Cultivating Immortality from the Book of Life and Death

Chapter 178 Setting up camp. (Second update!)

Upon hearing this, Shi Shaoshan immediately replied, "It is said that Senior Lu is not a local, but a good friend of the city lord when he was traveling. He is very strong and has killed a ghost at the ninth level of the [Tongue-Pulling Hell]. He was invited by the city lord to settle in Taiping County. It is said that this happened almost fifty years ago."

"He is a master of formations; the protective formation of Taiping County is his creation."

“In recent years, Senior Lu has rarely appeared in public, saying that he has been in seclusion to prepare for Foundation Establishment.”

"However, just a few days ago, for some unknown reason, this senior suddenly came out of seclusion, and the city lord asked him to take the lead in escorting the tax collection team this time."

Zheng listened carefully and wanted to ask something more, but suddenly another unusual noise came from ahead, accompanied by a howling and surging of yin energy.

Ghostly figures appeared ahead of the convoy again!

The next moment, all the cultivators in the entire team immediately stopped talking, lost their interest in chatting, and immediately guarded the vehicles they were protecting with full vigilance.

Zheng Que and Shi Shaoshan also fell silent, quickly surveying their surroundings, ready to make their move.

After a while, the commotion gradually subsided, and the ghostly creatures ahead had clearly been eliminated, allowing the convoy to continue its journey.

For the rest of the journey, the convoy made frequent stops and starts. All the ghosts they encountered were dealt with by the lead car, the "A" type. The "Geng" type car, which was in charge of Zheng Que and his four men, did not encounter a single ghost.

Time passed slowly, and every hour, Zheng Que would secretly affix a [Concealing Breath Talisman] to his body.

In the blink of an eye, the sun began to set in the west, and as dusk fell, the blood-red setting sun painted the sky with vast expanses of crimson.

As night was approaching, Lu Maohong, at the head of the convoy, gave the order: "Set up camp on the spot."

The convoy hesitated and stopped. They hadn't yet entered the mountains; the surrounding land was flat and boundless, covered with weeds and trees.

Lu Maohong threw out a few wooden nails, first marking out an area on the open ground beside the official road. After casting a series of spells, a hazy light immediately appeared between the wooden nails, enveloping the marked area and isolating it from the outside world.

With the simple protective array set up, Lu Maohong nodded slightly. He first directed the corpse puppets pulling the "A"-shaped vehicles to enter the array through the entrance, and then instructed the remaining vehicles to file in.

Soon, the entire convoy entered the formation.

Lu Maohong added some more to the formation. He took out many bottles and jars and red cloth strips from his storage bag, dipped them in the liquid in the containers, and quickly drew runes on the red cloth strips before tying them to the top of the wooden nails.

The liquid in those bottles and jars was bright red, exuding a sweet and pungent smell, like human blood, but it also seemed to be mixed with some other ingredients, with a very faint medicinal fragrance.

Finally, he took out a few spirit stones, tossed them into the air, and with a flick of his wrist, the spirit stones vanished without a trace. The cloth strips on the wooden nails immediately moved without wind, and after a violent sway, the hazy light dissipated, and everything around returned to calm.

However, the many cultivators already in the formation immediately felt as if an invisible barrier had been placed around them. Although they could clearly see the scenery outside the formation and feel the wind blowing in their faces, it was as if the two sides were in two different spaces.

After setting up the formation, Lu Maohong returned to the "A" car.

Zheng Que followed the "Geng" shaped vehicle and set up camp on the open ground in the northeast corner of the formation. He observed Lu Maohong's series of operations and felt that the formation he set up had subtle similarities with the restrictions at the entrance of Changfu Town.

Watching the other person's figure disappear, Zheng Que withdrew his gaze, realizing that this Lu Maohong was very likely the Lu Immortal Master that the mayor of Changfu Town had asked him to find.

However, Lu Maohong's current cultivation level is the ninth level of Qi Refining!
Even if Changfu Town still existed, it would be impossible for a mere ordinary town to persuade them to come...

At this moment, Yuan Zhi walked over and gestured for the four of them to gather together before saying, "Although we are all cultivators, it is not uncommon for us to go without food or sleep for several days and nights, but this mission is urgent and we must maintain our condition at all times."

"Tonight, the five of us will take turns keeping watch, so we can get some rest."

“Under normal circumstances, the second half of the night is more dangerous, so we arrange three people, and leave two people for the first half of the night.”

As he spoke, he glanced at his four companions and directly assigned them, "Fellow Daoist Linghu and Fellow Daoist Miao are both female cultivators, so it's easier for them to talk. They will guard the first half of the night together." "Fellow Daoist Zheng, Fellow Daoist Shi, and I will be responsible for the second half of the night."

"If anything happens in the first half of the night, call me immediately."

"If none of you have any other objections, then it's settled."

Linghu Yuniang and Miao Xirong exchanged a glance and both nodded: "Okay!"

Shi Shaoshan replied, "That's settled then."

Zheng Que nodded in agreement.

So Yuan Zhi sat down cross-legged on the open ground next to the vehicle, closed his eyes slightly, and began to cultivate. A burly ghost servant with a blue face, fangs, and horns on its head stood guard beside him without leaving his side.

Seeing this, Shi Shaoshan also summoned his ghost servant to protect him, sat down on the spot and began to cultivate to recover his condition.

Linghu Yuniang and Miao Xirong were in charge of the first half of the night. The former summoned a ghost servant, while the latter summoned a corpse puppet, one on the left and one on the right, guarding the "Geng" shaped carriage.

Seeing this scene, Zheng Que also prepared to start cultivating. He glanced around. Although he knew that there was a Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator here, plus the protection of the formation, it was relatively safe even in the wilderness. But just in case, he also opened the Soul Nourishing Bag and summoned Nian Nu.

The figure in the pink blouse and colorful skirt had just appeared when Linghu Yuniang, who was not far away, asked in surprise, "A ghost servant at the sixth level of the [Tongue-Pulling Hell]?"

Zheng Que remained calm. This was the ghost servant with the lowest cultivation level among his servants. Although the Soul-Summoning Banner still controlled many ghosts, none of them obeyed him...

Just as he was about to reply, Niannu gracefully curtsied and greeted him, "My lord!"

Immediately afterward, Niannu ignored the large crowd around her and asked directly, "My lord, shall we continue to rescue Lady Qingli?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Que coughed lightly. Niannu was still unaware that Qingli had already emerged from the Soul-Summoning Banner; of course, this was something he deliberately kept quiet about…

However, given the current situation, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to cultivate alongside the other party...

So Zheng Que quietly gestured for Nian Nu to be quiet, then looked at Linghu Yuniang and Miao Xirong and said, "Fellow Daoists, I will also begin my cultivation now. If you need anything, please feel free to call me."

Linghu Yuniang and Miao Xirong couldn't understand what Niannu was saying, but they both nodded slightly when they heard Zheng Que say that.

Zheng Que then walked to the side, using the "Geng" character to cover his figure. He quickly looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to him before whispering to Nian Nu, who had followed him, "I'm going to cultivate now. You protect me."

"Also, during this time, if there are other cultivators around, do not speak to me first."

Niannu immediately replied, "Yes!"

After explaining these matters, Zheng Que did not hesitate and immediately sat down to begin his cultivation.

In the vast wilderness, the Yin energy was exceptionally heavy, and the cold air slowly seeped into his body. Zheng Que continuously circulated his cultivation technique, and his face gradually turned pale.

Before he knew it, he opened his eyes and found himself in a dilapidated palace.

On the mottled long table, the Book of Life and Death was spread out, the gavel was beside it, and black energy surged between his brows. Everything seemed normal.

Upon closer inspection, Zheng Que immediately noticed that many names had been added to the Book of Life and Death!

(End of this chapter)