Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi

Now, having reached this point in one step, it saved him an unknown amount of effort, and he was naturally extremely satisfied in his heart.

"This seclusion refining technique is not something that can be accomplished overnight."

"Among the Five Elements Divine Techniques, the complexity of cultivating the ’Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method’ is second only to the ’Infinite Shadow Walking Technique’ and requires at least several months."

Zhang Yao pondered deeply, his thoughts swirling:

"It seems I need to inform the Mani Temple, so they can temporarily send a Golden Body Arhat to replace me in overseeing the Demon Cave at Changle Mountain."

In the Mani Kingdom, this was a disadvantage of cultivating; nothing could escape the supervision of Mani Temple.

Nevertheless, he was not planning to engage in anything disreputable, nor did he intend to meddle in Mani Temple’s schemes, so there was no need to deliberately avoid them.

......

Three days later.

The Mani Temple sent a Golden Body Arhat to take over Zhang Yao’s duties.

Zhang Yao went to a Great Buddha Temple in the Changle Mountain area, lodging in a cultivation quiet chamber to prepare for refining techniques.

Inside the quiet chamber:

"Rumble..."

Zhang Yao sat cross-legged, fully mobilizing his own Essence Qi, the sound of it surging roaring like a great river.

In the cultivation method for the Five Elements Divine Techniques, the Ten Thousand Years Ice Soul corresponds to the water attribute, requiring the generation of ice from water and the separation of the ice aspect to establish the foundation of the "Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method".

Within the Five Elements Spirit Array, the water attribute is associated with the kidneys, controlling the body’s water fluids. Thus, the initial steps of the Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method are quite unusual, requiring the nurturing of the Ten Thousand Years Ice Soul with one’s own blood, cooperating with Magical Power operation to gradually melt it.

Mixing hot blood and ice water, circulating through the body in conjunction with Golden Core Breathing Technique, enhances the Five Elements Spirit Array while modifying the structural foundation of the kidneys. Only then can the Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method be successfully cultivated.

Without a doubt, this cultivation method is tailor-made for cultivators of the "Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature".

For orthodox Qi Refining Cultivators, even though their Essence Qi might be strong, compared to the Third grade Spiritual Object like the Ten Thousand Years Ice Soul, they are extremely weak and cannot possibly use Magical Power to melt it.

As for Body Refining Cultivators, though their physique is extraordinarily strong, most schools of practice show that by the Golden Core stage, what flows within them may not even be blood.

"Buzz!"

Zhang Yao pressed his palms against the surface of the Ice Soul, his expression serious, beginning to mobilize the near-boiling Essence Qi within his body.

Under his deliberate guidance, countless tiny Blood Beads seeped from his palms, red as the setting sun, tinged with gold and exuding a faint fragrance.

The Blood Beads accumulated more and more, like scalding magma. With the support of Magical Power operation, they quickly melted a bowl-sized cavity in the Ice Soul, from which flowed Ice Soul water infused with abundant ice-attribute Spiritual Qi.

"Hiss..."

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, his entire body shivering.

The mix of Ice Soul water and blood re-entered his body, participating in the circulation of Essence Qi and Magical Power, bringing a bone-chilling cold that almost rendered his muscles and bones numb.

Fortunately, he had already mastered three of the Five Elements Divine Techniques, significantly strengthening his viscera, particularly his heart with its inherent fire attribute, which continuously resisted the cold, allowing him to endure.

In such a bitter struggle, time slowly passed by.

One day, two days...

One month, two months...

Until exactly four months later, a long howl suddenly echoed from the quiet chamber, filled with uncontainable joy.

Inside the quiet chamber:

Zhang Yao was all smiles, with the Ice Soul left as mere remnants, which he swept into a Storage Bag with a flick of his sleeve.

"After a hundred and twenty days of hard work, it is finally accomplished!"

Zhang Yao’s thoughts shifted, activating the newly refined "Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method", and a thin layer of frost immediately appeared on his body as cold Qi seeped outward from within.

In just a few breaths:

Zhang Yao’s whole body became a faint blue translucent ice sculpture, with only his form and face vaguely visible.

The Cold Cicada Divine Image Technique is an auxiliary technique among the Five Elements Divine Techniques, allowing one’s body to transform into a protective ice state, akin to an autumn cicada in hibernation.

In this ice-protected state, one’s defense is greatly enhanced, and any injuries can recover rapidly under the nurturing of the Ice Soul reconstruction.

Of course:

Zhang Yao already possessed a formidable Essence Qi Transformation talent, comparable to the Immortal Body divine technique, seemingly not needing the Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method.

But firstly, this divine technique is an essential part of forming the ’Five Elements Divine Wheel’ and is a necessary step in refining the ultimate ’Nine Colored Celestial Wheel’, so it cannot be abandoned;

Secondly, this divine technique is effective for Divine Soul injuries, and even after Perfecting cultivation, it can restore one to their former self, even if just a part of the soul is left, numb and disoriented. This happens to be what Zhang Yao currently lacks, filling a critical shortfall.

The Array of Ten Thousand Souls’ Thoughts, though good, is not invincible; who can guarantee there won’t be a severe soul injury in the future? His talent cannot quickly remedy such soul damage.

"Aurora Escape Technique, Annihilation Divine Thunder, Celestial Wind Formless Body, Cold Cicada Divine Thought Method..."

Zhang Yao sat cross-legged, his eyes deep, as one divine soul technique after another circulated.

White, violet, cyan, blue... As four divine techniques successively operated, four differently colored glows began to rise, vaguely showing signs of convergence.

At the heart of these converging glows, something terrifying seemed about to emerge, with its aura growing stronger and stronger.

But in the end, the four glows collided with each other, unable to complete the endless cycle of the final wheel, like a jigsaw missing the last piece, and could only dissipate separately.

The Five Elements and Five Phases lacked one, ultimately unable to complete the cycle.

"Phew... The Five Elements Divine Wheel is within reach, only missing the final ’Infinite Shadow Walking Technique’!"

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, feeling slightly disappointed yet simultaneously invigorated.

He already had a clear lead on the Endless Yin Earth needed for the Infinite Shadow Walking Technique, now just waiting for a message from those few Golden Core Cultivators in the Da Mo Kingdom.

According to what the Jiuhua Ancestor from the Shenhua sect said, that date was rapidly approaching, and a large-scale outbreak of the Black Tide could happen at any moment.

Once the Five-Colored Divine Wheel is refined, his strength will immediately soar, simultaneously breaking a restriction, allowing him to progress smoothly into the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm.

"The Golden Core Realm, cultivation is especially arduous."

"Middle Grade Golden Core, advancing a single realm can take two or three hundred years, with the risk of hitting a bottleneck."

"Top Grade Golden Core has no bottleneck, and the First Grade Golden Core progresses the fastest, needing only seventy to eighty years to surpass a realm. With the blessing of the grand array, I can move even faster."

Zhang Yao thought of this and showed a faint smile.

Since breaking through to the Golden Core Realm, it had also been over forty years. Although he spent long durations cultivating divine techniques and Daoist skills without single-minded deep cultivation, he was not far from the middle stage of the Golden Core.

Once reaching the middle stage of the Golden Core and possessing the Five Elements Divine Wheel, he could stride through the Golden Core Stage with ease.

"The future is promising!"

Zhang Yao sighed with emotion, immediately tidying his attire, getting up to leave the quiet chamber, and went to bid farewell to the abbot of the Buddhist Temple.

A moment later:

"Boom!"

A white Escape Light soared across the sky, racing rapidly towards Changle Mountain.

Returning to Changle Palace, he thanked the Golden Body Arhat who had guarded for several months in his stead, then resumed his usual secluded lifestyle.

Occasionally, he would visit fellow cultivators or go to Zhiyao Palace in Bingzang Kingdom to purchase some Spiritual Gold, all done using puppet incarnations, maintaining a very low-key style.

Until two years later on this day:

The nine Divine Travel Arrays of Mani Temple simultaneously transmitted outwards, announcing the upcoming convening of the twenty-yearly Mani Dharma Assembly and extending invitations to all foreign Golden Core cultivators.

"Time really flies!"

"In the blink of an eye, over a decade has passed, and it’s time for the Mani Dharma Assembly again."

In Changle Palace, Zhang Yao sighed, then began sorting through his Storage Bag, selecting some treasures and Spirit Stones in preparation for the trading section of the Mani Temple assembly.

With the Mani Temple owning a kingdom in the Central Plains, it naturally held countless treasures in its collection, not to mention the valuable items possessed by the Arhats and those on the Merit List.

This time’s Mani Dharma Assembly also offered an opportunity for trading and auctioning, making it a great chance for acquisition.

"By the way, there’s also that Passing Arhat in charge of the Great Awakening Hall!"

Zhang Yao recalled the agreement he made seven years ago with the renowned Passing Arhat but didn’t dwell on it too much.

After all, many foreign Golden Core cultivators had met this Passing Arhat, and like Lady Baiyu and Ancestor Heze, had been invited by the Arhat himself.

"When the time comes, I might as well visit him."