Chapter 83: The Efficacy of the Taiyi Codex

After a flash of lightning, Zhou Changwang irrigated the fields again with the Spirit Rain Technique. Once he confirmed that all the Thunder Spirit Rice trees were growing well, he walked away at a leisurely pace. He did not leave the backyard, but seated himself in the pavilion, retrieving a jade slip from his storage pouch and beginning to study it slowly.

He intended to spend some time gaining an understanding of the art of formations.

“The Way of Formations can adapt to circumstance. The wind and rain of the heavens and earth, mountains and rivers, veins of the land, streams, the interplay of yin and yang, the five elements, all things in the world… can form a formation.”

Zhou Changwang glanced at the preface, his mind soon immersing itself. One incense stick, two, three… Countless complex knowledge regarding the path of formations flowed through his mind. Much of it he could not comprehend, so he simply memorized it in a rough manner, hoping to understand it later.

After an hour, his mind dizzy and fatigued, Zhou Changwang withdrew his attention from the jade slip. Although he had not gained much, he now had a basic grasp of formations. By following instructions, he could barely distinguish the four directions and the terrain's flow.

For example, in his backyard, the spiritual vein lay to the east, the southwest was the vein's tail end, while the north had a branch point, making the terrain there slightly higher. Comparing carefully, Zhou Changwang found that the location of the front yard, especially the cultivation chamber, was precisely at a spiritual vein node. The concentration of spiritual energy in that area was indeed the highest in his entire compound.

Furthermore, according to the information on formations, he vaguely sensed that the small pond in his backyard, surrounded by spiritual fields on four sides, positioned at the center, created a formation where four spirits watched over, water rose, and spiritual energy ascended. No guidance was needed—the terrain itself had formed the array.

Spirit rose from the water, spiritual energy soared skyward and then fell, nourishing the surrounding fields—a cycle of mutual benefit.

“No wonder the quality of the spiritual fields here reaches top-grade first tier. No wonder Steward Bai once said there was an array in the fields, though I couldn’t find any trace of it. It turns out the array was formed by the terrain itself, channeling spiritual energy to irrigate the fields and elevate their grade…”

Zhou Changwang felt both unclear and awed. Clearly, the one who designed the house and excavated the fields was a master of formations. His interest in the art of arrays grew.

However, what frustrated him was how taxing it was. After just an hour, his mind was exhausted, unable to absorb any more. He had to rest, practicing some simple, energy-saving spells.

Growth Technique, Protection Technique, Lightness Technique, Calm Technique, Breath Concealment Technique… and so on.

“Perhaps I should try the Taiyi Diagram?”

Suddenly, Zhou Changwang remembered something and acted. Without hesitation, he flipped his hand, producing a heavy, ancient jade slip—the very one containing the Taiyi Diagram.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Changwang immersed his mind within. Instantly, a complex, multidimensional, ever-changing diagram appeared in his mind. It seemed to encompass everything and yet was strikingly simple, clearly expounding the principles of heaven and earth.

In a mere instant, Zhou Changwang felt his consciousness pulled into the diagram, his spiritual power extending along its pathways.

It seemed only a moment had passed. Or perhaps ages. Zhou Changwang suddenly blacked out, falling into a deep sleep.

Much later, he slowly opened his eyes. The sky was bright with a full moon, stars glittering in the void, illuminating the world with an almost daytime glow.

“Is tonight the full moon?”

The thought flashed through his mind. He sat up suddenly, looking around, and saw the jade slip resting on his chest. He recalled that he had immersed his mind in the jade slip and then… fallen asleep?

Judging by the high moon, many hours had passed. He had lain here for several hours.

Zhou Changwang was bewildered.

At that moment, his little spirit dog, who had been keeping watch, hurried over, whining softly and wagging its tail with excitement.

He patted its head, feeling comforted. He had bought it several months ago. The little pup had grown quite a bit, but it still stayed by his side during cultivation or sleep, vigilantly guarding against danger.

He quickly used the Calm Technique to show affection.

“Wait…”

Just as Zhou Changwang was about to rise, he paused. He felt his spiritual power had grown slightly. Though the increase was small, cultivators are acutely aware of any change in themselves.

Zhou Changwang noticed this the instant he cast a spell.

“Could the Taiyi Diagram actually enhance spiritual power?”

Surprised, he wanted to immerse himself again and test it, but considering the hours he had slept, he resisted. If he slept any longer, dawn would break.

He got up, returned to the front yard, cooked spirit rice, gave a small bowl to the spirit dog, and ate heartily himself.

Half an hour later, he entered his talisman workshop.

His cultivation schedule had long been set: tending spiritual fields by day while practicing spells, and dedicating one or two hours at night to talisman crafting.

Even with the full moon high, he was energetic and kept to his routine.

After an hour, Zhou Changwang stored the completed talismans in his pouch and moved to the cultivation chamber.

Inside was a bamboo bath barrel. Earlier, he had obtained the Golden Soup Spirit Lock formula from Wei Yong’s storage pouch. The recipe claimed to lock heaven and earth spiritual energy in the body, boosting cultivation efficiency.

So, he had chopped some spiritual bamboo from the backyard and personally fashioned the barrel. Though crude, it held water well enough.

Using the Water Spirit Technique he'd just mastered, he summoned a stream and filled the barrel.

Notably, the Water Spirit Technique is a water control spell—not powerful, but able to gather and purify water, essential for a traveling cultivator.

After all, not every water source in the wild is safe to drink.

Finding it too slow, Zhou Changwang activated several Water Spirit Talismans, filling the barrel quickly.

Then, he used Fireball Technique to heat the water. His Fireball Technique had long reached mastery. He controlled the fireball to hover near the surface, its intense heat quickly steaming the bath.

Timing it just right, he took out herbs from his pouch: first Ganling Grass, then Curved Leaf Root… Each spiritual herb steeped in the hot water, releasing juices that blended into a golden hue.

“So this is the Golden Soup?”

Zhou Changwang sighed, then undressed and stepped into the barrel. The scalding medicinal bath was nothing to his body, already comparable to a first-layer body cultivator thanks to the Eight Forms of Tianyuan.

He then took out a bottle of Vitality Pills, swallowed one. The pill melted instantly, and a surge of spiritual energy flooded his limbs, filling every dantian.

At the same time, spiritual energy began to leak from his body, ready to dissipate.

Yet, the spiritual energy that would normally escape was now impeded, held back as if by some barrier. Though some still leaked, it was much slower than before.

“This must be the Golden Soup working!”

Eyes bright, Zhou Changwang focused, circulating the Five Elements Formula to refine the energy.

After an incense stick’s time, the first cycle was complete.

Without pause, he continued: the second cycle, third…

Seven cycles later, he stopped.

By then, he had completely refined the pill’s spiritual energy, converting it into his own power.

Cultivation +3.

Zhou Changwang glanced at his attribute panel, comparing it to before, and smiled.

A single Vitality Pill, by his previous experience, would increase his cultivation by two points at most. Now, it was three.

Clearly, this was the effect of the Golden Soup Spirit Lock.

It didn’t mean the formula increased pill absorption by fifty percent—after careful consideration, the effect was likely around twenty to thirty percent.

But it was enough to prove its efficacy.

“With this, if I use pills regularly, my cultivation speed will soar. I might reach the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining within three months.”

Delighted, he saw the golden bathwater had turned clear, but was unconcerned. The Golden Soup was meant to temporarily block spiritual energy from escaping; after two hours, the energy would neutralize the bath, and it would lose its effect.

Stepping out, Zhou Changwang used Water Spirit Technique to drain the bath, then Cleanse Technique to finish.

Finally, he sat cross-legged in the chamber, took out the ancient jade slip, and immersed his mind once more.

One breath, two, three…

Zhou Changwang instantly fell into a deep sleep.

(End of this chapter)