Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 464 - 410: Refining the Spirit of the Law
Indeed, within this Dharma Spirit’s body, there lay a Talismanic Script only visible through the Observing Qi Skill...
His pupils surged with a purple aura, the special vision interweaving black and white, as Qi Xiu meticulously discerned the energy flow of the Dharma Spirit named Shi Eryue, inch by inch unraveling it with his gaze. Finally, deep within her body, he discovered a Talismanic Script that had been extremely well-hidden. This Talismanic Script was about a foot long and appeared to be made of azure gold, its surface flowing with a heavy, concentrated aura. On the surface of the Talismanic Script was an inscription in ancient script—obscure and full of primordial breath. This ancient inscription was not an ordinary Talismanic Script; it bore the strong personal energy of its creator, clearly a special Talismanic Script distinct from the common systems. It was just like his own Cloud Script Charm.
A Talismanic Script created by Daoist Qingya himself...
Recalling the fat Daoist he hadn’t seen for nearly a hundred years, Qi Xiu vividly remembered the time they had met. This mysterious, fat Daoist claimed to be a castaway from the Lingguang Treasure Sect. But after various events, Daoist Qingya’s so-called identity as a castaway of the Lingguang Treasure Sect had been exposed. Yet, Qi Xiu had truly witnessed the exquisite skill of his talismanic techniques.
Having confirmed the connection between Shi Eryue and Daoist Qingya, Qi Xiu’s expression grew thoughtful, a trace of contemplation in his eyes.
Daoist Qingya was enshrouded in mystery. From the various arrangements he made that spanned decades, even centuries, it was apparent that the fat Daoist must be playing a very deep game. However, from what he could see, Daoist Qingya had never shown him any malice or scheming, and all his plans seemed to help him escape danger and find a chance at survival. But the feeling of being constantly watched, and even walking a path designed by someone else, truly made him uneasy.
Gradually stroking his fingers, Qi Xiu’s mind began to form plans and decisions.
"I can take you away, but you must absolutely obey my commands. Additionally... I need to set up some measures on you. Can you accept this?"
Standing before Shi Eryue, Qi Xiu spoke softly. He didn’t mind taking Shi Eryue with him. But even if the help offered was well-intentioned, he did not want to be like a fool, hands spread, knowing nothing. This feeling was unpleasant.
"Of course, as long as I can follow the True Monarch, I can accept any condition." With a sweet smile, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth, Shi Eryue agreed to Qi Xiu’s request without a second thought.
Since leaving her father and arriving at the Hall of Myriad Laws, she had repeated her father’s instructions in her heart every day: wait for a young True Monarch whose energy was the opposite of her father’s, then follow him without hesitation, obey all his commands, and use her life to...
Five hundred years of waiting had engraved these instructions deep into Shi Eryue’s marrow, becoming the very essence of her existence. Therefore, it hardly mattered what measures Qi Xiu intended to place on her. If Qi Xiu were to strike her down with his sword right now, she wouldn’t even frown but would instead lean her neck closer.
Looking at Shi Eryue’s calm demeanor, tinged with a hint of fanatical and unhealthy obsession, Qi Xiu’s brows furrowed slightly.
What kind of spell had this fat Daoist cast upon her?
Shaking his head, with a thought from Qi Xiu, countless minute yet powerful golden Suppressing Talismans emerged on the mysterious Talismanic Script deep within Shi Eryue, quickly overtaking the entire Talismanic Script at a visible speed. In an instant, the azure Talismanic Script was forcefully overlaid with pure gold.
*Using a Talismanic Script to control a Talismanic Script!*
Faintly sensing that this mysterious Talismanic Script was a measure Daoist Qingya had placed within Shi Eryue, Qi Xiu simply sealed it off. If this Talismanic Script was indeed a life-saving measure Daoist Qingya had left for him, he could unseal it with just a thought when in dire straits, so it would not be affected. But if not, these Suppressing Talismans would serve as a countermeasure, sealing away any unpredictable surveillance.
...
At the very moment Qi Xiu used the Cloud Seal Suppressing Talisman to seal the mysterious Talismanic Script Daoist Qingya had embedded within Shi Eryue, Daoist Qingya, far away in the Endless Sea, seemed to sense something. He was in the middle of a heated exchange with Elder Shui. His expression was one of surprise at first, followed by a somewhat relieved chuckle.
"What’s wrong?" Noticing Daoist Qingya’s unusual behavior, Elder Shui grew curious.
"A hundred years have passed swiftly. The young tiger already possesses the air of one ready to roar through the forest. It seems I cannot deny growing old." Flapping his wide sleeves, Daoist Qingya sat down on the ground with a cheerful laugh.
"It seems that child has done something remarkable." Elder Shui hadn’t seen Daoist Qingya wear such an expression for a long time and also sat down beside him.
"Not particularly remarkable. His identity has been discovered, so I used a favor to leave a trump card by his side. Firstly, to ensure he isn’t secretly harmed by those old undying ones. Secondly, I also implanted a small measure to watch over him at all times, just in case. But now the boy has become clever. He directly found the measure I’d planted. And then he went and sealed it off!"
Showing a hint of helplessness, Daoist Qingya scratched his eyebrows. He knew that Qi Xiu, as a "variable," would achieve a level of Cultivation progress that was unprecedentedly terrifying. Yet, he hadn’t expected that in just a hundred years, this lad would grow to the point of detecting his own methods and directly taking action to suppress them. It was truly frightening and unbelievable.
"Worthy of being a clansman of my master’s race! Although lacking the power of bloodline, with the dragon mark imprinted, his talent is still incredibly formidable. Being able to detect your hidden measure, his capabilities are much stronger than when you were in the Dao Body Realm."
Chuckling, Elder Shui seemed even happier than Daoist Qingya to hear that Qi Xiu had now grown so significantly. At least *I* wasn’t the one whose hidden measures were found out and countered by him.
"He was able to perceive the Talismanic Script I laid down. This lad’s Observing Qi Skill must be close to great achievement. When I was in the Dao Body Realm, my Observing Qi Skill had barely reached Minor Achievement, just enough to discern the past. He can now glimpse at least nearly twenty breaths into the future. TSK, TSK. Truly, the new waves of the Yangtze River drive on those ahead; I, the front wave, am about to be crashed onto the shore."
Shaking his head, Daoist Qingya, although verbally expressing his amazement, had eyes nearly overflowing with delight that couldn’t conceal the powerful mix of awe and trepidation in his heart.
This lad... he truly is our ’hope’...
...
Unaware that Daoist Qingya had already sensed him sealing that Talismanic Script, Qi Xiu, having completed the sealing, then lightly touched the center of Shi Eryue’s eyebrows. A thread of Mixed Element Qi swiftly entered her brow. The next moment, auspicious, colorful energies surrounded Shi Eryue. Clouds and mist enveloped her body, and ethereal, auspicious qi rose and swirled from her Niwan Palace. The aura of the entire Dharma Spirit underwent an earth-shattering change.
The process of Refining and Assimilating a Dharma Spirit could be simple, yet it could also be difficult. If the Dharma Spirit was willing to follow, one only had to infuse one’s own Dao Yuan, draw in a thread of Divine Sense to connect, and the two would become a mutually dependent, integrated whole. The power mastered by the Dharma Spirit would automatically flow into the cultivator’s body. In the future, when the Dharma Spirit manifested, it would also consume the cultivator’s power to battle on their behalf.
However, if the Dharma Spirit was unwilling to follow, or its own will was not strong, the process of Refining and Assimilating it would become much more complicated. After all, the Spirit Essence from which Dharma Spirits were born was a blessing from the profound Dao itself. To forcibly imprint upon it and establish a connection, one had to possess strength far surpassing that of the Dharma Spirit. And a cultivator possessing strength far exceeding that of a Dharma Spirit wouldn’t bother expending the effort to Refine and Assimilate one that couldn’t offer much help.
Thus, since ancient times, subjugating Dharma Spirits has always been a matter of Opportunity; forcibly Refining and Assimilating them was extremely rare.
As Shi Eryue was Refined and Assimilated and subjugated by Qi Xiu, a torrent of knowledge, insights, and experiences, accompanied by a rising sea of verdant leaves stirred by the wind, flooded into his mind. At the same time, a new name slowly emerged on the proficiency panel: [Minor Azure Heaven Skill].
After carefully contemplating this Dharma Gate technique, a hint of excitement flashed in Qi Xiu’s eyes.
This fat Daoist... he really does always know what I need the most.
With a slight lift of his lips, having met this so-called old acquaintance and obtained a Dharma Gate technique he had been lacking, Qi Xiu decided to leave the Hall of Myriad Laws.
But at this moment, Shi Eryue transformed into a streak of light, coalescing into a palm-sized figure who sat on his shoulder, her slim, smooth legs swinging up and down.
"True Monarch, since you’re already here, why not look around? I’ve stayed here for five hundred years and know many Dharma Spirits. Let’s walk around; perhaps we can coax a few to leave with us."
Having become Qi Xiu’s subordinate, Shi Eryue’s first thought was to help her True Monarch by luring away a few Dharma Spirits she had known for a long time.
"The Dharma Spirits you know are all from the Blood-Stained Realm; they’re of little benefit to me."
Qi Xiu smiled and shook his head. He had already achieved the Dao. Although Blood-Stained Realm Dharma Gates could exert far greater than ordinary power in his hands, there wasn’t much point in acquiring them.
"I also know Dharma Spirits from the Dao Body Realm!"
Shi Eryue’s remark caught Qi Xiu’s interest. If I could really coax away a few Dharma Spirits of the Dao Body Realm, then this trip would truly not be in vain, he thought.
"How could a Dharma Spirit of the Blood-Stained Realm like you ascend to the fourth layer?"
"True Monarch, you may not know this," Shi Eryue began, "but the Hall of Myriad Laws’ layer restrictions apply only to external cultivators, not to us Dharma Spirits. Dharma Spirits from the Blood-Stained Realm can even ascend to the seventh layer.
"However, the auras of the six seniors on the seventh layer are too oppressive. Forget ascending to the seventh layer; even standing on the sixth would almost crush ordinary Blood-Stained Realm Dharma Spirits. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"Over the years I’ve been here, I’ve come to know a few Dao Body Realm Dharma Spirits on the fourth and fifth layers. If the True Monarch is interested, I can take you to meet them."
Eagerly explaining this to Qi Xiu, Shi Eryue strove to prove to her new master just how useful she could be.
"HMPH! Think you’re so special just because you know a lot of ’people’?"
Before Qi Xiu could respond, a disdainful snort came from the Primordial Sword Gourd tied to his waist. A figure in colorful Daoist robes, with a youthful appearance and eyes full of dissatisfaction, stood atop the Sword Gourd. That snort had come from him.
And this figure was none other than the Hunyuan Sword Spirit, the Dharma Spirit Qi Xiu himself had Refined and Assimilated!
...
