Chapter 15
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Chapter 15: Burial Power
"Buzz…"
With his powerful soul, Mu Lin drew vast amounts of spiritual energy into his body and manipulated it to flow swiftly through his meridians.
The excessive spiritual energy moving at such speed eventually formed a python-like shape inside him.
"Boom…"
This serpent surged like a locomotive through Mu Lin’s channels. As it circulated, he continuously imprinted his mark on the energy, converting it into black mist magical power.
Yet Mu Lin noticed only a fraction of this transformed power lingered within him.
Most merged into his flesh, strengthening his physical form – an inherent trait of the Black Water Mystic Serpent’s Transformation Technique that prioritized bodily cultivation.
…
While the spiritual energy’s rapid flow enhanced his physique, Mu Lin’s progress came to an abrupt halt after the time it takes a stick of incense to burn. A dull ache pulsed through his meridians, forcing him to stop.
"What a shame."
He sighed without despair. This universal limitation troubled all practitioners – though Qi Practitioners possessed naturally unblocked Spiritual Roots from birth (blocked meridians being considered illness), their channels remained fragile until reinforced by spiritual energy.
"My meridians ache because they’re untrained," Mu Lin reasoned. "Luckily this technique strengthens them along with my body."
"Rest periods prove useful anyway – cultivators never have enough time."
Closing his eyes when energy cultivation became impossible, he turned to visualizing the Mind Image · City of Heaven’s Funeral.
It should be noted that heightened thinking capacity, multitasking, sensory sharpness, and spiritual control were basic traits from soul spirit manifesting – as natural as breathing.
Upon reaching Level 3 Mastery, his Mind Image gained unique properties. Moreover, the manifested soul granted Mu Lin other innate abilities:
Defensive aspects manifested through residential spirits guarded by houses, coffins, shields, and armor. To harm his soul, attackers must first breach these protections.
Offensively, his bow and arrow, spear, and long sword could counterattack spiritual assaults – though limited to retaliation without soul projection.
Additionally, Mu Lin could merge Mind Image elements with his body to amplify spell effects. This possession ability, combined with the vitality of the living from the Great Yin Living Scripture, formed the core mechanism for animating paper figures.
However, soul possession was considered a basic innate talent. Sword cultivators or other Qi Practitioners could enhance their Sword Intent or spell effects through nurtured energies, boosting sword techniques or spell power.
"Enhanced cognition, perception, offense, defense, soul possession… Souls seem almost omnipotent."
In truth, souls did possess remarkable versatility.
All these abilities emerged naturally after soul spirit manifesting.
Of course, practitioners with inferior cultivation methods might manifest soul spirits lacking weapons or defenses.
Such predicaments typically occurred with Yellow-level methods. Those reaching Xuan-level usually gained at least one foundational trait.
As a top-tier Earth-level method, Mind Image · City of Heaven’s Funeral naturally possessed unique characteristics.
The Paper Folding Secret Manual termed this trait "Heavenly Burial".
In the realm of cultivation, names held inherent power – evidenced by curse spells activated through true names.
Divine entities could hear their true names being invoked, further proving nominal potency.
The City of Heaven’s Funeral was such a place, its very name bearing mystical weight.
After attaining Level 3 Mastery in his method, Mu Lin vaguely sensed his soul forging a connection with an obscure realm. Now he could channel that distant power earthward.
"That must be the City of Heaven’s Funeral. I wonder what changes its power brings."
Closing his eyes, Mu Lin’s soul spirit uttered the city’s name.
"Woo woo…"
Power descended. Eerie manifestations flooded his sea of consciousness – first mournful weeping echoing through his soul, then funeral paper swirling like spectral snow.
The paper blizzard and ghostly lamentations rendered his soul presence unnerving. His visualized cottage gained haunted qualities, while spectral bloodstains bloomed on imagined weapons.
Thuds reverberated from an illusory coffin.
Startled, Mu Lin severed the connection. The disturbances gradually subsided.
"Haa…"
Though calm returned, Mu Lin remained shaken. Why such macabre phenomena?
"Wait – paper folding belongs to the Yin Eight Sect. Coffin-making, corpse-bearing, executioners… Their arts were always sinister. This fits."
However disturbing, the changes fortified his consciousness – enhancing offensive and defensive capacities. Heavenly Burial’s power also synergized with paper arts, amplifying their effectiveness.
"So this is orthodox Yin Eight cultivation?"
The realization troubled him. This power carried drawbacks – subtle darkening of his psyche, cruel impulses whispering through his thoughts.
"No wonder Yin Eight practitioners gain ill repute. Constant exposure corrupts. Few stay pure amidst such forces."
He noted countermeasures: thunder and fire could suppress Heavenly Burial’s influence.
"In evil’s hierarchy, it’s not supreme…"
His method remained Earth-level, not celestial perfection. Flaws were inevitable – were it flawless, it would rank higher.
Resolving to modify his path, Mu Lin considered renaming his Mind Image: "Hell" or "City of the Underworld" might better contain these forces.
Pe551
Thanks for the chapter!;);)