The item brought back by the Tai Xu Bao Guang was the condensed product of the seven souls.
After a person dies, the souls leave first. The seven souls depart, followed by the three spirits. When the three spirits reunite and the seven souls are reborn, a new life begins.
These corpses were not buried here from the start. It was only after the Azure Dragon Crimson Blood Formation began to operate that the Profound Yin Red Furnace Formation started to emit these things.
Now, as the red furnace restarts and incinerates the corpses, the escaping furnace slag is these very things.
The Inner Scenery Divine Tablet informed Ji Xiang that these were valuable items.
Many sorcerers of Mount Mao, after slaying demons and ghosts, or even eliminating internal enemies and destroying spirits, if the opponent possessed a physical form and their seven souls had not yet dispersed, they would use spells to refine them to obtain such items. They primarily used these for refining corpses.
However, they only knew that these items could refine corpses, but not their many other miraculous uses.
[Essence of All Beings: Yin energy returning against the natural order, residing in the form, opening wisdom. This is the collection of essence condensed from melting countless Yin beings and corpses using Mount Mao sorcery.]
[The Essence of All Beings has five uses. When using it, the separated essence must not be less than one-quarter of the total amount.]
[One, it can be consumed by oneself, greatly enhancing a person's reaction time, concentration, judgment, and immunity. It strengthens the foundation of primal Yin and primal Yang, increases the efficiency of absorbing vital energy, and can transform one's physique into a "Profound Yin Body" or "Dan Yang Physique."]
[Two, the Essence of All Beings can be used to command the dead to rise and move, transforming them into zombies. They can evolve into uncorruptible bones, which is known as Mount Mao Corpse Refining Technique.]
[Three, the Essence of All Beings can be used to animate puppets, allowing them to move through the essence, which is known as the Suspended Silk Puppet Technique.]
[Four, the Essence of All Beings can be used to warm and nourish Yang within teacups and utensils. After refining, one obtains the Shadow-Stepping Gu. The Shadow-Stepping Gu can separate a person's nine shadows, serving as an external manifestation technique.]
[Five, after learning transformation spells, consuming the Essence of All Beings, along with the "Cave Light Pearl," "Crimson Rainbow Jade," and "Rootless Fire" (the latter three can be substituted), a divine ability can be born – the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations, Fetal Form Shifting. (Refined Form Ghosts are the byproducts of failure when using substitutes to acquire the spell.)]
[The Cave Light Pearl was seen by King Zhao of Yan during the Warring States period. There was a bird with black feathers and a white head, and in its mouth, it held such a pearl. This pearl was pitch black and, when hung indoors, no spirit could be hidden from a hundred gods; the Crimson Rainbow Jade was formed from the righteous energy of heaven and earth. Legend has it that Confucius wrote the "Spring and Autumn Annals," and a crimson rainbow descended from heaven, transforming into yellow jade; Rootless Fire is the Six Ding Divine Fire.]
Each use requires separating at least one-quarter of the total amount. Ji Xiang saw that this was a choice of five options.
Each seemed quite beneficial.
Changing one's physique, refining zombies, borrowing spirits through puppets, shadows becoming external manifestations, and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations.
"All of them are good, but changing one's physique seems like it can be discarded. My physical body has already consumed the alchemical powder of the Jiajing Emperor, and changing my physique will not bring any significant benefits to my most crucial form and spirit."
Ji Xiang decided to make a trip to Mount Mao. Mount Mao was not far from Gusu.
As for the Fetal Form Shifting divine ability, the Cave Light Pearl seemed to require luck to obtain. The Six Ding Divine Fire was already within his physical body, though he couldn't manifest it. However, he could store it in his Dantian to nurture, as the residual power of the divine fire was still present.
The Crimson Rainbow Jade was even within reach!
"Scholar Feng, if you write your chronicles in the future, and a crimson rainbow descends from heaven, transforming into a piece of yellow jade, you must preserve it carefully and keep it from outsiders. Wait for my return, and hand it over to me promptly."
After entrusting Feng Menglong with the matters here, Ji Xiang immediately set off for Mount Mao to inquire about the Azure Dragon Crimson Blood Formation and other corresponding formations, including the origin of Wu Baoyi. This information was very important.
When he was recovering, the other party used the dried corpse's body to cause trouble, but he couldn't discern anything. Later, he was too busy evading the Tai Xu Bao Guang, and that fellow died too quickly.
"Daoist, are you going to Mount Mao?"
Hou Niangzi asked. Ji Xiang chuckled, "Don't tell me you're from Mount Mao."
"No, I'm not. I was indeed just a woman of the night before, but as the Fallen Immortal said, someone saw my potential and taught me the art of spirit summoning. That person was from Mount Mao."
"White-Browed God is the patron deity of our profession. He was the one who first told me the method of summoning, which is to use a medium, such as a wooden carving."
Ji Xiang frowned slightly and suddenly said to the two disembodied immortal souls, "There was definitely another person here before. He activated this grand formation. Judging from the annihilation of the Quanzhen Sect, this person has been waiting in Gusu for a long time."
"That was an agent of the Song Dynasty."
Nanyangzi suddenly said, "An agent! My Quanzhen Sect has seen one before, named Zhou Sheng!"
"Zhou Sheng? Coincidentally, I've also heard his name. However, I'll tell you, this matter should have nothing to do with Zhou Sheng, because I heard he was transformed by Black Blight Qi, and the black qi in this incident is not Black Blight. I've seen that kind of thing."
"Then let's go, shall we go to Mount Mao?"
Nanyangzi, to thank Ji Xiang for saving him, offered to accompany them using his遁术 (Dùnshù - escape technique).
The Fallen Immortal quickly asked his senior brother to teach him the 遁术, otherwise, if he encountered another sect annihilation, he wouldn't even have a way to escape. Unexpectedly, Nanyangzi became furious:
"There will never be a next time! Speaking of disaster from your mouth, are you trying to cut off the roots of my Xuanmiao Temple!"
Feng Menglong also wanted to go. Ji Xiang was about to tell him, "What are you going for, a mortal?" when Feng Menglong immediately said, "Even if I don't go, I can't stay here! Gusu is now a ghost city. If officials from other prefectures come, what will I say? Daoist, aren't you still waiting for me to write novels? You wouldn't go to prison to bail me out, would you?"
Ji Xiang was silent for a moment, then nodded, "That's true... If you're here alone, and then get captured by some demons or monsters, it would be over. I still need you to do me a big favor."
"I'll introduce you to a pen pal later to protect your safety."
Feng Menglong: "That would be great! Who is this pen pal, where does he live, is he rich? Preferably a high-ranking official."
Ji Xiang: "Don't worry, there's no one higher in rank than him in the world. The pen pal I'm going to introduce you to is the Wanli Emperor."
As they were speaking, Nanyangzi activated his 遁术, and the few people turned into light and ascended, disappearing without a trace in an instant.
In a few breaths, they had traveled through famous mountains and great rivers and reappeared at the foot of Mount Mao!
Ji Xiang was greatly amazed by this 遁术. It was much more useful than the Earth God's escape technique. Although earth escape was the most convenient among the Five Elements escapes, this escape technique of flashing away like rainbow light was even more powerful than earth escape.
"In the Han Dynasty, Xie Rugu and Zhang Diao were both capable of hidden cultivation, entering and exiting without using doors. This is the ancestor of later escape techniques. I wonder what kind of escape technique this is?"
Nanyangzi smiled and said, "My Quanzhen Sect's sorcery is not as abundant as that of the Zhengyi Sect. We cultivate the path of life and nature, and our escape techniques are also things of refined cultivation. My junior brother likes to bother others and act recklessly, so I do not pass on such escape techniques to him."
"There are seventy-two minor escapes and thirteen major escapes. I am using the Human Escape, one of the thirteen major escapes. It emphasizes the unity of body and mind, where the mind is the spirit, and the body is the qi. In essence, it means wherever the mind is, the body is there, meaning the body follows the mind's will."
"Normal cultivation of this technique requires abstaining from six types of livestock meat, five types of pungent flavors, and not engaging in sexual intercourse, nor being tainted by any feminine energy. Thirty years of consistent practice, refining the escape daily, will eventually allow one to escape from sight. At this point, even if one's cultivation is ordinary and does not reach the seventh realm, they can travel five hundred li a day."
"I reflect the place I contemplate in my heart, and then I fly away. If the distance is not far, I can arrive in the blink of an eye. The drawback is that I cannot go to places I have never seen. If I randomly contemplate a piece of land, I might enter an unexpectedly perilous place."
Nanyangzi said this with lingering fear and expressed his willingness to completely pass on this escape technique to Ji Xiang to repay the life-saving grace.
Ji Xiang clicked his tongue. Thirty years to master this technique was even longer than the twelve years to transform into innate from Huang Ting. Of course, abstaining from sexual intercourse was normal, as it was a Quanzhen Sect technique, and the Quanzhen Sect did not marry.
Indeed, escape techniques were not something ordinary people could cultivate. Minor escape techniques were easy to learn, but major escape techniques were difficult.
Nanyangzi noticed Ji Xiang's surprise and added that there was also a simplified version of this escape technique that did not require thirty years, only forty-nine days, called the "Taishang Sandong Dun Shen Zhou" (Supreme Three Caverns Escape Spirit Incantation).
This was not for oneself, but rather to manifest an invisible spirit of escape armor that could escape, and then have this spirit carry you away.
It was similar to summoning Yellow Turban warriors with talismans, but this spirit escape incantation was much more advanced than the Yellow Turban warriors.
When they arrived at Mount Mao, they found that there was no incense or offerings below Mount Mao. It was desolate and deserted. This was the mortal dojo, not the true Mount Mao sect in the underworld. However, the mortal Daoists informed Ji Xiang and the others that they did not accept guests.
Mount Mao was sealed!
"Other Daoists cannot register at Mount Mao sect for the time being. I apologize, please return."
The Fallen Immortal, from somewhere, obtained a wooden body. At this moment, the wooden figure stepped forward and cursed, "We are not asking about your mortal dojo!"
The young Daoist said expressionlessly, "What I said was not about the mortal dojo either."
Everyone was shocked. Nanyangzi said, "Please, young Daoist, go and report. Say that the master of Xuanmiao Temple of the Quanzhen Sect is here to pay respects to a high-ranking official of Mount Mao. We have urgent matters and request to be allowed in for a discussion."
The young Daoist shook his head, "Everyone, please do not insist. Mount Mao is sealed and will not accept any inquiries. The Mountain Master has ordered that regardless of whether the visitor is from Zhengyi or Quanzhen, or any other sect's high-ranking sorcerer, they will not be seen!"
*Crack—*
Suddenly, Ji Xiang reached out and handed a token to the young Daoist:
"Even a great figure from the Southern Quanzhen Sect was rejected. You have great face, but no matter how great, it cannot be greater than this!"
"Take this token to your Mountain Master and tell him that the person who wishes to see him is not from some small family of any sect, but the Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau. If you do not recognize the token of the Dao Registration Bureau, that Mountain Master must surely recognize it."
"Since we are in the Great Ming, he should recognize it!"
Ji Xiang's tone was unquestionable. The young Daoist remained expressionless. After looking at Ji Xiang for a moment, he bowed and said,
"Then I will go and report. Please wait here."
After the young Daoist left, the Fallen Immortal looked surprised, "Is that token really the Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau? I thought it was just a fabricated identity you made up before you smashed my body. I've never heard of this position. Was the Dao Registration Bureau originally occupied?"
Ji Xiang told him, "Actually, it was occupied. This token itself exists, but the person who previously held it was guarding the gate in the Forbidden City, so you didn't know about it."
The Fallen Immortal was first bewildered, then his expression turned to shock, "Guarding the gate?... Could it be Celestial Master Zhang!"
He immediately fell silent.
No wonder he hadn't heard of it.
Celestial Master Zhang had guarded the gate for many years. He had only returned a few years ago and did not bring this token with him. Everyone knew that Celestial Master Zhang was a gatekeeper in the Forbidden City, but no one knew that he also concurrently held the position of Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau.
...
The young Daoist passed through the gate of the underworld and entered the true Mount Mao in the mortal realm. Mount Mao soared into the clouds, with palaces and pavilions covering the mountains. Mount Mao belonged to the Zhengyi Sect, and it was the main sect among the Shangqing Sect, with thirty-six branches, also known as "Upper Mount Mao."
Lower Mount Mao was the orthodox folk sorcery, but it even contained evil inheritances like the White Lotus Society. Overall, it had little connection with the immortal inheritances of Upper Mount Mao. Most mortal Daoists of Mount Mao originated from the seventy-two sects of Lower Mount Mao.
"Mountain Master, several loose immortals have arrived outside, ignoring the sealing order. They claim to have urgent matters to discuss with you."
The young Daoist held the token and did not enter the highest Nine Heavens Palace. However, an angry reprimand came from within the palace, not from the Mountain Master, but from an irritable Sect Master:
"Tell them to get lost!"
The voice was powerful, and the air waves rolled, causing the sea of clouds to churn. This Sect Master's strength had already reached the Huang Ting realm!
The young Daoist's expression remained unchanged as he continued to state, "There is a clay divine being who claims to be the master of Xuanmiao Temple of the Quanzhen Sect."
"The second person, dressed like this... He gave me a token and claims to be the Lord of the Great Ming Dao Registration Bureau."
With a gust of wind and thunder, a figure suddenly rushed out of the palace and grabbed the token. It was the Huang Ting Sect Master who had just spoken, furious:
"Lord of the Ming Court Dao Registration Bureau? Nonsense! The Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau is Celestial Master Zhang. Who doesn't know his movements? The person you described is not Celestial Master Zhang!"
"Can anyone be the Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau? Are you trying to tell me that there is a person comparable to Celestial Master Zhang, in the Pure Yang realm, standing outside!"
"If he is the Lord of the Great Ming Dao Registration Bureau, I will kowtow to him three times on the spot!"
Two more gusts of wind and thunder rolled out, and two more Sect Masters. They looked at the expressionless young Daoist and told him:
"Tell them to leave. Mount Mao has important matters to attend to right now, and it is inconvenient to receive guests. Whether this Dao Registration Bureau Lord is real or fake, we have no interest in paying attention."
The young Daoist said expressionlessly, "I think if I go back like this, they will force their way in."
"The one who claimed to be the Lord of the Dao Registration Bureau appeared to be in the seventh realm, but in fact, he had the aura of a Golden Core or above. However, I couldn't see his true cultivation or Taoist practice at all. My initial judgment is that he might be a master who has reincarnated and resumed cultivation, possibly beyond the Innate realm."
The hot-tempered Sect Master immediately became angry:
"So what if he's Innate? If he's reincarnated and resumed cultivation, isn't he crippled? Fine, I'll go with you. If he dares to cause trouble on Mount Mao, I'll let him know the power of the Shangqing Sect! I'll break his bones and tendons and send him rolling down the mountain!"