This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 337 Life is already hard enough; blame others instead of yourself.

Lungtai Road.

Shangyuan Prefecture, the capital city.

A place of unparalleled prosperity.

The wide avenue, paved with bluestone, is as straight as a spear and as imposing as a sword, extending from the majestic city gate and seemingly endless.

On both sides of the road, tall buildings rise from the ground, with gilded lanterns hanging between the eaves and brackets, creating a magnificent scene even in the bright daylight.

The main road is like a trunk, branching out into countless tributaries, and the streets and alleys crisscross like a network.

The signs of restaurants and teahouses fluttered in the wind, merchants from the north and south, and ordinary people from the east and west, mingled together, their shouts mixed with the sounds of string and wind instruments, rising and colliding in the air above the streets, brewing a rich and vibrant atmosphere of human life.

It's bustling during the day, and even more so at night.

As dusk settles and countless lights illuminate the city, the entire capital city resembles a starry sky. Nearby, weeping willows dip into the water, and the lanterns of painted boats cast shadows. In the distance, the fragrance of cosmetics wafts through the air, and towers are nestled among towers, with music and singing continuing throughout the night.

The Qianyuan Realm is divided into three kingdoms: Northern Qi, Western Chu, and Southern Jin, each occupying a region. The three kingdoms have three capitals. The capital of Western Chu was passed down from the Zhou Dynasty and can be called the Divine Capital. Northern Qi and Southern Jin, as later entrants, are much less developed and can only be called capitals.

The capital of Western Chu, inheriting the legacy of the ancient Zhou Dynasty, has a city wall that resembles a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching, with a long and extraordinary fortune. The ancient style of the Zhou Dynasty can be seen everywhere in the city, and every brick and tile is engraved with the vicissitudes of time.

In comparison, the Northern Qi's Tai'an Prefecture and the Southern Jin's Shangyuan Prefecture, though both were capitals, ultimately lacked that majestic, ancient charm. Unlike the Western Chu, which occupied the capital and loudly proclaimed itself the legitimate successor of the Zhou dynasty, they were not as confident as the Western Chu.

The Northern Qi and Southern Jin dynasties were inherently weak. If these two dynasties wanted to claim the legitimacy of the Zhou dynasty, they needed great Confucian scholars to cite classical texts, which added an extra step and made them inferior.

The pioneers have their historical foundation; the status of the capital city is undeniable, unmatched by the other two. But the latecomers also have their advantages. Free from ancient constraints, they can boldly innovate and forge a new path, building their own capital however they wish.

Xiang Yuan had never set foot in Tai'an Prefecture of Northern Qi and did not know what it was like. He only took Shangyuan Capital as an example. Unlike Shen Du, which was restricted by ancient etiquette everywhere, Shangyuan Capital used the number "nine" as its basis to develop the "four vertical and five horizontal" method.

Four waterways flow through the city, and five major roads connect all directions. The north-south axis is like a dragon's spine, and the east-west axis is like a crouching tiger. The entire capital city is a meticulously arranged grand formation.

The Li family of Shangyuan used the capital as a chessboard, dividing it into four vertical and five horizontal lines, and then using the imperial city as the core of the formation, thus transforming their base into a living feng shui formation.

Outsiders entering the capital only perceive the orderly streets, calm waterways, bustling city life, and prosperous people, unaware that every step they take is part of Li's calculations.

If a powerful enemy attacks, the great formation will turn from auspicious to inauspicious, and the entire capital city will become the most dangerous prison in the world!
As an honest and simple outsider, Xiang Yuan had just entered the capital and started eating on the east side of the street when he noticed many eyes peering through the air. According to information provided by enthusiastic citizens, the source of the gaze was the Observatory of the Li family of Shangyuan.

The Star-Gazing Tower has nine stories and is the location of the Li family's Imperial Observatory. It is also the central hub of the entire Shangyuan Grand Array, containing 365 stars, corresponding to the countless stars in the sky, and echoing the city's four vertical and five horizontal layout.

The Observatory was conducting a thorough search for outsiders, presumably because some scoundrel had broken the rules. Once the person was caught, the search would cease.

"Where do so many stinky out-of-towners come from, begging for food in our capital again?"

Xiang Yuan's figure flickered, joining the surrounding crowd in their condemnation. He adopted a touch of the Daoist principle of following the natural order, and quickly evaded the omnipresent gaze, becoming an unremarkable nobody.

With a flick of his wrist, he stamped Ah Hong's name, making her virtually invisible as well.

The stamp was placed on his shoulder.

With Ah Hong's looks and temperament, even if she were stamped with a seal, she would still be a firefly in the dark, attracting a lot of attention wherever she went, bringing visible economic growth, and creating a large number of jobs in the surrounding area.

Therefore, I was approached by many people along the way.

Judging from this point alone, Shangyuan Prefecture is much more open than Shendu Prefecture.

Xiang Yuan wasn't in a hurry to deal with the flood. Since he was already there, he decided to try all the local specialties first, eating his way from one end of the street to the other, and then moving on to another street to continue eating.

If we find something delicious, we'll pack some up and have Ah Hong carry it.

After walking down three streets, Ah Hong was laden with bags and packages, looking exactly like a wronged maid.

Ah Hong was shy and never complained or resisted. Seeing her so weak, helpless, and pitiful, the young men around her were furious. Many of them rolled up their sleeves, ready to play the hero and save the damsel in distress. However, because of the large-scale search for outsiders at the Observatory today, they dared not cause trouble in the streets and could only verbally mock Xiang Yuan for bullying a weak woman.

Ah yes, yes, yes, a weak woman with both speed and strength A-ranks, a weak woman who can defeat a Grandmaster of the Profound Realm just by relying on her physique.

Xiang Yuan thought to herself that her verbal skills were no less than anyone else's. Whenever she was provoked, she would immediately retort: ​​"What do you mean by bullying a weak woman? How did I bully her? You all don't know that once the door is closed at night, she's the one who bullies me so badly. Otherwise, how could I have such a big appetite?"

In short, the young masters immediately lost their composure and left cursing.

There were also young men who didn't care about the past, saying that she was a beautiful woman and deserved better. But when Xiang Yuan named a few dishes like chicken breast, Sichuan-style chicken, and Kung Pao chicken, they ran away crying.

These are all hearty dishes; the rich young men can't stand hearing about them.

Joyful laughter echoed in the air.

Looking beyond appearances, Shangyuan Prefecture and Shendu Prefecture are cut from the same cloth. Under the emperor's nose, everyone is a master of rhetoric, and the public security is impeccable.

Xiang Yuan ate and drank all the way from day to night, walking along the willow bank of the river, clutching half a freshly baked sugar-oil pastry in his hand, with sesame seeds still stuck to the corner of his mouth.

The river breeze, carrying moisture, brushed against his face, mingling with the distant aroma of wine and perfume, making him hungry again.

The willow branches drooped low along the riverbank, and there were many vendors and pedestrians on the road, stretching out as if it were a night market with lanterns.

Every now and then, a young man in fine clothes would lean on the railing and gaze into the distance. On the painted boat, he would catch a glimpse of a beautiful woman in veiled clothes, smiling shyly behind her sleeve. He would fall in love at first sight, and if he was in good shape, he might even stay for another hour.

Because it was Shangyuan Prefecture, a place with an open and liberal atmosphere, it wasn't just the beautiful women on the painted boats who would chuckle with their sleeves covered; occasionally, there would also be noblewomen who would veil half their faces. At their age, they no longer believed in love stories between talented men and beautiful women, and preferred the chivalrous young heroes of the martial arts world.

Especially someone like Xiang Yuan, who is 1.9 meters tall, stands out from the crowd, has delicate features, and looks extremely strong—a pretty young swordsman.

If Ah Hong hadn't been there, her looks and demeanor repelling other women and making her extremely dislike him, Xiang Yuan, this naive and innocent-looking young man, would surely have had many pleasure boats stop and offer him invitations.

Xiang Yuan strolled through the lantern-lit night market, buying a few souvenirs to give to Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er later.

Rounding a bend, a rustic stone bridge suddenly appears ahead, half of its structure covered in moss, the auspicious beasts carved on the railings worn smooth by time. Beneath the arch, a water-suppressing sword hangs upside down, gleaming with a faint blue light in the moonlight.

"what?"

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow, looked back at the bustling lantern-lit night market, then at the deserted stone bridge, not a soul in sight. Realizing something, he put his hands in his pockets and strolled over with Ah Hong.

If I'm not mistaken, it must be a local who came to our door.

As expected of the Li family of Shangyuan, they have many spies. They managed to deceive the Star Gazing Tower, but they couldn't hide the spies and henchmen scattered throughout the city.

Xiang Yuan didn't take it to heart. He was there to suppress the flood, not to steal. He was an honest businessman who deliberately kept a low profile to avoid trouble. Now that the person in charge had come to his door, it was time to have a proper business talk.

As Xiang Yuan had expected, the stone bridge, though seemingly mottled and ancient, actually had array runes hidden in every gap between the bricks and stones. The moment he stepped on it, the array was triggered, and an invisible ripple spread across the bridge surface like water.

Like a thin veil being lifted, the scene before my eyes suddenly distorted. The lantern market and pedestrians behind me had all walked away, and the weeping willows along the riverbank were all frozen in place. Only a round moon hung alone in the high sky, without a single star in sight.

When I looked up again, a figure in a blue robe was already standing on the other side of the stone bridge.

The man was about thirty years old, dressed in a plain blue robe, with a thin face. At first glance, he looked like a refined scholar, but upon closer inspection, there was a faint but lingering murderous aura between his brows.

Behind them, black mist surged, and a demonic figure stretched out its hands, which wrapped around the sides of the stone bridge like chains, completely isolating this place from the outside world.

The strangest thing is that he didn't cast a shadow.

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. Judging from their demeanor, they didn't seem to be from the prestigious and upright Shangyuan Li family. Could he have guessed wrong and they weren't here to do business?
"Who are you?" the scholar in blue asked in a cold voice.

"That's a question I should be asking. You set up this trap to lure me in, and now you're asking me who I am?"

Xiang Yuan frowned slightly: "I am Xiang Wentian, the Left Envoy of the Yellow Springs Path. I have come here at the invitation of the Li family of Shangyuan, carrying the Water-Suppressing Iron Sword..."

"I know your identity and that you are a successor of the Qingyun Sect, but this is by no means your true identity."

The scholar in the blue robe interrupted directly: "Who are you, and what is your relationship with... Daoyan?" As he said this, the scholar in the blue robe glanced at Ah Hong, his eyes filled with complex emotions: three parts infatuation, three parts ferocity, three parts anger, and ninety-one parts disbelief.

That expression seemed to ask, "What's so great about this kid?"

Xiangyuan: (一`一)
What nonsense! Who are you? And who is Daoyan? Are you the Illusionary Dao cultivator behind Ah Hong?
Xiang Yuan was completely bewildered, but one thing was very clear to him. He curled his lip in disdain and said, "Sir, you have been deceived by the enchantress of the Illusionary Annihilation Path and bewitched by her beauty. If you do not wake up soon, you will surely be refined into an external body by her."

The Path of Illusion enters the path through the mind, using the sorrows, pains, loves, hates, and grudges of others to cultivate, just like personally experiencing a cycle of reincarnation. The methods of manipulating people's hearts are also universally condemned among the eight great evils.

The scholar in blue robes was troubled by love, clearly having fallen victim to the methods of the Path of Disillusionment.

Xiang Yuan, a righteous young hero, despises evil and crooked paths. Seeing their pitiful state, he kindly reminded them that there are many crooked trees in the world, and there is no need to be fixated on the one in front of them.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ah Hong behind him suddenly moved, abandoning her large and small bags, and stepped forward to take Xiang Yuan's arm.

Xiang Yuan stared in disbelief. He hadn't used his primordial spirit to control Ah Hong; it couldn't be him. It could only be that female cultivator from the Illusionary Annihilation Dao named 'Dao Yan'.

Well, after all, it's the Path of Illusion, so gender can't be too strictly defined. Before seeing the person in person, whether they're male or female...

Even after seeing the person in person, it's impossible to determine whether they are male or female.

Ah Hong took Xiang Yuan's arm, burying one arm in its warmth, and glanced at the scholar in the blue robe with a stern look: "Yuan Rong, I told you a long time ago that there are too many obstacles between us. Just the grudges between our two families alone mean that we are destined not to be together."

"So you chose him?"

A sinister look appeared on the scholar's brow, a wisp of black mist dissipated, and the demonic figure roared silently.

"What's wrong with choosing him? Xiang Zuoshi is better than you in every way. I'm so happy with him." Ah Hong looked at Xiang Yuan with tender affection, her eyes filled with infatuation, clearly showing that she was truly in love.

"No way! I don't believe it!"

"Nothing is impossible. I even taught him the Nine Tribulations of Illusion. If you don't believe me, you're welcome to try."

During their conversation, the scholar in the blue robe had bloodshot eyes, his heart filled with a turmoil of love and hate. Much of his anger was transformed into nourishment, all of which was absorbed by Ah Hong.

Upon receiving this inexplicable sorrow, Ah Hong's heartstrings trembled, and feelings of bitterness, sorrow, and joy surfaced, causing her eyes to turn red. She also had a complex range of thoughts that nourished her, all of which were absorbed by the scholar in the blue robe.

Wait, wait a minute!
Which of you is the one who embodies the path of disillusionment? Who is the other's body, and who is the other's furnace?
Xiang Yuan had some knowledge of the methods of the Illusionary Path, and suddenly realized something was wrong. He shook his arm, broke free from the soft restraints, moved two steps to the side, looked back and forth between the two figures, and finally came to a conclusion.

Two cultivators from the Illusionary Annihilation Path were fighting, each stepping on the other's foot, spiraling upwards together. He became part of their training.

Thinking of this, Xiang Yuan was so angry that his nose was crooked. Fine, fine, you like to play like this, right? Then I'll play with you too!
"Daoyan, when you slept with me, you didn't mention that I had a former boyfriend! What's going on with him? That night you said you wanted to have my baby, and suddenly you called out 'Yuan Rong,' was it really him?" Xiang Yuan questioned loudly, filled with grief and indignation, denouncing the bull here.

"puff!"

The effect was remarkable; the scholar in the blue robe turned ashen-faced and vomited two ounces of blood on the spot.

Ah Hong was stunned when she saw this, feeling a piercing pain, a mixture of joy and sorrow.

The good news was that she had won by a small margin, despite the intense emotional turmoil. The bad news was that the pain was so intense that her heart ached as well.

Ah Hong swayed, her face turning pale instantly.

Wow, it actually works!
Are you two here to be funny?

Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up, greatly encouraged, and he increased his output: "Brother Ex, don't misunderstand. I know exactly what that vixen is plotting. She's not really in love with me; she's just using me to provoke you. But there were indeed romantic moments under the flowers and moon, in the woods and by the river. After all, she's not bad-looking, and I'm not exactly a gentleman."

"Puff!" x2
The scholar in the blue robe spat out blood, and Ah Hong, heartbroken and devastated, followed suit.

The scholar in green robes was not the original form of 'Yuan Rong', nor was Ah Hong the original form of 'Dao Yan'. The two cultivators of the Illusionary Annihilation Dao had their primordial spirits hidden outside their bodies. By entering the Dao with their hearts, it was as if their original forms had descended. Overwhelmed by grief and indignation, they were nearly driven to the brink of collapse by Xiang Yuan's attack.

The methods of the Path of Illusion are truly wicked!

Xiang Yuan made a mental assessment, thinking it amusing. He racked his brains and a whole bunch of impressive-sounding words came to mind. He cleared his throat and prepared to speak for another hour.

The result was not good. Just as he opened his mouth, Dao Yan, exhausted, abandoned Ah Hong's physical body and fled in his primordial spirit, as if escaping.

Opposite him, the scholar in the blue robe stared intently at Xiang Yuan, his eyes bloodshot.

Xiang Yuan looked aggrieved. He was walking along peacefully, and hadn't offended anyone, yet he was attacked from both sides by the two Illusionist Path members. He was the one who felt wronged!

He didn't do anything, he just said a couple of sentences.

Life is already hard enough, so blame others instead of yourself. Xiang Yuan shrugged and said, "Why is my ex looking at me? Dao Yan is pregnant and has gone back to rest. I'll just ask you one question: are you coming to our wedding?"

"I will kill you today!"

"No, if I die, the child in Daoyan's belly will have no father... Oh, I understand, you can take the child's surname."

"puff!!"

Compared to his foul mouth, the 'Yuan Rong' behind the scholar in blue robes may have come from the Path of Illusion, but compared to Xiang Yuan, he is only fit to cough up blood.

He roughly understood this, and without giving Xiang Yuan a chance to speak, the demonic image behind him roared with black mist, and the entire stone bridge was shrouded in black light, suddenly coming to life.

The eyes of the auspicious beast reliefs on the stone railings on both sides turn, and the river water under the bridge swirls up and condenses into dense, transparent water swords in mid-air.

In an instant, thousands of water swords roared in!

"Little Doyle!"

Xiang Yuan pointed his fingers into a sword shape, then swung his hand forward. Blazing flames pierced through the layers of water swords, manifesting a fire dragon in the air. The dragon coiled into a phantom of a great sun and suddenly pressed down on the scholar in the blue robe.

The great demonic phantom raised its arms to receive the crimson sun.

The scholar in the blue robe gestured with both hands, a sword and a saber in hand. The sword's edge sliced ​​through the flames, its cold blade extinguishing the sun, while the long saber cleaved down a streak of white light, slashing straight at Xiang Yuan on the other side of the bridge.

Xiang Yuan stepped back, lightly shielding Ah Hong in front of him.

Defense is coming!

The scholar in the green robe hurriedly sheathed his sword, made hand seals, shifted space, and used the Dao of Formation to keep Ah Hong at a distance. Then he took out his sword and leaped to kill Xiang Yuan.

"The Daoist smoke will help me!"

Xiang Yuan made a show of shouting, and with his primordial spirit in control, Ah Hong's fist broke through the spatial barrier and arrived in an instant, blocking the scholar in the blue robe's inevitable path.

For a moment, King Qin circled the pillar, and Xiang Yuan didn't fight back. He kept saying that the cigarette was really good, and with you here, his ex-boyfriend couldn't hurt the child's father.

The scholar in the blue robe was spitting blood as he chased after Xiang Yuan. He was afraid of harming the rat, so his grandmaster-level cultivation was completely useless. He was toyed with by Xiang Yuan, and blood was everywhere.

Buzz!
Suddenly, four vertical and five horizontal dotted lines flashed in the air, and the power of the array surged. Each vertical and horizontal line that fell brought great pressure to Xiang Yuan, causing his stats to be severely suppressed.

Seeing that he was about to be overtaken by the scholar in the blue robe, he used some tactics to widen the gap again.

"Being able to activate the Shangyuan Grand Array, you are a Tongyou stage Grandmaster of the Li family!"

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Tsk, Li Yuanrong, is it? The Li family's patriarch is a successor of the Illusionary Annihilation Path. If this news were to reach the six great families, the Li family would be universally reviled."

Li Yuanrong did not respond. He was proficient in both sword and saber, each using a different technique. He used the sky as his saber and the earth as his sword. When the saber and sword were combined, they formed a boundary between heaven and earth.

Xiang Yuan's eyes narrowed sharply. He had seen and even learned this set of sword and saber techniques before.

The World Without Life, Dongwu, the Sword Master, Master Kang!
Master Kang corresponds to Senior Brother Benxin Daotongming, whose name in the Qianyuan Realm is Ji Boli. Where did Li Yuanrong learn this set of sword and saber techniques?
Is it...

Senior Brother Tongming was parasitized by the Illusionary Annihilation Path and cultivated into an external body.
(End of this chapter)