Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 232, Section 231: The Qualification to Transmit Divine Skills

Did the white crane speak?
Li Cunxiao was initially startled, but after careful observation, he realized what was happening.

At first glance, this bird looks no different from a real bird, but upon closer inspection, one can find that although its feathers and other details are clearly visible, there is actually a trace of true qi taking shape.

However, the transformation was so advanced that it looked almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Cunxiao," Taiyi Zhenren reminded him, and the latter then realized what was happening. He suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and bowed to the white crane pacing in the room.

"No need for formalities. Your master has already told me about your situation. A talented person who cultivates both Buddhism and Taoism should not be bound by ordinary rules."

The white crane moved with unhurried steps, its long neck held high, and walked to Taiyi's side. Despite its bird-like body, it exuded the demeanor of a refined and elegant scholar, strange yet natural.

Did you only mention practicing both Buddhism and Taoism?
Li Cunxiao glanced at the old Taoist priest subconsciously, who blinked, indicating that his master knew what was going on.

"Is there something you're hiding from me?"

The white crane's eyes were bright black, revealing a human-like sense of doubt, while its voice remained calm and unhurried.

"This matter is of great importance; let's discuss it after Senior Brother returns to the sect."

The old Taoist priest kept everyone in suspense, and as he spoke, he pulled out a thick secret manual from somewhere in the house.

Li Cunxiao reached out and took the document, but did not open it immediately. Seeing that the two had something to say, he bowed and took his leave, returning to his residence under the guidance of other disciples.

Although he was only an inner disciple, because of the Taiyi Zhenren, his courtyard was not only spacious, but also close to the old Taoist's residence.

Besides the usual pavilions and towers, there is also a dedicated alchemy room in the courtyard, where any alchemy furnace is of better quality than those in Tiangu Temple.

"Senior Brother Li, these are your clothes and waist tag."

The servant disciple delivered the person and then presented all the belongings of the inner disciple, explaining everything carefully before leaving.

True disciples, whose status is equivalent to elders in the sect, wear light purple Taoist robes;
The sect leaders and patriarchs of each peak wear deep purple Taoist robes, and the latter's robes also have special embroidery, which is only available to True Persons appointed by the imperial court.
For inner disciples, it's simpler; their robes are distinguished by color depending on the peak they belong to.

Zhuque Peak is red, Xuanwu Peak is black, Baihu Peak is white, and Qinglong Peak, also known as Qinghua Mountain, is bluish-green.

The outfit Li Cunxiao changed into consisted of a white jade lotus crown, a white and light blue upper and lower garment, and a jade-colored crane cloak with blue-green trim.

Compared to ordinary inner disciples, he also had a silver fish pouch at his waist, equivalent to a fifth-rank official in the imperial court—this was specially arranged by Taiyi to make it easier for him to go out on business.

"In peaceful times, even a regular official would have to wait many years to obtain just this one silver fish pouch."

Chaotic times bring both upheaval and opportunity; a mere silver fish pouch is nothing in comparison. People like Huang Chao, Zhu Quanzhong, and Carpenter Ma—weren't they all of humble origins?
Huang Chao was a failed scholar, while Zhu Quanzhong was a rebel who followed the former in rebellion. However, the former has now established a kingdom and proclaimed himself emperor in Luoyang, while the latter has carved out a territory in Henan and is eyeing the country covetously.

Moreover, judging from the current trend, Huang Chao may have to rely on his former subordinates again.

The Qin and the pseudo-Qi stood in opposition from east to west. Although they were powerful, both had the smallest territories, each controlling no more than five provinces, and were surrounded by military governors from all directions.

"We need to improve our strength as soon as possible."

Li Cunxiao quickly familiarized himself with his living quarters and sent away any of the disciples sent by Taiyi to attend to his daily needs.

Safety is the top priority wherever you go. You must understand everything about your bedside before you can sleep soundly at night.

Having solved this problem, Li Cunxiao went to the study and spread out the thick manual that Taiyi had given him.

What are the plans of the Western Capital court?

Seeing his disciple leave, Taiyi's expression changed from relaxed to serious, his eyes fixed on the white crane.

"What else could our plan be? Of course, we hope that loyal and righteous people will serve their country with all their might. Those with money should contribute money, those with people should contribute manpower, and those with strength should contribute their strength."

"Does the imperial court want to get something for nothing?"

The old Taoist priest wasn't particularly surprised by what he heard, but his expression turned cold.

When Emperor Wuzong suppressed Buddhism, the situation was exactly the same as it is now.

The national treasury was empty and had no income, while local clans and warlords grew increasingly powerful, appropriating local taxes and production for themselves.

The large-scale suppression of Buddhism, though seemingly impressive, was in reality nothing more than a self-destructive measure, a "rob the rich to help the poor" approach.

To say that the imperial court was truly short of money wouldn't be entirely true. There were so many noble families and powerful clans in Xijing; their wealth certainly exceeded a million.

However, the imperial court itself was composed of these powerful and wealthy people, so they naturally wouldn't cut off their own flesh and blood, and instead set their sights on other forces.

"Qinglong Temple and my Louguan Taoist sect hold exceptionally high positions; the imperial court certainly wouldn't accept them for nothing."

The white crane turned its head in a human-like manner and gazed into the distance.

"But the current imperial court, apart from spiritual treasures and secret realms, really has nothing of value to offer?"

"Is Gao Pian willing to let us into Taiqing Palace?"

The old Taoist priest showed a look of delight.

"To be precise, they are our disciples. In exchange, Louguandao and Qinglong Temple will assist the Shence Army in fighting against the pseudo-Qi."

The white crane sighed deeply, "I really don't want to get involved in these disputes."

"Unfortunately, both Louguan Dao and Qinglong Temple have received imperial favor for generations, and half of our disciples have the blood of the Qin kings and marquises. We simply have no choice."

Bai He chuckled upon hearing this, "Did Changsun Chi say something again?"

"He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was up to no good the moment I saw him. I knew he'd get what he deserved sooner or later, even when we were just starting out."

"You've reminded me of the matter of Lingbao in Songzhou."

"What? What kind of magical treasure?"

The old Taoist priest looked quite surprised, his gaze sweeping around the room before finally settling on the white crane.

"Is this happening?"

"If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will lose his life; if matters are not kept secret, they will lead to disaster. Junior brother, you have not only made progress in alchemy and taking on disciples during your trip, but you have also improved in your conduct."

Bai He's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of teasing. Taiyi pretended not to hear and continued speaking to himself:
“Li Cunxiao was exceptionally intelligent and practiced both Buddhism and Taoism. His upbringing cannot be judged by conventional standards.”

"Once he condenses the true form of the Azure Dragon, I plan to recommend him as my true disciple, appoint him as the head of the Azure Dragon Pavilion, and bestow upon him the 'Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture' ahead of schedule."

“A true successor must have meritorious service, and the Azure Dragon Pavilion Master is the heir of the lineage. Not to mention that Changsun Chi and the others might object, what about Li Siqi, whom you are under?

The white crane flapped its wings and landed on the table in front of the old Taoist priest.

"Although you have always looked down on him, Li Siqi has worked diligently for many years. Even if he has not made any great achievements, he has certainly put in a lot of hard work."

“If Junior Brother were to forcefully pull him down and pave the way for Li Cunxiao, I’m afraid the disciples would be dissatisfied.”

"What's wrong with you? If those old guys in the clan have any objections, they can come and talk to me face to face."

"Although Li Siqi is a junior in the clan, he is far inferior to Li Cunxiao."

The old Taoist priest scoffed, "If you don't have talent, you're not worthy to inherit my mantle. It doesn't matter who comes."

"In the past two years, the clan has been exchanging glances with Prince Qi, Li Zhengchen. Li Siqi's concubines were all given to him by Li Zhengchen."

"If he becomes the master of the Azure Dragon Pavilion and the next master of the Azure Dragon Sect, Louguan Sect will probably be in an uproar. Senior Brother, do you think the sect is already in enough chaos?"

"A little chaos is good; we need to understand everyone's thoughts before we can find a way out for our sect."

"In short, exceptions are acceptable, but they must be convincing. If you want Li Cunxiao to succeed you, you have to wait until he breaks through his true form."

"As for the Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture, I will have him enter the Two Elements Banner once when I return." "As long as the Ancestral Master favors him, all inner disciples will have the opportunity to obtain supreme martial arts techniques."

With that, the white crane transformed into a flurry of luminous feathers, and in the blink of an eye, only a paper crane remained on the table.
This paper crane is very simple, with only two pupils drawn out with ink where there are eyes.

But this one addition gives it a lively feel.

"A terrestrial immortal!" the old Taoist sighed, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the paper crane, put it away, and then went straight to Li Cunxiao's residence.

"The killing energy is simply not enough."

In his mind, the vajra was entirely golden, just a tiny bit less than the size of a fingernail needed to complete the set, while the five pairs of Capricorn claws were still gray.

He had already wiped out all the low-level humans and demons in the dragon boat; what remained were the tough nuts to crack.

Thanks to his efforts over the past two weeks, Li Cunxiao was able to elevate his Daoist master to the Huangting Perfection level in one go.

The next three stages of true form determination were ones he had already gone through; he could pass through them without any danger, without needing to break through the barrier with evil energy.

Therefore, he had some other ideas about the use of the evil energy later on.

The Azure Dragon Manual is a top-tier martial art, and its essence lies in refining true qi three times.

The True Form Realm transforms from Azure Dragon True Qi into Azure Dragon Mercury Beads;
In the Heavenly Ladder Realm, True Essence differentiates, with Yang becoming the Crimson Emperor's Flowing Mercury and Yin becoming the Great Yin Flowing Pearl;
The Mysterious Pass realm is refined with the Samadhi True Fire to obtain the Azure Dragon True Mercury.

Mercury, or quicksilver, is transformed into mercury beads from true qi. This process is undoubtedly a purification and sublimation of mercury, which can greatly increase a martial artist's true qi reserves and output, and significantly enhance endurance and explosive power.

However, as long as the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations True Skill is integrated into one and the image of the Azure Dragon is formed, the true energy can be transformed into mercury beads. But the difficulty in breaking through the true form lies precisely in this point.

Unlike the previous Nezha in his true form, the latter appeared as the Buddha Tathagata, riding the Eight Heavenly Dragons who protect the Dharma. Due to the power of the Vajra, this challenge was very easy.

The key to the Azure Dragon's true form lies not in suppression, but in its integration and mastery.

It can be said that the seven superior martial arts styles of Jiao Mu Jiao, Kang Jin Long, Di Tu Hao, Wei Huo Hu, Ji Shui Bao, Fang Ri Tu, and Xin Yue Hu intertwined to jointly outline the true form of the Azure Dragon.

Fortunately, Li Cunxiao had already mastered all seven martial arts techniques and obtained the key to advancement from the Azure Dragon Manual, so condensing his true form was only a matter of time.

"If we're talking about improving my strength, my Buddhist self is actually a whole realm higher than my Taoist self."

"If you really want to make full use of the Vajra's advantages and keep improving your strength, then you can't improve both sides in a balanced way. Instead, you should let the side with the higher level lead the side with the lower level, just like breaking through to the true form right now."

"As for the people of Louguandao, apart from the sect leader, no one knows that I am a practitioner of other arts. By doing so, I can keep a trump card up my sleeve."

"However, the Daoist master cannot only focus on realm cultivation. Other martial arts are fine, but the 'Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture' that I need to acquire later is a divine skill that integrates alchemy, weapon crafting, and martial arts. It will definitely be very difficult for me to learn it on my own."

As he was pondering, Li Cunxiao suddenly sensed something, closed the thick manual in his hand, pushed open the door, and saw Taiyi Zhenren standing in the courtyard with his whisk in his hand.

"Come, follow me for a walk."

"Yes."

Li Cunxiao responded and followed.

As the old Taoist priest walked, he sized up the young man who was a few steps behind him.

His jade-colored Taoist robe and lustrous lotus crown accentuated his handsome appearance and otherworldly demeanor.

Taiyi couldn't help but stroke his beard.

My judgment is excellent.

"Each of the Four Symbols and Four Peaks has a sect leader, all of whom are Grandmasters. You have already met Changsun Chi of Vermilion Bird Peak. If you meet him again, keep your distance with respect."

Taiyi's words were straightforward and direct; before his disciple could reply, he continued:
"Under the sect master, the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise each have a pavilion. The pavilion master is the de facto future sect master, and they are usually chosen by the true disciples of each peak."

"Compared to the other peaks, the competition for our Qinglong Peak in Qinghua Mountain is not that fierce."

“Li Siqi is a member of my Longxi Li clan, but I don’t want him to succeed me. Cunxiao, do you understand what I mean?”

"The disciple understands."

"No, you don't understand."

The old Taoist priest stopped in front of a building. Li Cunxiao's nostrils flared as he smelled the familiar aroma of medicinal herbs.

"Inner disciples can only be taught high-grade martial arts."

"Those who receive true teachings will be granted access to unique skills; a complete unique skill is enough to cultivate to the profound realm."

"However, the divine skill of combining the three elements into one and nurturing the primordial embryo, which enables one to become a grandmaster, is only qualified to be learned by the young sect leader, that is, the master of each peak pavilion."

Li Cunxiao was puzzled by this, "Isn't it better for a sect to have more Grandmasters?"

"Logically, that's true, but putting aside the question of how many grandmasters Louguandao can support, is a grandmaster really just one person?"

"Even if it becomes useless if you hold it in your hand, you are unwilling to share it with others. Isn't that how people are? Isn't that how the world becomes corrupt?"

"Therefore, you should condense the Azure Dragon True Form as soon as possible, and you must not neglect the Dao of Alchemy. You should prepare for cultivating the Nine Revolutions Divine Pill Scripture. As for the rest, you can put it aside for now."

Taiyi Zhenren coughed lightly, his intentions not to be too obvious.

He deliberately kept quiet about the patriarch's transmission of the Dharma; naturally, he had his own ulterior motives.

"Let's go, I'll show you the Azure Dragon Pavilion."

Before Li Cunxiao could think further, the old Taoist priest took the first step.

The Azure Dragon Pavilion is built halfway up the mountain and occupies an area almost the size of the entire Tiangu Temple. After entering, it is divided into two halves by a central axis – the equipment room on the left and the alchemy room on the right.

At the end of the central axis, however, lies a vast animal park, where spiritual herbs are planted.

Many inner disciples were observing and recording something, and didn't even notice the two people passing by.

"This herb garden was specially designed by me. Although it was created by human hands, it is in harmony with nature in every way. It can restore the original growing environment of the herbs to the greatest extent possible."

Li Cunxiao turned his gaze and saw some demons lingering around the spiritual herbs, but they dared not open their mouths to bite them.

Upon closer inspection, one will notice that they all wear collars around their necks, with talismans outlined in cinnabar shimmering as if breathing.

"Incredible skill."

Hearing his apprentice's praise, the old Taoist stroked his beard even faster and raised his chin.

"It's nothing to mention; it's just for the convenience of obtaining materials for alchemy."

"Once you become the master of the Azure Dragon Pavilion, you will be responsible for managing this garden, including gathering herbs, slaughtering animals, refining them, and storing them."

slaughter?

Li Cunxiao's gaze swept across the garden, and all the demons he saw were at least at the fourth rank, and their numbers were several times that of the Linglong Pagoda.

After all, the latter was just Taiyi's own private treasury, while the pills from Qinglong Peak and Zhuque Peak were to be supplied to the entire Louguan Sect, and even sold in large quantities to the imperial court.

Li Cunxiao was itching to get his hands on it, so he wanted to find an excuse to ask the old Taoist priest to open a back door so that he could complete the Vajra Pestle that was still a little short.

At this moment, a young man dressed in a light purple Taoist robe hurried over from a distance. It was Li Siqi, whom they had met not long ago.

When he saw Li Cunxiao beside Taiyi, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant for a moment, but he quickly forced a smile and respectfully stepped forward.

"Master."

(End of this chapter)