Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 225 - 160 The Body Will Be the Cage of the Divine Soul_2

Chapter 225: Chapter 160 The Body Will Be the Cage of the Divine Soul_2

According to the Divine Thought transmitted, this did not seem to be any treasure but more likely a divided spirit.

Jianmu’s divided spirit, wouldn’t that equate to an Immortal’s divided spirit?

"Only Jianmu has wrestled with me, an Immortal, Jianmu branches out and leaves, one of its myriad incarnations."

No need to voice the doubts in his heart, Qingcang’s profound voice reached him again.

"May I ask if the Master has any strategy to cope with this?"

Gu Wen asked opportunistically, hoping he might gain some advantage.

"Jianmu fears fire, True Sun Fire can burn it, Taiyin gives rise to Sun, each complements the other, together they form the poles. Yet, Taiyin and Sun are difficult to cultivate, and one requires extremity to burn the wood, better to avoid it."

Qingcang’s voice, inextricable from male or female, young or old, was unexpectedly gentle, not at all as domineering as the rumors in the outside world had portrayed.

Gu Wen’s caution in his heart lessened slightly; perhaps Qingcang Master was more amicable, and he need not choose his words so carefully.

He said, "Please bestow upon me a method to cope, Master."

"Escape is not a solution, but at the moment, it must have its benefits, constant escape brings endless benefits."

"..."

Gu Wen looked up, puzzled by Qingcang’s seemingly lazy answer.

Was this the Qingcang Immortal whom all factions feared, who had killed until rivers ran red with blood for thousands of years, who had subdued the Human Race and crushed the Devil Clan?

What did "constant escape brings endless benefits" mean?

The next second, Gu Wen found himself uncontrollably pulled from the vastness, as if waking from a dream back to reality.

In his bodily senses, only a moment had passed.

The other three looked at him curiously, Chi Yu Zi quickly asked, "What did Qingcang Immortal say?"

The Sword Box girl’s eyes brimmed with admiration, a strong admiration was natural, and the legends of Qingcang had always circulated among the Human Race.

Many young people’s fantasies about becoming an Immortal were often centered on Qingcang, who had attained Immortality in the most perilous times for the Human Race, turning tides and supporting faltering dynasties.

"This is a branch of Jianmu, one of its divided spirits."

Gu Wen repeated everything, excluding the astonishing statement "constant escape brings endless benefits."

Everyone looked solemn. A divided spirit equivalent to an Immortal was problematic but had a silver lining: the more divided spirits there were, the weaker each tended to be.

But even so, it was enough to contend with Chi Yu Zi, representing an existence Gu Wen could not overcome.

"It’s unexpected that Jianmu originally had consciousness." Ao Tang sighed, then complained somewhat, "Qingcang didn’t make things clear back then, didn’t leave any books, now we’re just guessing here."

Jianmu was commonly believed not to have consciousness in the Cultivation World.

Because if Jianmu had existed for untold ages, it had never communicated with any creatures living upon it, and eons of worship had never been reciprocated.

Chi Yu Zi asked again, "Did Qingcang Immortal provide any method to cope? After all, he is the Immortal who ruled the Three Religions."

Of course, it was "constant escape brings endless benefits."

Gu Wen forced a smile but, unwilling to shatter the girl’s admiration, inhaled slightly and said, "Swallowing a Golden Core, I came to know my destiny is not in heaven’s hands. Qingcang Master did not offer a solution, but perhaps no solution is needed."

Upon hearing these words, Ao Tang and Chi Yu Zi’s eyes widened, especially the latter, who was so shaken that her realm began to rise imperceptibly.

Truth lies not in words and where there are words, the truth is not present.

Yet by analogous reasoning, often only a single opportunity was missing, and once the opportunity came, it naturally led to a breakthrough.

Sudden enlightenment was not about ascending on the spot, but rather seizing an opportunity after cumulative past efforts and reaching the pinnacle in one leap.

Chi Yu Zi came back to her senses, her admiration deeper as she said, "Worthy of being an Immortal!"

At midnight, Gu Wen cooked Devil beast meat and consumed a Demon Core.

Chi Yu Zi came over again, her rare blush showing as she shyly fiddled with the hem of her clothing and asked in a low voice, "Red Dust, can I use the words you spoke this morning?"

"Why learn from me, a crude person like me?" Gu Wen raised an eyebrow and said, "The words of Qingcang Master would be better, and more suitable for you. You can use them directly without any issue."

He was just venting; even being a little courteous to the Devil Clan made him feel weak.

Chi Yu Zi cleared her throat and said, "The words of Qingcang Immortal are naturally good, but I prefer yours, Red Dust. Hurry and teach this lady a few effective insults to use against the Devil Clan."

"Don’t pick up bad habits, kid."

Eventually, worn down by Chi Yu Zi’s persistent nagging, Gu Wen simply taught her a few essentials of taunting in games.

She wouldn’t actually learn to curse; what she wanted was to learn how to belittle the enemy, similar to throwing out a question mark after killing someone once.

[Three Hundred Years of Heavenly Marrow]

After consuming all of the Devil beast meat and Demon Cores, and with the addition of the new Pills refined by Ao Tang, the Heavenly Marrow had reached three hundred years.

[Eighth-Transition Golden Core: Requires one hundred and thirty years of Heavenly Marrow, requires flawless Golden Core]

An Eighth-Transition Golden Core required one hundred and thirty years of Heavenly Marrow. Even if a Ninth Transition would need double that, the Heavenly Marrow was more than enough.

Gu Wen gathered his focus but didn’t rush to break through; he needed to wait for Chi Yu Zi to bring a new Earth Core Crystal.

The next day, atop the Heavenly Altar, Chi Yu Zi and a similar phantom engaged in a battle of wits, causing the entire Grotto Heaven to tremble.

Gu Wen watched the battle from the side, seeing Chi Yu Zi with her seven out of six Dao foundation being pressed on one side by a virtual image of a Demi Immortal of the same level. Both looked identical in appearance, Cultivation Technique, and Divine Skills, yet Chi Yu Zi was outmatched by her older sister.

Currently, if I were to face a Demi Immortal, I could probably only ensure I am undefeated against my equals; crossing one level would mean an even match.

The Immortal Skills are still insufficient; I must cultivate more Immortal Skills, and the True Sword Dao also needs to be elevated to a higher level.

Gu Wen planned to prioritize the Taiyin Skill in his schedule; he had to use the quantity of Immortal Skills to make up for the disparity with the Demi Immortal’s foundation, or even surpass it.

With this, three hundred years of Heavenly Marrow again seemed insufficient.

The battle lasted for three two-hour periods. The bruised and battered girl descended from the Heavenly Altar, handed over the Earth Core Crystal shell to Gu Wen, then found a corner to sit and meditate, licking her wounds like a Jianmu trapped in a pond of cool water.

Once Chi Yu Zi’s breath had fully stabilized, Gu Wen lit a cattle horn. Ao Tang and Yu Hua both cast their gazes over, but only Chi Yu Zi did not.

This time it was the sense of smell.

Gu Wen said, "Chi Yu Zi."

Chi Yu Zi opened her eyes, glanced at the burning cattle horn, moved her gaze away with a ’tsk’, and forced a tone as she said, "Don’t worry, I won’t hold you back."

"That’s not what I want to talk about," Gu Wen shook his head and spoke in a gentler tone, "In the end, keep your eyes. Divine Thought can sense and communicate, but you can’t appreciate the eyes, and there are many sights you need to see."

"Do I have a choice?"

Chi Yu Zi tilted her head slightly, speaking candidly, "I have one soul and three spirits left; after eating this Earth Core Crystal, I will face the Earth Core Crystal that stores seven spirits without needing Divine Thought, but I need it for one soul. Red Dust, which do you think I should give up?"

She looked up like a Jianmu curled in cool water, offering Gu Wen the great trust of choosing for her.

As Yu Hua had said, Chi Yu Zi was very useful for Gu Wen’s future, because there was no other in the world so utterly alone yet so powerful.

This was probably not simply trust, but more about fear.

Daring enough to renounce the five senses, yet afraid to make the decision—after all, she was still just a child.

Gu Wen said softly, "Touch then. Your Divine Soul is already sufficient to control the body."

"Alright, I’ll listen to you."

Chi Yu Zi closed her eyes, her breath gradually deepened, and then she fell asleep.

When the eyes cannot see, the ears cannot hear, the mouth cannot taste, the hands cannot touch, the nose cannot smell, the soul becomes a prisoner in the body.

To keep the Divine Soul alive, she was turning her body into a prison.