Longzang

Chapter 1183 What is the Long-Term?
Wei Yuan's divine sense multiplied into countless forms, controlling the tendrils protruding from the nodes of the World Refining Array, weaving them bit by bit into a net.

Each strand of silk required Wei Yuan to personally place it in a designated position and then interlock them, just like a top-notch weaving master who created not a net, but an art form.

The ancestral mountain of the Lü family is shaped like a pear, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom. Buried beneath it lies boundless treasure. The remains of an immortal should have transformed into precious soil, but only a small portion was converted—this became the ancestral land of the Lü family, spanning a thousand miles. The majority of the essence of the remains was sealed away by the immortal using secret methods, hidden deep within the ancestral land.

It seems that the ancestors of the Lü family planned to accumulate strength and then unleash it later, appearing weak to the outside world, leaving enough resources for their descendants to become two or even three immortals. When their descendants produce outstanding talents, they can soar to great heights. This shows their ambition to rival the Bao, Cui, and Li families.

Lu Changhe's ascension to immortality through perseverance and luck is certainly a remarkable story. However, after ascending to immortality, his lack of talent became fully apparent, and his strength among immortals was firmly at the bottom, only slightly stronger than abnormal immortals like Cangwu and Liumiao.

Cangwu and Liumiao both possess various powerful immortal treasures bestowed upon them by the Venerable Lord, and in a true battle, they could even overpower Lü Changhe.

But Lü Changhe is, after all, an immortal. Given enough time, his natural talent deficiencies can be overcome. With his current abilities, protecting this small territory is naturally not a problem. However, if the secrets of the underground were to become known, the situation would be quite different.

However, the ancestors of the Lü family never expected that their descendants would die at the hands of Wei Yuan, and that the treasures they had set aside to start their family business would also fall into Wei Yuan's hands.

Even with Wei Yuan's abilities, it would take half a year of effort for the Refining World Array to barely cover the upper half of the pear-shaped structure. The lower half, which was much larger, was still waiting for Wei Yuan's demonic claws to plunder it.

The extension of the Refining World Array severely tests the array master's ability to divide his divine sense into countless forms. Each cultivator at the node only serves to provide spiritual power and stabilize the array.

Every extension of the grand formation requires the formation master to weave it bit by bit, and there can be no mistakes. Once a mistake is made, not only will it have to be started over, but it will also destroy a section of the surrounding formation network that has already been formed.

Having overseen its operation for more than half a year, Wei Yuan had gained a deep understanding of the formation's secrets. This formation was imbued with the Venerable Lord's personal style: aloof, in control of everything, and omnipotent.

Apart from the array master, the rest of the people in the array are all energy generators. They resonate with Wei Yuan in terms of energy charging, but they don't resonate with each other in other aspects.

If Wei Yuan were to design it from scratch, he would inevitably turn this grand formation into a multi-center, decentralized layout, where each Imperial Realm, no, Dharma Aspect, could independently operate and weave the formation. Oh, ideally, a Dao Foundation would also work... However, considering the capabilities of his own template Dao Foundation, Wei Yuan silently abandoned this idea.

Clearly, no matter how powerful the Lord is, he can't be a match for hundreds or thousands of Dharma Forms combined... right?

Wei Yuan suddenly recalled that Cui Yu was already overjoyed when he was handling sixteen tasks simultaneously back then, and normally, after completing the initial stage of Dharma Aspect cultivation, one could only handle a dozen or so tasks at the same time. And now, his own processing volume of over eleven thousand tasks was equivalent to five, seven, or eight hundred Dharma Aspects?
The Venerable One is clearly stronger than Wei Yuan, so each of the two approaches to the World Refining Array has its own advantages.

Of course, the main reason is that Wei Yuan copied this version of the Refining World Array from the Venerable Lord, and because he couldn't copy many of its ingenious aspects, he had to optimize it: that is, he patched it up and made do with it.

If Wei Yuan were to design a completely different World Refining Array from scratch... even a chicken could become an immortal. No, even if a chicken became an immortal, Wei Yuan still wouldn't be able to design it.

This has nothing to do with computing power, but everything to do with mathematics. When it comes to mathematics, if you don't know it, you simply don't know it; no matter how hard you try, you still won't understand.

Wei Yuan wisely put aside his criticism and complaints about the Venerable Lord and re-evaluated the Venerable Lord's mathematical prowess. Then he realized that these immortals, such as the Venerable Lord, Tinghai, Yanshi, and Ronglong, would all be unparalleled mathematical masters in the outer world. They would be the kind of people who could turn a simple note like "I can't write the process here" on a draft paper into an eternal problem.

However, Wei Yuan quickly realized he was overthinking things, after all, there was an oddball by his side: True Lord Xuan Yue. Xuan Yue's mathematics was unique and could be simply called metaphysics.

Wei Yuan estimated the time required. If he wanted to seal the entire ancestral land into the formation, it would take about five years, given his current computing power.

However, the core of the Refining World Array lies in the word "refining." At this stage, Wei Yuan will no longer bury himself in seclusion, but will instead allocate a portion of his mind: thirty percent to refining the ancestral land, and twenty percent to handling Qingming's daily affairs. In this way, although the time to complete the array will be extended to ten years, external affairs will not be neglected.

After all, Wei Yuan is different from ordinary immortals. Other cultivators often go into seclusion for a hundred years, as if it were just eating or drinking. For example, Xu Wangu went into seclusion after his battle with Tinghai. At that time, Wei Yuan had only recently arrived in the Western Regions, and now more than thirty years have passed, and he has not been seen to emerge from seclusion.

Wei Yuan has countless tedious tasks to handle every day, and the vast Qingming cannot do without him for even a minute. How can he stay in seclusion for too long?

With the plan finalized, Wei Yuan adjusted his direction and slowly extended more than three thousand strands of silk from the already set-up array network, piercing deep into the ancestral land like needles.

The moment the silk thread pierced through, Wei Yuan seemed to vaguely sense a hint of pain. However, that feeling was extremely faint and elusive; Wei Yuan himself wasn't even sure if it was real. Could Zu Shan still feel pain?
Whether it would hurt or not was not on Wei Yuan's mind; he only focused on controlling the gossamer threads to go deeper and deeper.

These tendrils were generated by the divine power of the World Refining Array. Once they pierced through, they began to absorb all the spiritual essence of the surrounding area until they were saturated before retracting. The amount of essence absorbed by each tendril shocked Wei Yuan.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and this time the refining was finally completed. Countless refined spiritual essences gathered at Wei Yuan's place, turning into a cloud of misty immortal fog.

This cloud of immortal mist can be swallowed directly. Just one sip can save Wei Yuan more than ten years of hard work! Wei Yuan calculated carefully that if he inhaled a hundred times, he would have a thousand years of cultivation. But if he inhaled a hundred times now, it seems that it won't take more than two years.

Indeed, refining is the true path of cultivation!
Looking at the wisp of ethereal mist, Wei Yuan felt a surge of energy. It was a pity that no one was around, otherwise he would have laughed out loud three times to show his delight.

He opened his mouth wide and swallowed the immortal mist with the force of a jade toad swallowing the sky. The mist rolled around in his belly eighty-one times, and then he opened his mouth again and spewed out a ball of yellow and red immortal light.

The celestial light, upon encountering the wind, immediately condensed and fell, transforming into plump, crystal-clear, orange-red elixirs, each the size of a fist. The elixirs rained down like raindrops, clattering incessantly, quickly covering the entire floor of the vast stone chamber.

Wei Yuan picked up a pill, examined it carefully, then swallowed it in one gulp. He carefully experienced the medicinal effects and finally nodded in satisfaction. As for the fist-sized pill, it was no problem for Wei Yuan, who was gradually awakening his Devouring Heaven Divine Power.

This pill was crafted by Wei Yuan using the power of the grand formation and the Void Refining Technique, with the main ingredient being that wisp of immortal mist. However, immortal mist is tangible but intangible; to transform it into a pill, it naturally requires a material basis.

Creating things out of thin air is a skill of immortals, which consumes a great deal of magical power. Even Wei Yuan could not withstand it. With his current Dao power, he could only create seven or eight pills at most, so it was impossible for him to actually do that.

Therefore, Wei Yuan used the thick central soil from the surrounding area as the base material, and incorporated immortal mist into it, thus creating round, plump, and pleasingly colored elixirs.

The so-called "central thick soil" was just soil that Wei Yuan casually dug up from the surrounding area.

Therefore, this pill was somewhat difficult to digest, and it made Wei Yuan's throat a little sore.

But cultivators naturally don't mind this hardship, and Wei Yuan didn't plan to start refining again. He casually took out a storage bag and put away all the pills, totaling more than six hundred.

The pills that Wei Yuan refined this time were specifically for the Dharma Aspect, and their effects were even better than the Haohua Pill. Taking one pill was equivalent to three years of arduous cultivation.

Furthermore, this pill can also cleanse cultivators of years of residual medicinal toxins, effectively providing a slight, albeit indirect, improvement in their aptitude—making it exceptionally valuable. If it were released elsewhere, it would undoubtedly be fiercely sought after.

The ethereal mist refined by the grand formation contained remnants of immortal power, as well as a trace of resentment and karmic resentment. Neither immortal power nor karmic resentment was something an ordinary Dharma Aspect cultivator could withstand. If a Dharma Aspect cultivator ingested immortal power, they would explode and die; if they ingested resentment and karmic resentment, they would transform into a monster. Whether ingesting both simultaneously resulted in first transforming into a monster and then exploding, or exploding and then transforming into a group of smaller monsters, depended on which was stronger: immortal power or karmic resentment.

Therefore, Wei Yuan first swallowed the immortal mist and refined it himself, removing all immortal power and resentment before beginning the alchemy process. After removing the immortal power, the efficacy of the mist was reduced by half, but it became pure and gentle, making it easier for cultivators of the Dharma Aspect to absorb.

Wei Yuan didn't hold back any of the refinement results this time; he turned them all into pills suitable for Dharma Aspect cultivators. Distributing this batch of pills will significantly boost the overall strength of the Azure Nether Dharma Aspect cultivators!
In Wei Yuan's mind, Qingming played a crucial role in conquering the Lü family's ancestral land. Without the combined efforts of billions, Wei Yuan wouldn't have been able to kill even a single immortal.

So now that he has gained something, Wei Yuan feels he should first give back to the beings of the Azure Netherworld. In the Azure Netherworld, mortals who have enough to eat and wear, have established their families, and have gained wisdom and physical strength have already benefited.

The same applies to template Dao Foundation cultivators. If it weren't for Qingming, they would never have become Dao Foundation cultivators in their entire lives. This is the grace of attaining Dao, which in the cultivation world's tradition is far more important than the grace of being born and raised. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of template Dao Foundation cultivators have all benefited from this and are wholeheartedly willing to live and die with Qingming.

Yu Jing needs no introduction; Qing Ming and Yu Jing are currently on the same side...

The Dharma Forms alone, though growing in number and serving as core pillars in every field, have never received much direct benefit from Qingming.

The core Dharma Aspect cultivators of Qingming are mostly from Taichu Palace, many of whom started at the Dao Foundation stage and rose through the ranks. However, with the increasing number of external cultivators and the growing number of Qingming's own Golden Core Dharma Aspects, the proportion of Taichu Palace Dharma Aspects has fallen to less than 10%.

Most of the Dharma Images outside the Taichu Palace are there for the sake of their family members and descendants' future. Some old cultivators are nearing the end of their lifespan, but their direct bloodline members cannot even form a Dao Foundation, so they join Qingming just to get a few template slots. Others come so that their descendants can have the opportunity to come into contact with the Taichu Palace's inheritance. In short, they are basically not there for themselves, and they have indeed not gained any benefits for themselves.

As the saying goes, what is taken from the people should be used for the people; and as the saying goes, rain and dew should be distributed equally. Wei Yuan used all the benefits he initially gained from refining the ancestral land of the Lü family to compensate the various Dharma Aspects.

Wei Yuan stepped out of the cave, where another Wei Yuan was already waiting. He handed the pill to his avatar and returned to the great formation to continue refining it.

Wei Yuan, who was outside the cave, suddenly had a spiritual connection and his cultivation level rose to the initial stage of the Imperial Realm. He then left the ancestral land, returned to Qingming, and arrived at Xu Henshui's Dan Guan.

"Keep this batch of pills. Keep half for the talents in the Qingming Outstanding Cultivator Program and distribute the other half to the meritorious individuals within Qingming."

Before Xu Henshui could speak, two large bags were thrown in front of him with two loud thuds.

Xu Henshui was also taken aback when he saw the two large bags that could hold a person. How many pills were in there? Were they all for the Dharma Aspects?
He opened a bag and saw that it was full of fist-sized pills. He felt a little better and realized that the number wasn't so exaggerated. At most, it was only seven or eight hundred.

Xu Henshui took out a pill and examined it carefully. The more he looked, the more shocked he became. He exclaimed, "The Pill Refining Technique of Emptiness? You can use the pill refining techniques of immortals?"

"It's not that exaggerated, it's all the power of the formation." Wei Yuan was unusually modest, mainly because Xu Henshui knew too much about it.

Xu Henshui said, "Even if it's the power of an array, where did so many spiritual essences come from? The Creation Temple probably doesn't even have this many Dharma Aspect Cultivation Pills that it refines in a year!"

"I've been refining the ancestral land of the Lü family and have gained some benefits. I thought that the Dharma Aspect cultivators have been following us for so long without getting any benefits, so I refined a batch of pills and distributed them."

Xu Henshui looked at Wei Yuan suspiciously and said, "Are you sick? If you can use the Spirit Rhinoceros Pill Technique, why don't you just swallow it yourself? What cultivator in the world would do something like this? Doesn't everyone increase their own cultivation first? But you refined it into a Dharma Aspect Pill, and now it's useless even if you eat it!"

Wei Yuan laughed and said, "I'm not in a hurry..."

Xu Henshui's voice immediately rose eight octaves: "What do you mean by not being in a hurry? Which cultivator doesn't face a life-or-death struggle on their path of cultivation?! Look at Xu Wangu, if he hadn't struggled so hard in his early years, seizing every opportunity, he would have turned into dust long ago. Many times, cultivation is just a matter of a single breath! When the crucial moment arrives, it's too late for regrets! Even if you care about everyone, it's better for you to ascend to immortality first than anything else!"

Seeing Xu Henshui's rare outburst of anger, Wei Yuan quickly comforted him: "I can't rush my ascension to immortality. I have to wait for the right opportunity. Cultivating too quickly is actually not good."

Xu Henshui's anger subsided considerably, and he nodded, saying, "That's true, but waiting for the right opportunity is something that can only happen after it's fully realized. Such a Celestial-level spiritual connection is rare and hard to come by, so we mustn't waste it next time! Even if you consumed everyone you obtained from the ancestral land, I still don't think it would be enough!"

Wei Yuan was moved, but then a sudden thought struck him, and he said, "Actually, it's not a waste for me to distribute the Spirit Rhinoceros. Even if I perfectly ascend to immortality, I will still return to heaven and earth after tens of thousands of years. In the eyes of heaven and earth, tens of thousands of years is just a fleeting moment. Which of those celestial bodies hasn't existed for billions of years?"
The life of an immortal is but a fleeting moment, like morning dew, born in the morning and dying in the evening.

Xu Henshui had also read about the knowledge of the outer world, so he naturally knew it. However, he said, "Tens of thousands of years is just a moment in the universe, and for us, it is the time it takes for several great dynasties to pass. For mortals, it is as fleeting as a spark. If this is not long-term, then what is?"

Wei Yuan suddenly pointed in a direction and said, "Look, that's the long term."

Xu Henshui used his divine sense to look in the direction Wei Yuan was pointing, and saw a caravan of carriages slowly moving along the main road, carrying about several hundred people and more than a dozen carts of luggage. Such caravans were very common; they were all groups of people migrating to Qingming.

In the middle of a large vehicle, an elderly man sat in the carriage, while opposite him sat four young men and women, all sitting upright and extremely respectful.

The old man sighed and said slowly, "I, Lei Xiao, am quite renowned. Accepting the Qingming Outstanding Cultivator Program's offer has somewhat tarnished my reputation. In my old age, I have to set aside my pride to serve others. What am I doing this for? Isn't it for your futures!"

Once you enter the Azure Netherworld, there is no turning back. After you've settled in, you all must remember to keep a low profile and focus on your cultivation. Never engage in conflict or violence with others!

"If you really cause trouble, I might be able to protect you a little outside, but in Qingming, that's absolutely impossible. Lord Wei is an unparalleled powerhouse who can slay immortals even in his Dharma Aspect form. I am merely a Dharma Aspect Perfection cultivator. If you cause trouble, do you think he'll give me any face?"

The young people didn't dare to speak, but their faces revealed an undisguised excitement—a longing and yearning for a brand new life.

The youngest girl suddenly asked, "If we cultivate to the level of Dharma Form in the future, will we be able to slay immortals?"

The old man chuckled, and the atmosphere in the car eased, turning to talk about the future. Just then, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and a ray of sunlight streamed into the car, scattering golden light across the floor.

Xu Henshui scanned the convoy with his divine sense and found it utterly ordinary. He'd never even heard of Lei Xiao. Who among those who joined the Outstanding Cultivator Program didn't have a glorious past? Whose resume wasn't long and impressive?
Unlike Xu Henshui, whose resume only has two lines: 1. Prospective abbot of the Taichu Palace's Creation Temple; 2. One of the twelve immortals of the World's Dharma Assembly.

Xu Henshui couldn't understand what was so special about this group; they seemed utterly ordinary in every way. Wei Yuan knew he wouldn't understand, so he didn't explain and simply drifted away, leaving Xu Henshui so anxious he almost lost his composure.

As he departed, Wei Yuan gazed into the distance, seeing only fleeting clouds, gathering and scattering repeatedly. A sliver of golden light extended from the sea of ​​clouds, like a crack in the heavens and earth, illuminating the entire land. Millennia of joy and sorrow had vanished like floating bubbles; though his body remained, his heart remained steadfast.

Before the heavens and earth, even a hundred thousand years of ascension to immortality is but a fleeting moment, like morning dew, born in the morning and dying at dusk. And a cultivator family like Lei Xiao's, though utterly ordinary, is still one of countless ordinary people who together constitute the human race as a whole.

The elders pass away, and new lives begin; life goes on and on, existing alongside heaven and earth, thus becoming eternal.

Volume Ten: Like Morning Dew (Completed)
(End of this chapter)