Chapter 746: Infinite Chain Formation Diagram, Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture
As the Feather Book’s table of contents opened, the Prologue, Chain Formation Diagram, and Dao Seed Register appeared one after another before Zhang Yu.
Next, the new page of the Feather Book that appeared before Zhang Yu was called: Chain Formation Diagram II.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Chain Formation Diagram II? Is this another enhancement to the Chain Formation Diagram?”
High School Sacred Body, Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, University Sacred Body, Civil Engineering Sacred Body, Inverted Kunlun… On the page for Chain Formation Diagram II, the Chain Formation Diagrams Zhang Yu had mastered materialized one by one.
As he focused his will on them, he sensed that if he made a decision now, he could choose one of these Chain Formation Diagrams and convert all the cultivation arts he had practiced within that set into a form of nourishment to strengthen the diagram itself.
“A nourished Chain Formation Diagram…”
Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered, his heart already racing with excitement.
With a single thought, the ten Level 40 cultivation arts comprising his Nascent Soul Sacred Body vanished from his body in an instant, as if transformed into some kind of nutrient and completely absorbed into the Nascent Soul Sacred Body’s Chain Formation Diagram.
The next moment, the Nascent Soul Sacred Body, which had displayed “10/10,” changed to “0/10,” then to “0/11.”
“The Chain Formation Diagram has leveled up.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If the original Chain Formation Diagram could only reach Level 10 and grant three tiers of effects, now, by sacrificing all the cultivation arts in a Chain Formation Diagram set, I can raise its level by one.”
“At Level 12, I can unlock the fourth-tier effect, and at Level 14, the fifth-tier effect. And this leveling… can be infinite!”
At this thought, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. “Excellent! This is a massive enhancement.”
Previously, although Zhang Yu possessed numerous Chain Formation Diagrams, he could only activate one set’s effects at any given time. No matter how many he had, he couldn’t fully utilize them all.
Later, with the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptability, he could gradually extract passive effects from a Chain Formation Diagram set by keeping it active long enough, allowing those effects to persist even after switching to another set.
But even so, as the number of Chain Formation Diagrams he carried grew, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptation speed was limited. Ultimately, he could only focus on adapting a few key diagrams.
“I was starting to feel that even though my cultivation art practice speed was increasing, the enhancement effects on myself were diminishing.”
“But now, with Chain Formation Diagram II, I can continuously deepen several key Chain Formation Diagrams on my body…”
The first one Zhang Yu thought of was naturally his Nascent Soul Sacred Body. After all, if the Nascent Soul Sacred Body could be further enhanced, it would bring immense benefits to his future cultivation.
So, Zhang Yu immediately began cultivating the cultivation arts for the Nascent Soul Sacred Body.
Most of the arts required to complete the Nascent Soul Sacred Body were basic-grade and intermediate-grade cultivation arts from the Nascent Soul Stage. With the Feather Book’s boost, his current speed, and the efficiency of his sixteen True Clones, his cultivation progressed at an astonishing pace.
Within a few hours, he could easily push any one of these cultivation arts to Level 40.
However, to use this method on the next cultivation art, Zhang Yu had to wait until the next day to switch the Feather Book’s specialized cultivation art.
For the rest of the day, Zhang Yu continued his Nascent Soul Stage cultivation and his studies for the Sect Examination.
Just like that, eleven days passed, and Zhang Yu’s Nascent Soul Sacred Body reached 11/11.
Then, as he once again converted the mastered cultivation arts into nourishment and infused them into the Nascent Soul Sacred Body, this Chain Formation Diagram set changed to a 0/12 state.
“After mastering twelve Level 40 cultivation arts this time, I should be able to unlock a new tier of functions for the Nascent Soul Sacred Body.”
While Zhang Yu was busy with his cultivation and studies, Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole, Divine Monarch Greenwood, and the other Spirit Transformation cultivators from various schools prepared for their departure.
Above the Grand Void, Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole looked down at the increasingly bustling land below and sighed, “Let’s go. We’ll be back in five years anyway.”
Divine Monarch Greenwood said, “Are you sure you don’t want to say goodbye to Zhang Yu?”
Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole replied casually, “Don’t disturb him. Let him focus on preparing for the Sect Examination. If he passes, we’ll see him up there soon enough.”
After sending a farewell message, Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole and Divine Monarch Greenwood set off on their journey to the sect.
Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Focus on your exam, but don’t worry if you don’t pass. Staying below as the principal of the Myriad Laws University isn’t a bad option either.”
Divine Monarch Greenwood: “Memorize this card number and password. Magnetic Pole and I pooled 5000 Spirit Coins in it. Use it sparingly.”
Reading the messages from his two teachers, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but feel his heart warm.
He knew they had left the Spirit Coins in his account because of his debts, making it convenient for him to use when needed.
Zhang Yu understood even more clearly that after the recent series of battles and the burning of assets, the liquid funds of the various schools’ Spirit Transformation cultivators were already stretched thin. For them, 5000 Spirit Coins was by no means a small sum.
As for the Sect Examination… Zhang Yu had long since resolved to pass it, no matter what.
The more he learned about the sects and the upper echelons during this period, and the more he understood Yun Zhiguang’s determination to promote the Dharma Realm and the schools’ commitment to the Grand Reconstruction, the more one truth became clear to him.
“With the sects’ increasing influence on the lower levels, the dissemination of various Immortal Dao technologies, and the push for the Grand Reconstruction… Levels 1 to 10 will sooner or later become as frenzied as the sects themselves. No… due to the scarcity of resources, they might become even more frenzied.”
“There’s only one way to change all this.”
“Climb. Become stronger and richer. Keep climbing relentlessly until I reach a position where I can influence sect policy, influence all of Kunxu.”
In the blink of an eye, another twelve days passed. Through his daily cultivation, Zhang Yu’s Nascent Soul Sacred Body once again reached level 12/12.
The first three tiers of the Nascent Soul Sacred Body enhanced the Nascent Soul’s performance, as well as the cultivation efficiency and effects of Nascent Soul cultivation arts.
The newly unlocked fourth tier effect was: “Nascent Soul Sacred Body effects enhanced by 20%.”
Upon seeing this, Zhang Yu spent the next few days testing this 20% enhancement during his cultivation and summarized his findings.
“The Nascent Soul Sacred Body originally increased cultivation efficiency by 2 times. A 20% enhancement means it now increases it by 2.4 times.”
“For the Feather Book, this means every single cycle of the cultivation art now yields 3.4 times the effect. In other words, every five cycles of the art now provide two extra boosts to cultivation art proficiency compared to the original Nascent Soul Sacred Body.”
As for the cultivation art’s effects on his dao heart, Magic Power, and physical strength, Zhang Yu calculated that they had indeed increased by 20%.
“If I raise the Nascent Soul Sacred Body to 14/14 next time, I’ll unlock the fifth-tier effect.”
“If the subsequent enhancements are all 20%, then 30/30 would be a 100% boost, and 40/40 would enhance the Nascent Soul Sacred Body’s effects by 200%.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If I keep upgrading like this, my cultivation art’s efficiency will become increasingly terrifying.”
His thoughts then shifted to the other Chain Formation Diagrams. “I wonder what effects the other Chain Formation Diagrams have.”
At that moment, Zhang Yu felt an itch to push all the Chain Formation Diagrams to their limits and see what would happen.
However, he quickly calmed himself down. He understood that while Chain Formation Diagram II seemed to allow for infinite upgrades, each one required time and painstaking cultivation.
And right now, he didn’t have the luxury of time for reckless experimentation.
“I’ll keep the Nascent Soul Sacred Body at level 12 for now. After all, every time I reset the Nascent Soul Sacred Body’s cultivation art, it becomes inactive for over ten days… That would hinder my short-term cultivation progress.”
Zhang Yu knew that while a higher-level Nascent Soul Sacred Body would accelerate his future cultivation speed, he currently faced the Sect Examination in two months. What he needed most was immediate, short-term cultivation progress. Upgrading the Nascent Soul Sacred Body could wait.
So, Zhang Yu returned to honing his fundamental attributes for the Nascent Soul Stage.
Meanwhile, his Monsterfolk Clones were either studying for the Sect Examination or helping him perfect his cultivation arts. They systematically upgraded all the martial arts and Daoist arts he had mastered to the Nascent Soul Stage’s level 40 limit. This would improve his score in the personal cultivation section of the Sect Staff Examination.
However, after attending classes for some time, Zhang Yu had learned that the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms were more of a prerequisite for the Sect Examination. The personal cultivation score didn’t carry much weight; the key to passing the preliminary examination lay in the tests of sect ethics and aptitude.
In the Spirit Realm Classroom, everyone was studying the sect’s rules and regulations.
Lines of text materialized in the air as True Monarch Starfire explained, “After becoming a Sect Staff member, you can bring a relative or friend with you, as well as several Soul Cultivators…”
After today’s class ended, Deng Bingding approached Zhang Yu and said, “True Monarch Blazing Light, it seems you’ve been having some trouble with your Sect Examination studies lately…”
Zhang Yu’s gaze flickered slightly as he listened to Deng Bingding continue, “The Heavenly Court is willing to provide you with the Sect Examination memories of some sect disciples. I wonder if you’re interested?”
Zhang Yu didn’t immediately accept, instead saying he needed time to consider.
After disconnecting from Deng Bingding, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “So it’s finally come to this?”
He had long suspected that since the Righteous Gods were promoting the Sect Examination, their assistance would likely extend beyond just the Spirit Realm Classroom.
But as he contemplated the implications of memory infusion, Zhang Yu couldn’t decide whether this truly counted as “help.”
“Looks like it’s time for me to test the effects of the Soul-Washing Scripture.”
A short while later, Zhang Yu was invited by Zhang Pianpian to the Supreme Clarity Realm.
“I’m leaving today,” Zhang Pianpian said, looking at Zhang Yu. “But after I ascend, we should still be able to communicate across realms through the Supreme Clarity Realm.”
Zhang Yu’s heart leaped with joy, and he inwardly marveled at the power of the Supreme Clarity Realm.
Zhang Pianpian then spoke urgently, “Deng Bingding has already contacted you, right? They’re planning to provide this year’s candidates with various methods to increase their chances of passing the Sect Examination.”
Zhang Yu asked, “If they use memory infusion, what’s the difference between these candidates and the ones from before, from the Heavenly Court’s perspective?”
Zhang Pianpian replied calmly, “For the Heavenly Court, as long as they can create an opening that allows future lower-realm cultivators a continuous opportunity to join the sects, then… what becomes of this year’s candidates ultimately doesn’t matter. They don’t care.”
“To the Heavenly Court, even if they share similar ideologies, the difference in background — upper-realm versus lower-realm — will itself create a dividing line, distinguishing them.”
“And according to the intelligence I’ve gathered, the Myriad Laws Sect is already subtly splitting into a Conservative Faction and a Progressive Faction.”
“The Progressive Faction, which has been secretly supported by the Heavenly Court, consists mostly of members from the lower-realm universities.”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. To the sects, lower-realm cultivators were pawns, consumables. And to the Righteous Gods, they were no different.
Promoting the Sect Examination in the lower realms was never about fairness or justice for the Heavenly Court; it was about their own interests. The individual transformations of the candidates — whether they became new sect masters or not — were never the Heavenly Court’s primary concern.
Zhang Pianpian looked at Zhang Yu and said, “Are you planning to accept the Heavenly Court’s help and have the Sect Examination memories infused?”
Zhang Yu thought for a moment and replied, “For now, it seems this is a method that can get me through the preliminary examination.”
Zhang Pianpian didn’t try to persuade him, only reminding him, “I suggest you don’t infuse too much at the beginning. Start by increasing it little by little, and stop immediately if you feel something is wrong.”
“Also, the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture you obtained from the Soul-Guiding Pool should be exceptionally effective for this. You’d best master it before you try.”
“But even if you fail, it’s fine. Joining a sect isn’t something that must be rushed in a single lifetime. You can plan for the long term…”
As she spoke, the words “single-minded pursuit of the Dao” suddenly flashed through Zhang Pianpian’s mind. Looking at Zhang Yu’s determined face, she sighed inwardly and said no more.
Zhang Pianpian thought to herself, “Even knowing the dangers, the side effects, and the difficult path ahead… in this Kunxu, countless people will still throw themselves forward, fighting with everything they have to climb higher.”
Shaking her head, Zhang Pianpian sent a file to Zhang Yu. “This is the information on the Heavenly Sword Sect. Give it to Bai Zhenzhen.”
“I’ll be very busy for a while, so I won’t be able to see you. Be careful.”
After ending his communication with Zhang Pianpian, Zhang Yu began preparing to cultivate the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture.
However, this Immortal Sect Daoist Art also required various cultivation materials, and the cost was even greater than that for his previous cultivation of Kunlun in the Palm and the Three Realms and Ten Directions Great Void Barrier.
To conceal his cultivation of this art, Zhang Yu needed to purchase other resources simultaneously, mixing the materials for the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture among them, which further increased the expense.
Fortunately, Zhang Yu now had access to various channels through Myriad Laws University and the Research Association. Under the pretext of research and experimentation, collecting these cultivation materials wasn’t difficult.
But soon, Zhang Yu discovered that both the university and the Research Association had cut off his supply of cultivation resources.
When Zhang Yu inquired about the reason, they merely stated that the materials he requested were unrelated to his research and had not been approved by their superiors.
After persistent questioning, Zhang Yu finally understood that this was the doing of the new principal, Yun Zhiguang, and other sect disciples from the various universities.
“After Teacher Magnetic Pole and Teacher Greenwood left, the management of the Ten Universities and the Research Association fell into the hands of Yun Zhiguang and the other sect disciples.”
Zhang Yu understood perfectly why Yun Zhiguang was obstructing him.
It was simply because he had been too busy preparing for the Sect Examination to spare any time, repeatedly declining Yun Zhiguang’s invitations. These invitations were all related to various advertisements, product marketing, and platform promotions.
At this point, Zhang Yu could only feel fortunate that he had used his influence to secure Master’s degrees for himself and Bai Zhenzhen before the Spirit Transformation cultivators from the universities had departed. Otherwise, he would surely be stuck now.
Ever since the Heavenly Court had commended Zhang Yu, Yun Zhiguang had been relentlessly promoting his influence and public image.
Quotes attributed to Zhang Yu, such as “I’m not interested in money,” “My biggest regret is getting into university,” and “I don’t even know how much money is in my account,” were widely circulated throughout the Spirit Realm under Yun Zhiguang’s direction.
But when Yun Zhiguang tried to get Zhang Yu to promote certain high-interest loan platforms and gambling platforms, Zhang Yu refused.
Yun Zhiguang understood his refusal.
“It’s normal to want to climb higher. If I were him… I’d also be wholeheartedly preparing for the Sect Examination, focused solely on joining a sect and pursuing higher realms of the Immortal Dao.”
But understanding was one thing; Yun Zhiguang thoroughly disliked Zhang Yu’s uncooperative attitude.
“Zhang Yu.”
Looking at the young man before her, Yun Zhiguang said lightly, “With your current influence, you should be focusing on making money.”
Zhang Yu explained, “Senior Sister Yun, here’s how I see it. Promoting these platforms might earn some money, but it will diminish my influence.”
“After all, influence is something that becomes less effective the more you use it.”
“I intend to save my influence for promoting the Dharma Realm in the future.”
Zhang Yu spoke earnestly, “Even in the upper realms, the Dharma Realm hasn’t spread throughout all Ten Great Sects. With the Second to Fifth Layers undergoing massive reconstruction, every university is pushing its own Immortal Dao Technology, leading to fierce competition. Promoting the Dharma Realm will inevitably face significant obstacles…”
Through his recent studies, Zhang Yu had learned that the Dharma Realm, the Myriad Laws Sect’s flagship product, was not ubiquitous in the upper realms. It was primarily concentrated within the Myriad Laws Sect’s territory.
To disciples of the Myriad Laws Sect, any place without the Dharma Realm was considered the countryside.
Yun Zhiguang watched Zhang Yu’s earnest expression and smiled. “It seems your preparations for the Sect Examination and your research on the sects and the Dharma Realm have been somewhat useful.”
“Then you should understand even better how advanced the Dharma Realm is.”
As she spoke, Yun Zhiguang stepped on Zhang Yu’s shoulder, leaned her head close, and said to him, “But you may not understand me yet. I have no interest in the Spirit Coins of the lower layers. To the sect, the lower layers are merely a source of cheap raw materials.”
“Promoting the Dharma Realm is about competing with other sects, about the grander game played in the higher realms.”
“I can promise you — we can even sign a contract — that you will receive a small share of the profits from the Dharma Realm’s future expansion in the lower layers.”
“As long as you fully assist me in promoting the Dharma Realm, a portion of every transaction, every cultivation transfer, every cultivation art activation, every Magic Power surge, every Gang Qi eruption, every Nascent Soul burst, every sustained thought — even every waking moment of every cultivator — will be extracted as profit for you.”
“Under the Dharma Realm’s coverage, you will become the wealthiest person in the entire First to Tenth Layers.”
“With that kind of wealth, reincarnating into the Tenth Layer or higher in your next life will be easy. You’ll have a much higher starting point to enter a sect. This is the true, most suitable path for your Sect Examination.”
“This is my advice to you as a senior.”
“Don’t even think about using crooked methods to get in. Even if you succeed, you’ll just be a bottom-tier waste.”
“Entering honorably through your own wealth and strength, accumulating power before unleashing it… that is the Myriad Laws Righteous Path.”
Staring at Yun Zhiguang before him, it was impossible to say that Zhang Yu wasn’t even slightly tempted.
After all, becoming the wealthiest person and possessing an inexhaustible supply of Spirit Coins — how could that not hold some appeal for Zhang Yu, who currently owed over ten billion Spirit Coins?
But Zhang Yu understood even more clearly that just as the sect could grant him these benefits, it could also take them away at any moment.
Moreover, transforming the Ten Universities into an even more twisted and insane state was absolutely not his true intention.
However, Zhang Yu knew there was no need to clash with Yun Zhiguang right now.
“Senior Sister, I still want to give it a try. If I fail the Sect Examination this time, I will wholeheartedly assist you in promoting the Dharma Realm afterward.”
Yun Zhiguang snorted coldly, though she wasn’t particularly surprised. She had seen far too many cultivators like him — willing to sacrifice everything and take enormous risks just to climb higher. It was something ingrained in the very bones of Kunxu cultivators.
Despite this, Yun Zhiguang had no intention of indulging Zhang Yu. She simply waved her hand and said, “Fine. But until then, don’t expect any financial support from the university or the Research Association.”
Watching Zhang Yu’s projection disappear, Yun Zhiguang thought to herself, “When you come crawling back after failing the Sect Examination, the price won’t be the same.”
After ending his conversation with Yun Zhiguang, Zhang Yu sighed and opened his reserve accounts.
One account, funded by Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole and Divine Monarch Greenwood, held 5,000 Spirit Coins.
The other, from Divine Monarch Nether Spring, contained a substantial 4,000 Spirit Coins.
This was the funding Zhang Yu had requested from Divine Monarch Nether Spring the last time she contacted him, after he had promised to fulfill any request she made.
“Divine Monarch Nether Spring truly treats Wang Yin well,” Zhang Yu mused. “To be willing to part with so many Spirit Coins even when her own liquid funds are low…”
With the funds secured, Zhang Yu began purchasing various cultivation resources.
Soon, with his sixteen Monsterfolk Clones cultivating simultaneously and empowered by his Nascent Soul Sacred Body, Zhang Yu successfully mastered the entry level of the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture within a single day, pushing it all the way to Level 30 before stopping.
At that moment, countless images of light and shadow flickered through Zhang Yu’s mind — scene after scene of him using the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture to connect his Sea of Consciousness with the cycle of Reincarnation.
“Do I… truly have no past lives?”
Through these repeated attempts, Zhang Yu discovered that he was genuinely unable to awaken any memories of his past incarnations.
“Normally, to advance the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture beyond Level 30, I need to devour memories.”
“And awakening past-life memories to devour them is the best way to do that…”
However, Zhang Yu wasn’t discouraged. He realized that awakening past-life memories was just one of the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture’s many functions. Even the methods True Monarch Immortal Slayer and Fu Xiantian used to attack opponents weren’t its intended applications.
The true power of this Immortal Sect Daoist Art lay not in these abilities, but in the word “Washing.”
“Just like washing clothes, the true purpose of the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture is to wash memories,” Zhang Yu contemplated. “By cleansing memories, it manages them.”
“When the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture is properly activated, it doesn’t allow past-life memories to overwhelm the self. Instead, it separates memories from one another, even converting them into a data-like state. This allows me to access and review the contents of these memories at any time without disrupting my original consciousness.”
As Zhang Yu repeatedly pondered the intricacies of the cultivation art, he found its nature…
“The Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture… just as its name suggests, this cultivation art seems more like a technique used in the Underworld to cleanse the memories of the dead.”
At this thought, Zhang Yu felt a flicker of joy. “In that case, I can indeed use the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture to manage the Sect Examination memories and pass the preliminary examination smoothly.”
“Then, I’ll devour the Sect Examination memories to advance the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture.”
Shortly after Zhang Yu activated the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture, a cross-layer message from the higher-ups appeared in Kuang Tianqing’s Bionic Eye.
“Son, your mission has arrived.”
“Someone has used the Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture to attempt communication with Reincarnation.”
“The higher-ups want you to act as an intermediary and help us contact him.”
Kuang Tianqing was astonished. “Underworld Soul-Washing Scripture? Is there still someone among the Ten Greats who can use this cultivation art? Could it be a sect disciple?”
The other party replied, “It’s an acquaintance of yours.”
“Honestly, we didn’t plan to contact him this early. But it seems Fu Xiantian acted on his own, forcing our hand.”