Zhongli and the others understood magic, and even the immortals knew quite a few amazing spells.
They were mostly spells involving elemental powers, though.
But in actual combat, magic wasn't really used.
Elemental Skills…
Could those be considered spells?
Regardless, spells like Jiang Yan's, purely born for combat, were rare.
No…
They probably didn't exist.
Jiang Yan saw their thoughts and explained quietly, “As I said before, cultivators pursue immortality and power at the same time.”
“However, the combat abilities of cultivators are actually divided into very detailed categories.”
“What I just did is the most basic spell. Beyond it are divine powers.”
As he spoke, Jiang Yan controlled the Five Elements Incantation again, and the elemental powers from before appeared.
He then gently extended his hand in front of everyone's gaze.
Golden light transformed into water droplets, water droplets condensed into plants, plants burned into flames, flames decayed into soil…
Finally, the soil bloomed with golden light again.
Zhongli was somewhat enlightened.
“This is…”
“The Five Elements cycle, it's the most fundamental rule of the world, and a technique that cultivators must master – the Five Elements Incantation.”
The changing elements in his hand paused at flames, and Jiang Yan flicked his finger. The flame, like a fish, snaked and clung to a large tree nearby.
But the next moment, everyone was shocked.
The tree engulfed by flames didn't burn, it remained as green as ever.
Jiang Yan chuckled. “The Five Elements Incantation is not elemental power. Therefore, when it reaches its peak, the elements produced will not be like the elemental powers you manipulate.”
“One thought creates, one thought destroys.”
Jiang Yan said softly, and with a thought, the flames surged even more fiercely, completely enveloping the tree.
Yet, the tree grew even more vigorously under the raging fire.
If Zhongli hadn't confirmed that the tree was ordinary, he would have thought the Blazing Tree had relocated here.
“The flames you see are not elements, but my True Essence, the spiritual energy of the world.”
“True Essence has endless uses. For example…”
Before he finished, the tree, which was still growing vigorously, instantly turned to ash.
And the flames quietly reversed into green fluorescence, and plants bloomed again.
Creation and destruction, Zhongli seemed to grasp something in a daze.
“This is the Five Elements Incantation. Using the principles of the Five Elements cycle, it can achieve all sorts of things you can’t imagine.”
“For cultivators, this is the most fundamental.”
Liuyun pursed her lips, her mood complex. “So, that shouldn’t be considered mastery of multiple elemental powers?”
Hearing this, Jiang Yan smiled and casually formed a hand seal.
A stream of flames and a jet of water materialized from thin air and collided.
The next moment, Teyvat’s unique elemental reaction system burst forth.
Facing Liuyun’s bewildered gaze, Jiang Yan laughed. “While it’s True Essence power, I can still trigger elemental reactions if I want to.”
“In other words…”
Zhongli looked at Jiang Yan with some 感慨, and said leisurely, “Keep the beneficial characteristics and remove the harmful ones, right?”
Jiang Yan smiled ambiguously.
“Tsk, what a tyrannical system.”
Even Zhongli couldn't help but exclaim, “It's insane.”
These cultivators, in essence, are adventurers walking on a tyrannical system that encompasses everything.
“The Divine Sword Thunderbolt Art you used during your tribulation…”
Suddenly, Shenhe, who had been silent from the beginning, spoke. She stared at Jiang Yan quietly, but her eyes showed no emotional fluctuations.
“That’s a technique that approaches divine power.”
It was rare for Shenhe to ask, and Jiang Yan naturally didn’t mind explaining a little more.
“It appears to control and manipulate thunder, but it’s actually using the might of Heaven to fight.”
“In a certain world, this is the strongest mountain-suppressing technique, you could also call it one of the ultimate arts.”
Shenhe seemed to nod, and after a moment of silence, she seemed to want to ask something but remained silent.
Jiang Yan looked at the time. He had already told Zhongli and the others enough about cultivation.
There was no need to continue explaining cultivation to them.
After all, he didn't plan to leave Liyue in the short term, not to mention the system task hanging over him.
They would have plenty of time to interact in the future, and there would be opportunities to let Zhongli and the others have a clearer understanding of the wonders of cultivation.
“There are so many abilities of cultivators that I can’t make you understand them comprehensively in a short time.”
“But just think of it comprehensively. Basically, there’s nothing a cultivator can’t do.”
“If they can’t do it, it’s because they’re not strong enough.”
Hearing Jiang Yan's arrogant statement, Zhongli became interested.
Although he already knew that cultivators were indeed ridiculous, as he saw during the tribulation.
But if Jiang Yan said it like that...
Then Zhongli had to think about it carefully.
“Anything can be done?”
Zhongli repeated softly, then calmly took a sip of tea.
“Including resurrection?”
This single sentence immediately energized Liuyun and the others.
If it had been anyone else, they would have scoffed, but when Zhongli asked, the meaning was different.
Perhaps Zhongli had some ideas.
But if it was Jiang Yan, a cultivator, it wasn’t impossible?
Everyone looked at Jiang Yan, and he calmly took a sip of tea.
After a while, under everyone's anxious gaze, Jiang Yan spoke gently.
“Among the thirty-six Heavenly Gang Techniques, there is one called 'Resurrection'…”
“This is the simplest way. Would you like to hear about other methods?”
Jiang Yan wasn't making it up.
Although the people Zhongli wanted to resurrect were immortals and archons, after all, they were just a bunch of mortals who had not ascended.
The highest level was at most the Nascent Soul Realm.
What level of divine power was the thirty-six Heavenly Gang Techniques?
It was a technique that only immortals who had ascended, and not just any simple immortals, could use.
From that realm, looking at these lower realms, honestly, resurrecting a few people wasn't really difficult.
Even if they had been dead for too long, Jiang Yan had a bunch of ways to resurrect them.
Cultivators don't care about physical death.
Physical death can be rebuilt. The true death of a cultivator is always the dissipation of their True Spirit.
With the situation of the Archon War back then, no matter how they fought, it was just that. It's not like they could really shatter True Spirits.
Jiang Yan really didn't believe that the archons had that kind of ability.
For Zhongli, powerful strength and long life held no appeal.
Only resurrection and Liyue were things he couldn't refuse.
And just so happens, Jiang Yan could guarantee both.
So…
The first Elder of the Sect might soon appear.
Zhongli's expression remained as calm as a still pond. Of course, hidden under his hood, no one could see Zhongli's face except Jiang Yan.
After hearing Jiang Yan's words, Zhongli didn't reply immediately, only after a long time did he slowly pick up the teacup, ready to take a sip.
But the process seemed incredibly long, so long that Zhongli even spilled the tea.
“After your tribulation, what are your plans…”
A pathetic attempt to change the subject.
Jiang Yan chuckled to himself, but he understood that Zhongli's mind must be in an uproar right now.
The fact that he could speak and change the subject proved that he was very successful.
So, Jiang Yan didn’t expose him and became serious.
Finally, it was time to get down to business.
“Then…”
“Let me reintroduce myself.”
“My name is Jiang Yan, a cultivator, a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, and the head of the Shu Mountain Sect.”