Chapter 15 – The Power of Sky Burial

“Hum…”

With his powerful soul, Mu Lin drew vast amounts of spiritual energy into his body, manipulating it to flow rapidly through his meridians.

Due to the excessive spiritual energy and its swift circulation, it even took the shape of a python within Mu Lin’s body.

“Boom…”

Like a speeding train, the python surged through Mu Lin’s meridians. As it flowed, he continuously imprinted his will upon the spiritual energy, transforming it into his own mana.

However, Mu Lin noticed that only a portion of the converted black mist magical power remained within his body.

Most of the black mist magical power merged into Mu Lin’s flesh, strengthening his physical form.

This was a characteristic of black mist magical power—the Blackwater Profound Serpent Mortal Shedding Art was, after all, a cultivation method that emphasized physical enhancement.

…

With spiritual energy circulating swiftly within him and his body gradually strengthening, everything was progressing favorably for Mu Lin.

Yet, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Mu Lin had to halt his cultivation—his meridians were aching faintly, making further practice impossible.

“What a pity.”

Sighing, Mu Lin wasn’t overly disappointed. Prolonged cultivation causing faint pain in the meridians wasn’t an issue unique to him; it was a challenge that troubled all cultivators.

In this world, Qi Refiners who possessed spirit roots typically had their meridians fully opened from birth. Blocked meridians were considered an ailment requiring treatment.

However, although human meridians were open, they were initially fragile and needed continuous strengthening and widening through spiritual energy.

Mu Lin’s meridians had not yet been reinforced, which was why they ached after a period of cultivation.

“Fortunately, the Blackwater Profound Serpent Mortal Shedding Art is a cultivation method that emphasizes the physical body. As my body strengthens, my meridians will be reinforced as well.”

“Moreover, having free time isn’t a bad thing—it allows me to work on other matters.”

As a cultivator, Mu Lin not only had to cultivate mana but also practice spells and visualize his divine soul. In short, for cultivators, time was always insufficient.

Just like now, upon realizing he could no longer cultivate spiritual energy, he closed his eyes and began visualizing the Mindscape – Sky Burial City.

It should also be noted that enhanced thinking ability, multitasking, increased sensing capability, and improved control over spiritual energy—all these unique traits were basic abilities that came with soul manifestation.

Just as all humans inherently know how to eat, breathe, drink, and sleep, these were innate instincts.

And after advancing to the third realm, Expert, the Mindscape – Sky Burial City also possessed its own unique characteristics.

But that aside, beyond the abilities mentioned, soul manifestation granted Mu Lin other innate talents.

For instance, in terms of offense and defense, the soul spirits born within the civilian houses were naturally protected by the houses, coffins, shields, and armor.

Anyone wishing to attack Mu Lin’s divine soul would have to break through the defenses of the houses, coffins, shields, and armor before they could harm him.

Similarly, his bows, spears, and longswords could also attack the divine souls of his enemies.

Of course, since he couldn’t yet leave his body or enter others’ divine souls, all Mu Lin could do now was counterattack—he couldn’t initiate an offensive.

But that was still quite useful.

Additionally, Mu Lin could allow entities from his mindscape to possess him, enhancing the power of his spells.

This divine soul possession, combined with the life energy cultivated through the Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture, was the key to animating the paper figures.

However, Divine Soul possession is considered a basic innate talent. Sword Cultivators, or other Qi Refiners, can also use their nurtured Sword Intent or Spell Intent to enhance the power of sword control techniques or spells.

“Enhanced thinking, Sensing, offense and defense, Divine Soul possession… It feels like the soul spirit is somewhat all-purpose.”

In fact, the Divine Soul is indeed somewhat all-purpose.

And all of the above are abilities that one will universally possess after Soul Manifestation.

Of course, there are those who practice inferior Cultivation Methods. After their soul spirit is born, they may have no weapons, no protection—such situations do exist.

However, those are predicaments typically associated with Yellow Grade methods. Once reaching Mysterious Grade, these basic characteristics are mostly present, with at least one of them.

And as an Earth Grade method, and a top-tier one at that, Mindscape – Sky Burial City naturally possesses its own unique characteristic.

This characteristic is referred to in the Paper Crafting Scripture as—Sky Burial.

In the cultivation world, names hold power. The fact that curse spells can be cast using True Names is a concrete manifestation of this power.

Calling upon the name of a Deity will be heard by Them, which is further evidence that True Names possess power.

Sky Burial City is a special place, and its name also holds power.

Mu Lin’s Cultivation Method is named after Mindscape – Sky Burial. After advancing his method to the third realm, Expert, Mu Lin vaguely sensed that his Divine Soul had established a faint connection with a certain mysterious place.

Now, he could use this connection to draw power from that mysterious place down to the mortal realm.

“Without a doubt, that must be Sky Burial City. I wonder what changes will come from borrowing its power.”

After a moment’s thought, Mu Lin closed his eyes and had his soul spirit call out the name of Sky Burial City.

“Woo woo woo…”

As Mu Lin called out, power truly descended, and then, eerie events began to unfold within his Sea of Consciousness.

First, strange, mournful weeping inexplicably arose within his Divine Soul, followed by a sky full of Ghost Money drifting down from above.

With Ghost Money filling the sky and the weeping casting a dark atmosphere, just these two elements alone made Mu Lin’s Divine Soul feel unsettling.

But the changes brought by that thread of power did not end there. Originally, Mu Lin’s humble dwelling was ordinary, but now, it had taken on an eerie sensation, akin to some haunted houses.

The Longsword and Spear he had visualized even inexplicably gained bloodstains.

Inside the Coffin, there even suddenly came a “thump thump” sound.

All of this startled Mu Lin.

Instinctively, he severed his connection with Sky Burial City.

To his relief, as the connection broke, the anomalies in his Sea of Consciousness gradually subsided.

“Hah…”

Though the anomalies were gone, Mu Lin was jolted awake and took several deep breaths.

At the same time, he was somewhat puzzled as to why his cultivation would produce such eerie phenomena…

“Wait, the Paper Folding Secret Art seems to belong to the Yin Eight Gates. Paper Crafting, funeral materials, corpse carrying, executioner… Cultivation within the Yin Eight Gates is inherently eerie and unorthodox, so having such anomalies seems quite normal.”

Upon careful reflection, Mu Lin realized that while the earlier situation was indeed unsettling, it must be said that this transformation had made his Divine Soul’s Sea of Consciousness more dangerous.

Under such anomalies, whether for offense or defense, it would be beneficial to him.

Moreover, after the Sky Burial Power descended, his mindscape would become more compatible with the spells of the Paper Folding lineage, greatly enhancing their power.

“So, this is the orthodox cultivation method of the Yin Eight Gates?”

This realization left Mu Lin speechless and gave him a headache.

The Sky Burial Power wasn’t entirely beneficial for Mu Lin.

He could sense that after that anomalous force descended, his divine soul was also slightly affected, becoming more cruel and sinister.

“No wonder most cultivators of the Yin Eight Gates have such notorious reputations. Who can guarantee complete mental fortitude when constantly exposed to such anomalous power?”

The reason why “emerging unstained from the mud” is praised is precisely because it is rare!

More often, people are tainted by the mud and become part of it.

Furthermore, Mu Lin could also sense that the Sky Burial Power wasn’t entirely unstoppable. Thunder and fire both had an effect on it.

“So, in terms of malevolence, it isn’t even the strongest…”

Halfway through his thought, Mu Lin remembered that his Mindscape – Sky Burial City was, after all, only an Earth Grade High Rank cultivation method, not a top-tier Heaven Grade one. Having flaws… was quite reasonable.

“If it had no flaws, it would already be Heaven Grade.”

After discovering the flaws in the cultivation method, Mu Lin made a decision: to modify the method, or at least change the “Sky Burial City” part of his Mindscape – Sky Burial City.

“I think Mindscape – Hell sounds quite good. At the very least, Sky Burial City should be changed to Fengdu City.”

(End of Chapter)