The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 15 "Southwest" Scenery

A desolate wind began to rise in Lin Yuan Mountain, and the number of Taoist priests and servants coming and going on the mountain path increased.

The blue-robed Taoist disciples in the inner courtyard also frequently went up and down the mountain.

Li Qing had just received a reply from the Foreign Affairs Office and was on her way there.

He originally intended to enter the Western Wilderness Burial Mountain, but the two heads of the Imperial Guard had already led their teams deep into the Western Wilderness.

As a junior disciple of the outer courtyard, he was unable to catch up with the Imperial Edict Academy and had to go to Tiannan Prefecture to collect his official seal on his own!

However, before leaving the mountain, Li Qing still needed to prepare the spiritual materials, pills, and other talismans required for the rest of the journey...

Upon entering the outer affairs hall, a cacophony of noise immediately filled the air, with numerous figures moving back and forth, most of them exchanging the pills they needed within the hall.

Li Qing stepped inside slowly, and before long, the young girl who had followed Ma Daotu that day came to greet her. At this moment, she had changed into a Taoist's blue robe, indicating that she had entered the Qi Refining Realm.

This young girl... her Taoist disciple also has the surname Ma, but it is unknown whether she and Ma Yuan are from the same clan.

"Senior Brother Li's arrival is just in time; the commissions and procurement for the Five Directions Entering the Dao Hall have just been completed..."

"The things you need, Senior Brother, have been prepared!"

The girl in green led the way and soon brought Li Qing into one of the side rooms.

This time, the spiritual materials that Senior Brother Li ordered were quite precious, and there could be no mistakes.

The top-grade Sun-Radiant Cinnabar and East Sea Broken Silver, with a total value of nearly three thousand Dao Zhu, are almost equivalent to the combined wealth of dozens of students entering the Dao Hall in the Outer Court.

Of course, it was not easy to gather three thousand coins. Even with the entire mountain lord's hide, Li Qing had accumulated enough materials to barely make up the difference.

He also cleared the more than one hundred merit points in the disciple's life tablet and exchanged them for three Yellow Sprout Pills!
The girl surnamed Ma counted the two sets of spiritual materials and the Dao coins on Li Qing's side one by one, nodded slightly, and after putting the jade slip into the account, she seemed to suddenly remember something.

"If Senior Brother Li really wants to go to the Western Wilderness, he can actually take on another mission at the External Affairs Hall."

"A month ago, the temple issued four more semi-permanent tasks, one of which was the Western Mang Burial Mountain!"

"This mission is based on the amount of loot obtained. Taking a pair of corpse teeth from the Corpse Cave Old Corpse counts as one kill, while taking the pelts of Corpse Dogs and Ghost Foxes counts as one kill. When submitting loot, it will also be calculated with double the Dao merit."

This was one of the four major tasks previously assigned by the temple. However, now that the five temples, both internal and external, have taken over the tasks of opening up the Yuanhe River and the southwestern mountains, each temple and hall has taken over the task of opening up the Western Mang Corpse Cave. Few people have paid attention to this task yet.

After all, tasks that rely solely on the principle of gain often result in wasted trips and have never been popular among many Taoist followers!
Li Qing didn't mind. He thanked the girl and simply accepted the task.

His purpose in entering the Western Wilderness was to acquire the lifespan of demons and ghosts, and to refine a life-extending paper lamp to cultivate the Longevity Lamp Technique. Corpse demons were naturally also among his targets. He would take on a task to collect and capture spoils in the mountains, and then enter the capital of Tiannan Prefecture to receive another military order from the governor's mansion...

You can get double the reward.

However, the Western Mang Corpse Cave has always been dangerous, and almost every year, Taoist disciples from the temple perish in the chaotic corpse mountain of Western Mang.

In the former dynasty's Ximang County, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians perished and were buried outside the city. After the chaos of the Five Dynasties, the new dynasty was established in various parts of Tiandu. Looking back, when the land was surveyed, the Shenyuan Ghost River and the mass grave of corpses had been infested with great evil spirits. Even with the mobilization of troops, it was difficult to subdue them. The only option was to let the cultivators of each prefecture deal with them on their own.

Li Qing bid farewell to the newly recruited "Ma Dao Tu" and put the two bushels of Sun-Radiant Vermilion and the ingot of East Sea Silver used to refine the spirit lamp into his sleeve. He then turned and walked down the mountain.

The young "horse-riding apprentice" on duty at the outer hall had also dealt with Li Qing a few times. He knew that this senior brother always loved to take risks and possessed such strength. Unlike the others, he was not surprised or dissuaded, but simply watched the figure leave...

The Southern Kingdom is a place where, after the collapse of an ancient dynasty that spanned the entire Tiandu Continent and was revered by all paths, extraterrestrial demons descended upon the world, causing great chaos. Various overlords vied for supremacy, and after five generations of fighting, the Southern Kingdom was one of the few overlords who ultimately emerged victorious.

In the vast land of Tiandu, at the westernmost peak of the towering mountains, lies a hidden paradise, a land of abundance.

Legend has it that the Great Sun Lord—the Nine-Headed Sun Bird—traveled the heavens for sixty years before finally landing in Western Shu. To the west lies Tang Valley, where mulberry trees flourish and atop them grows a nine-headed golden crow. The descent of this divine bird was considered an auspicious omen, and thus, the Kingdom of Ba was established in Western Shu, with the nine-headed sun bird as its god of the land and grain.

The southeast is fertile and has little history of war. Its abundant waters and marshes provide a place for farming and labor, and its people are prosperous, respectful, and cultured.

"Red beans grow in the south, how many branches will sprout in spring?" This is the origin of the misty and rainy southern land. It encompasses five regions: Jiangnan, Jiangbei, Southwest, Lingnan, and the East China Sea. After eight hundred years of chaos, it finally achieved peace, and the Southern Capital was born.

North of Tiandu, spanning an entire continent, lies a landscape of majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery. Since the chaotic Five Dynasties period, the hundreds of millions of people in the northern lands have suffered daily. Above them, various warlords wage war against them; below, demons steal their food and evil spirits cause havoc. As a result, for thousands of miles in the north, not a rooster crows, and white bones are exposed in the wilderness.

However, in that desperate situation, on this desolate land, they "raised Gu" for eight hundred years... using the flesh and blood of starving people to fatten them up, and the bones of women, children and the elderly as a warm bed, until the fruit finally came into being, and the imperial dynasty called "Zhou" was born!

The Great Zhou Dynasty issued the Demon Slaughtering Order, sweeping across the six directions, annihilating the eight wastelands, destroying the ten kingdoms, obliterating the underworld, and eradicating the demon mountains, causing the demons and evil spirits of the North Sea to tremble in fear.

The man-eating demon skins and dismembers, obliterating the body; the malevolent ghost extracts the soul and refines it, lighting it like a sky lantern.

Only the virtuous are either granted the title of Mountain God or appointed as River God, to protect their respective regions... The Northern Kingdom of Tiandu is also known as the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The land of Tiandu was divided into three kingdoms, and order was reshaped, but the evil spirits and calamities that plagued the land were not so easy to solve!

The northern kingdom is majestic, yet it still needs to mobilize the entire nation to fight against the demons of the North Sea; the great battles have been ongoing throughout history.

To the west lies the Kingdom of Ba, surrounded by mountains and ancient demons, only protected by the great sun, where evil spirits can not be seen.

In the South, various schools of thought flourished, and people sought immortality beyond the mundane world. However, the southwest was plagued by witchcraft and witchcraft, Lingnan had yin soil, and the East Sea was teeming with dragons. The ancestors of the South practiced witchcraft, ghosts, and evil rituals, which were extremely difficult to cure...

After descending from Linyuan Mountain, Li Qing rowed a raft across the Yuan River. Even without the ability to open his Dharma Eye, his sensitivity to Yin and ghostly energy allowed him to roughly sense the evil aura that occasionally swept across the deep water.

Those Daoist disciples with slightly higher seniority in the outer court either entered the inner court, became disciples, and were awarded blue robes, or entered various halls. However, how easy would it be for the five-term Daoist disciples and lower-ranking Daoist disciples to deal with this Yuan River?
At least Li Qing felt that this was probably just a support task to provide some Taoist skills to the outer courtyard Taoist children and disciples.

To say that the empty shell of the Foreign Languages ​​Department has actually yielded any results?

Disaster……

As Li Qing traveled downstream along the Yuan River, he once saw the outer courtyard's treasure ship floating on the great river, with many Taoist disciples on board wielding various weapons, seemingly capturing water ghosts.

The two had no connection whatsoever. Li Qing only glanced at it briefly before the bamboo raft drifted downstream and quickly disappeared at the river mouth.

On that large ship, however, were several figures dressed in green robes, who looked at the bamboo raft below with considerable surprise, each asking in astonishment:

"Senior Sister, Senior Sister Lü, there seem to be fishermen down below?"

"How could there be anyone on this Ghost River? Decades ago, the imperial court ordered the relocation of all villages within a 30-mile radius. You must be seeing things."

"Senior brother, don't scare me. Could it be that you're being haunted by a ghost?"

"Look for yourself, it's still one of the nuns from our temple!" The Taoist disciples on the boat didn't believe it at first and started bickering.

Just as the tall woman, who had three or four swollen water ghosts suspended by soul-binding chains, hurried over from the water's edge of the treasure ship, everyone boarded the bow and indeed saw the bamboo raft gradually disappearing into the distance.

"Huh? That's it!"

Having already reached the middle stage of Qi Refining, the inner disciple, Lü Qingshu, dressed in a blue Dharma robe, recognized the figure she had recently encountered.

At this time, Lü Qingshu had not yet entered the inner courtyard. Coincidentally, due to the conquest of Tiannan Prefecture, the temple was going to expand the four courtyards into five courtyards, and the outer courtyards would be promoted to the same level as the inner courtyards.

Instead of going to the inner courtyard to study under the top-level Qi Refining disciples, she seized the opportunity to become a disciple of the head of the outer courtyard, the Purple Mansion Daoist, thus becoming a superior person in the outer courtyard.

Upon seeing Li Qing again, he was utterly annoyed, rolled his eyes at the figure, and turned back to say:
"Isn't that Ghostly Gentleman - Li Qing!"

"This guy is incredibly sinister; all evil spirits would avoid him..."

She had only crossed paths with Li Qing once in Lanfeng Prefecture, and yet she had been unlucky for two months, suffering both financial losses and misfortunes, as if she had been haunted by evil spirits. She was repeatedly frustrated, almost making her question the meaning of life.

This guy is too wicked!

"Ignore that guy."

As the only blue-robed disciple of that year, Lü Qingshu was naturally the most influential person on the entire treasure ship.

After dispersing the many Taoist followers, they each took on their own tasks, using talismans to exorcise ghosts and soul-binding chains to capture water ghosts in this river area...

Li Qing was completely unaware of what was happening behind her, and simply drifted downstream, heading due south towards Tiannan Prefecture.

Since the beginning of this river, the waters have spread out, and it should have been a vast expanse of fertile land. However, this place is filled with dilapidated villages that have been abandoned by people.

After the establishment of the Southern Tang Dynasty, a population census and land survey were conducted. Naturally, they also considered completely resolving the problem of the Shenyuan Ghost River, which spanned three prefectures. However, the cost of governance was simply too high. It was not easy to persuade the secluded sects to cooperate, so it was better to relocate the people and save on expenses.

Relocating people and changing households—this is how the Southern Kingdom deals with the calamities caused by the Yuan River and the Yin Earth Ghosts!

However, this has led to the desolation of this water-rich area in the southwest, a place truly teeming with evil spirits.

Long pythons coil around bamboo shoots, poisonous insects hang from branches, poisonous miasma covers the ground, yellow-skinned creatures possess spirits, foxes and wolves stand upright, digging up wild graves and destroying abandoned houses. Wearing skull ornaments and carrying rusty kitchen knives and hoes, they walk through the long-abandoned villages, behaving like humans, extremely eerie.

Along the way, the Ghost-Slaying Whip in his sleeve moved gracefully, stirring up true energy. Wherever he encountered strangely behaving demons, they were all destroyed by Li Qing.

He's not afraid of anything strange or eerie; who would avoid him if they saw him? It's hard to say.

As they traversed the uninhabited forbidden zone of the south, the howls of wolves and the cries of monkeys could be heard from time to time in the desolate wilderness. In the darkness, the cold, beastly eyes met the cold white light, but after only a brief look, they retreated abruptly.

These things have developed some basic intelligence!

Under the cover of night, dressed in green and carrying a lantern, he walked through the dark night, ignoring the pairs of gleaming vertical pupils in the darkness, until he entered the area of ​​many villages in the south, where this situation barely disappeared.

This is the true Southern Land, a vast wilderness sparsely populated and teeming with evil spirits.

Following the Yuan River downstream and traversing the uninhabited area, it would only take a day and a night to reach Tiannan Prefecture. That's why Li Qing chose this shortcut that no one usually takes.

Tiannan Temple is located in the southwest corner of Tiannan Prefecture, at the entrance to the mountains, while the capital of Tiannan Prefecture is built at the southernmost tip of the entire prefecture. The two most powerful forces protect this prefecture, its three sub-prefectures, and its twenty-seven counties, blocking most of the dangers from that southern corner.

Just as dawn broke, Li Qing leaped over the fence, which was about two zhang high and separated the desolate wilderness from the outside world, and entered the village. On the road, a group of nearly a hundred black-armored knights were heading north in billowing dust. On the boundless flat black soil, farmers were already working in the fields!

The blue ox, which resembled a giant beast, was nearly ten feet tall, with its two horns coiled and pointing to the sky. It was no less powerful than the mountain lord that Li Qing had seen that day. This was one of the beasts of the Southern Kingdom, the blue ox!
The Southern Kingdom inherited the traditions of the ancient dynasty and promoted the Six Arts of the Imperial Academy: the Five Rites, the Six Musics, the Five Archery Techniques, the Five Charioteering Techniques, the Six Scripts, and the Nine Numbers.

The Five Emperors, also known as the Five Charioteers, are respectively the one who dances with phoenixes, the one who follows the water's bend, the one who wields the emperor's majesty, the one who dances at the crossroads, and the one who chases birds to the left and right.

It is said that when traveling by chariot, the sounds of phoenixes and beasts echoed each other; the chariots ridden by beasts sped along winding banks without falling into the water; and the ceremonies were more dignified than those of emperors and nobles; they could drive freely through narrow paths and dangerous places; and when hunting, they chased after birds and beasts, shooting them with both hands.

First, the mind can be in sync with the beast; second, the skill of controlling the beast allows for free movement; third, the way of controlling the beast is majestic and beautiful; fourth, it enables one to escape from dangerous situations; and fifth, it provides skills in hunting, weaponry, and combat.

These five rites, six music, five archery techniques, and five charioteering techniques are the foundation of the Southern Kingdom!
Furthermore, the Beast Taming Immortal Sect, a group of reclusive scholars, offered the art of beast taming, which was incorporated into the fourth and fifth of the Six Arts of the National Scholar.

Thus, there were great generals of the southern navy who could ride dragons and overturn the seas and sky, and noble sons who rode roc horses and rose with the wind, truly achieving the dream of traveling to the North Sea in the morning and to Cangwu in the evening.

Each prefecture possessed a variety of beasts to ride: knights from the south rode scaled horses, armored soldiers from the southwest rode tigers and bears, strongmen from the north rode eagles, and the naval forces of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers led sharks and dolphins; this was known as the Imperial Academy's Beast-Riding Techniques.

Tiannan Prefecture introduced the "Azure Ox," a mythical beast, to replace the ordinary government oxen. These oxen, as large as small hills, could be fed only ordinary grass, yet possessed the strength to shake mountains. Rented to various villages and towns, a single ox could expand farmland by a hundred acres, enough to support the soldiers and civilians of an entire prefecture across several counties!
Before entering the Dao, Li Qing had also studied the Six Arts of the Imperial Academy, among which he was particularly good at the Five Chariots and Five Books. He had the ability to chariote the beasts. At a glance, he could tell that the blue oxen had shiny fur, gentle expressions, and were powerful and vigorous, making them superior beasts.

Li Qing glanced at them from afar and saw that the soldiers and civilians in the countryside seemed to have noticed him. Not wanting to disturb them, he silently left the village.

Within the high walls lies a fertile land conquered by generations of southerners; beyond the high fence lies a desolate forbidden zone, a forest of various kinds, teeming with evil spirits, insects and beasts, lurking in the shadows, and forbidden to the living. At all times, an unknown danger is lurking, eager to break into that fertile land and feast on it!
This indescribable sense of separation is truly alarming.

Li Qing did not linger for long and headed north along the imperial road.

Before noon, they entered the capital and found an inn to wash up and rest. By late afternoon, they had just arrived at the governor's mansion to register and take charge.

"Huh? You're actually a Taoist disciple from Tiannan Temple? Didn't your temple's Taoist soldiers already infiltrate the Western Mang Corpse Cave a month ago?"

When the official in charge of affairs was registering Li Qing's identity, he couldn't help but wonder, "Are there any Daoist disciples from the Upper Temple who are alone?"

Before Li Qing could return, the clerk suddenly noticed his blue robes and realized what was going on.

So you're just a disciple from the outer courtyard. No wonder. With such cultivation, you really can't venture deep into that man-eating cave.

Most of them are looking for peripheral commissions!
The official did not make things difficult for the Taoist disciples of the upper temple. He quickly processed Li Qing's Taoist registration, leaving only a record of his background, and then returned it along with an official decree.

"He held the title of 'Preparatory Minister,' equivalent to a military commander."

"Alright, head out the door and go straight down that main street to the Military Governor's Office to wait!"

"The soldiers of all the tribes are in the Governor's Office. You can carefully select which battalion of soldiers to choose to go to the Western Mang battlefield. After all, it concerns your life and fortune, doesn't it?"

After quickly finishing reciting the official order to enter the Western Barbarian Lands, Li Qing headed to the Governor's Mansion to join the army on the expedition...

(End of this chapter)