Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

Fang Qing was actually quite satisfied with the effects of the Horse-Headed Vajra Protector Divine Method.

Although the various methods within it that relied on external power were unusable for him, merely reaching major success in the second stage had already granted him a second-rank upper-grade physique along with divine sense comparable to peak Foundation Establishment cultivators. This allowed him to unleash even greater power from the Tide-Birth Pearl, especially since the consumption was fairly low. Overall, it was more than worth the cost.

That said, as his status and horizons continued to rise, this technique truly could be discarded little by little.

“Venerable One, if you wish to perfect the second stage without borrowing the protector divine power of the Hidden Treasury… or even advance into the third stage, it is not impossible.”

At that moment, Sangji pressed his palms together and spoke words that delighted Fang Qing greatly.

“Oh? What must be done?”

Fang Qing immediately asked.

“This humble monk has brought a portion of the ‘Dragon-Elephant Prajna Secret Medicine.’ This medicine is a secret transmission of our Hidden Treasury lineage and greatly benefits body refinement. It cannot be exposed to light, or it will disperse into qi. Nor can it come into contact with water, fire, earth, or wood. Normally it must be stored within a golden box.”

“When the time comes to use it, the Venerable One must form the ‘Ksitigarbha Seal,’ draw forth the medicinal qi, and circulate it through the three wheels and seven channels…afterward, switch to the ‘Demon-Subduing Vajra Seal.’ At that time, a Dumu must assist the Venerable One in cultivation through the ‘Lotus-Seated Form.’ Using her status and wondrous nature to replace the visualized Horse-Headed Wisdom King while assuming the posture of being subdued, one may walk the path of dual cultivation between form and emptiness. In this way, the second stage may be perfected, and one may even break through into the third stage.”

“This… well…”

Fang Qing rarely found himself blushing.

“If the Venerable One requires it, this humble monk may order Peacock Dumu to perform the task. This would be her blessing. To assist the Venerable One in perfecting your cultivation is an immense fortune for her.”

Sangji spoke with complete seriousness.

“It is merely that her mastery of the Buddhist Dharma is not yet sufficiently profound. I fear she may delay the Venerable One’s progress. It would be best to have Moonlight White Dumu assist from the side as well.”

…

Qingli Mountain.

Autumn winds swept across the land. The spirit rice within the fields resembled waves of golden tides, swaying with the breeze.

“A fine harvest…”

After laboring the entire day, Fang Yixin and Fang Wujiu finally sat down beneath the Azure Mulberry Jujube Tree to rest.

After regulating his breathing for a while, Fang Yixin pulled out his tobacco pipe. “I think Old Tian was simply exaggerating to scare people. The masters of Wusheng Temple are actually quite kind. The Zeng Family not only escaped unharmed, they were even granted a Dao Foundation Pill. I heard that once that collateral Zeng family member emerges from seclusion, he’ll become a new Dao Foundation great cultivator.”

Fang Wujiu kept his head lowered and said nothing.

Not long ago, Wusheng Temple had unleashed a massive slaughter. Those Dao Foundation forces, especially the ones that had once rebelled, were all exterminated to the last member.

Yet toward small Qi Ingestion forces like them, the temple had treated them surprisingly well.

Qingli Mountain had already been re-registered in the temple’s spirit field records under the Fang Family name. From now on, they could openly call themselves the “Qingli Fang Clan.”

Only… the rent had increased considerably, and each year they were required to offer spiritual material as tribute.

More than half the harvest from the Azure Mulberry Jujube Tree had to be handed over to the temple.

“Once this round of spirit grain is harvested… things will get better.”

Fang Wujiu muttered softly.

As people at the bottom of the cultivation world, it seemed they had little choice beyond enduring whatever came their way.

Just as the father and son were lamenting their situation, they saw a Buddhist monk wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a monk’s staff approach Qingli Mountain.

“Master Fayuan?”

Fang Yixin hurried forward, revealing a flattering smile. “What brings you here personally, Elder? This year’s rent and offerings should have been delivered to you by this old man himself.”

This monk Fayuan was precisely the esoteric cultivator responsible for collecting spirit field rents in this region.

He had a broad face, large ears, and a crimson complexion. His voice boomed like thunder.

“If it were merely a matter of rent, this Buddha would not have come personally. I am here to deliver orders. Wusheng Temple has decreed that the Xuantu Sect killed our Bright Son and harmed our Wisdom Consort. They are enemies of the Buddhist! We shall gather our Buddhist soldiers and launch a punitive campaign against them!”

Fayuan declared, “Your Qingli Mountain must provide at least two mid-stage Qi Ingestion cultivators!”

Fang Yixin and Fang Wujiu exchanged a glance, bitterness filling both their hearts.

If not the two of them, then who else could go? Surely they could not send Yue Mingxue.

“…”

Fang Yixin let out a sigh and was just about to agree when his expression suddenly changed.

A black-robed figure appeared before his family and Master Fayuan as though shrinking the earth into inches.

The man’s appearance was ordinary, his body short and squat.

It was Xu Hei!

Compared to before, however, Xu Hei now looked much younger, and his body carried an indescribable pressure.

“A Dao Foundation cultivator?”

Fayuan froze for a moment, though he showed no fear.

After all, the current Wusheng Temple was no longer what it once had been. It was now unquestionably a Purple Mansion force.

“Haha… this old man received a bit of karmic fortune from the White Bone Dao and was fortunate enough to break through to Dao Foundation. I have no desire to establish some clan. I merely gathered a few like-minded friends and formed the ‘Four Directions Merchant Association.’ Fellow Daoist, perhaps you might honor us with your patronage and support our business.”

Xu Hei chuckled as he handed over an invitation card.

“As for the spirit fruits from this Azure Mulberry Jujube Tree, make sure to reserve them for our association.”

“Please rest assured, sir. Aside from the portion reserved for offerings, the spirit jujube will certainly be kept for you.”

Fang Yixin hurriedly gave his guarantee.

He knew Xu Hei well. The man conducted business with integrity, and they had maintained a relationship for many years.

Back then, Old Xu had taken a liking to the Yue Family’s jujube and frequently came to trade for them.

‘Now that he has forged a Dao Foundation, forming goodwill through this spirit root opportunity is truly rare. We must seize it properly.’

Fang Yixin reflected inwardly.

Then he heard Xu Hei speak to Fayuan. “Master, this family has only just occupied a spirit mountain and is somewhat short on resources at the moment. Could you perhaps show a little leniency?”

Fayuan paused briefly. Yet seeing a Dao Foundation cultivator, someone normally lofty beyond compare, speaking to him so courteously and even pleading on another’s behalf, he immediately felt greatly pleased.

“Very well, very well… if that is the case, then one mid-stage Qi Ingestion cultivator will suffice. It cannot be reduced any further.”

“Many thanks, Master. This old man shall personally go.”

Fang Yixin stopped his son from speaking and immediately agreed, though regret welled up within his heart.

If he himself had gone in Fang Wuchen’s place back then, perhaps Yue Mingxue would not have been left widowed with an orphan child today.

Now that war loomed with such danger, there was even less chance he would allow his son to go.

One month later.

The great cultivator army marched forth in overwhelming force, leaving Xituo Commandery and advancing toward the neighboring Litou Commandery. Deep within that commandery stood Hanging Mountain, the mountain gate of the Xuantu Sect.

“Haha! What Dao Foundation clans? Before the Buddhist methods of the masters, they’re nothing but chickens and dogs!”

Amid a field of ruins, several Qi Ingestion cultivators laughed loudly while scavenging the remnants of the battlefield.

Fang Yixin mixed among them. Thanks to his many years of fighting against the Zeng Family, even on such a battlefield he moved with ease. After today’s battle, he had suffered only minor injuries.

“Earth-yellow great ships… Xuantu Sect! Excellent, now national hatred and family hatred have become one and the same.”

Fang Yixin silently engraved the thought into his heart.

‘I only hope the masters of Wusheng Temple can shatter the mountain gate of the Xuantu Sect and even if they cannot, this hatred will remain with me. Wujiu and Shanglin will remember it as well… even across nine lifetimes, vengeance may still be repaid!’

“Hm?”

Suddenly, after overturning a collapsed wall, his eyes lit up. He swiftly pulled something from the rubble and held it in his hand.

It was a broken sword.

When intact, it had likely measured around three feet long. Now, including the hilt, it was not even two feet in length, more akin to a long dagger. Yet the blade still gleamed with cold light, and engraved upon the hilt were two seal-script characters:

“Xuanqing.”

“A Qi Ingestion magical artifact? A sword artifact? Good, good, good…”

Fang Yixin showed not the slightest disdain. Delighted, he turned it over repeatedly in his hands, wiping it again and again with his sleeve.

“Ever since the God-Striking Stone was taken away, our family has relied only on a magical artifact embryo and a few talisman sacrifices to hold things together, at least now we finally have a proper magical artifact to use, even if it’s damaged.”

What he did not know was that high above in the sky, two Dao Foundation cultivators of the Xuantu Sect dressed in yellow robes were coldly observing the scene below.

“The Zhu Family Dao Foundation died in battle, and their clan was destroyed. One could say the entire family died as loyal martyrs.”

The speaker was a middle-aged Daoist with a faint yellow qi lingering across his face.

His name was Huang Tianhua, a late-stage Dao Foundation cultivator and one of the renowned Seven Sons of Xuantu.

Yet although a mere thought from him could reduce every Qi Ingestion cultivator below into dust, he still refrained from acting, as though wary of something.

“Indeed… loyal martyrs…”

Beside him stood a tall, elegant young man with handsome features. He was another of the Seven Sons of Xuantu, Yu Xuanzi.

Though he appeared to sigh in admiration outwardly, inwardly he thought:

‘Who knows whether they were forced into it by the Spiritual Master.’

“Watching these monk soldiers advance truly feels unstoppable. We can only retreat and defend Hanging Mountain’s gate with the Purple Mansion grand array.”

Huang Tianhua said, “The Spiritual Master has already gone to Cloud-Grazing Cliff to request reinforcements. Without that, we cannot withstand the several Purple Mansion cultivators of the White Bone Dao.”

“Haha. When the time comes, Senior Brother’s Heaven-Urn Catalpa Hammer will surely display its might once more.”

Yu Xuanzi flattered him outwardly, though inwardly he sneered.

‘Ever since the Spiritual Master returned from Taihuang Heaven, he’s been as jumpy as a startled bird, he may not truly dare clash head-on with the White Bone Dao. In the end, it will still be us below who die. Who knows how many sacrifices will be sent? This senior brother of mine looks like an excellent scapegoat. As for me, I’m a direct bloodline descendant of the Spiritual Master himself. Surely I won’t end up like that. Sigh… after this battle, how many of the Seven Sons of Xuantu will remain alive?’

The White Bone Dao army swept into Litou Commandery like a tide, crushing everything in its path.

The clans and sects of Litou Commandery organized resistance armies on their own initiative, yet they were beaten into total collapse. Several Dao Foundation cultivators had already died in battle.

Finally, the army could see in the distance a floating mountain suspended in the air.

The mountain was extraordinarily strange. It looked as though a mountain had been severed cleanly at the waist and flipped upside down.

The side that should have faced downward had been flattened into a broad plain filled with countless buildings. At its center stood a mountain gate bearing two great characters:

“Xuantu.”

“So this is the mountain gate of the Xuantu Sect?”

Fang Yixin had never before witnessed such an immortal paradise. He stared in complete shock.

“Good heavens… such a natural fortress. And they say it’s protected by a Purple Mansion grand array. How many lives would need to be thrown away to conquer this place?”

Yet he would not need to wait long.

A moment later, monks from Wusheng Temple beat their war drums and issued the military command:

“Advance!”

High above the heavens.

Layers of clouds concealed divine abilities, forming a flawless white-jade plain.

Atop that plain stood a round black table, likewise formed from divine ability. A Spiritual Master wearing earth-yellow Dao robes and possessing the appearance of a youthful boy calmly brewed tea.

He was the Purple Mansion cultivator of the Xuantu Sect, Spiritual Master Xuantu!

“Greetings, White Bone Dharma King.”

Only after leisurely finishing the tea did he rise and offer a salute.

The countless Qi Ingestion and Dao Foundation cultivators below, throwing away their lives in desperate battle, could likely never imagine that while they fought and died beneath the heavens, the two Purple Mansion Dharma Kings above were merely drinking tea together.

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