I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 343 Shared Misfortune, One Life, Two Lives

A volume of scriptures for saving people can tell you about their past lives.

The sect leader of the Yin Corpse Sect was originally named Qiu Xiansheng, who was the first martial arts champion during the reign of Emperor Tianzhi of the Dayong Dynasty.

Qiu Xiansheng possessed superhuman strength from a young age. People said that his bones were like a dragon and his muscles like a tiger. If he were to join the army during a chaotic era, he would surely be a dragon and tiger, and his name would resound throughout the ages.

However, Qiu Xiansheng was born at the time of the founding of the Dayong Dynasty.

Being born at the wrong time is no exception.

At that time, the Eight Banners Marshal heard of Qiu Xiansheng's abilities and repeatedly asked Emperor Tianzhi to recommend him to the Nancuo battlefield so that he could guard the frontier with him.

Emperor Tianzhi had long heard that Qiu Xiansheng's martial arts talent was unmatched, and that this person might one day reach the realm of martial arts genius.

Emperor Tianzhi repeatedly tested Qiu Xiansheng, but he discovered that the boy had lofty ambitions and was extremely intelligent.

If he were a general, his talent for command would likely be no less than anyone else's. Now that the Great Yong Dynasty has established its rule over the world and eliminated the scourge of Nancuo, the country is at peace. The nation does not need a second Eight Banners Marshal, nor does it need someone who might be beyond the control of Emperor Tianzhi.

Emperor Tianzhi considered himself too old, while Qiu Xiansheng was still young and vigorous. If he were to send Qiu Xiansheng to be trained as a marshal of the Eight Banners, his descendants would likely find it difficult to control him.
With many concerns, Emperor Tianzhi suppressed Qiu Xiansheng's ambitions and assigned him redundant and miscellaneous tasks, keeping Qiu Xiansheng busy day and night and leaving him no time to practice martial arts.

Qiu Xiansheng was no ordinary man; he sensed the superior's intentions and understood that the road ahead was blocked.

Over time, Qiu Xiansheng gradually became disheartened.

One night, he finally made up his mind, set fire to the official residence he used for official business, and then traveled light, abandoning his family and property, leaving the capital to seek immortality.

At this time, Qiu Xiansheng already had a good wife bestowed upon him by Emperor Tianzhi, and they had a son and a daughter, but he resolutely abandoned his wife.

In Qiu Xiansheng's eyes, since he could not achieve great things and become a general or marshal revered by thousands, he might as well sever his ties with the mortal world and seek the path to immortality!

It was destined that Qiu Xian would have this connection with immortals. After three years of seeking immortals and visiting the Dao, Qiu Xian met a Daoist named Zhuang Tongsheng in Weizhou Prefecture.

At that time, Weizhou was suffering from a drought. When Zhuang Tongsheng passed through the area, he told the prefect that he needed to find nine bold boys born in the year of the dragon to serve as servants.

He then found several lizards and put them in the jar, and then twisted a rope that was exactly fifty-two feet long by hand for later use.

Then Zhuang Tongsheng ascended the altar and chanted incantations. Before long, thick clouds indeed rose from the east, layer upon layer, seemingly endless.

Zhuang Tongsheng quickly tied a boy to the end of a rope and fed him several pills to calm his mind, soothe his soul, and enhance his strength. Then he made the boy hold the jar tightly and not let go under any circumstances.

Zhuang Tongsheng then used his whisk to lift the boy's body and toss him into the clouds.

The boy reached the top of the dark clouds, but instead of falling, he seemed to be held aloft by the clouds.

Upon seeing this, Zhuang Tongsheng immediately shouted to the remaining eight boys below the altar, "Pull the rope quickly! If you're slow, the rain will stop!"

Eight children pulled the rope with all their might, and at that moment the rope seemed to be fishing for a hundred-pound giant turtle, making it extremely difficult!
At this moment, the rolling clouds in the sky looked just like struggling fish, and the eight children were like anglers pulling the clouds south when they went north, and east when they went west.

A short while later, the sounds of wind, thunder, and rain arrived simultaneously. The eight children heard the adults shouting for rain, so they worked even harder. Before long, the rain poured down like a torrential downpour, and the water in the vat placed by the Taoist priest in front of the altar was already more than a foot deep.

At this moment, the roar of a true dragon could be faintly heard from the clouds that were pulled down by ropes, followed by several bolts of lightning falling from the clouds and striking Zhuang Tongsheng, who was performing the ritual on the altar.

Zhuang Tongsheng didn't take it seriously. He used his feather fan to block the water from the left and right. After about three or five times, the water in the vat was about a foot and a half full. Zhuang Tongsheng then ordered the eight boys to loosen the ropes.

At the same time, the Taoist priest looked up at the sky, clasped his hands in a deep bow, and said:

"On behalf of the people here, I thank the Dragon Lord. From now on, the people will also offer incense to the Dragon Lord to express their gratitude for the help he provided today."

The thunder in the sky gradually dissipated, and the dark clouds overhead let out a reluctant, even somewhat resentful, howl before carrying the rolling clouds eastward.

When the wind cleared and the rain stopped, some onlookers asked where the boy who served as bait in the sky was now, wondering if he had been eaten by the Dragon King.
A commotion erupted among the crowd, but just then, a child's cry suddenly came from a nearby rooftop:

"I'm here! What a huge dragon! What a huge dragon in the sky!"

It turned out that before leaving, the Dragon King of the Clouds had not forgotten to send down a wisp of wind to lift the child and help him land safely.

Among the crowd, Qiu Xiansheng's eyes gleamed with admiration after witnessing the scene.

Seeing that this Taoist priest has the ability to summon wind and rain and tame dragons and tigers, what else could he be but an immortal?
Qiu Xiansheng was convinced that this was his destiny, so he stepped forward and bowed, wanting Zhuang Tongsheng to accept him as a disciple.

However, Zhuang Tongsheng did not take it seriously, but the prefect, who was on the side, was displeased and sent his yamen runners to drive Qiu Xiansheng away.

The latter was not annoyed and simply waited outside the state government office.

When Zhuang Tongsheng finished his thank-you banquet and was about to leave, Qiu Xiansheng followed him without saying a word, day or night, rain or shine.

Whenever Zhuang Tongsheng stopped to meditate, he would kneel not far away and wait. As soon as Zhuang Tongsheng got up and started to move, he would follow him like a stalker, pestering him relentlessly.

Finally, upon returning to Lotus Mountain, Zhuang Tongsheng sighed, "You have attachments in your heart, and your worldly desires have not been extinguished. How can you cultivate the true Dharma?"

"How can you be so sure that I still have worldly desires? I have given up my official position and left my wife and children in order to seek the path to immortality. Doesn't that show my sincerity?"

Zhuang Tongsheng chuckled and said, "Very well, seeing how devout you are, if I don't give you a chance, it would seem that I am heartless."

"Today, I will take you up the mountain to become a wandering cultivator. If you can truly guard your original mind and endure the solitude during this time, I will consider taking you under my wing and teaching you the methods of cultivation."

Qiu Xiansheng clearly did not know what Zhuang Tongsheng meant by "staying true to one's original intention."

Upon arriving at the mountain gate, Qiu Xiansheng was arranged to stay in a separate cave dwelling. It was called a cave dwelling, but it was actually just a cave with only a bed, a table, and a stool inside. That was all.

In the first two months, Qiu Xiansheng was able to endure the loneliness, and even without the immortal master's teachings, he was still able to keep his true self.

But after half a year, Qiu Xiansheng, who had not learned the true skills, was already feeling extremely frustrated and thought that it was more comfortable to be busy in the government office than to be in this place.

On that very day, a young lady dressed in a pink jacket and skirt came to Qiu Xiansheng's residence.

The young lady, with a face like a peach blossom and skin like solidified cream, claimed that she had come to Yuchi Temple with her family to fulfill her father's vow, but somehow she had lost her way and ended up here.

Qiu Xiansheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up to greet him. Before he could speak, a thunderclap was heard outside the cave, followed by a torrential downpour.

"This rain is so sudden! Miss, it's damp and cold in the mountains, and there's wind and rain outside. I'm not afraid, but I'm worried that you'll get wet and catch a cold. If you don't mind, you can rest in my cave for a while until the wind and rain stop, and then I'll see you off."

The young lady quickly thanked her, then smiled shyly and sat down on the stone bench.

At this moment, in the small cave, a lone man and woman, the man radiating warmth and the woman exuding the fragrance of rouge, began to create an enchanting atmosphere.

The two had no other topics to discuss. Qiu Xiansheng asked the young lady if she was married, and she replied that she was still unmarried.

Just as she was about to finish speaking, the young lady suddenly raised her head, her face flushed, and said, "If I were to marry, I would want to marry a fine young man like you, sir."

Oh!

Seeing the young lady's shy yet happy expression, Qiu Xiansheng's desire flared up, and he forgot all about seeking immortality and upholding his principles.

Outside the cave, wind and rain raged.

Inside the cave, clouds and rain churned.

As the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Qiu Xiansheng suddenly noticed a figure standing outside the cave entrance. The figure's tone betrayed disappointment:

"In the end, you failed to stay true to yourself. Very well, you may go down the mountain tomorrow."

After saying this, the Taoist priest turned and left.

Qiu Xiansheng felt a pang of regret. Although he felt disappointed, he was not too disheartened. If he could go down the mountain with the young lady in front of him, become husband and wife, live a wealthy life, and be inseparable, it would not be a bad choice.

However, when Qiu Xiansheng looked back, there was no trace of the young lady on the bed; instead, there was a life-sized scarecrow!
Qiu Xiansheng was filled with shame. How could he not know that this was a test from the True Man? If he passed this test, he would have a path to immortality; if he failed...
Unfortunately, there is no regret medicine in the world.

Qiu Xiansheng had no face to stay on the mountain. He left Lotus Mountain in a sorry state. When he returned to the capital, he learned that he had died in a fire five years ago.

It is utterly absurd that a martial arts champion would die in a fire.

However, Qiu Xiansheng dared not show himself. If he did, he would be guilty of dereliction of duty and deceiving the emperor, which would only bring trouble upon himself.

Helpless, Qiu Xiansheng searched high and low, only to discover that his wife had remarried, and that person was none other than his former best colleague.

On that day, heavy snow fell. Qiu Xiansheng bought wine, drank it heartily, and left with a loud laugh.

After that, Qiu Xiansheng continued his search for immortals and the Dao.

Years later, on another snowy night, Qiu Xiansheng met Venerable Fulu.

And it was at this moment that the ill-fated relationship between Venerable Fulu and Qiu Xiansheng began to take shape.
After Xu Qing finished reading the revolving scroll of the Yin Corpse Sect Master, the Salvation Scripture continued to turn its pages, but this time, what appeared before him were the memories of Venerable Fulu.

The Venerable Fu Lu was originally chosen by the celestial maiden Nüba to walk among humans, and the names Fu Lu were also given by Nüba.

Before this, Venerable Fu Lu was a variety show performer in a troupe of spirit mediums, named Lady Bottle.

Besides Lady Bottle, the troupe also includes a dwarf, twins, and a snake beauty who is boneless and resembles a snake.

The Bottle Lady has a beautiful, delicate head, but her body is that of a blue-and-white porcelain bottle with a slender neck. To ordinary people, this appearance would only be a novelty and would not evoke any other thoughts.

However, in such a vast world, there are always people with unusual hobbies.

On this day, Lady Ping was applying makeup backstage. She didn't need anyone's help; she could simply use the ends of her hair to roll up the powder box and rouge for her makeup.

At that moment, the troupe leader suddenly sent someone to inform him that the young master of the Zhang family had come to see him and had spent two hundred taels of silver to have Lady Ping accompany him.

Lady Ping didn't think much of it until she met Young Master Zhang, at which point she realized that he was only after her beauty and wanted to have a fleeting affair with her.

At that time, Lady Ping was inexperienced in matters of love and had never experienced the pleasures of men and women, so she readily agreed to Zhang Gongzi's advances.

We don't know how a bottle, a cup, and a seven-foot-tall man made love, but ever since then, the bottle lady's appetite has decreased by half an ounce, and we don't know what delicious food she secretly ate.

Unfortunately, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever, let alone a theater troupe, which is open to all sorts of people.

Not long after, the young mistress of the Zhang family came to the door, wanting to vent her anger on Lady Ping.

Although the troupe leader came from the underworld, he dared not go against the young mistress of the Zhang family. You must know that the young mistress came from the Langya Wang clan, a proper and prestigious family.

When the young mistress of the Zhang family found Lady Bottle, she immediately ordered her servants to smash the bottle in which Lady Bottle was being held!
Her remaining body, soaked in water and urine, was thrown into the river, and from then on, the opera troupe had no more Bottle Lady.

As fate would have it, Lady Bottle drifted along the underground river with the currents in the water, and wandered all the way.

After an unknown amount of time, when the Bottle Lady opened her eyes again from her coma, she found that she had a new pottery jar as clothing, and that there was an unusual bone in her head.

In front of Lady Ping, there was a bronze coffin of special material, decorated with patterns of ancient battlefields.

Upon seeing Lady Ping awaken, a woman's voice could be heard coming from inside the coffin.

The woman claimed to be the celestial maiden Nüba, a righteous deity in charge of disasters.
Lady Bottle was given the name Fulu by Nüba, and from then on she cultivated the path of the Corpse Monster according to Nüba's guidance.

Despite her strange appearance, Fu Lu Nu is quite capable. After only a few years of cultivation, she became a powerful flying zombie. Not only is her soul immortal, but she can also fly through the air and move freely between heaven and earth.
On this day, Fu Lu Nu was riding the wind and strolling in the sky, as instructed by Nü Ba, when she suddenly bumped into an old woman standing on the clouds in front of her.

The old woman, with white hair and wrinkled skin, wearing an old Taoist robe, was also gliding through the air.

Fu Lu Nu was overjoyed and said, "The Heavenly Maiden is indeed incredibly resourceful. Flying along this mountain range, I indeed encountered an old woman."

According to Nüba, this was a senior with unfathomable cultivation.

She hurried a few steps to stop the cloud, bowed deeply, and called the old woman "Master," wanting to follow her and learn her true skills.

"Where did this treacherous child come from! Do you even know who I am? How dare you block my way?"

"Senior, please forgive me. I have come here on the orders of the Heavenly Maiden Nüba to serve you."

"Having refined the Yellow Court Skull, my soul has reached a state of immortality. I know that you are seeking a destined person to wield the precious treasure that the King of Hell has bestowed upon the mortal realm."

"This body of mine was created by a celestial maiden, making me perfectly suited to be the one destined for tribulation!"

Upon hearing the name "Nüba," the old woman's eyebrows shot up, and she cursed, "You scoundrel! In this time of great calamity, a deity in charge of disasters should be in seclusion and lying low! How dare she jump out and interfere in human affairs?"
Does she intend for everything she passes to be left barren and desolate, with not a blade of grass growing in her wake?

After cursing the demon, the old woman looked at the woman with disgust in her old eyes and said coldly, "Look at your bloodthirsty aura, you must be practicing some kind of evil and heretical path! Even if I were to take a mountain spirit or wild monster as my disciple, I would never take such a filthy thing as you, who would disgrace my family!"

Upon hearing this, the woman of fortune and prosperity immediately changed her expression and said, "My body was bestowed upon me by a celestial maiden; even a terrestrial immortal is no better than me! If you don't want to take me as your disciple, fine, I don't care. But why do you have to insult me ​​like this?"

Even after finishing her sentence, Fu Lu Nu was still not satisfied. She continued, "Nü Ba, who traversed the heavens and earth and sensed the earth's veins to connect with the netherworld, created my body. This body is the perfect match for the treasures of the underworld. You are old and blind, unable to recognize true gold. It is no pity that you do not become my disciple!"

The old woman, enraged, laughed coldly, "What a foolish and ignorant brat! If I were to entrust my grand plan to someone who is neither human nor ghost, I would be out of my mind. For the sake of the Heavenly Maiden, I will spare you this time. But if I happen to see you again, I will grind you to dust and save you from sullying my eyes!"

Before she finished speaking, the old woman waved her sleeve, and a gust of wind rose from the ground, slamming the woman down from mid-air like swatting flies!
Fu Lu Nu never expected that this old woman would be so disrespectful to the heavenly maiden.

She was powerless to resist the old woman's powerful water magic.

Upon landing, a crisp sound rang out as the woman fell onto the snow. The pottery jar shattered instantly, and her internal organs were exposed on the snow.

Just then, a middle-aged man with a weathered face happened to pass by.

The man's name was Qiu Xiansheng, a wanderer who had been seeking immortality and enlightenment for more than ten years.

Qiu Xiansheng found it very strange that Fu Lu Nu was alive despite having no body, and thought that this might be some kind of magic.

He found a new vase for Fu Lu Nu to use as a vessel. Through conversation, the two learned that they had both been rejected by enlightened masters and felt a deep sense of sympathy for each other.

However, Fu Lu Nu never regarded Qiu Xiansheng as the same kind of person. After all, she was created by the celestial maiden Kui Ba, while Qiu Xiansheng, although he had good physique, was just an ordinary martial artist.

Fu Lu Nu taught Qiu Xiansheng the Xuanmen cultivation techniques, and in exchange, Qiu Xiansheng became Fu Lu Nu's henchman, the new sect leader of the Yin Corpse Sect, and recruited many disciples to expand and strengthen the sect, all in order to select a young body suitable for Fu Lu Nu to possess.

Only Qiu Xiansheng understood that it was the old woman's vicious words that had touched Fu Lu Nu's heart, making her feel like a monster, which was why she was so stubbornly trying to find the best body.

This is also why Venerable Fulu later refused to reveal his true appearance and insisted on traveling in a cloud-borne palanquin.

(End of this chapter)