I am grinding experience in another world - Chapter 725 - 713: Profound Mystery
“What exactly is this stone door?”
The next morning, Chen Mu bathed in the morning light, lay on the rocking chair, staring at the stone door in front of him, lost in thought.
He had been pondering it all night, looking up, down, left, right, gazing from afar, and examining it inch by inch up close.
But he could only see that the gray wall was a massive gray double stone door; nothing else was discovered.
The stone door still functioned as before, displaying the progress of the Secret Technique and providing detailed insights for the corresponding rank. But beyond that, there were no other changes.
“The top is still blocked by gray mist.”
“Maybe once I’ve cultivated to the Primordial Spirit, I’ll be able to see clearly.” Chen Mu shook his head in disappointment.
After putting away the stone door, he came to his senses and finally remembered that last night, he completed the Jade Seed Reformation, and cultivated the Daoist Foundation.
The trace of regret for not being able to see the full picture of the stone door was immediately replaced by joy.
In a great mood, everything around him seemed more lovely.
Even the warm morning light on his face felt… fragrant and sweet?
Hmm?
Just by basking in the sun, how could it feel fragrant and sweet?!
This doesn’t seem right?!
Chen Mu’s eyes widened, and he suddenly stood up.
…
After a while.
Combining the insights from the stone door, Chen Mu finally understood the reason.
“After cultivating the Daoist Foundation, the Qi Cultivator can consume Heavenly Star Essence, converting it into his own mana, initially shedding the need for Earth Spirit Vital Energy.”
“You can survive just by basking in the sun? And have a continuous supply of mana… Incredible!” Chen Mu was elated.
According to the information provided by the stone door, the so-called Heavenly Star Essence is the light of the heavenly stars.
The sun is the nearest heavenly star to the ground, its light containing infinite Heavenly Star Essence, which is why it tastes fragrant and sweet to him.
Chen Mu felt amazed, thinking how vast and wondrous the world truly is.
“In the previous life, the sun was a massive fireball, but here, the sun might not be the same.”
He recalled his past experiences with the stars of the Corner Wood.
The stars in the sky can emit light not through continual nuclear fusion reactions within, but through a layer of Star Spirit Light.
That light is similar to a Qi Cultivator’s Body Protection Aura, which protects the stars from harm and radiates light both outward and inward.
“The sun in the sky is likely the same then.”
Chen Mu suddenly understood.
“The Earth Spirit Vital Energy is probably a transformation of the Heavenly Star Essence.” He thought intently.
To produce Earth Spirit Vital Energy, a special Earth Vein Restriction is needed.
He had previously delved underground many times to observe, and had already discovered that Earth Veins by themselves could not produce Vital Energy.
Now thinking about it, Earth Vein Restrictions are merely converters.
Utilizing the influence of mountains and Earth Veins, they transform the Heavenly Star Essence into Earth Spirit Vital Energy, which Qi Cultivators can refine.
Why don’t Qi Cultivators directly use Heavenly Star Essence?
“It’s not that they don’t use it, but rather they can’t!” Chen Mu quickly understood.
When Qi Cultivators practice the River Chariot while purifying the Divine Orifice, they need Mixed Primordial Qi.
Mixed Primordial Qi appears near the Earth Vein Spiritual Spring and possesses both yin and yang qualities.
Thinking about it now, Mixed Primordial Qi might be a unique Vital Energy situated between Heavenly Star and Earth Spirit Vital Energy.
It has properties of both Earth Spirit Vital Energy and Heavenly Star Essence.
But even the Mix Primordial Qi with a touch of Heavenly Star Essence properties can easily corrode a Qi Cultivator’s Divine Orifice.
“If one had not cultivated the Daoist Foundation and directly absorbed Heavenly Star Essence, they’d likely become a human torch instantly!”
Chen Mu flipped his wrist, and the Exquisite Jade Plate appeared in his hand.
“The Earth Spirit Vital Energy produced by the Exquisite Jade Plate must also be a transformation of Heavenly Star Essence.” He was convinced.
“No wonder the Exquisite Jade Plate can’t be used in Thousand Lanterns City, where it’s pitch black and there isn’t a trace of Heavenly Star Essence.”
…
For several consecutive days, Chen Mu carefully experienced the changes brought by the Daoist Foundation.
With the successful reformation of the Jade Seed, his body transformed rapidly, but this transformation wasn’t immediate; it was a slow and ongoing process.
At this moment, flashes of golden light appeared sporadically throughout his organs.
As the transformation progressed, more and more miraculous changes gradually emerged.
“This must be the Innate Protective Qi Mechanism.”
Chen Mu sensed the invisible protective field enveloping him, which was omnipresent and flawless, and understood in his heart.
This protective force not only wrapped the exterior but also enveloped every cell inside.
It’s a protection that permeates the whole body, from inside out.
It’s as if his entire being was encased in ice. To harm the inner Chen Mu, one would first have to penetrate the thick layer of ice outside.
And even if the outer protection was breached, Chen Mu himself was like a rock-hard popsicle, full of defensive power.
“The Protective Qi Mechanism of Heavenly Demon Monsters is probably similar.”
Recalling his past Demon Dispel experiences with the stars of the Corner Wood, Chen Mu nodded in understanding.
Those Outer Heaven Demons, regardless of size, are surrounded inside and out with an invisible energy mechanism. Even when they die, it can protect their bodies. To peel off their skins and dismantle their bones, you must first use the Demon Dispel Skill to cut through that layer of energy.
“Won’t my energy mechanism be restrained by the Demon Dispel Skill too?” Chen Mu suddenly felt a bit hesitant.
He raised his right index finger, and a nail-sized, dark green Qi Blade appeared at the fingertip.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Mu carefully directed this Three Yin Slaying Demon Qi towards the back of his left hand.
A force reminiscent of a bouncing ball sent back the Qi Blade, which seemed to have intelligence as it immediately began to alter its own nature, as if trying to find a way to counter the corresponding energy mechanism.
At the same time, the Jade Cicada Qi also began to change slightly on its own.
Watching the two transformations, Chen Mu couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
The Slaughter Demon Qi Blade was like a constantly changing key, while the Jade Cicada Qi was like a lock that kept altering its internal structure.
After fiddling for a quarter of an hour, the Slaughter Demon Qi Blade still couldn’t break through the Protective Qi Mechanism.
“No wonder it’s the Qi Refining Orthodox!”
“Similar to Heavenly Demon Qi, yet clearly more superior than Demon Qi!” Chen Mu beamed with a grin.
Demon Qi is present from birth, but its nature is relatively fixed. Once you find the targeted force, you can easily break through.
The Primordial Qi of a Qi Cultivator cannot be accomplished in one stroke.
It requires gradual evolution from Protective Armor, Body Protection Aura, Primordial Energy until the Daoist Foundation is cast, and thoroughly mastered.
Though it takes a long time, it changes unpredictably, making it impervious to Demon Dispel Skill’s targeting, evidently more advanced.
“Extract its essence, optimize and enhance.”
“Thanks to all the Daoist Ancestors who created the Qi Refining Secret Technique!”
…
Zhang’an County, upper floor of Upper Grade Residence.
Chen Mu sat at the square table by the window, leisurely nibbling on pumpkin seeds.
Having cultivated the Daoist Foundation, he now has the qualification to cultivate the Primordial Spirit, with a guaranteed lifespan of at least three hundred years. The urgency of constantly seeking the Dao suddenly vanished.
While waiting for his body to transform, apart from daily brushing up on Secret Technique experience, Chen Mu wandered around.
Visiting places like Zhang’an County to experience local customs, as he did today, was not his first time.
“Compared to the Frontier Wilderness Great Beam in the past, people here are evidently much happier.”
Chen Mu looked out the window at the healthy men, women, old and young citizens, and couldn’t help but express his sentiment.
When he first arrived in this world, he was in the Frontier Wilderness Great Beam. There, Ghosts were everywhere, and basic productivity was inadequate.
Citizens were undernourished and poorly clothed, and had to endure the turmoil brought by Ghosts.
Every now and then, chaos and unrest would occur, rendering life a struggle.
“No matter how eerie and sinister the Netherworld is, the City God Dojo system they’ve developed genuinely improves ordinary people’s lives.”
Adjusting the Earth Vein, diluting the Earth Spirit Vital Energy is not beneficial for Qi Cultivators but allows the crops in the mundane world to grow more robustly, and livestock to be plumper.
The Netherworld Worm, which coexists from birth, makes people strong, healthy, and free from illness.
Thus, the survival baseline for ordinary people is greatly assured.
“Even if they know there are Netherworld Worms in their bodies, they probably wouldn’t care.”
Chen Mu turned to Yun Shan and Di Xing sitting cautiously across him.
“Moreover, the Netherworld Worm enables ordinary people to cultivate Underworld God Transformation.”
No need for Talent, easily mastering power comparable to Qi Cultivators. While nine-tenths of Qi Cultivators may never complete Condensing Aperture cultivation in their lifetime, who would care about having Netherworld Worms in their bodies?
Reflecting on the hardships he encountered on his journey, and glimpsing the increasingly strong aura of Yun Shan across the table, he felt a sense of discomfort.
Is this because of practicing Seven Emotions Curse, thus advancing Underworld God Transformation further?
Ugh!
“You’ve practiced Seven Emotions Curse?” Chen Mu asked knowingly.
“Thank you for bestowing me such Wonderful Spell!” Yun Shan’s eyes gleamed with delight.
“How’s the effect?” Chen Mu asked curiously.
Concerned about the innate threat of Seven Emotions among all beings, he had never practiced the Seven Emotions Curse and truly didn’t know the detailed effects and feelings of the Cursing Method.
“Ever since acquiring the Seven Emotions Curse, my mind has become clearer, and the reverberating whispers of the Divine Demon backlash have mostly disappeared.”
“In at most a month, I can attempt Underworld God Nine Transformations cultivation!” Yun Shan looked excited.
So easy to break through to the next level?
Every phase of my cultivation always took several years of effort to achieve!
Feeling increasingly irritated.
Chen Mu squinted his eyes.
“Do you feel any side effects?” He held his gaze steady, slightly curled his lips, intentionally displaying a mischievous smirk.
Sitting beside Yun Shan, Di Xing’s expression changed immediately.
Yun Shan’s heart skipped a beat: “Side… side effects?!”
“Are there any side effects with the Seven Emotions Curse?!” His voice began to tremble.
“Isn’t this exactly what I need you to tell me?” Chen Mu chuckled grimly, and his smile became more sinister.
Yun Shan: “…”
Side effects, and you need me to tell you?
I really became a test subject for the Cultivation Technique!
Oh darn!
“`
