Knife splashing

Chapter 127: Immortal Treasury of Immortality

"Master is a very funny person."

On the mountain path, Yu Linzi's eyes were somewhat sad. "He always loves to laugh, loves to make Master angry, and has a talent for astrology."

"He went down the mountain and never came back. He didn't show up when our master passed away. We all thought he had died."

"Well...my condolences, by the way."

Li Yan was speechless and didn't know what to say.

He helped me, but he captured my uncle's soul in the blink of an eye. Although he has become an evil spirit, it is a treasure cave. Who knows if there will be a turning point in the future...

Seeing this, Yu Linzi sighed and shook his head, saying, "It's none of your business. This method itself is a taboo. Even if you are not haunted by the underworld, if the sect finds out, they will punish you with thunder."

After saying this, he hesitated for a moment, his face became solemn, "There is one more thing, which is originally a secret of Xuanmen, but you are a living Yin messenger, and you will come into contact with it sooner or later. It is better to know it earlier so that you can be prepared."

"Do you know anything about Fang Xian Dao?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "I know a little bit. They were popular during the Qin and Han dynasties and helped the First Emperor to search for the secret of immortality."

Yu Linzi said in a deep voice: "In fact, it was earlier."

"In the ancient Zhou Dynasty, there were alchemists serving the emperor. For example, during the reign of King Ling of Zhou, there was a great alchemist named Chang Hong, who was proficient in yin and yang, ghosts and gods, and his name was recorded in history books..."

"The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon has ancient sages, medieval sages, saints, and wise men. These are the alchemists who pretended to be the Yellow Emperor and told stories. They were always looking for the secret of immortality."

Li Yan was speechless, "Isn't immortality illusory? Many emperors throughout the ages have pursued this art, but it is ultimately just an illusion."

“No, they got results!”

Yu Linzi's words shocked Li Yan.

"The ancient Zhou Dynasty destroyed the Shang Dynasty and the Conferred Gods War was not as dramatic as a folk drama, but it was also a great battle that shook the world. The King of Zhou also burned Chaoge, destroyed the Yin capital, purged the stubborn people, destroyed the Shang tombs, and established the Zhou rituals..."

"Many records of that era were deliberately erased, so that even the Xuanmen classics today do not have detailed records, but one thing was clearly recorded."

"A secret group of alchemists have been digging up the ruins of the ancient Conferred Gods War. They actually found many secret techniques and compiled them into a book called The Immortal Library of Immortals!"

Li Yan felt his lips were dry. "Did they succeed?"

Yu Linzi shook his head and said, "Success? Maybe, but it was mostly turmoil. The Qin and Han Fang Xian Dao was once very popular, but was later wiped out. However, this "Immortal Library of Immortals" was secretly spread."

"In the Immortal Library of Immortal Life, there are a total of 72 immortality techniques, but the methods are all cruel and vicious, and require blood sacrifices to the 72 demon lords. They use this to prolong their lives, and they are also sinister crimes against you in the underworld."

"The evil technique that my uncle practices is called the Altar God Longevity Technique, and it is dedicated to the demon god Gong Yeqiu. It is rumored that he is a spirit from the Conferred God War..."

Li Yan suddenly remembered the Maitreya sect leader he met at the mass grave. He was fat all over and had also practiced the secret arts of the Immortal Dao, so he hurriedly asked about it.

"Yes, too."

Yu Linzi nodded and said, "No one knows the specific name of the secret technique of longevity, but the one being worshipped should be an evil god named 'Zhu Shi'."

"Are they also the survivors of the Conferred Gods War?"

"I'm not sure about that. It's too old. Even the Immortal Library of Immortal Life has not been passed down completely. When people learn about it and practice it, they often bring disaster to others."

"This time, Master suppressed him with the ancestral altar magic weapon, directly breaking up his Taoism. If you encounter this again, be careful!"

"Thank you, senior."

Li Yan quickly bowed to express his gratitude.

"The Immortal Treasury of Eternal Life", the Secret Art of Immortality, the Battle of the Gods, the Demon God... Wow, Xuanmen actually hides so many secrets!

If it weren't for Yu Linzi's reminder, I might have failed in one of the missions...

…………

This year, the snow came earlier than in previous years.

As soon as the winter solstice arrived, willow catkins and flying snow began to float in the night. Although the snow was not heavy, it was accompanied by the cold wind and soon dyed the Guanzhong Plain white.

Shilipu near Chang'an City.

Old man Liang squatted in the yard early in the morning, braving the wind and snow, smoking his earthen pipe, staring at the porcelain bowl on the ground without blinking.

There was water in the bowl last night. After being in the cold all night, it has now frozen and has different uneven patterns on its surface.

The daughter-in-law went out wearing an apron and asked, "Dad, how is it?"

Old Man Liang slowly stood up, looking unfathomable, and nodded confidently, "Don't worry, there will be a good harvest next year!"

This is a divination custom in Guanzhong. Every year before the winter solstice, a bowl of water is placed on the ice, and the patterns on the ice are observed the next day to predict the harvest for the coming year.

The secret formula has been passed down from generation to generation. No one will mention whether it is useful or not, but whoever asks will have a good harvest. The more people ask, the happier they are.

After all, no one would say discouraging words.

It is the people's simple hope for good weather and good harvests.

"That's good, that's good!"

The daughter-in-law quickly said, "Dad, the dumplings are ready. Can I serve them to you?"

Old man Liang chuckled, revealing a mouth full of gaps in his teeth. "No, let's wait for Chunsheng to come back from the city and eat together. Oh, by the way, give me two more bowls and I'll send them to Huniu's family."

"They are just kids. Huniu is not often at home, so the villagers have to take care of them."

"Hey!"

The daughter-in-law hurried into the kitchen to get busy.

After a while, he came out with a big food box.

The food box is made of bamboo. Although it is old and yellow, it is cleaned very well and can hold a large bowl on both the upper and lower layers.

Old man Liang put his pipe in his collar, hummed a little tune, and walked towards the east entrance of the village with his lunch box, greeting everyone he met.

"Mr. Liang, how are you?"

"Good harvest, good harvest!"

"Third brother, how's it going?"

"Of course, it will be a good harvest!"

When we arrived at the east entrance of the village, a large house suddenly came into view.

The house is not luxurious, it is just an ordinary adobe wall. There are trees planted in front of and behind the house. They are quite old, with tall and dense branches, just blocking the yard.

Hululu!
Several horses were snorting at the hitching post at the door.

Is Huniu back?
Any other guests?

When Old Man Liang saw it, he couldn't help but hesitate.

Although Huniu grew up under his care, she was after all a well-known capable person in the village. No matter if he encountered evil spirits or met rogues who wanted to extort money in Chang'an City, he could always ask Huniu for help.

Old Man Liang wondered whether he should go home and get some more.

squeak~
At this moment, the gate suddenly opened, and the demon catcher Hong Yasha walked out of the yard and said with a smile: "Uncle Liang, why don't you come in and sit down?"

"No, no, you have guests."

Old Man Liang quickly handed over the food box and said, "It's the winter solstice. Homemade food isn't very good. Let the children have a taste."

"Excuse me."

"Well, what's the point of being so polite to fellow villagers?"

Seeing Red Yaksha accept it, Old Man Liang seemed to let go of his worries. He turned around, humming a little tune, and gradually walked away in the wind and snow.

Hong Yasha shook his head and smiled, then walked into the yard carrying the food box.

"Sister Hong, another one?"

On the table under the eaves of the main hall, Sha Lifei ate dumplings while drinking wine. He was sweating all over and said, "This is the first time I've eaten dumplings from a hundred families. Sister, let me try what kind of filling this has..."

"Alright, alright!"

Li Yan said speechlessly on the other side: "You don't consider yourself an outsider."

"Why is he an outsider?"

Sharifei yelled, "Sister Hong and I are friends for life and death. No, we have to burn yellow paper and chop off the chicken head today..."

There were many children in the yard, sitting at another table eating dumplings, listening to the big bald guy talking nonsense, and they all laughed secretly.

Red Yaksha also smiled and said, "It's okay, eat as much as you want. I'm just worried that you can't finish it." As he said that, he placed the food box on the table in the main hall.

It was already filled with food boxes.

Li Yan praised: "Sister Hong's popularity is really amazing, much better than mine at the beginning."

"It's more than just strong, it's not the same thing!"

Sha Lifei immediately exposed the secret, saying, "Lijiabao is a place where ghosts are afraid of us. It has a bad reputation that can only be smelled by the wind for miles. If you leave, the neighbors might be setting off fireworks."

The children behind him laughed, and Hong Yasha also smiled. "My family has lived in Shilipu for generations. When our master was alive, we would always help the villagers when they encountered problems. Anyway, we don't expect to make money from them."

"When blessings come to neighbors, there will be great fortune."

Wang Daoxuan took a sip of wine and admired it.

After coming down from Taibai Mountain, Hong Yasha wanted to leave alone, but Sharifei stuck to her and called her "Sister Hong" affectionately.

Red Yaksha had no choice but to go with everyone else.

Along the way, the two sides became more and more familiar with each other.

This Red Yaksha has a fierce reputation and is aloof in character, but in fact, all of this is a disguise. After all, a woman traveling alone in the world always has to be more cautious.

But after getting to know her, you will find that this woman is open-minded and generous, and she quickly becomes friends with Li Yan and others.

Li Yan and his two companions were originally planning to go directly to Chang'an, but when they arrived at Shilipu, it happened to be the winter solstice, so Hong Yaksha took the three of them to his home as guests.

We had a meal of dumplings with great enthusiasm.

As soon as I put down the bowl, a child came running to clean it up.

The younger one washed dishes and wiped the table, while the older one served tea and water. They did things in an orderly and polite manner, which made Li Yan and the other two admire them.

The Red Yaksha's eyes were also filled with pride and kindness.

It can be seen that she has put all her thoughts on these disciples.

Sha Lifei rolled his eyes and said, "Sister Hong, if you need anything, don't do it alone. We'll be living in Chang'an City from now on. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Okay." Red Yaksha agreed readily.

Some work really cannot be done by one person alone. As she gets older, she is really unable to do it.

If you have someone to help you when you are in trouble, it doesn’t matter if you earn less.

After all, these children can't live without her.

Thinking of this, Red Yaksha asked, "It's not easy to live in Chang'an. The houses there are really not cheap. Do you have a place to stay?"

"Let's stay at the inn first, and then we can slowly look for it." Sharifei said happily: "Although we suffered a lot on Mount Taibai, we also saved a lot of money. If there is a suitable yard, we can also build one."

Li Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Sister Hong, you are familiar with the streets of Chang'an City. Do you know any famous masters who are good at Pi Gua and are willing to accept disciples?"

This is why he was in a hurry to come to Chang'an.

Firstly, the imperial court will have to strictly control sorcerers in the future, so the Taoist certificate cannot be delayed any longer and must be obtained from Luo Mingzi as soon as possible.

Secondly, he has now reached a high level in Taoism. He has mastered the magic tricks of "Beidi Sutra" and the soul-calling rope of the underworld. Even compared with the disciples of the orthodox Xuanmen, he is not inferior at all.

Only this skill is holding us back.

After all, he is not a wizard like the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, who has the protection of the imperial army when he does things and many masters to take part in the altar. He only needs to study the rituals and techniques.

The world of martial arts is dangerous. Although Chen Fakui and You Laosi are both experts in martial arts, they are not good at fighting and will die if someone gets close to them.

Li Yan didn't dare to give up his boxing and kicking skills.

According to the previous idea, he learned the Pi Gua Zhang and combined it with the Hong Quan Pao Quan, which was agile and domineering, and it just matched his Dayun Lei Yin.

Moreover, it will also be beneficial for the future practice of "Northern Emperor Yin Lei Hand".

"Master of Pi Gua..."

Yashahong pondered for a moment, "There are many famous Pi Gua masters in Chang'an City, but you also know the rules of the martial arts world. Once you enter, you will inevitably be entangled in various grievances."

"We are from the Xuan Sect, and we have the highest status in the martial arts world. However, there are bound to be those with bad intentions who want to use your power to seek wealth and fame. It is best to keep a distance from them."

"There is one in Lanlingfang, his surname is Li and his name is Shiqing. He is a senior in the Taoist medical school and also a famous doctor in Chang'an. He is proficient in Pi Gua and his kung fu has reached the level of Hua Jin."

"Senior from the Taoist Medical School?"

Li Yan's eyes lit up, "Sister Hong, can you help introduce me?"

Hong Yasha said with some embarrassment: "I met this senior when I was healing my wounds. I only realized how good his skills were after we got to know each other."

"But this senior has many patients on weekdays and is very busy. I don't know what he means. I can help introduce him, but if it doesn't work out, don't blame me."

Li Yan smiled and said, "Sister Hong, you are joking. I am very grateful for your help in the introduction. Whether it will be successful or not depends on chance..."

…………

The next morning, everyone arrived outside the city of Chang'an.

This thousand-year-old capital was most prosperous during the Tang Dynasty and once had 108 districts. However, after experiencing countless wars, it no longer has its former glory.

For example, the Taiji Palace and the Daming Palace are still in ruins today, and the Chang'an Palace of the Daxuan Dynasty is located in the former Xingqing Palace.

There are only seventy or eighty intact markets left in the city, and their layout is messy. Some markets have been combined together, large and small, and are far from the standardized ones of the Tang Dynasty.

But as the capital of Shanzhou, it is still prosperous.

Goods from the north would be concentrated in Chang'an, and then transported to the south via mule and horse caravans to water and land ports such as Manchuan Pass.

Goods from the south would also arrive in Chang'an and be distributed everywhere.

When Hong Yasha and the three arrived, it was still daybreak. The snow had stopped falling all night, but started again in the early morning.

In the wind and snow, the team waiting to enter the city stretched for several miles, with mules and horses neighing and people talking in a noisy manner.

Li Yan and his companions were not in a hurry and waited in line obediently.

The voices of conversations of passers-by on the left, right, front and back could be heard from time to time.

"Have you heard that the palace is going to hold a winter poetry gathering?"

"It's all the master's business, why do you, a peasant, have to worry about it?"

"You know nothing. It's well known that the Prince of Chang'an loves food. I heard that he is collecting delicacies from the mountains and the sea this time. As long as they are rare, there will be rewards for sending them to him..."

"Is that true? Let me think about it..."

"Brother Lu, will you get rich this year?"

"What the hell, I'm still worried about not being able to pay back the money owed to Xiangji Kitchen..."

Sharifei listened with great interest and would occasionally go up to chat with others.

Li Yan looked at Chang'an City thoughtfully.

There was one thing he didn't mention to everyone.

Although my father Li Hu was tricked by Zhou Pan, the one who actually did it was the evil man from the Maitreya Sect.

If we find a clue, this feud will definitely be settled.

clap clap clap!

Just then, the sound of horse hooves was heard from behind.

Li Yan sniffed, smelled a familiar scent, and quickly turned his head.

Sure enough, a team of Duwei Si's black cavalry came riding in the wind and snow, and the leader in the front was Guan Wanche, the former head of the Xianyang police.

"what?"

Guan Wanche had sharp eyes and a better view when riding on a horse. He spotted Li Yan in the crowd at a glance. He pulled the reins to stop and said in a deep voice: "Li Yan, you came to Chang'an?"

As he said that, without waiting for Li Yan to answer, he turned his head and said, "Sister, this is Li Hu's son."

You are so good, Guan Wanche!

Li Yan thought to himself that something was wrong.

Looking up, I saw that there was indeed a middle-aged Taoist nun among the Duwei Division's black cavalry. She was carrying a longbow and looked at me with cold eyes...

(End of this chapter)