Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 4 Life Book
The ghost market is located underground, where the earth’s energy is thick and cool.

Xu Xuan was silently considering how much truth and falsehood Liu Qiuci's words were.

To the north of the Li River is the Lotus Temple, facing the Seven Qingwei Mountains. Back then, it was the Fuxue Demon Sect that served as a barrier to keep out the monks from the Dajingyuan families, otherwise this demon sect would not have been able to stay here for long.

Chong Yangzi came out of Dachi Temple and killed the demon with a sword. Then Master Xu Xuan and Lianhua Temple started to fight with magic.

Logically speaking, the fights in Yuanshang usually wouldn't involve Qingwei's sect. Even if one of the sects annexed the Seven Mountains, so what? Qingwei's spiritual veins were not as good as those in Yuanshang. Did they occupy them just to fight with those bald donkeys?
Even if the head of the Zhu family wanted to unify Dajingyuan, he would not touch the Qingwei and other sects, but would only use them to control them.

The Lotus Temple has a profound foundation, but the two mages died in the demon disaster that year, which damaged their foundation and prevented them from directly conquering the current Qingwei.

The old monk Ci Hai will become a mage, and only Xu Xuan who has established his foundation can fight against Qing Wei. Although the Lord of the Black Wind Valley is at the peak of Qi training, he reached the sixth level of Qi training at the age of eighty and has no hope of establishing his foundation.

The Zhu family should not murder Xu Xuan, otherwise they would be making things difficult for the Lotus Temple. Xu Xuan was somewhat sure of this.

But if Dajingyuan is truly unified, his Dachi Temple would probably have to be subordinate to others all year round and become a vassal. It seems that the endless fighting among the various factions in the original province would be more in line with Xu Xuan's wishes.

His mind raced, a look of horror flashed across his face as he hurriedly asked:
"According to what fellow Daoist said, the Zhu family's foundation-building master is ready to tear his face off and directly attack and kill all the foundation-building seeds of other families?"

Seeing Xu Xuan was a little flustered, Liu Qiuci seemed relieved, sighed, and continued:
"It was just a test. Huichun Mountain has contacted me. I was planning to go to Qingwei again to meet Fellow Daoist Xu. I didn't expect to meet him here today. It's fate."

The young man in green had a look of sorrow in his eyes, like a frightened white bird, frightened by the news of the Wu family's young master's death. He hesitated and said:

“The Wu family has some relationship with the Chen family. Now that the young master of the Wu family is dead, there are no bandits on the plain.

"The Chen family hasn't made any moves. They've been fighting with Bai Qingdong for a long time. Chen Weiyuan has been silent, so the Zhu family is ready to make a move."

"Everything still depends on how the Chen family's birthday party expresses its stance. However, since we are in decline, we should first share what we have and help each other secretly. By the time you and I establish our foundation, we won't be at the mercy of others."

Xu Xuan calculated the gains and losses. The Zhu family was powerful, but the various families and factions in Dajingyuan were not to be trifled with. It was only a demon disaster that year that gave the Zhu family the opportunity to annex them.

Although Chen Weiyuan’s reputation is protecting Dachiguan now, how long can it last?
If the Zhu family unified Dajingyuan, Dachiguan would probably become their lackey. It was better to make plans early, so he immediately agreed to Liu Qiuci's suggestion.

The two discussed some minor details and roughly decided on a rule of mutual assistance. The specific follow-up will be determined after Chen Weiyuan's birthday.

As for the [Mother Earth's Kindness Pearl], Xu Xuan still did not take it for free. He took the [Red-veined Flint] in exchange for it. However, the [Mother Earth's Kindness Pearl] was estimated to cost forty medium-grade spirit stones. It was equivalent to Liu Qiuci letting Xu Xuan take advantage of it as a sign of friendship.

After walking out of the ghost market along the winding tunnel, the sky was bright and the noisy sounds around seemed to bring Xu Xuan back to the world. The conspiracy just now seemed like a dream.

He had no extra money to buy anything else, and spending money on a spiritual item for foundation building was already painful for him.

Xu Xuan kept his eyes straight ahead all the way, not even glancing at the many magical instruments, talismans and elixirs on the stall, for fear that some ignorant person would let him, the temple master, do him the honor of taking a look.

After leaving Qinglifang, he rode the wind all the way back to Tianqing Peak.

Liu Xiaowen was waiting in front of the Juzhen Palace, wearing the [Fire Tiger Fang] on his waist. He stood outside the palace, pacing constantly and muttering something. When he saw Xu Xuan coming back, he hurried forward to salute.

"What's the matter? Have you encountered a problem in your cultivation?"

Xu Xuan was somewhat delighted. Although this disciple was young and somewhat wild, he did not expect that he would come to his house today to ask for advice on cultivation.

Liu Xiaowen was slightly startled. He came here for other things and did not expect his master to ask questions first. So he had no choice but to tell his doubts one by one and let Xu Xuan solve them.

Two hours had passed just by explaining some key points of circulating spiritual energy and casting spells.

After finishing his speech, Liu Xiaowen hurriedly bowed to Xu Xuan and said bluntly:
"I want to go back to Baigang and see my relatives."

Xu Xuan had not expected this. Liu Xiaowen had gone into the mountains to practice and had not returned home for three years. However, Xu Xuan asked Liu Fanhe to take good care of Liu Shengshui and also gave him some longevity pills. It seemed that Liu Shengshui was in good condition.

"Before you go, go to the Zushi Hall first and burn some incense with me."

Xu Xuan closed the bamboo slips in his hand and asked Liu Xiaowen to take three golden incense sticks. The two of them followed the ancient mountain path and went up to the top of Tianqing Peak and entered the ancestral hall.

Xu Xuan lit the incense and kowtowed. Liu Xiaowen also had a solemn expression on his face at this time. He didn't dare to say much and followed suit.

There are tablets standing in the hall, as if the gaze of the ancestors is shining down, which makes people feel awe. The one in the front is Master Xu Xuan, Chong Yangzi.

"Da Chi Guan Chong Yang Zi, Wen Fu Feng's position."

The tablet is made of chestnut wood, with a square base and a height of about one foot and two inches. The handwriting on it is sharp and has a sinister sword-like aura. It was exactly what Xu Xuan had carved back then.

The faint aroma made the hall seem even more gloomy and desolate. Xu Xuan was lost in thought, staring blankly at the dark tablet. How old was he when he went up the mountain? Just twelve?
Baigang Village had just experienced a blessed snowfall at that time, and every household was bustling with activity. Some were laughing, celebrating the New Year, setting up banquets to celebrate the destruction of the Demon Sect, and looking forward to the good days to come.

Someone was crying. Many corpses that were no longer human were sent back from Fuxue Mountain, including those of men, women, and children, which dyed the white snow on the ground crimson.

An elderly man held his son's head, wiping his eyebrows and eyes bit by bit. The features on his dark red face seemed to be twisted together. He could not shed tears, but only gasped from his mouth, like a dying buffalo. The child was trapped in front of his parents' bodies, crying hoarsely, like a stray cub, asking the adults to take him away and not daring to let them look at him for too long.

Xu Xuan was twelve years old at that time, with his hands full of frostbite, and he was helping others transport corpses.

The joys and sorrows of the village seemed to have nothing to do with him. The snow was falling heavily, and he was wondering whether to spend the snowy night in his own thatched hut, or to shamelessly stay at someone else's house?

The crowd suddenly parted, and the sound of respectful kowtows continued. Xu Xuan was so hungry that he was dizzy and had no idea what was going on.

Someone held his chilblained hand, which was very warm, like a stove.

"What is your name?"

The sound was like the whistling of a snowy wind, as if it came from the clouds.

"Xu Xuan."

"That's a good name. Follow me and practice from now on."

The Taoist in front of him was wearing a black robe with fire cloud patterns on it. He carried an octagonal ancient sword made of white jade on his back. His long eyebrows were stained with snow, and there was a slight smile on his clumsy face.

Liu Xiaowen's voice interrupted Xu Xuan's thoughts. After they burned incense and returned to Juzhen Hall, Xu Xuan allowed his disciple three days to visit Baigang Village.

The Juzhen Palace is tall and spacious, with abundant spiritual energy. It has always been the place where the head of the Dachi Temple practices. Xu Xuan didn't think much of it when he was in seclusion. Just now, when Liu Xiao came over to listen to the lecture, it was quite lively, but now it feels deserted.

"Cultivating immortality, a person in the mountains becomes an immortal. When one reaches the end of their practice, does that mean they have truly cut off all ties with the mundane world and abandoned all worldly ties?"

Xu Xuan felt that these things were too mysterious and he couldn't figure them out. Now he should concentrate on practicing and build his foundation as soon as possible.

The sixth stage of Qi training is called "Stepping on the Mysterious Gate". This step is to refine the natal objects, replenish the "life essence", collect minor medicinal materials, and imitate nature with the human body. The ancients once said: "If someone knows the true lead and mercury, he will be an immortal."

You must know that lead is life and mercury is nature. If you don’t cultivate life and nature, how can you seek the elixir?
Before the sixth level of Qi training, it is just a process of accumulating magic power and strengthening the foundation. If you want to break through to the sixth level, you must cultivate the [Life Source] and use the spiritual objects of heaven and earth for your own benefit.

As for breaking through the foundation, one needs to have a full [sexual root] and good luck. Xu Xuan did not understand the key to this, but his master had said that Xu Xuan did have some good luck, and when he broke through, there would be incense in the ancestral hall, so there was no need to worry.

It was just the matter of [Life Source] that made Xu Xuan a little worried. He was not practicing the true martial arts of the temple, the fourth-grade "Heavenly Fire Eternal Light Sutra", but the third-grade "Zhenyao Questioning Soul Method".

The "Heavenly Fire Eternal Light Sutra" in the temple is a bit incomplete, and the part about seeking life is not fully recorded. Although this technique is powerful, it requires one's own destiny to fill the gap after breaking through the Qi Refining stage. If this part is missing, one will never make any progress in his life and can only stay in the first or second level of Qi Refining.

Wen Fufeng of the previous generation, and Liu Xiaowen of this generation, both had a connection with this technique, which gave them the opportunity to fill in the gaps and break through to the foundation. Everyone can practice the techniques of the world, but some people are more closely connected to a certain sect and are better at practicing it.

Perhaps because of the ancient seal script, Xu Xuan chose thunder magic.

When refining Qi in the Zhenyao Questioning Spirit Method, one needs to draw on the [Heavenly Thunder Qi]. During the Jingzhe season, when spring thunder begins to sound, one should set up an altar and pray. Repeat this nine times to obtain this wisp of Qi.

When one reaches the sixth level of Qi Refining, one must transform Qi into life, and then use the method to form the [Life Source]. The method of forming life in the "Zhen Yao Wen Ling Method" is to create a thunderstorm, enter the clouds and absorb the thunder into the body.

This method was too violent, and Xu Xuan frowned. Even though he had reached the fifth level of Qi training and had profound magical powers, if he tried to withstand the heavenly thunder, he would probably end up either dead or injured.

"No wonder this technique is so powerful, yet no one in the temple practices it."

Xu Xuan silently estimated that the mystery of this thunder method was not inferior to the "Heavenly Fire Eternal Light Sutra", but it was difficult to practice and lacked many secret techniques, so it was reduced to the third grade. It should have been a fourth-grade inheritance.

Suddenly, an urgent cry was heard outside the hall, and a woman rushed in hurriedly. She was wearing a green silk skirt, with a slender waist and a slim figure. She was slightly angry, her breathing was unstable, and she was injured.

Her eyes, like autumn lakes, were now in ripples, like a frightened white deer in the mountains.

It was Wen Fufeng's orphan daughter, Wen Sian, who was also Xu Xuan's junior sister. She was now in charge of the elixirs in Changming Mountain and had not returned to Luo Qingshan for a long time.

Seeing that the other party seemed to be injured in a fight, Xu Xuan quickly stood up and was about to ask.

Wen Sian spoke first, her beautiful eyes filled with anger as she said:
"Master, the Black Wind Valley has sent people to attack again."

Xu Xuan said little, silently summoning [Dan Ting] from his Qi Sea, with tiny flashes of lightning and a faint dragon roar.

(End of this chapter)