Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 422 - 377
"God’s Loathful Remnants, countless divine corpses piled together, not only giving birth to a sacred cultivation land like the Valley of Deceased Gods but also spawning a bizarre existence capable of killing those in the Dao Body Realm. These God’s Loathful Remnants wander the Valley of Deceased Gods, and a mere brush against them could assail and destroy the soul of anyone less than a Primordial Spirit True Honor, even those in the Dao Body Realm, leading them to an untimely death. Therefore, despite its miraculous effects, entry to the Valley of Deceased Gods has always been strictly controlled. Moreover, this place only opens once every three hundred years, and each opening period lasts for one year. Each Primordial Spirit True Honor only has one spot, which is generally reserved for disciples who have been stuck at a bottleneck for a long time, nearing the end of their lifespan, to take a chance in there."
Speaking slowly, Dongfang Qing explained the origins of the Valley of Deceased Gods and the mysteries of this forbidden land. He then glanced at Qi Xiu and said, "However, this time, I’d like you to give it a try."
"Me?"
Toying with the golden jade orb in his hand, after listening to Dongfang Qing’s description of the Valley of Deceased Gods, Qi Xiu felt curious about this divinely marvelous forbidden land.
But he didn’t quite understand why such a great opportunity was given to him rather than to those senior martial brothers who were at the end of their lifespan and unable to break through. After all, he still had three thousand years of life. Even if it meant enduring hardships bit by bit, he thought he could still break through to the Dao Body Realm. Giving himself this opportunity seemed somewhat wasteful.
"Thinking that because you’re young and have an abundant lifespan, you don’t need this opportunity?" Seeing through Qi Xiu’s thoughts at a glance, Dongfang Qing chuckled lightly. His next words, however, made Qi Xiu’s face turn serious. "What if I told you that if you don’t enter the Valley of Deceased Gods, you’ll be trapped at the Blood-Stained Realm for life, unable to advance even half a step further?"
Looking at Dongfang Qing’s enigmatic expression, Qi Xiu could feel that the Sect Master was not joking.
The Valley of Deceased Gods indeed seemed like a place he must enter.
"You are a branch disciple and do not practice our sect’s ’Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder Commanding Scripture.’ The True Scripture Volume you are cultivating is lofty in ambition, striving to grasp the root of myriad paths and to master the source of all methods. Cultivating such an extensive True Scripture Volume must have been very arduous for you along the way."
As a Primordial Spirit Boss, Dongfang Qing had never asked Qi Xiu exactly which True Scripture Volume he was cultivating, but he could discern some clues from Qi Xiu’s previous performance and cultivation aura.
"More than just arduous..." Qi Xiu showed a wry smile and spread his hands.
The might of "The Secret of the Primordial Dragon-Tiger Scripture" was indisputable. Governing the Ten Thousand Laws, commanding myriad energies, among all True Scripture Volumes in the world, none could match its ambition. And he had managed to evolve this ideally theorized True Scripture Volume into its current form, encompassing all kinds of methods, by relying on the divine marvel of his proficiency. Nevertheless, his path of cultivation had been thousands, even tens of thousands of times more laborious than that of ordinary cultivators. Had it not been for the protection of his Human Path Merit, continuous good fortune, and various serendipitous encounters, he might still be groping around in the Dao-Entering Realm.
"Your Natal True Scripture has too lofty an ambition, and while infinitely useful, it has severed your path of advancement. It’s like climbing a mountain of a hundred or a thousand meters high for others to achieve the Dao Body Realm. Yet for you, it is like climbing a sky-reaching pillar! Based on my calculations, if you continued to cultivate in a regulated manner, it would take at least this long for you to achieve the Dao Body Realm." Dongfang Qing then slowly raised a finger, a playful expression on his face.
"One thousand years?" Qi Xiu asked unconsciously. If it was a thousand years, it would still be acceptable.
"Add another zero to that."
"Ten thousand years?!" Even with some mental preparation, Qi Xiu was somewhat shocked by this number.
Ten thousand years. Even Primordial Spirit Bosses rarely live that long. He originally thought his lifespan of three thousand years was enough for him to break through to the Dao Body Realm, but he didn’t expect that the ’Secret of the Primordial Dragon-Tiger Scripture,’ which he had always taken pride in, had already cut off his Dao Path.
For a moment, Qi Xiu’s eyes showed a hint of confusion. If even reaching the Dao Body Realm was so difficult, then the Primordial Spirit Realm that followed...
SMACK!
Dongfang Qing quickly smacked Qi Xiu on the head. Watching his junior disciple holding his forehead and crying out in pain, Dongfang Qing rolled his eyes. "Worrying before even taking a step, who taught you this bad habit?"
Clutching his rapidly swelling forehead, Qi Xiu couldn’t help but laugh helplessly. "The Sect Master is right; I was being overly anxious and indecisive."
Although his forehead was painful, Qi Xiu was grateful for Dongfang Qing’s unsparing smack, which had timely interrupted his wild thoughts. Otherwise, he might have already given rise to a Heart Demon, making future tribulations even more dangerous.
"The opening of the Valley of Deceased Gods couldn’t come at a better time. Go in and explore. If you can break through, that’s great; if not, you can still accumulate experience for the next time. And there’s this."
Dongfang Qing held up the glazed white jade in his hand. With a flash of Divine Light at his fingertips, the originally polished and lustrous jade suddenly transformed into a flawless, transparent gem resembling jadeite.
"Since you’ve reached the Blood-Stained Peak and possess a Spirit Embryo Mystique Body, it’s time to nurture a Life-Bound Magic Treasure for yourself. This Haotian Dao Jade was a gift from my master, originally intended for me to create my Life-Bound Magic Treasure, but due to some changes, this Haotian Dao Jade was left behind."
Apparently recalling his own mentor, a fleeting sorrow passed through Dongfang Qing’s eyes, but it quickly returned to normal.
"This Haotian Dao Jade doesn’t have any special properties. Its most remarkable feature is its strong compatibility; it can fuse with almost any Divine Marvel and undergo amplification and transformation, which aligns perfectly with the True Scripture Volume you cultivate. I plan to have Yang Jingzhe use it to craft a Magical Treasure for you to take into the Valley of Deceased Gods. Firstly, it will protect you, and secondly, if you truly manage to break through your current realm in the valley, it would be perfect to refine this treasure into your Life-Bound Magic Treasure."
Listening to Dongfang Qing’s methodical arrangements, Qi Xiu was slightly touched.
Ever since he joined the Shenxiao Sect, whether it was his master Daoist Yunxiong, his martial brothers on Yunti Peak, or this Supreme Sect Leader before him, all had taken great care of him. It was precisely this warmth that allowed him, who had always felt somewhat out of place in this world, to gradually settle down.
"Disciple will carefully follow the Sect Master’s arrangements."
"Hmm, there are about seven years left until the Valley of Deceased Gods opens. Use this time to review and refine all that you have learned. The Valley of Deceased Gods is no ordinary forbidden area, and the risk of falling is present at any moment. You must remember that no matter the situation, preserving your life is the utmost priority."
After giving Qi Xiu these instructions, Dongfang Qing let him leave. The Magical Treasure he intended to have forged for Qi Xiu was far from ordinary. It could only be successfully refined under the supervision of a Primordial Spirit True Honor like Yang Jingzhe, who had achieved sainthood through his physical body. The entire process was complicated and tedious, and he needed to prepare well in advance to ensure nothing went wrong.
...
Valley of Deceased Gods...
Under the eaves of a pavilion on Yunti Peak, Qi Xiu lay back on a rocking chair, playing with the golden jade orb as he gazed at the star-spangled sky, his eyes deep and distant.
Since he now had an abundant lifespan, there was no need to occupy the position of the Agriculture Official. It would be better to relinquish the post to his martial brothers who needed it more.
He had thus moved back to the separate residence on Yunti Peak.
Seven years, it’s not a long time. In the Sect Master’s description, the Valley of Deceased Gods was an extremely dangerous place where even a Dao Expert could fall. And while I am currently at the Blood-Stained Peak, if a fight arose, I could briefly match a Dao Expert. Yet, compared to the true Dao Body Realm, there is still a significant gap. This trip to the Valley of Deceased Gods is just as the Sect Master had instructed—the top priority is to preserve my life.
Silently scanning the proficiency panel, Qi Xiu’s gaze slowly moved across the various Dharma Gates and techniques.
Seven years is not enough time to achieve a qualitative leap in all my techniques. But with diligent effort, it should be possible to transform one technique.
Furrowing his brows in thought and gently twirling the Golden Cry Jade Beads on his wrist, Qi Xiu mulled over how to make his techniques even more formidable during this period.
Techniques such as the Heaven and Earth Imperial Sword Skill, Boundless Fire Emperor, and White Bone Demon Dao, even if advanced another realm, are unlikely to see any drastic changes. After all, improvements in Dharma Gates, unless mastered to their pinnacle, are gradual. Therefore, it might be better to spend these seven years cultivating Mysterious Abilities. Mysterious Abilities themselves cannot be improved via Hunyuan Apertures. I have to personally advance their proficiency. With this calculation, training Mysterious Abilities is evidently more cost-effective.
As his decision gradually solidified, Qi Xiu’s gaze landed on the skill that always dominated the first line of his proficiency panel.
Calligraphy! As my first Mysterious Ability, the foundation of my identity and fortune, it is also currently my strongest trump card.
The Calligraphy skill had never disappointed Qi Xiu.
After considering everything, it’s clear: never forget your original intention, and you will achieve your goal.
A trace of Spiritual Light flickered through Qi Xiu’s mind, as if some unseen force in the universe had affirmed his choice.
Having made his decision, Qi Xiu no longer wasted time. The proficiency of his Calligraphy skill had already increased to 37% since the last breakthrough over the years.
With seven years and the resources of the Hunyuan Palace, completing the remaining 63% proficiency should be feasible.
...
While Qi Xiu had already started his arduous seclusion training, Dongfang Qing had also brought the Haotian Dao Jade to the Mountain Gate of the Domineering Body Sect in Huihuai Province.
Yang Jingzhe looked at Dongfang Qing, who had arrived at his Mountain Gate right after Yang Jingzhe himself had returned home. With a complex expression, Yang Jingzhe rolled his eyes helplessly, "You really have a use-it-or-lose-it attitude towards favors, don’t you? If you had told me earlier, I’d rather have not left and just stayed at the Shenxiao Sect to help you refine the Magical Treasure directly. Why all this back-and-forth hassle?"
"Hehe, with the Valley of Deceased Gods about to open, I had to make an urgent decision. I have to trouble Brother Yang this time."
Hearing Dongfang Qing call him "Brother Yang," Yang Jingzhe’s expression softened a bit.
"Alright, alright, that kid with the surname Qi is not bad. I’ll help you this one time. Tell me, what do you want to refine?"
The cultivators of the Domineering Body Sect, aside from practicing "The Indestructible Body," never cultivate other Dharma Gates. But this only applies to cultivators below the Primordial Spirit Realm. Once they reach the Primordial Spirit Realm, there are no such restrictions. Thus, besides his unsurpassed physical body, Yang Jingzhe was also one of the rare masters of artifact refinement. The Magical Treasures that came from his hands were all of exceptional quality, among the very best. That was why so many sought him out to refine Magical Treasures. However, Yang Jingzhe did not like to ask favors of others, nor did he enjoy being asked for favors, so he rarely crafted Magical Treasures for anyone other than his few close friends.
With a smile, Dongfang Qing took out the Haotian Dao Jade, saying, "Refine whatever you want. Just do as you see fit."
"Really? Just like that?"
Surprised, expecting Dongfang Qing to have many detailed requests, Yang Jingzhe’s expression instantly turned grim as he caught sight of the white jade in Dongfang Qing’s hand.
"Haotian Dao Jade?! Are you joking with me?!"
...
