https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-888-Seeking-the-Past-Only-to-Grasp-the-Present/13041333/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-890-The-Continuing-Journey-of-the-Lotus-Seed/13041335/
Chapter 889: The Missing Ritual
Chapter 889: The Missing Ritual
It was not unusual for the Mystic Doctrine's relics to end up in the Fusion Land, given the historical rivalry between the Mystic and Zen Doctrines, with both sides experiencing their fair share of rises and falls.
Furthermore, both sides had numerous branch sects, and whenever one was at a disadvantage, they might place some of their treasures in the Fusion Land, entrusting them to members of these sects to safeguard, thus preventing external raids. This also allowed them to retrieve the items quickly in times of danger.
However, the complexity of the Fusion Land sometimes led to the disappearance of both the items and the sect elders, as a means of seeking refuge.
To prevent the loss of these treasures, they would also leave markings along the way, understood only by members of the sect, or they might use secret sect codes to hint at their whereabouts, allowing future generations to retrieve them.
The item that Guardian Yu was seeking likely fell into this category.
As Chen Chuan examined the stone tablet's records, he discovered that although Guardian Yu had encountered the Lotus Stone, the text between the lines did not abandon the idea of searching for the relic. Occasionally, he reminded himself to try searching for it again once the Lotus Seed matured.
Even later on, as he immersed himself in the "mystic arts," the words on the tablet became disjointed and chaotic, yet they still contained phrases related to the relic.
Phrases such as, "Is the treasure in the water or in the sky?" "What does the Heaven-Tipping Lake rely on?" and "I know, I know, now that I have the method, seeing it, taking or not taking, it troubles me!" were scattered throughout.
In addition to these statements, the tablet also contained fragmented clues, including terms related to geographical locations, possibly originating from the Mystic Doctrine's map of the Fusion Land.
Chen Chuan had not seen this map before. The old country's teachings, including its scriptures and secret records, were now stored in the National Archives but were not accessible to the public. Only those with specific credentials and a justified application could gain access to these materials.
This lack of crucial information made it challenging to pinpoint the exact location. Without these details, finding the precise spot would be difficult.
Moreover, the clues that Guardian Yu himself possessed might be incomplete, so he secretly noted them down, deciding to revisit them when the opportunity arose.
Chen Chuan's primary purpose for coming to the Fusion Land this time was to hunt and cultivate. Finding the Lotus Seeds was already an unexpected joy, and he didn't want to be overly ambitious. The cultivation in front of him was the most pressing matter.
Over the next few days, he hunted in the vicinity during the day and dedicated his evenings to rigorously practicing the Great Ming Light Style and the Great Blue Sky Style.
Within the area surrounding the Lotus Stone, he didn't have to venture far to encounter various creatures documented in the Bestiary.
These creatures gathered there due to the presence of the Demoghost, which made them aware of the reduced danger in that area. The more ferocious the creature, the less likely it was to approach.
This saved Chen Chuan a lot of effort, making his hunting much easier. However, he didn't intend to exterminate them all; instead, he would change directions after each hunt.
With an ample supply of nutrients, his cultivation rhythm returned to normal. Currently, he could master a style in about three to four days, so by the sixth day, he had grasped two styles of the Great Blue Sky Style.
His cultivation was not specialized in one area; instead, he emphasized the balanced development of both mental and physical aspects. The two great styles served to temper the spirit and the body, complementing each other. Since he had already practiced the Great Ming Light Style, he was now catching up with the Great Blue Sky Style, ensuring that neither aspect lagged.
Moreover, both styles could be utilized in combat against enemies, resulting in greater power. This was evident in his confrontation with the Array Demoghost. If one side's restraint was lacking, the effect would be significantly diminished, and a complete victory might not be guaranteed. There was even a chance for the Demoghost to escape.
It was crucial to understand that some of the Demoghost's primary altered organisms could disperse and escape. If even one was missed, there was a possibility of regeneration the next day. They might adopt a hit-and-run tactic, making it genuinely challenging to deal with them.
Although Chen Chuan didn't mind sparring with such an opponent, he came to the Fusion Land primarily for cultivation and didn't want these unexpected factors to disrupt his training.
Over the next few days, he would remove the Lotus Seed during the day and return it to its place at night, repeating this process for several days.
During this time, he also contemplated a rather important matter.
Since the Lotus Seed would likely mature at night, the blossoming of this centuries-old rare creature might attract attention.
The Bestiary mentioned the harvesting of "Triple Knot" and "Quintuple Knot" and the associated risks, which increased with the number of Lotus Seeds. This time, it was a "Septuple Knot," and the Bestiary had no records of such a situation, let alone the legendary "Nonuple Knot."
Chen Chuan believed that if Guardian Yu intended to harvest the seeds, he would surely consider this matter and make preparations. Following this line of thought, Chen Chuan inspected the area and eventually confirmed that the placement of the surrounding stone tablets was deliberate, likely arranged as a secret ritual to facilitate the harvesting of the seeds.
It wasn't unusual for Guardian Yu to set up such a ritual, given his limited knowledge of secret rituals. From what he could discern, the original purpose of this setup was to isolate certain external influences and suppress the potential alteration of the Lotus Stone once the Lotus Seed matured.
As for the stone blocks that became diary entries, that's a story for another time.
Some of these arrangements may have been damaged during the hunt, as he spotted several processed stone fragments outside, seemingly discarded by You Zhinan.
He suspected that this was done later for the convenience of comprehending the "Mystic Doctrine."
Fortunately, the original placement traces still existed, so he could simply realign the stones with these traces and restore the setup.
As for the completely shattered ones, they weren't needed. He could piece together the rough outline, find a stone of similar size, and grind it to match the original shape. After all, these stones were locally sourced and weren't particularly special.
On the seventh day, during the day, he placed all the missing parts back in their original positions. As he finished, he immediately felt something different around him, as if the invasions from the Convergence Zone had been weakened, almost as if they were being blocked.
But something still seemed amiss.
As he pondered, he suddenly felt something and reached into his pocket, pulling out the crystal that had fallen from You Zhinan, resembling a beating heart. It was slightly warm to the touch.
He carefully sensed it, and his heart stirred. He turned in place, noticing that the crystal's heat intensified when facing a certain direction. He walked in that direction and stopped when the temperature peaked. He felt an unusual sensation beneath his feet.
He squatted on one leg, reached out, and touched something. There was a very distinct hexagonal edge. He thought for a moment, pressed down, and the soil immediately flipped outward. As he slowly stood up, something slowly emerged from beneath the ground.
Once it was fully above ground, it was revealed to be a black hexagonal stone pillar over a meter tall and about the width of a bowl. Its surface seemed to have a layer of jade glaze, made from a special material. Near the top, there was a fist-sized hole, transparent on all four sides. On both sides, there were a pair of holes for tying ropes, presumably for carrying.
He examined it for a while and guessed that this object was likely the legendary Secret Ritual Hubstone.
In the 1691 version, there was no mistake!
Director Lei's Secret Religion Atlas mentioned such objects, used during grand rituals and ceremonies by major sects in ancient times.
This object was undoubtedly brought by You Zhinan and was likely from the Golden Departure Sect. He probably intended to use it as the core of the entire secret ritual.
The object's extreme durability might have spared it from being shattered like the other steles, leading to its burial underground. Alternatively, deep down, he might not have wanted to abandon it.
He compared the size of the hollow space at the top of the hubstone, which perfectly fit the red crystal.
Initially, he didn't know what this object was, but now he understood. In this ritual, it likely served as the ritual initiator and field of occurrence.
If that were the case, it made sense for the demon spirit to carry it on its body. Perhaps it had other functions, or it might even be a treasured item of the Golden Departure Sect.
With these objects, he felt more confident about successfully obtaining the lotus seeds.
As evening approached, he checked the time and, after one last inspection of the surroundings, gathered all his belongings near the hubstone. He placed some ingredients and high-energy nutrients in easily accessible spots and kept Chao Ming close by.
Then, he placed the red crystal into the hole. As he did, the surrounding stones seemed to vibrate slightly, but the sensation quickly faded.
The black hubstone instantly became transparent and emitted a bright light, radiating in all directions. The light reflected off the various stones, linking them together into a whole. From above, it seemed like an intricate secret ritual pattern had formed.
Chen Chuan stood in the midst of it, feeling that this secret ritual was quite advanced, completely different from what he knew of rituals. The difference likely lay in the use of secret ritual materials, and the effect was impressive. The mysterious and inexplicable invasions from the Convergence Zone seemed entirely blocked.
He walked to the stone lotus and examined the lotus pod. At that moment, it began to emit a subtle, intoxicating fragrance. By tonight, seven lotus seeds would mature, ready for harvesting tomorrow morning.
Just then, he heard a strange sound, followed by a loud rumble. The ground shook violently, as if something were pounding against it. All the stones rattled, and sand and dirt rained down.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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