Chapter 112: Five Stars Breaking the Wall

Fu Qingyun lightly strummed and slowly plucked, using a gentle melody to initiate a musical duel. She immediately discerned the unusual elements within Qin Mu's music. His melody was a strange mix of Buddhist, demonic, and divine sounds, imbued with a warlike aura, as if capable of conjuring flashing blades and swords, swift movements, and rapid charges.

Although the Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture of the Demonic Sect included chapters on music, they were not as intricate and fragmented as what she heard. Fu Qingyun recognized the Demonic Sect's musical technique, the Celestial Demon's Rainbow Robe Melody, within Qin Mu's tune, but it was clearly only one component of his overall music.

Evidently, Qin Mu was deeply engrossed in a peculiar state, seemingly trying to comprehend something more profound and attempting to blend various elements.

Understanding Qin Mu's true intention, Fu Qingyun felt relieved.

This state of intense absorption was quite rare, accessible only during profound spiritual insight.

"Without such intense absorption, one cannot truly live; without it, one cannot achieve enlightenment."

Fu Qingyun, holding her pipa, played with increasing urgency. She was attempting to guide Qin Mu, helping him merge all his diverse techniques and complete his integration.

The girls from Tingyu Pavilion had merely been playing around when they engaged Qin Mu in a musical contest earlier. However, their playful antagonism and high-pressure environment had greatly helped Qin Mu, forcing him to continuously refine his music.

She, on the other hand, employed a dual approach of guidance and opposition, aiming to help Qin Mu integrate his abilities more effectively and quickly.

Her musical mastery was exceptionally high, far surpassing that of the girls from Tingyu Pavilion. Under her guidance and pressure, Qin Mu progressed rapidly.

Qin Mu's incorporation of the Celestial Demon's Rainbow Robe Melody into his playing also greatly benefited Fu Qingyun. This melody, a technique from the Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture, was something she had been taught, but her knowledge was incomplete. Thus, while guiding Qin Mu, she simultaneously received his insights, learning the parts of the Celestial Demon's Rainbow Robe Melody she had not yet mastered.

After a long while, Fu Qingyun noticed Qin Mu gradually emerging from his state of intense absorption. Their melodies harmonized perfectly, forming a duet as serene as a dragon and phoenix.

Just then, over a dozen girls excitedly carried a large bell out of the room. The bell was taller than a person, and Hu Ling'er sat atop it, shouting, "Let's all strike the bell together! We'll definitely blast apart his demonic music..."

Fu Qingyun stopped playing, a mix of amusement and exasperation on her face. She scolded, "Do you want to harm the young master? What nonsense! Put the bell back!"

The girls, crestfallen, carried the bell back. Hu Ling'er was equally dejected, clearly unhappy that she hadn't gotten to bombard Qin Mu with the large bell.

Qin Mu awoke, looked around in surprise, and only then realized the commotion he had caused. He quickly apologized to Fu Qingyun.

"The young girls are ignorant," Fu Qingyun said with a smile. "They almost delayed your cultivation, young master. Please don't blame them."

Fu Qingyun smiled. "Young master, have you not eaten yet? You've been at it all night; it's almost dawn."

Qin Mu quickly called over the mischievous little fox spirit, who seemed to thrive on chaos, and they went to eat together.

The richly dressed young man folded up his uneaten food, took the empty bowls and plates, and began to wash them clean. Several girls, seeing this, rushed to stop him, saying, "How can a young master do such menial chores? Please let us handle it."

Qin Mu smiled. "There is no nobility or baseness in the Dao, so how can there be nobility or baseness in work? I've already washed them; there's no need for you to get your hands dirty."

Fu Qingyun asked, "What is your cultivation realm now, young master?"

Qin Mu's hands burst into flame, burning off the water droplets, and he said, "Still the Spirit Embryo Realm."

Fu Qingyun frowned slightly. The Spirit Embryo Realm was quite low; it would be very difficult to enter the Imperial College. Even when the Imperial College made exceptions to admit scholars, they were usually martial artists who had already opened their Five Element Divine Treasure.

With merely the Spirit Embryo Realm, he would likely fail the Imperial College's assessment.

She had originally thought Qin Mu was at least in the Five Element Realm, as he had already reached the Spirit Embryo Realm when she met him three years ago. She had not expected him to have made no progress in those three years.

What she didn't know was that while Qin Mu's realm hadn't advanced, his cultivation had significantly improved. Furthermore, his spirit embryo had awakened four times, allowing the four types of vital qi to circulate freely. His vital qi was so formidable that it stood out even among martial artists.

"There are still two days until the Imperial College opens," Fu Qingyun said. "The young master should try to break through the barrier and succeed within these two days."

Although Fu Qingyun said this, she felt apprehensive. Succeeding in breaking through the barrier in two days was an immense challenge, almost an impossibility.

Qin Mu nodded and smiled. "I will definitely break through the barrier in two days!"

Fu Qingyun sent the girls away, saying, "None of you are to bother the young master for these two days. Little fox, you shouldn't stay here either. Let the young master fully immerse himself in comprehension."

Hu Ling'er had no choice but to leave with them, hearing the girls tell her, "Sister Ling'er, we'll teach you the art of allure; it's so much fun..."

Since leaving the Great Ruins, Qin Mu had been trying to open the Five Element Divine Treasure and enter the Five Element Realm. Through his diligent study of the Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture in recent days, he had gained considerable insights.

The Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture contained the secrets for opening the Five Element Divine Treasure. The scripture stated:"Forgetting form to nurture vital energy yields the golden elixir; facing scenes with an unperturbed mind is the great return.Forgetting form transforms vital energy, and vital energy transforms into spirit; this is the Great Dao piercing through the three passes.The Crimson Palace glows like a crescent furnace; the spirit embryo quietly resides on the great profound altar.Cinnabar is the blood of the vermilion phoenix; mercury is the liver of the black tortoise.Golden lead is gathered into the earthen cauldron; wooden mercury flies to reside in the Mud-Pill Palace.The Pool of Radiance is within the sea of vital energy; the Spirit Chamber is within the Yellow Court."

The "golden elixir" referred to the golden light within the Golden Sea of the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure. Qin Mu had already perfected the state where his spirit embryo quietly resided on the great profound altar. In his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, the Golden Sea was empty, vital qi circulated, and a profound altar imprint had formed beneath his spirit embryo.

Now, his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure contained only a profound altar formed by vital qi array patterns, with the spirit embryo at its center.

The Five Element Divine Treasure, also known as the Five Phases Divine Treasure, is located between the two breasts, corresponding to the heart. The heart is also referred to as the Crimson Palace.

The cinnabar and mercury mentioned in the Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture are metaphors. Cinnabar symbolizes fire, mercury symbolizes water, golden lead symbolizes metal, wooden mercury symbolizes wood, and the earthen cauldron symbolizes earth. These correspond to the Five Planets: Fire (Mars), Water (Mercury), Metal (Venus), Wood (Jupiter), and Earth (Saturn).

The Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture states that opening the Five Element Divine Treasure requires determining the proper star positions.

These "star positions" refer to the Five Planets (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) in the sky, which correspond to the Five Elements within the body's Five Element Divine Treasure. Because of individual differences in physical constitution, development, and gender, the precise locations of the Five Elements within each person's Five Element Divine Treasure vary.

Therefore, one must use the celestial Five Planets to calculate the Five Elements within the human body, determine the correct star positions, and then strike with vital qi.

Qin Mu took out a thick stack of paper, a charcoal pencil, and an abacus from his satchel. Beside them lay ten volumes of arithmetic treatises. He opened a sheet of paper, which was densely covered with calculations. He was using the elemental solution method to calculate the Five Element positions and was nearing the end of his computations.

The abacus clattered continuously. By the time the sun was high in the sky, Qin Mu stretched, stood up, and exercised his body.

On the first page of paper, he had drawn a heart, surrounded by dense written calculations. Five lines extended from it, forming an equilateral pentagram around the heart, with each point labeled with the attributes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

Qin Mu had translated the principles of generation and destruction into numbers, calculated the star positions, and finally determined the exact location of his Crimson Palace.

Qin Mu stretched, then began to walk slowly, circulating his vital qi and making it flow vigorously. Simultaneously, as his vital qi passed through his spirit embryo, it became even more immense. Qin Mu walked faster and faster, gradually stirring a wind inside the room. The wind grew stronger, blowing open the doors and windows. Qin Mu simply walked out of the pavilion into the courtyard, ignoring everything else, and continued his rapid pace without stopping.

Finally, his vital qi circulation reached its peak. Within his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, the spirit embryo on the profound altar stood up, its hands raised towards the sky. Five streams of vital qi surged into the high reaches of the divine treasure, combining in pairs, merging into one, and transforming into five stars.

Vital qi threads connected the five stars, forming an equilateral shape and connecting diagonally, creating a pentagonal pattern. They then gradually brightened, shining down from the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure with a hum, like a mirror. This light opened his Conception and Governing Vessels, shining down along his throat, and with another hum, illuminated his heart chamber.

Qin Mu's immense vital qi burst forth, surging down along the path of light, forcefully impacting the illuminated spot.

A roar echoed in his ears, and an invisible door in his heart chamber burst open with a crash. The invisible barrier was shattered by his vital qi, vanishing without a trace. A divine treasure had just opened!

Qin Mu stopped. The accumulation of half a month had transformed into this mighty strike, truly refreshing and exhilarating!

"Why didn't the young master meditate quietly? Instead, you came out?" Fu Qingyun asked as she approached, a hint of complaint in her voice.

Qin Mu opened his eyes. His aura was continuously rising, and his cultivation grew more profound. He smiled slightly and said, "I broke through the barrier."

Fu Qingyun's heart skipped a beat. She widened her eyes, looking at him in disbelief, and stammered, "What did the young master break through?"

"I broke through the barrier of the Five Element Divine Treasure," Qin Mu said with a smile.

Fu Qingyun felt a little dizzy. "But I just left your room not long ago..."