The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 151 Injuring others is for the purpose of saving others
"Fellow Daoist Youhuang, please!"

The Green Toad Taoist gazed at the end of the vermilion corridor, his eyes gleaming. With a flick of his sleeve, he invited the young man to enter.

The founding ceremony was still proceeding in an orderly manner, but those with some Taoist cultivation all focused their attention on the young Taoist holding the golden book.

who is he?
The Taoist Youhuang of Tiannan Temple?

He was adorned with seven stars on his crown, phoenixes and butterflies adorning his hair, and he wore the Taiyi Jiangzhen robe. With a stride like a dragon and a tiger, he carried the golden scroll of Daoist scriptures, resembling Han Quezi from the Yun Gui Palace, and was in no way inferior to the Qing Chan Patriarch.

If we were to say that this Green Toad Ancestor was like a mayfly that glimpsed the heavens and attained enlightenment, possessing the appearance of a Kunpeng.

Then this Daoist Youhuang must have come from the deep pavilion of the Moon Palace in another world. His pure aura lingered around the dust of the court. When he looked into those dark eyes, it was as if he had seen a tranquil cold spring.

"Greetings, Venerable One! This humble Taoist bows in reverence!"

Li Qing raised the golden book with the five fingers of his right hand, holding it up to shoulder height. He then made a hand seal with his left hand and bowed to the Green Toad Taoist.

Originating from a village in the southwest, and now holding the position of the first patriarch of the Five Poisons Sect, standing on equal footing with the abbots of several immortal sects, this Green Toad Daoist certainly deserves the respect of all sects.

Even Li Qing was no exception; he bowed and addressed the other person as "Sir."

"it is good."

The Five Poisons Ancestor, Qingchan Daoist, nodded slightly, waiting for the young man to approach before turning and heading towards the highest platform.

The two appeared and engaged in their own battles, but the three Purple Mansion Poison Gu Daoists on the side all had unusual expressions.

The first to be affected was the Gu Daoist. In the midst of his busy schedule, he personally went to pay his respects to this True Disciple Li, and even kindly presented him with two pretty female disciples to play with. However, this was exposed to his teacher instead, and he was lucky that he didn't get slapped twice on the spot.

At this moment, Gu Daoren felt extremely aggrieved. As the eldest disciple of the Five Poisons Sect, he had to manage many affairs. The various rules and regulations of the Southern Kingdom alone were an extremely terrifying pressure for him.

Luo Wang and Lin Shuyi behind him also felt complicated emotions.

The three of them, all at the Purple Mansion level, regardless of whether they valued the Five Poisons Sect's renowned artifacts or secretly colluded with the Southern Kingdom's court and Lin Yuan Immortal Mountain, dared not show any other expression when the Azure Toad Ancestor expressed his dissatisfaction.

Three pairs of eyes calmly turned to Li Qing, watching him ascend the grand ceremony platform and stand alongside the Azure Toad Ancestor.

Naturally, many poison masters and Gu practitioners were resentful. They roamed the southern lands and regarded their ancestor as a god, but what qualifications did that young man have to stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancestor?

Is this how arrogant Tiannan Shangguan is?

The resounding golden bells and red drums echoed through the Qingdu Mountains, the blazing sun making the audience suffer under the scorching sun.

The Azure Toad Ancestor raised his right hand, and the Azure Toad Gu on the back of his hand let out a "croak" and spat out a stream of Azure Jade Gu Qi. With a burst of the Azure Toad Ancestor's magic power, the faint jade Qi immediately turned into a cloud of green smoke that billowed up into the sky. Within a thousand miles, wherever there were clouds, they were all drawn away by the Azure Jade Gu Qi.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the swirling clouds were captured and gathered on the two peaks, condensing into a canopy that stretched for miles, completely blocking out the scorching sun!

The sky was clear and blue, and the clouds formed a canopy that covered a hundred miles. Such methods were comparable to changing the world and could be compared to the work of a Yin God or a True Man.

Or perhaps, even a top-tier Purple Mansion Daoist who specializes in "field" could barely manage it!

Li Qing raised an eyebrow and glanced up at the auspicious cloud canopy. He then climbed to the top of the platform and slowly approached the Green Toad Taoist.

"The Venerable One showed compassion and used his great power to subdue Qingyun and stop the remaining evil of that sun. He truly has the demeanor of a cultivator!"

Looking at the Green Toad Daoist now, his aura was contained within his chest, without the slightest fluctuation, and his face showed no abnormality. However, such a spell must have consumed a lot of magical power.

"Young master, please."

Qingchan Daoist didn't respond, but pointed to his side with his right hand, inviting this Li Zhenchuan to come forward and perform.

The founding ceremony of the Five Poisons Sect does not require any proclamation to Heaven or worship of the ancestral master.

They, along with others of the Gu poison lineage, take from nature and use it in the world, adhering to the original natural way. They only await the true teachings of the Tiannan Shangguan to "bestow" the Taoist scriptures and golden books, adding the name of the Five Poisons Sect into them.

This unorthodox approach was naturally recognized by the prefectures in the southwest!
"Ah."

Li Qing lowered her eyes and followed the invitation of the Green Toad Taoist to go to the high platform.

The platform has seven steps, which is a real number. Stepping onto the center of the platform, the golden bell on the side is ringing, and the sound of gongs and drums gradually fades away. A solemn atmosphere flows between the two peaks, and the Taoists watching the ceremony below immediately stop their noisy discussions and focus their attention on the platform.

The legal principles behind this founding ceremony originated from here!
This is the recognition of one of the unorthodox sects by the Five Immortal Sects.

Ascending to the high platform and gazing at the horizon, Li Qing held a golden book in his hand, looking down between the two peaks. The clear breath between his lips and teeth involuntarily manifested the profound yin energy, which slowly condensed into frost beside him.

"I am Li Qing, a humble Taoist priest from Lin Yuan Mountain."

"Today, I descend the mountain and enter the Five Poisons lineage to fulfill this ritual. It is truly thanks to the patriarch's command that I have such an honor!"

At the Five Poisons Sect Grand Ceremony, even though the Five Poisons Ancestor was somewhat unsure of his own abilities, Li Qing still showed respect to this unorthodox sect.

"Under the Dao Xuanmen of the Southern Kingdom Prefecture, there have never been many folk lineages, but those who have been able to enter the so-called unorthodox lineages are only a handful."

"The Xuanmen (mysterious sect) consists of nothing more than one path, two methods, and three laws!"

"Does the Venerable One know what the laws and regulations established by the Five Immortal Gates in the Southern Kingdom are?"

Li Qing spoke softly, her voice clear and composed, summoning the Green Toad Daoist with a command.

The spectators' gazes narrowed slightly as they looked at the Azure Toad Ancestor who was slowly ascending the stage.

"Of course I know," said the Azure Toad Ancestor, approaching from behind with an air of authority.

"The customs of the Southern Lands are different from those of the other prefectures. You all here should have heard about their usual behavior, right?"

"I am still a novice and dare not speak out of turn. I only have one thing to say: the ten laws of the Southern Kingdom’s cultivation world, namely the Four Laws of the Southern Kingdom and the Six Disciplines of the Immortal Sect, must be implemented!"

"As for the upheaval in Liuhuang Prefecture mentioned by the Venerable One at the front lines, the Second Elder of the White Bone Path used magic to trap the city of Liuhuang Prefecture, resulting in the sudden death of its inhabitants..."

"This man truly disregards the laws and regulations of the prefecture and acts recklessly; he deserves to be killed without mercy!"

As Li Qing uttered the word "kill," all the Taoists in the temple between the two peaks felt their souls tremble, almost losing their spirits to the angry sound.

Upon hearing this, the disciples below nodded in agreement, for prior warning was necessary to maintain order.

Moreover, the reputation of the Poison Gu lineage was not very good before.

"As it should be."

"The Four Laws of the Southern Kingdom and the Six Disciplines of the Immortal Sect are all respected by many unorthodox sects. How can the Five Poisons Sect be an exception?"

"Our Five Poisons Sect, though only a side sect, still has three powers: the Poison Hall, the Insect Taming Hall, and the Enforcement Hall. The Enforcement Hall shall be governed by my beloved disciple, Lin Shu, the Daoist Lin, who shall establish the rules with ruthless methods."

Qingchan Daoist surveyed the entire Daoist temple, then fixed his gaze on Lin Shuyi's head, and solemnly said.

The hermit's desire was not to dominate a region, but to promote his life's learning and establish a lineage, which is what every Taoist seeks.

Wandering between heaven and earth, searching high and low.

To acquire a skill, to seek a method, and finally to open a path—every trick and every difficulty on this path of cultivation is the result of countless years of effort.

While the pursuit of immortality may be unattainable, who wouldn't want their own words of wisdom to be passed down to future generations?

Qingchan Daoist, not wanting to make the founding ceremony too ugly, confidently made a promise regarding the matter.

"Can!"

Li Qing nodded in approval, held the golden book facing the Green Toad Daoist, and then solemnly addressed the assembled crowd:
"Everyone, this is the Five Poisons Sect of Tiannan Temple. This is the promise of the Five Poisons Ancestor, and also my own."

"From now on, I ask you all to bear witness to this statement. If we have indeed violated the Four Laws or the Six Disciplines, or committed any transgression, please submit a petition to the Five Immortal Sects and to the prefectural governors of various regions..."

Then, holding the golden book up to his shoulder, Li Qing, on behalf of the Immortal Sect, presented the book to the Green Toad Daoist.

Those who follow unorthodox paths possess techniques but lack the underlying principles, and are therefore detached from the true path.

The unorthodox school is to acquire the techniques and methods, and to open up a separate lineage on the main path. Only in this way can it be called the unorthodox school!

Qingchan Daoist held the golden book in both hands. He had experienced the considerations of three immortal sects and one demonic sect. At this moment, even an old cultivator like him could not help but feel unsettled and his breathing became rapid.

Names and titles should not be given to others without permission!
Tiannan Temple has earned its reputation, which is why the Five Poisons Sect is ranked alongside other immortal sects and can be placed in a prestigious position. What kind of cause and effect is this?

The Five Poisons Sect is the second major sect in Tiannan Prefecture. It will be a major side sect in the same order as Qingqiu Mountain in Jinping Prefecture and Yu Gui Zhong Clan in Lingnan Prefecture. How could this not make the people of Tiannan happy?

The cheers and praises from below suddenly erupted like a tsunami. The drums and gongs resounded, the bells and chimes rang out, and the singing and dancing were magnificent. The grand opening ceremony reached its climax, allowing all the spectators to witness the unique natural beauty of the South...

"The position of orthodox master in the unorthodox sect is hard-won, Venerable Master, you must not let it down!"

Li Qing slowly descended from the high platform, looked around at the Green Toad Taoist, and his ambiguous smile was full of reminders to the Taoist.

"Hmm..." "Please!"

The Green Toad Taoist gave a vague reply, then stretched out his right hand and led Li Qing to sit down in a seat to the side.

Tiannan Temple is an insurmountable obstacle for cultivators in the southwest!

Qingchan Daoist had long heard that Yin Zu had once dominated Tiandu, fighting repeatedly with the demons of the North Sea, suffering irreversible damage and losing half his lifespan, and was now on the verge of death.

Otherwise, a Taoist with such perfect Yin spirit would not have lived more than ninety years and would never have appeared as a white-bearded old man!
The fragmentary information circulating about Tiannan Temple matches up with the temple's actions over the past few years.
Having just taken his seat, the green toad feigned looking down at the singing and dancing below, then asked with a meaningful smile:
“Youhuang’s true lineage is indeed extraordinary. Judging from the number of years he has lived, he has only been practicing for eight years, yet he is already a senior figure in the martial arts world.”

"Looking at the Green Poison Mountain now, I'm afraid only that Wood King can compare to the true disciple."

As Qingchan cast his smiling gaze, Li Qing once again saw the Lijiang King under the five-colored canopy.

He wasn't familiar with this person, so he raised an eyebrow and began to examine him closely.

The green toad chuckled lightly, pointing directly at the wooden king with its right finger, and scoffed disdainfully:
"This man was born into a herding family, the lowest of the low among all the chieftains. He was blessed with extraordinary fortune, gaining the favor of the governor of Tiannan and the imperial clan of Jinling..."

"Yesterday, he was just a lowly lad in the village, but today he's risen to a high position, sitting in a gilded hall. Tsk tsk tsk!"

“Look at him sitting there, with a canopy on his head, like a monkey wearing a crown, completely out of place with his surroundings. The officials beside him look down on him, seeing him only as a puppet clown; the chieftains, priests, sorcerers, and insect masters all despise him to the core. Tell me, what is he?”

Perhaps realizing his analogy was inappropriate—comparing Li Zhenchuan to a lowly shepherd—Qingchan Daoist immediately changed his tone.

"Hahaha, it's all the old man's fault for not keeping his mouth shut. He shouldn't have compared it to the true teachings. Don't misunderstand me."

"What I mean is: this Wood King is a true king, a local tyrant comparable to the peak master of the Immortal Sect. Once his royal palace opens, just the number of subordinate sorcerers he can summon and the elite troops he can mobilize are enough to make even this old man with the Five Poisons Vein give him some respect."

The old poisoner's inherent disdain and clumsy explanations were nothing short of an insult to Li Qing.

Does he look down on King Namu, or on the juniors of Tiannan Temple?
Behind the platform, on the table, only Li Zhenchuan could be seen raising his index finger and rhythmically tapping it lightly on the table.

Benedict! Benedict! Benedict!
Li Qing quietly observed the five-colored canopy below, until the man beneath it finally noticed something amiss, raised his head, and their eyes met...

"Ah!"

Without realizing it, Li Qing turned her head and burst out laughing.

"Good fortune arrives from the heavens, and one rises with the wind; it may very well be divine assistance."

"A mere commoner, a fool, has seized the opportunity presented by the changing times and risen to power, directly riding on the head of you, the chieftain ancestor? This is truly unexpected."

“The priests and sorcerers despise him only because of his lowly birth and because they have found his ugly appearance and want to dethrone him and take his place. The superiors look down on him only because their own authority has been challenged.”

"I think it's not so bad that he started from humble beginnings and worked his way up to the top families in the south."

“Back then, wasn’t the Venerable Master just a village boy, a mayfly peering at the sky, and only then did he achieve what he has today? How come he suddenly looks down on all living beings?”

Li Qing turned her head and stared at the Five Poisons Ancestor without any attempt to hide her gaze.

Which cultivator doesn't start as an ordinary person who is ignorant from birth?
Some people are dull-witted and spend their entire lives practicing the Zhou Tian Qi Refining Technique, turning into nothing more than a handful of dust after a hundred years; others are exceptionally intelligent and enter the Purple Palace, sitting upright on the Cloud Platform early on.

Some are cursed with bad luck, destined to be alone and doomed, struggling every step of the way in their cultivation journey; others are blessed by heaven, either becoming fox sons-in-law in Qingqiu Mountain or marrying into the underworld...

If everyone were like me, following the established laws and regulations step by step through numerous obstacles, taking the same path, and arriving at the same result.

This path is neither the path of scholars nor the path of immortals, but the path of gods.

That is the rewriting of the order and rules, the fixing of all changes, or rather, the reverence for Heaven and ancestors, the way of honoring the gods that will never change again!
So what's the point?

The two stared at each other in silence. Qingchan Daoren's expression grew increasingly disdainful, while the contempt in Li Qing's eyes intensified.

The drums and gongs below resounded, but the standoff on the high platform continued for a long time.

Sudden.

The Green Toad Taoist chuckled and first exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"Too!"

"If change is lost, the world will be like a stagnant pool, and there will be no hope."

Variables are the most unpredictable and incredible things in this world.

Just like this Tiannan Prefecture, will it be under the long-term control of Tiannan Temple, or will it change direction due to unforeseen circumstances?

Qingchan, sitting imposingly on the left side of the high platform, gradually relaxed as the drums of the founding ceremony beat. He leaned back in his armchair, tilted his head, and asked with a smile:
"Not long ago, due to the incident in Liuhuangzhou, Linyuan and the White Bone Path had a falling out. Fortunately, Ancestor Yin's boundless magical power enabled him to suppress the two True Immortals of the White Bone Path."

"Now that we have incurred such a great grudge, I wonder if there is anything I can do to help in the future?"

To this day, who in the southwestern prefectures doesn't know that the reason for the rift between Tiannan Temple and Baigudao is that Ghost Gentleman? There's no need to elaborate on what that old poisoner is thinking.

These repeated tests were truly making Li Qing somewhat disgusted.

With a flick of his finger, ethereal primordial energy gathered at his fingertip. He turned his head and directly called out the name of the Five Poisons Ancestor.

"Qingchan, have you ever heard of the Three Immortals Sect in the outer sea?"

Seeing that the Azure Toad Ancestor remained silent, tilting his head with a smile, and listening attentively with the entire household on his lips, Li Qing continued:

"The three sects ruled over the various kingdoms, opened immortal cities in the kingdoms, combed through myriad paths, and achieved a longevity lineage... But the Beast Taming Immortal Sect also had its times of decline. At its lowest point, the sect had only one Kun beast, three sea dragons, and a handful of Purple Mansion Daoists. It was on the verge of collapse."

"The Beast Taming Immortal Sect has an affiliated sect that, at the most critical moment, did not seek personal gain but voluntarily threw itself into the belly of the mountain Kun. It was by sacrificing its life for righteousness and achieving benevolence that the ancient demon Kun beast was born, thanks to the offering of the entire sect's Purple Mansion Dao Foundation, which allowed the Immortal Sect to rise again."

"To this day, the longevity tablets of the Taoist priests from the affiliated sect are still enshrined in the Beast Taming Mountain Range, where they are revered by their descendants."

This matter was not fabricated by Li Qing, but was told by the Beast Taming Child when they boarded the Cloud Ferry of the Beast Taming Immortal Sect.

At this point, Li Qing turned halfway around, his dark eyes filled with malice, and rudely scanned the Green Toad Ancestor.

"In my humble opinion, the Venerable One's desire to repay kindness is no less than theirs!"

Upon hearing this, the green toad's face immediately turned pale, and it abruptly stood up, looking down at the young boy beside it.

The Azure Toad Ancestor's body surged with magical power, and the sounds of toad drumming and jade chiming mingled together, shaking the azure jade energy above his head, which immediately transformed into a curtain made of azure jade beads.

The golden bells and red drums were awe-inspiring, but on the high platform, a faint aura rose, colliding with the jade curtain before instantly dimming again.

Several Daoist priests from the immortal sects were puzzled and turned their gazes toward it, but their eyes were blocked by the Altar of Heaven. They could only vaguely sense the energy within. Only the few Gu Poison Daoists and the head of the Law Enforcement Academy who were present at the ceremony rushed to the backstage.

The Azure Toad Master stood solemnly in the center of the platform, clutching his right arm, with blood dripping from between his fingers.

Looking at the Tiannan Venerable Daoist to the side, the shadow beneath him was the most frightening. The dark reflection was quite tall, with a slender waist and long, flowing hair, and it had transformed into the appearance of a wandering woman.

Even more terrifying was that strands of wild black hair were flying around Li Qing's head like ghostly dragons, and were slowly sinking into the shadows as the gradually receding Xuan Yin Qi was drawn in!

"Playing games and testing each other? That's fine among the various sects, but you... give up on that idea."

Li Qing looked directly at the Green Toad Taoist and began to speak.

"Lady White Bone entered the East Sea and traveled between the Taiyi Sect. She made friends with the various tribes of the East Sea. Only the Venerable Soul Ancestor of the White Bone Sect remains. Presumably, he is not a troublemaker."

"Even you, Green Toad, cannot withstand the pressure of the White Bone Path."

"If they were so inclined, the Five Poisons Sect could thoroughly cleanse the tributaries of the Ghost River in all directions. This river, stretching for tens of thousands of miles, could sustain millions of people. Let's not allow that ghostly affair to desolate this fertile land..."

Such a test truly angered Li Qingsheng.

Of the three cards in the hand—the Eternal Regret Scissors, the Twisted Netherworld, and the Soul Summoning Divine Power—the Eternal Regret Scissors are ferocious; once activated, they can never be reversed. The Soul Summoning Divine Power, though indeed strange, may not be able to intimidate.

In the end, Li Qing restrained himself and summoned a projection of the Ghost Mother's divine will.

The result did not disappoint Li Qing. As the green jade Gu Qi was about to be released, a twisted magic intent was immediately sent out through the ghost hair, which instantly shattered the right hand of the Green Toad Daoist, breaking flesh and bone, and forming a twisted blood braid.

The Lord of the Underworld, who travels to the extremes of day and night, is a terrifying being capable of briefly engaging in combat with the Yin Gods. If it weren't for the quick thinking of the Green Toad Daoist in retrieving the Green Toad Gu in time, he would have lost more than just an arm by now.

This warning was actually a way to save him.

Otherwise, given Li Qing's temperament, if he truly wanted this Green Toad Taoist to pay the price, he could simply retreat and wait for a killing curse afterward, then he could rest easy.

And this Five Poisons Patriarch finally understood what the "Ghost Gentleman" meant!

Compared to this almost supernatural favor, the title of King of the Southern Lands is nothing. This is truly the blessing of virtuous deeds and divine fortune, the protection of the Azure Canopy...

(End of this chapter)