Although Qin Mu was running at high speed, his mind was constantly thinking, more active than ever. His meeting with the State Preceptor of Yankang, though they didn't talk much, sent his brain into a state of excitement.
Facing a person of extraordinary talent stimulates, pressures, and elevates oneself.
Although for the State Preceptor of Yankang, this was just an ordinary conversation, for Qin Mu it was significant. Just standing before this legendary figure required great courage, and conversing with him demanded the full use of his wisdom.
Communicating with the wise makes one wise, and associating with the mediocre makes one mediocre.
Qin Mu seized this opportunity of conversing with the State Preceptor to put himself in a peak state of wisdom, using this chance to perfect the great unifying technique.
Suddenly, his pace slowed. His qi circulated through the improved Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique. This modified Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique was now the great unifying technique he had perfected, incorporating the strengths of many techniques from the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra.
The original Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique had no elemental attributes, serving purely to power other techniques. In terms of power, it was inferior to techniques paired with their corresponding magical powers.
For example, the Eight Thunderclap Strikes needed the Tathagata Mahayana Sutra to be activated to unleash their full power. The Rain-Making Art required the Black Tortoise Water Control Technique to be empowered. The Thunder and Fire Technique needed the Vermilion Bird Fire Control Technique's control to fully unleash the power of thunder and fire.
But the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique was a foundation technique, with no corresponding magical powers or techniques.
This time, the great unifying technique Qin Mu comprehended used the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique as its base, comprehending the teachings inscribed on the Woodcutter's Stone, awakening the various properties of the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique, allowing it to unleash the power of various techniques!
The Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique had no elemental attributes, couldn't temper the body, had no corresponding magical powers, and couldn't directly transform into powerful offensive force.
But now that he had comprehended the great unifying technique, Qin Mu had finally solved this problem.
Now the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique was more about inclusiveness. Using his improved Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique to power other spells, sword arts, and combat skills was just as powerful as their paired techniques!
This was the great unifying technique referred to by the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra.
Each Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult had their own unique great unifying technique. The Ancestor's original intention was for Qin Mu to comprehend a great unifying technique and practice it alongside the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique. Though practice would be slower, he could enjoy the benefits of both.
What he hadn't expected was that Qin Mu directly improved the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique itself, rather than comprehending a technique based on the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra.
Qin Mu didn't know if this was good or bad, whether it was the right choice. He had practiced the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique since childhood and was most familiar with it, so he instinctively transformed the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique into a great unifying technique.
Most importantly, he solved the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique's shortcomings in body tempering, magical powers, and combat skills.
He activated the improved Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique. Now the technique incorporated the Nine Revolutions and Three Verifications Mystic Art from the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra, a top-tier body tempering technique from that sutra.
Qin Mu had long envied the combat school's body tempering techniques, but Old Ma, the Butcher, and the Cripple hadn't taught him such techniques, so he could only seek them within the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra.
As the technique activated, Qin Mu immediately felt the extraordinary nature of the improved Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique. His qi circulated rapidly, then permeated his skin, muscles, bones, meridians, hair, and marrow.
Previously, his Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique only circulated along relatively simple paths within his body, but now it had penetrated into every aspect of his being!
The new Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique not only included body tempering but also soul tempering and qi tempering, all executed with great skill.
Qin Mu walked slower and slower, gradually becoming quiet, carefully contemplating the remaining shortcomings of his technique to correct them.
The basic framework of his great unifying technique was now set; what remained were only minor details.
He had significant shortcomings in body and soul tempering. Now he felt as if his body were parched earth that hadn't seen rain for half a year, frantically absorbing rainwater for nourishment.
The Nine Revolutions and Three Verifications of the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra involved nine revolutions of qi and flesh, and three verifications of the internal bones: first verification for bone density, second for a body as hard as iron, third for a body as solid as a mountain.
He was now only at the stage of the first revolution and first verification.
Unknowingly, half a day had passed. Qin Mu slowly walked to the Celestial Records Tower. At the entrance, a Records Secretary happened to pass by, glanced at him, and his face turned pale. He quickly said, "Scholar Qin, you'd better regulate yourself immediately, otherwise you won't live long!"
Qin Mu was puzzled, not understanding what he meant. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and he immediately felt dizzy and unsteady, about to collapse.
"Oh no!"
Qin Mu was startled. He hurriedly raised his hands and saw his arms were thin as withered branches. He touched his face and could only feel the thin skin almost clinging to his cheekbones.
The clothes that had fit perfectly now felt somewhat loose.
He then realized that in these two hours, he had become terrifyingly thin, like a dry stick figure. Moreover, his physical body was deteriorating!
And as he continued activating the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique, this deterioration accelerated dramatically!
Once the energy stored in his physical body was exhausted, that would likely be his death.
He had been so focused on perfecting the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique and practicing body and soul tempering techniques that he hadn't paid attention to his own body. Now he realized he was nearly at the point of complete exhaustion.
"The new Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique has considerable hidden dangers. The practice speed is too fast, and I forgot that body tempering consumes the body's own energy. Without replenishment, the strain on the body is extremely heavy!"
He was already at the Five Celestial Bodies realm with profound cultivation, but practicing the new Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique for body and soul tempering had depleted his body's energy in less than two hours!
Qin Mu immediately stopped activating the Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique to clear his mind. His brain raced, trying to figure out how to prepare medicine to regulate his body, while he ran toward the scholars' residence.
Qin Mu rushed into his room, took some money, and headed to the Imperial Academy's storehouse, leaving behind the bewildered little fox and dragon-qilin.
He purchased herbs from the storehouse and, without time to return to his residence, began refining medicine right on the road. He performed a dazzling series of techniques, extracting and refining herbs with astonishing speed. Before reaching the scholars' residence, he had already refined a furnace of spirit pills.
As soon as these spirit pills were completed, they emitted a faint Buddhist chanting sound, as if each pill contained a seated Buddha reciting sutras for blessings.
The moment the pills were finished, Qin Mu opened his mouth and inhaled. A string of pills formed a line and flew into his mouth.
He circulated the medicinal power while running toward his courtyard. Just as he reached the door, he suddenly felt dizzy and tumbled into the yard.
Hu Ling'er cried out in alarm and rushed over. Before losing consciousness, Qin Mu saw her approach, feeling relieved. He said, "Help me catalyze the medicinal power..."
He didn't finish the sentence before falling unconscious.
When Qin Mu finally regained consciousness in a daze, he felt the spirit pills' medicinal power dissolving in his stomach, like a scorching furnace sending hot currents throughout his limbs and bones. He finally breathed a sigh of relief, his heart filled with lingering fear.
The great unifying Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique was indeed good, but also extremely dangerous. If he hadn't managed to refine a remedial pill while still conscious, the consequences would have been unimaginable—he would likely be dead already!
"The Hegemon Body Three Cinnabar Technique overdrafts the body during soul and body tempering. If the energy can't be replenished, death is certain."
Qin Mu opened his eyes, lying quietly, and contemplated: "Correcting this technique would be extremely difficult. One adjustment affects the whole system, and modifications would take a very long time. Since that's the case, perhaps I should stop practicing..."
Hu Ling'er stood nearby, watching him nervously. The dragon-qilin crouched outside the window, trying to poke its head in to see if its master was still alive, but it was too large—the window could only fit one of its big eyes, preventing it from entering.
Qin Mu got up and found himself lying on the bed. The little fox must have used demon wind to carry him to bed. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine now. Once I fully catalyze the medicinal power, my body will recover."
Hu Ling'er sighed with relief and said, "Young Master, you scared me to death. In such a short time, you wasted away from hunger. When you collapsed earlier, I was worried you wouldn't get up..."
Qin Mu focused on catalyzing the medicinal power. He watched as the medicine dissolved and was absorbed by his body. For now, death was no longer imminent, but his body remained in a state of deficiency.
This was the internal depletion caused by soul and body tempering. Though his physique had become stronger, without sufficient nourishment to compensate, it was like a towered boat flying in the sky—if the furnace powering it was too small, the boat would inevitably fall from the sky and shatter.
That was exactly what had just happened to him.
Soul tempering had depleted his mental energy, and body tempering had exhausted his physical energy. The spirit pills he refined replenished his mental energy, preventing his spirit from being completely drained, but his body was still in a state of severe hunger.
Now his mental energy had fully recovered, but his body remained emaciated, skin and bones, terrifyingly thin.
Qin Mu stood up and said, "Ling'er, is there anything to eat? I'm extremely hungry right now."
"Young Master, do you want to eat the green bull?"
Outside the window, the dragon-qilin's massive eye rolled, and it said happily, "There's a wild bull on the back mountain. How about we catch it and roast it for Young Master to eat?"
This dragon-qilin, now that it was no longer starving, was full of mischievous thoughts and always wanted to get revenge on the green bull.
Hu Ling'er laughed and said, "Wait a moment, Young Master! Dragon, let's go get something for Young Master to eat!" With that, she dashed out of the room, leading the dragon-qilin as they raced out of the scholars' residence.
"Sister Ling'er, where are we going to find food?" the dragon-qilin asked, puzzled.
"Can you swim?" Hu Ling'er asked.
"There are a few large fish in the Jade Dragon Lake, several zhang long. I've had my eye on them for a long time."
The dragon-qilin said excitedly, "I've also had my eye on them for a long time, but without the master's orders, I couldn't make a move. Don't worry, I'm an excellent swimmer too. I can lurk underwater for several days without needing to breathe."
Hu Ling'er was delighted. They arrived at the shore of the Jade Dragon Lake. On the opposite side was a Daoist who looked at them with surprise. Before he could ask, the dragon-qilin dove into the lake with a splash.
The Daoist's face changed dramatically, and he quickly shouted, "That lion, no swimming in the lake! That fox, you stop that lion for me!"
Hu Ling'er quickly said, "Dragon, hurry, hurry!"