Many people were still practicing visualization in the present-day and a lot of them have chosen Xuanwu as their external visualization target.
After all, the leftover records of visualization found in the Spirit Library taught the method by using this deity as a sample.
Once a person had attained visualization, he could then focus his mind. The method could help in clearing his thoughts while further mastery could help in stabilizing his mentality to prevent interference by bewitching illusions.
Although visualizing Xuanwu was a good option, the troublesome part would be the target being too high a level to achieve.
There is a saying that ‘the heart usually has ambitions too high that life is too short and fragile to achieve’. One should always work within one’s capabilities. If a person had average potential but tried to visualize something as grand as an emperor deity, this would be overestimating one’s abilities.
Hence, only a handful of people managed to succeed in cultivation via the visualization method. Most would only manage to visualize the silhouette of Xuanwu or would exhaust too much mental energy in the process.
If it were up to Lin Jin, he would never choose to visualize Xuanwu.
“How far have you reached in your visualization level?” Lin Jin asked.
“The illusion stage!” The disciple seemed a little embarrassed.
The realm levels of visualization were divided into four parts, concentrated visualization, illusion formation, phantom sounds, and sacred revelation.
The first two stages were relatively easy to achieve. The illusion stage this disciple had mentioned referred to illusion formation. Being able to enter this stage proved that he possessed quite profound comprehension capabilities and talent.
Especially when considering the fact that his visualization target was Xuanwu, the deity.
However, exactly because his visualization target was a highly-ranked God that he could go no further past the point of illusion formation. It was impossible to advance any further than that.
And this was the disciple’s dilemma.
Despite reaching illusion formation, he was at a dead-end. It was also impossible to eradicate what he had visualized thus far and start anew.
This was problematic.
However, the explanation of visualization in the Museum of Deadly Beasts provided relevant solutions. After brief contemplation, Lin Jin asked, “Do you know of the artifacts carried by Xuanwu?”
The well-informed disciple nodded. “I do. Xuanwu has four sacred artifacts. The sacred lotus he sits on, the purple cloud whisk in his left hand, the Xuanwu demon-slayer in his right hand, and the nine-color holy light behind him.”
Lin Jin said, “Your attribute is wood but it seems like you’re unrooted. Stop visualizing Xuanwu and focus on his sacred lotus instead. You should be able to solidify your foundation with this and strengthen your mentality.”
After pondering slightly, the disciple seemed to have found his answer. He thanked Lin Jin before sitting back down, satisfied.
Many other disciples raised questions after that. Lin Jin tried his best to answer them all by relying on the explanations found in the museum. He managed to leave everyone satisfied.
Being able to achieve something like this wasn’t easy at all.
As the lecture came to an end, all disciples present felt that their time had been well-spent and their respect for Lin Jin grew.
Lin Jin descended the stage.
It had been a relaxing experience for him. After all, he had the Museum of Deadly Beasts to support him. With comprehensive information in his arsenal, all he had to do was take note of their questions and find the relevant answers and explanations.
However, Lin Jin felt that casually cultivating with visualization would more than suffice. After all, it used to be an immortal cultivation method that was mainly used to stabilize one’s mentality, expand one’s spirit sea which in turn improves spell-casting.
There were practically no cases of anyone successfully achieving immortality with visualization.
Lin Jin didn’t plan on venturing deeper into the realm of visualization. After all, there were many other methods in the museum that were much more effective than visualization.
“Lin Jin, please wait!”
Someone suddenly came over. There were five cloud patterns on his robes so this person should be an assistant lecturer in the Friar Association.
Once near enough, he smiled and said, “Lin Jin, I’m the caretaker of the Spirit Library. This visualization lecture of yours today has been eye-opening and I’ve learned so much.”
After a round of introductions, Lin Jin learned that this kind-looking assistant lecturer was Wu Xi and he was one of the Spirit Library’s caretakers in charge of book selection and compilation.
“Lin Jin, I’m very sure that the outer imagery technique you’ve just talked about wasn’t recorded in any of the books our Spirit Library. May I know where you learned it from?” Wu Xi had a straightforward personality. After formalities were out of the way, he went directly for his question.
It was obvious he harbored no ill intentions and was genuinely curious.
Lin Jin already had a script ready to answer questions of this sort.
“I was given guidance by an expert but this expert is indifferent to fame and fortune. If Caretaker Wu intends to ask the identity of this expert, please forgive me for being unable to tell you.” Lin Jin gave him a heads up.
Wu Xi looked disheartened. He probably was planning to ask about this “expert”.
As he looked like he wanted to say something else, Lin Jin smiled and gave him a little nudge, “If there’s anything else on your mind, Caretaker Wu, please, go ahead.”
Wu Xi rubbed his hands together. Lin Jin was no average disciple. Everyone in the Friar Association now knew that he was a Rank 2 beast appraiser and also an individual recommended by Huangfu Ming. Besides this, there were also rumors that he exchanged punches with Yang Jie a short while after coming here, and that he attained a fourth realm blood contract during his first assessment. Now, this open lecture on outer imagery visualization added another superb achievement to his name.
Frankly speaking, despite Wu Xi having a fifth realm blood contract and the identity as an assistant lecturer, he was very humble before Lin Jin.
“It’s like this. I’d like to archive the outer imagery visualization you’ve spoken about today into the Spirit Library. However, I have to first get your opinion on this.” Then, Wu Xi contemplated before adding, “If this magnificent method could be promoted widely, it would benefit friars all around the world. I know that I’m being brusque by saying this but I’m definitely not doing this for my own greed. The heavens can vouch for me.”
Having said that, Wu Xi gave Lin Jin a bow, behaving sincerely.
To Lin Jin, the outer imagery method truly didn’t amount to much. Even he couldn’t be bothered to cultivate it as the true gem in visualization lies in ‘inner cognition’.
However, if Lin Jin were to blatantly ‘donate’ a cultivation method without receiving anything in return, it didn’t sound right either.
Smiling, Lin Jin gave an equally straightforward response, “What’s in it for me?”
Wu Xi looked sheepish. “Uhm… Your name will be put into the compiled manual and the association will award you with the title of an ‘honorary disciple’. I know that compared to the outer imagery method, these benefits aren’t even worth mentioning…”
Before Wu Xi could even finish, Lin Jin nodded. “Sure, I’ll do it.”
“Lin Jin, please don’t reject it so quickly, huh… did you just agree?” Wu Xi hadn’t let the answer sink in yet. He stared at Lin Jin with wide eyes while the latter gave him a firmer answer.
“I agree to it. Put my name in and give me the title of honorary disciple.”
There was no reason for him to reject the suggestion.
After all, he had talked about outer imagery in an open lecture and everyone present had noted it down. Hence, even if the method wasn’t recorded in the Spirit Library, it would still be spread around. Now that he was offered an honorary title and would have his name put into the book, there was no reason to turn it down.
Having a method manual with his name inside the Spirit Library was a great honor.
Wu Xi told Lin Jin that he was probably the first disciple to get his name put on a book inside the Spirit Library.
However, Wu Xi couldn’t decide this matter on his own. Before he could record cultivation techniques and spells into the Spirit Library, Wu Xi would have to receive approval from all the mentors in the association.
Wu Xi began running around, doing the necessary procedures to get the matter approved. All Lin Jin needed to do was to compile the outer imagery’s formula and relevant explanation into a book.
This wasn’t hard at all. Lin Jin could do it on the spot.
Wu Xi retrieved a brush and some papers for Lin Jin. The latter was basically just copying down what he saw in the museum and half an hour later, he had a small book ready that didn’t exceed twenty pages.
The content was pure essence with nonsensical fillers removed and words simplified.
Once he was done, he let Wu Xi examine it and the latter was impressed.
“It’s truly a magnificent method. Although the formula is rather deep, with an explanation available, it makes this method much more acceptable. I’ll seek out the Spirit Library’s librarian right away.” Having said that, Wu Xi hurried away with Lin Jin’s script in hand.
The man was obviously an impetuous person.
Lin Jin returned home as he planned on helping the shadow wolf evolve.
Lin Jin had been very busy lately so Xiao Huo had to tag alongside him everywhere. Goldy was mostly away from home so he needed a beast to guard the house.
The deer has yet to recover but even if it did, it would probably return to Shi Wenjun so Lin Jin could only rely on the shadow wolf.
This shadow wolf had a steadfast personality so he was suited for the task.
The six shadow beast soul pill had been pelletized yesterday at Shi Manor and this would be the key to the shadow wolf’s perfect evolution.
Lin Jin had Xiao Huo and Goldy stand guard outside while he led the shadow wolf into the house.
Although Lin Jin didn’t have a blood contract with this shadow wolf, the loyalty this creature had shown wasn’t inferior to that of a blood-contracted pet beast. In fact, it was superior in some aspects.
Unlike in the past, Lin Jin now possessed more skills and his pulse-seeking technique had reached a significant level. Silver needles pierced into various acupoints on the shadow wolf’s body before he was fed the six shadow beast soul pill.
Next, Lin Jin only had to use acupuncture skills to trigger the pill’s medical effects and the shadow wolf could achieve perfect evolution. This process was excruciatingly painful for the shadow wolf. Not only did he have to endure the pain of the medicine wreaking havoc in his body, but he also had to tolerate the agony of these needles.
However, the shadow wolf remained silent as it endured it all.
A little while later, the medicine’s effects have spread throughout the beast’s body. The quality of the pill Lin Jin produced this time was much higher than the six sun beast soul pill Lin Jin previously made for Xiao Huo. The medicine’s effects were also several folds better.
Suddenly, the shadow wolf’s skin began to break from the medicine’s overpowering effects and fresh, dark-red blood oozed out from these cracks.
Lin Jin knew things have turned bad.
Although the shadow wolf had recovered considerably under Lin Jin’s care, it had been heavily injured before. It seems like the creature wasn’t able to withstand the overpowering effects of the pill after all.
Lin Jin immediately flicked out another set of needles, allowing them to pierce into the shadow wolf’s veins to stabilize its organs.
As time passed, the medicine finally integrated into the shadow wolf’s body and a miraculous event happened.
The shadow wolf morphed into a cloud of black haze and dispersed.
This scene startled even Lin Jin. The needles he had pierced into the wolf’s body fell onto the floor as the haze spread around the room. The shadow wolf was gone.
He disappeared.
Had it been someone else, they would have been at a loss of what to do, but Lin Jin knew about the shadow wolf’s attributes and his hidden bloodline. Lin Jin could now deduce that they had been lucky enough to activate the shadow wolf’s hidden bloodline.
The spectral bloodline.
