Chapter 464

Lin Jue returned to his chamber, sat cross-legged, and contemplated the Dao.

After becoming true and attaining the Dao, beyond immortality and freedom, the Dao became clear in his eyes.

Some immortals choose to stop there, living carefree and uninvolved in strife; strife does not seek them out. Their nature is tranquil and unattached, so they harbor no grudges, needing to worry about nothing except their own trials, thus many immortals spend vast amounts of time studying fascinating spells that brighten their quiet cultivation.

For example, turning water into wine, wine into tea, conjuring immortal maidens to play music, making insects and birds dance, clothes dressing themselves.

Many illusions may have originated this way.

But if you wish to ascend further, even greater potential awaits.

The great Dao of heaven and earth, the truths of the world, nearly all resonate with some mysterious principle, even aligning with the spells you are currently cultivating—your spells arose from them.

Since becoming true and attaining the Dao, Lin Jue had spent little time consolidating or contemplating, yet during the complete eradication of Dong Wang Mu on Mo Du Mountain, Huakai Huakai Qingke made progress.

Previously, Huakai Huakai Qingke could only exhale to bloom flowers; now it could steal life force, then steal cultivation power, and now with a mere finger-point, it could bloom and steal cultivation and yang lifespan—likely due to its shared nature as a plant spirit art, making it remarkably similar to Shou Sheng Yu Shou.

With Huakai Huakai Qingke's progress, Lin Jue's fundamental combat power after becoming true and attaining the Dao was secured.

As always:

Cultivation is cultivation, Dao attainment is Dao attainment, ability is ability.

Not all immortals are skilled in spell combat.

Some immortals who cultivated in quiet seclusion, some ancient immortals devoted to alchemy, dislike and are unskilled in combat.

Some, after becoming true and attaining the Dao with ample time, study combat spells; others have no such desire at all.

He attained true immortality solely through his pure, unadulterated spirit of quiet cultivation; had he truly sought to infuse that heart with even a hint of combat intent, he would have done so before becoming immortal—and had he done so, he might never have reached this stage.

Becoming immortal through quiet cultivation, letting go and attaining the Dao—this is an older, smoother path, aligning with humanity's most primal and simple pursuit of "immortality."

No combat, no worries, unafraid of birth, aging, sickness, death—only freedom and joy. This is true immortality.

Yet when a path is too broad and too smooth, it becomes dull and filled with endless temptations.

The greatest challenge is not straying onto side paths.

Thus, those who achieve immortality this way are all true cultivators with extraordinary willpower.

But there's no need to worry about their lack of combat skill—what if they face hardship?

They are not mortals, but immortals; not common ruffians who quarrel over trivial matters,

nor are they inept—they possess their own abilities. They rarely engage in disputes, often never even get the chance to, and other immortals and true cultivators are no ruffians either; even the worst among immortals, like Hu Sheng Zhen Jun, would not provoke them.

At present, with just Huakai Huakai Qingke, Lin Jue's combat ability surpasses many ancient quiet cultivators,

alchemy true cultivators.

Yet immortals are divided into civil and martial.

Aside from Zhen Jun, the martial gods who became divine through combat and specialize in warfare, other immortals—regardless of their power or spell size—easily have weaknesses exploited if they rely on only one ability.

You may be a great deity, stronger than Zhen Jun, able to burn him to ash with fire—but if he summons a spirit, immortal, or demon far weaker than Zhen Jun, who exhales a breath of cold, that cold can extinguish your superior divine fire.

Even Huakai Huakai Qingke, such a potent art, is vulnerable to "metal."

Thus, one art alone is insufficient.

You need more spells and arts to complement each other, refining your combat ability.

This must be self-realized.

It does not come naturally after becoming true and attaining the Dao.

The art of controlling objects must not be neglected; the Sun's spiritual fire must also be cultivated.

True enough—it should now be called Sun True Fire.

The Soul-Annihilating Art is a weapon against spirits; the Staff-Hosting Art allows you to evade harm in peril; until you master superior escape arts, Earth Submersion is still useful.

Moreover, when I became true and attained the Dao, I swallowed the Four Directions and Five Elements Golden Core; now the mysteries of the Five Elements' spiritual energy are clear to me—if I neglect cultivating Five Elements arts, wouldn't that be a waste?

Also, the Golden Cicada Shell from Leopard King.

The Severed-But-Rejoined art must also be studied seriously.

And the wind that suits me perfectly.

Altogether, there's still much to learn.

But the good news is, after becoming true and attaining the Dao, time is abundant.

Thus, after making a plan, Lin Jue immediately took out a talisman seal.

"Chen Niu, Chen Niu."

A brown-robed spirit immediately appeared, staring at him solemnly, wondering where he was going now.

"Master Jiang said that after becoming true and attaining the Dao, you might try to restore your incomplete soul. How should it be restored?"

"!?"

The brown-robed spirit still stared at him, solemnity now mixed with confusion. "Only by slowly nurturing it myself. See if I can gather scattered, pure soul energy from heaven and earth to fill your missing soul fragments."

"?"

Chen Niu stared at him, his gaze saying, "This man's brain is broken—he keeps summoning me just to not say where we're going." After waiting a moment, he vanished.

Lin Jue held the talisman seal and began nurturing it.

Not all living beings become ghosts after death; the higher their intellect, the greater the chance. Yet even humans sometimes disperse into soul fragments. Yet the essence of souls is the same—if they do not go to the Underworld, nor gain other opportunities or cultivation to preserve themselves, they are slowly worn down by wind, rain, sun, and moon, returning to the soul's essence, the origin of heaven and earth.

Over time, these fragments become everywhere in heaven and earth.

These broken soul energies serve as spiritual qi for some ghost cultivators and form the foundation of spells that spontaneously generate consciousness; Lin Jue now attempted to draw them in.

Fortunately, he knew several spells involving soul energy and soul fragments.

He would use them to find a method.

Chen Niu had contributed greatly to his own cultivation.

Besides Divine Step, all his senior brothers learned the Feather Transformation Art; with both Dao attainment and spells, a thousand li no longer seemed distant.

After receiving the letter delivered by Bai Lu, they quickly returned one by one.

"Little brother has become true and attained the Dao?" asked the fourth senior brother.

"Did brother forge a Golden Core?" asked the second senior brother.

"I heard many travelers say Lin Zhen was refining pills in Jingcheng, refining for a full eighteen hundred days,

and that morning saw evening glow, afternoon saw dawn glow, night lit as bright as day, and that dragons and phoenixes flew above Jingcheng, and when the pill opened, many immortals came to congratulate, one after another, colorful auspicious clouds descended, white cranes flew down in flocks, and immortal maidens and attendants stood on clouds, scattering petals, many servants playing immortal music, many fairies dancing, and that merely hearing the immortal music made ears clear, even the deaf could hear—

At first only Jingcheng's people heard it, but later many merchants passed through Jingcheng just to see it—"

The seventh senior brother strode in, excited: "True? Especially the immortal music and dancing fairies? When I heard that, I wanted to fly straight to Jingcheng to find you!"

"Little brother went ahead to scout the path for you all," Lin Jue smiled.

"Really a Golden Core?" asked the second senior brother.

"What do you mean? Real immortal music that clears the ears? Real dancing fairies?" the seventh senior brother pressed. "Yes, a Golden Core," Lin Jue said.

"Where did you get the Golden Core formula?" asked the second senior brother.

"Why didn't you answer me?" asked the seventh senior brother.

"The Yao Hua Empress gave it to me when I found Good Fuyao," Lin Jue said directly.

Only then did he turn to look at the seventh senior brother:

"It's mostly true."

"Hss!"

The seventh senior brother gasped, filled with regret.

"If elder brother wishes to hear and see it, why not focus on cultivation? When you become true and attain the Dao, you'll see it naturally."

"It's not that easy."

"That's precisely why I called you all back."

"Didn't you call us back to drink and celebrate?" asked the fifth senior brother.

"Isn't it to show off becoming true and attaining the Dao?" asked the little sister, pretending to be a senior brother.

"Do I look that boring? Besides, if I invite you to drink, I have to cook—exhausting for me, enjoyable for you," Lin Jue said. "This is something important."

"I get tired too," said the assistant cook sister.

"What's the matter?"

"The Four Directions and Five Elements Golden Core has fallen to the mortal realm, yet remains the supreme among immortal pills. The advantage is—you can now refine it freely."

Lin Jue told them:

"This Golden Core formula appeared late, born in the late ancient era as the Alchemy Sect declined and the Spirit Law Sect rose. It was half created for the Alchemy Sect, half prepared for the Spirit Law Sect. It is the most suitable Golden Core for Spirit Law cultivators. Though it has fallen to the mortal realm, only Alchemy Sect disciples cannot use it to become immortal—it still aids Spirit Law cultivators in becoming true and attaining the Dao. For Spirit Law cultivators with exceptional talent, it is no different from one still in the immortal realm. Moreover, after swallowing this pill, Spirit Law cultivators enhance their understanding of the Five Elements, aiding them in learning and casting Five Elements spells."

Everyone glanced at the little sister upon hearing "Five Elements."

Then all fell into thought.

Meaning: even if you can become true and attain the Dao yourself, swallowing this pill afterward will make your cultivation of Five Elements spells smoother and your casting stronger.

Since Five Elements spells mostly relate to combat—offense, defense, or evasion—Spirit Law cultivators are naturally skilled in combat, so this pill primarily enhances combat power.

"Of course," Lin Jue said. "Though the Golden Core has fallen to the mortal realm, its materials are still hard to find, and refining remains difficult. Most of this burden falls on you all, elder brothers."

The senior brothers and sister exchanged glances.

Just then, a crow flew back and transformed into a white fox.

The third senior brother arrived last, finally here.