Chapter 1885: Taiji Pisces Swords
The twin blades looked like two flying fish in motion, only slightly longer. Their shapes were exotic and beautiful in their own way.
"What do you think?" Mad Fiend grinned at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen looked at the swords, his breath catching as he felt their unique energy. They were at least demigod level weapons, or even divine ones.
"These swords would rank among the top ten weapons even in the ancient times. They're called the Taiji Pisces Swords."
The Taiji Pisces Swords?
Jiang Chen stared at the uniquely-shaped blades, his heart pounding. He could tell the swords' value with a single glance.
These were a pair of yin and yang swords, one masculine and one feminine. The spirit energy of nature had forged them into powerful divine weapons that could influence the rule of yin and yang.
Such weapons were very powerful, and since they had been created by nature, they came with the heavenly law's blessings, flawless in all aspects.
Jiang Chen would be lying if he claimed to be unmoved.
"Young man, I hope the next time I challenge you to a duel, you'll fight me with the Taiji Pisces Swords."
With a shake of his arms, Mad Fiend sent the blades of yin and yang to Jiang Chen. Blinding light radiated from the swords, emitting the powerful energy of heaven and earth. Jiang Chen could feel something old, something from the primordial age.
The swords must have an illustrious and storied history.
He could barely contain his excitement. His hot gaze fixed on his new weapons.
The swords resonated lowly, shining with an extraordinary sheen as they crossed before Jiang Chen, rather than falling into his hands.
Jiang Chen paused and glanced at Mad Fiend. Understanding dawned in the next second. This was a test to see if he was good enough to tame the swords.
Having understood, Jiang Chen wasn't worried. He didn't mind proving himself to Mad Fiend and showcasing his techniques.
He was second to none in his wealth of knowledge and mastery of various skills. He was capable of taming powerful weapons in more ways than one. However, it'd require a delicate approach to tame the Taiji Pisces Swords. Weapons born of nature were sentient and often proud.
To tame them, he had to first understand the weapons' attributes and characteristics - their personality and temper.
With his powerful consciousness, Jiang Chen was able to gain insight with a bit of observation. In terms of weapons grade, these were absolutely top class.
He transmitted his intention to communicate to the swords. Contrary to usual methods, his delicate control over his consciousness allowed him to talk to the swords as he would with humans.
Once he'd gotten to know them a bit better, he deployed arts to manipulate them.
He made repeated hand seals to reel them in. The proud spirits still hung in the air, but they slowly drew close to the human.
"Oh?" Mad Fiend was surprised by how easily Jiang Chen had won the swords over.
He'd thought it'd take a long time and some unique technique for Jiang Chen to wield the swords, but to his surprise, the boy had succeeded after just a few moves.
Once again, all of his preconceived notions had been proven wrong when the swords slowly drifted into Jiang Chen's hands.
"You're something else, kid," Mad Fiend said with a delighted smile. "No one at your age has been ever able to tame the swords as easily as you have. What's your secret?"
He couldn't be more curious about the young man, who had done the impossible again and again. Anything seemed possible when it came to the young man.
Jiang Chen smiled. "I'm fortunate to know a thing or two about manipulating weapons. The Taiji Pisces Swords should've posed a great challenge, but they seem fated to fall in my hands. I was able to quickly refine them in my own way."
"You've refined them already?" Mad Fiend muttered. "True geniuses are often young, but even in the ancient times, there wasn't anyone quite like you. No one could surprise me to such a degree and gain control over the divine swords in such a short amount of time."
Jiang Chen chuckled. "You aren't going to take them back, are you, senior?"
"Of course not." Mad Fiend waved his hand in denial. "Alright, time's a-wastin'. Go ahead to the fifth palace. You're good enough to take that challenge, and you stand a good chance of passing."
Jiang Chen didn't expect to be let off the hook so easily in this palace. He gladly accepted the swords and cupped his hands at the old man. "The swords will be of great help to me, senior. When I use them to slay enemies, I'll remember your kindness."
Mad Fiend laughed heartily. "You're welcome. I'll take you slaughtering demons as thanks enough. Besides, once you pass all six palaces, everything will be yours anyway, and we old ones will be under your command."
That, Jiang Chen did know.
"Alright, the portal is ready for activation. If you still need time, you may cultivate in this palace. If you don't, I'll send you to the next once now!"
Jiang Chen nodded after a pause. "Please send me to the next palace now. Things are constantly changing. The earlier I get this over with, the better the chance we'll win the war."
Demons might not invade in large numbers just yet, but it was better to be prepared.
What would be waiting for him in the fifth palace?
Jiang Chen opened his eyes once he'd been teleported.
Chapter 1886: Suspended Runes
During the leap between the fourth and fifth palaces, Jiang Chen couldn't help but dwell on Mad Fiend. The old man who had seemed incomprehensible initially seemed much more reasonable now.
The protector had been in the Six Palaces of Heritage from the ancient era to the present. In the process, he had been deprived of his freedom and had to bear the pain of losing his wife and younger sister.
One or two days of this would've been bearable, but it had been over a hundred thousand years. It'd be hard for anyone to last that long unchanged.
For a time, Jiang Chen was filled with great sympathy.
What Mad Fiend had gone through reminded him of his father, the Celestial Emperor. I wonder how father is doing now?
If a heavenly cataclysm had really been unleashed, even someone as great as a celestial emperor wasn't guaranteed to remain safe. Where might his father be now?
No pain was as harsh as separation from one's loved ones.
The continual increases in his cultivation and the introduction of higher and higher tiers of information fueled his curiosity about what had happened in his previous life.
"I must attain godhood. When I do, I will be able to solve the mystery of the chain seal in my consciousness. I will be able to see what clues father has left me." Jiang Chen quite looked forward to it.
He arrived at the fifth palace in no time at all. As soon as he entered, he felt like he was in a different world.
The fifth palace was a sequestered space, strangely cut off from the outside world. There was nothing here: no buildings, life, or any distinguishing features. The very air was stagnant.
It was as if this world was perfectly still.
"Hmm? What's this?" Jiang Chen looked all around him. There was nothing but emptiness and stillness, with seemingly no connection to the true and material.
This place was more silent than death itself.
Jiang Chen swept his eyes and consciousness across the expanse, taking in the oddity of the quietness here.
"Is this really the fifth palace?" He began to doubt where he was. He simply couldn't understand what he was witnessing. "No. Even in the void, complete stillness is impossible. This has to be an illusion! It has to be!"
Jiang Chen kept reinforcing this notion to himself.
Clang!
A majestic and somber bell suddenly rang by his ear.
In the next moment, the world before him underwent a drastic change. Stranger sights appeared in front, beneath, behind, and all around him. Countless runes drifted bizarrely through the air like wraiths.
Jiang Chen opened his eyes, then braced himself. The leaping runes reminded him of something.
"Suspended runes?" he remarked with some astonishment.
In the world of martial dao, there was a particular kind of ability that didn't require materials or use a medium to etch runes in thin air. A runic formation could be built using nothing but empty air as the basis.
It wasn't a proper formation, since it lacked a foundation and other trappings of one. But it was just as potent and diverse as a real formation. In fact, it was more mysterious in some ways.
As an experienced man, Jiang Chen had an inkling of what the glowing tadpoles swimming in midair meant.
Thankfully, he had some basic knowledge about them. If he stood still, he would probably be able to avoid triggering the runes' effects. If he tried to rashly move about, the opposite would happen.
As such, he stayed as still as he could while examining the environment around him. No set of runes was absolutely flawless. Just like formations, they were hardly indestructible.
To find the chinks in their defenses however, required a sharp eye and a capable hand. A complex suite of skills and abilities.
In other words, Jiang Chen possessed all of the necessary qualities for success. Though his strength hadn't yet been perfected, his experience could guarantee calm and poise before the suspended runes.
A challenger who was ignorant of what he saw would likely approach and investigate. Once he did, he would be mired in a great deal of trouble by triggering the runes' effects.
Jiang Chen gave the runes a once-over with his consciousness. They weren't particularly offensive. In fact, they seemed to dance with a strict purpose.
It was a safe assumption that they were present here as a test, rather than a lethal trap.
Even so, he didn't dare move lightly. The Veluriyam Pagoda's six palaces were to test anyone who ventured in.
If he was trapped, he would be admitting defeat. That was an obvious kink to passing all of the palaces. He decided to sit and wait for now.
Carefully scrutinizing the landscape around him, he found several patterns in the runes' operation.
As long as he had the requisite clues, he was confident he could break through the blockade and enter the true fifth palace to greet its master. If he couldn't even get through this much, he would be looked down upon.
Jiang Chen drew on as much of his previous life's memories as possible. Details and snippets about suspended runes flashed before his eyes. His mind whirred with an urgency that stirred it into thought.
"These suspended runes clearly have some sort of a pattern. They're following a diagram of some sort. Sadly, I'm inside of it, which means I can't make heads or tails of it. If I could see a broader picture, perhaps I would have a few more clues."
Jiang Chen seriously considered this, scattering his consciousness into every corner as he did so. He wanted to observe the runes from as many perspectives as possible.
His method paid off immediately. The multiple points of view he received were very telling, and the spectacle he witnessed became more and more amazing as time went on.
Chapter 1887: Continuing Eccentricities
The countless angles he took, near and far, changed the outline of the runic pattern each time. Moreover, the pattern itself seemed to be shifting. That was interesting.
"The mysteries imbued in these runes are more varied than I expected."
Inspiration flooded him. He had a good idea of what was up now. The shapes the pattern made gave meaning to the array of the runes. For example, swords signified killing. Dragons and tigers, excitement and power.
He analyzed everything he saw.
"A tree? What does its abundance mean?" Jiang Chen found the newest image odd. That couldn't be a sign for danger.
The pattern shifted once more. A green plain, with all kinds of spirit herbs growing from it.
"The creator of these suspended runes is a tasteful individual. Drawing such beautiful images with them… that's hardly common."
He beheld the pretty pictures with a mixture of astonishment and enjoyment.
"Hmm? Is that a bird? A pigeon perhaps, or a dove? If it's a dove, that's a sign of peace and safety, no? Maybe I should try something with it." Now that Jiang Chen had a plan, he became even more calm.
He patiently watched for further changes to the pattern, new images born out of the chaos.
After a long while, the dove appeared once more.
"Now!"
He decisively took the opportunity to fire himself into that patch of space, backed by the incredible speed of the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape.
Whoosh!
He crossed the expanse of the void in a single instant, before the dove could change to something else. He was finally free from the area of suspended runes.
Before he could land, the runes burned away like a shower of meteors. They blazed with radiance before disappearing into nothingness. There was peace all around him once more, as quiet as things had been before.
The suspended runes' restriction was entirely gone.
"So I guessed right?" Jiang Chen wasn't particularly pleased about his success. Things were exactly as they should've been.
And yet, the tacit sameness of the empty space all around him made his scalp tingle.
"Surely the protector of this fifth palace is a true master of dimensional abilities. That he's created such a space here… perhaps he's greater than all of his predecessors."
The Six Palaces of Heritage were sure to become more difficult as he went further in. As their purpose was to select an heir however, an opportunity would be left for the challenger.
He saw no reason to be discouraged. Even the most minute of clues could be found.
Above all, he was supremely confident in himself. If the Veluriyam Pagoda was to fall to anyone, it would be him.
Jiang Chen didn't believe there had been any young geniuses capable of surpassing him in the previous hundred thousand years, nor would there be any after.
Calming his heart once more, he sat down cross-legged within the serenity of space. He was waiting for that slim window to arise. The quiet wouldn't last forever.
The fifth palace would have a sign of some sort to guide him.
Rather than stumble about like a headless fly, it was better to remain in place to meditate and observe. He would find the lone path of escape that much faster then.
In no time at all, he heard the somber sound of an ancient bell ring. This toll was even dignified and austere than the last.
Jiang Chen braced himself.
The last time the bell had rung, suspended runes had appeared immediately. There was sure to be more this time as well.
The runes he expected didn't appear.
Instead, he felt the space all around him heat up. Without warning, the landscape became a brilliant red, as if countless embers had flared simultaneously to life.
In the next moment, the entire place was engulfed in a sea of flame.
The fire consumed all with a grand majesty, transforming from radiance into a scorching inferno before long.
How could this be?
Where had the fire come from? Or the heat before it, for that matter?
Jiang Chen was shocked. The place he was in was so big! How could it simply catch on fire like that? Was there something he hadn't noticed?
He quickly got his answer.
The blaze illuminated all with its light. His field of view broadened; he could see the boundaries of this place! There were actual walls here. Eight gates demarcated the enclosing walls, taking the eight bagua positions. They were bizarrely astounding to behold.
In other words, he was in a very large room rather than a boundless expanse of space.
In fact, all this looked more and more like a huge pill cauldron. He'd taken the place of a small piece of refining material, small enough to be totally negligible.
This was a terrifying thought!
His first stop in the fifth palace to be inside a pill cauldron had been the last of his expectations. He could predict a great many things, but he'd never experienced anything like this before.
A real live human being transported into a cauldron? And caught up in the process of refinement?
The young man was completely taken aback. This had entirely turned his assumptions about the fifth palace upside down!
Chapter 1888: The World of the Bagua Pill Cauldron
In the world of martial dao, there were abilities that could hide something very large within something small. Dimensional abilities were wondrous indeed, and many experts skilled in them could pull off remarkable feats like this.
Jiang Chen had witnessed the usage of these dimensional abilities before – even on Divine Abyss. This time though, he was impressed as well as surprised.
He hadn't the foggiest inkling that he would be placed in this situation.
"There have always been powerful cultivators who could hide the world within their sleeves, or the skies in their wine jugs. Since this is a cauldron for refining pills, its owner must be an expert on that subject." Jiang Chen was perfectly at ease.
He welcomed a protector who was capable with pills. He was absolutely confident in his own ability in that area. As long as he could meet the fifth palace's master in person, he had a very good chance of passing through.
There was nothing he was better at in the world than pill dao.
Right now, he didn't have the luxury to think about such things. What did this cauldron he was inside of mean?
So far into the six palaces, the personality of the palace protectors had always factored into the tests. The actions of this protector in particular seemed extremely cool.
No normal person could create such an expansive void within a pill cauldron. Dimensional abilities of this strength were rare!
In addition, specific treasure-refining methods were practically required. How could such a miraculous creation have come about otherwise?
Jiang Chen was no stranger to the eight bagua positions.
However, departing the cauldron required more than recognizing what the gates were. The eight trigrams were a science unto themselves, and it wasn't easy at all to grasp all their intricacies.
The air began to heat up more and more.
Jiang Chen really was a pill material in the cauldron, but he was far from discouraged. He was a real live person at the end of the day.
The young man had seen blood sacrifices being required in the refinement process, but he had never done something so inhumane himself. It was too morally reprehensible to consider.
The same would be true of this protector. The motive of the cauldron wasn't to refine him, but to test his skill.
Qian, kun, zhen, xun, kan, li, gen, dui. These were the eight trigrams.
They corresponded to eight facets of nature: heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain, and marsh respectively.
Jiang Chen opened up his consciousness to observe any changes in the gates.
"Back in the heavenly planes, there was a verse about them, wasn't there? It went like this: Three lines Qian, six segments Kun. Upward vessel Zhen, reverse bowl Gen. Empty heart Li, full center Kan. Flawed top Dui, broken base Xun."
The verse helped remind him of what the trigrams actually looked like.
"That's right! Three lines Qian means that Qian is the trigram with three solid lines. All three barriers prevent exit. On the other hand, six segments Kun means that there's an empty space right in the middle of all three lines. Passage through is possible! The remaining six trigrams all have similar obstacles, and none are as free as Kun. I believe I've found the way out!"
Sometimes the simplest logic was also the most sensible.
Jiang Chen immediately hurtled out from his resting place.
"Time waits for no one. I have to trust my intuition and judgment. This is my way out!" he said with considerable decisiveness.
Whoosh!
He reached the threshold of the Kun gate in a mere moment.
A blinding white consumed his body. In the next moment, it was all he could see. Within this radiance, he could once more hear the movement of the air in the outside world.
Joy crept into his heart.
The empty space he had been in before had been totally calm and undisturbed. Since this was no longer the case meant he was back in the real world.
This knowledge relieved him.
When the light disappeared, he finally stood upon solid ground once more. Luxurious tiles, to be precise, splendiferous and magnificent in their hue.
Jiang Chen was astounded by the extravagance. He was within a great palace filled to the brim with opulence. Each plank and brick, pillar and shingle was decorated with utmost lavishness and severity.
Most importantly, countless statues of gods were arrayed all around. Their eminent figures dominated the space.
Jiang Chen was agape with shock. He hadn't expected such a divergence from the program. What had happened to the emptiness he had been in before? What was up with the huge, gleaming palace?
"Well done, young man. You passed two tests in a row, hmm? I had thought youths with such keen eyesight and insight were extinct. You've certainly kept me waiting for a very long time." A resonant voice intoned, amiable and serene. It sounded very much like an elder's voice, bringing tranquility to the heart of whomever heard it.
"Greetings, senior of the fifth palace. My name is Jiang Chen," the young man humbly introduced himself.
"Jiang Chen?" The voice paused a moment, then gave way to laughter. "Your name doesn't matter. What matters is my appreciation for your talent."
Jiang Chen breathed out a sigh of relief. But he didn't completely let down his guard. He saw it as a necessary precaution to be wary of anyone and everyone.
"I count myself lucky to win your favor, senior."
"No need to be so modest, young man. Tell me, how did you get all the way to the fifth palace? Do you know anything about this place?"
"Not at all, sir," Jiang Chen shook his head. "No one before this has given me any hints. As for myself, I didn't get here all the way in one go. I reached this place slowly, step by step! I do have to say though, that the test I went through was definitely one-of-a-kind." He didn't mind performing a bit of flattery.
Chapter 1889: Old Pill Rune
Hearty laughter rang through the air, but Jiang Chen couldn't detect any physical body concealed in the vicinity, no matter how hard he tried with his consciousness.
He couldn't be more surprised. The protector of the fifth palace was powerful indeed. Very few could get close to Jiang Chen without him detecting them.
"Alright, kid, stop looking around. I'm not going to challenge you in person. In fact, you've already passed half of my trials. So far, you haven't made any missteps. Now I'm going to test if you're my kind of person. Why don't you tell me how you made your way to the fifth palace?"
Without missing a beat, Jiang Chen explained with a smile, "I've overcome challenges and dangers to reach this point..."
He briefly described his experience going from the first palace to the fourth. It got him thinking. Did the protectors of the palaces, who'd been put here by the master who built and ruled over the pagoda, know nothing about the other protectors? Had they not been sharing information?
That seemed like a distinct possibility.
However, Jiang Chen remembered that back in the first palace, Honored Master P'eng had told him in advance that one of the protectors was a senior from the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect.
Thus, he was already mentally prepared.
The fifth protector smiled in response to Jiang Chen's words. "Good. You're easy to like. No wonder you've been doing so well.
"Since the last four protectors all showed you some level of appreciation, you must be worthy to some degree. Nonetheless, this seat has my own set of criteria. I'm not going to let you pass unconditionally or take a liking to you just because they do. You have to win me over with your talent in order to pass and receive the reward. I'm going to see for myself if you deserve the heritage of the six palaces and the Veluriyam Pagoda. If you don't meet my standards, I won't hesitate to kick you out." He was a resolute one.
Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. "Understood. How does the senior plan to test me?"
"Tell me, what are your talents?"
Jiang Chen erred on the side of caution this time and thought before responding, "I'm somewhat of a jack of all trades. I've dabbled in various fields."
"Are you saying you're an all-around genius?"
Jiang Chen smiled. "You've used glyphs and pills, senior. I happen to know a thing or two of pill dao. That's one of my stronger suits."
He kept his tone exceedingly humble since he speculated that the fifth protector wasn't a fan of braggarts.
"You're adept in pill dao?" The owner of the voice was pleasantly surprised.
"I am. If the senior is going to test me in pill dao, I'll have a chance to prove myself and honor what I've learned so far." Jiang Chen spoke matter-of-factly.
"Then pill dao it is?" the voice asked with a smile and muttered, "I'm Old Pill Rune, young man. Since you've picked pill dao as your challenge, you better do your best. If you disappoint me, it'll be harder for you to pass."
Old Pill Rune? That was what the fifth protector called himself?
Since he'd dared give himself the title, he must be a great master in the two fields.
After a bemused pause, Jiang Chen put on a confident smile. "Then let's get started, senior. I have faith in my level of pill dao."
"Good, very good," said Old Pill Rune. "There are many fundamental skills in pill dao. First, a keen observation, without which you'll achieve nothing."
Jiang Chen nodded in agreement, like they were holding a face to face conversation. "A keen observation is the foundation to a pill expert's success. Pill dao isn't the right path for people without a basic level of sensitivity."
"Good, at least your beliefs are the right ones, kid," the old man praised. "What else do you think is crucial to pill dao?"
The question was broad. It was more about a general understanding in pill dao than about the specifics.
However, Jiang Chen went against the old man's expectations and responded with a smile, "The devil's in the details for pill dao. A keen observation being one of them, but there are many other crucial factors. For example, a fine control over fire and heat, a good memory, and more importantly, a strong will. When all is said and done, the heart determines a pill expert's success. An iron will makes the cultivator unbeatable."
Old Pill Rune made a sound of surprise. He hadn't expected Jiang Chen's answer.
"So you do know pill dao. The different paths share some commonalities since they're from the same source. A strong will is crucial to cultivators of all kinds." He sighed. "You're on the right track. Now I'd like to test your understanding of the specifics."
"Please do," Jiang Chen said respectfully.
"Alright, here's a pill recipe for you to judge."
A translucent screen emerged in the air and spots of light transformed into text. It was a visually beautiful sight.
Jiang Chen marveled at the spectacle, but didn't get distracted from the writing on the screen.
It was a pill recipe analysis.
"What do you think, young man?" asked the old man. "I'll give you fifteen minutes to formulate your thoughts. Does that work?"
Jiang Chen made an assenting sound and read the recipe carefully in lieu of a verbal response. He smiled once he'd browsed through the text. He recognized the recipe. It was an empyrean level one - the Goldenhorn Moonmender Pill, used for mending injury.
Jiang Chen went through the recipe from beginning to end four times. "The pill is a fine one, but the recipe falls short. One won't be successful following this recipe. Even if pills are successfully refined, the end products will be too flawed to be useful."
Chapter 1890: Giving Pointers, The Might of Pill Dao
Jiang Chen hadn't sugarcoated his words at all. He knew his actions were risky. What if Old Pill Rune flew into a rage?
Nevertheless, his mentor from his past life had instilled a certain belief since day one: pill dao was about seeking and respecting the truth. Never lie to anyone under any circumstances. Stay true to the facts.
Jiang Chen had held himself to that principle since his first day of pill dao. No matter how important or authoritative the person he faced was, he never broke the principle.
Therefore, he never once considered lying to the protector despite the risks.
Old Pill Rune was silent for a long while before he sighed and asked in a quiet voice, "You're bold to voice your true thoughts, young man, but there's more than one reason why someone would be so blunt. Some follow their heart and spill their true feelings. Others speak their mind to gain a strategic advantage. Which are you?"
"I've learned not to twist the truth since the day I started learning pill dao," Jiang Chen said seriously. "Facts are facts, and mistakes are mistakes."
"So you do think the recipe is flawed?"
"It is. Very much so!" Jiang Chen's tone was direct and without pretense.
"Explain." Old Pill Rune decided to give the young man the benefit of the doubt since he sounded so confident.
"First, the proportion of ingredients. Too much of the main ingredient is used. The magical thing about the pill is the way different ingredients complement one another. When the portion of the main ingredient is too large, it'll undermine the others and their complementary effects. This is the first flaw.
"The second critical mistake is the refining method. The pill has to be refined with low heat, not medium, and definitely not high heat.
"Then there are more trivial details. For example, the order of adding the ingredients makes a difference. Although the order recorded here is mostly correct, there are some mistakes. The little things combined can have a significant impact on the quality of the end products."
Jiang Chen laid down his points clearly and without difficulty. He exuded confidence and a commanding presence. Old Pill Rune hung on his every word, transfixed for a good while.
"Where did you learn all that, young Jiang Chen?" the old man asked once he'd finally broke out of his trance. "Was your pill dao master good enough to teach you that?"
He had been an expert in pill dao since the ancient times. That recipe was something that had stumped him personally. He'd thrown it out as a test and hadn't expected Jiang Chen to actually give an answer.
To his surprise, the challenger's answer was detailed and comprehensive, covering both important and trivial problems. Some of the points made even gave the old man some new ideas.
Old Pill Rune was caught off guard, and his level of approval for Jiang Chen rose significantly. He'd started to accept the young man.
"I've learned many things from different fields, a lot of which weren't taught by a master," Jiang Chen responded suggestively. "Knowledge seems to emerge out of nowhere in my head. It dawns on me when I wake up or even in my dreams."
He knew the old man was smart enough to connect the dots.
As expected, Old Pill Rune blurted out in a conflicted tone, "Are… are you a god incarnate? Are you sure you gained knowledge in your sleep, young Jiang Chen?"
"I'm sure," Jiang Chen said with deliberate nonchalance. "It's happened many times."
"I knew it, I knew it! You are indeed a god incarnate!" the old man exclaimed excitedly. "Do you know what that means?"
Jiang Chen nodded. "I've heard the phrase thrown around. Some other people suspect me of having the memory of a god as well. However, my recollection is messy. I don't remember much about my past life. Shouldn't I remember if I'm a reincarnated god?"
"Most have their memories of their past lives erased by the wheel of reincarnation. Only a few particularly powerful and willful cultivators retain some memories. There are also the rare exceptions who manage to keep a significant part of their recollection, who then become talented cultivators in their new life."
Jiang Chen pretended to be in deep thought.
"If your memory fully awakens one day, young Jiang Chen, you'll be on track to greatness. You'll not only become the heir of the Veluriyam Pagoda, but may even surpass the former master of the pagoda."
He wasn't merely trying to comfort Jiang Chen. Being a god incarnate would truly give the young man a great edge in every aspect. He had even higher hopes for the young man and brought up a series of questions about pill dao that he'd been having trouble solving.
Jiang Chen answered every single one of them.
That won the old man over entirely. He'd now had a complete change of mind and his caution melted away. He even wanted Jiang Chen to stay a little longer, given that he had the opportunity to pick the brain of a pill dao genius.
Jiang Chen could understand. The old man had been on his own since the ancient times. He must have devoted his whole life to exploring everything about pill dao. He offered all he could to the protector, not holding anything back and explaining everything he knew about every issue.
Their exchange in pill dao lasted for three days and three nights. Still, the old man wasn't satiated.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen didn't have anything important to do at the moment since he wasn't strong enough to take on the sixth palace, which would require him to reach advanced empyrean or even peak empyrean.
He settled for having an intellectual conversation with Old Pill Rune until the old man himself started feeling embarrassed for taking up his time.
Chapter 1891: Conquering Old Pill Rune
Old Pill Rune sighed. "Young Jiang Chen, you came and surprised me when I was starting to doubt if anyone from the human domain would ever be able to enter this palace again. Fate has guided you here to give me such a great surprise. This seat can now say for sure that you are going to be the best candidate to inherit the Veluriyam Pagoda."
He was a strong and unique personality with high standards. His compliments meant the young man had won him over completely.
Jiang Chen wasn't surprised. His knowledge in pill dao far surpassed even a master like the old man, and demanded the latter's deference.
"Young man, I'm confident that you're a god incarnate, and you must have been an unparalleled pill dao master in your past life, the likes of whom emerge only once every ten thousand years" the old man mused.
Jiang Chen smiled, a little embarrassed. "Senior, your title contains both pill and rune. You must be an extraordinary master in runes as well. The silent void I encountered when I first entered the palace and the suspended runes later on were your doing as well, weren't they?"
"You know about suspended runes?" Old Pill Rune asked with surprise.
"I know a thing or two." Jiang Chen smiled. "I was fortunate not to be trapped."
The old man sighed deeply. "It's not easy to find an opening during a siege of suspended runes. You certainly know more than a thing or two. Only experts in runes and glyphs would be able to escape, and more importantly, very few would've recognized the suspended runes! Trying to break free in the way one would approach a formation only leads to humiliation. You're something else, young man!" He was very impressed by Jiang Chen.
"Ah, I thought that might be your masterpiece, senior."
"Not so much masterpiece, but it is my work. If I had created the most powerful suspended runes I could create, there would be life-threatening danger, and you wouldn't have escaped so easily. The suspended runes I put in this palace was meant to trap rather than kill. Thus the lesser challengers could survive even if trapped. I do have some restraint."
Jiang Chen nodded. "Makes sense. I didn't sense any killing intent."
"Alright, back to business. You've passed my trial and thus deserve rewards. I'm sure you have a good wealth of resources given your identity and talent. Perhaps my gifts won't be good enough for you."
"You're far too kind," Jiang Chen hurriedly responded.
"Haha, you don't have to so humble. I'd prepared two gifts originally. First is 'A Comprehensive Guide to Pill Dao', which I have devoted all my life to writing. Second is the method and tips for refining suspended runes. I don't think either is going to be of much help to you though."
"Not at all. The different fields in pill dao share some common ground. Exchange of knowledge is crucial. I don't even know how to refine the most basic suspended runes. I was only able to escape due to my observation and will."
Old Pill Rune chuckled. "It's a good thing you don't know how to refine suspended runes, or I'll feel guilty for giving you gifts that are beneath you."
In truth, suspended runes were a very advanced field of study. They could be much more useful than formations, and in some ways, more powerful.
Suspended runes were quick and agile, which set them apart from formations. In an environment abundant with spirit energy, one could tap into natural energy and create a good number of suspended runess in an instant, making them difficult to defend against.
Jiang Chen very much appreciated the runes' value.
"The two gifts are hidden under the largest statue in this palace, young man. You'll be able to find them without difficulty. My work in pill dao isn't going to be that useful to you, but I hope you'll find the refining method of suspended runes valuable."
Jiang Chen looked around and spotted the biggest statue. He easily extracted the two gifts.
'A Comprehensive Guide to Pill Dao' turned out to be an epic-length academic work. The total word count amounted to the tens of millions.
"Your work in pill dao is indeed comprehensive, senior. You definitely live up to your title as Old Pill Rune."
"Haha, stop flattering this seat, young man. Given your level of knowledge, your flattery to me may as well be directed to yourself."
"It's not flattery," Jiang Chen rushed out. "I'm complimenting you from the bottom of my heart."
"Alright, you've passed the fifth palace and won me over. I hope you'll be able to tap into the full potential of the suspended runes. My gifts to you are the two things I'm most proud of."
Jiang Chen flipped through the refining theory of the suspended runes and was thoroughly surprised. The talisman was indeed a great invention.
Old Pill Rune sighed. "You're not going to take on the sixth palace just yet despite having two chances, are you? "
Jiang Chen nodded. "I won't be. I have two chances, but it'll be a waste to use one of them now."
First, he hadn't reached its minimum cultivation requirement. Second, the last palace must be the most difficult. If he wasn't prepared, he'd be bumping around in the dark.
"Keep up the good work, young man. I believe you'll be able to gain the Veluriyam Pagoda's heritage one day. Then we'll all be set free." His words weren't just for Jiang Chen's benefit. They also expressed his yearning for freedom.
After gaining the spacetime seal for the sixth palace, Jiang Chen left the pagoda with the old man's blessings.
The fourth and fifth palaces had been significantly more difficult than the previous ones, but Jiang Chen had gained a lot as well, including the Taiji Pisces Swords from the fourth palace and the method of refining the suspended runes from the fifth.
The swords were weapons of finest quality. They would be of great help in his future battles.
As for the suspended runes, the process of learning them might be arduous and dull, but once he understood or even mastered it, the runes would be a powerful and useful tool in battle.
Jiang Chen went into closed door cultivation as soon as he left the pagoda. He could tell he was going to ascend to sixth level empyrean.
Chapter 1892: Sixth Level Empyrean Realm, Breakthrough!
Jiang Chen had never been bottlenecked by anything cultivation-wise since coming to Divine Abyss. Once inspiration hit, his breakthrough to sixth level empyrean was as smooth as ever. In less than ten days, he was able to stabilize his new advancement.
Sixth level empyrean increased his strength considerably in every area once again. Only after the breakthrough did he tally up his gains and losses from the fourth and the fifth palaces.
Each palace had given him something drastically different, though everything was extremely valuable. This time was no different.
He brought forth the Taiji Pisces Swords and laid them out in front of himself, extending his consciousness in intent communication. He was an expert on weapons in general, but he found the swords more and more intriguing every time he examined them.
"The taiji conceives two poles, which birth the four cardinals. Then come the eight trigrams, and hence the rest of creation. These swords must have been brought into being at the beginning of the celestial heavens. It combines the essences of yin and yang to enact the five elements and six connections. In short, they are anything but ordinary. Even the current me can't accurately comprehend how much potential they have."
Jiang Chen was very pleased with the Taiji Pisces Swords. Though Mad Fiend had been true to his name, the old man wasn't hard to understand after his inner world was laid bare. The young man was curious though, why the old expert hadn't used the swords himself. Why had they been gifted to him?
Mad Fiend was the type of person that if he wouldn't tell Jiang Chen the reason then, he never would.
The Taiji Pisces Swords emboldened Jiang Chen and increased his strength. The only thing that remained was for him to choose an appropriate sword technique to match. He never had a shortage of those.
He did need to pick one out very carefully this time though. A sword technique that fit the Taiji Pisces Swords had to embody a balance of yin and yang as well.
Any technique with a degree of finesse had its own style. There existed many tendencies: might, ferocity, and broad strokes; or trickery, complexity, and general sophistication.
Speed was another popular one. If one could overwhelm one's opponent with alacrity, it was trivial to win any fight.
In short, good sword techniques that possessed a balance of two styles were hard to find. Only the most authoritative of martial masters could come up with something so different.
A technique that succeeded on this front would become an instant classic, towering above all the rest.It was quite possible such techniques didn't exist in Divine Abyss at all. One or two would definitely be brilliant exceptions to the rule.
However, Jiang Chen did know of a few from his previous life in the heavenly planes.
So many geniuses had congregated in the wider world of his previous home. Any that arrived were the cream of the crop in their original planes – one-in-a-millions or rarer.
Their intuitions and martial dao levels were outrageous to imagine.
These geniuses usually commanded great power wherever they arose. That meant there wouldn't be many survivors, which made the associated martial techniques scarce as well.
Jiang Chen searched his mind and discovered several appropriate sword techniques, eventually ending up with a single one.
The technique's name was the Sword of Genesis, so named because it sought to materialize the notion of primordial conception, when yin and yang were first parted. Once a martial cultivator trained it to perfection, they would have a significant advantage in battle. Cutting down an opponent on their level would be easier than breathing.
The Sword of Genesis was a very high-level and elegant technique. Though it was designed for killing, it was much more classy and graceful than its more brutal peers.
Because of its difficulty, Jiang Chen had a hard time instantly learning it completely. His superior intuition would help him along, but his present level of actual cultivation was a concerning barrier.
The first thing he did was to mull over the method in his mind to analyze all its changes and potentialities. Despite his edge in understanding, the technique initially defied him with sheer mystery. He would have to take it slow, one step at a time.
Still, he could jog along just fine.
As expected, the Pisces Swords and the Sword of Genesis were a perfect fit.
Time passed away as he engrossed himself in study.
After a month, he finally learned the opening move of the Sword of Genesis. The Taiji Pisces Swords amplified its strength to incredible levels.
Jiang Chen was greatly encouraged. "This opening strike is called the Yin Yang Twilight Slash. It certainly has the potential to blot out the sun."
He was overjoyed. He knew that he was only starting out with the technique, but he had a strong feeling that it would benefit him in unknowable ways in his future battles.
Though he had learned only one move, he was sure that he could cut down an advanced empyrean expert.
The practice of the Sword of Genesis would take far longer than a few days. Instead of thirsting for completion, Jiang Chen put away the Taiji Pisces Swords.
In its place, he took out A Comprehensive Guide to Pill Dao and flipped through it. He didn't need any tomes on the topic, really. Though the book was written at a high level, it barely helped him at all theory-wise.
The principles behind the suspended runes were a different matter. He was particularly interested in them. If he could grasp their manner of creation, he would have an ability that others did not. In fights, this would provide him with an element of surprise.