This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 341 The Daoist Primordial Way does not do anything that a human can do.

Xiang Yuan has been deeply involved in the path of pure love for many years. Even if he has some grand ideas, they are only words and he will not put them into action. Therefore, when Wang Daoyan asked him for help, he refused her on the spot without leaving any room for negotiation.

Add money?

Even offering more money won't work; this isn't about money, it's a matter of principle!
Three seconds later, Xiang Yuan agreed to act in a play with Wang Daoyan, not because Wang Daoyan offered him more money, but because Xiang Yuan saw that Wang Daoyan respected him on matters of principle.

Respect is mutual; he helped with this.

Xiang Yuan took two steps forward, affectionately took Wang Daoyan's arm, and said softly, "Daoyan, how many times have I told you, you are pregnant and should not be moving around. You should stay in the house and rest."

"It's too stuffy in here."

Wang Daoyan nestled into Xiang Yuan's arms, squinted her eyes, and said with a happy expression, "I heard you were back, so I couldn't sit still and waited for you in the courtyard."

Wang Daoyan truly lives up to her reputation as a bewitching woman of the Illusionary Path; her acting skills are superb, on par with Chan'er.

In contrast, Xiang Yuan was noticeably more restrained, and reluctantly raised his hand to put it on Wang Daoyan's waistline amidst Wang Daoyan's dissatisfying telepathic message.

We can't refuse to participate, or they'll dock our pay.

These days, it's so hard to earn money to support a family!

Xiang Yuan sighed inwardly, never imagining that he would one day earn money by performing.

However, it is indeed interesting.

Although he couldn't enjoy the joy of the Path of Illusion, the joy of the Path of True Heart told him that this was just the beginning, and his acting skills clearly still had room for improvement.

Outside the courtyard, Li Yuanrong stood like a wooden stake, his entire body ashen.

"Is everything alright? I feel like he's completely heartbroken," Xiang Yuan asked telepathically.

"He asked for it!"

Wang Daoyan snorted coldly, glancing at Li Yuanrong out of the corner of his eye. Sensing the gray, dying heart, he felt a surge of joy amidst his grief.

Give it your all, you're about to win!
Seeing that Xiang Yuan had put his arm around her waist and then nothing more, Wang Daoyan was very dissatisfied and urged him through telepathy: "Speak up, recite the words!"

What words should we pronounce?

"You're holding a beautiful woman in your arms, inseparable, like two birds flying side by side, don't you want to say anything?"

"Uh, I don't feel anything."

Xiang Yuan's face fell. If it were Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er, he would have plenty of words. If it were Wang Daoyan... Grandma is very old, probably in her seventies, but she is really healthy.

Wang Daoyan cursed under her breath for being useless, annoyed that she had quoted a price too quickly and wasted money. She grabbed Xiang Yuan's arm and pulled her into the house, saying, "It feels like we haven't seen each other for years after just a few days. Come inside with me. I bought some new clothes to wear for you."

As they spoke, Ah Hong stepped forward, grabbed one of Xiang Yuan's arms, and lifted him up.

Xiang Yuan's eyes twitched, amazed at how dedicated the actors of Illusionary Path were. He had misunderstood Wang Daoyan before; whether it was his physical body or his true form, Wang Daoyan dared to take on the role.

She dared to go up, but Xiang Yuan didn't. He stood firmly on his feet and said, "No rush. We'll watch it after the lights are off tonight. I've brought guests, so let's not be impolite."

"guest?"

Wang Daoyan let out a soft exclamation, as if she had just noticed Li Yuanrong, and her face turned pale in an instant: "Wentian, I said that night that since I have fallen in love with you, I will not think about the past anymore. If you don't believe me, fine, but why did you bring her here to humiliate me?"

After saying that, she buried her head in Xiang Yuan's chest and sobbed.

Grandma, you're so dramatic! You can handle all of this!

Xiang Yuan thought to himself that he had gained a clearer understanding of the demonesses of the Illusionary Path, and at the same time he was glad that his demoness was from the Yellow Springs Path, otherwise he definitely wouldn't have been able to handle her.

"Cough cough!"

Li Yuanrong coughed up blood and regained consciousness. His primordial spirit swept over Wang Daoyan, and his expression instantly improved: "Daoyan, what are you doing hiding a pillow under your clothes? If it's to provoke me, it's a bit too fake. I won't fall for it."

If you didn't fall for it, why would you vomit blood?

Wang Daoyan scoffed inwardly, glancing lightly at Li Yuanrong: "In five months, I will be in this state. I'm showing you in advance so you can be prepared."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and produced a wedding invitation. The invitation, written in black ink on red paper, specified the wedding date of Wang Daoyan and Xiang Wentian.

You don't have to come in person, but you must give a gift.

"Daoyan, are you serious?" Li Yuanrong's eyes turned red with anger.

"Why not?"

"Fine, you marry Xiang Wentian, then I will marry another woman, and we will sever all ties from now on, never to see each other again," Li Yuanrong declared in a powerful voice.

"A word is settled!"

"..."

Xiang Yuan blinked and finally understood why these two hadn't gotten together in fifty years.

He reiterated his advice to Li Yuanrong to first soften her stance and deceive him into her hands, then he would have plenty of opportunities to make her cry later.

Wang Daoyan did the same thing; he would first deceive people into his possession, and then beat their children every few days if they suffered any injustice.

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Xiang Yuan, enjoying the spectacle, had no intention of clearing up the misunderstanding; his conscience told him that this was how things should be.

Holding the wedding invitation, Li Yuanrong ignited flames at his fingertips, burning it to ashes before sneering repeatedly: "The day you get married will be the day of my wedding. Just you wait, I keep my word and will return to the capital to arrange the wedding."

After saying that, he teleported away and left.

"He's neither tough when he should be tough nor soft when he should be soft; no wonder he's still single."

Xiang Yuan complained and waved to break free from Zuo Youfengyuan: "Now that the performance is over, let's settle our appearance fees."

Seeing that Li Yuanrong was leaving without notice and was even clamoring to arrange his wedding in the capital, Wang Daoyan was so angry that she trembled all over. She gritted her teeth and said, "I'll add another sum of money. You come with me into the house. On his wedding day, I'll bring the children to his wedding feast."

That's inappropriate, that's too outrageous!

Xiang Yuan rolled his eyes. A business deal worth hundreds of millions, possibly requiring several more transactions, would be a losing proposition for him no matter how you looked at it. He refused, saying, "I am not a greedy person. I have already made a lot of money from previous business deals. If you want to have a child, go find someone else. I cannot help you."

"You don't want to raise the child!"

"..."

Do you want to listen to what you're saying? Is it even human language?

Xiang Yuan was speechless. No wonder that although they both entered the Dao through the mind, the Original Mind Dao was only dared to be attacked behind people's backs, while the Illusionary Annihilation Dao was seen as a heretical and evil path in front of people. When these people got ruthless, they not only tormented others, but also did not spare themselves.

Xiang Yuan shook his head: "That's enough. He's already gone. If you keep acting, I'll just pull up my pants and leave. You'll be the one who suffers."

“He hasn’t left. Come inside with me. He’ll be back on his own in a little while,” Wang Daoyan said confidently.

Your Illusionist Path definitely has something wrong with it!

Xiang Yuan finally understood that Wang Daoyan and Li Yuanrong were each other's soulmates, tormenting each other for fifty years, making each other anxious and insecure, and driving themselves crazy. Their thoughts were simply incomprehensible to normal people.

As a normal person, he wouldn't go inside to join the fun, lest he actually encounter some troublesome investment or shareholding issues.

Wang Daoyan was very dissatisfied, saying that Xiang Yuan was not putting in any effort and wanted to deduct his pay. Xiang Yuan smiled slightly and said that he would not accept a penny less than what was rightfully his.

Let's start by collecting money from the Nine Calamities of Illusion!
An hour later, they headed far away from the Wang family's ancestral land and headed straight for Lin Pass.

What happens between Li Yuanrong and Wang Daoyan—whether they end up together or continue fighting—is none of his business. Let them do whatever they want.

You never know, they might just like this kind of vibe. If you actually put them together, those two scoundrels wouldn't be happy!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

By April, Xiang Yuan had resolved the flood crisis in Southern Jin, returned to Western Chu via the Qilin Mountains, and then traveled north through spatial teleportation to Tai'an Prefecture in Northern Qi.

Given that the Golden Dragon of Fortune is involved, and considering that the Northern Qi also has such a disgusting group as the Benxindao, this trip requires not only speed but also a low profile.

Once the seal on the Golden Dragon of Fortune is broken, it will leave immediately, without lingering for even a second longer, and without giving the Way of the Heart any opportunity to exploit it.

Northern Qi Dynasty, Jian'an Circuit.

Tai'an Prefecture, the capital.

Three capitals, three different art styles.

The capital of Western Chu carries the weight of history; every brick and tile has a story, and every street corner is filled with legends. The Shangyuan Festival of Southern Jin is imbued with the charm of water; the waterways are like a woven tapestry, painted boats glide by, and ink paintings can be seen everywhere.

The Northern Qi dynasty was quite different from Tai'an, which lacked history and water resources, and emphasized a grand style.

What is great?
The city wall was over ten zhang high, entirely black, as if cast from iron. From a distance, it resembled a giant beast crouching on the plain. The city gate was wide open, allowing thirty-six warhorses to gallop side by side. The door studs were as large as the mouth of a vat, gleaming with a cold, hard metallic luster.

On the city wall stood a row of black banners fluttering in the wind. Embroidered with gold thread were giant eagles with outstretched wings, looking around arrogantly and looking down on everything. Their eyes held a fierce light, and they were as piercing as living creatures in the sunlight.

The buildings within the city were not designed for exquisite craftsmanship, but rather for grandeur. The stone lions in front of the gates of many official residences were as tall as two people, with glaring eyes and menacing fangs; the bronze cauldron in front of the academy required ten people to encircle it, and the inscriptions on the cauldron were as rough as if they had been carved by an axe.

Even the hawkers' cries in the market were three times louder than elsewhere.

"Freshly slaughtered mountain goats—"

"The Xuan Tie Blade, those coming from the south and those going to the north, take a good look! It's the golden signboard of Tai'an Prefecture, its blade never dulls in a hundred battles!"

"A newly arrived young lady from Southern Jin, with the charm of Jiangnan; chivalrous heroes from the North, don't miss her!"

Rugged, bold, and expansive.

This is the spirit of the Northern Qi Dynasty.

Considering the vast territory and abundant resources of Northern Qi, we cannot generalize from a single instance, but it is certain that this was the public image that the Liu family of Tai'an cultivated.

Xiang Yuan strolled through the city gate. At 1.9 meters tall, he stood out from the crowd in Southern Jin, but was quite ordinary in Northern Qi. Looking around, everyone was tall and imposing, and all the models, whether people or things, were a size larger than those in Southern Jin.

The most obvious example is that the Southern Jin Dynasty used cups to drink wine, emphasizing a mellow taste, while the Northern Qi Dynasty used bowls, where it was a matter of life or death.

Suddenly, Xiang Yuan felt a strong culture shock and was not used to it for a while.

"It's alright, at least it doesn't have a strong local accent right from the start. Otherwise, if the local flavor were so overpowering, it would be ridiculous..."

Xiang Yuan muttered to himself as he walked along the wide street, buying some tourist souvenirs.

Perhaps he was too extravagant with his money, or perhaps the pretty boy looked harmless, but he was spotted by a local gang shortly after he left.

Xiang Yuan had a keen sense of perception; the secret passage arrived at just the right time. The honest, simple-minded outsider was new to the place and knew nothing, so he needed a few cunning locals to provide intelligence.

He looked around, turned lightly into a side path, and then suddenly quickened his pace, as if he wanted to escape.

Swish swish!
More than ten figures chased after him, surrounding and blocking him from the front and back. In no time, they had Xiang Yuan trapped in the middle of the alley.

The dozen or so thugs had ferocious faces. Some were clenching their fists and flexing their chest muscles, while others were brandishing daggers, sneering and licking their knives.

"Please be polite. This young hero is new to the capital. Don't frighten him."

The burly man at the head of the group strode out. He was two meters tall and had a monk's hairstyle. Seeing Xiang Yuan's frightened expression, he laughed loudly, "Young hero, don't panic. We brothers are only looking for money from you. We are upright people and don't do things like robbing or sexually assaulting."

"Brother, this kid has fair skin, tender flesh, and long legs. It would be a shame not to take advantage of him."

"Shut up! You're always going astray and ruining our gang's reputation!"

"What's there to be afraid of? We still have the Dao of Original Mind to back us up!"

"My God, you can't say that carelessly, or we'll lose our brotherhood."

"..."

Looking at the dozen or so not-so-bright fellows, Xiang Yuan sighed. He didn't feel very good about his first time in Tai'an Prefecture of Northern Qi. He felt that the style of Western Chu and Southern Jin suited him better.

At least the robbery and rape over there was done the right thing.

Unlike now, the daggers in the hands of local gangs are all curved.

"Young hero, instead of sighing, why not get moving..."

The burly man at the head of the group had just rolled up his sleeves and met the gaze of the man looking into the distance when suddenly his vision turned red, and then he knew nothing more.

The other thugs were the same; their bodies were stiff, their eyes glowing red, and they remained motionless as if they had been frozen in place.

Hypnosis!
"You guys are lucky. I rarely use this trick on guys with hands."

Xiang Yuan raised his hand and beckoned, and a burly man stepped forward, knelt down, bowed, and placed a stool on his back.

After he sat down, he crossed his legs and said, "Come on, let's talk one by one, starting with you, the leader, and tell me about the situation in Northern Qi."

"So that young hero may know, I am a lay disciple of the Shaolin Temple..."

Xiang Yuan nodded secretly, marking a destined person. After resolving the trouble with the Golden Dragon of Fortune, he would go to the Shaolin Temple in the Qianyuan Realm to see if there were any inheritances like the Tathagata Palm.

He practices the six-syllable mantra, but lacks the orthodox Buddhist methods to reflect his own understanding.

The Great Han recounted the martial arts world of Northern Qi, mentioning the top powers in the land, giving Xiang Yuan a general understanding of the situation in Northern Qi.

Besides the Liu family of Tai'an, there were two other prominent families in the Northern Qi Dynasty: the Changsun family of Chaoyong and the Jiang family of Bozhou. Both families were capable of assisting the emperor and maintained harmonious relations with the royal family. Members of both families often served as generals or prime ministers and were highly valued.

The man didn't talk much about matters of the imperial court, but he could talk endlessly about things in the martial arts world.

The Southern Jin Dynasty had the Hundred Rivers Alliance, where all rivers flow into the sea and all rivers and lakes are brothers for eternity. The Northern Qi Dynasty had three gangs of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) who banded together for mutual support.

The first is the Great Sword Alliance. Because there are too many sword cultivators in the world and the way of the sword is the mainstream, those who use swords have been relegated to the lower end of the hierarchy of contempt. Those who are good at swords are not satisfied with this, so they called on their friends to form this alliance.

Secondly, there is the Valley of No Worries, which was established in its early years by independent cultivators who were proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. It is not a sect, and its admission standards are very lenient. Regardless of background, anyone who pays membership fees on time and shares the same interests can join.

Because of its low entry barrier, many Grandmasters at the Tongyou stage would exchange cultivation experiences in Wuyou Valley, gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Third is the Hundred Herbs Society, a loose alchemy organization. Like the Worry-Free Valley, it is not a sect, and its rise to power is similar, with many senior masters who are revered as the best in the world.

Xiang Yuan marked another person with a destiny, first going to the Great Sword Alliance, then to the Shaolin Temple.

Next up is the Star Palace, a pure assassin organization, a black glove for prestigious sects, a disguise for a Grandmaster of the Profound Realm, teeming with experts and powerful figures, nothing much to say about it.

In general, the state of affairs in Northern Qi can be described as 'a chaotic mess'.

At first glance, the imperial court and the martial world seem separate, but in reality, they are intertwined. Today I am an elder of a powerful family, tomorrow I may be a senior member of the Worry-Free Valley or the Hundred Herbs Society. We are all on the same side; even if we are broken, our bones are still connected. There is no need to be so clear about the distinctions.

Finally, the Northern Qi dynasty had one Buddhist sect and two Taoist sects: the Buddhist sect was Shaolin Temple, and the Taoist sects were Ziguang Sect and Benxin Sect.

The big man came from Shaolin Temple and highly praised the Seventy-Two Arts. He had an extremely loud voice, as if the abbot couldn't hear him if he spoke softly.

The Ziguang Sect is similar to the Jianxinzhai and Wushuang Palace of Western Chu. Most of its members are female cultivators, and few of them venture into the martial world.

As for the true path of the heart...

"Young hero, you've come to the right person. Others don't know what kind of people Benxindao is. They just think they're self-absorbed and degenerate. They're supposed to be top-notch, but they don't strive for improvement. They'll squander their fortune sooner or later. I know that's all just a bunch of lies."

The burly man, in front of Xiang Yuan, the successor of the Benxin Dao, began to criticize the Benxin Dao extensively.

However, Xiang Yuan couldn't be blamed, because he didn't make things up; he simply stated the facts objectively and recounted the despicable things Benxindao had done.

"These despicable bastards are always pretending to be Shaolin monks and begging for alms! They don't even shave their heads, let alone change their clothes. They wear Taoist robes and call themselves Shaolin monks!"

"That year, the Hundred Herbs Gathering gathered friends to search the mountains. Suddenly, they unearthed a relic. The group of masters saw divine light descending upon the world, revealing a great opportunity. They immediately started fighting. In the end, they dug out a bright pearl that could neither be used to hit people nor to collect things. Its only ability was to emit light..."

"There is also a line of text on the side: 'Benxindao was here and left a precious pearl for future generations to admire.'"

"Afterwards, several grandmasters investigated and realized that the ruins had long been excavated by the Benxin Dao sect, who deliberately aged them and created a glowing pearl for later generations to fight over!"

"Just last year, His Majesty went on a hunting tour in the eastern suburbs and saw a fierce tiger. He drew his bow and shot it, and with a cry of pain, the tiger turned into an old Taoist priest, who was originally a Taoist. He was shot in the buttocks and kept groaning and whining in the capital, refusing to leave. He spent a year recovering from his injury, eating and taking things, which almost made His Majesty angry to death."

"The most unfortunate one is the Ziguang Sect. More than ten years ago, when the sect leader Miaoqiong was invited to visit Benxin Dao, she was detained as soon as she entered the door. They said that she had impure thoughts and had fallen into the demonic path. She has not been released yet."

"Who is Sect Leader Miaoqiong? She is a renowned beauty in Northern Qi, with captivating charm and unparalleled beauty..."

"For more than ten years, disciples of the Ziguang Sect have come to Benxindao every year to seek an audience. The sect leader, Miaoqiong, has become more and more radiant each year. Her disciples have tried to persuade her to leave, but she is unwilling."

"According to rumors, the Benxin Sect beat Sect Leader Miaoqiong to her knees in order to capture her as the Star Wrath Power and pass it down as the sect's treasure. They had no intention of letting her go at all."

"The top-tier forces in Northern Qi are all living in fear; even Shaolin Temple has closed its gates!"

“If someone were to raise their arms and call to action, everyone would surely respond, and they would be struck by their own true nature, thus destroying their lineage.”

"..."

Xiangyuan: (ノへ￣、)
Now, go and study the sect's treasure at Benxindao. Bah! Is it too late to sever ties with Benxindao now?
The more you listen to this, the weirder it sounds. Does our ancestral master, Lingbao Tianzun, know about it?

After listening to the big man's story, Xiang Yuan confirmed two things.

Firstly, Benxindao, born in the Year of the Dog, bullied men and women in Northern Qi. He treated Tong Sao and Wu's wife as nothing that a human could do. Benxindao would not do a single thing.
Secondly, the Benxin Dao has considerable influence in Northern Qi. Other first-rate forces, including the royal family, do not dare to utter a single word of evil or heretical accusation against them to their faces.
Thirdly, if he were to introduce himself in Northern Qi, and outwardly everyone would praise him as a righteous young hero, behind his back, everyone's spittle could drown him.

As I said before, the main thing for this trip is to keep a low profile. We can go anywhere, but we absolutely cannot go to the Path of the Heart.

Xiang Yuan reaffirmed his belief and asked in bewilderment, "How do you, a small-time hoodlum from the capital, know so much? Or is it that everyone already knows about the shady things Benxindao has done?"

"It's not that everyone knows about it. Those who have been bullied by Benxindao are all senior figures in the martial arts world. They have status and position. Making it public would only make them lose face."

The burly man explained, "I know so much because, on the surface, I'm a local ruffian in the capital, but in reality, I'm an informant planted by the Six Doors in the capital, responsible for checking outsiders. The Six Doors knows a bit about the rumors and gossip circulating in the martial arts world."

"..."

So he was just a temporary worker for the Six Doors (a government agency). No wonder he dared to rob people in broad daylight.

(End of this chapter)