Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1448 Obtaining Appearance
The sky was dazzling.

The sunlight mingled with golden flames flowed across the earth, passing behind the dark boots. The dragon's head fell onto the hall, leaving a huge trail of flames on the ground.

The man gazed silently at the mountain-like monster, his voice majestic and solemn, flowing silently through the heavens and earth:

'Li Zhouwei, a descendant of the Li family, has vanquished evil spirits and suppressed the incense offerings. We respectfully request divine intervention to offer our blood sacrifices…'

Under the brilliant light, the enormous dragon's head resembled a towering mountain, shimmering with a verdant glow in the sunlight. The jade knife stuck in the dragon's head was as small as a speck of dust, yet it faintly emitted a soft light.

A thin mist, like golden gauze, rose up across the mountains and plains, sweeping over bustling towns and the Xuan Pavilion perched high in the mountains. It flowed invisibly into the mountains, overcoming numerous obstacles, and entered the "Emperor's View" amidst the dancing white flowers.

In the dim and unclear place, gold was draped like a veil. The evil dragon roared for no reason, as if a great crisis was surging in its heart. However, no matter how it struggled, it could not break through the Heavenly Gate that was suppressing it.

The jade knife swayed, and in what seemed like an instant, the enormous, peak-level Purple Mansion demon king, which had been pressing down on the entire divine power, dissipated like smoke, just like the hundreds of other demons before it.

Not a trace was left.

The man in black quietly admired it. After a long while, he took out a jade box from his sleeve and flicked it open with his finger.

"Boom!"

The [Fragrant Origin Green Water] stored inside was torn to shreds by a powerful divine power, and all the essence of the green water suddenly poured out, transforming into billowing green mist that soared into the sky under the transformation of the magic!
At the same time, the supernatural power that enveloped the world also dissipated, allowing the azure color to surge into the sky and transform into rolling rain clouds, which quickly covered the entire lake.

Although Li Zhouwei possessed the [Summoning Technique for Concealing the Beams and Hiding the Mysteries], the strange phenomena created by the supernatural powers of a peak Purple Mansion Demon King would not be so easily resolved. Even with specialized techniques and the [Heavenly Nurturing Jar] to contain them, there should still be quite a few strange phenomena.

Breaking this stream of green water and using the aftershocks to cover it up leaves a trace of the collision between the bright sun and the green water, without being too overwhelming—it's just right.

He watched quietly as the rain fell from the sky, then with a flick of his wrist, he summoned something from the raindrops drifting down the mountains.

This object is crystal clear, shimmering with a bluish light, and contains a surging demonic aura; it is a tiny mirror, about half the size of a palm.

This mirror is Shen Lufu's spiritual treasure, and also his lifelong treasure!
'No wonder he didn't dare use this treasure in a battle. With a single hook from the Li Huo and a single concealment from the Tai Yin, it was suppressed under my divine power, and all his treasures for this lifetime were lost…'

This magical treasure was hidden very well by him. Now that its master has perished, it has no choice but to reveal itself. The ritual was truly miraculous. The old dragon seemed to have been wiped out of the mortal world. It didn't even remember that this magical treasure had ever had a master!
This means that this treasure doesn't need to be refined; it's already an unclaimed item!
'Truly a top-tier Yin technique…'

Li Zhouwei casually took it, and four supernatural powers flashed, connecting fate, and in an instant, he made this demonic and spiritual treasure bow down to him!

The moment their spiritual connection was established, he raised an eyebrow slightly:

"That's interesting..."

This treasure has an ancient feel to it, similar to a storage bag, but it can also gather all kinds of spiritual energy. It is like the [Sleeve Storage Technique] that I obtained. It has two sides. When the front side is illuminated, spiritual treasures can enter and exit, and absorb the energy of heaven and earth. When the back side is illuminated, it can cause changes in the nature of things and stir up things that are dormant.

'Such a treasure couldn't possibly have been crafted by him. Although it's from the Green Water Dao, since it possesses a degree of subtlety in material transformation, it must be related to a full-fledged alchemy cultivator. He has indeed encountered some fortuitous opportunity.'

The contents inside were as vast as mountains and seas. It seemed that the old demon wanted to build some kind of structure. The interior was filled with countless spiritual resources, including twelve Purple Mansion spiritual resources, six spiritual objects, and two spiritual essences, all carefully blended and made of green water.

As for spiritual artifacts and treasures, this old dragon was about to break through and clearly wasn't going to keep them. Besides the two portions that he had taken and the two portions that he had given to the two True Immortals, there was also a spiritual treasure that he had treasured for many years: a rare spiritual boot from the Lushui lineage.
'This kind of thing is precious, and few can afford the price. This old dragon's body is powerful, so it's not much use to it. It's most likely waiting to be sold.'

Li Zhouwei was looking down, while Li Ximing had already entered. He seemed to be in a good mood, gazing thoughtfully at the rain-soaked sky, and murmured:
"Master Fuxuan... I have already sent him away."

He was filled with worry and said:
"The matter of Chuyi Heaven is approaching, but there are still two things that haven't been resolved. I was thinking of asking my brother if he has emerged from seclusion yet... When he does, I'll take Jiang Chun out, firstly to the east to personally inform my brother about the old dragon's demise, and then to see him. On the way back, we can also visit that elder in the south..."

He hesitated, then said:

"I'm afraid Ye Hui hasn't emerged from seclusion yet, and if he goes to Chuzhou, he won't be able to intimidate the cultivators... What happened back then must never be allowed to happen again..."

Li Zhouwei nodded, turned his hand over the small mirror to him, and said:

“These things… Uncle can decide what to do with them. My time is precious. I estimate I have one or two years left. Now that my supernatural powers have improved, I need to go to the pavilion to choose a new technique.”

His "Emperor's View" is complete, possessing the ability to connect the three yangs both internally and externally. Naturally, he needs to carefully select the most suitable fire technique to freely transform the maximum power of this supernatural ability.

"There's been some movement in Chuyitian, so please have Uncle break the talisman to let us know."

The King of Wei paused, then said calmly:

“I will personally go to Chuzhou and Yizhou to oversee Jiang Chun’s affairs.”

……

The mountain rain patters softly.

The small temple, built of bluestone, stood in the wind and rain. A monk in black robes, surrounded by a crowd, came from the south and landed in front of the temple. Two monks, one thin and one fat, stood on either side of him, showing great respect.

Behind him stood an old monk, smiling as he looked on and said softly:

“Since you have left your name on Dayang Mountain, this small mountain and temple is naturally not suitable for you to stay. Why not come to the north, where there are famous mountains and rivers waiting for you to build a temple?”

How could Liao Kong possibly submit to being under someone else's nose? He sighed, shook his head, and said seriously:

"Absolutely not! Xiaoshan is where Qin Ling's head hangs. How can we let this grudge go so easily? There is one matter that I must ask you all to take action on!"

Yuan Shan hesitated for a moment, actually understanding his meaning, and still said:

"please say."

Liao Kong sighed:

"This place is very beneficial to my cultivation. However, the Qilin is good at surprise attacks. I am alone and I am afraid that it will harm me. I need a fellow Daoist to stay here with me and take good care of me."

He secretly sneered to himself:

"Leaving one of them here weakens the Central Plains. If the Qilin truly comes here, these people are guilty of grave sins; killing one of them would be eliminating a scourge!"

Yuan Shan, however, didn't think that far ahead. Who could have imagined that the successor of Qin Ling's lineage would merge with the Qilin? Still wanting to test this person, he smiled and said:

"Okay! I'll send someone over."

Each with their own thoughts, they smiled and quickly dispersed. The group vanished, leaving only Fachang hesitant. Seeing the black-robed monk's apparent intention to see them off, he finally made up his mind, stepped forward, and whispered:
"I had heard of Fellow Daoist Liaokong's virtuous reputation back then, and so I paid special attention to it. I have come here today only to remind you that the world is full of unpredictable changes, and even you, sir, often make mistakes. I urge you to cherish your life... I urge you to cherish your life!"

He came representing the Great Aspiration for the Dharma Realm. Whether he realized there was no possibility of being recruited or had no intention of leading him into the Dharma Realm, he disregarded his own safety and spoke up to warn him.

Liao Kong's heart stirred, and he felt secretly grateful, but he smiled and said:

"No problem, no problem! I have my own support."

Fa Chang could only sigh, shake his head, and leave.

Liao Kong watched him leave, then turned around and felt a sense of vastness spreading across the world.

He took on disciples at Dayang Mountain, studied several classic texts, and extracted some knowledge from Dayang Mountain before returning to his own Qinling Temple—the same small temple, but with a completely different state of mind.

'Having lived through seven generations, he is now a guest of honor under the constellation Aries!'

He felt very pleased, but he also knew that there must be a Dharma Image secretly watching him. He sat down on the futon and looked at the two disciples who were with him.

The crippled monk emerging from the meditation room on the left was unsteady on his feet, his face ashen. On the right was a sinner emerging from a vat of boiling oil, his eyes bloodshot and blistering. He stared at him intently, unable to help but gasp and sigh:

'Truly a deformed and misshapen fruit!'

No wonder the cultivators of Great Sheep Mountain all had strange expressions. They probably all felt that Liao Kong was too wary and cherished the Golden Land too much, not even daring to take a Maha.

'Qin Ling and Jin Di are five rivals, so my caution is not surprising to them…'

He sighed, made a hand gesture, and conjured a black flame in his hand, saying calmly:

"Come forward!"

Both monks were veterans who had struggled within their respective lineages for hundreds of years. Upon hearing these words, they both showed hope and moved their knees forward, bowing their heads together. They felt the heavens and earth shake and sparks fly before their eyes!
Looking up again, I saw a vast sky with heavy clouds and raging flames. Sure enough, I had arrived at the lava world filled with billowing black smoke!
The Golden Land is so mysterious. These two pitiful spirits were handed over to the empty hand, and the Lord of the Golden Land casually pulled them into the Golden Land!

Upon arriving at this place, Liao Kong's aura truly surged to the heavens, transforming into a colossal demonic shadow projected across the land. His profound presence penetrated the very fabric of the world, plucking the dark fire from the heavens and earth.

"Someone come here!"

From within the overwhelming shadows emerged a pair of lips and tongue, which proclaimed:

"Five Eyes, you have suffered many fires and been cooked to death, and were reborn in my land. I will teach you the art of sheepskin, so that you may not decay or perish, and achieve success in your cultivation, and protect the frontier of the sect. Slave Flame, you have been through many worldly affairs and received much guidance, and have returned to the righteous path. I will teach you the way of corruption, so that you may cultivate more and fill the dark prison!"

The two immediately felt a refreshing coolness pouring down upon them. Their true spirits had reached the profound realm, and they vaguely saw a figure that reached the heavens and the earth. One figure held a knife, and the other a sheepskin, which was swirling with countless demonic flames. The other figure held a treasure bag, from which various kinds of quicksand poured out, and the other figure uttered demonic chants.

Wu Mu and Nu Yan were not afraid at all; on the contrary, they were overjoyed and moved to tears of gratitude, kowtowing and chanting scriptures.

Qinling was once home to a formidable demon, hence the existence of five different aspects. If Liaokong were to seek his own place in the Golden Land, he could easily bring the two under his own Great Greedy aspect and command them at will, without fear of backlash.

Even a more generous master would only take out one aspect and assign it to two people for cultivation. This wouldn't hinder their progress to Maha, and it would also allow them to restrain each other. With each person sharing one aspect, they would remain trapped in the third or fourth lifetime, thus not threatening the Void...

This was also the goal they had in mind.

Ke Liaokong was truly decisive. He took out two of the five aspects in one go and bestowed them upon each of them, signifying that the two of them would not perish, and that after a lifetime of cultivation, they would one day be able to climb to the sixth generation or even a higher position!
Not to mention the duties of protecting the Dharma and teaching, which are two major responsibilities in the path. The two junior cultivators who followed Tian Langzhi back then also received these two responsibilities. Now they are Ren Shijia and Xiao Disa of the Great Desire Path!

Both of them were veterans in Buddhism and Taoism. They had witnessed how their confidants were promoted back then, and they couldn't understand how the other party trusted them. They never expected to get such a good position so easily. With the Xuan Tu's power in the outside world, they remembered this favor very well.

Wu Mu was somewhat better off, having received the promise earlier, and was now filled with gratitude. Nu Yan, however, had never imagined he could receive such treatment; it was as if a promising lineage had fallen from the sky. He could only weep, saying:
"I am willing to dedicate my life to repay the Heavenly Emperor and serve my lord!"

Liao Kong bestowed titles upon the two and quickly withdrew the overwhelming demonic bodies. He was always good-tempered, and at this moment he appeared even more gentle, smiling as he said:

"Two protectors...no need for further words!"

He helped the two of them up and said seriously:

"I come from humble origins and may not have any worldly surname or lineage of a former palace. I was just fortunate to be favored by Xuan Tian and guided by my senior brother, which is why I was able to take charge of the Golden Land and navigate among the Seven Phases. I still need the two protectors to provide me with more support."

The two readily agreed, then looked around and said seriously:
"Both Dharma protectors are better at dealing with them than I am. There's only one thing: those things from the past must absolutely not be done now. We must do more good deeds to make amends for our past karma..."

The two nodded repeatedly, unable to resist turning their heads to look at the vast world beneath their feet.

Liao Kong felt nothing, but Wu Mu and Nu Yan had tears in their eyes, their eyes shining as they looked at the dark earth beneath their feet and sighed:

"After hundreds of years of cultivation, every breath and every movement has been under the watchful eyes of others. Now... I finally have a place to rest in peace!"

These two compassionate souls, once freed from their suffering, immediately shared the same thought: to build palaces here and scripture pavilions there. When they got emotional, they looked at each other and wept.

Liao Kong watched them with a smile, and after a while, he stopped them and said:

"You two Dharma Protectors, you haven't sensed the golden ground yet!"

Wu Mu and Nu Yan exchanged a glance, both forming hand seals to sense the flow of energy. They felt a chilling sensation pour down, continuously nourishing their lives. Startled, Nu Yan couldn't help but exclaim:

"My lord... what is this?"

Liao Kong laughed:

"A treasure trove of gold!"

Qin Lingjindi was once used by the Wei Dynasty, and it contained the Five Hell Demon Forms, which were equivalent to an inexhaustible source of life. The cultivators who came in could naturally sense the forms and cultivate. According to Liao Kong's estimate, the two of them could at least cultivate peacefully for two or three lifetimes!

This is also why Shi Xiu's cultivation progressed so rapidly after obtaining the Golden Land. He also had access to many ancient demonic bodies and techniques. If that immortal official hadn't forcibly bestowed the Great Greedy Image upon him, he would only have this kind of opportunity now. Compared to the two, he would at most have a slightly higher ceiling!

But he had no use for it; the two of them treasured it and couldn't wait to sit down and cultivate.

Liao Kong, however, remained serious and said:
"But there is one most important thing."

Seeing the two looking at him, the owner of the gold-plated land said:

"Having ascended to the Xuan Tu (a sacred land), I pay my respects to the abbot and express my gratitude!"