This was no longer a matter of reversing life and death, but a technique for usurping creation. However, the Daoji Scripture was an immortal scripture, a celestial scripture brought forth from the True Spirit Hierarchy Diagram. Even as a fifth-grade lower-tier scripture, it was a treasure that was difficult to obtain in the world.
To transform into an infant, to recreate an immortal body, even if the primordial spirit was damaged, it would be fine. One could reverse back from the primordial qi, transform into a nascent soul, and begin cultivation anew!
The demonic qi was completely extinguished, and even the malevolent sensations vanished in an instant. What remained was extremely pure primordial qi, revolving around the newly born nascent soul. At this moment, there was no distinction of the five elements, nor had the bone structure or anything else evolved.
But this was not a difficult matter.
Ji Xiang opened his hands, then gathered them again at his chest, and with a snap, they met in the middle!
"Gather!"
With a command! The five elements of heaven and earth converged from all directions!
All things in heaven and earth, mountains, rivers, trees, grass, spirits, gods, and demons, all that is born and dies within the operations of the universe, exists within the cycle of the five elements!
The Five Fang Heavenly Book!
It causes the five energies of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth to circulate, transforming into the nascent five energies within the human body, to nourish the form of heaven and earth!
The moment the five elements circulated, many cultivators sensed it. They had already gathered nearby, not daring to act rashly. They watched Ji Xiang operate. The old cultivator was astonished. Seeing the five elements converge into the nascent soul, Ji Xiang lowered his hands, and then he asked:
"Imperial Daoist boy from the Tongwei Sect, what kind of creation technique are you using now?"
"This is absolutely not a magical art that can be cultivated from worldly scriptures. The five elements that people speak of are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The birth and death of all things in heaven and earth cannot escape the operation of the five elements, but your method... Old man, I have an idea..."
The old cultivator, being well-traveled and knowledgeable, said to Ji Xiang, "In the past, I once witnessed a technique called 'planting spiritual roots'."
"It harvests the essence of heaven and earth and implants it into the human body, allowing mortal bones to shine with brilliant essence and undergo transformation. However, the Dharma teaching technique can only plant one spiritual root... The immortal bones transformed from this spiritual root, though they possess a temporary brilliance, will soon decay. Although the person who planted the spiritual root can cultivate, after the age of fifty, they will instantly age, and their lifespan will gradually dry up. If they cannot break through to the sixth realm, then..."
"Die."
Ji Xiang said, "Planting spiritual roots is a folk Dharma teaching technique. The reason it cannot succeed is that it takes the wrong path."
"Immortal bones are born from spiritual roots; they are essentially the same thing. A person's bone structure is innate and difficult to change after birth. To change it, one needs to supplement it with heavenly marrow. I believe everyone has heard of this."
The old cultivator nodded, but some younger cultivators had not heard of heavenly marrow and shook their heads slightly.
"One of the heavenly marrows is the Emperor's Flowing Dew. Don't you know that?"
The old cultivator then enlightened these younger cultivators, who suddenly understood.
Heavenly marrow often appears in poetry, but that was written by the great Confucian scholars of the Confucian school. They were not interested. Great Confucian scholars often used strange words to metaphorically represent things in cultivation, creating atmosphere in their poems. But for Taoist cultivators, extracting useful information from the vast sea of verses was a great drain on their energy.
But who didn't know about the Emperor's Flowing Dew? Monsters relied on this thing to soar to the heavens. Once every sixty years, the moonlight would be exceptionally strong, condensing the essence of moonlight to transform into higher-level demonic beings. Even low-level wild beasts could ascend to the heavens in one step, gain intelligence, and undergo marrow cleansing to transform into human form.
"Immortal bones and spiritual roots are nurtured from the five elements. The five elements are the foundation of all Dharma. They differentiate from yin and yang, derive the eight trigrams, sixteen trigrams, twenty-four trigrams, sixty-four trigrams... The operation of all things is within this."
"For those with unfavorable innate constitutions, no amount of effort in later life can compensate, because the human body's bone structure is already set. Everyone knows the principle that spilled water is hard to retrieve. Spilled water is like a grown tree; if it grew crookedly when it was young, it cannot reach the sky when it grows up."
"And heavenly marrow is extremely precious, with five grades in the world. The first is the essence of mountains, rivers, trees, and grass. The second is the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, also known as jade dew. The third is the essence of the moon, the fourth is the essence of the sun, and the fifth is the essence of heaven and earth."
"Even the lowest grade, the essence of mountains, rivers, trees, and grass, requires waiting for a year in a place with abundant spiritual energy. Only then, amidst the changes of heaven and earth in this year, is it possible to condense a small portion."
"Where on the surface of mountains and rivers is there still a place with abundant spiritual energy? Even the immortal mountains and sects of various families can only be called places of cultural significance, not immortal mountains and blessed lands."
Upon hearing this, all the cultivators nodded in agreement.
Without heavenly marrow in the world, there was naturally no way to forcibly change one's bone structure. Therefore, a good seedling for innate cultivation was particularly important. It didn't matter if this person had a firm heart for cultivation, nor did it matter what their moral character was; having good bone structure surpassed everything.
In the past, many sects adhered to the principle of not accepting disciples with poor character. However, as time passed and talent dwindled, fewer and fewer people adhered to this principle. The most important thing was to find someone with good bone structure to pass down their own lineage.
In the face of lineage inheritance, as the people of the Shangqing Sect said, even those with poor morals and character were irrelevant.
"However, as long as the five elements are transformed into the nascent energy of the human body before the bone structure has fully developed, it can promote the birth of excellent spiritual roots and immortal bones in the newborn child."
The five elements could not be directly injected into the child's body. The innate pure body was extremely fragile. The result of forcibly injecting the five elements would be the infant's premature death. That was why there were five-fang heavenly books and other five-element immortal scriptures!
"In the secular world, many people lack a certain attribute in their destiny. For example, those who lack fire are generally more yin, with insufficient yang. Their feet are easily cold because fire is associated with upward movement. Lacking the fire element means lacking upward momentum. Although they may be exceptionally intelligent, they might also die young because the heart is also associated with fire."
"The result of forcibly injecting fire would not only fail to complete the five elements but would also accelerate the other's death. The five elements of heaven and earth are extremely violent and are not powers that the human body can withstand."
The old cultivator became agitated, even animated. "Imperial Daoist boy, do you, now, possess this true technique of planting spiritual roots!"
He had a request, wanting to learn. After all, this could greatly increase the number of excellent talents in the sect. There were many children with very good moral character who lacked the aptitude for cultivation, ultimately ending their lives as unfortunate souls in the secular world.
"The tightest rope always breaks at the weakest point, and misfortune always finds the unfortunate." But if Ji Xiang had this method, then the "misfortune" of these children would become their "test" for ascending to immortality!
"Sect trial?"
Hearing the old cultivator's words, Ji Xiang smiled. "There's no rush for this matter. I've had this intention for a long time, which is why I brought a few children to the sect these past few months."
Brought a few children to the sect?
Someone muttered behind him, talking about that craftsman's son with the pure bone structure, and the young girl from the Shen family you brought last time. They were all excellent seedlings. There was even a scholar with immense righteous energy, a naturally gifted player of the Confucian school... Oh, and a fox spirit from the Celestial Master's Mansion. Look at this Celestial Master's Mansion; just by its origin, you know its abilities must be extraordinary.
Alas, they are all people from the Tongwei Temple. Now that the emperor favors Wudang again, it's all thanks to your family's fortune. How dare we compete with you for talent? It's just that what you said is too "average."
"However, this scripture and texts cannot be cultivated by all sect leaders, sect masters, and elder seniors."
"The juniors are not stingy with passing on the Dharma, and this is also a good thing for the glory of Wudang. However, the cultivation of this scripture requires a person with complete five elements."
Ji Xiang generously stated the condition. The originally expectant or grumbling faces of the cultivators all turned to embarrassment. They were stunned for a long time, looking at each other, and for a moment, they didn't know what to do.
Complete five elements?
How could there be... Oh, there are still people in the world, right in front of them. But even if there were, with this vast world and countless living beings, how could they find them!
At least, above Wudang, there were no such people!
"No... no such people."
The old cultivator was lost and disappointed, his expression sorrowful. This was truly like sitting by a mountain of gold but being unable to take any of it. It was exactly as the great sages and philosophers of ancient times said: this is "gazing at the ocean and sighing"!
"Wrong, there still are."
Ji Xiang spoke again as everyone was lost in disappointment, immediately pointing it out.
At this moment, the infant on the ground had already stood up. All the five elements had transformed into nascent energy, and a strange phenomenon appeared on its body, revealing the appearance of a dragon and tiger!
"Ancestor!"
The people of Wudang were like people waking from a dream!
Disappointment came quickly, followed by bewilderment, but hope also came quickly!
"It's acceptable! At least the Ancestor can learn this spell, and the trial can be discussed again!"
"If you can truly pass down this scripture, all cultivators shall bow thrice! Wudang shall prosper!"
The old cultivator's face immediately flushed, and his spirit was invigorated, showing no trace of the previous bewilderment.
"This is not a big deal."
The Five Fang Heavenly Book was incomplete, only a part of the "Five Talisman Immortal Scripture," and its cultivation conditions were harsh. Even if widely spread, few could succeed.
Rather than worrying about secrets being leaked, fearing that the scripture would be lost to the world was the most pressing concern.
The infant's eyes were clear, as if they could see through people's hearts. At this moment, it looked around at everyone with a bewildered expression. Its intelligence had returned, but because Patriarch Dongyun had been trapped in demonic illusions for two hundred years, his wisdom had also been replaced by the demonic illusions. What returned was only the part of the primordial spirit that had not been eroded.
Someone nearby had already changed the infant's clothes, although it was just a small blue robe.
A blue robe and a small cap were common attire for Taoists in this era, convenient for cultivation and not hindering daily life. Even Zhang Tianshi, when he was a gatekeeper in the Forbidden City, wore such clothes.
With his wisdom returned, the infant immediately struggled. With great strength, he threw aside the Taoist who was dressing him and looked around vigilantly.
"You? You all?"
Patriarch Dongyun had forgotten many things, but he remembered some, especially since his obsession was deep. As a Pure Yang realm cultivator, being trapped in demonic illusions for two hundred years and locking his wisdom and mind, he had his methods. He frowned and asked, "Are you people from Wudang Mountain? Where is Zhang Sanfeng? How did I become an infant?"
"These Taoist robes don't look right. Which sect are you from? Why is it so mixed?"
His expression was confused. Wudang should not have so many factions. He looked around again. The environment was indeed somewhat familiar, with the atmosphere of Wudang.
The cultivators also argued eagerly, stating that they were indeed disciples of Wudang Mountain and were the ancestors' descendants. They were not some cult organization, but definitely your own mountain.
"You? Who are you? How dare you wear black clothes?"
Patriarch Dongyun saw Ji Xiang wearing black sacrificial robes, as if he were worshipping a deity. How could a Taoist wear such clothes in normal times?
"Are you going to worship a deity? But you are so young, how can you wear black sacrificial robes?"
"You are not qualified to be the chief officiant."
He was too young. It was impossible for someone so young to be the chief officiant for worshipping deities, not only due to lack of ability but also lack of seniority and spells.
"Why are you all looking at me?!"
Patriarch Dongyun bared his teeth. His personality had also been greatly damaged by the erosion of demonic illusions, and he appeared like a fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth, vigilant about everything.
"Ancestor!"
The surrounding Taoist disciples bowed to Patriarch Dongyun, and Ji Xiang was no exception. This made Patriarch Dongyun almost jump up and curse, "How dare you wear these clothes to worship me!"
"I'm not dead yet... No! What is going on with you all! I remember... I remember..."
As he cursed, his young face suddenly became confused. He couldn't remember what he was doing before; it was all a blank.
"No, no! In the twelfth year of Kublai Khan, Zhen Changzi, Zhang Sanfeng, and I came here to repair the Wulong Temple of the Tang Dynasty..."
"Then... then I took a disciple..."
"Then..."
His eyes were filled with bewilderment. His memory had a huge gap. He immediately asked, "What time is it now? Is Kublai Khan still alive?"
"True Changzi, where is Zhang Sanfeng?"
Ji Xiang responded from the side, "It is now the Ming Dynasty, and the reigning emperor's surname is Zhu, with the reign title Wanli."
"This year is the twenty-fifth year of Wanli."
"Wanli? Who is Wanli?! Isn't the reign title Zhiyuan! Kublai Khan is dead?"
Ji Xiang: "The Yuan Emperor has been dead for three hundred years."
Patriarch Dongyun was stunned. He looked at the group of Wudang Mountain people who were paying respects to him. Several old cultivators immediately said, "The Imperial Daoist's words are correct. The Yuan Dynasty is gone."
"All the old world has scattered with the wind. It has been three hundred and three years since the death of the Yuan Emperor."
This huge gap in time stunned the just-recovered Patriarch Dongyun. He looked at these people, then at the few ancient cultivators with white hair and long beards, then at the black-clothed Ji Xiang, and finally at the buildings of Wudang Mountain.
The land had been turned upside down, and it was destroyed beyond recognition. However, in the distance, he could still see magnificent palaces standing on some peaks, as if in the clouds.
When he came to repair this place, there were only four places where people could live.
There were no buildings with carved beams and painted pillars on those peaks.
"Who is that... Great Khan who built this for us?"
"Ancestor, it wasn't built by any Khan, but by the founding Emperor and Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty for our Wudang."
Ji Xiang explained from the side, "At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the world was in great chaos, and the world was in turmoil. Many things were destroyed and did not survive until now."
He also told Patriarch Dongyun that the Yuan Dynasty only lasted for more than ninety years. Although there were sixteen emperors in name, the first five, starting from Genghis Khan, were posthumously honored. Among the remaining eleven emperors, the Young Emperor reigned for twenty-seven days, and Emperor Mingzong reigned for one hundred and eighty-four days, totaling less than a year.
By the end of the dynasty, the social conditions of each dynasty, past and future, were generally similar.
Natural and man-made disasters, people suffering from poverty, class rigidity, corruption, constant rebellions, foreign invasions, and the monarchs or ministers in charge of state power being incompetent, resisting reform and progress, only indulging in the dream of collecting money. In the end, some people tasted the bitter fruit of national ruin and personal destruction along with the emperor, while some successfully survived into the next era, continuing their incense and power for several hundred years.
Finally, someone raised the slogan of expelling the Tatars and restoring China...
Patriarch Dongyun briefly listened to the experience of the Yuan Dynasty's downfall, finding it like a dream. His memory was fragmented, and he couldn't recall past events.
It was like a dream of yellow millet; upon waking, the world had changed. However, was it any different from the previous era?
Perhaps, at least, the control of the world had returned to the hands of the Han people?
He touched himself and said to Ji Xiang, "Then how did I become an infant?"
Ji Xiang simply explained. Unexpectedly, Patriarch Dongyun burst into laughter:
"Complete five elements, transforming the formless nascent soul into a form? Is this still a worldly technique? How can there be such a method in the world! This is not something that can be achieved by ordinary scriptures!"
Ji Xiang responded with a smile:
"Yes."
"The so-called immortal scripture is to do what ordinary scriptures cannot do."
"The so-called immortal method is to have abilities that ordinary scriptures cannot reach."
"It can be called immortal."
Dongyun was stunned and remained silent for a long time.