Hidden Moth-Chapter 464 - 263: Awaiting the Thaw of Ice and Jade

No one would have thought that He Kao’s first test subject for administering the Spirit Awakening Pill was neither the Yellow Magpie flying in the sky, nor Old Liu running on the ground, but rather the spirit plant growing on the cliff face.

The drooping Celestial Palace Curtain acted like a natural barrier in front of the cave mansion, capable of confusing divine sense. He Kao chose the one that felt the most special among them. The Celestial Palace Curtain was already a material for refining spirit medicine, and he was actually using spirit medicine to feed spirit medicine, wasting it more thoroughly than anyone else.

There was a historical question that Elder Li Xiuyuan never clarified—how did he manage to get rabbits to cooperate in taking the elixirs? Some things humans can do, but beasts without spiritual wisdom can’t.

Rabbits can’t understand human language and would be frightened, struggle, and cause chaos, making it impossible to perfectly absorb the spiritual effects of the Spirit Awakening Pill. He Kao later pondered and realized why Li Xiuyuan was able to feed so many rabbits.

After breaking through the Tier Four of the Spirit Awakening Skill, the divine technique comprehended is known as the Wish Fulfillment Skill, a signature technique for cultivators of the Xingshen Sect, just like how the Insect Concealment Skill leads to the Primordial Spirit Traveling Skill after breaking through Tier Four.

The Wish Fulfillment Skill is also called the Flower Picking Skill, which He Kao had once experienced at Zhang Jin Kui’s place. The Flower Picking Skill can be used not only on people but also on rabbits.

Li Xiuyuan probably used this method to induce a hypnotic state in the rabbits... The results proved to be quite good, as the rabbit meat became very delicious, with some nourishment for the primordial spirit.

This is a unique divine technique mastered by experts in cultivating the Spirit Awakening Skill; others may not know this trick. Seeing him lavishly squander such precious elixirs with his unique skills, it’s no wonder someone would report him.

He Kao does not know Elder Li’s method of feeding elixirs, at least not yet. With just a Fourth Realm cultivation, He Kao has already practiced the Heart Plate Skill, Observing Body Skill, and Micro-Entry Skill, and has no energy to involve himself in more for now.

The method He Kao is using to feed elixirs at this moment is actually from the guidance of "Tan the Immortal."

The painting "Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting" hangs in the Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, with the ancient saying "seeing the painting is like seeing Immortal Tan," suggesting it’s possible to communicate through some means.

This form of communication is not a direct Q&A but rather done through offerings, placing something on an altar as a spiritual guide. After obtaining the Spirit Awakening Pill, He Kao found time to place one on the altar, lit Awakening Incense, and worshipped Immortal Tan.

He intended to ask the age-old question: why have there never been sightings of demons or ghosts? But the divine thought from the painting didn’t answer directly, instead guiding him on how to use the Spirit Awakening Pill.

He Kao didn’t gain any new divine techniques; the so-called divine thought of the immortal was merely guidance, showing him how to reference techniques he currently mastered, specifically the Ice Skin Jade Bone Skill.

Of course, this is not the true Ice Skin Jade Bone Skill, but rather a similar transformation. To make an analogy, it’s like using the Spirit Awakening Pill as Xue Guanghan and the subject taking the pill as Lan Jiwan.

But this method can’t be directly used on the Yellow Magpie, wolf-hounds; they are not Lan Jiwan, do not understand to cooperate voluntarily, and would not open up their form and spirit without reservation.

"Immortal Tan" also told He Kao that it would only have a real effect if the subject understood what He Kao was doing and desired him to do so.

This is as good as saying nothing—if cats, dogs, or rabbits had this awareness, they would already have the potential to become demons; why then has no one found one for thousands of years!

So, as a second-best option, "Immortal Tan" introduced another method, which required the subject to be in a dormant state while concealing the essence of vital energy.

As to its effects, it’s hard to say; it could be tried at any rate. This reminded He Kao of the method Li Xiuyuan might have used. Li Xiuyuan probably guided the subjects into a hypnotic state, which had some effect.

But dormancy and hypnosis are different. Rabbits, wolf-hounds, and Yellow Magpies won’t do. Some animals might hibernate, yet they don’t meet the requirement of concealing the essence of life force, leaving He Kao without any clues.

After sitting for a long time in meditation, He Kao opened his eyes and, as if inspired, noticed a strand of the Celestial Palace Curtain drooping outside the cave mansion. This is a spirit vine in winter, shedding its leaves and waiting to sprout—doesn’t it perfectly match the second scenario "Immortal Tan" spoke of?

More importantly, this spirit vine gave him a sense of vitality and fluidity. He took out the Spirit Awakening Pill to try it, discovering that his divine sense, along with the medicinal power, penetrated into the textures of the spirit plant, vaguely sensing a trace of desire.

Thus, He Kao smoothly allowed the efficacy of a Spirit Awakening Pill to be absorbed by a single spirit vine.

This truly felt akin to aiding Lan Jiwan’s cultivation of Ice Skin Jade Bone with Xue Guanghan, but the Spirit Awakening Pill isn’t Xue Guanghan; its spiritual effects dispel and then the elixir vanishes. Looking back at this spirit vine, it seemed somewhat changed, yet also not changed.

He Kao merely felt that his divine sense penetrated the vine more smoothly, as if it became more harmonious with his body and mind. This at least indicated one thing, this Celestial Palace Curtain is not just a spirit plant but also a kind of treasure of heaven and earth, which He Kao could use to craft a magical artifact.

The art of magical artifacts is not only about powerful utility but also about the harmony of body and mind; what suits oneself is often the best and the easiest to use.

Yet He Kao did not plan to pluck this Celestial Palace Curtain, not just this vine alone—he wouldn’t pick any of the Celestial Palace Curtains hanging at the cave entrance, as they are natural barriers of the cave mansion.

If he wanted to gather Celestial Palace Curtains for refining medicine or artifacts, he could easily look elsewhere; why disturb these here? He Kao walked out of the cave mansion, gently caressing that vine. Whether the spirit plant felt it, he didn’t know, but his feeling was one of closeness.

Some things can be addictive, especially when one has just learned them. In the next instant, He Kao appeared in the icy and snowy lands north of the Wulong River, within Maoluo Country’s borders.