Chapter 532 Return to the Clan
In the space of the treasure house, because of the arrival and changes of 'Qinglin', the originally quiet air has a more vibrant atmosphere. The concentration of spiritual power seems to gradually increase with the growth of 'Qinglin', and even the grass and trees in the space appear more lush, as if they have been nourished by some mysterious means.
Li Mu took the opportunity to plant a large number of new spiritual plants in the spiritual fields, increasing the free proficiency of the fifth-level Wanxin spiritual grass, increasing the power of yin and yang, the spiritual Nine Yin Spirit Grass, Nine Yang Spirit Grass, Bingpo Linglan, various five-element spiritual plants related to the power of the five elements, ..., with the integration of many spiritual veins and the coverage of the Qinglong Law Domain, the entire space of the treasure house seems to be endowed with endless vitality and potential, becoming a miracle place where nature and spiritual power are intertwined.
Under the nourishment of spiritual power, the fifth-level Wanxin spiritual grass quickly took root and sprouted, and its leaves flashed with delicate lines. Each leaf seemed to contain thousands of vitality, constantly emitting a faint fragrance, attracting the surrounding spiritual power to gather more densely. These spiritual herbs not only grow at an amazing speed, but also have a quality far superior to ordinary ones. Each plant is full and shiny, indicating that they will become precious materials for refining high-level elixirs in the future.
The Nine Yin Spiritual Grass and the Nine Yang Spiritual Grass occupy the Yin and Yang poles in the space of the treasure house respectively. They depend on each other and restrict each other, forming a delicate balance. The Nine Yin Spiritual Grass exudes a cold breath, and a faint chill condenses on the leaves, as if it can freeze all life; while the Nine Yang Spiritual Grass is the opposite. It exudes a blazing light, and the surrounding space seems to be distorted by this heat. Under the protection of the Azure Dragon Law Domain, the Yin and Yang forces of the two have been extremely reconciled and enhanced, making the spiritual power circulation in the space of the treasure house smoother, providing a continuous source of power for the growth of all spiritual plants.
The Ice Soul Spirit Orchid grows in a special area condensed by ice. Its flowers are crystal clear, like works of art carved from ice and snow, emitting clear and pure spiritual power fluctuations. Under the cover of the Azure Dragon Domain, the growth rate of the Ice Soul Orchid doubled, and its quality reached an unprecedented height. Every drop of morning dew contained rich ice-attributed spiritual power, which was an excellent material for refining ice-based elixirs or magic weapons.
As for the various five-element fifth- and sixth-level spiritual plants, they corresponded to the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, respectively, and were carefully planted in the area where the five elements coexisted in the treasure house space. They not only thrived on their own, but also promoted each other through the subtle connection between the root systems, forming a complex ecosystem of mutual generation and mutual restraint of the five elements. Whenever there was a fluctuation in spiritual power, these spiritual plants would automatically adjust their own state, absorb and transform spiritual power in the best way, and make the spiritual power circulation in the entire treasure house space more efficient and harmonious.
In addition, some special high-level spiritual plants, the seventh-level Azure Sword Bamboo, the Space-Time Spirit Lotus, the Yangyan Golden Ganoderma, the Medicine King Spirit Ginseng, ..., their number was smaller, but their growth was also greatly improved.
While taking care of many high-level spiritual plants, Li Mu did not stop. He used the rich spiritual power and unique ecological environment in the treasure house space to set up a quiet practice room for himself and continued to study the way of divine patterns.
With the deepening of the study of divine patterns, Li Mu successfully mastered one thousand divine patterns, and the remaining two thousand divine patterns were difficult to break through this bottleneck in a short time.
Three thousand divine patterns can communicate with heaven and earth, attract spiritual power, and even under certain specific conditions, show the power to change rules and reverse the world. Li Mu tried to integrate his understanding of the five elements, yin and yang, time and space and other natural laws into the drawing of divine patterns, and gradually explored certain rules.
The final form of the three thousand divine patterns represents three thousand ways.
For example, the divine pattern of gold in the five elements not only represents hardness and sharpness, but also contains the mystery of change and transformation, and can assist more side paths, integrating the sharpness, hardness, transformation and other characteristics of gold into the divine patterns derived from other attributes. Li Mu used this to dig out the divine patterns that complement each other with gold and other elements in the five elements.
First, gold and water are mutually generated, and Li Mu found the divine pattern of "gold and water are mutually generated". This divine pattern can guide the gold element and the water element to merge with each other, forming a force that is both hard and flowing, just like the gold and stone in the river, which is both indestructible and can go with the flow, showing a unique toughness and change. This divine pattern is particularly effective when refining water-attributed magic weapons or enhancing water-based spells, which can give them stronger penetration and flexibility.
Secondly, gold and fire are mutually restraining and complementary, and Li Mu realized the divine pattern of "gold and fire smelting". This divine pattern uses the high temperature of gold and the heat of fire to fuse the two into one, forming a powerful smelting force. Whether it is forging magic weapons or refining high-level elixirs, this divine pattern can greatly improve the success rate and quality, making the refined items more flawless.
Furthermore, although there is a restraining relationship between gold and wood, Li Mu found balance and harmony in it. The divine pattern of "gold and wood symbiosis" makes the gold element and the wood element reach a subtle symbiotic state in mutual restraint through clever guidance and coordination. This divine pattern has a significant effect in promoting plant growth and enhancing the power of wood spells, allowing Li Mu to be more handy when taking care of spiritual plants.
Finally, gold and earth complement each other, and Li Mu realized the divine pattern of "gold and earth consolidate the foundation". This divine pattern combines the hardness of gold and the thickness of earth to form a force as stable as a mountain. Whether it is used for defense or stabilizing the formation, this divine pattern can play a huge role, making Li Mu more stable and reliable in battle and practice.
By analogy, relying on his understanding and enlightenment of the Way of the Five Elements, the Way of Yin and Yang, and the Way of Time and Space, Li Mu spent decades and successfully understood one thousand divine patterns among the three thousand divine patterns. However, facing the remaining two thousand divine patterns, Li Mu felt unprecedented confusion and powerlessness.
The remaining two thousand divine patterns are not only because their complexity in structure and logic far exceeds any existence Li Mu has come into contact with before, but also because they seem to contain the deepest and most essential things in the universe, which is beyond Li Mu's current understanding, making it difficult for him to get a glimpse of the foundation.
After trying countless methods, including more in-depth research on natural laws, seeking clues in ancient books, and even trying to cooperate with other practitioners to discuss, Li Mu had to admit that he could no longer make significant progress in a short period of time.
Therefore, Li Mu made a decision reluctantly, temporarily stopped studying the remaining two thousand divine runes, and instead devoted his energy to other aspects of cultivation, refining tools, drawing runes, carving puppets, and gradually broadening his horizons and cognition through continuous accumulation and precipitation. It is possible that one day in the future, he will break through this bottleneck again and master the remaining divine runes.
Li Mu began to focus on refining tools, integrating the power of divine runes into tools, creating beautiful and practical spiritual tools; he was obsessed with drawing runes, using pen and ink as a medium to communicate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and based on divine runes, he drew a series of spiritual runes containing the power of laws; he combined divine runes to carve puppets, and through exquisite design and complex divine rune array diagrams, he gave the puppets life and wisdom,...
Time passed day by day, and fifteen years passed in a blink of an eye.
In the treasure rune space, above the Five Elements Spirit Palace, there were frequent anomalies, which were the product of the interweaving of spiritual power and laws, foreshadowing the birth of extraordinary things.
Xue'er led the little blue dragon Qinglin and the seventh-level poisonous insect Xiaobai to live a leisurely life in the treasure house. She was initially surprised by the frequent phenomena of heaven and earth, but later she got used to them. They were either soaring in the sky or playing on the ground. Occasionally, they would curiously look up at the ever-changing light and shadow above the Five Elements Spirit Palace, with a hint of curiosity and admiration for Li Mu in their eyes.
...
Another three years passed, and the two Nine Nether Kun Whales traveled in the vast star field, getting closer and closer to a emerald green planet.
"Brother Li, is that Qi Ling Star! We are finally back!"
On the back of the Nine Nether Kun Whale, Xue'er's eyes were bright, and she grabbed Li Mu's arm and asked happily.
"Yes, we are back!"
Li Mu smiled and looked at the emerald green planet, with complex emotions surging in his heart.
After wandering in the vast star field for more than a hundred years, he finally returned to Qi Ling Star. For Li Mu, this long journey was not only a tempering on the road of practice, but also a precipitation and transformation of the soul.
Li Mu at this time is no longer the same as before. He still wears a light and elegant blue shirt, with fluttering sleeves, and is unrestrained and uninhibited. The years have not left too many traces on his face, but his temperament has become more and more worldly, adding a bit of calmness and transcendence compared to before, and his eyebrows reveal a kind of wisdom and depth of insight into the world.
Over a hundred years, the absorption of two waves of sixth-level spiritual plants has brought about earth-shaking changes to Li Mu. The improvement of his soul brought by the perfection of the Nebula Observation Method, the injection of vitality and life span of nearly two million years, and countless epiphanies with the laws of heaven and earth, and the integration of thousands of divine patterns in the way of a hundred arts, have made Li Mu's strength reach the realm of Taoism, even those old monsters who have been in seclusion for thousands of years can hardly compare with him.
Now, he is about to return to the spiritual world. Next, Li Mu is preparing to condense the seventh-level incarnation of the spirit, refine the chaotic law domain, and break through the realm of fusion.
Thinking of this, Li Mu could not wait to urge the two Nine Nether Kun Whales to speed up and fly towards Qi Ling Star.
However, just as the Nine Nether Kun Whales were about to cross the protective formation outside Qi Ling Star, a distant and majestic voice suddenly sounded, questioning without question: "Who are you, trespassing into the Qi Ling Star Realm? Please report your origins as soon as possible, otherwise don't blame the protective formation for being ruthless!"
As soon as the voice fell, a middle-aged sword cultivator came on a sword. He was wearing a tight white sword suit, a jade belt around his waist, and a silver spirit sword under his feet. He was like a sword fairy descending from the sky, with an upright posture and extraordinary demeanor. His hair was tied up high with a simple green jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair danced lightly in the wind, adding a bit of unruly and free and easy. Between his eyebrows, the frost of the years and the sharpening of the sword intent were condensed. He looked at the two Nine Nether Kun Whales vigilantly, with a somewhat nervous expression.
The Nine Nether Kun Whale is an eighth-level star beast, huge in size and powerful in combat. It is not an ordinary thing for the person to use two Kun whales to clear the way. Those who can control such a spiritual beast must be extraordinary.
Obviously, the other party was intimidated by the majestic momentum of the two giant beasts, but he did not retreat, but instead had a strong sword spirit.
Li Mu looked at the appearance of the refining sword cultivator who was blocking the road, and was not surprised but happy. He quickly flew up from behind the Nine Nether Kun Whale.
"Elder Yan, long time no see!"
Li Mu smiled slightly and flew forward. The person blocking the road was the deacon elder of Xuantian Sword Sect-Yan Yuchun.
"You, you,..., you are Elder Li! You are back!"
Yan Yuchun widened his eyes and looked at the extraordinary temperament and Li Mu in front of him with an incredible face. The three words "Elder Li" in his mouth seemed to be a bit uncertain and unbelievable, but the familiar feeling came like a tide, instantly overwhelming all his doubts.
Li Mu disappeared for more than a hundred years. The Xuantian Sword Sect mobilized hundreds of thousands of elite disciples to search everywhere, and also ordered many forces outside the domain to search with all their might to find out the whereabouts of this legendary weapon refining master, but no one knew where he had gone.
Now, Li Mu suddenly appeared outside the Qi Ling Star Realm, how could Yan Yuchun not be shocked and excited.
"Yes! Finally back!" Li Mu nodded with a smile.
"Great, really great! Elder Li! Everyone in the sect misses you, and thought you..." Yan Yuchun's voice was a little choked, tears flashed in his eyes, he hurriedly took a few steps to hold Li Mu's hand tightly, as if he was afraid that if he let go, Li Mu would disappear again.
"Elder Yan, I'm fine, I made the sect worried." Li Mu smiled and didn't care.
"Elder Li can return safely, it is a great blessing for the sect. Several sword masters and elders have been looking for you for many years, but they can't wait to see you now. Please come back to the sect with me!" Yan Yuchun's excitement was beyond words, and he invited warmly.
Li Mu nodded slightly, with a hint of tenderness and nostalgia in his eyes, "Of course I have to go back to the sect, but before that, I have something to deal with."
As he said that, Li Mu turned around and looked at the two Nine Nether Kun whales, took out a newly refined spirit control device, pinched the spell with his hand, and put the two Nine Nether Kun whales into it.
The spirit control device flashed with brilliance, and instantly turned into an exquisite jade pendant, hanging on Li Mu's waist, faintly revealing the vague outlines of the two Kun whales, showing that they were properly placed.
Seeing this, Yan Yuchun's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, and then turned into deep admiration. He naturally recognized the extraordinary spirit control device. It can easily contain such a powerful spirit beast. Not only is the cultivation profound, but also has a very high attainment in the way of refining.
"Elder Li, your refining skills have improved a lot. It really makes me amazed." Yan Yuchun praised sincerely.
"Thank you, Elder Yan. Let's go back to the sect!"
Li Mu smiled slightly and responded politely. Then he took Xue'er and flew up with Yan Yuchun on the sword, rushing towards the direction of Xuantian Sword Sect.
Along the way, the two talked from time to time. Li Mu asked Yan Yuchun about what happened in the sect over the past hundred years.
Yan Yuchun's expression became solemn and emotional when he heard it. He slowly told the changes of Xuantian Sword Sect and even the entire spiritual world over the past hundred years, and various major events.
"Elder Li, since you disappeared, the sect has experienced many ups and downs. First, Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen led the forces of our sect to attack the Netherworld Sect to avenge you, and united with foreign forces to search for your whereabouts together..."
...
Listening to Yan Yuchun's explanation, Li Mu's brows gradually frowned, and he was full of worries about the current situation and future of the sect. (End of this chapter)