001, the method of demon cultivation, clarifies the seven spirits and three souls

Ishino shook his head and said: "This has nothing to do with cultivation. Even if the person who left the incantation back then were to come in person, it would still be impossible to unlock it. He did not expect that hundreds of years had passed in the blink of an eye. The raccoon statues on Shantang Street have undergone such a transformation. Although the incantation was left by human hands, it now seems to have naturally merged, becoming a matter of opportunity. These stone statues are like gates to be opened; you must have the key. This key is the very soul of the fated person. Otherwise, even if you break the stone statues, it would be of no use. He did not expect that hundreds of years had passed in the blink of an eye. The raccoon statues on Shantang Street have undergone such a transformation. Although the incantation was left by human hands, it now seems to have naturally merged, becoming a matter of opportunity. These stone statues are like gates to be opened; you must have the key. This key is the very soul of the fated person. Otherwise, even if you break the stone statues, it would be of no use. No matter how high one's cultivation is, one can only erase these divine thought incantations."

Passing under the railway bridge and stepping over the Colorful Clouds Bridge, one can distinctly sense a subtle change in the atmosphere, with a reduction in the restlessness of prosperity and an increase in the serene tranquility amidst the chaos. The stone path beneath my feet has also changed; it is no longer so uniformly arranged. I even spotted a gravestone with faded inscriptions and several boundary stones. These gravestones and boundary stones are no longer in their original positions, having been moved here at some unknown time to repair the stone path.

Ishino smiled again: "There are many people in this world who are confused, and many who pretend to be confused, but it is rare to find those who are habitually confused yet remain unaware of it. Such individuals are not mentally impaired, nor are they inherently foolish, but they lead their lives in a muddled manner, to the extent that they may even forget their own names. It is not that they truly do not know; rather, they simply do not think about it in their daily lives"

Ishino Ling looked dazed for a moment, then smiled and replied: "Silly child, the initial stage of a monster's cultivation is entirely different from that of a human. Do the birds and beasts in the mountains and fields have their own names? Such beings, although possessing self-awareness, do not understand why they have come into this world, nor do they know what they seek; they act purely on instinct. If by chance they begin to ponder 'Who am I?', start observing this world, and reflect on themselves, a transformation will occur, and this marks the beginning of a monster's cultivation."

Liu Shujun shot him a glare and feigned annoyance, saying, "I am wearing a skirt!"

However, the recently enlightened creature of the heavens and earth possesses a shallow cultivation level and cannot change its form at all. How could it possibly come to this densely populated Shantang Street? Even if such a creature were to occasionally visit, it would lack the ability to detect the anomalies of these stone statues, let alone devise a way to unlock the spiritual pivot of the earth to obtain the magical formula. Therefore, the likelihood of these spiritual formulas being extracted is exceedingly slim.

Liu Yancheng: "I didn't quite understand."

In ancient times, every house was associated with a land deed, and the boundaries of the land deed were marked by boundary stones. In the narrow alleys of Suzhou's ancient city, traces of these boundary stones can still be seen everywhere. They are embedded at the corners of the outer walls of the courtyards, forming part of the outer wall itself, with inscriptions carved on them. Ordinary families typically indicated their surnames, such as "Zhang Boundary," "Li Boundary," "Jin Boundary," and "Wang Boundary." Other buildings might also have the names of their ancestral halls, shops, and guilds inscribed, such as "Yu Qing Tang Jiang Boundary," "Yu Clan Ancestral Hall," and "Wei Fu Ji Boundary." Ordinary families typically indicated their surnames, such as "Zhang Boundary," "Li Boundary," "Jin Boundary," and "Wang Boundary." Other buildings might also have the names of their ancestral halls, shops, and guilds inscribed, such as "Yu Qing Tang Jiang Boundary," "Yu Clan Ancestral Hall," and "Wei Fu Ji Boundary."

Liu Shujun looked around and said, "This courtyard gate is locked, so there must be no one inside. Let's find something to stand on and pick some loquats to eat"

Cheng Tianle laughed and said: "With so many pairs of eyes around, you dare to steal someone else's loquats; you really have some nerve! ... That branch is quite high, it's out of reach, unless I hold onto your leg and lift you up."

Ishino pondered for a long while before responding: "Although I cannot extract those complete incantations, I can sense their fragments through my spiritual awareness. They are merely the methods of entry-level demon cultivation, which do not appear profound in my eyes. The incantations from hundreds of years ago have merged with the earth's spiritual pivot, and have manifested due to the reestablishment of this stone statue, becoming a naturally occurring spiritual awareness. The methods of demon cultivation differ from those of humans; demons initially cultivate through self-awareness and enlightenment, much like the formation of a human soul. The opportunity to obtain these incantations should belong to a demon that is currently comprehending the principles of heaven and earth.

... ...

Cheng Tianle walked along the street, showing great interest in the boundary stones at the corners of the old street, and saw many of them along the way. The entire Shantang Street measures over 7 li, with the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and the Suzhou North Ring Elevated Bridge passing directly above its midpoint, dividing this ancient street, which has a history of a thousand years, into eastern and western sections, thus creating a clear demarcation

Shantang Street is different from many other tourist attractions; it is not a relatively enclosed water town, but rather a bustling district outside the ancient city of Suzhou. The waterways and alleys are interconnected, with Shantang Street along the northern bank of the Shantang River serving as the main area of the tourist zone. It is not enclosed by walls or gates, and there are no ticket barriers; it is simply a pedestrian street in the city

Ishino shook his head: "That may not necessarily be the case. I mentioned earlier that these statues are matters of chance, so it all depends on fortune. For those who encounter such fortune, the outcomes of blessings and misfortunes remain uncertain."

"Then forget it, there are too many people, it wouldn't be good if we got caught! ... Besides, how beautiful those loquats look hanging on the tree, it's not like they belong to you, so why pick them?" The two chatted and laughed, followed by Yu Fei, who was carrying a travel backpack and was already sweating profusely.

On both sides of the residential area roads, there are vegetable markets selling various fruits, meats, and even chicks. Looking into the side alleys, elderly people sit on bamboo chairs, fanning themselves with palm fans. In the courtyards of several households, loquat and fig trees are laden with golden fruits, making one long for them all day. The Pufu Zen Temple by the roadside does not charge an entrance fee. After taking a stroll around this legendary gourd temple, I continued along Shantang Street towards Tiger Hill, where I saw a household with branches of loquat trees extending over the courtyard wall.

At that moment, two individuals leisurely crossed the Colorful Clouds Bridge in the distance; they were a father and son. The father's name was Shiye, and he appeared to be a middle-aged man, yet his features did not reveal much about his age. He walked with a calm demeanor, neither hurried nor slow, each step seeming to take root in the ground. The child, who took his mother's surname, was named Liu Yancheng.

Liu Yanchen expressed his astonishment, saying: "How could a technique from hundreds of years ago be inscribed on a stone statue carved just two years ago? Moreover, this is merely an ordinary stone beast statue, not something like a divine thought jade talisman?"

Crossing the colorful clouds bridge and moving forward, several ancient archways can be seen along the roadside. However, these archways are not clearly visible to tourists, as many have been incorporated into the walls of local residences, becoming part of the houses. Even more astonishing is that one archway has actually become a beam and pillar for a household, with the intricately carved top of the archway protruding from the roof tiles.

Liu Yancheng furrowed his brow again and said, "So, are you saying that it is absolutely impossible?"

Liu Yancheng blinked and said, "If, I mean if, an ordinary person, not a demon, were to pass by here and show interest in the statue, touching and moving it randomly, would it be possible to activate the Earth Qi Spirit Pivot and obtain the法诀?"

Ishino Wenyan smiled and said: "It doesn't matter if you don't understand; this process is quite mysterious and cannot be fully expressed in words. Even those妖类 who have achieved mastery often find it difficult to articulate. Let me give you an example: suppose there is a cat on Shantang Street that suddenly begins to wonder what it is and why it was born this way. When it opens its eyes and learns to appreciate the scenery of Shantang, and develops various associations that may seem unrealistic to people, this is the beginning of妖修."

Liu Yanchen nodded slightly: "I somewhat understand now, but what I just asked was—could there possibly be such a person?"

The Shantang Street Scenic Area does indeed sell tickets, priced at 45 yuan each. With the ticket, visitors can access several sites along the way that have been restored and protected by the cultural relics department. If one does not purchase this ticket, although entry to these specific sites is not permitted, it does not significantly detract from the enjoyment of strolling through Shantang. The ancient alleys of Suzhou's water town, with a history spanning two thousand years, possess an exceptionally rich cultural heritage. Despite undergoing modernization and transformation, traces of history can be discovered everywhere in a casual manner.

Liu Yancheng is fifteen years old this year, with delicate features and a charmingly cute appearance. His bright eyes constantly scan the surroundings. Suddenly, he stops and points to the roadside, saying: "As we have walked along this path, I have already seen several stone raccoon statues. These statues were clearly built not long ago based on legends, yet I can't shake the feeling that their aura does not resemble that of contemporary creations"

Liu Yancheng asked in confusion, "Why is this? Is it because my cultivation is insufficient? Even you, Dad, are unable to do it?"

Ishino Weiwei smiled slightly: "Your perception is correct; these stone statues are indeed new, having been carved and placed here for less than two years. However, their locations correspond to the spiritual nodes of the mountain pond street, and for hundreds of years, there have been similar stone beast statues in this area. I have just examined them carefully, and these statues still retain the incantations from hundreds of years ago"

To the west of the Jinghu Railway Bridge lies a charming tourist street developed and restored by the local government, cultural heritage, and tourism departments. The area is well-planned with numerous shops, and the black-and-white walls appear brand new. However, the window frames of the old buildings, the boundary stones at the base of the walls, and the stone bridges over the waterways still reveal traces of antiquity. To the east of the railway bridge, the original appearance of the old alleys has largely been preserved. Aside from the restoration of significant cultural relics along the route, there has not been large-scale redevelopment, maintaining the character of a typical old Suzhou residential area, which, though somewhat chaotic, possesses a unique vitality and charm.

The brick and wood structures built along the river exhibit a mix of old and new in their construction and materials. The stone slabs on the small bridge may have been filled in last year, yet the blurred carvings on the bridge railing reveal the passage of hundreds of years. The newly constructed shops may have pillars and beams that differ by a century, but the foundation beneath the freshly plastered walls bears the marks left by countless generations.

Liu Yancheng curiously stepped forward, placing his hand on the top of the statue's head, closing his eyes as if sensing something. After a while, however, he frowned. Shiye merely smiled and watched; seeing his son frown, he finally spoke: "You cannot obtain those incantations. Not only you, but even I, your father, cannot fully extract those incantations."

Ishino explained: "In a certain sense, this object is a kind of stone statue talisman. Hundreds of years ago, there were stone statues in this place, and someone, for reasons unknown, left a spell inscribed within the statues. However, I suspect that no one came to this place to unlock the statues afterward, and the person who left the spell never returned. Centuries later, the original stone beasts have long since been destroyed, and the essence of those spells has merged into the earth's spiritual energy. Yet now, someone has rebuilt the stone statues in their original positions, and these statues seem to have become gateways. If someone can unlock them, they may obtain those spells."

Liu Yanchen inquired, "What kind of person is able to unlock the statue and obtain those spells?"