Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1490 Corpse Pill (1+12) (Bonus Chapter for Silver Alliance Leader Raincheck)
'Tianyi Extract Pill…'

Li Zhouwei turned his head thoughtfully, a slight thought stirring in his heart.

This pill is very familiar to the Li family. Back then, when Li Ximing traveled eastward, he arrived at the outer sea and was found by True Person Tinglan overseas, who refined these pills for him. In fact, their family's great formation was established because of this.

As for the "Heavenly Essence Extraction" refining method mentioned by the other party, Li Ximing has been using it for many years. Many of the pills that the Li family uses to heal injuries and nourish their vital energy have the help of this method!

'Zhen Cui Xuanjun...'

Although the Yu clan of Chuncheng is noble, they are not direct descendants of the True Lord and are no different from the Wei and Wen clans. In this day and age, nobility is only superficial. If one wants to truly stand out, one must have genuine favor with the True Lord.

Yu Xixin's words were extremely clear. He said that this method was unique to his clan and that it was specially bestowed by Zhen Cui Xuanjun. He was almost saying that the current backer of his Yu clan was this Zhen Cui Xuanjun!

In this way, there is a secret worth savoring - Tinglan's elixir was made for that Zi Mu Zhenren who had perfected the Purple Qi Dao!
Yu Xixin is also a Purple Qi Great Master!

'The elixirs that Tinglan used back then most likely came from the Yu family. Perhaps it was because Yu Xixin was cultivating Purple Qi, and the True Brilliant Mystic Lord bestowed this elixir method, which greatly aided in Purple Qi cultivation…'

But thinking about it more deeply, there is no harmony among fellow practitioners. If one can attain a higher level, who would want to remain in the lower ranks? Even if the relationship between Yu Xixin and Zi Mu is not bad, it is neither reasonable nor emotional that she should easily hand over the alchemical method specially bestowed by the True Lord.

'In other words, there might be another truth... The one who orchestrated all of this was none other than the True Brilliant Mystic Lord. He supported the manifestation of Zi Mu. Whether it was Yu Xixin or Zi Mu, both were worthwhile seeds of Purple Qi to invest in, and Zi Mu was even more valuable! It was precisely because of this that this method easily flowed to the Purple Smoke Sect, and Zi Mu... thus learned many things, allowing him to easily escape the great calamity of the Sun Dao lineage back then...'

'This makes another point clear... Zi Mu, with his perfected supernatural powers, not only has a wide circle of friends, but finding a true master with some alchemical skills would be no problem at all. With his supernatural abilities, plenty of people would want to curry favor with him...'

'But they chose Mingyang, whose background was unknown and who had just broken through to the supernatural realm.'

Li Zhouwei gradually realized:
'Unless… the pill itself isn't the key; the key lies in the person who refined it. Zi Mu isn't essentially seeking the pill, but rather using it to inquire of the elders on the lake—whether Zi Qi is feasible and whether they support it?'

'If Uncle cannot refine it, it will be considered a refusal; handing over the elixir will be considered an approval from the lake.'

Having considered this, Li Zhouwei felt a chill run down his spine and thought to himself:

'If that's the case, if Uncle hadn't refined that pill back then, would it be possible that Zi Mu, who was rejected, would have stayed in Jiangnan and helped protect the Sun Dao lineage? The conflict between North and South would have taken a significant turn…'

Li Zhouwei had already guessed what was going on in his mind, but he remained expressionless and simply said:

"Since it is a method of the True Lord, it is quite rare and should be given to True Man Yu!"

"Don't dare."

Yu Xixin shook her head and sighed:
"Your Majesty, you may not know this, but Senior Yu was a formidable figure, known as the best in Luoyang. Back then, an elder of my family was stationed in Luoyang and greatly admired him. As a result, Senior Yu became acquainted with my father. That elder even intended to pass on his mantle to him, but he was opposed by that line of descendants and could not make it happen. He was also unable to awaken from his ignorance before that elder passed away, missing his last glimpse of him, and there was no chance to meet him again afterward."

He seemed somewhat wistful, with reluctance in his eyes and a hint of unease, but none of that mattered now. With the old man dead, those matters vanished like smoke, no longer concerning him. And the Yu family was no longer even in Luoyang, so there was no longer any chance for them to be together. Yu Xixin could only sigh:
“This is what I should give you. If King Wei wants to compensate me, I will feel even more uneasy…”

Li Zhouwei then released him, saying:
"How is Juancheng?"

Yu Xixin knew that he always cared about people's livelihood, and said:
"The common people are fine, as I have been protecting them. As for the Qiao family's noble direct descendants and Master Qiao's eighty-nine beautiful concubines... they have long been settled in Jianghuai, so they are even less of a concern now."

Hearing this, Li Zhouwei felt much better and smiled:
"You're wrong. He came with me to Shu, and now there are ninety-six houses!"

Yu Xixin came from a prestigious family and had a long-standing conflict with Qiao Wenliu. Upon hearing this, she shook her head and remained silent with her head lowered. Li Zhouwei felt a slight chill in his heart upon seeing this.

'Qiao Wenliu was looked down upon by the people of Gu County back then, and in recent years he has inevitably resorted to swaggering and showing off. Even with my advice... he's only somewhat restrained, it's hard to completely erase the past.'

He turned around, but Wu Miao hurriedly came up. The old man quickly bowed and said:

"General Fu Wang has sent word that he is guarding Liangchuan and suspects that the two Mahas have gone to Shu. Luoyang is deserted and is just waiting for my men to arrive so that he can take advantage of the high ground and make his move immediately!"

Hearing that Liang Chuan had been saved, Li Zhouwei understood even more the importance of Fa Chang—that this Maha had fallen into his hands had indeed prevented the Great Mu Dharma Realm from making any rash moves, and he couldn't help but nod in approval:

“Protecting Liangchuan is protecting Luoxia. He is right. As for Shu… I had already ordered Jueyin to fortify the walls and clear the fields earlier. Nanzheng is open and there is Shan Yin here. At most, they can only take some supplies back.”

This was something Li Zhouwei had planned long ago. After all, he couldn't let them return empty-handed. Since they didn't harm the people, it wouldn't hurt to give them some credit to make it look good, and it would actually gain their trust.

As for this side, Li Zhouwei did not intend to continue to use Fachang's true spirit to threaten the Great Mu Dharma Realm. Firstly, his words at the time were a promise, and secondly, the Great Mu Dharma Realm's compromises had limits. Just now, Fachang's subordinates had fled back, leaving the group leaderless and naturally not daring to move. But if there was a second time, who knows which old monk would come out of seclusion.

'Since he's going to enter the Xuan Tian realm anyway, letting him go back will be more useful.'

So he raised his hand and gently released it, and that wisp of true spirit appeared. Fa Chang didn't immediately rush to escape; instead, he solidified his form, bowed, and sighed:

"Greetings, King Wei!"

Li Zhouwei glanced at it and said:
"If the Dharma Realm has indeed retreated, then I will keep my word. Fellow Daoist, you may depart!"

Anyone else would have been willing to let him go. Fa Chang would surely have died if he went out, but this King Wei was not surprising at all. The monk bowed deeply and said:
"When King Wei campaigned in the west and north, no one was harmed in the areas he passed through. This shows that he was a benevolent and righteous army, something that Emperor Wei could not do. This humble monk respectfully wishes King Wei a speedy ascension to the throne, which would be a great blessing for the world!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhouwei simply chuckled and said:

"Alright, go back to your temple! In these chaotic times of war, a good monk like you shouldn't be wandering around."

Ignoring Fa Chang's wry smile, he said:

"Wu Temple, send Monk Fachang to Liangchuan, but whatever you do, do not harm him."

The hatred of the cultivators in Gujun towards Buddhist cultivators has reached a new level. The balance and trust that the immortals and Buddhists have maintained and built up in the Central Plains over the past few years has been completely destroyed by the wars of the past few years. If Li Zhouwei hadn't added this, he would have been afraid that he would have been killed by these subordinates halfway through.

Wu Miao naturally understood, but his mind was on something else. His expression changed slightly, and he silently pondered:
'Oh, right... there's such a way to flatter someone! This monk is really something. I've been navigating this place for years, and I completely overlooked this!'

So they obediently agreed and headed west. After settling everyone's injuries, Li Zhouwei finally breathed a sigh of relief and said:

"The Great Desire Dao has already retreated. What does Master Yu think of the current situation?"

Yu Xixin, who had been standing to the side, sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

Neither side gained any advantage in this battle. The strength of the peacock carp exceeded Yu Xixin's expectations, making him very uneasy. He simply said:

"Although the Great Desire Path has withdrawn, its strength remains intact. I fear that Master Longkang's place has been attacked again. We should rush to its aid immediately!"

Li Zhouwei glanced at the light in the east, hesitated for a moment, and finally said:

"The great formation of Juancheng is damaged and it is no longer safe. You should send the people into the second pass. Situ Huo and I will go to the east."

Yu Xixin bowed deeply and watched the Prince of Wei leave. Turning to the side, Shangguan Mi approached with a solemn expression. He bowed deeply to Yu Xixin and said:
"Master Yu!"

Shangguan Mi held a noble status due to the King of Wei's favor, and even someone of Yu Xixin's position was willing to step aside, saying gently:

"Fellow Daoist, you are too kind. With the departure of King Wei, this place is now ruled by you..."

Shangguan Mi said:

"The Master is acquainted with the Yu family, and it is necessary for the Master to recommend the Yu family's disciples..."

“That’s not difficult. There’s a man named Yu Hong who traveled through Gu County back then… His temperament will surely suit your taste, fellow Daoist…”

The two voices gradually faded into the distance, but the distant radiance still flickered. The peacock's wings covered the sky and sun, sending down wave after wave of fiery and radiant light. The people were captured by the supernatural power like cattle and sheep and thrown into other places. They were at a loss and trembling in the scorching light.

...

Dayang Mountain.

The world was dazzling with light, and a huge, hazy, colorful figure stood in the distance, shutting out all sound and color from this pure land.

Before the temple, the head of the lamp stood quietly, seemingly indifferent to everything happening in the distance, and unconcerned about the colorful lights rising in the distance. Only the monk beside him, with his back bent, showed some unease.

Only when a soft light shone into the temple, and a monk stepped forward, did the head monk turn around and smile:

"Senior Brother Jinghai!"

The newcomer nodded slightly, his face faintly glowing; he was none other than the Pure Sea that had entered Dayang Mountain!
This Maha, who gave up his autonomy and devoted himself to the Great Sheep Mountain, undoubtedly held a very high position, causing the head monk to rise and greet him, while the monks on the side hurriedly came forward to pour tea.

Jinghai Road:

"It seems... nothing good is happening in the west... How come you're still sitting here, fellow Daoist?"

The lamplighter smiled and said:

"The peacock carp is extremely arrogant. Over the years, it has been its desire to monopolize everything and its repeated refusal to cooperate with the North has dragged things out to this point. It's good that it suffers some losses so that it will be willing to swallow its pride and cooperate with us..."

Jinghai stiffened slightly, nodded, turned to look at the monk pouring tea beside him, and said:
"Is this the Brahma?"

The head of the lamp laughed heartily and said:
"Exactly! We are now in a lot of trouble thanks to him. He has the ability of the Heavenly Essence and has seen through Jiang Yan's tricks several times. He has been a great help. We will still need him to plan for Mingyang in the future."

Knowing the person before him was of noble status, Fan Kang couldn't help but bow his head in respect, and also felt a touch of pride. Jing Hai smiled and said:
"That's interesting. Why don't you tell me, what other tricks does Mingyang have up his sleeve?"

Fan Kang, thinking his time to demonstrate his worth had come, knelt down with a thud and respectfully said:
“The situation has changed drastically, and many things are no longer the same as in the past. But just like Jiang Yan’s methods of dealing with enemies, some things will not change. Once that White Qilin attacks from the east, someone will definitely make a move!”

Jinghai nodded approvingly, as if praising him, and said:

"Who?"

Fan Kang lowered his brows and said:

"High-class service!"

He said coldly:

"This man has been living in the Eastern Lands for many years, yet he does not consider the leniency of my Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. Instead, he often thinks of returning to the King of Wei. He has remained unmoved for so many years, which is nothing more than harboring evil intentions and wanting to strike once and for all!"

Fan Kang, who had previously served under Wei in his previous life, knew that he would have to do the same now, and laughed:

"That's why I suggested that Master sit and observe on Dayang Mountain. Firstly, to let that man suffer a bit so he can understand the situation. Secondly, to prepare to seize the opportunity and stop Gao Fu at any time!"

Upon hearing this, Jinghai's killing intent nearly overflowed, yet he nodded and smiled:

"Tian Su... Tian Su's joining my Buddhist sect can be considered a natural fit, as I've been lacking such talent under my command..."

The lamplighter just chuckled, not saying anything more; how could he possibly give away such a treasure? He turned his head and said:

"This time... inviting you here was not my own idea."

Jinghai's heart stirred.

'They've come after all…'

His involvement with Dayang Mountain is somewhat suspicious, and it should have attracted the attention of more than one Dharma Master long ago. The fact that it has only come to light today suggests that there is some controversy within the Sandalwood Forest.

He hadn't been sent away; he had remained on Dayang Mountain the entire time, actually waiting for Faxiang to question him. Now, unhurried, he said:

"May I ask which esteemed person this is..."

The lamp holder chuckled and said:
"Since I am here to find you, fellow Daoist, it is naturally my master."

Jinghai was not surprised and said:
"So it was the [Corpse Form]."

The Sandalwood Forest is said to have ten manifestations, some say thirty-one, and some even say more. But in reality, those that respond and interfere with the human world are no more than a handful. This "Dan Shi Xiang" is also called "Liu Fen Xiang," and its full name is "Liu Fen Dan Shi Wu Lou Fa Xiang." The name is quite significant.

According to legend, the Dharma images in the Sandalwood Forest are arranged in an orderly manner. Those called "Wu Lou" are of ancient Buddhist and Taoist origin. Those called "Dao Zhong" or "Dao Yuan" with the character "Dao" in their names are mostly immortal cultivators who have come to join the lineage. Those called "Guang Jiao" or "Guang Yuan" are even more complicated, as they are the first batch of modern Buddhists. Apart from them, they are all later people.

Some positions fell silent long ago, requiring the Ninth Incarnation of Maha to occasionally come and strike them. Sometimes the strike was successful, and there would be a response for a while, but more often than not, they vanished without a sound, without the slightest ripple.

The [Corpse-like Being] behind the leader of the lamp has been issuing orders in recent years and is relatively less mysterious. There are even rumors that His cultivation has been growing and He wants to seek other opportunities.

'The so-called opportunity is nothing more than the Golden Land. Apart from the Golden Land, there are very few things in the human world that He would value…'

The thought flashed through his mind, but the head of the lanterns stood up and said:
"Come with me, all of you!"

He pushed open the temple door and went inside. He saw a large alchemy furnace inside, white with golden handles, burning with a roaring fire. It was completely different from the alchemy furnaces of today. The opening was at the front. It looked more like a stove than an alchemy furnace.

Another prayer mat was placed in front of it. The head of the lamp carefully walked around the prayer mat. This prominent leader actually bent down and crawled into the furnace.

Fan Kang and Jing Hai were taken aback, but they could only follow him, rolling up their sleeves and crawling into the alchemy furnace.

Strangely enough, although the alchemy furnace was not large, the opening seemed like a tunnel, bottomless. The three of them climbed inside together, and the deeper they went, the narrower and hotter it became. They were covered in ash, and the lamplighter couldn't even turn around, yet he exclaimed:
"I have heard that the sir was originally a disciple who cleaned up furnace ash in Baohua Mountain. He heard some scriptures and thus had great affinity with the Dharma and great supernatural powers. After descending the mountain, his cultivation gradually improved, and he became a Dharma body. He is considered an old man... This place is his manifested Dharma realm, called [Sao Chen Tian].

Jinghai nodded secretly.

This is not exactly a secret. The Buddha knew alchemy, or rather, ancient Buddhists also knew alchemy. The person who inherited this lineage was called Tang Jing. The "Dan Shi Xiang" was the disciple who cleaned up the ashes in his furnace. For some reason, the Buddhist alchemy has almost been lost.

I don't know how much time passed before I finally saw the small stove.

This place, which should have been a small space, was filled with a hazy red light. The faces of the lamplighters were illuminated, making them appear red and fanged, and the heat was intense. All three of them were covered in melted gold paint.

Upon closer inspection, they found another alchemy furnace inside, dark and simple. However, the group of people were now as small as ants and were not even as tall as the furnace.

The three of them bowed with each step, then crawled under the alchemy furnace, finally seeing a massive, seemingly insurmountable, palm-fiber cloth, like a mountain. The lamp-headed monk knelt firmly and respectfully said:
"I have received the true scriptures and heard the righteous Dharma. I am fortunate to have been able to transcend the boundaries and reveal the holy teachings. Now, I bring my disciples Fan Kang and the lay Buddhist Jing Hai with me. I humbly pay homage to the True Venerable One and ask you to listen to the holy voice!"

Upon hearing this, Jinghai realized that the mountain before him must be the corpse of Dan. Even with his experience, he was terrified and dared not be distracted.

The words of the lamplighter drifted around, and after a long while, a gust of wind-like energy flowed down. A giant hand came from beyond the sky, lifted the three of them up, and carried them higher and higher along the wall until they reached the top. There, they saw crimson eyes, like a vast ocean, pulsating in the darkness.

At this height, Jinghai looked into the distance and could only vaguely see the part beyond the Xuanmu—a large mountain, which should be the bridge of this Dharma image's nose, but for some reason it was covered with dense cracks.

Upon seeing this scene, Jinghai felt dizzy and nauseous. He collapsed to his knees, blood flowing from his seven orifices. Fen Kang was in even worse shape, his eyes shattered into bloody, empty sockets. He knelt on the ground like a dead man.

Soon, a faint, cold, resonant voice echoed between heaven and earth:
"Tian...Su..."

These two words seemed to possess a magical power; Fan Kang on the ground seemed to come alive, his lips trembling as he said:

"I pay my respects to the Dharma Image!"

An unknown amount of time passed, or perhaps only a moment, when a faint sigh of disappointment echoed through the heavens and earth. The head of the lamp seemed to understand; he rose with great disappointment, ignoring the Brahma King, pointed to the Pure Sea, and said:
"This is the Pure Sea!"

In that instant, the sea beneath his feet tilted, and its dark center converged upon him. Jinghai coughed up blood from his throat, as if countless chaotic thoughts had occupied his mind and stripped him of all his thoughts, until the deepest moment when he came into contact with the true spirit, a glimmer of golden light finally appeared before his eyes.

【倥海金地】!
As this golden light shone brightly, the heavens and earth trembled slightly. The corpse-like figure seemed to shift its body, causing the sky to collapse and the earth to crack, flames to erupt, causing the head of the lantern to kneel in fear and kowtow repeatedly. It took a while for the situation to stop, and then a cold voice was heard saying:

"【Boundless Vast Sea】...A wonderful opportunity..."

His words were cold, as if the golden opportunity that Jinghai possessed was something even someone of his Dharma form would envy.

The three of them were completely disoriented and speechless from the tremors. In the dim light, Jinghai noticed that another person had stepped onto the fleshy ground in front of them.

He said calmly:
"Dan Shi, this is the Pure Sea. The opportunity in the Vast Sea is certainly valuable, but the important matter is more important. We must not let the mystery get out of control."

The grand, ancient voice in the heavens and earth paused, then coldly said:
"Since you and I worked together to get this done, feel free to ask!"

Upon hearing this voice, Jinghai, not understanding its meaning, felt a surge of nausea, as if his internal organs were rising to his throat, causing him extreme pain. Finally, the person before him spoke, laughing:

"Little monk!"

These three words swept away the strangeness in him, restoring his internal organs to their proper place. Jinghai finally regained some clarity in his mind, and heard the other person laugh:
"We've kept you in the South China Sea for so many years, and we've finally managed to lure that Kong Heng there. There aren't many ancient Buddhist lineages, so it's really difficult to mess with him... But you've done us proud, finally making him take action..."

These words were no longer esoteric Zen pronouncements, but rather concrete and understandable to him. Yet, the underlying meaning still sent a chill down Jinghai's spine.

'I've been in the South China Sea for years... I'll lure him there...'

What does it mean?
The Dharma Images had always known about their struggles in the Golden Land of the Vast Sea and the South China Sea, constantly fighting against the evil forces; not only did they know, but they had long indulged in such behavior…

The purpose of all this was to give Kong Heng a chance to come to the South China Sea and help him, a Buddhist monk who was devoted to the righteous path, so as to test the methods of this benefactor!

He was terrified.

Since being rescued by Kong Heng and gaining the opportunity to enter Xuan Tian, ​​Jing Hai had not felt fear for a long time. Now, this feeling swept over him again, making him tremble all over and unable to move on the ground.

The image above smiled and said:
"But you drove everyone from Jindi away...that's not good, but I won't hold it against you...now..."

He heard a slight chuckle in the man's voice, as if it were a casual question:
"Summon your master to come out and give an answer."

Master.

Jinghai originally came from the wrathful path in the north. The person who was supposed to be his master had long since passed away. However, when he went to the South China Sea to seek the Dao, he received the Golden Earth lineage and had another master.

The master who sat in the dark earthen temple, tempting him with various words, trying to seize his body and the position of the Golden Earth Lord, appeared in the world.

Clay puppeteer!