Chapter 837
Stargazing
"This is……"
Xu Miaoyin and Zhuang Yuechan both widened their eyes. They were naturally familiar with the golden willow branch in front of them, but they were puzzled as to why it was on Xu Miaoyin's shoulder, and why they hadn't noticed it before.
"Such vigorous vitality!" Song Changsheng couldn't help but exclaim.
At the broken end of the willow branch, a drop of crystal-clear sap hangs, containing a powerful vitality.
He took the willow branch and slashed it across the surrounding space. The supple willow branch instantly transformed into the sharpest blade, tearing a foot-long gash in the space like a curtain, through which one could vaguely see fireflies-like iridescent light.
After tens of thousands of years of dedicated cultivation, Liu Zu's mastery of the [Way of Space] and [Way of Life] has reached an extremely terrifying level, far surpassing that of human cultivators of the same realm. This is its innate talent.
"How could Liu Zu's branch appear on Yin'er's body?" Zhuang Yuechan frowned.
A glint of light flashed in Song Changsheng's eyes as he said, "This is a gift, and also a mark."
"Leave a trace?" Both of them were puzzled.
"That's right, just as you guessed. When Yin'er listened to her mentor's lecture, she was in a state of enlightenment and glimpsed the magical artifact contained in her sea of consciousness."
Her cultivation was insufficient, and she came into contact with the magical artifact prematurely. Her mental strength was difficult to maintain, and her mind was overwhelmed. Fortunately, Ancestor Liu intervened in time to awaken her; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"And this is proof and witness to his intervention, perhaps also a gift and compensation to Yin'er," Song Changsheng said with certainty.
"I can understand the proof and witness of taking action, but what about the second half of the sentence?"
"This is not the first or second time that Yin'er has heard the Dao. She has entered a state of enlightenment before. Even when fighting on the battlefield, the magic artifact in her mind never made any move. But since arriving at the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty, this is the second time."
The first time was because of the national treasure artifact, the "Scroll of Mountains and Rivers." I judged that it was most likely due to the mutual attraction of spiritual energy between high-level artifacts.
"This time, it's probably because the Daoist aura emanating from Liu Zu affected Yin'er, which is why he bestowed such a generous gift after making his move," Song Changsheng said, carefully examining the branch in his hand.
He wasn't just making baseless speculations. The magical artifact in Xu Miaoyin's sea of consciousness was of extremely high quality, and ordinary things couldn't attract its attention at all. It had been in Xia Wanyun's sea of consciousness for over a hundred years without revealing a single clue.
He only revealed himself when Xia Wanyun faced a life-threatening situation.
The same is true in Xu Miaoyin's sea of consciousness now. In the past few decades, apart from when Song Changsheng forcibly opened Xu Miaoyin's sea of consciousness, there have only been two unusual events in the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty, which involved Dao artifacts and Liu Zu, who was at the fifth level.
The concept of "Tao and Qi" is easy to understand; it's the same principle as "like attracts like."
Liu Zu, on the other hand, seemed very out of place.
After all, there were quite a few True Monarch level experts attending this Five Academies Grand Competition, at least double digits. They often came into close contact with True Monarch Dragon Elephant without any abnormalities. The only exception was with Ancestor Liu.
"Perhaps Liu Zu knows something?" Song Changsheng thought to himself.
"In that case, what should we do with this willow twig?"
"This willow twig is no less valuable than the essence of the demon lord."
It contains a rich essence of life; once extracted, it is said that it can revive the dead and heal the bones, even for those below the True Monarch realm.
Furthermore, this willow tree is three feet long, making it perfectly suitable as the main material to forge an offensive magic weapon imbued with the Dao of Space. Its power would far surpass my Void Bell, and it has immense potential for growth. In the future, it will at least become a Law-based spiritual treasure, achieving a level of accomplishment no less than your Jade Cleansing Sword.
If Yin'er could possess such a magical artifact, she would have no worries for the rest of her life.
Song Changsheng was able to sever space with a casual wave of his hand just now. If it were refined into a magic weapon, its power would definitely be multiplied.
"Besides what you've mentioned, this thing should have other uses, such as... planting?"
As the saying goes, "You may plant flowers with care, but they may not bloom; you may plant willows without intention, and they may thrive."
Willow trees are known throughout the cultivation world for their exceptional resilience. They don't need seeds; simply sticking a branch into the soil will almost certainly allow it to grow.
Even though he has reached the level of Liu Zu, this principle still applies. Moreover, this branch has a very strong vitality and is fully capable of surviving. It will have a very high starting point and its value is immeasurable.
Of course, the cost required for this is also infinitely large.
To be honest, there is no superior or inferior distinction among these three uses. After all, the materials are top-notch, so they won't be bad no matter how they are used. It's just that each use focuses on a different aspect.
"This was given to Yin'er by Liu Zu. As for how to use it, it is up to Yin'er."
Actually, I still prefer the first two options. Whether it's extracting the "essence of life" to refine into a life-saving elixir or refining it into a magical artifact, it will have unimaginable benefits for Yin'er's future growth.
"Even fledglings need to venture out and see the world when they grow up. If they had life-saving elixirs or powerful magical artifacts by their side, wouldn't we feel more at ease?"
After saying that, Song Changsheng handed the willow branch in his hand to Xu Miaoyin.
“That’s true, we should let Yin’er decide for herself.” Zhuang Yuechan nodded in agreement.
They are all people with great opportunities, and they wouldn't be so greedy as to covet their adopted daughter's opportunities.
Xu Miaoyin looked at the willow branch emitting a fluorescent glow in her hand, pondered for a moment, and then solemnly said, "Whether it is refined into a spiritual pill or a magic weapon, in the end only my daughter will benefit. But if it is cultivated into a towering tree, the entire family will benefit."
"Over the years, Miaoyin has grown up under the protection of the family, never lacking care or resources. For over twenty years, she has toiled without ever giving back. Now that such an opportunity has presented itself, I am willing to dedicate it to the family, benefiting all its members."
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng was somewhat surprised, but quickly understood.
Just like most parents in this world, Song Changsheng subconsciously always felt that Xu Miaoyin was still an ignorant, innocent and cute little child, but in reality she was already an adult in her twenties.
He didn't say much, but simply pushed the willow branch she offered back, saying, "You can hand it over to the family elders yourself when you get back."
"Yes, ma'am." Xu Miaoyin quickly agreed. At this moment, she felt that she had become a real adult in Song Changsheng's eyes.
"Yin'er's body is still a bit weak, and she needs to be properly nourished during this period. Next, I need to meet with several True Lords. After that, we will most likely leave the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty. Before that, we must conserve our energy."
"After leaving the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty, shouldn't we still go to the Array Dao Academy?" "With Senior He's instructions in mind, we still need to go to the Array Dao Academy. If I have the chance, I would even like to go to the Vajra Temple as well."
"Because of that Buddhist scripture?" Zhuang Yuechan instantly understood his meaning, then hesitated for a moment and said, "Although Vajra Temple is the head of Buddhism, there are many Buddhist temples in the world, but most of them are secluded. That Buddhist scripture may not have come from Vajra Temple, right?"
“You’re right, but all Buddhist teachings in the world originate from the same source. Perhaps we can get some hints from the eminent monks of Vajra Temple.”
Song Changsheng always felt that the Buddhist scripture Su Ding left him still had a lot of untapped potential. His mind was too cluttered and too heavy, making it impossible for him to deeply understand Buddhism. He could only find another way.
"If we have this opportunity, it would be excellent. That Buddhist scripture is extraordinary. Even if we don't need it, we can still gain some good karma by giving it to the Vajra Temple."
Which True Lord do you intend to visit first?
"After all, we are in the territory of the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty. Let's go and pay our respects to the Grand Preceptor first. When we left the Treasure Land, the First Prince specially sent a message."
"It is said that the Grand Master is well-versed in the arts of celestial secrets, so you must be careful in dealing with him," Zhuang Yuechan said, extending her jade-like hand to straighten his clothes.
"Rest assured, my wife."
After leaving the courtyard, Song Changsheng found an official stationed in the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty and asked him to take him to pay respects to the Grand Preceptor.
"This junior, Song Changsheng of the Song family, has come to pay respects to the Grand Preceptor."
"I have been waiting for you for a long time, young friend. Please come in for a chat."
The old national advisor's voice was ethereal and had a completely different quality from that of the Moon Reflection True Lord.
Upon entering, the hall was shrouded in mist, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance lingered in the air.
A young cultivator dressed in plain robes stepped out and bowed respectfully, asking, "Is it Master Zixu in person?"
"Exactly."
"I have come on the orders of my master to guide the immortal. Please."
Song Changsheng followed behind the young cultivator, passing through several doors until they finally entered a palace chamber deep within the palace. The door was open, but the inside was pitch black, and the scene inside could not be seen. Only a small path paved with green jade extended inward.
"The Imperial Preceptor and the Spiritual Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion are currently viewing the star charts. Please make yourselves at home, but please remember to keep your voices down," the young cultivator said respectfully.
"The Spirit Master is here too?"
Song Changsheng instantly felt that he had come at the wrong time. Among the True Lords, these two were undoubtedly the most difficult to deal with. After all, they were both proficient in the art of heavenly secrets, and communicating with them really made him feel somewhat unsafe.
One person would require him to concentrate all his energy, but now two have come together.
Unfortunately, the die was cast, and he had no choice but to go. Having come this far, he couldn't back down any longer. He thanked the young cultivator who was leading the way, and then gritted his teeth and went inside.
As soon as he stepped inside, the pitch-black space around him suddenly brightened, and patches of light of varying brightness appeared above his head, like a brilliant galaxy suspended in the air, collectively operating according to some special law.
"This is... the star map?" Song Changsheng was in the middle of it, as if he were in the vast universe. Looking at the galaxy stretching into the distance, seemingly without end, a look of shock flashed in his eyes.
The Purple Imperial Realm is much larger than Blue Star in his previous life. Sometimes he even suspects that the Purple Imperial Realm is not a planet as traditionally understood, but a vast continent.
Under such circumstances, he couldn't be sure what those stars he looked up at in the night sky actually were.
However, it is certain that the number of stars that can be directly seen with the naked eye in the Purple Imperial Realm is an extremely large number. A star map that can be used for divination and star observation needs to record at least millions of stars.
The more stars recorded, the more accurate the stargazing will be, and the greater the scope for its application.
Although Song Changsheng didn't know how they could discern things from these regularly moving stars, such a miraculous method truly existed in this world.
All he knew was that this method was extremely ancient and mysterious, and even the "Creation Classic," which compiled the strengths of many schools of thought, had few related records.
The origins are said to be traced back to the time of creation, and even now, very few people are able to cultivate the art of star observation; all of them are awe-inspiring masters of supernatural powers.
This is also the main reason why the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is so awe-inspiring.
Following the direction of the Milky Way, Song Changsheng walked slowly forward and soon saw two towering figures standing in the center of the Milky Way. The sun and moon hung high in the sky, making their figures look like two giants who could pluck stars and scoop up the moon.
He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Junior Song Changsheng greets the Grand Preceptor and the Spiritual Master."
Lingji Zhenjun turned around and laughed heartily, saying, "It seems my trip has not been in vain, young friend, you have indeed arrived as scheduled."
Song Changsheng was startled; he had never said when he would come to visit.
From this perspective, the appearance of Lingji Zhenjun was not a coincidence; he had anticipated that Lingji Zhenjun would come to visit today.
"The divination skills of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion are indeed well-deserved. I only vaguely predicted that young friend Song might come to visit today, but you were able to pinpoint the exact time." The old Grand Preceptor flicked his whisk, then looked at Song Changsheng with a kind smile and said, "We two were itching to spar and had a private exchange. There was no ill intent on our part."
Please, young friend, don't take offense at the words of us two old men.
Suppressing his shock, Song Changsheng quickly waved his hand and said, "Grand Preceptor, you flatter me. It's alright."
"Haha, young friend, you are indeed a magnanimous person. It is said that you are very knowledgeable and love reading. What do you think of this star chart, Grand Preceptor?" Lingji Zhenjun asked with a smile, pointing to the star chart in the sky.
Song Changsheng smiled slightly and said modestly, "My meager knowledge is insignificant in front of the two True Lords, and I know nothing about the art of star observation. How could I be qualified to judge the National Preceptor's star chart?"
"It's alright, it's just a casual chat anyway, feel free to speak your mind. This star chart has many flaws, and it was already thoroughly criticized by Fellow Daoist Lingji before you arrived." The old Grand Preceptor chuckled self-deprecatingly, showing no sense of distance between himself as a True Monarch and the Grand Preceptor of a dynasty.
“Indeed, only through criticism can we improve. Young friend, you can try to share your thoughts, so that he doesn’t think I’m deliberately belittling him,” Lingji Zhenjun said, glancing sideways at the old national advisor.
Having said that, Song Changsheng no longer held back and cupped his hands, saying, "Since that's the case, then this junior will make a fool of himself with some shallow and clumsy opinions, hoping that the Imperial Preceptor and the True Lord will correct them."
...(End of chapter)