Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 504 Taiyi Five Elements Luo is refined in an instant!

[After leaving the bamboo forest behind Xiaoqingfeng Mountain, Lü Qingyu chattered away like a lark in the woods.]

"Junior Brother Zhou, how did you discover that the old man guarding the spirit garden was a reclusive master?"

"Junior Brother Zhou, this 'Taiyuan Yiyang Sword' is no ordinary technique. It's said that among the thousands of disciples of Xiaoqing Peak back then, none of them truly mastered it."

"Junior Brother Zhou, could you teach me your Gengjin Sword detachment and explosion technique?"

A mountain breeze rustled through the bamboo grove. Suddenly, the girl clasped her hands together, her eyes gleaming, and pleaded, "Junior Brother Zhou, please, please."

Seeing the girl's charming and innocent appearance, you can't help but feel that there's a certain contrast between Elder Nie and Lü Qingyu.

Seeing your expression, Lü Qingyu immediately reverted to her senior sister demeanor, hands on her hips, and said, "You, Junior Brother Zhou, you're turning your back on me now, aren't you?"

[You weren't bothered at all, and strolled on leisurely, instead explaining the Gengjin Sword Technique and the key to its detonation in detail.]

[At this moment!]

Your gaze flickered slightly, and you looked towards a figure not far ahead.

[Lu Qingyu exclaimed in delight, "Senior Brother You, you're back?"]

You bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother You."

You Sanfeng glanced at you all and said, "This is a forbidden area in the back mountain. Why are you making such a racket? What kind of behavior is this?"

Lü Qingyu stuck out her tongue, completely unfazed and unconcerned.

Seeing this, you seized the opportunity to take your leave, your figure disappearing into the bamboo forest.

[“Junior Brother Zhou, wait!” Just as Lü Qingyu was about to give chase, You Sanfeng called out to him.]

The short, stout Taoist priest took out a paper package from his sleeve, and the mountain breeze carried the aroma of roast duck: "Qingyu, I specially brought you this Eight Treasures Roast Duck on my way down the mountain."

[Lü Qingyu's eyes lit up. "Senior Brother You, you're the best!" she exclaimed, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "The soup on Little Green Peak is so bland, it's making my mouth water!"]

A hint of doting appeared in You Sanfeng's eyes. His fingers twitched slightly within his sleeve, and a wisp of spiritual fire quietly coiled around the oil paper package: "It's being kept warm with fire magic. Eat it quickly."

[Lü Qingyu eagerly peeled back the oil paper, and the aroma of roast duck mixed with the sweetness of honey wafted out.]

She lowered her head and took a small bite, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Suddenly, as if remembering something, her eyes darted around cleverly. "Senior Brother You, wait for me!"

Lu Qingyu hurriedly clutched the oil paper package and turned to leave, saying, "I'll let Junior Brother Zhou try some too."

You Sanfeng's smile suddenly froze. He watched the graceful figure in blue disappear into the distance, and the previously docile spiritual fire in his palm suddenly crackled and popped.

Crimson sparks flew, scorching the moss beneath their feet.

When you returned to the cemetery on your way down the mountain, you found yourself carrying a piece of "oiled paper" containing half a roast duck.

[Upon entering the spirit garden, the old man, who was already waiting on a reclining chair, suddenly twitched his nose, squinted his eyes, and smiled, "Little Jing, what smells so good? Everyone who sees it gets a share."]

"Well, old man, your nose is really sharp."

An old man and a young boy shared their meal at the stone table. You only tasted a couple of bites, but inexplicably, you were reminded of the coarse grain porridge you used to cook over a wood-fired stove back in Qinghe County. Though it couldn't compare to this refined porridge, the aroma of rice rising from the cooking smoke was undeniably the taste of something earned with your own hands.

Life on the mountain is peaceful, but life down below has its own unique charm.

The old man savored the taste, saying, "You can't find this good flavor on this little green peak. It was worth it."

He abruptly changed the subject, asking, "What did that girl Nie say when you went to the back mountain today?"

[You recount everything, taking out two jade slips from your robes.]

The old man's eyes held a look of amazement. "I never imagined it would be the 'Taiyuan Yiyang Sword'."

He said with a hint of pride, "Back in the day, I relied on this sword to dominate Fangcun Mountain."

"However," the old man suddenly said, leaning back as if deflated, "this damned sword technique has consumed too much of my time, which is why my cultivation is stuck here."

[You notice the almost imperceptible tremor in the old man's fingertips as he touches the sword incantation. The decaying aura within him surges with his emotional fluctuations, gnawing at his remaining life force like a lurking venomous snake.]

[If this malevolent energy remains within the body, it will not only devour life force, but will likely also destroy one's cultivation.]

Even so, the old man still possessed the cultivation level of the mid-stage Heavenly Gate realm, suggesting that he was a cultivator at the Dragon Court realm before his injury.

According to Elder Nian, if it weren't for the delay caused by this sword technique, he would have already reached the Golden Core realm of the Great Dao in the Dragon Court.

The Golden Core stage is the realm of the nine peak masters of Fangcun Mountain.

To obtain the Golden Elixir of the Great Dao, one must weather the storms of the Silver Sea.

How can one compete with the heroes of the world without genuine talent?

Looking at the old man's somewhat somber face, you see that on the path of cultivation, innate talent is the boat, and one's character is the oar. If both boat and oar are lost, even the most ambitious will fall into the abyss.

How to climb high? The old man's sword of hope has broken!

Of course, since you didn't offer any advice, if a new disciple were to speak up at this point, the old man would most likely just laugh it off and not take it to heart.

The truths of this world only carry weight when spoken by those who stand atop the same mountain.

The words of a beggar and an emperor carry different weight; they require equal status and position, otherwise they are merely words spoken in one ear and out the other.

[Look at the old man, he's full of life, yet there's no visible injury on his exterior; it's hidden inside.]

Clearly, they haven't reached the point of exhaustion yet.

There are ways to solve this in the future.

The old man looked at you, flicked the jade slip with his finger, and said, "I advise you not to practice this sword manual, otherwise you'll just be wasting your time."

"Although you are still young, reaching the Dao Embryo realm after two hundred years is the first hurdle you need to overcome."

"Cultivation requires taking one step at a time."

You deliberately raised an eyebrow, "Old man, you look down on me, don't you?"

"I, Zhou Jing, am a prominent young man in the surrounding area of ​​Qinghe County, a veritable prodigy in cultivation."

You are already familiar with this old man whose real name is "Nian Wubei".

In his youth, this person was likely unconventional and generous, not one to adhere to strict etiquette.

The old man chuckled, "Alright, alright, you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin! When you've hit your head and bled profusely on your cultivation path, you'll understand what I mean today."

The old man fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan, returned the jade slip to you, and lay down in his rocking chair, beginning to sway gently.

It is now noon, and the sun is high in the sky.

The cemetery was filled with the delicate fragrance of medicine.

You sit cross-legged with your back against an ancient pine tree, your primordial spirit permeating one of the two jade slips, the "Five Elements Escape Techniques Sword Manual," which contains four other sword techniques based on the five elements, in addition to the Geng Metal Sword.

The Yi Wood Sword, ever-renewing and possessing healing abilities, resembles a green dragon coiled around an ancient pine tree; its sword energy, like gnarled vines, binds the enemy and heals the user.

The Blazing Sword explodes with extraordinary power, scorching the heavens and melting gold, like a Vermilion Bird igniting a prairie fire. Wherever its blade passes, crimson flames surge, scorching the very soul.

The Sunflower Water Sword, with its ultimate softness overcoming hardness, chills to the bone and marrow. Like a black tortoise carrying the vast ocean, its sword energy flows like an undercurrent, using softness to neutralize hardness.

The Earth Sword, heavy and sturdy, guards mountains and protects the heart. Like a Qilin crouching in the earth's veins, its sword energy condenses into the illusory image of mountains, its protection as firm as a mountain.

These are the Five Elements Swords; when combined, they form the "Five Elements Sword Formation."

[During the competition that day, Lü Qingyu used this sword, its five elements rotating, making it almost unbreakable, combining offense and defense.]

[However, she hadn't truly achieved the unity of the five elements; she was only practicing simple cycles. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been defeated by the woman from Yaohua Peak with a single sword strike.] [This jade slip only records the cultivation methods for the Dao Embryo realm, meaning it only contains these few sword techniques based on the five elements, without any follow-up to the unity of the five elements.]

[Having experience with the Gengjin Sword Technique, you now read through the entire text and open your eyes again.]

[With a jolt in his dantian, the first surge of sword energy erupted from the "Eighteen Stops" acupoint. In an instant, the sharpness of Geng metal, the vitality of Yi wood, the intensity of Li fire, the gentleness of Gui water, and the thickness of Wu earth intertwined and flowed.]

A second surge of sword energy immediately followed, originating from "Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains - Raging Charge," and passing through the "Three Mountains and Nine Passes" energy center.

Between two breaths, the five elements of sword energy circulated continuously, gradually reaching a state of perfection.

Just as you were about to deduce the method of unifying the five elements, the five sword intents spontaneously merged, becoming one.

[It turns out that as long as one cultivates the Five Elements Sword Intent to perfection, it will automatically merge into one.]

[You thought to yourself, it seems Lü Qingyu hasn't fully mastered the Five Elements Sword Technique... and his talent doesn't seem very impressive either!]

If Lü Qingyu were here and knew what you were thinking, she would definitely be heartbroken. After all, within Fangcun Mountain, although her talent wasn't top-tier, she was still a pillar of the various peaks, a level that ordinary disciples could hardly reach.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to become Xiao Qingfeng's senior sister.

[Anyone who can master all five sword techniques of the "Five Elements Escape Techniques Sword Scripture" at the Dao Embryo Realm is truly deserving of the title of a prodigy throughout the entire sect.]

Inside the cemetery, the old man still dozed off, lazily basking in the sun, but his thoughts remained fixed on you.

[I noticed you were practicing the "Five Elements Escape Technique Sword Scripture," but you only glanced at it before putting it down. I find that slightly odd.]

At that very moment, a faint glow of the five elements suddenly emanated from your body, vanishing in an instant.

The old man was startled. What he had just witnessed was clearly the profound aura of the five elements in harmony—but this young man had only just mastered the Geng Metal Sword Technique. How could this be?

He shook his head inwardly, realizing that his years of injury had caused his cultivation to decline and his primordial spirit to weaken, giving rise to such an absurd illusion.

The old man's eyes held an expectation as he urged you to examine the second jade slip—the "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword."

This sword technique is difficult to master, so I'll teach you a lesson and show you how tough you are.

[But you were in no hurry, allowing the five elements of sword energy to circulate freely within your meridians, sometimes merging into one, sometimes separating into five distinct energies.]

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck, and the image of the five elements' cycle appeared in my mind's eye—

Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal again. The cycle repeats endlessly. If your slightest thought could cause these five elements to cycle on their own, wouldn't that be wonderful?

[You concentrate your mind and calm your spirit, once again refining the Five Elements Sword Technique, slowly infusing it with your divine sense as if crafting a magical artifact.]

[After three incense sticks have burned.]

[A Five Elements Sword Formation has already formed within you, yet it appears as if shrouded in mist and smoke.]

Its form appears as five colorful clouds of smoke: red, yellow, blue, green, and purple.

You smiled slightly, a glint of light in your eyes: "It's done."

The billowing clouds and smoke moved spontaneously, resembling a defensive magic weapon based on the five elements.

[As you open your palm, five wisps of colorful smoke will instantly unfold, forming a seemingly thin, ethereal canopy that envelops you.]

The old man standing nearby, seeing this, flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes. Even with his hundreds of years of experience, he had never seen such a method before.

The old man's eyes gleamed with barely concealed curiosity. "Young man, what kind of magic are you concocting?"

You smiled and said, "This is a self-defense technique I learned from the 'Five Elements Escape Technique Sword Manual'."

The old man seemed lost in thought, assuming it was another stroke of good fortune like the Gengjin sword energy, and naturally didn't believe it was something you had comprehended. So he asked again, "Does it have a name?"

You paused for a moment, then said, "This technique is newly mastered and has not yet been named."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and a hint of smugness appeared between his brows. "How about we call it—Taiyi Five Elements Luo?"

You explained: "Taiyi refers to the chaos before the separation of heaven and earth; the Five Elements are the foundation of all things; and Luo means encompassing all phenomena."

The old man saw the boy sitting cross-legged under a pine tree, resting on a simple rattan cushion, with a pure aura circulating around him.

A summer ant climbed up his trouser leg and finally landed on the back of his hand.

The boy remained calm and undisturbed, simply lowering his hand slowly, allowing the little creature to depart peacefully.

[As he looked up, a slight smile played on the boy's lips. A mountain breeze swept by, rustling the verdant pine branches; the sound of the pines seemed to resonate with the boy's breath, and heaven and earth seemed to echo his Daoist principles.]

The old man's mind suddenly jolted, and a Daoist phrase came to mind: "Heaven and earth were born together with me, and all things are one with me."

He looked closer—under the pine shade was clearly just a young boy with his hair in his hair.

[But just a moment ago, how could one glimpse the aura of a master returning to simplicity in this child?]

[Your "True Understanding of Primordial Chaos" has been activated again, sealing your acupoints for the thirtieth time. You just achieved "Dao Heart Clarity," and almost couldn't suppress it, nearly reaching the Dragon Court Realm right in front of the old man.]

You've returned to being just an ordinary disciple of Qingfeng.

Your gaze fell once more on the second jade slip, which was the "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword".

This is a sword technique that even Nie Qingzhu described as "as difficult as ascending to heaven," so you can imagine how difficult it is.

[Your divine sense, slightly expectant, ascends to the text, which is nearly a million words long, vast and expansive. Over 90% of it describes profound theories such as the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, the void, astrology, and destiny.]

The ultimate method of cultivation involves the dialectical understanding that a substance exists in the world that is not within the Five Elements, transcends the Three Realms, yet exists among all things in heaven and earth, and interacts with them.

[Most of it consists of questions, posing questions to the heavens and earth; this is a classic text that would make even those at the Heavenly Gate Realm dizzy.]

The old man stroked his long beard, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, as if he were expecting you to show a confused or bewildered expression.

Aside from the opening philosophical deductions, these four million words also convey the original author's unwavering pursuit of the Dao and questioning the heavens—a sense of bewilderment at the ultimate principles of the universe, an exploration of the vast galaxy, and a profound sense of regret for failing to attain enlightenment.

[Finally, the method of cultivation is revealed, which involves sensing five types of Qi that have no written records. The original author refers to them as "Primordial Magnetism," "Cosmic Light," "Absolute Qi," "Supreme Origin," and "One Yang."]

The five elements merge to form the Taiyuan Yiyang Sword. The jade slip records that upon its emergence, this sword will manifest two astonishing phenomena—

[One day, he was reprimanded.]

The second thing is to swallow.

It can reject all laws under heaven, and it can devour all things under heaven.

[By the time you finish reading this method, it is already night. The night sky is filled with countless stars, and the sound of cicadas can be heard.]

It has a touch of summer coolness to it.

You slowly opened your eyes, your gaze calm yet tinged with confusion.

Seeing this, the old man gently waved his palm-leaf fan, his aged voice conveying comfort: "Don't be disappointed. Although I was fortunate enough to master it back then, I only grasped the essence of 'Sword Repulsion.' It was only through favorable timing, location, and various fortuitous circumstances that I could use it, and it can only be used at specific times of the year."

He looked up at the moon, its silvery light reflecting on his wrinkles. "Even if I were to start over now, it would be incredibly difficult..."

"Simply sensing those five innate extraordinary energies is like allowing a mortal body to feel spiritual energy, or allowing a deaf person to hear the sound of a zither."

The confusion in your eyes isn't that this method is difficult to practice, but rather a strange realization that the cultivation method that perplexes everyone... is far too simple.

[The five innate extraordinary energies—"Primordial Magnetism," "Cosmic Light," "Absolute Qi," "Supreme Origin," and "One Yang"—that deter countless cultivators, were already sensed when you were cultivating the "Twelve True Fiends Divine Formations."]

At the time, it seemed ordinary; no one expected that the combination of the five elements would unleash such astonishing power.

[You smile gently, then let's see just how powerful the "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword" truly is.]

[Refined in an instant—]

(End of this chapter)