Chapter 547: New Method

The candle had not yet gone out.

At this moment, yang energy had not yet risen in heaven and earth; the cave still brimmed with yin malevolence, and frost and ice, illuminated by the candlelight, emitted a faint white mist.

Li Yan rose slowly, stretching his stiff joints.

Pushing Mount Tai, Thousand Fists Grip, Sparrow Ground Dragon…

After practicing each of the Red Fist's Ten Disciplines, his skin had turned red, and thick steam rose from his body.

At this point, he was only one step away from being immune to cold and heat.

In this ice cellar, an ordinary person would freeze to death, but for him, it was merely too cold to sleep.

Li Yan descended from the altar, opened the bundle beside him, and took out the Fengdu Law Secret Scroll gifted by Juechenzi, examining it carefully by candlelight.

The Northern Emperor Scripture he had previously studied was a method of the Northern Ghost Emperor; though remarkable, it still fell short compared to the Fengdu Law.

Some of the techniques within left him trembling with awe.

Especially certain forbidden arts—such as the "Ritual Command Secret Chant" and the "Black Wind Great Veil Chant"—their power, requirements, and costs were utterly terrifying.

Of course, both methods had their strengths.

The Northern Emperor Scripture excelled in personal combat; he must not abandon it.

The Fengdu Law, by contrast, primarily involved summoning and commanding others to fight.

Li Yan could currently summon only the Eight Outer Altar Generals.

Once his cultivation advanced further, he could summon higher-level forces; according to the text, he might even summon the Northern Emperor himself to bestow blessings.

Whether anyone could truly summon him?

That was another matter entirely.

Juechenzi was also a genius; after a lifetime of cultivation, even at his peak, he could summon at most a Fengdu Divine General.

Li Yan, too, could summon generals.

There were primarily two methods of use.

One was empowerment; the other was summoning.

The empowerment method could enhance not only spells but also talismanic artifacts.

For instance, when he used the Northern Emperor's Yin Thunder Palm, he could channel the power of the Eight Outer Altar Generals to manipulate the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams and strengthen the Yin Thunder.

If his cultivation were deep enough, he could even summon Yin Thunder from the Netherworld.

As for empowering artifacts, such as his straw effigies, he could invoke the power of the Outer Altar Divine Generals to grant them combat ability.

Summoning, of course, meant summoning their avatars to fight.

Thinking of this, Li Yan immediately took eight straw effigies from his waist pouch, stepped the Nine Stars, formed hand seals, and chanted:

"By the decree of the Great Emperor of Fengdu, Fengdu Spirits, Fengdu Spirits, descend swiftly! Golden hammers whirl wildly, iron staves cross in chaos. Fengdu generals and officials, hasten to appear… Urgent, as per the Great Emperor of Fengdu's decree!"

Huh~

As he chanted, fierce winds erupted around him.

Black mist rose, and the eight straw effigies floated midair; faintly visible were eight shadowy figures clad in silk robes, their faces grotesque, one hand holding a command tablet, the other wielding various weapons.

"Hasten!"

At Li Yan's command, the eight effigies immediately spun around him, howling with black wind, then vanished in a flash, reappearing on the other side of the cave.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

He used the Northern Emperor's Divine Form Technique; the eight effigies flew and darted about, their forms flickering unpredictably—truly ghostly and elusive.

Some sects excelled in the Five Ghosts' Escape Technique.

But Li Yan, drawing on the power of the Eight Divine Generals, was far more formidable.

After completing this, he suddenly formed a hand seal; the effigies spun rapidly, their energy swiftly receding, and he himself vanished from sight.

This was the Northern Emperor's Mystical Water Escape, comparable to an invisibility technique.

Puff~

Suddenly, the eight effigies ignited spontaneously, without wind.

Li Yan's spell broke, and his form reappeared.

Looking at the effigies reduced to ash, Li Yan shook his head slightly.

These straw effigies used decent talisman paper, but still could not withstand the power of the Eight Yin Bureau Divine Generals.

Now, his artifacts were lagging behind his progress.

Previously on Mount Qingcheng, he had bought some high-grade talisman paper to make effigies; the results should have been better.

But Wang Daoxuan had taken them; he could only act after descending the mountain.

Yet to fully unleash their power, he would likely need Lu San's help to craft even more potent straw effigies.

And they must be made from heavenly treasures and earthly essences.

Thinking of this, Li Yan felt a pang of pain.

To summon the Eight Outer Altar Generals quickly and use them freely in battle, he needed top-quality materials.

The Northern Emperor's Straw Effigy Art was the perfect complement.

But all were one-time uses.

Straw effigies were manageable, but effigies crafted from heavenly and earthly treasures were like throwing silver coins at enemies.

Yet this was still a trump card.

He need not use it daily, but he could not do without it.

After practicing, Li Yan sat back on the altar and took from his bosom a talisman tablet—the very treasure of the Earth Deity Sect: the Bing-Ding Life-Ghost Talisman.

This, too, was a new trump card.

He knew how to use it, but this artifact was extraordinary; he must set up an altar and perform the ritual step by step, without a single error.

Each use would likely drain him completely.

Only in direst need could he use it to turn the tide…

Additionally, he could still study the Northern Emperor Scripture.

At the Fourth Level, he could learn more techniques, but human energy was limited; he had to choose wisely.

Some techniques he simply had no use for.

For instance, the "Northern Emperor's Treasure Vessel Method," designed solely for suppression; whether it was a vengeful ghost, a malevolent spirit, or a violent miasma, none could resist.

Its power was considerable, but it required a treasure vessel and long-term consecration—he had yet to find a suitable one.

Moreover, Wang Daoxuan was far more skilled in such matters.

There was no point wasting time on it.

Li Yan had now firmly defined his path.

Primarily close combat, using various techniques in tandem to handle any situation and ease the burden on his companions.

And speed was essential—he must be able to control the battlefield.

As for his trump cards, they must possess overwhelming power to stabilize the situation.

Thinking of this, Li Yan turned his gaze to one particular method.

This method was called the "Northern Emperor Divine Transformation Scripture."

In plain terms, it was the method of wielding Fengdu divine powers.

Earlier, he had not understood some of it, but after repeated trials and guidance from elders, he had finally grasped this technique.

Divine power—divine power—is also called communion with the divine.

Even cultivators remain mortal flesh; to harness the myriad Gangsha forces of heaven and earth, they must rely on altars or artifacts.

But there was another method: the Divine Realm's Spiritual Power.

In ancient times, those legendary figures possessed astonishing powers because they drove the Gangsha energies through spiritual power.

And Divine Realm Spiritual Power typically manifested as artifacts.

Such as his Soul-Grabbing Chain, and the future "Fengdu Nine Springs Command Talisman."

When the Thunder Mansion conscripted him, though it subjected him to a trial of life and death, it also granted him great benefits: the Thunder Chain.

The original Soul-Grabbing Chain could only channel yin malevolence.

Now, it could store thunder.

This was a tremendous gift.

It was as if he had been directly granted a spiritual power.

Previously, in the secret cave of the Divine Maiden Palace and during his battle against the river dragon, he had accidentally, through thunder empowerment, become like a deity.

This method was called "Divine Transformation."

The Northern Emperor Divine Transformation Scripture was the systematic method to use it.

After mastering this, he could easily control—even command—the power of thunder, enabling prolonged combat.

The thunder stored in the Thunder Chain had been fully depleted.

In Sichuan's winter, no thunderstorms occurred.

But mastering this technique, he could still channel yin malevolence for empowerment.

That is, Li Yan could master two forms of "Divine Transformation."

One was the Yin Spirit, dense with malevolent qi.

The other was the Thunder Spirit, fierce with thunderous Gang.

The power of "Divine Transformation" depended entirely on the Divine Realm Spiritual Power—that is, the strength of his Soul-Grabbing Thunder Chain.

Others might have to rely on chance, but he had captured and stored three divine Gang during his previous arrests of demonic qi, and had yet to use them.

Completing the Heavenly Court's task grants you Lei Gang, further enhancing your Fa Realm's divine abilities. At this moment, Li Yan fully understood his path.

Without hesitation, he pulled out the Gou Die, and the three divine Gang stored within surged entirely into the Soul-Grabbing Thunder Rope.

Whoosh!

The two Soul-Grabbing Thunder Ropes writhed and spread outward, extending about fifteen meters before exhausting all the divine Gang energy.

Not only had their length increased, but their strength had too.

Because the divine Gang possessed slight repair properties, the cracks that had appeared on the Great Luo Dharma Body during battle were now fully restored.

Li Yan paid no mind to it; instead, he stepped the Gang and trod the Dipper, formed hand seals, and chanted in a low voice: "I am no mortal form—I am the True One of the Northern Emperor. My head is black clouds, my hair a tangle of stars. Above, reaching the Yang Realm; below, pervading the Netherworld. In all ten directions, the world is heavy with malevolent qi…"

As the incantation was recited, the Soul-Grabbing Thunder Ropes retracted with a whoosh, coiling around his body and limbs, the final two meters transforming into two fluttering sashes.

Yin malevolent qi gathered.

Black mist swirled around Li Yan, blurred and indistinct; his figure seemed to have grown a full circle larger, like an yin deity emerging from the Netherworld…

………………

Not a single character, not a single hair, not a single detail was wrong!

Wild winds howled, snow fell in heavy flakes.

In a thatched cottage on the tea plantation atop the mountain.

The charcoal in the firepot crackled, orange-red flames flickering uncertainly, maintaining warmth within the room.

"Damn weather—why's it snowing again?"

Sha Li Fei had just opened the window when the wind and snow struck him like a slap; he cursed, grabbed the teapot, ran outside, smashed the ice on the surface of the courtyard's water vat with a punch, and filled the pot to the brim.

Back inside, he kicked the door shut with his foot, slid the wooden bolt into place, then hung the pot over the firepot.

The tea estate's conditions were far from upscale.

Hou Xuan and others pooled money to run this tea estate solely to grow tea and make profit—they never intended to host guests, so all the buildings were ordinary thatched huts with thin mud-brick walls.

Living here in winter was truly miserable.

"At least we've got somewhere."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly, reading by the firelight: "A sudden blizzard arrives—having even a single tile or shard of roof over your head is enough. If we returned to Guanxian, we'd likely be hiding in the snow from imperial officers right now."

"You've got a point, Daoist."

Sha Li Fei chuckled. "We're not complaining—just remembering how we suffered back when we had no money, in those filthy, freezing roadside inns, and thinking that someday, when we had wealth, we'd enjoy comfort."

"Never thought that now, with ten thousand taels in our pockets, we're still suffering!"

He was just making idle chatter, being a joker.

No way to sleep—the room was too cold, and this year's weather was strange: Sichuan was colder than the northern lands in winter.

Lu San also leaned beside the firepot.

He said nothing, merely carving wood and bone with a small knife; the little white fox, Rat One, Rat Two, and the falcon Li Dong all huddled tightly around him, sharing warmth.

In this weather, he wouldn't dare send his companions out to suffer.

Huh!

At that moment, a cold wind swept in—the yellow talisman Wang Daoxuan had stuck to the wall suddenly ignited without wind, turning to ash.

"Something's coming!"

Wang Daoxuan immediately rose.

Lu San hadn't sent any animals as sentries, so Wang Daoxuan had created a yin spirit, inscribed a Soul-Linking Talisman, and ordered it to patrol the mountain.

This was a Life Talisman—if enemies approached, it would warn.

No chance to resist.

What appeared was certainly no ordinary malevolent spirit.

Lu San also sprang up, took two steps to the wooden door, formed hand seals, pressed his ear against it, and trembled slightly.

His divine ability lay entirely in his ears.

Though Li Yan had gained his second divine ability—understanding the speech of ghosts and gods—his hearing range still fell far short of Lu San's.

"Hear anything?"

Sha Li Fei snatched up the Divine Fire Gun and whispered.

Lu San frowned, puzzled: "I hear someone playing the erhu… and gongs and drums…"

"Oh? That's strange."

Sha Li Fei sneered: "It must be humans—what, are they going to play music before launching a midnight ambush…?"

"Ah!"

Before he finished speaking, Lu San let out a shriek, clutching his ears and rolling to the ground in obvious agony.

"San'er!"

Sha Li Fei gasped and rushed to help him up.

But Lu San was now drenched in cold sweat, eyes bloodshot, teeth clenched: "I… I can't hear!"

"It's the Soul-Shattering Art!"

Wang Daoxuan said nothing, immediately pulled out a talisman, formed a hand seal, shook it—flames flickered—and with his sword finger, traced a Fu in midair above Lu San's forehead.

After the spell ended, Lu San's complexion visibly improved, but he remained panicked, muttering incessantly: "I can't hear! I can't hear!"

"Don't panic…"

Wang Daoxuan stopped mid-sentence, lifted the teapot, dipped his finger in the unheated water, and rapidly wrote on the wooden table:

Someone shattered your divine ability. I've sealed it—temporary deafness. It will recover within three days.

Lu San saw it and finally exhaled.

"Damn it!"

Sha Li Fei gritted his teeth, glaring out the window: "The attacker's a master—this place isn't safe. We break out now!"

He turned to look at the rear wall.

"Wu Ba—clear the way!"

With a low shout, Wu Ba, already prepared, lunged forward—CRASH! smashing through the mud wall.

Without a word, the group charged into the night's snowstorm.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed from afar.

By the voice—it was one of Hou Xuan's men assigned to guard the tea plantation.

"Get out first!"

Sha Li Fei was furious, but still clear-headed.

The enemy knew Lu San's ability—and could specifically counter it—meaning they'd already gathered detailed intelligence on them.

Yet they knew nothing of their foe.

Without Lu San to scout, they were as blind as the deaf—staying put meant certain death.

Chirp!

The falcon Li Dong spread its wings against the snowstorm and took flight.

Sha Li Fei saw this and relaxed slightly.

This falcon had always been unusually intelligent; after Lu San's long training and a miraculous encounter, it had begun cultivation.

Even in the black night and snowstorm, it could see clearly.

Though Lu San's ability was broken, their long companionship meant Sha Li Fei could still interpret the falcon's silent signals.

"Hee-hee-hee…"

Before Sha Li Fei could react, a strange, mocking laugh echoed from the night sky—like someone screaming through clenched teeth.

"Stupid bird, stupid bird—die!"

"Chirp!"

Simultaneously, the falcon Li Dong's cry rang out.

"Come back!"

Sha Li Fei sensed danger and shouted loudly.

The ambushers were, of course, that strange blood parrot.

Fortunately, the falcon Li Dong was faster—it flipped midair and dove swiftly downward, landing on Lu San's shoulder.

BOOM!

At the same moment, Sha Li Fei drew his waist-mounted flintlock pistol, listened to the wind, judged the position, and fired upward.

This short firearm was a new-style weapon, loaded with buckshot.

"Damn it!"

A curse rang through the air—the flapping sound vanished.

"Go!"

Sha Li Fei gave a low command, ready to lead the group away.

But after only two steps, he froze stiff.

From the snow, a hand suddenly shot out and seized his ankle…

(End of Chapter)