Chapter Thirteen: The Incarnation Beyond the Self

With the conclusion of the battle between Qingxu and Duobao, the discussion of the Dao did not continue. Taishang and Tongtian each led their disciples back to their own paths, leaving only the lineage of the teachings in the vast Jade Void Palace.

At this moment, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable was in excellent spirits. Although he found the contest between Perfected Taiyi and Guang Chengzi less than satisfactory, Qingxu had truly brought him honor. After this battle, the momentum of the Dao was greatly strengthened.

[Innate Karmic Points: 150...1502...]

Since the activation of innate karma with the Three Sisters of the Clouds, the numbers had soared; in just a short while, over a thousand points of innate karma had accumulated.

After reaching forty-eight million points, karma would flood the body, and then calamity would inevitably follow.

"Ah! Time is simply not enough. To cultivate the Three Sisters to Da Luo Golden Immortal would take at least several hundred thousand years. How could innate karma endure for so long?" Whenever he thought of this, Qingxu felt heavy-hearted, pondering ways to resolve the dilemma.

As Qingxu was lost in thought, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable gave instructions for his disciples to return to their own abodes to cultivate.

After bidding farewell to Guang Chengzi, Perfected Taiyi, Yun Zhongzi, and other close junior brothers, he soared on clouds towards Mount Taixuan.

"Wait, the external incarnation?" Amidst countless musings, a sudden inspiration struck him, recalling the external incarnation from the myths of his previous life.

The so-called external incarnation is, as the name suggests, the cultivation of a second form outside the body, essentially another self, controlled by the mind of the true self. To some extent, it is akin to a magical treasure, but it can wield one's own Daoist arts and divine powers. If crafted from superior materials, the incarnation's power might even surpass the original.

Just like the Green Robe Ancestor in "Immortal Heroes of Shushan," who used the acquired spiritual treasure, the Xuanpin Pearl, to cultivate a second primordial spirit incarnation of boundless power, or Sun Wukong in "Journey to the West," who frequently plucked hairs to manifest clones—these are supreme arts.

Qingxu now intended to cultivate an external incarnation to cope with innate karma and shield himself from calamity.

Whether this method would work was uncertain, but as long as there was any hope, Qingxu would never give up.

How regrettable that there was no way to refine the central Xu-Yi Apricot Yellow Banner. If he could use it to cultivate a second primordial spirit or external incarnation, his powers would be vast and boundless, possessing at least the strength of a Da Luo Golden Immortal. At that time, however vast the prehistoric world, he would be able to roam it as he pleased.

Since he intended to use an external incarnation to ward off calamity, it could not be done carelessly. Otherwise, even if he managed to swap fate, should the incarnation be destroyed, the immense karma would trace back to his original self.

"It would be better to use the innate Xu earth qi as the foundation. In time, there may be hope for harmony with the central Xu-Yi Apricot Yellow Banner!" After careful consideration, the best choice was to use the Azure Sword, but the innate Xu earth qi was different. Though presently inferior to the Azure Sword, as Qingxu's cultivation advanced, it could gradually harmonize with the origin spiritual treasure, holding limitless potential, and eventually perfect the Xu-Yi incarnation.

To use the central Xu-Yi Apricot Yellow Banner of the innate five elements spiritual flags to forge an external incarnation?

Just the thought filled Qingxu with excitement.

...

Within the Taixuan Cave Mansion!

Qingxu devoted his entire mind to the Apricot Yellow Banner, refining the first layer of innate restriction bit by bit. More than a month had passed since the conclusion of the Three Pure Ones' Dao discussion in the Jade Void Palace.

After a month of diligent refinement, he had completed nearly ninety percent of the first layer of innate restriction.

Before his eyes lay a vast expanse, all in a hazy yellow hue, with the innate Xu earth qi at its peak, containing boundless earth Dao essence that, upon contemplation, could deepen one's cultivation.

The first layer of restriction space, derived from 129,600 innate talisman seals, required a thorough understanding of all its profound mysteries to refine.

What amazed Qingxu was that even this first layer of restriction space within the central Xu-Yi Apricot Yellow Banner was as vast as chaos, immeasurable and boundless. To find and comprehend the innate talisman seals within was harder than searching for a needle in the ocean.

After a month of hard work, he had managed to refine over ten thousand innate talisman seals, and the complete refinement of the first layer of restriction was near at hand.

Through his contemplation, Qingxu's Dao cultivation realm improved considerably. Originally at the peak of the early Earth Immortal stage, he now approached the threshold of the mid-stage, with a breakthrough not far off.

Wandering through the restriction space, he was oblivious to the passage of days, spreading his mind and divine sense, carefully sensing the changes for hundreds of miles around.

As time passed, Qingxu found more and more innate talisman seals, but as he progressed, the search became increasingly difficult. After refining 129,000 talisman seals, the remaining six hundred eluded him.

"If the first layer is already like this, what of the others? This is, after all, a forty-five layered innate spiritual treasure!"

The second layer of restriction was several times harder to refine than the first. Judging by this, to thoroughly refine the Apricot Yellow Banner would not be an easy feat.

Unconsciously, two months had passed, yet the last six hundred innate talisman seals remained nowhere to be found, causing Qingxu to grow anxious.

"Yu Qing Calculative Art!"

The art of divination is a tool of immortals, though it varies in sophistication. At its core are the celestial and terrestrial numbers, the mysteries of the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces. The Yu Qing Calculative Art was created by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable after achieving sanctity, vast and profound, obscure and difficult to comprehend. Even a glimpse can deduce fortune or misfortune among mortals—emperors and ministers, merchants and laborers, wise and foolish, all the myriad paths... everything under heaven can be calculated in a finger's snap.

Qingxu swiftly calculated with his fingers but sensed a veil of confusion, as if dust obscured a clear mirror, preventing any reflection.

Seeing no effect, he was about to give up when the 129,000 refined innate talisman seals in his mind suddenly vibrated, clearing half the dust and revealing providence. Several pieces of information surged into his mind.

"So that's how it is—truly mysterious!"

The final six hundred innate talisman seals were merged into one, hidden within the boundless restriction space. Without understanding, there was almost no possibility of finding them; the only way was to use the refined 129,000 talisman seals to sense their location.

The innate restriction required 129,600 talisman seals, all interconnected, with an indescribable mutual resonance. By refining the great number of 129,000, one could trace the others.

"Ah! I took a winding path. Though there is no shortcut in cultivation, there are correct and incorrect methods. Without following the proper way, one achieves half the results for twice the effort." He sighed deeply, realizing he only needed to refine the 129,000 talisman seals.

Understanding this, Qingxu immediately began to form the restriction with the talisman seals in his mind. Though not complete, the framework was sound.

Once the framework was established, the missing parts resonated!

Using the Shift Technique, his mind traversed tens of thousands of miles in a thought. Without the constraint of a physical body, his mind was free, making flight and escape a hundred times easier.

In a certain place within the hazy, chaotic restriction space, at first glance it was no different from elsewhere, but faintly, a hard-to-describe aura seeped through.

In just a few blinks, Qingxu arrived, not surprised to find no sign of the six hundred talisman seals, as he had anticipated.

"The concealment technique is truly superb. If not for the calculation, I wouldn't have seen through it. I might have passed by without ever recognizing it." With amazement, he formed a spell with his hands, and a Yu Qing Violet Heaven Divine Thunder shot forth, striking several hundred miles ahead. Instantly, the Xu earth qi was thrown into disorder, yellow clouds whirled into a raging storm, and six hundred talisman seals formed an innate array that emerged.

As the array appeared, Qingxu plunged his mind into it, beginning to comprehend and refine...

...

While Qingxu focused on cultivating his external incarnation, in the Jade Void Palace, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, who was sensing the changes in the Heavenly Dao, was suddenly moved, perceiving karma in a single thought.

"Immortal fate and providence? Such things are rare and must not be missed." The Primordial pondered this and then summoned the White Crane attendant, handing him a palm-sized talisman seal, shrouded in clear light and containing endless mysteries.

"Take this Yu Qing Immortal Talisman to Qingxu and tell him to seek his fortune off the mountain soon." With these words, he sighed and closed his eyes in quiet cultivation.

The White Crane attendant bowed respectfully, received the decree, and went to find Qingxu.

After White Crane left, the Primordial kept his eyes closed but murmured, "A calamity of life and death..."

Great providence often brings great calamity; every benefit is paired with a drawback. Upon probing the Heavenly Dao, the Primordial discovered that Qingxu's immortal fate was extraordinary this time, but the accompanying calamity might threaten his very life.

However, with the Yu Qing Immortal Talisman in hand, even if a Da Luo Golden Immortal intervened, survival would not be an issue. With his protection, there should be no great danger.