Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One-Chapter 49 - 45 The Emergence of Mana A Breakthrough in

Remaining life: Four hours (at least twelve hours needed to improve cultivation)

Spell: Hundred Plays Stick Technique (1/500)

Strength: 70, Mana: 4, Defense: 70, Charm: 25, Luck: 25

Critical hit rate: 5%, Critical hit combo: 0%, Damage bonus: 0%, Damage reduction: 0%

Four disasters resistance:

Cold Immunity: 0%, Fire Immunity: 0%, Poison Immunity: 0%, Lightning Immunity: 0%

“I have Mana now?”

Li Ping’an could take a shortcut to Immortal Cultivation in the real world by studying Taoist texts, but the process was too slow since he couldn’t comprehend the profound meanings quickly, especially the “Yellow Court Classic,” which took a long time to read.

However, the “Pure Yang Heart Sutra” was simple and easy to understand. Even though it contained deep mysteries, a thorough reading could yield great benefits and he had achieved a breakthrough in his existing cultivation.

He couldn’t help but smile with self-satisfaction. This time, by studying the Taoist classic “Pure Yang Heart Sutra,” not only had he made a breakthrough in his cultivation, but he also gained two more Divine Skills: Soul Capturing and Dream Marriage!

Soul Capturing referred to the technique of seizing souls—the word ‘capturing’ meant to collect. It could extract the souls of living people and ghosts.

At advanced stages of cultivation, it’s possible to capture the souls of demons, ghosts, Immortals, and Buddhas, acquiring knowledge of their past and current lives, along with all memories and secrets.

Dream Marriage meant creating a dream so vivid that it’s mistaken for reality, able to weave dreamscapes or move freely within them, with the potential to affect reality as well.

With profound cultivation, one could enter and alter another’s memories and dreams at will, and even create illusions as convincing as reality itself, which could be used to control someone’s mind for extended periods, just as Deities and Buddhas could. This skill shared the same principle but worked differently from Fairy Zixia’s Silver Chains Golden Bells.

…

“I’m not seeing things, am I… he just levitated…”

“You’re not seeing things, because damn it, I saw it too…”

“Holy shit! Is he really a living immortal?!”

Just as they all turned to look at Li Ping’an, he happened to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation. Unknowingly, with his back to them, he flew three meters into the air on the spot and quickly fell back down.

Everyone was so shocked by this scene that they were rendered speechless, with some even thinking they had seen an illusion.

“Cousin, pinch me; I couldn’t have seen it wrong, could I?”

Huang Yi’an’s voice trembled, and he almost bit his tongue before subconsciously swallowing.

“Cousin, you’re not wrong; it’s real!”

Wanyan Mengwen was the quickest to react, as it was she who had recommended and brought Li Ping’an. Initially, she had just been holding on to a slim hope, but after witnessing this miraculous scene, she felt a rush of excitement and relief.

She had made the right bet!

“Do you still doubt Li Ping’an?”

“…”

Faced with Wanyan Mengwen’s challenge, these so-called successful people and social elites didn’t dare to retort. Their minds were blank with astonishment, and their previously disdainful looks turned to reverence.

“Authentic Taoist lineage, truly an authentic Taoist lineage!”

The experts from the mysterious gates immediately knelt down to worship him as if he were a deity.

They were Taoist practitioners, well aware that the true lineage of the Dao had vanished from the real world centuries ago. Despite striving for a lifetime to break through the first realm of immortal cultivation, they had accomplished nothing but chanting scriptures.

But the miracle displayed by Li Ping’an was entirely consistent with that expected of a true Taoist cultivator: gathering qi into the spirit, and the clay figure soaring through the sky. To witness a real Taoist cultivator in their lifetime was an honor they could die happy for!

Several shrewd business owners wanted to get close to Li Ping’an, but after taking a few steps, they prudently retreated.

Living Immortal Li Ping’an was earnestly reading a book. They were all street-smart; what if they angered the living immortal?

But Li Ping’an was completely absorbed in his reading, unaware that the attitudes behind him had already changed.

With the improvement of his cultivation, he found that reading the “Pure Yang Heart Sutra” was as simple as understanding the principle of one plus one. Whether it was various specialized Taoist terminologies or obscure scriptures, everything became clear at a glance.

“Could it be that I have become enlightened? To improve my cultivation rapidly and then easily understand the classics of the Tao to figure out the cultivation techniques, does this mean my previous theories on immortal cultivation are valid?”

Overjoyed, Li Ping’an, intent on making further progress, continued to browse through other Taoist scriptures: “Zhang Sanfeng’s Blood Scripture.”

This scripture was not only unique but also written by Zhang Sanfeng at the age of one hundred with his own blood mixed into the ink, representing his life’s work.

It was rumored that the founding Emperor of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, had requested it from Zhang Sanfeng and that after its completion, it was lost to the public. Later emperors searched for it to no avail.

Finally, it came into the possession of Zhu Houjiao, the eleventh Emperor of the Ming dynasty, Emperor Jiajing, who treasured it greatly.

However, some said that the “Zhang Sanfeng’s Blood Scripture” obtained by Emperor Jiajing was a fake, written by ordinary Taoists to persuade Emperor Jiajing not to be obsessed with cultivation under a pretense.

This was because most of the content in the “Zhang Sanfeng’s Blood Scripture” was about how Taoist disciples should set up altars, perform the Luo Heaven Grand Rites, pray for blessings and disaster avoidance, and achieve immortality.

Especially the parts about immortality were written so fancifully, advocating pure hearts and few desires, not taking one person’s heart with the hearts of millions. Even ordinary people could tell it was false.

But the rest of this Taoist scripture contained truth amidst the falsehood and reality amidst the illusions. Li Ping’an thought it did not seem fake after reading it and likely represented the authentic Taoist lineage.

True Taoist magic is often obscure, like flowers in the mirror or the moon reflected in the water; it requires a cultivator with high comprehension to decipher the mysteries within.