Chapter 570: Life-Saving Bristle
Shi Mu’s expression changed greatly as he realized the force and power of the yin and yang in his body had been absorbed. The runes gradually became thinner.
Shi Mu saw this and felt immense joy in his heart though he was trying his best to support himself from getting absorbed entirely.
The white tiger demon spirit stood aside and watched quietly. He did not make a single sound nor lend a helping hand.
Time passed bit by bit until an hour had passed by. The black and white rune was left with only a thin layer.
In contrast, Shi Mu’s face was pale as a sheet. The inner qi within his body had been depleted, and the black and white light on his hands glowed faintly.
“It seems that this rune was set up by the white azure ancestors to test my strength…” Shi Mu looked at the white tiger demon spirit and gritted his teeth.
Just as Shi Mu was about to break down from holding on for far too long, the black and light rune suddenly shattered and disappeared out of sight. The original cyan wall now revealed a big hole.
Shi Mu let loose and his body swayed from side to side as he was completely drained of any inner qi. After resting for a while, he gradually recovered.
“It appears your first and second phase of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art has been cultivated to its peak. Anyway, time is running out. Please come with me quickly!” the white tiger demon spirit said as his figure fluttered into the cave.
Shi Mu took a deep breath and followed close behind.
Within the cave was a stone room. The area was not large, with only a square table in its center. Aside from the table, there was nothing else in the room, but there were items atop the table.
Shi Mu walked in and, upon noticing the items, was stunned in his tracks.
There were seven to eight jade bottles, two jade boxes, a small pile of spirit stones, and some medicinal spirit herbs. The jade bottles and boxes were nowhere comparable to any top-grade spirit stones. The spiritual fluctuation they emitted was stronger than anything Shi Mu had witnessed throughout his journey.
“This is…” Shi Mu picked up a spirit stone on the table and was a little shocked.
He once read in an ancient book that these spirit stones were of the highest level a spirit stone could be. They were known as the heavenly spirit stones.
“These spirit stones are of the immortals. The heavenly spirit stone is far superior to any other spirit stone, regardless of quality. The white ape ancestors have accumulated them over more than a hundred years. I advise you not to exchange them because they are highly rich in spiritual qi and can greatly increase the chance of success in your cultivation,” the white tiger demon spirit said.
Shi Mu was excited and nodded again and again. There were more than a dozen pieces in the small pile of heavenly spirit stones and half of them were of the fire attribute. It would come in handy in reaching Heaven rank.
He looked at the herbs on the side since they were protected by a small circle of runes. Although they had been there for thousands of years, there seemed to be no loss of spiritual power.
“Primary Grounded Fruit, Nine Clove Herb, Craned Sphere Wood…” Shi Mu recognized the herbs and whispered to himself under his breath.
These medicinal spirit herbs were rare treasures that could not be easily found. Consuming the Primary Grounded Fruit could extend a person’s life for more than a hundred years. Consuming the Nine Clove Herb would increase one’s inner qi by a thousand years worth of training. The Craned Sphere Wood was not only light and feathery on its exterior, but also possessed the magical materials to invent any flying type of spirit weapon. All these items were extremely precious treasures.
He took a deep breath but he was barely able to calm his mind. As soon as he picked up and opened the jade bottles, he was overjoyed.
The medicinal herbs in these jade bottles were the best remedies. The two bottles contained pills that would recover qi in just an instant. One bottle was filled with healing remedies while the other possessed the legendary resilience pill. Shi Mu had read about this in one of the classic ancient books and it was said that it was capable of repairing damages to the soul.
Shi Mu put down the jade bottle and picked up the last two jade boxes. He gently opened it and glimpsed inside.
There were two black and white beads in one of the jade boxes. They were only half the size of a fist. Although they emitted brilliant rays of black and white light, they did not look extraordinary.
In another jade box was a strand of white hair, the length of a finger, emitting a white light. Upon further inspection, a thin, faintly visible golden wire could be seen, as if it was of some kind of spirit weapon.
Shi Mu’s eyes flashed as he picked up the black and white beads. As soon as he touched it, there was a sudden spiritual fluctuation from the beads into his body, giving off a wonderfully indescribable feeling.
His hands seemed to trigger some kind of power. The black and white light shined brightly as the force of the yin and yang rushed into him.
Under the traction of this spiritual power, the forces of yin and yang that were originally incompatible with each other suddenly tamed down as they tried to fuse together. Shi Mu could not contain his happiness.
Shi Mu looked at the white tiger demon spirit.
“Elder Bai Kui, is this…”
“No doubt. This treasure can balance the power of yin and yang in the body. The white azure ape ancestor spent thousands of years collecting treasures related to the power of yin and yang,” the white tiger demon spirit said.
Shi Mu nodded. He was ecstatic. With these treasures, he could now balance the power of the yin and yang and begin the third phase of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art.
“What about this strand of hair?” Shi Mu looked at the white hair in the jade box and asked.
“This is called the Life-saving Bristle. It was obtained when the white azure ape reached his peak. Half the power and strength of the white azure ape is sealed in it. You can use it to summon him as your energy construct until the power within the bristles is exhausted completely. When the Holy Power is in force, you can call out the energy construct to your aid in your body in advance. Remember, this should only be used when you’re caught in a life or death situation. Please bear that in mind!”
Shi Mu listened with great joy. He kept the strain of white hair for safekeeping as this is a treasure that could play a huge part in saving his life.
“Alright then. It seems that my time is up…”
The white tiger demon spirit looked at Shi Mu and a soft gentle smile appeared in the corner of his mouth. His already faint body slowly became more transparent and countless white spots floated out of his body as he dissipated in the void.
“Elder Bai Kui…” Shi Mu was shocked.
“My soul can no longer support my presence here. You don’t have to feel sorry for me. I have completed the task given to me by the white azure ape ancestor. I can now leave in peace…” the white tiger demon spirit’s voice faded away as his body dissipated completely.
Shi Mu silently looked at the scene in front of him with a complex expression. He bowed solemnly at the spot where the white tiger demon spirit stood before fading away.
Although he had only met the white tiger demon spirit once, for the sake of the task given to him, he did not hesitate himself to another body just so he could persist and complete the task even if he had to wait for a thousand more years.
Such feelings were so valuable to him that it moved him to the core.
“Demons…” Shi Mu muttered to himself.
When he started his journey from the Cerulean Sea Star, he had no good feelings for the demon race. However, meeting the white tiger demon spirit today drastically changed his perspective.
Shi Mu shook his head to get himself out of thinking and began keeping away all the treasures on the stone table.
As he picked up the many medicinal herbs on the table, Shi Mu’s heart felt a certain sorrow. For the white azure ape ancestors to rush out of the Star Field Dimension was puzzling. Did something happen with the immortals? He could not help feeling curious.
He slumped deep down into his thoughts for a moment then only snapped out of it as he kept the strain of white hair in his storage ring. He then took the black and white beads closer to carefully examine them.
As soon as his fingers touched the beads, he had a strange feeling in his heart.
Was this not a blood pulse induction…?
Shi Mu was filled with joy as he observed the root of the hair. It was indeed true that the blood of the white azure ape ancestor was on it.
He immediately sat on the ground next to the table and placed his two palms opposite each other, with the hair and rune between them.
A golden light shined within the palm of his hand. Droplets of crystal red blood wrapped in the golden light had separated from the hair.
The white blood of the white azure ape ancestor flew to the place where Shi Mu’s heart flicked, As a flash appeared, it disappeared from sight.
As soon as the blood began to seep into his body, Shi Mu’s trembled. His eyes turned red and the veins on his forehead bulged violently. He could not help but let out a painful groan.
Although it was painfully hot and his blood vessels were boiling like magma of a volcano, Shi Mu felt a sense of pleasure.
His left palm faced upwards and pointed to the sky while the palm of his right hand pointed vertically downwards. As the two palms reached each other, he performed a technique of sealing Heaven and Earth.
His left hand illuminated a blazing light while the right hand illuminated a ray of black light. The force and power of the yin and yang ran all over his body.
Shi Mu’s face was dignified as his body trembled slightly. He began chanting the mantra of the third phase of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art while guiding the two forces together.
As soon as the black and white force touched, it was like fire and water, colliding violently. Shi Mu could feel a tingling sensation as he tried to his best to maintain the spell.
He quickly focused his mind and released a spiritual force to explore into the black and white beads that were contained in the jade box.
As soon as the spiritual power touched the black and white beads, they floated above Shi Mu’s head.
Shi Mu suddenly felt his entire body loosen and the painful tingling sensation had weakened.
The spell did not change, as it continued when he looked up at the black and white bead turning and whistling on top of him.
One lap, two laps, three laps…
The beads spun faster every lap until a long shadow appeared in the air.
Shi Mu saw that the two shadows at times broke apart then merged once more. It sometimes separated then intertwined without warning. The black and white boundaries between them gradually blurred.
In a short time, the two shadows were completely handed in. It had now become a chaotic black and white whirlpool.
Shi Mu looked fixedly at the chaotic whirlpool as if he was looking at a calm sea, as ripples appeared and swayed around him.
Within the ripples, a black goldfish and a white goldfish seemed to be in a loop of mutual pursuit.
The black fish had pure white pupils while the white fish had black pupils instead.