Chapter 622: Guidance

After Yan Buji followed Elder Ximen into the Hall of Transmission, he had no mood to marvel at how splendid the Hall was, keeping his head down like a child who had made a mistake.

In front of a study, the two walked in.

"Where's the medicine?"

"Here." Yan Buji took out a vial and handed it to Elder Ximen.

Elder Ximen nodded, looked at Yan Buji: "Today's matter doesn't concern you much, but I don't want to see this situation again in the future."

"Yes, I understand."

"Hmm." Elder Ximen looked at him: "You're clever; you can grasp many things without me explaining them fully. Do you have any other business now?"

"Um... nothing."

Elder Ximen frowned: "State any request directly, don't stammer!"

Yan Buji immediately bowed and cupped his hands, saying: "I dare not! Elder Ximen, actually I came this time... to seek your counsel on a cultivation matter."

Elder Ximen nodded, glanced at the table beside them: "Please sit."

"Yes."

The two sat down, and Elder Ximen asked: "Do you wish to ask about a technique or about the mysterious art?"

"Hmm? Elder, you also study the mysterious art?" Yan Buji said in surprise.

Elder Ximen chuckled: "Back then I was a warrior, but after entering the cultivation world I switched to Magical Cultivation. After all these years of exposure, I know a few things. From your expression, you want to ask about my technique."

"Indeed, I entered the cultivation world following the Five Elements technique, but later, due to certain events, I learned the Heaven Gate Law."

"Heaven Gate Law?!" Elder Ximen looked at Yan Buji with a puzzled expression: "How did you come to possess such a technique?"

"Um, is there a problem?"

"The problem is huge. The Heaven Gate Law, as the foundational technique of the Way of the Universe, is the progenitor of all Way of the Universe techniques; today's cultivation world traces all such techniques back to the Heaven Gate Law."

"Huh?" Yan Buji was stunned: "By your meaning, shouldn't the Heaven Gate Law be very powerful?"

"But the Heaven Gate Law only deals with the most basic concepts of the Way of the Universe—namely spatial nodes and spatial traversal. Modern Way of the Universe techniques have long surpassed those basics and advanced to higher levels. The key is that, as the oldest Way of the Universe technique, the Heaven Gate Law is too simple to target, yet it is itself very difficult to cultivate." Elder Ximen looked at Yan Buji.

"Run the technique for me, let me see."

"Yes." Yan Buji, with a heavy heart, began to circulate the technique.

"Strange, how can your Five Elements power merge with the Heaven Gate Law without interference? Logically, your Five Elements power shouldn't be able to achieve that," Elder Ximen asked curiously.

"That may be because I once ingested a Three Talents Celestial Pill, which caused this," Yan Buji said.

Yan Buji felt there was no need to lie to a practitioner at the Harmonizing Dao stage, and besides, he was now one of his own contacts; revealing more of his secrets would actually make him more at ease.

"Three Talents Celestial Pill? No wonder. But since you took it, why is your power so mighty? Could it be that you also cultivated the Nine-turn Technique?"

Yan Buji's complexion changed; he fell silent, unwilling to speak.

"Rest assured, the Nine-turn Technique is officially forbidden, but many practice it in secret. Judging by you, you probably started with the Nine-turn Technique from the beginning, huh? It's a pity you managed to cultivate up to today," Elder Ximen laughed.

"That's the case," Yan Buji sighed: "Now I've realized the issue: my technique is mismatched, forcefully fused together. If I abandon the Five Elements technique to specialize in the Heaven Gate Law, the Heaven Gate Law faces too many restrictions."

"Hmm..." Elder Ximen thought: "It would be best if you could integrate the Five Elements into Yin-Yang, or comprehend the Way of the Universe through the Five Elements path and enter its gateway; then breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage wouldn't be difficult."

At that point, Elder Ximen produced a finely bound book and placed it before Yan Buji: "Take this Five Transformations Time Secrets and have a look."

"What is this?"

"Back then I killed a person and extracted it from his body. This technique happens to involve the basic concept of entering Yin-Yang from the Five Elements; if you can grasp it, you might replace your current Five Elements technique. But I must warn you one thing..."

Elder Ximen looked at Yan Buji: "The Heaven Gate Law should not be deeply cultivated; once you break through to the Divine Transformation Stage, you'll understand what I mean."

Yan Buji smiled: "Elder, you're overthinking. If I could practice the Heaven Gate Law better, I wouldn't be stuck at the late Golden Core stage."

"That's true."

Soon, Yan Buji left with the Five Transformations Time Secrets.

Elder Ximen sat in the room, pondering carefully: "Heaven Gate Law..."

"Hey, Ximen Qi, what are you doing here? Skipping out on teaching your disciples again?!" a young man said, walking in from the doorway with a grin.

"Shut your mother's fart! Can't I handle my own business first?" Elder Ximen glared at him: "Wang Hǔsōng, what are you here for?"

"Sigh, my disciple caused you trouble; I'm here to apologize." Wang Hǔsōng said with a smile; he was the master of Feng Xiaoyun, who had just bothered Yan Buji, and also one of the Inner Gate Grand Elders.

Anyone recognized as a 'True Disciple' in Paolong Sacred Land must be a direct disciple of a Grand Elder, Sect Master, or Supreme Elder; True Disciples also undergo Inner Gate certification, either by selection or appointment, and ordinary stewards and Elders must treat them with deference.

Elder Ximen, seeing Wang Hǔsōng sit casually before him, said displeased: "My daughter's appearance has nothing to do with you. If I encounter this matter again today, we'll never be done!"

Wang Hǔsōng waved his hand: "There won't be a next time. Moreover, wasn't it the people from the Hall of Transmission who reported Feng Xiaoyun? You said you are also... a perfectly fine grown lady, yet you maintain that appearance; why don't you think of a way?"

"Being able to eat is a blessing, so what?!"

Wang Hǔsōng rolled his eyes: "Fine, I have another matter for you today."

"What matter?"

"The Sinless Corpse King has caused trouble."

"What?!"

Elder Ximen sprang up, frowned: "That one is sealed within the Nine Yang Falling Phoenix Array—what exactly happened?"

"That fellow seems to show signs of awakening. You know the Nine Yang Falling Phoenix Array is so intense that even we who enter it could be refined down to nothing, but that guy hasn't shown any sign in ten thousand years; probably only a few Supreme Elders and the Sect Master can suppress him."

"Then why did you come to me? Can't you just tell them?"

"I already told them; they want you to go guard there for a while, and I'll temporarily oversee the Hall of Transmission." Wang Hǔsōng said with a smile.

Elder Ximen pursed his lips: "Fine then."