Stealing Immortal

Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Cyan Bamboo

Beneath Cyan Bamboo Peak, the shadows of the trees danced.

Beside the Wind Pavilion, a Cold Pool had formed, its waters murmuring as they flowed away from the mountain.

Zhang Ping cupped a handful of water and took a small sip. "Junior Brother Li, why don’t you try some?"

"Alright." Li Sheng glanced at Chen Qingyang, who was still meditating nearby, then set down his luggage and walked over to Zhang Ping.

After walking for an entire day, they had finally reached the foot of Cyan Bamboo Peak. Before them, a flight of White Jade Steps stretched up, seemingly without end.

The two youths drank their fill and rested while Chen Qingyang sat in the Wind Pavilion, resting his mind with his eyes closed. Golden characters floated before his eyes.

[Chen Qingyang]

[Qi Refining Sixth Realm]

[One-Origin Sword: (23/1200)]

[Great Soul Scripture (Fragmented Technique): (5/999999)]

[Tai Xu Star Pivot Purple Micro True Skill (Starlight Body): (4/3000)]

[Dragon and Tiger Fighting Calamity Pill: (17/100)]

[Liu Family Ancestral House Incense and Candle Prayer Skill for Gathering Blessings: (0/100)]

[Nameless Elixir: (1/600)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 1271]

’I’ve been saving up these Immortal Seedlings for many days. Now that I’ve successfully entered the Outer Sect and become a disciple of Cyan Bamboo Peak, the most urgent matter is to break through as quickly as possible and become an Inner Sect Disciple. Besides, a higher cultivation will be a great help in refining Elixirs. This is also my first time meeting my Master, so a breakthrough would affirm my talent and hopefully earn me some proper recognition.’

Without hesitation, he took 1,177 Immortal Seedlings and applied them all to the One-Origin Sword. The commotion caused by this breakthrough was truly significant.

Never mind the unceasing wind outside that astonished the two youths; inside his body, the strand of Golden Qi that normally resided in his Mud Ball Palace and Baihui Acupoint was strengthening at an incredible rate. All the Spiritual Qi he was absorbing was being channeled into it.

As time passed, the gentle breeze around Chen Qingyang grew stronger, rustling the surrounding leaves into a frenzy. A layer of silvery-white light covered the top of his head.

This continued for a very long time, until the sun set and the light grew dim, before it gradually subsided.

After absorbing enough Spiritual Qi, the Essence Qi split in two. One part stationed itself in the Mud Ball Palace, and the other settled in the Baihui Acupoint. Between them, silvery threads intertwined, forming a continuous connection.

The so-called "exchanging yang for yin" referred to using the True Essence Golden Qi in the body, with the Mud Ball Palace as a foundation, to open up the Baihui Acupoint and form a Spiritual Sea.

This Spiritual Sea housed the Divine Soul and strengthened the Divine Essence. Since the Divine Soul was considered yin, this was the origin of the phrase "exchanging yang for yin."

With this, Chen Qingyang’s cultivation had crossed a major hurdle and ascended to a new level. Now, when he summoned his Conscious Fish, it could travel seven or eight li away, and his perception of his surroundings was much clearer—another benefit of a powerful Divine Soul.

He was now in the Seventh Realm of Qi Refining.

"Senior Brother Chen, that commotion just now was quite something. Was that a cultivation breakthrough?" Li Sheng asked.

Chen Qingyang nodded. "It was."

The two youths wore expressions of envy, both imagining what it would be like when they, too, broke through one day.

"Let’s go. If we’re too late, we’ll have to spend the night in the wilderness!"

"Okay."

The three of them didn’t have much luggage, and the two youths carried it all. Since they were assigned to miscellaneous tasks, they had to fulfill their duties. They were both very clear on this point.

They slowly ascended the White Jade Steps. Along the way, they didn’t encounter a single person, nor did they see any buildings. It was nothing like Four Golden Peaks, where the mountainside would be bustling with miscellaneous task disciples heading to work.

After walking for some time, they finally saw an archway.

It was made of cyan bricks and dark yellow walls, with little in the way of extravagance. It stood there simply, with the name "Cyan Bamboo Peak" inscribed on it.

’Could this be Cyan Bamboo Peak’s specialty?’ Chen Qingyang had seen enough to know that each peak in the Tai Xu Sect had its own unique characteristics.

The moment they stepped through, the world seemed to transform.

The dark clouds that had just been in the sky vanished as if swept aside by a giant hand. A smattering of stars hung overhead, so close it felt like he could reach out and touch them.

A soft breeze brushed against their faces, pleasantly comfortable. The temperature was perfect, as if it were spring or summer.

The vegetation around them had also changed. Everything was a vibrant, verdant green or a brilliant, vivid color. A few Immortal Deer ran past them, and in the distance, several roe deer turned to size them up.

"Senior Brother Chen, this... it’s like we’ve entered another world!" Zhang Ping was almost too stunned to speak.

"It must be a powerful Array that envelops this entire place, making it like spring all year round. I can sense that the Spiritual Qi here is countless times denser than at Four Golden Peaks. It won’t be difficult for you two to break through in the future!"

"Wow, if a place this good were used for farming, no one would ever starve to death! Why don’t these Immortals help us farmers?"

Before Chen Qingyang could respond to such a comment, Li Sheng retorted, "You, honestly. Sometimes you’re clever as a fox, and other times you’re dumb as a rock. Even mortals know that punishments don’t apply to the elite. Why would Immortals lower themselves to look after the common folk? I think once you learn some Immortal Techniques, you can go back to your hometown and farm!"

Zhang Ping thought about it seriously. "Why not? I’ll use Immortal Techniques to go back and farm."

Chen Qingyang said, "I hope you can still remember your original intention several hundred years from now!"

The three of them chatted as they walked, continuing upward for a while longer. Soon, they saw rows of magnificent, golden-roofed palaces and halls stretching out as far as the eye could see.

It turned out Cyan Bamboo Peak was merely "beautiful on the inside"; all the good things were hidden away here.

They finally saw some people bustling about—a few miscellaneous task disciples. Li Sheng went ahead to ask for directions.

"Senior Brother Chen, I got it. Master Jing Yuan’s lineage is just a short walk further up. I also learned that this Master is renowned on Cyan Bamboo Peak and is a True Disciple of the Peak Master."

’The Cyan Bamboo Peak Master is a Golden Core True Monarch. By that logic, I can barely be considered a grand-disciple of a Golden Core cultivator.’

"Alright, let’s keep going."

With the starlight and moonlight illuminating their way, the path wasn’t dark. They passed the cluster of palaces and followed a small path behind the mountain. In a secluded spot, they came across another archway made of cyan bamboo, this one bearing the name "Jing Yuan Dao Field."

Just as he was about to step through, a white-haired old man strolled out from behind the mountain. In just a few steps, he was standing before Chen Qingyang. It was Shen Chongzhou.

"Ah, Junior Brother, you’ve finally arrived!"

Chen Qingyang first bowed with his hands clasped. "Greetings, First Senior Brother. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting."

Shen Chongzhou merely glanced at them. "Follow me. I’ve already arranged your living quarters."

The White Jade Steps continued upward. After a short walk, a small path branched off. Following it around a bend revealed a small courtyard perched on a cliff, containing three shabby and dilapidated bamboo houses.

The courtyard gate was in disrepair from age, creaking loudly as it was pulled open. A thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, soft and spongy underfoot. It was impossible to tell how long it had been since anyone had last been here.

He pushed open the door to the central house. It was practically bare, with almost no furnishings inside, though a Brocade Box was placed prominently on a table.

"Kneel!"

Shen Chongzhou pointed to the Brocade Box. "Master will not see you, but he has bestowed upon you the Cultivation Technique you need. Bowing to it is the same as bowing to Master!"

’I’m here to accept a master, not perform a bizarre ritual like this,’ Chen Qingyang thought, a bit baffled.

’Could it be that Master Jing Yuan never intended to take a disciple in the first place? Maybe he just felt his own junior brother had caused trouble for him, so he sent his First Disciple to handle it this way.’ The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

’Well, since I’m here, I’ll make the best of it. If he won’t see me, then he won’t see me. I can make a life for myself here either way.’

Chen Qingyang performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows, not violating any etiquette. Seeing this, Shen Chongzhou nodded.

"You didn’t even ask why. Your temperament is quite good. Cultivate well in the future, and there will naturally come a day when Master will see you. After all, you are a disciple of our lineage, and our lineage is known for its expertise in Elixirs. Master has still gifted you a Pill Furnace and a string of Merit Copper Coins. Follow me!"

They walked to another house. This one was even more dilapidated. The floor was rotting and moldy, and it exuded a strange smell.

In the center stood a Pill Furnace, which was even speckled with rust. A string of gleaming golden copper coins was hanging on it.

"You can think of these Merit Copper Coins as mortal currency. They can be used to exchange for various things in the Sect. Of course, it’s not forbidden to trade them for Spirit Stones either."

After saying this, the First Senior Brother glanced around again. "The environment is a bit poor for now, but since you’re here, there’s someone to clean it up!"

Sensing the senior brother’s goodwill, Chen Qingyang thanked him again. "First Senior Brother, I still have some questions. How many people are in our lineage? What are our usual duties? And who should I go to if I have any questions?"

Shen Chongzhou said, "There are thirty-six disciples. No, wait, you’re the thirty-seventh. The only one from the Outer Sect. When they have questions, they all go to Master. I suppose you can just come ask me. Normally, you can do whatever you want. No one will interfere with you!"

’Well... that’s certainly a lot of freedom.’

"What if I want to leave the Sect for a while?"

Shen Chongzhou replied, "According to Sect law, only those at the Seventh Realm or above can go out for experience. You just need to follow that rule."

"Thank you, First Senior Brother."

Shen Chongzhou had repeatedly told Chen Qingyang to find him if he needed anything, but in the end, he never said where to find him.

Looking at the complete mess, Chen Qingyang felt a headache coming on. Of the three, the only one who seemed confident about the situation was, surprisingly, Zhang Ping.

"I told you bringing these candles would come in handy!"

The candles were lit, filling the house with light and, it seemed, a sense of belonging.

He then said to Chen Qingyang, "Senior Brother Chen, I’ve had a good look. The house has good bones; it’s just been abandoned for too long. I saw some tools like a hatchet when we first came into the courtyard. Tomorrow, we can go up the mountain to cut some bamboo, repair the house, and make some furniture. Things will get better slowly!"

Chen Qingyang asked him, "You know how to do all that?"

Zhang Ping replied, "You may not know, Senior Brother Chen, but I’ve done many things to survive. Having a small courtyard of our own like this... this is the most content I’ve ever been."

Li Sheng chimed in, "Tomorrow, I’ll go into the mountains with Senior Brother Zhang. We’ll clean up the courtyard first, then get some flowers and plants, move a few rocks here for decoration, and replace the gate. An Immortal Holy Land should look like an Immortal Holy Land..."

The two youths chattered back and forth, quickly coming up with a plan. ’If I hadn’t brought them with me,’ Chen Qingyang thought, ’I’d probably be bogged down with mundane chores myself.’

"In that case, I’ll leave managing the courtyard to you two. I need to prepare for Alchemy tomorrow!" Walking over, Chen Qingyang opened the Brocade Box.

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