Chapter 28: Differences

Tu Shan Ge's cry was filled with terror and horror, his expression stiff and cold, clearly showing he had been thoroughly frightened.

Chen Heng forcibly suppressed the shock and doubt in his heart and asked casually:

"What did you see?"

After Tu Shan Ge recited the text aloud, Chen Heng's expression also changed.

Blood River Chariot Precious Wheel—

Take three hundred and sixty-five women from the vulgar storehouse of fate, have them all conceive in a yin year, yin month, and yin hour, then boil them into a glue using medicines like halite, talc, mercury, and red horse; after conception, feed and infuse this mixture into them daily until the fetus is born, then use a sharp blade to cut open the womb and extract it.

Such a dead infant, bearing the resentment from its mother's womb, is suitable for smelting with Sheng Jin and Ceng Qing; carefully refine it over a gentle fire until forty-nine days are complete, and one will obtain a Blood River Chariot Precious Wheel.

This wheel is especially adept at defiling human bodies; once struck, within one two-hour period, the victim's surface will immediately turn blue and purple, melting into a pool of rotting pus and blood. Moreover, it can dissolve the spiritual light of talismanic treasures; even a Mid-Grade talismanic treasure fighting it will suffer damaged spirituality, while a Lower-Grade talismanic treasure, upon collision, will immediately show signs of collapse and destruction.

Only Upper-Grade talismanic treasures can contend with it for a while, fearless of this wheel's filth.

It can be said that this is an undisputed secret treasure of the Demonic Path, incredibly sinister and poisonous!

A so-called secret treasure is a dharma tool that, even without prohibitions attached to it, cannot have its grade improved through form-refining.

Although its consecration is difficult and subject to various restrictions, its power is usually astonishingly great.

"How can this be?"

Hearing the text recited by Tu Shan Ge, Chen Heng felt it was utterly absurd.

What he had taken out...

Was it not the "Divine House Pivot Brilliance Daoist Lord Speaks on the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Scripture"?

"Are you certain you didn't misread it?"

"Absolutely certain; the characters are right before my eyes, Master, how could I possibly misread them?"

Tu Shan Ge scratched his head in confusion and spoke with conviction.

"..."

At a loss for what to do, Tu Shan Ge rose from his chair.

"Call your clansmen over; let them all take a look."

After a moment of silence, Chen Heng suddenly spoke.

Tu Shan Ge did not understand the reason but complied anyway.

Soon, fox after fox lined up in a long queue to pass around and read the "Divine House Pivot Brilliance Daoist Lord Speaks on the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Scripture," but the result was the same for all.

In their eyes, what they saw was the consecration method for the 'Blood River Chariot Precious Wheel'.

It was not a Qi-cultivation technique.

It was not a Xue Xuan Gate True Qi.

It was a genuine Demonic Path artifact-forging method!

The foxes were horrified by the bloody text within, crying out "ying ying" in chaos, frightened into running wildly back and forth.

Among them, Tu Shan Zhuang, who had once used illusion magic to deceive Chen Heng only to be shot in the buttocks by Chen Heng's arrow, was terrified beyond measure.

He had witnessed this person's intent to kill with his own eyes and knew just how ruthless Chen Heng could be.

Tu Shan Zhuang suspected that Chen Heng intended to slaughter them all and refine them into a Blood River Chariot Precious Wheel; his body trembled like chaff being shaken, and he let out a wail from his throat, about to hug Chen Heng's thigh and weep his plea.

It was only because Tu Shan Ge was quick-eyed and fast-handed, immediately grabbing the fur on the back of his neck and throwing the fox, who had been scared silly by himself, away, that the commotion ceased.

"How can this be?"

Chen Heng sat silently in his chair, his heart surging with turbulent emotions.

It was clearly a Qi-cultivation technique, yet...

"Is it because of this body? Yes, it must be so... This Qi-cultivation technique was a relic left by my predecessor's father; I heard Uncle Chen Zhan mention that before dying, he specifically instructed my predecessor to remember to open the wooden box upon growing up. Inside the box, besides a few strange talismans, was this Qi-cultivation technique."

Chen Heng slightly closed his eyes and fell into deep thought:

"Because of our shared bloodline, was I able to catch a fortunate glimpse of the truth?"

If so.

Then it barely makes sense...

The members of the Chen clan had always feared the book in the wooden box, labeling it as demonic and heterodox, not orthodox.

At first, Chen Heng thought they doubted it due to the dangerous pitfalls within the Qi-cultivation technique, leading to this misunderstanding.

But looking back now, those Chen clan members, just like the foxes, likely saw only the consecration method for the Blood River Chariot Precious Wheel!

And it was only because Chen Heng was reborn into this body that, through a strange twist of fate, he happened to discover the true relic left by the predecessor's father to the predecessor.

"However, if this is the case, the cause of the predecessor's father's death becomes questionable... Since he possessed such a means to deceive the eyes and ears, how did he die? Or, is he truly dead?"

The predecessor's father died young from illness.

It was said that during a visualization cultivation, he injured his spirit-heart, which aggravated an old wound, causing him to leave the world prematurely.

But with such divine abilities and leaving behind such a Qi-cultivation technique, what exactly did he visualize?

One must know that the "Divine House Pivot Brilliance Daoist Lord Speaks on the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Scripture" was personally annotated by a Daoist Lord, holding a status equivalent to the Chiming Sect's "Chongxu Zhide Daoist Lord's Interpretation of Eating Divine Energy".

As for the latter, even among Chiming Sect disciples, few have obtained its true transmission.

Just like Tu Shan Ge's former master, who, having no chance to glimpse "Huang Su Yu Zhen," was finally forced to reluctantly switch to cultivating the eighth-grade Upper-Grade "Dong Ling Yuan Sha"...

"The official dividing the deer is truly a dream; the old man losing his horse may yet be a blessing."

Chen Heng sighed softly.

At this moment, a furry, soft sensation suddenly appeared in the palm of his hand.

He lowered his gaze.

Tu Shan Ning Ning was rubbing her head against him; seeing him look down, the little fox wagged her tail and worriedly let out a "ying ying" sound.

"Thank you, I am fine."

A faint smile spread across Chen Heng's handsome face as he casually reached out to pat her.

His fingers were Bai Xi, slender and long, with bone structure of extreme beauty; as he stroked her, Tu Shan Ningning felt quite comfortable, and just as the little fox contentedly lifted her chin, those hands lightly brushed over her tail as well.

"Ying ying!"

The little fox immediately flew into a rage, both ashamed and annoyed, and forcefully arched her spine in protest.

But by this time, Chen Heng had already withdrawn his gaze and was not looking at her.

Tu Shan Ningning jumped out of the door in anger, then turned back; seeing that Chen Heng still wasn't looking in her direction, she became even more furious, using her two small paws to dig at the door with a clang-clang, sending wood shavings flying everywhere.

"Thank you, Brother Tu Shan, for resolving my doubts today."

Putting aside all manner of thoughts, Chen Heng performed a fist-and-palm salute; seeing this, Tu Shan Ge hurriedly rose to see him out.

"However, in Brother Tu Shan's view, how many characters are on the cover of this booklet?"

Just before departing.

Chen Heng finally took out the 'Divine Dwelling Pivot Hua Daojun Speaks on the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Sutra' and asked.

"Ah, eight characters... 'Blood River Chariot Treasure Wheel Hun Cheng Collection'."

Tu Shan Ge paused for a moment, then answered truthfully.

"Understood, thank you."

Chen Heng tucked the book back into his sleeve, gave a slight bow, and left without any further doubts.

Days passed one by one; in the blink of an eye, another five days and nights had gone by.

On this day.

Chen Heng had just finished his cultivation within the True Dharma Realm and returned to the outside world when he suddenly felt something; he stood up and tilted his head to listen.

In but an instant.

A sharp sound of something tearing through the air arrived, a whistling noise that grated on the ears, accompanied by chaotic cracking sounds.

Faintly, it seemed one could also hear a few voices jesting and chatting.