Xu Xing pondered. Even the Nascent Soul Realm involves cultivating Dao Principles, and higher realms are undoubtedly the same. It's all about cultivating the Heavenly Dao. But when humans try to comprehend Heaven's Heart, the Dao each person attains is different... If I learn Cultivation Methods created by others, I'll effectively be controlled by them. If I don't want to be controlled, my only path is to understand Immortal Relics. But this path... is a difficult one to tread...

Xu Xing shook his head.

Forget it, overthinking is useless. I should focus on how to escape Chi Yuan's grasp... Maximize benefits.

Xu Xing pushed thoughts of the Chiming Imperial Dynasty to the back of his mind and began to consider how to break the Nine Suns Fire Pillar Array and eliminate Chi Yuan's threat.

During the Fate Deduction, it was revealed that the reason Chi Yuan had found him was due to an imperceptible sword mark left on him by Zhongtai Dao Monarch using the Tide Feather Sword. Without this sword mark, given his current Cultivation and methods, Chi Yuan would not have found him so easily.

The Tide Feather Sword... If I can seize this Half-Immortal Artifact, the sword mark will resolve itself, and my foundation will also be strengthened... A glint appeared in Xu Xing's eyes. The Tide Feather Sword is a Half-Immortal Artifact, the protective magical sword of successive Sect Masters, and one of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace's foundational treasures. Seizing it would not only build momentum for the Butian Sect but also give me another trump card against Chi Yuan. Besides, there's a reasonable chance of success. It's not that I'm being greedy or indulging in wild fantasies. Its grade is too high; Zhongtai Dao Monarch alone isn't qualified and lacks the strength to refine it. Stealing the Tide Feather Sword would be much easier than seizing an Artifact directly from Zhongtai Dao Monarch.

The Heavenly Saint Sect's Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand... it has the marvelous ability to seize another's Artifacts. Last time I fought Cui Tong, although he lost to me by a narrow margin, I actually won by relying on my Innate Immortal Qi. If we truly compared Divine Powers, I wouldn't be his match... Xu Xing mulled this over. The Heavenly Saint Sect may seem to be in decline, but it was once The First Great Sect. The Divine Powers and secret arts within its teachings are by no means inferior to those of the Ten Great Upper Sects.

With this in mind, he didn't hesitate and immediately sent a sound transmission to Buxu Zi, asking Cui Tong to meet him.

「A quarter of an hour later.」

Cui Tong arrived at the Cave Mansion Hall.

"Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand?" Upon hearing Xu Xing's request, even someone as composed and calculating as Cui Tong couldn't hide his shock, his face darkening with a hint of anger.

"Daoist Xu..." Cui Tong began, "I already agreed to temporarily join the Butian Sect and lend my support. That should be considered fulfilling our contract..."

"This Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand is our Sect Master's exclusive technique! If I were to teach it to you, how could I, Cui, retain any dignity as Sect Master?" Cui Tong flicked his wide sleeve, his voice sharp with anger.

The reason he had agreed to cooperate with Xu Xing during the Nanhua Sect affair and had helped him multiple times was Xu Xing's promise. Xu Xing had vowed that after reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm, he would create a true copy of the "Exorcism Holy Art" for the Heavenly Saint Sect, aiding in its revival.

Although the Heavenly Saint Sect's core Cultivation Method, the "Exorcism Holy Art," had fallen into Xu Xing's hands, and it might seem they wouldn't miss this one Divine Power, the Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand, the truth was different. The "Exorcism Holy Art" was something Xu Xing had requested before venturing into the Tiger Country Secret Realm. If not for Xu Xing, the Heavenly Saint Sect's Primordial Spirit-level Cultivation Method might never have seen the light of day again.

Simply put, in the former case, it seemed the Heavenly Saint Sect had lost out, but they had actually benefited. The latter, however, would be a pure loss, one they would surely be unwilling to accept.

"Sect Master Cui makes a valid point," Xu Xing said, having anticipated Cui Tong's reaction. After a few placating words, he smiled faintly and frankly stated his terms for exchanging the Divine Power. "As the head of my own sect now, I understand Sect Master Cui's difficulties..."

"In the future, if Sect Master Cui takes an interest in any of my Divine Powers, I would also be willing to share it with you," he added with a smile.

Establishing the Butian Sect is just one way for me to gather Resources. As for Divine Powers and the like, I won't be too bound by sectarian divisions.

"This..." Cui Tong was visibly moved, hesitation flickering across his face. I'm the one who least wants Xu Xing to fail in breaking this Array. If the Butian Sect falls, the Sect on the front line, facing pressure from the Flying Feather Immortal Palace, will shift from the Butian Sect to the Heavenly Saint Sect. Many of the Butian Sect's "Disciples" are actually Disciples from our Heavenly Saint Sect. Furthermore, the true manual of our "Evil Warding Sacred Skill" is currently with Xu Xing. If he were to hand over this Cultivation Method to save his own life, our Heavenly Saint Sect would suffer an immeasurable loss.

After a long pause, Cui Tong sighed in resignation. He cupped his hands towards Xu Xing and said, "If Daoist Xu possesses any remarkable Divine Powers or secret techniques in the future, then I will have to trouble you for them..."

"However," he added sternly, "this Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand is an exclusive technique of Our Sect. Only you, Daoist Xu, may learn it. You absolutely must not teach it to anyone else!"

"Of course!" Xu Xing's expression turned solemn. He immediately made a Heart Demon Oath, "I, Xu, will never impart this exclusive technique to another. If I break this vow, may my path of cultivation be severed!"

「Three days later.」

After Cui Tong finished imparting the Divine Power, he departed from the Cave Mansion.

This Divine Power is truly exceptional. Once the Divine Power Talisman is cultivated, there's nothing it can't retrieve, nothing it can't control... I'll go to the Emperor Jin World to practice... Only half a year has passed in the Main World, so there are still four and a half years left... Converted to Emperor Jin World time, that's forty-five years.

Sitting cross-legged on the Jade Seat, Xu Xing examined the Jade Slip in his hand with his Divine Sense. He carefully pondered the subtleties within the "Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand" Divine Power.

Xu Xing's consciousness shifted to his other self in the Emperor Jin World, and he began to cultivate this Divine Power, taking advantage of the time differential.

Although the Mother-Child Twinning had allowed him to take a shortcut through two instance worlds, some things, like the Time flow rate, couldn't be circumvented. The current time ratio between the Emperor Jin World and the Main World was the same as the Decaying Axe World: ten to one.

Ten days passed in the instance world. One day passed in the Main World.

One year...

Two years...

In the blink of an eye, two and a half years passed.

"Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand!"

In the Cave Mansion, Xu Xing opened his eyes, rolled up the left sleeve of his robe, and made a grasping gesture toward the wall lamp. Instantly, a substantial hand of Magic Power manifested in mid-air. It was a mix of black and yellow, with a Yin-Yang Fish rotating continuously in its palm, exuding an air of profound mystery. In another instant, the wall lamp appeared before Xu Xing.

It possesses more profundities than a simple hand of Magic Power, and it's not as slow as retrieving objects with Divine Sense. It's as if the retrieved object undergoes a spatial leap... Xu Xing contemplated the sensation of using the Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand. He found that this Divine Power truly lived up to its name as an exclusive technique of the Heavenly Saint Sect; it was indeed unique.

The Spatial Great Dao was one of the supreme Great Daos. Let alone Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, even those at the Primordial Spirit Realm rarely dabbled in this Dao. Although the Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand didn't involve the Spatial Great Dao, the profundity of this Divine Power already simulated some of its might.

Zhongtai Dao Monarch doesn't have the protection of Innate Immortal Qi. If I catch him off guard, there's a thirty percent chance I can successfully snatch the Tide Feather Sword from him... Xu Xing withdrew his Divine Power, musing.

「Next.」

He shifted his focus, immersing his consciousness in the [Decaying Axe World] on the Bronze Ancient Mirror. As before, his other self had not yet broken free from the prenatal confusion; his five senses were sealed, and he couldn't perceive the outside world clearly.

"Solidify the Red Fate [Wenchang]," Xu Xing whispered.

As the Fate solidified, the gray fog he had seen in the Decaying Axe World gradually dissipated, revealing an antique-styled room.

At this moment, a clear, melodious voice, like that of an oriole, sounded by Xu Xing's ear. "Young Master Xing, the Old Master returns from the palace today. If he sees you neglecting your proper business again, he might just send you to the palace..."

"The palace?" Xu Xing frowned, beginning to process the memories of his other self.

It turned out that in this life, his other self had been reincarnated into the clan of a powerful Eunuch named Cao Hai. He had been adopted as a foster son even before he was born. This Eunuch Hai was a eunuch of the Zhidian Attendant Bureau. While his influence in the Imperial Palace wasn't on par with the few great eunuchs, he was still ranked among the top ten.