The Lord of Void and Real

Chapter 65: Chapter 64: The Harmonious Union of Yin and Yang

Shen Luo looked at the skull tattoo pattern on his shoulder and could only feel a chill running down his back.

This black skull tattoo was incredibly lifelike; at first glance, it was as if a real skull was biting onto his shoulder, as if it could fly off his body at any moment. And yet, the tooth marks from before were gone without a trace.

Having encountered bizarre occurrences in Dreamland before, his endurance was considerably stronger. However, seeing this scene in the dead of night still sent a shiver down his spine.

Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm his mind and began to closely examine the tattoo pattern.

The black lines forming the pattern resembled the charm patterns of a talisman and gave off a hint of mystery.

Apart from its terrifying appearance, this tattoo didn’t hurt or itch, displaying no sensation at all. If he hadn’t just happened to see it after taking off his clothes, he likely wouldn’t have noticed it.

“Could it be related to the white skull from before? Could it be that this skull tattoo is a transformation of that white skull?” Shen Luo rubbed his chin, speculating in his mind.

He reached out and touched the tattoo, finding that that area of his skin felt just like the surrounding skin, with no bumps or indentations, as if it was truly just a tattoo.

He then tried scraping it aggressively with his fingernails. Outside of causing the skin to sting a bit, the pattern was completely unaffected as if it was naturally a part of his skin.

After a moment of consideration, Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the ground, activated his Small Transformation Yang Skill, and led the Yang Gang Qi rising from his Dantian to his shoulder. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Before long, his entire shoulder was enveloped in a faint red light. His skin surface also emitted a touch of red light. However, other than the eye sockets and the nasal cavity of the black skull tattoo glowing red, the rest of it remained pitch black with no anomalies detected.

“Now that my Small Transformation Yang Skill is perfected, the Yang Gang Qi I can summon is incomparable to before. If it were an evil object, it wouldn’t stay this calm.”

Shen Luo did not stop there. He tried a number of other methods, like punching and slapping, biting and drenching, in an attempt to remove the black skull tattoo, but all efforts ended in failure.

“Never mind. It seems that there’s no immediate danger for now. Anyway, without these peculiar experiences, the Small Transformation Yang Skill would be as difficult for me as reaching the sky. Hopefully, this Nameless Technique won’t be as tough,” Shen Luo didn’t lose himself over it and refocused on the Nameless Technique.

According to Master Fengyang and Master Luo, if one could master Small Transformation Yang Skill, they could extend their lifespan by two to three years. Whether this timeframe would be enough for him was another matter altogether.

Regardless, at this point, there was no way he would back down now.

With those thoughts in mind, Shen Luo stood up, stretched out his arms, and stepped into the brook. He sat cross-legged where the water was shallow, allowing it to rise to his chest, stopping just below his neck.

He then closed his eyes in concentration, recounting the cultivation mantra of the first level of the Nameless Technique. Once he confirmed he got it right, he started breathing in and out as instructed by the technique.

Unlike the Small Transformation Yang Skill, this Nameless Method put more emphasis on connecting with the Heaven and Earth. As he breathed in and out, he was also concentrating on sensing the world around him.

It took Shen Luo some time to adjust initially, stumbling through the first breathing exercises, but he gradually got the hang of it.

The Yang Gang power in his Dantian began to slowly circulate within his body under the guidance of his technique. After one circulation cycle, it returned to his Dantian, feeling slightly warm.

At the same time, threads of cold breath penetrated his body from the surrounding water, accumulating in his limbs without spreading to his chest and abdomen.

According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, this cold breath was none other than the Water Spirit Qi.

Shen Luo continued to operate the Nameless Technique, over and over again. He quickly completed thirty-six circulation cycles.

With every cycle, the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian became hotter, and after thirty-six cycles, his Dantian felt as if there was a raging fire burning within.

Under the surge of the Water Spirit Qi, his limbs became remarkably cold as if they were frozen in a block of ice, on the verge of losing consciousness.

Such alternation of cold and hot put Shen Luo in a state of agony, as if he were caught between ice and fire. However, with immense determination, he clenched his teeth and endured.

To step into the Qi Refining Stage, transforming from a mortal to a real monk, the most crucial step is to understand the Dao. In other words, only after understanding the Dao can one truly embark on the path of immortality.

According to Bai Xiaotian, every cultivation technique has its own method to understand the Dao.

The method cited in the Nameless Law Formula is to mobilize the foundational Yang Gang Qi, while simultaneously drawing the Water Spirit Qi into the body, allowing the technique to circulate through the thirty-six celestial circuits, putting oneself in a state of balance between water and fire.

In this state, if one can continuously try and perceive, successfully guiding the harmonization of both Qi, reaching a subtle cycle of Yin and Yang, it can help the physical body integrate into Heaven and Earth, enabling the spirit to concentrate highly. Through this transformational opportunity, one can understand the Dao.

The so-called perception is somewhat elusive, like flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water – visible but not necessarily tangible. Even the feelings of individuals may vary. Still, constant attempts can increase the possibility of success, though some people, limited by their qualifications or understanding, may not be able to touch that key point even after lifelong diligent practice.

Shen Luo silently recited the method recorded in the Nameless Law Formula whilst mobilizing the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian and the stored Water Spirit Qi in his limbs.

The cold and hot Qi intertwined and collided within his body, causing his complexion to fluctuate between pale and flushed.

This confrontation between cold and heat persisted for only a moment. The chilly Water Spirit Qi was significantly weaker than the Yang Gang Qi. It began to dissipate quickly, culminating in a rapid collapse.

Shen Luo sighed inwardly, knowing he had failed.

It seemed that like the Small Transformation Yang Skill, this Nameless Law Formula was not easy to cultivate, or perhaps his talents were simply not up to par.

But it was only his first attempt, aimed merely at experiencing the cultivation of the Nameless Law Formula, thus he had not held high expectations to begin with. Consequently, he could not say he was disappointed at this failure.

But at that moment, a sudden, unexpected change occurred.

Shen Luo felt a slight chill sweeping over his right shoulder, a giant surge of cold qi rushing into his body.

His body tensed up, his skin once again coated with a layer of fine white frost, which quickly spread to cover his entire body in the blink of an eye.

Just like before, this aura of coldness had no effect on the surroundings. The water in the brook continued to river along, its temperature unchanged.

As soon as this cold Qi entered Shen Luo’s body, it immediately rushed towards the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian, and the two violently collided.

Boom!

A muffled noise resounded within his body, causing his internal organs to tremble.

Pain pierced through Shen Luo’s meridians, leaving him unable to move or even exert control over these two conflicting forces. He could only let them rampage inside his body.

However, these two powerful energies didn’t conflict for long. They soon intertwined, transitioning from clashing against each other to harmoniously blending together.

In that moment, Shen Luo felt as though he had pushed open a mysterious Big Gate. A profound sense of exhilaration rose within him, allowing his mind to bask in its delight.

At this time, he could feel the Water Spirit Qi continuously entering his body from his limbs, and the Yang Gang Qi from his Dantian intertwining with it. This process occurred naturally and didn’t require his intervention.

It was as if all of this was meant to be.