Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 315 Powerful Medicine for Self-Preservation and Avoiding Disaster
Fang Shu was unaware of the miscellaneous affairs within the Gu Hall for the time being.

He left with Lu Chedi Xian and the other two, and suddenly arrived at the small temple he had visited when he joined the inner sect.

Unlike last time, this time he wasn't going to the temple to worship, but was personally invited by the Deer Cart Earth Immortal to come in for a chat:
"Young friend Fang Shu, please."

Upon entering the temple, the offering table, clay figurines, and other scenes once again came into Fang Shu's view.

He glanced once more at the center of the altar and found it still empty, with neither memorial tablets nor statues.

Before Fang Shu could think too much, Lu Che Di Xian made a hand seal, and a buzzing sound of spiritual energy surging echoed in the small temple.

A five-colored spiritual light descended upon the area around the temple, completely sealing off both the inside and outside.

The Earth Immortal Luche explained in a timely manner: "The conversation here will be quite important. The formation was only erected to prevent others from overhearing. Young friend, do not worry."

As they spoke, the other party nodded to the two immortals, one in the oxcart and the other in the sheepcart, who had come with them.

"You two talk, just let us know if you need anything," the oxcart and sheepcart immortals shouted.

After saying that, the two of them suddenly swayed and flew onto the offering table of the small temple, turning into two clay statues. It was unclear whether they had entered into meditation or something else.

"Please sit down."

The earth immortal beside him pointed to the ground and spoke, drawing Fang Shu's attention back.

Fang Shu looked down and saw that there were already two prayer mats on the ground.

He bowed to the Deer Chariot Immortal, and the two sat facing each other in the small temple.

Just as Fang Shu was pondering how to better clear his name of his mistakes and gain some benefits for the Gu Hall, Lu Che Di Xian's words put his mind at ease, and most of his calculations immediately dissipated.

The other person looked at Fang Shu with a smile and sighed:
“Young friend, when exactly did you forge your Dao lineage? You’ve kept it a secret from us three old folks for so long. If we were to drive away your Dao lineage foundation because of some trivial matter in the temple, we would truly have no face to face our ancestors even in death.”

Fang Shu believed that he had not yet revealed any traces of his Dao Meridian Foundation Establishment, but the other party recognized him at a glance.

A thought crossed his mind: he suspected the other party was trying to trick him.

However, Fang Shu immediately dismissed such a thought.

He had already returned to his stomach and entered this small temple. If the three immortals, Lu Che and Di Xian, wanted to cause trouble, they could have just come directly. Why bother going around in circles? Moreover, their words clearly revealed a strong sense of goodwill.

"Just in the last half month, shortly after leaving the mountain." Fang Shu nodded and asked curiously:

"How did Senior Luche see that? Speaking of which, it's possible that I established my foundation using the Earth-Walking Method."

“The ground-based method.” The Deer Cart Earth Immortal chewed, then immediately pointed at Fang Shu, shaking his head and chuckling:
“You young man, you have underestimated us. How could your mere Earth Foundation Establishment Technique possibly kill that Flame Crow, or even keep it alive until we arrive?”

The other party affirmed, "Such magical power can only be possessed by those who have established their foundation in the Dao veins."

Fang Shu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

It turns out that Lu Che Di Xian and the others only judged from the strength of their magic power. He thought that those who had established their Dao lineage would have some obvious characteristics that he was unaware of compared to others.

However, Luche Dixian suddenly added:
"Of course, we old guys have been waiting for your batch of disciples to emerge and establish their foundation. So we were a bit prejudiced, and when we saw you establish your foundation, we immediately assumed you were the one who established your foundation."

After all, you disciples of Mount Lu are quite different from us old folks.

The man's voice was complex, carrying both deep satisfaction and a touch of melancholy.

Fang Shu even sensed a hint of envy in his voice.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "What Senior Luche said, is it related to the Lushan Secret Realm? For example, the inheritance within the secret realm..."

When Fang Shu brought up the secret realm inheritance, Lu Che Di Xian's expression became even more knowing.

The other party said, "That's right. Since you know about the inheritance of the secret realm, you must have received the inheritance of your predecessors in the secret realm, which is why you know about the foundation building of the Dao vein."

Then, the Deer Chariot Immortal gave a brief explanation.

Just as Fang Shu had previously guessed, all the traditions passed down from predecessors within the Lushan Secret Realm are related to the foundation building of the Daoist lineage.

In other words, any disciple who receives the secret realm's inheritance will have an inheritance similar to the "Blood Mother True Scripture," which directly leads to the formation of the elixir and involves the foundation building of the Dao lineage to some extent, giving them the possibility of embarking on this path!
For a moment, Fang Shu's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

"As expected, it was a wise move to take action and kill that bastard Black Rat today."

Otherwise, this child has clearly also obtained a secret realm inheritance; if we allow him to continue cultivating, he might very well create a formidable enemy of the Dao lineage!

Fang Shu was not just overthinking or worrying unnecessarily.

It should be noted that the Deer Cart Earth Immortal has not yet mentioned anything about the fortune of Mount Lu, but Fang Shu knows it very well.

The current year is a time of great fortune for Mount Lu. The black rat is bold and meticulous, and he has risen from a lowly servant to become a foundational seed within the temple. His luck is definitely extraordinary.

Such ruthless characters, born of destiny, will not be spared if offended!

Lu Che Di Xian sat on the futon, seemingly giving Fang Shu some time to process the situation, and did not rush to speak again.

Only after Fang Shu came to his senses did the other party nod in acknowledgment: "If you still have any doubts, please feel free to ask."

Fang Shu suddenly had another question in his mind, and immediately cupped his hands and spoke:
"Since the temple values ​​us so much, it also knows that any disciple who survives the secret realm may receive the inheritance or become a foundational cultivator of the Dao lineage."

Then why insist on suppressing our foundation-building matters and refusing to provide spiritual veins?

This is precisely the matter that Fang Shu has been most puzzled about recently.

Especially now, with our stomachs rumbling and the entire Lushan area in turmoil, it is precisely the time when manpower and skilled personnel are needed.

Before he established his foundation, Fang Shu still somewhat believed the reason that the formation needed to be maintained and the spiritual veins couldn't be separated. But now that he had successfully established his foundation and even personally killed a Foundation Establishment Immortal in the temple, he immediately became very skeptical of this reason.

When Luche Dixian heard this question, he was taken aback at first.

The other party then gave a wry smile: "You young man, you've hit the nail on the head. I'm about to have a good talk with you about this matter, so please be patient."

Furthermore, the prohibition against disciples establishing foundations within the temple is not unique to my Five Internal Organs Temple; it applies to all five sects of Mount Lu. It was a matter agreed upon by all.

Fang Shu's eyes flickered.

Inside the small temple.

Before Fang Shu could dwell on his thoughts, Lu Che Di Xian began to ask in return:
"This concerns the plight of those who have established their foundation in the Dao veins. How much do you know about this, young friend? Have you cultivated any minor supernatural abilities?"

The term "minor supernatural power" immediately brought to Fang Shu's mind his own Dao Insect talent and Flesh and Blood Field talent.

"Is my Foundation Establishment talent truly the legendary 'supernatural power'?!" he wondered to himself.

Seeing that Fang Shu was pondering and did not answer immediately, the Earth Immortal Luche took the initiative and asked in a slow voice:

"Relax. There's no need to reveal the specifics of your supernatural abilities, and remember never to disclose them to others in the future."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu immediately concealed his Dao Insect talent, simply nodding and explaining the wonders of his own body's free transformation into insects. He didn't elaborate, only briefly mentioning that it was a convenient way for him to cultivate the Dao of Gu and refine Gu insects. *Snap!*

The Earth Immortal of the Deer Chariot immediately clapped his hands in praise:

"Indeed, those who establish their foundation in the Dao are far superior to us ordinary practitioners. Once they enter the foundation stage, they receive a wondrous method, and this method is profound and involves the Dao, which cannot be described as magic. It should be called by supernatural powers."

As soon as he finished speaking, he began to inquire with great interest about Fang Shu's foundation-building process.

Fang Shu, while omitting matters concerning Dao talismans and the Blood Mother, revealed his own foundation-building process and also inquired about some unusual phenomena that occurred during the process.

Upon hearing this, Lu Che couldn't sit still any longer. He eagerly rose from his prayer mat and paced back and forth in the small temple.

Fang Shu also stood up and glanced over, noticing that although the two cow and sheep statues on the offering table did not say anything, they either turned their eyes or listened intently, looking completely absorbed.

"That's right, that's right."

The deer-cart earth immortal muttered, "Those who follow the Dao, once they enter the Dao, embark on the path of the Great Dao and the Immortal Path. This is completely different from us, who transform into spiritual veins and become earthbound spirits or corpse-guarding ghosts."

This is what it truly means to have the hope of longevity and enduring vision!

After a while.

The other party then came to his senses, greeted Fang Shu, and said self-deprecatingly, "When a lowly scholar hears the Way, he laughs loudly at it; if he did not laugh, it would not be the Way."

"It is I, Lu, who have made Fellow Daoist Fang laugh at me."

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," Fang Shu quickly replied.

Immediately, the deer-cart immortal's expression turned serious.

The other person pointed to the small temple from top to bottom and said:
"However, what we said today is unknown to Heaven and Earth, and is known only to the four of us."

Once we leave this place, fellow Daoist, do not discuss the matter of Dao Vein Foundation Establishment with anyone. I will later retrieve various breakthrough texts on Spiritual Vein Foundation Establishment and discuss them with you... From now on, for the time being, you can refer to it as 'Walking Foundation Establishment'."

Fang Shu was surprised by these words.

However, the Deer Chariot Immortal quickly revealed a reason that he found hard to refuse and that made him shudder.

"Do you know why a Foundation Establishment cultivator's talent can awaken a minor supernatural power?"

Before Fang Shu could answer, the other person muttered to himself:

"The Lesser Supernatural Power is also known as the Seed of Supernatural Power. Supernatural power is not something that can be learned simply by studying the law. Rather, it concerns the physical body and bloodline, the mysteries of heaven and earth, and is a means that only True Immortals who have achieved the Elixir of Immortality can master. It is also the ladder to heaven for advancing to the Elixir of Immortality."

It can be said that to achieve the elixir, one must master supernatural powers.

Those who establish their foundation through the Dao veins acquire a supernatural power upon entering the Dao path. Although its uses are considerably less powerful than those of the Golden Elixir, and are often singular, its status is equivalent. This makes the probability of a Dao vein foundation cultivator breaking through to the Golden Elixir stage ten times, or even a hundred times, greater than that of a spiritual vein foundation cultivator.

After a pause, the Earth Immortal Luche added, "Of course, this refers to the probability of a breakthrough, not the speed of cultivation."

Fang Shu listened intently, then asked with some surprise, "So, without establishing a foundation through the Daoist veins, there's almost no possibility of achieving the elixir?!"

The Deer Cart Immortal nodded.

However, he immediately corrected himself: "There is almost no possibility of breaking through to the Dan stage normally, but there are abnormal methods that are enough to break through to the Dan stage."

After saying this, Lu Che Di Xian looked at Fang Shu with a half-smile.

This behavior made Fang Shu's eyelids twitch. His thoughts raced, and he quickly guessed what was going on, revealing an embarrassed expression.

Seeing his expression, the Deer Chariot Immortal knew he was alert, so he stopped concealing himself and spoke directly:
“That’s right. Since we have no supernatural powers, we immortals are not so rigid and inflexible. We only need to seize a supernatural power and use it as a ladder to heaven.”

These words immediately darkened Fang Shu's face, and he felt a mix of lingering fear and relief.

He now understood why the other party had been so cautious during their conversation today.

To achieve the Foundation Establishment stage, one must possess supernatural powers. However, True Immortals who have achieved the Foundation Establishment stage are high above others and cannot be obtained by them. Moreover, if the supernatural powers of the Foundation Establishment stage were given to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they would probably be enough to overwhelm the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Those who are also at the Foundation Establishment stage possess supernatural abilities, but not only is their magical power weak, their supernatural abilities are also immature, making them perfect for picking and eating, and turning them into their own!

In this way, although those who establish a Dao vein are powerful, being among a group of spiritual vein foundation builders is like carrying gold in a bustling city, easily exposed, which will attract all kinds of schemes and covetousness, making it difficult to guard against.

Fang Shu pursed his lips and uttered again:

"May I ask, senior, are there any hidden dangers in seizing the supernatural powers of others for one's own use?"

The old immortal, Deer Chariot, nodded calmly:
"Of course there are."

This method of stripping away power can only allow immortals to break through to the point of elixir completion and become true immortals. They will no longer be able to cultivate new supernatural powers and will never be able to break through the ten tribulations in their lifetime.

After all, what others possess is not what one has cultivated oneself. One must be reborn and experience the process again to cultivate and prove oneself.

Fang Shu's expression softened slightly upon hearing this.

But then, the Deer Cart Immortal spoke again:
"However, I have heard that there is a so-called Foundation-Seizing Technique in the world, which is an evil art. This technique does not allow Foundation-Building to seize Foundation-Building, but rather allows Qi-Refining to seize Foundation-Building."

Rumor has it that this method subtly aligns with the principles of "switching dragons for phoenixes" and "using falsehood to cultivate truth," or perhaps allows one to deceive the heavens, break free of shackles, and transcend the ten tribulations.

Seeing Fang Shu's ever-changing expression, Lu Che Di Xian finally offered some comfort:

"However, the idea of ​​capturing Dao veins to establish a foundation for Qi Refining Immortals is just a rumor."

Moreover, given such skill, it would be better to acquire the Dao foundation for oneself, rather than wasting it on the younger generation; it would be a waste of effort and resources.”

However, this comfort was still insufficient to restore Fang Shu's spirits after he learned about the Dao Meridian's condition.

He was speechless for a moment, and after a long while, he slowly uttered:

"It seems that I have indeed cultivated a superior Daoist medicine."

These words, upon reaching the ears of the Deer Cart Immortal, immediately elicited laughter from the other party:

"Hahaha!"

The deer-drawn cart's laughter:

"Excellent, excellent! What a fine Daoist herb!"
However, young friend, you are too attached to appearances. Whether or not one belongs to the Daoist lineage, how has it hindered our immortal beings from being the great elixir?

These words left Fang Shu speechless, yet he had no way to refute them.

A thought struck him, and he immediately bowed deeply to the Earth Immortal Deer Cart:

"Please, Master Lu, teach me how to protect myself and avoid disaster!"

(End of this chapter)