The Long Journey to Immortality

Chapter 5 How to Use Frozen Steamed Buns

In the past two days of cultivation and comprehension, Feng Bailu has figured out the basic operating principle of the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique.

In simple terms, the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique relies on a rare and precious material called the Mysterious Female Pearl, combined with cultivation methods, to reshape the foundation of the caster and enhance their talent while causing them to lose all their cultivation.

Although the inscriptions on the stone wall did not provide much information about the effects of the secret technique, Feng Bailu, who had already mastered the technique, was able to deduce clues about the outcome from them.

“The caster should lose all cultivation, and at the same time, the spiritual root in the body will be transformed into a single water-attribute spiritual root. As for the quality…” Feng Bailu pondered for a moment, then continued in his mind, “It should be at least a high-grade spiritual root, no, it should be a top-grade spiritual root.”

Spiritual roots are divided into five levels: Heaven, Supreme, Upper, Middle and Lower.

The fewer spiritual roots a cultivator has, the more beneficial it is for them to cultivate when their cultivation level is low.

The higher the quality of the spiritual root, the more likely the cultivator is to reach a higher level of cultivation.

The Heavenly Spirit Root exists only in legends; its brilliance can only be glimpsed in ancient books and jade slips dating back tens of thousands of years.

A cultivator who possesses only a top-grade water-attribute spiritual root is an extremely rare individual, even in the entire Central Plains region.

At least, as far as Feng Bailu knows, among the younger generation in the Central Plains, only one disciple in the Northern Dynasty's Xuan Yang Valley possesses a top-grade spiritual root.

Although that disciple possessed a top-grade fire-attribute spiritual root, he also had a mid-grade gold-attribute spiritual root that held him back.

This meant that although this genius had a bright future, his cultivation speed was still a step slower than that of ordinary dual-spiritual-root cultivators.

Such a simple comparison reveals the value of the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique.

Why would a cultivator who practices this secret technique want to destroy their cultivation and start over?

However, when practicing this secret technique, the need for an external object called the Mysterious Female Pearl to assist in its execution greatly increases the difficulty of mastering and operating it proficiently.

What is the Mysterious Female Pearl?

Feng Bailu, who was at the Foundation Establishment stage, could only deduce from the cultivation techniques written on the stone wall that the Xuanpin Pearl was a treasure containing a large amount of water-attribute spiritual energy and emitted a cold aura.

Knowing only a general idea makes simulating its existence in the practice of the technique a huge challenge.

This caused Feng Bailu's progress in cultivating the secret technique to stall at the final hurdle. It's likely that even if he sits on the stone throne for another day, he won't be able to make any further progress and completely master the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique.

However, the steamed buns that were originally intended to be his food for the day gave Feng Bailu enough inspiration.

"To pass off a frozen bun that can be bought for one coin as the unheard-of rare and precious Xuanpin Pearl? I must be a genius."

Feng Bailu's words were somewhat self-deprecating, but this was the most reliable solution he could think of at the moment.

To make this experiment more successful, Feng Bailu deliberately placed the three remaining steamed buns from his storage bag against the second stone door for a while, so that the temperature of the buns would drop further, allowing them to emit a chilling aura in his mouth and esophagus, just like the Xuanpin Pearl, when he swallowed them.

After all that fuss, about half an incense stick's time had passed, and the surface of the three frozen buns was covered with a layer of ice.

Now, in order to seize even the slightest chance, Feng Bailu has no choice but to treat this thing, which even beggars wouldn't accept, as a lifeline.

After meditating for a moment and calming his mind, Feng Bailu began his first attempt.

He simply made a hand seal, and the Artifact Control Technique, originally used to control magical artifacts and treasures, was applied to the frozen steamed bun.

A frozen steamed bun floated up and hovered in front of Feng Bailu.

Following the instructions in the secret technique, Feng Bailu circulated his spiritual energy. After a moment, a cold glint appeared in his eyes, and the frozen steamed bun in front of him instantly disappeared into his open mouth.

The frozen steamed bun, which was much colder than his body temperature, brought him a bone-chilling cold as soon as it touched his skin at the intersection of Fengbai Road.

The coolness eased some of the heat caused by using the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" technique, giving Feng Bailu a glimmer of hope.

A mere frozen bun, worthless as it was, brought about earth-shattering changes to Feng Bailu's cultivation of the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation Technique."

With something new in his mouth, many of the steps and methods in the cultivation formula became useful once again.

After a moment of meditation, the frozen steamed bun at the intersection of Fengbai Road was transformed into the size of a fingernail by spiritual power and smoothly fell into the esophagus and entered the stomach.

All the various tricks originally prepared for the Mysterious Female Pearl in the cultivation technique have ended up on this steamed bun.

Because a steamed bun is ultimately just a steamed bun, Feng Bailu didn't mobilize much spiritual power; it was more like going through the motions.

But this perfunctory, formality-based experience actually deepened his understanding of the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique. He vaguely touched the doorknob, as if with just a little more effort, he could push the door open and complete the secret technique.

Just when Fengbailu thought it was time to push the door open.

The steamed bun, which had sunk deep in the stomach, could not withstand the torment of spiritual energy and stomach acid and was completely digested.

Sensing the situation within his body, Feng Bailu suddenly opened his eyes and said regretfully, "What a pity. It was just a little short. If it were a real Xuanpin Pearl, it would definitely continue to exist in my stomach as a fake pill, fully activating the spiritual power within, helping me transform my body and enhance my talent."

That being said, this progress was enough to make Feng Bailu happy.

Without pausing for a moment, after teasing himself for a while, he recalled the insights he had gained from his previous cultivation, silently reminded himself of a couple of things, and then, following the same pattern, began his second "simulated reincarnation."

With the experience gained the first time, the second time went even more smoothly than the first.

If the first "simulated reincarnation" was like touching the doorknob, then this second time was like pushing the door open a crack, letting the aura from behind the door escape through the crack, which Feng Bailu could smell.

This wisp of energy gave Feng Bailu a glimpse of success, but also a sense of danger.

"That's fine," he said, opening his eyes and casually putting the remaining frozen bun back into his storage bag. "Without the Xuanpin Pearl's assistance, continuing to circulate my energy and cast spells will only destroy my cultivation, without being able to rebuild my foundation."

After sitting on the Dharma seat for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Feng Bailu leaped up and walked a few steps to the stone gate.

Looking at the handprints on the stone gate, Feng Bailu said confidently, "Senior probably doesn't want a cripple to enter the third stone chamber, so training to this point should be enough for me to pass the test."

After saying that, he put his hand up and merged it with the hand seal. Immediately, based on the experience gained from the two "simulated reincarnations", he performed the first half of the secret technique again.

As the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" technique circulated within Feng Bailu's body, a light blue light appeared at the point where his palm touched the stone door.

Blue light shone on Fengbai Road.

The blinding light forced him to squint.

The light gave him a feeling he had experienced before, but which was unfamiliar.

"It felt like being covered by the divine sense of a Golden Core cultivator." Feng Bailu recalled the feeling when the Golden Core elder in the sect guided his cultivation last time.

This light does indeed possess a penetrating power, capable of detecting the flow of spiritual energy within the cultivator who touches the stone door, in order to determine whether the cultivator undergoing the test has truly learned the secret techniques on the wall, whether they truly possess the wisdom to open the second stone door.

Standing in front of the stone gate, Feng Bailu was unaffected by the light and skillfully began to circulate the "Mysterious Female Reincarnation" secret technique within his body.

As spiritual energy flowed through his meridians, the gaseous spiritual energy in his dantian surged and churned. The feeling of heat spread throughout Feng Bailu's body, making him parched and giving him an urge to take off his clothes and lie on the cold stone door to cool off.

The secret technique was used to a third of its extent, but the stone gate remained completely still.

Feng Bailu felt a little uneasy, but he quickly regained his composure.

He was confident that his guess about the second test was correct.

Sure enough, when the secret technique was about halfway through and about to enter the most crucial stage, the blue light on the stone door gradually faded, and the door opened.

Feeling the chill rushing towards him, Feng Bailu revealed a confident smile and slowly drew the spiritual energy scattered throughout his body back into his dantian.

"Haha." In the empty stone chamber, Feng Bailu laughed twice, feeling as if he had released all the resentment that had been suppressed in his chest for nearly thirty years since the day he began cultivating.

Clapping his hands and tightening his clothes, Feng Bailu walked into the third stone chamber behind the stone gate, facing the biting cold air that rushed towards him.

Although he hadn't seen what was inside the third stone chamber yet, Feng Bailu could roughly guess what was inside just by looking at the temperature and the cultivation techniques recorded in the second stone chamber.

He thought to himself, "It's probably because of the Mysterious Pearl. I think I've already guessed what the third test will be about."

As Fengbai Road entered the third stone chamber, the door connecting the second and third stone chambers closed silently on its own.

Just as Feng Bailu was trying to use the light inside the stone chamber to see what was arranged in the third stone chamber, a strange male voice rang in his mind.

"How many years has it been? Finally, someone has come here again."

[Author's Note] Please continue to vote for this book.

Chapter Six, Third Stone Chamber, Xiaoyaozi

The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar voice in his mind did not surprise Feng Bailu too much.

He knew that this was an ability that only Golden Core cultivators possessed—transmitting sound secretly, and not some mysterious or unknown phenomenon.

Feng Bailu didn't even bother with the proper greetings and bows. He immediately and respectfully addressed the empty air in front of him, asking in a formal voice, "Are you Senior Xiaoyaozi?"

Based on the tone of this senior's voice and his location, Feng Bailu guessed the identity of the person who was transmitting the message to him almost immediately.

"Good, you're a promising student. Come up on stage quickly."

The voice rang out again, and the stranger admitted his identity and beckoned Feng Bailu to come forward.

Feng Bailu then noticed that the third stone chamber was much larger and colder than the first two.

Inside the stone chamber, there is another platform nearly five meters high, with steps made of ice leading to the top of the platform.

The walls of the stone chamber were covered with a thin layer of ice, which could be used as ice mirrors.

At such low temperatures, even Feng Bailu, whose cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, was finding it difficult to withstand. Ordinary mortals who accidentally entered the third stone chamber would most likely freeze to death inside after only a few steps.

Feeling the cold air, he couldn't help but shiver, rubbed his hands together, and tried to breathe warm air into his palms. However, when the breath hit Feng Bailu's palms, it didn't warm them at all.

"It's so cold," Feng Bailu trembled slightly, recalling the harsh winters he endured when he and his mother lived in seclusion in the mountains during his childhood. "Is this the power of the Mysterious Pearl?"

Following the instructions of the senior "Xiaoyaozi", Feng Bailu took two steps forward and stepped onto the ice steps.

Fortunately, he was prepared in advance and used his somewhat stiff fingers to perform a lightness spell before stepping onto the steps.

Otherwise, I would definitely slip and fall flat on my face, losing face in front of my master whom I haven't even met yet.

Step by step, we steadily climbed the steps.

The closer he got to the platform, the colder it became. By the last few steps, the chill seemed to freeze his thoughts.

A moment later, Feng Bailu walked up the last step and arrived at the high platform.

The layout on the high platform was much more complex than the previous two stone chambers.

A complex array was carved on the ice surface, and at the center of the array stood a piece of wood that looked ordinary.

Besides the wood, there were three antique brocade boxes sitting in the center of the formation. Two of the boxes had already been opened, while the third, although tightly sealed, still emitted a visible, chilling aura.

Upon seeing this, a thought flashed through Feng Bailu's mind: "The Mysterious Female Pearl is probably inside."

At the edge of the magic circle, there were three magic thrones.

On the two thrones lay two mostly intact corpses, whose faces appeared to be female, but they were dressed in the clothing of male cultivators, which was eerie.

"Could it be the corpses left behind by those two cultivators who didn't leave the cave?" Thinking of this, Feng Bailu felt the air grow even colder.

He suddenly understood which two paths lay before him.

He chuckled softly to himself.