Chapter 48

Xu Feiniang led the four Wudang friends to practice diligently on the upper level, absorbing the five elements' primordial energy from the universe and sending it down every five days.

Yue Qing also worked hard below, using the Xuan Guang Ruler to release five colorful light circles to catch the five elements' primordial energy. The primordial energy he absorbed from the five stars in the sky was yang, while the energy Xu Feiniang and the other four collected from the sea was yin. All of this energy gathered in the five light circles. He silently practiced the Taiyi Xuan Gong to harmonize yin and yang. In his school of Daoist magic, the "yi" in Taiyi refers to the line between the yin and yang fish in the Taiji diagram. This technique can divide the Taiji into yin and yang, transforming the innate into the acquired, and can also merge yin and yang into the Taiji, transforming the acquired back into the innate. Now, he was using the Xuan Guang Ruler to convert the two types of acquired five elements' primordial energy into mixed primordial energy.

Even after ten or eight years, the mixed primordial energy refined bit by bit would only be slightly successful. When released, it could barely match an ordinary immortal sword.

Yue Qing took out the Tianyi True Water and dripped a drop into one of the light circles above his head. The circle was already filled with yin and yang water element primordial energy. After the Tianyi True Water entered, it was immediately decomposed.

The saying goes, "Tianyi generates water, Dili completes it; Dier generates fire, Tianti completes it; Tiansan generates wood, Dili completes it; Dili generates metal, Tianti completes it..." In ancient times, Fuxi deduced these secrets of the universe's creation from the River Map, achieving enlightenment of the great Dao of heaven and earth, and thus created the先天八卦 (Precelestial Bagua). Among all Daoist sects, Chen Tuan was undoubtedly the foremost in studying these.

Outsiders only knew that a drop of Tianyi True Water could form a lake, used to neutralize divine mud, extinguish fires, or refine medicines and treasures. In reality, these were just its acquired effects. The Tianyi True Water was refined by the ancient Tianyi Golden Mother, who was transformed from the metal qi of the innate five elements, the daughter of the White Emperor of the West. The Tianyi True Water she refined also possessed the wondrous and profound qualities of the innate five elements.

As a drop of true water fell into the light circle, the circle immediately shone brightly, and its rotation speed increased by millions of times. The true water was instantly decomposed, and the water element true qi surged, causing an imbalance in the five elements that threatened to unleash a catastrophic force. Yue Qing swallowed a mixed primordial golden pill and used his Daoist power, accumulated over three hundred years of cultivation, to suppress it. He then used the Xuan Guang Ruler to transform the water element, using water to generate wood, wood to generate fire, fire to generate earth, earth to generate metal, and metal to generate water. The five light circles flashed in sequence, and after one cycle, the water element, aided by the metal element, shone ten times brighter than before. This process repeated, and after 365 cycles, the five elements' primordial energy reached a balanced and stable state.

Yue Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead and then, according to the仙法 (immortal techniques) recorded in the Taiyi Zhen Jie, used Tianyi to generate water, Dier to generate fire, Tiansan to generate wood, Dili to generate metal, and combined them with the central earth element, using the River Map as a model to synthesize a stream of mixed primordial energy. He then gradually absorbed it into his body, slowly refining it to merge with his own true qi.

In ancient times, the Tianyi Golden Mother refined this true water to suppress a super volcano hidden beneath the sea. Each drop could form a lake, and after refinement, the generated mixed primordial energy was boundless, almost equivalent to Yue Qing's hard work over a decade. He used a total of twenty-four drops, each taking a month, totaling two years. The mixed primordial energy in his body continuously increased, and his bones, muscles, and even every inch of skin and every hair were continuously refined, undergoing a qualitative change.

After using twenty-four drops, the true water in the gourd was almost depleted. One should not be too greedy, so Yue Qing put the gourd away.

The five elements' primordial energy continued to be sent down. After completing his own tasks, Yue Qing finally began to help Sanfeng set up the array. As the saying goes, "Sharpening the axe does not delay the cutting of wood." Although it took two years, his power had greatly increased. He casually drew symbols in the air, and they instantly appeared, flying into the dark seawater. Some solidified the water, some transformed it, and some drove it away. According to his will, 3,600 symbols, the number required for the full cycle, obediently formed a water array in the dark sea eye.

With the water array completed, setting up the other four element arrays was much easier. If he had used his original Daoist level, just ensuring he wasn't sucked into the earth's core in the sea eye would have been a struggle, and completing the water array would have taken at least half a year. Now, it only took a few days.

After setting up the five-element array, he inscribed secret demon symbols to draw in foreign demonic power and the power of the stars, merging them into secret demon divine thunder.

If not activated, the array would automatically absorb external forces to form thunder pearls, which would accumulate over time. After three years, the thunder pearls would be sufficient. Once activated, the thunder would be powerful enough to destroy the Purple Cloud Palace and the sea eye, triggering the eruption of the earth's core yin fire, boiling the entire South Sea and causing a catastrophe that could make several Golden Immortals fall from the heavens. Even if they had ascended to the immortal realm, they would be punished by the Heavenly Emperor for violating the heavenly laws. This was a disaster no one could bear.

Yue Qing completed the array and personally entered its core to inscribe nine Taiyi divine symbols with mixed primordial energy. These symbols were hidden in the array's core, accessible only to him. Even if Chufeng descended, she would not discover them from the outside. The array was activated by secret demon resonance, and if Chufeng wanted to drive the secret demon to a desperate fight, she would need to pass through these nine divine symbols. At that moment, he would immediately know, and if he did not wish it, the secret demon would be intimidated by the divine symbols and unable to activate the forbidden technique, adding an extra layer of security.

Moreover, such a morally corrupt and catastrophic act was primarily intended to intimidate the enemy, preventing them from acting rashly. In most cases, it would not come to that.

When he emerged from the sea eye, Xu Feiniang was the first to greet him, noticing his changed demeanor. She exclaimed in surprise, "It's done?"

"It's done!" Yue Qing said to Chufeng, "I have not failed my mission! I have completed the twelve major and minor secret demon restrictions. I will now hand over the thirty-six methods of refining to you. You should refine them with your essence for forty-nine days. When your spirit merges with the secret demon restrictions, you can destroy this place and obliterate the enemy with a single thought, no matter where you are. With this guarantee, even those thousand-year-old monsters will not dare to easily trouble the Purple Cloud Palace."

Chufeng was overjoyed, "Prepare a grand feast immediately! We will celebrate for seven days! First, to celebrate the completion of the Five Poison Immortal Sword, second, to celebrate the completion of the secret demon restrictions, and third, to thank our fellow Daoists for their hard work. If any of you need our help in the future, the Purple Cloud Palace will do its utmost!"

It turned out that during the nearly three years, their Five Poison Immortal Sword had also been completed. A few days ago, Chufeng led everyone outside to test the sword by slaying a whale, and its power was indeed extraordinary. Now, hearing that Yue Qing had also successfully refined the restrictions, the Purple Cloud Palace was free from worries, and everyone was elated.

With the grand array completed, the Purple Cloud Palace's safety was further secured, and everyone was in high spirits. Only Huizhu remained calm, and Jinxun was even more worried.

Sanfeng's gourd had also been thoroughly refined and could be used at will. With the newly refined Pansi Sword, her power was extraordinary. Now, she was the undisputed second-in-command of the Purple Cloud Palace, and her word was law. A single harsh word could make the disciples and servants tremble in fear. She greatly enjoyed this sense of authority and still remembered Yue Qing's kindness. She raised her cup in thanks and said to Chufeng, "Sister, Brother Yue has even taken out the sect's divine sword and spent three years setting up the array for us. We should also thank Sister Xu and the four Wudang friends. We must show our gratitude!"

Chufeng was also pleased, "Of course!"

Yue Qing smiled, "If you want to thank me, can I choose my own reward?"

Everyone was taken aback, especially Sanfeng, who thought he might ask for a lot. Before she could speak, Chufeng said, "As long as it's something the Purple Cloud Palace has, Brother, just ask."

Everyone's eyes were on Yue Qing. The Purple Cloud Palace was a heavenly abode, filled with countless treasures. Everyone wondered what they would ask for if they were Yue Qing. Some wanted elixirs, some wanted treasures, and some wanted to join the Purple Cloud Palace as its seventh master.