“I cannot teach.”
When he engaged in Sword Zen again, A Yi saw Lu Li’s current appearance. The hammer in his hand struck the red-hot iron block once more.
“Old Stick, you could actually teach, couldn’t you?” Wan Wan floated in the air, giggling.
“I recall you have quite a few sword techniques that lean toward the gentle and soft side.”
“Those are techniques, not the Dao.” A Yi continued hammering.
“You teach.”
“Then let me do it, Master.” Wan Wan floated down in front of Lu Li, who now looked helpless.
She scrutinized his features.
“As expected of my master, far superior to others.”
“I wish I weren’t so outstanding…” Lu Li glanced at A Yi, who was ignoring him, and had a faint premonition of this.
This Sword Zen session served as a verification.
In his male state, his Sword Spiritual Root was indeed activated.
Thus, A Yi, as the manifestation of his spiritual root, was more willing to communicate with him.
But in his current female form, he naturally resonated more with the Charm Spiritual Root.
“Master’s Bewitch Heart technique has reached great mastery, so you can begin cultivating the next stage of magic techniques.” As Wan Wan spoke, she gently tapped Lu Li’s throat with her finger.
“The cultivation technique has been taught.”
“Just like that?” Lu Li closed his eyes, and an unusual technique appeared in his mind.
‘Enchanting Sound.’
Although the Bewitch Heart technique could enchant all things in the world, it relied on the eyes—a so-called eye technique.
If the target were blind, or possessed a similar eye technique—like the previous Buddha Son Yuan He of the Buddhist Light Sect—then they could resist the charm.
“But the cultivation method, and the final outcome…” The more Lu Li read, the more troubled he became.
As a magic technique, the spirit patterns were no longer traced in the Dantian, but in the lungs, throat, and tongue.
That was one thing—from the books Lu Li had read, techniques like the Buddhist Lion’s Roar or some deterrent methods indeed required such tracing.
What troubled Lu Li most was the result.
Every time a spirit pattern was traced, his voice would become one layer softer and more enchanting.
When it finally reached great mastery, no matter what words he spoke—even supreme Buddhist sutras or Daoist scriptures—listeners would feel it as smooth as silk, burrowing into their ear canals and coiling around their hearts.
In his speech, the sounds heard by tens of thousands of people would be completely different.
Those who had parted from loved ones would hear the calls of their families.
Those who had suffered death and separation would hear the voices of their obsessions.
Those who were lonely would hear gentle words.
Cultivators would hear chaotic techniques and paths.
But the final result was the same: to completely bewitch people.
“I feel like if I cultivate this technique, I’ll never be able to go back…” Lu Li looked at A Yi, who was silently hammering iron.
“Master, you’re mistaken about that.” Wan Wan seemed to hear Lu Li’s inner thoughts and actually defended A Yi. “There are countless spiritual roots in the world, and even more countless sects. Naturally, there are completely different cultivation paths.”
“For example, A Yi, as a Sword Spiritual Root, pursues ‘One Sword Breaks All Techniques.’ The Bewitch Heart that this servant and Master cultivate is not that he looks down on it—it’s merely that the great Dao is different.” As Wan Wan explained, she became somewhat more serious. “For instance, if A Yi’s sword technique is cultivated to the extreme—one sword splits mountains and seas, one sword breaks the heavenly gate—then any technique becomes useless.”
“But if our Charm Art reaches great mastery, we can even enchant sword qi and sword intent, then use them for ourselves.” As Wan Wan spoke, she lightly pointed a finger, and even the stone on the ground shattered. “Or take the Buddhist Light Sect that Master encountered earlier—they walk another path.”
“What they need is a Zen Spiritual Root, or a Buddha Spiritual Root. The Flesh Eye can see through mist, the Heavenly Eye can see through rocks. If cultivated to the Buddha Eye, they can break all forms. All techniques in the world are but mirror flowers and water moons in the Buddha’s words.”
“Mm…” After hearing these words, Lu Li gained some understanding.
All things in the world—the spiritual root is the foundation, and techniques are its expansion and extension.
But no matter what spiritual root or technique, it always starts from oneself, then strives to master all things.
Then, different techniques mutually generate and overcome each other.
For example, the Sword Spiritual Root breaks everything.
The Charm Spiritual Root enchants everything.
The Zen Spiritual Root sees through everything.
“It seems I’ve gained a little insight into the essence of cultivation…” As he contemplated, the time for Sword Zen quickly ended, and Lu Li returned to the small courtyard.
Since Sword Zen was a technique to converse with the Sword Spiritual Root, not with the Charm Spiritual Root, it didn’t last as long as before.
“Furthermore, among the Yin Yang Sect’s techniques, there is indeed ‘Thousand Solutions of Enchanting Sound.’ I should cultivate it well.” Lu Li began to organize the similarities and differences between the two techniques in his mind.
Then, he slowly traced spiritual points in his lungs, throat, and tongue, and then traced them into spirit patterns.
With his Divine Charm Spiritual Root, such cultivation was as easy as a child’s scribbling.
With a slight thought, and combined with the Bewitch Heart technique, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi would follow Lu Li’s will to specific points, condensing into special spiritual points.
The spirit patterns would then naturally grow, completing circle after circle of tracing in accordance with the technique.
“Low moans, soft chirps, murmurs, bewitching smiles, weeping blood…” Different spirit patterns began to appear in Lu Li’s lungs, then expanded and spread to his throat, finally settling in his mouth.
“Cultivating such techniques with a Charm Spiritual Root is indeed convenient.”
When dusk was about to fall, Lu Li opened his eyes again. This Enchanting Sound technique had reached great mastery.
“Good news… ha… bad news.” When Lu Li subconsciously spoke in a low voice, he found his tone lingering and twisting. What should have been a normal statement now sounded like it would tug at people’s hearts and make them restless.
“My body hasn’t changed, but it sounds… ah, let’s see the effect.”
“Yin and Yang Qi, condense.”
In that soft voice, the Yin and Yang Qi that normally required closed eyes and deep thought to sense obediently condensed before Lu Li.
‘Losses and gains.’
Closing his eyes, the Yin and Yang Qi flowed into those acupoints, making the conversion of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi more rapid.
“With Enchanting Sound, I’m afraid it won’t take a month to enter the Foundation Establishment stage… The techniques of this Charm Spiritual Root really leave me with mixed feelings.”
Through conversing with the Charm Spiritual Root, and combined with the Saintess Inheritance of the Yin Yang Sect, Lu Li knew that Bewitch Heart and Enchanting Sound were only the foundation of the technique.
There were three more techniques to bewitch the heart.
If all five were combined, along with his Divine Charm Spiritual Root, then one cry could bring rain to the heavens, and one smile could give birth to ten thousand suns.
“There are still three techniques: Fragrance Holds, Bone Entwining, and Soul Capture… I’ll cultivate those later.” Lu Li stood up and looked at Qing Luo, who was sweating profusely in the courtyard.
“Ever since the Trial Assembly ended, this has been the case every day.”
Lu Li could understand Qing Luo.
Jiang Yuebai and Shen Zhaoxue had both received a share of Foundation Building Pills, which would undoubtedly advance their cultivation further.
He himself had entered the 13th layer of Qi Refining, not far from Foundation Establishment.
But for Qing Luo, her spiritual root was relatively ordinary. Even if she worked hard, reaching the 13th layer would take at least eight or nine years.
Then entering Foundation Establishment would likely be when she was 70 years old.
“The path is long, and each step is a chasm…” Lu Li sat down on a stone stool.
He had originally wanted to use the power of Bewitch Heart and Enchanting Sound to make the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi around Qing Luo denser.
But after thinking it over, it would be better to wait until Qing Luo finished her cultivation before discussing it.
Before long, the thin Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi around Qing Luo dissipated.
She opened her eyes and saw Lu Li. With a calm smile as usual, she came to the stone table.
“Senior Sister Lu, you’ve been looking more beautiful lately.”
“Yes, but that’s not what I wanted.” Lu Li restrained his voice, but the soft, low speech made Qing Luo’s ears turn red, and she looked at Lu Li with a strange expression.
“…Lu Li, what happened to your voice?”
“I accidentally cultivated another unusual technique.” Lu Li had come to understand the peculiar effects of Enchanting Sound.
“I need Junior Sister Qing Luo’s help.”