I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 319: Chapter 39: The Glorious Heaven Rotating Seal!

Within the sea of consciousness’ void, three mountains floated, shrouded in immortal mists.

But the moment Zhou Heng thought of the “Supreme Riding the Ox Picture,” a boundless, mysterious purple aura rose up in this void, as if it contained an infinite amount of profound Taoist principles.

It encompassed everything, accommodating all.

The original three mountains immediately crumbled into countless light spots. These spots then converged and solidified into the figure of an old man riding a green ox.

Zhou Heng immediately grasped the essence of the “Supreme Riding the Ox Picture.” It was clearly a meditative magical tome of such high essence that it reached the pinnacle.

The Supreme Riding the Ox Meditation!

It pointed directly to the realm of the Daoist Gods, which symbolizes the limit of this world, and even higher realms.

Indeed, it was a treasure from the Gold Fortune Bag, on the same level as the “Yellow Mystery Pagoda Manual,” truly profound to the utmost degree.

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

“…

“Darkness within darkness, the gate to all mystery.

“…

“Heaven and Earth are not kind; they treat all things as straw dogs. The Sage is not kind; he treats the people as straw dogs.

“…

“The highest good is like water, water benefits all things without contention.

“…

“Be utterly empty, remain tranquil and steadfast.

“…”

The voice of the five thousand words from the “Tao Te Ching” echoed within Zhou Heng’s sea of consciousness like a sonorous bell, pouring into him like enlightening nectar.

Although he had read the “Tao Te Ching” back on Earth, he had no insightful cultivation experience and felt nothing supernatural about it.

This time was different; each word, each sentence, shone like brilliance condensed from the principles of the Tao, containing extremely profound mysteries of this world, advancing his understanding of the true meaning of the meditative picture by leaps and bounds.

Basking in such brilliance and the sound of the Tao, Zhou Heng could clearly feel his Divine Soul rapidly growing stronger.

This thread of soul that had descended into his body started to swell to an unprecedented degree, growing more powerful.

Tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold!

It was only after this thread of the Divine Soul had become a thousand times stronger—a tad weaker than his main body in the Purple Tenuity Palace—that this trend of expansion and strengthening finally ceased.

At the same time, a massive amount of the energy from heaven and earth was silently mobilized, pouring into Zhou Heng’s body like a river in reverse, about to transform into the mana of the Divine Soul, and solidify into the True Form.

However, Zhou Heng had a thought and interrupted the process of condensing the True Form. Instead, he used the modified “Eternal Life Chant” as the foundation to draw in this vast converging heavenly energy, intending to refine it into Innate True Qi.

The Supreme Riding the Ox Picture encompassed all phenomena, accommodating all methods; the Longevity Technique would naturally not conflict with it. In fact, the meditation picture could even provide the corresponding adjustments.

As the Innate True Qi was being refined, the influence of the Supreme Riding the Ox Picture in the sea of consciousness became even more solidified.

Its existence quickly merged with the Innate True Qi, becoming the “commander” who presides over the sea of consciousness, marshaling the Innate True Qi within the body and acting as a bridge that connects with the natural laws of the outside world.

The True Form Realm involves the Divine Soul visualizing an image that combines with the Qi of Heaven and Earth to solidify into the True Form, and then interweaving the natural laws, exerting mighty powers that also directly mobilize the Qi of Heaven and Earth through the force of the Divine Soul, akin to a weakened version of the Dharma Phase.

As a result, if the Divine Soul is damaged, a cultivator’s overall strength would significantly decrease, and they would be vulnerable to attacks by spiritual Martial Arts or Taoist Formulas.

What Zhou Heng was doing now was different, with the Divine Soul firmly ensconced in the sea of consciousness, mobilizing the Innate True Qi throughout the body without directly contacting the outside world, thereby reducing the risk of a direct attack on the Divine Soul.

Moreover, the Innate True Qi cultivated from the improved The Eternal Life Chant was highly compatible with natural laws, and it did not contain a strong spiritual will; thus, mobilizing the great forces of Heaven and Earth was even smoother than using the power of the Divine Soul’s True Form.

The whole process sounds lengthy, but in reality, it was just the span of four or five breaths. In Zhou Heng’s pupils flashed a purple brilliance, after which he felt a surge of emotion.

The Supreme Cowherding Picture is indeed the most top-tier visualization method; gathering the Qi of Heaven and Earth can be done silently and unnoticeably, to the extent that the two Sun Roaming Realm cultivators nearby, Yu Jianghe and Yu Liushui, failed to detect it at all.

This meant that while they were practicing the The Eternal Life Chant postures controlled by the puppet Han Lin, Zhou Heng had already quietly stepped into the True Form Realm that they had long aspired to achieve.

Although Zhou Heng’s “True Form” was fundamentally different from the normal True Form, his strength was in no way inferior and could even be stronger.

Having Innate True Qi, he could now use skills like the Sword Control Technique, Divine Sword Thunder Control, Five Thunder Righteous Method, Overturning Heaven Three Palms, Purple Thunder Blade Skill as well as other Taoist Formulas and Martial Arts.

Even if there was some difference in power compared to the original capabilities, it was enough to restore Zhou Heng’s strength by a substantial amount.

In this world, with such cultivation and strength, he could already be revered as a “Great True Person.”

Additionally, Zhou Heng had a “super move.”

That was to condense the Innate True Qi and gather it in the visualization of the Supreme Cowherding Image, solidifying it to step out of the sea of consciousness and display the Supreme Might.

Just how powerful this move was, even he himself could not quite measure.

However, Zhou Heng’s identity remained as that of a puppet controlled by Han Lin.

So he just stood quietly to the side, his expression and gaze dull, motionless.

A moment later.

Yu Jianghe fully mastered the introductory part of the improved The Eternal Life Chant and completed the cultivation.

During this process, he keenly felt his perception of the natural laws improve, and the areas which were incomprehensible or elusive before also began to clarify.

To break free from the shackles of the Sun Roaming Realm and grasp the true meaning of the visualization to solidify the True Form now seemed to be a genuine prospect, no longer a distant dream.

Eternal life seemed within reach!

This made Yu Jianghe extremely excited, the man in his seventies laughed like a child, almost on the verge of jumping for joy.

“Many thanks to Daoist Brother for this gift!” Yu Jianghe bowed deeply to Han Lin, showing profound gratitude; he even considered becoming a disciple on the spot to fully learn this incredibly miraculous method.

“A fair exchange, no deception of the young or old,” Zhou Heng said with a smile, feeling very pleased in his heart.

Because as Yu Jianghe felt his realm being stirred, Zhou Heng also sensed slight feedback from the natural rules of Heaven and Earth.

But this feedback was still very weak and not enough to form actual merit (virtue).

Perhaps he had to wait for Yu Jianghe and perhaps more people to break through the Sun Roaming Realm using this method, solidify the True Form, or embark on a path led by Innate True Qi for there to be a real positive feedback from the natural rules of Heaven and Earth, which would then grant a certain amount of merit (virtue).

“Regardless, Daoist Brother, you are like my rebirth benefactor,” Yu Jianghe bowed again.

At the same time, Yu Liushui also followed suit in expressing gratitude.

“`

He knew all too well how conflicted and worried his mentor, who was like a father to him, had been over the past few years. Now that his mentor’s anxieties were finally relieved, no matter what, he owed Han Lin a debt of gratitude.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Just then, a green light flew over Qingxiang Town and stopped above the sky.

From within, a voice full of mockery rang out, “Yu Jianghe, you really seem to have regressed with age, resorting to seeking help from Han Lin. Are you that afraid of death?”

Zhou Heng, manipulating the Han Lin puppet, looked up to see a figure on a green light hovering a thousand feet in the air. He appeared to be in his forties, bare-chested, tall, and formidable.

“Jing Yanhua, the Wrathful King of the Holy Sect of Mercy and the head of the Liang Country branch. A true master who gathered his True Form thirty years ago. Hmm, a formidable opponent.”

Zhou Heng immediately recognized the man from the fragments of Wei Guang’s memory.

Yu Jianghe and Yu Liushui panicked upon hearing Jing Yanhua’s voice; they both knew they stood no chance against this venerable True Master.

However, after hearing “Han Lin’s” words, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Listening to “Han Lin’s” tone, he clearly didn’t put Jing Yanhua in his eyes.

It seemed he had truly practiced the “Dharma Phase of the Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva,” gathered his True Form, awakened immense wisdom, and gained the strength of the Dragon Elephant Bodhisattva.

“Han Lin, you’ve got some nerve to address me by name,” Jing Yanhua, floating in the air, roared after hearing “Han Lin’s” voice.

In his eyes, a cultivator of Han Lin’s level, merely at the level of controlling objects, didn’t even deserve to speak with him. Even if Han Lin had lucked out and gained something from the ancient battlefield, advancing to the Sun Roaming Realm, he was still insignificant and not worth mentioning.

As for the True Form Realm, Jing Yanhua didn’t even consider it. As a seasoned True Master, he was very aware of how difficult it was to gather one’s True Form.

For a Loose Cultivator like Han Lin, it was almost impossible.

“What brings you here, sir?” Zhou Heng, still manipulating Han Lin, asked.

“You ant-like creature, dare to question me?!” Jing Yanhua’s fury soared to the heavens, and he appeared like an enraged Vajra King, his might dimming the clouds above, unleashing an unparalleled and terrifying force without restraint.

A hundred-foot-tall eight-armed Vajra King materialized behind him, with waves of pitch-black flames spreading out, as if igniting the sky, turning the skies dark for miles around.

The town of Qingxiang was engulfed in his wrath, causing flowers to wither and petals to drop.

Meanwhile, the townspeople were defenseless against this spiritual force that took over their minds, igniting nameless rage within them, which they began to vent furiously to those around.

The Wrathful King’s Contemplation!

It is said that the Wrathful Kings are the manifested anger of the Buddha, and when the Buddha is enraged, the Kings appear, their boundless fury set to incinerate everything in their path, to bring destruction to all, considered the foremost in destructive power within the Buddha Sect.

Facing such terrifying might, Yu Jianghe and Yu Liushui, master and apprentice, trembled in utter terror and could only cast their hopeful eyes towards Zhou Heng.

But then, they watched as a mass of pitch-black flames fell from the sky, engulfing Han Lin, their straw of salvation, and in an instant, reduced him to ash.

This was the imagined fire of the Wrathful Kings of Buddhism, said to be capable of burning anything in the world.

“How could this be? How is this possible?!”

Yu Jianghe and Yu Liushui looked on, dumbfounded and in disbelief, at the pile of ashes on the ground, even wondering if they were hallucinating.

Han Lin was dead?

Just vanished into thin air?

Could such a grand True Master, who had cultivated the Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva’s Contemplation, not even withstand a single encounter with Jing Yanhua?

“`

Even the destructive power of the Wrathful King’s Gaze was not supposed to be this immense.

“You two, to actually pin your hopes on such an ant?” Jing Yanhua descended, his body enveloped in pitch-black flames, with an illusory vertical eye shining between his brows, like a wrathful king descending upon the human world.

“You, you, I…” Yu Jianghe was at a loss for words, his mind trembling.

Under the mighty oppressive aura of the Wrathful King’s Gaze, he couldn’t even maintain coherent thoughts.

“Hmph, just another waste.” Jing Yanhua shook his head with a cold snort, about to incinerate Yu Jianghe and his apprentice with Wrathful King’s Fire, then take away the Dharma Phase of the Great Power Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva that was about to condense in Han Lin’s ashes.

But at that moment, two children suddenly ran over from the back courtyard, Jiang Xianchu and Jiang Houli, a pair of siblings, each holding a fruit in their hands.

“Teacher, teacher! We brought you fruit, sweet and delicious!” They ran towards Zhou Heng.

This scene brought a hush over the small courtyard.

Both Jing Yanhua, who appeared like a wrathful king descending to earth, and the terrified Yu Jianghe and his apprentice, were all utterly shocked as they gazed at the figure not far behind Han Lin’s ashes.

This was supposed to be Han Lin’s puppet, the itinerant medicine man “Zhou Wei”!

“Not good!” Jing Yanhua was suddenly panic-stricken.

Without a second thought, he spurred the Wrathful King’s Fire, causing the raging pitch-black flames to converge, like a fire dragon, attempting to engulf Zhou Heng.

However, in the next instant, Jing Yanhua felt a terrifying power rise up, as if it could crush the heavens and earth, overturn the firmament, directly shattering the pitch-black fire dragon.

Then, a great seal reaching for the blue skies materialized out of nowhere. Just by hovering in the air, it seemed as if it suppressed all creatures, capable of crushing everything in this world.

Boom!

The great seal fell, almost piercing through the void, emitting a deafening roar.

It was as if a primordial pillar had been forcefully toppled, causing the firmament to collapse, unleashing immense might, but all focused upon Jing Yanhua’s body.

The hundred-zhang wrathful king’s form, as if made of piled sand, was destroyed effortlessly under the pressure of the great seal, without even a shred of resistance.

As the wrathful king’s form was destroyed, it was akin to Jing Yanhua’s divine soul shattering. Before the great seal even struck his body, blood poured from his seven orifices, and he quaked and convulsed, curling up on the ground.

Boom!

This time, the great seal truly smashed down on Jing Yanhua’s body, instantly grinding him to powder—a cultivator of many years, a wrathful king of the Holy Sect of Mercy, utterly obliterated, body and spirit!

Simultaneously, the seal burst out with supremely clear radiance, which spread out, dispelling the pervasive anger present between heaven and earth, bringing the townsfolk of Qingxiang Town back to their senses.

Yu Jianghe and Yu Liushui were dumbstruck, incredulous as they looked at Zhou Heng and the great seal, feeling as though they were witnessing an ancient deity from legends.

So strong!

Incredibly strong!

Zhou Heng, however, simply drew back his hand, settling his True Qi. That move was none other than—

“Heaven Earth Overthrow,” performed using visualized techniques.

It was no longer a martial arts technique, but had directly condensed into—

The dazzling Heaven Rotating Seal!!