Murim's Weakest Princess-Chapter 226: Seven Sound Mantra Mastery

More time passed, and Anji finally got the hang of harmonising three elements. The Seven Sound Mantra had now started to take root deeply as Anji recognised the different energy signatures more intimately.

Initially, Anji had to activate her Heavenly Eyes to understand their characteristics. However, when she became more attuned with the different types of natural energy, she no longer relied on her sight. Grandpa Jin explained how the soul acts like a log that records experiences and new wisdom insights. Anji’s inner world was a reflection of her cultivation base, but not her soul.

"To view the soul’s karma, you need to master the Seven Sound Mantra that your shifu taught," he explained. "There are many different ways to access soul cultivation, but all of them require a basic understanding of energy harmonisation. Most of the time, that basic requirement is to achieve the Enlightened Core stage. However, you’re a special case."

Anji did not deny that. She was such a rarity that even proven cultivation methods did not work for her. Yan Ping and the Elders had to customise solutions for Anji all the time. Even in Grandpa Jin’s many centuries of existence, there had been no other person similar to Anji.

Taking a break from harmonisation practice, Anji asked if there had been any sages in the past who abandoned their sagehood to return to the cycle of rebirth. The conversation with Elder Zhu was still fresh on her mind. For his wife, Elder Zhu wished to pursue sagehood to choose his rebirth.

Listening to Anji’s story about another eccentric person from the Mystical Qilin Sect, the golden dragon hummed. Was there such a person? Among the Mystical Beasts, he had to be the laziest. History was a pain to recall, and he had no idea how many sages had ascended during his nap.

"Not all sages ascend for the same reason," he explained. "Remember when I said the source of energy and origin are the same? Many sages who understand the origin choose to return to it. It is the final destination that is an alternative to death. In other words, the true immortality. However, there could be cases like Elder Zhu. Returning to the cycle is part of karma. It depends on the level of soul cultivation you have achieved. However, inserting a soul that had already met the prerequisite for ascension could change many things."

In summary, a soul that was too dense carried too much energy and would destabilise the existing equation for balance. Many sages often left behind only a portion of themselves in the mortal realm in the form of legendary weapons, scriptures or imbued items containing a small portion of their soul energy. That way, they could return to the cycle differently without disrupting the ecosystem.

"If Elder Zhu wants to be reincarnated with the soul of his wife, he has to trade off something of equal value to match his wife’s soul cultivation level. A common practice would be fragmenting it and sacrificing his entire soul’s accumulated cultivation for a restart."

Of course, that did not come without risk. Fragmenting a soul was not the same as converting it. Ascension was a complete conversation of a soul. The identity of a soul remained intact and could move fluidly, transforming from one form to another. Some people called them Gods. In reality, it was the energy of an ascended being moving from beyond the mortal realm to influence events through their energy mastery.

"Does it mean Elder Zhu can no longer cultivate if he fragments his soul and abandons ascension?"

The golden dragon curled up and yawned.

"It would depend on the price he has to pay to be reincarnated," he explained. "The reason why some people are born with golden cores and others are not blessed with it lies in the ability of their souls to act as a container for understanding."

If souls were like students, there would be many different types of students in an academy, even if education were provided for free to everyone. Not everyone excelled at literary studies, even if taught by the best teacher. Talent was unequal. Like energy, it assumed different forms. Only an ascended soul was considered a complete existence that understood the meaning of existence. Everyone else was still an incomplete fragment, working towards completion.

Anji considered the option carefully.

"Grandpa Jin, do you think I would be able to choose my reincarnation if I master the Seven Sound Mantra?"

Raising a brow and opening one eye, the golden dragon studied his chosen soul.

"You don’t wish to ascend?"

For a while, Anji thought about it. It would depend on when it happened. As Anji’s world was very small, she still held a lot of attachment to the people around her. After receiving so much from her family and the Mystical Qilin Sect, she had a huge debt to repay.

"I don’t think I can repay the debt in one lifetime," she admitted. "Unless I live eight hundred years, but life is fleeting, right?"

Swiping Anji with his tail lazily, the golden dragon grunted.

"If you have time to think useless thoughts, you might as well start thinking of how to harmonise the Five Elements. It does not matter if it took you eighty years or eight hundred years. Your soul is unable to fragment itself when it does not have enough pieces to pay the toll of reincarnation. Regardless of ascension or reincarnation, you still have a long way to go."

Anji yelped as she was suddenly ousted from her inner world. Plunging back to the monotonous darkness of her isolation chamber, Anji sighed. Whenever Grandpa Jin wanted a nap, he became extra grouchy. Seeing how he had decided to go back to napping, Anji shrugged it off. She would decide when the time arrived. Grandpa Jin was right. It was useless thinking about it now.

Searching for the rock pool, Anji washed her face with the cold water. That sobered her up immediately. With renewed vigour, she made a new goal to harmonise one more element today.