Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

A chill ran down Fu Shaoping's spine. If that were true, the mastermind behind it all was far more meticulous and ruthless than anyone could have imagined.

"The sect's higher-ups take this very seriously," Shen Qingshan continued. "But since the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, a large-scale search could easily alert them. The Discipline Elder's intention is to send several elite teams to secretly investigate places like the Earth God Temple where Yin veins converge, to see if there are any traces of the same or similar magic arrays."

His gaze fell on Fu Shaoping: "I need to leave the mountains for a while to investigate an important lead. Before I leave, I have something to entrust to you."

"Please give your instructions, senior brother." Fu Shaoping straightened his back.

Shen Qingshan took out a jade talisman as thin as a cicada's wing and as cold to the touch, and handed it to Fu Shaoping: "This is the 'Ice Heart Mirror.' It is not a treasure for offense or defense. Its only function is to sense and record the fluctuations of specific types of evil arrays around you, especially those with the same origin as the Blood Soul Crystal. Continue your cultivation as usual. If you go down the mountain or go on a mission, carry it with you. Once it emits a slight warmth and faint blood-colored patterns appear, immediately record the location and environment, and then... do not act rashly. Immediately send a message to me through the sect's secret method. If I cannot contact you, report directly to Elder Liu of the Discipline Hall."

He also handed a token engraved with the character "Liu" to Fu Shaoping.

The mission came suddenly and carried a heavy responsibility, far exceeding the scope of an ordinary outer disciple. Fu Shaoping felt the pressure, but looking into his senior brother's trusting eyes and recalling their shared experience fighting the enemy that night, he took a deep breath and solemnly accepted the jade talisman and token: "Junior brother will definitely act cautiously and live up to senior brother's trust."

“Very good.” Shen Qingshan nodded. “This matter must be kept secret. Apart from Elder Liu, it must not be mentioned to anyone, including those you are on good terms with. In the cultivation world, people’s hearts are unpredictable.”

He stood up and gave Fu Shaoping one last look: "The path of cultivation is fraught with peril. I hope that when I return, your Heart Sword will have already begun to show its edge."

Before he finished speaking, Shen Qingshan's figure had already vanished like smoke into the moonlight of the bamboo forest, as if he had never appeared at all.

Fu Shaoping gripped the cool, translucent "Ice Heart Mirror" and the heavy token tightly in his hand. He stood alone in the bamboo forest. The sound of the flowing spring was still there, but he felt the oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm.

His senior brother had gone far away, and a path full of unknown dangers seemed to be quietly unfolding beneath his feet. He looked down at the long sword at his waist, his eyes growing increasingly resolute.

In the days that followed, Fu Shaoping became even more reclusive. He reduced his visits to the Scripture Pavilion, spending most of his time in his small courtyard and secluded sword-training ground. He kept the "Ice Heart Mirror" close to his body, constantly sensing the movements around him.

When practicing swordsmanship, he paid more attention to the concentration of "momentum," trying to incorporate more spiritual intention into his sword strikes, guiding his true energy not only to pursue speed and precision, but also to pursue that unstoppable, magnificent momentum, like the bursting forth of the morning sun. Progress was slow, but he could feel that after each full exertion, his mind became clearer, and his control over his true energy improved slightly.

Several days passed, and Bing Xinjian showed no reaction.

On this day, Fu Shaoping received a new sect mission—to escort a sect caravan heading to Qingrong Town at the foot of the mountain. The mission was simple, usually handled by several outer sect disciples, who were more than capable of dealing with ordinary wild animals or petty thieves.

Fu Shaoping could have refused, but considering that Qingrong Town was half a day's journey from the sect, it might give Bingxinjian more opportunities to sense things, so he accepted the mission.

The caravan was small, consisting of a few sect servants and several carriages loaded with low-grade pills and talismans. Accompanying them were two other outer sect disciples, both at the third or fourth level of Qi Refining. They were quite polite to Fu Shaoping, clearly having heard about his recent "sparring" with Zhao Gan, which ended in a draw but left Zhao Gan feeling humiliated.

They arrived safely in Qingrong Town without incident. After the goods were handed over, the foreman leading the group said with a smile, "My fellow immortals have worked hard. You can rest in town for the night and continue your journey tomorrow. The food and wine at 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion' at the east end of town are quite good; this is just a small token of my appreciation."

The other two disciples looked delighted, clearly enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

Fu Shaoping initially intended to refuse and return to his sect to report. But just as he was about to speak, his personal "Ice Heart Mirror" suddenly emitted a faint warmth!
His heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm and changed his words, saying, "Alright, then I'll go back tomorrow."

He made an excuse to separate from the other two and wandered around the town alone, seemingly casually, but actually paying close attention to the changes in Bingxin Mirror.

The warmth was intermittent and very faint, and it seemed to be pointing in the direction of... the west of the town.

He walked slowly westward, the path becoming increasingly remote, the surrounding houses gradually becoming low and dilapidated. Finally, he stopped in front of an abandoned shrine.

The ancestral hall has been in disrepair for many years, with its plaque crooked and covered in cobwebs, and the surrounding area is rarely visited.

At this moment, the Ice Heart Mirror, placed against his chest, was continuously emitting a noticeable warmth. On the surface of the jade talisman, several faint, almost invisible, blood-red patterns flickered slightly, as if breathing.

Fu Shaoping's heart sank.

found it.

West of Qingrong Town, an abandoned ancestral hall.

The last rays of the setting sun peeked through the dilapidated window frames, casting a few dim, yellowish beams of light onto the dusty ground. The air was thick with the smell of rotten wood and years of accumulated dust, and the occasional soft rustling of rats and ants only served to accentuate the desolate and lifeless atmosphere of the place.

Fu Shaoping held his breath, his internal energy circulating slowly, concealing his aura to a minimum. He did not rush into the ancestral hall, but instead used the ruins as cover to carefully survey the surrounding environment.

The exterior of the ancestral hall appeared normal, merely a typical scene of desolation. However, the "Ice Heart Mirror" pressed against his chest continued to radiate a steady warmth. Although the pale blood-red patterns had not intensified, they had not weakened either, clearly indicating that the source of the eerie fluctuations was here.

He went around to the back of the ancestral hall and found that most of the wall had collapsed, forming a barely noticeable gap. Looking through the gap, he saw that the interior of the ancestral hall was even more dilapidated than he had imagined. The statues of gods were overturned, the offering table was rotten, and rubble and withered branches were scattered on the ground.

However, beneath a pile of seemingly ordinary junk, Fu Shaoping keenly noticed something unusual—the color of the ground there seemed to be extremely different from the surrounding area. If it weren't for Bing Xin's guidance, and his heightened sensitivity to formation traces since the battle at the Earth Temple, it would have been impossible to discover.

It was a cleverly concealed area, the dust scattered on it seemingly arranged to blend in with its surroundings. But upon closer inspection, one could vaguely discern several not-naturally formed scratches along the edges.

There were indeed remnants of the magic array!
Fu Shaoping felt a chill run down his spine; Senior Brother Shen's guess had been confirmed. Those evil cultivators weren't just experimenting in one place.

He dared not step in rashly, much less use his divine sense to probe, lest he alert the enemy or trigger unknown restrictions. He carefully retreated from the gap, found a section of broken wall with a decent view and sufficient concealment, and hid inside.

Taking out the token engraved with the character "Liu," Fu Shaoping attempted to infuse it with a wisp of true energy while silently reciting the secret incantation Shen Qingshan had given him. The token glowed slightly before returning to its original state. He knew the distress call had been sent. The next step was to wait and monitor the situation.

Time passed slowly, the setting sun sank completely into the mountain ridge, night fell, and the abandoned ancestral hall was swallowed by thick darkness. Only a few scattered moonlight shone through the holes, making it look eerie and terrifying.

The warmth of the Ice Heart Mirror remained, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, a warning of the ominous nature of this place. Fu Shaoping was extremely patient; he seemed to have turned into a stone, his aura almost blending into the surrounding environment, with only his eyes shining brightly in the darkness, fixed on the unusual area inside the ancestral hall.

About an hour later, the faint sound of clothes rustling in the wind came from afar.

coming!

Fu Shao's spirits lifted, and he became even more restrained in his breathing.

Several dark figures landed silently in the courtyard of the ancestral hall like ghosts. There were about four or five of them, all dressed in dark, close-fitting clothing. Their movements were perfectly coordinated and stealthy, clearly indicating that they were well-trained. The leader was tall and thin, with sharp, eagle-like eyes. He quickly scanned the surroundings, and the spiritual energy emanating from him far surpassed that of the leader of the black-clad men at the local temple. He was at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Fu Shaoping felt a pang of anxiety, but thankfully he did not act rashly.

The tall, thin cultivator made a hand gesture, and the others immediately dispersed, taking up key positions throughout the ancestral hall to stand guard. Their movements were swift and efficient, clearly indicating they were elite members of their sect. The tall, thin cultivator then walked directly towards the unusual area of ​​ground inside the ancestral hall.

He crouched down, a faint light flashing at his fingertips, and gently brushed away the surface disguise. Instantly, a fragmented magic circle, about three feet in diameter, composed of countless intricate and eerie blood-red runes, was revealed. Even in its incomplete state, the magic circle still exuded a chilling and sinister aura, resonating with the Ice Heart Mirror's perception.

The tall, thin cultivator examined it carefully for a moment, then took out a compass-shaped magical artifact and measured it on it, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

"How is it, Uncle Liu?" a disciple on guard asked in a low voice.

"It's the same 'Soul-Eating Blood-Transforming Array' from the same source, but it's more sophisticated than the one at the Earth Temple, and the residual resentment is even stronger... The person who set up the array is highly skilled, and judging from these marks, the array didn't fail and dissipate, but rather... it was dismantled after its core power was actively extracted." The tall, thin cultivator known as Uncle Liu said in a deep voice, his voice extremely low, but Fu Shaoping listened intently and could still vaguely catch it.

Active extraction? Fu Shaoping's heart skipped a beat. This meant that the other party might have already achieved some kind of experimental objective, or had moved the location.

Uncle Liu stood up, his gaze sweeping across the direction where Fu Shaoping was hiding like lightning. He suddenly spoke, his voice not loud but clear: "Disciple over there, come out."

Fu Shaoping's heart skipped a beat, realizing that his whereabouts had already been seen through. The other party was clearly Elder Liu of the Discipline Hall and his subordinates. He stopped hiding, emerged from behind the broken wall, quickly stepped forward, and respectfully bowed: "Outer disciple Fu Shaoping greets Elder Liu and fellow disciples."

He presented the token that Shen Qingshan had given him with both hands.

Elder Liu took the token and verified its authenticity. His sharp gaze lingered on Fu Shaoping for a moment, seemingly surprised that he had discovered the place ahead of time and remained so calm. However, he did not ask any further questions, but simply nodded: "Well done. Were you the first to notice the anomaly here?"

"It was under my orders that I carried the sensing artifact, and I sensed something when I passed by," Fu Shaoping replied cautiously, without mentioning Shen Qingshan's name, only flashing the Ice Heart Mirror.

Elder Liu glanced at the Ice Heart Mirror and said knowingly, "So it's the magic weapon of the man in green robes. He's quite meticulous." He paused, his tone serious, "This place is not safe to stay in for long. After you discovered this place, have you noticed anything else unusual? Or encountered any suspicious people?"

"I have been keeping watch here since I arrived, and apart from my senior brothers and elders, I have not found anyone else approaching," Fu Shaoping replied truthfully.

Elder Liu pondered for a moment, then instructed his disciple beside him: "Search the surroundings carefully, do not overlook any clues, but be quick. Although this formation is now broken, the residual aura may still attract unclean things or the enemy's eyes and ears."

"Yes!" The disciples immediately accepted the order and silently dispersed to conduct the search.

Elder Liu looked at Fu Shaoping again, his tone softening: "Your name is Fu Shaoping? You have done a great service this time. This matter is of great importance, so remember to keep your mouth shut. After returning to the sect, you must not mention tonight's events to anyone. Just act as usual."

"This disciple understands," Fu Shaoping replied solemnly.

Soon, the disciples who had searched returned, all shaking their heads to indicate that they had found nothing further. The other party had handled the situation extremely cleanly; apart from the deliberately left incomplete magic array, there were no other clues.

Elder Liu remained calm, as if he had expected this. With a flick of his sleeve, a beam of spiritual light entered the incomplete magic array, completely purifying and erasing its last trace.

"Let's go," he ordered, glancing at Fu Shaoping, "You'll come back to the mountain with us too."

The group quietly left Qingrong Town and returned to their sect under the cover of night. No one spoke along the way; the atmosphere was heavy.

Upon arriving at the mountain gate, Elder Liu said to Fu Shaoping, "Go back and cultivate diligently. The sect will handle today's matter. If you discover anything further, report it as Qingshan instructed." After saying this, he led his disciples and quickly disappeared in the direction of the Discipline Hall.

Fu Shaoping stood alone outside the mountain gate, a cool night breeze blowing. He glanced back at the direction of Qingrong Town, then touched the jade talisman in his pocket, which had returned to its cool state.

The crisis has not been resolved; on the contrary, it has become even more shrouded in mystery. The opponent is cunning and powerful, and the sect has clearly taken it very seriously.

He gripped his sword tightly, took a deep breath, and strode towards his residence.

The road ahead seemed even more unpredictable, but it also fueled his burning desire to become stronger. Back at the sect, night had fallen. Fu Shaoping didn't go straight to his room, but instead went around to the secluded back mountain and found a familiar bluestone to sit on.

The "Ice Heart Mirror" in his arms had long since returned to its icy coolness, as if everything in the ancestral hall of Qingrong Town was just an illusion. But the fingertips seemed to still retain the cold touch brought by the remnants of the magic array, and the tip of his nose still faintly lingered with the faint bloody resentment from before it was purified.

"Soul-Eating Blood Transformation Array...Active Extraction..."

Elder Liu's words echoed in his mind. What exactly was the other party's purpose? An experiment? To cultivate some terrifying creature? Or for some other, more inconceivable scheme? What clues was Senior Brother Shen pursuing? Was it even more dangerous?

Countless questions swirled around him, bringing with them a heavy sense of pressure. For the first time, he felt so clearly what turbulent undercurrents lurked beneath the calm and peaceful surface of the sect. And he, though merely a lowly outer disciple, had, by some twist of fate, been drawn to the very edge of these undercurrents.

He instinctively gripped the sword hilt. The cool touch calmed his turbulent emotions slightly. (End of Chapter)