Longevity begins with slaying demons and eliminating demons

Chapter 154 The Road to Sanctification
Human emotions are sometimes subtle.

When they fail, they feel sad, lost, and miserable.

But if the losers are not alone, they feel a little more balanced.

Just like at this moment——

"Candle Dragon" Chen Yanping sat paralyzed on the ground next to the mountain road, looked at Shangguan Jin in front of him, and thought to himself: "It turned out that Lord Shangguan, who was deeply trusted by Chief Luo, failed to obtain the inheritance of the immortal! It seems that it was not me Too useless, but the test set by Kongxuan Sanren is really too difficult..."

Shangguan Jin also looked down at Chen Yanping, and thought to himself: "It turns out that this deep-minded boy from the Chen family in Xiangyang also fell on the way! It seems that this mountain climbing road is much more difficult than I imagined. Even the Daqi Dynasty A genius who attracts the attention of the whole country may not be able to reach the summit smoothly..."

They looked at each other, and the lonely emotions on their faces gradually eased, turning into self-deprecating smiles.

After a brief silence, Shangguan Jin asked curiously, "Mr. Chen, have you finished the wood-cutting task of the old man with the white beard?"

Chen Yanping shook his head and replied: "No. Mr. Shangguan should have seen two woodcutters singing folk songs, right? I tried to use money to invite them to help me chop firewood, but they flatly refused without saying a word, saying 'Don't insult us with dirty things like money'."

Hearing this, Shangguan Jin couldn't help laughing even though she was depressed at the moment.

Although the boy from the Chen family was average-looking, he once opposed her and tried to rob her.

But it's quite interesting to see him deflated.

"Then why did you suffer such serious injuries? Did you get cleaned up by those two woodcutters?" She continued to ask.

Chen Yanping sighed a long time, and replied: "No, it wasn't them. I was injured by the murderous moonlight when I passed the mountain road next to the sea."

"The moonlight is really scary." Shangguan Jin nodded in agreement.

What Chen Yanping said is undoubtedly the "sky, sea and moonlight" in the mouth of the children on the mountaintop trail.

Shangguan Jin had undoubtedly witnessed the magnificent beauty of the rising moon on the mountain path by the sea—but when she was admiring the scenery, the silver-white moonlight suddenly turned into an invisible sharp blade and stabbed fiercely at her.

With the supernatural power of "Heaven's Fortune", she clearly perceives that the more she resists, the more lethal the moonlight will be; only by using softness to overcome rigidity can she pass through the seashore smoothly.

Therefore, she suppressed her true essence and responded purely with magic weapons, so she was able to pass through that dangerous path unscathed.

But Chen Yanping was different.He doesn't have the ability to see through the essence of things at a glance like "Tian Suan".

It may take him a lot of time to see clearly what's wrong - so it's not surprising that he was bruised all over by the moonlight.

"Sigh, I don't know where that handsome young man has gone now..."

Unknowingly, Shangguan Jin remembered the scene when she confronted Gu Xu in "The Realm of Discourse" more than two months ago.

At that time, although Gu Xu did not have the supernatural power of "heaven's calculation", he was able to accurately predict her position by virtue of a certain unknown ability, and used a unique method to decipher her "Meteor Walking on the Moon" movement technique, giving her Very impressed.

Because of this, even though Gu Xu is only a second-level monk, two levels lower than her, she has inexplicable confidence in Gu Xu, and feels that Gu Xu may be able to go further than she imagined today.

"Master Shangguan, since the test set by the Kongxuan Sanren is so difficult, do you think any of us can really reach the top of the mountain?" At this moment, Chen Yanping said again.

"What does Mr. Chen think?" Shangguan Jin asked back.

Chen Yanping thought for a moment, then replied: "I think, I am afraid that only people like 'Baihu' Su Xiao can obtain the inheritance of Kongxuan Sanren! He has a rare third-grade qualification, and he is a direct disciple taught by a sage... ...and his hard work is well known.

"If even Su Xiao can't pass the test, then I'm afraid there will be no one in the entire Great Qi Dynasty who can successfully pass these tests."

Shangguan Jin smiled slightly: "Mr. Chen may have underestimated our Daqi's arrogant."

"What does Lord Shangguan mean by that?" Chen Yanping frowned, feeling a little puzzled by her words.

Shangguan Jin pondered for a few seconds, and replied: "In my opinion, although Su Xiao is indeed very powerful, but he is only obsessed with swords, he may not be the most suitable inheritor of the Karma Way of Kongxuan Sanren.

"If I were a Kongxuan Sanren, I would definitely choose someone who can learn from others' strengths and be compatible with all the dharmas in the world."

"Is there really such a person in this world?" Chen Yanping thought she was joking.

Shangguan Jin chuckled, and did not answer his question directly, but said lightly: "Let's go down the mountain first!"

After chatting briefly with Chen Yanping, she was not as depressed as before.

Since it is no longer possible to climb to the top of the mountain in person, why not watch a good show quietly at the foot of the mountain?

…………

Gu Xu was still focusing on chopping firewood.

He didn't know anything about the situation of his companions in the "Shenji Battalion", and he didn't care.

"Crack"!
"Crack"!
The ax shone with a cold light, and with his breathing and heartbeat, it landed on the wood in front of him time and time again.

His movements are very regular, like a precise metronome.

There is a fragrance of earth in the air, criss-crossing tree roots and dark green moss under your feet, the sound of wind and waves can be heard in the distance, and the silver-white moonlight passes through the treetops and falls on the boy, freezing into a deep and elegant painting.

Chopping firewood is just like spiritual practice, it is a boring thing.

Repetitive and boring.

Repeat the same process and posture thousands of times, tens of thousands of times.

But he has long been used to it.

Because he has limited time.

Others may be able to watch the scenery while walking, drink a few pots of wine, and leave a few poems on the way to the mountain.

But he can only run up to the top of the mountain with a dull head, so that he can have time to overlook the infinite scenery between heaven and earth.

He once complained about fate in the depths of his heart.

But when he walked past the "Juxiantai" in Laoshan, he suddenly figured it out.

There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world, but only the comparison of one condition with another.

He saw Du Jingjing who died by cutting off her meridians under the trick of cause and effect, and also saw the fourth prince Xiao Shangzhen who was abolished after swallowing the "Shengsheng Pill".

He thought of Pan Xiaopeng, a small official from the Exorcist Department who died suddenly due to the erosion of Yin Qi, and also thought of the group of monks and common people who died of the "Nine Infants" buried in the cemetery in the suburbs of Yishui County.

So he thanked fate, and reserved a sliver of hope for him.

It was as if in the endless night, when he raised his head, he could still see the faint starlight, illuminating his way forward.

His arms started to ache.

His palms began to tingle.

But his expression didn't change at all—calm, firm, and consistent.

"Go on." He said to himself in his heart.

"Crack!"

The ax fell heavily again, splitting the firewood in front of him evenly into two pieces.

Time passed quietly.

Before he knew it, there were two tall piles of firewood beside him, like two small hills.

The boy smiled, put the ax by his feet, and wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his hand.

Then he cut a few vines from nearby, quickly cut off the branches and leaves, twisted and tied the two ends of the vines together, and turned them into "firewood hugs" for binding firewood.

Immediately afterwards, he put the firewood he had just cut on the "firewood bag", and while pulling it with his hands, he stepped on it with his feet, instantly binding the firewood tightly.

This is also the skill the woodcutters taught him.

The two woodcutters emphasized that if there is no way to bind firewood, it will be loose and loose, and it will be scattered all over the ground when picked up.

Gu Xu undoubtedly kept their words firmly in his heart.

Then, he carried the firewood on his back, stepped on the protruding roots and dead branches, and walked towards the position of the white-bearded old man.

The old man still closed his eyes and sat under the pine tree.

Moonlight fell on his beard, making it glisten; behind him, a long shadow.

Although he was dressed plainly, his demeanor was graceful and dignified.

When Gu Xu approached, the old man opened his eyes and nodded slightly to him: "You did a good job."

Gu Xu put the firewood on the ground and bowed to him.

The old Taoist was silent for a moment, and then continued: "You are the first monk to pass through the 'pine forest'. You only need to go through the last section of the mountain road, and you will reach the peak."

First?
Hearing this news, Gu Xu was actually a little surprised.

Although Luo Sishou once said that his cultivation talent was unparalleled in the world, but in the "Shenji Camp", he was never proud of it.

After all, talent isn't everything.

Most of the people in the "Shenji Camp" have deeper backgrounds, are older than him, have higher cultivation levels, and have more experience than him.

Unexpectedly, he could be the first to complete the task of chopping firewood.

"Go." The old man waved to him.

Then, the old Taoist disappeared, the firewood disappeared, the ax disappeared, and the whole pine forest disappeared.

Gu Xu returned to the rugged mountain road.

His true essence seal was also released.

He looked forward and saw that the top of the mountain was not far away.

Looking at the mountain scenery from a distance, you can see the Tibetan pavilions, and you can see the floating clouds covering the middle of the mountain up close.

And the mountain road under his feet was steeper than all the roads he had traveled before, and there were dense thorns on both sides.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Now that he has embarked on this path, nothing should prevent him from following it.

…………

"White Tiger" Su Xiao was still concentrating on chopping firewood.

At his feet stood a tall and uneven pile of firewood.

His washed white clothes were already soaked with sweat and stained with dust and mud.

At first glance, he seems to be no different from ordinary mountain people.

But if a kendo expert passes by him, he will find that his blunt and rusty ax actually has a fierce sword intent!
Even though the true energy in his whole body has been blocked, he still clearly displayed the meaning of the "Ping Tian Jian Jue" of Jiange in Shu.

The task of chopping wood given to him by the old man with white beard has been regarded by him as a means of practicing swords.

It can be seen that his talent is outstanding.

It is not unreasonable for the whole Jiange to enshrine him as an ancestor.

Time flies.

The moonlight flows slowly between the gaps in the branches and leaves of the trees.

When Su Xiao chopped down the last piece of firewood, he found that he had grasped the key to the fifth form of "Ping Tian Jian Jue" that he had been unable to practice before.

That style is called "Mountain Stone".

It does not lie in exquisite skills, nor in majestic momentum.

It lies in returning to the basics and returning to the truth, and being as smart as a fool.

Like this blunt axe.

Su Xiao raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile, looking a little simple and honest, like a child who was rewarded by his parents.

Then he bundled up the firewood and came to the old man with white beard.

The old man frowned slightly, as if he was dissatisfied with the firewood he gnawed like a dog, but he still nodded and agreed: "It's okay. You are the second monk to pass the 'pine forest', and you can continue to go up the mountain."

the second?
Hearing this, Su Xiao was stunned for a moment.

He has always been a leader among his peers, a shining new star, and is regarded as the future of Jiange, and even the future of the Daqi Dynasty.

Even in the "Shenji Camp", he can lead far on the list and has never been defeated.

He has always been deeply lonely because of invincibility.

The "three-foot sword" in his scabbard has been unable to get out of its scabbard because he couldn't find a suitable opponent.

Unexpectedly, today, someone could walk out of this pine forest one step ahead of him.

Who is that man?
Is that unfathomable woman Shangguan Jin?
Or that Chen Yanping who likes to make friends?

Su Xiao suddenly became interested in that person—maybe, that person is qualified to be his future opponent?
After a brief trance, Su Xiao bowed slightly towards the old Taoist, and said an unexpected word.

If this sentence falls into the ears of other people in the "Shenji Camp", they will definitely feel that his mind is broken.

His words were: "Thank you, Master Immortal. It's just that this disciple doesn't plan to go any further."

"Why?" The old Taoist narrowed his eyes slightly and raised his tone of voice slightly, as if he didn't expect that there would be a young monk who would voluntarily give up the inheritance of the immortal.

Su Xiao replied seriously: "The way of immortals is unpredictable, but it is not suitable for me. I still want to walk my own way without distraction."

The old Taoist was silent for a long time, and said, "It's not as easy as you imagined. I can only say, good luck."

Su Xiao sincerely thanked him.

After the pine forest and the old road disappeared, he turned around and walked down the mountain.

He walked briskly and looked straight ahead.

The wind in his ears, the weeds on the roadside, the mud under his feet, and the clouds in the distance could not attract his attention.

Now that he has embarked on this path, nothing should prevent him from following it.

…………

At the foot of Mount Lao.

Shi Lei, a thousand households in Laizhou Prefecture, has been waiting here silently.

At this time, beside him, many losers had already gathered, including Xiao Shangzhen, Shangguan Jin, Chen Yanping, Chu Wei and so on.

During the period of time just now, Shi Lei had heard that "Green Luan" Du Jingjing had attempted to assassinate the fourth prince on the mountain, and then died by cutting off his meridians. He also knew that the fourth prince Xiao Shangzhen had lost his cultivation and had become a completely of mortals.

This made Shi Lei feel very headache.

Although Luo Chuan, the head of the Exorcist Division, had told him long ago that he had nothing to do with anything that happened in the ruins—even if the monks of the "Shenji Camp" were wiped out inside, he would not be responsible.

But Shi Lei is no longer an ignorant young man.

He knew very well that the imperial power struggled for this muddy water, and as long as he got a little bit involved, he couldn't help himself.

To be honest, since his wife died, Shi Lei has lost interest in fighting for power.

His only wish now is to silently watch his daughter Shi Xiaohan grow up day by day, marry a good husband, and live a peaceful and happy life.

As for forming cliques and taking over the heirloom... whoever wants to go will go, anyway, he won't go.

Perhaps it was the assassination of the fourth prince that made the atmosphere very solemn, and the young monks around Shi Lei remained silent.

Only "Spirit Fox" Shangguan Jin occasionally spoke a few words, casually mentioning things on the mountain, trying to ease the stagnant atmosphere.

It has to be said that Shangguan Jin can be regarded as a person who is "sophisticated in human feelings" - she is proficient in the art of speaking and knows how to make people feel happy.

Anyone who is not wary of her can easily develop a good impression of her.

When Dang Lei was deep in thought, the figure of "White Tiger" Su Xiao suddenly appeared on the way down the mountain.

PS: The 4400-word chapter asks for a monthly pass! (Sorry for the late update on working overtime tonight)
　Thanks to Sangu Qin Chuanxu for the 1500 tip, and thanks to Hongchen 8660 for the 100 tip!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)