Knife splashing

Chapter 539: Ancient Cave Cold Cultivation Method

The mountains and rivers are covered with snow.

The mountains were shrouded in clouds and mist, and the wind blew the remaining snow into the woods, making it flutter like dancing willow catkins, in a dreamlike state.

The cold wind was biting and a group of people were walking in the wind and snow, wearing coats and holding sticks, their figures appearing and disappearing from time to time.

"Zhaogong Mountain was originally called Damian Mountain..."

Ling Yunzi said as he walked, "During the Daxing period of the previous dynasty, it was suddenly renamed Zhaogong Mountain. Do you know why, Young Hero Li?"

Li Yan shook off the snow on his hat and smiled, "A mountain is not high, but if there are immortals, it is magical. It must be famous, right?"

"Hahaha...that's natural."

Ling Yunzi shook his head and said, "According to the records of Xuanmen, Zhao Gongming was originally from Mount Zhongnan. During the Qin Dynasty, he fled to the mountains to avoid the chaos and attain enlightenment. He was unknown at the time."

"Later, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he appeared as a 'ghost general', leading ghost soldiers to kill people. He was considered an evil spirit..."

"During the Southern Dynasties, Tao Hongjing's "Zhen Gao" also served as the god of the underworld, responsible for guarding tombs. His Dharma name can still be seen in the tombs at that time..."

"Not long after, he became one of the 'Five Plague Gods'. Even now, many folk plague-exorcism remedies still require making a straw man with 'Autumn Plague Zhao Gongming' written on it..."

"Later, he was given the title of 'Marshal Zhao of the Black Tiger Mysterious Altar', the deputy commander of thunder, in charge of thunder and plague, and the god of wealth."

"In this world of mortals, how many people can see through fame and gain? Naturally, this Damian Mountain has become Zhaogong Mountain, and its incense is more prosperous than that of the main mountain of Qingcheng."

As they were talking, they came to a bend on the mountainside. Ling Yunzi pointed to the distance and said, "Young Master Li, look."

Li Yan looked up and saw that there were many pilgrims walking on the road opposite to the top of the mountain. They were particularly conspicuous against the backdrop of the white snow.

From a distance, they look like ants lined up in a row.

The Zhaocai Temple with its glittering golden roof on the top of the mountain is like a sweet and delicious cake, attracting countless people.

"The heavy snow blocked the mountain, but it couldn't stop us..."

Ling Yunzi sighed with a hint of self-mockery.

"Everyone in the world is like this. You and I can't escape it."

Li Yan looked calm and said something comforting.

He could see that Ling Yunzi was a somewhat contradictory person. As a cultivator, he could not do without fame and fortune. He could not be detached from the world, yet he was often in pain and struggle.

Being unable to see things clearly and being inconsistent with oneself are also the pains of life.

Thinking of this, Li Yan changed the subject directly and said with a smile: "Fellow Daoist Ling Yunzi, tell me the truth, the cave on Zhaogong Mountain is probably not the best in Qingcheng, right?"

"But it can't be hidden from Young Master Li."

The two of them were already familiar with each other, Ling Yunzi did not hide it and whispered:

"The one on Qingcheng Mountain is called 'Dongtian', and the one on Zhaogong Mountain is called 'Fudi'. The two together are called 'Qingcheng Dongtian Fudi'."

"But Qingcheng Mountain is very old. Nearly half of the cave is used to store spiritual materials, and the rest is occupied by the seniors. Even we practice in Zhaogong Mountain."

"Next year's cellar opening meeting, firstly, it has been a long time since it was sealed in the Song Dynasty, and secondly, we also want to free up some space..."

"I see."

Li Yan understood in his heart that most of the people hidden in those caves were earthly immortals. Qingcheng Mountain indeed had a profound heritage.

But then again, it is indeed a certain constraint.

These earthly immortals are the ancestors of various sects. They are not only the trump cards of Qingcheng, but also interfere with the authority of the head sect.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a big fuss just to choose a headmaster.

Also, who knows if there are any people among these people who have evil intentions and want to take advantage of the humanitarian changes to stir up trouble.

The secret letter that Li Yan brought to Chen Kongzi contained a reminder from Wudang headmaster Yu Chanzi, asking him to pay attention to the abnormalities of these people.

This is also the reason why Li Yan is anxious.

As he traveled along, he could already feel the undercurrents surging, and there would be inevitable battles between dragons and tigers in the future.

As he holds the dual positions of "Living Yin Messenger" and "Heavenly Official", he will definitely be at the center of the storm and will not be able to escape.

As they were talking, they had already arrived deep into Zhaogong Mountain.

When we got here, the road became increasingly difficult, with deep mountains and ravines. The suspension bridge had been removed, the mountain road was hidden, and the pines and cypresses were lush and dense.

“The roads were destroyed on purpose, and the bridges were demolished on purpose.”

Ling Yunzi smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying, "Zhaogong Mountain is very popular. I don't know where the rumor came from, saying that you can find the God of Wealth's treasure bowl on the mountain, and if you shake it, you can turn stones into gold."

"There is an endless stream of people coming here to look for treasures. A maze was set up in the back mountain, and people often get trapped in it. The only way to get some peace and quiet is to demolish the bridges and roads..."

These dangerous roads are certainly not a problem for the three of them.

They passed through pine and cypress forests, jumped over gullies, and walked through a dazzling bamboo forest, and suddenly a stone wall appeared before them.

There is a cave on the stone wall, and outside it is a gatehouse and archway carved from bluestone. It is very old and has the words "Songyun Ancient Cave" written on it.

The stone door at the entrance of the cave was closed. There was a thatched hut next to it, and two Taoists were making a fire and cooking.

Although he was covered in dust and dirt, his eyes were blazing and he carried a sword on his back, so it was obvious at first glance that he was no mediocre person.

Seeing the three people, they hurried forward and saluted.

"I've met senior brother."

"Thank you, my two junior brothers. Have you been busy these days?"

"A few wild beasts came here yesterday, but we drove them away. The mountain was blocked by heavy snow, so no outsiders broke in."

"That's good. Is everything okay over at Guanlan Ancient Cave?"

"The wind has been strong these days."

After chatting for a few minutes, Ling Yunzi led the two of them and continued on their journey.

Looking at their disappearing backs, the two Taoists looked at each other in bewilderment.

"There are still people building buildings to practice at this time?"

"It is also possible that from the winter solstice to the beginning of spring, the heaven and earth are filled with strong yin energy, which we cannot bear, but some special methods are more suitable."

"Forget it, it's none of our business."

"Brother, will you return to the mountain next year?"

"No, it's better to be quiet here than to be noisy..."

…………

"Here we are. Right here."

After passing through the canyon, the view suddenly opens up.

I saw a stone platform halfway up the mountain, and a cave on the cliff with a closed stone door. Even the stone carvings outside were very simple and ancient, with a Han Dynasty style.

In front of the stone platform is a steep cliff, with howling mountain winds and swirling clouds and mists. In the distance, you can see a large river flowing by, with a stone weir in the middle that separates the river into two halves.

"Dujiangyan?"

Li Yan was a little surprised when he saw it.

"Yes."

Ling Yunzi smiled and said, "This is the ancient cave where Zhao Lingguan practiced cultivation. You can see the waves when you go out. It's a magnificent place."

“The innate evil spirits gather here. Although it is a blessed land, it is no worse than the caves in Qingcheng Mountain.”

"The next is Guan County. It's a pity that you two came at the wrong time. If it were the Qingming Festival, we would see the people of Shu offering sacrifices to the Lord of the River, with the river full of fishing fires and people staying up all night."

Li Yan's heart moved when he heard this and he looked at Wang Daoxuan.

He didn't expect it to be so close to Guan County.

Wang Daoxuan also understood, stroked his beard and smiled, "Since we are here, we naturally cannot miss it. After the training is finished, it is a good opportunity to go and offer sacrifices to the Lord of the River. Is there a road leading down the mountain?"

"There is a small path, which is quite hidden."

Ling Yunzi did not doubt him and nodded, saying, "You two can ask the junior brothers guarding the mountain later, and they will tell you the location."

After saying that, he turned his head and looked at Li Yan, his face somewhat solemn, "Young Master Li, the Yin energy is strong at this time of year, it is just right for you to practice Fengdu Dharma, but there is one thing you need to be careful about here."

"Please speak, fellow Taoist." Li Yan asked hurriedly.

Ling Yunzi pointed forward, "The water dragon over there is rising. Although the weather is magnificent, the gale is also strong." "Especially at this time of year, it is simply unbearable to stay there at night. People will freeze to death overnight, so we can't arrange for guardians."

“Also, when you are practicing, you have to be able to withstand the strong winds, but as long as you can hold on, it will be like shaving your hair and cleansing your marrow, and the building you build will be more stable.”

"It doesn't matter."

Li Yan pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, Master Wang, please go down the mountain early. I can do it alone."

Wang Daoxuan nodded and said, "Okay."

He knew that Li Yan was worried about Shalifi and asked him to meet up with him ahead of time.

Listening to the conversation between the two, Ling Yunzi was a little surprised.

He originally wanted to let Wang Daoxuan and the two Taoists guarding the mountain stay in the thatched hut for one night, but he didn't expect that Wang Daoxuan would go down the mountain directly.

I'm afraid there's something else going on.

Although he had some guesses, Ling Yunzi was also a smart man, so how could he ask around? After explaining everything, he took Wang Daoxuan and left first.

After the two men left, the hillside immediately became deserted, with only the howling wind blowing the snowflakes.

Li Yan turned his head to look at Dujiangyan in the distance, then turned around and walked to the cave. He pushed open the stone door with a loud bang and moved all the things in.

It was indeed a cave of ancient practitioners. It was not large in area, but seemed to be created naturally, forming a spherical space in the shape of a furnace.

The furnishings inside are also very simple, with only an eight-diagram balcony built in the center.

Li Yan put all the things in place.

Sixty-four lotus lanterns are placed on the eight directions of the eight trigrams and arranged to look like the trigrams. Yellow paper, talisman paper, and incense burner are all necessary.

What is more important is the "Bai Yujing" ornament.

Li Yan placed it in the very center.

Boom!
As the stone door closed, the sound of the wind became smaller.

The surroundings suddenly fell into darkness.

Li Yan didn't care. He sat cross-legged and meditated.

Before you know it, night falls.

Just as Ling Yunzi said, the wind here is even stronger at night. Even if the stone door is tightly closed, you can still hear the whistling wind outside the cave.

Not only that, but the wind started to blow inside the cave.

It was a chilly wind, which was slow but unbearable. With the naked eye, one could see white frost beginning to form on the ground and the stone walls.

Li Yan ignored him and continued to sit cross-legged with his eyes closed.

With every breath he took, the fascia all over his body swelled and a faint sound of thunder came from his body. With every breath he exhaled, an arrow-shaped white gas came out.

This is the manifestation of internal martial arts being practiced to a high level.

The body is like a furnace and is not afraid of the cold.

If your martial arts skills are more advanced, you won't even need to use any strength, and you won't be afraid of cold or heat. It's okay to wear only a single layer of clothing on a snowy day.

By midnight, the cave became even colder.

The ground was even covered with a layer of frost.

The blessed land is where the evil energy gathers, forming a small situation naturally and flowing on its own.

At this time of year, the yin energy between heaven and earth is strong, and the evil energy is even more intense. Coupled with the influence of the strong wind, this strange phenomenon occurs.

White frost and ice appear every night and dissipate on their own during the day.

Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes, blew out the fire stick, and lit the lotus soul-guiding lamps one by one. The cave suddenly became bright.

But the evil spirit flowed, a cold wind blew out of nowhere, and the sixty-four soul-guiding lamps began to sway.

Li Yan was not in a hurry. He stood up, stepped on the ground, chanted some magic words, spat out water from his mouth, and opened the altar.

Call ~
Suddenly, a strong wind blew in the cave.

The white frost quickly thickened on both the stone walls and the ground.

The lotus lanterns flickered, as if they would go out at any moment.

Famous mountains and rivers, where the innate evil energy gathers.

A blessed place, where the situation is formed by natural flow.

But in order to start it, the altar must be opened so that this cave can form a small world and turn into a furnace.

Li Yan finally understood why few people built buildings in winter.

But he was not surprised but happy, as he originally practiced the Fengdu method, and such a strong innate Yin Sha energy was more suitable for him.

However, as the formation was put together, the lotus lantern also became stable.

These lights are connected to his soul and spirit, and serve as both a guard and a manifestation. The building must be successfully built before all the lights go out.

Thinking of this, Li Yan immediately sat down cross-legged, the magic gestures in his hands kept changing, symbolizing the Tiangang and Disha, while closing his eyes and concentrating.

Soon, he entered into a state of meditation and entered into a spiritual space.

Through this period of practice, the Luofeng Mountain he built has become taller, with the soul sea surging around it and the three halls above merged into one.

Li Yan flashed into the temple and merged with the statue, like the god on Mount Luofeng, chanting spells and watching the heaven and earth turn in the distance.

This time when he built the building, he not only had to erect a four-story building, but he also had to practice Fengdu Dharma at the same time to complete his own Dharma.

Rumble!
As he concentrated his mind and visualized, the evil energy from the cave was drawn in. Changes immediately occurred in the space, with dark clouds rolling in the sky and faint flashes of lightning.

In the dark soul sea below, there was also a howling storm.

However, the influence of excessive evil energy also appeared.

Above the Soul Sea, a biting cold wind blew and ice began to condense. Before long, the entire Soul Sea was frozen and spread towards Luofeng Mountain.

If the spiritual space is frozen, it means that the yin and yang are out of balance, which also means that Li Yan has completely failed this time.

The density of the Yin Sha Qi was somewhat beyond Li Yan's expectations.

However, he was not worried and just watched from the sidelines.

Soon, the ice covered Luofeng Mountain and began to spread along the temple, from the first floor to the second floor, and then upwards.

Rumble!
The thunder in the sky became more and more violent.

At this moment, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes.

Click!
A bolt of lightning connected the sky and the earth, falling from the air and directly shattering a piece of ice in the soul sea.

Then, there was more thunder.

This is the opportunity Li Yan has been waiting for.

The two energies of Yin and Yang check and balance each other, and transform into each other, so Yin gives birth to Yang. As long as you guard the soul, Yin and Yang will always be balanced.

This is also the essence of Luofengjing practice.

And outside, there were also constant strange phenomena.

Unconsciously, Li Yan's whole body was covered with ice, but at this moment the ice was completely shattered and fell to the ground with a crash.

The time has come, and Li Yan also began to chant the mantra.

"I sincerely pay my respects to you. I am in the Northern Palace, and my duties are in the capital of Hell. I am in charge of judging life and death, rewarding the good and punishing the evil without fail, judging merits and demerits, punishing the wicked and rewarding the good without bias, suppressing the dark mountains and rivers in the north, and observing the bright world in the middle cave..."

This is the "Fengdu Treasure Edict". He recited this sutra in order to borrow the power of the Northern Yin Fengdu Emperor to rebuild the shrine.

Rumble!
As the scriptures were recited, thunder roared in the spiritual space, and all the ice on the soul sea was shattered.

And outside in the cave, a strong wind blew again.

But at this moment, something strange happened.

The "Bai Yujing" ornament in front of Li Yan suddenly vibrated and the surrounding strong winds seemed to be attracted and all drilled into the holes on it.

Suddenly, clouds and mist rolled around the "Bai Yujing" figurine.

At the same time, in the spiritual space, a white jade mountain was looming above the sea of ​​clouds...

(End of this chapter)