Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 266 275 Under the Spotlight, Dragon's Grace and Phoenix's Beauty

"Spiritual treasures are born of nature, forming their own microcosm, which is the secret realm."

"The secret realm lies hidden in the mortal world; only the master of a spiritual treasure can open it."

"Like the Three Primal Ultimate True Grotto Heaven of my Louguan Daoist sect, the Great Crimson Heaven Supreme Purity Realm of the Imperial Court, and the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Realm of Qinglong Temple."

On Azure Dragon Peak, Master Taiyi and his disciples stood side by side, looking at the martial arts arena below Two Elements Peak, where countless disciples moved back and forth, preparing for the upcoming assessment.

“Master, the Dragon Boat Secret Realm is the former Zhou emperor’s palace, which contains all kinds of treasures that Yang Ying has collected from all over the world.”

"Master Master said I should enter the secret realm to cultivate. Is the opportunity in our Three Realms Ultimate True Cave Heaven a rare treasure? Or something else?"

The old Taoist priest shook his head. "Rare and precious materials are nothing to be as fortunate as they seem."

"People only know that Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters are powerful and influential, but they have never considered how much it costs to support them."

“My Louguan Sect has thousands of disciples, and the amount of resources we absorb each year is enormous. We have collected a lot of treasures, but we consume even more.”

"Especially in recent years, wars have disrupted transportation, and offerings to the deceased have basically ceased in various places."

“We can’t save much by relying solely on our own output, and it might not even be suitable for you.”

Taiyi Zhenren turned and walked towards Miaoyan Palace, gesturing for Li Cunxiao to follow.

"The most important thing in a secret cave is spiritual energy."

really.

Li Cunxiao was not surprised to hear this, after all, he had already enjoyed the spiritual pool bath in the dragon boat and naturally knew its powerful effects.

It can be said that before the Heavenly Ladder, martial artists could still keep up with the consumption by relying on pills and the flesh and blood of demons to cultivate.

However, after reaching the Heavenly Ladder, because one needs to refine true essence, the effect of ordinary pills becomes less and less significant, while the importance of spiritual energy for cultivation becomes increasingly important.

The problem is that, compared to active demonic energy, spiritual energy is a very inert substance, making it extremely difficult to absorb.

Martial artists perceive the world, absorb spiritual energy, and refine their true essence. Each step is extremely mentally taxing, much like trying to move a boulder with a small stream.

But the secret realm is different.

Lingbao is born in harmony with the Dao, and condensing spiritual energy is an instinct; martial artists can directly obtain readily available spiritual energy without having to exert any effort.

This is of great significance to the Heavenly Ladder warriors who have not yet opened their Xuan Guan and whose primordial spirit power is insufficient.

The 24-section ladder to heaven is not very difficult; it's just a matter of patience and perseverance.

Li Cunxiao originally expected that even with sufficient Four Divine Pills to replenish his strength, it would still take at least another year to reach the Heavenly Ladder Perfection.

However, if one can enter a secret realm to cultivate, this time can be greatly shortened.

In these turbulent times, being even a fraction faster than others can provide a greater chance of survival.

Moreover, since his encounter with Wen Zhongzi, Li Cunxiao's connection with the dragon boat has become increasingly close. If he can perfect the Heavenly Ladder and break through the Xuan Barrier soon, perhaps he can master the spiritual treasure before becoming a Grandmaster?

"The opportunity to cultivate in the cave is only available to the true disciples of the Five Lineages, and it only comes once every five years."

"If we're talking about the timeline, even if you become the true successor, you'll still have to wait another three years."

"But time waits for no one. This time, it is your Master Uncle who has made an exception."

"This disciple will certainly do everything in my power to repay the kindness and guidance of my senior master and uncle."

Li Cunxiao understood the implied meaning behind the music. Now he could also see that the three sect leaders' attitudes were ambiguous, and they were not entirely on Louguandao's side.

Yan Daotong and Taiyi, on the other hand, had a deep friendship and were on the same side.

"It's good that you understand in your heart."

Upon entering Miaoyan Palace, Mucha, who had already received instructions, was already waiting with a group of servants and disciples.

In his hands, trays were laid out one after another, displaying a jeweled lotus-shaped gold crown, a deep purple Taoist robe, a gauze robe, cloud-patterned shoes, and a whisk with an agate and jade handle—the attire of a true disciple.

"Master, I haven't performed the ceremony yet."

"So what? You were able to kill the Five Mingzi of the Ming Cult even though you were of a higher level. Does anyone dare to challenge you at this time?"

The old Taoist priest rolled his eyes:

"Go, go, go! Change your clothes and let those vulgar people see the splendor of my disciple!"

The training ground is located at the foot of Liangyi Peak, surrounded by the Four Symbols and Four Peaks, covering an area of ​​more than ten miles. Over the years, it has been trampled by disciples and followers, and has long been as flat and hard as iron and stone.

It is usually the place where disciples hone their martial arts skills and spar. Also, because it faces the Sanqing Hall, the sect's annual assessments are always held here.

The training ground was already bustling with activity. It was filled not only with disciples participating in the assessment and elders in charge, but also with a group of high-ranking officials from the imperial court who had accompanied Gao Pian.

"While war rages outside, this place is bustling with activity."

From afar, Li Cunxiao saw Guo Zhao and the others. In the past, these disciples had each formed their own factions, but now they were all gathered around the young man carrying the black and white swords.

"Senior Brother Li!"

"Uncle Li!"

"Junior Brother Li."

“Junior Brother Cunxiao, come and pay your respects to Senior Brother.”

In this dynasty, aside from the emperor's ochre-yellow robe, purple was the most prestigious color. Taoist masters and Buddhist virtuous monks who received official titles all wore purple robes, equivalent to high-ranking officials of the third rank in the imperial court.

The true lineage wears light purple, the meaning of which is self-evident.

Li Cunxiao wore a lotus-shaped golden crown, a purple robe covered with a plain gauze, and cloud-patterned shoes, exuding both nobility and a refined, elegant air.

Upon seeing him arrive, many disciples and elders greeted him, their voices only pausing briefly when he stopped walking.

"Senior Brother," he bowed respectfully, but Xue Tianyun reached out and stopped him just as he raised his hand.

"Junior Brother Li, there's no need for such formalities. We're all fellow disciples."

This contemporary leader of the Louguan Sect is not pretentious at all. His words and actions exude a gentle and tranquil air, much like the sect leader Yan Daotong.

Seeing that Li Cunxiao was wearing the true purple robe, none of the others showed any surprise.

After all, the other party's talent and strength are obvious to all. Whether they wear it or not, or whether they come to the ceremony today or not, it's just a formality.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group went up to the viewing platform together.

The viewing platform was filled with sect leaders, elders, high-ranking officials in purple robes from the imperial court, and nobles.

Of course, in the very center, seated were the headmaster Yan Daotong and the Grand Secretary Gao Pian.

"Junior Brother Li."

The venue, which was filled with thousands of people, was very noisy, but Li Cunxiao heard Yan Daotong speak very clearly and immediately went over to him.

"This is Minister of Rites and concurrently Chancellor, Minister Wang Zhaofan."

"This is Liu Jurong, Marquis of Pengcheng County and General of the Golden Guard."

"Who is this"

All those present were important officials of the imperial court, and Li Cunxiao greeted them one by one.

There were only so many polite words. These people were in high positions and were elders. They offered a few dry compliments and praises, but it was all just a cursory glance.

"This is Master Zhen Ding, whom you have met earlier."

The handsome young monk in purple robes touched his bald head, and after Li Cunxiao finished his greetings, he called over a young bald man:

"These are a vast sea of ​​unworthy disciples. When you meet again in the future, you will need to learn from each other and hone your skills."

Li Cunxiao greeted the other party, his gaze lingering on the other party's height of about five feet for a moment.

Martial artists cultivate their qi and blood, so it's normal for them to be tall. However, this master's disciple, Monk Ruhai, looks like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy, even more immature than Mucha.

However, Li Cunxiao had heard Li Siqi say that this person was actually over thirty years old, and his appearance was entirely due to the martial arts he practiced.

"Is Senior Brother Qici in the sect?" A voice transmission suddenly sounded. Li Cunxiao turned his head and met Zhen Ding's eyes.

The memory of Qi Ci mentioning that he had practiced martial arts at Qinglong Temple came to mind, and his tension eased somewhat.

"He should be back in the next few days."

Zhen Ding nodded and said nothing more.

As the bell tolled, the sect's assessment began. As is customary, outer disciples were promoted to inner disciples first, followed by inner disciples being promoted to true disciples.

Li Cunxiao didn't want to stay with a bunch of old men, so after quickly getting to know everyone, he left the viewing platform to find Wei He, Ye Chengxiao, and the others.

When they found Li Mucha, the latter was watching Ye Chengxiao's match.

In half a year, he climbed the Heavenly Ladder, and his underlings did not waste their time either.

Ye Chengxiao's muscles and bones are now fully developed, and he is attempting to break through his internal organs. Wei He, although he started learning martial arts later, has also achieved mastery of the third stage of cultivation due to his superior talent and abundant supply of elixirs.

When Li Cunxiao walked to his younger brother's side, he saw swords and spears clashing on the stage, flashing silver light everywhere.

"Junior Brother Ye, you flatter me."

The man who fought Ye Chengxiao was a young man in his thirties who wielded a two-handed longsword. Although he won, he showed little arrogance. In fact, upon seeing Li Cunxiao, he nervously bowed before quickly leaving.

Ye Chengxiao lost the match and looked rather unpleasant. He forced a bow, turned around, and saw the Li brothers.

"Senior Brother Li!"

"In martial arts competitions, victory and defeat are commonplace. You are not as young as them in your martial arts training, so just learn from your mistakes and strive to improve yourself."

Li Cunxiao offered a few words of comfort, addressing both Ye Chengxiao and Li Mucha.

Louguan Dao has a large number of outer disciples, and elders, true disciples, and inner disciples all have quotas for recommendation.

In addition, their intricate connections with influential figures in the capital mean that the upper and lower limits of an outer disciple's abilities are vastly different.

However, it is extremely difficult to enter the inner sect. Apart from the sect leader and the four sect masters, no one has the right to recommend inner sect disciples.

To enter the inner sect, one basically has to pass the sect's assessment, defeat numerous outer sect members, and prove that one has talent that is one in a million.

That's why Taiyi made an exception and accepted Li Mucha as a disciple on behalf of the master, which made Li Siqi furious.

However, if someone were to bring up the old story now, Li Siqi would probably be the first to stand up.

“Senior brother is right. The Holy Land is rich in resources, so naturally the people there are more outstanding. Even inner disciples need to reach the Yellow Court Realm to be considered established, and their Internal Organs Realm is only just beginning.”

This wasn't the first time Ye Chengxiao had suffered a setback, but he quickly adjusted his mindset, and everyone went to watch Wei He's match.

"This kid's marksmanship is even sharper than mine."

Ye Chengxiao was quite moved as he watched Wei He fight like a mad tiger.

Originally, he was stronger than the former in all aspects, but now, after half a year, Wei He has shown signs of catching up.

“Indeed, environment shapes people. If Wei He stayed in Chuqiu, he could only be a hunter or bodyguard, but in Louguandao, he has the hope of breaking through to the true form and ascending the ladder to heaven.”

At Li Cunxiao's current level, martial arts competitions in the Muscle and Muscle Realm are like children playing house to him, but at this moment his expression showed a hint of satisfaction.

Others are not him; with the Vajra pestle in hand, he can move freely without hindrance.

For the next ten years or so, Ye Chengxiao and Wei He will be of no use.

Ultimately, his intention in bringing the two of them to Louguandao was to cultivate his own power base.

A single tree cannot make a forest. Even if I don't need it in the future, I can still leave a few helpers for Mucha.

On the Double Ninth Festival, the autumn sky is high, and golden chrysanthemums flutter in the wind, like scattered gold.

Martial arts competitions are not acrobatics; the outcome of a disciple's duel can often be decided in just a few minutes.

Therefore, just after the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), the sect assessment was already coming to an end.

Aside from a handful of a dozen or so who defeated their fellow disciples to earn the right to challenge inner disciples for advancement, most others, like Wei He, could only manage one or two victories, earning some praise and pills—that was their limit.

The remaining inner disciples who advance to the true lineage were once considered the grand finale, but now they have gradually become mere formalities.

To put it bluntly, look at the sect leaders and their true disciples. Which one of them isn't a descendant of a founding duke or marquis? Which family doesn't have relatives by marriage?
Those who have caught the eye of a grandmaster are not to be challenged by ordinary inner disciples.
Jianghu is not about fighting and killing, it is about human relations.

Outside the Sanqing Hall, the ancient bells resounded, and the elders' chanting echoed for miles.

The noisy training ground quieted down, and under the watchful eyes of the elders, stewards, disciples, and guests, the eight outer disciples who had defeated the inner disciples stepped forward.

Afterwards, they went up on stage one by one to pay their respects to their teachers and receive the treatment due to inner disciples, such as weapons, pills, and robes. Several sect leaders even personally encouraged them, making the ceremony very ceremonial.

A sense of belonging to the group and a sense of honor from elevated status intertwine at this moment.

Unfortunately, in Li Cunxiao's view, besides pairs of longing eyes, he also saw many people with indifferent expressions.

'The sect's cohesion is in trouble.'

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, when Sect Leader Yan Daotong stood up, everyone in the training ground, from the sect leader's disciples to elders, followed suit, their expressions solemn.
"The inheritance of a sect and the succession of master and disciple are like orchids and jade trees, which are meant to grow in the courtyard."

The words echoed through the mountains, and the birdsong and monkey cries continued, but it seemed that only this one sound remained in everyone's ears.

The will of the Grandmaster is oneness with Heaven and Man.

With just this one sentence, Li Cunxiao felt that the emotions of everyone in the training ground were affected and stirred, and their hearts were filled with excitement.

He looked up at the sky, and in a daze, he seemed to see black and white banners billowing in the wind and clouds, stirring up the heavens.

Even Gao Pian on the viewing platform showed some apprehension, his eyes fixed on Yan Daotong after his brief speech as he sat down again.

“Those who wish to advance to the level of true disciple may now step forward and challenge them one by one.”

When Qin Li, the leader of the White Tiger Sect, spoke, the martial arts arena was noisy for a moment, but soon fell into an eerie silence.

Countless eyes swept over the many disciples, finally focusing on the purple-robed youth behind Master Taiyi.

Before Li Cunxiao arrived, several of the sect's true disciples had already held their positions securely for over a decade. Their prestige and seniority were evident to all.

Among them, Li Siqi and Ye Shuyi, who had not yet reached the Heavenly Ladder Perfection, were both alchemists.

If anyone wants to ask someone to refine elixirs in the future, no one will be so foolish as to "pick on the weak."

After finally welcoming Li Cunxiao, everyone in the sect was eager to make a move, hoping that his arrival would stir up the stagnant waters within the sect.

Who knew that what awaited them was an even more extraordinary and monstrous talent?

Not only are alchemy and weapon crafting skills unparalleled, but one can even defeat experts at the Xuan Guan level.

What a slap in the face!

“Since no one is challenging us, the original disciples will remain unchanged. Li Cunxiao will step forward to bestow the seal.”

Master Taiyi grinned from ear to ear, flying down from the viewing platform with a smug look on his face. He took out the True Inheritance Seal, which was equivalent to the waist token of an inner disciple.

From now on, the library and most areas inside the gate will be fully open to the owner of the seal.

Looking at his master's smug expression, Li Cunxiao couldn't help but find it amusing, almost thinking that it was Taiyi who was carrying on the true teachings, not himself.

With this thought in mind, I decided to grant the old Taoist's wish.

He walked on clouds, his dragon-trapping rope, wind-fire wheels, and azure phoenix armor transforming into a dragon and three phoenixes, circling around him as he descended from the sky, like a celestial being.

Around the training ground, countless sounds of swallowing saliva, suppressed gasps, and envious murmurs could be heard.

"Truly the bearing of a dragon and phoenix!" Gao Pian couldn't help but exclaim.

He then turned his head and smiled at another Taoist priest in purple robes at the table. This man was not among the Louguan Taoists, but on the side of the foreign guests from the imperial court.

"Jingneng, I remember your youngest daughter, Ye Shuyi, is also studying under Elder Sun?"

"I wonder if she and Li Cunxiao are acquainted?"

(End of this chapter)