Chapter 542: Yin Fu Seven Arts: One Day, Cross Three Realms!

Lu Hua smiled and said, "Bold spirit—I didn't misjudge you!"

"This copy of the Yin Fu Jing isn't some common trash given to you by Sima Ting—it's the supreme scripture of the Daoist Xuanmai lineage."

"The elder who wrote the Yin Fu Jing wasn't born into any of the orthodox Daoist lineages, yet he attained mastery over creation itself, a genius unmatched in his age, his cultivation base reaching the pinnacle of the Primordial Spirit realm—he crushed the Three True Teachings of his generation beneath his feet."

"Too bad his mind wasn't sharp. The Three True Teachings' founding masters tricked him into challenging the Master to a duel on the Eastern Sea."

"The outcome—you can guess it already."

You nodded silently; the Master's name was never bragged—it was earned through centuries of battle.

"Thus, this Yin Fu Jing eventually came into the hands of the Three True Teachings. If you're willing to join my Three True Teachings, I can transmit to you the Three True Methods."

Lu Hua sighed, "Of course, it's a pity this is the Great Qi—if it were the Great Sui, I'd bind you and drag you to Mount Zhongnan myself."

Mount Zhongnan's Three True Teachings?

You were internally startled—this woman came from the Three True Teachings? Wasn't that the state religion of the Great Sui? From her tone, she seemed to hold high rank within it.

And yet she'd been brought back to the Xie Family by the Second Elder of the Xie Clan—what was the reason behind this?

You no longer pressed further, instead opening the Yin Fu Jing in your hands.

"Observe the way of Heaven, hold to Heaven's actions—that is all. Thus, Heaven has five thieves; those who see them flourish. The five thieves dwell in the heart, enacted upon Heaven."

You read through it from start to finish; aside from the opening summary, the illustrations were intricate incantations and talismanic diagrams, totaling seven arts, neatly listed in the table of contents.

"Recite the incantations, draw the talismans, dispel chaotic thoughts, exterminate distracting Niantou, and only then can you sense the Primordial Spirit."

You gradually grasped the true meaning of the words "Yin Fu Jing": Yin means the unseen; Fu means the image of the Dao.

Thus, Yin Fu means: "the visible manifestation of the unseen Dao."

The seven arts described in the book—Nourishing Will, Enhancing Spirit, Teng She, Dividing Power, Feasting on Corpses, Turning the Circle, and Reducing the Balance—all possess martial power.

These seven arts are also seven realms, each corresponding to the first seven stages of a Primordial Spirit cultivator.

You exhaled slowly; the Primordial Spirit cultivation method Lu Hua had gifted you was this precious—while the martial cultivation scripture you'd received only covered the first three martial realms.

"The first art, 'Nourishing Will Method: Spirit Turtle Talisman,' is a diagram of the spirit turtle absorbing breath—you studied it closely."

Lu Hua looked at the book and said, "Had it not contradicted the Three True Teachings' life-cultivation path, I'd have practiced it myself."

"All seven arts can be drawn as talismans, capable of storing spirit and possessing distinct functions. This Nourishing Will Spirit Turtle Talisman calms the mind—used correctly, it brings clarity and wisdom; misused, it disorders the spirit."

"Regrettably, there were originally nine arts, but the final two were destroyed by the Three True Teachings' founding masters for being too cruel—though this won't greatly hinder your future cultivation."

"Huh?"

Lu Hua let out a soft murmur—the young boy's eyes were tightly shut, yet a soft glow shimmered within them.

"Already in meditation?"

You were now free of distractions, fully focused on visualizing the form of the spirit turtle.

Your brush flowed continuously, sketching a colossal turtle, crouched upon the earth, as solid as a boulder, as majestic as a mountain, its aura profound and enduring.

Lu Hua glanced down and felt a calm, unwavering energy emanating from the drawing—then the boy's brush shifted, the turtle dissolving into a divine turtle as vast as a mountain, trampling forward, its presence stirring even her soul.

To Lu Hua, this level of "spirit-disrupting art" was trivial.

Yet you, a beginner just touching Primordial Spirit cultivation, achieved such an effect.

"Entered the first realm of Primordial Spirit cultivation—the Sensing Realm."

"How could this be so fast?"

Lu Hua recalled her own past: a beggar wandering the Great Sui, spotted by her master. Aside from her exceptional demeanor and striking appearance, perhaps it was her innate talent.

She had entered the Sensing Realm after just one day of encountering Primordial Spirit cultivation—her master called her a once-in-a-century cultivation genius, and indeed she was; her fellow disciples were left far behind.

In just over twenty years, her cultivation base had surpassed her master's.

Yet this Xie Guan, in barely half an hour, had also entered the first realm of Primordial Spirit cultivation.

"Hmm?"

Lu Hua stared at the crescent halo hovering above the boy's head—he was bathed in moonlight, as if wrapped in a faint luminous veil.

Lu Hua sipped her tea slowly, calming her nerves—the tea was slightly bitter.

"Entered the second realm—Stabilizing the Spirit!"

In the Stabilizing the Spirit realm, the Primordial Spirit becomes as unshakable as a mountain; one's eyes gain the "Seeing Through the Veil" ability, able to perceive wandering ghosts and malevolent spirits by the roadside.

Know this—even the strongest, healthiest person, if lightly struck by a ghost, would suffer headaches and colds for days.

But reaching the second realm, Stabilizing the Spirit, changes everything—even a malevolent spirit cannot budge them an inch.

They become immune to curses, "pinning dolls," and other demonic rituals.

They gain the abilities to "create fire with a clap" and "see clearly in darkness."

You picked up your brush again, took a deep breath, and the second diagram of the Yin Fu Seven Arts appeared clearly in your mind.

The second art is called the "Five Dragon Enhancing Fortune Talisman."

The five dragons correspond to the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth, and within the human body, they symbolize the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

Enhancing Spirit means strengthening the body's essence, qi, and spirit—only when these three are vigorous can one's fortune remain unceasing.

Your brush traced slowly; five true dragons coiled and intertwined upon the paper, endlessly renewing themselves, playful yet unified, their aura immense.

This is the method to preserve essence, qi, and spirit from decline, to stabilize one's personal fortune.

Lu Hua studied the diagram—it focused on strengthening the self, shielding against external interference, preserving the clarity of the spirit altar.

Conversely, if used against another, it would disrupt their fortune, causing ordinary people to become distracted, listless, and ultimately fall into "bad fortune," with all affairs turning against them.

Lu Hua smiled, ready to speak—this Xie Guan truly had extraordinary talent, entering two realms in one night. She herself had entered the second realm on the third day, but she was only six then; now Xie Guan was twelve.

How could one compare? Naturally, she had won.

"This… how is this possible!"

Lu Hua noticed faint markings emerging on Xie Guan's brow—like the vertical eye painted on divine statues—and she blurted out.

"Third realm? Soul Departure!"

Lu Hua's smile froze; she drank two more cups of tea.

Three realms in one night!

She herself had taken a full month and a half to enter the third realm.

This was barely over an hour—how could it be so fast?

She didn't know that since your mother's death, you'd been plunged into profound grief and wept until you went blind. In those days of utter darkness, you cultivated extreme stillness of mind, making your Primordial Spirit far stronger than most.

For you, cultivating the Yin Fu Jing was simply natural flow—everything unfolded as it should.

Lu Hua saw the glow from the "vertical eye" on your forehead—a faint, ethereal boyish figure emerged from it, dazed and uncertain.

"Primordial Spirit has departed the body!"

In the room now stood two Xie Guans—one motionless as a carved statue, the other wispy and translucent, rising gracefully with the moonlight.

Your eyes grew hazy; another flash of light surged in your mind, gradually forming a human shape.

Then, before you appeared a cliff, beneath it a bottomless black abyss—you leapt without hesitation.

In that moment, you felt your soul break free from the body's bonds, your true spirit unshackled from the world's chains.

In a daze, you turned your head and saw your own body standing quietly beside the stone table, eyes closed, utterly still.

This sight filled you with wonder—you felt weightless, floating upward, looking down at the Xie Fu, shrinking smaller and smaller in your view.

Below lay the sleeping city of Bianjing, houses like tiny blocks, densely packed yet orderly.

"Is this the world beyond the Xie Fu?" you marveled inwardly—for as long as you could remember, you had never stepped beyond the Xie Family's gates.

You noticed a shimmering silver ribbon below—surely that was the Zhibei River, crossing Bianjing.

With the moonlight's aid, you rose higher and higher, ascending toward the heavens. Though you felt layer upon layer of resistance, you pressed onward.

"Primordial Spirit soars beyond the nine heavens, free and unbound, roaming the heavens and earth."

Ancient texts say: "Travel the Northern Sea by dawn, reach Cangwu by dusk," "Mountains and rivers as companions, clouds and moon as peers."

As you ascended, your Primordial Spirit grew ever more stable.

After an unknown length of time, you suddenly came to your senses—you stood at an impossibly high altitude, beneath you stretched endless mountains and lakes, their beauty breathtaking, making you reluctant to leave.

You sighed, "This mortal world is truly beautiful!"

At that moment!

A fierce wind suddenly howled from above—you sensed danger, feeling as if the wind would slice your body into countless pieces.

In the distance, dawn broke, blinding light striking your form—you felt as if your entire body were burning.

"No!"

You realized: after the Primordial Spirit departs the body, prolonged exposure to wind and sun risks total soul dispersal.

The Primordial Spirit cannot remain outside the body for long—cultivation is like crossing the sea of suffering; the body is the boat.

How can one cross this vast sea of suffering without a boat?

A white figure suddenly blocked your view!

You saw only a pair of autumn-water eyes—then a tremendous force seized your hand, hurling you violently downward, crashing into the courtyard.

You slowly opened your eyes, rubbing your temples, head spinning, spirit utterly drained. You looked around—the courtyard was flooded with golden morning sunlight, dazzlingly bright.

You instinctively raised your hand to shield your eyes, adjusting to the sudden light.

"Is it morning?"

Who had just saved you?

"You fool, you have no sense of your limits—your Primordial Spirit just departed, and you dared to wander far? Don't you know that wind and rain are bad enough, but if you meet a Primordial Spirit cultivator, they'll snuff you out as a lantern, enslave your soul, or steal one of your three souls and six spirits—you're finished for life."

You rose, gritting your teeth, and bowed toward the voice: "Thank you, Miss Lu."

You felt fear in your heart—if the sunrise had struck you just then, your soul would have been burned to ash.

Even if your Primordial Spirit barely escaped, returning to the body would leave you a mindless fool.

"Young lady?" Lu Hua was momentarily stunned.

"Call me whatever you like."

Lu Hua casually placed a small jade vial on the stone table.

"These are Soul-Calming Pills. There are seven inside—take one per day, and in seven days your primordial spirit will be restored."

She explained, while curiously studying Xie Guan.

Lu Hua simply could not fathom how this seemingly ordinary boy had ascended three realms in just one day.

He had ridden the wind straight up to the ninth heaven—something she, even with her master's protection, had never reached.

And his primordial spirit had been out for nearly half the night, yet showed not the slightest sign of fatigue.

The height and duration of his first spirit departure offer a glimpse of his primordial spirit's innate talent.

Her master had been awestruck, remarking, "With Lu Hua around, the Three True Sects will flourish for two hundred years."

If she saw this, she'd have no idea what to think.

"You've turned misfortune into fortune—your primordial spirit is now stable. After your spirit journey, you must feel refreshed. Many newly arrived cultivators, terrified by their first spirit departure, carry psychological scars and never dare release their primordial spirit again."

You poured a pill from the small jade vial on the stone table and swallowed it without hesitation.

If this woman meant to harm you, she could have acted long ago—you had no means to resist, so there was no need for such elaborate deception.

The pill dissolved instantly, a warm current flowing through all your limbs and meridians, nourishing even your primordial spirit—you finally felt a slight improvement.

You gazed at the third technique in the Yin Fu Jing—"Teng She Xi Wu Fu"—and felt a deep resonance; you picked up your brush and painted with bold strokes.

Though you had never learned to paint, it was as if you were self-taught—just a few swift strokes captured the form of the Teng She, its spirit and grace perfectly rendered.

In the painting, a white serpent, feathered and coiled, flicked its tongue, wreathed in swirling white mist that seemed to drift slowly.

As the saying goes: "The Teng She glides through mist, the dragon rides the clouds."

Lu Hua nodded repeatedly, praising: "The Yin Fu Jing has not been wasted in your hands."

"This Teng She Xi Wu Fu controls water qi and allows one to sense changes in rain and humidity. Once, an elder painted this talisman over Dezehu and drained the blood qi of a lake demon outright."

"Beyond spirit departure, the third realm holds little that is extraordinary—it is utterly feeble compared to the first three martial realms."

The woman in the white gauze hat rose, stretching languidly; even her loose Daoist robe could not hide the graceful curve of her figure, her bearing elegant and alluring.

"I've kept you company all night—I should be going now."

Alas, the boy merely squinted at the rising sun, oblivious to the beauty before him.

You smiled faintly into the morning glow, feeling your foundation for survival and stability grow ever stronger.

(End of Chapter)