The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 186 Tao and Law

As the Netherworld and the Underworld formed a pact, the restrictive authority of the five Underworlds began to evolve. The authority of the five directions merged, and the warp and weft symbols began to emerge from the Netherworld Book and Ghost Pact.

At that time, the authority over these five underworld gardens will be combined into one, transforming from a single prefecture into a single neighborhood.

Of course, the integration and transformation of legal prohibitions and powers are more complex and cannot be accomplished in a short period of time.

Li Qing entrusted the affairs of the underworld to Linglong Chang, Wumian Chang, and the ghost god Cui Ying, ordering them to patrol the various gardens. At the same time, the two bone-faced old owls carried their nests and built their nests in the south of the ward and the north of the garden to guard the underworld...

The dozen or so immortals were also given a temporary break and were allowed by Li Qing to rest in the Flying Waterfall Dao Mansion.

The dark sky was deep and gloomy, with an atmosphere of darkness arising from nothingness, unlike the warm and humid capital. Even though paper clothes and paper lamps were used to ignite the flames of life and isolate the gloom, an irresistible ominousness still descended upon those few immortals.

Originally, there were sixteen or seventeen immortals. One of them was captured and eaten by a human-faced owl that appeared from nowhere. Although the rest were not killed or injured, Li Qing could see the dense death aura above their heads.

That is a state of extreme decline in fortune and destiny, a state of utter ruin where one could easily trip and fall, resulting in death or injury.

Having finally been given some orders, they were all fairly obedient. Naturally, Li Qing couldn't use them to the point of exhaustion. Instead, he sent them to the Flying Waterfall Dao Mansion to recuperate for a while. Once the heavy, gloomy aura of the Netherworld dissipated, it wouldn't be too late for them to return to the Underworld.

With the Daoist temple outside and the Netherworld inside, and with the affairs of both sides settled, Li Qing finally put aside his miscellaneous matters and focused on his next cultivation journey.

The dragon talisman that carries the power to command the Five Thunders has already been incorporated into the Divine Palace of Consciousness, but Li Qing does not currently intend to cultivate it directly.

He needs to enter the temple and find the branch methods of the two schools in the scripture pavilion at the top of the abyss to perfect his foundation.

Li Qing's current state is like that of a shrub with a profusion of red fruits named Ghost Curse, Prophecy, Fire Magic, Rampant Path, Talisman Diagram, and so on hanging from its branches.

In the eyes of most Taoists, the pear tree branches covered with red flowers were already the elite among men!

But Li Qing had seen even more magnificent towering trees, witnessed the true disciples of the Daoist sect who went against the tide and established their own schools, and met many Yin Gods and True Men who soared high into the clouds.

How can a tree grow from branches without a trunk? How can one inherit the Way if one has skills but no methods?
Li Qing looked up at the clouds above the Immortal Peak, flicked his sleeve, and rode the wind upwards, soaring through the clouds and mist, heading straight for the inner temple at the top of the Immortal Gate.

The destination of this trip was not the inner courtyard of the mountain gate, but the Dharma Transmission Hall in the inner temple of Xianding.

The Dharma Transmission Hall is staffed by the heads of the four academies on a rotating basis, and this year it is the turn of the newly appointed head of the Imperial Edict Academy - Daoist Dingshan.

After bypassing the enormous gourd vine, Li Qing stepped into the Transmission Hall, only to find that the entire hall was a square, four-cornered pavilion, somewhat similar to the "Seven Star Pavilion" in Yinghai Immortal City, or perhaps the entire pavilion was an extraordinary magical artifact.
The hall was not as large as the Four Courtyards Scripture Transmission Pavilion. There were eight or nine resident Taoist disciples who were responsible for transmitting the Dharma. At the head of the hall, the Taoist sitting cross-legged on the futon had a restrained aura but was no less radiant. Who else could it be but the Taoist of Dingshan?
As soon as Li Qing stepped into the Dharma Transmission Hall, all eyes were on him.

He wasn't intimidated at all. He met the gazes of the other disciples, nodded slightly, and immediately went up the jade steps in the hall.

In the inner hall of Dharma transmission, all the Taoist teachings and scriptures are selected by the Taoists themselves, and the Dharma transmission officials outside will no longer interfere with the selection.

Firstly, the collections in this hall start with high-grade and mid-grade spells and even Taoist scriptures, and those who transmit these spells have no ability to guide or interfere with them.

Secondly, when it comes to the selection of secret Taoist methods, only the Taoist himself knows what is suitable and what is not, and no one else is allowed to interfere.

Li Qing himself had no more Dao merit left in the temple. In fact, he even owed Bai Qingye of the outer courtyard 100,000 Dao merits, which was the middle volume of the "Southern Dipper Prolonging Life Scripture" that he had bought on credit in the past...

At this moment, he strode over to the disciples who were transmitting the teachings, clutched a jade slip tightly in his sleeve, and said:

"This humble Taoist wishes to choose two scrolls of Taoist teachings to cultivate together, but regrets that my Taoist cultivation is slightly inferior. However, it seems that one can exchange one scroll of Taoist teachings from outside the mountain for another within the temple?"

He still possesses a Dragon Palace Daoist manual, the "Seven Absolute Frost Dao," which he can transfer to the Hall of Ten Thousand Laws to exchange for a new Daoist cultivation manual.

This inquiry startled the Qi Refining practitioners, who all stood up, bowed, and greeted him as "Master Youhuang".

The Taoist priest in plain clothes, holding a bamboo slip in one hand, stepped forward and bowed. However, he seemed puzzled by Li Qing's words. After a moment of stunned silence, he quickly explained.

"That is indeed true."

"However... the Venerable Master did not record the Daoist techniques in the temple. However, those who receive the true teachings of the Red Robe Master can take one secret Daoist technique. Those who attain the Purple Mansion Realm can take another Yin God-level Daoist technique."

"If you wish to choose a scripture, you have two more chances to select two secret Daoist teachings without consuming your Daoist cultivation!"

He was granted the identity of Li Qing's true disciple and the rank of Purple Mansion Venerable, and at the same time, he had the opportunity to choose two Taoist methods.

However, this Daoist Youhuang rarely participates in temple affairs, and he didn't even take such an important matter to heart.
Reminded by the Dharma Transmission Attendant, Li Qing raised an eyebrow, as if he had really remembered this matter. Bai Qingye seemed to have mentioned it to him before.

Overjoyed by this unexpected turn of events, Li Qing nodded in surprise. He immediately put away the jade slip containing the Daoist teachings that he had just taken out of his sleeve. After pondering for a few moments, he thanked the person who was transmitting the teachings and then followed their directions into the hall...

Once you pass through the clear light barrier behind the hall, you see a bookshelf that is one or two people tall, filled with jade slips containing seeds of various spells. There are no candles or lamps in the hall, but the entire hall is decorated with spiritual luminous pearls. The clear and bright pearl light shines warmly, making every inch of the hall as magnificent as daytime.

Li Qing's gaze was never drawn to the luxurious pearls; instead, it wandered among the rows of bookshelves, searching for the scriptures.

"The Five Elements circulate, and the canopy rises above. Is this the Five Emperors' Canopy Method? Unfortunately, I am not well-versed in the true meaning of the Five Elements."

"Three flowers gather at the top, forming a Ruyi (a scepter-like object), the Ruyi-striking divine method?"

"The chest contains the five elements of the five internal organs, the Five Elements Returning to the Origin Song?"

"..."

The rows of jade slip bookshelves are filled with Taoist teachings, all of which are the essence of the Xuanmen (mystical sect). Many of them are even from the Taoist sects north of Tiandu and overseas, obtained by Ancestor Yin during his travels in Tiandu. They can truly be called secret treasures. If they were released to the common people, who knows what kind of bloody storms they would cause. But these are not what Li Qing is looking for.

What he seeks is the fundamental and wondrous method that can support hundreds of spells, enabling him to fully unleash his fire magic, incantations, and primordial energy transformations.

Just like the Myriad Laws Treasure Tree in the Hall of Myriad Laws, one tree produces ten thousand flowers, each flower is a technique, one technique gives rise to myriad laws, one technique contains myriad laws...

"Does this mean we have no choice but to seek help from the Hall of Ten Thousand Laws?"

The fundamental and wondrous method in Li Qing's mind should perhaps be the general outline of the Great Dao that has no bias towards any particular Daoist style.

After searching for a long time in the hall, Li Qing still couldn't find the Daoist method he was looking for. Just as he was about to give up and was preparing to take the quota of that Daoist method to the Inner Court - the Wanfa Academy to ask for it.

Suddenly, Li Qing's attention was drawn to a pure cloud of energy in the Qi Dao Scripture area.

It was a cloud of ever-changing yet fundamental nature, like a wisp of celestial energy at the top, eternally radiating boundless light.

"This is... the Supreme Auspicious Cloud Technique?"

The primordial ancestral energy gathers among the clouds, a thousand celestial flowers bloom, and jeweled necklaces hang endlessly, yet the fundamental principles remain unchanged amidst myriad transformations.

Upon seeing this seed of Dao, Li Qing probed it with a wisp of his divine sense until it resonated with the Dao essence within. Li Qing raised an eyebrow and secretly exclaimed, "Wonderful method!"

This method first condenses a breath of primordial ancestral energy. This energy ascends to the Divine Palace, descends to the Sea of ​​Qi, first circulates through the various orifices, and then blossoms within the Purple Palace.

During a battle, with just a touch, primordial energy arises three feet above the head, gathering to form auspicious clouds at the top. When tempered by true fire, these clouds can transform into crimson clouds, bestowed the name "Red Cloud Immortal Cloud Qi." When scattering purple lightning, it becomes known as Thunder Cloud, or Thunder Marsh Hundred Calamities Qi. All spells involving incantations and ghost-slaying can be called Soul Clouds, also known as Northern Yin Absolute Cloud Qi...

Above the crown of the head, a wisp of primordial energy gives rise to auspicious clouds, hundreds of auspicious clouds, their precious light soaring into the sky. Every breath is a transformation of all laws.

When one breath creates the Dao, auspicious clouds arise above the head!

"It's feasible. Between Yin and Yang, there is the purest and most pristine place, which should be a superior method. However, this method requires entering and exiting the Azure Netherworld to absorb the essence of the Jade Emperor of the Nine Heavens, which is somewhat troublesome..."

Li Qing sighed softly and glanced sideways at the spirit tablet on the side of the jade slip.

The ancient Fangxian lineage, the secret transmission of Qi, "Peak Auspicious Clouds," contains 1.29 million Daoist merits!
hiss……

This price is truly outrageous. Is it some kind of secret technique from the ancient Fangxian Dao?
Since it suited his tastes perfectly, Li Qing naturally didn't hesitate and took it down with a flick of his sleeve, placing it in his palm.

Having obtained the Daoist arts, Li Qing hesitated for a moment before heading towards the 'Witchcraft and Ghostly Sacrifice' section. He was very clear about his goal for the second volume of Daoist arts.

The Great Black Heaven Mantra of Yu Yu!
Seven hundred years ago, just after the collapse of the Six Heavens, a Yin God was born. His physical body traversed Yin and Yang and entered the shattered Netherworld. Feeling the desolation of the ancient Yin World, he wept and spoke, using the still-undried ghost blood from the remnant floating land to write down the curses of the Netherworld ghosts and gods.

The Mahakala Mantra is a Daoist technique of Yin spirit level, which was once extremely popular.

"This is the scripture!"

"Southern Dipper Extends Life, Dark Heaven Steals Soul"—these are the two most extreme Taoist practices of Tiannan Temple, teetering between life and death, and neither has been practiced for a long time.

He wanted to cultivate the Yin-Yang Dao and the Primordial Qi, which naturally meant he couldn't do without the Dao of Life and Death...

After picking up the two scrolls of Linghua jade slips, Li Qing turned and headed out of the hall. The entire process took only an hour.

Two shimmering jade slips of Taoist teachings were placed on the nanmu incense table. The purple-robed Taoist who was meditating behind them silently opened his eyes. This was Dingshan Taoist, who was on duty at the Hall of Transmitting the Dharma.

With just a glance at the two jade slips on the table, the corner of Dingshan Daoist's mouth twitched involuntarily.

"Does this guy just choose whatever method is considered precious?"

The two Taoist methods combined are worth more than two million Taoist merits.

In the Dharma Transmission Hall, it is not necessarily true that the more valuable the Taoist magic is, the better it is. For example, the "Youyou Daheitian Incantation" is an ancient text from seven hundred years ago. Many of the ghosts and gods of that time have already disappeared, and many methods of summoning and cursing are no longer effective.

While the Youyou Incantation is a valuable system, it is now inferior to other incantations such as the Five Sacred Mountains Incantation and the Dragon Descent Incantation.

As for that secret transmission of Qi, it is indeed the most advanced Daoist technique...

"The jade slips in the temple must not be circulated outside, given away, or transferred to others. Youhuang, you should know this."

"Have you decided on these two volumes?"

The Taoist priest Dingshan flicked his whisk and slowly walked over from the futon, nodding in greeting.

As they were both from the Purple Mansion, he was not qualified to condescendingly instruct on what the upper and lower volumes were. If he said more, he might disturb Junior Brother Youhuangzi's Dao heart. Daoist Dingshan did not say anything more, but asked again in a deep voice.

"These two volumes are all I need, brother." Li Qing bowed respectfully and spoke with certainty.

"Can!"

All the transmission of the Dharma involved obtaining a Dao contract and an official seal, which were then presented to the Daoist of Dingshan. Two jade slips were added to the Dao contract, and after passing through the seal, the restrictions on the jade slips completely disintegrated. From then on, they were unsealed and belonged to Li Qing…

(End of this chapter)