The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 226 Ancient Ways Inherited from the Three Sovereigns

Along the central line of Tiandu, the Li Ze River divides this vast realm in two, with the Southern Kingdom firmly occupying the lower half of the Li Ze River.

The Jiangnan region stretches for 30,000 li, known as the Magpie Tail Jiangnan Road, while the Jiangbei region stretches for 20,000 li, known as the Magpie Wing Jiangbei Road. These two, like the spine of a divine magpie, firmly support the prosperous landscape of the 80,000 li southern land.

The Three Emperors Great Dao Sect is located north of the Li Ze River, using the nine mountains and eight rivers as its Daoist grounds, nurturing countless living beings within.

Today, the ancient forbidden land of immortals in the Nine Mountains and Eight Rivers was torn apart by a magnificent and vast celestial light, shattering the thousands of miles of clouds.

"How could this be...where did this celestial vessel come from?"

"Our Dao Sect does not possess such a celestial vessel! Yet we are so utterly unrestrained!"

In the tranquil mountains and rivers, all spirits lie dormant, and all kinds of monsters are captivated by the Three Sovereigns' Talisman Diagram. These are demons and ghosts that have received the Three Sovereigns' decrees, and can also be considered as the spirits raised by the Three Sovereigns' Great Dao Sect.

The seven ancient demon skulls hanging above the celestial vessel were truly awe-inspiring to them. They wondered what powerful beings had descended upon the Dao Sect to make such a grand spectacle.

The desolate and ancient celestial boat shattered the sky, hung down from the clouds, carried the blue sky, and hung far above the heavens, like a divine mountain range, capable of suppressing the nine mountains and eight rivers at any time and turning the demons and spirits of this land into dust!
How could the disciples guarding the mountain within the Three Emperors Sect not be alarmed by such actions?
Four directions of light immediately rose up, some to report to the mountain gate or the Daoist temple, and others to gather the law enforcement guards to block the way. But before the disciples guarding the mountain could scatter and block the way, some Daoist priests from the Purple Mansion who had been cultivating in seclusion in various mountains went to meet the celestial boat and blocked its path.

"Who are you? You have traveled through nine mountains and eight rivers, do you possess any imperial edicts from the Three Sovereigns?"

Without the imperial edict, they would naturally not be able to break through the barrier of the Three Emperors Great Dao Sect. However, the identity and pomp of the person who came were truly astonishing. If it was said that a venerable ancestor or a true master had arrived, the Yin God True Master should have greeted the old masters of the Dao Sect before making such a blunder. But if it were an ordinary Daoist, he would not be able to afford such a vast celestial vessel.

Could he be the abbot of some sect?

With a flickering gaze, the Three Sovereigns Daoist examined the One Yuan Venerable Daoist Great Dharma Boat, then reached out and touched the void's great restriction, making his routine inquiry.

The Dharma Boat opposite understood and also withdrew its vast Primordial Great Restriction, causing the terrifying pressure to disappear by most. Only then could the Taoist clearly see the situation on the Dharma Boat in the distance.

On the Dharma boat, the troops were well-prepared, with divine soldiers and Yin masters, some holding paper banners and others wielding white umbrellas, like heavenly soldiers arrayed in formation, guarding the front and back of the Dharma boat. The sixty armored soldiers were numerous, and although they stood very sparsely, their solemn aura was not to be ignored.

After the horde of demons, four or five Taoist priests stood side by side on the top deck of the celestial boat, looking down at them from their elevated position.

"Have!"

"The Daoist Mo Ling of the Heaven-Mending Dao Clan has come to visit the mountain in response to the letter from the Three Sovereigns Dao Sect."

At the head of the celestial vessel, a man wearing a lotus crown spoke loudly, then flung the Three Emperors' Edicts into a streak of light and pushed them in front of the Taoist priest.

These words, imbued with profound primordial energy, resounded for miles, making them known to all beings throughout the mountains; the Heaven-Mending Dao Vein has arrived!
"What...didn't the sect send people a hundred miles to clear a path into Tiannan Prefecture to welcome us a few days ago?"

"Now that the Heaven-Mending Daoist has appeared in front of the mountain gate, doesn't that mean our sect's ritual altar and welcoming ceremonies will be empty-handed?"

More and more beams of light appeared from all directions, and streams of light of various colors shot into the sky, gathering together with the Taoist blocking the way. Everyone started discussing among themselves.

Contrary to what they had imagined, the Jade Spirit Heaven-Mending Dao Clan, which had been destroyed in the Northern Kingdom, did not come here in a panic. It arrived by celestial boat, guarded by rampant soldiers and aided by fellow Daoists. With heavy weapons covering the sky, it immediately rose above the countless living beings in the nine mountains and eight rivers upon entering the sect.

It seems that the Nuwa Method was not so easily incorporated into the sect; there must have been quite a bit of scheming involved!
However, this matter is beyond the purview of Daoists at the Purple Mansion Realm, and they are not qualified to take sides.

Upon hearing Li Qing's reply, the Three Emperors Taoist who was blocking the way changed his expression for a few breaths. He sent a letter into the main peak, then quickly bowed and returned the letter to Li Qing.

"So that's how it is! It's Fellow Daoist Mo, the future Peak Master of our sect!"

"It was indeed my recklessness."

"The lineage of the Suihuang Yushu school, the true inheritor Zhao Chang has met several fellow Daoists."

"If you don't mind, would you please let me, Zhao, lead the way and take you all into the sect?"

This Daoist disciple who cultivated the Suihuang Method possessed truly extraordinary bearing. He quickly understood how to handle the situation and was able to take charge and guide Li Qing and the others with just a few words, which also demonstrated the considerable power he wielded within the Three Emperors Daoist Sect.

No sooner had he finished speaking than this true disciple of the Fire Emperor nodded and communicated telepathically with his fellow disciples. He then flicked his jade pendant, causing a fiery cloud to rise and obscure half the sky, precisely to guide Li Qing and the others.

The fiery clouds of the Emperor Sui covered the sky, followed by the World-Suppressing Heavenly Ship, which crushed the crimson clouds in two, forcibly splitting a path through the heavens.

Such an extraordinary phenomenon, known from afar, adds to the mystery surrounding the Jade Spirit Mending Heaven lineage, which is about to be newly incorporated into the Three Emperors Great Dao Sect.

The Three Emperors Great Dao Sect has opened its mountain gates for this purpose, with nine layers of cloud ladders arranged in a row. Wild beasts from the outer sea, ferocious monsters from the South Sea, demons and ghosts from the Heavenly Capital, and spirits raised by the Daoist sect... Lions and tigers sit on the mountaintops, unicorns lie on the cliffs, dragons swim in the streams, and colorful phoenixes sing loudly, creating a scene of natural auspiciousness for all ages.

Colorful light shot into the sky from the peaks of the Nine Mountains, right within that majestic pillar of light. Each peak master, elder, and true disciple broke through the heavenly light, without using any other escape techniques, but simply ascending to the heavens with their supreme cultivation, circling the auspicious pillar of light as they ascended to the sea of ​​clouds.

Above the clouds, divine light shone brightly, like golden scales suddenly opening. Immortals in the clouds, their robes fluttering, ascended to the heavens and treaded the celestial realm. Hundreds of immortal figures from the Purple Palace floated among the sea of ​​clouds, their dense gazes casting their light upon the scene. The flow of Daoist energy rewrote the rules of this world, causing everyone on the magic boat to feel a chill run down their spines.

This is the "Great Dao Sect" among the Five Immortal Sects. Its ancient and vast foundation is so great that even the Yin God True Person would tremble before the densely packed figures of Dao cultivators. Compared to it, Tiannan Temple is merely a side sect.

"It's coming!"

Above the golden clouds, a tall and imposing old man, holding a Ruyi whisk, stepped onto the Dharma boat. This man did not appear to have fully attained the Yin God realm, yet his methods were by no means inferior, and the pressure he exerted on Li Qing and the others was clearly that of a true Yin God.

This is the Grand Elder of the Three Emperors Great Dao Sect, a figure from the same era as Yin Zu, and is hailed as the number one person below the Heavenly Capital Yin God!
He cultivates the Way of Heaven, his words are lawful and his thoughts move the hearts of Heaven; he is recognized as a great and virtuous immortal.

The old immortal stepped onto the Dipper, his tiger-like eyes exuding majesty. He first scrutinized Li Qing, and when he was amazed by the dense Xuan Yin Mother Qi emanating from him, he nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Then he turned his gaze to Fairy Mo Ling and her disciples.

"The Great Zhou Ancestral Emperor was stubborn and wanted to recruit all cultivators from various paths to serve him. He destroyed the Dao, controlled the cultivators, attacked ghosts and gods, and destroyed ancestral temples... It must have been difficult for you."

"But, as long as we can get through it, that's good. The path of cultivation is nothing more than survival. If you survive, you will naturally live a long and healthy life and have boundless supernatural powers."

The old man offered words of praise and comfort, then raised his sleeve and handed a magical Ruyi scepter to the female Taoist priest.

"You joined the sect halfway through, but in the end, you can't compare to the freedom of the Jade Spirit Dao lineage. All the flowery words we outsiders utter are just empty talk..."

"The old Taoist was born in the same year as that Yin Zujun. If he had not attained the Yin Spirit within half a century, he should have perished as well."

"Little one, would you like to become my disciple?"

"If I have even a slight chance of attaining the Yin Spirit realm, then I will not have disgraced you. If I perish, I will bestow this lineage upon you, which will greatly benefit your future path of cultivation!"

It would have been better if the old Taoist hadn't spoken, because his words were like a bombshell dropped on the various sects of Yuntian.

It's inevitable that Fairy Mo Ling and her disciples won't get along well with the Three Emperors Great Dao Sect. Even if these outsiders integrate, it won't be easy for them to be accepted by all the sects. If they are truly sincere, accepting them as closed-door disciples of a particular lineage is the most direct way.

This Grand Elder had instructed a wide range of disciples, but none of them were his direct descendants. He also had a lineage of his own, and everyone assumed that the foundation of the Dharma lineage that the Grand Elder had built throughout his life was meant to be left to his own descendants.

He took that little girl in as a concubine; how should his own descendants conduct themselves?

"The elder is compassionate, but this is not the time to discuss this matter!"

"Why don't we first invite our sect's new peak master to the mountain area for a grand celebration lasting ten days, and invite all the Daoists to witness it?"

Seeing that the Grand Elder spoke so directly, one of the Cloud Heaven Daoists immediately offered a subtle admonition.

Upon entering the sect, she was granted the position of a peak master and given the magic treasure Ruyi. The female Taoist priest should already have some resources and be able to establish herself in the sect. Why does the Grand Elder need to promote her in such a way?

"And this young man from Tiannan... Fellow Daoist, you should stay in my sect for a while. The Five Directions Immortal Sect Competition has been going on for sixty years without anyone from Linyuan participating. The next competition will be held in half a year, and this time you must stay!"

While the Feathered-Crowned Daoist was welcoming the immortal cultivators from the clouds, he didn't forget Li Qing either, and turned around to tease her.

Lin Yuan Tian Nan Temple is truly the least ambitious of the five immortal sects. It hardly participates in the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, and its disciples almost never leave Tian Nan Prefecture.

Now, having heard that this Ghostly Gentleman Li Qing possesses extraordinary strength, especially since he once defeated a wandering Taoist within the sect, we must keep him in the Immortal Sect Grand Competition this time to see what makes this Ghostly Gentleman of Jiangnan so special.
What the feathered-crowned cultivator said in jest was not necessarily a jest to Li Qing. At the very least, the first thing Li Qing did upon hearing this was to become alert and look up at the feathered-crowned Daoist.

Is it to defend that Daoist who cultivates the Yuan Magnetic Heavy Domain? Or is it to dampen Li's momentum?
Knowing his own situation, Li Qing didn't think he would have a good ranking in the Immortal Sect Competition. After all, this was the Immortal Sect Competition, and if he couldn't win, he wouldn't be allowed to summon the Ghost Mother to overturn the table. His own cultivation was still too shallow, and he might not be able to withstand the supernatural powers of other veteran disciples.

What was meant to be friendly conversation turned into a stark contrast as Li Qing's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of scrutiny. The Taoist with the feathered crown was truly puzzled.

However, those eccentric and obsessive ghosts and spirits were like this, and although he didn't understand, he still explained it again.

"Young fellow Daoist, please don't think that the Immortal Sect Grand Competition is something about fighting for fame and fortune."

“The Five Immortal Sects hold a grand competition every half-year cycle, where all the major sects gather hundreds of millions of Dao coins, just so that fellow immortals can get closer and exchange ideas, and have more help when they travel to the Heavenly Capital in the future.”

"Those who are ranked first on the Flower Ranking will receive the Dao Spirit Leaf, a new sprout from the Bodhi Longevity Medicine, which is useful even to Yin Spirit True Persons; those ranked second on the Flower Ranking will receive a Dragon Tiger Pill, which can enhance their cultivation and elevate their Dao charm; those ranked last on the Flower Ranking will receive various items such as magic artifacts and scriptures, which they may choose..."

"There is also a points system; every three wins can be exchanged for a Foundation Establishment Pill, giving those in the Qi Refining stage a bit more hope!"

The feathered cultivator taught Li Qing a lesson: the Five Directions Immortal Sects Grand Competition spends such a huge amount of Dao coins every year, naturally for the great prosperity of the immortal path.

The new sprouts of the Longevity Medicine, the Dragon-Tiger Pill, the Divine Dao Techniques, and the Foundation Establishment Pill that helps condense the Dao Foundation... These are rare items in the various Dao Palaces, each a treasure of several major Dao Sects.

The Bodhi Longevity Elixir of the Taiyue Shangxing Sect, the Dragon-Tiger Elixir of the Qingxu Daodao Sect, the Heavenly Talisman Myriad Laws encompassed by the Sanhuang Daodao Sect, and the Foundation Building Elixir, which was just developed in the last sixty years and is condensed from the Great Benefit Dao Foundation.

Li Qing didn't listen to anything else, but when he heard about the elixir of immortality, his pupils involuntarily trembled.

Does the Taiyue Shangxing Sect also possess elixirs of immortality? Elixirs of immortality that can still be harvested while the person is still alive? And like the Phoenix Blood Bodhi, are they both from the same Bodhi family?
"Then... I'll have to trouble you, fellow Daoist!"

His suspicions were suppressed by his curiosity about the elixir of immortality. Perhaps making contact with the Enlightenment Leaf first would be more beneficial to his search for the Phoenix Blood Bodhi in the Underworld.
'The elixir of immortality is the closest thing to the legendary potion that grants ascension to immortality; I must see it for myself.'

At worst, it's just bad luck; losing will only dampen one's spirits! Li Qing has never cared about petty things like winning or losing a match...

However, having been under the protection of the Ghost Mother for so long and never having truly fought with cultivators of the same realm with all his might, is he really as shallow in cultivation as he imagines?
(End of this chapter)