Embryonic Nirvana is a unique secret method found in the *Nether Emperor's Prison-controlling Scripture* that allows a Soul Pet to rejuvenate through a process akin to reincarnation.
This rebirth through Nirvana has two benefits.
The first is purification. Since ancient times, those who practice the Ghost Path and seek rapid advancement cannot avoid consuming Yin Qi, baleful auras, or even the spirits of other creatures. If one consumes too much, it is inevitable that impurities will accumulate and contaminate the soul. The *Jiuli Devil Soul Scripture* does offer an alternative approach by using Soul Pets as filters to absorb impurities, which in turn nourishes the master with the purest soul power and Mana. However, the Soul Pets used as filters cannot avoid contamination themselves, and over time, their spirits are prone to shatter.
Of course, the *Jiuli Devil Soul Scripture* also contains secret methods to cleanse the spirits of Soul Pets, but this process comes at a tremendously painful cost; even Nascent Soul Stage Venerables would feel like they've shed a layer of skin. Therefore, before the fall of the Jiuli Immortal Sect, the vast majority of disciples had no choice but to replace their Soul Pets time and again. Even if they had developed deep feelings for them, they could only watch as their Soul Pets' spirits collapsed and perished. There were even many talented disciples with strong emotional attachments who were so traumatized by their Soul Pet's demise that their Dao hearts were damaged, preventing them from ever fully recovering.
The Embryonic Nirvana method from the *Nether Emperor's Prison-controlling Scripture*, however, is entirely different. It allows a Soul Pet to transform into an egg with every cultivation breakthrough, completely expelling all impurities like Yin Sha Qi and the remnants of other spirits, allowing it to be reborn in the purest, cleanest state. Even after devouring millions of Devil Souls, its spirit can remain flawless, clear, and lucid.
The second benefit is transformation. With other Ghost Path secret methods, as one continually consumes Yin Sha Qi and the spirits of the living, the quality of one's own spirit only degrades, becoming increasingly turbid. Even using the unique 'soul cleansing' method from the *Jiuli Devil Soul Scripture*, the spirit's quality is ultimately affected. But Embryonic Nirvana is completely different. With each rebirth, not only can the Soul Pet expel impurities, but it can also absorb the beneficial essences from the spirits it has consumed. This leads to its own transformation and sublimation.
For example, if you initially bonded with an ordinary chicken spirit but continually fed it fire-attribute bird Devil Souls, allowing it to undergo repeated Embryonic Nirvana, it could eventually transform into the spirit of a fire-born Phoenix. If you fed it water-attribute fish spirits, after countless rebirths, it might transform into the spirit of a Taixu Kunpeng.
To be honest, if Jiang Yourong were willing to cooperate, allowing Wang Xiu to refine her into a Soul Egg so she could devour a few Devil Souls and transform a few times, she might recover her vitality much faster. It was a pity, however. She simply couldn't let go of her pride; after all, for the dignified Saintess of Jiuli to be raised by Wang Xiu as a Soul Pet and acknowledge him as her master was far too shameful. If that brat Luo Binglan ever found out, wouldn't she laugh at her from beyond the grave for the next eight hundred years?
…
Previously, Wang Xiu had cast the Soul Summoning Curse, drawing nearly all the Devil Souls in the vicinity of Spirit Turtle Peak to himself. Most of them were ordinary beast spirits, with only a small number being minor Devil Souls of the Qi Refinement Realm. There were also the souls of just over a dozen Foundation Establishment Stage Great Devils, from which Wang Xiu selected five to subjugate.
Now, after a day of Embryonic Nirvana, these five Soul Pets were reborn, completely transformed.
CRACK.
The first Soul Pet to emerge from its shell was a rabbit, pure white as snow and only the size of a palm, yet the aura it radiated had clearly reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.
"Junior Sister Ling'er," Wang Xiu said with a smile, "here is the Foundation Establishment Stage Soul Pet I promised you. Have Senior Jiang help you refine it and establish the bond."
Most of the time, Devil Souls are lost and without sentience. Only those with profound cultivation or those who encounter a fortuitous opportunity after death can awaken their intelligence and recover their memories. Take this white rabbit Devil Soul, for instance. In its previous life, its cultivation was only at the second or third layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage. After death, it existed as a wandering spirit. Now, after being reborn through Wang Xiu's secret method, all its distracting thoughts were erased, making it no different from a newborn infant.
With Jiang Yourong's help, it wouldn't be difficult for Jiang Ling'er to subjugate such a Devil Soul.
"What an adorable rabbit! Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Gazing at the incredibly cute, palm-sized rabbit spirit, Jiang Ling'er's eyes were practically shining. If her aunt hadn't been watching, she would have loved to grab her senior brother and give him a big kiss.
Wang Xiu smiled slightly. His gaze then shifted to the remaining four Soul Eggs; the other four little ones were also about to hatch.
The first Soul Egg emitted a cyan light. When the shell cracked, a palm-sized, pocket-sized little green snake wriggled out, looking rather bemused. It wasn't the least bit frightening, but rather cute.
The second Soul Egg emitted a white light. From the shattered shell, a palm-sized, pocket-sized little white cat crawled out.
The third Soul Egg emitted a red light. Out came a little chick wreathed in flames, exuding a scorching aura. This was the spirit of a Devil Beast, the Red-Feathered Chicken, which gave Wang Xiu a pleasant surprise. During its very first Embryonic Nirvana, it had triggered a spiritual sublimation and evolved into the even more powerful Flame Spirit Chicken spirit.
The fourth Soul Egg emitted a black light. Out crawled a small black tortoise, its little head stretching and shrinking in a timid and endearing way.
"Everything went smoothly," Wang Xiu mused, the corners of his mouth lifting as he looked at the four Soul Pets floating before him. "With this, the four array spirits for the Four Symbols Guardian Exorcism Great Formation are gathered."
In fact, these four were not the strongest among the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Stage Devil Souls. But in the combat of the Daoist School, it wasn't just about one's cultivation level. Sometimes, the composition of one's assets and their synergy were even more important.
Wang Xiu possessed the perfected Four Symbols Guardian Exorcism Great Formation, which could borrow the power of the Four Divine Beasts to protect himself and suppress enemies, making it one of the Cultivation World's top battle formations. Of course, the actual amount of Divine Beast Power he could borrow depended on many factors, and his mastery of the formation was just one of them. Array flags, array plates, array patterns, and array spirits could all amplify the formation, allowing more Divine Beast Power to be borrowed.
"Let's test its effect!"
On a whim, Wang Xiu took out four non-attribute array flags from his Storage Bag and, with a CLANG, shot them toward the four cardinal directions.
"Little Qing, take the eastern position! Borrow the Azure Dragon's Power!"
As he bellowed, the pocket-sized green snake turned into a streak of light and shot directly into the eastern array flag, generating a dense, wood-attribute Spiritual Energy.
"Little Bai, take the western position! Borrow the White Tiger's Power!"
The pocket-sized white cat turned into a streak of white light and entered the western array flag. Instantly, the clang of weapons echoed as sword energy filled the air.
"Little Hong, take the southern position! Borrow the Vermilion Bird's Power!"
The pocket-sized fire chicken turned into a streak of red light and entered the southern array flag, spawning raging flames. Perhaps due to its spirit's evolution, it borrowed the strongest Divine Beast Power. The Vermilion Bird flag released the Southern Vermilion Flame, which burned with intense heat and gave off an extremely pure exorcising power, as if it could incinerate all demons and evil spirits in the world.
"Little Black, take the northern position! Borrow the Black Tortoise's Power!"
The pocket-sized tortoise turned into a streak of black light and entered the northern flag. Instantly, the four banners fluttered loudly, forming an incredibly sturdy field that enveloped the entire space.
In the void, four vague phantoms of the Divine Beasts emerged, emitting an aura that made even a 'Great Ability' like Jiang Yourong shudder involuntarily.
…
Then again… isn't this boy a disciple of the Divination Sect? Why is his skill in fortune-telling and divination so unremarkable, yet his ability to summon and refine spirits is so extraordinarily powerful? And now, he even knows how to set up formations. Not just any formation, but the Four Symbols Guardian Exorcism Great Formation—a technique considered top-tier in the entire Cultivation World of the Divine Province. One must understand, this kind of formation that can borrow the power of the Four Symbols Divine Beasts is something that many Nascent Soul Stage Venerables fail to comprehend. How could this boy have possibly mastered it? Was his innate talent and comprehension truly that terrifying?