Chapter 192: Visualization Diagram And Incantation (I)

Cold winds howled, and the late autumn night carried a chill. Bright moonlight spilled down, casting a layer of silvery frost across the courtyard. The swaying oil lamp flame illuminated the astonishment on Lin Zheyu's face.

"This is remarkable. It truly deserves to be called a Ghost Dao Secret Art," Lin Zheyu could not help but exclaim.

Much of what was written was beyond his understanding, yet it gave him an inexplicable sense of profundity. The Seven Fiend Ghost Manual was divided into three major sections: cultivation secret arts, the seven fiend formation, and soul secret arts. He understood almost none of the three. The manual resembled a black box, incomprehensible in principle yet still usable if one followed its steps.

"Even attempting to cultivate this secret art won't be easy. Most of the materials required to carve the seven fiend formation are things I've never even heard of. Gathering them all would be extremely difficult.

“Carve the formation, ingest the guiding medicine, use it to sense Baleful Yin force, draw it into the body, circulate it through a grand cycle... This really does resemble an immortal cultivation method," Lin Zheyu murmured, his eyes growing brighter.

The Seven Fiend Ghost Manual was different from the corpse refining secret arts he had imagined. In corpse refining, the corpse was passively processed into a living corpse. But the Seven Fiend Ghost Manual required one to actively absorb Baleful Yin force and transform oneself into a refined corpse. Curiosity pricked at Lin Zheyu, and he found the manual's techniques fascinating, yet it remained mere curiosity. He would never dare to draw Baleful Yin force into his own body.

"But this soul secret art should be safe enough to try."

Lin Zheyu carefully read through the section on soul secret arts. This technique primarily served to strengthen the soul and firm one's mental will, enabling practitioners of the Seven Fiend Ghost Manual to retain clarity even when subjected to Baleful Yin force. The method was divided into a visualization diagram and an incantation. The diagram depicted a wrathful Vajra radiating endless divine light, suppressing eternal darkness.

Lin Zheyu closed his eyes, visualized the image, and recited the incantation. "Supreme Star of the Heavenly Platform, ever responsive without cease; repel evil and bind spirits, safeguard life and body; grant clarity of wisdom and peace of mind..."

A sense of cluttered thoughts being swept away washed over him, leaving his mind calmer.

Bathed in moonlight, Lin Zheyu sat cross-legged with his eyes shut, his expression serene. He circulated the Tortoise Breath Grand Method while visualizing the wrathful golden light and murmuring the incantation under his breath.

An hour later, Lin Zheyu slowly opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

It does have some effect, but relying on this technique alone to stay rational under the erosion of Baleful Yin force... is that really possible?

After trying it, doubt rose in his heart.

The visualization paired with the chant did help calm the mind, but the effect was far weaker than he had imagined. Relying on it to preserve one's mind under Baleful Yin force was simply impossible.

This technique isn't much stronger than the calming methods sold on the black market. Is the problem with the visualization diagram?

He studied the diagram in the manual, engraved every detail firmly into his mind, then shut his eyes again and began his second attempt.

An hour later.

It's still not working. The visualization diagram feels almost useless and doesn't match the power of this Mind Purifying Chant at all.

Lin Zheyu shook his head.

Lin Zheyu suspected the problem lay in the visualization diagram itself. Diagrams capable of reinforcing one's spirit and will must require extremely demanding creation conditions. Expecting an ordinary drawing in a manual to produce such effects was nearly impossible. Although the diagram disappointed him, he remained satisfied. At the very least, the Mind Purifying Chant was effective, helping him clear stray thoughts, calm his mind, and recover his spirit.

***

Morning arrived shrouded in mist. The temperature had dropped overnight, and a thin layer of frost coated the leaves in the courtyard. Lin Zheyu stepped out of his room and stretched. The weather was good today, perfect for a hunt. When he reached the city gate, he was surprised to find a long line waiting there.

"Friend, what's going on here?" Lin Zheyu asked the man beside him.

"No idea. Looks like they're searching for someone. Someone offended a major power, and now anyone wanting to leave the city is being checked thoroughly," the man replied.

Lin Zheyu looked toward the gate where several men wearing Abyss Sect robes were comparing portraits with passersby. The person in the portrait was Liang Song.

So fast? Did master manage to leave the city ahead of them?

Lin Zheyu frowned slightly.

He continued asking, "Friend, do you know when these checks started?"

"This morning, I think. When I returned from hunting yesterday, the gate wasn't strict at all," said the man.

Hearing this, Lin Zheyu breathed a small sigh of relief. Liang Song had caught wind of danger yesterday, warned him immediately, and then left. Once outside the city, hiding in a remote mountain forest would make him almost impossible to find.

At last, it was Lin Zheyu's turn. The inspection for leaving the city was extremely strict. A middle-aged man examined his face to check for disguise. Fortunately, he had altered his appearance by subtly adjusting facial muscles and skin, completely different from common disguise techniques.

"Open your pack so I can inspect it." After confirming he wasn't disguised, an Abyss Sect disciple stared maliciously at Lin Zheyu's bulging pack. Using the excuse of strict inspection, they would seize anything they fancied from travelers.

"

Hm?

"

Lin Zheyu gave a soft grunt, coldly turning his gaze toward the man as a powerful surge of momentum qi burst out from him.

"

Ah!

" the man yelped. He was merely a Bone Forging Realm martial artist. Confronted with the powerful aura and momentum rising from Lin Zheyu, he fell backward in fright.

"You still want to check?" Lin Zheyu asked mildly.

"N... No need. You may go," another man stepped forward and said respectfully. Even though they were backed by the Abyss Sect, they could not afford to offend someone of such strength.

"

Hmph!

" Lin Zheyu gave a soft snort and walked out of the gate under the crowd's wary gazes.

"You fool. I told you not to get greedy, but you never listen. Luckily, that expert wasn't hot-tempered, or you'd be dead or crippled by now." The man kicked his fallen companion while scolding him, still shaken.

The man cautiously glanced toward the burly figure seated beneath a canopy by the gate. Seeing that the superior wasn't paying attention, he quietly let out a breath.

The burly man was the expert overseeing this gate, possessing the strength of the fourth transformation of blood qi. He had raised his head to look at Lin Zheyu earlier and, sensing an aura no weaker than his own, lost interest immediately.

***

Once outside the city, Lin Zheyu tapped his toes lightly against the ground, his movements agile. He did not use any blood qi power and relied solely on his physical strength, which, at his current level, was already comparable to about 80% of a second transformation martial artist.

Entering the forest, Lin Zheyu took out the spotted beetle, which always helped to guide him toward Little Black's location. He blew a bamboo whistle, and before long, Little Black darted out of the trees, calling excitedly.

Hiss... chirp, chirp...

Little Black cried out in excitement, flipping several times in midair.

"Stop thinking about food. Take me to hunt a ferocious beast," Lin Zheyu tapped Little Black's curious head and scolded with a smile.

The little creature had stared at his pack the moment he arrived, pawing at it in hopes of getting roasted meat.

Chirp, chirp... Chirp, chirp...

Little Black protested unhappily but bolted away with a swish the moment Lin Zheyu glared at him.

Lin Zheyu followed behind Little Black at an unhurried pace. Previously, he had needed to fully circulate his blood qi just to keep up. Now that his physique had strengthened to the point where his raw physical power alone matched 80% of a second transformation martial artist, he only needed less than 60% of his blood qi to match Little Black's speed.

Hiss.

Upon entering a coniferous forest, Little Black let out a fierce roar, eyes gleaming with excitement.

After working together for so long, the two shared a strong tacit understanding. Seeing Little Black's reaction, Lin Zheyu knew they had found their target. He halted his steps, fully activated the Tortoise Breath Grand Method, suppressed his aura to the lowest point, and gripped the Golden Scale Saber, waiting for Little Black to lure the beast over.

Roar!

Before long, a resounding roar echoed through the forest. Little Black burst out from the trees, overflowing with excitement, and rushed to Lin Zheyu's side while waving its claws.

"Another one you have a grudge against?"

Seeing Little Black's expression, Lin Zheyu immediately knew the beast must be another of Little Black's old enemies.

As a native beast, Little Black was not particularly strong in combat, but it was fast, tough-skinned, and excelled at survival. It had even escaped the claws of that top-tier Marrow Refining Realm beast back then. Relying on its excellent survival abilities, it roamed everywhere, provoking all sorts of ferocious beasts and accumulating many enemies.

However, ever since tagging along with Lin Zheyu, Little Black had been leading him around to hunt down those beasts that had once wronged it. By now, aside from that one excessively powerful beast, most of its enemies had already been caught and sold by Lin Zheyu.