Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

“Uncle Qingyuan, you flatter me. It is my duty and nothing to mention. I have long intended to return to the mountain, but I have been tied up with worldly affairs and have not been able to make the trip. Since you have personally invited me, I will certainly obey.”

One of the main purposes of his trip was to observe the subtle differences in the transmission of cultivation techniques between this Maoshan sect and other Maoshan sects in other worlds that may be related.

These seemingly insignificant differences often contain unique wisdom under different world rules, which are the valuable keys for him to break through certain current bottlenecks and improve his own system.

Seeing that Ying Shaoyang agreed so readily, Master Qingyuan's smile grew even wider.

Ying Shaoyang then bid farewell to the headmaster of the Shangqing Palace. Knowing he couldn't keep him, the headmaster exchanged a few pleasantries and personally escorted the two to the mountain gate.

Upon exiting the Shangqing Palace gate, Ying Shaoyang flicked his sleeve, and an invisible force swept out, directly taking all the hundreds of Qingqiu fox girls, along with Lianxiang and other personal maids, into the stone gate space within his body, preventing them from swaggering through the streets.

Then, he and Master Qingyuan joined forces and used their cloud-riding technique to fly towards Maoshan.

However, not long after they began flying, Ying Shaoyang clearly sensed the abnormality of this place.

Even when he fully activated his Cloud Soaring Divine Power, his flight speed was still far slower than he remembered and when he used it in other worlds, as if an invisible swamp was dragging the surrounding space.

A strange feeling lingered in his heart. In the darkness, it seemed as if a pair of invisible, intangible, yet omnipresent eyes were silently watching him.

Especially when the seed of supernatural power that "masters the five thunders" within his body trembles slightly due to some kind of stimulation, the feeling of being spied on becomes particularly obvious, and the lightning contained in the seed of supernatural power also becomes more and more profound and violent, as if it is accumulating destructive power.

Ying Shaoyang felt a chill run down his spine. Without making a sound, he subtly concealed his aura, especially suppressing the activity of those Heavenly Gang Divine Powers.

He pondered more and more deeply.

Some of the hidden texts he read in the Shangqing Palace mentioned that cultivators in this world, regardless of race (human or demon), will face heavenly tribulations once their cultivation reaches a certain level! The reason he has not been targeted by the lightning tribulation so far is entirely due to his great supernatural power of "mastering the five thunders," which allows him to instinctively devour and resolve the lightning tribulation triggers that are gathering from the darkness!
"The Heavenly Dao rules of this world are indeed bizarre..."

Ying Shaoyang became secretly wary.

At the same time, the overall structure of this world made him feel vaguely uneasy. Although there was a celestial realm ruling over it, there were also various systems of gods such as mountains and rivers, city gods and land gods, and the underworld seemed to be the core of an independent and complete divine system, in charge of reincarnation.

The celestial realm cuts off the energy of heaven and earth, causing the spiritual energy of the human world to wither. This is tantamount to voluntarily giving up the management of the human world and completely pushing it into the control of the underworld.
This seemingly contradictory and illogical situation must conceal great danger and secrets.

Ying Shaoyang gazed at the sky, his eyes seemingly trying to pierce through the layers of clouds and reach the very origin of the world.

He clearly sensed that some immense power, beyond his current understanding, was slowly surging in the darkness of this world, weaving into an invisible and intangible net that enveloped all things.

And he seemed to be standing at a certain point in this web of deception. Was the road ahead an opportunity, or an even greater trap? He needed to go to Maoshan to find more clues.

Ying Shaoyang and Qingyuan Zhenren flew together. Although their speed was much slower than before due to the interruption of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, they still possessed supernatural powers. Before long, the majestic and ever-changing Maoshan Mountain range came into view.

However, what is even more striking is the scene in front of the mountain gate.

Starting from the massive stone archway at the foot of the mountain, and ascending the winding bluestone steps to the mist-shrouded summit, Maoshan disciples, dressed in various colored robes, stood densely packed together! They were arranged neatly according to seniority and branch, each with an irrepressible excitement and elation on their faces, their eyes all fixed on the approaching beam of light in the sky.

When Ying Shaoyang and Qingyuan Zhenren came into clear view, someone shouted first.

"Welcome back to the mountain, Uncle-Master Ying!"

The next moment, a roar like a tidal wave erupted, layer upon layer, echoing between the mountains!

"Welcome back to the mountain, Uncle-Master Ying!"

"Welcome back to the mountain, Grandmaster Ying!"

"Maoshan is fortunate to have seen the immortal's face!"

The roar was deafening, filled with heartfelt reverence and fervor.

For these Maoshan disciples, who were mostly trapped in the predicament of depleted spiritual energy and had no idea what the future held, the return of a senior from their own sect, whose strength was unfathomable, who was treated with great respect by the head of the Shangqing Palace, and who was about to ascend to immortality, was undoubtedly a powerful stimulant, rekindling the almost extinguished flame of hope in their hearts.

As soon as Ying Shaoyang landed and stood under the mountain gate archway, facing this grand scene that attracted everyone's attention, his expression remained calm, with only a faint smile on his lips.

He didn't say much, but simply flicked his sleeve.

In an instant, a sudden change occurred!

Suddenly, countless yellow shadows surged forth from his sleeves as if they had come to life! These were thousands upon thousands of seemingly ordinary bright yellow talismans, which, as if drawn by an invisible force, flew into the air in an orderly fashion, rapidly spreading out above Ying Shaoyang's head to form a cloud of talismans covering half the sky!
"Boom--!"

The once clear sky suddenly became filled with dark clouds, and streaks of silver lightning bolts darted and roared within the clouds! Then, as if summoned, the terrifying power of heavenly lightning transformed into countless fine bolts of lightning, striking down with unparalleled precision. However, it was not for destruction, but rather, like rivers flowing into the sea, it poured into each of the floating talismans!

On the talisman paper, the talismans originally drawn with cinnabar seemed to come alive under the baptism of thunder, shining with dazzling lightning. A terrifying aura of pure yang and extreme strength, capable of slaying evil and breaking demons, spread out, making all the disciples with slightly lower cultivation levels feel a sense of trepidation, yet also a sense of indescribable security.

"This...this is?!"

Master Qingyuan's pupils constricted sharply, and he cried out in alarm. With his keen eyesight, he could immediately tell that these talismans were not disposable items. Their materials and crafting techniques were extremely special. After being infused with such immense heavenly lightning power, they not only remained undamaged but also formed a stable structure, becoming rechargeable and usable lightning artifacts!
For demons and evil spirits, this is simply a natural nemesis, a "pure natural thunder talisman" comparable to a magic weapon!
Ying Shaoyang's gaze swept over the countless excited and eager faces below, and his voice, calm yet clear, reached the ears of every disciple.

"These are over a thousand 'Thunder-Containing Talismans,' which I will give to my disciples today, one for each person. The rest will be kept by the sect leader and given to those who have made meritorious contributions."

He paused, then continued, “This talisman contains the power of heavenly thunder, which has an extremely strong restraining effect on demons and monsters. If activated at a critical moment, it may be able to resist a fatal crisis.”

Its power, if fully unleashed, could easily slay even a top-tier demon king.

Upon hearing this, the entire arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more fervent cheers! A top-tier demon king! What kind of existence is that? With this talisman protecting them, it's tantamount to having an extra life; their confidence when traveling outside will be more than ten times greater!

"Thank you, Martial Uncle, for bestowing this treasure!!"

Once again, a thunderous roar of kneeling and expressions of gratitude resounded, and many young disciples were moved to tears.

Ying Shaoyang slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stand up, his tone carrying a hint of frankness.

"My path of cultivation, through a series of coincidences, has become quite different from the traditional methods of the sect, making it difficult for you to directly learn from me."

These talismans are a protective gift from me, as an elder, to the younger generation. I hope you will diligently practice them and bring honor to our family.”

Watching the more than a thousand talismans, shimmering with lightning, fly precisely to each eligible disciple and the elder responsible for receiving the remaining talismans as if they possessed a spirit, the Maoshan elders present were all filled with excitement. They were both surprised and delighted by the generosity of this excessively young yet unfathomably powerful "patriarch"-level disciple, and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

Such a gesture, such a grand vision, is truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Once the situation had calmed down a bit, Master Qingyuan led Ying Shaoyang toward the main hall on the peak, talking in hushed tones along the way.

Master Qingyuan looked at Ying Shaoyang with a profound gaze, and slowly revealed the unique way of survival hidden in Maoshan under this apocalypse.

“Nephew Shaoyang, now that you have broad knowledge, you should know that the path to immortality is almost cut off in this world.”

Other major sects, such as the Shangqing Palace, though possessing profound foundations, still cling to the elusive path of immortality, inevitably leading to their disciples being restless and their foundations potentially weak.

He changed the subject, a hint of barely perceptible pride in his voice.

"But my Maoshan sect has long since found a different path. Through generations of patriarchs, we have forged good relationships and made covenants with the judges of the underworld and important officials of the netherworld. Any Maoshan disciple who has exhausted his lifespan or unfortunately passed away, as long as his soul remains and his conduct is impeccable, can be recommended by the patriarch to serve in the netherworld and obtain a position as a ghost immortal. Although it is not the same as immortality in the mortal world, it is still a different kind of path to longevity!"

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Ying Shaoyang's eyes.

He subtly probed the surrounding Maoshan disciples with his divine sense and discovered an astonishing phenomenon! These disciples had almost completely abandoned the path of cultivating the primordial spirit, instead devoting all their energy to the condensation, strengthening, and special cultivation of the divine soul! This was surprisingly in line with the current trend of declining spiritual energy in the world, making primordial spirit cultivation extremely difficult!
Qingyuan continued.

"It is precisely because of this way out that the Maoshan disciples are more composed and their cultivation foundation is much more solid than that of the Shangqing Palace disciples who are still obsessed with the primordial spirit but have no hope for the future. They are less impetuous."

Ying Shaoyang immediately recalled the anecdotes he had heard about a Maoshan disciple of a certain "Ninth Uncle" who was in charge of the Underworld Bank. Now it seemed that those rumors were far from baseless! The Maoshan Sect's infiltration and influence over the Underworld had likely already formed a unique system, and in some aspects, the Underworld's power even needed to rely on Maoshan!

In contrast to Shangqing Palace, which has many disciples and also emphasizes the cultivation of the soul to avoid the effects of spiritual energy depletion, it has not completely abandoned the path of the primordial spirit, thus preparing for both possibilities.

Maoshan, on the other hand, is even more resolute, almost to the point of going all in on the study of the Dao of the Soul! This seemingly extreme choice, in the face of increasingly depleted spiritual energy, actually reveals a unique foresight.

Master Qingyuan led Ying Shaoyang into the heavily guarded Ancestral Hall and onto a hidden passage leading deep into the mountain. He spoke frankly.

“Nephew Shaoyang, the true and core heritage of Maoshan may not be those powerful immortal techniques, but rather the countless insights and experiences accumulated by our ancestors and disciples over hundreds of years in the cultivation of the soul, as well as… the crystallization of wisdom gained from the struggles and maneuvers with various forces in the underworld!”

He pointed to the deep entrance to the underground palace.

"These traditions are sealed deep within this underground palace."

Its value, in some respects, may not be inferior to the all-encompassing library of the Shangqing Palace. After all, this is a unique path specifically explored for this 'era of spiritual desolation' and the increasingly important 'underworld order'.

Ying Shaoyang's eyes gleamed, and his mind suddenly cleared.

He sensed that Maoshan's seemingly helpless and even somewhat "degenerate" choice might hold the key to unlocking the operating rules of the Three Realms in this world! When the Immortal Realm stands high above, cutting off spiritual energy;

When the human world becomes a wasteland, and the forces of the underworld seize the opportunity to expand, intending to dominate both the Yin and Yang realms... the Maoshan Sect, which focuses on spiritual cultivation and deeply cultivates its relationship with the underworld, may have already unknowingly woven a vast network that spans Yin and Yang and whose influence is immeasurable!
He was determined to obtain the inheritance deep within this underground palace!

Master Qingyuan personally led Ying Shaoyang into the most heavily guarded library of Maoshan. As soon as they entered, Qingyuan immediately summoned his trusted disciple and whispered instructions.

They were instructed to immediately go to the storeroom and select all the magical artifacts and treasures with star attributes from the sect's collection, as well as those "useless" items that were almost unusable due to excessive consumption caused by the current depletion of spiritual energy in the world, and prepare to hand them over to Ying Shaoyang.

Qingyuan's move was naturally a reciprocation of kindness.

When Ying Shaoyang went to Shangqing Palace, he only exchanged his divine position for some magical treasures that were useful to him. But when he arrived at Maoshan, he generously gave almost every disciple a thunder talisman with extremely strong life-saving ability!
This generous gift significantly improved the survival skills of the entire Maoshan disciple community. The impression and attitude of everyone in Maoshan towards Ying Shaoyang underwent a complete 180-degree turn, transforming from initial curiosity and slight skepticism into genuine gratitude and respect. Given this, Maoshan naturally couldn't be stingy and needed to reciprocate with sincerity.

Outside the library, the disciples who had obtained the Thunder Talisman were still immersed in immense joy and excitement.

They held the talisman, which shimmered with wisps of lightning and exuded a terrifying pure yang aura, with great care, barely able to contain their excitement. Many disciples spontaneously bowed respectfully towards the library, chanting incantations to express their gratitude to their "Uncle-Master Ying."

Today, most of the Maoshan disciples are scattered in various places, establishing Taoist temples to accumulate merit and at the same time "sending" qualified talents to the underworld.

With this powerful and rechargeable thunder talisman protecting you, its value is immeasurable, whether for dealing with demons and evil spirits or for passing down as a treasure to protect the temple.

Those disciples who were initially slightly dissatisfied with Ying Shaoyang's trade of a large number of divine positions to Shangqing Palace have now completely dispelled their minor grievances, leaving only overflowing gratitude. (End of Chapter)