The next day, early morning.
In Tianwu Dao City, at the Xuanjia Dao Soldier Camp, storeroom.
Chu Weiyang and Qinghe were walking side by side, each holding a willow wood ghost talisman in their hands. At this moment, Qinghe seemed particularly interested in playing with it. The jade talisman was engraved with the commonly seen Xuan family cloud patterns, but its meaning was unique to the Li Hen Palace. The subtle changes in the inscriptions were quite intriguing to Qinghe, who was also a direct disciple of a major sect.
Chu Weiyang, on the other hand, was observing with a more profound and purposeful gaze. His thick spiritual power was slowly refining the restrictions inscribed on the willow wood ghost talisman, allowing him to carefully sense the weight of the true spirit of the soul at the Foundation Establishment realm.
This step was crucial; only by truly grasping the weight of such a true spirit could Chu Weiyang determine how to refine the true spirit within the talisman using the Tongyou Round Mirror, and at what pace. Whether it was fast or slow was significant, as it indicated when he would be able to comprehend more of the Sword Intent of the Xia Shi Sword.
Even now, Chu Weiyang was refining swords as if performing demonic arts, with the changes of the four seasons flowing within the torrent of souls, all being tempered in the furnace of the five viscera. Once the six orthodox Sword Intents of the Xia Shi Sword evolved to perfection, perhaps Chu Weiyang could break free from the shackles of time and step into the realm of the Qiu Shi Sword ahead of schedule.
The sudden arrival of the beast tide was a tremendous opportunity. The thick, almost suffocating smell of blood in the Dao City indicated that Chu Weiyang had enough chance to obtain more blood and flesh essence from this calamity, refining more precious medicines. A certain shortcut to advancing his cultivation was guiding Chu Weiyang's direction.
He was eagerly hoping to grasp the Sword Intent of the Four Seasons as soon as possible.
An instinct deep within told Chu Weiyang that perhaps when the twenty-four orthodox Sword Intents circulated endlessly, and the four seasons transformed and harmonized, the Sword Intent's refinement of the killing qi would truly undergo a metamorphosis, ascending to a higher level.
At that time, perhaps he would be able to truly control the dispersing killing qi within his body on the path of life and death!
The more hope he placed, the more urgent Chu Weiyang felt in his heart.
At the same time, Chu Weiyang also began to sense the weight of the true spirit of the Foundation Establishment realm within the willow wood ghost talisman. Indeed, it was the true spirit of a soul that had ascended to a higher realm. Even with a layer of restrictions in between, Chu Weiyang still felt a certain overwhelming aura approaching him.
It was just like the first time he faced the tentacle of a Foundation Establishment realm demon beast.
However, unlike before, it took Chu Weiyang a long time to fully adapt to the precious medicine refined from the flesh of the demon beast. But now, facing the true spirit of the soul, he was only slightly astonished before quickly adapting. He even continued to explore and sense while walking towards the city wall with Qinghe, casually reaching out to take the willow wood ghost talisman she handed him.
It was not that Chu Weiyang's soul and mind were more profound and powerful than his qi and blood. In fact, it was because of the restriction on the other end of the talisman, Chunyu Zhi, that Chu Weiyang had already adapted to the sensations of contacting a true spirit of a higher realm.
He had delved into Chunyu Zhi's memories and practiced the mystical arts of Tingchang Mountain more than once, using that restriction chain as a source.
This comparison gave Chu Weiyang more confidence. If the refinement went smoothly, perhaps soon he would glimpse a higher realm within the sword path.
As he thought this, the heavy city walls of Tianwu Dao City appeared before Chu Weiyang.
It was time to guard the camp and heal from injuries as per the talisman decree.
As Chu Weiyang and Qinghe, along with groups of cultivators gradually gathering from all around, ascended the city wall, a number of cultivators, surrounded by a thick smell of blood, emerged from the heavy mist atop the city.
A day had passed since the calamity struck. Perhaps due to the intensified battles, or perhaps because they had witnessed more life and death, the expressions of the people passing by were solemn, with few smiles to be seen.
Perhaps it was this solemnity that made the path to the city wall increasingly silent. Chu Weiyang wore a cold expression, his head slightly lowered, allowing him to hear the rare conversations and chatter within the crowd.
"I heard Zhang Du has entered the outer sea and hasn't returned for half a day?"
"Lin Daoyou, did you see him come back just now?"
The two spoke as if no one else was around, drawing the attention of others, and they didn't care, even becoming somewhat boisterous. Initially, their voices were low, but eventually, they spoke freely.
Chu Weiyang turned to look in their direction.
With just one glance, he understood. One of them wore the robe of the Shenxiao Sect, while the other wore the robe of the Danhe Valley.
It was precisely this kind of holy land sect that gave them the confidence to speak so boldly.
At this moment, the Shenxiao Sect cultivator shook his sleeve robe, feigning nonchalance as he swept his gaze over the astonished crowd. Just as he was about to continue speaking, a sudden sound of breaking air whistled past from the city wall.
The thick mist and vapor seemed to be wiped away by an invisible hand, revealing dazzling spiritual light that almost swept away the darkness of the sky.
In an instant, Chu Weiyang hurriedly closed his eyes.
Immediately after, the sound of the Five-Color Dragon's roar echoed like continuous thunder in everyone's ears!
In just a few breaths, the intense momentum made one feel as if a long time had passed.
Until the sound of breaking air faded away, and the roar of the Five-Color Dragon completely disappeared from everyone's ears.
Only then did Chu Weiyang blink his dry eyes, slightly adapting before looking back at the two who were still discussing passionately.
Unbeknownst to him, the Shenxiao Sect cultivator had lost the earlier arrogance of pointing out the world and was now half-bowed, looking no different from an ordinary person.
Half a day later, Chu Weiyang and Qinghe returned to their courtyard, dragging a body reeking of blood.
The first thing they did upon entering the room was to pinch the jade talisman in their hands, checking the records and looking for any new materials that had been documented.
However, considering it was only the second day since the beast tide began, there were hardly any new materials recorded.
After flipping through for a long time, Chu Weiyang and Qinghe chose to exchange for more willow wood ghost talismans from the Jing'an Dao City.
As the beast tide intensified day by day, today's harvest was even greater than yesterday's. They gathered the remaining records from yesterday and exchanged for three willow wood ghost talismans in total.
It seemed that apart from the Li Hen Palace, there were very few sects involved with ghostly arts in the Yuan Gate. After a day had passed, it appeared that the willow wood ghost talismans were still in ample supply.
Separated by thousands of miles, Chu Weiyang sincerely hoped that this unseen cultivator from the Li Hen Palace could, like Zhang Du from Tianwu Dao City, have the potential to stand out during the beast tide, supported by a remarkable foundation.
Chu Weiyang had no other thoughts; he only hoped that this person could achieve abundant gains every day, ensuring that the willow wood ghost talismans remained in constant supply.
While he was still pondering these matters, Qinghe had already put down the jade talisman and walked towards the side room. The summer heat was already overwhelming, and the beast tide had brought with it a thick mist of water vapor, lingering in the Dao City and refusing to dissipate. After the initial chill, the vapor mixed with heat quickly turned the battleground atop the city into a steamer, and coupled with the rich smell of blood, it made her urgently need a bath.
In a few breaths, accompanied by the opening and closing of the door, the room fell back into silence and tranquility.
Chu Weiyang first took out the Shanhe Gui from his sleeve, glancing at the degree of refinement of the precious medicine within.
After a day and night of fire, half of the vermilion fruit tuber had been refined, and after several rounds of incorporating the flesh of ordinary demon beasts, the spiritual light within the water and fire now appeared increasingly rich and harmonious.
Thus, Chu Weiyang suspended the Shanhe Gui in mid-air, no longer looking at it. With a flip of his hand, he grasped the previously obtained willow wood ghost talisman in his palm, and with another flip, he lifted the Tongyou Round Mirror.
Upon careful inspection, the willow wood talisman displayed a dim spiritual light swirling around it; soon after, as Chu Weiyang's spiritual power surged within his palm, the restriction's spiritual light interwoven on the talisman began to change.
It was as if a heavy curtain had been lifted slightly, revealing the eerie essence within.
In an instant, a wisp of darkness enveloped the room, dissipating some of the summer restlessness.
Immediately after, a sound resembling a fierce beast's howl echoed ominously in the air.
From the gap revealed by the restriction's spiritual light, wisps of gray smoke gradually began to dissipate at an extremely slow pace.
In a flash, Chu Weiyang no longer hesitated. He shone the Tongyou Round Mirror onto the willow wood ghost talisman, and in the moment the spiritual light swirled, Chu Weiyang's face leaned closer to the back of the Tongyou Round Mirror, taking a deep breath.
In that moment.
A vast torrent surged into his mind, accompanied by a beast-like ferocity, as chaotic fragments of memories tumbled into his dantian, igniting with the flames of the stove, revealing the familiar yet strange entirety of one summer.
Summoning stars and invoking spirits with the cup and plate, the mountain charm feasts on the cold of humanity.
In the low-lying bay of the Zhen Nan sun, the divine essence lingers in the void.