Chapter 27 - Arc 2: The Linyuan Small Secret Realm | Chapter 27: Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique

Translator: Lynn

Despite the restoration of his dantian, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the sudden surge in his cultivation. The rapid advancement was both thrilling and daunting.

Having spent a considerable amount of time in meditation, Xu Ziqing meticulously examined the inner workings of his body. Finally, his scrutiny led him to a deep region within his dantian, where he discovered a red dot resembling the one he had seen prior to falling asleep. When he probed it with his spiritual energy, he sensed a peculiar closeness. However, the object itself emanated an aura of malevolence and ferocity, unsettling his mind.

In the next moment, a series of paragraphs resounded clearly in his sea of consciousness. As Xu Ziqing attempted to focus and comprehend the profound words, a sudden wave of enlightenment washed over him when he reached the sixth chapter.

It turned out that this technique was the creation of a renowned cultivator, possessing such extraordinary power that it could shake the heavens and the earth. This extraordinary method didn’t conform to conventional rankings but held the esteemed status of a “Legendary Technique.” Each time such a technique surfaced, it would incite a bloody storm across the Nine Thousand Worlds.

However, the great cultivator was eventually betrayed by someone close to him, resulting in severe injuries and a forced retreat. Fueled by resentment, the cultivator utilized his remaining strength and blood to modify his cultivation method, concealing it within an unworthy technique known as the “Grass Transformation Technique.”

The first five levels served as the foundation, while the true intricacies of the technique were unveiled at the sixth level. This prerequisite demanded the completion of the “Grass Transformation Technique” without any involvement in other methods, ensuring purity and granting an opportunity for further progress.

The second requirement involved carefully selecting a seed and integrating it into the dantian as the foundation. This stipulation is directly correlated with the Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique’s characteristics. Through this method, the cultivator assimilated seeds from numerous trees, absorbing their qi and ultimately attaining mastery over their collective forms. The deeper one’s cultivation, the greater the number of seeds one could accommodate, thereby accelerating their progress—an advantageous symbiosis.

To harmonize humans and wood, it was crucial to choose a specific wood as the base, serving as the leader to command the entire group. Without the support of this chosen wood, humans remained humans and wood remained wood, rendering the cultivation of this technique impossible.

The final requirement proved to be the most challenging. Practitioners of this technique must possess a singular wood spiritual root, ensuring the purity of the spiritual energy from heaven and earth. Any other spiritual energy entering the body would be repelled by the wood, leading to potential derailment and explosive consequences.

Hence, those lacking a singular wood spiritual root would be unable to access the latter part of the technique. Given that the “Grass Transformation Technique” was categorized as a low-tier method, how could a prodigious individual with a singular wood root practice it?

With these three stringent conditions, obtaining the “Grass Transformation Technique” was an immensely difficult feat. Despite being passed down for countless years, its true secrets remained concealed, evading discovery by countless practitioners.

For Xu Ziqing, this rare opportunity had been bestowed upon him, presenting a remarkable chance for advancement.

It was at that moment that Xu Ziqing realized he had been wrongly assessed as having inferior qualifications. Despite possessing a singular wood spiritual root, its thinness had resulted in a weak reaction to the spell formation. However, this very attribute allowed him to cultivate rapidly within the Baicao Garden.

Upon completing his contemplation, Xu Ziqing experienced a mixture of relief and a peculiar blend of laughter and tears. He had believed that he was not fated for immortal cultivation, yet once again, fate had played tricks on him, leading him in different directions simultaneously.

However, upon further reflection, he realized it was not an impossibility.

As an ordinary mortal, there would be no issues, but on the path to immortality, he inevitably encountered inner turmoil. Lacking the exuberance of youth, he had become too much of a realist, considering various options and becoming unstable. Yet, through these trials and tribulations, his mind had been honed, rendering him more resolute than ever.

If he desired to remain a mortal, he would have to sever his spiritual roots and retreat to the ordinary world, seeking his own freedom amidst the mundane realms. If he aspired to be immortal and attain eternal freedom, a long and perilous road lay ahead.

Both paths held their appeal to Xu Ziqing, leaving him in a quandary over which to choose.

Closing his eyes and calming his thoughts, Xu Ziqing delved into his dantian. Within, he witnessed a vibrant scene brimming with vitality—a ceaseless flow of life energizing his meridians, pulses rumbling like thunder, organs moving like mountains, and essence showering down. It formed a realm of enlightenment, where all the transformations within him seemed to lie within the palm of his hand, beyond the grasp of ordinary individuals.

After a prolonged period of meditation, Xu Ziqing’s eyes suddenly opened, radiating two serene green lights that soothed his entire being.

Cultivating immortality!

Even in dire circumstances, he had managed to survive, signifying a promise of encouragement from the heavens. In that case, he, too, was a man and should follow the path set by the heavens, entering the realm of cultivation. What else could he fear?

From now on, Xu Ziqing would no longer exist as a mere mortal but as a cultivator.

There was no alternative but to embark on the path of immortality.

After pondering this question, a sense of ethereal freedom enveloped Xu Ziqing’s body, and upon looking at himself, he noticed that his mundane aura had nearly vanished.

When he turned his head, he saw the young eagle standing guard and smiled, beckoning it with a gentle voice, “Chonghua, come here.”

The eagle’s black eyes flashed with aggression, tilting its head sideways.

Xu Ziqing understood that he had startled it, but seeing that it remained by his side and didn’t disturb his practice, he grew even fonder of it. Extending his palm, he watched as the eagle hopped onto it, and he gently stroked the top of its head with his finger, speaking softly, “Don’t be upset. I have returned to the realm of immortality now, and you should rejoice for me.”

As if soothed by Xu Ziqing’s words, the eagle tapped its claws twice, its agitation dissipating.

Xu Ziqing continued, “However, since I have this opportunity, I cannot slack off in my cultivation. If you’re hungry, go find food and play around, but please don’t disturb me.”

The hatchling showed an affectionate gesture and pecked the back of Xu Ziqing’s hand, signifying its agreement.

In truth, Xu Ziqing had another idea. Considering that both of his parents were demonic beasts and his father, the Golden Eagle, possessed a faint trace of peng¹Peng (traditional Chinese: 鵬; simplified Chinese: 鹏; pinyin: péng; Wade–Giles: p’eng) or Dapeng (大鵬) is a giant bird that transforms from a Kun (鯤; 鲲; kūn; k’un) giant fish in Chinese mythology. bloodline, he believed he could also cultivate. Yet, although he was more agile than ordinary beasts, he wasn’t certain if he possessed spiritual wisdom.

Due to his affection for the hatchling, Xu Ziqing allowed it to accompany him in training, but unfortunately, he was unable to teach it. He wished to advance his own cultivation swiftly, seeking a way out of the secret realm of the forest plain and a suitable cultivation method for the young eagle.

After explaining a few things to the hatchling, Xu Ziqing resumed his meditation.

Since he already possessed the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” technique, Xu Ziqing didn’t rush to practice it immediately.

If he could complete the sixth chapter, his cultivation level would naturally ascend to the sixth level of Qi refinement. However, apart from opening the acupoints, he also needed to establish communication with the seeds that had been integrated into his dantian. Thus, Xu Ziqing concentrated his spiritual energy into a single stream and cautiously explored the depths of the vortex in his dantian, gradually approaching the seed.

The moment he made contact, the seed exhibited no rejection and felt familiar. Filled with delight, Xu Ziqing merged his consciousness into his spiritual energy and made contact.

However, as soon as he touched it, despite the seed remaining motionless, an immense force crashed upon him like a boulder! Xu Ziqing’s mind was shaken, leaving him dizzy, and his soul felt as though it was drifting away from his body, entering an unfamiliar dark place.

Inside, Xu Ziqing experienced a sense of familiarity. Unable to see his own fingers, his body appeared solid yet ethereal, reminiscent of a dream-like state.

Though shaken by the overwhelming consciousness emanating from the seed, Xu Ziqing remained lucid, realizing that the previous incident wasn’t merely a dream but rather being pulled into the ring after unknowingly falling asleep.

Similar to before, Xu Ziqing stumbled forward, but this time, the path seemed much closer. It didn’t take long for him to spot the figure of the white-clad man.

Sitting amidst the void, the man remained as icy and pristine as a snow-capped mountain, resembling a sword submerged in a frigid pond.

Xu Ziqing came to the realization that he himself was a soul body and deduced that the man in white, exuding a chilling aura, must also be a soul. If his assumption was correct, the man was a ghost, whereas he was a soul.

This realization filled him with even greater gratitude.

Even without prior knowledge of immortality cultivation, Xu Ziqing understood that a human soul couldn’t stay separated from the body for long. If the three souls and seven spirits were scattered, the human body would become lifeless, and the human soul would become a wandering spirit.

The man in white’s icy demeanor should have been bothersome, but he had repeatedly expelled Xu Ziqing’s soul from the ring and returned it to his body!

With a resolute mindset, Xu Ziqing stood quietly a foot away, and before the man could dismiss him, he spoke up unexpectedly, “I am sincerely grateful for your continuous assistance, Xu Ziqing. I’m unsure how to repay you.”

Perhaps it was the gratitude conveyed through his words that prompted the man in white to raise his eyes slightly and give Xu Ziqing a brief glance.

“No need,” the man in white replied, his voice as cold as jade clashing against jade, devoid of emotion. “Now that your dantian has been restored, stabilize your soul and depart.” With a sweep of his sleeve, he reiterated his intention.

Xu Ziqing felt his soul body being swept up by a solid object, and suddenly, his entire being transformed into a misty haze, continuously descending backward. In an instant, he plummeted thousands and thousands of miles, until a flash of light enveloped him, plunging him back into his physical form.

Afterward, his body jolted, and he abruptly regained consciousness.

At that moment, Xu Ziqing still remained in a kneeling position. Before he could contemplate further on the words spoken by the man in white, his soul stirred, and an influx of fragmented consciousness from the demon vine seeds inundated his mind!

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• 1Peng (traditional Chinese: 鵬; simplified Chinese: 鹏; pinyin: péng; Wade–Giles: p’eng) or Dapeng (大鵬) is a giant bird that transforms from a Kun (鯤; 鲲; kūn; k’un) giant fish in Chinese mythology.