an External Incarnation. He originally intended to ask about it, but felt it might seem like he was fishing for rewards. He only said, “This disciple has been taught by master for over ten years. Being able to contribute modestly to the sect, I dare not ask for rewards!”

Cang Qing Zi smiled slightly. “There’s no need to be reserved. Speak freely. Be it divine abilities, spells, heart mantras, or magical treasures – whatever is suitable, your sect master uncle certainly won’t be stingy!”

Mu Yuan pondered for a moment, then said quietly, “This disciple wishes to learn the divine ability of mind division and External Incarnation.”

“Oh?” Both men were somewhat surprised. True Lord Tiemu remained calm, but Cang Qing Zi looked grave. “Yuan’er, you must think clearly. Although mind division is miraculous, attempting this path before achieving Primordial Spirit is extremely dangerous. The slightest carelessness could lead to mental chaos, wasting all your cultivation!”

Seeing Cang Qing Zi so serious, Mu Yuan smiled brightly. “This disciple only seeks completeness. It might not be necessary to use it, but being prepared avoids problems. It’s also preparation for Elixir Formation!”

“How does Elixir Formation require this method? Don’t joke about it. You must not let others mislead your cultivation.” Cang Qing Zi’s words were earnest, unlike his usual casual manner.

Mu Yuan lowered his head and thought carefully, feeling there was nothing to hide. He told them about meeting Shui Jingzi during his confinement, though he omitted the part about Dragon King’s Dynamic Force. Finally, he said, “I believe this senior wasn’t speaking carelessly. Creating an External Incarnation to achieve elixir formation is only done as a last resort.”

“So there really is a Transforming Serpent in our sect. Though I serve as sect master, I’ve never met this senior before. If possible, I’d truly like to meet him.” True Lord Tiemu sighed leisurely, then laughed. “Never mind. Since this senior taught you, there must be reasoning behind it. I’ll teach you the mind division technique, but you must be extremely careful. It’s best to go to Medicine God Valley and request a Mind-Stabilizing Pill to stabilize your core mind and spiritual sense, avoiding many risks.”

Naturally, Mu Yuan knew about Medicine God Valley. Medicine God Valley was located within Tianlong Kingdom to the north and maintained excellent relations with Longevity Palace. As Medicine God Valley focused on pill refining and medicine making, they naturally required many rare flowers and extraordinary herbs, spiritual plants and immortal essences. Longevity Palace, as a wood path cultivation sect, naturally possessed many immortal roots and spiritual medicines that other sects lacked. Medicine God Valley often came seeking ingredients for completing pills, while Longevity Palace would request some pill medicines from them to assist cultivation. As a disciple of Longevity Palace, Mu Yuan seeking a few Mind-Stabilizing Pills wouldn’t be difficult!

Then came some heart mantras for mind division. Mu Yuan simply memorized them silently, planning to carefully comprehend them later. He hadn’t begun Spirit Refining yet, so there was no hurry. Everything had to wait until after Spirit Refining. Instead, matters of collecting magical treasures and heart techniques could be handled together!

Seeing Mu Yuan had firmly memorized the heart mantras, Cang Qing Zi added, “Since that senior taught you so many methods, Gathering Aura and Condensing Malice is acceptable and can be your primary preparation. casually learning a few heart mantras is also good. But this External Incarnation technique – unless absolutely necessary, don’t attempt it!”

Mu Yuan nodded in agreement, then heard Cang Qing Zi continue, “Your acupoints are now solidified, and you’ve completed Qi Refining Third Layer. You can begin Spirit Refining now. The world is vast – you can go everywhere to gather Yin Yang auras and malicious energies to expand your spiritual sense. From now on, you can be considered formally entering the cultivation world. Regarding this, I can guide you to one place. Two thousand li east beyond the East Sea, there’s Round Pot Mountain, which has abundant earthly malicious energy. Many from our sect condensed malice there. As for celestial aura, you can find what suits you.”

Mu Yuan indicated understanding. Just as Cang Qing Zi was about to take him away, True Lord Tiemu suddenly spoke. “Junior Brother Biyuan, you go first. I’ll keep your disciple here for now. Making such contribution to our sect, I naturally can’t just send him away with a mind division technique. That would make me, as sect master, appear stingy!”

Cang Qing Zi laughed. “Since that’s the case, I’ll go first. Just don’t treat my disciple poorly!”

True Lord Tiemu laughed and scolded, but Cang Qing Zi had already departed via escaping light.

Hearing True Lord Tiemu’s words, Mu Yuan quickly expressed he didn’t dare expect more. True Lord Tiemu’s expression turned serious as he said to Mu Yuan, “I kept you here because I want to tell you about some past events!”

Hearing this, Mu Yuan felt somewhat curious, not knowing why, but simply listened attentively.

True Lord Tiemu sat in the large chair in the hall, rubbing the armrests with his hands, a reminiscent look in his eyes. He asked, “What do you think of your master’s cultivation, in terms of innate talent and aptitude?”

Mu Yuan was startled, then raised his head. “As a disciple, I shouldn’t casually comment on my master, but my master possesses extraordinary wisdom and unparalleled natural talent. This disciple deeply admires him!”

True Lord Tiemu smiled slightly. “Correct. Back when several of us cultivated under our master together, your master was the most brilliant with the highest cultivation. But later something happened that made him stop at Core Formation Realm!”

“Oh?”

“Speaking of that, it was three hundred years ago. I was the senior brother then, and went down the mountain with Junior Sister Qinghua and your master. Passing through a village, we encountered demons causing trouble. All three of us were young and impulsive. Seeing the demonic atmosphere spreading, we indignantly took action. Who would have thought that demon’s cultivation was quite high, having already achieved demon core level. The three of us were no match. Seeing the dangerous situation, it was your master who turned the tide, saving our three lives. But because of this incident, he never advanced further in his lifetime!”

“Among the three of us back then, your master had the highest cultivation, having already completed Condensing Evil Energy and refined Yin Spirit. Both Junior Sister Qinghua and I were only at third layer realm. In the critical moment, your master hastily gathered celestial aura, forcibly achieved Yang Spirit, and even formed his core in one breath, slaying the demon!”

“Ah?” Mu Yuan listened with astonishment, finding it truly difficult to imagine his master could gather aura and form his core under such circumstances! He knew that whether Condensing Evil Energy or gathering celestial aura, both were complicated processes. Although it only required finding suitable aura and malice energies, expanding spiritual sense, then using spirit to refine essence and energy to achieve Golden Core – this was a massive accumulation process with extremely high requirements for magical power, spiritual sense, comprehension, and experience. He truly couldn’t imagine how his master could gather aura and form his core in mere moments. What exceptional brilliance this demonstrated!

“But because of this, your master’s Golden Core grade wasn’t high. Forcibly forming his core left great hidden dangers, making further progress difficult. Regarding this matter, even your other uncles and senior brothers don’t know. Today I’m telling you because I want you to understand – a large reason why I don’t oppose your Five Elements core formation is because of this incident!”

“Because of that demon elimination, Junior Brother Biyuan was also conferred the title Biyuan True Lord. But this became his lifelong pain! Having stopped at Core Formation himself, I don’t know how much scorn he endured. I want you to form Longevity Palace’s most powerful Golden Core, and achieve the most powerful Primordial Spirit in the future, to alleviate some of your master’s suffering over these years. Do you understand?”

Hearing this, Mu Yuan felt his emotions surging. He could naturally imagine how glorious his master was back then, and later how humiliated he felt. A genius who surpassed all fellow disciples could only stop at Core Formation, watching as fellow disciples successively surpassed this stage. How sorrowful he must have felt in his heart!