Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Divine Embryo Transformation Method of the Golden Core

So far, Xu Cheng still did not know Yan Mengdie’s cultivation level. This girl was always shrouded in mystery, a descendant of the demon immortals, perhaps possessing formidable immortal arts and abilities. Even the spell upon her face was inexplicable, defying description and understanding.

As the five journeyed toward Qingzhou City, they conversed along the way. When asked, Yan Mengdie revealed her cultivation: she was at the Path-Forging Realm, just one step away from forming her Dao Embryo and manifesting her Nascent Soul, to roam beyond the physical and display divine powers.

“A Golden Core cultivator completes nine years of training. The one who transforms the embryo into spirit is the mortal who becomes a sage. Within a stubborn stone, jade is nurtured; within an oyster, pearls; mortal flesh breeds the sacred embryo, the false conceals the true, the spiritual holds the real, the shallow hides the deep, and the noble harbors immortality within.”

Yan Mengdie spoke in an ornate, poetic manner, and Xu Cheng could only half comprehend her meaning.

“This is the method of transforming the Golden Core embryo into spirit. Simply put, it is feeding the Golden Core with the soul. Once your soul is fully integrated, the Dao Embryo is formed, and the Nascent Soul appears,” Yan Mengdie explained further, seeing Xu Cheng’s confusion.

At the Golden Core level, one could not only sense the cycles of the heavens but also perceive the location of one’s own soul.

Thus they chatted idly, until without realizing it, they arrived near the Great Zen Temple.

The signboard that should have gleamed with golden light was now shrouded in gray mist. The stone lion statues nearby had been hacked apart and shattered.

Xu Cheng had expected a fierce battle, but instead found the temple deserted. Inside, save for the white bones left behind by the monks, not a trace of ghosts or monsters could be seen.

Was this the result of the monks’ profound Buddhist arts, or had the Martial Emperor of the Great Xia destroyed all their souls and nascent spirits?

The five scattered and searched for a long time, but found nothing.

Only the Sutra Library remained.

This place had been swept clean by Martial Emperor Xia Hao. Who knew if any powerful arts or spells could still be found?

Upon opening the doors, clouds of dust billowed, and scattered Buddhist scriptures lay upon the floor.

Most of these texts were meant to help the monks cultivate virtue and discipline, and contained no powerful spells.

Feeling his own cultivation of the heart was still lacking, Xu Cheng casually picked up a scripture and began to read.

“Is our Lord Right Envoy planning to become a monk?” Chrysanthemum could not help but joke, seeing Xu Cheng earnestly reading the scriptures. In his view, time spent reading these texts would be better spent capturing ghosts and offering them to the Yellow Springs for Nether True Pills.

“Reading scriptures cultivates the mind, which is helpful for forging the Dao Embryo,” Yan Mengdie unexpectedly explained on Xu Cheng’s behalf.

“Then, Fairy Mengdie, you guard the Right Envoy here, while the rest of us hunt for ghosts nearby!”

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Chrysanthemum was restless by nature; if Xu Cheng stayed in the Sutra Library reading scriptures, who knew how long he would take? Chrysanthemum had no desire to linger in front of the library.

“Go ahead. I doubt there are any formidable ghosts nearby; they have probably all fled to Qingzhou City,” Yan Mengdie said. She focused her senses but detected no powerful fluctuations.

With that, Chrysanthemum led Cen Ningyue and Niu Dazhuang into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Xu Cheng was immersed in the joy of reading the scriptures, surprised to find the Buddhist texts enlightening.

He lost all sense of time, space, and self.

One scripture after another.

Who knew how much time had passed, but every scripture became clear in his mind.

A humming sound echoed in Xu Cheng’s mind. Unexpectedly, his reading triggered a celestial resonance.

But it did not end there. All the surrounding scriptures floated into the air.

They turned to ashes in midair, and from the ashes golden threads condensed into runes. Before Xu Cheng could react, more than five thousand golden runes entered his body.

Suddenly, Xu Cheng was radiant with golden light, as if transformed into a Buddha.

“Amitabha! At last, someone has patiently read through this humble monk’s Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art! Congratulations, benefactor! Farewell!” A burst of Buddhist chanting sounded all around, fading away after the words were spoken.

“Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art!” Xu Cheng murmured.

After a long while, the golden radiance withdrew into his body. Unexpectedly, he had acquired an immortal art. Its power was to unlock supreme wisdom, comprehend the true meaning of heaven and earth, and provide a mighty golden radiance for defense.

His face was calm, but joy surged in his heart. To gain an immortal art so directly—who in the mortal world could imagine such fortune?

Yet at present, Xu Cheng could only activate the defensive ability of the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. This was already remarkable.

Soon, Yan Mengdie rushed in and asked, “Were those books recording some kind of spell?”

“It seems to be the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art!” Xu Cheng answered proudly.

“So the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art, which the Martial Emperor of Great Xia sought desperately, was hidden in those scriptures! He slaughtered the Great Zen Temple and still failed to find it, and now it’s yours—hahaha!” Yan Mengdie was delighted at the emperor’s misfortune and laughed heartily. Her laughter was truly terrifying; if not for Xu Cheng’s mind having been tempered by the aura of the Yellow Springs and now purified by the scriptures, his resolve as solid as stone, any ordinary person would have been frightened to death.

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Xu Cheng wondered about the immortal art on Yan Mengdie’s face—what kind of spell was it? He was eager to understand.

Yet, though the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art had come to him easily, it would have taken him four or five years to cultivate its rudiments on his own. The art upon Yan Mengdie’s face seemed even more complex; even seven or eight years of diligent cultivation might not suffice.

As the saying goes, sharpening one’s blade does not delay the chopping of firewood. Once he reached the Nascent Soul Realm, with deeper power as a foundation, and combined it with the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art’s supreme enlightenment, Xu Cheng felt confident that within a year he could fully master the three thousand-plus patterns upon Yan Mengdie’s face.

“Um, Lord Right Envoy, have you broken through again?” Chrysanthemum hurriedly returned, having seen the great pillar of golden light rising above the Great Zen Temple.

“My cultivation cannot advance so quickly! It was merely a stroke of fortune.” Xu Cheng smiled.

“Lord Right Envoy, since we saw the enormous pillar of golden light, the ghosts in Qingzhou City must have seen it as well! If—” Cen Ningyue said worriedly.

“Then we shall slay any who come—one for one, two for two!” Xu Cheng replied fiercely.

“Don’t boast. We don’t even know what monsters lurk in Qingzhou City! Three Nascent Soul masters have already fallen there. Do you really think you can match three Nascent Soul masters?” Yan Mengdie poured cold water on his bravado.

Xu Cheng was speechless. To reach the Nascent Soul Realm meant possessing countless means, yet even they had perished.

He couldn’t afford to be careless. Even the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art’s invincible defense would last only the time it takes an incense stick to burn. What about after that?

How should he face danger? That was the central question.

If only he could keep the Supreme Brightness Infinite Wisdom Immortal Art active at all times—but that would require at least ascending to the realm of transformation and flight.

There was nothing left at the Great Zen Temple worth lingering over. The five departed, heading toward Qingzhou City.