harleyscars Chapter 71 Phoenix Dances for Nine Days, Soul Undergoes Qualitative Change
Chapter 71 Phoenix Dances for Nine Days, Soul Undergoes Qualitative Change
Chapter 71 Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens, Soul Undergoes a Qualitative Change
"Young Master Xu, the Pavilion Master has been silent in the secret chamber for a day and a night. His formation is fully activated, and no sound or magical fluctuations can be detected. Chef Chen Ling also seems to be out of his room. I wonder if he is in the Pavilion Master's room."
Inside the room of the Vice Pavilion Master of Miaoyin Pavilion, Liu Jinjin spoke to Xu Shixian.
She had just finished entertaining Xu Shixian, and the smell on her hands hadn't completely washed off yet.
She received news within the sect that a female cultivator from the Myriad Sounds Pavilion was to marry a true disciple of the Jade Dragon Sect, and Zhao Tieshan had also hinted that Xu Shixian might not be a good match for Qin Chengcheng.
Therefore, she thought, if Qin Chengcheng couldn't do it, then it seemed that she could?
If I could curry favor with the Xu family, it would be far better than being a deputy pavilion master in this Miaoyin Pavilion and getting slapped in the face.
So, using her superb flute skills and suggestive hints, she pulled Xu Shixian into her boudoir.
Of course, she understood that she had to keep a man on tenterhooks; she couldn't let him have his fill all at once, otherwise she would lose her value.
So for this first time, she was simply showcasing her exquisite skills.
Even so, Xu Shixian still experienced the wonders of the female cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage of the Miaoyin Pavilion.
Xu Shixian wasn't interested in other women for the time being. He yawned and said wearily:
"It's alright, it's just normal seclusion. Chengcheng is very self-respecting and won't have anything happen between her and other male cultivators."
Besides, that man is just a cook, does he even deserve the title?
"Jin Jin, come here, massage my lower back with your hands. I need to take a nap."
As he spoke, Xu Shixian took out a bottle of pills from his storage bag, opened it, poured one into his hand, and swallowed it.
Liu Jinjin's nose twitched slightly, sensing that two of the main ingredients in the pill had the effect of replenishing essence and strengthening yang. She secretly scoffed, recalling in her mind the glimpse of Chef Chen's muscular arm that had been occasionally revealed when he chopped the bones of a demon beast.
She had a strange feeling. If it were Chef Chen, he certainly wouldn't be yawning, relying on tonics, needing a massage, or feeling sleepy at this moment.
Chen Yi sat cross-legged in the underground chamber, carefully taking stock of what he had gained from processing his divine sense, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Qin Chengcheng, who was still meditating.
After confirming that her spirit was stable and unharmed, he stood up, straightened his robes, and said in a solemn tone:
"Fairy Qin, there is only one month left before the deadline."
With my current cultivation level, I can at most condense eighteen divine sense needles.
To be honest, breaking through your four-layered nested Five Elements Divine Restriction is still beyond my capabilities.
He paused, his voice growing even lower:
"May I ask the fairy to reconsider?"
If you were to stake your life on my meager skills, failure would mean certain death.
If he were to accept the marriage alliance between his sect and the Jade Dragon Sect, he might live for another hundred years or so.
"No need for further explanation."
Now that things have come to this, I, Qin Chengcheng, have never regretted it.
Rather than eke out a hundred years of mere existence, becoming someone else's vessel, it's better to take a gamble.
If I succeed, my path to immortality will surely be smooth sailing.
Even if I fail, I will accept my fate. My life, Qin Chengcheng, may be short, but I will live it to the fullest, cleanly, and as I please!
What good would it do to live under a disgusting man for two hundred years? It would only taint my soul!
Her voice was clear and cold, yet undeniable, and as she spoke, her eyes shone with a resolute light.
Chen Yi did not try to persuade him further.
The two deactivated the lower formation and returned to their boudoir above.
Qin Chengcheng first activated the formation and went outside, seemingly noticing the fluctuations and spying coming from Liu Jinjin's courtyard next door.
She snorted coldly, and with a surge of magical power, she dispersed the spying from the other side.
Then he leisurely left the cave dwelling.
Taking advantage of this moment, Chen Yi used the Concealing Breath Technique and quietly used his physical techniques to leave without a sound.
In just a few breaths, Chen Yi returned to his small courtyard. He opened the cave's protective barrier and went inside.
Not long after, in Liu Jinjin's room.
"Young Master, Pavilion Master Qin has emerged from seclusion. At the same time, Chef Chen has also returned to her courtyard."
When Pavilion Master Qin emerged from seclusion, he blocked my view, so I couldn't confirm whether Chef Chen had come from Pavilion Master Qin's courtyard.
"Um?"
Xu Shixian frowned. "He's just a cook, only at the Qi Refining stage, with no background, no talent, and too old. He's no match for me in any way. He shouldn't have any problems with Chengcheng, right?"
Xu Shixian spoke somewhat uncertainly, then rubbed his lower back and yawned.
Seeing Xu Shixian's dark circles under his eyes, Liu Jinjin sighed inwardly, "This kid is a good-for-nothing, not worth discussing anything with."
Day two.
A lake leading to the sea, an island in the middle of the lake, a temporary cave dwelling.
"Master, someone brought this from the Myriad Sounds Pavilion. Please take a look. Ah—Junior Brother,"
Zhao Tieshan wore a pained expression.
Xu Tianyue took a picture of the commemorative stone presented by Zhao Tieshan and scanned it with his divine sense.
His brows furrowed instantly, and he let out a cold snort.
The photograph on the stone depicts Xu Shixian in Liu Jinjin's room, peeping at Qin Chengcheng's courtyard while being served by Liu Jinjin's delicate hands.
The conversation between the two regarding Qin Chengcheng's conspiracy, as well as the subsequent details of Xu Shixian's back pain, medication, and massage, are all clearly visible.
"That good-for-nothing! He's been set up and doesn't even realize it!"
Xu Tianyue was so angry that he wanted to smash the photographic stone to pieces.
"Did Liu Jinjin give you this?"
Xu Tianyue looked at Zhao Tieshan.
The latter shook his head, "No, it was secretly given to me by an ordinary female disciple of the Myriad Sounds Pavilion."
However, after my investigation, I found that the ordinary female disciple and Liu Jinjin were both from the same region and were considered "immortal seedlings".
Although the two did not openly interact at Miaoyin Pavilion, their private interactions were questionable.
Besides, since this recording stone was a private item in Liu Jinjin's room, how could it have been leaked without her consent?
"Hmph, what a cunning fox, so shrewd. Since she didn't give it to me herself..."
Even if something goes wrong with the photo stone, she can still completely absolve herself of any responsibility.
What does she want?
Xu Tianyue asked again.
Zhao Tieshan shook his head: "The female cultivator didn't make any requests when she brought her here."
"He's a smart person; it's hardest to deal with someone who doesn't make demands."
Let me think about this. You should call that traitor back first. With this recording stone in existence, it's impossible for that traitor to marry Qin Chengcheng.
Tieshan, what do you think of Qin Chengcheng? Would you be willing to sacrifice yourself for the sect and go through with this marriage?
Xu Tianyue stared intently at Zhao Tieshan. He didn't believe the events were such a coincidence. It was hard to say whether Zhao Tieshan had secretly orchestrated this.
"Master, I am loyal to the sect and only want to pursue the Dao. I have no romantic feelings for anyone."
Zhao Tieshan replied decisively.
Xu Tianyue stared at Zhao Tieshan's face for a long time before saying:
"First, he was loyal to his sect; later, he devoted himself to the pursuit of the Dao."
So, you're saying you're willing to do anything the sect needs?
"The sect nurtured and raised me, and my master taught me cultivation. As long as it is a request from my master and the sect, I will not shirk my duty."
Hmph, you say you have no ulterior motives? What a fine excuse for not refusing!
"Tieshan, how is your cultivation? What level have you reached in your Qinglong Sword Technique?" Xu Tianyue suddenly asked.
"Master, I am not far from the late Foundation Establishment stage. I have mastered the Qinglong Sword Technique to the third level, and I have the strength to fight against a late Foundation Establishment cultivator."
As Zhao Tieshan spoke, the aura of the Clear Dragon Sword appeared on his right palm, and the dragon's roar and sword cry unique to the third level of the sword technique could be clearly heard.
"Not bad, you've indeed grasped the basics of the Dragon's Roar Sword Intent."
Xu Tianyue nodded slightly, then fell into thought.
Zhao Tieshan then said:
"By the way, Master, I've recruited a strongman whose breath-concealing technique is quite good."
If the underwater cavern opens in a few years, and other elders from the sect come...
This person can be used as a test; if successful, the majority of the opportunities in the cave will be allocated by the master.
Zhao Tieshan didn't explain it clearly.
Just now, when he was demonstrating his true cultivation level to Xu Tianyue, he had already planned to tell him about Zhao Jingwu.
After all, if his cultivation had reached such a level, he couldn't have failed in his pursuit of Zhao Jingwu half a year ago.
Now, if I explain, it will be a good way to smooth things over, and it will even show that I am worried about my master.
Xu Tianyue was finally moved upon hearing this and nodded:
"Make preparations. Come with me to Miaoyinfang to propose marriage in a little over a month."
Zhao Jingwu clasped his hands in agreement.
"By the way, regardless of whether you were involved or not, I hope this matter ends here."
As a master, I don't want any brothers to stab me in the back. That rebellious son may be a bit incompetent, but he is, after all, the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in the third generation of my Xu family.
You'll have to take good care of him in the future.
"Your disciple obeys."
Zhao Tieshan clasped his hands in a fist again, cold sweat seeping from his back.
He had subtly hinted to Liu Jinjin that, given her talent and abilities, she was simply not a good match for Xu Shixian unless she could offer something else.
Unexpectedly, things went so smoothly and the results were so good.
However, in this way, although his master had no evidence, as a fake Core Formation cultivator, he could rely on intuition alone to figure out some things without needing evidence.
Besides, in the world of cultivation, strength is paramount; when has evidence ever been needed?
Another half month passed,
At the bottom of the lake, three miles away, Chen Yi absorbed another large fluctuation of divine consciousness.
The number of Divine Consciousness Needles was increased from eighteen to nineteen.
Even so, he still frowned.
Whether it's eighteen or nineteen, the difference is minimal; neither can perfectly resolve the restriction on Qin Chengcheng's sea of consciousness.
With his strength, he could only do his best to keep Qin Chengcheng alive, but he couldn't predict whether the result would be mental impairment, a decline in cultivation, loss of abilities, or other soul problems.
But at this point, this is the only way.
Ten days later, Chen Yi activated the formation of his cave dwelling and posted a message indicating that he was in seclusion and should not be disturbed.
Then they quietly arrived at Qin Chengcheng's cave.
Qin Chengcheng also posted a message indicating that she was in seclusion and should not be disturbed, and activated the cave's formation to its fullest extent.
Afterwards, the two of them sneaked into the underground from her room.
An even higher-level, near-third-order formation was activated underground.
On the jade bed,
The two sat cross-legged facing each other.
Qin Chengcheng looked a little nervous. She kept glancing at Chen Yi, but avoided making eye contact with him.
"Fairy? Are you feeling alright now?"
This time, our seclusion might be a matter of life and death for you. I have nineteen divine sense needles prepared on my side. The method to break the seal is the same as what we practiced before.
Dismantle the four layers of divine sense restrictions one by one.
The most difficult part is how to quickly untie the twenty-seven connection points in a short period of time and control the burst of divine soul power within the restriction so as not to damage your sea of consciousness.
Chen Yi once again explained his situation and what he was going to do to Qin Chengcheng.
"Fairy, you should know that my current spiritual sense is around the third level of Foundation Establishment, and I am still some distance away from the middle level of Foundation Establishment. During the process, there is a possibility that my spiritual sense will run out, and at that time, no one will be able to save you."
Qin Chengcheng nodded, indicating that she understood.
"In that case, fairy, please take that Soul Protection Pill to add a layer of protection to your soul."
"No rush." Qin Chengcheng remained unmoved, her gaze fixed on Chen Yi.
"?"
Chen Yi gave a puzzled look.
"Chen Yi, how many years have we known each other?"
"It's only been five or six years, what's wrong, fairy?"
"These past few years have felt so long," Qin Chengcheng suddenly sighed, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
"Chen Yi, can you regain your original appearance?"
Qin Chengcheng looked at Chen Yi's sallow face, which was wrinkled and aged in his forties, and suddenly spoke.
"Huh? This has an impact too?"
To maintain a low profile, Chen Yi's appearance is always adjusted and disguised.
"Yes, it affects my mood and also my mental state."
"All right,"
A faint humming sound emanated from Chen Yi's bones and orifices, and his facial muscles twitched like flowing water.
First, her brow bone slightly raised, and her sallow complexion, which had been disguised, revealed a faint golden luster beneath her pale bronze skin.
Then, the cheekbone line narrowed, the wrinkles at the corners of the eyes receded like the tide, and the cloudy eyes revealed a vitality as clear as cold water and green wood.
Ultimately, the image was fixed as that of a young man in his early twenties:
Her face was as serene as autumn water, and her skin had a warm, pale copper sheen.
His nose bridge was high and straight with soft lines, his left pupil had a hint of ice blue, and his right eye contained the vitality of green wood, calm and undisturbed.
Her thin lips were slightly upturned, revealing composure, and her chin was as smooth and warm as jade.
A hint of mountain dew lingered between his brows, exuding a serene and tranquil air.
Qin Chengcheng was completely stunned.
It was always others who praised and complimented her appearance and demeanor.
Today was the first time in her life that she genuinely felt comfortable with a man's appearance.
She raised her hand, as if to touch Chen Yi's face to confirm its authenticity, her red lips parted slightly, and she murmured:
"This is exactly the kind of man he should be."
"What?"
"It's nothing. Chen Yi, actually I've always had an ability to improve the quality of the soul, but I haven't told you before."
Now it's a matter of life and death, and that person is you.
So I decided to leave no regrets.
"Huh? What is the fairy saying?" Chen Yi vaguely sensed that something was about to happen.
"Didn't you ask me before why I set up an array to block sound waves? You'll find out in a moment."
Come, enter my soul.
Qin Chengcheng wrapped her arms around Chen Yi's neck, then lay down on the jade bed, pressing Chen Yi's forehead against hers.
then,
Chen Yi then felt a suction force, and his divine sense entered Qin Chengcheng's soul.
Although he was very familiar with the situation, this time, he was on the defensive.
Qin Chengcheng's divine soul had been fully opened; the somewhat blurry mist that had appeared during her previous two entries was now incredibly clear.
Guided by Qin Chengcheng, Chen Yi's divine sense gradually entered the depths of her soul.
The mist dispersed like a light veil, revealing her purest divine form—a stunningly beautiful fairy dressed in flowing robes, sitting cross-legged on a jade platform in the center of her sea of consciousness.
Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting. Her slender hands gently caressed the Jiao Wei Qin (a type of zither) on her lap. Faint golden-red spiritual patterns flowed across the body of the zither, resonating with her divine soul aura.
"The flower-lined path is never there, nor is the humble gate."
She parted her lips slightly, her voice like a clear spring tinkling on jade, carrying a hint of shyness and anticipation.
With a light lift of her foot, she kicked the piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood containing her master's divine thoughts out of her sea of consciousness, her movement elegant yet resolute.
As she rose, her feathered robes fluttered, and she gave Chen Yi a graceful bow, her eyes sparkling with captivating charm.
"Chen Lang, please savor my song 'Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens,' and I hope you will appreciate it."
As her divine sense stirred, the patterns on the zither arose. An indescribable divine sense, like ripples on water, transformed into the most beautiful musical notes, resonating within Qin Chengcheng's soul.
Countless sound waves, generated by Qin Chengcheng's virgin divine sense, swirled around Chen Yi, enveloping his soul.
When Chen Yi's soul was touched by the sound waves, he immediately felt a pure and special power, like a spring breeze sweeping across an icy plain, causing his entire soul to tremble.
Subsequently, under the influence of the divine zither music, Qin Chengcheng's original divine soul gradually became ethereal, transforming into a celestial phoenix, its clear cry resounding throughout her sea of consciousness.
The divine phoenix spread its wings, scattering golden light that converged into a rainbow bridge, resonating with Chen Yi's divine sense.
Gradually, under the influence of Rainbow Bridge and the inspiration of Phoenix Cry,
Chen Yi's soul gradually revealed its true form—a section of green sapling and a drop of icy water.
The moment the rainbow bridge touched the greenwood sapling, Chen Yi felt an indescribable sensation welling up from the depths of his soul, as if parched land had suddenly received sweet rain, and every inch of his soul power was cheering with joy.
Suddenly, the divine phoenix let out a high-pitched cry, dancing high in the heavens. Countless divine lights followed the phoenix's cry, transforming into divine power that touched Chen Yi's green sapling and icy water droplets, before bursting forth with the brilliance of its phoenix feathers.
Their divine senses gradually merged, completing hundreds of verifications at the level of divine consciousness.
In an instant, Chen Yi's soul was enlightened, and countless insights surged forth like a tide:
The wood-elemental divine consciousness grew wildly under the nourishment of the Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens divine sound. Flower buds appeared at the top of the seedlings at a speed visible to the naked eye, and pure divine essence was nurtured inside.
The ice-elemental divine sense was as if purified, with an ice core condensing at the center of the water droplet. The chill became even purer, and it even faintly revealed a golden luster.
Qin Chengcheng's divine phoenix body also underwent changes. Some of her wings were tinged with emerald green, brimming with vitality; others were covered with icy blue patterns, exuding a restrained chill.
With their divine senses connected by the rainbow bridge, the two exchanged soul power countless times. This process elevated their souls, making their perception of the Great Dao clearer and more acute.
Chen Yi felt his divine sense and consciousness being infinitely elevated, as if he were looking down upon the laws of heaven and earth, and his comprehension of the "Refining God Technique" was skyrocketing:
What was once an obscure point of view has now become clear.
The efficiency of his divine sense was several times smoother than before.
Qin Chengcheng was also immersed in this ultimate spiritual exchange. Her divine phoenix body trembled slightly, and the light on her wings flickered, clearly indicating that she had reached her limit.
Finally, she let out a clear, long sigh, and slowly faded away, transforming back into the form of the woman in the red dress.
She opened her eyes, looking at Chen Yi with a mixture of shyness and timidity. Her eyes were dreamy, and her face was smiling. Her appearance and temperament were unparalleled in heaven and earth.
Chen Yi's green sapling and ice-heart water droplet gradually disappeared, transforming into a serene and handsome young man.
His gaze was like water, and the figure that his soul transformed into was much clearer than before, with even the details of the clothes and the pores of the skin clearly discernible.
Chen Yi was startled, realizing that this was the effect of a qualitative change in the quality of his soul.
When Chen Yi turned his attention back to his physical consciousness, he was surprised to find that the purity of his spiritual power had doubled.
Within the ancestral aperture, the icy water droplet was now radiating cold energy, its center having solidified into ice.
Inside the Niwan Palace, the green sprout grew three feet tall, its tip forming a flower bud that appeared both real and unreal, with what seemed like a fruit being conceived inside.
The divine consciousness, which was originally misty, is now solid as silk and can be controlled as easily as an arm.
Qin Chengcheng also gained a lot; her soul strength was approaching the peak of Foundation Establishment, and she even faintly touched the threshold of the third stage!
"So this is the Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens. The first time our souls intersected, it could so greatly enhance the purity of our soul power."
Chen Yi's mind trembled slightly, as if he had suddenly glimpsed a profound and mysterious truth about the universe—
The purity of the soul is like the essence of magical power; both are the foundation of the Great Dao!
Even the soul is more important than magical power.
He recalled those cultivators with celestial spiritual roots who practiced superior techniques. Their magical power was as clear as glass with every move they made. Even a wisp of spiritual power at the early stage of Qi Refining could crush the magical power of ordinary cultivators at the middle and late stages of Qi Refining.
And today, his soul has also entered this realm!
—A pure heart and a vibrant spirit, a tree in full bloom!
Chen Yi looked inward at himself. In his ancestral aperture, the originally clear drop of water had now transformed into a crystal-clear ice crystal, its chilling aura seemingly capable of freezing all distracting thoughts.
Inside the Niwan Palace, flower buds quietly bloomed atop the emerald green seedlings, and strands of divine thoughts, as pure as morning dew, contained vitality and spirituality far exceeding those of others of the same level.
It should be understood that even if an ordinary cultivator has successfully established their foundation, their divine sense is nothing more than chaotic mist.
As early as the Qi Refining stage, thanks to the "Refining God Technique" and the system, his divine sense transformed into the dual attributes of water and wood—this kind of talent is comparable to the innate endowment of a genius with earth spiritual roots!
But now...
After the divine communion with Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens, his soul underwent another qualitative change!
The ice grew ever more frigid and pure;
The wood becomes increasingly vibrant and dynamic.
Such a transformation is beyond the reach of ordinary spiritual root cultivators. Even among the geniuses of those Core Formation sects, it would probably be a sight seen only once in a hundred years!
However, a sliver of clarity remained in Chen Yi's mind—
His powerful spirit ultimately relied on external opportunities: the spirituality of the Soul-Nourishing Wood, the gift of the lake-bottom array, and Qin Chengcheng's Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens...
Without these strokes of good fortune, he would have been nothing more than a rogue cultivator with a little talent.
Thinking of this, his gaze sharpened slightly, and he suppressed his smugness.
Qin Chengcheng, one of the few fairies in Miaoyin Pavilion in hundreds of years to have mastered "Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens," should have had her first opportunity for spiritual communion reserved for the direct disciples of the Core Formation Ancestors or the chosen sons of the royal family.
But now, this very opportunity for her first spiritual connection has, by a twist of fate, been seized by Chen Yi.
This is an opportunity that is extremely rare, perhaps only once in a thousand years, for ordinary independent cultivators.
Chen Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
He knew that although the spiritual transformation brought about by the divine communion of Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens was precious, it was like a fleeting moment, something that could only be encountered once in a lifetime.
The current spiritual realm of "Ice Heart Condensation and Green Wood Blossoms" seems to far surpass that of others of the same level. However, if there are not enough rare and precious materials to nourish it, or if there is a lack of more profound methods of refining the spirit, this advantage will eventually be gradually worn away as the cultivation level increases.
The path to immortality is long and arduous. The true foundation ultimately depends on steady, step-by-step cultivation.
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(End of this chapter)