Chapter Forty-Eight: Celestial Perception Severing Technique

After briefly explaining to the old steward how he had come to know Mo Sitong, the steward simply replied, “I trust in the Heavenly Eye.” As for Liu Junhuai’s experiences on the eighth floor, the old steward felt powerless—intervening too much would only stifle Liu Junhuai’s growth. His role was to offer support during Liu Junhuai’s cultivation; though the myriad resources of the Pavilion were already abundant, most of what Liu Junhuai possessed he had acquired through his own effort. Such dedication, especially for someone who had just entered the cultivation world at the foundational stage, was nothing short of miraculous. The steward assisted gladly.

Listening to Liu Junhuai recount the Conversion Technique left to him by Miao Taifeng, the old steward pondered for a moment before saying, “This is a defensive technique, though just how effective its defenses are remains to be seen. Given Miao Taifeng’s earnest recommendation, however, it is surely no ordinary skill. In my opinion, its true wonder lies not in defense, but in the word ‘conversion.’ Do you recall when you absorbed the soul of the Serpent-Tongued Poison Toad? Normally, for a cultivator to absorb a demon beast’s soul would be considered a demonic or heretical practice. Only because the Golden Chalice required it did I not object, but this is not something to be done frequently—such actions can affect your understanding of the Dao, which is key to your future spiritual achievement. But with this Conversion Technique, things are different. It can transform the essence you absorb into your own source energy, extracting only the purest part for your use. It is an unconventional art, and the creator’s ingenuity is exceptional—perhaps this is the greatest treasure you have gained from Lord Miao’s residence.”

“Steward, I am satisfied with my current mental and defensive techniques,” Liu Junhuai said, “but I lack practical combat skills. I haven’t yet had time to examine all the manuals I acquired. Do you know if any suit my current needs?”

“In truth, the Thunder Roar Eightfold Technique you obtained in Cloud Valley is already quite impressive,” the steward replied. “It is, however, vast and complex—achieving even minor mastery is difficult, best left for gradual study. Among the hundreds of manuals, some will surely be useful. As for your immediate need, are you satisfied with this art?” With that, the steward produced a technique manual and a jade box.

“This technique is called the Celestial Eye Pupil. In my view, it is a derivative art of your Heavenly Eye. All you need from it is a single divine sense attack method: the Divine Sense Severing Technique. The first half deals with cultivating the Baihui Acupoint’s Divine Pupil, the so-called ‘third eye’ of cultivation legends. Since you have already opened a higher-level Heart Eye via the Heavenly Eye, you only need to practice the Divine Sense Severing Technique. For this, you must refine the third eye of a sixth-rank demon beast—the Three-Eyed Jade Toad. But among the demon cores you recently acquired is an even more advanced one: the third eye of the ninth-rank Three-Eyed Fiend Bird, Bifang. With the power of your divine sense, mastering this technique will yield astonishing results. What do you think?” The steward’s explanations were always thorough, which Liu Junhuai greatly appreciated.

After perusing the manual, Liu Junhuai found it very much to his liking and resolved to master the Divine Sense Severing Technique.

He returned once more to the pill-refining chamber. Mo Sitong was fully absorbed in her cultivation. He instructed her to continue practicing and, after reassuring her, turned and entered the training space.

Once again, in the cave at Scarlet Flame Valley, Liu Junhuai set up his formation and began circulating his cultivation method in meditation.

His true essence was already abundant, and he had achieved minor mastery in the Conversion Technique. He then opened the jade box. The third eye of the ninth-rank demon beast was, in fact, a single eyeball. This demon’s innate power was divine sense severing, and that gift resided in the third eye.

The eyeball was perfectly round and luminous, its surface encircled with auras of divine sense due to long nurturing—its body a deep violet, suffused with an eerie and oppressive majesty from frequent exposure to high-level arcane arts.

Liu Junhuai extended a thread of divine sense, winding it layer by layer around the demon’s eye, then carefully drew a wisp of the aura into the golden sphere within his sea of consciousness.

The golden sphere began to spin rapidly, catching and absorbing the wisp of aura with fine golden strands, which slowly consumed the aura and drew it back into the sphere. Simultaneously, the Nine Transformations Heart Technique activated, true essence enveloping and penetrating the violet eye, refining the lingering spiritual energy within. The Conversion Technique acted as a filter, making it easier for the dantian to absorb the energy.

Gradually, the violet color of the eye faded, turning to mist, then condensing into droplets under the power of true essence and returning to the dantian to await extraction by the divine sense.

Bit by bit, the eye was stripped of its aura, shrinking until it vanished entirely. By then, the golden sphere in Liu Junhuai’s consciousness had completely refined the aura, transforming it into golden beams of severing light with the power of his divine sense.

Returning from his meditative state, Liu Junhuai silently recited the Severing Technique’s incantation. The golden severing beam became a blade, slicing through the metallic elemental energy in the cave. Wherever the blade passed, the fire element separated from the ordinary energy, forming two distinct layers before merging again as the blade faded.

Liu Junhuai was quite pleased with the technique. Though its true effectiveness could only be tested in combat, its consumption of divine sense was minimal—unlike the Primordial Shield Cauldron and the Godslayer Spear, both of which quickly drained his energy after only a few uses.

Still, Liu Junhuai couldn’t help but smile wryly to himself. This Severing Technique was essentially an ambush art. Yet, he yearned for the thrill of a direct and honorable battle against a worthy foe.

The Five Elements Chaos Blade was technically his first frontal offensive technique, but its invisible and colorless blade was, again, a tool of stealth.

Clearly, mastering the Thunder Roar Eightfold Technique was necessary. With the steward’s discerning eye, this art would surely prove extraordinary.

Thinking of the Chaos Blade, Liu Junhuai suddenly realized his mistake, recalling the Godslayer Spear. The spear was forged in a space filled with primal chaos energy, and his own Mountain and River Gourd was such a space. If he kept the Godslayer Spear inside the gourd, wouldn’t that nourish it further?

He decided to test his theory. Producing the gourd and summoning the spear, it immediately dove inside, delightedly tumbling and swirling in the chaotic energy, clearly enjoying itself.

The Godslayer Spear was Liu Junhuai’s life-bound treasure, sharing a connection akin to blood. Sensing the spear’s joy, Liu Junhuai felt a surge of excitement himself.

Leaving the spear to its happiness, Liu Junhuai returned to the storage room to rejoin the old steward.

There were less than two days before Lord Taifeng’s residence closed, and the steward urged Liu Junhuai to return promptly.

Liu Junhuai was reluctant to bring Mo Sitong with him to brave the dangers of the ninth floor, wary of the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who had entered the eighth floor before him.

In a crisis, it would be far easier for him to evade danger alone; bringing Mo Sitong would make things much more complicated. Yet he needed her opinion—after all, she was strong-willed.

After discussing with the steward, they returned to the pill-refining chamber.

Sensing Liu Junhuai’s arrival, Mo Sitong, in the midst of her work, turned and gave him a radiant smile before continuing with her alchemy.

Patiently, Liu Junhuai waited until the pill furnace released its fragrant yield before approaching. Mo Sitong had just refined a batch of level-two Rejuvenation Pills—nine top-grade pills in all. The steward laughed, “Mistress, you truly are a genius at alchemy. At this rate, in a few days, even the master will have to admit defeat.”

Mo Sitong beamed with joy, finding the steward’s honesty and warmth deeply endearing.

Liu Junhuai knew well that her talent for alchemy was exceptional; the steward’s praise was no mere flattery.

He asked for her thoughts on entering the ninth floor. Mo Sitong, understanding his concerns and already enchanted by the Pavilion, agreed not to go—on the condition that Liu Junhuai accompany her on a full tour of the Pavilion.

Since the Pavilion had been refined by Liu Junhuai and was now akin to his own life-bound treasure, only he could enter every corner. The steward, as chief overseer, could also lead Mo Sitong around in Liu Junhuai’s absence.

Accompanied by Liu Junhuai and the steward, Mo Sitong started from the first floor, her exclamations of wonder at his collection of treasures greatly satisfying Liu Junhuai’s pride.

She had already seen the third floor, but it was the Pet Chamber that piqued her interest the most—though neither Liu Junhuai nor she had ever entered it, and, of course, no pets resided there. She was quite disgruntled, already plotting to catch a demon beast for practice.

The fourth floor’s training space also captivated her, and she began urging Liu Junhuai to leave, wanting the steward to stay and assist her.

Watching her lively, straightforward manner, Liu Junhuai felt a deep sense of gratitude. He summoned back the Godslayer Spear, gave Mo Sitong a few last instructions, and then departed from the Pavilion.