The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 238 Preparing for Spells in Advance

Nine mountains and eight rivers, vast and boundless, undulating for thousands of miles, shrouded in clouds and mist, with beasts coiling around the mountains and spirits circling around, all made way for the many participants attending this grand event of the immortal sect.

However, people still often see the nine-colored phoenix, the dragon in the marsh, and the tiger-mountain king sitting in the hall...

The Three Sovereigns' Great Dao summons all spirits, nurturing them amidst mountains and rivers. This land of nine mountains and eight rivers is also recognized as an ancient blessed land by the immortal sects.

At this moment, Li Qing stood with his hands behind his back on a mountain peak, and from his sleeve, a cloud of energy emerged that blotted out the sky. The cloud energy was ever-changing, giving rise to fiery clouds, five-directional thunder clouds, celestial star clouds, dragon-shaped swirling clouds, black wind sinking clouds...

Once cultivators reach the advanced stage of the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion Dao Foundation, their battles are no longer confined to a single spell. Instead, they derive various techniques from their existing spells, using the powerful Daoist rhythm to propel the Daoist techniques to higher levels of transformation.

Just as the Southern Bright Fire Star merges with the Ancestral Qi, raising a sleeve will cause red clouds to cover the moon, and crimson stars to descend from the sky. Ten miles of crimson Qi will fly, and the fiery charm will rise in all directions. As long as the crimson clouds covering the moon rush down, the prairie fire will spread and the red earth will be scorched, no longer bound by the original form of the magic.

Or perhaps it is the primordial energy of the Heavenly Palace that transforms into a vast nebula, its colorful specks and starlight settling into the void, possessing the power to be impervious to all laws.

This is the Daoist method - the auspicious cloud at the top!

Seeking a technique within the law, and a method within the Tao, upon reaching this level, every spell can be overturned and recreated to produce new manifestations. Even the most ordinary fireball spell can be transformed into a raging inferno or a fiery inferno.

A single breath arose, and auspicious clouds hung overhead, changing in countless ways in the sky. Amidst the beautiful and intricate scenery, a deadly intent was lurking. However, the "candle" that was meandering and swimming low below seemed completely unaware of the murderous intent emanating from the colorful clouds. It curiously peered out from the clouds, its mind filled with wonder.

When the dragon horn finally touched the Five Directions Thunder Clouds unexpectedly, a sudden and violent lightning chain bounced off the dragon's body. With several creaking sounds, lightning and fire clashed, and the giant dragon fell straight down from the clouds.

"Stupid!"

Li Qing glanced at the "candle" that had been paralyzed by lightning, chuckled, and with a flick of his finger, the auspicious cloud above transformed into several strands of energy, which dispersed and gathered, before being absorbed into his acupoint with a wave of his sleeve.

"You stay here in the mountains and look after the Dharma boat of the Daoist temple. I need to go to this Daoist market... to exchange for some spiritual materials."

Looking at the dragon shaking its head drowsily on the mountain ridge, Li Qing pretended to spit lightly, but then smiled and rolled up her sleeves, saying that she was about to go out.

Now that his foundation has been fully established and all his techniques have been refined and perfected, he should be able to compete with several Foundation Establishment Pills in the Immortal Sect and then try his luck with the Enlightenment Spirit Leaf of the Nine-Leaf Bodhi, the elixir of immortality.

With the new opening of the Flying Waterfall Daoist Temple, and Li Qing embarking on his Daoist journey alone, he needs to collect and prepare all the talismans, elixirs, and golden pills from the Three Daoist Sects, as well as the soul silk and ghost incense from Lingnan, the rare treasures from the East Sea, and the spirit gold and iron ingots from the Southern Kingdom.

Not to mention that although Li Qing has not yet opened his meridians or taken on any disciples, the Daoist academy should still have one or two sets of standard magical artifacts and protective techniques. All of this will be a headache for the academy lord!

With that thought in mind, Li Qing felt that it wouldn't be bad to take a stroll around this Fangdao Sect.

After leaving an edict for "Candle" and then setting up a "Five Peaks Law Restriction" with a wave of his hand, Li Qing rode a cloud dragon across the mist and instantly traveled dozens of miles away, heading straight into the Daozong Market.

Perhaps because the grand event was about to begin, all nine markets under the Three Emperors Dao Sect were packed with people. Daoists from both inside and outside the sect sat on the ground with a black cloth about the size of two squares, which became another stall. Most of the people coming and going to select talismans and elixirs were Daoist cultivators from the Southern Kingdom.

People all say that immortals are good, and that their methods for achieving longevity and preserving youth are wonderful.

Such grand gatherings are also the time when scholars from various prefectures can meet with the immortals and Taoists from the blessed lands of immortals. Many scholars participate in this banquet not to watch the ceremony, but to collect some Taoist coins in exchange for talismans and elixirs to take home.

Standing atop the waterside market in the marshland, Li Qing looked down upon the market, half submerged and half submerged in water. He immediately recognized it as a "Dragon Palace" style modeled after a water-repelling barrier. What was nothing unusual to a Taoist like him, who had traveled to the Five Streams Dragon Palace, was truly a "miracle" in the eyes of the scholars from the South.

The market was bustling with people, but Li Qing didn't care about showing off in front of others. He put away his cloud escape ability and quickly headed towards the "Hanlin Pavilion" at the back of the market.

This is a treasure pavilion under the official system of the Southern Hanlin Academy, and it was also the place that Li Qing longed for most in the past. The spiritual paper here is plentiful and of very good quality, and is often used by scholars who specialize in the study of books, rites and etiquette.

Papercraft is considered a minor path within the immortal sects. In the side sects of Lingnan, it is merely a paper-making technique, and very few people specialize in preparing the materials for papercraft.

Li Qing is currently lacking many spirit papers, so he can only come to the Hanlin Pavilion to look for them.

Just now, after pushing open the agate flower door of the treasure pavilion, I found that there were more scholars coming and going in the pavilion than in the surrounding markets. Fortunately, this treasure pavilion contained the void within a mustard seed, with seventeen floors of ten thousand square pavilions inside. The scholars from the South who came and went either carried jade and books or had bulging brocade pouches.

It is likely that scholars from both academies in the south who came to observe the ceremony have all come here.

"Your presence has graced our humble abode with your presence, bringing honor to our humble dwelling. Please come in!"

As soon as the agate gate with its phoenix carvings opened, someone from the side greeted us.

It wasn't that the manager of the main hall of this pavilion possessed any extraordinary abilities, but rather that as soon as Li Qing entered the pavilion, the wind and air of the four seasons began to change. A light breeze danced around the man, like a swimming dragon. Although no thunder, fire, magic light, or lightning was seen beside Li Qing, just by looking at this being who could influence the aura of the four directions, he was at least a Purple Mansion Daoist.

"can."

Li Qing nodded and looked at the person who came, responded lightly, and after walking a few steps with the shopkeeper, he got straight to the point: "This humble Taoist is looking for some spirit paper, preferably with a mesh size of 100 or more, regardless of type, the more the better."

"Is this item still in the treasure pavilion?"

The royal carriage, modeled after the Bridge of Rebirth, required a large amount of spirit paper to be used as a ritual barrier before being refined into it. The nurturing and repair of the Jiazi Divine Chaos also required a massive amount of spirit paper. While the Linglong Chaos Master could indeed obtain the finest ghost paper by peeling off its skin, basic spirit paper was always the most scarce resource for Li Qing.

"Spiritual paper?" The shopkeeper was initially puzzled, but after pondering for a long time, he slapped his forehead and finally understood Li Qing's needs. "Sir, you mean the Golden Flower Paper from my academy, right?"

If we say that the Jin Hua paper of the Hanlin Academy is made from the new branches of the specially supplied Jin Hua wood, and undergoes nearly a hundred processes of pulping and filtering, the paper is as soft as a mirror and extremely tough. The best quality paper can even be used to carry totem talismans and can indeed be called spiritual paper!
Gold-flecked paper?

Li Qing raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing that the art of paper-making was only prevalent in Lingnan and overseas. In Jiangnan, there was almost no such thing as "spiritual paper." The golden flower paper of the capital and the cloud pattern paper of Jiangnan were both top-grade papers, each with its own reputation. The manager, dressed as a shopkeeper, waved his hand, and immediately a servant quickly descended from the side of the jade steps, bowing to greet Li Qing and his companion.

"You shall lead this scholar to the Wen residence on the fourteenth floor!"

The person in charge did not boast to Li Qing with empty words. He summoned a servant from the Yibao Pavilion and immediately invited Li Qing to the study to personally select the items. In his words, he did not forget to give the servant some instructions.

Judging from this Taoist's tone, the amount of gold-flecked paper he needs is quite substantial. It should be noted that gold-flecked paper is a rare and precious type of paper, almost equivalent to five-zhu coins in gold. It is indeed necessary to go into the temple and have a proper discussion with the temple owner.

The attendant, dressed as a boy, led Li Qing around half of the main hall of the treasure pavilion. Above them was a spiral-shaped celestial ladder. There were no barriers or restrictions from any immortal sects here, so such an important place could not be entrusted to others.

That enormous spiral staircase was made using the "numerical" technique from the Six Arts of the State. It was governed by the number nine, combined with the ingenuity of the Qimen Dunjia and the advantages of the mechanism. This iron and wood staircase had seventeen floors and was nearly a hundred feet high. It was an extremely complex mechanism.

At this moment, there are hundreds or even thousands of people riding on this huge mechanical staircase, but even with the scholars and cultivators holding onto the ladder, the treasure pavilion remains completely unshaken, and the people sitting there are extremely secure.

Even though Li Qing was used to all kinds of restrictions and barriers, he couldn't help but be secretly shocked when he saw such intricate gears fitting into a giant object.

"Immortal Master, we are currently on the first floor of the Hanlin Treasure Pavilion. The bottom few floors are mostly filled with spirit-raising and Daoist soldiers, which are favored by the disciples of the Three Emperors Daoist Sect; the middle floors are mostly filled with ancient town artifacts, pagodas, and relics, which are useful to all immortal masters; only on the tenth floor and above are books, ritual objects, sacrificial vessels, as well as memorial tablets and talisman drawings..."

The attendant leading the way stood on a section of ironwood steps with Li Qing, letting the heavenly ladder circle around the seventeenth-floor pavilion and ascend, while introducing the general layout of the pavilion to Li Qing along the way.

As a transit hub for the Southern Kingdom's Three Emperors Great Dao Sect, this treasure pavilion is unprecedented in scale, with more than ten million spiritual materials passing through it daily. It also serves as a mailbox for communication between the sect and the Southern Kingdom at any time.

"Yes! Thank you for your trouble."

Li Qing nodded in response, but was not blinded by the dazzling sights. Instead, she looked up at the upper floors of the study and literary mansion as the ladder slowly ascended...

The servant led him into the study, which was already bustling with people, but the person in charge still received a message from the first floor of the Treasure Pavilion and took time out from among the many customers to personally welcome Li Qing to the front of the study.

"Greetings, fellow immortal. I heard you are seeking superior spiritual paper?"

"The only paper hanging on the shelves in our pavilion is gold-flecked paper and cloud-patterned paper, with gold-flecked paper being the most common. Fellow immortal, please follow me and choose one for yourself!"

The head of the study greeted Li Qing from afar with a bow, and in a few words listed all of Li Qing's requests. After leading the study to the fourteenth floor, a servant boy carried out a stack of light gold-colored spirit paper and a stack of spirit paper with cloud patterns inside.

Both types of paper have their own differences. The gold flower paper has a rich and heavy feel, and its quality must be at least 100 mesh or higher. The cloud pattern paper has natural patterns, making it more flexible and thin.

But without a doubt, both of these types belong to the first-class spirit paper and are indeed in line with Li Qing's needs.

"Can!"

"I need a large quantity of high-grade spirit paper. How much spirit paper can you mobilize from your precious study?"

Li Qing glanced down at the two stacks of spirit paper. One stack of gold-flower paper contained fifty sheets and cost 2,400 Dao Zhu. The other stack of cloud-patterned paper contained eighty sheets and cost 3,000 Dao Zhu.

A large quantity of joss paper? How much?
The head of the study felt a surge of displeasure as he watched Li Qing order the meat by the pound. "How can you sell our finest works of writing, which you cite as 'a lot' and 'a few'?"

These words truly made the scholars like him lose face. Even Wen Yan, a scholar who was chatting and laughing with everyone around, turned his head in a daze and stared at the group of people at the entrance of the study.

However, no matter how displeased he was, as the person in charge of the Treasure Pavilion Study, he could not lose his duty in the face of this great cultivator who seemed to be at the Purple Mansion Foundation stage.

"This paper is of the highest quality, even in prefectures and counties it is hard to find. Its price is as set in the chart, and no matter how many there are, it is still..."

The head of the study shook his head, pointed to the price tags on the tray, and raised his voice by half an octave.

"A stack of fifty chapters—the Hanlin Academy's Three Emperors Branch should be one of the most prestigious branches in the South. Do you have 100,000 sheets of gold-embroidered paper?"

Li Qing, however, did not want to waste time with them. With a wave of his right hand, he set a price of 100,000 Golden Flower Spirit Papers.

When the last word was uttered, the head of the study was truly unable to resist Li Qing's overwhelming soul pressure. His trembling eyes seemed to see the sky and clouds collapsing, and he was unable to recover for a long time.

One hundred thousand spirit papers are worth nearly seven million Dao coins. Not to mention whether the Daoist has that many Dao coins, it would take a lot of effort to count and use such a large number of spirit papers.

“…Yes, there is, but…” After standing frozen for several breaths, the scholar’s ​​understanding of etiquette quickly made him realize the truth. He shook his head slightly, his face showing some hesitation.

"There are no buts, I do not have time to stay any longer."

"It's just a little bit of spirit paper. I'll give you a small amount, you just need to count it, and it will be done in no time."

"Go!"

Frowning as she surveyed the growing crowd around her, Li Qing's tone became increasingly domineering; she truly did not want to cause any trouble here.

Ten thousand sheets of spiritual paper used for refining paper spirits and paper sedan chairs are just the beginning. It is unknown how many of them will actually be refined and transformed into paper spirit talismans. Li Qing himself has the skill of making spiritual paper, but in recent years he has been increasingly busy with cultivation and has not had much time to refine paper.

After he refines the paper soldiers and the carriage of rebirth with paper spirit talismans, he will drive the royal carriage to break through the sky. At that time, it can rival a high-grade magic weapon. With the Linglong Crane Master driving the Jiazi group of Cranes, it will be no less than any peak!
(End of this chapter)