Chapter Thirty-Six: The Sevenfold Seal of Water Essence

Returning to the small courtyard on Medicine Peak, Liu Pan wasted no time. He sat cross-legged on his bed and pressed the jade slip, which contained the cultivation method of the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal, against his brow. Obscure information surged into his mind, and soon after, the jade slip in his hand turned to dust and scattered.

Opening his eyes, a sharp glint flashed within them. The Sevenfold Water Origin Seal was considered one of the most formidable Yellow-rank martial arts techniques. In the original novel, the final opponent Liu Pan faced in the Hundred Sun Sect also practiced the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal.

In truth, the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal was part of a greater technique known as the Sevenfold Origin Seal. The Sevenfold Origin Seal was reputed as the most widely circulated top-tier Yellow-rank martial art in the cultivation world, encompassing palm imprints of eight elemental forces.

Legend had it that the Sevenfold Origin Seal’s original form was the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal, a purely water-based technique. Over time, as it changed hands, powerful cultivators, intrigued by its principles, developed corresponding versions for other elements—such as the Sevenfold Fire Origin Seal and the Sevenfold Thunder Origin Seal—based on the original. Eventually, all eight elemental forms, including water, were compiled together and renamed the Sevenfold Origin Seal.

Why did so many powerful cultivators become fascinated by the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal, to the extent that they created similar techniques for other elements? The main reason lay in its strength: though only a top Yellow-rank martial art, when mastered to perfection, its power rivaled that of ordinary Profound-rank techniques.

Naturally, such power came with commensurate difficulty. Mastery required an exceptional level of control over one’s internal energy. Ultimately, all martial arts tested a cultivator’s control over their own energy, but the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal demanded this to an extreme.

Liu Pan chose to practice the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal partly because it appeared in his book, and partly because the allure of its perfected power was irresistible.

Brushing the dust from his lap, Liu Pan closed his eyes. The cultivation method for the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal played through his mind. To practice it, one condensed internal energy into palm imprints and stored them in the dantian using a special method. Forming three imprints signified minor accomplishment, six for major accomplishment, and seven for perfection.

To unleash its power, one would expel these palm imprints from the body, each stacking upon the last, like the rolling waves of the sea—layer upon layer—culminating in tremendous force.

Reciting the incantation for forging the first energy imprint, Liu Pan directed a portion of energy from his dantian. Like kneading clay, he shaped it, and gradually, a vague palm imprint took form within his core. With time, it became clearer, and after about fifteen minutes, the first distinct energy imprint was complete.

Surprised by how easily he formed the first imprint, Liu Pan recalled his spiritual strength. After a moment’s contemplation, he recited the instructions for the second imprint, separated another portion of energy, and soon, the second energy imprint appeared.

With a spark in his eyes, Liu Pan separated a third portion of energy. When he reached five imprints, he frowned—not because he couldn’t form the sixth, but because he’d run out of internal energy.

“How could this be?” he muttered in confusion. In the novel, even after awakening his spiritual power, Liu Kuang—the protagonist—had to struggle to form each imprint of the Sevenfold Fire Origin Seal. Liu Pan had managed five in one sitting with little effort. Had his own spiritual power reached a lawless, unrestrained level? He frowned.

Despite his doubts, Liu Pan did not stop. After meditating for an hour to replenish his energy, he began forging the sixth imprint. Again, he shaped his energy, and after another fifteen minutes, a sixth imprint appeared within his dantian.

He frowned again, then focused on forging the seventh imprint. Having breezed through the first six, he expected some difficulty, but not failure. Yet, the seventh imprint would not form.

At the moment of failure, Liu Pan felt both relieved and uneasy. It wasn’t a lack of control that thwarted him—something seemed wrong with the method for forming the seventh imprint itself.

Hesitating, he tried once more, separating energy and immersing his mind within his core. The energy began to take shape, and a vague imprint emerged. As it became clearer, a strange resistance built up, intensifying as the imprint gained clarity. Just before it solidified, the resistance surged exponentially, shattering the imprint in an instant.

What was happening? Liu Pan immediately thought of the old man from the Technique Pavilion—had the method been tampered with?

He recalled that in his own novel, though Liu Kuang struggled to master the Sevenfold Fire Origin Seal and reach perfection, he never encountered this kind of obstruction. In theory, as long as one’s control was sufficient, the seventh imprint could be formed.

Since Liu Pan did not believe his own control was lacking, he could only suspect the technique itself—and the old man who had given it to him—as the source of the problem.

Yet, even if suspicious, Liu Pan dared not confront the old man. He had neither strength nor status, and his spiritual awakening and rapid progress would already draw unwanted attention. Though he trusted the old man’s character from the novel, reality was far less certain—who could say how people might change when faced with something extraordinary?

Thus, Liu Pan could only swallow his grievance. Still, he wasn’t worried about never mastering the Sevenfold Water Origin Seal; it was, after all, one of the most widespread top-tier techniques—outside the Hundred Sun Sect, he could seek it elsewhere.

This thought brought him some relief. Though he could only cultivate the technique to the sixth level for now, his combat power had risen considerably. At the very least, he would no longer need to rely on close combat to gain an advantage against Martial Apprentice-level opponents, as he had when facing Wang Dadao.

With a thought, Liu Pan sensed the six energy imprints floating within his dantian. Though he had succeeded in forming six, he had yet to test their actual power.

For cultivators above the Martial Apprentice stage, understanding the strength of one’s techniques was crucial. Battles at this level were no longer simple brawls. In the Martial Disciple realm, energy was used to enhance the body, and, after attacking, any remaining energy could be recalled for reuse. For Martial Apprentices, however, energy was expelled from the body during attacks, and once released, it could not be retrieved.

Of course, at the Martial King stage, one could fuse a trace of consciousness into their energy, and at the Martial Emperor stage, even command the space around them—such limitations would no longer apply.

After some thought, Liu Pan decided to test his new power indoors. He fixed his gaze on the wooden table. With a thought, an energy imprint surged from his dantian, and a water-blue palm print shot from his hand, striking the table with a bang. The imprint dissipated, and the table slid half a foot before coming to rest.

He noted the difference between this and a regular energy palm—this imprint was deeper in color, more stable, and, though it swelled on impact, its diameter was less than a foot, making its power evident.

Satisfied with the strength of the first-level Water Origin Seal, Liu Pan observed that the imprint’s color faded after use but did not disappear entirely. He knew that to reuse it, he would have to replenish it with more energy.

Curious about the power of the second-level imprint, he focused again. Two energy imprints shot out in quick succession, barely an inch apart, hurtling toward the table.

But before the attack landed, Liu Pan’s expression changed drastically. In that instant, he sensed a spiritual presence locking onto him.