mtl008 Chapter 119 Replicated Jade Slip
Chapter 119 Replicated Jade Slip
The puppet master, along with Xu Xiaoxiao, used the dazzling light of the teleportation array to return to Chongyang Peak in the first and second years of junior high school.
As soon as they landed, they saw that Senior Brother Jiang Jingzhi was already waiting there.
At this moment, Chongyang Peak is shrouded in mist and the mountain wind howls, as if telling of longing and yearning after a long separation.
Jiang Jingzhi stood tall and straight, his blue robe fluttering in the wind. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were full of worry and reproach.
He strode forward, his gaze fixed on Xu Xiaoxiao, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists, and he shouted, "Xu Xiaoxiao, do you know how worried I am about you going out like this? The outside world is extremely dangerous. What if something happens to you, a young lady like you!"
After saying that, he tilted his head slightly, looking at the clouds and mist swirling between the peaks, as if trying to calm his anxiety.
Xu Xiaoxiao knew that her senior brother was very angry when he called her by her full name.
Xu Xiaoxiao lowered her head, like a child who had made a mistake, and muttered softly, "Senior Brother, I...I'm back safely, aren't I?"
Jiang Jingzhi turned his head sharply, his eyes becoming even more piercing: "You came back safely? That's because you were lucky! If you had really encountered a desperate situation, who would have been able to save you in time?" As he spoke, he paced back and forth, his clothes fluttering in the wind.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at her senior brother cautiously, her voice softening, "Senior brother, I know I was wrong. I'm sorry for making you worry."
Jiang Jingzhi stopped and looked at Xu Xiaoxiao, who seemed to know she had made a mistake. His expression softened, and he sighed softly, "Alright, alright, it's good that you're back. You must never act so rashly again."
Although his voice still carried a hint of reproach, it couldn't hide his deep concern. His gaze swept over everyone, filled with relief and joy, thankful that with his help, they were able to return safely after their adventure.
Seeing that Jiang Jingzhi's senior brother's expression had softened slightly, Xu Xiaoxiao quickly stepped forward, slightly bent her knees, placed her hands together in front of her, and bowed, her face full of regret and obedience.
She raised her head, her eyes sparkling, and looked at her senior brother with a hint of flattery. Her voice was soft and sincere: "Senior brother, this time I really didn't think things through and acted rashly. I was too trusting of others, which was a huge mistake."
After saying that, she pursed her lips, her eyes becoming even more determined: "Senior Brother, rest assured, I have realized my mistake and will never be so willful again. I have just advanced to the Golden Core stage and my foundation is not yet stable. I will go into seclusion to cultivate now and will certainly not let you down."
There is one more important thing to do before going into seclusion for spiritual cultivation.
After returning to her residence on Chongyang Peak, Xu Xiaoxiao couldn't wait to begin preparing to replicate the alchemy method of the Nine Yang Divine Furnace.
Her residence was located in a quiet spot on the mountainside, with pine and bamboo swaying outside the window. The interior was simple and elegant, with only a table, a chair, a couch and a few bookshelves filled with ancient books.
She gently brushed the dust off the table, placed a precious blank jade slip on it, and then carefully entered her sea of consciousness to find that inheritance.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, sat upright in front of the chair, focused her gaze on recalling, and gently traced the outline with her slender fingers.
She first carefully examined the intricate patterns of the Nine Yang Divine Furnace. The complex textures on the furnace body and the unique three-legged design, every detail was deeply imprinted in her eyes.
To accurately replicate the design, she picked up a specially made spirit ink brush with her left hand, lightly dipped the tip in spirit ink, and the spirit ink shimmered with a faint light at the tip of the brush, as if it contained spiritual energy.
She began to slowly and carefully trace the outline of the divine furnace along the patterns on the jade slip, pouring her heart and soul into each stroke. With a slight tremor of her wrist, the lines were smooth and precise, striving to match the pattern in her sea of consciousness perfectly.
After sketching the shape, she referred to the manual and carefully marked the names and functions of each key part of the furnace body on the jade slip. Her tiny characters were neat and beautiful, penetrating the back of the jade.
Next came the most crucial step: alchemy. Xu Xiaoxiao studied the text in the manual word by word, muttering to herself from time to time, repeatedly pondering the key points of each step.
When she encountered something obscure or difficult to understand, she would stop writing, furrow her brow, and fall into deep thought until she fully comprehended it before continuing to write.
She listed all the necessary medicinal materials, from common herbs to rare elixirs, and noted in detail their harvesting season, processing methods, and dosage ratios in the alchemy process.
After writing down each medicinal herb, she would recall the old man's demonstration in the cave to ensure there were no errors.
As she replicated the key to flame control, Xu Xiaoxiao's expression grew increasingly solemn.
She closed her eyes tightly, seemingly recalling the rhythm of the roaring furnace fire. Her pen followed the images in her mind, writing down key phrases such as "Initially, a gentle fire is lit to gather spiritual energy and nourish the medicine; in the middle, a powerful fire is used to refine essence into qi; finally, a returning fire is used to solidify the elixir and strengthen its foundation." Between the lines, she was full of exquisite explanations of the control of the fire.
Xu Xiaoxiao was completely focused and working tirelessly. The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the moonlight shone into the room, draping her in a silvery veil.
Late into the night, the entire alchemy method of the Nine Yang Divine Furnace was finally completely copied onto the jade slip. The densely packed characters and patterns on the jade slip carried her efforts and expectations, and also brought a new ray of hope to her second senior brother in refining the Qi-repelling pill.
After speaking, Xu Xiaoxiao turned around and walked towards the cultivation cave deep in Chongyang Peak. Seeing that the cave door was still closed, she knew that her second senior brother was still cultivating. The most taboo thing for a cultivator is to be interrupted in the middle.
"I don't know how long it will be before Second Senior Brother comes out of seclusion." Xu Xiaoxiao held the jade slip in her hand, not knowing how to hand it over to Second Senior Brother.
"Oh right, let the first and second year students take the exams. We can hand them over to the second senior brother. That's settled then." Xu Xiaoxiao stopped worrying about the candidates and walked back to her courtyard with cheerful steps.
Seeing the two girls about to sit down for meditation at his door, he quickened his pace. "First and Second Years, what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to rest properly?"
Seeing Xu Xiaoxiao return, Chu Yi and Chu Er bowed and solemnly said, "Because our magic is weak, we caused Master's injury. We have decided to work hard to cultivate so that we can protect Master in the future."
Xu Xiaoxiao was pleased to hear this and said firmly, "I will also work hard to cultivate, hoping that one day I can take you all to explore this world of cultivation. You can go back to your rooms to cultivate. Judging from your attitude, do you really want to cultivate here?"
"Our eldest brother said that we should keep an eye on our master and not let her run away from Chongyang Peak again..." Chu Yi looked at Xu Xiaoxiao and said that Jiang Jingzhi had instructed them to keep a close eye on their master, Xu Xiaoxiao.
Xu Xiaoxiao was not angry after hearing this; on the contrary, she was very happy. So her senior brother was so worried about her. She must work harder to become stronger.
"Don't worry, I plan to go into seclusion to consolidate my cultivation. I won't be coming down the mountain for a long time. You can go back to your rooms and cultivate. By the way, this jade slip, if I haven't come out of seclusion yet, but my second senior brother has, please give it to him." Xu Xiaoxiao patted the fluffy little heads of Chu Yi and Chu Er and instructed them.
Chu Yi took the jade slip and placed it on his chest. Inside was a storage container that could hold anything except living things.
"Master, please cultivate with peace of mind. Chu Yi and Chu Er will keep an eye on Second Senior Brother and send him over as soon as he comes out of seclusion." Chu Yi and Chu Er nodded hurriedly, indicating that they would definitely do so.
"Now I can rest assured," Xu Xiaoxiao said, and then headed towards the cultivation cave deep within Chongyang Peak.
At this moment, the mountain mist grew thicker, enveloping her figure like a veil, as if adding a touch of mystery and solemnity to her path of growth.
Along the way, the mountain wind blew, ruffling her hair and clothes, but her steps remained firm and unwavering.
Upon arriving at the cave, the entrance was tightly closed, and the surrounding rocks were covered with moss, revealing the vicissitudes of time.
Xu Xiaoxiao raised her hand and waved it gently. A burst of spiritual energy flashed, and the cave door slowly opened with a muffled sound.
She stepped inside. The cave was dimly lit, with only a few rays of light filtering through the cracks in the ceiling, illuminating the stone table and the meditation cushions inside.
Xu Xiaoxiao walked straight to the futon, sat cross-legged, placed her hands in a mudra over her lower abdomen, and slowly closed her eyes.
As she entered a meditative state, the spiritual energy within the cave seemed to be summoned, beginning to flow slowly and forming a visible stream of energy that surrounded her.
Xu Xiaoxiao's face was calm, her brows slightly furrowed, as she was completely immersed in sorting out and consolidating her Golden Core stage spiritual power.
Time passed slowly, the mountain wind outside the cave still howled, and the clouds gathered and dispersed.
In this tranquil cave, Xu Xiaoxiao focused intently on refining her newly advanced spiritual power, step by step, thread by thread, striving to solidify her foundation and live up to the care and expectations of her senior brothers. She hoped that upon emerging from seclusion, she could protect her senior brothers and masters with a completely new attitude.