Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 5 Analysis of the Secret Text: Brain Pulp Skinning
"This is my destiny to become an immortal!"

After a long while, Fang Shu came to his senses, his eyes shining brightly.

Jingle Bell!
He cautiously took out his own Soul-Suppressing Bell and shook it vigorously.

This copper bell was not a gift from my second uncle, but an heirloom from our ancestors. It can calm the mind, dispel illusions, and protect the clan.

Fang Shu confirmed repeatedly that the information in his mind was not a delusion or an illusion, but that a strange object called "Dao Lu" or "Tong Zi Lu" truly existed in his mind.

He murmured, "The stories in the novels are true; there really are extraordinary encounters and celestial adventures in this world."

Suddenly, I felt that there was hope for the path to immortality in this life.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Shu's expression calmed down, and he began to consider what benefits this strange object could bring him.

"The first purpose of warding off evil should be to protect me from disasters and being schemed against; this is a passive function. As for the second purpose of recording..."

A thought struck him, and he silently uttered, "Taoist talisman."

Buzz!

In Fang Shu's mind, runes immediately surged, forming lines of text:
[Registered Person: Fang Shu]

[Lifespan: Currently 16 years old, suffering from physical harm that is shortening lifespan, expected to die at 27 years old in this state, due to depletion of essence and blood, not a reduction in lifespan, can be recovered through recuperation]

[Realm: None]

[Cultivation and Magical Power: None]

Cultivation Technique: None

[Spell already mastered: Secret Sword Technique of Mouth and Abdomen]

[Mastered magical artifacts: Long Tongue Sword (Secret Sword Technique of Mouth and Abdomen), Soul-Suppressing Bell]

……

A whole string of information popped into his mind, densely packed, from large to small, including language, writing, property, the meanings of various words, and even a long list of kinship relationships he had dug out from his memories.

At first glance, it was quite dazzling and overwhelming for him.

But such an effect also made his heart flutter.

"As expected of an artifact used by a celestial palace to transmit skills, its effects are truly remarkable."

With this, I can monitor my cultivation progress and physical condition anytime, anywhere; it's like having a medical team with me at all times.

He sighed as he familiarized himself with the Taoist talismans.

Having received some vague and unrecognizable insights in a dream, he quickly figured out the object. Moreover, with a thought, he concealed much of the dense information on the talisman, leaving only the main details.

He also made the text interface more concise.

For example, the line about lifespan was directly changed by him to:
Lifespan: 16/27 (decreasing)

In particular, the two characters "shorten lifespan" were so bright red and disturbing that they were incredibly jarring to his eyes.

Fang Shu couldn't help but touch his chest.

He didn't even need to use Taoist talismans to investigate the cause of his injury and shortened lifespan; he knew on his own that it was caused by the long tongue sword within his body.

Fortunately, according to the Taoist talisman, his expected lifespan was only estimated based on his current state, and he was not directly shortened in life; he could still recover through health preservation.

Fang Shusui suppressed the fear in his heart.

However, his urge to rush to the market and seek refuge with his second uncle became increasingly urgent.

joke!

It's better not to know than to realize you're actually shortening your lifespan. Who could bear that?

Especially Fang Shujin, who didn't even live past thirty, it's just too unfair!

But bullying is bullying.

The Long Tongue Sword was, after all, his only spell, and he had the heart's blood of a mortal demon in his hand, which could alleviate his symptoms, so Fang Shu wouldn't just throw the Long Tongue Sword away.

He forced himself to shift his attention away from the words "shortening one's lifespan".

After calming down, he began to ponder the third function of the Taoist talisman.

Buzz!

The word "analysis" immediately popped into his mind.

Dao Lu gestured to Fang Shu, indicating that he could throw all the incomprehensible words, pictures, languages, and music here.

After the Taoist talisman had thoroughly analyzed and interpreted it, it was then taught to him in a language he could understand.

The richer the vocabulary and the clearer the understanding of a particular language the talisman owner possesses, the more accurate the talisman's interpretation of that language will be.

Fang Shu suddenly realized: "So he's a translator."

In an instant, Fang Shu thought of many ingenious uses for this point.

He could easily use this skill to learn some of the language of foxes and birds.

If he mastered it, he and the little monsters could become teachers, write documents, and deliver messages, and they would be able to find food no matter where they were!

"After all, it's just a Dao talisman for a 'child's use'," Fang Shu thought to himself, while also looking forward to it.

"Based on what this thing said when it recognized its master, perhaps it can also grow like a natal magic weapon as I cultivate. At that time, it might be of great use."

After careful consideration.

He learned about and tested the three main functions of the Taoist talisman.

Fang Shu then jumped up and paced back and forth in the cave, his mind filled with ideas and expectations about his cultivation journey.

Suddenly.

His gaze shifted downwards, landing on the tiger skin again, and his eyes flickered!

He immediately picked up the tiger skin and read the text on it word by word, especially the words "secret text of magic".

What is a secret text?

It is also known as Immortal Script, Daoist Script, Talisman Script, etc.

These characters are the result of ancient immortals who, through their profound understanding of the universe and the principles of all things, created characters with great wisdom, far surpassing the so-called dragon seal script and phoenix seal script.

It is said that in ancient times, this script itself contained great magical power, and those who wielded it could summon wind and rain and change the world.

However, it is extremely difficult for it to learn.

In ancient times, cultivators who wanted to learn even a single character had to first master a spell to a high degree before they could condense a divine script in their minds, which was called a "talisman seed" and had many wonderful uses.

Given the extremely high threshold and the straightforward nature of the immortal text, the karmic consequences are immense; even a single glance by an ordinary person could lead to their death and the dissipation of their soul.

Throughout history, immortals have encrypted the immortal texts, making them impossible for anyone but those with painstaking effort and profound wisdom to decipher their true meaning. In this way, they have successfully contained the principles of heaven and earth within ordinary words.

It has developed to this point.

All the cultivation methods, scriptures, talismans, and magical artifacts in the world are centered around esoteric texts. These esoteric texts themselves are incredibly diverse, ranging from profound to simple, from new to old, and are integrated into every aspect of Taoist studies. They are vast and complex, yet every word is still precious.

According to Fang Shu's second uncle.

The most crucial core meaning of a scripture or classic text containing millions of words may only be a single word: "secret text".

The other millions of texts and pictures are merely various interpretations and analyses of this one cryptic text.

Only by understanding this one word, the "secret text," can one be said to have truly understood this scripture. Otherwise, no matter how well one learns it, it is all just superficial skill and self-deception.

In the practice of immortal cultivation, such a situation is called "a single word worth a thousand pieces of gold" and "a true teaching is contained in a single sentence, while a false teaching is contained in ten thousand volumes."

Fang Shu held the tiger skin.

He discovered the secret text of the skin-changing technique, exactly thirteen in total. The characters were not very complicated, and like his mouth-and-belly secret sword technique, they were both rudimentary spells.

Fang Shu has experience learning the Secret Sword Technique of the Mouth and Abdomen, and the tiger skin contains the old fox's cultivation insights. If he studies it wholeheartedly, writing one word a month, he should be able to master this technique in a little over a year.

"Taking a year off to master a rudimentary spell is already at a moderate pace."

He considered it in his mind: "Unless I can get a good teacher to guide me, or use the refined demon skin as practice from time to time, the time will not be shortened."

Thinking of this, Fang Shu's gaze flickered again.

He has at most one demon skin of the Refined Essence level, and as for a good master... it all depends on whether he has the opportunity to have one!

Fang Shu stared intently at the dense text on the tiger skin, and the Dao talisman he had just absorbed into his body silently appeared in his mind.

He muttered to himself, "Analysis."

In an instant, Fang Shu seemed to hallucinate; the characters on the tiger skin seemed to fly up and rush into his mind.

Before he could even process or remember the words that flooded his mind, they were all absorbed into the Daoist talisman.

In particular, the thirteen incredibly complex secret characters, which could not be copied or reproduced unless mastered, were also absorbed into the Daoist talisman and emitted a faint light.

Upon seeing this scene, Fang Shu felt a strong sense of anticipation.

Immediately afterwards, the talisman trembled slightly, transmitting a message:
[The method of "Changing Skin and Clothing" is detailed but incomplete; the secret text is complete, consisting of thirteen items. This analysis... is estimated to take 179 days... The method contains verifications from predecessors... estimated to take 77 days... The text contains corresponding artifact fragments that can be analyzed... estimated to take 49 days... The talisman master already possesses texts from the treasury; analysis is underway...]

This time, the procedure is expected to be completed in at least thirty-four days, requiring the assistance of the master of divination.

A series of tadpole-like characters swam past Fang Shu, causing him to momentarily lose his focus.

However, he didn't have time to be lost in thought for long, because in the instant he was in a daze, the Taoist talisman in his mind had already begun to analyze the "Skill of Changing Skin and Clothing".

Of the thirteen strange and obscure secret texts of the Skin Transformation Technique that he had initially found strange, one of them had begun to have its "outer skin" peeled off and revealed to him.

This feeling is so mysterious that it cannot be described in words!

Fang Shu felt as if he were in a state of divine inspiration. Every time he glanced at the spell on the tiger skin, he would gain a little more understanding and a new idea.

In the past, when he was studying the secret text, he had to draw and purchase various materials to verify it, but now he has completed all of this in his mind.

Furthermore, the Daoist talisman within his body would remind him that he could use the various marks on the tiger skin to help decipher the secret text.

A word popped into Fang Shu's mind:
"Fantasy!"

This "Boy's Talisman" can even decipher magical inscriptions!
With this item's assistance, perhaps he could truly see results in just one month of learning a spell?
Overwhelmed with emotion, Fang Shu was filled with countless thoughts, but in the end, only one thought remained:
"Just what kind of power is the Mountain and Sea Immortal Palace? Even a mere outer sect disciple's talisman possesses such immense power. Could it truly be an immortal palace...?"

Next.

Having witnessed the analytical function of the Daoist talismans and mastering an additional spell, Fang Shu gained an extra ability to protect himself.

He suppressed the urge to head to the Immortal Market and instead secluded himself in the cave to meditate and comprehend the mysteries.

When thirsty, he would drink a mouthful of his heart's blood from the gourd; when hungry, he would hang his long-tongued sword outside the cave to catch any birds or falcons that came flying at him.

He would only venture out of the cave on very rare occasions.

Later, he discovered a stream about the width of a finger at the edge of the cliff. After using his long tongue sword to guide it into the cave, he became completely immersed in comprehending magic, as if he were in seclusion.

One, two... three, four...

Finally, three days earlier than the thirty-four days predicted by Dao Lu, Fang Shu only spent thirty-one days to thoroughly comprehend all thirteen secret texts of the "Art of Changing Skin and Clothing," enabling him to visualize them completely in his mind and even copy them outwardly.

He has thoroughly mastered this technique.

He only needs to create another demon skin and refine it into a fur magic weapon to master this technique!
………………

This day.

When Fang Shu emerged from his secluded meditation, he appeared dazed.

He still couldn't believe that he had mastered a spell in just one month.

What takes a year to accomplish can be done in a month.

He even wondered if he was still in that monster restaurant, if he had been bewitched by the old fox spirit's magic and was living in a hallucination without realizing it.

Fang Shuxin thought:

"Since you still have doubts, why not thoroughly master this technique and use it to test the wonders of the Dao talisman to see if it is true or false!"

Immediately, he took the old fox's corpse from the rock wall of the cave.

When he first began to comprehend the art of changing skin and fur, the spell already contained methods for preserving fur and repairing corpses.

At that time, although Fang Shu failed to comprehend any of the secret texts, he was still able to prolong the demonic energy in the old fox's corpse by simply imitating the pattern.

Now, a month later, he dissected the beeswax and honey on the old fox's corpse and found that the demonic energy inside its body had condensed and not dissipated; only its flesh and organs had shriveled.

However, this had no effect. On the contrary, the demonic energy within the old fox's body had seeped into his skin even more deeply than it had a month ago.

"Good," Fang Shu said softly.

He then discovered, based on the records in the spellbook, that although the old fox had not yet entered the Dao and refined its essence, it was not far from doing so, and its skin was enough for him to use to refine magical artifacts.

After examining the old fox's corpse for a moment, Fang Shu took out the Long Tongue Sword.

After he skillfully peeled off all the fur from the other person's body, there was another snapping sound from inside the cave.

He used his tongue to pry open the old fox's skull and completely extract his brain.

The first step in leather making and equipment crafting is tanning the hides and furs.

In the tanning process, besides using various medicinal materials, the most authentic method is to use the brains of demons for tanning.

According to the book "The Art of Changing Skin from Fur," the paste made from the brains of each living creature is just enough to tan its entire body of fur, which is quite amazing.

Over the past month, Fang Shu has conducted numerous experiments using wild birds and beasts.

He sat cross-legged in the cave.

After stirring the brains with a special technique, he evenly spread the liquid on the inside of the fox fur.

Next comes the waiting and kneading.

Let the demonic energy from the old fox's brain seep into its fur as much as possible to create a embryonic vessel that is neither hard nor soft, neither rotten nor decayed, and then it can be refined into a magical artifact.

(End of this chapter)