The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 29 Who Doesn't Know the Ghostly Gentleman?

In Linyuan Mountain.

It was early spring.

New buds sprouted from the peach trees in the mountains, and colorful peach blossoms adorned the old branches, covering the rocky path with a layer of blossoms.

All the disciples who entered the Dao Hall from the outer courtyard in the fifth session have returned. With double the Daoist cultivation for missions in the temple and the supply of many pills and magical artifacts, a large number of Daoist children and servants have entered the Qi Refining Realm and put on the blue Daoist robes that symbolize the beginning of the Daoist path.

The young faces in the courtyard were full of vigor and spirit, creating a lively atmosphere.

It's just that which ordinary Taoist disciple doesn't take three years to enter the Tao, cultivate their Qi and life force, understand the spiritual texts of the Great Tao, distinguish the five elements and yin and yang, and discern the various Qi of the six directions... Only then can their Qi cultivation increase, and their life force cultivation alone can make the sorcerers outside the mountains extremely wary!
Whether this forced growth is good or bad for them is unknown...

Green robes were added everywhere in the mountains, making the place lively and vibrant. At this time, Li Qing also received his blue Dharma robe.

Two Taoist disciples in blue robes presented a visiting card and delivered the three sets of Taoist robes and a gourd to the front of the residence.

The courtyard gate creaked open, and as soon as it did, two golden vertical pupils, larger than lanterns, curiously peered in, almost causing the two high-grade Dao disciples outside to unleash their protective qi.

"Zhu, you go back first!"

A clear voice immediately followed, and then a young man carrying a paper lantern walked out from behind the vermilion gate.

Upon hearing the sound, the enormous six-crowned dragon head blinked slightly, obediently suppressing its curiosity and turning towards the mansion. Its dragon body, as vibrant as vermilion, spun and gently passed by the courtyard gate.

What a beautiful red dragon!

The two Taoist disciples couldn't help but exchange a glance, and then simultaneously saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.

Wasn't it said that the lord of this manor was a newly promoted mid-grade Daoist disciple? How come he also has the Dragon Abode?
Moreover, judging from the immense true qi emanating from that young man…

"The year of Guiwei, you must be Li Qing?"

"Yes!"

Li Qing gently lifted the cold white paper lantern in her hand, while simultaneously scrutinizing the two people in front of her.

One was a middle-aged man with no beard, and the other was an old Taoist with a white beard. Both were high-ranking Taoist disciples with pure spiritual energy and perfect Qi. It was just unknown whether they had cultivated protective Qi.

"This is your Dharma robe. This gourd was born from a spiritual vine that was imbued with the Dharma essence of the Ancestral Master's Heavenly Dao Seed. It contains a space within it that can be used for personal storage."

"It was a gift from Chief Bai!"

The middle-aged Taoist disciple stepped forward and pushed the four items into Li Qing's hands, emphasizing them again.

This yellow gourd was grown from an old vine planted by Yin Zu when he first became a Yin God on the summit of Lin Yuan Immortal Peak. Although it cannot be considered a rare and precious treasure, it is still an extremely good spiritual object.

Influenced by Master Yin's Daoist seed of the gourd, the inside of this gourd forms its own space.

Unlike storage rings and bracelets, this gourd has a stable void inside, making it impossible for it to be stolen or invaded by unorthodox and evil techniques such as the Five Ghosts Moving or the Three Immortals Returning to the Cave. It is also ranked among the top among storage magical artifacts.

The gourd vine only bears fruit once every three years, and each time it produces only six or seven gourds. It's not easy for the Taoist disciples in the courtyard to obtain such a gourd.

Before setting off, Chief Bai had said that he must make sure that Li Qing remembered: "He who takes a man's money is bound to be indebted to him."

The two then gave Li Qing some advice with strange expressions.

After delivering the gifts and announcing the academy head's name, the two high-ranking Dao disciples turned and left...

"Huh? Senior brother, wait a moment."

Li Qing, puzzled, called for the two blue-robed Taoist disciples to stop.

"The Blue Robe Register is also known as the inner disciple of the temple. Shouldn't the prerequisite be to first take a master?"

Is it really enough to just send a set of Buddhist robes?
"Well, there are no other academy leaders or true disciples in the outer academy yet. If you want to become a disciple, perhaps you can wait a little longer!"

At this moment, the two Taoist disciples paused, unsure of what to say.

They were both just sent by the Wan court to serve them.

Generally speaking, within Tiannan Temple, only the Red-Robed True Disciples and Purple Mansion Daoists are qualified to establish their own academies and teach disciples. However, the outer courtyard only has one Purple Mansion Abbot, making it practically impoverished…

Even if you want to become an apprentice, you still need to find a teacher, right?
The two shook their heads helplessly, delivered the items, and left immediately.

Li Qing only watched them go for a short distance before turning around, closing the courtyard gate, activating the mansion's security measures, and heading back to the main hall.

These three sets of blue Taoist robes are nothing special; they are not classified as magical artifacts, but are just ordinary clothes for changing clothes.

The yellow gourd came at just the right time!
During their previous trip to the Corpse Cave, the mustard seed pouch that Li Qing received from Ma Yuan of the External Affairs Hall was no longer sufficient. This storage gourd, which was about three zhang in diameter, was just the right size for them.

Upon entering the hall, Zhu Qiu poked its head out and curiously examined the gourd in Li Qing's hand. Sensitive as it was, it could naturally sense the rather extraordinary... magical intent within it.

The Qi Refining Realm leads to the unity of heaven and man, using the inner Qi circulation to reflect the outer world and discern the Qi of the four directions and the six directions of the universe.

When one reaches the Purple Mansion Foundation Establishment and completes the cycle of Qi, cultivation at this point truly connects with heaven and earth. The celestial capital and the universe have their own laws; by observing all things and seeking knowledge from top to bottom, one can eventually obtain a trace of Dao essence within oneself.

When the Yin spirit travels, that is the realm that immortals and Taoists dream of. They can finally come into contact with a true corner of that world, understand the heart of heaven, and have a breath of primordial energy in their hearts. They can travel through the clouds and roam the heavenly capital, and come into contact with the principles of heaven and earth. Only then can that wisp of Dao essence give birth to a true seed of the Great Dao, and within the seed of the Dao there is boundless Dharma meaning.

Perhaps the Yang Spirit will reside in the world, or perhaps a true immortal will attain eternal life; perhaps this true seed of the Great Dao will transform into an immortal tree of undying wonders?
Li Qing was unaware of the levels beyond that.

However, when he entered the Dao, he heard that the Patriarch Yin on the summit of Linyuan Immortal Peak was nurturing a Dao Seed of the Pot Heaven!
A world of wonders lies hidden within a sleeve; time stretches endlessly within a pot.

That is the supreme and wondrous method that can control the three mountains and five peaks, and manipulate the light of the sun, moon, and stars...

"Candle, bring me that scroll of talisman knives!"

Li Qing hung up the spirit lamp and leaned it against the windowsill, and had the danqiu, which was called "Candle," bring him the pen case that held various carving knives and pens.

The gourd appeared to have just been picked; its interior was pitch black, but with divine sense, one could see a space about three zhang in diameter.

He also wanted to polish the gourd's exterior slightly, clean the gourd, tie it with a red rope, and carve a restriction on it to make it easier to retrieve various items.

And so, Li Qing leaned against the window picking gourds, while Zhu Qiu lowered his head and brows, each doing their own thing while basking in the beautiful spring sunshine outside the window.

This artifact control technique is just a minor restriction method and is not too difficult. The young Taoist priest was able to handle it. It only took him half an hour to wipe the gourd clean with sandalwood oil and then tie it with cinnabar red thread. A palm-sized storage gourd was then completed.

He then transferred the various spiritual paper artifacts, Yin blood materials, scriptures, and Daoist coins from his mustard seed pouch into the gourd. Donning a sky-blue robe and with the gourd hanging at his waist, he exuded an air of Daoist refinement, as the saying goes, "Clothes make the man." Looking at Li Qing now, he seemed to possess an even more refined and dignified air.

Zhu Qiu, standing to the side, had also mastered the Five Arts of Charioteering. With harmonious cries, it followed the water to one side, danced at the crossroads, and passed the emperor's mark. It could be considered to have mastered the art of charioteering without any obstacles. Only the final step, "chasing birds to the left and right," was missing.

When the ruler loses his deer, the whole world chases after it!
In the capital of the Southern Kingdom, there is a Deer Garden, where countless strange beasts exist from the Qi Refining stage to the Purple Mansion stage. If the scholars of the Imperial Academy find a satisfactory beast to ride, they should submit a petition to the Imperial Academy and enter the Deer Garden to find a prey that suits their taste. They can ride the beasts and chase birds, opening and closing their bows and arrows, using their skills, or drawing their books on rites, music, and law.

When we emulate the Red Emperor who slew the white serpent, we will hunt down the essence of heaven and earth, and all kinds of strange beasts, take their spiritual blood, summon their totems, sign a contract, and one person and one steed will face life and death together. After that, we will be as close as one body and be able to accompany each other for life...

Now that he is a person outside the secular world, he should naturally consider what kind of prey he can find to prove the Five Commanders' Contract between them.

"We need to find this guy a challenging opponent; it's far too docile and lacks any wildness!"

Li Qing gazed at the large dragon with its six-crowned flower head raised, leaning against the corner of the folding chair, gently licking the dragon-taming jade, and secretly made up her mind to find it a good prey.

No news has yet come from Jiangnan. I really don't know what kind of treasure this strange dragon-taming jade is, that such a monstrous beast could lick it.

One person and one dragon, one on the left and one on the right, occupied the main hall, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Jingle Bell…

Within the mansion's restricted area, the sound of a jade talisman being passed on could be heard again, as if someone had sent in a visiting card.

"Hmm? What day is it today? Has something changed in the courtyard recently?"

The disciples' robes and gourds had just been delivered at dawn, and now another message was being sent to the residence's protective barrier. The activity was indeed quite frequent.

Li Qing leaned against the windowsill, her gaze passing through the withered jujube branch in the courtyard, whose buds had not yet begun to loosen, and finally landing on the restricted area of ​​the mansion. With a flick of her fingertip, a stream of light jade talisman flew over immediately.

Li Qing casually summoned the jade talisman and gently squeezed it, only to find that it contained a visiting card.

"Huh, whose invitation is this? The signature looks unfamiliar..."

After the visiting card was removed, about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the vermilion courtyard gate opened again.

At this moment, a female Taoist priest in green robes stood far away, seemingly having been waiting outside the mansion for a long time.

"Senior Brother Li..."

As soon as the female Taoist priest saw the restrictions on the mansion and Taoist temple disappear, she moved to meet them. However, the moment her eyes met Li Qing's, her pupils suddenly contracted.

The next instant, the female Taoist priest bowed and offered congratulations:
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Li, on your progress in cultivation and for being awarded the Blue Robe Regalia!"

She remembered that this Senior Brother Li was a disciple of Tiannan in the same year as her. However, she had entered the External Affairs Hall early on through the connections of the clan elder, Uncle Ma Yuan, and had only just managed to complete her Qi cultivation a few years ago with the help of a Yellow Sprout Pill.

This Senior Brother Li is already a blue-robed disciple; his cultivation speed is truly terrifying!
This is Ma Daotu from the Foreign Affairs Hall, the successor to the former Ma Yuandao.

When Li Qing saw this person, she thought to herself, "The two of us don't seem to have any private dealings, do they?" Feeling quite puzzled, she nodded and asked softly:
"Junior Sister Ma, what is it?"

Seeing that this senior brother stood alone behind the door and had no intention of inviting her into the academy, the female Taoist priest remained calm and simply took out a scroll of alchemical text from her sleeve.

"Senior Brother Li, Uncle Ma Yuan has a request and would like to ask for your help."

"My great-uncle is currently in the southwestern mountains, accompanying the Wanfa Academy and the Danqi Academy to sweep away the demonic scourge in the mountains. He cannot leave his side..."

"This scroll is a book on alchemy prepared for Senior Brother Li!"

The female Taoist priest surnamed Ma handed the twelve-layered cinnabar talisman to Li Qing, along with a jade talisman about the size of an index finger for transmitting sound.

Li Qing took the two items with a puzzled look, without thinking much about it. However, as soon as she opened the sound transmission jade talisman, a rather urgent voice rang out, with the sound of an explosion faintly mixed in the background.

I have long heard of your supernatural ability to exorcise ghosts, so I must first apologize and humbly entrust you with this task!

【I am originally from the Ma clan of Shanyang County. Recently, I have received three letters in succession, informing me that evil spirits are frequently appearing in the county, and the village shrines and spirit offerings are ineffective in controlling them. There have been continuous deaths in the county for days, and every household is now dressed in mourning. I fear that a great calamity has arisen due to ghostly influences. I am too busy to go there, but my heart is breaking for my dear relatives. I beg you, my junior brother, to help me. When I return, I will definitely visit your residence to express my gratitude…】

The brief and urgent entrustment suggests that Ma Yuan's situation was not entirely secure.

The southwestern mountains are plagued by demons; that's a remote area, hundreds of miles away from Tianan Prefecture!

"The ghost problem in Shanyang County?"

Li Qing took the book of alchemy, her eyes flickering with thought.

This scroll of alchemical text consists of twelve sheets of vermilion paper talismans stacked together. This type of alchemical text differs from consumable talismans; it is a reusable talisman. It is divided into twelve talismans such as exorcism, yang fire, gale, and golden light, which can be selected and activated by one's true qi. It has many effects and is comparable to a half-finished magical artifact.

Of course, its power at the time was almost the same as that used by lower-middle-grade Daoist disciples, presumably to provide Li Qing and his group with some protective measures.

This kind of alchemical text, while of ordinary power, is still worth collecting and playing with in one's spare time.

However, Li Qing didn't look at the alchemical text much; instead, she became puzzled:

"The ghosts of Shanyang County? Shouldn't they have been displayed in the Outer Affairs Hall, or even the Outer Affairs Palace in the inner courtyard, from the very beginning?"

"How could it have escalated into such a serious problem?"

That's where their ordinary clan and relatives live! How can they be so indifferent to it?

"It's been hanging up for a month now. Many of the senior brothers in the inner courtyard have their own tasks, and a mid-grade Daoist disciple went to the outer affairs hall, but it still hasn't stopped."

"I can only trouble Senior Brother Li!"

The female Taoist priest surnamed Ma shook her head with a wry smile.

Which Daoist disciple in the inner courtyard doesn't have their own mission? Uncle Ma Yuan once asked a mid-level Daoist disciple from the outer affairs hall to help, but that person has not yet returned. Instead, dangerous messages from Shanyang keep coming!
Left with no other choice, they had to ask this ghostly gentleman for help.

She herself is absolutely incapable of having that ability...

Wan Yuan, the court of law, is troubled by ghosts in Shanyang. It might be worth making a move. The Paper Spirit Secret Record that this senior brother Ma obtained in secret last time is really good!
After pondering for a moment, Li Qing accepted the request for help, put the letter into his sleeve, and looked up to inquire about its contents.

"Alright, I'll make a trip to Shanyang. Do you know what kind of monster is wreaking havoc in Shanyang County?"

"I still don't know..."

The female Taoist priest shook her head repeatedly. Everything in Shanyang County was still unknown. All she knew was that people were dying horribly every day, their bodies mangled and bloody, and even the local spirit spirits enshrined in the ancestral hall knew nothing about it...

(End of this chapter)