Ziwei Immortal Path

Chapter 103 Concentrated Heart
Monk Qinglan smiled and said:

"Mountain Master, [Yin Shen Exchange] is the unique skill that made my Buddhist family famous. The Buddhist scriptures say that the Buddha's voice is like thunder. My Buddhist family practices thunder magic and is often accompanied by thunder and light from the sky and the earth. Therefore, we often suffer heavenly punishment. If we are not careful, our physical body will be damaged. Without the secret method of [Yin Shen Exchange], it is extremely difficult to cultivate to the [Prajna Realm]."

"This is why the Great Leiyin Temple controls the [Yin Shen Exchange]. As long as you grasp this method, Buddhists all over the world will rush to worship!"

Xu Boyang nodded and said, "I understand. You can leave first!"

After Monk Qinglan took two steps back, Taoist Bailu stepped forward, summoned a glass water jar, held it in his palm, and said:

"Mountain Master, I am a subordinate of the eighth level of Condensation Yuan Dao. I have learned the Huaishang Daoist tradition, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth [Red Furnace Point Snow], and am a member of the [Kanli] lineage. Since entering the Dao, I have learned a foundation-building level Daoist method, the 'Xuan Kan Shen Li Hun Yuan Jing'. It shouldn't be a problem for me to reach the late stage of the foundation-building period."

"Also, the foundation-building magic weapon I have, the Seven-Colored Bowl, is another way. After building the foundation, I can use the magic of the Kanli lineage. However, the magic weapon is not from Qingshen Nanhuai, but from the Artifact God Workshop in Wubi City. I bought it from the market."

"What he's actually cultivating is [Red Furnace Dots Snow]?"

Xu Boyang smiled and said, "We are on the same path. Why don't you first tell me where you came from in Qingshen?"

Taoist Bailu's face darkened slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"I dare not hide it from the Mountain Master, but my family background is miserable and my experiences are absurd. I am afraid that if I tell others, I will be ridiculed. Moreover, it may seem like I am playing the victim. Therefore, I will not say it..."

Xu Boyang frowned and said, "Bai Lu, since you have entered my family, you are my family. There are no outsiders here. You can speak freely."

Taoist Bailu sighed softly, lowered his head and whispered:
"My real name is Lin Huai Nian. I was born into the powerful Lin family of Yunfu County. Unfortunately, when I was away on important family business, I was betrayed by my brother, a woman I had been born to. As a result, I was wrongly accused by my family and labeled a traitor who forgot his roots and was hated by everyone. Eventually, the entire clan issued a wanted notice, wishing to chop me into minced meat. I was speechless, and to save my life, I fled to the wilds of Zhufen."

Xu Boyang was startled when he heard this. He stared at Taoist Bai Lu's thin face. His eyes were red and his tail was crowed. He was indeed not young anymore. He said slowly:

"So you are a descendant of the Yunfu Lin family. That's quite a coincidence. I met someone from your family in Xinyue Lake in my early years. His name was Lin Huaisheng, and he was a foundation-building Taoist priest."

When Taoist Bai Lu heard the name, his body trembled, his face changed drastically, his teeth clenched, his eyes filled with anger, and he gritted his teeth and said:
"Master, this man is my brother from the same father and mother, and he is the culprit who persecuted me to this point!"

After saying this, sadness appeared in his eyes again, he hung his head and muttered to himself:
"He, he has already established his foundation? When I left, he had just succeeded in incorporating his spirit and had just reached the sixth level... It's really, really unfair..."

When talking about Lin Huaisheng, Xu Boyang naturally remembered the two old men Lin Jiacheng and Lin Jiagui, and naturally remembered his dead brother Hu Xiaode. He never dared to forget this incident and had always buried it deep in his heart. At this moment, he suddenly heard the news about the Lin family, and the hatred in his heart naturally surged up.

After a pause, he said:

"Bai Lu, to be honest, you and I share the same hatred for the enemy. This man took bribes to commit murder, and he has no moral bottom line. He attacked and killed the mortals of my family. I have an irreconcilable hatred for you. Don't worry, if I succeed in building my foundation one day, I will kill this man with my own hands and avenge you and me!"

Taoist Bailu's eyes lit up, and tears welled up in his eyes. He bowed deeply and said:

"So that's how it is. No wonder. My brother is as vicious as a snake and has no humanity. He will do anything to climb the ladder. He set a trap and killed me, his own brother, just for the position of the head of a small clan. It's really a pity that your family has suffered such a disaster... If you can avenge this in the future... Bai Lu will follow you at all costs..."

Zhao Jiusheng had been listening silently with his head bowed, not daring to speak. When he heard this, he felt the same way and was sad for a moment:
"We are both wanderers in this world. It turns out that the head of the family and Taoist Bailu also suffered family changes and have tragic life stories..."

Xu Boyang took a deep breath and said:
"The deceased is gone, and it's better not to mention him. But Bai Lu, the weather is unpredictable, and people are subject to misfortunes at any time. For cultivators like us, cultivating immortality and seeking the truth are inherently going against the will of heaven. Regardless of fate, this is no excuse for you to feel sorry for yourself."

"I see you're already forty, and your cultivation has stagnated. I'm afraid, as the Taoist scriptures describe, you've fallen into a demonic barrier. You can't forget your family feud, but you can't let hatred blind you. Wouldn't that make you look down upon even more? Wouldn't that just play into their hands?"

"Simply running away won't solve the problem. Facing it bravely is my true manliness. I hope you'll remember what I'm saying and wake up soon!"

Taoist Bailu didn't expect that Xu Boyang was so meticulous and could see the crux of his problem from just one thing. He looked stunned, tears rolling in his eyes, and finally turned into two lines of clear tears and fell down.

That's right, he has been stuck at the eighth level of Ningyuan for fifteen years, to the point that he has lost all his state of mind, suffered from schizophrenia, and has given up on himself. He has been following Monk Qinglan around begging for alms every day, laughing and joking, and just waiting to die.

If he hadn't been forced by Su Yanlu to take the Soul-Pulling Pill by accident that day, his life would probably still be as dull as a stagnant water, and he would still be in this lifeless state.

Xu Boyang said solemnly:

"Every clan has its own laws, every family has its own rules. Now that you have entered my family, you must not dwell on the past. I hope you can change your mountain gate like Qinlong Mountain did and start all over again!"

"From now on, apart from family matters in the mountains, cultivation is the most important thing. You must not slack off or disobey. Qinglan, Jiusheng, and you two should do the same. Do you understand?"

Monk Qinglan and Zhao Jiusheng put their palms together and bowed, saying:
“I will obey the Lord’s command!”

Taoist Bailu wiped his tears, without a trace of resentment on his face. Instead, he showed a wizened smile and bowed, saying:
"Thank you, Mountain Master. I understand!"

Xu Boyang nodded and said:

"Bai Lu, since you have inherited the Huaishang Daoist tradition and your family comes from a prominent family in Yunfu, I believe your Daoist methods must be strong. You should put aside all distractions and practice diligently. If you need elixirs for your practice, just ask."

"Qinlong Mountain is just starting out, and there's a lot to do. If you're willing, you can share your own things to strengthen the mountain. If you think it's inappropriate, I won't force you. You can consider it yourself!"

"Also, tomorrow you will come with me to the Zhuzhao Yang Family and the Zhuohua Li Family to discuss matters concerning spiritual rice, spiritual fruit, spiritual beasts, and spiritual rhinoceros seeds. From now on, all the chores there will be handed over to you. You must take good care of them and make no mistakes. However, in all matters, cultivation should be the most important, and you should not get too entangled with mortals!"

"Okay, you and Qinglan go down first!"

Qinglan agreed upon hearing this. After hearing this, Taoist Bailu knelt down and took out a jade scroll and a small Qi-collecting bottle from his storage bag. He presented them with both hands and said in a hoarse voice:

"The Mountain Master's words tonight were like a revelation to me, and I suddenly realized my mistake. The Mountain Master did not despise my humble status and earnestly admonished me. He has given me a new life. From now on, Qinlong Mountain is my home, and the Mountain Master is my master!" Xu Boyang grabbed the Qi-gathering bottle in his hand and said:
"It's alright. Keep the scriptures for now. I'll tell you if I need anything. Let me take a look at this [Red Stove Dots of Snow] first. I'll return it to you tomorrow. Remember, you and I are master and servant now, but the future won't be static. One day, we'll avenge our grievances. If you don't want to stay in the mountains, you can go wherever you want!"

"Bai Lu, remember this!"

Taoist Bailu took the jade slip, kowtowed deeply, turned around and left with Monk Qinglan.

"He is also a pitiful person..."

Xu Boyang looked at his departing figure, sighed softly, and looked at Zhao Jiusheng.

Zhao Jiusheng understood, stepped forward and said:
"Mountain Master, you already know the whole story of Jiusheng's family, so I won't elaborate on it. Jiusheng is now at the fifth level of Condensation Yuan, practicing the Taoist method 'Liyangtai Guangyao Yi Jue' bestowed by the Xun family, and absorbing the spiritual energy of 'Qianyang Yanhe' that my father prepared for me. Now that I have absorbed enough energy, I only need to guide the energy to contain the spirit and generate spiritual consciousness, and then I can reach the sixth level of Condensation Yuan."

"It's a pity that I suddenly encountered a disaster and was forced to interrupt my cultivation. Now I have nothing and am short of money. I can't buy the Soul-Nourishing Pill to continue my cultivation."

"Hmm, so it's the [Qian Yang Yan He], the Yunling Pill isn't difficult to make. I have a few pills here, you can take them first."

Xu Boyang had already obtained this spiritual energy from the Lihuo Cave, so he was a little disappointed when he heard it now. It seemed that most of the monks in Yuchuan practiced Lihuo, which was indeed true. As he spoke, he made a move and five soul-enhancing pills flew out.

Zhao Jiusheng bowed and just as he reached out to take it, he heard Xu Boyang say again:

"This elixir is precious. You must strictly take one pill every three months. If you focus on it and your spiritual awareness is awakened, you will gain spiritual consciousness within two years. For next year's elixir, please speak to Miss Zilu and ask her to refine it for you."

"Of course, the mountain has its own rules, and we can't favor one over the other. These pills are not given to you for free. They should be deducted from your clan salary. From now on, the internal affairs of the mountain will be temporarily handed over to you two brothers. Remember, we don't keep idle people in the family. Don't be sneaky or steal from the company. Otherwise, you know the consequences!"

Since his father's death, Zhao Jiusheng has been hiding from place to place, wandering around, living in constant fear. How could he have the energy to cultivate? Now that he has settled down and regained the Soul-Enriching Pill, he can finally continue his cultivation. He was immediately filled with gratitude, his eyes red, and he bowed respectfully:

"The mountain master is so kind and generous. Jiusheng will never forget it. I will definitely live up to the mountain master's trust!"

Xu Boyang smiled:
"Jiusheng, after all, you and I are from the same family, Yuchuan. We should be closer to each other. One day, when you have achieved success in your cultivation, I hope you can return to Qinghui Town and take back your father's position. After all, Zhao Jiuchang murdered your mother's family. Such a traitor with evil intentions is unworthy of his position!"

Zhao Jiusheng nodded vigorously. "The mountain master is right. I will never forget my family's vengeance! As long as I succeed in building my foundation, I will swear to kill this traitor to the death to comfort my mother's spirit in heaven!"

Xu Boyang nodded with satisfaction:
"Good! Only by having a goal in mind can you set high aspirations. Only then can you strive for strength. Go, go down! It's getting late, it's time to go back to practice!"

Zhao Jiusheng bowed, then suddenly remembered something and paused, saying, "Mountain Master, the 'Liyangtai Guangyao Yi Jue' that the Xun family gave me is also a foundation-building method. I have memorized it all. How about I write it down and put it in the warehouse? If you need it, you can take it out at any time."

Xu Boyang smiled and nodded: "Okay!"

In fact, he had long been curious about the ancestor of the Xun family, the Huangting Yushi Xun Buyu, whose Taoist name was "Liyang Yang Guang". The magic circle he saw and obtained in Fang Cun Jian and in Lihuo Cave was called "Liyang Yang Guang Yao Yi Array". Now he heard from Zhao Jiusheng about the Taoist foundation-building method "Liyang Yang Guang Yao Yi Jue". The three of them were of the same lineage and seemed to be all things of the Xun family.

It's just that I asked for it rashly just now, which was a bit petty for the mountain master. Now that Zhao Jiusheng is taking the initiative to hand it over, it couldn't be better.

After Zhao Jiusheng left excitedly, there was no one left in the Dragon-Catching Hall and it became quiet for a while.

Xu Boyang stood up and walked out of the hall. Looking at the dim lights and twinkling stars in the mountains, he felt emotional. It had only been two days and he realized that being the master of the mountain was not easy. There were many complicated things to do and he had to understand people's hearts. From now on, if he wanted to take root in this place, he would have to worry a lot.

A moment later, the figure flashed and flew into the cave in the mountain.

Monk Li had opened up many caves on Zhuzhao Mountain for his disciples to practice. Zhao Jiusheng had counted them one by one before, and there were no less than ten of them. Xu Boyang chose a relatively secluded place with a separate entrance in a valley with lush trees. The area in front of the cave entrance was wide and flat, with a red pine tree planted in it, towering like a canopy.

As soon as the figure landed, [Bailuxue] jumped out from the grass and trees, with its four horns raised high, its body agile, and a green leaf rolled on its tongue. Xu Boyang smiled when he saw it, took out a glowing orange fruit from his storage bag and handed it over.

[Bai Luxue] let out a joyful cry, walked over quickly, rolled the fruit into her mouth with her long tongue, and while chewing it, she lowered her head and leaned against the corner to rub against him affectionately.

Xu Boyang's face was full of admiration. He reached out and touched its fluffy neck fur, carefully observing this silver-shining spiritual beast. He gathered his spiritual consciousness and slowly entered its body. Sure enough, he found that there was a subtle spiritual consciousness surging in its brain. His previous doubts were immediately resolved. He thought to himself:
"So that's how it is. These spirit beasts are gifted with extraordinary talents. They have spiritual awareness in their heads, but no spiritual connection in their hearts. No wonder they are so understanding, but unable to cultivate. Otherwise, these spirit beasts are born with supernatural powers. After cultivating, they must be extremely powerful barbaric monsters!"

As soon as he thought of this, he patted his neck. Bailushue raised its neck and chirped softly, then left tactfully, and dived into the grass with a light leap. Xu Boyang smiled and clapped his hands, watched it go away, and went back to his cave.

After entering the cave and closing the stone door, the cave is wide and neat. A lotus-shaped spiritual lamp shines on the stone table, emitting soft light. Apart from the stone table, there is only a stone couch and a futon, and nothing else.

It was late at night and everyone was asleep. Xu Boyang came here not to meditate but to walk to the stone table. With a thought, Monk Li flew out of the Yinshen Shrine and landed lightly on the stone table.

Monk Li opened his eyes and said with a smile:
"Master Li has met the mountain master. Congratulations on the establishment of Qinlong Mountain!"

Xu Boyang smiled:

"Master Li, you're too conceited. I've usurped your throne, snatched away your Candlelight Mountain and your Lihuo Cave, yet you haven't complained a word. Instead, you've congratulated me. Are you being rude and unaware of your anger? Or are you just biting your teeth and swallowing your resentment?"

Monk Li laughed, his old face showing no concern, and said:

"What's a mere island? It's nothing more than a personal possession. Master rescued me from the Three Thousand Academy and repaid my kindness by sparing my life. I am deeply grateful to you, so how could I dare to harbor any resentment?"

"Besides, my 'Smoke and Fire Mountain Light' was destroyed by those Confucian scholars a long time ago. This island was taken from the Three Thousand Academy by the master, so it's not my fault no matter how you look at it. If it weren't for the master's brilliant foresight, this island would have been occupied by Dongguo Diyun long ago! How could it be my turn?"

Thanks to 7530 for the monthly ticket!
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(End of this chapter)