Chapter 355: Continuous Fermentation

The film had come to an end.

Whether it was Dan Chenzi and Xuan Tianzong's parting words, "Though we have walked together for a century, our paths must now diverge," or Li Yingqi finally anchoring Youquan's spirit with her own primordial soul, perishing along with him as her past memories finally rushed back—gazing at him with lingering regret and affection as she softly murmured, "Tianzong, I have finally found you"—both moments, in some inexplicable way, stirred the softest depths of the hearts of the watching cultivators and warriors.

The former was steeped in the helplessness of destiny, while the latter perfectly captured the cycle of earthly reincarnation, the many forms of obsession, and the karmic bonds of past and present lives; its romance did not burn with the tempestuous passion of Jade Dynasty or Legend of Sword and Fairy. Instead, they both possessed the aloof detachment born of centuries of cultivation, yet they were far from cold and unfeeling—they merely buried it deep within their souls. It was more akin to a cup of clear tea, subtle upon the tongue, yet within that subtlety lay its true essence, leaving a profound aftertaste that lingered indefinitely.

And the final battle against Youquan, born of their combined strength, was like a raging wildfire that ignited the passion in the hearts of the entire audience; perhaps they had never imagined that a clash between cultivators could be so utterly earth-shattering.

With the system's refinements, both the spells and magical treasures within it, as well as its profound undercurrents, were fully realized. Scene after scene from the movie remained etched in everyone's minds, refusing to fade for a long time.

"To think that such cultivators existed within Shushan!" Even though the movie had finished, many did not leave immediately, but instead sighed in subconscious admiration.

"The Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder, the Nanming Primordial Fire, the Blood Demon Youquan... this earth-shattering battle was simply exhilarating, utterly exhilarating!" Alliance Master Lan Mo of the Wuwei Daoist Alliance praised loudly.

"Watching this battle, this seat has gained immense insight!" Tang Yuan nodded. "That Blood Demon could actually harvest tens of thousands of primordial souls. Furthermore, the duel between Xuan Tianzong and Dan Chenzi, and the sword-controlling techniques of the Emei Sect, have given this seat deep inspiration. Returning today, I fear I must contemplate this thoroughly."

"Behold my Haotian Mirror!" Xu Luo raised his hand nearby.

"Where did you get a Haotian Mirror?" Lin Shao's face twitched as he saw that what Xu Luo held in his hand was merely a flat mirror purchased from 'My Space'.

"..."

Within Owner Fang's tourist-sightseeing Penguin chat group, several people who had not yet watched Shushan soon began to inquire.

Xi Chenzhou: "How is this Shushan? Is it worth a watch?"

"It's incredible! You'll regret it if you don't watch it!"

"Awesome!"

"This movie is an absolute must-watch!"

"..."

Soon, the entire chat group practically exploded.

Song Qingfeng: "The Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder are too powerful! They're practically divine artifacts! (Laughs)"

Lin Shao: "Don't you think the Nanming Primordial Fire Sword is even more powerful?"

Hei Mo: "What nonsense. The Blood Demon Youquan is the truly powerful one. If Emei didn't possess so many divine artifacts, they would have been annihilated long ago."

Daoist Master Xichi: "After watching this movie, I feel my entire understanding of cultivators has shifted. If you all are interested, you should take a look. I dare say, if we could learn even a fraction of what is within, the entire landscape of the cultivation world would change."

Jun Yangzi: "The magical artifacts inside, including their methods of refinement, are completely different from what we use. A true blessing for artifact refiners! For instance, the auspicious signs and seal scripts on the Haotian Mirror are something artifact refiners must see."

Duan Buyi: "Daoist brother, when the Haotian Mirror emerged, its magnificent light radiated in all directions, and the mirror body was in constant rotation, making it impossible to see clearly. How can one examine it?"

Jun Yangzi: "Do you not know how to press pause? This old man can not only watch it, but can even dive into the interior of the magical artifact to inspect its structure! (Disdain)"

Duan Buyi: "A brilliant view, Daoist brother! (Cold sweat) Even this is possible?!"

Tang Yuan: "Say no more, this seat intends to watch it again. Anyone joining?"

Nalan Hongwu: "This old man also intends to watch it again."

Ye Songtao: "I also intend to watch it again."

Daoist Master Xichi: "I must watch it again as well."

Daoist Chiyi: "Just now, some things seemed far too profound and unfathomable, and I haven't fully grasped them yet. I must watch it again too!"

"..."

"...Is it really that incredible?!" Many who previously had no intention of watching now began to fall into the trap one after another, starting to watch Shushan.

And many were not just watching it themselves; for instance, Daoist Master Xichi, having watched the entirety of Shushan three or four times today, returned to her sect: "Junior brother, do you think this movie is something we should also let our sect master watch?"

Daoist Piaomiao thoroughly agreed: "Indeed, we should let Sect Master Senior Brother have a good look. Look at other people's sects—magical treasures one after another, each stronger than the last: the Haotian Mirror, the Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder, and the Nanming Primordial Fire Sword. Then look at us! A sect like ours, if placed in there, would probably only be at the level of Mount Wutai. Theirs put up a Great Arhat Buddhist Hand, only for the entire sect to be blown apart by someone's roar in a single breath. We would probably put up a Nanhua Heavenly Light, and then our entire sect... forget it, let's not destroy our own prestige to inflate others'."

"True indeed," Daoist Master Xichi said. "Though our Nanhua Sect possesses a powerful spiritual treasure passed down since our founding, compared to their Haotian Mirror and Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder, it is simply... alas!"

Meanwhile, within the Haoran Sect.

"Elder Duan!" A square-faced cultivator dressed in white robes with blue borders and wearing a precious crown spoke with a solemn expression. "This sect master is burdened with official duties, as you surely know. It is one thing for you not to think of coming to assist me, but you actually made me travel all the way to that Half City place. What is so good about a place like that?"

"The moment I return, I hear you talking about how incredible some Shushan Emei Sect is—never even heard of it! Where in this world is there a sect called the Emei Sect?! Regret it if I don't go?! I say, going there is what would truly bring regret!"

At the Yimu Daoist Palace.

There stood a white-haired old Daoist: "What White Eyebrow Master?! What Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder? Can they possibly be as powerful as our Yimu True Flame? Junior brother, is it not just that you want to see the cultivation method for the final volume of the Yimu True Flame? I have already told you that haste makes waste. You have not even cultivated the ninth volume to a sufficient realm yet..."

"Senior brother, I think I have no need to look at that anymore." The other person beside the old Daoist was clearly the middle-aged Daoist of the Yimu Daoist Palace who had led a group of disciples to attend the auction that day. "I have already comprehended the contents of the tenth volume on my own."

"It is for the best that you do not aim too high." The old Daoist snorted coldly, then suddenly stared over with eyes wide. "What did you say?!"

"I said I have already comprehended the contents of the tenth volume of the Yimu True Flame on my own," the middle-aged Daoist dressed in black-and-white Daoist robes replied.

He then raised his hand, and a flame flared up. Clumps of flame, with an orange-red inner core and an outer edge tinged with a faint blue, floated in mid-air.

"This... this is indeed the power of the tenth level of the Yimu True Flame!" The old Daoist stared at the flames before him with a face full of suspicion. "But this color, why does it feel wrong? Should it not be orange inside and white outside... I have never heard of it being orange inside and blue outside..."

"This is the Yimu True Flame I modified after observing the Heavenly Book and carefully studying the power of the Nanming Primordial Fire. Its power is one or two tenths higher than the original."

"What!!??" The old Daoist stared at his own junior brother with wide eyes, completely dumbfounded!