Twilight Boundary-Chapter 653 - 644: Refine Purple Qi into the Spiritual Temple

"Purple Tai Sui? And it's top-grade?"

Hu Ma was still reeling from the chaos of defeating Fourth Miss Zhou of the Yangming Zhou Family and devouring so many Evil Ghosts.

He clearly felt as if there was much more within his body, not yet digested, stirring restlessly from time to time. But upon hearing Mr. Longjing's words, he was startled, and he hastily looked at the large cauldron, realizing that it should actually be empty...

For there was no solid substance inside; at most, only a constantly shifting mass of Purple Qi. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

This Purple Qi was seemingly an intangible entity, yet it gave off a sticky, heavy sensation. As one drew near, illusions abounded.

The feeling was indescribably strange. Everything in the underworld was ethereal, yet this single wisp of Purple Qi felt heavier than a mountain in the mortal world.

"Did you see it when you crossed hands with the Zhou Family?"

Mr. Longjing also gazed into the large cauldron, speaking slowly, "The abilities of the Ten Surnames are indeed formidable."

"Compared to twenty years ago, they've progressed at astounding speed."

"They've inherited everything in this world and, being diligent enough, have already converted the skills from all Paths into their own."

"If you hadn't learned Lao Junmei's Magic and had merely walked the Shousui Path like an ordinary person, it's conceivable you would have had almost no chance to stand on the same threshold as the Zhou Family. Your greatest achievement would have been to become a house slave for the Zhou Family, perhaps earning a scrap of their regard."

"Such is the standing of the Ten Surnames—they've taken everything and are constantly, relentlessly expanding!"

"The other nine surnames may differ slightly from the Zhou Family, but they are largely the same. Their high status wasn't unearned; they stole from everyone in the world to attain such heights."

"..."

As he spoke, he gently reached out, stroking the rim of the cauldron softly and murmuring, "The only ones who can shatter their dominance are Reincarnators. For no matter how vast this world is, it has a ceiling, and that ceiling cannot contain the ambitions of these Ten Surnames families."

"They wish to shatter that ceiling and achieve immortality."

"And we Reincarnators, originally gods who descended to the mortal realm, are destined to suppress the Ten Surnames."

"..."

Hu Ma quelled the surging emotions in his heart and the rebellious Evil Ghosts within him, whispering, "What do you mean by that?"

"With the aid of the Purple Tai Sui, you can well understand what I'm saying."

Mr. Longjing looked down at the swirling Purple Qi in the cauldron, stating softly, "After we lost that battle twenty years ago and the State Preceptor went into hiding, the Ten Surnames seized control of all the Purple Tai Sui in the world."

"Unfortunately, even though it fell into their hands, they never managed to use it correctly. They either managed only crude transformations or used it to turn themselves into malevolent entities…"

"Although we are regarded as evil spirits, in truth, only we truly understand how to utilize Purple Tai Sui."

"Because..."

He slowly began, a trace of emotion seemingly surfacing on his face, "Purple Tai Sui... is the incense for our Lifebound Spirit Temple."

"What?"

This revelation shocked Hu Ma considerably, yet deep down, he strangely didn't find it all that surprising.

For him, who had always shunned Purple Tai Sui, this was indeed unexpected. Yet, upon reflection, it somehow felt as if it was meant to be.

"Yes, yes..."

Not waiting for Mr. Longjing's answer, he continued himself, "I've seen the Meng family's old ancestor, and I've also seen some so-called Xian'er who, in reality, only transformed into malevolent, bizarre entities. They even regarded Purple Tai Sui as the most defiling thing imaginable."

"However, the only one I've ever seen interact with Purple Tai Sui and remain unharmed was a fellow Reincarnator..."

"...He even used Purple Tai Sui to further reinforce his Lifebound Spirit Temple."

"..."

As he spoke, slightly excited, Mr. Longjing beside him suddenly wore a somewhat odd expression, "Rein... reinforced?"

"Yeah..."

The excited Hu Ma was mildly taken aback, addressing Mr. Longjing, "Is that not correct?"

Mr. Longjing looked at him, clearly a bit exasperated. Hu Ma thought he might have even rolled his eyes, though he couldn't be sure.

"Using gold to line a latrine, you tell me if that's right or not?"

He retorted, somewhat vexed, then stated coolly, "Purple Tai Sui is meant to Refine your cultivation!"

"To Refine your very Life!"

"The correct way to use it is to sit enthroned in your Lifebound Spirit Temple, basking in the nourishment of Purple Qi. The more Purple Qi you absorb, the greater the transformation of your Lifebound Spirit Temple, beginning with your Life Incense. Once your Life Incense is thoroughly imbued with Purple Qi, it is then used to forge your golden body."

"Never mind how your golden body would be forged for now. Just imagine: when all your three life incense turn purple, what heights would your abilities reach then?"

"..."

"Ah, indeed..."

Mr. Longjing's calm explanation struck Hu Ma like a clap of thunder, deeply embedding itself in his mind.

Absorbing Purple Qi, Refining Life Incense, forging a golden body...

He couldn't even imagine such an earth-shattering transformation for a moment. After a long pause, a bitter expression crossed his face. "Senior, what you describe is truly magnificent. However, we... we've never even seen this stuff. We honestly wouldn't know how..."

"If you know how to eat, you should know how to do this!"

Mr. Longjing frowned, exasperated. "Seriously, who was that brilliant mind who used Purple Tai Sui to reinforce a Lifebound Spirit Temple?"

"Even if he hasn't seen Purple Tai Sui, he must have encountered the white, blue, red, and gold varieties, right? Didn't he ever try to Refine them into his Divine Soul? Once Refined into the Divine Soul, the very first thing Tai Sui should affect is your Life Incense. This is an utterly natural progression, and yet he..."

"..."

"You really can't blame that old chap for this..."

Hu Ma felt a little sheepish under Mr. Longjing's evident displeasure and explained quietly, "It's just that this stuff is incredibly rare. It's almost impossible to find in the mortal world. Any that does exist is hoarded by the Ten Surnames. Very few have even heard of it, let alone had a chance to experiment."

Mr. Longjing looked dejected, shaking his head. "No wonder they sent an Entering the Mansion initiate like you to kill me."

"I imagine not many Reincarnators of your generation have reached Shangqiao."

"..."

"Hmm?" Hu Ma was startled. "How would you know that?"

"Purple Tai Sui is invisible in the mortal world because, in the realm of mortals, it *is* the essence of all things transformed—it is the very substance of heaven and earth."

Mr. Longjing said calmly, "Only upon reaching the underworld can one perceive its tangible form. And if one wishes to find this substance, they must reach Shangqiao."

"The skills one learns in the mortal world cap out at the Entering the Mansion stage. Only by ascending to Shangqiao does one truly enter the depths of the underworld. The further one progresses on the Bridge, the easier it is to encounter Purple Tai Sui. If so few Reincarnators understand Purple Tai Sui, it simply means very few have made it to Shangqiao."

"In recent years..."

As he spoke, his brow furrowed deeply. He seemed to grow increasingly agitated, on the verge of cursing.

But fortunately, he managed to restrain himself in the end, not erupting like Big Red Robe would have. Instead, he sighed in resignation, "Ah, well. It's ultimately because we handled things poorly twenty years ago, and it frightened all of you..."

"Well... Senior, you don't need to blame yourself entirely..."

Hu Ma offered a somewhat strained attempt at consolation, but the distending, oppressive sensation within his body was becoming almost unbearable.

He instinctively raised his hand. He saw something that seemed to be slithering beneath the skin of his arm; then, a section suddenly bulged out, forming a lump that vaguely displayed human facial features—an extremely grotesque sight.

His heart lurched. He suddenly understood: this was the very thing he had devoured when he manifested his Dharma Form, and it was now wreaking havoc inside him.

"You've shouldered another's karmic burden. It's too heavy; you're about to collapse under it."

Mr. Longjing glanced at him, suppressing his displeasure, sighed softly, and said, "However, with Purple Tai Sui present, you need not worry. This is the perfect opportunity. I'll have you use this Purple Tai Sui, and you can then carry its method of use out to the others!"

As he said this, he walked a few steps around the large cauldron, coming to stand opposite Hu Ma.

With a sudden flick of his wide sleeve, he sent a wisp of Purple Qi drifting directly towards Hu Ma's face, saying softly, "Practicing! Infuse the soul!"

Witnessing this, Hu Ma's heart gave a sudden lurch.

He knew that while Mr. Longjing spoke in an unhurried manner—that was simply his style—this was a critical juncture. Eldest Master Meng and Third Old Master Zhao of the Zhao Family could return at any moment.

Furthermore, while the other things he had swallowed were still manageable, the Dharma Form manifestation—that jade bottle—of Fourth Miss Zhou was truly potent. It felt as if it were trying to rip his Divine Soul apart from within. Every passing moment of delay intensified the danger.

If anyone else had been teaching him this dharma method for Refining Purple Tai Sui, he would have certainly hesitated, needing to test it and deliberate at length.

But these were the words of Mr. Longjing, a fellow Reincarnator...

There are always moments when one must make a decision in an instant. This was undoubtedly a risk, but to gamble on a fellow Reincarnator felt like the right choice.

In that instant, it felt as if an entire mountain had crashed into him. An indescribable, majestic Great Power abruptly bore down upon his Divine Soul, instantly quelling all the turmoil within his body.

It even felt as if his own body was about to be torn asunder, atomized into countless fragments. Yet, he clung to Mr. Longjing's words and immediately began practicing, guiding the Purple Qi into his system.

"An Immortal in my temple was I, fallen to the mortal dust, seeking carefree abandon, a heart untroubled, free from worldly tie."

"..."

As Hu Ma also began the Refining process, Mr. Longjing's voice sounded beside him. He circled Hu Ma, lightly tapping various major acupoints on his body, guiding him step by step through practicing and Refining. In what felt like an instant, Hu Ma's progress accelerated a hundredfold, the Purple Qi thundering as it surged into his body.

For a moment, Hu Ma felt somewhat dazed. Then, as his Divine Soul stabilized, he found himself immersed within his Lifebound Spirit Temple.

He saw that within his Lifebound Spirit Temple, the dark red mist that permeated the surroundings was already beginning to be tinged with purple.

And as strands of Purple Qi billowed and surged, even the Life Incense sticks standing on the incense table, within the incense burner, started to absorb the Purple Qi.