Zhongli no longer hesitated. He leapt forward and grasped the jade talisman.
In that instant, the talisman blazed with dazzling light, and a torrent of information surged straight into his mind.
It hit him so hard he nearly staggered and fell over.
When he finally read the inscription within the talisman, however, his expression turned… complicated.
"High-grade Profound-tier cultivation art: Clear Source Divine Manifestation Mantra."
"One of the most powerful branches of the Invocation Mantra. By reciting the name of the Clear Source True Monarch, you invite the True Monarch to descend and bless you."
"Your combat power will soar, and you will gain mastery of the battle arts of Erlang Shen, the Clear Source True Monarch—opening the Celestial Eye, rendering all falsehoods void."
"This art was created when an ancestor of Mount Shu's Upper Realm personally visited Guankou and drank with the True Monarch for three thousand years. Greatly pleased, the True Monarch imbued the Invocation Mantra with a divine spark."
"From then on, Mount Shu disciples had a new battle secret art—whenever they invoked the gods, the True Monarch would answer."
'The fragrance rises to fill Heaven and Earth, incense burning clear to Heaven's Gate.'
After reading the introduction and watching the vivid images play through his mind, Zhongli fell silent.
It was… a good technique.
But—he was the Geo Archon. The Lord of Geo of Liyue.
Was he really going to… in full view of the public… chant an invocation mantra?
Wouldn't that be utterly humiliating?
And that origin story—some Mount Shu ancestor going to Guankou to drink with Erlang Shen… If we strip away the poetic phrasing, wasn't it just "an old Mount Shu patriarch went to drink with Erlang Shen, they got along, and Erlang Shen slapped a buff onto the Invocation Mantra so you could always call him"?
No matter how he looked at it, it didn't sound very… dignified.
Zhongli quickly murmured several apologies in his heart for slandering the ancestors like that.
That said—this technique was absurdly powerful.
The Clear Source True Monarch of Guankou was no ordinary immortal. Jiang Yan had once mentioned in Jueyun Karst that this Erlang Shen was a bona fide Golden Immortal, one of Heaven's foremost battle powers.
Golden Immortals were rare even in the Upper Realm—and Erlang Shen was a frontline warrior.
It was said that his name was known across countless worlds, likely because he was the same legendary figure found in myths.
Zhongli shook his head, setting aside the embarrassment issue.
After all, if you were inviting such a being, there was no shame in it.
Compared to Erlang Shen, his own status as Geo Archon was hardly worth mentioning.
He carefully studied the record of Erlang Shen within the technique.
The more he read, the more awestruck he became.
The Guankou Erlang's magical powers were unfathomable, his transformations unmatched under Heaven.
His Celestial Eye could pierce all illusions and even summon heavenly thunder to slay demons.
He could glimpse the future and peer into the past.
Wielding his three-pointed, double-edged blade, his sheer martial skill alone could sweep all Heaven without rival.
He had mastered the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations and Seventy-Two Earthly Arts, and was most famed for enlarging his dharma body until it could grasp the sun and moon themselves.
Even his subordinates, the Grass-Headed Gods, were formidable.
And his loyal companion, the Howling Celestial Dog, was an ancient beast capable of devouring the very sun.
Man and beast fought as one, striking fear into gods and ghosts alike.
Zhongli couldn't help but sigh in admiration—this was what a true immortal looked like.
His own exploits, however storied, were nothing next to Erlang Shen's.
The Clear Source Divine Manifestation Mantra would summon Erlang's projection, granting him the Celestial Eye, the blade, and the Howling Celestial Dog at his side.
True, with his current cultivation, he wouldn't be able to use the full scope of the Thirty-Six Transformations or the Seventy-Two Arts.
But even Erlang Shen's lesser martial and magical skills made the mantra a bargain.
It was like getting a whole set of immortal techniques in one shot.
The only pity was that the techniques wouldn't remain in his memory afterward—or else this wouldn't just be Profound-tier, it would be a heaven-defying art.
Zhongli tightened his grip on the jade talisman, eager to test the mantra.
Then a stray thought crossed his mind.
If Erlang Shen's canine companion also manifested when the mantra was used…
And if there was no vessel for it, the drain on his energy would be faster.
Perhaps… he should prepare a partner?
His first thought was Azhdaha.
But he quickly shook his head—projecting the Howling Celestial Dog onto Azhdaha's form would border on sacrilege.
Besides, Azhdaha was still suffering erosion.
That thought drew a sigh from him.
Still—this mantra wasn't just offense. Erlang Shen's defense was equally formidable, and his escape arts were no joke either.
It was a complete enhancement with no weak points.
With this technique, Zhongli would hardly lack for magic in the short term.
Next time he returned, he could consider finding an art to help repair Azhdaha's erosion.
With that thought, Zhongli decided not to linger in the Scripture Pavilion.
One flicker of intent, and he was transported outside.
He stowed away his weapons, glanced at the towering Scripture Pavilion behind him, and guessed the others would be inside for quite some time yet.
He was just about to leave when the rest of his group appeared one by one.
Zhongli halted, noting their satisfied expressions.
Clearly, their harvests had been fruitful.
"First Seat," they greeted.
Zhongli replied softly, "It seems you all found something worthwhile in the Scripture Pavilion."
Cloud Retainer nodded vigorously. "Indeed—Madame Ping and I obtained the Yin-Yang Five Thunders."
"I found the Flying Cloud Tyrant Spear."
"I've got the Pill Cauldron Formula—it'll aid my alchemy in the future."
One after another, they shared their gains until Zhongli, exasperated, raised a hand to stop them.
"Best keep some of your trump cards to yourselves."
He glanced at the sky—it had been midday when they entered, yet now the sun was already sinking toward the horizon.
"There's still some time. Return to your respective peaks and familiarize yourselves with your new arts. The Jade Chime will soon sound—don't miss this cultivation opportunity."
He was beginning to sound every inch the First Seat of Longshou Peak.
If Jiang Yan saw this, he'd probably be pleased—someone else could handle the daily affairs, freeing him to cultivate in peace.
At that moment, Mountain Shaper spoke excitedly, "First Seat, may I return briefly to Jueyun Karst to bring my cultivated herbs here? The sooner I plant them in the spirit fields, the sooner I can begin refining pills."
Zhongli's attention sharpened.
Alchemy—one of the most crucial pillars of cultivation.
He nodded. "As you wish. But don't miss the sunset cultivation session."
"I'll be quick."
Mountain Shaper left his jade talisman with Moon Carver, then vanished via the disciple's command token.
No one pressed Zhongli about his own new technique—leaving him spared from an awkward explanation.
Even if they knew he'd learned the Invocation Mantra, they'd probably just find it odd at first… and then envy him.
After all, summoning a Golden Immortal like Erlang Shen—even as a projection—was no small feat.
One by one, the others dispersed on their flying swords.
Ganyu and Keqing, being already on Tongtian Peak, had only to walk.
Ganyu glanced toward the summit, where dense spiritual mist swirled—it seemed Jiang Yan was in seclusion.
She abandoned her excuse to visit him. Tomorrow, he'd be lecturing anyway.
Cultivators had plenty of time; better to familiarize herself with her own new art first.
Zhongli and Xiao, both from Longshou Peak, prepared to depart together—when Zhongli noticed a flying sword lying on the ground.
Puzzled, he looked at Xiao, who was already standing on his own sword.
"This seems to be Mountain Shaper's sword," Xiao explained.
"Still as scatterbrained as ever," Zhongli sighed, handing it over. "Forget it—let him fetch it himself tomorrow during the Sect Master's lecture. Let him remember to be careful next time."
Stowing the sword, Zhongli and Xiao sped toward Longshou Peak, arriving in minutes.
They landed before the Main Hall, where the austere and upright Hall of Discipline stood—a style much to Zhongli's liking, with a noticeably denser concentration of spiritual energy than elsewhere on the peak.
This was Mount Shu's privilege to its First Seats.
Though he was only acting in the role, Zhongli believed that with his talent, it wouldn't be long before he earned the position in truth.
Xiao, eager to practice his Flying Cloud Tyrant Spear, excused himself.
Zhongli nodded, then suddenly added, "You've reached the peak of Essence Refinement into Qi—prepare carefully for your tribulation. Do not rush. Master your techniques and control over true essence before attempting it."
Xiao nodded solemnly. "I will remember."
As Zhongli watched him go, he reflected on his own lesson learned that day:
Without a solid foundation, facing a tribulation was a death sentence.
He had survived thanks to the Vortex Vanquisher and his mastery of sword-flight—plus talent and quick understanding.
Otherwise, he would have been gravely injured… if not worse.
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