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Chapter 196 Refining Spirit Technique and the Maze Files (Two-in-One)

The white-haired old man also pushed out with a palm strike.

Bang! !

The air exploded with a deafening roar as their palms met.

The entire Enlightenment Platform fell silent as everyone turned to look.

"Is that Confucius of 'Mojianzhai' testing that young man?"

"What domineering palm force!"

"Huh? Confucius actually took half a step back!"

"Why is he waving his hands behind his back like that?"

Hearing the whispers of those around him, Kong Tai felt a little embarrassed.

He confidently asserted that the other party could not harm him, but the result was somewhat unexpected. Not only did he have to take half a step back under the immense force, but he also felt a bone-chilling cold seep into his pores and meridians, which was extremely unbearable.

"Hahaha!" He suppressed the pain and laughed heartily as if nothing was wrong, stroking his beard and saying, "You're a promising young man! What kind of palm technique are you using, lad?"

As Wang Xi withdrew his palm, the blackness on the surface of his skin faded away, restoring its normal color.

He had just used the snow flame power of the "Crown of the End" and then used "A Brushstroke of Mountains and Rivers" to add "Forbidden Ink Stain".

This was only because he held back; otherwise, the old man might have been injured if he hadn't been careful.

You can't blame Wang Xi for bullying the stronger one; he had to make a good impression so that the other party would think more highly of him.

"What palm technique?" Wang Xi casually made up an answer: "Bone-Cold Mystic Ice Palm."

It's black and icy, isn't that the Xuanbing Palm?

The old man was taken aback.

He had never heard of this palm technique before, but as someone who had personally experienced being struck by it, he deeply identified with the name.

"What a brilliant move, the Bone-Cold Ice Palm!" Kong Tai said with a kind smile, "May I ask your name, young man?"

"My name is Wang Xi, courtesy name Xizhi."

Wang Xi bowed with his hands clasped in a polite gesture.

“Wang Xizhi?” Kong Tai pondered. “Xi means to look forward; Zhi means to go. This name perfectly embodies the profound truth of calligraphy: ‘The idea precedes the brush, and the spirit roams beyond the characters.’ It can be said to be a gift from heaven!”

"Young friend, you have such a name and have also inherited the true essence of the 'Peach Blossom Mountain Excursion Calligraphy'. Your brushwork already shows a magnificent style."

The white-haired old man spoke eloquently.

"I observed your brushstrokes just now; the dots and strokes were like swords, the strokes like sticks. You are truly a fine seed for my Mojianzhai school's philosophy of 'entering the Dao through calligraphy and nourishing ink with swords'... I wonder if you would be willing to join my school and study the Dao of calligraphy and swordsmanship together?"

He originally intended to personally take the young man as his disciple, but after exchanging blows, he gave up the idea.

Kong Tai felt he was not qualified to teach the other party.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate for the head of the academy to step forward.

The opponent clearly did not cultivate the three souls and seven spirits, yet he was able to withstand his palm strike with his Grandmaster-level strength alone, demonstrating his extraordinary innate divine power.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

Wang Xi cupped his hands in a respectful bow and smiled politely.

"This humble one wishes to join the vegetarian monastery."

"Great!" Kong Tai was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Those who witnessed this began to discuss it amongst themselves.

Everyone present was a cultivator, so they could see that this young man was still a mortal. Yet, even so, he was able to defeat Confucius with a single palm strike, which showed his exceptional talent.

Seeing this, they couldn't help but sigh that Mo Jianzhai had truly acquired a prodigy with exceptional talent.

"I am Kong Tai, a teacher in the academy."

The white-haired old man laughed.

"So it's Master Kong in person." Wang Xi bowed again. "This humble one greets the Master."

"Xi Zhi, although Mo Jian Zhai is not a top-tier sect, it can still be considered first-class."

Kong Taidao.

"As is customary, I will first teach you the Refining Spirit Method. Only after you have cultivated the Three Souls and Seven Spirits and opened the Yellow Court Inner Landscape can you enter the mortal world on your own."

As he spoke, he took out a square-shaped white jade seal and casually tossed it into Wang Xi's palm.

"At that time, those who possess this token will be received by a disciple and formally admitted to my temple."

"I understand, kid."

Wang Xi cupped his hands in greeting.

He examined the white jade seal in his hand and discovered that it was engraved with the character "墨" (mo).

At the same time, one must be clear-headed about this, for this is the real test—if one cannot master the Refining Spirit Technique, then one is not qualified to join the Ink Sword Sect.

"Master, what is the 'Inner Landscape of the Yellow Court'?"

Wang Xi pondered the other person's words and couldn't help but ask a question.

Confucius stroked his beard and smiled:
"External cultivation refines essence into qi, the Nine Palaces and Two Elements; internal cultivation refines qi into spirit, the Five Qi and Three Flowers."

"Those who cultivate truth refine their spirit and return to emptiness, achieving perfect harmony of the three treasures and solidifying their soul and spirit. When their spirit is complete and their vital energy is abundant, a world of its own will open up in the Niwan Palace, called the 'Yellow Court Inner Landscape'."

"It is also the beginning of returning to emptiness and uniting with the Dao, which is the inner landscape and the outer appearance."

"The Seven Tablets of the Cloudy Bookcase states: 'The inner landscape is profound and mysterious, a single cave containing light, capable of encompassing heaven and earth. It is the wondrous realm of the spiritual platform where the primordial spirit resides, an empty room where white light arises, vast and mysterious. Its size has no bounds, its smallness has no limits.'"

"When cultivators reach this realm, they can roam freely within it, whether they are contemplating and preserving their true nature, or practicing breathing exercises to refine their physical form, all at their own discretion... Furthermore, they can follow the inner landscape to reach the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands, such as watching chess at Rotten Axe, inquiring about farming in Peach Blossom Spring, or hearing proclamations in their ears, all within the span of a single thought."

Listening to the old man's rambling, Wang Xi silently concluded: "The inner landscape of the Yellow Court is the entrance to the world beyond."

Only by opening up one's inner world can one naturally reach the outside world without relying on external objects or luck.

This is a major difference between cultivators and ordinary people.

Confucius seemed to be speaking with great enthusiasm, and continued:

“In the past, my former master of the Mojianzhai, Xuanjun Chen Sanyuan, said: The essence of the ultimate Dao is profound and mysterious; the ultimate Dao is obscure and silent; without seeing or hearing, embrace the spirit with stillness, and the form will naturally be upright.”

"The spirit dwells in the spiritual realm and connects with all worlds; focusing the mind on the innermost point reaches the eight directions. Isn't that wonderful?"

Wang Xi keenly caught a piece of information and hurriedly asked, "May I ask, Master, did Xuanjun also cultivate at the Ink Sword Pavilion?"

Xuanjun Chen Xuan, courtesy name Sanyuan.

This man, Wang Xi, heard about it from a peddler and left behind a book called "Xuanjun's Travels," which recorded many demons and monsters.

It is said that Xuanjun ascended to heaven a hundred years ago.

“Indeed.” Kong Tai nodded, his tone full of reverence: “Xuanjun was originally an ordinary scholar from the Great Lu Dynasty. Later, by chance, he joined my Mojianzhai and gradually rose to the position of master of the hall. He left behind many famous works and calligraphy, and finally ascended to immortality.”

"Ascension to Immortality!"

Wang Xi was startled, his heart surging with emotion.

There truly are immortals in this mysterious realm!

"Master, where is the Immortal Realm?"

Wang Xi asked again.

Unexpectedly, Kong Tai's expression turned strange.

"Ascension is not about going to the so-called 'celestial realm,' which is nothing but a fabrication by the ignorant people."

Wang Xi was taken aback: "No Immortal Realm?"

"No." Confucius shook his head: "The Mysterious Lord is still outside the world. He has never left... Ascension is just an experience, an experience of being reborn."

Wang Xi was starting to understand.

The so-called ascension to immortality is the sublimation of one's life level, while the physical body remains in this world.

"Enough with the small talk, or you'll have to wake up from your dream."

Confucius smiled.

He took out an ancient book from his bosom and handed it to Wang Xi: "This is the Divine Refining Method of my Mo Jian Zhai. Study it carefully when you return to the mortal world and strive to open up the inner realm within three years. Then we will meet again."

"Three years..."

Wang Xi took the ancient book and murmured.

Confucius nodded: "Generally speaking, those who can open up the inner realm within three years are already exceptionally talented. Most mortal masters, even after a lifetime of hard work, cannot fathom the mysteries of the soul and have no chance to open the inner realm."

Wang Xi looked thoughtfully at the ancient book in his hand.

"You've discovered the method of refining the spirit!"

"Should I accept 'Kontai's' teachings and acquire that ability?"

'Yes. '

Wang Xi said inwardly.

Immediately, a ball of blue light flew out from the ancient book and went straight into his brow.

...

...

Projection hosted

"The World I Live In: Mysterious"

Exploration: 5.2%

"Legend Level: 8 (You helped the disciples of the Five Immortals escape, personally killed the leader of the Five Lakes Wanderers, Bai Jun... and eliminated the two demonized children, Hong Xiu and Jing Quan, in Fengdeng City, the capital of Jingu Province, and personally witnessed the chaos caused by the Toilet Goddess, Third Aunt... Your reputation gradually spread.)"

"Advent Cooldown Countdown: 39 hours and 59 minutes"

"Preview of Retirement: You amazed everyone at the Enlightenment Platform at the foot of Four Symbols Mountain, won the appreciation of Master Mo Jian Zhai, received the Refining Spirit Method, and agreed to formally join the Zhai after opening up the inner realm."

"However, three years have passed, and your mediocre talent has been exposed. You have still not opened up the inner realm, which greatly disappointed Kong Tai and the teachers in the study who were concerned about you."

Even the peddler and Li Qingke gradually lost interest in you, only occasionally mentioning in casual conversation that there was such a regrettable junior.

"During this period, Mei Yanxi and Zhang Fuyun shone brightly. The two of them respectively joined the Linglun Martial Arts Pavilion and the Wanfa Hedao Sect, opened up their inner realms, and became cultivators."

"After enduring many hardships, Zhang Fuyun's personality changed drastically. He began to settle scores with the Zhao family of Fengdeng, killing the eldest son of the Zhao family, the fifth daughter of the Zhao family, and Yun Fuzhan, who betrayed him."

"This matter alarmed Master Han, but all the elders of the Five Immortals Clan arrived, preventing him from interfering."

"The eldest daughter of the Shen family in Pinghai City was forced to move her entire family due to the worsening chaos in the city, but she met with misfortune and died on the way."

"One day, a sudden flood occurred, and you were crushed to death by a giant hand that fell from the sky..."

Wang Xi opened his eyes, his expression strange.

Mediocre talent?

I?
What a joke!
That's a projection, what does it have to do with me?

Furthermore, looking at the "Retirement Preview," Wang Xi couldn't help but sigh, "Junior Brother Zhang has finally shown his true colors..."

However, Shen Miaowei died unexpectedly, and he was also inexplicably strangled to death.

These are all bizarre and strange things.

'Did my death have anything to do with Shen Miaowei?'

He couldn't help but make the connection.

The predicted future should always have some logical connection; it's impossible for someone to be killed off without a reason. 'Shen Miaowei might still be shrouded in mystery, secrets I can't yet fathom.'

Wang Xi snapped out of his thoughts.

He then turned his attention to his mind.

This trip to the Mystic Realm has filled the card pool once again.

Red Eagle and Oriole 2 green, Black Owl 1 dark green, White Falcon 1 dark blue, Zhao Sanbian 1 blue, Master Kong Tai's Refining Spirit Method 1 blue.

There are a total of 6 cards.

'Caus, extract all.'

Wang Xi said secretly.

"Consume 600 energy points (1420 remaining)"

hum-

Six cards emerged in the light and floated in front of Wang Xi.

He checked them one by one.

"Ghost Head Greatsword", "Spirit Snake Soft Whip", "Golden Pattern Compass", "Spirit Offering and Soul Soothing Method", "Sword Swallowing and Knife Concealing Technique", "Ink Spirit Heavenly Question".

The first three are equipment and item cards, while the deep blue "Spirit Offering and Soul Soothing Technique" and the blue "Sword Swallowing and Knife Concealing Technique" are skill cards for cultivators.

However, the former is the "path of slaughter" and the latter is the "path of acrobatics." Without the corresponding skill card as a core prerequisite, the effect will be less than one-tenth.

'It seems that the power system of this mysterious realm places great emphasis on the singularity of the "Dao."'

Wang Xi pondered.

'If I don't cultivate this path, then these spells will be useless.'

He then remembered that he still had a dark green limited skill card called "Molding Mud into Soldiers" that he had drawn from the No. 12 Disaster Zone card pool. It belonged to the "Mud Sculpture Path" spell.

If he chooses to follow the "Way of Calligraphy," then all three cards will become useless.

Is that really the case?

Wang Xi suddenly laughed.

'I possess the synthesis function of Chaos. Once I have enough resources, I'll unify and fuse them. That way, it doesn't matter what their original paths were; they will all ultimately belong to me!'

Thinking it over, he put the cards away.

Then I looked at the last blue card—

"Ink Spirit Heavenly Question (Cultivation Technique Card)"

"Quality: Blue One Star (Upgradable)"

"Created by Xuanjun, this is now the common spirit-refining method used by disciples of the Mojianzhai. It can temper the three souls and seven spirits, and refine the spirit to return to emptiness. The method has ten questions, corresponding to ten characters. Each time a question is fully understood, a character will be written on the spiritual platform, eventually opening up the inner landscape of the Yellow Court and evolving into the 'Mojian Stele Forest' on its own."

"After using it, you will master the Refining Spirit Method. With continued practice, you can temper your three souls and seven spirits, strengthen your primordial spirit, and open up your inner realm. (This method requires a certain level of comprehension; if your comprehension is insufficient, your efforts will be in vain.)"

Comprehension?
Wang Xi's eyes were deep and profound.

He disdains to rely on what he has figured out on his own because it is not solid.

The optimal solution is to fill the experience pool and clear the "Ink Spirit Heavenly Questions" in one go, which will give Kong Tai and the masters of the Ink Sword Pavilion a little bit of genius shock.

Wang Xi immediately picked up his phone.

He listed three cards, "Ghost Head Greatsword (Green)," "Spirit Snake Soft Whip (Green)," and "Golden Pattern Compass (Dark Green)," for sale in the "Hat Hole" section.

I then browsed through the list of wild cards available for sale.

Soon, he saw a fake three-star white card for controlled storage, "Folding Suitcase Type VI", which can hold ten cubic meters of items and is priced at 15.

Wang Xi placed the order decisively.

He needs a wild card like this, which can provide many conveniences.

After that, through Bai Qimeng's channels, he purchased a total of 2 million credit points worth of magic stones from within the Shining Consortium, which is 200 grams, or 40 kilograms.

in case the emergency.

Because he didn't have enough money on hand, he asked Bai Qimeng to pay for it first.

a few days later.

Wang Xi successfully sold the three cards he had listed for sale. He transferred the money to Bai Qimeng, and his personal account now had a balance of just over 80 yuan.

As for the "suitcase," it contained 30 jin of magic stones, equivalent to 150 draws. The remaining 10 jin of magic stones were fed to Chaos by Wang Xi to replenish the resource pool.

Energy: 6420

Experience: 373

That day, Yuxie Gucheng made a phone call.

After the connection was established, Li Xingduan's cheerful voice came through:
"Wang Xi, good news! The meeting has approved it!"

His tone was filled with undisguised joy.

"The association has decided to create a new vice president position, and you will be chosen to fill it. When would be a convenient time for you to come over?"

"Brother Li, I have time today."

Wang Xi responded while holding his phone.

"Then I'll go there this afternoon."

"Well, wait for you."

The time soon arrived in the afternoon.

Wang Xi drove to the Yongxie Building.

After parking his car in the designated parking space, he got out of the car and saw Li Xingduan standing at the door waiting.

"Wang Xi, you've come at the perfect time!" Li Xingduan greeted him with a smile, patting him on the shoulder. "The teacher and several other board members are already waiting for you in the conference room."

Wang Xi nodded and followed Li Xingduan into the building.

As the elevator ascended, Li Xingduan briefly introduced today's procedures: "Later, we'll mainly go through the formal onboarding process. The instructor will personally issue you your certificate, and then I'll take you to familiarize yourself with the work environment."

"Thank you for your help, Brother Li," Wang Xi said.

The elevator stopped at the top floor, and the two walked through the corridor to a small conference room. Pushing open the door, they found several senior members of the Yongxie Association already seated around the conference table. At the head of the table sat a sprightly, white-haired elderly man, the chairman, Wei Xuan.

"Wang Xi is here? Sit down." Wei Xuan smiled and gestured for him to sit down.

Wang Xi nodded to everyone present, then sat down next to Li Xingduan.

Wei Xuan cleared his throat and said, "The main reason I've gathered everyone here today is to welcome Wang Xi to the Yongxie management team. His performance over this period has been remarkable; whether it's his combat skills or crisis management, he is truly one of the best among the younger generation."

Several senior executives nodded in agreement, and one of the middle-aged female directors wearing glasses smiled and said, "Mr. Wang's performance in the assessment was indeed impressive. Even our veteran warriors from Gucheng couldn't do it."

Wei Xuan picked up an exquisite wooden box from the table and pushed it in front of Wang Xi: "This is your identity badge and work permit. From today onwards, you are the vice president of the Yongxie Association."

Wang Xi took the box, opened it, and inside was a silver badge engraved with the emblem of the Mountain and Sea Federation and the words "Vice President of the Valley City Professional Warriors Association".

The work ID is a black magnetic card with gold foil embossing, giving it a dignified and formal appearance.

"Thank you, Chairman." Wang Xi solemnly accepted the gift.

Wei Xuan continued, "Since you're new here, your job is relatively simple: you'll be responsible for reviewing disaster information and managing maze files, especially compiling intelligence on newly discovered mazes. Currently, there are 18 mazes confirmed by various countries, and the relevant information is all in the archives area. Li Xingduan will take you to look them up later."

Wang Xi nodded: "Understood."

Wei Xuan offered a few more words of encouragement, and the meeting came to an end. After the meeting, Li Xingduan took Wang Xi to the archives area.

The archives area is located on the third basement level of the building and requires a card to enter.

After a while.

The heavy metal door slowly opened, revealing rows of electronic filing cabinets and projection screens, where several staff members were organizing documents.

"This contains all the data on the discovered mazes, including exploration records, disaster level assessments, and response plans," Li Xingduan explained. "Your access permissions allow you to view all non-top-secret files, including those shared by the five major powers."

Wang Xi walked to the control panel and brought up the maze overview list. The screen immediately displayed the numbers and brief information of 18 mazes:
Ace of Spades "Puss in Boots"

Two of Spades "Sugar Witch"

The Three of Spades "Cinderella"

The Four of Spades "The Fire-Selling Woman"

The Five of Spades "The Puppet Master"

8 of Spades "Lady Mirror"

Club Ace "Auspicious Child"

Plum Blossom 2: "Blood Guanyin"

Plum Blossom 3 "Official in Charge"

Plum Blossom 4 "The Undying Marquis"

The Ace of Hearts "Guardian"

Hearts 2 "Black Collar"

The 3 of Hearts: "The Candle Bearer"

Hearts 4 "The Shrouded Nun"

Ace of Diamonds "False Window"

Two of Diamonds "Happy Cinema"

The Three of Diamonds: Paradise Lost

7 of Diamonds "The Hand of God"

...

...

Each dungeon contains detailed information, including known information about the Demon Lord, an assessment of reality distortion, and exploration suggestions.

Wang Xi quickly scanned the map, his gaze lingering for a moment on several high-danger mazes, before asking, "How frequently are the intelligence reports for these mazes updated?"

"The regular maze is updated monthly, but if there are any abnormal fluctuations, we will adjust the files immediately."

Li Xingduan explained.

"One of your jobs is to review these updates, ensure the information is accurate, and organize a team of experts to conduct risk assessments when necessary."

Wang Xi nodded and continued to peruse the files.

At the end of the file was a folder labeled "Pending Confirmation," which contained several unusual areas that resembled a maze but had not yet been fully confirmed.

"What are these?" Wang Xi pointed.

Li Xingduan lowered his voice: "These are the 'potential mazes' that have been detected so far. After all, there are still two mazes that have not yet been confirmed. The chairman specifically instructed that you need to pay special attention to this part."

Wang Xi seemed to be deep in thought, then closed the file.

"Let's familiarize ourselves with the environment today, and officially start work tomorrow," Li Xingduan said with a smile. "The association is also hosting a small welcome banquet tonight, so don't go too early."

Wang Xi smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely be there."

As Wang Xi left the archives area, he glanced back at the heavy metal door.

He knew that from this day forward, his duty would no longer be merely to explore the maze, but to provide strategic support for the entire hero system.

(End of this chapter)