Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 20 Daily Life at the Dojo: The Tribulation in the Scorpion Basin (5.4 thousand words)
"Pah! Tofu, tofu again."

Li Hou'er squatted down next to Fang Shu, eating a piece of steamed bun and a piece of tofu, his face full of bitterness: "It's even burnt. Why is my dad so stingy?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu shook his head and silently munched on the steamed bun in his hand.

He swallowed the steamed bun, which was three fingers thick and as big as his face, in just a few big bites. Then, pounding his chest, he picked up another steamed bun from the side and wolfed it down.

Seeing this, Li Hou'er clicked his tongue in disapproval:
"This blood bun is fishy and hard, and it's hard to swallow even with water. It can even be used as a brick in a fight."

"Only someone like you, Fang, with your strong teeth and sharp tongue, could eat so much."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu gave a wry smile, but he didn't say much and continued to eat.

He has been in this Gu Pavilion for half a month. There is a large dormitory in the pavilion, and with Li Hou'er taking care of him, he rarely goes home.

For the first ten days, including the day he became an apprentice, under the guidance of the master, he took a nourishing pill every day to recuperate and replenish his qi and blood. He also learned some methods from Li Houer to strengthen his qi and aid digestion of the medicine.

Ten days later, the essence-nourishing pills were exhausted.

Perhaps his second uncle didn't know he would take the pills so quickly, so he didn't send any new ones. Fang Shu, knowing the family's situation, didn't ask for any more.

Fortunately, Fang Shu discovered that eating more steamed buns at the dojo could greatly replenish his qi and blood!

This steamed bun is no ordinary steamed bun. It is made by boiling deer blood and tiger bone powder, and then steaming and drying it nine times. Apart from its extremely fishy taste and its hardness like ironwood, it has no other drawbacks.

More importantly, the dojo provides food and lodging, and the blood buns are unlimited; you can take as many as you want, as long as you don't waste them.

The chefs often steam or boil things for thousands of yuan at a time. Anyway, these things keep well, and when they're about to expire, they can be used to feed the demon pigs.

However, Fang Shu's experience of eating steamed buns wasn't all good.

Aside from his wild eating habits and enormous appetite, like a starving beast, and because he hung out with Li Hou'er and earned the nickname "Starving Beast," he also needed to relieve himself six times a day, sometimes even up to nine times.

He was so bad at eating that he would immediately defecate after eating, and his nickname almost became "straight intestines" because of it.

But this is not an option either. If he eats so much and doesn't defecate in time, he is very likely to suffer from intestinal rupture and death due to food accumulation in his stomach.

After devouring eight large steamed buns in one go, Fang Shu took a sip of water, but dared not drink too much, and then quietly headed towards the outhouse.

But his action still attracted the attention of others in the dining hall, and a burst of laughter and pointing fingers immediately followed:
"Why does this person defecate right after eating? Why not eat blood essence rice?"

That thing can be eaten in one bite, just like a steamed bun.

"He's a poor wretch, all he can do is ruin his body."

Fang Shu ignored him and continued walking into the latrine as if no one else was there. Several young Taoist boys quickly ran out of the latrine.

They pinched their noses, pulled up their belts, and with exaggerated disgust on their faces, joined in the teasing of others with laughter.

Li Hou'er, who was squatting in the corner, suddenly stood up and glared at the Taoist disciples. But it was no use; instead, he received several cold stares and glares.

So Li Hou'er silently squatted back down and ate his bitter tofu.

After a small cup of tea.

Fang Shu walked out of the outhouse with light steps.

He looked around the dining hall and suddenly a look of surprise appeared on his face. All the dozen or so people in the hall had disappeared.

Only Li Hou'er jumped up to meet him, and then excitedly said, "Let's go, Brother Fang, let's go first!"

Fang Shu readily agreed, listening to Li Hou'er's explanation as they walked:
"The head of the temple is going to open the basin today to help several old Taoist novices in the temple practice their skills and enter the Tao."

Soon, the dojo's main hall was packed with people, numbering over a hundred.

This was the first time Fang Shu had seen so many people at the dojo. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was all the servants, kitchen helpers, cooks, and so on, all there to watch the excitement.

The two arrived late and could only stand in a corner, looking like lackeys.

Fortunately, Li Hou'er was quick-witted and brought a bench from the dining hall; otherwise, the two brothers would have only seen heads and not a single thing in the dining hall.

In the very center of the hall was a pool ten feet wide and ten feet deep, filled with a pungent, fishy smell. Snakes, insects, toads, centipedes, geckos, and all sorts of creatures were crawling around it, tangled together in dense swarms, making Fang Shu's scalp tingle at the sight.

"This is called the 'Scorpion Pit,' and the blood inside is said to be the blood of a hundred insects. A small bite can poison a giant elephant."

Li Hou'er whispered in Fang Shu's ear, "Listen carefully later. Every time the master helps someone enter the path of cultivation, he explains the principles of cultivation."

"Yes, thank you for reminding me, Brother Li."

Fang Shu nodded, then immediately widened his eyes and perked up his ears.

Transcending tribulation to enter the Dao was precisely his most important purpose in entering the academy for cultivation!
"Everyone's here?"

The owner of the inn was dressed in a dark floral robe, with wrinkled skin and white hair, and a strange smile on her face. She glanced around, her gaze sweeping over Fang Shu and the others.

"The first tribulation of immortals is called 'Nine out of Ten Diseases' or 'Leaving Disease and Fewer Illnesses'. To overcome this tribulation, one must refine 'precious blood' into one's body."

The man spoke in a hoarse voice:
"By refining ginseng blood, you can prolong your life and enjoy longevity; by refining tiger and ox blood, your strength will increase greatly, to the point where you can possess the strength of nine oxen and two tigers; by refining iron sand blood, your skin will be as hard as copper and iron, impervious to heat and cold; by refining eel blood, your yang energy will surge and your genitals will greatly increase..."

The owner of the private club lightly sipped:
"This essence and blood is the elixir for your cultivation. The Three-Six Elixir Method, which uses elixir as bait, refers to these!"
Without the entry of vital essence and blood into the body, and without the precious medicine within, no matter how many techniques one practices or how well one cultivates, in the end, it will all be in vain.

Inside the hall, the curator continued speaking.

Fang Shu listened intently, his face beaming with excitement.

Today he finally heard the key to overcoming the first tribulation: "Blood Refining and Blood Exchange"!
That is, to transform the ordinary blood in the human body into the blood of metals and stones, the blood of birds and beasts, the blood of plants and trees, the blood of snakes and insects, and so on.

After receiving the precious blood, the human body is no longer just an ordinary mortal body, but begins to possess the aura of an immortal. It is free from disease, immune to heat and cold, and unaware of pain. Moreover, it can rely on the precious blood to freely control magical artifacts without harming its body or shortening its lifespan.

This realm is known as "One Tribulation Refining Essence to Become an Immortal".

As Fang Shu slowly pondered and digested the information, the headmaster finished her lecture. Without any hesitation, she pointed to several young disciples who had been in the academy for a year or two and said:

"Put it in the basin."

Fang Shu quickly focused his attention on the so-called scorpion pit.

The six Taoist boys all stepped out with a snap.

Among them were men and women, most of whom looked to be around seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years old, except for one middle-aged man with a weathered and resolute face.

The six young Taoist disciples stood before the basin of scorpions, their faces pale as they looked at the snakes, insects, and venomous creatures inside.

In particular, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted and threw a rabbit, which flew into the scorpion pit.

Hiss! In an instant, the rabbit was coiled up by the snakes and insects, and in the blink of an eye, it stopped convulsing and turned into pus and blood.

Clearly, this scorpion pit is no mere decoration or a joke; it is filled with ferocious and venomous insects that bite any living creature and pounce on anyone who comes near.

The master of the inn sat upright in front of the scorpion pit, and with a wave of his hand, a disciple served him a cup of tea.

She sipped her tea slowly and deliberately, and said:

“Life and death are destiny, wealth and honor are in heaven.

"Those who enter my pit of scorpions will have their vital energy and blood stimulated by the toxins of hundreds of insects, forcing them to circulate their energy. The longer they persist, the greater their chances of entering the Dao, and the more benefits they will receive."

The owner of the independent pavilion paused:

"Of course, the chances of becoming disabled and dying will also be greater."

Think about it carefully. You only have one life, and you only have one chance to have your baby engage in labor.

"If anyone goes in and immediately comes out, it will not only ruin their future and do more harm than good, but also waste the energy of the old, precious insects. It's better for them to die inside and become insect food."

These words made the six young Taoist disciples turn even paler.

One of them moved his lips and chose to retreat.

He lowered his head and said, "Master, I think I can practice my skills a little more, and my family might be able to save some more money for me."

This action immediately drew boos and laughter from the audience.
"That shrunken thing!"

But the owner of the private club didn't seem to care and simply nodded.

Then, with a thud!
Before anyone could notice, a voice suddenly rang out from the scorpion pit, and someone jumped in, immediately startling a chorus of hissing snakes and insects.

Ahh! Judging from the figure, the person was a woman. After she entered the basin, she immediately let out a scream and danced wildly in the basin of scorpions.

Ten breaths later, the woman was lifeless and fell backward into the basin of worm blood.

The innkeeper sighed softly. With a swift movement, she reached out and pulled the female Taoist nun out. With a gentle shake, all the snakes and insects on the nun's body fell off, and the blood was washed away.

Immediately, the master of the temple publicly tore open the female Taoist girl's robes, exposing her chest, abdomen, and hips without any covering.

However, no one in the room would look at the female Taoist nun with lewd eyes.

Because the skin and flesh that should have been fair and tender were now covered in mottled colors, with almost no good flesh on the body, and it was swollen and shiny, resembling a giant.

The master's hands moved in a blur, quickly rubbing the female Taoist girl's body several times to squeeze out the poisonous blood, and then he put it in his mouth to taste it.

She said calmly, "He's being too clever for his own good, but there's still hope. Send him down and ask the leech master to suck it out."

"Yes, Master." Immediately, a young Taoist disciple and servants took the prepared door panel, placed the female Taoist disciple on it, and quickly carried her out of the hall. The already dense and impassable crowd made way for her without any prompting.

Fang Shu looked at the scene in the arena and felt a chill run down his spine, speechless with astonishment.

He couldn't help but ask, "Is it always this miserable?"

Li Hou'er, watching from the side, although his eyelids twitched, seemed unfazed, even clicking his tongue in disapproval:

"This female senior sister is quite clever. She was the first to have her baby, so the abbot will definitely take extra care of her."

See? Her face is basically fine; she must have had some medicine applied. Her chances of survival are quite good, and the possibility of her being crippled is unlikely.

These words made Fang Shu's heart tighten even more.

He had been thinking that the female Taoist nun was simply heartless and had jumped in on a whim.

Unexpectedly, the other party had such a scheme and even applied drugs. No wonder the owner of the club commented that they were "being too clever for their own good".

It should be noted that although Fang Shu had only been in the academy for a short time, he had heard the academy master explain the principles of the Blood Refining in the Pit of Scorpions and knew that in such a situation, the only solution was to withstand the physical attack.

Even if medicine is used, it can only be tonifying or potent medicine to stimulate qi and blood, and not insect repellent or insect-repelling medicine.

Otherwise, it would be self-destructive and reduce the chances of successful blood refining.

As the two whispered among themselves in the corner, a figure flickered a few times in front of the scorpion pit. The figure gritted its teeth and suddenly jumped into the pit.

After being placed in the basin, the person clenched their teeth, their face turned bright red, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a purplish-brown color.

He did not fall down, but instead practiced a set of boxing techniques in the pit of scorpions, desperately stimulating his own blood and energy.

But after ten breaths, the man's movements became distorted; after twenty breaths, his stance completely collapsed; and in less than thirty breaths, his whole body went numb, and he was about to collapse into the pit of scorpions.

The innkeeper was quick-witted and nimble. She scooped up the young Taoist priest and slapped his body repeatedly to force out some of the poisonous blood.

She remained expressionless and instructed, "Take it down and hand it over to the leech master."

Two people had already perished in the scorpion pit, not even lasting thirty breaths. The remaining three Daoist boys all had changing expressions, filled with even more surprise and doubt.

After a full hundred breaths, under the cold snort of the innkeeper, someone else mustered their courage, gathered their strength, and jumped into the pit of scorpions.

After the person entered the basin, he immediately sat down cross-legged and circulated his internal energy. His body radiated intense heat, like a furnace, making the bloody smell in the hall even stronger.

Fang Shu was watching from the sidelines when he immediately heard someone say:
"His qi and blood are surging so quickly, has he taken some kind of potent drug?"

"It should be. The medicine seems to be quite effective. If I can't break through this time, even if I survive, my life will probably be ruined."

After about sixty or seventy breaths, amidst the sighs and expressions of pity from the crowd, the man who had been in meditation stiffened. The innkeeper noticed something was wrong and pulled him out of the pit of scorpions by the head.

Even after being carried away, the boy who had taken the medicine remained seated motionless, his qi and blood stagnating, making his body stiff as wood and unable to soften at all.

The other person was carried away sitting there, with a flushed, ambiguous smile on their lips.

Clearly, this person also failed in their tribulation, their efforts ultimately thwarted.

Only two people remained.

One of them was thin and weak. He lingered for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, then closed his eyes and jumped into the pit of scorpions to undergo his tribulation.

Surrounded by onlookers, the man gritted his teeth and endured for forty or fifty breaths before finally managing to crawl out of the pit of scorpions, but ultimately failed again.

So far, one person has withdrawn from the scene, and four others are seriously injured and their fate is unknown.

The last remaining person stood alone in front of the scorpion pit, his expression incredibly complex, so tense he seemed to have forgotten to breathe, his face turning purple.

Not to mention this person, even Fang Shu and the others watching from all around, regardless of whether they were new or old, or even just young disciples or servants, were all very quiet, creating a very oppressive atmosphere.

The owner of the guesthouse seemed quite lenient towards this last remaining child.

The other party dawdled for over a hundred breaths, still unable to adjust their qi and blood. The master of the pavilion did not urge the other party, but simply closed his eyes and waited.

In the midst of the oppressive atmosphere, a toad the size of a person suddenly jumped in from outside.

It squawked loudly, oblivious to everyone else, and shouted, "Master, Master, the leech master said it's sucked until it's full!"

If you embarrass yourself again, it will quit and become a demon.

The croaking of the toad caused many people in the hall to have strange expressions.

*Thump!* The innkeeper suddenly opened her eyes. Without looking at the last young Taoist disciple, she replied directly:

"got it."

After he finished speaking...

The owner of the pavilion turned around and lifted a large stone screen, ten feet wide and ten feet thick, from behind him. The lower part of the stone screen resembled a pot lid or a millstone, while the upper part was carved with scorpions, centipedes, poisonous insects, and other creatures, all of which were very lifelike.

She placed the stone screen on the scorpion basin as easily as if she were carrying an empty gourd, sealing the basin's opening.

Although his movements were effortless, the moment the scorpion pit closed, a heavy thud could be heard, and even the lobby floor trembled.

"Everyone, disperse," the owner of the private residence instructed calmly.

She turned around again, took a few incense sticks, and with her back to everyone, slowly lit incense and candles for the Five Poisons painting on the wall of the offering table.

All of a sudden.

The lobby was filled with chatter, as many people discussed what had just happened.

Only the last Taoist boy remained silent, his face showing both relief and melancholy, as if he had lost something and seemed somewhat lost and dejected.

The other person looked at the owner of the inn who was burning incense by himself, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he lowered his head, silently blended into the crowd, and quickly left the hall.

As the last person left, Fang Shu also completely withdrew his gaze.

His face was dazed, and he murmured, "Is entering the path of cultivation and undergoing tribulation really this dangerous?"

Today, six people were undergoing tribulation, two retreated, and four were defeated and killed. The Dugu Pavilion was completely wiped out, with nothing to show for it.

Moreover, according to the master of the temple, regardless of whether these six people tried or not, they would either suffer severe physical injuries or lose their spirit, and would never be able to enter the pit of scorpions to undergo tribulation again in this lifetime; entering would be courting death.

Hearing Fang Shu's mutterings, Li Hou'er, who was standing nearby, suddenly clicked his tongue and grinned, saying:

"No, no, no, that's not necessarily true."

"Hmm?" Fang Shu immediately looked at the other person with bright eyes.

Li Hou'er looked at the location of the scorpion pit and explained:
"The Tribulation in the Scorpion Basin is actually a guaranteed benefit of our Dugu Pavilion. Anyone who has cultivated here for more than a year and has a fairly good understanding of immortal techniques can give it a try."

However, this is not the only path to overcome tribulation.

Li Hou'er counted on his fingers:

"If you want to transcend tribulations and ascend to immortality, you can burn thatch and make cauldrons, consume red lead, refine autumn stone, and drink women's milk; you can absorb yin to replenish yang, massage your navel to expel qi, and have a master give you initiation; you can fast and abstain from grains, and consume spiritual substances; you can invite immortals to guide you, and have your mind opened... There are many methods."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu hesitated again, then pointed to the sealed scorpion pit in the main hall, his eyes filled with inquiry.

Li Hou'er understood. He shrugged and recited, shaking his head:
"This is what is meant by the saying that the poor rely on risking their lives, while the rich have supernatural powers."

"Money can move mountains!" Li Hou'er winked and rubbed his fingers together.

Fang Shu remained silent.

He understood. So those who had just gone up were all poor disciples from the academy, or ordinary Taoist novices, who could only hope to survive the tribulation by fighting for their lives after they had recovered their qi and blood.

Such a process, at most involving the use of potent drugs to stimulate the body, is naturally fraught with danger, with little chance of survival.

If you have money and connections, you don't have to be in such danger.

However, on the other hand, this extremely dangerous tribulation in the pit of scorpions is a perk offered by the academy to the old Taoist disciples. Only those who have stayed in the academy for a full year are eligible to use it.

Having greatly broadened his horizons, Fang Shu noticed that there were fewer people in the hall, so he cupped his hands in greeting to the owner of the hall and prepared to leave with Li Hou'er.

Just then, the owner of the private gallery, who was examining the paintings on the wall, suddenly spoke up:

Fang Shu stayed behind.

Your blood and energy have been well-nourished; it seems you've already recovered more than halfway.

The innkeeper paused for a moment and then said, "I can now pass on my skills to you and teach you how to refine your blood."

Fang Shu first praised him in his heart, thinking to himself that the owner of this private school had a good eye.

It is said that because of his excessive eating and drinking, according to the Daoist talisman, the upper limit of his "lifespan" has been restored to fifty-five years.

Moreover, the recovery is getting slower and slower, and the rest should rely on long-term conditioning or taking more nourishing medicines, rather than being able to be repaired in a short period of time.

Upon hearing the owner's next sentence, Fang Shu paused for a moment, and his mind instantly cleared of all distractions.

His face lit up with joy, and he immediately bowed:
"Yes, Master!"

(End of this chapter)