"No pills, huh? No matter, then. You know well that there are many things I just canât recall. Although the Heavenly Heart Technique has many wondrous uses, my memory of it isnât very clear. Maybe if I could recover some Primordial Energy by consuming an Elixir, Iâd remember," Star Illusion Thousand Machine said nonchalantly.
Mu Hanyan looked at the Star Plate over her heart. Somethingâs not right. This guy wakes up from one sleep and seems livelier, even learning to drive a hard bargain.
"Elixirs, Elixirs, though they may provide relief, all medicine comes with a poison. Look at you, always taking those pills. How about we switch to something else? If you donât like walnuts, how about lychees or longans? Theyâre also great," Mu Hanyan proposed.
There was silence in her mindâclearly, Star Illusion Thousand Machine was not in the mood for bargaining.
"How about this, I give you this one first, and you teach me," Mu Hanyan bit the bullet and said. This Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill was originally reserved for Huayue Zirong and others, but it remained unshared because it was just one pill. Since this fellow wanted it, just give it to him.
"Alright, letâs do it this way for now. Iâll try this one and see if it helps me remember anything. But next time, definitely not," Star Illusion Thousand Machine said hesitantly.
Driving a hard bargain, Mu Hanyan was shaking a little. This guy was actually bargaining with her and had the audacity to say such shameless words. Have you no shame at all?
Sigh, why did everyone around her have to turn bad? Lady Mu inwardly lamented.
Mu Hanyan took out the Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill and placed it upon the Star Plate, only to see a flash of light before the Elixir disappeared.
"Tsks, itâs been years since Iâve tasted an Elixir. The flavor really isnât bad, itâs just a pity the quality is a bit lacking," Star Illusion Thousand Machine smacked his lips, appearing to be left wanting more.
"Can you teach me now?" Mu Hanyan asked, annoyed.
This pill was worth hundreds of thousands taels, and just like that, it was goneâcomplaining about quality and savoring the taste as if he were chewing on candy beans.
"Let me think, let me think hard. After all, it was only one Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill, Iâm not sure I can remember," Star Illusion Thousand Machine pretentiously said.
"Alright, alright, cut the act and just teach me. If necessary, Iâll figure out a way to get you more Elixirs next time," Mu Hanyan said, full of contempt.
In the past, Mu Hanyan held the Divine Soul of this powerhouse, who had lived for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, in high regard and fascination. Who would have thought that upon waking up, heâd have learned to drive a hard bargain? So much for reverence and fascinationâeat dog poop!
"Heh heh, so youâve noticed. Youâre not as dumb as I thought," Star Illusion Thousand Machine said, pleased with himself.
Mu Hanyan couldnât be bothered with him. If she couldnât see through this, did he really think she was an idiot?
"Heavenly Heart transforming the Primordial, ethereal spirit discerning truth, eight meridians converging sensibly..." Star Illusion Thousand Machine recited the chant of the Heavenly Heart Technique once more.
This time, Mu Hanyan didnât ask any questions and proceeded to perform the Star Illusion Thousand Machine Technique as instructed.
Unbeknownst to her, Mu Hanyanâs mental state became highly focused, and within her Heart Meridian, a cool and clear sensation began to gather, pure and transparent without the slightest impurity.
The final Hand Formation was cast, and a mysterious pattern of light suddenly flew from the heart, mixed with an extremely pure and cool sensation.
"What is this, a Heaven and Earth Contract?" Mu Hanyan looked at the slowly fading pattern of light on the ground and asked curiously.
If she remembered correctly, the last time Wenren Qingqiu performed the Heaven and Earth Contract, a similar pattern of light had appeared, evoking Mu Hanyanâs envy.
"Itâs not exactly a Heaven and Earth Contract, but it serves a similar purpose. This is called a Soul Contract." Star Illusion Thousand Machine explained.
"What good is it?" Mu Hanyan continued to ask curiously.
"As long as the other party is willing, once the Soul Contract is established, they will serve you for life, as a slave or as a servant, never to betray, or they will suffer the agony of soul devouring, neither able to live nor die." Star Illusion Thousand Machine spoke indifferently, his voice filled with a chilly and solemn intent.
"What, thereâs such a contract in the world? Thatâs too... too..." Mu Hanyanâs face showed surprise.
"Do you feel that it is too bizarre and too despicable, unworthy of a Swordsmanâs path of Ren Yi? Indeed, the Soul Contract is not forthright and open. The so-called way of winning people over with virtue, governing the world with benevolence, a true powerhouse, with a heart embracing all under heaven to inspire the multitudes, would not need such a contract to make people submit.
Anyway, this is all I can teach you. If you think itâs too despicable, then donât use it," Star Illusion Thousand Machine probably also felt that such a Contract Technique was too despicable, a violation of a Swordsmanâs dignity, hence the explanation.
"No, no, no, you misunderstood my meaning. I meant that this contract is really useful, itâs amazing, who ever thought this up is simply a genius," Mu Hanyan said excitedly.
"Hmm..."
"What I hate the most are those two-faced and treacherous people. With this Soul Contract, I wonât have to worry anymore. Letâs see who dares to stab me in the back now, haha," Mu Hanyan said proudly.
"Cough... cough, letâs pretend I said nothing." It was a pity that one couldnât see Star Illusion Thousand Machineâs facial expression, which was certainly very interesting.
"By the way, this is actually a Cultivation Technique Heart Formula used for cultivating the Divine Sense. How did it come to be mistaken for a Star Divination Hand Formation, and why can it activate the Star Mechanism Plate?" Mu Hanyan had not forgotten yesterdayâs event. When she casted the Hand Formation, the pieces of the Star Mechanism Plate glittered and vied with each other, shining bright. People mistook it for the Star Divination Hand Formation, and she was misrecognized as a Star Divination Master. She asked curiously again.
"Because the Star Mechanism Plate originally evolved from the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate, and the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate itself was a Divine Artifact used by the Guardian of the Gods to help with the cultivation of the Divine Soul.
You cannot yet appreciate the difficulties of cultivating the Divine Soul. Once you reach the Holy-grade, you will understand, even with the Divine Martial Refining Soul Technique, cultivating the Divine Sense is as arduous as ascending to heaven.
In the past, each of the Guardian of the Gods was a prodigy. But even they could not rely solely on Cultivation Technique Hand Formations to cultivate the Divine Soul and improve their cultivation. Not until later, someone refined the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate. Using the Hand Formation Heart Formulas as the primary method and the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate as a supplement, they drew upon the Nine Heavens Star Power to refine the Divine Soul, finally achieving a power against the heavens.
However, while using the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate, one of the Guardian of the Gods accidentally discovered that by inserting Divine Sense into it through a specific Hand Formation, one might occasionally experience a transcendental state of being, as if traversing time and space, where the events of myriad worlds, past and future, the shifting of seas and fields, appear before oneâs eyes, as illusory and dreamlike.
Those visions were too illusory, too ethereal, chaotic and numerous, utterly indefinable. But if by chance one could see clearly a few of those scenes, then the secrets of the heavens might be glimpsed, portending good or bad fortune.
The Guardian of the Gods who discovered this secret was greatly shocked, consumed his lifeâs energy exploring the mysteries, and replicated the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate to refine the Star Mechanism Plate, not for cultivation, but to peer into the Heavenly Secret.
Alas, he could not unravel the enigma until the end of his life. However, the Star Mechanism Plate he refined and the Hand Formations he deduced were passed down, which is what the common folk call the art of Star Divination," Star Illusion Thousand Machine said slowly.