Chapter 444
Previously, Zheng Fa had thought that this technique, with its sound and light effects, was just a way for the Tianhe Zunzhe to show off...
Now, it seemed that while it certainly had flair, its practicality was also remarkably high.
"Actually, we've confirmed something," Sister Zhang spoke up. "This technique involves the transformation of spiritual artifacts."
Zheng Fa nodded. Although there wasn't much he could discern, this was quite obvious—whether it was the explosion and restoration of the sword energy and thunder sound, or the protective barrier during the transformation of sword energy into a rainbow, all were visible changes in form.
Now, Yan Wushuang's demonstration had partially validated their previous thoughts. What they hadn't anticipated was how meticulously the Tianhe Zunzhe had designed this sword technique.
In the end, it was clear that knowledge gained from books was always shallow.
Seeing it with their own eyes, or rather, experimenting, was what would perfect their ideas.
"Xiao Xianzi, did you remember the changes in the thunder technique just now?"
Xiao Yuying nodded.
Zheng Fa then looked at Uncle Pang, who also nodded. "I've noted the changes in spiritual energy."
After a moment of organizing their data, they all turned to Yan Wushuang.
With a determined expression, Yan Wushuang gripped his broad sword and extended it forward, saying, "You won't damage my Wushuang Sword, will you?"
Wushuang Sword?
From the name alone, Zheng Fa could sense Yan Wushuang's ambition.
Seeing the unease on his face, Zheng Fa smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry, Brother Yan. How about this—I won't touch your Wushuang Sword; you just hold onto it."
Upon hearing this, Yan Wushuang's face lit up with a bright smile. He cheerfully replied, "Is that really okay?"
"It won't have any effect."
"That's great, that's great... Huh?"
As he spoke, a stream of five-element spiritual light poured from Zheng Fa's hand and landed on the Wushuang Sword.
The sword jumped slightly, and Yan Wushuang quickly grasped his life-bound flying sword. He glanced at Zheng Fa, his gaze slowly falling on the Wushuang Sword, and the smile on his face faded bit by bit.
"...Brother Yan?"
Noticing his increasingly sorrowful expression, Zheng Fa asked with concern and curiosity.
"Just now, the Wushuang Sword... even though it's in my hands, I can feel..." Yan Wushuang looked up, his eyes filled with a mix of resentment and confusion. "I know it no longer recognizes me. Not only that, it seems to want to rush towards you..."
"..."
Zheng Fa was at a loss for words.
"It would have been better if I hadn't held it. Then I wouldn't have known..."
Yan Wushuang's tone was so filled with sorrow that Zheng Fa couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.
Turning his head, he noticed Uncle Pang and the others had quietly stepped back a couple of paces, their expressions hard to read.
The Blood River Old Ancestor nodded repeatedly, glancing at the flying sword beneath his feet, feeling a deep kinship with Yan Wushuang—there was a day when he had been perfectly safe, and yet his life-bound flying sword had kicked him out just like that.
That feeling... he had never felt so wronged in all his years in the demonic sect!
"Ahem... this is all for research!"
Yan Wushuang suddenly looked up, a hint of defiance in his eyes as he asked, "What did you discover?"
"I discovered..." Zheng Fa sighed lightly and said, "I discovered that I'm an idiot!"
His words drew everyone's attention, leaving them puzzled about why he would say that.
"I've been wondering why multiple five-element child symbols can combine, but I never realized that multiple five-element child symbols are inherently combinable!"
Sister Zhang was taken aback, her face lighting up with realization. "Five-element ring?"
Zheng Fa nodded gently, looking at the Feixian Sword as he explained, "In Brother Yan's flying sword, I found a composite symbol diagram made up of fire, earth, and metal child symbols."
"..."
"Fire generates earth, earth generates metal... this is the order of combination for the five-element child symbols!"
At this point, everyone except Yan Wushuang understood—people from the Jiushan Realm had studied the "Symbol Path Foundation Method," which included the concept of the five-element child symbol ring in its perfected form.
"Are you saying that the five-element child symbols combine together, surrounding the atom?" Sister Zhang asked, a bit bewildered.
"Yes, the Tianhe Zunzhe's thought process is likely along those lines. His method of combination differs from ours, but the principles should be similar."
When Zheng Fa established his foundation, the five-element child symbol ring was structured like a Möbius mirror.
Sister Zhang's understanding was simpler; it resembled a headband.
The Tianhe Zunzhe seemed to have a different approach.
From the innate abilities Zheng Fa had gained, it was clear that his five-element ring structure was the most perfect.
"The 'Symbol Path Foundation Method'..." Uncle Pang suddenly sighed, "Sister Zhang, I fear I was wrong back then. The method you've perfected truly points directly to the Great Dao!"
Sister Zhang was still in a daze, seemingly not expecting that after all this time, they had circled back to this particular technique.
Uncle Pang continued to marvel, "With just this one technique, Sister Zhang, your name may well be remembered through the ages."
Sister Zhang snapped back to reality, turning to Zheng Fa with a smile. "No, the concept of the Symbol Path Foundation Method was proposed by our ancestor. I merely refined the basics; Zheng Fa is the one who has brought it to fruition."
"The one who will be remembered is Jiushan, Zheng Fa, and Zhang Wuyi."
Uncle Pang nodded, feeling that made sense, but the next moment he felt something was off—Jiushan, Zheng Fa, and Zhang Wuyi... why did it sound like Sister Zhang was only mentioning two of the three names?
"Brother Yan, do the people of the Tianhe Sect craft their life-bound flying swords in three steps?"
Zheng Fa suddenly asked Yan Wushuang.
Yan Wushuang was taken aback but nodded gently.
"The first step... is to cultivate true fire?"
"…"
Yan Wushuang's expression showed a hint of shock. He stared wide-eyed at Zheng Fa, not uttering a word, but everyone knew—Zheng Fa was right.
"The first step is to combine the fire child symbol with particles?" Sister Zhang also understood.
"Yes, according to the five-element generation cycle, the fire child symbol, then the earth child symbol, and finally the metal child symbol," Zheng Fa continued, "To have the earth child symbol, aside from the technique, can you also... gather some spiritual ore? Brother Yan, is the second step to refine spiritual ore with true fire?"
Yan Wushuang took a deep breath, his expression crumbling. "Ancestor above, I haven't said a word!"
It was as if he had given up, speaking dejectedly, "In the Tianhe Sect, when crafting swords, we first gather the spiritual fire of heaven and earth into our bodies, then collect spiritual ore, and finally refine it into a life-bound flying sword."
Madam Xuanhua frowned. "Isn't that just the process of Xuanwei refining?"
"Yes..." Zheng Fa sighed again, "Everyone refines like this, but only the Tianhe Zunzhe took it a step further, deriving the method of combining the three child symbols, which later led to the Nine Turns Golden Pill Method."
"Are you saying that the Tianhe Zunzhe developed the current Tianhe Sect's sword refining method from the process of refining, and later perfected it into the Nine Turns Golden Pill Method?" Uncle Pang asked, stunned.
Zheng Fa shook his head. "I just think there's a possibility; a technique doesn't just appear out of thin air."
"Now, thinking back to refining swords into threads, and swords transforming into myriad forms. Not to mention refining swords into threads, the challenge of swords transforming into myriad forms actually lies in... the wood child symbol should be the last child symbol to combine in this sequence."
Sister Zhang nodded slowly. "Metal generates water, and only then can water generate wood. Therefore, without understanding the Nine Turns Golden Pill Method, one cannot achieve swords transforming into myriad forms."
Zheng Fa spoke with genuine admiration. "To create such a technique, the Tianhe Zunzhe... truly deserves to be called a prodigy, the strongest of his time."
According to his speculation, the Tianhe Zunzhe had grasped the sword refining method from the art of crafting, and the power of this technique was evident in the current status of the Tianhe Sect.
Not only that, but the Tianhe Zunzhe also created the Tianhe Sword Dao. Judging by the completeness of the sword energy thunder sound and the sword energy transforming into a rainbow, this sword dao was also at its peak.
Not to mention the subsequent Nine Turns Golden Pill Method, which could be considered the strongest golden pill technique.
From these three complementary secret arts, Zheng Fa could see the Tianhe Zunzhe's extraordinary talent.
Yan Wushuang, standing beside them, felt a complex mix of emotions as he listened to Zheng Fa praise his ancestor.
Seeing him like this, Zheng Fa couldn't help but look at him, only to hear him murmur, "No matter how impressive, you figured it out in an instant, didn't you?"
"The secret arts of the Tianhe Sect that have been lost for so many years, and you managed to understand them in such a short time..." He gently caressed the Wushuang Sword, a sense of relief washing over his face. "Well... that's worth it."
"…"
"Creating and replicating are different..." Zheng Fa shook his head, knowing that reverse engineering was inherently much simpler. He added, "And right now, we can only say we've confirmed the principles... After this, it's about continuing the experiments based on the 'Golden Pill Project.'"
He looked at Madam Xuanhua, as this could be seen as an extension of the Golden Pill Project.
Madam Xuanhua nodded gently, her expression a mix of excitement and difficulty.
The excitement came from the fact that they were currently in the process of replicating the Tianhe Zunzhe's most powerful technique!
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