The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 255: Leaving a Place

"The Five Streams Dragon Lord of Jinping Prefecture, the Hua Su Lady of Jinping Prefecture, the Tai Xuan Sect of Chaojiang Prefecture, and the Tai Yi Sect..."

"Fellow Daoist is now a very popular figure in all the mansions!"

Fairy Mo Ling appeared from behind the screen, looked at the large pile of visiting cards stacked on the table, and couldn't help but joke.

After the appearance of Taoist Li from Tiannan Temple in the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, various factions successively sent their visiting cards, along with valuable gifts.

It is true that geniuses of the Xuanmen are easy to emerge, but it is difficult for the Southern Kingdom to find many strong people with such backgrounds in the Youshi world and Xuanmen roots.

Once a connection is established with this Ghostly Gentleman of the Netherworld, the various prefectures in the Netherworld will inevitably be able to invite him for assistance, just like the Pure Void Great Dao Sect...

Stop teasing me!

Li Qing shook his head helplessly. In the void, the side window of the palace immediately opened, dispelling the sandalwood incense and clearing away the spiritual haze. Paper figures of ladies also tactfully offered tea and drinking utensils to the table.

Although the time had been short, the two sat facing each other in the hall again, but their identities were now completely different.

They first met when Baqiu crossed the Yangtze River. The wandering female Taoist priest, who had no support in the sect, has now rebuilt her foundation, opened the Peak of Mending the Heavens, and inherited the power to rebuild the lineage.

The nameless path in Tiannan Temple has now become a shining example in the cultivation world of the South, becoming one of the synonyms for Linyuan Mountain.

"The sacred grounds on the peak have been established. I intend to issue a decree in the north to summon back the scattered disciples of the Jade Spirit Sect..."

Fairy Mo Ling nodded slightly and spoke to Li Qing about the Dao.

The Jade Spirit Heaven-Mending Dao lineage was destroyed and scattered among the common people, but it was still a powerful immortal sect in the Northern Dynasty. Even the scattered disciples, when gathered together, were a considerable force.

However, whether the disciples who have gathered here are still law-abiding depends entirely on her methods!

With Elder Shi as their backer, it should be safe and secure on Butian Peak.

After all, the Three Sovereigns had written scriptures that commanded the gods of the nine mountains and eight waters, as well as the generals of water, fire, wind, and thunder. This Shi Laojun was skilled in commanding the generals of water and fire, raising the spirits of water and fire to scorch thousands of miles of drought and cover all things with blessings. He was often able to fight against the gods and was revered as the number one person below the Yin gods.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be qualified to be the Grand Elder of the Three Sovereigns' Transmission of Scriptures.

"The restoration of the Heaven-Mending Dao lineage, lost and regained, is a great blessing for the immortal path."

"If you encounter any difficulties, you can send me a message, and I will definitely come to your aid."

Li Qing raised her teacup, brushed away the rising steam, and nodded in agreement.

This trip to the Three Emperors Dao Sect yielded unexpectedly rich rewards, including the secret "Heaven-Mending Technique" of the Jade Spirit Heaven-Mending Dao Sect, and the offspring of the longevity elixir "Nine-Leaf Bodhi"... These are all rare treasures even for those in the Yin God True Realm, and can lay a solid foundation for Li Qing's Dao path.

With this cause and effect, Li Qing naturally paid more attention to the Heaven-Mending Daoist lineage.

"After I finish visiting my senior brother Bu Lingxu of the Taiyi Sect at Chenshi (7-9 AM), I will be traveling by Sky Ship to the East Sea to meet with old acquaintances. As for the other visiting cards... please return them to me on my behalf!"

Glancing at the pile of visiting cards on the table, Li Qing wanted to trouble Fairy Mo Ling again.

For him, there was no need to make any contact with the visiting cards from all directions. The only time he had to pay a visit was when a few Taoist priests from the Plain Clothes Path sent him these cards in his humble days.

The Immortal Sect Competition was still underway, but Li Qing was about to leave.

Fairy Mo Ling had many things to say to him and many questions about the establishment of the temple that she wanted to ask for his help, but... in the end, everyone has their own way of cultivating!
"it is good!"

"After you set off, I will send them back one by one, and I will make sure that nothing goes wrong."

After gazing at the crimson fire dragon lazily perched on the eaves of the golden palace, Mo Ling nodded firmly and made an appointment to brew tea with Li Qing.

The female Taoist priest and Li Qing hadn't known each other for very long, but their friendship was already quite deep. Without needing to say much, they settled things in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Fairy Mo Ling then put the gift cards with names and surnames into her sleeve, bid farewell to Li Qing, and left...

At that very moment, in a palanquin below the Immortal Peak, a large hand lifted the jade curtain and gazed into the distance at the streak of light.

Li Qing's protection of the Heaven-Mending Dao lineage in the North has spread throughout these nine mountains and eight rivers, a fact that has been heard by all the immortal sects.

The Jade Spirit Heaven-Mending Sect had quite a reputation in the Heavenly Capital Realm in its early years. Hundreds of years ago, it produced a figure of the highest rank of Yin God, who was able to shake the gods of the Northern Dynasty with his Heaven-Mending Technique and still escape unscathed.

Unfortunately, the great master of the Jade Spirit Sect has long since passed away, while the Temple of the God of the State of the Great Zhou Dynasty has become even more prosperous.

The fact that the Jade Spirit Mending Heaven lineage has been able to continue is a fortunate thing for the entire Immortal Path.

"That female Taoist priest had a magical artifact on her, a very interesting one..."

Bu Lingxu poked his head out of the carriage and teased the departing light.

He simultaneously wields several ancient Taiyi treasures, including the Eight Views Qiankun Instrument and the Tianya Ruler. He is most adept at understanding the principles of heaven and earth. Among the various Dao disciples of the immortal sect, Bu Lingxu's cultivation level may not be the highest, but his supernatural powers and background are the most terrifying.

He was once the sole true disciple of Jiangzhen Peak, and the essence of the peak, passed down for thousands of years, was bestowed upon him, making him a formidable force capable of shaking the Yin God Realm!

The magical treasures in the Jade Spirit Mending Heaven lineage were probably not lost, and that female Taoist priest "Mo Ling" probably did not appear to be harmless, and seemed to be among the top in the current generation of immortal sects.
"Senior brother, you're using the Eight Views Instrument to peer into the illusory world again? Our master warned us years ago that this technique should not be used recklessly, that one should not become engrossed in illusory external scenes, and that one should not be misled by the strange phenomena of the world..."

Upon seeing their senior brother's actions, the members of the Plain Clothes Sect immediately tried their best to dissuade him.

The inner vision is about cultivating one's own mind, while the outer vision is about cultivating one's mind externally. Both of these methods are the fundamental methods of the path of refining the spirit. However, those who "refine the spirit" are selfless and without self. Once they unlock the key to the heavenly gate and possess unrestrained secret power and divine might, they are also accompanied by the risk of self-destruction.

The power of the mind is boundless, yet equally difficult to control.

The same applies to the outer realms of the Heart and Mind, for the mysteries of the universe are boundless and should never be casually explored.

How could Bu Lingxu not know about this? Forced by the goodwill of his fellow disciples, he could only nod noncommittally. Sitting inside and reflecting the outside scenery, he could see through the illusion to a wisp of truth. This was the thing he was best at manipulating since he took control of the "Eight Scenes of Heaven and Earth," so how could he not know the limits?
However, the magical aura emanating from the female Taoist priest of the Heaven-Mending Path was slightly dazzling...

"I know, I know, he's a good friend who came to protect Li Erlang!"

"Let's go and see him first."

Bu Lingxu waved his hand, then stopped looking at the departing light. He pointed a finger at the front of the phoenix carriage and set off straight for the top of the immortal peak.

Li Qing, Li Erlang... This is a unique character in the Southern Kingdom.

In the past, they lived in seclusion overseas, using the name of the Plain Clothes Path. They had formed a good relationship with Li Qing. But how could the Plain Clothes Path have expected that the young man from that day would become the famous 'Ghost Gentleman' of the South in just six or seven years?

Upon ascending the Immortal Peak, one's eyes are immediately drawn to the vast "Heavenly Ship," a massive vessel spanning a mile or two. This is the Great Dharma Ship of the One Yuan Venerable Dao, its design ancient and simple. Ordinary people might not recognize what it is, but the seven ancient demon skulls of Yin Gods hanging at its bow are enough to testify to its former terror.

The most advanced war machine in Tiandu, possessed by only two immortal sects in the entire Tiandu Immortal Path: Taiyue Shangxing Sect and Tiannan Linyuan Mountain...

This is a secret vessel passed down by the Li family clan through the "Path of the Hidden Dragon." It took the entire nation's resources and a hundred years to build it, and it was also presented as a mount to the Great Master.

Even the three overseas immortal sects, who are most skilled in flying boats, could not replicate such a behemoth!
When Bu Lingxu stepped out from behind the carriage curtain and saw the celestial vessel, his pupils involuntarily contracted.

"Did he actually inherit the mantle of that great master? Or..."

On that enormous magic boat, figures swayed about. A lean old Taoist disciple held a talisman and commanded paper figures, horses, and puppet warriors to move back and forth on the celestial boat, carrying packages and supplies, as if he had purchased a considerable amount of materials in this blessed land of nine mountains and eight rivers.

Among them were medicinal plants and spiritual seeds selected by Li Qing for the Flying Waterfall Dojo, as well as raw materials for refining magical artifacts such as sword blanks and mithril metals... and even more were the generous gifts sent by Elder Shi!
Since the Grand Elder insisted on expressing such gratitude for the completion of the Three Sovereigns' righteous law, Li Qing did not refuse and accepted the gifts from the Three Sovereigns Sect, carrying them back to the Sky Ship.

On the Immortal Cliff, Cai Die'er stood with her arms crossed, watching the movements of the paper puppets, while the old Daoist Liu carefully counted their numbers. There weren't many Daoists in the Flying Waterfall Daoist Mansion, but the manor lord's paper spirit technique was truly powerful. He summoned paper figures as warriors and divine protectors, and the movements were quite impressive.

As soon as the Taoist priests landed in front of the hall, Li Qing emerged from the hanging flower gate, greeted them with a smile and a loud voice:

"Senior Brother Bu, Fellow Daoist Yan... How have you been?"

The Taoist priest, with bright eyebrows and a handsome appearance, stood beneath the hanging flower gate. The garden flowers could not conceal his brilliance. He wore a seven-star lotus flower on his head, and his cloud-patterned robe had obviously been refined. It seemed that beneath the green leaves and bamboo patterns on the robe, there was an extremely terrifying secret power of heaven and earth hidden.

Was it the protective technique left to him by that great master – the Divine Power of the Heavenly Pot?
And that seven-star crown...

Bu Lingxu raised an eyebrow. Having spent a long time in the outer seas, he was naturally well aware of the importance of the Seven Star Lotus Crown to the "Seven Star Pavilion".

A top-tier, secret protective artifact, its rarity rivals that of magic treasures; this is not something that can be casually given to cultivators from other sects!
Under these circumstances, they didn't ask too many questions, but pointed to the One Yuan Great Dharma Boat and asked with some surprise.

"Junior Brother Li, why... do you seem to be leaving now?"

The Immortal Sect Grand Competition is still underway, and the twenty-one named disciples on the Flower Ranking have not yet been assigned a ranking. Among them, the one with the most popularity is the son-in-law of Qingqiu, whose name is similar to Li Qing's.

That person is also a prodigy. He married into Qingqiu and mastered a set of demonic arts. He is also skilled in using incantations and spells. He is doing very well in this competition and has a high probability of winning the top spot.

Secretly, many people compare this ghostly man to the fox-spirited husband, hoping to see the two of them meet!

"I was delayed by something and was unable to participate in the competition. Since there are many things to attend to at the temple today, I might as well leave now."

"It's been a long time since I've seen you fellow Daoists. I never expected to meet you all here..."

Li Qing glanced at the Heavenly Boat on the Peak. Cai Die'er and the old Taoist disciple were still busy with their business, so he waved his sleeve and invited the senior brothers and sisters of the Plain Robe Taoist to come into the hall for a chat.

When old friends reunite, they always have a lot to talk about, especially Yan Danling. She once traveled with Li Qing to Yinghai. At that time, their cultivation levels were similar. Now, she is only at the Purple Mansion stage, while Li Qing has already achieved the Foundation Establishment stage of the Purple Mansion and can even kill Yin Gods with his own hands.

The female Taoist priest's eyes flashed with a strange light as she spoke with Li Qing. She had known for a long time that the death of the Purple Mansion cultivator from the Li family of Yinghai was inextricably linked to this fellow Daoist Li, and she also knew that he had some protective measures when traveling alone in the outer seas, but she never expected things to turn out this way...

After lingering atop the Immortal Peak for a long time, Li Qingfang bid farewell to the Taiyi Daoists at noon, watching them depart.

Bu Lingxu, the illustrious Daoist who transformed into the leader of the Taiyi Dao Sect, brought Li Qing an equally shocking experience.

Even now, Li Qingguan's senior brother Bu is still the same as before, unfathomable like a deep pool, completely unable to see through the true nature of this Jiangzhen Daoist.

It seemed that the aura of precious light emanating from him was even stronger than that of the heretical Yin God.

The Daoist soldiers in the Immortal Peak had already broken camp, leaving only Li Qing standing alone on the platform in front of the cliff, watching the phoenix carriage disappear into the distance.

Cai Die'er stepped lightly from the celestial boat and landed not far behind Li Qing. She remained silent, only looking up and waiting for the Dao Lord's instructions.

"Then... let's set off too!"

"Target: Chaojiang Prefecture in the East China Sea, the side gate of the Thunder-Drawing Path."

"We'll exchange some overseas treasures for the East Sea. The temple is known for its emphasis on quiet cultivation, but not for alchemy and magical artifacts. We're still lacking basic magical tools, so we'll spend some resources to acquire several hundred sets of magic sword blanks and banana leaf treasures..."

Li Qing turned back and exchanged a glance with the butterfly-sculpted woman before boarding the celestial boat and departing, but her words of advice still echoed in their ears.

He was not someone bound by the so-called honor of the sect, but having come all the way from a lowly Daoist disciple to now having achieved Daoist success, he deeply understood the hardships of being a lowly Daoist disciple in Linyuan. Seeking some benefits for them was nothing more than a simple matter of lifting a finger.

Where would most of the lower- to middle-grade Daoist disciples in the outer courtyard and even the independent cultivators come into contact with magical artifacts? Even the first-grade forbidden magical artifacts for beginners are something that the less outstanding Qi Refining Daoist disciples in the outer courtyard can only look on with envy.

While rigorous self-cultivation can temper one's will, too much of a good thing can be bad, a point that Li Qing always believed.

The water ghost of the Xuanyuan River in Tiannan Prefecture refined the Xuan Yin Qi, and then prepared the introductory magic tools that the lower-level Daoist disciples desired as rewards, so that everyone could have their own enjoyment...

(End of this chapter)