Ziwei Immortal Path

Chapter 104 Nine Purple Fire
"You're quite good at talking!"

Xu Boyang saw that he couldn't stop talking once he opened his mouth, full of flattery, and the desire to survive was written all over his face. He smiled and said something without commenting. After that, his smile faded slightly.

"Alright, Master Li, you know that the Three Thousand Academy will be coming here soon. Although my family has already established a branch here, your status is special and your connections are too wide. To be absolutely sure, I can't help you change your residence for the time being!"

"Let's not waste any more time on small talk. I asked you to come out today because I have something important to discuss."

Monk Li didn't want to flatter the master, as it had no effect at all, so he smiled awkwardly and said:
"Master, please speak freely."

Xu Boyang hummed, his expression gradually becoming serious, and said:
"Master Li, what I'm about to say is of great importance. You must remember it carefully. More than ten days ago, you asked me why my cultivation had made such rapid progress, breaking through three levels in less than ten days. At that time, I was busy with external affairs and had no time to reply. Today, I finally have time to tell you."

"That day in your Lihuo Cave, I received a great opportunity. Now, all the spiritual energy of the eight meridians of the Li Palace has been absorbed into my body, becoming one..."

"what?"

Monk Li was greatly surprised and interrupted Xu Boyang with a loud cry. His mouth was wide open, his face full of disbelief and his eyes filled with inexplicable fear, as if he had seen a ghost. He said anxiously:

"Master, Master, have you already mastered the [Fire of Separation]?"

"Well, it should be."

Xu Boyang stretched out his palm, and a red flame so thick that it turned purple burst out from his palm, dancing like a living thing.

The purple light reflected by the flames emitted a strange glow, flowing gracefully, brightly colored and moving, making the entire cave look like a dream.

Monk Li was fascinated by the fire, his mind was moved, and all kinds of wild thoughts arose in his mind, mirages, and illusory scenes, as if he was in the sun in the fairy palace.

He looked dazed, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his pupils dilated by the firelight, his eyes blankly staring blankly as he said:

"Not bad... not bad... [Nine Purple Fire]... this is the [Nine Purple Fire]... This is what I, Taoist Li, have finally earned after a hundred years of hard practice..."

"So, your Dharma body, Master Li, already has this [Nine Purple Flame]?"

Xu Boyang looked at the purple fire in his hand, turned his palm slightly, and the purple fire went out. Then eight streams of spiritual energy came out from his palm one after another, each with its own shape, and hovered above his palm.

Monk Li regained consciousness and looked at Xu Boyang's undoubted expression. He was extremely excited and couldn't help twitching his mouth. He asked in a trembling voice:

"Master, how did you do it?"

"It took me my entire life to cultivate this [Nine Purple Fire], and I still haven't fully integrated it. Even though the master obtained the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the Taoism in the Fire Cave, it is impossible to master it in such a short time! What on earth is going on?"

After saying this, his pupils suddenly shrank, his face was filled with fear, and he said in a lost voice:

"Master, are you the reincarnation of an immortal? Or are you an immortal yourself? Otherwise, why can you easily create this [Fire of Departure]?"

Xu Boyang suddenly took back the eight spiritual energies into his body and said lightly:

"Master Li, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Whether I am an immortal descending to earth or a reincarnated immortal, I cannot tell you the reasons behind all this. In short, I have cultivated this [Lihuo], and the next step is to attract the divine essence and build the foundation of immortality."

After saying this, he stared into Monk Li's eyes and said word by word without hesitation:

"What I'm showing you today is tantamount to giving you my life and property. To put it bluntly, from now on, unless you take the Soul-Binding Pill and become my slave, you will never be able to leave me for the rest of your life."

"And what you need to tell me now is, what exactly is your relationship with Ding Qingliao of Yuchuan Samadhi Mountain? How can I exchange it with him for a Lihuo Shenyuan Pill? Is it just a [Huaiyi Binzhu]? Is there any other way to get this pill besides him?"

"Don't worry, as long as I succeed in building my foundation, no matter how hard or difficult it is, I will definitely help you find another Lihuo Shenyuan Pill!"

Monk Li's eyes were fixed on Xu Boyang's gaze, which was like piercing needles. His entire mind was still immersed in the magical purple flame light. For a moment, he could not believe what he was seeing. He almost suspected that he was dreaming, and even suspected that Xu Boyang had taken away his Dharma body.

In just less than a month, someone actually cultivated the [Nine Purple Fire] that I had been trying to cultivate for my entire life but still couldn't fully cultivate. Isn't this maddening?
Seeing him speechless, Xu Boyang sighed softly:

"Human nature is evil. In fact, I don't need to do this. As the saying goes, all is fair in war. When I return to Qingshen Yuchuan, I can deceive you and say that I can help you exchange the Lihuo Shenyuan Pill, and then I can get the pill instead."

"But I think a true man walking between heaven and earth, how could he do such a mean thing? This is not the nature of cultivators like me. You and I met by chance, and we both practiced the [Fire of Separation], and we have a deep friendship. That's why I'm going to explain this to you today."

After saying this, his hand flashed, and a fist-sized, white pearl appeared between his five fingers, shining brightly.
"Besides, this [Huaiyi Binzhu] is already in my hands."

When Monk Li heard that Xu Boyang was actually planning to go to Ding Qingliao to exchange for the Lihuo Shenyuan Pill, he was shocked.

"Master, this Lihuo Shenyuan Pill is not an ordinary pill, but a top-grade Huangting Pill. Its value is huge and it is simply inestimable in Qingshen."

"Even if you have the [Huaiyi Bin Pearl], if I hadn't helped the Ding family so much before, would Ding Qingliao be willing to help me? You don't even know him, so even if you have this pearl, why would he be willing to help you?"

"help?"

Xu Boyang felt something was wrong, looked puzzled, and asked,

"What have you done for his family?"

Monk Li was first shocked by the sudden appearance of [Nine Purple Fire], and was then terrified by the sudden appearance of [Huaiyi Binzhu]. His head was dizzy and his mind was like a mess. He opened his mouth to answer unconsciously, and suddenly realized that he had let the cat out of the bag. He looked panicked and dumbfounded, and immediately stopped talking.

Xu Boyang sneered and stood up. It seemed that this monk Li still had a secret. He had been puzzled before as to why this monk Li, a traitor to the Ling family in Yuchuan, would get close to the Ding family in Yuchuan?

Although Ding Qingliao is a Huangting Yushi of the Yuchuan Lingxiao Sect, he risked a falling out with the Ling family, the head of the sect, and not only saved Qingshen, but now he is also refining pills for him. It seems that this matter is not simple, but there is another hidden story, but Monk Li hesitated and was unwilling to tell it.

Xu Boyang looked regretful, put away the [Huaiyi Binzhu], and said:

"Since Master Li is unwilling to tell the truth, then I think it's better not to have these two Dharma bodies of yours. From now on, you will follow me obediently and be like a living treasure with a head but no body. If I get bored, I will call you out to cheer me up. What do you think?"

"Master, please don't...please don't..." Monk Li said awkwardly, with an ugly look on his face, and sighed.
"Master, you have now actually cultivated the [Nine Purple Fire] and are about to establish the Dao Pattern Immortal Foundation. This is already far beyond my reach. I, Taoist Li, have made it my lifelong mission to follow the Li Palace Immortal Law. Even if I don't take the Soul-pulling Pill one day, I will definitely follow you in this life!"

"However, the Ding family's matter has far-reaching implications and concerns the safety of Qingshen. If I tell you, you must not tell anyone, otherwise... there will be disaster for the entire family..."

Monk Li did not know Xu Boyang's identity as a guest of the Ding family, but Xu Boyang was not clear about Ding Tianshi's status in front of Ding Qingliao. Now that his family was still staying in Fengqing Town, he could not let a pill bring disaster to his family unless it was absolutely necessary.

Therefore, Xu Boyang thought about it again and again and decided to confront Monk Heli directly and ask him about the whole story in exchange for the elixir. After all, he had to deal with Master Huang Ting. If too many people were involved, he would rashly go to find Ding Tianshi and put his family in danger.

Judging from the tone of Monk Li, this move was the right one.

Xu Boyang smiled and said, "I have no sect or school, I am just a casual cultivator. Qingshen has its own real masters to take care of it, so it's not my turn to worry about it. Just tell me, don't worry."

Monk Li looked depressed and sighed:

"Okay... okay... Back then, I stole scriptures and letters from the Lingxiao Sect and learned the secrets of the Immortal Sect. I was hunted by cultivators from the four sects and nearly died in Qingshen. In the end, Ding Qingliao secretly rescued me. When he saved me, he told me to go to the Zhufen Wilderness to find a man named Dongguo Lei, saying that he would take me in and let me serve him in the future."

"Unfortunately, before I even reached Wubi City, I fell into a trap set by the Black Tooth Hundred Thousand Mountain Tribe and the Leopard Skin Public Tribe. My life was hanging by a thread. Later, as you know, I was saved by my master, Monk Jingdu, so I ultimately failed to find this person."

"But after I escaped from Huangyang, I wandered all the way to collect the spiritual energy of the Eight Meridians of the Li Palace. I first stayed in Guliang for decades and obtained the [Red Flame Flint Wind]. Later, I couldn't stay there anymore, so I went from Guliang's Youhuang County to Baima's Wubi City, and then went south to the Zhufen Wilderness, and finally arrived at the South Lake of Qianxing Wandao Lake."

"After I settled here, I traveled all over the world, searching for methods to cultivate spiritual energy. Finally, after asking around, I discovered that the Three Thousand Academy in Wandao Lake North had several methods of [Lihuo] spiritual energy. I took the initiative to visit them, introduced myself, and got to know Dongguo Diyun."

"Later, I unexpectedly ran into a Taoist priest named Ding Dikui from the Ding family. He was incredibly acquainted, and he discovered my true identity. In the end, I even discovered that Dongguo Diyun was actually Dongguo Lei's son!"

Xu Boyang didn't react at all when he suddenly heard the name "Ding Dikui". He rubbed his chin, his eyes flickering, and asked:
"Who is this Dongguo Lei?"

Monk Li gritted his teeth and said:

"This man is one of the three Divine Palace Situ of the Hanquan Academy, a Confucian sect in Youhuang County, Guliang. His literary name is 'Yutian Pavilion.' He has profound cultivation and immense power, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. In Guliang, he's a ruthless figure on par with Tu Menyi, the head of the military department in Buqi City, and the Divine Palace Situ, known as 'Mountain Guarding Stone'!"

"I'm not familiar with it. Please continue."

Xu Boyang didn't know how strong the Guliang forces were. Just hearing that this person was the Situ of the Divine Palace, his strength was on par with the Huangting Yushi of the Green God. It seemed that he was a powerful figure in the northern part of Guliang.

"Since then, I stumbled upon this by accident and came to the Three Thousand Academy, where I met Dongguo Diyun and got in touch with the Ding family. It turns out that his family has been closely associated with the Dongguo family of Guliang for years, and they've been plotting something nefarious."

"Planning something evil?"

Xu Boyang's heart skipped a beat, and a sinister premonition rose in his mind. He asked, "Whose plot are they planning? Whose plot are they planning? Why would his family be plotting something bad?"

Monk Li laughed bitterly and said:

"Master, you don't know that in this land of Qingshen, the Immortal Master of Langfeng Peak is transcendent and transcends the world, surpassing the four immortal sects. Each of the four sects is governed by a Huangting Feathered Master. Although there are differences in their cultivation, the difference is ultimately a small realm, not a huge gap. Therefore, no one can do anything to the other. For many years, each sect has been fighting openly and secretly for their own interests."

"On the surface, these three thousand academies include Taoists, Confucianists, and demons, as well as the nine major families. In reality, behind them is a secret alliance between the Ancient Liang You Huang Han Quan Academy and the three Qing Shen feathered masters, plus the Black Tooth Deer Banner, a total of three forces."

"Hanquan Academy's three major surnames are Dongguo, Wangsun, and Dongfang; Qingshen Yuchuan, known as "Liyangtai Light," Xun Buyu; Cangwu, known as "Canghai Fusheng," Zhou Wengxi; the Lin family, known as "Ghost Fire Fox Howl," Lin Yinlu; and finally, the Black Tooth, Hundred Thousand Mountain Tribe, the Deer Flag Tribe, and the Cuan Lord, the Deer Demon, Lu Qiling!"

Xu Boyang was slightly startled. He had not heard the name of Ding Qingliao, the Huangting Taoist priest of the Ding family, who was known as "Nang Ying Ying Xue". He spoke slowly:
"What is the relationship between these people and the Ding family?"

Monk Li shook his head:
"To be honest, I haven't noticed anything in my years at Three Thousand Academy. Anyway, the Ding family has a very special relationship with the other families in the academy, especially Dongguo Diyun and Ding Dikui. They have a very close relationship. I don't know why, but it seems extremely unusual, as if they have known each other for many years."

Xu Boyang sneered:
"You monk, you've been talking nonsense here all day. Since you've helped the Ding family, how could you not know this? So you're plotting something illegal? What's the illegality? Also, now that you've offended the Three Thousand Academy and the two families are on good terms, how could Ding Qingliao give you the Fire God Yuan Pill again?"

"You're talking nonsense, your words are incoherent, it's pure nonsense. I don't think you want this Dharma body anymore!"

Monk Li said anxiously:

"Master, listen to me. This is a complex and complicated matter. I was also very puzzled at the time. But after a closer look, I discovered the unusual aspects of it."

Xu Boyang said with a cold face:

"Stop talking nonsense! What's unusual about your dithering? Tell me the truth. What have you done to help the Ding family?"

Monk Li originally wanted to let the matter go, but Xu Boyang, with his sharp eyes, had already seen through the clue and kept harping on the matter. He paused, his eyelids drooped, and he sighed sadly:
"Master, to be honest, I committed heinous crimes in order to gain Dongguo Diyun's trust. I, I am deeply sinful, and my hands are stained with the blood of innocent people. Sometimes when I meditate, I, I am haunted by nightmares. I, I... am ashamed of myself and too embarrassed to speak of it..."

After saying this, he raised his eyebrows and saw Xu Boyang's eyes filled with murderous intent. He was extremely frightened and gritted his teeth and said:

"I'll tell you... I'll help his family slaughter mortals, collect Qi and blood, slaughter wild monsters, collect inner elixirs, slaughter monks, collect bodhisattvas, slaughter sorcerers, and collect earth spirits..."

Xu Boyang's expression changed slightly, and he slowly asked:

"What are these things used for? Are they for making pills?"

Monk Li sighed softly:
"Master, your guess is correct. These things are all materials for alchemy. Ding Dikui would come to the Three Thousand Academy every once in a while and stay there for a few days. I didn't know about it at first, but later I secretly paid attention and finally discovered that every time he came, he would give a storage bag and take away a large amount of spirit stones."

"Why do these three thousand academies dominate the northern part of Wandao Lake? Not only are they powerful, but most importantly, they are wealthy enough to rival a nation. They not only do business with Qingshen and Guliang, but the most important thing is the deer flag feathers of the Black Tooth Deer Banner!"

"Don't underestimate these barbaric monsters; they are actually quite formidable. Lu Qiling has mastered the Genshan lineage's heavenly magic technique of 'moving mountains and digging for jade.' The rich green spirit stones that abound in the land were produced by this deer monster!"

Hearing this, Xu Boyang took a breath, his face turned slightly pale, and memories flashed through his mind.

Now that he has embarked on the path of immortality, he is no longer the escort boy he used to be. Although he has never seen Ding Dikui, when he carefully recalls Ding Tianshi's past eight years, he always feels that his behavior is a little strange, but he can't tell how it is strange.

Thanks to book friend Jiuge for the monthly ticket!

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(End of this chapter)