The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 189 The So-Called Left Path

As the brocade clouds rolled in from the east, the crimson glow surged, and the dragon's roar resounded for dozens of miles across the sky. All the sorcerers and Taoist priests in the prefecture raised their eyes and gazed at the auspicious mist that was coming from the east.

When the officials of the prefecture were on duty and opened their offices, they saw this strange phenomenon. Their legs thumped and they immediately called their attendants and servants to come and meet them from several miles away.

A radiant light shimmered in the clouds, sweeping across the city. Outside the towering buildings, a magnificent imperial carriage descended from the sky, its banners fluttering in the mist and its horses riding on brocade and rushes.

The royal carriage, which appeared eerie and shrouded in mist to the mountain spirits, stood facing them in the sky, its red glow like satin. To the cultivators and common people of the state, however, it was an awe-inspiring display of divine power.

What chilling mist? That's ethereal, otherworldly energy!

Moreover, amidst the rolling red clouds, the faintly visible crimson scales and fiery mane, along with the ever-resonating roar of the vast dragon, were nothing short of a majestic and awe-inspiring sight.
Clad in red robes and purple sashes, they strode forward, while the golden-armored captains bowed and greeted in unison, "Immortal Master!"

"Immortal Master, you have arrived. The affairs of the state are in such a state of disarray that I am truly unable to continue."

The magistrate of Chenxiang Prefecture stepped forward with his hands clasped, repeatedly groaning in distress.

The floods in the southwest have not yet subsided, and now ghostly events have occurred. Most of the people in the state sorcerer's mansion have been swept into the abyss by the ghostly waves, with more than ten people killed or injured. In addition, even the Purple Mansion Daoist has perished. What should we do?
Tiannan Prefecture is still mobilizing soldiers, but with two disasters raging at once, the officials in the prefecture are already in a state of extreme anxiety.

Tiannan Temple is a southern immortal sect with power equal to that of the capital. Seeing the Purple Mansion of the immortal sect is like seeing its superior. Naturally, this old official would start by complaining about his difficulties!

As soon as the royal carriage stopped, before the dark clouds and cold mist had even dissipated, the magistrate of Zishi Prefecture rushed forward, which surprised Li Qing. He lifted the beaded curtain, flicked his finger, and blocked the magistrate several feet away.

"I have just received orders from the temple, please wait a moment, Prefect."

Having cultivated for so long, Li Qing is no longer the young Taoist disciple he once was.

With changes occurring in the state, the prefect is naturally anxious. However, we must not look at what he says, but rather at what he actually does.

Tiannan Temple is, after all, a celestial sect that can make decisions for an entire prefecture. Even the slightest change in attitude can influence the decisions and assessments made within the prefecture.

Li Qing would not be used as a pawn.

He rolled up the beaded curtain, descended from the palanquin, and after taking a few steps with a flick of his sleeve, Li Qing raised his head again in a gesture of respect, and the magnificent Hunyuan Royal Carriage instantly transformed into a ray of precious light, returning to his sleeve.

A hundred feet above the city, the red clouds rolled and swirled wildly. Li Qing had already entered the city with a flick of his sleeve. "Candle Dragon," who was chasing a butterfly in the clouds, suddenly sensed something was wrong. His two golden eyes, like the moon, peered down from the clouds and stared directly at Li Qing.

It had been locked up by Li Qing for two years, partly to prepare for a breakthrough, but the dark room had truly stifled it. Now that Li Qing wanted to leave, how could it possibly be willing?
The dragon's ferocious maw snapped shut, hiding the phoenix-tailed butterfly within the six-crowned dragon's horns. Its over eighty-foot-long body collapsed in the red clouds, plummeting down like a javelin. The terrifying dragon's body, baring its fangs and claws, crashed onto the streets of the prefecture, instantly cracking the bluestone bricks.

Amidst the scattered dust, a wave of heat swept over them, and the crimson dragon turned over, its roar resounding. The high-ranking officials and military officers on both sides were so startled that they all retreated.

Fortunately, the red dragon ignored them and simply turned its huge head around, rubbing against Li Qing.

However, the "candle's" bowing and approaching only resulted in Li Qing taking several steps back and being blocked by his vital energy!
What would happen if the dragon's head, which is as big as a small hill, were kissed by it?

Li Qing glanced at the guy helplessly, then swept his sleeve and immediately summoned the candle back into the octagonal dragon pillar. There were mostly ordinary people in the prefecture, and with the current Crimson Dragon bloodline of the "candle," even a few breaths of dragon breath could cause the children in the prefecture to faint from the heat, so he really had to be careful.

"Let's discuss this further inside the yamen!"

Ignoring the officials, big and small, Li Qing swept his sleeves and strode towards the prefectural government.

The three heretical sects and the state sorcerers arrived on the wind, only to find nothing. Then, two groups of government troops, armed with rattan armor and jackal warriors, rushed to the scene. Wolf howls filled the air, and arrows whistled, bringing the entire state city back to life...

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Chenxiang Prefecture Office.

All the lineages from various parts of the state gathered here to recount their experiences to this Taoist priest who came from the Immortal Mountain of Linyuan.

Chenxiang Prefecture originally had two Left Dao Purple Mansions: one was Cai Die'er of the Lingdie Sect, and the other was Bai Na Daoren of the Shenxing Sect. In addition, the Ding Clan, a prominent clan in the southwest, served as the Prefectural Magistrate.

A state that unites the resources of all four regions into one team should not be in such a predicament!

Li Qing glanced to the side and saw that the first row consisted of the prefect, the deputy prefect, and the woman in colorful clothes. These were the three remaining Purple Mansion Realm experts in the prefecture.

The first and last figures in the second row were middle-aged men wearing white cloth on their heads, descendants of the fallen Daoist of the Divine Travel Sect. Beside them were an old man in tree robes, a rogue cultivator carrying a sword, a burly man in rattan armor, and a... young man in cloth robes.

The second row consists of independent cultivators, alchemists, and fierce warriors from various Qi Refining realms.

The people in the hall, whether in fear or shock, all sat upright and solemnly. The only sound in the entire hall was the gentle tapping of Li Qing's fingertips on the table.

"So, you all stopped making any progress because of the ghostly scourge of the Abyss River, and haven't taken any other action for a full half month?"

"Three Purple Mansion cultivators, even if they had to wade across a river, wouldn't be afraid of a mere water ghost!"

Was Chenxiang Prefecture negligent in its duties or acting intentionally? How could the entire prefecture be brought to a standstill over such a trivial matter?
Could it be that the prefect of this state is once again Liu Huangzhou?

However, when Li Qing asked this question, all the officials in the prefecture remained silent and no one responded.

Ok?
Li Qing raised an eyebrow, finding it even more astonishing. How could the entire state be so united? Their audacity was outrageous!
"White Poison, Commander White, do you know why this is?"

The young man below, still in shock, was startled when he heard Li Qing call his name again.

Without a second thought, Bai Du rose and bowed.

"Lord Li, I was also transferred here by Your Excellency twenty days ago. Because the jackals and warriors are good at chasing the fleeing enemy, they can walk on flat ground in the southwestern borderlands. That's why I accepted the order."

"I know nothing about this state!"

The commander of the wolf cavalry had also sensed something amiss between the various sects in this state during these two decades, but he had no clue why.

Perhaps after the meeting, we can privately discuss this with Lord Li Qing.

It was Bai Du's cry of "Lord Li" that drew all eyes to him in the temple.

Is this guy an old acquaintance of the immortal master in front of him?
The people from all walks of life were shocked and began to speculate about the relationship between the two...

Seeing that Bai Du also shook his head, Li Qing nodded slightly and raised his hand to stop asking the question.

Leaning back in the armchair, Li Qing closed his eyes and pondered for a few moments before tossing a scroll of bamboo slips onto the table with a flick of his sleeve, glaring at her and warning her:

"Gentlemen, I am here to rid you of the evil spirits, not to play your games of choosing sides!"

"Now you're hiding your true intentions, neglecting your duties, being lazy and incompetent, colluding with me, and coldly facing me." "Hmph! Do you all still not know the fate of the three chief officials of Liuhuang Prefecture?"

This statement did not contain any primordial energy, but as soon as the words fell, it was as if a decapitation blade was about to fall, and all the disciples in the training ground felt a chill run down their spines.

The three officials of Liuhuang Prefecture were brutally tortured to death, along with 18,000 lives. This was an inescapable fate.

But Chenxiang Prefecture is different!

The people in the room were sullen, but their previous indifference had turned into a cautious expression.

The man in the first seat of the second row, wearing a white cloth on his head, hesitated for a long time before suddenly standing up and taking a few steps forward with a fierce look, which surprised everyone in the training ground.

Just as those Purple Mansion and Child Scholars were about to take action to suppress him, the middle-aged man, his eyes bloodshot and his head thrashing to the ground.

"Immortal Master, please listen to what this humble one has to say."

"The Ding family of Chenxiang held absolute power, claiming the title of ancestor in the southwest, forming private cliques, and frequently using their power as deputy governors to eliminate dissidents."

"My ancestor of the Divine Speed ​​Sect was suppressed by him. He used the Divine Speed ​​Technique to divert floodwaters and clear the way, and dredge the Yuan River. During this time, he was also bullied by the old devil Ding and forced into the Yuan River."

"Zhang Guishi of the Divine Travel Sect impeached Ding Jiuzhi, the Prefect of Shenyuan, who colluded with demons and ghosts, using the mountain flood disaster to force my ancestor to his death..."

Just as the Divine Travel Sect Master was adding fuel to the fire in his complaint, Prefect Ding could no longer allow him to spout nonsense. He immediately unleashed his Purple Mansion Qi and slammed it down over his head.

The sect leader of Shenxing Sect, Zhang Gui, could not hide his seriousness, but the old Taoist Mu Ling beside him had his own methods. He pinched the spiritual light in his palm and blew it out in one breath. The Yi Wood spiritual light grew in the wind and transformed into a hundred or so Yi Wood Thorn Bird Spirits in the blink of an eye. They chirped and chattered as they rushed forward.

This action was extraordinary. Ding Biejia, the leader of the Divine Travel Sect, and the Old Man of Wood Spirit instantly attacked each other, throwing the state government into chaos. Heretics, sorcerers, and officials of all ranks had no choice but to join the fray and try to stop the attack.

If they acted this way in front of this Taoist priest, one can only imagine how badly they fought in private. No wonder things were so difficult to do in the state.

On one side were powerful local clans dominating the southwest, with Taoist priests and spirits constantly appearing in their ancestral temples; on the other side was a lineage of unorthodox Taoist practices that had survived for a hundred years, scattered throughout the prefectures and counties, with a considerable number of disciples. When the two sides clashed, they decided to fight to the death.

"This is ridiculous!"

However, a cryptic shout rang out from the hall, and the Taoists who were about to make a move suddenly froze, their spirits raging in their Niwan Palace, and they could no longer control their bodies.

"sit down."

Li Qing gave a cold shout, pinched his right thumb together, and the secret power of soul summoning descended from the air, controlling more than ten people in the room. The invisible secret power soul threads fell down, directly pulling the souls of these more than ten people like puppets, and throwing them down between their respective seats.

"Governor, what's going on?"

The situation got out of control for a moment, but the magistrate was the only one who remained uninvolved. When Li Qing called on him to ask questions, the old magistrate could only smile bitterly and tell him the whole story.

There are three unorthodox lineages in Chenxiang Prefecture. Those who practice unorthodox methods only know the techniques but not the methods, and are not connected with the Great Way.

For various immortal sects and lineages, those who go against the Dao naturally do not have a good reputation. However, in folk lineages, unorthodox methods mean that they are easy to cultivate and easy to enter, and are the most likely way to advance to the Purple Palace and live to four hundred years old.

The Spirit Butterfly Sect excels in the art of raising flower butterflies. Their butterfly techniques differ from those of raising spirits for assistance. The Spirit Butterfly Sect regards the spirit butterflies as the foundation for cultivating the Purple Mansion Dao. The spirit butterflies are the Dao, the art, and also the tool.

Those who cultivate the Dream Butterfly can kill in dreams; those who cultivate the Sword Butterfly can unleash a nine-foot-long sword beam with a surge of spiritual energy, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks; those who cultivate the Ghost Face Butterfly can feed on essence and drink blood, controlling ghosts and devouring souls...

The Spirit Butterfly Sect possesses 70% of its cultivation in the Spirit Butterfly!
The Wood Spirit School cultivates the two energies of wood and spirit. One energy gives rise to the spiritual energy of all plants, which can be injured but not harmed. Consuming these plants as bait greatly benefits cultivation. One energy can transform into wood spirits and create countless things. The foundation is based on these two energies. However, success and failure both come from wood energy. Wood becomes stagnant and dull over time, and even the Dao body is prone to becoming stiff and dull, easily turning into a wood demon. Therefore, one must cultivate with caution!
The cultivation method of this lineage places the greatest emphasis on the Daoist site. By observing the rise and fall of the wood energy on a mountain, one can know whether there are Daoists who cultivate the wood spirit method on it.

The Divine Speed ​​Sect, however, has the most disciples. They enter the Dao through divine speed and attain enlightenment through divine speed. The minor technique of divine speed allows one to observe yin and yang, discern the advantages of the land, observe celestial phenomena, and distinguish the four seasons. It is easy to learn but difficult to master, and it bears some resemblance to the Qimen Dunjia technique...

These three lineages have always been closely connected, each occupying a territory with the Ding family of Chenxiang. However, a dozen years ago, the Ding family produced a disciple with extraordinary talent and was adopted as a godson by the head of the Law Enforcement Academy of Linyuan Immortal Mountain. He was then sent to Taiyi Dao to cultivate.

The Spirit Butterfly Sect changed its stance and immediately became close to the Ding family, causing the three unorthodox sects to lose their balance.

Thus, the two sides confronted each other, and as things stand today, they have almost become blood enemies!
Not long ago, Prefect Ding exerted a little pressure, broke the spirit boat, and knocked the Swift Traveler Ancestor into the Abyss River, severely humiliating him. But who would have thought that half an hour later, all thirty-four people from the Swift Traveler Sect and the Sorcerer's Mansion would be killed by the vengeful ghost.

Prefect Ding was also distressed but dared not speak, sitting sullenly to one side. However, the two Daoists, Mu Ling and Shen Xing, felt that the old scoundrel had played a dirty trick on them and could not be spared. Even if it meant the destruction of two sects, they would at least get an explanation from him...

You say the flood disaster has not yet subsided, the ghostly troubles have arisen, and such turmoil has broken out in the state. How can we possibly manage affairs?

This exiled magistrate also had his own unspeakable grievances!
After thoroughly investigating the turmoil in that state, Li Qing suddenly realized that things were actually like this.

After surveying the various paths in the arena and pondering for a long time, Li Qing shook his head and said:

"Your grudges can be settled later. For now, you go and quell the flood, while I will quell the ghostly calamity. We'll discuss this matter again after everything is calmed down!"

"The Divine Travel Sect will not perish, nor will the Wood Spirit Vein be extinguished. These three Dharma veins are all hard-won gateways from Tiannan, so naturally, no mistakes are allowed."

"However, whether it was taking lives or using power to oppress others, we will investigate one by one among the officials, soldiers, disciples of the three sects, and respectable young men in Chenxiang Prefecture..."

"I, Li Qing, hereby vouch for you all. Are you willing to obey my orders?"

The struggle for power and interests has ensnared the life of the Purple Mansion Master, which is indeed a momentous event in this local prefecture and county.

The mysterious power of summoning souls lingered above the heads of the cultivators, capturing their souls as if they were suspended from a piece of white silk, almost suffocating them...

Most of them didn't know who Li Qing was, but judging from his methods, he was definitely not a kind and benevolent person!

"Alright, then I'll let you wait here."

"If anyone causes trouble again in this matter, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Seeing that no one objected, Li Qing waved his right hand, dispersing the soul-summoning secret power that had been gripping the throats of the group of cultivators, giving them a chance to catch their breath.

When the Divine Travel Sect Master and the Old Daoist Mu Ling heard Li Qing's assurance that the three unorthodox lineages were hard-won treasures of Tiannan, such recognition left them with mixed feelings.

Although he still harbored deep hatred, he also thought of his thousands of disciples, which tempered his madness somewhat.

Ding, the Prefect, had a bad feeling. This Taoist from Tiannan was no pushover.

"It seems we must send a message to Taiyi Dao to summon the Holy Son back!"

"I also learned that the Tiannan Law Enforcement Court has been notified. I truly had no intention of taking that old scoundrel's life..."

(End of this chapter)