Chapter 94: The Misaligned Rise of Technology in the Nation 9

It turned out that cultivators had their own script, yet it was not meant for ordinary writing. This script possessed mystical powers, and it was said that its earliest form was derived from the very laws of the universe. However, even after being transformed into written symbols, the laws remained difficult to control, so over time, the script was gradually simplified and its power diminished. It became what is now known as runes, or sometimes referred to as array patterns.

However, this was not the focus of their lessons; the Qi Refining stage cultivator teaching them only mentioned it in passing. What they were mainly learning was the script itself. The characters used in the cultivation world differed somewhat from those in the mortal realm. In the mortal world, simplified characters had already come into use—different from the simplified script of Mu Yin’s original world, but nonetheless simplified. In contrast, the cultivation world still used ancient characters, a script akin to seal script. This was likely because most cultivation techniques were recorded in this form, and learning it ensured that one would not fail to recognize words when encountering inheritances or cultivation methods.

Moreover, this world possessed its own phonetic symbols—not quite pinyin, but similar to it. Legend claimed that these were invented by a cultivator who sought enlightenment through script. Upon learning this, Mu Yin realized that the saying “three thousand ways of the Great Dao” was not an exaggeration; the idea that every field had its own path applied equally well to cultivation methods.

One could, in truth, cultivate a path from any discipline, depending on one’s comprehension. The script created by those who sought the Dao through words thus also carried the significance of the laws, which explained why written words bore a latent energy. The extraordinary abilities she could imbue into her writing stemmed from the fact that these characters themselves embodied a diluted form of the laws.

In that moment, Mu Yin experienced a sudden insight, as if she had sensed something peculiar, though it was still indistinct. Yet when she wrote, she noticed a heightened command over the characters—her written symbols had become more potent.

She recognized this as a moment of enlightenment. Beyond the written word, she also gained a faint understanding of painting, for script itself was an abbreviation of pictorial forms. If characters represented compressed names of the laws, then paintings were their manifestations.

All things in the world were shaped by laws. Paintings revealed the appearance of those laws—the image—while characters were the names of those laws. What if the two were combined? Mu Yin took up her brush and began to paint. A lifelike apple sprang forth on the paper. Then, with great care, she wrote the word “apple” beside it.

She did not immediately channel any special energy, yet she watched in awe as the apple seemed to rise from the page, slowly detaching itself from the paper. She could sense the drawing absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, forming the apple’s shape.

Lifting the fully-formed apple, Mu Yin took a bite. She tasted spirit energy with the flavor of apple—nothing more. Closing her eyes, she began to reflect. Compared to the apples she created with her abilities, this one possessed only the appearance and name of an apple, rendered in spiritual energy. Was it because she had merely comprehended the image and name aspects of the laws through painting and script?

Indeed, she now understood that she had touched upon the laws themselves—just the fringes, perhaps, but close nonetheless, likely because she had once survived being swept through the River of Time and Space. After all, the waters of that river were nothing but pure law—the most fundamental ones: time, space, order, balance, cause and effect, and life.

Her awakened power belonged to the law of creation, said to be the domain of the Creator God, and thus surpassed even those six principal laws. That was why she had not perished in the river, but instead gained some benefit from it. It was now clear that she could more easily comprehend the laws than others, even if understanding was not the same as mastery.

Just now, she had not used any special power, only her newfound insight into the laws to paint that image. The force of law contained within had directly transformed the drawing into a tangible object. Such was the power of the laws.

In the future, if Mu Yin used her abilities to paint, the results would be even better. Coupled with the water law she had understood in her previous world, she believed that one day she would be able to truly create things, rather than merely reproduce them as she did now.

Even calling it reproduction was not quite accurate. She could not truly duplicate things, but could only rely on her comprehension to render them in her art, then use her abilities to reconstitute them. The fidelity of the reproduction depended on the depth of her understanding.

Afterward, Mu Yin continued attending classes. She felt learning in this place deepened her understanding of the world. At the same time, she began to cultivate. The foundational technique available to them was the Qi Nourishing Formula, an entry-level cultivation method used throughout the continent by those in the Qi Refining stage.

Though commonplace, there were more advanced techniques—some that could take one from artifact refinement all the way to the Ascendant stage. Yet, for laying a solid foundation, nothing surpassed the basics, just like her physical training methods.

Incidentally, she had already submitted her physical cultivation manual and received a reward of one thousand sect contribution points, which could be exchanged for techniques in the library. She had checked and found that sect contribution was rare—one point for the lowest-level sect task, and even a top-level task offered only five points, which showed its value.

Mu Yin could easily exchange her points for a technique suited to her, but after reviewing the Qi Nourishing Formula, she felt it was quite suitable. The Qi Nourishing Formula required no special spiritual root—not even the five-element root, much like her physical cultivation. It placed no demands on spiritual roots.

In truth, even mortals could practice the Qi Nourishing Formula. While it might take a long time to draw in spiritual energy, it could still prolong one’s life. No wonder people said mortals in the cultivation world tended to live longer—the abundant spiritual energy and access to the Qi Nourishing Formula naturally extended their lifespans.

Beyond being a basic cultivation method, the Qi Nourishing Formula also promoted health, primarily nourishing the internal organs. In her original world, the five organs were also associated with the five elements, so this seemed accurate.

Their daily tasks involved tending to crops, though they were not in charge of the main operations. They did not plow, sow, or water; their main job was weeding. The rest could be managed with spells, but for weeding, since all menial workers were at the Qi Refining stage and their control imprecise, it could not be handled with magic and had to be done by hand.

Aside from these duties, there were not many other chores. Serving inner disciples was not their responsibility. Cleaning was unnecessary; only the kitchen required their help, and even then, just as assistants, since the head cooks were all culinary cultivators.

In general, before reaching the third level of Qi Refining and being able to use spells, they were little more than laborers—not even considered true menial disciples.