The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 192 Donglai Chenxiang Mansion

In the southwestern mountains, three-colored banners led the way, diverting mountain torrents ten miles to the east and silt and sand to the west. Before long, the torrents rolled on, shaking the mountains and trembling the peaks. The accumulated mountain torrents in the thirteen prefectures and counties were guided to flow into the southward-flowing Yuan River.

The ghostly scourge of the Yuanhe River, which cut off all other counties, has truly deprived this southwestern region of too many opportunities to combat droughts, floods, and major disasters.

But once the water veins are opened and the Tongyuan River is connected, the scourge of water ghosts will likely extend directly to the streams of many prefectures and counties. At that time, ghostly events will arise, which will be even more terrifying.

The armored soldiers reined in their horses, climbed to a high vantage point, and gazed at the surging torrents on the divine road. The power of heaven and earth was truly vast, and mortals could hardly resist it. The surging sand flowed like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down from the blue-lighted road.

"not good!"

The sect leader of Shenxing Sect had just avoided the mud and sand under his feet and looked down at the torrent in the valley. He saw that the water was surging and powerful. The magic flag in the southwest corner of Shenxing Waterway was already struggling to hold on, and the spiritual patterns on the flag began to flicker.

Their Divine Path lineage was merely a folk unorthodox sect. They had managed to occupy a large estate in the county as their headquarters, but they couldn't obtain much spiritual material. With only a few Dharma flags in their sect, they were hardly of any use in the face of the current overwhelming trend.

"Our sect has only refined these few Dharma flags over the years, and we absolutely cannot afford to lose them."

The sect leader's expression shifted several times. He exchanged a glance with the disciples behind him, then immediately rode the wind and stepped forward, landing in the torrent. He stood with flags in his arms, using his robust body, tempered by spiritual energy, to resist the branching torrents.

Despite the surging torrents and the powerful mudslides, he stood tall and firm, holding the flag, and truly managed to quell the crumbling battle.

Seeing this, the other cultivators on both sides naturally wouldn't allow him to take the risk alone.

The old wood spirit, with its emerald green hair and a peach wood horn, cursed inwardly, "You brat, are you out of your mind?!"

He then raised his arm and took out a section of bamboo root from his sleeve. He activated a stream of Jia wood spiritual energy and slapped it into the bamboo root. He then tossed it at the feet of the Divine Travel Sect Master. Miraculously, a two-zhang-long green bamboo emerged from the bottom of the raging torrent of dust and waves. Its branches were lush and its leaves were verdant, providing the Divine Travel Sect Master with a place to stand...

The divine barrier stretched a hundred miles south, guiding the torrent, which continued for several days without ceasing.

Li Qing and his companions stopped on the cloud and looked around. What they saw below were the county and state officials, local militia, and mountain people; soldiers and unorthodox men, all of whom were giving their lives.

"What grudges does the Prefect have with the Divine Travel Sect and the Wood Spirit Sect?"

Having witnessed the actions of the two unorthodox sects over the past few days, Ding Biejia could not remain silent upon hearing Li Qing's question. After a long silence, he simply cupped his hands and said, "There is no great grudge between us."

In the southwestern corner of the country, three unorthodox sects gathered together, and a powerful clan lived a life of hardship.

The Ding family of Chenxiang now has more than twenty disciples who have mastered Qi cultivation, three venerable spirits who roam the night, and one person who has entered the Purple Mansion realm. They also need to support the descendants who have entered the Taiyi Dao sect... The pressure they bear is certainly not small.

The three unorthodox sects originated from the folk traditions of the southwest, and like three tigers fighting for food, they had to be ranked in order of superiority and inferiority.

"In the East Sea there are various lineages, each with its own sect and clan, which enter the Immortal City to obey orders and are sufficient to block the spying of the Three Seas; in Lingnan there are various families, each with its own class, who worship ghosts and gods. The land that was once teeming with ghosts is now considered peaceful."

"The southwest region isn't so impoverished that it has to come to a point where it's a fight to the death, is it?"

Li Qing stood with his hands behind his back on the clouds, ignoring Ding Biejia's dilemma, and looked down at the mountains and peaks of Tiannan.

"Last year, the Southern Poison Gu Clan opened a side gate in Lanfeng Prefecture, which helped to manage the local chieftains in the south and was praised by the people of the south."

"Above, there are immortal sects to seek the Great Dao; below, there are unorthodox sects to seek the Dharma and unorthodox methods to cultivate techniques. This is all in accordance with the natural order of Heaven!"

If other Purple Mansions had come on this trip, the Divine Journey and Wood Spirit lineages would probably have been wiped out.

The Ding family of Chenxiang has been located here for a long time, and the foundation they have accumulated is probably even greater than that of the Lan family of Tiannan Prefecture!
However, Li Qing had also been to the Three Immortal Continents overseas. The continents had immortal sects, cloud pavilions, heavenly cities, puppet mechanisms, and the number of people who cultivated immortality was no less than 100,000.

Heroes from all corners of the world pay homage, and wandering cultivators from all directions come to pay tribute. The spiritual gold and precious materials of the South, the demonic blood essence of the North Sea, and the star essence of the South Sea all converge in the Immortal Continent's marketplace.

In his opinion, Tiannan Prefecture doesn't need to be all-powerful, but it should at least give these lower-level lineages and sects some opportunities!

"What does the Prefect think?"

Seeing that the performance below was nearing its end, Li Qing turned her head and solemnly looked at the two people beside her.

The female Daoist from the Purple Mansion of the Spirit Butterfly Sect kept her eyes down and remained silent. Only Prefect Ding was indignant, but he dared not show it in front of Li Jun, who had just finished killing and feeding the ghost.

After hesitating for a moment, Chenxiang, the Prefect, bowed and gave Li Qing an ambiguous answer.

“What you say is true.”

Ding Jiuzhi dared not say much, but when the head of the Law Court took the three sons of the Ding family as his adopted sons, he promised that he could ensure the prosperity of the Ding family for six generations and help the three sons of the Ding family to achieve immortality and attain the Great Dao.

Perhaps Li Jun knows this now, or perhaps he doesn't, but he will find out soon enough!

Ding Biejia would naturally not provoke Li Qing here, as it seems that for powerful local families like theirs, the battlefield for competition is never on the chessboard.

The group reached a superficial consensus, and the flood diversion project below was terminated.

The several unorthodox individuals followed the governor and his elite soldiers across the mountain stream, bowing their heads below the Cloud Platform.

"The old man from Daizhou, along with all its people, expresses his deepest gratitude to the venerable Daoist for his assistance. The long-accumulated floodwaters have finally receded, allowing the people of the prefecture to cultivate their fertile fields once more..."

The magistrate bowed and explained the situation.

Following his gaze further, he saw that the fertile fields below the distant ridge had been destroyed by mud and sand, the rich soil either buried or washed away. He anticipated that it would take at least ten years for the soil to recover naturally, and that it would be necessary to hire a sorcerer or Taoist priest skilled in the Five Elements magic to help.

This is also a way for the immortals to give back to humanity in governing the world!
Upon hearing the details of the subsequent methods, Li Qing nodded slightly. This governor did indeed possess sufficient governing abilities, but unfortunately, there were too many things to compromise on in this region. In fact, the very founding of the Southern Kingdom stemmed from compromise...

"Can!"

"The water ghost has been eliminated, but there is definitely more than just this one water ghost in the Yuan River, especially in recent days, it has become increasingly dangerous."

"Here's what we'll do. How much of the finest metals can be mobilized in Chenxiang Prefecture? You must gather all the metals to weave into a net, binding a willow branch between every two and a half feet of fine gold threads, creating a hundred-foot-long giant net, and laying it on the upper reaches of the Yuan River. There must be at least three layers..."

Furthermore, a large Golden Willow Ghost-Scare Net was erected to deter ordinary ghosts and spirits from upstream, preventing them from causing trouble downstream.

Among the chieftains of the lower reaches of the South, there are also mountain people who rely on the source of the Yuan River for their livelihood. Perhaps that place will become the fourth prefecture in the south, and it must not be allowed to be plagued by ghosts...

As for the rest, I need Li Qing to first investigate what exactly happened in the Yuanhe area before we can make any further plans!
Upon receiving the order, the officials, filled with trepidation, began to make preparations as instructed by Minister Li.

At this moment, only the old man of the Wood Spirit, the master of the Divine Travel Sect, and the butterfly that still stood motionless on the cloud were waiting for this Taoist Li to give a conclusion.

"I am aware of the grudges between the various prefectures in Chenxiang Prefecture, but the water ghost has no connection with Prefect Ding; it was just an accident."

“I came from Linyuan to find the source of this Yuan River. If you three sects can keep an eye on that river crossing for me, I will remember your great merit.”

"The Divine Travel Sect lost a Purple Mansion member while controlling the floods. We can find a talented and promising descendant, who can use the Jade Token of the Abyss to enter the Immortal Mountain until a second Purple Mansion is born. What do you say?"

"But you must not fight that Ding family to the death!"

Li Qing handed over a seal, wanting to see if those unorthodox Taoists at the upper level of Qi Refining could be persuaded.

Li Qing was unwilling to sit idly by and watch the powerful clans of that state annex the two left-wing provinces, but it was absolutely impossible for him to support them in retaliating against the former!

The two below immediately looked utterly dejected. Admittedly, this outcome was already a special favor from the Venerable Daoist, who had taken special care of them, the two unorthodox sects. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't even bother with them, these unorthodox mountain sects. But they were truly filled with deep resentment. The patriarch of the Divine Travel Sect was most skilled in geomancy and feng shui, using his divine travel techniques to find spirits and open mountains, supporting many disciples. This Divine Travel Sect also specialized in geomancy, feng shui, delivering messages, finding tombs, and so on, and its reputation was not bad.

The Wood Spirit School consists mostly of village and township pharmacists and shamans, or those who guard the mountains and forests, driving away poisonous insects and beasts, and they also have a good reputation.

Even with these two sects, the Ding family could no longer tolerate them. Although the Divine Traveler Ancestor was not killed by Prefect Ding, he was the one who personally fell into the Abyss River.

In any case, Ding has already taken on the responsibility of saving a life!
"Alas, I am deeply grateful for the kindness and care shown by the Venerable Master."

"Young Master Zhang, you should also think about your hundreds of disciples..."

The old man with the wooden spirit sighed deeply and bowed in gratitude.

They were fighting to the death with the deeply entrenched Chenxiang Ding clan, but it was merely a struggle for survival. If they really fought, they, being mere unorthodox practitioners, would have no way out but death, as they had no protection from the Purple Palace.

As for the Spirit Butterfly Sect, he never had any hope of it!

The sect leader below, Zhang Gui, naturally wouldn't be ungrateful. After struggling for a long time, he bowed down, knelt on both knees, and accepted the jade talisman.

“I, Zhang, thank you, Lord Li, and I will certainly not make things difficult for you, my benefactor.”

Shangguan Zundao had already done his utmost to shoulder all the burdens for them, and Zhang Gui was well aware of this.

"Alright, this humble Taoist sees that your Divine Speed ​​Technique seems to be somewhat related to the Qimen Dunjia technique?"

"Since it is a divine speed technique, do you know the Divine Speed ​​Armor Talisman?"

Seeing that this person was reasonable, Li Qing tossed the seal into Zhang Gui's arms, raised an eyebrow, and asked again.

The Divine Speed ​​Talisman?
This is a type of talisman commonly used in the cultivation world. When slapped on the feet or the side of a horse's hoof, it instantly grants the ability to travel a thousand miles a day with the wind at one's feet.

However... it is completely different from the Divine Speed ​​Technique.

Zhang Gui shook his head with a wry smile: "The Divine Speed ​​Technique is a branch of the Minor Arts of Qimen Dunjia, and it is different from the Divine Speed ​​Armor Horse Technique."

If they were connected, they would have mastered a skill of cultivation by making divine armor and horse talismans, so how could they be in their current state?
Those who follow the unorthodox path are having a tough time!

"Oh?"

Li Qing suddenly realized what was happening, then looked around at Cai Die'er and Mu Ling Sou, before taking out a set of three small and one large jade discs from his sleeve and pushing it in front of Zhang Daoren.

"Go and urge the prefectural government to ensure that they guard this Yuanhe ferry crossing for me."

"I see that the Dharma flag in your hand is truly unusable. This set of mid-grade mother-and-child jade plates was given to me by someone overseas many years ago. Take it as payment for this matter. Are you willing to accept the order?"

what?
Before Zhang Gui could get up, he saw four exquisite jade plates, one large and three small, hanging in front of him. The spiritual patterns and restrictions within them seemed to flow endlessly like the aura of a dragon. They were mid-grade magic artifacts of the Law Barrier, containing a total of three hundred restrictions.

This item is worth more than 100,000 taels of silver in the Southwest. How could a small family like his dare to... dare to...

Sect Master Zhang dared not agree, but Mu Lingsou and Cai Die'er saw it clearly. They knew that this Venerable Daoist Shangguan had repeatedly heard the news and bestowed valuable treasures upon them, partly to appease the hatred of the Divine Travel Sect and to ensure their safety, and partly as a form of compensation.

The other measure was to ensure that even the Ding family, who owned the agarwood, would show some respect upon seeing this item, thus stabilizing the current situation in the state.

Seeing that Sect Leader Zhang had not responded for a long time, the two chuckled and teased, urging him, "Your Excellency has bestowed such an opportunity upon you, why don't you seize it?"

"You idiot..."

But when the sect leader came to his senses, he suddenly felt a scorching wind in front of him. The scorching heat suddenly pushed the three of them back a hundred feet, and a terrifying dragon roar resounded into the sky.

Li Qing had already summoned the fiery dragon "Candle," and stepped onto the top of the dragon's head, instructing the red dragon to circle once before ascending to the top of the golden clouds.

"The other side of the Yuan River is now in your hands!"

Although Chenxiang Prefecture is located in a remote corner and is somewhat impoverished, it still has considerable strength. If the powerful clans of the Left Path unite, they are capable of protecting the Yuan River.

Even if a powerful day-traveling demon, strong enough to leave the waters at will, comes ashore, they can still warn the government and the Immortal Mountain of Lin Yuan.

Li Qing then had no intention of lingering on this matter any longer.

He wanted to ride the Crimson Dragon upstream along the Abyss River to see what the upper reaches of the river were like.

But should I go and make contact with the ghost lords vying for the position of city lord in that ghost city...?

The crimson dragon raised its head, stirring up ten miles of red clouds, and traveled westward. Its shimmering red light resembled a small sun in the clouds as it sped away into the distance at an incredible speed.

Only three heretics remained standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Zhang Gui of the Divine Travel Sect was originally the victim of this battle, but a set of mid-grade mother-and-child jade plates really made up for a lot of the grief in his sect. The complete set of talismans is much more precious than a single sword or banner, enough for a heretical sect to pass down for generations.

For independent cultivators in remote areas, sometimes their lives are not necessarily more precious than a single array plate!

"Master Mu, the hatred between my father and grandfather is irreconcilable."

"However, since the Supreme Master Li has found a way out for us, our two sects shall obey his decree."

Zhang Gui raised his head and stared intently at the old man, Mu Ling. This old man was a fellow Daoist with the fallen Divine Travel Ancestor, and even after his death, he continued to support the Divine Travel Sect. Naturally, Zhang Gui was extremely grateful.

However, since Li Jun gave them a way out, the two sects no longer needed to risk their lives, which inadvertently put Li Daoren in a difficult position.

After repaying the kindness of Lord Li, he, Daoist Zhang, took full responsibility for the matter and would never implicate anyone else!

To leave a grudge unavenged is unfilial...

In the South, chivalry is prevalent, and grudges are settled between life and death. This is a very difficult trend to control, but sometimes it is not a bad thing.

However, Li Qing didn't care about any of that; at this moment, he was already heading north along the Yuan River.

He had only traveled a few hundred miles when he could already see the heavy yin energy beneath the abyss river. As soon as he descended from the clouds, the true form of the vengeful ghost in the water was revealed.

Amidst the floating waves and gentle breeze, several purplish-blue ghostly figures drifted on the river, unaffected by any waves, without the slightest sway, as if their bodies were piercing through the water's surface.

"Old ghost, quite a few, huh?"

As soon as the red dragon descended from the clouds, the "Zhong Kui Catching Ghosts" picture immediately lit up. A cold wind surged and the clouds were gloomy. In the cold wind, a pair of large hands that could capture spirits and ghosts scooped up three or five bruised dead ghosts in the water and immediately caught them in the picture.

"The vengeful ghosts of the Netherworld are too ferocious. Sister Cui is bound by the laws of the Netherworld in the Underworld and cannot roam freely. Without external help, it is really difficult to take action! The little ghosts here are quite ordinary..."

"The concept of fate is truly wondrous. It just so happens that the hundred ghosts of the Abyss River were captured to refine the Southern Dipper Life Lamp, which is also nearing the six hundredth threshold of a high-grade magic weapon..."

(End of this chapter)