The Unity of Heaven and Man is a theory used by Cultivators to understand the relationship between heaven, earth, and the self.
The body is a small cosmos; the cosmos is a large body.
The human body and the cosmos share the sa origin, giving rise to an intrinsically profound and mysterious connection between them.
Living in the world, one is constantly bathed and cleansed by the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. By refining this Qi, one can naturally increase their Inner Power.
Innate Qi Refiners can accomplish this.
Opened Acupoints act as bridges, connecting the body to the outside world.
The more Acupoints one opens, the more Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi one can refine at once, and the faster one’s Cultivation grows.
Currently, Zhu Ju had opened one Eye Acupoint and the Ancestral Acupoint. After taking the Corpse Yin Breaking Acupoint Pill, his left Eye Acupoint had also begun to loosen.
Combined with consuming Demon Beast Flesh internally and sensing the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi externally, he circulated the Five Peaks True Form Force, and his Cultivation advanced daily.
Within a few years, he should be able to break open his second Eye Acupoint.
"CAW... CAW..."
The coarse, hoarse caws echoed through the mountain forest as dozens of crows darted among the leaves.
"Fellow Daoist Zhu."
Ye Baici gestured with a hand.
"This is the Spiritual Crow Master of Black Cloud Manor. He’s watching the nearby mountain paths, working with us to prevent the wicked monks from escaping."
"Spiritual Crow Master," Zhu Ju said, cupping his fist in salute.
"I’ve long heard of you!"
The man wasn’t a local Mage from Yidu, but rather a dominant figure in one of the counties below, and he was indeed quite famous.
His signature Black Crow Array was renowned among Mages.
However, what truly made him famous was the rumor that his Cultivation of Magic had led him astray, and that he had a habit of eating people.
Eating people!
Although it was just a rumor, it was the source of his widespread infamy.
"Heh heh..." The Spiritual Crow Master wore a black robe. With his beady eyes, hooked nose, and sinister expression, he looked thoroughly gloomy.
"You flatter , you flatter ."
"You two must be more diligent in guarding this path. Last night, a little Novice Monk escaped from your section. Fortunately, my crows spotted him."
Hm?
Ghost Monkey’s expression changed, and he asked subconsciously,
"What did you do to that Novice Monk?"
"GAGA..." The Spiritual Crow Master let out a shrill laugh.
"A seven- or eight-year-old child, with such tender skin and flesh, is the most delicious al. What do you think I did to him?"
"You!" Ghost Monkey’s eye twitched as his hand went to the weapon at his waist.
"Ghost Monkey!" Ye Baici’s lovely eyes hardened.
"Get back."
"..." Ghost Monkey gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully.
"Yes."
"Immortal Lady Ye," the Spiritual Crow Master chuckled lowly.
"Control your man. Don’t ruin General Wan’s important business, or this Master won’t be showing any rcy."
"I don’t need your concern," Ye Baici said, her voice ice-cold.
"I am well aware."
"Good." The Spiritual Crow Master turned to look down the mountain path, then raised an eyebrow.
"It’s the Feng family boy!"
A figure appeared on the mountain path. It was Feng Hongda, clutching a scroll. He faltered when he approached and saw the group.
"Senior Spiritual Crow."
He showed a fearful expression as he bowed in salute.
"We et again."
"Indeed." The Spiritual Crow Master clasped his hands behind his back and circled him.
"It’s been so ti since we last t—not since you learned the Monster Transformation Technique from ."
"Tsk, tsk..."
"Back then, this Master saw your Talent and even considered taking you as a disciple. You’ve been a real disappointnt."
"Senior," Feng Hongda said, his face deathly pale.
"This junior had urgent matters at the ti and couldn’t stay long."
"No matter." The Spiritual Crow Master flicked his sleeve.
"It was simply not your good fortune. Have you found your sister, then? Do you require this Master’s assistance?"
"That won’t be necessary." Feng Hongda took a step back and looked at Zhu Ju.
"Young Master Zhu has already agreed to help."
"Hah..." The Spiritual Crow Master’s eyes narrowed.
"You don’t know what’s good for you!"
With a wave of his great sleeve, dozens of crows sward and enveloped him, carrying him off into the depths of the forest.
Only when the figure was completely out of sight did Feng Hongda let out a breath of relief.
...
"Young Master Zhu."
Feng Hongda handed over the scroll.
"I’m counting on you."
On the night Jile Workshop was destroyed, his left arm was severed by the paper from Xing Suanzi’s self-detonation, leaving him with only his right hand.
His empty sleeve fluttered in the wind.
"Feng Hongda, you should understand that the person in the painting is not a real person," Zhu Ju said as he accepted the scroll.
"Your sister is already dead. The person in the painting is just a wisp of a remnant Soul that possesses her forr mories."
To imprison an entire Soul within a painting was a feat far beyond a re Mage like Xing Suanzi. Not even a Great Mage could do it.
The real Feng Yue’er was long gone.
"..." Feng Hongda’s eyes narrowed.
"A remnant Soul is still my sister!"
"Why put yourself through this?" Zhu Ju shook his head.
"A Painted Skin doesn’t have real mories. Over ti, it will gradually lose its Spirituality until it becos a mindless Puppet."
"Perhaps... you should ask for your sister’s opinion."
It was just a casual suggestion, and he said no more. Following the thod for the Skin Painting Technique, he ford a Finger Technique, chanted an incantation, and channeled his Magical Power.
"With ink for bone, and cinnabar for the eyes’ light."
"With soot of pine, break the boundary between realms of night."
"Three feet of silk to hold the stars’ own gleam, borrowing a shade from the Netherworld’s stream."
"By my decree!"
He guided the Spell, and his Magical Power flowed into the scroll.
On the scroll, Feng Yue’er’s previously lifeless eyes seed to brighten, gaining a spark of vitality.
The Skin Painting Technique wasn’t a one-ti process. Every so often, one needed to infuse it with Magical Power to sustain it.
Otherwise, the person in the painting would lose their Spirituality.
And the painting would revert to an ordinary piece of art.
Xing Suanzi’s Jile Spirit House, however, was special. All the portraits within it could be preserved for a long ti.
Unfortunately, the Jile Spirit House was now destroyed.
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Feng Hongda bowed deeply, clutching the portrait.
On the scroll.
Feng Yue’er’s eyes moved. She curtsied in Zhu Ju’s departing direction, then transford into a wisp of blue smoke and appeared beside Feng Hongda.
"Brother."
She touched Feng Hongda’s empty left sleeve, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. At last, she sighed softly.
"Don’t be so selfish."
"Sister!"
Feng Hongda turned his head, his face filled with astonishnt.
"The Mage was right. I am not your sister, just a substitute," Feng Yue’er said with a sad smile, her voice forlorn.
"I can no longer rember our childhood, nor can I recall what has happened all these years..."
"You cannot bring the real Feng Yue’er back to life. You keep here only because you can’t bear the pain of losing your family."
"You are too selfish."
"..." Feng Hongda swayed, his face deathly pale. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Sister."
"Let go," Feng Yue’er sighed.
"And let yourself go, too."
She stroked her brother’s ssy long hair, an image of them as children, relying on each other to survive, flashing before her eyes.
Life is suffering!
The two of them had already endured far too much.
"If there is a next life, how wonderful would it be to be born as sothing that knows no sorrow or trouble?" Feng Yue’er murmured, her voice dazed.
"But... if there truly is a next life, I would still want to be your sister."
"Sister," Feng Hongda said, looking up. At so point, his face had beco streaked with tears.
"I’ll take you ho, Sister."
"Alright." Feng Yue’er smiled through her tears.
"Let’s go ho."
*
*
*
The grand army was pressing down.
Bamboo Mountain Temple seed to have no intention of resisting.
However, they also made no move to hand over the Parasitic Demon Bees.
For three consecutive days, the Yidu army continuously tightened its cordon, while strange noises periodically emanated from within Bamboo Mountain Temple. It seed they were still endlessly debating whether to fight or surrender.
「Late Chou Hour.」
It was still so ti before dawn, the hour when ordinary people slept most deeply.
"RUSTLE RUSTLE..."
The mountain wind blew, rustling the leaves.
A group of a dozen or so people dashed down the mountain under the cover of night. Just as they crossed a dense patch of woods, the figures at the front ca to a sudden halt.
"Where do you think you’re going!"
Ghost Monkey and Rouge Saber blocked their path.
"Go!"
Soone growled in the darkness.
"Break through!"
"WHOOSH..."
A cold wind blew.
Ye Baici appeared, holding the Buddha’s Heart Lamp. She was enveloped in a biting, cold wind as a powerful Divine Soul Power surged forth.
"A Mage!"
The group’s expressions changed drastically.
"CAW... CAW..."
Before they could make a decision, the strange cawing of crows echoed from the forest as the Spiritual Crow Master arrived with another group of people.
"Spiritual Crow Master."
Ye Baici frowned.
"I believe this is the area we are assigned to guard."
"We are all serving the Lord General. There’s no need to be strangers, Immortal Lady. Besides, Bamboo Mountain Temple has many experts. This Master is rely being helpful," the Spiritual Crow Master chuckled, looking at the newcors.
"Will you surrender willingly, or must this Master take action?"
"Master!" Soone in the group recognized the Spiritual Crow Master and approached with a fawning smile.
"This humble monk is the Faceless Monk. We have t before."
"The Faceless Monk?" The Spiritual Crow Master raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but roar with laughter.
"So it’s you, kid!"
"It is, it is." The Faceless Monk pulled an object from his sleeve and discreetly placed it in the Spiritual Crow Master’s hand.
"This humble monk only ca for Buddha’s Birthday. I am not a monk of Bamboo Mountain Temple. I beg the Master to see the truth and spare this humble monk’s life."
"Hmm..." The Spiritual Crow Master felt the object in his hand. A smile touched his lips as he flicked his hand and tucked it into his sleeve.
"You’re a sensible kid."
"Immortal Lady Ye."
He turned to her and said,
"The Faceless Monk is not from Yidu, nor is he associated with Bamboo Mountain Temple. How about you let him go down the mountain, for this Master’s sake?"
"..." Ye Baici’s beautiful eyes narrowed. Her gaze paused on the Faceless Monk for a mont before she slowly withdrew the Buddha’s Heart Lamp.
"Since the Master vouches for him, it can be done."
"However, if General Wan holds soone accountable, do not involve ."
"Of course." The Spiritual Crow Master nodded and waved at the Faceless Monk.
"Now, scram!"
"Yes, thank you, Master." The Faceless Monk was overjoyed, thanking him repeatedly. He also put his palms together in a gesture of respect toward Ye Baici.
"Thank you, Immortal Lady."
With that, he hurried down the mountain.
"Master." Seeing this, another person approached and said in a low voice,
"This humble monk is also not from Bamboo Mountain Temple. This small gift is but a humble token. I hope the Master will be rciful."
"Hmph." The Spiritual Crow Master scrutinized the object in his hand.
"Buddha’s Heart Dew?"
"Precisely," the other man nodded.
"This was brewed by the bee colony on the back mountain of Bamboo Mountain Temple. It has a sweet taste and can benefit the Divine Soul. It is a rare Treasure."
"Heh..." The Spiritual Crow Master grinned.
"Every year on Buddha’s Birthday, Bamboo Mountain Temple distributes Buddha’s Heart Dew. You think this Master doesn’t already have so?"
"You think you can buy your way down the mountain with this little bit of Buddha’s Heart Dew?"
"WHOOSH..."
Before his words had faded, a Fierce Fla suddenly erupted around him.
The Fierce Fla shot toward the figure before him. A blood-curdling scream followed, and in an instant, the sll of burnt flesh filled the air.
"Heh heh..."
Staring at the cooked figure in front of him, the Spiritual Crow Master’s body flickered, and he transford into a giant crow nearly ten feet tall.
The Monster Transformation Technique!
The crow opened its massive beak, lunged forward, and swallowed the figure whole.
Eating people!
So it wasn’t just a rumor!
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