Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 488 The Golden Man
The majestic immortal peaks rise straight into the sky, shrouded in a purple mist, like smoke and gauze.

This peak is located on the sunny side of the Earth Lung Mountain, where the mist is thin and the mountain is often bathed in sunlight. The mountain is covered with pines, cypresses and bamboos, a lush green expanse, and the spiritual energy is so rich that it condenses into dewdrops that fall among the grass and trees.

The palaces and pavilions are arranged along the mountainside, ancient and mysterious, clearly not the work of a single generation. The cultivators who come and go are all dressed in purple, some eating the clouds and wearing the dew, others drawing water and fire, and their every move exudes the style of ancient immortals.

Hidden deep within Xu Xuan's inner world, Tian Tuo secretly used magic to observe the scenery within the Earthly Lung Mountain and couldn't help but admire it.

“The Zhou Temple and Xia Temple, along with the Fengguan Tower, are the ancient lineage of the Xuanmen sect, with a long and rich history. They are incomparable to the superficial and frivolous Taoist sects of today. For example, your mountain gate has the air of a small family.”

"Be quiet."

Xu Xuan ignored the old demon and looked around at the scenery, feeling somewhat surprised.

He had traveled to Taiping Immortal Mountain before, but now, after carefully observing the scenic wonderland, he felt that its spiritual beauty was even greater and its Taoist charm even stronger. It was indeed a transformation of the blessed land of the past.

Wei Shuang carried Xu Xuan on the wind, traveling through the clouds. The cultivators they encountered along the way, whether they were Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivators, all had a calm and respectful demeanor. Although they respected the Purple Mansion True Person, they did not show the timidity that ordinary lower-level cultivators usually do.

"The immortal path of Louguan originated in the Zhou Dynasty."

Wei Shuang's clear voice rang out in the mountains, transforming into wind and snow.

"The patriarch was originally the garrison commander of Tianshui. When Taiqing appeared in the world, he was given the Daode Xianjing and the wondrous methods of the Purple Jade. King Zhou admired the Xuantong and ordered the construction of temples and monasteries, widely recruiting reclusive scholars to enter the mountains and become Taoist priests, which has continued to this day."

'Also from Taiqing.'

Xu Xuan was startled; this might be the reason why the Taiqing Immortal Stele was responding.

Now that they have entered this spiritual peak in the mountains, the feeling is becoming stronger, but they cannot determine the direction. It seems to be coming from all directions.

Wei Shuang was unaware of Xu Xuan's thoughts; when he spoke of these matters, his tone became somewhat turbulent.

“When I was young, I followed Senior Guan Quan into the mountains to cultivate. Senior Guan once wanted to include me in the Taoist genealogy, but I only wanted to restore the glory of Shuangmei in this life, so I declined the offer.”

"Indeed, it is an ancient and profound path of immortality." Xu Xuan was filled with longing and asked, "Has it ever produced a great person who attained the True Fruit of Purple Qi?"

Wei Shuang's expression faltered slightly, and after a moment, she said solemnly:
"The leader of the Daoist sect cultivated the Xuan Tong, and was honored with the title [Bo Qing]. He was known as Master Yin. It is said that he attained a position on the Xuan Qi. The Louguan Dao was established by King Zhou based on his legacy, and was not personally transmitted by Master Yin."

"When Fengdai arrives, the purple aura will be at its peak, and the True Lord of the Purple Edict will be born, attaining the true nature of the purple qi. He will also become the main lineage of the mountain today. As for the profound immortal techniques passed down by Ancestor Yin..."

He sighed softly, "Aside from a few fragments about observing the stars and cultivating one's character, they are all now lost to the mists of time."

At this moment, Tian Tuo suddenly spoke up, secretly transmitting his voice with a sigh.

“I have some knowledge of the mysteries of this path. The Shaoyang lineage focuses on the dual cultivation of nature and life. The wonderful method passed down by this Mr. Yin is to enter life from nature, or to enter nature from life, ultimately achieving both. Its subtlety and mystery far surpass that of the current world’s demon-repelling methods, and it is extremely difficult to comprehend.”

Xu Xuan silently kept this in mind. From this perspective, the origin of this path was no less noble than that of the Immortal Sect, but it had simply declined.

What kind of lineage is Donghua? It is the source of the Zijin Dharma Gate in this world. The fact that this Dharma Gate can be mentioned by Tian Tuo at the same time shows how profound it is.

At the summit, a solitary, emerald-green tower stands high into the clouds, bathed in countless rays of light and surrounded by purple mist. Occasionally, purple phoenixes and blue kites flutter around the tower, perching on its flying eaves and basking peacefully in the purple glow and gentle breeze.

The two descended on the wind and arrived at the white jade steps in front of the Xuanlou. The green wooden door was wide open, with a golden plaque hanging above it, inscribed with the two characters "Wen Shi".

On either side of the jade pillars are inscribed couplets in gold characters, arranged on the left and right: "Admire morality, follow the immortals of our lineage" and "Follow the myriad wonders, find the ultimate truth."

Stepping into the building and ascending the steps, one arrives at a quiet and elegant room. Inside, purple mist surges and swirls, suddenly coalescing into a phantom-like human figure—the very appearance of Guan Quan Zhenren.

"Fellow Daoist Xu."

Guan Quan spoke, his voice slightly solemn. He was currently manifesting here, but his true form was not yet complete and could not be seen by others. He could only use his supernatural powers to condense a phantom.

From the moment Xu Xuan entered the mountain, he had clearly seen the sword immortal's injuries. A look of surprise appeared in his eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he simply asked:
"Fellow Daoist, please take a seat. How did you suffer such severe injuries?"

He already had a guess in his heart. It was just that the aura of that Ding Fire was too conspicuous, sinister and violent, burning away one's lifespan. Where else in the world could one look for it besides the Fuchen Immortal Sect?

The first calamity is the Thunder God, which is considered the "First Calamity". The Fire God follows closely behind, which is the "Second Calamity".

If an ordinary cultivator were to encounter this Yin Fire, even if they were lucky enough to survive, without some means of avoiding or removing it, they would suffer for the rest of their lives until death, tormented day and night, enough to make all cultivators turn pale at the mere mention of it.

Xu Xuan sat down with Wei Shuang. He looked somewhat emaciated with a head full of white hair, but otherwise appeared normal.

However, his true physical body no longer contained flesh and blood; it was only by suppressing the Yin Fire with lightning that he could barely maintain his form.

It can be said that he is fortunate that he can still walk outside and that his physical body has not collapsed and his true spirit has escaped. Even the real Guan Quan had never seen such a situation in his life.

"I have been struck by Fu Chen's [Heavenly Decline Yin Candle]."

Xu Xuan's tone was solemn, and as soon as he said this, the room fell into a deathly silence. Wei Shuang and Guan Quan exchanged glances, both somewhat astonished.

"Fellow Daoist Xu is in a worse situation than me. That Bao Yi Temple has been bothering me for a long time, and only last time did they almost suppress me by using the cave heaven. But Fellow Daoist Xu..."

Wei Shuang was shocked. He had only been away from Xu Xuan for a few days, and such a change had occurred.

What is the [Heavenly Decay Yin Candle]? It is modeled after a celestial artifact, containing the Yin Metal element within. It has been blessed by a True Lord and has a notorious reputation. Countless prodigies have been burned to death by it. Once struck, most of them end up with their bodies and souls destroyed.

Although Xu Xuan is currently in extremely poor condition, compared to those who have suffered from the [Heavenly Decline and Life Extinction] and the [Yin Fire Burning Body Tribulation] in the past, he can be considered to be lively and energetic.

Guan Quan, who was standing to the side, remained silent. Xu Xuan seized the opportunity to ask:
"The Louguan Immortal Path has a long history. I wonder if they have a technique to reshape the physical body. In my current state, I can't even use my supernatural powers, so I have no choice but to come and ask for an audience with you, senior."

'So that's what it was about.'

Guan Quan immediately understood the other party's intention. Shaping a body is neither difficult nor easy. If one has spiritual objects and time, as long as one spends some time and effort and blesses it every day, one can also reshape the body.

A simpler method is to consume blood essence, preferably from the human element. This will naturally bring down divine power, rapidly repairing the physical body. Many people secretly use this method within their Purple Mansion.

However, these methods always have some flaws and are not as good as the body-shaping methods that have been truly passed down. Guan Quan is repairing his body using the sect's secret methods, which is why it has taken so long.

"In the art of body shaping, Yin and Yang are based on 'Lesser Yang' and 'Greater Yin,' the Five Virtues are based on 'Primordial Wood' and 'Subdued Earth,' and the various Qi are utilized through 'Pure Qi' and 'Blood Qi.' My Dao's body shaping technique belongs precisely to the wondrous method of 'Pure Qi.'"

When Guan Quan spoke of this matter, the figure formed from purple smoke appeared even more mystical.

"Pure Qi has the wonder of supporting life and nourishing the body, and it is suitable for all paths. In the past, there was a True Man named Changqing in our path who cultivated Pure Qi. He comprehended the mystery of Pure Qi and wrote a book called 'The Art of Emptying the Embryo with Pure Qi'. I also rely on the miraculous effect of this art to reshape my body this time."

"May I ask how profound its mysteries are?"

Xu Xuan's eyes brightened slightly. Since Guan Quan had chosen this spell, it must be quite good.

"This technique draws upon the pure and ethereal winds of the heavens to cleanse the damaged body, causing it to regenerate its own bones and blood, as if it were being reborn in the womb. The resulting body is no different from the original body. It was created specifically for healing and reshaping the body. Although it is not as powerful as the Taiyin Refining Form, which can transform the body, it is still quite useful."

Guan Quan explained in detail, and Xu Xuan was quite satisfied with the effect, saying only:

"I wonder if it is possible to exchange it for something from your esteemed path?"

"The Sword Immortal previously sent me a [Purple Enclosure Pure Stone] and protected my descendants in the cave. I have not yet thanked him. This scroll of magic is nothing. Just take it."

Guan Quan smiled slightly, then took out a jade slip surrounded by a gentle breeze and handed it to Xu Xuan.

The 【Qingyi Kongtai Technique】is a wondrous technique of the Pure Qi path. It has no rank; it uses Pure Qi to generate bone and blood, and then uses suitable spiritual objects to transform and reshape the physical body, ensuring its uprightness and longevity, without falling behind or suffering.

"How long will this technique take?"

When Xu Xuan asked about this matter, he already had some guesses in his mind. Judging from Guan Quan's state of not yet having a complete Dharma body, it must have taken a very long time.

Guan Quan, standing to the side, looked somewhat hesitant and only replied:

"Leaving aside the remaining injuries in your body, fellow Daoist, the fact that your flesh and blood have been completely destroyed while your inner vision remains is far better than my initial state of only having your true spirit left. However, it will still take eight or nine years. To achieve perfection, you will need a celestial thunder item." "As for the yin fire and declining lifespan in your body, using the first calamity of the celestial thunder to wear them down, supplemented by elixirs and spiritual grounds for conditioning, should allow you to recover within a year. From now on, it will probably take ten years in total."

This mid-stage True Person of the Purple Qi Dao has extensive knowledge, and even now he is making a conservative estimate: if other Daoist lineages were to suffer from this Yin Fire, and were not of the Guihan Water, their situation would probably be even worse.

In other words, She Lei was able to suppress Ding Huo by virtue of the power of the first calamity in the past and with the blessing of the Heavenly Law; otherwise, Xu Xuan's injuries would have been even more serious.

Before Xu Xuan could reply, Tian Tuo couldn't wait any longer and started shouting, his voice full of dissatisfaction.

"It's too slow. It shouldn't take long for you to wear down the Yin Fire and your lifespan, but the work of shaping the Dharma body can only be done little by little. This method of purifying Qi must be generated naturally. Although there are no hidden dangers, it still takes too long."

"The core imperial palace within that grotto-heaven will likely be breached within one or two years. How can we let this opportunity slip by?"

What he said was also what Xu Xuan was thinking. In any case, this cave was of great importance. If planned properly, it could almost pave the way for him to cultivate to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm. If he were to heal his injuries at this time, he would be in serious trouble.
"I wonder if there are any other methods to quickly reshape the physical body?"

Xu Xuan asked in a deep voice, if the Louguan sect also had no solution, then he would probably have to ask Master Wanjin again. However, doing so would only increase the karmic debt owed to Taizhen.

This kind of immortal sect is definitely not compassionate. They believe in repaying debts. They have borrowed a sword for ten thousand gold coins, and they will surely have to repay this karmic debt in the future.

Louguan Dao is different. This Guan Quan Zhenren is upright and will not use this to blackmail anyone. Fortunately, he has the Purple Qi Spirit Stone and the favor of saving Wei Shuang.

"That's a bit difficult."

Guan Quan was also in a dilemma. The body-shaping method of the Pure Qi Path could be described as harmless and cost very little, but it required a lot of time and effort.

Seeing that the other party had no other way, Xu Xuan's mind became a little heavy, and he only wanted to go elsewhere to look for another way.

Wei Shuang seemed to have made up her mind at this moment, and said in a deep voice:
"It's not like there's no way, senior. Isn't that golden statue still there?"

Upon hearing this, Guan Quan's eyes brightened slightly, but he hesitated again, only saying:
"Take this sword immortal to [Ciyang Slope] first. If the item is usable, try it. If it is not usable, do not force it, lest you aggravate his injuries."

The two spoke with a hint of mystery, which piqued Xu Xuan's curiosity. Wei Shuang, having risen and received instructions from Guan Quan, simply said:

"Please follow me, Fellow Daoist Xu."

As the wind and snow broke through the void, Wei Shuang led Xu Xuan away from the Earth's core after bidding farewell to Guan Quan. They headed north and saw endless stretches of yellow earth, piled up in countless layers to form a high slope. Below, heavy dark energy clung to the slope, where no vegetation grew.

Below the slope is a cave supported by ebony and filled with silver. A faint, autumnal golden light flickers within, making one's heart race.

Inside the cave, mercury formed clouds that lingered for a long time, while gusts of autumn wind blew by.

Xu Xuan followed Wei Shuang inside and saw a white gold throne with a sun pattern, upon which stood a golden bronze statue.

The statue is entirely dark gold in color, about three zhang tall, with no facial features, a lithe and agile body, sitting with his hand on a sword, and the chest is carved with the Great Sun God Crow pattern. The aura of hidden gold and gathering troops fills the space.

This golden figure appears to have been recast and repaired, its body mottled with gold and bronze, a mixture of old and new, with layers of mercury clouds swirling above it.

Beside it stands a stele, cast in platinum, inscribed with the words: "Nourishing the body to dispel calamities, the Golden Prosperous Daoist lineage is offered to the Immortal Dynasty."

"So that's what it is."

Tian Tuosheng was surprised, as if he recognized the origin of the object before him. Xu Xuan glanced at it briefly and knew that the object was related to the Xia Dynasty.

"This is?"

He looked at Wei Shuang beside him, and saw that this Purple Mansion of the Cold Yin Sect was smiling, urging his magic power to gradually revive the golden figure and shake off the mercury clouds around it.

"The Great Xia Golden Man".

Wei Shuang said solemnly:
“In the past, when the Xia Dynasty was established, the Divine Emperor ascended the throne and unified the world. In order to eliminate rebellion, he ordered the three metal elements of Geng, Dui, and Zang to offer up gold artifacts and cast twelve golden figures according to the Dharma Body, so that the Divine Emperor could bring peace to the world and there would be no more signs of rebellion.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan already had a guess in mind and asked:

"Is this golden statue from the past?"

"Indeed, this [Treasure-Nourishing Golden Man] was presented by the ancient Jin Fan Dao lineage. Based on the [Treasure-Nourishing Calamity-Dispelling Dharma Body], it was originally a secret treasure of the Xia Dynasty. It can move on its own and suppress the four directions. When it was at its peak, it was comparable to a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator who possessed gold."

"However, this item was once obtained and bestowed by the Imperial Palace, but it was broken and completely destroyed. It was reforged by the Changqing True Man in the mountains with his profound Taoist skills, but it is only in its original form and is no longer the same as before. It can only be considered a rare spiritual artifact."

Wei Shuang looked somewhat regretful, "If it were summer, this golden man, when fully activated, would be as tall as a mountain, and its power would be astonishing."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan was slightly startled. According to Wei Shuang, since there were twelve golden figures, wouldn't that mean there were twelve late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators of Golden Virtue at any time, and that these golden figures might even have existed for much longer than the real people?

"I wonder what use this golden figure is for treating injuries?"

Wei Shuang then explained in detail, and said with a smile:
"The gold treasure is gold that is collected and preserved. It is both a treasury and an armory. It is one of the few gold virtues that has the property of avoiding disasters. This [Gold Treasure Man] is used for this purpose."

"This golden man, though it once possessed intelligence, was not entirely complete. It also served to entrust the life of a cultivator, allowing even a low-level cultivator to wield this artifact to suppress a region. Although it no longer possesses such divine power, it can still serve as a spiritual body to avert calamities, so it still has this function."

As she spoke, Wei Shuang looked at Xu Xuan, hesitated for a moment, and then said:

"If you can master this item, it will not only be beneficial to the recovery of your injuries, but it can also serve as a substitute for your physical body. At that time, you will not have to worry about the cave heaven, and it can even speed up the reconstruction of your physical body."

"However, this thing was passed down by the former Emperor Zhu Ci, and it has some of the power of the Sun Emperor. Even though it has been broken and reforged and has lost its divine power, it still rejects people outside of the Golden Crow."

Xu Xuan followed Wei Shuang's voice and looked in the direction indicated. He then stood before the golden figure, examined it for a moment, and said:

"Fellow Daoist, you only need to tell me how to control it, and I will know what to do."

"Alright, you only need to make contact with your mind. Fellow Daoist Xu, be careful of the backlash. Many true masters of Louguan Dao throughout the ages have tried to use this artifact, but few have succeeded. If you can't hold on, remember to call me."

As soon as Wei Shuang finished speaking, Xu Xuan's spiritual sense landed on the golden figure. The two made contact, and a burst of golden light shone brightly.

Xu Xuan's third eye suddenly opened, and the light of the sun shone brightly, transforming into a golden crow that descended upon the world. Under the golden radiance of the sun, the mottled body of this golden man regained its brilliance.

His life was gradually falling into it, a feeling that reminded him of the time when he was transferred to the dragon's body, and now he was merging into this golden man along with his physical body.

As the faint oppressive force of the sun dissipated, with the spiritual light between his brows, the [Golden Man of Treasure Nourishment] perfectly accepted Xu Xuan, causing Wei Shuang, who was standing to the side, to be slightly taken aback.

'He possesses items left behind by Emperor Zhu Ci.'

Wei Shuang had tried to use this golden statue before, but it was all repelled by the golden rays of the sun. At that time, Guan Quan even sighed:

"If we have something of Zhu Ci's, perhaps we can gain recognition."

Now he can confirm that the sun-like aura between Xu Jianxian's eyebrows is the very same aura passed down by the former Emperor Zhu Ci, corresponding to the position of [Kunyu].

As the sun and the light of the hidden gold dissipated, Xu Xuan slowly appeared, having perfectly merged with the golden figure. The hidden gold's function of storing and maintaining energy manifested, allowing his physical body to gradually stabilize, and his supernatural powers to operate freely at this moment!
Silver and dark lightning crisscrossed his body, transforming into lightning swords that slashed away the Yin Fire and the Decay of Life, causing his injuries to gradually show signs of recovery.

'The injuries are gradually healing, but the damaged lifespan remains unchanged.'

Xu Xuan has now truly experienced the viciousness of the burning longevity spell. Even the White-Robed Dragon King of the North Sea was helpless against it, and even with his current divine powers of thunder and the Great Xia Golden Man, he is still unable to recover.

"What a wondrous golden body!"

Xu Xuan couldn't help but admire it. This golden man that nurtured treasures was perfectly integrated with his life. Even though it was somewhat sluggish, the golden body also possessed other wonders, such as being able to melt sharp blades and resist water and fire.

He can still activate his supernatural powers and unleash his sword intent as usual, almost no different from when he was in human form. He can slowly reshape his physical body with pure Qi.

Looking at the scene before her, Wei Shuang felt a surge of emotions.

'They get along so well; this golden statue that nurtures treasures seems to have been made just for him.'

(End of this chapter)