Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 832 The Cave of the Slanting Moon and Stars

Ji An woke up from his sleep, stood up and stretched. The fatigue of his nascent soul disappeared, and he felt refreshed.

He took out the ashes of the sixth-level Nascent Soul Guardian Vajra and buried them near the Gathering Yuan Tree.

Looking up at the crystal-clear, jade-like leaves, a smile played on his lips. He could save a lot of Daoist energy!

Once the nutrients from the ashes were absorbed by the spirit wood, he buried Kong Wen's ashes.

He couldn't help but wonder, 'Should I stay in Central Continent and hunt down Nascent Soul level cultivators?'

The idea really appealed to him. It wasn't that it was impossible, but he would make a decision after learning more about Shi Xiu's situation.

It doesn't necessarily have to be an open and blatant hunt; it's enough to simply eliminate any Buddhist practitioners you encounter.

Ji An left the small world. At this moment, there were still a few cold stars in the sky, and the moonlight was so faint that it was almost invisible.

He stored the array flags and array plates in the Cave Void Stone, and after determining the direction, he rode the auspicious five-colored clouds and flew southeast.

Nothing happened along the way, and two days later Ji An arrived at a majestic mountain range—the Xingxiu Mountain Range.

With its towering peaks and unobstructed views, the mountains blend seamlessly with the night sky when night falls, creating a breathtaking spectacle. Hence, it is called Xingxiu Mountain, meaning "the mountain where the stars reside."

This is also the location of the Taixu Sect's mountain gate, spanning over three thousand miles, much larger than the Jinling Sect.

Ji An descended upon the mountain gate on auspicious five-colored clouds. Today, as a guest, he naturally had to pay his respects to the mountain.

There is an old pine tree on the cliff outside the mountain gate. It is extremely thick and looks just like the Welcoming Pine.

The spiritual energy here is quite abundant. He sensed it and was surprised to find that the spiritual vein had reached the third-grade low level. This place was only the outer edge of the Xingxiu Mountain Range.

The guest master trotted up to greet him, bowed respectfully, and smiled kindly:

"Greetings, True Lord. May I ask which immortal mountain you are cultivating on, and what brings you to our Taixu Sect?"

Only Nascent Soul cultivators can ride the five-colored spiritual clouds, so they are easy to distinguish.

"I am Xuanqing Zhenjun, from the Jinling Sect of the Western Continent. Today I have come to request an audience with Zhenyue Zhenjun."

I met him many years ago; please inform him as soon as possible.

Ji An introduced himself, effectively advertising for his sect. As the sect grew stronger, its interactions with the forces of Central Continent would become closer.

The disciple was startled. In his knowledge, the Western Continent was a barren land, and he had never heard of any sects at the Nascent Soul level before.

His face showed no sign of surprise as he turned sideways and stretched out his arms, saying:

"Please follow me, True Lord. Let's rest in the reception hall for a while and wait for our Grandmaster to arrive."

"Come and lead the way."

A crimson cloud rose from beneath the feet of the disciple and flew deeper into the immortal vein, while Ji An rode alongside him at a leisurely pace on auspicious five-colored clouds.

The two bypassed a precipitous rocky mountain and landed atop a beautiful, verdant peak a moment later.

There is a grand hall here, with the words "Welcoming Hall" written on the plaque.

After landing, the disciple activated the golden sword that transmitted messages and then led Ji An into the main hall.

"This is Welcoming Peak, True Lord, please take a seat."

He instructed the young Taoist boy who came up, "Serve the best tea, the finest third-grade Yunding Silver Needle."

"Yes," the fellow Daoist answered crisply and walked out quickly.

"Please forgive us, True Lord. Welcoming Peak is merely a reception area on the outskirts of our sect, and we can only offer spiritual tea of ​​this grade."

The disciple politely explained that he couldn't let the other party think he was being slighted. The other party was a True Lord from another continent and couldn't be controlled by him, but the other party knew the Ancestor Zhenyue, so he couldn't be criticized.

Ji An smiled, "Being able to drink top-grade third-level spiritual tea in the outer area of ​​your sect is a much better treatment than our sect."

The sect has good tea, but it doesn't serve the best to guests. The reception area on the outskirts uses second-grade top-quality spiritual tea.

The two started chatting, and the guest master was very talkative, keeping the conversation lively.

About an hour later, the faint sound of tinkling jade pendants could be heard. The guest master said:
"It must be the ancestor's cloud chariot that has arrived. I'll go outside and take a look."

He jogged out the door, gazed into the distance, and called out:
"True Lord, it is indeed the Ancestor's cloud chariot."

Ji An strode outside the palace and saw two golden-scaled earth dragons pulling a magnificent cloud chariot in the western sky.

Jewels, tortoiseshell ornaments, and cloud-shaped bells hung from the four corners of the roof, while a layer of light gauze, like mist, draped down from the roof.

On either side of the cloud chariot, several beautiful young female cultivators dressed in silk and satin stood holding cloud fans.

Ji An couldn't help but sigh, 'They really know how to enjoy life! I've been living such a frugal life all these years.'

The cloud chariot quickly landed in the square outside the hall, and the disciple in charge of receiving guests hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects:

"Disciple Meng Jie pays respects to the Ancestor."

"No need for formalities," Zhenyue Zhenjun said heartily as he stepped down from his cloud chariot.

"Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, how have you been?"

His eyes were bright and his gaze was imposing. A few days ago, his cultivation level had been raised to the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage, and he was full of vigor and high spirits.

The True Demon Tribulation severely damaged the sect, but the surviving Nascent Soul cultivators were able to obtain more resources for their cultivation.

He casually released a wisp of breath, raising his chin slightly.

Ji An raised an eyebrow slightly, bowed in greeting, and smiled kindly:
"It's been many years since I last saw you, fellow cultivator. Your cultivation has reached a new level. Congratulations!"

He could sense the arrogance emanating from the other party, so he completely concealed his aura, not letting a single trace escape.

The other party is like a peacock displaying its feathers at this moment; one should not dampen its beautiful mood.

Zhenyue Zhenjun was very pleased. After exchanging pleasantries, he pointed to the cloud chariot and said, "Please get on the chariot, fellow Daoist. Let's go to the Daoist temple together."

Ji An said politely, "Please go first, fellow Daoist."

The two boarded the cloud chariot together. The earth dragon beast roared and rode the yellow clouds, pulling the cloud chariot and carrying several female cultivators into the air.

Sensing the aura of the earth dragon beast, Ji An sighed:

"To actually use two late-stage Golden Core spirit beasts to drive the chariot, Fellow Daoist's style is beyond my reach. I was quite negligent when we were in the Western Continent, please don't take it to heart."

Both earth dragons were at the eighth level of the Golden Core stage. If such spirit beasts were in the Golden Spirit Sect, they would definitely not be used for pulling carts.

Ji An knew that the Taixu Sect had existed for countless years, and only that it existed before the last True Demon Calamity.

They were like a long-established aristocratic family, while the Golden Spirit Sect was like a poor person who had just made a small fortune.

Zhenyue Zhenjun waved his hand magnanimously and laughed:
"In my spare time, I have a great fondness for beautiful things. I hope you won't laugh at my shallowness. You have a five-colored deer at the Nascent Soul level as your tamed beast. I wonder how many True Monarchs would be envious of that."

“It’s different. The five-colored deer is a partner, but I would be more than happy to have a late-stage Golden Core Earth Dragon Beast that can pull a cart. Actually, I also wish I could be that superficial.”

The two flattered each other, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Green mountains encircled the area like a jade ribbon, auspicious light shone towards the sun, and the cloud chariot hovered above a patch of verdant bamboo halfway up the mountain.

Zhenyue Zhenjun led the guests out of the carriage and arrived at the entrance of a hidden cave. Large vermilion characters were engraved on the cave: "Xieyue Qunxing Cave".

Outside the cave, there was a stone table with crisscrossing lines on it, which looked like a chessboard.

"A good name, like stars surrounding the moon, shining obliquely on the door, elegant."

Ji An praised it, and a resounding name popped into his mind: "Xieyue Sanxing Cave".

"Haha, the cave originally had another name, but my wife and I changed it after we moved in."

"Fellow Daoist, please come in."

The living room is elegant and magnificent. The earth and rocks above have been hollowed out so that you can see the sky directly. The rock walls are inlaid with luminous pearls the size of pigeon eggs, just like stars in the sky.

Among them was a bright pearl the size of a fist, like a full moon.

Below the luminous pearl, niches were carved out, displaying various rare treasures, including strange stones and conch shells, each gleaming with a warm luster.

Huayin Zhenjun rose to greet him, saying, "Decades have passed since we parted, yet you remain as elegant as ever, fellow Daoist."

"Fellow Daoist's cultivation and beauty are even better than before."

Huayin Zhenjun covered his mouth and chuckled, "Fellow Daoist, you are quite eloquent. Please take a seat."

Even the Jurchen rulers enjoyed hearing compliments on their appearance and cultivation.

The three took their seats as host and guest, and Ji An sighed inwardly at how shabby his cave dwelling was, like a destitute household with nothing but bare walls.

However, he only thought about it for a moment. If he wanted to make arrangements, his wealth would be greater than that of the two people in front of him. However, he was used to being penniless and too lazy to bother. He would enjoy the luxury when his cultivation had reached its limit and he only needed to accumulate merit.

He took out two large, green jade jars, each with a natural landscape painting on its surface.

"I brought some tea from the Western Continent. Fellow Daoists, you may enjoy it slowly under the moon."

Each jar contained a pound of mid-grade fourth-tier Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea, which could only be upgraded to fourth-tier by the lightning-struck Youyue Cangyu Tree.

This gift may not be considered particularly valuable, but it is certainly rare enough.

"Fellow Daoist, you are too kind."

After exchanging pleasantries, Ji An recounted his encounter with Shi Xiuping and Tianzhenjun on his way here, subtly highlighting his cultivation level and strength.

Zhenyue Zhenjun felt a little embarrassed. 'The other party is at the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage? Is that for real?'

Huayin Zhenjun was unaware of her Daoist partner's thoughts; her attention was focused on another piece of news:
"Fellow Daoist and True Monk Ping joined forces to kill Monk Kongwen? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Kong Wen is one of the few monk kings at the peak of the Reincarnation Realm in Lotus Temple, equivalent to a cultivator at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Realm.

She felt that even if Kong Wen was no match for them, he should still be able to escape.

“If True Lord Pingtian hasn’t admitted his mistake, then he can’t be wrong.”

Ji An took out the Vajra Axe, used his object control technique, and presented it to Huayin Zhenjun. "This is the only spoils of war. Kong Wen was blasted into mincemeat by the spiritual treasure and burned by me. I obtained some relics, but I don't know what use they are."

These relics have their own unique uses for Buddhist practitioners, but cultivators have yet to find a way to utilize them.

Huayin Zhenjun took the Vajra Hoe and examined it carefully, exclaiming:
"It is filled with the power of vows and the light of Buddha is contained within. Its grade is at least equivalent to a fourth-grade high-quality magic weapon, and it is the most top-level one."

Unfortunately, such a treasure was tainted by the Buddha's light, so we cannot use it directly; we can only melt it down to obtain some materials.

Even after obtaining the materials, they must be continuously refined to completely eliminate any remaining willpower.

She passed the Buddhist treasure to her Taoist partner, and her heart remained unsettled for a long time.

Their cultivation level used to be weaker than that of the two Daoist partners, so how did they unknowingly surpass them?

That's not all; the opponent's fighting prowess is also beyond imagination.

She knew very well that when a Buddhist practitioner like Kong Wen went out, no matter how low-key he was, he would always bring one or two Dharma protectors at the mid-Nascent Soul stage to do some trivial things.

The other party didn't mention anything about the Dharma Protector, so they were probably killed as well.

Countless questions flooded her mind: 'When did two Nascent Soul Level 6 cultivators become able to team up and kill a Nascent Soul Level 9 cultivator? Has something changed in this world that I'm unaware of?'

Zhenyue Zhenjun silently examined the Vajra hoe, and finally let out a long sigh:
"The Five Elements Sect's lineage has been inherited by you, fellow Daoist, and it will surely shine brightly once again."

He was now increasingly certain that the other party must have obtained some of the Five Elements Sect's resources; otherwise, their cultivation could not have broken through so quickly.

Greed arose in his heart, but he immediately stopped himself. A Nascent Soul True Monarch is extremely sensitive to murderous intent; if he were detected, he would be seen as a vicious villain who repays kindness with enmity.

Besides, the other party wouldn't be able to flaunt the acquired resources around, and even if they harbored malicious intentions and succeeded, they wouldn't be able to obtain much.

The cost would be unbearable for them; the entire sect would be turned upside down.

Ji An took the returned Buddhist treasure and asked:

"With the Buddhist forces growing increasingly powerful, do the True Lords of each sect have detailed plans?"

Zhenyue Zhenjun clenched his right fist and said in a hateful voice:
"No, everyone is taking it one step at a time right now."

If these Buddhist monks had arrived before the true demonic calamity, we would have already gathered and eliminated them.

The cultivation world suffered too much loss in the True Demon Tribulation and had to cower and lick its wounds.

Huayin Zhenjun shook his head, his expression complex:
"If the Buddhist monks had arrived before the calamity of the true demons, they would not have had the opportunity to build temples and form formations. It is meaningless to say these things now."

Silence fell over the cave. After a moment, Zhenyue Zhenjun spoke and asked:
"Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, what brings you to Central Continent? Do you wish to engage in trade or exchange with other True Monarchs?"

Having received the Five Elements Sect's cultivation techniques and acquired its remaining resources, the other party should, in principle, remain in the Western Continent to cultivate diligently unless there are major unforeseen circumstances.

Ji An nodded slightly and said:

"Fellow Daoist guessed correctly. That is exactly what I was thinking. My purpose in coming to your sect is to trade the formula for the Phoenix Nirvana Pill."

As he spoke, he took out a crimson jade bottle:
"This is one pill left over from the pills we refined earlier."

It would be best to exchange for a pill formula. If that's not possible, then exchange for a batch of Phoenix Nirvana Pills. This will ensure that the sect's disciples have good pills to use, so that they won't leave empty-handed.

Zhen Yuezhen looked troubled and said:
"The formula for the pill is valuable, and according to sect rules, it is not allowed to be traded."

"Everything has a price. Fellow Daoist, please state your requirements. If we can afford them, we can make a deal."

After Ji An finished speaking, he shut his mouth and waited quietly for the other party's reply. He knew very well that the two of them could not make a decision on this matter and that they would have to discuss it with the other True Lords.

Huayin Zhenjun and his Daoist partner exchanged a glance, breaking the silence:
"The Phoenix Nirvana Pill can increase the success rate of Nascent Soul formation, and its value is immeasurable. This is a matter that neither of us can decide."

We can only convey our fellow Daoist's intentions to the other True Lords so that we can discuss it together.

"Tonight, fellow Daoist, you are staying at Luanpeng Pavilion. Tomorrow, we will inform you of the results of our discussions with the other senior brothers."

"Thank you both for your help. I will be grateful no matter what the outcome is."

(End of this chapter)