Chapter 461: The Innate Spiritual Embryo of Dragon-Tiger Mountain

Two days later.

The sky was clear and boundless; the Yinjia Treasure Ship sailed at the mouth of Sanchahe, where misty vapor shimmered with shifting light under the sun, and a sandbank emerged in the distance, with a small pavilion rising upon it.

In such a place, ordinary people, even if they passed by in a boat, would find it nearly impossible to see.

This kind of Daoist artifice—without the Yuan Shen awakened, the five senses perceive only illusory manifestations, never the true essence of the world.

Just as, throughout history, countless grotto-heavens and blessed lands, even demons, ghosts, and spirits, exist right before you, yet without the method or the fate, they remain unseen.

“This water mansion is built in a rather interesting way.”

Zhang Fan stood at the bow, gazing far off; the sandbank where the pavilion stood seemed meticulously crafted by supernatural means—his Yuan Shen perception revealed its shape to be that of a curled infant, like the embryonic placenta nestled within the womb.

“Brother Daoist, your insight is truly piercing.”

Xu Jiuzhi walked up from behind, gazing at the water mansion drawing nearer, and murmured softly: “Do you know the origin of this water mansion?”

“I know a little,” Zhang Fan replied indifferently.

The river breeze drifted gently across his face, carrying a faint chill.

“The Dragon-Tiger Method forged this water mansion.”

“Correct,” Xu Jiuzhi nodded. “This water mansion was built decades ago… by the Dragon-Tiger Zhang family to welcome my third aunt-in-law.”

Here, Xu Jiuzhi did not mention the Southern Zhang line, but used “Dragon-Tiger Zhang family” instead—as if that branch had long become a taboo, never to be lightly spoken of.

“This water mansion is a marvel of craftsmanship, modeled after humanity, drawn from the mystery of the innate spiritual embryo,” Xu Jiuzhi suddenly said.

“Modeled after humanity? Innate spiritual embryo!?” Zhang Fan could not help but be startled.

A silent ripple spread from his third eye, sensing the water mansion’s frequency; in that moment, it grew clearer within his perception.

The sandbank resembled the embryonic placenta.

“Transformation through Form and Image!?”

In feng shui, there exists a method called [Transformation through Form and Image]: shaping a feng shui pattern so that, over time, it acquires its form, its meaning arises internally, and gradually it becomes sentient.

The sandbank where the water mansion stands takes the shape of a human, specifically that of a newborn infant, imbued with the essence of creation and life.

Most crucially, the infant’s form holds profound mystery: the head aligns with Qian, the abdomen with Kun, the feet with Zhen, the hands with Gen… every part of the human body corresponds precisely to the positions of the primordial Bagua.

Beyond that, the waterways crisscross like human meridians; the rock formations are like muscles and bones; pavilions and towers correspond to the eight major internal organs, arranged according to the yin-yang positions of the Bagua.

“Brilliant.”

Zhang Fan found himself increasingly astonished.

The layout of this water mansion was nothing short of reversing heaven and earth.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every grain of soil, every stone concealed unimaginable mysteries.

“Incredible. The one who built this water mansion wasn’t merely a great Daoist cultivator—he was also a master of feng shui,” Zhang Fan could not help but exclaim.

What is feng shui?

It is the flow and transformation of heaven and earth’s energy.

Ordinary people, piling two stones at their doorstep, alter the flow of air—thus changing the direction of heaven and earth’s energy, however faintly, which is the most basic principle of feng shui.

Likewise, if one views the human body as heaven and earth, muscles correspond to mountains, meridians to rivers, lakes, and seas…

Even the body’s acupoints correspond one-to-one with natural phenomena.

Acupoints are the critical nodes where energy enters and exits the body.

Any acupoint named “Spring” is where essence and fluids are most abundant, such as Yongquan.

Any acupoint named “Sea” is where essence gathers, such as Qihai.

Any acupoint named “Valley” is where two large muscles connect, such as Yingu.

Any acupoint named “Stream” is where two small muscles connect, such as Taixi.

…

Thus, acupoints are energy nodes, meridians are energy pathways, and the five zang and six fu organs are where energy is stored and transformed…

All of these correspond precisely to heaven and earth.

Unity of Heaven and Humanity is the pursuit of resonance between the inner and outer heavens, thereby comprehending the true Dao.

This water mansion is a miniature inner heaven shaped like a human body—not only in form, but in muscles, bones, meridians, and acupoints—all mirrored exactly, so that the vital energy of the entire Jinmen flows into it, circulating and transforming.

In other words, this water mansion mobilizes the vital energy of the entire Jinmen to nurture the “fetus.”

“Incredible.”

Zhang Fan grew increasingly stunned; he knew this water mansion had been personally overseen by his grandfather, Zhang Tiansheng, sixty years ago.

How old was Zhang Tiansheng sixty years ago?

Older than Zhang Fan now, but not by much.

Back then, he already possessed such skill!?

No wonder Chen Long said this Second Uncle was a rare monster of the Dragon-Tiger Zhang family.

The Dragon-Tiger Method forged this water mansion, yet it uses the Dragon Vein energy of Jinmen to incubate it—it’s almost exactly like…

“Innate, Heaven-Nurtured!?” Zhang Fan whispered, voice taut.

“It’s said the Zhang family drew inspiration from the mystery of the innate spiritual embryo to build this water mansion,” Xu Jiuzhi explained.

Innate spiritual embryos are exceedingly rare; such beings are rarer than the Pure Yang Ultimate state.

Legend says Dragon-Tiger Mountain once housed one such innate spiritual embryo.

It was no longer a mere mortal—it was born of heaven and nurtured by earth, burdened with immense calamity, yet once it descended into the mortal realm, it became utterly unbound, possessing almost no weaknesses.

Heaven could not kill it. Earth could not destroy it.

“That innate spiritual embryo has guarded Dragon-Tiger Mountain for countless years…” Xu Jiuzhi said solemnly.

“After the Daoist calamity eighty years ago, Dragon-Tiger Mountain sealed its gates, its incense lineage severed, and that innate spiritual embryo vanished without a trace.”

“Some say it perished in that great calamity. But others say…”

Here, Xu Jiuzhi fell silent.

“Still alive?” Zhang Fan’s heart stirred, unable to help asking.

“Mm.”

Xu Jiuzhi nodded. “I’ve heard from elders in my clan that the innate spiritual embryo of Dragon-Tiger Mountain may still be alive.”

“What’s the basis for that?” Zhang Fan asked.

The Xu family were Pure Yang lineage; if Xu Jiuzhi’s elders said this, it was surely not baseless.

“You may not know.”

Xu Jiuzhi hesitated slightly, then continued: “Within the Daoist Alliance’s headquarters, there exists a secret department, directly overseen by the Chairman…”

“Its sole purpose is to locate the innate spiritual embryo of Dragon-Tiger Mountain.”

At these words, Xu Jiuzhi lowered his gaze: “Think—if that innate spiritual embryo truly died, why would the Daoist Alliance maintain a separate department for it?”

“Even if they cannot confirm its death, they cannot confirm its life either.”

Zhang Fan fell into thought.

He had heard from the Copper Bell Mountain demon king that only two innate spiritual embryos existed in the world—one at Baihe Temple, one at Wuwei Gate.

It was an extremely delicate balance.

If the Dragon-Tiger Mountain innate spiritual embryo were still alive, that balance would be shattered.

“We’ve arrived.”

At that moment, Xu Jiuzhi’s voice broke through Zhang Fan’s thoughts.

…

Before the nine-story water mansion.

The vast square held only nine seats.

In other words, this Xu family’s sacred ground could accommodate no more than nine people at once—its absolute limit.

If more arrived, they would have to wait in line.