Chapter 343: Beyond Transformation God

Chen Mobai and his companion landed on the island and immediately spotted Duanmu Longrong. Besides her, there was also a beautiful woman dressed in a scholar's gown, tall and slender, with a slightly pale face and almost transparent skin.

"Greetings, Teacher Duanmu," Chen Mobai said, addressing both of them, "This must be Senior Bian, I presume." For this offline exchange, Che Yucheng had enlisted three Foundation Establishment ninth-layer graduates to provide support. Bian Jingchun was among those with high expectations, and she had even been given a Tier 4 magical artifact.

"Hello, junior students," she replied. It was indeed Bian Jingchun. After nodding, she gave a slight bow to Chen Mobai and Zhongli Tianyu.

"That white dragon just now was you, wasn't it? I'm surprised someone still cultivates the Dragon Transformation Scripture," Zhongli Tianyu blurted out, staring intently at Bian Jingchun, just as Chen Mobai was trying to figure out how to begin their conversation.

"In the past, Ancestor Zhongli developed the Dragon Transformation Scripture from the Six Imperial Scriptures, allowing even those of us with lower aptitudes to cultivate. This is a benevolence akin to imparting profound knowledge," Bian Jingchun said, bowing slightly to Zhongli Tianyu once more.

"Ancestor is Ancestor. You don't need to bow to me; I cannot accept such respect," Zhongli Tianyu said, shaking his head and stepping aside to avoid the bow.

"What exactly is the Dragon Transformation Scripture?" Chen Mobai asked, as he was unfamiliar with it. Although he could have looked it up on his phone, he figured it was better to ask the two people who were right there and knew the answer.

"The Six Imperial Scriptures of Kunpeng Daoist Academy comprise the six innate divine abilities of the divine beast Zhulong. Even the most exceptionally talented individuals among humans can typically only cultivate one of them. To fully master and integrate all six, one would need to transform into Zhulong itself. However, Zhulong's essence blood was depleted within a thousand years of the Immortal Sect's founding, and no subsequent disciple has managed to fully cultivate the Six Imperial Scriptures since. That is, until Ancestor Zhongli pioneered a new path, using the Six Imperial Scriptures as a foundation to create the Dragon Transformation Scripture. This allowed for the evolution of the Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul, and through the Post-Heaven Eight Trigrams, one could harness all six aspects. The cultivation of this Dragon Transformation Scripture merely requires the essence blood of a Xuanwu, or more simply, turtle essence blood, significantly lowering the entry barrier. However, transforming ordinary turtle essence blood back to its origin and cultivating the Dragon-Tortoise Dharmakaya requires a millennium."

As he said this, Zhongli Tianyu looked at Bian Jingchun with a peculiar expression. Although she also followed a path derived from the Dragon Transformation Scripture, it appeared she hadn't used turtle essence blood.

"I used a drop of Tier 3 white snake essence blood," Bian Jingchun revealed without hesitation, openly explaining her cultivation method. "The Xuanwu, as described in the Dragon Transformation Scripture, embodies both turtle and snake forms. An ancestor of mine, True Person Baiyun, cultivated this Dragon Transformation Scripture when he entered Kunpeng Daoist Academy. However, his physique was more suited to the snake transformation. My ancestor found cultivating even the Heavenly Snake form incredibly arduous and never harbored hopes of achieving the Xuanwu Dao. Thus, he focused solely on transforming the Heavenly Snake into a dragon, establishing the Yin Dragon Transformation Scripture upon the foundations of the original Dragon Transformation Scripture. The white dragon form you just saw is an evolution of this."

"The Spirit Taming Art!" Chen Mobai exclaimed, enlightenment dawning on him. He recalled Gong Xiangyu's combat techniques from back in Danxia City.

The Way of Beast Taming is one of the three primary professions within the Immortal Sect, and among its disciplines, the Spirit Taming Art is the most challenging, yet it also offers the potential for the greatest achievements. Standard beast taming simply involves a cultivator establishing a telepathic connection with a spirit beast, essentially creating a two-on-one advantage in combat. The Spirit Taming Art, however, involves absorbing the spirit beast's essence blood into one's physical body, evolving various extraordinary and wondrous transformations that transcend the human form, embodying the principles of heaven and earth. The pinnacle of this path is exemplified by Ancestor Zhongli's Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul and the Zhulong Nascent Soul of Kunpeng Daoist Academy's founder. Once these Dharmakaya Nascent Souls manifest, they stand colossal between heaven and earth, commanding myriad phenomena. The flux of the universe's primordial energy and cosmic transformations are all within their grasp, granting them what is known as boundless divine abilities and infinite magical power.

"Although my ancestor's Dragon Transformation Scripture is named 'Dragon Transformation,' the Heavenly Snake form described in its supplementary scroll actually doesn't entail transforming into a dragon," Zhongli Tianyu clarified. Unlike Chen Mobai, he was intimately familiar with his family's Dragon Transformation Scripture. Even though their family no longer cultivated this technique, its details were well-known to him, allowing him to point out the inaccuracy in Bian Jingchun's earlier remark.

"While the Dragon Transformation Scripture encompasses both turtle and snake forms, due to the scarcity of resources in this realm, our ancestor only managed to cultivate the Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul. What your ancestor, True Person Baiyun, obtained was likely the supplementary scroll of the Dragon Transformation Scripture that Ancestor Zhongli compiled during his time teaching at Kunpeng Daoist Academy. According to my ancestor's own deductions, only after fully mastering both his Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul and Heavenly Snake Nascent Soul would he begin to attempt the unification of these two forms, thereby achieving the Dao of Xuanwu. If he could truly reach such a realm, he would then surpass the five ancestors who founded the Immortal Sect and ascend beyond the Soul Transformation stage."

Beyond Soul Transformation! Chen Mobai's heart stirred upon hearing this, his face reflecting profound admiration. He knew, of course, what lay beyond Soul Transformation; in the Tianhe Realm, reaching the peak of Soul Transformation signified ascension. He had initially assumed the Immortal Sect's power was vastly inferior to the Tianhe Realm, never imagining that someone here had also come close to the realm of ascension. It was truly a pity that even someone as brilliantly talented as Ancestor Zhongli eventually exhausted his lifespan before he could elevate his Spirit Taming Art to the Xuanwu Dharmakaya.

"So, the path of transforming the Heavenly Snake form into a dragon was incorrect?" Bian Jingchun froze, stunned by Zhongli Tianyu's words. The authentic main volume of the Dragon Transformation Scripture cultivated the Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul, while the supplementary volume cultivated the Heavenly Snake Nascent Soul. The subsequent section, detailing the fusion of the turtle and snake forms to achieve the Dao of Xuanwu, was a rare treasure of the Zhongli family, not even possessed by the Immortal Sect itself.

"It's not that you went wrong. It's just that your lineage's Yin Dragon Transformation Scripture has forged its own unique path," Zhongli Tianyu countered. "Transforming a snake into a dragon—I actually think that's pretty cool." Zhongli Tianyu's words brought peculiar expressions to the faces of everyone present. Had it been any other descendant of the Zhongli family, witnessing their ancestor's Dao technique altered in such a manner would likely have provoked indignation, yet he seemed rather excited.

"Only Ancestor Zhongli ever successfully cultivated a Nascent Soul using the Dragon Transformation Scripture; subsequent cultivators in the Immortal Sect typically only reached the Nascent Soul stage at best. Furthermore, because reverting turtle essence blood to its origin is extremely resource and time-intensive, no one has cultivated this method for the past three hundred years," Duanmu Longrong interjected, her words bringing Bian Jingchun back to reality. From a young age, everyone in the Immortal Sect was taught that the best cultivation method is always the one most suited to oneself. Ancestor Zhongli had uniquely created the Dragon Transformation Scripture for his own mastery of the Six Imperial Scriptures, and his success in achieving the Dragon-Tortoise Nascent Soul was largely due to the vast foreign resources he acquired during the pioneering wars. Even if Ancestor Zhongli were to reincarnate and attempt to cultivate the Dragon Transformation Scripture in the current Immortal Sect environment, it would likely be very difficult for him to achieve a Nascent Soul again.

"The Yin Dragon Transformation Scripture is very suitable for you; just continue on this path," Duanmu Longrong advised. Bian Jingchun's expression firmed, and she bowed to Duanmu Longrong, thanking her for the guidance.

"Teacher Duanmu, I came here to redeem a device chip, and also to inform Senior Bian that we'll be heading to Jumang Daoist Academy in half a month," Chen Mobai stated. As he spoke, he handed his student ID to Duanmu Longrong. She took it, deducted one hundred academic credits, and then returned his student ID along with a device chip.

"I'll be there on time," Bian Jingchun said, nodding with a smile.

"No, you should leave with him now," Duanmu Longrong suddenly interjected. Bian Jingchun froze, looking a little bewildered.

"After your Dragon Transformation this time, you'll need about ten days to fully recover your vitality. If you stay here, I won't allow you to perform another Spirit Taming anyway. It's almost time, so you two should leave together." Hearing Duanmu Longrong's explanation, Chen Mobai and Bian Jingchun hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded in agreement.

Just as Chen Mobai was about to leave, Duanmu Longrong suddenly called out to him. Pointing at Bian Jingchun beside him, she earnestly instructed him, "The Daoist Academy has given her the True Dragon Cauldron. This cauldron was refined from an otherworldly dragon vein during the pioneering wars, making it perfectly suited for her cultivation of the Yin Dragon Transformation Scripture. However, her cultivation is still somewhat low. Although she can barely refine it using the power of the 'Cantong Qi,' it can only sustain a single strike at most."

"Teacher Duanmu, do you mean that Senior Bian shouldn't use the True Dragon Cauldron a second time during the offline exchange?"

"Yes, you've managed the student council for the past two years, keeping everything both within and outside the academy well-ordered. Your steady approach to tasks puts me at ease. However, she has a somewhat earnest personality and might, in the heat of the moment, disregard her own limits and forcefully wield the True Dragon Cauldron to uphold the academy's reputation." Duanmu Longrong nodded, while Bian Jingchun, standing nearby, flushed slightly, her fair, almost translucent skin turning pink with embarrassment.

"Lan Haiting has gone into secluded cultivation, and Yan Qiongzhi isn't interested in such matters," Chen Mobai said with a smile. "I don't think there's any Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Daoist Academy who could force Senior Bian to use the True Dragon Cauldron, right?" Duanmu Longrong considered this and acknowledged that it was indeed true. Bian Jingchun, in her normal state combined with the Dragon Transformation Art, already wielded power approaching Tier 3. Within the Daoist Academy, even many chief disciples who had graduated long ago might not be her match.

"After all, this is just an exchange and sparring; even losing is not a big deal. For us cultivators, what truly matters is who survives to the very end," Duanmu Longrong concluded. With a flick of her sleeve, the three of them felt their bodies lighten, and with a flash of rainbow light, they vanished from the island.

By the time they regained their bearings, they had already left the underground lava flow region. Impressed by the power of a Core Formation cultivator, Chen Mobai activated his Scarlet Cloud Mist Robe, transporting Bian Jingchun and Zhongli Tianyu back to the student council.

"Who is this?" Hua Zijing, who was sitting on the second-floor balcony petting a cat, spotted them as soon as they reached the plaza. She looked at the elegant Bian Jingchun with a puzzled expression, feeling a sense of familiarity.

"Twenty years ago, when I was the student council president, I also enjoyed sunbathing here," Bian Jingchun said. Seeing Hua Zijing on the balcony, she pursed her lips, raised her long sleeve to cover the lower half of her face, and smiled gently.

"Hello, Senior!" Hua Zijing immediately stood up and saluted her from the balcony. After Chen Mobai's introduction, she had learned that Bian Jingchun was a chief disciple who had graduated from the Daoist Academy twenty years prior.

"No need to be so polite; when I graduated, my cultivation was only about the same as yours," Bian Jingchun replied. Seeing that the two women were acquainted, Chen Mobai, glad to be a hands-off manager once more, entrusted Bian Jingchun to Hua Zijing.

By the time Chen Mobai led Zhongli Tianyu into the office, Hua Zijing finally realized that she had already stepped down from her position, wondering why she was still helping with duties. However, seeing the elegant Bian Jingchun beside her, she could only grit her teeth and begin to host them.

"Do you recognize this formation plate?" Chen Mobai asked Zhongli Tianyu, feeling a bit perplexed, as he gazed at the triangular plate in his palm after using the device chip to activate the artifact sphere in the president's office on the third floor. There was no information about this formation plate even on the Ten Thousand Treasures Map.

"No, I don't," Zhongli Tianyu replied, shaking his head decisively.

"Then why did you make me open it?" Chen Mobai retorted. "Because this formation plate has withstood the influence of the Li Trigram for over a hundred years, indicating its power is from the same source. It will definitely be useful for your mirror," Zhongli Tianyu declared confidently, certain that his judgment, based on his knowledge of the Eight Trigrams Mirror, was infallible.

"Brother, are you at school? I have a formation plate here I'd like you to help me examine." Since Zhongli Tianyu proved unreliable, Chen Mobai could only call his good friend Yun Yangbing. Before long, his friend arrived, bringing along Jin Shuwei, another talented formation master from the Soul Transformation class.

"This appears to be the 'Three Yangs and One Qi Formation,'" they concluded after examining the triangular plate. Yun Yangbing specialized in earth formations, while Jin Shuwei focused on heaven formations. Chen Mobai then offered them his seat, and they used the student council's computer to search through the records of the Daoist Academy's graduates. They quickly identified sixteen graduates who had refined the "Three Yangs and One Qi Formation," and after a meticulous comparison, they confirmed their initial assessment.

"What is this formation used for?" "The formation plate, when combined with three flying swords, can set up a sword array capable of transforming sword qi into Primordial Yang Sword Light." After examining it, the two jointly activated the plate. Soon, a gentle, warm Yang energy permeated the room, bringing a sense of comfort to everyone present.

"Without flying swords, the formation plate alone can maintain the temperature within a certain range at the most comfortable level for the human body. The extent of this range depends on the amount of spiritual power and energy injected."

The "Three Yangs" referred to the sword array, while the "One Qi" referred to the constant temperature field. Chen Mobai had only obtained the formation plate, not the flying swords. This meant that to utilize the Three Yangs Sword Array, he would need to acquire three more flying swords with suitable attributes. Even with a complete setup, its power would merely be sword light. Chen Mobai had already mastered Sword Fiend techniques and truly found mere sword light beneath his notice. "What a huge loss," he thought. With 100 academic credits gone just like that, Chen Mobai shot a glare at Zhongli Tianyu, who sat casually in the chair.

"This formation plate has absorbed some of the Li Trigram's power," Zhongli Tianyu countered. "You can try to extract it and inject it into your mirror; you definitely won't be at a loss." "If you do that," Yun Yangbing and Jin Shuwei cautioned, "the power increase for a Tier 3 magical artifact would be negligible, and this formation plate would certainly be ruined."

At this moment, Chen Mobai also considered bringing the constant temperature formation to Xiaonanshan. He wondered if it could work with the Yi Wood Thunder Water to accelerate the maturation of the Tier 2 Jade Bamboo Spirit Rice, thereby shortening its growth cycle. While constant temperature formations were quite common in the Immortal Sect, Chen Mobai had never encountered one in the Eastern Wilderness. Cultivators there typically generated their own heat when cold and created ice to cool themselves when hot. Moreover, speaking of Primordial Yang Sword Light, he happened to have a gourd of Fire Yang Fiend, which he could refine into a "Primordial Yang Sword Fiend."