Chapter 5011 — Preparing for Projection

Wei Zhao could have engineered lightning tribulations for them, but the two women's natural gifts were hardly as extraordinary as Ning Xuefei's. To be safe, they would have to wait until their cultivation realms were fully consolidated before they could attempt the Xuan Sheng breakthrough. Besides, the two of them were now mainly occupied with running the Tiandan Pavilion's business, and a perfected Nascent Soul cultivation was already sufficient on Middle Island. They had none of Ning Xuefei's urgency.

Over these past few days Wei Zhao had also refined a good many sixth- and seventh-grade pills—some set aside for Wei Shenjin, the rest reserved as stock for the Tiandan Pavilion. Though his return to the mortal world this time would not be long, just how long he would actually stay remained unknown, so it was best to prepare extra pills against every contingency.

Every matter that ought to be prepared had been prepared; every instruction that ought to be given had been given. After several more days of waiting, word finally came from Aotian Prefecture—everything was in readiness, and at any moment he could project his primordial spirit.

He informed Tianchan and Sydney, though with Aotian Prefecture watching over this projection, there was little danger to speak of.

Even so, the two women were still uneasy. Only after much coaxing and reassuring did Wei Zhao manage to calm them, but in the end he yielded to their wishes and brought Wei Shenjin along to the Island Master's Pavilion. A primordial spirit projection, after all, left the physical body behind on Cloud Terrace Island, so someone would indeed have to look after it.

The two arrived at the Island Master's Pavilion. After the reception Aotian Prefecture had personally given him last time, every guard in the pavilion knew Wei Zhao by now. If they lacked even that much discernment, how could they hope to survive working in the Island Master's Pavilion? One careless offense against some unremarkable-looking personage, and they might lose their lives on the spot.

"Young Hero Lin, this way, please. Island Master Aotian is already waiting in the Transmission Hall," a guard captain said, hurrying forward to greet them.

"Much obliged." Wei Zhao nodded. Behind him, Wei Shenjin wore a look of utter shock. This guard captain was at the very least a master at the perfected Nascent Soul stage, and surely no minor figure even within the Island Master's Pavilion—yet he showed Wei Zhao such deference. Their leader truly was formidable, enjoying such influence even here in the Island Master's Pavilion!

They came to the Transmission Hall. Aotian Prefecture beckoned Wei Zhao over and, gesturing to a middle-aged man beside him who looked like a steward, introduced him: "This is Steward Sun of the Transmission Hall. I've asked him to brief you on the primordial spirit projection. In theory there's no danger in the matter, but for safety's sake, one should still know exactly what one is doing."

"Indeed, Island Master Aotian thinks of everything. My thanks." Wei Zhao nodded, then turned to the middle-aged man and cupped his hands. "I'll be in your care, then, Steward Sun."

"You flatter me." Steward Sun hastily returned the salute. As a steward of the Transmission Hall he held a measure of authority, but Wei Zhao was someone even Aotian Prefecture sought to befriend—how would he dare put on the slightest airs?

"If Young Hero Lin will look here, this is the formation specially designed for primordial spirit projection." Steward Sun pointed to a small circular platform nearby. It looked unremarkable enough, yet intricate, profound patterns were traced across its surface, and for all its plainness it still conveyed an air of the profoundly mysterious.

"Could this be a kind of transmission formation as well?" Wei Zhao asked curiously.

"Not so. This is the Transmission Hall, and it does house all the transmission formations of the Island Master's Pavilion, but not every formation here is a transmission formation. This projection formation is called the Spirit Convergence Formation." Steward Sun paused, then explained, "This formation acts only upon the primordial spirit. It can focus a person's entire primordial spirit down to a single point, and with this formation as the coordinate—only in this way can a boundary-breaking projection be achieved."

"Boundary-breaking projection?" Something stirred in Wei Zhao's heart at these words, and he said at once, "Steward Sun, you must be an expert in this field. I've always had a question—might you be able to help me resolve it?"

"Ask whatever you wish, Young Hero Lin. I will tell you all I know without reservation," Steward Sun said politely.

"I've always been curious: are Cloud Terrace Island and the mortal world cut off from each other merely because of the great distance between them, or are they in fact two entirely different planes to begin with? From what you've said, since this is a boundary-breaking projection, it should be the latter, no?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Boundary-breaking projection is really just a general term, and I dare not give a definite answer. Both are possible, though judging by how the Spirit Convergence Formation works, the latter does seem the more likely." Steward Sun pondered as he spoke.

"How so?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Young Hero Lin knows as well as I that the reach of spiritual sense is extremely limited. However powerful a master may be, the range of their spiritual sense can never extend ten thousand li, surely. If the mortal world truly lay in the same plane as Cloud Terrace Island, the distance between them would be far more than ten thousand li," Steward Sun said, shaking his head.

"But if they are separated by two planes, would that not place them even further beyond reach?" Wei Zhao asked, puzzled.

"Not necessarily. By my reckoning, one may take it that although Cloud Terrace Island and the mortal world lie in two different planes, apart from the barrier between the planes, the actual distance is not so great as to be unacceptable. Add to that the function of the Spirit Convergence Formation, and a primordial spirit projection becomes possible." Here Steward Sun saw that both Wei Zhao and Aotian Prefecture were listening with rapt attention, and he was instantly somewhat overwhelmed by the honor. He hurried on, "But my level is limited, and these are merely speculative surmises. Perhaps upon reaching a certain realm one's view would be entirely different. Pray forgive my crude and shallow opinions, both of you."

"Not at all. Steward Sun is indeed an expert in this field. I have learned much," Wei Zhao said with a smile.

With that, Wei Zhao turned to look inquiringly at Aotian Prefecture, who waved a hand and said with a bitter smile, "Don't ask me about such things. The grade-level clans have deep foundations and do indeed know far more than the outside world, but every grade-level clan has its own specialty, and my Aotian family does not dabble in such matters."

"Very well, then. Since this Spirit Convergence Formation focuses a person's entire spiritual sense into a single point, what benefit does that bring to a boundary-breaking projection?" Wei Zhao asked instead.

"That is not hard to understand. If it were merely a matter of the primordial spirit leaving the body, anyone whose primordial spirit reached a certain strength could do it; there is little difficulty in that. But to project the primordial spirit from Cloud Terrace Island to the mortal world—the resistance encountered would be immeasurable. An ordinary primordial spirit could not withstand it at all; it would be ground away to nothing before it ever got out," Steward Sun explained.

"In other words, focusing the entire primordial spirit into a single point is meant to reduce the resistance as much as possible?" Wei Zhao said thoughtfully.