Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 233-232 Cultivation Plan, Struggle for Status (Sorry for the lateness)

"Is Master here to inspect the Azure Dragon Pavilion?"

Li Siqi forced himself to look away from Li Cunxiao, and after adjusting his mood, he forced a smile at Taiyi Zhenren.

The old Taoist priest had been away from the sect for more than half a year, and Li Siqi had been managing all the affairs on the mountain.

Things need to be done, but it's even more important to let people know who did it; otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.

Regardless of Li Cunxiao's background, I'll go first.

Merit or hard work, neither can be easily replaced.
"Siqi, you've done a great job managing the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Li Siqi's face had just begun to smile when the old Taoist priest continued:

"Perfect timing. From now on, when Li Cunxiao comes to the Azure Dragon Pavilion, he can freely take any rare and precious materials and demonic artifacts below the fifth rank without me having to tell him, understand?"

Li Siqi's expression changed slightly. "Master, this..."

"All supplies on the mountain are always obtained through meritorious service. Besides, Junior Brother Li hasn't broken through to the True Form stage yet, so he might not need these things."

"I have already passed on the Azure Dragon True Scripture to Li Cunxiao. It's only a matter of time before he breaks through to the true form. This matter is settled."

The old Taoist priest's words clearly left no room for negotiation. Without giving the former a chance to argue, he took Li Cunxiao away.

In an instant, only Li Siqi remained in the same spot, his face turning pale and then red. The disciples of the Azure Dragon Pavilion all looked away, keeping their eyes down and acting like puppets.

"Senior Brother Li, Master is going too far!"

Several people who were on good terms with Li Siqi couldn't help but step forward to speak, but were interrupted halfway through their sentences.

"No need for further words," Li Siqi said, forcing a smile.

"Master is the master of Azure Dragon Peak, and disciples should fulfill their duties as disciples."

"Furthermore, I've heard that this Junior Brother Li is exceptionally talented and has ample resources, so he'll likely progress even faster."

“Our Azure Dragon Peak has few true disciples to begin with. With one more person to help, it will be much easier for me, and I won’t lose face in front of the other branches.”

"Senior Brother Li has the big picture in mind!"

"Senior Brother Li has a broad mind, which I, your junior brother, cannot match."

"Since Senior Brother Li treats him this way, I hope Li Cunxiao is also sensible and knows what's good for him, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

An aged voice suddenly came from behind them. Li Siqi and the other inner disciples felt a chill run down their spines. When they turned around, they saw Taiyi Zhenren holding a whisk, quietly watching them, with Li Cunxiao beside him with a strange expression.

What happened? Didn't they leave?!

Li Siqi was now truly sweating bullets. He really wanted to immediately shift the blame and say it had nothing to do with him, but that would ruin the image he had built up as the senior disciple of Qinglong Peak.

He never expected that although the Taiyi Zhenren was eccentric, he didn't like playing these little tricks.

Especially after Li Qingtong died, no matter what happened, as long as there was a sufficient supply of medicinal materials for alchemy, he might not show his face in public for several months. Li Siqi took over the management of affairs on the mountain and gradually gained prestige.

But this time when he returned, the old Taoist priest seemed to have become a different person, transforming from an annoying and eccentric old man into a stubborn and annoying eccentric old man.

They are more energetic, but also more difficult to deal with than before.

From the moment Li Siqi saw Li Cunxiao, he knew that this man would be a formidable enemy who would hinder him from taking control of Qinglong Peak.

He knew he had never gained his master's favor, so he couldn't give up the connections he had painstakingly built up. He had no choice but to stand before them, forcing himself to be respectful.

"Master, my fellow disciples spoke without thinking; they didn't mean it."

Li Siqi wanted to explain, but the old Taoist priest simply raised his hand, and no one present could utter a single word.

His indifferent gaze was like a blade, scraping inch by inch across the people in front of him.

In the silence, a heavy feeling weighed on everyone's hearts, and even a few of Li Siqi's loyal fans felt regret.

Li Siqi could only be considered "senior brother" with difficulty, but Taiyi was undoubtedly the leader of the Azure Dragon lineage.

It's one thing to talk badly about someone behind their back, but if you get caught red-handed, your future days are likely to be tough.

"Siqi, the clan has raised you well, and that's precisely why..."

Taiyi uttered half a sentence before abruptly stopping.

He left them with only an enigmatic look before taking Li Cunxiao away again.

This time, as everyone watched the two figures disappear into the distance, they wanted to speak, but seeing the "senior brother's" unpleasant expression, they all lowered their heads, cupped their hands, and took their leave.

In the end, only Li Siqi remained standing there, raising her sleeve and looking at that pale purple hue, her tightly pursed lips revealing her unwillingness.

'Given such great authority to a disciple who has only just entered the sect, not only did they specially request a silver fish pouch, but they also allow him to use the sect's resources at will.'

'Ha, if I weren't blind and deaf, I would have thought it was Li Qingtong, who died years ago, rising from the ground!'

For decades, Qinglong Peak has been a place of constant vigilance and trepidation, as if walking on thin ice.

Will I ever have the chance to wear that purple robe again?

After standing there for a long time, Li Siqi's expression returned to calm.

Louguan is a sacred site of Taoism, and the head of the lineage of this sacred site holds a position even higher than that of the patriarch of the Li clan of Longxi.

After years of painstaking effort, he was determined not to give up easily, and Li Cunxiao was not worthy of making him give up.

In the end, a martial artist's strength speaks for itself. Even if the master is biased, how can a mere Huang Ting (a martial arts master) bridge the gap between two people?

The scenery on Qinglong Peak is beautiful, with countless pavilions and towers. Although it cannot compare to the former Zhou emperor's palace on the dragon boat, it would still take half a day to fully appreciate it.

But Master Taiyi wasn't there to be a tour guide. He took Li Cunxiao to most of the important places on Qinglong Peak.

Herb garden, animal garden, armory, scripture repository
Elders at the Xuan Guan realm were guarding everywhere, and inner disciples were everywhere holding their waist tokens, trying to exchange the merit points earned from sect missions for the supplies they needed.

With the old Taoist priest present, everyone, regardless of who they were, had to make way for Li Cunxiao.

It can travel freely anywhere;
You can pick up and look at anything.

Even while watching the disciples of the medicine hall process materials, Li Cunxiao glanced at the demon meat piled up in several courtyards waiting to be processed, and quietly crept over, intermittently inhaling the weaker but more stable baleful energy of the demons into his body.

One of the ten Capricorn claws will light up.

Taiyi Zhenren said nothing, nor did he need to say anything.

He believed that his disciple would understand his intentions. He believed that after experiencing these powers and benefits, Li Cunxiao would know how important it was to become a true disciple and the head of the Azure Dragon Pavilion.

“Cunxiao, you are my disciple. Tell me, what is so good about Li Siqi?” The old Taoist priest suddenly asked when they returned to the main hall of Miaoyan Palace.

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxiao did not hesitate:

"Senior Brother Li is thoughtful in his dealings and is well-liked."

"Tactful? You heard everything he said."

Li Cunxiao smiled, "I think Senior Brother Li's virtue is just right."

"Your words are quite sharp," the old Taoist priest chuckled.

“It was indeed just the right time. Li Siqi knew I had no hope for him, so he could only use some subtle tactics to win over the other disciples.”

"But when the strong use tactics, it's called strategy; when the weak use tactics, it's just petty cleverness."

He never reflects on how long he has been wasting his time on this arduous journey, yet he has never had the courage to break through the barrier.

"He has been studying alchemy for so many years, but his skills have not improved much. To this day, he is still very much a craftsman, trapped in the constraints of his predecessors, and unable to create anything new."

Li Cunxiao remained silent, knowing that the old Taoist priest's demands were too high.

He had read a lot of books during this time, and when discussing cultivation, all the senior masters emphasized the danger and importance of the seventh realm's profound barrier.

"The gateway to enlightenment is without regret," and "the gateway to life and death is a gateway to enlightenment." One wrong step and there is no going back. This is especially true for Li Siqi, who comes from the Li family of Longxi and is a true disciple of the Louguan sect.

A martial artist on the Heavenly Ladder has lived two cycles of sixty years without illness or disaster. Regardless of his identity, it would be enough for him to comfortably spend the first half of his life.

Even amidst fierce competition, his two identities would give him more options than ordinary people.

But once you step into the threshold, everything you currently possess may become a mirage. The more you own, the more anxious and uncertain you'll feel when facing this hurdle.

Therefore, since ancient times, martial artists have often fallen into a strange cycle after advancing on the Heavenly Ladder.

If a martial artist cannot maintain their momentum, their desire to break through will gradually weaken. Then, as they approach the end of their lifespan, their desire to break through will gradually increase again, but by then, most people are already destined to fail.

As for alchemy, it goes without saying that any alchemy method or formula has been researched and improved by dozens or even hundreds of generations. The further back in time, the more difficult it becomes to make innovations.

If Li Cunxiao hadn't possessed the Vajra Pestle, he would have had little confidence in his alchemy skills to earn the high regard of the Taiyi Zhenren.

Fortunately, the Vajra has now been changed from three prongs to five prongs, which can be used not only to deduce martial arts, but also to deduce elixirs and techniques, which should be a convenient thing to do as well.

"Therefore, what I dislike the most is a person who is indecisive."

"Li Siqi comes from a noble family, but he values ​​his status too much. Whether it's cultivation or alchemy, once he stagnates, he becomes obsessed with socializing. He uses all sorts of tricks on trivial matters and loses his heart to explore the fundamental Dao."

"If he can repent even a little and put his mind back on serious matters, even if he lacks talent, I will still impart my true skills to him."

Taiyi Zhenren sighed. Although he was nearly a hundred years old and his parents had passed away, and he no longer cared much about the Li family of Longxi, he still felt some blood ties with Li Siqi.

“Cunxiao, what I value most about you is your dedication and perseverance.”

"When you were at Tiangu Temple, you sought nothing but practicing martial arts and refining pills, and refused all contact with others. This is extremely commendable for a martial artist and an alchemist."

"At your current level in martial arts, perseverance and willpower are far more important than talent."

"You could do it before, but now that you're in Louguandao, in the capital region—the most prosperous place, but also the place with the most chaotic interpersonal conflicts—can you still do it?"

Taiyi raised a question, and Li Cunxiao pondered the answer in his heart on his way back.

It's actually not that complicated; it's simply about taking things one step at a time and not wasting time.

'I have done it this way before, and I will do it this way in the future.'

'Now, the more important thing is to break through to the true form.'

What Li Cunxiao saw and heard today made him fully understand his situation.

Taiyi Zhenren's plan for him was very clear: first become a true disciple, then compete for the position of Qinglong Pavilion Master, and in the future succeed the old Taoist as the Qinglong Sect Master.

With numerous powerful figures emerging and the future uncertain, this does not prevent Li Cunxiao from accumulating strength. Both personal power and the influence he commands must develop in parallel.

To become a true disciple, the rules of Louguan Dao need no further explanation, but strength is naturally the most important factor.

Currently, apart from Xue Tianyun, the eldest disciple of the current chief disciple and sect leader Yan Daotong, known as the "Two Elements Sword," none of the other true disciples have broken through the Xuan Gate; they are all at the Heavenly Ladder realm.

Some of the stronger ones have already reached perfection, while others have achieved great success.

Having gained strength, as a disciple of Taiyi, one's alchemy skills obviously cannot be too poor.

According to the old Taoist priest, to become the master of the Azure Dragon Pavilion, one must be the undisputed number one in the sect when it comes to alchemy.

Besides Li Siqi, who was eyeing the opportunity, it was also said that there was a genius in alchemy on Zhuque Peak who had tried to become Taiyi's disciple many times without success.

The latter was unwilling to take on any disciples at the time because of Li Qingtong's death, but he did not hesitate to praise that person.

In summary, what Li Cunxiao needs to do now is twofold: first, improve his strength; and second, refine his alchemy skills.

In terms of breaking through to true form, he already has the experience of a Buddhist deity. A Taoist deity breaking through to true form naturally does not need evil energy. However, he needs to obtain more spiritual liquid from the spirit of the dragon boat.

As long as the Daoist master also breaks through to the true form, with the support of two true form-level masters, it will not be difficult to fight against the Heavenly Ladder warriors.

Or rather, if he were to demonstrate his true form and the strength of the Heavenly Ladder, the Louguan Sect would undoubtedly value him even more.

As for alchemy techniques, nothing surpasses the "Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture," but it is temporarily unavailable until the sect leader returns.

One's cultivation level depends on self-cultivation. Since the Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture is not yet available, the only way to strengthen one's power is through two martial arts techniques of the ultimate level.

Therefore, to effectively use the evil energy, one must first elevate the levels of the "Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover" and the "Dragon Flower Lion Fist Seal" to minor mastery to enhance combat power.

Once the Daoist master breaks through to true form, it is estimated that the sect leader Yan Daotong will have already returned, and that will be the perfect time to obtain the "Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture".

Therefore, it is necessary to accumulate the excess evil energy beyond the enhancement of "Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover" and "Dragon Flower Lion Fist Seal".

Once the Nine Revolutions Divine Elixir Scripture is obtained, according to Master Taiyi, the alchemy skills can also improve while refining weapons, achieving two goals at once. Then, in addition to alchemy, one can directly begin refining the Dragon-Binding Rope.

Based on his previous experience of breaking through to the true form of the Buddhist deity, he was confident that he could condense the Azure Dragon's true form without relying on the Vajra Pestle; it would just take a little longer.

And things did indeed turn out as he had predicted. For the next month, apart from the occasional invitations, nothing particularly chaotic happened among the disciples of the sect.

Although Li Siqi regarded him as a rival, he dared not cause trouble for Taiyi under his nose.

Just as he broke through to the true form, news of the sect leader also arrived from within the sect—

Yan Daotong is about to return from Xijing.

(End of this chapter)