Chapter 38: Beidou 7 Refinement
Chapter 38: Seven Refinements of the Big Dipper
The other floating skulls dropped their tongues from the air and made a series of noose to try to trap Chen Shi.
In the dark, this kind of noose is difficult to see. If you are not careful, your head will be automatically sent into it, and then lifted up by the floating skull and hanged in the air.
While the power of the armor and horse talisman was still there, Chen Shi galloped along the post road, whizzing away, leaving these floating skulls far behind.
The Jiama Talisman made his feet feel like a breeze, and his steps were light and quick. His sleeves fluttered as he walked, and under the moonlight, he looked truly elegant and graceful.
At this time, Chen Shi's face looked worse and worse, and his heartbeat became faster and faster, as if something was pressing on his heart.
"Don't have an attack now, don't have an attack now!"
He gradually became anxious. Walking in the dark was risking his life. If he had a seizure at this time, he would definitely die!
Waves of severe pain began to come from my heart.
Chen Shi knew that if he was too tired, he would get sick. For example, when he committed the crime at Li's camp, he got sick that night when he returned home.
For example, when he met Tiebi Weng on the road and beat Tiebi Weng and the steward Zhao Ming to death, probably because he killed few people, he did not have an attack that night, but he had an attack the next night and it took his life!
Now, he has committed the Huangyang Village bloody massacre again, with twenty-one lives on his hands. This time the attack is coming faster and more severe!
In the past, when I had an attack, it was often while I was sleeping, and I would suddenly have severe heart pain, so painful that I couldn't breathe.
But now he was having the attack while conscious. He could feel his heart being gradually squeezed by a bony ghost hand. The tighter it squeezed, the faster it beat!
His vision gradually blurred. The post road under the moonlight seemed to float in the clouds, swaying, twisting and spinning, causing his body to sway, twist and spin as well.
There was a taste of blood in his mouth, his nostrils were warm, and suddenly two streams of blood flowed out of his nose.
There was blood oozing from his eyes, and his ears were buzzing, as if warm liquid was flowing out of them.
"Don't die here. I don't want to die here! I want to go home and see my grandfather. Even if I die, I want to die at home!"
Chen Shi gasped for breath, widened his eyes, and tried hard to see the road in front of him, but the road became more and more uncertain.
"When the Emperor of Heaven was born, only God was respected. When evil and chaos arose, no true God could be seen, only ghosts were disturbing people! Observe the way of Heaven, and follow the way of Heaven..."
He urged the Three Lights of Righteousness to try to suppress the ghost hand that was squeezing his heart. The Big Dipper appeared around him, and various constellations changed as he moved.
Chen Shi stumbled forward. Strange things in the surrounding woods noticed his abnormality and chased after him.
Chasing in the front are the Piao Skulls. There are many of these evil creatures, and they like to hang people, drag their corpses in the air, and dance in the air.
Sometimes you can see a dozen floating skulls in the air, with long tongues underneath, wrapped around the necks of the dead. A dozen corpses are tossing and turning in the air, dancing, which is very weird.
The floating skull was flying in the air, and on the ground there were dozens of dolls crawling quickly, chasing towards Chen Shi, babbling as they crawled.
They are very happy and crawl very fast, even climbing up the trees on the side of the road, but get stuck on the trees.
At this time, their long necks would appear behind them and dance like snakes to save them.
There were also some little men riding little yellow horses, only five or six inches tall. The little yellow horses were not much bigger than them. They galloped at a rapid speed, shouting and drawing their bows and arrows, and shot at Chen Shi.
Fortunately, the armor and horse talisman on Chen Shi’s leg was still effective, and these little guys couldn’t catch up with him.
However, Chen Shi's condition was extremely bad, and it was only a matter of time before he was caught up by them.
Chen Shi staggered, the world was spinning, and even Beidou Tempering was unable to suppress the green ghost hand.
"Am I really going to die here?"
The road in front of him was twisted, and suddenly pairs of red shoes appeared on the road ahead, covering the entire road. There was nowhere to step, and wherever he stepped, he would step on these red shoes.
These red shoes have peach blossoms embroidered with pink thread on both sides and peonies embroidered on the toes, which are very bright.
The evil spirit also appeared.
The evil spirit began to disturb his mind, making his already disordered five senses even more confused.
Chen Shi's heart ached more and more, and he staggered. It seemed that he could not avoid the red shoes in front of him. Suddenly, all the red shoes disappeared and the road returned to normal.
The sound of horse hooves was heard on the post road. Four horses were seen pulling a chariot along the road. A lantern was hung in front of the chariot. Wherever the light shone, all evil spirits avoided it.
"Uu——"
The driver reined in the horses and the carriage stopped in front of Chen Shi.
There was a nobleman sitting in the car. Although it was a journey in the countryside at night and there were dangers everywhere, he was calm and composed, as if nothing in the world could make him lose his composure.
He was Xiao Wangsun, who had met Chen Shi once.
On that day, Chen Shi and his grandfather met Xiao Wangsun outside the villa of Zhiyin Corpse Resting Ground. Xiao Wangsun's coffin was gorgeous, and his conversation and behavior were all very pleasant, which left a deep impression on Chen Shi.
"Long time no see, Chen Shi."
Xiao Wangsun sat in the car, his face as gentle as jade. He watched Chen Shi staggering towards him, with the starlight flowing around him. Xiao Wangsun's eyes flickered and he said, "The technique you practice is not perfect. It is an incomplete method. You have not obtained the essence of the Beidou Refining. No wonder you have fallen into such an embarrassing situation."
When Chen Shi heard his voice, he tried hard to stand firm and greet him, but he couldn't stand still.
He tried to open his mouth to speak, but the pain made it hard for him to breathe.
Xiao Wangsun's manners and bearing were natural and graceful, just like a banished immortal who had descended to earth, with proper behavior.
There is nothing wrong with his appearance and his figure is so charming that even men can't find fault with him.
His voice was very deep, buzzing in his chest before it came out of his mouth.
"You gathered starlight and transformed it into the shape of the Big Dipper, letting it orbit around you. However, relying on the light of the seven stars alone, you only tempered your hair, skin, and blood, but not your internal organs and bone marrow. These seven stars not only temper your body, hair, and skin, but also your spirit, energy, and soul. You don't understand what tempering is, and that's why you're suffering like this."
Xiao Wangsun's voice entered Chen Shi's mind. Although Chen Shi was in great pain, his mind was clearer than ever before. He said in a hoarse voice, "Please give me some advice, senior!"
Xiao Wangsun pointed, "The purple star in front of your feet is called Tianshu, which is where the spoon head is. Look closely, there is a talisman structure inside the star." Chen Shi tried hard to concentrate and not be disturbed by the severe pain. He looked towards the Tianshu starlight. After careful observation, he indeed saw the internal structure of Tianshu Star.
The internal structure of the starlight is very peculiar. The top is like a "big" character, which wraps the star cluster. Below is a positive character, which is the character "一", and below it is the seal character "正".
Below is the word "zhi" and a star map, as well as a dragon pattern.
There are two "嵬" characters under the dragon pattern.
“The other six stars also have their own talisman structures.” Xiao Wangsun said.
Chen Shi calmed his confused mind and looked at the other six stars, only to see that there were actually complex talisman structures inside these star clusters!
This was something he had never discovered before!
"The Big Dipper is divided into Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang. Each group of starlight is composed of different symbols."
Xiao Wangsun sat in the car and said in a light voice, "Different talismans contain different methods of tempering. Step on Tianshu and refine the talisman."
Chen Shi endured the severe pain, took a step forward with his body trembling, and his footsteps landed on the Tianshu star cluster. He concentrated his remaining thoughts and refined the Tianshu star talisman.
Suddenly, the star cluster shone brightly and the starlight exploded. In an instant, all the starlight poured into his body, starting from his coccyx, going up along the spine, flowing along the tibia to the back of the head, then up through the skull, down along the facial bones, and flowing through the twenty-eight teeth.
It then flows down along the throat bones, passing through twenty-four ribs.
In an instant, the starlight circulated along his bones for a circle, making him feel as if his bones had been tempered and his bone marrow seemed to have taken nectar. He couldn't help but shiver, and the severe pain in his heart just now was relieved a little.
At the same time, the starlight energy of the Tianshu Star under his feet was exhausted, and the star symbol began to change, transforming into the Yaoguang Star Symbol.
The Tianxuan Star Symbol on his right side also changed at this time, transforming into the Tianshu Star Symbol.
The other star symbols were also rotating and changing, like a formation. When one talisman changed, the others would change as well.
"Go to the front right and step on Tianshu again." Xiao Wangsun instructed.
Chen Shi took advantage of the situation and took a step forward, his foot landing on the transforming Tianxuan Star Talisman.
The moment his foot stepped forward, the Tianxuan Star Talisman changed into the Tianshu Star Talisman. The starlight burst out again and flowed through his bones in an instant, and the feeling of comfort from tempering his body became even stronger!
The impact of the star power caused the green ghost hand that was holding his heart to relax a little due to the heartbeat, and the pain was reduced again!
Seeing hope of survival, Chen Shi turned around and took the third step without waiting for Xiao Wangsun to remind him. At this moment, the Tianji Star Symbol had transformed into Tianxuan, and then from Tianxuan into Tianshu.
By the time he landed, the third Tianshu Star Symbol had already formed!
His figure just passed the chariot, like a swimming dragon, leaving behind a trail of afterimage.
Chen Shi took the fourth step, even faster, like a ghost.
He took the fifth step and actually walked to the trunk of a big tree on the side of the road, as if he was walking on flat ground, with no tendency to fall at all!
Chen Shi took one step after another, walking faster and faster. He became more and more excited, and the pain in his heart became less and less.
By stepping on the Big Dipper, he unexpectedly learned an amazing footwork!
The Tianshu bone refining technique made his bones stronger and stronger, his marrow fluid purer and purer, his qi and blood surging, and he felt indescribably comfortable.
"Now, it's Tianxuan's turn!" Xiao Wangsun's voice came.
Without hesitation, Chen Shi stepped on the Tianxuan Star. The Tianxuan Talisman suddenly burst out, and starlight swarmed into his body and penetrated into his heart.
With a thumping heartbeat, the next moment the heart will send the blood containing star power to the limbs and brain, passing through large and small, thick and thin blood vessels, directly to the extremities of the limbs!
The blue ghost hand was also shaken by the heartbeat and continued to expand, making it difficult to hold his heart!
As Chen Shi followed Tianxuan Star, the Big Dipper formation under his feet was constantly changing, and the star power cleansed the blood and strengthened the ventricles.
His energy and blood became more and more vigorous, and his breath became longer and longer.
Tianshu refines bones, Tianxuan refines blood!
Xiao Wangsun waited for him to refine it once, and reminded him at the right time: "Change to Tianji again!"
Chen Shi changed his pace and landed on Tianji Star. The power of the star symbol burst out and became compatible with the fascia.
His tendons bounced like bowstrings, like drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, making his fists faster, and his fascia bulged like drums, making him stronger.
After Chen Shi had traveled around the sky for a circle and tempered all his tendons, he then landed on the Tianquan Star Cluster.
When Xiao Wangsun saw this, he did not say anything.
Chen Shi only performed one cycle of each tempering process and soon went through all the Big Dipper.
The Tianquan Star Talisman trains the muscles, while the Yuheng Star Talisman trains the skin.
Chen Shi had no idea what the Kaiyang Star Talisman and the Yaoguang Star Talisman were used to refine. He only felt that when he stepped on the Kaiyang Star Talisman, his internal Qi flowed and the shrine reappeared. He thought it was to refine his internal Qi, but he was not sure.
Stepping on the Yaoguang Star Talisman makes people feel inexplicably refreshed, and their thinking becomes clearer than ever before.
More importantly, the pain in his heart was getting less and less!
"The Kaiyang Star Talisman refines the true qi, and the Yaoguang Star Talisman refines the spirit."
Xiao Wangsun continued to instruct, saying, "The Seven Refinements of the Big Dipper will refine your bones, heart, blood, muscles, skin, true energy, and spirit. The technique you are practicing is truly extraordinary."
He thought about it carefully, and compared it with all the martial arts he had seen before, he still felt that Chen Shi's martial arts was the best.
Chen Shi stopped, his whole body's energy and blood were surging for a long time before it stopped. As for the severe pain in his heart, it had disappeared. He couldn't help but feel surprised and happy.
This advice from Xiao Wangsun was of vital importance to him. It not only saved his life in a critical moment, but also saved him from the danger of groping and exploring!
He still remembered how he was in a dilapidated temple in a desolate mountain, trying to move his blood, which resulted in blood rushing to his brain and causing him to faint.
"Don't be distracted. Now guide the fire back to its origin, refine it into the Dantian, and transform it into your own cultivation."
Xiao Wangsun observed his breath and said, "If you don't guide the fire back to the origin after practicing, it's just a waste of time. Adjust your spirit and focus on Dantian."
Chen Shi followed his instructions and mobilized the Qi and blood throughout his body and refined them into his Dantian. However, as soon as the Qi and blood turned into true Qi in his Dantian, it dissipated on its own, without any trace remaining, which made him depressed.
Xiao Wangsun also noticed the dissipation of his internal Qi. After a moment's thought, he said, "The Seven Refinements of the Big Dipper temper your bones, heart, blood, flesh, skin, Qi, and spirit. You just can't retain your Qi, but the other six are improving rapidly. You may be able to achieve something in the future. Strange, didn't Master Chen teach you these things?"
——Thanks to the leader of God’s messenger on earth for the reward!
With the consent of Alpaca7, illustrations drawn by A7 for Avenue of the Dao were inserted into the corresponding parts of some of the main text. I recommend book lovers to go back and take a look. They are all very beautiful and close to the original text. Special thanks!
(End of this chapter)