Chapter 146: Refining Sword into Pellet, Ancestral Land Divine Temple

Dharma robes, light ribbons, light wheels.

This appearance looks extremely cool, but in reality, it is merely a manifestation of Lu Yuan's more perfected mastery after advancing 【Generating Light】; in essence, it is still just ordinary protective golden light.

However, after the technique advanced, the protective light he transformed with his Dharma Power was clearly much more condensed, which in turn brought about a significant increase in defensive power.

Likewise, even for the thunderous golden rays used to attack enemies, the degree of condensation, destructive power, and penetrating power were all greatly improved, with a massive increase in might.

After roughly testing the effects of the advanced Generating Light technique.

Lu Yuan was very satisfied, then continued to spend several hundred Qi Luck each to advance the three techniques of 【Invisibility】, 【Earth Travel】, and 【Sword Technique】.

Vast experiential insights rippled through his sea of consciousness; Lu Yuan, unaware and unfeeling, digested and attempted the three advanced techniques one by one.

First is 【Invisibility】; the changes after its advancement were not significant, merely a reduction in Dharma Power consumption and an extension of the duration.

Additionally, the most noteworthy point is that after reaching the Earth Tier, casting this technique can isolate sound; under the technique's reinforcement, a series of movements will be isolated and unable to be emitted.

Of course, while sound can be isolated, traces still cannot be eliminated; for example, walking on mud will still leave footprints, and moving at high speeds will still stir the airflow, which can still be detected by experts.

There is no help for this point; invisibility is invisibility, it only hides the physical form and does not mean disappearing into thin air—the self still exists; unless this technique completely transforms into a Supernatural Power, it cannot completely eliminate traces.

Even so, Lu Yuan was quite satisfied.

After finishing the attempt at Invisibility, it was time for 【Earth Travel】.

Similar to Invisibility, after 【Earth Travel】 advanced, the most intuitive manifestation was a significant reduction in Dharma Power consumption, and at the same time, the activation speed was also significantly improved compared to before, allowing it to be used more effectively in actual combat.

Furthermore, his speed while traveling underground also clearly increased, by at least fifty percent or more, even rivaling the flight speed of 【Wind Control】, which also possesses strong practicality.

As for 【Sword Technique】, the magnitude of change after this technique leveled up was no less than 【Generating Light】.

After the advancement, Lu Yuan's mastery of the world's sword techniques and moves had undoubtedly become more profound.

The most critical point is that after 【Sword Technique】 advanced, he also self-comprehended a miraculous method of Refining Sword into Pellet, capable of using Dharma Power to nourish and refine a fine sword into a Dharma Sword, and then further refine the Dharma Sword into his own Life-Bound Flying Sword Sword Pill!

That's right, it is that kind of Flying Sword Sword Pill—where sword light transforms into a rainbow, a white light is spat out, and one can kill from a hundred miles away without a trace; for every transmigrator, it is cool, flashy, and extremely prestigious.

Regarding the comprehension of this technique, Lu Yuan was naturally pleasantly surprised and could not wait to begin researching and attempting it at the first opportunity.

According to the description of the Refining Sword into Pellet method, there are three grades of embryos for nourishing a Dharma Sword: the low-grade embryo is a fine weapon from the mortal world that has been tempered and hammered by skilled craftsmen, which can be refined into an ordinary Dharma Sword;

The middle-grade embryo is a divine weapon forged by a master swordsmith using superior materials, exhausting their efforts; refining it can result in a middle-grade Dharma Sword;

The high-grade embryo is something that can be met but not sought; it requires a Grandmaster artisan of the sword path to use rare materials like extraterrestrial meteoritic iron, and to forge a peerless divine weapon by condensing their life's blood; refining this into a Dharma Sword makes it high-grade.

Coincidentally, the Seven Star Dragon Abyss gifted by Wu Yixian is a famous sword that has circulated for a thousand years and remains peerlessly sharp to this day; at the very least, it counts as a middle-grade embryo, so Lu Yuan immediately took it out to attempt the process.

Seeing that in the quiet room at this moment, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged and placed the Seven Star Dragon Abyss horizontally across his knees.

The Refining Sword into Pellet technique was imprinted in his mind and understood without a teacher; he muttered incantations while his hands formed complex sword seals, and before long, he condensed a strand of Dharma Power radiance revealing a hint of sharpness, striking it onto the Seven Star Dragon Abyss.

Hum.

A magical thing happened; following the casting of the technique, the Seven Star Dragon Abyss immediately trembled slightly, as if it possessed life and was responding.

Having this reaction indicated that the Seven Star Dragon Abyss was perfectly qualified as an embryo for a Dharma Sword; Lu Yuan was joyful in his heart, his hand movements did not stop, and he continued to form sword seals to cast strands of Dharma Power to nourish the Seven Star Dragon Abyss.

Not knowing how much time had passed, the sky outside the window was already pitch black; under the constant casting and nourishing, Lu Yuan's Dharma Power was consumed rapidly, and only when a feeling of emptiness and lightness came from within his body did he stop at the first opportunity and open his eyes.

He lowered his head and saw that the Seven Star Dragon Abyss on his knees was currently emitting a faint radiance, attracting the moonlight from outside the window to diffuse, giving one a sense of breathtaking beauty.

As for the texture...

Lu Yuan held the sword and swung it lightly, confirming that its sharpness had not undergone any changes.

He could not help but sheath the sword and sighed slightly:

"There is almost no change at all; it seems this Refining Sword into Pellet is a very long process."

The Refining Sword into Pellet technique states that this technique can be performed at the lowest stage of Refining Essence into Qi, and at this stage, to successfully refine a Dharma Sword, one needs to maintain nourishment with the technique for over one thousand two hundred days.

Calculating that, it is nearly four years of time before it is possible to succeed.

And by that time, Lu Yuan himself might have already broken through Refining Essence into Qi and stepped into Refining Qi into Spirit.

Of course, one thousand two hundred days is not a fixed number; if the sword embryo is of superior quality, this time can be shortened to a certain extent.

"The Seven Star Dragon Abyss is said to be forged from extraterrestrial meteoritic iron, and it was forged by the master swordsmith Zhang Jiuya over three years; it should be able to count as a high-grade embryo, right?"

Lu Yuan could not help but stroke his chin:

"Estimating this way, it should be able to be refined into a Dharma Sword in about three years; by then, I will have just completed Refining Essence into Qi, so it wouldn't be considered late. It's just that subsequently, I still have to refine the Dharma Sword into a Life-Bound Flying Sword, and I don't know how long that will take."

If the first step of refining a Dharma Sword takes this long, the subsequent Refining Sword into Pellet will inevitably be even more difficult, taking decades.

However, whether it is a Dharma Sword or a Life-Bound Flying Sword, they both belong to the category of growable Dharma Artifacts; the longer they are nourished, the greater their power. By the standards of a cultivator, spending ten or eight years on this is nothing.

Various thoughts flashed by.

Lu Yuan immediately took out the Qi Benefiting Bait Return Pill he had refined some days ago and began to recover his Dharma Power to continue the refining of the Seven Star Dragon Abyss.

At the same time.

The dragon-rising land of the Jin Clan, Changbai Mountain.

The mountains are vast and boundless; high plateaus, forests and snowfields, and stretches of magnificent mountain ranges rise and fall, connecting into one piece. The pure white snow covering the mountains reflects a hint of light, forming a grand, thick, and boundless spectacular scene.

And in such a scene, a team of carriages and horses arriving from the wilderness undoubtedly broke this beauty.

This team of carriages and horses had no flags, but the dozens of guards each possessed a murderous aura, walking like the wind, their heels not touching the ground, revealing extraordinary Martial Arts cultivation.

And at the front of the team, one could see the two Great Shamans of Shamanism, Cang Jige and Bu Tiansuo, riding tall horses and leading the way; before long, they arrived at the foot of Changbai Mountain.

And here, one could see that on one of the outermost low peaks, although the summit was covered in white snow, a magnificent stone temple sat upon it, revealing an ancient and vicissitudinous aura amidst the reflection of the mountains.

Continuing forward, they arrived at the foot of the low peak, where a narrow stone staircase led straight to the summit. Cang Jige and Bu Tiansuo both dismounted and came before a carriage pulled by eight horses, saying respectfully:

"Old Buddha, we have arrived at the temple."

At this moment, several eunuchs had already rushed over and knelt on the ground to serve as human stools. After the carriage door opened, Xici, wearing a phoenix crown and a heavy cloak, stepped down on the eunuchs with their assistance.

Once down, she gazed into the distance at the mountains and stone stairs before her and sighed lightly:

"Calculating carefully, I have not come here to worship for more than ten years. The world has seen many changes, and things are no longer what they used to be."

Cang Jige and Bu Tiansuo also nodded:

"We have been in deep cultivation in the palace for a long time; counting it up, it has been several years since we last returned."

"I didn't send word before coming, and I don't know how the Great Elder's health is these days."

Strictly speaking, the Grandmasters of Shamanism who have entered the True Martial Realm are not limited to the three: Cang Jige, Bu Tiansuo, and Lugu Ta.

In fact, at the Ancestral Land temple, there is still a Great Elder with even higher status, cultivation, and seniority presiding over the situation.

The Great Elder is named Ennahaidu, a legendary figure who stepped into the True Martial Realm decades ago; at the time, he was called the number one powerhouse of Shamanism, and his name shook the world.

Later, this person devoted himself to studying the doctrines of the Shaman God Sect, retired behind the scenes early to return to the Ancestral Land temple, and has not asked about external affairs for nearly fifty years now.

In terms of age, this person is nearly ninety years old, much higher in seniority than the two Great Shamans Cang Jige and Bu Tiansuo, and can be said to be a person whose status, seniority, and prestige in the Jin Clan are second only to Xici.

Xici nodded slightly: "Ennahaidu is the backbone of the nation; I should have come long ago. Let us go."

Immediately, four burly eunuchs carried out a sedan chair carved with dragons and phoenixes; after Xici sat inside, they gave a low shout in unison and carried the sedan chair up the mountain.

Cang Jige, Bu Tiansuo, and even over a dozen trusted personal guards followed closely behind, climbing step by step.

The low peak where the Shaman God Sect built the temple is not high, and the stone stairs are only about a mile long; for such experts, this naturally counts for nothing, and in just a moment, the four eunuchs carried Xici to the summit and then respectfully helped her out.

At this moment, before them, a magnificent stone hall stood tall, and the mountain wind whistled with a wailing sound like ghosts crying and wolves howling, as if welcoming Xici's arrival.

At the same time, amidst the wind and snow, an aged figure walked with a stumbling gait, leading several relatively younger Shaman priests out from the stone hall, and made a hoarse sound:

"Changshengtian is above; I was wondering why my heart was uneasy today. So it is the Empress Dowager Xici who has graced us with her presence. The Ancestral Land is usually deserted, and we did not notice your arrival in time to welcome you while in quiet meditation; I truly hope for your forgiveness."

Xici said nonchalantly: "It is of no matter. It is I who did not send word before coming; I do not blame you. I have not seen Elder En for many years, and my sudden visit today is my own negligence."

"I would not dare, I would not dare."

Ennahaidu had skin like a chicken and hair like a crane, looking as if he were on the verge of death and extremely aged, and he said slowly:

"The wind and snow outside are biting; I invite the Empress Dowager to enter the hall to talk."

Xici nodded and, under his guidance, stepped into the stone hall. This time, except for Bu Tiansuo and Cang Jige, the other accompanying guards and eunuchs all remained outside and did not enter.

The Shamanism Ancestral Land temple enshrines the divine positions of all the gods of Changshengtian, as well as the ancestral tablets of the Jin Clan from its birth to the present; those who are not of the noble bloodline of the Jin Clan have no qualifications to enter.

Entering the stone hall, the vast and empty hall was dim, with only hundreds or thousands of eternal lamps lit upon the statues and tablets at the very back. Xici came before the tablets, lowered her status to kneel on a prayer mat, pressed her palms together to perform a Shaman ritual, burned incense to pay respects, and muttered in the air:

"Eternal Heaven and all ancestors are above; descendant Yehenala, named Xingzhen, has inherited the ancestral legacy and comes specifically to pay respects."

After finishing her prayers, she slowly stood up and came before another tablet, once again paying respects respectfully.

This tablet was naturally that of her great-grandfather, the thirteenth-generation Sect Leader of the Shaman God Sect, the tablet of Yehenala Xuanmingzun.

During this process, Ennahaidu, Cang Jige, Bu Tiansuo, and others all retreated one after another to show their avoidance of taboo.

After the worship was finished, Xici stood up, and Ennahaidu walked forward and said in a low voice:

"The Empress Dowager has endured the hardships of the journey; please move to the side hall to rest for a while."

"Wait."

Xici shook her head and said:

"Elder En, where is the Clan Guardian Dharma Artifact now?"

Ennahaidu's gaze tightened:

"It is naturally enshrined under the tablet of Changshengtian. Without the Emperor's seal and the Bone Command Token of the Sect Leader, no one may open it lightly. What is your intention in asking about the Clan Guardian Dharma Artifact?"

"Naturally, it is to clear away threats for our clan and continue the dynasty."

Xici said slowly:

"Elder En may not know, but the imperial court is currently beset by internal and external troubles and is teetering on the brink of collapse. In Jinjin, there has even emerged a monstrous talent who is not yet thirty years old but whose cultivation strength rivals that of an Eighth Realm Heavenly Gang Grandmaster. The key is that this person is also a lawless, rebellious traitor who treats the imperial court as nothing!"

"Just a few days ago, this traitor even audaciously snuck into the palace and suddenly attempted to assassinate me in Wanhua Garden. If I had not sensed it in time, I fear I would have already fallen into his hands!"

"What!?"

Far away in the deep mountain temple and unaware of the news, Ennahaidu's aged face immediately revealed a look of terror:

"To rival a Heavenly Gang Grandmaster at less than thirty years old—this is an unprecedented, peerless monster. How could such a person exist among the Han people?"

"The facts are exactly as such."

Beside her, Bu Tiansuo sighed deeply:

"This person's methods are bizarre and extraordinary; he can hide without a trace and manipulate the minds of others, almost like a Supernatural Power or Dharma Technique. During the assassination that day, we arrived a step late. Although this person did not harm the Old Buddha, he still escaped from the palace with ease; his strength and cultivation can be seen from this."

Cang Jige also said with shame:

"We know who this person is, yet we dare not mobilize troops to encircle and suppress him on a large scale precisely because we do not have complete certainty. We originally wanted to consult the classics in the Scripture Repository to find a way to deal with him, but we found nothing. Now it seems that I fear only by bringing out the Clan Guardian Dharma Artifact can we deal with this person."

Xici said gloomily:

"This person has already become the greatest threat to our Jin Dynasty. Even the Saint King Chen Kequan of the past cannot compare to him. If we do not find a way to kill him, the foundation of our Great Jin will be in grave danger!"

"So that is how it is..."

Now, Xici alone holds the fate of the entire Great Jin, and Ennahaidu's eyes shifted:

"However, Empress Dowager, the Clan Guardian Dharma Artifact has been washed by the passage of time, and its divine power is already running low. If it is used once or twice more, I fear it will fall apart. If you wish to activate it..."

(End of chapter)