Chapter 29: The Treasury of the Wu Clan

With the aid of Enlightenment Tea, Bai Jing spent over two thousand years mastering the fundamentals of the Twelve Celestial Deities and Fiends Formation.

Truly deserving of its reputation as one of the four great lethal formations of the primordial era, its power was immense. Even at the entry level, Bai Jing felt he had gained greatly.

Unfortunately, lacking the Pangu essence blood, he could not grasp the true core of the Twelve Celestial Deities and Fiends Formation. Yet Bai Jing did not lose heart. Though he lacked Pangu essence blood, he knew where he could obtain something comparable.

Mount Buzhou, formed from Pangu’s spine, should hold the Pangu jade marrow at its summit, along with the legendary Innate Undying Spirit Light.

The Innate Undying Spirit Light is a grand creation of heaven and earth, eternal and profound, derived from the primordial laws of chaos. With this spirit light, the Wu clan might even birth primordial spirits.

To Bai Jing’s knowledge, this was the only possible means for the Wu clan to produce primordial spirits.

However, reaching the summit of Mount Buzhou required at least the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm and the protection of a supreme innate spiritual treasure, or a physical body breakthrough to the pinnacle of the Primal Golden Immortal, as the Wu clan had achieved.

In other words, to acquire the Pangu jade marrow and the Innate Undying Spirit Light, one must first cultivate to the peak of the Primal Golden Immortal.

Currently, Bai Jing’s spiritual materials and ores for cultivation were scarce. Breaking through to the mid-stage of the Primal Golden Immortal and stabilizing his realm would be an achievement.

Where to find more spiritual materials and ores next? Perhaps venture into the chaos?

Suddenly, Bai Jing thought of the Wu clan, a top-tier force of the primordial era, who occupied Mount Buzhou. Might they possess some spiritual materials and ores?

With this in mind, Bai Jing asked Houtu, “By the way, Daoist Houtu, does your Wu clan have any rare spiritual materials or ores?”

“Spiritual materials and ores? Daoist Bai Jing, are you intending to forge artifacts?” Houtu recalled the discussion about artifact forging between Bai Jing and the Primordial Supreme Being before the Purple Cloud Palace, hence the question.

“Yes, I want to try forging a spiritual treasure, but I lack sufficient materials.”

“I’ll ask my elder brother.”

Moments later, Di Jiang personally came to lead Bai Jing to the Wu clan’s treasury.

Upon entering, Bai Jing was dazzled by the radiant treasures.

Already feeling wealthy owning the Yingzhou Immortal Island, Bai Jing now felt almost poor in comparison to the Wu clan’s vast collection.

Not to mention other items, the quantity of spiritual materials and ores alone surpassed all that on Yingzhou and Penglai Immortal Islands combined.

Although none were imbued with chaotic energy, the sheer volume was enough to support Bai Jing’s physical body breaking through to the late stage of the Primal Golden Immortal.

“Daoist Di Jiang, your Wu clan’s collection is truly abundant!” Bai Jing exclaimed.

Di Jiang smiled, “Most of these are from Mount Buzhou and its surroundings. Bai Jing brother, take whatever you want. Unfortunately, all the spiritual medicines have been used by the clansmen, or I would have given you some.”

“Does the Wu clan need spiritual medicines?” Bai Jing asked.

“Yes, especially the Wu clan tribes outside Mount Buzhou. Since our talks with the demon tribe broke down, our clansmen have long suffered invasions from demons, many getting injured. So we require spiritual medicines for healing.”

“I see. I happen to have some spiritual medicines that, though not as valuable as your spiritual materials and ores, I hope Daoist Di Jiang will accept them.”

With that, Bai Jing summoned all the spiritual medicines and blood-replenishing spiritual roots he had collected on Yingzhou Immortal Island, including one mid-grade innate spiritual root and two low-grade innate spiritual roots.

Di Jiang’s eyes lit up instantly. Spiritual materials and ores were useless to the Wu clan, for lacking primordial spirits, they could not use spiritual treasures. Such materials would only gather dust.

But spiritual medicines and spiritual roots were different; these were practical and useful to their clansmen.

Thus, Bai Jing accepted all the spiritual materials and ores from the Wu clan’s treasury, while Di Jiang happily took the spiritual medicines and roots.

After the exchange, they returned to Pangu Hall. Bai Jing decided to seize this opportunity to discuss the matter of primordial spirits with the Wu clan.

“Daoist Di Jiang, in terms of value, today’s exchange favors me with your spiritual materials and ores. I have some secret knowledge on hand—shall I share with the ancestral Wu lords about the primordial spirit?”

Di Jiang frowned, “Brother Bai Jing, you are too courteous. Our Wu clan—”

“Daoist Di Jiang, the secret knowledge I speak of concerns primordial spirits.”

Hearing this, Di Jiang’s words halted midway. The other ancestral Wu lords all looked at Bai Jing simultaneously.

For the Twelve Ancestral Wus, lacking primordial spirits was their greatest regret. Before taking form, they absorbed excessive fiendish energy, becoming severely polluted, making it difficult to birth primordial spirits. Naturally, they were deeply interested in any secret knowledge pertaining to primordial spirits.

Bai Jing smiled, “Actually, whether the Wu clan has primordial spirits is not the key. The crucial point is the bit of innate true spiritual essence at the core of the primordial spirit. In my view, cultivation to the Primal Great Dao Immortal requires the three talents of essence, energy, and spirit. Only when these three are complete can one achieve the Primal Great Dao. This ‘spirit’ refers to that true spiritual essence.

Without primordial spirits, one can only rely on the Ninefold Profound Skill to reach the seventh fold of the Profound Skill and achieve body sainthood. But body sainthood is not true Primal Great Dao Immortality. In terms of combat power, it probably only matches a saint who has attained merit.”

“What is this ‘true spiritual essence’ you speak of?” Houtu inquired.

“A single true spiritual essence, once it descends into the Qian Palace, divides into soul and spirit. This true essence is the innate, effortless original spirit—embracing emptiness and preserving tranquility. It is the innate undying spiritual light that all living beings are born with.

By ‘living beings’ I mean nature and life. Your Twelve Ancestral Wus reached the realm of Primal Golden Immortal due to the Ninefold Profound Skill. After the fifth fold, the body harmonizes with the laws, generating the true nature and life. But the spirit within the nature is the acquired restless spirit—an agitated spirit, which is a false spirit.”

“What is an ‘acquired restless spirit’?” Houtu continued.

“An acquired restless spirit is the consciousness born of acquired effort, also called the intentional spirit, arising from the overflow of essence and energy in response to external stimuli.

Your Twelve Ancestral Wus were born from the combination of Pangu’s essence blood and the turbid earth qi. These two are solid and active, opposing the spiritual nature. If too overwhelming, they hinder the growth of spiritual nature. In other words, yin and yang are unbalanced and cannot generate each other.

Therefore, your ancestral Wus themselves find it difficult to generate spiritual intelligence and take form. The fiendish energy is violent; when you are further impacted by it, it becomes nearly impossible to birth spiritual intelligence.”

——

P.S.: The theories concerning primordial spirits derive from the “Taiyi Jinhua Zongzhi.” Those interested may seek out the original text.