Chapter 895: Method of Communicating with Heaven and Earth

To speak truly, the very first glimpse Yun Zhi caught of the primordial spirit left her startled; it bore an eighty-percent resemblance to her junior brother, while the remaining twenty percent mirrored the Immortal Fairy. Her instinctive reaction was to suspect some tryst between the two, perhaps a sort of spiritual communion.

Later, she rationalized that this was merely the result of the Immortal Fairy aiding her junior brother in his cultivation.

Yet even so, the sight of this primordial spirit instilled a sense of peculiar unease within her.

She mused that should the Immortal Fairy continue to assist his cultivation, causing the spirit’s countenance to shift further, that eerie sensation would only intensify.

During the Nascent Soul stage, it had mattered little; after all, the Invincible Soul was still minute, and save for Lu Yang himself, no one could discern whom it resembled.

But a primordial spirit of the Soul Formation stage was an entirely different matter.

It was with this consideration that Yun Zhi had spoken up to restrain the Immortal Fairy from further aiding her junior brother.

Of course, continuous assistance did carry the genuine risk of gender alteration.

Compelled by the earnest teachings of his Eldest Senior Sister, Lu Yang had no choice but to abandon his retaliatory exploitation of the primordial spirit. Treating it with greater kindness, he commanded it to assist him in studying the cultivation methods.

With Lu Yang and his primordial spirit studying simultaneously, their efficiency instantly doubled.

So, too, did their exhaustion.

However, with the Mind-Restoring Pills at hand, a mere doubling of fatigue was of little consequence.

These were Mind-Restoring Pills crafted specifically for refreshing the consciousness, complete with pill patterns and pill clouds—the absolute pinnacle of their kind.

Lu Yang’s contributions to the Seeking Dao Sect were so vast that his mountain of contribution points seemed inexhaustible; he purchased these supreme pills by the pound, a display of sheer opulence.

Considering that the pills possessed a singular taste and that prolonged consumption could breed aversion, Lu Yang had arranged numerous small saucers before him, laden with bean paste, fermented bean curd, chili sauce, and chive blossom sauce... allowing him to indulge in whichever flavor he fancied.

Should he crave a dipping sauce not stored within his identity jade plaque, he would simply dispatch his primordial spirit to the commercial street to fetch some, a matter of supreme convenience.

Upon its return, however, the primordial spirit was barred at the entrance, denied entry on the grounds of carrying food.

Lu Yang descended the stairs to investigate, only to find his primordial spirit clutching a handful of grilled skewers—an item definitely not included in his orders.

Needless to say, someone from the Immortal Sect must have forced them upon the spirit in an effort to curry favor with him.

Lu Yang remained sequestered in the Library Pavilion throughout, taking only three periods of rest during the entire duration.

Even supreme Mind-Restoring Pills were no panacea; prolonged use would inevitably diminish their efficacy, forcing Lu Yang to halt his progress and rest upon a chair.

The primordial spirit was granted the fortune of resting alongside its master.

The Immortal Fairy, too, was uncharacteristically quiet within the mental space, granting Lu Yang a serene sanctuary for his slumber.

In the blink of an eye, a month and a half drifted by. The magnificent and varied principles of Soul Formation cultivation methods were now gathered within Lu Yang’s mind; from ancient techniques to the present day, he had become akin to a living treasury of martial scriptures.

Lu Yang spent another half-month dissecting these principles, attempting to align them with the Nascent Soul chapter of the "Scripture of Clear Mind and True Nature."

"The method can now be written!"

During these two months, Lu Yang felt as though he had been conversing with Soul Formation cultivators spanning thirty thousand years, debating the essence of cultivation and exploring the meaning of practice. The harvest was profound; his entire being was revitalized from the inside out, his speech and demeanor transformed from before.

Lu Yang wore a smile of confidence; indeed, the wisdom of the sages was not to be underestimated, offering him immense enlightenment.

The primordial spirit laid out the inkstone, paper, and brush, grinding the ink and presenting the implement. Lu Yang gripped the wolf-hair brush, his strokes guided as if by divine intervention, flowing in a single breath of pure exhilaration as the insights of the past two months fused seamlessly into the cultivation method.

"It is complete!"

"Your cultivation method must be entirely rewritten," Yun Zhi said, her voice cruel and detached.

"Ah?"

Seeing the sheer astonishment written across Lu Yang’s face, Yun Zhi sighed and explained, "Junior brother, it is well that you study the methods of others and absorb their strengths, but you have forgotten the unique nature of your own Soul Formation stage."

"The unique nature... my primordial spirit?"

"Indeed. The most critical aspect of a Soul Formation method is how it allows you to commune with heaven and earth."

"Your method includes mundane trials, experiencing the myriad facets of life, playing the zither by a stream, and the like. While these methods are useful, you possess a far better alternative."

"And what is that?"

"Are you aware that at the threshold of death, a cultivator’s perception amplifies boundlessly? Even mortals can perceive ghosts and spirits they could never see in life just before they perish, let alone a cultivator."

Lu Yang’s body gave a sudden shiver. "Are you telling me to maintain a near-death state?"

Yun Zhi shook her head. "That would be far too perilous. According to my observations, when your primordial spirit returns to your body, its sensations are synchronized with yours."

Lu Yang’s eyes lit up, grasping his sister’s meaning. "Eldest Senior Sister, do you mean to let my primordial spirit go and die in my stead?"

"Not to die, but to have your primordial spirit maintain a near-death state," Yun Zhi corrected, noting the distinction between the two.

Lu Yang nodded repeatedly; the sentiment was much the same.

"Shall we give it a try then?" Lu Yang said excitedly, summoning his primordial spirit and commanding it not to flee regardless of the danger it was about to face.

Yun Zhi offered a slight nod, signaling Lu Yang to step back, and struck a palm toward the primordial spirit remaining in place.

Had it not been for Lu Yang’s explicit command, the spirit would have fled far away long ago.

Before the jade-like hand could even touch the spirit, the entity grew instantly dim, as though enduring some titanic pressure, becoming exceedingly frail.

Seeing this, Yun Zhi halted her assault, gesturing for Lu Yang to recall his spirit.

Had she applied even a fraction more force, her junior brother’s primordial spirit would have shattered.

The moment the spirit returned, Lu Yang collapsed to his knees, panting heavily as he absorbed its sensations.

That single palm strike was terrifying beyond measure; even though he had cultivated to the Soul Formation stage, before that palm he remained like an ant before a mountain, the disparity too vast to be measured by any scale.

Lu Yang’s consciousness blurred; the world spun around him as his eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground, his gaze hollow.

At this precise moment, his perceptive faculties amplified boundlessly. He could hear the spiritual energy coursing through his meridians, feel the vibration of spiritual qi weaving through the leaves, and sense the solemn majesty of Heaven Gate Peak...

Even when listening to his Third Senior Sister play the zither, the sensation had never been this crystal clear.

Gradually regaining consciousness, Lu Yang realized this was the true communion with heaven and earth. If he underwent this a few more times, he would surely perceive the shifts of the world with even greater clarity.

Yun Zhi retrieved a single drop of water from her identity jade plaque, catching it upon a leaf, and fed it to Lu Yang.

The origin of the water was unknown, but upon consuming it, Lu Yang felt his mind clear considerably.

"How does it feel?"

"It works!" Lu Yang laughed.

A near-death state devoid of actual peril—how many Soul Formation cultivators would envy such a thing if word got out?

The sole drawback was that it could not be employed consecutively; his primordial spirit was severely wounded and required prolonged convalescence.

The strong would use any means to grow more powerful, and Lu Yang felt not a shred of pity for his primordial spirit.

"It is well that it works," Yun Zhi nodded, as expected. "You need to record this method within your cultivation text. In doing so..."

"My cultivation method will pass?"

"In doing so, only sixty percent of your cultivation method will remain in need of revision."

Lu Yang stood frozen in silence.

Was that not still a failing grade?