Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 948 Everyone gets what they need
The moon's shadow revolves in the sky, and a gentle breeze blows along the cliffside.

Chen Mu paused, put down his wine cup, and said solemnly, "The Biluo Chaosheng Pavilion that I inherited is the true lineage left behind by the Biluo Ancestor when he attained enlightenment."

"The Azure Sky Tide Pavilion? A lineage of True Immortals?!"

Fu Danian's eyes trembled violently, and he almost overturned the wine cup in his hand.

He had initially thought Chen Mu was an independent cultivator who inherited the ancient way of beast taming, so he had no choice but to travel far to this place to use the earth's veins to hatch a spirit pet.

But who would have thought that he was actually a successor of the True Immortal lineage, far surpassing even his own sect...

He glanced at the two female demons standing to the side, and then, remembering his earlier "hint," he suddenly blushed.

The Azure Tide Pavilion is not a lineage of beast taming; I was overthinking it.

Fu Danian's expression turned serious, and he said with utmost respect, "So you are a disciple of the Celestial Lord Biluo, no wonder, no wonder..."

Now that their master-disciple relationship was clear, the estrangement between the two eased somewhat. After exchanging drinks for a long time, he tried to ask, "I see that you came here to hatch a divine bird. Now that the spirit pet has appeared in the world, I wonder when you will leave?"

Chen Mu pondered. It was true that Lan Fu had emerged from the world, but his cultivation level was still low and he couldn't help him much. Therefore, he needed to help Lan Fu break through his cultivation level and should not travel around.

Furthermore, since he has not yet reached the pinnacle of his fourth level of profound understanding, he can use this time to hone his skills. As such, he will likely stay here for ten or eight years, or even twenty years.

He wasn't sure about the exact time, so he joked, "Fellow Daoist Fu, are you thinking of taking back Huiyan Mountain in a hurry?"

Fu Danian waved his hands repeatedly: "That's not it. Huiyan Mountain is now your territory, fellow Daoist. How to handle it is entirely up to you. I had no such intention. If this is offensive, please consider that I never asked..."

He was too busy trying to please Chen Mu to offend him over something as trivial as Huiyan Mountain.

Chen Mu naturally understood the reasoning behind this, since Huiyan Mountain was not exactly an indispensable paradise for them.

He smiled and said frankly, "There is nothing offensive about this. My purpose in coming here is not only to hatch spirit pets, but also to cultivate in seclusion. It may take eight or ten years, or even twenty or fifty years. I feel that I may leave at any time when the time comes."

Upon hearing this, Fu Danian was momentarily conflicted.

It's hard to say for sure. If Chen Mu really stays here for twenty or fifty years, it might be easier to persuade him to come out of seclusion.

But if, upon sensing the right moment, one departs before the appointed time for the discourse, then...

His heart tightened, and he completely forgot his senior brother's instructions to "take it slow" before he left. He suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly to Chen Mu: "Fellow Daoist Chen, I have a request."

Chen Mu also stood up, subtly avoiding the full curtsy, and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Fu, please speak freely."

Fu Danian's eyes were piercing: "To be honest, this visit is for the 'Fuyi Dao Discussion' twelve years from now. I would like to ask you to be here to help us at our temple."

Seeing the other party's puzzled expression, he quickly explained, "This is due to the grudges between Fusheng and the Liangyi Liangguan..."

He then recounted in detail the predicament of Qi Yunsu's sudden rise to power, leaving Fusheng Temple with no one to control her.

"If you, fellow Daoist, are to lend us your helping hand, our humble temple will spare no expense to repay your great kindness."

After a moment's thought, Chen Mu said softly, "Forgive my bluntness, but with a cultivator at the peak of the Dao attainment at Liangyi Temple, even if I were to agree, I fear it would be difficult to turn the tide."

He was always clear-headed. Although he was confident that he could compete with a mid-level True Monarch, the gap between him and a late-stage or even perfect cultivator would not be something that could be bridged by having a deep foundation.

"Fellow Daoist, you can rest assured about this."

Fu Danian solemnly said, "Old Qi can be dealt with by my two fellow disciples. If Fellow Daoist Chen were to make a move, he would at most be able to contend with the Liangyi Temple and the helpers they have invited. His realm would not exceed the 'Sitting in Oblivion' realm."

"Furthermore, my senior brother Yan has already gone to another realm and will try his best to recruit fellow practitioners. At that time, he may not be as numerous as the Liangyi Temple."

Chen Mu smiled slightly, raised his cup and took a sip: "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided in a few words. Fellow Daoist Fu, please allow me to consider it."

Fu Danian took this as an excuse, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He took a deep breath, his voice tinged with anxiety:

“Fellow Daoist, my Fusheng Sect also has some insights into the methods of cultivating spirit beasts. Although it cannot compare with your sect, it is more universal. With your abilities, you may be able to enable your divine birds to break through to the fourth rank within ten years.”

Chen Mu's eyes flickered slightly. This person had just made it clear that the Fusheng Temple's lineage did not discriminate based on one's true form, which clearly indicated that he indeed possessed this ability.

If we can really get their help, it might save a lot of time.

However, there is one point that must be considered: he already possessed the resources he had won from Gong Qingli, and Lan Fu had greatly benefited from consuming them. In comparison, his need for the cultivation methods of Fusheng Temple was not as great...

After he fell silent, Fu Danian knew that his conditions were still not enough. But he had already promised everything he could. What else in the temple could possibly tempt Chen Mu?
He shook his head and sighed inwardly. He couldn't blame the other party for not being interested. If it were him, and he came from a lineage of true immortals, he might also look down on the various resources of Fusheng Temple...

Thinking of this, he bowed and calmed himself down, saying, "The discussion of the Dao will last for twelve years. Please do not rush to make a decision, Fellow Daoist Chen. If you need anything during this time, please feel free to send a message to me. My Fusheng Temple will do its best to satisfy you."

After saying this, he took out a communication talisman and handed it over.

He still had a few other candidates in mind, so he couldn't stay here for long to try and win over Chen Mu.

After Chen Mu accepted the gift with a flick of his sleeve, Fu Danian looked up at the sky and saw the night fading and the dawn slowly breaking. He nodded and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you tonight, fellow Daoist. This trip has not been in vain. I hope we can enjoy wine and conversation together again next time..."

Chen Mu smiled calmly, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, fellow Daoist."

Fu Danian returned the greeting, then summoned the local mountain spirit, bestowed upon him a bottle of elixirs, gave Chen Mu a deep look, and then departed…

Chen Mu gazed at his retreating figure, then suddenly shook his head with a smile, turned around, and went back into the mountains.

As soon as he reached the top, two blue and white rainbows flew down from the sky, accompanied by a strong wind, but they could not move Chen Mu in the slightest.

He reached out, and two blue ducks, one large and one small, eagerly landed on his arm, their beady eyes blinking rapidly, exuding intelligence.

After examining it intently for a moment, Chen Mu nodded secretly.

Half a month after the eggs hatched, in order to distinguish the two blue ducks, he simply named them Chen Lan and Chen Bai based on their blue and white colors.

Chen Bai was the one whose original source was missing and was later filled in. Compared with Chen Lan, his talent was indeed much worse.

However, he has now reached the second level of cultivation, thanks to the rich spiritual and demonic energy here, as well as the resources that Chen Mu has been feeding him.

Chen Lan possessed a third-tier aura since his appearance in the world, and his progress was even more rapid after consuming some Xuanbing Water Lotus and Silver-Eyed Dragon Carp a few days ago.

In just a few days, he had completely refined all the resources he had consumed, a speed far exceeding that of the former.

Chen Mu smiled, waved his hand to startle the two birds, then took out some supplies. After they had all been consumed, he thought to himself:
"Progress is rapid at the moment, but it will inevitably become more and more difficult as it goes on. It's unknown how long it will take to break through to the fifth rank. In the meantime, if a new source of causal power can be found, it would be just right to fill this gap..."

……

High in the sky, a streak of light suddenly flashed by, as fast as a shooting star chasing the moon.

They came full of hope, but ultimately returned empty-handed.

After returning to his sect, Fu Danian went straight to the main hall to pay his respects to Abbot Tao Fengbian without even setting foot on the ground. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, a clear voice summoned him from within the hall.

As soon as he stepped into the hall, he recounted the entire story of his journey, and concluded in a deep voice, "That Master Chen is a man of profound spiritual energy, and his every move exudes a natural Daoist charm. He is no ordinary person. If we can obtain his assistance, I, Fusheng, believe that our chances of winning this calamity will at least increase by two points!"

"Unfortunately……"

He shook his head and sighed, "Being born into a lineage of true immortals, they may not value what we promise..."

Tao Fengbian pondered for a moment, then suddenly shook his head and smiled: "Junior brother is too attached to appearances."

Fu Danian was taken aback, seemingly not having reacted yet.

Seeing this, Tao Fengbian continued, "What Daoist Chen truly seeks is not the method of cultivating spirit pets. If you offer him this as a reward, it will naturally not tempt him."

What are your thoughts, senior brother?

Tao Feng did not answer, but asked instead, "Junior Brother, how advanced is Master Chen's cultivation now?"

Fu Danian pondered for a moment and said, "Judging from its energy, it should be between the sixth and seventh levels of the Mysterious Gate."

Tao Fengbian asked again, "If he is not a spirit-taming cultivator, why did he travel thousands of miles to such a remote place to hatch spirit pets?"

Fu Danian frowned, deep in thought, when suddenly his eyes flashed: "Senior brother means... he wants to use the karma of raising spirit beasts..."

Having experienced the "gateway to enlightenment," he naturally knew how to quickly overcome it by harnessing the power of cause and effect.

However, he was blinded by his own involvement and assumed that Chen Mu was a cultivator skilled in the art of beast taming. Even after Chen Mu clarified this during the banquet, he was still unable to react in time.

If you only focus on the surface, it's no wonder that my senior brother said he was attached to appearances.

Looking at Tao Fengbian who slowly nodded, Fu Danian shook his head self-deprecatingly: "Junior brother is indeed foolish. But since Master Chen has something to ask for, why not just say it? You've made me come all this way for nothing."

Tao Feng chuckled lightly, "The principle of cause and effect is like viewing flowers through fog. If the secrets of heaven are revealed, then cause and effect will be like dew meeting the morning sun."

"Too."

Fu Danian nodded, but couldn't sit still for long. He immediately stood up and said, "Then I will make another trip, using my Fusheng Temple's thousand-year history of cause and effect as a guarantee. With such a foundation, I think that Master Chen would have no reason to refuse."

In ordinary times, the sect's karma is not to be taken lightly. However, now that the sect's survival is in grave danger, if we can survive this calamity, what harm is there in sharing half of the sect's fortune?

It arrived in haste, then transformed into a streak of light and sped away.

When Fu Danian returned to Huiyan Mountain, Chen Mu was already sitting in the pavilion, the mountain breeze blowing through his white robes, his calm and composed demeanor suggesting he had been waiting for a long time.

As Fu Danian ascended the steps, he secretly admired this seemingly young cultivator. Not only was his cultivation unfathomable, but his calm and composed demeanor, which seemed to predict the future, already surpassed that of many other masters he had encountered in his life.

This time, there was no need for probing or pleasantries. The two sat facing each other across the stone table, and after only three rounds of tea, they thoroughly discussed their agreement to discuss the Dao.

Chen Mu will attend the meeting, and afterwards he can obtain the Fusheng Observatory's power of cause and effect for his own use...

In just a few days, a strong ally had been brought to the mountain gate, which greatly excited Fu Danian and boosted his confidence.

If things continue to go smoothly, it will be uncertain who will win the debate on the Dao twelve years from now!

Without lingering, he bid farewell to Chen Mu with a smile and returned to the mountain to inform his senior brother of the matter. Finally, without stopping, he set off for Pangzhou to visit fellow practitioners...

With this matter settled, Chen Mu had no other thoughts for a while. Apart from feeding the spirit birds every now and then, he spent the rest of his time in his cave, diligently cultivating according to his usual routine.

Huiyan Mountain fell silent, shrouded in clouds and mist all day long, with only the occasional cry that broke through the clouds indicating that there was still life flowing through the place...

……

Liangyi Temple, Jingqiu Mountain.

Wei Cangdong frowned slightly, pressing down on the clouds as if they were leaden clouds falling to the ground.

He looked up and saw a palace, thirty-six feet tall, standing amidst lush greenery, its green tiles and gilded roof reflecting the sky, the morning light flowing like an inverted Milky Way.

Sixteen jade pavilions stand in a row, interspersed with ancient pines and bamboos and exotic flowers and plants. A stream of spiritual spring meanders down from the heavenly steps. From a distance, it looks like a jade pavilion draped in emerald silk, with the glow of the sunset weaving brocade, and it has the magnificent power to swallow the heaven and earth.

Since Uncle Qi Yunsu broke out of seclusion, the Ancestral Hall has changed its layout. The once quiet place where the portrait of the Ancestral Master was enshrined is now crowded with people all day long.

Others said it was lively, but he always felt a little awkward.

He wouldn't want to get involved if there was nothing else to do, but unfortunately, he held an important position, so it wasn't something he could simply choose not to participate...

In that brief moment of pause to ponder, a streak of light flew towards them from the opposite side, and a young Taoist priest landed and bowed, saying, "Elder Wei, Grandmaster Qi requests your presence."

Wei Cangdong had been waiting for Qi Yunsu to summon him, so he didn't ask any questions and simply said, "Lead the way."

The two of them used their escape lights to head towards the palace. Before long, they arrived at the main hall. The Taoist priest stepped aside and gestured for Wei Cangdong to go inside.

He straightened his clothes slightly and stepped inside. Once inside the hall, he saw Qi Yunsu sitting in the seat of honor.

To live through the fleeting beauty of life and attain a lifespan of a thousand years—this is not just a saying.

At this moment, Qi Yun's face was as white as jade, his long beard hung down over his cloud-patterned brocade robe, and his star crown was adorned with twelve white jade beads. The brocade robe depicting mountains and rivers revealed the veins of the nine provinces.

With such a youthful appearance despite his white hair, how could he possibly have recaptured the aged look of his youth before he went into seclusion?
On either side below him sat the current abbot, Luo Feng, and a Daoist nun surnamed Song. At this moment, the Daoist Masters of Liangyi Temple had all gathered together.

Although Luo Feng was the abbot, he was still a junior in front of Qi Yunsu, so he was very approachable. He first gestured for Wei Cangdong to sit down, and then slowly asked, "Junior Brother Wei, did your trip go smoothly? Did you get to see Fu Danian?"

Wei Cangdong nodded and replied, "Brother Fu... cough, Fu Danian is currently visiting fellow Daoists in Changzhou. I followed his trail and finally met him."

Luo Feng remained expressionless and asked slowly, "Have you found out anything?"

His mind was as clear as a mirror. He had anticipated Fusheng Temple's self-rescue measures. All he could do now was remain calm and wait for the right opportunity to counter it, ensuring a perfect outcome for the next discussion.

Wei Cangdong's throat moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Seeing this, the nun surnamed Song snorted and said, "I hope Senior Brother Wei understands the long-standing feud between our two families."

Luo Feng also spoke up: "My junior brother was soft-hearted before and told Fu Danian about our master's emergence from seclusion. Did he hesitate at all? Didn't he still prioritize his own lineage..."

Wei Cangdong was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked up at Qi Yunsu, who was resting with her eyes closed, and then his gaze swept over the solemn face of the patriarch in the portrait hanging in the hall. He sighed inwardly and said, "The rest is fine, but..."

His voice grew increasingly serious: "There is a Taoist priest surnamed Chen on Huiyan Mountain who has promised to assist Fusheng Temple. I've heard he is... a descendant of the Biluo Chaosheng Pavilion lineage..."

……

(End of this chapter)