Talisman Emperor
chapter-8

“This strand of his True Body Brand that my Master left behind is called the Fuxi Divine Statue,1 and it contains my Master’s comprehension on the numerous secrets of the Grand Dao. By constantly visualizing and comprehending it, not only would it allow your soul to strengthen with each passing day, it’s also beneficial towards your comprehension of the Grand Dao. Most importantly, since you possess this strand of True Body Brand, you’re able to cultivate the supreme body refinement technique: Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts!”

Before Chen Xi could even speak, Ji Yu seemed to have already seen through Chen Xi’s thoughts and slowly said, “Back in the primordial era, everyone thought that my Master had observed the River Diagram to deduce the profound meaning behind the cycle of the secrets of heaven in order to gain sudden comprehension of the Grand Dao and ascend to the peak realm. No one knew that my Master’s entire body had already attained transcendence before he had even started to observe the River Diagram. His body refining arts were even sufficient to establish his own orthodoxy to last for generations.”

“Unfortunately, my Master left in too much of a hurry and only managed leave behind the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts.”

Ji Yu fell silent after he finished, seemingly immersed within an endless recollection of memories as he sighed silently.

Chen Xi silently digested the information that Ji Yu had divulged moments ago, his heart surging like the waves. He momentarily forgot how to speak, but eventually found the nerves to ask : “Senior, I heard someone say that a River Diagram rubbing is concealed within this Manor, I wonder if it’s true?”

Ji Yu was startled, and his gaze was fixed at Chen Xi as he said with a strange voice, “Even now, you still don’t understand? The strand of True Body Brand was left behind by my Master after observing the River Diagram to comprehend the secrets of heaven, and originally contained a strand of the River Diagram’s True Essence. Now that you’ve obtained the True Body Brand, it’s equal to having obtained a strand of the River Diagram’s True Essence. What’re you thinking of the rubbing for?”

Chen Xi came to a sudden realization, so the River Diagram rubbing was just a snowball of rumors. The genuine River Diagram’s True Essence was actually held within the True Body Brand of the Master of the Manor.

I accidentally obtained it via a chance encounter, maybe I can rely on it to acquire the real River Diagram in the future!

“Alright, I’ve told you all that I can. Do you have any other questions?” Ji Yu swayed his head of a dragon and had a rather friendly bearing; obviously he’d taken Chen Xi as a worthy successor to his Master’s mantle.

“I…” Chen Xi opened his mouth, but realized that he had just too many questions to ask, and for a moment didn’t know which one he should ask first.

Ji Yu could not stop himself from guiding. “Your current strength is weak, and your physique is extremely frail. I think there would be no harm if you started cultivating the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts first. When your cultivation in body refinement and qi refinement have both attained the Violet Palace Realm of cultivation, you should be capable of passing the 1st trial of the Heavenpeak when you enter the Manor again, and thus obtain the corresponding rewards. As for other matters, there’s no use in thinking too much about them.”

Chen Xi said in panic, “But, I still don’t know where the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts are. How do I cultivate?”

Ji Yu made nothing of it, “I’ll naturally pass it down to you when you leave. Do you have any other questions? If there are none, then I’ll pass down the technique to you and send you on your way.”

“Senior, wait.” Chen Xi hurriedly said, “You said earlier that I’d obtain a corresponding reward when I pass the 1st level of the Heavenspeak of Trials. Is that anything for me to pay attention to?”

Ji Yu shook his head, “I’m only the spirit of the Manor, how would I know all this? However I do know that when you’ve passed the 1st level of the trials, a mere day would have passed in the outside world for every 3 days you cultivate within the Manor, thus it’s extremely beneficial to your cultivation.”

Controlling the changes in time?

Chen Xi let out a deep breath of cold air, and was extremely shocked in his heart, such an ability was practically heaven defying!

Thinking about it, if only a day passed in the outside world when I cultivate in the Manor for 3 days, then wouldn’t I have cultivated an extra 2 days more than anyone else? If I were to stay here every day, wouldn’t that mean…?

Then more he thought about it, the more excited Chen Xi became, to the extent that he was slightly afraid he wouldn’t be able to bear such a pleasant surprise. He was only at the 3rd level of the Congenital Realm now and had lived within Pine Mist City since he was young. How would he have known that a heaven defying ability to control time existed in the world?

“If you’re able to pass the 2nd trial of Heavenpeak, staying here for 9 days is comparable to 1 day in the outside world. Pass the 3rd level and it would be extended to 81 days, and future trials and rewards would continue to be multiplied in this manner. Eventually when you pass the 18th level, you can cultivate here at will because to the outside world, time would be completely frozen.”

Ji Yu continued as if he was completely oblivious to Chen Xi’s state of mind, “But don’t get happy too early, the 1st level of the Heavenpeak of Trials isn’t that easy to pass. With your current cultivation, entering the trial is no different than courting death. You’d best put your mind on increasing your cultivation. Diligently cultivating is the most important thing you have to do now.”

Chen Xi quickly calmed down. Yeah, the body refinement and qi refinement cultivation must both attain the Violet Palace Realm to pass the 1st level of the trials. Then what about the 2nd level? What cultivation would be needed? Even the later 3rd level, 4th level… Until the 18th level. How could it be something that I can casually pass?

One must work hard to gain a return. If I don’t bitterly cultivate with great effort, and only think of borrowing the strength of external things, how would it be possible for me to become a true expert?

Desires and distracting thoughts cause Inner Demons, if I were to keep thinking about resorting to the easy way for everything, I’ll probably never possess the makings to step onto the road of immortality!

At this point, Chen Xi completely awoke from his previous inexpressible shock and excitement, noticing that his entire body was drenched in cold sweat. When he raised his head to look at Ji Yu, he instead noted that this Qilin-like spirit was using that pair of eyes that had experienced the vicissitudes in life to stare fixedly at him. It was as if he was able to see through all the thoughts within his heart, causing Chen Xi to be unable to stop himself from feeling a sense of shame.

“My Master once said that only one with a clear and firm heart is capable of comprehending beyond the limits of the comprehension of an ordinary person and traversing to the peak of the Grand Dao. Chen Xi, don’t fail to live up to my Master’s expectations.”

Ji Yu abruptly stepped on the clouds to rise, and howled loudly towards the sky with a voice that was like rolling thunder, rumbling and exploding within the confines of both heaven and earth. The single horn atop his head turned to point at Chen Xi before a 5 colored ray of light swiftly shot out towards Chen Xi and vanished upon entering his body.

Chen Xi only felt his vision go black, and in the next moment he’d already appeared within his room.

“What mother said is really true. Now, not only have I obtained the acknowledgement of the spirit of the Manor and the True Body Brand left behind by the Master of the Manor, I’ve even indirectly managed to acquire a strand of the River Diagram’s True Essence. So long as I remain diligent in my cultivation, I’ll surely be able to become strong!” Chen Xi couldn’t help but let out a long breath as he looked at all the familiar things within his room.

Pondering for a moment, he once again arrived within his sea of consciousness and couldn’t help but once again sigh in amazement as he gazed upon the Fuxi Divine Statue that emitted a vast and aged aura.

Observing the River Diagram to develop the Dao related to the cycle of the secrets of heaven, then ascending the peak of the Grand Dao. Could it be that this senior’s name is Fuxi? I wonder what realm of cultivation he attained?

After silently gazing at it for a long time, Chen Xi extended his hand to grab a wisp of the 5 colored lights that floated before him. The ball of lights was left within his sea of consciousness by the spirit of the Manor, Ji Yu, before he left. It ought to be the supreme body refinement technique the Master of the Manor left behind, the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts!

Whoosh!

The moment the tip of his finger touched it, the 5 colored lights instantly transformed into a countless amount of fluttering stars.If one were to look carefully, those stars were impressively composed of ancient character seals that were the size of a palm. The seals were suffused with beautiful and brilliant wavering lights, as if they were a living being filled with vitality. fluttering lightly in the air and brimming with wonderful charm.

“Condense!” A melodious voice that was clear and light abruptly sounded. The single word revealed a dignified aura of looking down and controlling the entire world, causing one to involuntarily have the intention to submit and worship arise within their heart.

Not waiting for Chen Xi to discern the source of the voice, the fluttering and drifting string of beautiful characters abruptly aligned, gathering into an orderly piece of writing. Each character emitted millions upon millions of misty lights!

Chen Xi raised his head to look and only felt his mind buzz as the lines of profound characters that were difficult to comprehend were like a gurgling stream as they poured into his mind, unable to be dispersed like a brand.

“It really is the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts. What a peculiar body refinement technique!”

After Chen Xi quickly ran over it, his heart gave birth to endless shock. It’s aim was to draw upon the baleful energy of the star universe and temper the body! There’s actually such a body refinement technique in the world?

Compared to qi refiners, the status of body refiners in Pine Mist City was extremely low. People who chose the path of body refinement were ordinarily all people who were penniless and dejected. They tempered their physiques for the sake of obtaining a job to support their families, such as workers in the quarry and store errand runners; they were no different from laborers.

The reason was that body refinement was too arduous and painful, and the conditions for advancement were harsh to the point of being infuriating. Although the path of qi refinement had extremely harsh requirements towards natural talent, as long as one were to cultivate diligently, it was a far easier path to tread. Naturally, the amount of people who took the path of body refinement was significantly reduced.

Most importantly, even if one’s natural talent was terrible, so long as one walked on the path of qi refinement, one would be completely capable of obtaining a relaxed and respectable job within Pine Mist City. The qi refiners such as botanists who raised spirit crops and spirit medicine, tamers who raised spirit birds and demon beasts, spirit chefs who cooked delicacies, and apprentices in workshops and retail shops specializing in talisman crafting, weapons refinement, and pill refinement—they were all way better off than body refinement laborers, whether it was in treatment, status, or income.

Chen Xi had lived in the slums of Pine Mist City since he was young and frequently saw many body refiners who were laborers, thus he was extremely clear of the circumstances they lived in. It was precisely because of this that he’d never once considered the path of body refinement.

However, after seeing the profundity of the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts with his own eyes, Chen Xi completely changed his mind.

After all, he had learned that the Master of that spirit of the Manor, Senior Fuxi, had attained the realm of being and was capable of establishing his own orthodoxy that would last for generations solely by relying upon his body refinement technique. How would Chen Xi dare look upon body refiners after that?

“From today onwards, besides talisman crafting and qi refinement, I also have to cultivate the Universe Starslayer Body Forging Arts, thus the time available for me to use is becoming more pressed. However, so long it can allow me to become strong, all of this will be worth it.” Chen Xi silent pondered and planned, then abruptly recalled something. According to what Senior Ji Yu said, constantly visualizing the True Body Brand that the Master of the Manor left behind would temper my soul to become stronger with each passing day. Most importantly, when my soul has reached a certain level, I can master the River Diagram’s True Essence and then look for the true place the River Diagram is concealed…

Thinking up to here, Chen Xi couldn’t help but shake his head. Senior Fuxi observed the River Diagram to comprehend the Grand Dao, but that was because his strength had long since attained a terrifying level, whereas my cultivation is merely at the Congenital Realm. Even if I’m fortunate enough to obtain the River Diagram now, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to discern anything, and it would bring me nothing but harm. The pressing matter at hand is still for me to increase my cultivation.

Chen Xi only felt that his entire body had been filled with vigor once he had straightened out his thoughts. Seeing that the sky was glimmering with daybreak, he wasn’t willing to stay in bed any longer. After washing his face in a hurry, Chen Xi was just planning to wake his younger brother up to train in the sword when he noticed the figure of his younger brother had long since disappeared from the room, and he couldn’t help but be startled. It’s so early, where’s little brother gone?

Chen Xi walked out of the house and didn’t notice Chen Hao’s figure training his swordsmanship in the courtyard, so Chen Xi couldn’t help but be even more bewildered in his heart. Ever since little brother’s right hand was crippled, he hardly left the house, and every time he went out he would always notify me. What’s going on today?

Sure enough, right at this moment, Xixi ran all the way into the courtyard, and hurriedly waved her small hand when she noticed Chen Xi. She cried out while panting for breath, “Big Brother Chen Xi, Chen Hao fought with someone, hurry up and go take a look!”

Chen Xi’s heart tightened and asked, “Xixi, where did this happen?”

Xixi obediently replied, “Skystar Swordsmanship Institution. It’s my mother who asked me to come notify you, my mom already went over.”

————

Skystar Swordsmanship Institution?

Chen Xi frowned as a bad premonition arose within his heart.

1. Fuxi is a hero in Chinese legend and mythology who’s credited with creating humanity and inventing hunting, fishing and cooking. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuxi