Chapter 561: Master of the Green Spirit Heavens and Earth

Chapter 561: Master of the Green Spirit Heavens and Earth

Teaching a puppet how to play chess was a test of patience, especially when said puppet would freeze up and glitch whenever it encountered a difficult problem, taking a while before it could recover.

However, Xu Yan was filled with enthusiasm for the task and not a hint of impatience, carefully instructing the puppet.

Before the game even began, Xiao Jie had not yet fully grasped the rules and methods of chess when Ming Yu returned.

Through teaching Xiao Jie, Xu Yan discovered that when it came to unfamiliar and completely new knowledge, the jade puppet struggled a little more, and its thoughts would often falter.

On the other hand, when it came to combat-related knowledge, the puppet was quick to react and rarely faltered.

"Chess?"

Ming Yu was delighted and immediately took Xiao Jie's place, asking Xu Yan to teach her how to play.

Xu Yan was more than happy to oblige, and it would also be a good opportunity to test if Ming Yu's thought process was better at learning unfamiliar knowledge compared to Xiao Jie's.

As expected, while Ming Yu occasionally experienced moments of mental blockage, these instances were rare, and she recovered quickly. She picked up the rules and methods of the game swiftly.

"Ming Yu is a more advanced jade puppet and possesses great growth potential. That's why she's valued by the three masters of Yu Ting and holds a higher status than the other jade puppets," Xu Yan mused, a bit perplexed.

What was the intention behind the three masters of Yu Ting sending Ming Yu to observe the heavens and the earth?

Could it be that they wanted Ming Yu to metamorphose into a heavenly being?

Ming Yu happily played chess with Xu Yan. While she had learned how to play, one couldn't expect her to become a chess master overnight.

"Xu Yan, I've found the bamboo," Ming Yu said joyfully during their game.

"I'm quite curious about this bamboo. If possible, could you take me to see it?" Xu Yan's spirits lifted at the mention of bamboo, as he recalled Qingyu.

Back then, when Taicang fell, he wondered how Qingyu had ended up in Yu Ting. Moreover, Qingyu was a Master of Heaven and Earth, an existence that had created the heavens and the earth.

If he could obtain Qingyu's heavenly path, it would greatly aid his cultivation of the Established Doctrine.

After all, the Established Doctrine was about establishing one's own path and perfecting the ways of heaven and earth, strengthening one's own doctrine.

"No problem," Ming Yu readily agreed, her eyes not wavering from the chessboard as she contemplated her next move.

It was clear that Ming Yu had a deep interest in chess.

Or perhaps, she had a keen interest in any new and profound knowledge.

"This helps enhance Ming Yu's consciousness and agility of thought. It's an innate instinct in her subconscious," Xu Yan mused.

Half a month had passed since Xu Yan's arrival in Yu Ting, and every day, he spent time with Ming Yu, who enthusiastically hosted him. For Ming Yu, sharing her favorite delicacies was the best way to entertain her guest.

Xu Yan "ate" various "delicacies" every day, and the rules of the Turtle of the Primal Chaos's shell became increasingly refined and strengthened.

Xu Yan also gained some understanding of this special "food" that could supplement the rules. It was an adjunct to the puppet rules, meant to compensate for and continuously improve the puppet's rules.

Because of this, it also had the ability to supplement other rules.

On this day, Ming Yu finally remembered that she hadn't taken Xu Yan to see the bamboo yet.

"Xu Yan, let me take you to see the bamboo," Ming Yu said reluctantly after finishing a game.

"Thank you," Xu Yan replied, as he had not rushed her and wanted her to bring up the topic herself, as well as to cultivate her interest in chess.

Following Ming Yu, they traversed a long path in Yu Ting, passing by several courtyards along the way. The residents of these courtyards were all existences on the level of Masters of Heaven and Earth.

In fact, Xu Yan even discovered a Master of Heaven and Earth whose strength was no weaker than that of Mingyu.

"The creator of Yu Ting and these jade puppets is incredibly powerful. Aside from my master, they are the strongest beings I know. I wonder how they compare to the Non-Transformation Master. Based on the information I have, the Non-Transformation Master might not be as strong as Yu Ting's creator," Xu Yan marveled inwardly.

Of course, it was difficult to gauge the true strength of the Non-Transformation Master, and if the three masters of Yu Ting were the creators, then their strength would have to be assessed on a different level.

If the three masters were indeed jade puppets, then the strength of Yu Ting's creator would be on yet another level.

They could possibly be Path Practitioners!

However, without meeting the three masters of Yu Ting, all of this was mere speculation. Nonetheless, Yu Ting's strength was undeniable, far surpassing that of Da Huang.

"Aside from my master, Da Huang has no one who can rival Yu Ting," Xu Yan sighed. Even the Great Dao of Da Huang couldn't match Yu Ting.

"By integrating the Hongze Heaven and Earth, the Great Wilderness will undoubtedly become stronger, but it still won't be able to match Yu Ting. Unless the likes of Taihe, Taikun, and Xiao Laotou break through to the Heaven Master realm, only then would they be able to rival Yu Ting, and the power of their Heavenly Dao would surpass the Heaven Master tier."

The potential of the Great Wilderness was indeed immense. The Heavenly Dao could be promoted to the level of a Path, allowing one to continuously grow stronger, becoming the mightiest Path beneath the Grand Dao.

However, its growth period was simply too short. If given a few million years, or even a Primordial Era, it would be inevitable for the Heavenly Dao to surpass the Non-Transformation Temple and Yu Ting.

Ming Yu was eager to play chess and asked questions about it all the way to their destination.

Xu Yan patiently answered her inquiries, and they soon arrived at a compound surrounded by tall walls. The walls, reaching a hundred zhang high, were a pristine jade-white color and emanated a faint radiance, as if imbued with a hint of vitality.

This was something unique to this compound and not found in the other structures of Yu Ting.

The Qingling Jade Bamboo was located within this very compound.

"The bamboo is inside!" Ming Yu exclaimed as she pushed open the gate and led Xu Yan in.

As soon as they stepped through the entrance, a refreshing aura washed over them, rich with vibrant vitality. The spiritual energy was mild and moist, and a subtle fragrance permeated their spirits, invigorating their minds.

In the center of the compound stood a bamboo tree nearly a hundred zhang tall. Its verdant leaves shone with a jade-like luster, making it seem like an unparalleled treasure. Though it was just a single bamboo tree, its branches were lush and expansive, as if they were propping up a miniature world.

The entire compound was infused with boundless vitality because of this bamboo tree. The fresh aura soothed their spirits, making it feel as though they were in a serene and beautiful realm.

Qingling Jade Bamboo!

Xu Yan took out the bamboo shoot that Ming Yu had given him, and at that moment, he felt a connection with the towering bamboo as if they were flesh and blood.

This shoot had once been a branch of the Qingling Jade Bamboo.

"Xu Yan, isn't this bamboo just so beautiful?" Ming Yu asked as she walked towards the bamboo.

Xu Yan followed closely behind. The Qingling Jade Bamboo was planted in the center of the compound, and surrounding it were various divine objects.

These objects were all incredibly precious and rare treasures, each with a grade comparable to a Small Heaven Master, and they had already given birth to their own laws.

They could be called Heavenly Treasures.

If they possessed sentience, their strength would rival that of a Realm Lord.

At that moment, the Qingling Jade Bamboo stood there like a priceless treasure, quietly growing. Though it was alive, it showed no signs of consciousness, and Xu Yan couldn't sense even a trace of a soul within it.

"Has its soul been obliterated, leaving only the physical body?" Xu Yan wondered as he activated his Little Heavenly Dao Eye. However, all he could see was a hazy white radiance and a faint green color. Beyond that, there was nothing else.

"Was her soul destroyed in the great war, or was it Yu Ting that did it? Or perhaps, her consciousness still exists but has been sealed away?" Xu Yan pondered as he approached the bamboo. The closer he got, the more he could feel its vibrant vitality.

"Only my junior sister's Everlasting Dao Body can surpass this level of vitality," Xu Yan mused.

The Qingling Heaven Master wasn't skilled in combat, but her vitality was infinite. She could reduce damage, heal others' injuries, and restore their consumption.

During that battle, she had treated Ming Yu and Wu Mo, aiding them in recovering from their exhaustion.

She might have even risked approaching the battle between Tai Cang and the Non-Transformation Heaven Master to burn her own origin and restore Tai Cang's consumption and injuries.

Of course, even Ming Yu didn't know the specifics of the battle between Tai Cang and the Non-Transformation Heaven Master. What Qing Yu had encountered and what had happened to her remained a mystery.

"Xu Yan, this is where the bamboo grows. Do you want it? Should I cut down a bamboo shoot for you?" Ming Yu blinked and asked.

"This bamboo is too precious. Cutting down a shoot would mar its beauty. I don't have the heart to do it. This bamboo is just very special and suitable for my enlightenment," Xu Yan shook his head and explained.

"Oh, then let's go back and play chess?" Ming Yu suggested, her mind still on the game.

Xu Yan smiled bitterly, "Ming Yu, you can also play chess with Xiao Jie to practice your skills. Otherwise, you'll never be able to beat me."

He paused before adding, "I want to stay here and contemplate, to perfect my enlightenment."

Ming Yu tilted her head, seeming to ponder this for a while before replying, "Alright then, I'll go back and play with Xiao Jie."

"Mhm," Xu Yan nodded.

He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. He was glad that Ming Yu allowed him to stay there, giving him the opportunity to investigate whether Qing Yu had only her physical body left.

"Xu Yan, you can't stay here for too long. Once a day at most, and you'll have to leave. You can only come back after three days have passed," Ming Yu reminded him.

Mingyu suddenly spoke up again, offering a reminder.

Xu Yan was taken aback, but he didn't ask for a reason. Since he could always come back later, he wouldn't stay too long this time.

"Okay, I understand!" he replied.

"Then I'll go back and play chess with Xiao Jie," Mingyu said, her voice filled with excitement as she hurried back.

Xu Yan reached out and touched the Qingling Jade Bamboo, sensing its vibrant vitality but detecting no trace of consciousness within it.

"I wonder if its consciousness is dormant or sealed. Could it be awakened?" Xu Yan hesitated, unsure if it was asleep or if its consciousness was restrained. If it was asleep, it might be possible to wake it up without causing any major issues. However, if its consciousness was sealed, attempting to free it might alert the three masters of Yu Ting.

In the end, Xu Yan decided against taking the risk. Even though he wasn't afraid of the three masters due to his master's jade talisman, he didn't want to involve Mingyu in any potential trouble.

"I'll cultivate here," he decided. "I'll soon achieve a major breakthrough in the Established Doctrine, and I can also interact with other jade beings. The puppet rules are very unique and worth studying."

With that, Xu Yan sat down cross-legged in front of the Qingling Jade Bamboo and began to cultivate. At that moment, he felt as if he were cultivating within the heavens and the earth, surrounded by gentle and nourishing spiritual energy.

After learning the location of the Qingling Jade Bamboo, Xu Yan allocated some time to play chess with Mingyu, teaching her the game. Every few days, he would come to the courtyard where the bamboo grew and cultivate, intentionally allowing his cultivation base to permeate the bamboo, hoping to provoke a response from its consciousness if it still existed.

In addition, Xu Yan asked Mingyu to introduce him to the other jade beings, and before long, he became acquainted with the jade beings living in the surrounding courtyards.

Xu Yan discovered that although these jade beings possessed the strength of Masters of Heaven and Earth, their thinking was still dull, and they experienced moments of stagnation when confronted with profound questions.

Just as he had suspected, the jade puppets at the level of Masters of Heaven and Earth operated on Dao rules, and their combat and crisis response consciousness was more developed.

While their thinking didn't seem to have improved significantly, their ability to sense danger had increased considerably.

As Xu Yan continued to explore the secrets of the jade puppets and gained a deeper understanding of their workings, his Established Doctrine cultivation level steadily rose, approaching a major breakthrough.

"Yu Ting is truly a treasure trove!" Xu Yan exclaimed in admiration. Mingyu's chess skills had improved significantly, and her thinking had become sharper as well.

One day, Mingyu took the initiative to ask about souls, eager to fill in the gaps in her knowledge from their previous discussion on the subject.

Xu Yan was delighted to oblige, as he found Mingyu's thinking rules fascinating. During their previous knowledge exchange, Mingyu had already drawn out most of her rules, except for those related to thinking—or, more specifically, the set of rules that simulated a soul.

As expected, Mingyu froze once again, an occurrence that Xu Yan had become accustomed to.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, two years had passed since Xu Yan's arrival in Yu Ting. He had explored almost every corner of the place and had met each jade being at least once.

However, he still hadn't encountered the three masters of Yu Ting, and something about Yu Ting seemed odd to him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

These jade beings seemed to have no sense of guard against him, an outsider.

Such a poorly guarded Yu Ting should have been easy to infiltrate and conquer, yet the Non-Transformation Temple treated it with extreme caution and importance. This suggested that Yu Ting was far more complex and formidable than it appeared on the surface.

Mingyu continued her quest to unravel the mysteries of the soul, as if something was blocking her from comprehending it fully.

Although she hadn't yet grasped the concept of the soul or how to sense it, her intelligence and thinking were gradually becoming more akin to those of a normal person.

Mingyu's progress was a result of Xu Yan's gradual influence, and he began to notice more and more differences between her and the other jade beings.

The others didn't seem to have the same capacity for growth and improvement.

When the topic of souls was brought up, they showed no special reactions or insights, as if the concept held no significance for them and wasn't worth pondering.

The other jade beings would blink and then promptly forget about it whenever Xu Yan mentioned souls.

"Is Mingyu's status so high because she's unique and capable of continuous improvement?" Xu Yan wondered.

He even suspected that the three masters of Yu Ting might be secretly observing them, allowing him to remain in Yu Ting in the hopes that he would continue to facilitate Mingyu's progress and transformation.

"Mingyu, how about I teach you how to cultivate?" Xu Yan suggested with a smile.

"Cultivate?" Mingyu tilted her head, then nodded eagerly. "Okay, okay!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end