Journey to the West: Starting by becoming an apprentice of Emperor Donghua

Fei Changfang hesitated for a long time, but ultimately did not dare to eat the food in his bowl.

Master Hu sighed:

"Eldest son, you failed the trial and are not destined for the path of immortality. There is nothing I can do about it."

However, your state of mind is quite good, and you are fit to be the Lord of the earth.

I have a scroll of talismans here that can command a hundred ghosts and cure illnesses and avert disasters. Take it and use it to benefit the people, so as not to betray the bond between us as master and disciple.

Fei Changfang was very disappointed. He accepted the talisman and kowtowed with tears in his eyes.

"We failed the test, and have wasted our master's kindness in nurturing us. The eldest branch of the family will never forget our master's teachings!"

Master Hu handed the bamboo staff in his hand to Fei Changfang and said:

"I used this staff to transform into your form and deceive your family. Now you may ride this staff back."

Fei Changfang bid farewell to the two with tears in his eyes, and reluctantly mounted his bamboo cane.

The bamboo staff instantly transformed into a green dragon, carrying Fei Changfang soaring into the sky.

"Master Hu, isn't this trial too difficult for him?"

Seeing Fei Changfang's dejected look, Ji Sheng couldn't help but say something.

Master Hu sighed:

"It's not that I'm making things difficult for him, but he has no affinity for immortality. If he wants to ascend to the path of immortality, he must have the determination to swallow maggots and excrement."

If he doesn't have this desire, entering the path of immortality would only harm him. It would be better to grant him some magical abilities, allowing him to live a long and carefree life in the mortal world.

Ji Sheng understood, and then he remembered what Emperor Donghua had said.

The path to immortality in the mortal world is as arduous as the winding Yellow River; a single misstep can lead to physical and spiritual demise, and the dissipation of one's soul.

How similar are the two?

Hu Gong suddenly chuckled:

"Lord Ji, if you are willing to swallow this, I can also teach you the Heavenly Pot Technique. I wonder if you..."

Ji Sheng hurriedly took a few steps back, waving his hands repeatedly:

"There's no need for that. Those who cultivate the Tao believe in fate and destiny. Please, Master Hu, choose another worthy person!"

When Zhongli Quan converted him, he only had a few dreams, in which hundreds of years passed.

If Zhongli Quan had tested him in the same way back then, he probably would have ended up like Fei Changfang, forever barred from the path of immortality.

Master Hu said:

"Does Master Ji wish to learn my art of the Heavenly Pot?"

Ji Sheng was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed:

"If Master Hu is willing to teach me, how could I refuse?"

With this pot-heaven technique, wouldn't he be able to open up a grotto-heaven just like the Pot Master?

Even if we don't want to achieve something like Master Hu's simultaneous sunrise and sunset, we should at least have a cave dwelling where we can cultivate ourselves when we have nothing else to do.

In particular, the Jia Yi Sword Forging Method includes a method for crafting a sword pouch, which requires the assistance of this Heavenly Art.

Ji Sheng had previously obtained the Black Serpent King's storage bag, which could be used to refine it into a sword pouch.

A fine sword is usually kept in a sword sheath, which can be used to nourish and maintain the sword in place of the user, making it incredibly useful.

Master Hu laughed heartily:

"However, you are not my disciple. If you wish to learn from me, you will have to pay a price."

Ji Sheng quickly said:

"I'd rather not eat maggots, but as long as I can produce it, please speak frankly, Master Hu!"

Hu Gongdao:

"I don't want anything useful, I only want something useless. I want a noble person to bestow upon me something useless."

A useless gift bestowed upon me by a noble person?

If we're talking about benefactors, then wouldn't it be Zhongli Quan and Emperor Donghua?

Zhongli Quan offered him three cups of wine, which he drank down. The Eastern Emperor bestowed upon him the Golden Elixir, the Fire Technique, the Azure Dragon Swordplay, and the Merit Scroll, among other things. If they were useless, then…

Are those three tea dates?

These three tea dates had been with him for a long time, and were indeed of little use to Ji Sheng.

If he hadn't been organizing supplies last time, he probably would have completely forgotten about these three tea dates.

Ji Sheng immediately took out a tea date and asked:

"Is this what Master Hu needs?"

Master Hu nodded and said:

"This is it. Would Lord Ji be willing to part with it?"

Ji Sheng knew that the reason why Emperor Donghua gave him tea and dates was not to prolong his life.

Rather, this single tea date represents a favor from Emperor Donghua.

Is it worth it to exchange a favor for a fortune?

At least for Ji Sheng, it was definitely a good deal.

For example, if an elder gives you money, isn't it for you to spend?

Upon seeing Ji Sheng agree, Hu Gong took the tea dates, pointed his finger, and a glimmer of light floated between the two of them.

"This is the celestial technique pot. Please, Lord Ji, take it as you see fit."

[The Art of Creating Space in a Gourd (Golden Upper): This is a rare and wondrous art that allows one to create space within any container. The Master of the Gourd once used this art to create the sun, moon, stars, pavilions, and towers within a gourd, thus creating another world.]

Ji Sheng lightly touched the light spot, and all the contents of the Pot Heaven Technique appeared out of thin air in his mind.

I see, I see!

Seeing that the matter was settled, Ji Sheng prepared to take his leave so he could go back and carefully study the newly acquired cultivation technique. However, Master Hu stopped him.

"Lord Ji, please wait a moment. Now that you're here, why not take a stroll around the area?"

Ji Sheng didn't know his intentions, but he was certain that Master Hu wouldn't speak without reason. The two rode the clouds together and continued heading south.

They were currently in a place called the Southern Land Kingdom. The Southern Land Kingdom was eight hundred li from east to west and more than a thousand li from north to south, making it a large country in the Western Niuhe Continent.

As he flew, Ji Sheng suddenly sensed something and quickly used his Qi Observation Technique to look towards the capital of the Southern Continent.

This glance took him by surprise.

Above the capital of the Southern Continent, black mist swirled, and the imperial aura was absent. Within the billowing black mist, a wisp of demonic energy was also present.

Is this... a monster causing trouble?

Judging from this state of affairs, the nation is on the verge of collapse and its fate is sealed.

This Southern Land Kingdom is about to be thrown into great chaos...

"Lord Ji, there's a village down below. Let's go there and rest for a while."

As he spoke, Hu Gong descended from the clouds, and Ji Sheng followed.

Hu Gong transformed himself into a wandering physician, while Ji Sheng became a Taoist priest. The two entered the village.

The village, which should have been bustling with activity, was now deserted.

Many houses had white banners hanging in front of their doors, and yellow paper lay scattered along the village roads, with faint sounds of weeping emanating from them.

This... why does it look like the market at the foot of Tiger Head Mountain where there was a plague last time?

Looking at Master Hu, Master Hu smiled and nodded, then walked towards one of the houses.

The two entered the house and saw a corpse lying at the door, next to which was a woman who looked like she was dying.

The woman's face was flushed red, like burning coals, which was quite frightening.

This illness is exactly the same as the one in the market at the foot of Tiger Head Mountain.

But wasn't that fire poison brought by the fire toad? The fire toad is dead, so how can anyone still be poisoned by the fire?

Ji Sheng's heart stirred, and he stepped forward to grab the woman's wrist, circulating the Three Qi Controlling Fire True Technique around her body.

His originally serious expression suddenly turned strange.

It is indeed fire poison, but this fire poison is not the poison of the fire toad, but originates from the Three Qi Controlling Fire True Technique!

Ji Sheng was certain that the fire poison had nothing to do with him, and even less to do with the already deceased Yang Jun.

Could there be someone nearby who practices this technique?

But how could someone who can cultivate the Three Qi Fire Control Technique possibly commit an act of poisoning the people?

What exactly is going on?

Ji Sheng's magical power circulated through the woman's meridians, removing and refining the fire poison from her body, transforming it into nourishment for the Three Qi Fire Control True Technique.

The woman fell into a deep sleep, and Ji Sheng then removed the fire poison from the other corpses in the room.

After that, he traveled throughout the village and removed the fire poison from the bodies of all the poisoned villagers.

The magical power generated from refining the fire poison alone is more than Ji Sheng could cultivate for several months.

The person who released the poison is definitely stronger than Ji Sheng.

"Master Hu, what exactly is going on?"