MTLNOVEL Ch. 6
Chapter 6: Seven-Orifice Exquisite Body
Time passed swiftly.
Just over half a month later, Xu Zhengyang not only broke through to Qi Refining Second Level naturally, but also doubled his Spiritual Energy cap, reaching 200 units.
He had also successfully parsed and verified every rune recorded in the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide, incorporating them into the Technique Manager’s database!
After completing that task,
Xu Zhengyang could be said to have fully mastered all the Tier 1 Techniques recorded in the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide!
Now,
with the help of the Technique Manager, he could instantly cast any Tier 1 Technique in the database just by thinking of it.
Seeing that he had thoroughly grasped the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide,
Xu Zhengyang nodded in satisfaction and said, “It’s safe to say I haven’t wasted my time.”
Then, he glanced at his Spiritual Bar with slight regret and said, “It’s just a pity that I only have 200 units of spiritual energy in my body. And casting a single Tier 1 Technique requires at least 60 units of energy. At my current level, I can cast at most three Techniques at once before my spiritual energy nears exhaustion. It’s a bit tight…”
While speaking,
Xu Zhengyang took out the blank talisman papers and cinnabar that Xing Yong had given him some days ago, then said, “There’s still about half a month until the disciple acceptance ceremony. It’s a good opportunity to draw a few talismans to have on hand just in case.”
For Xu Zhengyang, who fully understood rune principles, drawing talismans was effortless.
As long as materials were sufficient, there was no chance he would fail drawing a talisman!
…
Just as Xu Zhengyang focused on drawing talismans, suddenly, the Restriction Jade Token from Twilight Shadow Pavilion in his arms trembled again.
“Has Senior Brother finished?” Xu Zhengyang asked joyfully.
After incorporating all the runes into the database, he had nothing left to do but draw talismans to kill time.
“Perfect timing to check with Senior Brother if he could give me something to pass the time!”
While speaking,
Xu Zhengyang picked up the jade token, about to dash to the gate, when Pei Zhen’s voice came through:
“Disciple, open the door for your teacher.”
“Master?”
Xu Zhengyang froze for a moment. He had not expected Master to come himself, so he sprinted to the gate.
“Master!”
Opening the door, Xu Zhengyang panted as he saluted Pei Zhen and said, “Please just enter directly, Master. I could not possibly refuse your call.”
Pei Zhen, seeing Xu Zhengyang’s breakthrough to Qi Refining Second Level at first glance, realized he hadn’t been slacking off and felt greatly pleased.
When he heard Xu Zhengyang’s words, Pei Zhen smiled.
He waved his hand: “This Twilight Shadow Pavilion is your residence. How could I wait at the gate?”
“Your kindness shames me, Master,” Xu Zhengyang said as he stepped aside to lead Pei Zhen into the pavilion, adding, “Please follow me in. I will brew a cup of tea to relieve your fatigue.”
“Mm.”
Pei Zhen nodded and entered with him.
Along the way,
Pei Zhen looked at Xu Zhengyang’s cultivation level and said approvingly, “With the help of the Yellow Dragon Pill, you broke through to Second Layer in half a month on a four-root aptitude. This clearly proves your resolutes Dao-heart—you haven’t been dishonest recently.”
Pausing,
Pei Zhen, seeing Xu Zhengyang’s cultivation far exceeded expectations, dropped the subject and casually tested him: “By the way, how much of the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide have you studied? Any insights? Any confusion? If you’re puzzled, I’m here and can explain a thing or two.”
Xu Zhengyang hesitated briefly but decided to speak honestly: “Although talismans are as vast and profound as the sea, they also follow patterns. I may be unworthy, but in these past half month I have caught a glimpse of the way, integrating the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide.”
Xu Zhengyang’s breakthrough to Second Layer in half a month was already a peak effort in Pei Zhen’s view.
So Pei Zhen hadn’t held high hopes, and was about to say a few encouraging words when he heard Xu Zhengyang claim to have integrated the Guide completely.
“Integrated completely?”
Pei Zhen frowned unpleasantly and said, “We cultivators go against the heavens; only by treading the earth steadily can we seize that thread of life in the world. You may have talent, but don’t be overambitious!”
Pei Zhen’s tone grew stern by the end.
To maintain the image of a tough master, he stayed firm.
Xu Zhengyang, hearing this, remained calm, holding his disciple posture and looking at Pei Zhen, confidently saying, “Please test me, Master.”
“Oh?”
Pei Zhen raised an eyebrow, thinking incredulously: ‘Could this boy’s talent… surpass even my estimates?!’
Curious whether Xu Zhengyang was confident or bluffing, Pei Zhen directly said, “In that case, I have talisman materials here. Draw me a Fireball Talisman.”
While speaking,
Pei Zhen flipped his right hand, and a stack of talisman papers and a pot of cinnabar floated above it.
But before he could pass them over, he saw Xu Zhengyang open his palm, where a fireball the size of a watermelon blazed!
Even Pei Zhen was shocked when he saw this. He hurriedly said, “Did you reverse-engineer the corresponding Technique from the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide?!”
“Yes.”
Xu Zhengyang said, then extended his left hand, using the Technique Manager to condense a ball of water in his palm.
Then he said to Pei Zhen, “I have fully mastered the 216 Techniques recorded in the Divine Mechanism Talisman Guide. Please instruct me, Master.”
Finishing his words,
Xu Zhengyang quietly extinguished the fireball and water ball in his hands, since those two Techniques were too draining on his energy at present.
“You…”
At that moment,
Pei Zhen suddenly realized something, his face turning pale: “You were speaking with me while circulating Qi Refining Art, and you cast both Fireball Technique and Waterball Technique? You can split your attention to four things at once?!”
Xu Zhengyang hesitated briefly but answered truthfully: “I don’t know how many things I can multitask at most. But I feel… I can do far more than this.”
“This…”
Pei Zhen stood agape.
After a moment,
Pei Zhen suddenly recalled something and, ignoring Xing Yong’s exclamation, said, “Could it be that you are a… Seven‑Orifice Exquisite Body?”
“What is a Seven‑Orifice Exquisite Body?” Xu Zhengyang asked curiously.
Pei Zhen nodded and then shook his head, looking at Xu Zhengyang: “So-called spiritual bodies are born favored by heaven and earth, naturally possessing various incredible talents, the chosen of destiny. But…”
At this point
Pei Zhen paused before continuing: “The existence of spiritual bodies has always been only in legends; never has anyone truly seen a cultivator with one. In the cultivation world, we consider it merely anecdotal until… I saw you.”