Chapter 003: The Nine Symbol Qi Field
Tomorrow? Tomorrow, the spiritual energy of the Nine Talismans will be completely exhausted, what are you still trying to absorb! You can't even endure a little hardship, what strength do you have to cultivate!
How foolish! You only remember seventy percent! Forget it, I won't hold it against you for now. The spiritual energy here is somewhat insufficient, but with your meager cultivation, the gathered spiritual energy from the Nine Talismans' aura should be enough for you. Kid, this is the residence of Prince Yi. Judging by your attire, you seem to be a little servant. First, go find a secluded place to inscribe the Nine Talismans Array
"Fart!" The little turtle shook its body in anger: "I have plenty of ways! Although with your talent, even with the assistance of the Divine Cauldron, there is only a 40% chance of advancing to the Innate Realm within three years, with my unparalleled battle spirit from ancient to modern times, there is absolutely nothing that cannot be accomplished!"
In just a few moments, the originally flickering yellow symbols of the Nine Talismans began to show signs of dimness. Fang Yan felt a surge of anxiety in his heart and exclaimed repeatedly, "Wait! Wait! I haven't seen clearly, old ghost, let me take a few more looks."
What is the gathering of spiritual energy? Fang Yan was at a loss.
He clearly felt that the efforts of this night were indeed not in vain; in just a few short hours of absorbing and transforming spiritual energy, the increase in his original essence in the sea of energy was even greater than what he had gained from ten days of arduous practice.
Being within the aura, only the spiritual energy you absorb truly belongs to you. The spiritual energy absorbed by the divine cauldron can only be transferred to you partially, so do not be lazy; absorb it to the fullest.
Before Fang Yan could respond, several symbols glowing with a yellow light suddenly appeared in his mind. At first glance, these symbols resembled the Bagua, but upon closer inspection, they were distinctly different. The eight symbols were ancient and mysterious, arranged in eight directions, with the final symbol positioned at the center.
Fang Yan increasingly found it difficult to endure, his teeth chattering, but not wanting to be looked down upon by the little turtle, he gritted his teeth and remained silent. As time passed, even the little turtle secretly nodded, saying, "Although this young man has low cultivation, his character and willpower are exceptional. He truly possesses a hint of the charm I had in my youth."
The Qi Sea swelled violently, and the half of the spiritual energy released by the small cauldron nearly transformed Fang Yan into a translucent large sphere of flesh
After more than an hour, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within the Nine Talismans' aura was finally absorbed by the three-legged cauldron to a large extent. Fang Yan's pressure gradually decreased, and the little turtle transmitted to him a set of incantations for the Qi transformation technique, converting all the spiritual energy just absorbed into his original Qi and storing it in the Qi sea
Laozi is well-versed in both heaven and earth; what could possibly escape my knowledge! I naturally know that this is the residence of the Duke of Beizhen, but I intentionally misspoke to test your reaction! Enough with the nonsense! Quickly find a place!" As soon as the words were spoken, the little turtle felt a sense of shame: I have been hidden away with the divine cauldron for several hundred years, and I truly forgot how the dynasties of the world have changed. It is indeed embarrassing to make a mistake in front of this insufferable brat!
Here, the Qi transformation technique has just been employed to convert the absorbed spiritual energy, and the three-legged cauldron has coincidentally absorbed all the remaining spiritual energy within the nine symbols. Just as the little turtle mentioned, this small cauldron, displaying great loyalty, has generously allocated half of the spiritual energy it absorbed to Fang Yan
Fang Yan scratched his head, awkwardly chuckling. His usual practice was based on a manual of Qi Condensation left behind by his father. Without guidance from a renowned master, he had no idea that there were other methods available for cultivation, apart from his own diligent and solitary efforts.
As the airflow passed, the Nine Talismans had reached a state of great completion, resembling the formation that had just flashed in Fang Yan's mind. The symbols, positioned in eight directions, subtly formed a slightly rotating vortex. In the surrounding overgrown grass, there were rustling sounds, as the wild rabbits, field mice, and various small insects hidden within fled in panic, desperately trying to distance themselves from the Nine Talismans inscribed on the ground
Fortunately, Gouwa Meimei had a good night's sleep and was now drowsily getting dressed. After the two finished their morning routines, they picked up brooms and began to clean the nearby courtyards. Before long, the other servants also got up and started working according to their respective duties
Old ghost! You are quite ruthless...
Nine... Nine symbols of energy... The aura is indeed... Dominant... Overbearing... Fang Yan felt as if the texture of his skin, even including his bones, had invisibly expanded several times, with the possibility of bursting at any moment
If he can continue cultivating at this speed, it won't be long before Fang Yan successfully breaks through to the third level of the acquired realm
The nine symbols converged, immediately allowing Fang Yan to experience an extraordinarily unique ambiance. Although he could not yet comprehend the true meaning within, he could deeply sense the extraordinary nature of the nine symbols
The little turtle, however, ignored him. Fang Yan, feeling helpless, had no choice but to concentrate and calm his mind, carefully observing the soon-to-disappear Nine Symbols, making every effort to remember their shapes and arrangement.
The little turtle was so agitated that it felt like spitting blood, restlessly crawling back and forth: "If I don't reveal some real skills, you little brat will always think I'm just boasting! Watch closely! I'll first transmit to you a formation to gather spiritual energy."
The residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei covers a vast area, with just the back garden alone being equivalent to half the size of an ordinary marquis's estate. However, the Marquis of Zhenbei himself is a commanding general and has never shown interest in pavilions, towers, and gardens. The other officials in the marquis's residence are usually engrossed in their cultivation. Over the years, the large garden has gradually fallen into neglect, and Fang Yan and Gou Wa often sneak here to practice their skills.
"Look at your potential! Put your heart at ease, there is no need to worry too much. The divine cauldron protects you, ensuring your safety. Absorb as much as you can." The little turtle reminded, though it felt a bit surprised internally, thinking: "The spiritual energy here seems sparse, but how can the Nine Talismans Array absorb so much? It's a bit strange."
Come on! Fang Yan gritted his teeth, focused his mind, and devoted himself to transforming the spiritual energy released by the small cauldron
Unknowingly, two hours had passed, and the sky was already brightening. Fang Yan opened his eyes, let out a long sigh, and his expression immediately transformed into one of immense joy
The aura has been established! The little turtle reminded, "Standing in the center of the formation, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth."
After a cup of tea's time, the swirling trend of the Eight Symbols vortex gradually eased. The nearby free spiritual energy was completely absorbed by the formation, and a large amount of spiritual energy gathered on the central symbol. As the veins of the symbol flowed and flickered, it occasionally shimmered with a hint of brilliance under the bright moonlight
The small vortices formed by the nine symbols continuously rotate. In a moment, the scattered and drifting spiritual energy in the sky and beneath the ground gradually gathers together, being attracted like raindrops to the eight symbols dispersed in all directions, stirring up a faint shimmer. The spiritual energy absorbed by the eight symbols is then entirely circulated and concentrated around the central symbol.
Bang ! ! !
Fang Yan's current situation is akin to a vessel that cannot be filled; his own cultivation level is already low. After staying for just a moment in such a rich and powerful spiritual energy field, he has already reached a state of saturation. No matter how hard he tries, he is unable to absorb any more. Only the three-legged small cauldron in his dantian tirelessly sweeps up the spiritual energy within the nine symbols.
Fool! The little turtle exclaimed sharply, yet was secretly astonished: this kid managed to remember seventy percent of the Nine Symbol Formation in such a short time, which truly exceeded my expectations. I always thought it would take at least ten to twenty iterations, hoping to take the opportunity to scold him a few times to vent my frustration, but this kid didn't even give me that chance!
One cannot become fat in one bite. It is truly impossible to take in any more. Let us save it for tomorrow.
The little turtle was provoked for quite some time, and finally seized the opportunity to counterattack, snorting coldly: "In two days, martial artists will refine their bodies and cultivate their qi. In addition to the innate qi cultivated from within, they must also absorb external qi, transforming it for their own use. You don't even know this? If it weren't for encountering me, you could practice like this for a lifetime and still achieve nothing!"
"Oh no! The sky is already bright!" Fang Yan, squinting with delight, suddenly noticed the gradually brightening sky. In a hurry, he climbed over the wall from the back garden and jogged back to his little house.
The entire back garden was overgrown with weeds. Fang Yan cleared a patch of land and, guided by the little turtle, began to inscribe the formation he had just memorized onto the ground. However, he only remembered about seventy percent of it. The arrangement of the nine symbols was correct, but there were some issues with the symbols themselves. The entire formation appeared somewhat ambiguous.
Old Gui, do not speak so definitively for now
Compared to Xiao Ding, Fang Yan found himself struggling immensely; the intense pressure within the spiritual energy field nearly exceeded his limits. His skin felt taut, and the bones throughout his body creaked under the compression of the surrounding dense spiritual energy. His face flickered between shades of blue and red, and with each breath, the overwhelming spiritual energy surged like mercury filling a cavity, accumulating within him as if he were a deflated water pouch suspended above a waterfall, instantly becoming nearly overfilled.
"The Prince Yi's Mansion? You are mistaken, old ghost," Fang Yan corrected, "This is the Mansion of the Marquis of Zhenbei. What you mentioned about the Prince Yi's Mansion pertains to matters of the previous dynasty."
After a few moments, the dazzling yellow light of the nine symbols gradually faded and eventually disappeared completely. It was only then that the little turtle, feeling quite indignant, said: "Did you take note of that?"
Old Ghost... No, no, elder, let's not talk about unparalleled powerhouses just yet. Didn't you just say? If one cultivates using the divine cauldron, failing to reach the innate stage in three years will lead to backlash. If one cannot even reach the innate stage, what is there to say about unparalleled powerhouses? This issue must be resolved first. If you have no solution, just say so.
Hoo hoo hoo
A person and a turtle communicated through their thoughts, and before they knew it, a long time had passed. The dog nearby had already fallen into a deep sleep. Fang Yan gently covered him with a light blanket, opened the door, and walked towards the back garden of the mansion.
In a moment of helplessness, a barely visible stream of energy surged out from Fang Yan's body, swiftly spiraling several times above the nine symbols etched on the ground before re-entering Fang Yan's body.
Fang Yan found himself struggling painfully within the Nine Talismans' energy field, exerting all his strength to barely continue absorbing spiritual energy into his already saturated body. The sensation of explosive agony became increasingly unbearable, while that three-legged small cauldron seemed to thrive effortlessly, as if within it lay an endless expanse, determined to not cease until it had drained all the spiritual energy.
Fang Yan stepped into the Nine Talismans. For him at this moment, the spiritual energy within the spiritual energy field was extraordinarily abundant. As soon as he entered, the spiritual energy surged from all directions, flooding into his body through his mouth, nose, and even the pores of his skin. The three-legged cauldron in his sea of qi also reacted, as the rich essence of heaven and earth was like a sumptuous feast. Initially, the cauldron only sampled a little, but after a trace of spiritual energy entered its body, it seemed to have tasted sweetness, swallowing faster and faster, like a gluttonous beast, frantically devouring the essence of spiritual energy absorbed within the Nine Talismans.
This... only... remembered seventy percent. Fang Yan felt a bit embarrassed, as Xiao Gui had stated beforehand that these nine symbols would only evolve once
Hmph! The formation will only be demonstrated once, so make sure to remember it well