New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 168 Freebie! Seven Free Extraordinary Inheritances Given Away Just for Taking a Ride
The chanting coming from the mist grew weaker and weaker.

Finally, it turned back into a cacophony of wailing, or a moving chant, a plea filled with fear... Only then did Yuan Zhu, who was engrossed in studying, slightly awaken, and his eyes regained their light.

Looking at the passengers around me, I saw that more than a dozen people had been tied up by the muscular flight attendant who moved with incredible speed. The willow branches she was using to peel the bark were deformed from being whipped, but the people's faces only showed relief.

It's hard to imagine how much hardship an ordinary person would have to endure to travel between Running and Taixi. No wonder many people around me, from childhood to adulthood, rarely returned to Running after going to Taixi.

I used to think that these people were materialistic and looked down on their rustic hometowns after seeing the extravagance and prosperity of big cities.

Looking back now, those hard-working laborers who toil all year without saving a single penny could go bankrupt just from the mental pollution they experience while taking a bus home, plus the medical expenses for internal injuries from being beaten by the bus crew.

Blocking out the constant background noise, Yuan Zhu leaned back in his chair and fell into deep thought.

At this moment, the bus entered another mountain cavity for its third stop. Passengers, who had been under constant mental pressure, relaxed in this rare 'sheltered space' and got off the bus to replenish their supplies and relieve stress (by defecating).

Yuan Zhu closed his eyes to rest, having lost interest in these recurring 'cavity caves'. At this moment, he focused all his energy on the 'knowledge' he had gathered during his journey.

This journey can be divided into four segments according to the map. From Running to the first stop, the 'mental pollution' increases continuously, and we officially enter the depths of the [Misty Mountains].

From the first stop to the second, and now to the third, the intensity of mental pollution has continued to rise and then fall. In both of these phases, he has transcended meaningless 'noise' and heard valuable 'knowledge'.

The difference is that the 'knowledge transmission' in the second stage is in an accelerated phase, and he has to use [Soul Crystal] to clear the garbage cache every 15 minutes; the transmission speed in the third stage is in a decelerated state, and less and less useful information can be heard.

On the next journey, the bus will gradually leave the Misty Mountains, officially enter the west coast, and slowly head south to reach the most prosperous port city in the New World, Taixi.

Yuan Zhu asked Snake in the spiritual world, "How's the screening going?"

"I'm about to throw up! All you've been hearing are jumbled fragments of information, nonsensical and utterly illogical. Some are incomprehensible scripture passages, others are 'secret pronouncements' offered to different deities. There's even an ancient 'steam tractor' maintenance manual, a fragmented 1/6th generation swordsman's secret sword..."

Little Spicy Strip complained, "I can now assert that countless fragments of souls and memories are mixed into the mist of this Misty Mountains. Those weak, insignificant, and worthless 'soul memory fragments' will be naturally erased in the mist."

“Those things related to ‘extraordinary phenomena’ inherently carry the aura of ‘pollution’ and are difficult to erase. Like the sand and gravel in the ocean and rivers, they are constantly polished into tiny particles that mix into the ‘sounds’ you hear. Ordinary people with too low a spiritual attitude will only be eroded by the pollution surrounding the sand and gravel; while a sufficiently compatible or powerful spirit can accept and interpret it.”

"But the problem is that the mist in the Misty Mountains is like a vast ocean, containing too many and too chaotic grains of sand, making it extremely difficult to sift out content that fits together. Moreover, the more grains of sand and the more complete the content, the greater the value. I eliminated worthless knowledge and scriptures that did not yet show potential... and only collected truly useful 'extraordinary knowledge,' totaling 62 pieces!"

Hearing this, Yuan Zhu, who had been acting as a tool throughout, listening to the voice of the fog with his brain, deleting and clearing it, and then continuing to instill it... finally showed the satisfied smile unique to an old farmer harvesting autumn.

His arduous journey was worthwhile; he was so numb from listening to voices that even the constant 'holy light' emanating from the [Soul Crystal] couldn't bring him any warmth. It was like watching porn all night and then feeling only boredom and numbness towards a pretty older woman striking a seductive pose.

"A good haul."

Spicy Strips didn't take it seriously: "It looks like there's a lot, but most of it is garbage and completely useless. The missing [Sword Cultivation Sword Techniques], the [Blood Wheel Martial Arts] that I've never encountered before, the basic [Four Symbols Instrument] to lay out, the maintenance of the [Steam Totem], the purification of [Elemental Water]... It's very helpful for gathering information for the [Great Wilderness Immortal Scripture] and gaining a deeper understanding of the Spirit World, but it doesn't do much to improve strength."

"Among these, the recipe for that [soap] has been slightly improved. You need to enter the [Spirit Realm] to find and hunt a magical creature called the [Oil Carbon Giant Rat] for processing and refining. This species was once numerous, but for some unknown reason, it suddenly disappeared and became a rare species. The knowledge that has been improved includes the secret knowledge of building special structures that can be used for large-scale centralized breeding to increase production."

Yuan Zhu raised an eyebrow: "That sounds a bit like hell. Is there also a 'bathroom module' to keep the breeding room clean and humid?"

Spicy Strips was taken aback: "We haven't collected them, but among the known architectural blueprints, there seems to be a missing piece of the puzzle? [Bathroom], a very reasonable configuration."

Yuan Zhu: Then there must also be a 'stove' used to keep the breeding room warm, right?

"Besides this, is there any other knowledge that can be used?"

Spicy Strips nodded: "Yes, yes, among them, I personally think the most valuable is a [Sacrifice Knowledge]!"

Yuan Zhu asked in confusion, "Knowledge of sacrifice?"

"Yes, do you remember how we got here?"

"Time travel! What else could it be... um?" Yuan Zhu suddenly perked up and quickly asked, "You mean that 'Pinduoduo Evil God Sacrifice Ritual' that we were bound to [Shadow Contamination]?"

Spicy Strip excitedly said, "Yes! It's that ritual! What a coincidence! The 'ritual steps' used by the vice leader who provided technical support came from this Misty Mountains! I reconstructed this 'ritual' from the knowledge you heard from me, and it's more complete than the 'sacrifice ritual' we experienced!"

Thinking about his experience of time travel, he suddenly felt a sense of 'cause and effect, destiny', and quickly asked, "Tell me in detail!"

"When you woke up, I used your 'vision + memory' to record the magic circle and offerings of the sacrificial ritual... This time, the 'mist knowledge' we collected contains related information. Your soul is resilient and powerful, with a higher capacity to bear the burden, and you have acquired more knowledge, perfectly covering the 'crime scene' in your memory. The knowledge you gained is more complete than that of the vice-leader who died from the backlash!"

"The reason that sacrifice turned into a Pinduoduo-like event was mainly due to the person involved's 'lack of knowledge'—the inability to fill the gaps. However, within a relatively safe range, they managed to unleash their talent, creating a 'Pinduoduo sacrifice,' and it didn't back down even after several attempts, until you, this jinx, you." "The greatest value of this 'sacrifice ritual' we've summarized lies in its [location]! It allows for concealed and precise location-based contact with specific gods and demons in the [Spirit Realm] in the real world, and uses the power of the 'ritual' to weaken the barrier between the two realms, establishing a spiritual connection, summoning divine power, and sacrificing items for teleportation. If we continue to optimize and modify it, I believe we could go even further, connecting the world of the [Nightmare Bubble Layer] and the gods and demons residing within!"

Yuan Zhu understood immediately: "[Insect City]".

"Yes!"

Yuan Zhu: "Is there any other good news?"

Spicy Strips: "There is also some strange knowledge, somewhere between valuable and useless, but with room for cultivation. These include [Golden Rune, Buddha Maggot Incense, Starlight Guidance, Lunar Path Sublimation, Fire Extinguishing Ritual], whose uses are unknown. These are all relatively complete 'ritual knowledge' and do not require a pollution system as a prerequisite."

"That's great? You can learn it and use it right away?"

Spicy Strips: "The premise is that you must consume the corresponding 'knowledge' in order to skillfully utilize the power of these rituals with your mortal body."

Yuan Zhu: "Then what's the difference between this and accepting pollution and erosion?"

Little Spicy Strip: "Aside from the unknown hidden dangers to the soul, those who consume this 'knowledge' are still ordinary people, with no obvious traces of pollution in their bodies, and they can still learn new [extraordinary systems]. I have a feeling that this [active knowledge] is very suspicious. The 'knowledge' it contains should be mortal-level knowledge and technology that ordinary people can master without consuming it. It's just that after being processed by the pollution of the [mist], it becomes something that must be consumed to use."

"You mean, this 'active knowledge' has value in being deciphered? Without needing to take it or be tainted by the 'mystery of the fog,' as long as one resists the temptation to strengthen the spirit and soul, is it possible to use these 'rituals' in one's mortal body through learning and practice?"

Spicy Strips nodded: "Yes!"

Yuan Zhu: "Then could you explain the uses of these different types of knowledge?"

Spicy Strips expertly explained: "【Golden Rune】uses everyday high-purity gold, employing a gilding technique to draw a 'golden rune' onto the surface of an object, imbuing it with extraordinary power. It seems to be an application of the 【Golden Law】, but it has zero entry requirements, and the rune's function is unknown. 【Buddha Maggot Incense】is also incomplete, requiring a raw material called 'Buddha Maggot' to create an extraordinary incense. Inhaling it increases spirit and strengthens the soul. It's a very precious secret technique, with zero entry requirements."

"【Starlight Guidance】is about disregarding environmental limitations and setting up a ritual in any region where the 'concept of the starry sky' exists to guide the 'starlight' projected by nearby stars. The knowledge of related rituals is incomplete, and it is suspected to be from extraterrestrials, and is one of the means of supplementing food."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zhu immediately thought of the Eggplant Clan he had met in the [Little Red Realm], an alien race from the [Plant Universe] who had settled in the [Star Realm].

Having devoured a large number of 'Eggplant Clan', [Buddha Eggplant] possesses the ability to attract and absorb starlight. This simplified version of the [Starlight Attraction Ritual] perfectly matches his stereotype of 'plant-based aliens from the universe'!

Yuan Zhu: "If we can draw starlight, then it can be used to cultivate special 'extraordinary plants'? Perhaps it can also be used to assist the cultivation of 'loose immortals (plant-based)'?"

Little Spicy Strip: "I suggest you use 'Senior Sister Chen' as an experiment, give her the [Ritual], and let her bewitch the rogue immortals of the 'Dangerous Botany School' to bathe in starlight and ascend to immortality in a hundred days. [Moonlight Sublimation] is a cultivation ritual that, on the night of a full moon, uses the power of moonlight to infinitely elevate the spirit and escape into the [Sea of ​​Consciousness]."

"Judging from the fragmented records, this is a relatively primitive and ancient basic cultivation method from over a hundred years ago. In that era, those who focused on spiritual and soul cultivation regarded the [Moon Sea] as a destination similar to the 'Buddhist Other Shore.' The soul landing on the moon is like a mortal ascending to the celestial realm, where one can cultivate the [Great Yin Longevity and Body Refinement Method], transforming the Yin spirit into the Yang spirit. This [Moon Path Secret Ritual] is an ancient technique for landing on the moon."

Yuan Zhu: "I've learned something new, but the [Sanctuary] also has its own moon-landing techniques. This [Lunar Path Ritual] isn't very valuable."

Spicy Strips shook his head: "I don't think so. If you can launch the Soul Crystal to the moon using the Moon Path Technique, then you won't have to waste a 'Gate Opening' slot. You can open the Gate of Holy Light to other dimensions."

In Yuan Zhu's plan, he did not intend to join any other Holy Light faction. Instead, he planned to shift the Holy Light's 'inclination' toward the moon and explore the 'outer universe' of the Dulings, with his primordial spirit ascending to the moon!

But now, this retro and incomplete [Lunar Ritual] may be able to reach the moon ahead of schedule. Combined with the previously used [Buddha Maggot Incense] to nourish the soul, it has a flavor reminiscent of a treacherous pathological cultivation of 'Holy Light Immortal'. It's such a fantastic mix-and-match, so cool!
Yuan Zhu: "What about the final [fire extinguishing ceremony]?"

"This requires communicating with a deity called the [Burning King], using him as a constant core, and setting up a ritual. Within the scope of the ritual, all flames can be extinguished. Not only ordinary fire, but also various 'extraordinary flames' of varying intensities. The [Fire Extinguishing Ritual] does not extinguish the flames, but rather seals, restrains, and preserves them. There are still missing parts that cannot be filled in. All we know is that the [Fire Extinguishing Ritual] has a deeper purpose."

Upon hearing the name 'Burning King', the dormant memories of his predecessor came alive. He immersed himself in them, resonating with the recollections, and then a ripple of emotion arose: "Huh, so the owner of [Fang of Fire] is in this line of work."

He gradually recalled that the reason his predecessor took a part-time job as a garbage collector at [Fire Fang] was not only because this cleaning company offered a chance to come into contact with 'extraordinary powers', but also because he had a hidden motive: to become the boss's apprentice and learn about 'extraordinary powers' through him.

The boss had once worshipped an indescribable entity called "Burning King" in his private office. The worship scene was extremely eerie and was witnessed by the original owner of this body, but was quickly discovered by the boss. When caught, the original owner boldly begged the boss to impart his teachings, but was refused and instead had the memory of that event erased.

Before erasing his memories, the boss promised his predecessor that if he performed well, he would help him embark on the path of cultivation. He even hypocritically claimed that mortals who witnessed the 'fire worship ceremony' would suffer great harm and die a terrible death. Therefore, this memory had to be deleted, which was also a test.

Thus, although he lost his memory, his former self's sense of belonging and loyalty to the company increased significantly. He obeyed the boss's orders diligently, worked hard, and had a strong, inexplicable confidence in his ability to acquire 'supernatural power.' It was as if he could succeed in the next second!
"Damn! What a shameless and despicable tactic. Memories were erased, but deep subconscious traces remained. He missed his chance at transcendence, yet maintained a strong drive and confidence, firmly believing he could achieve the 'path to transcendence' within the company. So, he stubbornly went to the 'sacrifice ceremony' to offer himself up?!"

Although the boss did provide a very thoughtful letter of introduction from [Rain Academy], which helped him successfully obtain the [Holy Mark] and even come into contact with the hidden [Yellow Heaven Lineage] inheritance.

Even after restoring his 'memory backup,' Yuan Zhu was still annoyed. He planned to use the [Fire Extinguishing Ritual] to seal his boss away, have some fun with him, erase his memories, and make him work like a slave for him!
Spicy Strips: "This knowledge indirectly connects to different 'sources of pollution' through [rituals], and utilizes their corresponding powers relatively safely. But the key to unlocking them lies in 'active knowledge.' I think we can try to bypass it and restore the method that directly drives the [rituals] to produce effects."

Including the [Sacrifice Ritual] and [Oil, Carbon, and Soap], there are a total of seven sets of 'extraordinary knowledge' with zero barriers to entry and zero costs. This journey of sighs has already been incredibly profitable even before it has begun!
Yuan Zhu, whose mind was numb, felt incredibly satisfied at that moment.

(End of this chapter)