The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 268 The Wind Rises at Dawn
"Is this what they mean by 'armchair strategizing' and 'manipulating petty people'? Driving away paper spirits to convey their message..."

Li Qing leaned against the top of the celestial boat, flicked his right finger, and a phantom of a flying cloud white book appeared in the void, with densely packed paper spirit talismans flowing within it, forming its own world.

On the white paper, the form of paper and the rhythm of creation give rise to all kinds of changes, and paper figures with different postures leap out from within.

The essence of this method is to condense one's own "Ghostly White Book". At that time, one can freely scribble on the paper spirit white book, spreading paper figures and curses like a dreamlike tale. Only when the paper spirit's body withers and returns will a thick stroke of ink be added to the Ghostly White Book.

The true teachings of the paper doll ritual are the magical art of turning decay into wonder, creating images from flowers, cutting paper into shadows, and driving away spirits and evil. It is also known as the attainment of the Dao, a unique aspect of the ritual.

"Unorthodox methods have their own great secrets, and unorthodox techniques are equally talented. This paper doll tradition alone is exceptional in both exorcising spirits and creating magic, but alas..."

Li Qing raised his hand and dispersed the ethereal white book. He sighed inwardly. It seemed that the magic and supernatural powers of the Spirit Paper Path were all based on the Spirit Paper Scripture. Only by sacrificing the spiritual materials of the paper path and the talismans into it could one create a "Netherworld White Book". This method... was probably another big spender of precious materials and resources!
It's a pity that this spiritual paper has insufficient foundation; otherwise, the "Netherworld Book" refined by a generation of Yin Gods would have been enough to transform into a blessed land for the paper way, protecting its inheritance for eternity.

Such amazing Daoist techniques, which are not yet fully developed, have been buried countless times in the eight hundred years since the rise of the Immortal Path. It is truly a pity!
Just as he was feeling sentimental, the communication jade talisman on Li Qing's waist suddenly flashed. He looked down and saw that an old friend from Lingnan had sent a message.

Brother Li, you've come all the way to Lingnan, your charm undiminished. But why haven't you even called to say hello to me?

"How about I personally welcome you, my fellow Daoist, to tour Lingnan?"

A familiar female voice suddenly rang out from the communication talisman, and the words clearly indicated that she was quite familiar with Li Qing.

"is her?"

Li Qing raised an eyebrow and immediately knew who this person was.

The ghost princess from the original White Bone Underworld within the White Bone Path!
The two first met in Wuxi Longzhou. During the Qingping Night Banquet, Gui Ji and Jin Zhenchuan from Liuling Mountain also helped Li Qing to win the grand prize - the Five Thunder Divine Power.

In truth, each of them has a promising future, and they have a fairly good relationship. If Li Qing could step forward and raise his voice, then a cultivation circle connecting Tiannan Prefecture, Qingping Prefecture, and Lingnan Prefecture would immediately take shape with these people at its core.

This is what those few have been eagerly anticipating. After all, the highest-ranking among them is only a true disciple, and the lower-ranking Qi Refining disciples have not yet established their Dao Foundation or reached the Purple Mansion stage. On this path of cultivation, they also urgently need to band together for mutual support, or perhaps they can achieve something.

Fellow Daoist, please allow us to meet and have a chat!

Li Qing straightened up, pointed at the communication jade talisman, and immediately invited the ghost princess into the sky boat to reminisce.

Less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea after the message was sent out, sure enough, a dark and mysterious light swept through the clouds outside the Shilong Cliff Market. The Cloud Daoist made a gesture outside the market's gate, and the White Bone Path's pass token gained unimpeded access to the market's barrier, granting it supreme authority.

All large-scale or larger barriers established within Lingnan Prefecture must be inspected by the Venerable Ancestor of the White Bone Dao. Whenever the White Bone Daoist descends upon any of the neighborhoods in Lingnan, he can be treated as an honored guest upon presenting his White Bone Token!
This is the domineering and ruthless nature of that Venerable Soul Ancestor, and also the means by which White Bone Immortal Mountain binds the many heroes of Lingnan. After all, he is a master who even his own disciples have to hand over a wisp of their soul to the Venerable Soul Cauldron.

Despite the setbacks suffered by the White Bone Immortal Sect a few years ago, in the entire Lingnan region, no one dares to disrespect the White Bone Sect.

Beneath the dark clouds, a woman with a pure and clean face descended. Her figure was graceful, her clothes were spotless, and her body was surrounded by spiritual energy, as if accompanied by the radiance of the moon. Clearly, she had just advanced to the Purple Mansion realm and her foundation was not yet stable.

The woman, dressed in a plain white silk robe with sleeves draped over her jade-like face, lightly touched the air with her toes and descended from the clouds, heading towards the celestial boat atop Stone Dragon Cliff.

On the Panlong Pavilion of Shilong Cliff, the two shop owners also had slightly solemn expressions. They glanced at the white bone token and then stood up to look at the majestic celestial ship.

The Great Dharma Boat of the One Yuan Venerable Dao has been parked in Shilongya Market for many days. Every wandering cultivator and Daoist disciple who comes and goes marvels at its magnificence. Its master, in keeping with the spirit of the Five Directions Immortal Sect, does not cause much trouble. Except for the battle he fought in Lingze a few days ago, he has always been sitting quietly in the Heavenly Boat.

But the White Bone Sect is different. It is a celestial sect with an evil aura. The appearance of the White Bone Daoist at Stone Dragon Cliff inevitably caused subtle expressions on their faces.

After all, White Bone Immortal Mountain was recently overturned by that Great True Man from the Southwest, and now is the time to plunder rare treasures and materials to fill the treasury. They don't want to be whipped again for no reason!
"That person just caused quite a stir in Lingze, and the Nine Dragons Immortal Mountain and the White Bone Immortal Mountain are closely related..."

"Could it be that they're going to cause trouble at my Stone Dragon Cliff?"

The head of the Xu clan's Fire Demon Workshop frowned, seemingly somewhat worried.

If the two immortal sects were to have a falling out on Stone Dragon Cliff, regardless of who would have the upper hand, once they clashed, the market lords would definitely suffer the most.

"If the White Bone Sect insists on taking the lead, they'll at least have to send out a few of their guardian-level figures,"

"Perhaps... such a beautiful and alluring ghost girl is... hehehe..."

The old Taoist priest beside him stroked his long beard and gave a sly smile.

On the long path of cultivation, some practice asceticism, while others seek tranquility and purity; some delight in lofty mountains and flowing waters, while others prefer listening to music in brothels. It is said that this Daoist Youhuang has always only been fond of ghost concubines and underworld maidens, and the Daoist White Bone is currently sending that ghost concubine from the underworld to meet him. It doesn't seem like anything like a chance encounter is going to spark a romance!
The several leaders in charge of the neighborhood exchanged glances, immediately understanding, and one after another revealed a meaningful smile...

Meanwhile, aboard the Sky Ship...

The woman was dressed in simple blue, quite different from the attire of the Xuanmen sect. She exchanged a glance with Li Qing and bowed respectfully, proclaiming himself to be her Daoist brother.

"Huh? Fellow Daoist, you've also advanced to the Day Traveler realm?"

"This is truly something to celebrate!"

Li Qing stood with his hands folded on the sky boat banner platform, and upon catching a glimpse of the newcomer, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Compared to before, this ghost princess has changed quite a bit. She has cultivated the path of ghosts and gods to the point of "Day Travel," and has become a spirit in human form. Her five senses and six perceptions are no different from those of ordinary people. She can drink sweet rain and taste fine wine, and is no longer afraid of the six yang qi.

Among the fellow Daoists from the Southwest who attended the Five Streams Banquet earlier, he and two others had already achieved the Purple Mansion or Sun Travel stage, meaning they had successively embarked on the true path of the Great Dao, which was naturally a cause for celebration. "However, compared to Brother Dao, we are still far inferior!"

The woman stepped on the cloud and bowed, but only shook her head. After landing on the celestial boat, she turned around and asked about Li Qing's recent situation.

"I heard that you went to Lingnan to seek some precious materials from the Huang family of Xizhou? Why didn't you just send a message to me directly? That would have saved you a lot of trouble."

After saying this, the woman glanced at a corner of the empty space in all directions, her words carrying a profound meaning.

In the Lingnan region, various forces are intertwined. After this trip to Lingze, the various clans and lineages are in turmoil, and no one knows what they are plotting. Even the once-declining Huang clan of Xizhou has suddenly become bustling with visitors!

If Li Qingzhen really has something to ask for, the White Bone Ghost Princess and Jin Zhenchuan of the Six Spirits Mountain will definitely handle it properly for him, so why would he need to go there in person?
After all, the styles of Taoist masters and independent cultivators are quite different, with the latter placing greater emphasis on the exchange of limited resources within their circles in order to maximize their value.

"Well... that's not the case. I just had some personal matters to attend to, so I took the opportunity to come along."

"Brother Jin and the others... how have they been lately?"

Since these people were so enthusiastic, Li Qing didn't want to turn them away. After exchanging a few polite words, she inquired about their recent situations.

The Golden-Winged Roc lineage of Liuling Mountain, Jin Zhenchuan, the Ghost Princess of the White Bone Path, and several Daoist disciples of Liuling Mountain who had reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage... These people had interacted with Li Qing for a long time at the Five Streams Qingping Banquet, so he naturally had a good impression of them.

"Those guys? They're still the same as always, spending their days in Qingping Prefecture raising birds and walking their beasts. Whenever they have free time, they rush to the markets in Lingnan Prefecture to do business dealing in spirit beasts."

"Where is Brother Dao? He was quite the star at the Three Emperors Dao Sect not long ago. I'm afraid it won't be long before I'm addressing him as Ancestor!"

When the topic turned to the Taoist priests of the Six Spirits Mountain, the ghost princess showed little interest. Instead, she turned to Li Qing herself, her crescent-shaped eyes sparkling with admiration and envy.

After all, gaining the recognition of a lineage from the Six Heavens Underworld means that with a wave of one's sleeve, one can acquire the authority of the netherworld. After ten years of cultivation, one can stand shoulder to shoulder with the supreme beings who reside high in the heavens. This is enough to make every ghost and god feel extremely ardent.

"It was just a fluke..." Li Qing seemed unwilling to elaborate on the matter, and after making a vague refusal, he turned around and invited the White Bone Ghost Princess into the Sky Boat for a chat.

From afar, the colorful butterfly saw this unfamiliar, ghostly woman and nodded slightly in acknowledgment. She then rolled up the beaded curtain in front of the celestial pavilion, inviting the guest inside…

This trip by the Ghost Princess to visit Li Qing was not merely to reminisce about old times. The news that Li Qing had entered Stone Dragon Cliff in search of rare materials such as Yin Soul Silk and Soul Nourishing Wood had already spread to all the forces. Knowing that he had something to ask for, the White Bone Sect, as the overlord of Lingnan, would naturally not stand idly by.

Naturally, they took the opportunity to ask the Ghost Princess to grant the calamity star's request, so that he could leave Lingnan Prefecture as soon as possible after being satisfied, and so that the old ghost masters of each family would not have to worry!
After all, Li Qing and the Lord of Nine Dragons Mountain had gotten into a fight over a mere disagreement in the Spirit Swamp, which had shocked many law-abiding citizens...

Thousands of miles away, above the clouds, a goose feather hangs in the sky, with a few figures standing with their hands behind their backs, looking down over the vast land of Lingnan.

"Brother Zunhun, what's your opinion on that kid?"

The Nine Dragons True Man, who had recently appeared in Lingze, stood amidst this cluster of flying feathers in the clouds, slightly below the burly man in front of him, and turned to ask with a smile.

"Opinion? What opinion could this old man possibly have?" Venerable Soul Ancestor raised his eyebrows and stood with his arms crossed.

"In the past, both Lin Yuan Mountain and my White Bone Mountain were plotted against. Now that the old ancestor has returned most of the Dao coins and spiritual items that were taken away, I will naturally take the opportunity to back down."

Mentioning this matter, Venerable Soul Ancestor still felt somewhat resentful. As fellow members of the Five Directions Immortal Sect, Venerable Yin Laojun couldn't keep an eye on his own disciples, and when trouble arose, he took his anger out on the White Bone Sect. This was really not a very respectable thing to do.

However, the old ancestor's supernatural powers were too astonishing, and he even had someone like Crane Lord hidden among his subordinates, so Venerable Soul gave up the idea of ​​causing any more trouble.

However, this ghostly young man, Li Qing, was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Even though he had many powerful backers, the Venerable Soul was absolutely unwilling to condescend to associate with him. He would rather give the ghostly maid a little promotion and let the other girls his age play by themselves.

"Indeed, the capital is turbulent now. The turmoil of eight hundred years ago has continued to this day and has never been peaceful. Perhaps the Netherworld is about to cause trouble again."

Master Jiulong shook his head, but he was also filled with emotion.

Before he became a Yin God, he roamed the four seas and was a powerful figure. What in the entire Heavenly Capital Realm could frighten him? But after he truly took that step, the more he learned about this world, the more the secrets and undercurrents beneath the surface of ancient history gradually surfaced before his eyes. As a newly promoted Yin God, he felt that the darkness around him was filled with great terror!
The path to immortality is long and arduous, and even the spirits of the underworld seem to be just ordinary?

These two Lingnan immortals had interacted a lot in their youth. Now that they had each established their own businesses, they simply became sworn brothers. One was from Baigu Immortal Mountain overlooking Lingnan, and the other was from Jiulong Mountain surrounding the South China Sea. They could be considered to be of the same blood and stand on the same boat.

But just as the two were sitting and watching the sea of ​​clouds play chess and share their knowledge, blood suddenly rose above the sea of ​​clouds and the sky!
First, a red light rose from the east of Tiandu, and then the entire sky was dyed with it. A north wind, which seemed to have come from nowhere, howled across the sky and faintly uttered a mournful sound.

The blood-red sea of ​​clouds suddenly spread for millions of miles. Farmers and shepherds who were still working in the fields felt the sky suddenly darken. When they looked up, how could they not be frightened by this end-of-days phenomenon?

[Drip][Drip] Strings of blood-red raindrops fell from the sky, and in the blink of an eye, they covered the entire Heavenly Capital Realm in a light drizzle.

Such a magnificent change was even more terrifying in the eyes of the immortal cultivators. The heavens wept, and blood rain fell from the sky. The myriad laws that were originally hidden deep in the void rippled and transformed into colorless chains of the Great Dao, connecting the Xuanhuang world. A scarlet mournful wind howled across the land. This was an ominous sign of an unprecedented disaster!
In the depths of the South China Sea, countless colossal beasts lay prostrate, each one a ferocious creature comparable to a hidden island in the water. At this moment, they huddled like quails in the deep trench, seemingly trying to escape the gaze of a dying man.

At the summits of all the sacred mountains and lands, all beings above the level of Yin spirits raised their heads, gazing up at the scene of great sorrow in the heavens and earth.

"That old true dragon is going to depart after all! A yang spirit dwells in the world, a demigod lives forever? Yet they still cannot escape the celestial blade of time. Does immortality truly exist in this world...?"

An old-fashioned person who knew the inside story looked up at the sky and felt the sorrow of heaven and earth, and couldn't help but sigh.

The only remaining Yang God Realm True Dragon from the Six Heavens Era ultimately could not withstand the ravages of time. Under the divine majesty of the Imperial Dynasty, how many could see the aging of that ancient god of the state?

(End of this chapter)