Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 203-202 Golden Essence, Divine Weapon, Magu Kundao (Writer's block, only one update today)

"It's still easier to break through the barrier with evil energy."

Li Cunxiao's heart stirred, and the true energy condensed under his armpits contracted, while the flame Sanskrit characters on his arms disappeared.

The Great Asura Weapon Technique is a rather peculiar martial art.

It combines the method of transforming true qi into form with the opening of the eight extraordinary meridians, with each arm corresponding to one extraordinary meridian, and the two are carried out simultaneously.

In the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, Li Cunxiao filled the Vajra Pestle three times, using it to perfect the Great Completion of the Burning Wood Blade and the Holy King Revolving Fist.

He had already mastered the basics of the "Great Asura Weapon Technique" and, with the help of the Vajra, broke through to the minor level, reaching the realm of a four-armed Asura.

When it reaches the highest level, it has six arms; when it reaches perfection, it has eight arms. The orthodox and extraordinary meridians intertwine and connect with the Qi Sea, making it inexhaustible.

If the malevolent energy were sufficient, he could have directly approached perfection, with all eight meridians connected, and attempted to advance to true form.

"The demon who refined that Left Guard Yiwei was far less malevolent than those palace maids."

"If we could enter the secret realm again, wouldn't those hundred or so palace maids be able to easily fill the Vajra Pestle thirty or forty times?"

Li Cunxiao was somewhat tempted, but he hadn't forgotten the harrowing experience he'd had a few days ago.

Aside from Emperor Yang Ying, there's also the Ice Demon and King Pozhi. Without the protection of two masters, going in would be suicide.

Not to mention that the entrance to the secret realm has been sealed off by Qici, so sneaking in is neither safe nor realistic.

"It's strange, though those palace maids were also at the Yellow Court level, their combat strength was much weaker than that of the Left Guard warriors. They were like mowing grass with a single blow."

"Furthermore, the martial arts of these people are all closely related to Buddhism. Thousand-Hand Guanyin, Green Lotus Hell, and Vajrapani Asura King."

While pondering, Taiyi reached out and made the jade ladle, which resembled a pond, shrink rapidly until it fell into the old Taoist's palm. The latter then took out a jade lid, closed it, and stuffed it into his sleeve.

A hidden world within a sleeve? Or some kind of magical storage artifact? A magical treasure?
Noticing his apprentice's envious gaze, Taiyi felt secretly pleased, but he didn't casually pull out any treasures.

After so many twists and turns in taking on an apprentice over the past few months, he has finally figured it out.

You can't not spoil your apprentice, but you can't spoil him too much either.

On the contrary, Qici the bald thief did a good job in this respect: rewarding those who have made contributions and punishing those who have made mistakes—although no one has been punished yet. If this limit is exceeded, it will inevitably turn into spoiling. Isn't this just following the old path of Li Qingtong?

'I have plenty of good stuff; I'll take it little by little to lure this slippery little devil in.'

Qi Ci felt somewhat displeased as Taiyi glanced at him casually.

Have I offended you by being an honest and upright monk?

External things do not affect the mind; this is the skill of Zen. Do you understand?
"Master, I have a few questions I would like to ask you."

Li Cunxiao spoke up at the opportune moment, voicing his earlier doubts.

"Oh, you mean this? The Yang family of the former Zhou dynasty did indeed have close ties with Buddhism."

When his professional field was mentioned, Qi Ci's attention shifted.

"Yang Jian, the founding emperor of the Former Zhou Dynasty, had an empress from the Dugu clan."

"The ancestor of the Dugu clan was originally a true disciple of Yongning Temple, a sacred Buddhist site, but later he returned to secular life and went down the mountain to support the dragon."

"After his daughter married the empress, he turned the tables and transformed Yongning Temple into the territory of the Dugu clan, calling it 'Dugu Garan'."

"Yang Jian reciprocated the favor by ordering the construction of the Yongning Temple Pagoda and Stupa."

"This pagoda is ninety zhang tall, with a golden spire on top that is another ten zhang tall, making a total height of one thousand chi above the ground. It is a hundred li away from the capital and can already be seen from afar."

"Atop the temple is a golden vase, beneath which is a golden plate to collect dew, and all around hang golden bells."

"The bells were the size of a stone urn. The pagoda had nine levels, with golden bells hanging from each corner, totaling one hundred and thirty bells. On a long, windy night, the precious bells rang in harmony, their clanging sound carrying for more than ten miles."

If it were an ordinary monk, upon hearing of such a magnificent Buddhist event, he would not only be filled with admiration but also marvel at its divine craftsmanship.

However, when Qi Ci brought these things up, his face involuntarily turned cold, and in the end, he rebuked without any mercy:

“We have wasted the resources of Mount Mi and exhausted the people’s wealth. In the end, it all turns to dust and does nothing to benefit the people.”

"In short, the former Zhou dynasty revered Buddhism, and the royal family and nobles mostly practiced Buddhist martial arts. As for those palace maids you mentioned, they were probably castrated versions of the Flower Scattering Celestial Maiden, the Fragrance Goddess Gandharva, or similar deities."

"After mastering that kind of martial art, one's skin becomes fair and smooth, light and fragrant, and is only meant to entertain the tyrannical emperor. Naturally, one has little combat power."

"By removing them, you have also freed them from their predicament."

Huangting martial artists, specifically for people's amusement?
Zhang Lishi wasted half his life, taking medicine and practicing martial arts through the coldest and hottest winters, enduring countless hardships and a desperate battle, before finally managing to break through to the Yellow Court.

The time, effort, and resources invested are all substantial.

However, in the eyes of the former Zhou royal family, such warriors were merely tools for amusement, and could be replaced by others at any time.
Upon hearing these words, Li Cunxiao was at a loss for how to react, but he felt even more acutely the injustices of the world.

"Huh? Someone is coming."

Taiyi suddenly raised an eyebrow, and Qici, upon hearing this, gestured for Li Cunxiao to be quiet.

The next moment, just as the two figures disappeared, footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard.

Li Cunxiao grabbed his clothes, quickly twisted his hair into a bun, and saw Dezheng leading the Zheng family grandfather and grandson in.

"I was wondering just now which of the temple's most accomplished disciples was opening up the extraordinary meridians and emitting such a strong aura."

"But this young friend looks quite unfamiliar—Abbot Dezheng, won't you introduce me?"

The moment Zheng Lang saw the young man in front of him, he already had a guess in his mind, but he still pretended to be puzzled.

“Li Cunxiao, come here, this is the head of the Zheng family of Xingyang.”

The Zheng family of Xingyang?

Li Cunxiao was slightly surprised, but his expression remained unchanged, and he stepped forward to bow naturally.

However, Zheng Ya, who was standing to the side, heard his great-grandfather say that the other party was opening up his extraordinary meridians, and he looked at him with higher regard. He also stepped forward with a gentle expression and said:
"I am Zheng Ya, and I have met Brother Li. May I ask which eminent monk you are studying under at the temple?"

Purple robe and goldfish pouch? So young? He's probably a core member of the Zheng family.
Li Cunxiao quickly glanced at it and then looked away.

However, before he could speak, Dezheng had already offered an explanation:

“Li Cunxiao did not become a disciple of the temple; he simply followed his master and practiced here.”

"I wonder which virtuous monk it is?"

Upon hearing this, Dezheng gave a half-smile and did not reply.

But no answer is also an answer, and Zheng Lang became more and more certain of his guess.

'It seems Yan Chang was right; the Laughing Buddha is indeed here, and this young man is most likely his disciple.'

'But I wonder why those two revealed their true forms in Songzhou? The protectors and envoys of the Ming Cult haven't even arrived yet. What could possibly make these two grandmasters unleash their full power?'

With a thousand thoughts swirling in my mind, I naturally changed the subject:

“No matter where you learn from, talent is not judged by its origins. The world is in turmoil now, and we are all old and frail. It is time for you rising stars to take over.”

"I learned yesterday that Qin Fengquan, one of Huang Chao's generals, has led an army of 30,000 to advance on Songzhou."

"This man is fierce and cruel, and he especially loves to massacre cities. At that time, who knows how many lives will be lost."

“Our Zheng family of Xingyang has been blessed by the country for generations, and now it is time for us to do our part for the world.”

"But the evil cultists are causing trouble everywhere, which has taken up a lot of our energy. I heard that some of the Five Bright Ones will also be coming, so the situation is dangerous."

"If you, young friend Li, are interested, you might as well serve in the army. A fine young man should take this opportunity to earn fame and fortune with his sword."

Earlier, when Li Cunxiao mentioned the approaching army, he couldn't help but feel nervous. However, when he uttered the last sentence, he was speechless.

I am only at the half-step Great Perfection of the Yellow Court Realm, not even at the True Form Realm. If I were to join the army and fight...

In the complex battlefield environment, one might not gain any merit, but instead become someone else's merit. Zheng Lang was someone Zheng Lang knew well. As the head of the Xingyang Zheng clan, he had served as an official for many years and was well-versed in both military and political affairs. He couldn't possibly be unaware of this principle.

'The old drunkard's heart is not in the wine.'

Li Cunxiao quickly realized that there was something hidden in the other party's words.

Fortunately, both of his masters were watching from the sidelines, so he wasn't afraid.

"Zheng Gong's words are truly enlightening; it feels as if I've wasted the past twenty years of my life."

Zheng Lang smiled slightly, preparing to continue talking about the rise and fall of dynasties and grand ambitions. Once the other party was truly moved, someone in the shadows would naturally be unable to resist jumping out.

After all, the other party acted radically in his early years, making enemies everywhere, and had not had a single disciple for many years.

Now that we've finally found one, we certainly wouldn't want to put them in danger.

When the time comes, as long as we can meet, there will always be a chance to make peace. If we can't even meet, what's the point of being so eager to ask for help?
"However, since we have already wasted twenty years, there is no rush for another year or two."

“I have a younger brother at home. I need to see him grow up, get married, and continue the family line before I can venture out into the world with peace of mind.”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Ya couldn't help but ask, "How old is your younger brother?"

"At twelve years old, her hair was still not tied up."

The Zheng family, grandfather and grandson, fell silent.

"Why isn't Brother Zheng saying anything?" Dezheng's lips curled up, then he quickly suppressed it.

“In chaotic times, people who are truly filial are rare. Li Cunxiao’s sincerity moved me deeply, and I was speechless for a moment.”

Zheng Ya looked at his great-grandfather, who still had a normal expression, and thought to himself that he was still far from being good enough. At least he couldn't lie through his teeth like that.

'This younger generation is not easily fooled.'

Zheng Lang looked at Li Cunxiao as if he were looking at a football ball covered in ghee, so slippery that it was impossible to handle.

It seems the only solution is to lure them with benefits.

"Young friend Li was able to resist the urge to break through to the true form and focus on mastering the extraordinary meridians, which clearly shows that he also aspires to the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court."

"However, we martial artists must both cultivate and fight. My good-for-nothing great-grandson is also currently working on opening up the extraordinary meridians."

"It's fate that we met. We can learn from each other's experiences; why not exchange ideas?"

It’s not over, right?
Since the Zheng family grandfather and grandson appeared, the two masters have remained silent. Li Cunxiao vaguely guessed that they had come for the person behind him, but he was also quite annoyed.

"Of course, a martial arts contest would be rather boring without a prize."

Zheng Lang seemed to have guessed his thoughts. He reached out and touched a gold ring, and a piece of blue mineral the size of an egg appeared in his palm. It was speckled with spots that shimmered like stars in the sunlight.

"Young friend, do you recognize this item?"

"Its color is like emerald green, and it has many golden specks on its surface. Is it the essence of gold?"

Li Cunxiao's impatience vanished instantly, and his attitude visibly improved.

Lapis lazuli, also known as gold essence, is a byproduct of natural red gold and is rare.

This item can be used for both alchemy and weapon crafting. The former involves the content of alchemy based on metal and stone, which he has not yet explored.

However, when it comes to refining weapons, lapis lazuli has one particularly prominent function—it is an essential auxiliary material for refining spiritual weapons, that is, divine weapons.

Lapis lazuli possesses spiritual properties; only by adding this material can a divine weapon fuse with the martial artist's essence, energy, and spirit, truly achieving unity between man and weapon.

This is why divine weapons are called protective artifacts, because they can grow together with the martial artist.

The value of this item is self-evident.

Although Li Cunxiao had the powerful backing of Taiyi, he did not completely give up on self-reliance.

Now that my true energy is gradually becoming abundant, using the Wind and Fire Wheels is becoming easier, and it's time to prepare to refine them into a spiritual weapon.

"Young friend, you are indeed knowledgeable and well-traveled," Zheng Lang said with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

This is an absolutely high-end item, with extremely limited production each year.

The little over 500 grams he has is enough to forge a medium-grade divine weapon.

If the other party doesn't even like this, then there's no way to get close to the master by showing goodwill to the disciple, so you'll have to find another way.

"Great-grandfather, this lapis lazuli..."

Zheng Ya looked at the egg-sized blue stone with surprise, confusion, and even a little bit of grievance.

Divine weapons possess spirits and choose their own masters. Most of the time, whether a divine weapon can recognize a master depends entirely on fate.

As the eldest grandson of the Zheng family of Xingyang, he was not without opportunities to come into contact with divine weapons, but no matter what, he was only at the Yellow Court level at the moment.

The divine weapons that the clan already possesses are only accessible to uncles and elders who have reached at least the Heavenly Ladder Realm.

After all, the same divine weapon will have completely different effects depending on whether it is given to someone at the fourth or sixth level of cultivation.

For a martial artist at the Yellow Court Realm, a mid-grade magic treasure is already an overkill. As a direct descendant, he only has one high-grade magic treasure, which was a reward from Zheng Lang.

If you don't want to be chosen by the divine weapon, then you have no choice but to find a divine craftsman to forge it yourself.

Such a huge expenditure is almost impossible for anyone other than the leader of the clan to receive.

Therefore, one can imagine the shock Zheng Ya felt when he saw his great-grandfather take out such precious gold essence.

'What exactly is Li Cunxiao's background? His great-grandfather avoided mentioning it throughout the journey, making him quite a mystery.'

With a gentle lift, Zheng Lang sent the egg-sized golden essence flying towards Dezheng, enveloped in a wisp of purple true energy.

"If you win, young friend Li, you can take this golden essence. If you lose, there's no need for any wager. Just consider it a chance to become friends with the unruly members of my clan."

As expected of a family with five prominent clans and seven prestigious families, they are truly willing to invest heavily.

Seeing the other party's attitude, Li Cunxiao realized that he had no choice but to fight.

He knew that his two masters were watching from the sidelines, and since neither of them spoke, it meant they agreed.

Perfect timing. I've just broken through, and I don't yet know my current level. Since Zheng Ya is someone the patriarch of the Xingyang Zheng clan keeps close by, his strength must be among the best of the younger generation.

"Brother Zheng is a man of exceptional talent and virtue. Your words are far too modest."

Li Cunxiao didn't waste any more words. His crimson Yanmo True Qi dispersed and then condensed, transforming into a flame-like dragon.

Claws, teeth, scales, and whiskers, all vividly depicted.

"Such pure true energy, such skillful transformation."

Zheng Ya glanced at him once and immediately dropped all his disdain.

This person's level of understanding in the extraordinary scriptures is probably no less than my own.

"Brother Li, be careful, I need to..."

Before he could finish speaking, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed across the clear sky, and Zheng Lang and De Zheng both changed color at the same time.

The next moment, accompanied by a belated clap of thunder, two female Taoist priests, one large and one small, wearing lotus crowns and Taoist robes, appeared.

The leading woman had striking features, like an ancient, unyielding iceberg, and her sharp, piercing eyes stared directly at Li Cunxiao.

"I had no hope, but surprisingly, one of the demonic sect members spoke the truth. That heartless Maitreya actually managed to find a disciple."

"Qise, come out and see me!"

(End of this chapter)