The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 222 Before the Foundation of the Crimson Palace
Beneath the eastern fence of Qishan.

A man bent down before the altar, his fingertips holding three thousand strands of black hair, to arrange the woman's hair in front of the mirror, tying it up and picking out a yellow flower.

At this moment, the Ghost Mother sat before the altar, her wooden gaze meeting the ancient mirror surrounded by a double phoenix openwork pattern.

The most fleeting things in life are youth and beauty; rosy cheeks fade from the mirror, and flowers fall from the trees.

No matter how beautiful a face is, it can never withstand the ravages of time, and no woman doesn't want her beauty to last forever.

Two hundred years ago, the Cui clan was wiped out. Cui Qu'er, the last descendant of the Cui clan's branch, felt hopeless and bid farewell to the Qishan Cui clan, which had been passed down for 32,000 years, with a foot of white silk and a great fire.

Even after attaining the Profound Yin Root, becoming the originator and mother, and acquiring the jade-faced, white-boned, half-alive, half-dead Dharma form, Cui Qu'er still couldn't escape worldly desires, her obsession with that appearance almost becoming a ghostly obsession.

Although Li Qing did not bring back the painted belt for her, she already liked this winter coat very much, and she pestered Li Qing to draw her eyebrows and tie her hair in front of the altar.

What does the reflection in the mirror look like?
The woman was dressed in simple, elegant clothes, her black hair tied up in a bun, held up by a hairpin, perfectly showcasing her exquisitely beautiful face that seemed almost unreal. There were no extra hairpins or ornaments; a single hairpin and a hairband were enough to accentuate her rare and beautiful face.

The man gently supporting the woman's shoulder was equally handsome, wearing a seven-star lotus crown and a robe draped in the clouds of Jiangzhen. His eyes were like a fantastical galaxy, within which seemed to flow intricate and dreamlike stars, making it difficult to discern his thoughts. His eyebrows were arched, and his phoenix eyes were charming. While his features weren't particularly striking, he possessed the gentle and refined air of a virtuous young man from the nine prefectures of Jiangzuo, but perhaps this also added a touch of coldness to his demeanor.

The ghost woman here has a cold and aloof appearance that is almost unreal, while the handsome man's dragon eyes and phoenix eyes give off a gloomy vibe. The fact that these two extremely contradictory individuals live together makes it seem like they are a match made in heaven...

"Is Sister Cui happy? Li Qing hasn't broken his promise, has he?"

Li Qing turned her head slightly and looked into the mirror through the Ghost Mother's left shoulder. The Ghost Mother's painted face was truly amazing. The man beside her also seemed quite familiar. This scene was presented in Li Qing's eyes, but it was deeply imprinted in Li Qing's heart.

Once upon a time, he was reciting the Book of Songs in the Jiangnan Academy, associating with scholars and ladies, and discussing ancient literary styles.

At that time, he never imagined that he would walk down such a path, and how could he have imagined that the person he would share a bed with in the future would be this Miss Cui?
Looking at the gloomy and aloof man in the mirror, and then recalling the spirited young man in the academy years ago, Li Qing suddenly felt what the capriciousness of fate meant.

"Unfortunately, now I, Li, am neither a Taoist nor a ghost, nor a god."

"I really don't know how to describe it..."

It had been a long time since Li Qing had sat down properly to tidy himself up and look in the mirror. He was afraid of the changes in himself recently, and he felt that the person in the mirror was somewhat unfamiliar.

Just as she was caught in this unspeakable self-doubt, a pair of jade-like hands brushed over her shoulders and gently lifted Li Qing's face. The Ghost Mother's perfect face pressed against Li Qing's cheek, and she seemed to be able to feel the hesitation of the man beside her.

This is true for everyone. At a certain stage of life's transformation, when facing an unpredictable future, one will naturally feel lost and helpless.

But fate is always so unpredictable. All we can do is accept it, try to accept it, and then "control" it in the direction we want!

As the Ghost Mother's beautiful face, tinged with a chilling, mysterious aura, drew closer, Li Qing's mind cleared considerably. He wasn't afraid; he simply raised his right hand and gently stroked the Ghost Mother's face, the two quietly embracing each other...

A love affair between a human and a ghost is a touch of life and death, a taboo in this world!

Unfortunately, this taboo is known to many in the Southern Kingdom of Tiandu. Some scoff, some mock, some are angry, and some... are envious...

Li Qing spent two days in tenderness with the Ghost Mother, until the Ghost Mother's lingering affection began to fade, before he turned around and closed the east gate of the Underworld, leaving Dongli Garden.

Since returning from the ruins of Fengdu, Li Qing has been taking a rare moment of tranquility these past two days to reflect on her own cultivation.

He probably already has the foundation to attain the Purple Mansion Foundation!

However, while the Lower Purple Mansion Foundation and the Upper Purple Mansion Foundation are said to be two realms, they are actually two stages of the Purple Mansion Dao Foundation.

When the foundation of the Dao was first established, the Purple Mansion and Crimson Palace were just like a patch of soil in the clouds, a source without roots. As the Daoist aura of the cultivators gathered, it gradually formed a Dharma intent that could challenge the laws of the Heavenly Dao. At this time, the primordial spirit in the Crimson Palace manifested rules in all directions, and every move produced strange phenomena such as thunder, gale, and the five elements. It can be said that the foundation of the Purple Mansion was established.

Of course, it is difficult for unorthodox cultivators to comprehend the essence of the Dharma. They first condense their primordial spirit into a physical form and then comprehend the essence of the Dharma later. At this time, it can be considered that they have reached the foundation of the Purple Mansion!
With the Purple Mansion Foundation advancing one step further, the Dao Foundation is perfected, the Dharma Intent deepens, and the Primordial Spirit within the Palace transforms into a human form, overflowing with Dharma Intent. Then, one can begin to condense the Yin Spirit...

Li Qing now possesses abundant magical power and has achieved a certain level of mastery in the Dao. He only needs to refine that Daoist essence before he can naturally become a foundational cultivator of the Purple Mansion.

But if he wants to cultivate the Xuanmen Purple Mansion, he must first cultivate the Dharma Intent!

"The way of Yin and Yang is the way of darkness and light. The way of darkness is to refine the soul, and the way of light is to cultivate the qi. One is clear and the other is turbid, one is to gather and the other is to exhale. This is Yin and Yang."

"The Soul Path Manipulation Incantation is called the Great Black Heaven Incantation. Now, two of the six Black Heaven Incantations have been completed, which can be considered a minor achievement. Using the Primordial Qi of Profound Yin to drive the initial Qi, auspicious clouds are generated above the head. This is called the Auspicious Cloud Method, which can be considered a Yangming technique..."

Li Qing muttered to herself, realizing her final weakness.

He entered the Dao through the practice of Qi cultivation, but what he ultimately lacked was the path of Qi.

"It's a pity. One begets two, two begets three, three begets all things. The primordial energy that evolves into all things cannot be accomplished overnight. To achieve a Qi Dao that aligns with one's own will, it is absolutely impossible to do so in one fell swoop!" The method of Qi cultivation is inherently obscure and difficult to understand. Otherwise, Tiannan Temple would not only have a handful of Purple Mansion Foundation Establishment cultivators. If one were to hastily cultivate foundations, there would be no Tiannan Qi Cultivation Path. Li Qing is well aware of this.

He wanted to cultivate the Yin-Yang Dao and master the Two-in-One Method based on the Primordial Qi and the Prophecy Soul Incantation. This was a necessary refinement!

Instead of dwelling on the recent events, Li Qing quickly returned to Tiannan.

Upon entering Lin Yuan Mountain, he hesitated.

Since Yin Zu and the abbot have entrusted him with all the rights to negotiate with the Hunyuan Immortal Sect, he should at least let them know the ins and outs of the matter.

After pausing for a moment in front of the Flying Waterfall Taoist Temple, the new season's spiritual herbs on the peak had already ripened, and Yu Daotu and Ma Daotu arranged for the Taoist boys from the outer courtyard to begin collecting the herbs.

It is worth mentioning that since the temple no longer distinguishes between inner and outer courtyards, the four courtyards and the outer courtyard have the same authority. The disciples of the outer courtyard can often come into contact with the Taoist temples, medicine gardens, alchemy rooms, and furnaces of the Purple Mansion Taoists, such as the Flying Waterfall Taoist Temple. Nowadays, the Taoist children are also divided into names such as herb-gathering children, alchemy children, and fire-mercury children. It is becoming more and more like a real Taoist sect!
Inside the main hall of the Taoist temple, the old Taoist priest, wearing a laurel wreath, added offerings to the sixty Jiazi deities. He glanced at the altar, and upon hearing the playful sounds of passing Taoist children, he couldn't help but open the window. Looking at the innocent smiles of the children, a long-lost smile appeared on the old man's usually withered and silent face...

At the training ground on the back mountain, several young men and women were earnestly advising Zhao Wan'er: "Wan'er, since you are going to start building your Purple Mansion Dao Foundation in such a short time, why not directly pay your respects to the Abbot and the Headmaster? With your aptitude, you are very likely to be a Dao Body of a certain type. Even the Great Dao Sects such as Taiyi, Qingxu, and Sanhuang would be vying for you!"

"At the very least, we should ask the Lord of Youhuang Palace for Foundation Establishment resources, shouldn't we?"

Zhao Wan'er is actually going to build a Purple Mansion Dao Foundation?

Since returning from the illusory realm that day, Li Qing has been able to perceive the slightest movement within a ten-mile radius around him without needing to use any supernatural powers or secret techniques. This is a sign that he has achieved success in the Soul Path and already possesses basic Yin Spirit power.

What Li Qing had never noticed or disdained to understand before, he could now know with a single thought!
The Taoist disciples in the temple looked forward to the harvest from the medicinal field with the vibrant energy of spring, like grass growing and birds singing; the old man of the law sat calmly on the altar, his long-suppressed energy like that of hibernating winter; the young girl was filled with confusion and bewilderment...

Another perspective of the world is revealing its direction to Li Qing. This is the viewpoint of the Heavenly Dao from outside the chessboard, and also the perspective of a powerful being above the Yin God.

"So soon you're about to reach the Purple Mansion realm? Zhao Wan'er, you've certainly unearthed a gem!"

Li Qing did not value Zhao Wan'er too much, nor did he disregard her. In turn, Zhao Wan'er did not show too much closeness to Li Qing, nor did she show too much distance.

This distance is the safest for those who cultivate the Tao!
"In that case, Linglong, go and select about 600,000 Dao Zhu in resources to prepare powerful elixirs and spiritual herbs for her breakthrough. Also, find her a mid-grade magic weapon that is well-suited to her..."

A cold and indifferent voice rang out in the cold wind. The Taoist turned around and left Flying Waterfall Peak, leaving behind only a cold but warm sentence.

Amidst the vast white mist, another exquisite and graceful woman appeared, glanced at Li Qing's back, and lazily stretched.

"understood!"

Six hundred thousand Dao Zhu is a considerable sum of money. When Li Qing was wandering the outer sea before he built the foundation of the Purple Mansion Dao, his wealth was only this much.

With such a quantity of resources, it wouldn't be a problem for her regardless of her Dao Foundation. Add a mid-grade magic weapon, and that's the kind of treatment only a true disciple of the Great Dao Sect would receive!

After giving the order, Li Qing paid no further attention to the matter, at least not on the surface.

At this moment, he had arrived at the summit of Lin Yuan Immortal Peak and informed Abbot Chen Jin of his preparations, including the approximate identity of Young Master Qu and the alliance he wished to connect.

Li Qing did not participate in it, but instead acted as a go-between for the Hunyuan Immortal Sect and a certain Youtian Palace Master hidden in the Taiyue Shangxing Sect!

"Oh? So you don't want to shirk responsibility or take the lead in this matter, so you've found someone to take the blame?"

Chen Jin had cultivated the method of sitting in oblivion to achieve longevity, and while sitting in non-action, she could control all worlds with action and see through people's hearts. How could she not know the reasons behind Li Qing's actions?

"feasible!"

"Our sect's strength is relatively weak among the Five Immortal Sects, and at this time, it is even more inappropriate for us to be too ostentatious."

"You're doing the right thing, but it's still a bit conservative..."

"Then Lin Yuan Mountain and Zi Yang Sect can also join the alliance. With the help of all sides, the chances of getting enough spiritual medicine for Yin Shen Realm cultivators will be much greater. Besides, Junior Brother Ding Shan has long wanted to try it out!"

Once upon a time, Chen Jin also thought that Tiannan Temple was a celestial sect in the farthest corner of the southern country.

It wasn't until Crane Lord appeared and the profound secrets associated with the Patriarch were revealed one by one that Chen Jin, the abbot, was surprised to discover that the abbot's foundation was so extraordinary.
As long as he breaks through to the Yin God realm as soon as possible, even if the patriarch passes away, and with Crane Lord, there will be two Yin Gods in Tiannan Temple. Why wouldn't they dare to covet the Netherworld?

"Youhuang, go and make the arrangements. If this matter succeeds, I will ask the Patriarch to come forward and gather several true masters for a meeting."

"At that time, you will definitely be the one who makes the greatest contribution..."

(End of this chapter)