Chapter 129: True Lead and True Mercury, the Five Elements Complete

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Beneath the Samadhi Divine Wind, the spider demon’s flesh and bones were blown away without a trace.

Cao Kong gazed at the white bones filling the cave and sighed softly. Then he flicked his sleeve and summoned the Mingshu Wind, burying every last bone beneath the earth so that the wild beasts of the mountains would not carry them away.

Only then did he go to the Falling Embryo Spring. Its waters were clear and pure, filled with a naturally arising spiritual resonance.

A thought stirred in his mind, and he spat out two swords: one forged from Yi Wood, the other from Xin Metal. Gui Water was yin water, drawn to yin metal, Xin, and yin wood, Yi.

Cao Kong roused the vital essence within the two swords and flicked it into the spring. As expected, the essence of Gui Water within the spring began to overflow, drawn forth by their presence.

“There truly is Gui Water essence here.” Cao Kong smiled with delight. Liu Xian’s injuries could now be treated, and he would also be able to complete his collection of the Five Elements’ vital essences.

He then used Yi Wood and Xin Metal to lure out the Gui Water essence. Like a fisherman waiting for a bite, he waited until the essence took the bait, then drew out its energy and refined it.

Silken strands of Gui Water essence were steadily extracted from the Falling Embryo Spring under Cao Kong’s control. It seemed inexhaustible, as though he could never take it all.

Moreover, Cao Kong sensed that, besides the yin nature of Gui Water, there was something else within the spring—a trace of yang?

It perfectly reflected the principle of separation within Kan: true yang hidden inside yin water.

“Interesting.”

Cao Kong formed hand seals and continued extracting the Gui Water essence. As he watched, he marveled at the mysteries of creation. Who could have imagined that such wonders as the Mother-and-Child River and the Falling Embryo Spring could exist?

Yet he could not help pondering the spring’s effects. It could dispel a pregnancy—but the pregnancy it affected was not one born of the union of yin and yang. Rather, it was one awakened by the waters of the Mother-and-Child River.

“Does one use the true yang within Kan to dispel the embryo?”

Cao Kong’s thoughts deepened. He felt that this river and spring contained the true mysteries of cultivation—the transformations of yin and yang.

He had now attained the convergence of Wood and Fire. In theory, Wood generated Fire, and Fire generated Earth, so the next stage for him should be to seek the convergence of Earth.

But to attain the convergence of Earth, the Four Great Elements had to be brought into harmony.

What did it mean for the Four Great Elements to be at peace? It meant that the body remained unmoving, the heart remained unmoving, one’s true nature became still, and all delusive emotions were forgotten. This was the essential meaning behind the other four stages of convergence.

Only after attaining the remaining four convergences could one refine the convergence of Earth. One would then use the true meaning of Earth to harmonize the five vital energies, bringing all five elements into convergence.

Thus, Cao Kong now needed to choose between Metal and Water for his next cultivation.

He had come today merely to seek Gui Water essence, yet the opportunity had allowed him to catch a glimpse of the path toward cultivating the convergence of Water.

One could cultivate anywhere, at any time. That was simply the way of things.

A thoughtful look entered Cao Kong’s eyes. It seemed he would have to visit the Mother-and-Child River.

Three days later, after extracting enough Gui Water essence, Cao Kong stopped. After pondering for a moment, he flicked his finger and sent more than a hundred drops of innate sweet dew into the spring, nourishing its waters.

He then scooped up a handful of water and set off in search of the Mother-and-Child River.

After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, he arrived before a small river. Its clear waters flowed ceaselessly.

Standing on the bank, Cao Kong watched with a smile. Having sensed its extraordinary nature, he recognized that it was yang water containing a trace of turbid yin energy. He scooped up a handful and stored it within his sleeve.

Once everything was done, he did not linger. Riding upon the wind, he returned to Hidden Mist Mountain.

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……

“Mountain Lord, this…”

Liu Xian gazed at the mass of Gui Water essence in Cao Kong’s hand, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

Cao Kong smiled. “Fellow Daoist Liu Xian, you need not take this to heart. I also needed this Gui Water essence. I merely collected it along the way. Besides, I gained quite a lot from this journey.”

Hearing this, Liu Xian was deeply moved. He assumed that Cao Kong had made the journey especially for his sake. He clasped his hands before his abdomen and bowed solemnly.

“Gui Water essence is exceedingly rare. I heard long ago that the Mountain Lord had been searching for it for many years, yet you obtained it in only a few days. This journey must have been anything but easy. I will remember this kindness forever. Should you ever have need of me, I will not hesitate to risk my life.”

Cao Kong was left speechless. The journey had not been particularly difficult, and he had truly gained great benefits from it himself. Seeing Liu Xian behave in this manner, he did not know how to explain.

He merely waved his hand and left, summoning Cao Xiang to treat Liu Xian while he went to refine the Gui Water essence and comprehend the mysteries of the Mother-and-Child River and the Falling Embryo Spring.

……

At the summit of Hidden Mist Mountain, clouds and mist enveloped the peak like an immortal paradise. The wind descended from the azure heavens into the mortal world, vast and majestic, whistling and billowing as it swept across Cao Kong’s spiritual platform, leaving it utterly clear.

Cao Kong cultivated there, operating the Five Elements Primordial Unity Condensing Form and Refining Treasures Method. He condensed the Gui Water essence into the form of a sword, then fused it with Ren Water.

A sword shimmering with clear waves appeared before him, beautiful as a flowing spring.

The mutual generation of yin and yang circulated through countless transformations, giving rise to a feeling of perfect completeness.

At that very moment, strange movements arose within each of Cao Kong’s five inner palaces, as though they had sensed one another.

Cao Kong smiled and murmured, “The Five Elements are complete. The time has come.”

He opened his mouth and exhaled. Clouds and mist surged forth, and four rays of light—golden, azure, crimson, and yellow—swam through them like dragons. They moved with the grace of startled swans and the elegance of winding dragons.

In an instant, the five swords of the Five Elements drew toward one another and formed a circle. At times they moved according to the cycle of mutual generation; at others, the order of the Five Elements reversed entirely.

The Dao resonance contained within them spread across the whole of Hidden Mist Mountain, causing the mountain’s Five Elements to fall into disorder. Had Cao Kong not deliberately suppressed them, flames would have appeared without cause, rain would have fallen, and the plants and trees would have grown wildly.

A rich smile spread across Cao Kong’s face. His excitement mounting, he controlled the five swords with his mind and made them dance.

As the saying went: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—all could be made to tremble within the space of one’s palm.

The Metal Sword commanded slaughter and conquest.

The Wood Sword governed decay and prosperity.

The Earth Sword harmonized the Five Elements.

The Fire Sword refined form and spirit.

The Water Sword held both hardness and gentleness.

“How exhilarating! How exhilarating!”

Cao Kong burst into laughter. Then another thought arose. He activated the sword art of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and performed the celestial footwork beneath him. In a moment, the starlight of the heavens was drawn down.

The five swords of the Five Elements absorbed the starlight and transformed into the forms of the Four Symbols, soaring into the sky.

Delight appeared once more in Cao Kong’s eyes. This could be called the Four Symbols Formation, a realization he had gained after achieving minor mastery of all twenty-eight Lunar Mansions. At last, he could put it into practice.

This formation took the Five Elements as its foundation and drew upon the power of the stars, allowing one to exercise the authority of the Four Symbols. Anyone trapped within it would be like a turtle in a jar, for human strength was finite, while the power of the stars was boundless.

From now on, Cao Kong possessed yet another means of protecting his path.

With a light laugh, he moved his thoughts, and the five swords returned to his side, concealing their divine radiance.

“Next, I must unite the Five Elements and refine them into Primordial Unity. Only then can I truly be called complete, without flaw or leak.”

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Cao Kong found the task rather troublesome. Condensing the vital essence of each element into a single form was not difficult, but allowing them to attain a state of Primordial Unity was certainly not something that could be accomplished in a day.

“Enough, enough. I possess a secret method and the vital essences of the Five Elements. I have already been blessed beyond measure. All I need to do is cultivate.”

He then swallowed all five elemental swords, sending them back into his five inner palaces.

Next, he took out the waters of the Mother-and-Child River and the Falling Embryo Spring. These two waters were extraordinarily mysterious. One could generate the energy of conception, while the other could dispel it. Their origins surely contained profound secrets.

However, Cao Kong had no need to investigate their origins. He only intended to use them to comprehend the Water of the Five Elements and the principles of yin and yang.

The two waters floated before him as Cao Kong activated his spiritual sight and observed the resonance within them.

The water of the Mother-and-Child River was yang water, yet it contained turbid yin.

The water of the Falling Embryo Spring was yin water, yet it contained true yang.

Cao Kong attempted to comprehend their mysteries and murmured, “If the body remains unmoving, the essence becomes firm and Water converges toward its source. But what does it mean for the body to remain unmoving? And what does it mean for the essence to become firm?”

He then tried to recall everything he knew about the Mother-and-Child River and the Falling Embryo Spring.

From dawn until dusk he pondered. Then the Golden Crow sank from the sky and the Jade Rabbit rose, only for the sun to ascend once more in the east. Yin and yang alternated, and countless dewdrops gathered throughout the mountains.

Plop.

A dewdrop fell to the ground.

The sound stirred ripples across Cao Kong’s heart lake. He turned to look and saw sweet dew covering the rocks and vegetation throughout the mountain.

He could not help murmuring, “True lead requires true water for refinement; true water harmonizes and dries true mercury.”

With that thought, the surrounding mist gradually dispersed.

Thanks to Illusion Transformed into Spirit for the 100 Qidian coins.

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Thank you, dear readers, for all your support!!!

This was the missing section, and it has now been added. Tonight, we will still begin with three chapters.

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