Chapter Five: Unraveling the Treasure Book

Mr. Liu pointed to the bamboo slips he had taken from the bookshelf, saying, “Look at these tadpole-shaped characters—aren’t they the same as those on the metal plate? This is Stone Drum Script. Unfortunately, I only recognize a few characters and cannot translate them for you. You asked why I said this is a page from the ‘Iron Mystic Golden Codex’? It’s because the appearance of the ‘Iron Mystic Golden Codex’ allowed later generations to understand the material of this book, and no other book has ever used such a material.”

“What is this book about?”

“The ‘Iron Mystic Golden Codex’ is a manual for cultivation techniques, recording god-level methods from the Immortal Realm. It is truly a priceless treasure. If word gets out, even a single phrase from its formulas could bring disaster upon you!”

“But…” Before Shen Junhuai could finish his question, Shen Yihuan signaled him repeatedly with his eyes. Mr. Liu didn’t notice, still lost in his excitement. “This is a legendary treasure. I saw it in my ancestral bamboo slips. Young man, you must keep it safe. Sadly, there’s nowhere known that can decipher these characters. I believe you are a person of great fortune, and great fortune brings great opportunities. You will surely gain great power. Remember—do not let this be known to others!”

Shen Junhuai then took out the cracked stone.

“This is a spirit crystal ore—a treasure as well,” Mr. Liu exclaimed, surprised by Shen Junhuai’s find.

“What is spirit crystal?”

“It is a spirit stone used by cultivators above; its refined spiritual energy is a hundred times that of top-grade spirit stones. What you have is merely an extended ore at the periphery of the spirit crystal vein. Only by finding this kind of ore can you find the true crystal mine.”

Shen Junhuai secretly rejoiced, wondering if his luck had been unusually good lately, encountering so many fortunate events.

Before leaving, Mr. Liu firmly refused to accept the appraisal spirit stone that Shen Yihuan offered, saying Shen Junhuai was no ordinary man but a person destined for greatness. He wanted to forge a good relationship, and Shen Junhuai couldn’t help but feel pleased at heart.

On the way home, Shen Yihuan marveled at Shen Junhuai’s good fortune and explained the reason for his earlier caution. It was because the ‘Compendium of Extraordinary Objects’ contained detailed records of both the Stone Drum Script and the ‘Iron Mystic Golden Codex,’ making Shen Junhuai realize the extraordinary and precious nature of the Compendium.

By the time Shen Junhuai returned to the outer estate of the Shen family, dusk had already fallen. After greeting his mother and discussing the details of moving out, he hurried impatiently to his small room in the outer house, carefully cradling the ‘Compendium of Extraordinary Objects’ for study.

He found the chapter about the script, which indeed contained a detailed account of Stone Drum Script. Comparing the tadpole-shaped characters on the metal plate, he translated the text from the Compendium, word by word.

Because the tadpole characters were so similar in appearance, and fearing an error in translation, Shen Junhuai worked until daylight before finishing.

“It is said that when cultivating qi, there are two foundational steps: one is purification, the other is transformation. If you can purify, there will be no obstacles; if you can transform, there will be no hindrances. With neither hindrance nor obstacle, you may enter and exit states of meditation at will. Understanding this lays the foundation for advancing on the path. Purification refers to cleansing the marrow; transformation refers to changing the tendons. The transformation of tendons means the bones and sinews of the human body are received from the womb. If one lacks internal purification and is blocked, and lacks external solidity and is hindered, how can one enter the path? Therefore, nothing precedes tendon transformation for entering the path: it strengthens the body and bolsters the interior to support the exterior. Otherwise, the path will be hard to attain…”

The first passage explained that before cultivation, one must undergo cleansing of the bones and marrow, followed by a formula for the cleansing elixir.

The second passage described the ‘Nine Transformations Mind Method,’ a heavenly-level technique—not the god-level method Mr. Liu had spoken of. In truth, Mr. Liu did not know that cultivation methods were classified into five levels: Human, Yellow, Mystic, Earth, and Heaven. The Human level was what families like the Shen clan practiced. The power achieved from heavenly-level methods depended on the practitioner’s realm; the higher one’s realm, the closer to the divine path and the greater one’s achievements.

What shocked Shen Junhuai most was the description of the nine transformations: the first transformation equaled peak power in the same realm; the second, three times that; the third, six times; the fourth, twelve times; and so forth. This technique was truly defiant of the heavens!

Its only flaw was its slow progression. The nine transformations were divided into early, middle, and late stages; three transformations comprised one stage. The difficulty of early-stage cultivation was three times that of ordinary methods, then six times, then twelve times, making the challenge immense.

Shen Junhuai, excited, rubbed his hands together and paced the room, muttering incessantly, appearing almost mad. For regardless of whether he possessed a spiritual root, the final passage described a method for cultivating one. The greatest barrier to practicing higher techniques was now gone.

From this heavenly-level technique alone, the unparalleled nature of the ‘Iron Mystic Golden Codex’ was clear.

The ‘Nine Transformations Mind Method’ was only the chapter on mind techniques; the book also contained various skill methods, alchemy, artifact refinement, and more.

The ‘Compendium of Extraordinary Objects’ did not mention its creator, but it was surely a god-level master—perhaps even a creator deity. “I suppose I’m now an inheritor of this godly figure,” Shen Junhuai thought with a sly smile.

He could not sleep all night.

At dawn, Shen Junhuai took the copied formula for the bone-cleansing elixir and rushed to Shen Yihuan’s residence. Without waiting to knock, he climbed over the wall, shouting, “Uncle Huan, Uncle Huan!” Shen Yihuan was both amused and exasperated, though mostly pleased. After carefully examining the formula, he found that most of the required spirit herbs were not too rare; only “Sulfur Red Stone,” hundred-year-old “Blood-Replenishing Grass,” and three-hundred-year-old “Three-Branch Nine-Leaf Grass” were scarce, but could be acquired at high prices.

“Give me three days to gather everything,” Shen Yihuan said.

“Let me help you with the shopping, Uncle—I can’t wait any longer,” Shen Junhuai replied, not mentioning the cost, knowing that several of the herbs were precious and expensive, and Uncle Huan’s stipend was no more than his own family’s. He realized he would need to discuss with his mother how to raise the funds.

“Heh, you’re worried about spirit yuan stones, aren’t you? Don’t worry, Uncle has a solution,” Shen Yihuan saw through Shen Junhuai’s small concern. “After years of practicing medicine, I’ve accumulated quite a few pills, second and third grade. Sometimes, on this martial continent, pills are even more valuable than spirit yuan stones.”

Shen Junhuai was at a loss for words and silently vowed to repay Uncle Huan many times over in the future.

He then followed Shen Yihuan into the pharmacy, inventorying the required herbs and quantities, borrowed a horse-drawn cart from the outer estate manager, and the two of them set off for Pingdu City.

Three days later, all the herbs on the formula had been gathered, and they hurried back overnight by cart. That night, Shen Junhuai stayed at Uncle Huan’s house instead of returning home.

At dawn, Shen Junhuai saw that Shen Yihuan had already boiled the bone-cleansing elixir in the southwest room. The two carried the steaming cauldron together, the thick herbal aroma wafting through the rising mist.