You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chen Yang knew that the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament and the World's Number One Taoist Magic Tournament were held separately.

However, Chen Yang did not pay attention to the specific time and rules.

Upon hearing Wang Xuan say that Gu Jinghui had already registered him online for the "Number One Taoist Cultivation Conference in the World," Chen Yang put down his chopsticks and said, "It's good that he's registered. It'll be a good opportunity to broaden my horizons."

More than a decade has passed since Reiki's full revival.

Meanwhile, the spiritual energy of some remote mountains and forests, and special "blessed lands" has been revived even earlier... Over the years, many masters have emerged from various Taoist sects, aristocratic families, and the general public.

This can be seen from the current World Martial Arts Tournament.

In Xixia Prefecture alone, 386 people signed up. The competition lasted for nine days, and ten "masters" were finally selected to go to Kyoto Prefecture to participate in the national competition.

The competition was broadcast live in its entirety, generating immense buzz. Some outstanding contestants received tremendous attention, especially the ten martial artists who qualified to participate in the national competition in Kyoto Prefecture. Their fame skyrocketed during this period, and it's rumored that several film and television companies wanted to sign them.

Many local manufacturers in Xixia Prefecture offered them millions of yuan to help them with live-streaming sales.

Two of these ten people are from Wucheng.

One of them, surnamed Wang, named Wang Hairui, is from Yanchi County, Wucheng City.

There's another person surnamed Wu, named Wu Yiming, who lives in Jiugongli Town, Litong District, Wucheng City. His family owns a dairy farm. It's said that after he returned home, many local internet celebrities rushed to ride his coattails and blocked his dairy farm, broadcasting live from the farm entrance every day...

Wu Yiming and his family tried to persuade him several times, and even called the police.

However, these streamers did not stop. Some even climbed over the wall into the cattle farm in order to appear on screen with Wu Yiming. As a result, these streamers were attacked by a masked man that night.

The masked man, wielding a rubber baton, proceeded to beat up both male and female anchors in turn.

The streamers were badly beaten; the one who climbed over the wall seemed to have a broken leg. They went to the police station, but after checking the surveillance footage, they found that the surveillance cameras at the cattle farm were broken, and the person was masked, so they couldn't identify him at all.

These streamers claimed the masked man was Wu Yiming, but they had no proof.

This was just a minor incident.

After finishing their meal, Chen Yang took Wang Xuan to an abandoned factory in the suburbs, intending to test Wang Xuan's skills first.

With Chen Yang's keen eyesight, he could tell at a glance the strength of Wang Xuan's cultivation and spiritual power...

However, a Daoist cultivator's combat strength cannot be judged solely by their cultivation level and spiritual power.

Talismans, magical artifacts, and the Taoist arts one cultivates are all key factors that can influence the course of a battle.

"Did your master teach you Taoist arts?"

"I taught him."

Wang Xuan truthfully replied, "However, I have not cultivated for long enough, and during this time I have focused my main efforts on refining my soul. I have only learned one of the Five Elements Dao Techniques, namely the [Water Control Technique]."

Water control is the most basic "water technique" in the Five Elements Daoist arts, and Chen Yang also knows it.

But don't underestimate this basic "Taoist art". As long as you master it well enough, you can condense water vapor in the air at will and turn it into water balls, water swords, water arrows and so on. If your magic power is strong enough and your spiritual power is strong enough, you can even split a mountain with a simple "water control technique"!
Chen Yang: "Use your [Water Control Technique] to attack me!"

"it is good!"

Wang Xuan formed hand seals, circulated his magical power and spiritual energy, and chanted incantations—

"Heaven gives birth to one thing, and earth completes itself with six."

"When the six elements combine, the world becomes vibrant and clear; in the heavens, it is like rain and dew, benefiting all things endlessly..."

"Contemplate the black Qi of the North, inhale it into the water, and recite the secret chapters of Heaven and Earth to sprinkle it upon it. The essence of Taiyi and the spirit of Dongxuan can cleanse all emotions. I now sprinkle it, and Heaven and Earth are clear... Hurry, hurry, as the Supreme Law commands!"

hum!
The air trembled slightly.

Then, a faint mist rose around Wang Xuan. As the mist swirled, droplets of water vapor condensed. Instead of falling to the ground, the water vapor hovered in front of Wang Xuan, forming a water ball the size of a ping-pong ball.

As Wang Xuan changed his hand seals, the water ball the size of a ping-pong ball gradually transformed into a tiny water sword!

Wang Xuan: "Chen Shuai, watch out... I'm about to make my move!"

Chen Yang: "..."

call out!
With a wave of his hand, Wang Xuan sent the water sword piercing the air and shooting towards Chen Yang.

Chen Yang's face darkened, and he puffed out his cheeks and blew out a breath—

boom!
In an instant, a strong wind arose, scattering the water sword and sending Wang Xuan flying backward, tumbling more than ten meters away!

Wang Xuan got up, covered in dust and looking aggrieved.

Chen Yang said, "The [Water Control Technique] among the Five Elements Basic Taoist Arts is the foundation of water magic. It can kill people and slay demons... but in your hands, it is so weak and powerless. You must remember that you are cultivating Taoist arts, Taoist arts for subduing demons and monsters, not magic tricks to please the audience on stage!"

"besides……"

"You haven't even learned to walk yet, and you want to fly?"

"You're not even proficient in the [Water Manipulation Technique], so why are you forcing yourself to condense water into a sword... Can't a water sphere have any destructive power? Even if a water sphere isn't destructive enough, why insist on condensing water into a sword?"

Wang Xuan: "The water sword is cooler!"

"Ah!"

Chen Yang sneered, "Cultivating Taoist arts is for subduing demons and monsters, and for fighting with others. As long as you win, that's all that matters... If showing off were useful, why would everyone bother with arduous cultivation?"

Wang Xuan is only sixteen years old and is going through a rebellious phase.

He was the kind of boy who would run away from home at the slightest disagreement and go to the mountain god temple in Helan Mountain to seek that "ethereal" Dao. When had he ever suffered such humiliation? But he didn't dare to get angry in front of Chen Yang, so he could only mutter, "I've only been cultivating for a little over ten days..."

"how?"

Chen Yang glared and retorted, "What's wrong with cultivating for ten days? Is it something to be proud of?"

Wang Xuan: "It's not glorious... but my master said that he has condensed his Yin spirit, developed magical power, and mastered a Taoist technique in just over ten days of cultivation. This kind of cultivation speed is already astonishing!"

"Shocking my foot!"

"Your master used his divine power to cleanse your marrow and refine your bones, improving your physical constitution. Which other cultivator receives this treatment?"

Chen Yang said, "On the very day I embarked on my cultivation journey, I slew a demon. I can learn all kinds of spells and supernatural powers in no time. Have I ever boasted about that to anyone?"

This is true.

Apart from the "Pure and Subtle Thunder Technique," almost all the spells he practiced were system rewards.

Chen Yang was actually quite satisfied with Wang Xuan's performance.

After all, not everyone has such talent... and tireless effort day and night!

But now that Wang Xuan has become Gu Jinghui's disciple and is considered a successor of his lineage of "Qingwei Daoist Methods," Chen Yang feels that the expectations for this kid can be raised a bit...

Chen Yang has a lot of experience dealing with rebellious teenagers.

He placed his left hand behind his back, slowly raised his right hand, index and middle fingers side by side, and said calmly, "Watch carefully, learn well... I'll only teach you once!"

A thought flashed through his mind—

Wow!

A massive water sphere, a full meter in diameter, materialized out of thin air! Chen Yang pointed forward, and the water sphere flew towards the abandoned factory building ahead, rapidly compressing into a three-foot-long water sword as it flew…

Chen Yang pressed his right hand down—

The water sword slashed through the air, leaving a trail of sword energy. *Whoosh*...

As the sword energy fell, the earth cracked open, and a sword mark ten meters long, half a finger wide, and more than a meter deep was forcibly cut into the hardened cement ground of the factory!

Wang Xuan was dumbfounded!

Chen Yang said calmly, "Did you see it?"

When Wang Xuan came to his senses, his eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Chen Yang again. He murmured, "Commander Chen... does the most basic water control technique really have such power?"

"As long as you are powerful enough, any spell in your hands can unleash incredible power. So what if the Water Control Technique is a basic water-based technique of the Five Elements?"

Chen Yang calmly said, "If I were to use my full strength, I could split this factory in two... What you need to do now is to cultivate your water control technique to the point where you can use it at will. Otherwise, when you fight someone, you'll have to recite incantations and perform spells for a long time. If your opponent is a martial artist of the same level, you won't be able to use it at all in close combat."

Wang Xuan humbly sought advice, and Chen Yang patiently provided guidance.

This kid has extremely high aptitude and has started to think about cultivation.

of course.

To participate in the "Number One Daoist Cultivation Conference," simply knowing a water manipulation technique is useless. After thinking for a moment, Chen Yang also passed on the "Soul Binding Technique" to him.

The Soul-Binding Technique is a spell practiced by underworld officials and ghost messengers, but Taoist cultivators can practice it as long as they condense a Yin Spirit...

Moreover, this spell can capture ghosts, so it can naturally capture other people's "yin spirits," making it most effective against Taoist cultivators!
In addition, there are several basic Taoist techniques in the "Qingwei Yuanjiang Dafa". Chen Yang's requirement is that Wang Xuan spend 12 hours a day practicing Taoist techniques and methods, and the remaining 12 hours practicing Yin Shen.

"The Martial Arts Tournament will conclude in half a month, and the opening of the [World's Number One Daoist Tournament] will take place in twenty-one days."

“Since your master wants you to broaden your horizons, you can’t just limit yourself to Xixia Prefecture.”

"I only have one requirement for you... that you stand out in Xixia Prefecture and successfully win the opportunity to participate in the national competition in Kyoto Prefecture!"

"what?"

Wang Xuan lacked confidence and said, "Commander Chen, I've only been cultivating for half a month... Even if I can continue to cultivate diligently for another twenty days, it's still far behind others who have cultivated for several years or even more than ten years, isn't it?"

Chen Yang laughed and said, "Cultivation isn't about who has been cultivating the longest... Although you've only just started cultivating, you're practicing the 'Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Method,' which is the supreme scripture of the Qingwei Sect, the 'Flying Immortal Salvation Scripture' of the Jingming Sect, and the 'Tai Xuan Scripture' of Longhu Mountain!"

"Secondly..."

"Your master's divine cleansing is equivalent to several years of arduous cultivation for others!"

This is true.

Some people cultivate Taoism for years but still cannot condense their Yin spirit.

Chen Yang paused for a moment, then said, "I will teach you another soul-refining method. This method is called the 'Five Demons Refining the Heart Technique,' and it is a soul-refining method within the 'Yellow Springs Refining the Spirit Method' created by the Northern Yin Emperor of Fengdu. You can visualize the five great inner demons to temper your soul!"

"I also have a magical artifact that can simulate the eighteen levels of hell... I will guide your soul to cultivate there and experience the suffering of the eighteen levels of hell. As long as you can persevere, your soul power will surely increase greatly!"

"If you're lucky, it's not impossible for you to shine at the World's Number One Daoist Cult Tournament."

Dealing with rebellious youths cannot be done by simply intimidating them.

You have to give them a beating first, then offer them a sweet treat.

Chen Yang's effusive promises made Wang Xuan incredibly excited.

The thought of shining brightly at the national-level "Number One Taoist Cultivation Conference" filled him with fighting spirit! His parents, relatives, classmates, and teachers would all see him on the live stream.
However, this cannot be considered mere empty promises.

If he had a few Soul-Gathering Pills now, it would greatly increase Wang Xuan's soul power, and if he had any thoughts of becoming a Ghost Immortal...

That could potentially allow him to reach the level of daytime travel or even the ability to control objects!

It should be noted that Qi Ruifeng, the abbot of the Wuyue Temple on Wuyue Mountain in Gucheng, was known as the "Number One Taoist Cultivator in Gucheng." His spiritual realm was only barely at the level of the Day Traveler. Ordinary "Entering the Dao Realm" could not even control objects with their spiritual soul!

At 11 p.m., Chen Yang returned to the funeral home.

at the same time.

Silver City.

Special Administration Bureau, Xixia Branch, Director's Office.

Wei Rufeng sat in his chair and carefully sorted through all the documents on his desk.

Inside the office, more than a dozen combat members from the Xixia branch, including Master Baiyun and the young monk Huixin, were present...

The atmosphere was a bit heavy.

Wei Rufeng laughed and said, "Why is everyone making such a long face? Didn't Master Chen say that my lifespan is coming to an end... I am destined to die today. Being able to say goodbye to my parents, relatives and friends and handle my funeral arrangements before I die is something that many people cannot do."

Having said that…

But Wei Rufeng is about to die, so how could anyone be happy?

Even Wang Lin, who is usually very talkative, was rather quiet today.

Wei Rufeng looked at Wang Lin.

Wang Lin understood, immediately perked up, and laughed heartily, "What's there to be sad about? This is a joyous occasion, a happy funeral; everyone should be happy!"

"Wang Lin, don't spout nonsense!"

Marin glared and cursed, "Director Wei is only fifty-eight this year. He is a martial arts master. If he is healthy and free from illness, it would not be difficult for him to live to 150. His untimely death is not a happy one."

Yes, what kind of happy funeral is this?
Wang Lin's mind raced. He said, "Have you all forgotten about Mr. Chen Huaiyi? After he died, he went to the underworld and became an official in the underworld..."

"I heard that the authorities intend to appoint the old gentleman as the 'God of Wealth in the Underworld,' and Master Chen has already built a temple for him in Wucheng!"

“After our Director Wei goes down there, he will definitely become an official, and maybe he can even become a powerful underworld deity in the future… Once the path between Yin and Yang is opened, he will have a chance to return to the mortal world.”

Marin slapped his forehead and said, "That's right... We have Master Chen, and Master Chen has people down below!"

"Amitabha!"

The abbot Baiyun chanted Buddhist mantras and said, "What you're saying... even this old monk wants to commit suicide, Director Wei... Director Wei?"

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Director Wei has passed away!"

...............

August 10, 2025, the 8th day of the intercalary sixth month in the lunar calendar, a Sunday.

late at night.

23:50 minutes.

Wucheng, Yumin Street, funeral home.

Chen Yang was practicing talisman making on the first floor when suddenly a gust of cold wind blew in, making the talisman paper rustle.

After pressing the talisman down, Chen Yang looked up at the door and smiled, "Director Wei...you've arrived?" (End of Chapter)