frightfiction #273 - World Projection
#273 - World Projection
Mr. Wu Liu was shocked upon hearing this: "How could this be?"
Now that the Northland's fortune is on the rise, and with the addition of the Yellow Turban Tao's incense offerings, the ancestral veins of the Northland should be continuously growing stronger. How could they not only fail to strengthen but instead begin to shrink?
This is very abnormal!
"Could it be because of the great drought across the land, causing widespread suffering among the people, which led to the decline of the Northland's fortune and backfired on the foundation of the ancestral veins?" Mr. Wu Liu looked at Gu Mingyue, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Hearing Mr. Wu Liu's words, Gu Mingyue scratched his head, also somewhat puzzled, and said, "Perhaps."
He couldn't detect the reason either, after all, the dragon vein's aura inherently repels all methods. Unless it's a Dragon Slaying technique specifically designed to counter dragon energy, ordinary Taoist methods and supernatural powers simply cannot approach the dragon vein.
Don't underestimate the ability of Yang God realm experts to split mountains and crack the earth, but their actions didn't affect the main areas guarded by the dragon veins; they only tore apart ordinary mountains.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen stood in front of the Eight Trigrams Furnace, carefully sensing the energy within. He saw that under the effect of the furnace's flames, the earthen-yellow sphere had only shattered one layer of restriction.
All the restrictions on the small sphere were integrated. Shattering one restriction already indicated that all the restrictions on the sphere couldn't withstand it. Next, as long as he continued to use the flames in the Eight Trigrams Furnace to temper it, with the appearance of gaps in the restrictions, the shattering would become faster and faster.
"How long have I been in seclusion this time?" Zhang Chen asked.
The fox spirit Nannan held out one finger. Zhang Chen's heart skipped a beat when he saw it: "A year?"
"One month," the fox spirit Nannan said.
Zhang Chen was stunned upon hearing this, his eyes filled with disbelief: "Impossible! How could it be only a month?"
He had been unconscious in the Underworld for some time. In his estimation, it should have been at least a month?
Then, Zhang Chen recalled a saying from his previous life: 'One day in heaven is one year on earth.' Does that also mean that the flow of time in this world's human realm is different from the flow of time in the Underworld?
"It's not impossible! I initially hid in the Underworld to escape the pursuit of the Innate Mosquitoes, and I fled for at least a month. Adding the time I was unconscious, it doesn't add up at all. Perhaps the only explanation now is the different flow of time," Zhang Chen thought to himself.
His absence of a month could be easily explained to the Taoist temple. He could just say that something had delayed him at Xie Lingyun's place.
However, the only thing that worried him was that his white hair was a bit too conspicuous, but there was no good way to conceal it. After all, there was no hair dye in this world. As for using dye for dyeing cloth, the color would fade with a little sweat, making it impossible to hide.
After thinking it over, Zhang Chen couldn't think of a way to conceal it, so he had no choice but to tie up his hair to minimize its volume and make it less noticeable.
After taking care of his hair, Zhang Chen instructed the fox spirit Nannan to "guard the cave" before transforming into a vampire bat and disappearing into the world.
Now that Zhang Chen's Blood Control Technique had entered the fifth stage, he immediately noticed the difference. After transforming into a bat, he saw that the bat was still the size of a rooster, but the bat's wings flickered with golden纹路, shimmering with mysterious undulations, actually continuously drawing in the power of the great sun from the sky.
"This vampire bat's bloodline is awesome. After my bloodline evolved, I can actually draw in the power of the great sun?" Zhang Chen flapped his wings, and all the sunlight within a twenty-meter radius turned into distorted rays, absorbed by Zhang Chen's wings.
Looking from afar, it was as if a twenty-meter black hole was streaking across the sky, very ostentatious and eye-catching.
"Absorbing the essence of the great sun doesn't seem to have any effect on me, at least I can't see any benefits now," Zhang Chen quickly restrained his ability to absorb sunlight, gathered his entire aura, and flew quietly through the mountains like a large bird.
Now, there are countless capable people and strange individuals in the Northland, and many experts have gathered here. Zhang Chen still needs to act with caution and restraint, and dare not be ostentatious in the slightest.
Along the way, he silently reorganized his body in the dense forest outside the Taoist temple. Zhang Chen leisurely strolled around the mountain for a while, and then openly walked towards the direction of the mountain gate.
Zhang Chen is a disciple of the Taoist temple, and he hangs out with Xiaodouding every day, so he is a celebrity in the Taoist temple. Along the way, the Taoist temple disciples constantly greeted Zhang Chen.
At this time, pilgrims were constantly entering the mountain to offer incense. Zhang Chen followed the pilgrims into the Taoist temple without leaving a trace, and remotely heard a shout:
"Zhang Chen, you've been absent from the morning class this month. What have you been doing?"
Zhou Xu, the deacon of the Yellow Turban Tao, walked out of a corridor with a stern face and shouted at Zhang Chen from afar.
Seeing Zhou Xu, Zhang Chen couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle. This guy is an iron-faced and selfless fellow who only recognizes the truth.
"Disciple… Disciple was suddenly called down the mountain by Xie Lingyun and was delayed for a month. I didn't have time to ask for leave, and I hope the steward won't blame me," Zhang Chen had already thought of a countermeasure in his mind.
Hearing this, Zhou Xu sized Zhang Chen up and down, his face showing no emotion, only causing Zhang Chen to feel a little apprehensive before he patted Zhang Chen's shoulder: "Zhang Chen, rules cannot be broken! Even if you have something to do next time and can't go, you must ask someone to ask for leave for you. You have now gained the favor of Centurion Xie, but don't get carried away. Centurion Xie's favor depends entirely on personal preference. She can favor you, and naturally she can favor others. Study martial arts well, cultivate your own skills, and be a low-key person. This is the real favor."
"Yes, Disciple understands," Zhang Chen said.
Zhou Xu's gaze shifted and looked at Zhang Chen's hair, a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes: "What's wrong with your hair? Why is it all white?"
"You don't know, I have formed a deadly feud with Zhang Xiaohua, the heir of the Pingbian Prince's Mansion. I can't sleep at night thinking about it, and I've worried myself white," Zhang Chen sighed helplessly, simply pushing all the responsibility onto Zhang Xiaohua.
Hearing this, Zhou Xu looked at Zhang Chen with sympathy. That was the heir of the Pingbian Prince, and if he had offended him, he would probably be in constant fear all day long.
Zhou Xu patted Zhang Chen's shoulder, only sighed, and then turned and left with a heavy heart, leaving Zhang Chen looking at Zhou Xu's worries with some confusion.
"It's over just like that? It seems that privileges are really awesome," Zhang Chen muttered, and swayed back to the small courtyard all the way, only to see Xiaodouding walking back and forth under the big elm tree in the courtyard, his face full of anxiety.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Chen walked into the courtyard silently and asked.
Cheng Yu was startled, turned his head and glared at Zhang Chen: "Why don't you make any noise when you walk? Are you trying to scare me to death?"
Speaking of this, Cheng Yu quickly stepped forward, looked around the courtyard, and then questioned Zhang Chen: "Where have you been this month? Why haven't you come back? There wasn't even a message. It scared me. I thought you were killed by that ugly freak."
"What could happen to me?" Zhang Chen shook his head: "Remember this, the person who can kill me in this world has not yet been born."
"If you see that I haven't returned in time in the future, remember to cover for me," Zhang Chen touched Xiaodouding's head.
"Hmph, you want me to cover for you? It depends on whether you know what's good for you. Besides, it's been a month, how can I cover it up? Luckily I'm clever. The Abbot has looked for you several times, but I told him you were called down the mountain by Chief Xie, and I managed to cover it up." Little Bean said, stretching out her fair little hand, looking at Zhang Chen with anticipation, waiting for Zhang Chen's reward.
Zhang Chen knew that Little Bean wanted snacks, but unfortunately, Zhang Chen had rushed down the mountain this time, and didn't have any snacks to bring.
"I'll bring you some next time. I came down the mountain this time to handle a big matter, and I didn't have time to bring you any," Zhang Chen said.
Cheng Yu pouted her little mouth, and then her gaze inadvertently swept across the hair at Zhang Chen's temples, and her whole expression changed drastically: "Zhang Chen, why is your hair all white?"
"I don't know either," Zhang Chen said as he picked up Little Bean and walked into the house.
"Could it be that Zhang Xiaohua is secretly harming you, poisoning you?" A hint of ferocity appeared in Little Bean's eyes: "Otherwise, let's just strike first to gain the advantage, and kill Zhang Xiaohua directly, then run away down the mountain."
Little Bean's eyes were full of banditry.
Zhang Chen touched Little Bean's head, smoothing her bristly hair: "It's not him. How could a mere Zhang Xiaohua harm me? I just made a mistake while cultivating. Although I didn't bring you any snacks this time, I brought you a good thing."
"What good thing?" Little Bean was a child, and upon hearing this, she was immediately attracted by Zhang Chen, looking at Zhang Chen with a curious face.
Zhang Chen brought Little Bean into the house, closed the door, and stroked Little Bean's head, wondering whether to teach Little Bean the extraordinary method.
Originally, Zhang Chen had no way to pass on the Visualization Technique engraved in Zhang Chen's soul. However, since Zhang Chen had been constantly using the Six-Syllable Mantra to control the innate mosquitoes in the Netherworld, he felt that his soul had been tempered repeatedly by the Six-Syllable Mantra, and seemed to possess a mysterious ability. He discovered that his soul seemed to have undergone some kind of change, and perhaps he could try to use the power of the Six-Syllable Mantra as a bridge to transmit the Dharma soul to soul.
"Come here, sit cross-legged," Zhang Chen instructed Little Bean.
Little Bean was very obedient, obediently sitting there cross-legged, her little face solemnly forming hand seals and meditating.
For martial artists, meditation is not difficult, because daily stance training is also a form of meditation.
Seeing that Little Bean's aura gradually stabilized, Zhang Chen pointed a finger, landing on Little Bean's brow. In the next moment, the Six-Syllable Mantra in his spiritual world burst into bright light, shooting out boundless radiance. The radiance passed through the Visualization Diagram, like a slide projector shining a light bulb on a screen. Zhang Chen tried to project it into Little Bean's spiritual world.
Facts have proven that the physical body has its own barriers. It is not easy to influence another physical body with spiritual power within a physical body. It is extremely difficult.
However, even if it was as difficult as ascending to heaven, he relied on the miraculous power of the Six-Syllable Light and actually succeeded.
He saw the Six-Syllable Mantra burst out with golden light, and the light passed through the Taoist Visualization Diagram that Zhang Chen had once obtained, following Zhang Chen's finger as a medium. Under the effect of mana, it actually ignored the flesh and blood barrier between the two and directly projected into Little Bean's spiritual world.
"What is this? What is this?"
Little Bean was startled, and her mental fluctuations conveyed curious words.
"Remember it carefully, engrave this pattern in your heart, do not forget it," Zhang Chen's voice entered Little Bean's spiritual world through his finger.
Little Bean didn't say much, silently memorizing the pattern, recording the various key points in the pattern.
Ten breaths later, Zhang Chen's mana was exhausted, the transmission of the technique stopped, and Zhang Chen looked at Little Bean. He saw Little Bean sitting there cross-legged, like an old monk sitting on a platform, even her breathing was as faint as a thread, as if she wasn't there.
"I don't know how much this girl can remember. Ten breaths is probably not enough to remember even the rough outline. But now that I have mastered the power of transmitting the Dharma, although I can only persist for ten breaths each time, as long as I transmit it a few more times, she will definitely be able to record it," Zhang Chen thought to himself.
"When I memorized the Visualization Diagram, I turned on the super state and it still took a full day. This little girl only watched it for ten breaths, I'm afraid she can't remember even one percent..." Zhang Chen thought to himself.
The Visualization Diagram involves countless runes and lines, and is very complex, so it is not so easy to remember.
Seeing Little Bean enter a state of visualization, Zhang Chen quietly came to the yard and began to stew meat.
As for where the meat came from?
Zhang Chen just instructed the fox fairy Nannan to take a trip, anyway, his Eight Trigrams Furnace doesn't need to be watched all the time.
"It's difficult," Zhang Chen suddenly felt that his manpower was insufficient, and he would have to find a few more reliable subordinates in the future.
After a pot of meat was stewed, Zhang Chen used water vapor to seal the meat flavor in the pot, and then came to the house, only to see Little Bean still sitting cross-legged on the bed.
"This girl's aptitude can't be that bad, right? How can she be memorizing it for so long?" Zhang Chen looked at Little Bean and thought to himself: "Later, when this girl wakes up, how should I comfort her?"
Just as Zhang Chen was thinking about how to comfort Little Bean, he suddenly saw the air behind Little Bean twisting and blurring, and there seemed to be some divine light twisting and flickering.
"What the hell is that?" Zhang Chen's pupils shrank when he saw this, looking at the inexplicable golden light flowing behind Little Bean, his eyes full of vigilance.
Although the golden light was weak, like starlight, it could not hide from Zhang Chen's eyes.
"Where did the light come from? This light looks very unusual?" Zhang Chen quickly opened his Dharma Eye, and the light of the True God flashed across the bottom of his eyes, and then Zhang Chen couldn't help but be shocked.
Where was that golden light? It was clearly the afterglow of a law.
Zhang Chen had seen the power of laws. Whether it was the black-robed monster or the innate mosquitoes, they had already mastered the power of laws. Zhang Chen had felt the aftershocks of the laws when the two sides fought.
But why would there be fluctuations of the afterglow of laws in the void behind Little Bean at this time?
Although that bit of law afterglow fluctuation was insignificant, even Zhang Chen, who was close at hand, could not sense it. If he didn't have the Dharma Eye, and it was visible to the naked eye at close range, he was afraid that Zhang Chen would not be able to detect the existence of the law's afterglow at all.
Why would there be golden light flowing behind Little Bean?
Zhang Chen stared at the golden light with his Dharma Eyes, his eyes full of seriousness, but he did not dare to act rashly, lest he disturb Little Bean.
As time passed, the golden light behind Little Bean became more and more numerous, gradually illuminating a three-foot void. The golden light turned into a ball behind her, and in the deepest part of that ball of golden light, there seemed to be a magnificent palace hidden.
"That... what is that?" Zhang Chen opened his Dharma Eye at this time, staring at the palace, his eyes full of shock.
That was not a palace. In the deepest part of the golden light, there was a large expanse of rolling palaces with no boundaries, hidden in the deepest part of the golden light.
The golden light was magnificent, with thousands of laws lingering, endless time and space turning, and endless majesty flowing endlessly, as if it were the legendary Heavenly Palace.