From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

Gu Qian called Gu Kun to come down with him, while the other six stayed on the erected bow to observe the surrounding sea and remind the two sailors guarding the lifeboat below.

After the two entered the water, the Transparent Sea Array patterns tattooed on their bodies activated the Qi within their bodies, which circulated throughout their entire bodies. Then, the Transparent Sea Array patterns disappeared into their skin. Something resembling a fish fin grew on their backs, and three thin, long cuts, similar to fish gills, split open on their sides.

"Holy crap!"

After donning her diving suit, Duanmu Ying entered the water, turned on her flashlight, and saw the changes on Gu Qian and Gu Kun swimming ahead of her. She exclaimed inwardly, "They've grown fins and gills... How did they do that?"

As the eldest daughter of Jishetang, Duanmu Ying had also learned about many Qi cultivation methods—

Even superhumans can get sick, so she has witnessed many of their abilities, including the Gu poison from Hunan, which she is also familiar with.

However, this method of causing the body to mutate directly and grow fins and gills is simply beyond common sense and cannot be compared with any other method she has ever seen before.

Jiang Liu had previously displayed strength beyond her imagination, but it was only because of his strong life force, high cultivation level, and the control he exerted that it seemed incredible, rather than because the abilities he displayed were incomprehensible.

The ability of Gu Qian and Gu Kun to alter the body was something that Duanmu Ying found difficult to understand for a while.

After these two grew fins and gills thanks to the sea-penetrating array patterns, they became like water sprites. With a gentle flick of their arms, they seemed to merge with the seawater and dived downwards at such a speed that they seemed to have truly become fish in the sea, enjoying the water.

resignedly.

Duanmu Ying could only try her best to catch up.

Afterwards, the captain, the old security captain, and Jonathan donned their diving gear, climbed into the hole on the bow deck, and began to feel their way downwards...

At the same time, Jiang Liu followed the sea air and continued to descend until he reached the cabin at the stern of the ship. He pushed open the door, and there the bubbles were right in front of him.

Following closely behind, Lu Jin, using the light of her flashlight, also saw the thin film of bubbles and was surprised that there was a stable bubble in this place. Then she saw Jiang Liu step into it.

He hurried to catch up.

"Can I breathe?" Lu Jin removed the thin white film from her mouth and was surprised to find that there was indeed breathable air inside the bubble.

He then noticed that the water droplets on his body and pants were constantly detaching and merging into the bubbles, and the same was true for the water stains on Jiang Liu's body.

"What's going on?" Lu Jin couldn't sense the presence of Qi and was certain that this was not Jiang's doing. Could it be that someone else was hiding here?

Jiang Liu did not rush to answer. Instead, he walked to the tilted shelf, took down a wooden box, opened it, and revealed a smooth rhinoceros horn with black background and gold patterns. There was a hole at the top of the horn, which was not carved by human hands, but was naturally formed.

"A rhinoceros horn that reaches the heavens."

Sensing the sea air penetrating from the hole in the horn, Jiang Liu knew that this rhinoceros horn was not from an ordinary rhinoceros, but from a rare beast that had long since disappeared:

The Heavenly Rhinoceros!

The book "Baopuzi" states: "The long, sharp horn on the brain of the Tongtian rhinoceros has a hole in the middle, which runs through the top and bottom, allowing it to exhale and reach the heavens!"

There is also a saying: "If you obtain a genuine rhinoceros horn that is more than three inches long, carve it into a fish, and then put it in the water, the water will always be open for you!"

The bronze statue of the beast that suppressed Xiaoqian in the Lanruo Ghost Realm, in fact, resembled the Tongtian Rhinoceros. However, Jiang Liu had never imagined that such a strange beast as the Tongtian Rhinoceros actually existed.

However, upon closer reflection, it seems to make sense. It is likely that some individual among the now-extinct rhinoceroses possessed Qi, which nurtured the rhinoceros horn on its nose. Over time, the rhinoceros horn became spiritually connected, naturally formed, and with Qi circulating on it, it naturally acquired the ability to divide water.

In short, this Heavenly Rhinoceros Horn is a special magical artifact!

However, it was not crafted by human weapon refiners, but rather by an individual of the extinct rhinoceros species, the Tongtian Rhinoceros, who had attained Qi and refined it independently.

Furthermore, since this horn is one of the body organs of the Heavenly Rhinoceros, this magical artifact can be said to be a naturally occurring object!

What is innate?

It is not some magical treasure or spiritual artifact that has existed since the beginning of chaos, but rather something that is born with living beings. For example, the single horn of Kang Jinlong in "Journey to the West" that can penetrate the golden gong is born with him and is an innate object that can break the golden gong, which is an acquired object.

To put it simply, all living beings are born from primordial Qi. Everything in their body, including themselves, is primordial. Even offspring born from congenital union are also conceived and generated from primordial Qi, and are therefore primordial beings as well.

Reproduction and survival are also innate biological laws.

What then is the acquired?

Anything that cannot be created directly by nature or natural laws, but requires human creation or modification, such as inventions or biological modifications, is considered acquired.

Thinking of this, Jiang Liu recalled the Reverse Rebirth Triple Stage, reviewing the old to learn the new, and combined with his own ability to use the Five Elements to transform the Six Qi into innate essence, he suddenly realized that the concept of this method had gone astray from the very beginning.

The path of Qi cultivation is not about reversing one's innate nature, but about using acquired energy to supplement and harmonize with one's innate nature. It involves the sixteen hexagrams of the sixteen meridians and the three gates and nine orifices of the whole body, thereby perceiving the changes of the universe, mastering the alchemical method, and refining innate Qi!

In other words, reversing one's own innate Qi is a dead end; only by absorbing the six energies of heaven and earth can one refine innate Qi within the human body's cauldron to replenish what has been depleted...

However, on the other hand, Chengzhen and Sichong only wanted the Sanyi Sect to have a strong leader and to prove to the world that the Sanyi Sect's Reverse Life Triple Technique was still one of the best techniques in the world.

Whether or not they could reach the heavens was of little concern to them...

# Chapter 485 Heavenly Golden Rhinoceros Horn, Drunken Fish Pill, Jade-Winged Golden-Scaled Mermaid

Upon hearing about the Heavenly Rhinoceros Horn, Lu Jin was also surprised, but after glancing back at the separated water wall, he had to believe that the rhinoceros horn did indeed have the ability to divide water.

"The stories my family told me were actually true!"

"story?"

Jiang Liu looked at Lu Jin.

The latter didn't keep anyone in suspense and said directly: "I remember my grandfather telling me that one of our Lu family ancestors was the supervisor of the construction of the Yuanmingyuan. He invited geomancers from all over China to survey the feng shui and asked various sects and families to offer a large number of rare treasures."

One of them is the Heavenly Golden Rhinoceros Horn, which has the ability to repel water and is an innate object. However, only those who cultivate can truly use this object. Ordinary people who do not know how to refine Qi can only treat it as an ornament for appreciation.

I never expected to be on the Mary Cinnamon.

Why is this Heavenly Golden Rhinoceros Horn able to actively separate water even when no one is using it?

This is because the place has returned to its original state.

The air currents flowed, and the sea air penetrated through the central hole in the corner, naturally stimulating the ability to avoid water.

Jiang Liu picked up the golden rhinoceros horn that reached the heavens, circulated his Qi throughout the body, and poured it into the horn.

Instantly.

The golden patterns on the rhinoceros horn emitted rays of light, and the diameter of the waterless bubble expanded again, reaching nearly a hundred meters in width.

The water-avoidance range achievable by passive stimulation from sea air and active stimulation by infused Qi are different, and the range can be even larger if the river flow is sensitive, with a diameter of 100 meters.

Furthermore, based on his Qi perception, he discovered that the principle behind the rhinoceros horn's ability to repel and separate water should be that the rhinoceros horn is the center, drawing in and binding the air in the water around it.

"How many treasures did the Qing court actually plunder? And how many of these treasures were looted by Westerners?"

Jiang Liu fastened the Heavenly Golden Rhinoceros Horn to his waist, allowing Qi to continuously flow through the horn, forming a water-repelling shield that enveloped the entire ship. He then picked up a box, opened it, and revealed a palm-sized jade bottle. Upon opening it, a unique fragrance instantly filled the air.

Jiang Liu gently fanned himself, inhaled the air, and felt the changes in his surroundings. He said, "It's non-toxic and invigorating, but it doesn't seem to be for human use?"

Although Jiang Liu and He Anxia often discussed traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, they didn't know much about some ancient prescriptions. They could only judge based on their own physical changes and concluded that the medicine was not for human consumption and resembled some kind of fish food.

"It has a wonderfully fragrant aroma that can refresh the mind, but it's not meant for human consumption... I know! It's Drunken Fish Pill!" Lu Jin came from a family with a wealth of knowledge, and one of his ancestors had even been a supervisor overseeing the construction of the Old Summer Palace. He immediately recognized what it was.

Drunken Fish Pill!

As the name suggests, it is for feeding fish!

"This is a pill refined by a beast master three or four hundred years ago."

Lu Jin said, "The skill of the Beast Master is not well-regarded in the world of supernatural beings. It is considered to be a skill with a low lower limit and a low upper limit. Therefore, most Beast Masters usually seek out high-ranking officials and become their retainers, performing for their amusement."

Performing animal tricks for the emperor was their highest honor!

Jiang Liu wasn't surprised.

Most extraordinary individuals have some pursuit of cultivation, but issues such as food, clothing, shelter, and reproduction also exist objectively. For ancient magicians and animal performers, performing for high-ranking officials and nobles was actually the most cost-effective way to better pass on their knowledge.

"As long as the Drunken Fish Pill is thrown into the water, its fragrance will spread at an extremely terrifying speed. When fish inhale it, they will become drowsy and can be controlled by the Beast Master, thus staging a 'fish show' in the clear pond."

There is a poem titled "Yuefu: Jiangnan":

Jiangnan can pick lotus, lotus leaves He Tiantian.

Fish playing among lotus leaves—

Fish play among lotus leaves in the east, south, west, and north.

This is the origin of the Fish Play.

Although the Beast Master can communicate with fish using Qi, how can he gain the favor of princes and nobles by controlling only one or two fish? He needs to control a dozen, dozens, or even nearly a hundred fish at the same time to be valued by the emperor!

The more advanced the animal, the more difficult it is to control, until even primates become uncontrollable.

Fish are much more primitive than ordinary animals, but they are not single-celled organisms. Historically, even the most skilled fish masters could only control a maximum of twenty fish at a time without the aid of external forces.

In order to control more fish, this "Drunken Fish Pill" was created, which made all the fish in the pond as drunk as drunkards. Then, by using Qi to control them, a performance was put on by white fish circling lotus flowers, leaping through the water, and crossing the Dragon Gate, which would surely earn praise from the watching nobles and royalty.

Jiang Liu poured out twelve black pills from the jade bottle, each only the size of a fingernail, then put them back into the bottle and stored them in his storage ring.

Afterwards, Lu Jin also took a box from the cabinet, opened it, and saw a small embossed ball about two centimeters in diameter inside. It was pure white, with nine orifices and eight holes, carved with dragon and phoenix patterns. Inside the holes were layers of rotating inner walls, totaling twenty-four layers.

"This is a ghost ball!"

As the name suggests, it is meant to be a masterpiece of nature.

The material of the Ghost Craft Ball comes from ivory, and this thumb-sized Ghost Craft Ball is obviously made primarily from the tip of ivory. It is so well crafted that it can be polished into twenty-four layers, truly comparable to the miraculous craftsmanship of nature!

Born into the Lu family, Lu Jin naturally understood this kind of "luxury" that combines art and craftsmanship, and could recognize the Weng family's ghost craft ball.

Jiang Liu had also heard of the Weng family's "ghost ball" (a type of spherical ball). He knew that eleven years ago, Weng Zhao from Guangzhou brought out a 24-layer "ghost ball" to participate in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which defeated the 30-layer "ghost ball" glued together by the Japanese.

"The Weng family's ivory carvings of the 'Ghost Craft Ball' are renowned far and wide. It is said that their ancestors once studied at the Heavenly Craft Hall." Lu Jin said, sharing the inside story he knew. "Unfortunately, the Weng family lineage lacked the aptitude for Qi cultivation. They only learned carving and could not learn Qi cultivation, but they lived a more comfortable life than the Heavenly Craft Hall."

Jiang Liu took the Ghostly Crafting Ball from Lu Jin, carefully caressed it, infused it with a trace of Qi, and said thoughtfully, "Although the Weng family does not refine artifacts, this ball should be the prototype of a magic weapon."

The nine orifices and eight openings correspond to the three gates and nine orifices of the human body.

The twenty-four layers correspond to the twenty-four solar terms of the celestial sphere.

Each layer has a hundred holes, or a hundred apertures. If you can open one aperture, you can open all the apertures and refine it into a magical artifact!

Jiang Liu then handed the request back to Lu Jin, saying, "Although it is a luxury item, it is small and exquisite. When you control the timing of the fire of the four seasons and six qi in the future, try to connect the qi with the nine orifices and eight holes on this ghost craft ball. You might be able to refine it into a magic artifact for storage."

"Storage?" Lu Jin was shocked and exclaimed in surprise, "This is actually a prototype of a storage magic artifact?"

"The wonders of nature are not in the famous mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, but in the mysterious space itself, in which all things operate."

The "Ghostly Craftsmanship Ball," in order to rival the wondrous craftsmanship of nature, must be created by the very concept of "space."

This ball corresponds to the nine acupoints of the human body, and its layers correspond to the cosmic climate. A gentle breath activates the corresponding layers; isn't this the method to attain the universe within a mustard seed?

Jiang Liu pointed out, "By circulating Qi within it and observing its rotation, you may be able to better control the timing of the fire."