Wet viviparity

Chapter 795 The Evil God, the Scheming Goddess
"Suye Water City!"

In the Shushi Cave of Yanxu Mountain, Ji Ming awoke from his meditation.

In the second primordial spirit body, the entire Little Stone Holy Sect had already set off from the hilltop, beginning its journey from the East China Sea to the South China Sea. After traveling tens of thousands of miles by sea, they landed at the point where the South China Sea extended southeastward from the depths of the Liling Mountains.

Thinking about what had happened in his second primordial spirit body during this period, Ji Ming felt a sense of satisfaction.

He felt like an old farmer carefully tending an acre of rice paddy. There were already a few stalks of rice growing well and with full grains, ready to be harvested at any time, but that was far from enough.

To be on the safe side, he had to wait for a bumper harvest.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of the Poisonous Yang Fiend Cave on Tianteng Mountain. In his guess, the fact that the Crying Ancestor could so accurately state the time and place of his treasure refining must be because he had received guidance from Zen Master Caihu.

However, this is not absolute; he cannot rely on assumptions or guesses that he considers reliable.

Unfortunately, his own pair of pupils still had some limitations, and his ability to calculate the mysteries beyond the realm of immortals was not so accurate or insightful.

"The way to break the deadlock!"

Ji Ming muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on a gourd in front of him.

This pill gourd was a gift from Zhang Xiaoyuan. Inside it was a single elixir, not a spiritual elixir, nor a precious elixir, but a genuine immortal elixir.

I still remember that when Zhang Xiaoyuan was expelled from the Taoist community, banished from the mountain gate, and exiled to Jiliang Prefecture in the two northern states, the two of them had a meeting before he left.

At that time, I had just argued for Zhang Xiaoyuan in the Upper House and saved his Jade Bamboo Bow from being confiscated and put into storage.

At that time, Zhang Xiaoyuan had promised him that once he opened the immortal mansion he had built in the past and retrieved the immortal pills he had refined in the past, he would give him a share. It was also during that meeting that Zhang Xiaoyuan admitted that he was Zhang Yuelu's reincarnation.

Time had passed, and Ji Ming had almost forgotten about it. Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiaoyuan had indeed kept his promise and sent him such a Flowing Pearl Immortal Pill.

Although it wasn't the kind of immortal elixir that would allow mortals to ascend to heaven with a single bite, in Zhang Xiaoyuan's words, this Flowing Pearl Immortal Pill was still painstakingly refined into a few pills using a divine cauldron (an ancient alchemy tool) through eight processes including refining, removing impurities, and cleansing. This process gradually removed impurities from the world, returning the pills to their original state.

On the gourd, there are also several lines of small vertical characters left by Zhang Xiaoyuan.

"The elixir is completed and the clouds are hidden, and a strange fragrance fills the room."

When taken, it is like pearls falling into the Yellow Court, the true Yang flows and the Yin impurities are greatly eliminated.

However, those who take this elixir must remember the true meaning of the word 'subdue'.

One should not directly use the "removal of lead and addition of mercury" to transform the elixir into jade liquid and golden crystal to nourish the elixir embryo.

"It requires drawing upon the inner energy to peel away layers, cleansing the entire body for thirty-six days, leaving only a trace of inner energy dormant within. This energy will be activated after thirty-six days, and in an instant, like tofu being set with brine, all impurities in the spirit will be completely eliminated." — A note left by Xiao Yuan for his cousin.

Ji Ming picked up the gourd; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

Without hesitation, he tore open the talisman paper on the gourd's mouth, and an indescribable warm fragrance wafted out, neither flower nor musk, but extremely pure.

He placed his palm against the mouth of the gourd, poured the contents into his hand, and a pill the size of a longan seed, the color of warm jade, and faintly translucent with golden light rolled into his palm, lying quietly, perfectly round and flawless.

"Cousin Zhang, is this a case of one person achieving enlightenment and the whole family enjoying the benefits?!"

Ji Ming felt extremely conflicted, experiencing both immense pressure and an urge to compete and prove himself.

Since Zhang Xiaoyuan accepted his invitation to attend the ceremony in Heshan, he has begun to exert his influence in the three peaks and one prefecture, and throughout the entire Tiannan region.

Ji Ming was not the only one who benefited from Zhang Xiaoyuan.

Perhaps not everyone will be able to obtain a single elixir, but given the celestial palace's treasury before Zhang Xiaoyuan's reincarnation, everything there must be extraordinary.

Under such a cozy and welcoming approach, who wouldn't be grateful, especially in this time of great calamity when there is a severe lack of security? Even if the disciples are constrained by their status and position, they will still feel a bias in their hearts.

In addition, Zhang Xiaoyuan accomplished another major feat. As a wandering swordsman from the North, he forcefully intervened in the various defense zones of Luoyin Lake, suppressing demons and sweeping away evil, ultimately drawing out one of the Four Fiends of Yunfu within the Yunyu Temple—[ ].

These four fierce beasts are all at the level of demon immortals and evil gods. Even though the Cloud Rain Temple and Taiping Mountain fought fiercely in the past, they never made a move. The last time they appeared was six or seven hundred years ago, and they seemed to be detached from worldly affairs.

That great battle was something no one on Taiping Mountain, including Zhenjun, had anticipated.

Although Zhang Xiaoyuan did not gain any advantage in this battle, he only suffered minor injuries and was able to escape unscathed, which was extremely fortunate.

That battle between the evil spirits at Luoyin Lake completely overshadowed the hype surrounding Ji Ming's suppression of Baiqin Shangzhen. Currently, the topic of when Zhang Xiaoyuan will return to the Shangfu has almost overshadowed the current Tiannan calamity.

Smelling the fragrance of the elixir in his palm, Ji Ming did not swallow the Flowing Pearl Elixir. Instead, he put it back into the gourd and sealed it secretly inside the cave.

He hadn't finished using his Taiyi Purple Qi Golden Needle yet, so there was no need for him to rush to take this Flowing Pearl Immortal Pill.

He wasn't too concerned about Zhang Xiaoyuan's affairs. Right now, the person under more pressure than him was Uncle-Master Li Zhu, the acting head of the Upper Prefecture, and perhaps also You Rongzi and Luo Ji.

Uncle-Master Zhu had only just broken through to the fifth level of the Fetal Spirit Realm. He hadn't even enjoyed the feeling of being at the top and holding great power for a few years before being overtaken by a junior like Zhang Xiaoyuan. He must be feeling terrible right now.

Whether Li Zhu acts impartially or with ulterior motives when faced with the question of whether to reinstate Zhang Xiaoyuan, his days are unlikely to be easy.

Ji Ming's problems have never been on Taiping Mountain. He now needs to focus all his efforts on preparing for the treasure refining. In order not to let the old golden rooster's mark on him become too deep, he must rack his brains to invite another divine being.

The Three Fates Old Star Lord is the best choice, but he is really difficult to approach, as he is ethereal and distant.

Xiao Shougu had been actively lobbying Baihe Laozu because Ji Ming had previously retrieved the Zima Dingguang Banner outside Ziding Mountain and punished the white ape Ma Ling. Xiao Shougu had boasted about this minor achievement repeatedly.

According to Xiao Shougu herself, even the White Crane Ancestor has started avoiding her.

Xiao Shougu didn't have Ji Ming's eloquence. After suppressing Baiqin Shangzhen, Ji Ming taught Xiao Shougu some esoteric rhetoric, instructing her to use his achievements as Master Lingxu in educating the entire prefecture to write a story.

Meanwhile, at Yanshou Palace, Ji Ming had also sent a letter, inviting several familiar colleagues to start building momentum.

If all goes well, it shouldn't be a problem for him to be promoted from his current position as a senior official in the Yunshui Palace to a position in charge of a specific matter and participate in palace decision-making.

The only problem was whether he could take this opportunity to attract the attention of the Three Fates Star Lord; he had no confidence in this matter what.

"We need to work on multiple fronts. We can only leave it to fate with the Old Star Lord, but we might be able to try with the Taiyin Goddess. A letter came from Baicaozi, asking me to go to Kuangshan. It seems there is good news. I wonder if it will be as I wish."

Deep in Kuangshan Mountain, apricot blossoms rise in the air.

A gentle breeze swept by, and Ji Ming's figure stepped across the mossy stone path.

He walked to a bamboo fence and thatched cottage. Outside the cottage, a medicinal garden was neatly arranged, with red fruits hanging from the branches, purple fungus exuding auspiciousness, and a strange fragrance floating in the air.

The gate was half-closed, and from inside came the clear, crisp sound of metal striking stone.

Pushing open the door, one sees an old man with white hair and a youthful face, dressed in a short coarse linen robe, pounding medicine with a pestle in front of a mortar and pestle.

"You seem to be in good spirits!"

As soon as Ji Ming spoke, the old man shuddered violently, as if he had been too frightened. His ruddy face turned deathly pale.

This person was none other than Bai Caozi of the Apricot Grove. Ji Ming hadn't expected that even after so long, Bai Caozi still feared him like a tiger. But that was fine too.

"Fellow Daoist Lingxu, your presence is an honor to my humble abode."

"Stop with the nonsense and get to the point."

Ji Ming didn't mince words and went straight to the point.

(End of this chapter)