Chapter 5: How the largest slate in history was pirated

  "Master, the power of Fantian Seal is enormous. In my opinion, it's at least a Xian-class artifact or above. I was able to refine it on my first try, wasn't that a bit too hasty?" Sun Ming asked with a puzzled expression.

  "What's above the Xianqi level? Although I haven't seen many of your world's Xianqi, even a treasure like Huoyun Mirror can be called Xian, so it seems that your world's Xianqi aren't that great either. A genuine Bantian Yin is almost the strongest physical attack in my master's world, no matter how high your defense is, you won't be able to withstand being hit once. So don't compare your world's treasures with those from my master's world. Even the young disciples who swept the floor at our Yu Xu Men were at the Lianxu He Dao period, which is around the same level as your world's Duojie Dacheng." Sun Ming said this while comparing Bantian Yin, and Yun Zhongzi responded with disdain on his face.

  "Are you being too impatient? On the contrary, why is the power of Fantian Seal so great, do you know? Because its weight is the first among all the magical instruments. And now that you've just started to absorb the energy into your body, you can't use the true fire for a long time. Although Fantian Seal's grade is quite high, but the counterfeit goods are made by constantly increasing its weight, so it doesn't have to spend all the time on refining the instrument, and besides, your time doesn't allow it either. Also, those high-grade magical instruments require materials that we don't have right now." Yun Zhongzi said.

  "Master, what materials should be used to refine the Fantian Seal? Do we have them now?" Sun Ming was anxious about the materials, as outer door disciples were not allowed to touch the sect's refining equipment materials. He couldn't even control his sword, let alone go find materials.

  "As a teacher, I let you practice the Fantian Seal first, and there is also this consideration. Do you know what materials I used to refine the Fantian Seal back then? It was just the mountain rocks of Kunlun Mountain. And your current conditions are absolutely suitable for refining the Fantian Seal. These abandoned materials in the mountains and valleys are all good raw materials for us to refine the Fantian Seal, and we can even extract some useful materials from these abandoned materials." Yun Zhongzi explained to Sun Ming.

  "Ha ha, Master, isn't this turning trash into treasure? Hearing that, Sun Ming also felt relieved and happy."

  "The greatest virtue is simplicity, frugality is also a kind of beauty and a kind of self-cultivation," said Yun Zhongzi.

  "The refinement of the Fantian Seal also involves the arrangement of yin and yang, the five elements, using the method of mutual generation and restraint to perfectly merge the materials together while also being able to transform each other's yin and yang. The reason why the Fantian Seal was able to withstand so many powerful magical treasures without suffering any damage back then was because its internal structure was arranged according to the principles of yin and yang, the five elements. Although it appears clumsy and massive, in reality, it is indestructible." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "Master, can you explain to me what yin and yang are and what the five elements are?" Sun Ming asked.

  "Yin and yang are two opposing aspects. The opposition of yin and yang refers to the fact that all things or phenomena in the world have two opposing aspects, such as up and down, heaven and earth, movement and stillness, rising and falling, etc., among which the upper belongs to yang, the lower belongs to yin; heaven is yang, earth is yin; movement is yang, stillness is yin, rising is yang, and falling is yin. However, the opposing yin and yang are also interdependent, and neither can exist independently without the other. For example, if there is no up, then there is no down; if there is no cold, then there is no heat. Therefore, it can be said that yang exists on the basis of yin, and yin exists on the basis of yang, each side existing on the condition of the existence of its opposite side. This is what is meant by 'yin and yang are rooted in each other.'"

  "The five elements are the energies of the species that give birth to and restrain each other in this world. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, Metal relies on Earth for its birth, but too much Earth buries Metal; Earth relies on Fire for its birth, but too much Fire scorches Earth; Fire relies on Wood for its birth, but too much Wood fuels the flames; Wood relies on Water for its birth, but too much Water makes Wood float; Water relies on Metal for its birth, but too much Metal muddies the water. Metal can give birth to Water, but too much Water sinks Metal; Water can give birth to Wood, but too much Wood shrinks Water; Wood can give birth to Fire, but too much Fire burns Wood; Fire can give birth to Earth, but too much Earth obscures Fire; Earth can give birth to Metal, but too much Metal weakens Earth. Metal can restrain Wood, but strong Wood resists Metal; Wood can restrain Earth, but heavy Earth breaks Wood; Earth can restrain Water, but too much Water erodes Earth; Water can restrain Fire, but raging Fire boils Water; Fire can restrain Metal, but too much Metal extinguishes Fire. When weak Metal meets Fire, it will certainly melt and dissolve; when weak Fire meets Water, it will certainly be extinguished; when weak Water meets Earth, it will certainly become stagnant; when weak Earth meets Wood, it will certainly collapse; when weak Wood meets Metal, it will certainly be broken. Only strong Metal can control Water, only strong Water can calm its momentum; only strong Wood can disperse Fire's energy; only strong Fire can gather Earth's essence; only strong Earth can transform Metal's stubbornness. This is also a manifestation of the great principle of Heaven and Earth. Although some materials do not have properties, the arrangement of the five elements' yin and yang can still reveal changes in these properties. This is why I believe that my art of refining instruments is unparalleled in the world." Yún Zhōngzi looked at Sūn Míng with a puzzled expression and couldn't help but laugh.

  "The interplay of yin and yang, the five elements generating and overcoming each other, transforming into one another... it sounds simple, Master, but I'm afraid I'm too foolish to understand, and have made you laugh." Sun Ming said with a somewhat embarrassed expression in response to Yun Zhongzi's smile.

  "This principle is actually used a lot in alchemy, and it's also often applied to formations. It's a bit early for me to tell you about this now, after all, these things are all about gradual progress and can't be rushed." Seeing Sun Ming looking embarrassed, Yun Zhongzi comforted him.

  "Hongmeng's purple fire is superior to other spiritual fires because it can mimic the effects of the five elements' spiritual fires. In the past, my master Yuanshi Tianzun used this principle to refine the Fantian Seal with his saintly abilities. Your ancestor was also using a great divine ability to gather the five directions' spiritual fires for his alchemy." Yun Zhongzi said with a look of reverence.

  "Is Master Shengren really so powerful?" Sun Ming asked.

  "Of course, under the law of the Heavenly Way, saints do not enter the kalpa. Even Taiyi Daluo Jinxian, the strongest among the immortals, would suffer great losses if he were to encounter a kalpa carelessly. This shows the power of the saint. If you reach the realm of the saint, it's easy for me to regain my physical body." - Yunzhongzi Dao

  "Master, don't worry, I will definitely become a saint," Sun Ming said with a firm face.

  Yun Zhongzi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Disciple, you've just started practicing internal energy, the Saint is still far away from you, don't be too ambitious. Alright, go prepare the materials, tomorrow we'll start refining the Fantian Seal." Although this matter was uncertain, Yun Zhongzi felt a sense of comfort seeing Sun Ming's determined expression.

  "Sun Ming" Sun Ming had just taken a large pile of materials and was about to head back to the mountain when he was stopped by Ling Kong.

  "Alas, I really don't want you to do these things. Although I've been guiding outer sect disciples for the past decade, there's no way to exempt you from these miscellaneous tasks. Alas, how could our sect have such a rule? I truly can't understand what our ancestors were thinking back then." said Ling Kong Dao.

  "Master Uncle, I'm already very satisfied with the current situation. Although my cultivation time is much shorter than those inner disciples, I believe that diligence can make up for clumsiness," said Sun Mingdao.

  "I can still guide you for more than eight years, come to me with questions about your cultivation. Don't say I didn't discover a few potential candidates who might enter the inner sect, although they don't cultivate as diligently as you do, but they also have a good attitude towards progress. By the way, eighteen years later, there will be a big competition for refining equipment, which is an opportunity for outer sect disciples to enter the inner sect every twenty years. I hope to see you among those three people. Ling Kong Dao."

  "Don't worry, Master Uncle, I will definitely work hard, I'm going back to my quarters now, Master Uncle." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Alright, go back now. Pay attention to your cultivation of the Linghuo Jue. When you have time, release more of your spiritual fire. When your true yuan energy can no longer support it, sit in meditation to recover. This method was taught to me by a friend from back then." Thinking of this, Ling Kong couldn't help but feel melancholic again.

  Sun Ming returned to Cang Xugou, and his heart was still somewhat excited. Refining equipment, those inner door disciples were directing a large part of the outer door disciples every day, mainly because they could refine equipment. In their hearts, it was a very ridiculous thing that the disciples of Qilingshu couldn't refine equipment, so few inner door disciples would look at the outer door disciples with equal eyes.

  "Don't be distracted, hold on to the origin and guard the one. Do you remember the method of using the Five Spirits Transformation Technique?" Yun Zhongzi asked.

  "Remember, Master," Sun Ming replied.

  "Melt the iron ore in front of you into liquid iron using the Five Elements Spiritual Fire," said Yun Zhongzi.

  A ball of white spiritual fire appeared before Sun Ming's eyes, and the iron ore began to glow red as it was smelted. The color of the flame then changed, shifting between green, black, red, and yellow, with the five colors constantly changing. In this ever-changing spiritual fire, the iron ore continued to shrink, and another piece of ore began to be smelted. In a short half-night's time, almost all the iron ore that had filled the room disappeared. A ball of liquid the color of mountain rocks remained suspended before Sun Ming's eyes.

  "Transform into Hongmeng Purple Flame and shape it according to the form of Fantian Seal." Yun Zhongzi's words echoed in Sun Ming's mind.

  A cluster of purple flames was burning beautifully, and the iron ore dissolved like a jumping heart, showing extraordinary beauty. Under Sun Ming's deliberate creation, an ancient seal gradually revealed its fascinating charm.

  "A drop of blood to acknowledge allegiance, quickly!" Yun Zhongzi's words rang out as the Hongmeng fire was about to go out.

  Sun Ming immediately bit his tongue and a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed onto the Fan Tian Seal. At this time, the Fan Tian Seal was slowly absorbing Sun Ming's blood. Suddenly, Sun Ming felt the Fan Tian Seal, as if it were another hand of his own, and with a thought, the seal flew into his hand.

  "Master, it's a spiritual object, it's a spiritual object! I was able to control objects just after building my foundation, I'm truly a genius!" Sun Ming excitedly said.

  "What the f**k is this? This is Blood Refining!" Hearing his disciple's ignorant words, Yun Zhongzi couldn't help but curse.

  "You're now too weak to control this treasure, so it can only be used through the connection of bloodlines, got it?" Yun Zhongzi said with a furious smile.

  "Master, this thing looks just like the brick I used to fight with others and make a living two years ago," Sun Ming said with an innocent expression.

  "It's not unreasonable for you to think that way. When Guang Chengzi first used the genuine article, he often launched sneak attacks on people, which in your words is called 'hitting someone with a blunt instrument'. It seems that this Tian Yin is indeed the greatest blunt instrument of all time." Cloud Middle Child said.

  "But you must be mentally prepared, and it's a big project to make its power catch up with the real thing." Yun Zhongzi said.