Chapter 436, Unity of Heart and Soul

Translator: Silavin

 

[No wonder the Patriarch had that unusual expression on his face…] Qin Yichen thought pensively. [To think the coming-of-age ceremony actually carried such great dangers. This explains why the Patriarch is so worried.]

 

“I’m sorry.” Qin Yichen said somewhat apologetically to Qingshan.

 

In response, Qingshan simply smiled and shook his head, showing no concern. After so many years, he had come to view many things with detachment.

 

As they conversed, the two soon arrived at an elegant house halfway up Green Orchid Peak. After guiding Qin Yichen there, Qingshan departed.

 

Perhaps because Azure Orchid Peak was where Gongshu Yushan resided, no one came to disturb Qin Yichen.

 

This made him grateful; otherwise, with his identity as Lu Ban’s Successor, he would attract countless Gongshu Clansmen coming to inspect him, and he did not enjoy being observed like a monkey.

 

In the time that followed, Qin Yichen remained on Green Orchid Peak. Besides his normal cultivation each day, he devoted himself to Crafting.

 

In just half a month, his Crafting Technique had improved significantly. However, compared to Qingshan’s Crafting skills, there was undoubtedly still an enormous gap.

 

After completing another carved piece, Qin Yichen stood up. His brows furrowed as he looked at the piles of finished works beside him, his expression somewhat dissatisfied.

 

During this period, for some reason, he always felt something was wrong with his technique, but he could not precisely identify what it was.

 

He could clearly perceive which areas needed to be carved into certain shapes, but there were always subtle mistakes in his execution that led to the appearance of flaws.

 

“If I need to achieve mastery through practice, how much time would that take?” Qin Yichen shook his head and sighed.

 

“How can I improve my proficiency? I don’t have much time to dive into the Dao of Crafting…” Qin Yichen frowned and simply sat on the ground, looking at each piece with its varying flaws, sinking into deep thought.

 

While he was pondering, at the mountain top, in front of a bamboo pavilion, there was a wooden table set with steaming hot tea, and two figures were seated there.

 

One of these figures was Gongshu Yushan, while the other was even more elderly. It seemed like even Gongshu Yushan showed a certain reverence toward this person.

 

Within the Gongshu Clan, someone who could receive such treatment from Gongshu Yushan had an obvious identity: the Supreme Elder of the Gongshu Clan… Gongshu Cangyou!

 

The two sat quietly in wooden chairs, enjoying the hot tea, yet their eyes seemed to penetrate space itself, gazing toward the mountainside.

 

“His progress is amazing, but at this rate, he won’t be able to help much at Zhiyi’s coming-of-age ceremony.” Gongshu Cangyou remarked after a while, shaking his head.

 

“I never intended for him to help Zhiyi…” Hearing these words, Gongshu Yushan’s old face reddened as he tried to deny it.

 

“There’s no need to pretend in front of me. Lu Ban’s Successor, possessing the Master Craftsman’s Hammer. You most likely think he is the only one who can help Zhiyi. You adore that little girl so much. How could you possibly not think of her well-being?” Gongshu Cangyou chuckled and said.

 

“If not for this, why would you keep him on Green Orchid Peak without actively guiding him, letting him comprehend things on his own?”

 

With Gongshu Cangyou’s words, Gongshu Yushan’s expression changed from the previous embarrassment to normalcy. His intentions had been seen through. Indeed, before the Supreme Elder, his thoughts could not be concealed.

 

“If it’s true as the ancient records state, if he possesses the Master Craftsman’s Hammer, he can indeed enter that place. But whether he can actually help Zhiyi is still difficult to say. That girl has the greatest talent in our Clan right now, so the difficulty of the trial she’ll face… I’m afraid…” At this point, worry appeared on Gongshu Yushan’s face again.

 

“Jade must be cut and polished to become a tool; how could the path to becoming a pillar of our Clan be a smooth one?” The Supreme Elder could understand Gongshu Yushan’s concerns. However, he still shook his head and murmured.

 

Afterward, both of them shook their heads and remained silent for a long time.

 

Halfway up the mountain, Qin Yichen sat cross-legged amidst numerous carved items, looking at the flawed finished products, his brows furrowing deeper.

 

Regarding these works, he clearly knew in his heart how to carve them perfectly, but his hands would not cooperate with him. Thus, he was unable to achieve that final step.

 

“This bamboo zither, if this groove were deepened by just a hair, it would be perfect…” Picking up a bamboo zither beside him, Qin Yichen sighed. His gaze fixed intently on the flawed groove, his eyes gradually becoming vacant as his mind slowly sank into tranquillity.

 

In this state of tranquillity, his Spiritual Energy began to surge uncontrollably.

 

*Whoosh…* Suddenly, fierce winds arose halfway up the mountain, blowing down countless leaves. At this moment, Qin Yichen’s Spiritual Energy surged forth, following his intention, and flowed into the zither in his hand.

 

In that instant, it was as if the fierce winds in the world momentarily ceased their dance. The falling leaves eerily halted in mid-air. At this time, only the bamboo zither in Qin Yichen’s hand moved, as tiny bamboo shavings fell.

 

“What!?” In an instant, Gongshu Cangyou and Gongshu Yushan, who had been leisurely drinking hot tea, abruptly stood up. Their eyes both erupted with incredulous light.

 

Due to extreme excitement, the jade cup in Gongshu Yushan’s hand trembled. The hot tea spilled onto his hand, though he remained completely unaware.

 

*Rustle!* Halfway up the mountain, this stillness seemed to last less than a second before the fierce winds continued to blow and the leaves continued to fall.

 

*Tap!* A leaf fell onto the back of Qin Yichen’s hand, and his body suddenly trembled. The vacant look in his eyes gradually returned to life.

 

[What was that?] After coming back to his senses, Qin Yichen’s gaze fell upon the bamboo zither in his hand, and he was shocked to discover that the previous flaw had completely vanished!

 

Moreover, within this bamboo zither, there was faintly Spirituality in it. Although far from becoming sentient, it clearly existed!

 

“Could it be… that state just now?” Qin Yichen’s pupils contracted as he looked at the leaves falling all around. His eyes filled with wild joy.

 

Although he was not entirely clear about what had just happened, the state he had entered was exactly what those studying the Dao of Crafting called the Unity of Heart and Soul!

 

Only those whose control over Spiritual Energy had reached the Mastery Realm had a certain probability of entering that state!