Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 38: The Imperial Advisor Guards the Pass, the Earthly Fiends Remain Invisible
Inside the secret room, Zhao Wuji's blood dripped into the bowl.

The sacred cloud-patterned bowl immediately released a rainbow of colors.

Finally, the blood on Zhao Wuji's body turned a deep blue, radiating a glow.

"It's actually a blue-grade aptitude."

Nan Zhixia was suddenly stunned, even somewhat shocked.

Zhao Wuji's aptitude had already exceeded her expectations.

Among the seven colors, the spiritual qualities of the blue one cannot be considered top-tier, but they are still above average.

In the past, when spiritual energy was abundant, many small and medium-sized sects would compete for it, and even major sects would definitely attach great importance to recruiting it.

However, in this degenerate age of scarce resources and depleted spiritual energy, having above-average talent is quite awkward.

At least according to some of the grotto-heavens she knew, including those behind the four kingdoms of Tiannan, they now only accept people with superior golden spiritual qualities into their fold, test them, pass on their teachings, and provide them with resources to support their cultivation.

However, those below the superior aptitude, lacking the opportunity to advance to the Condensation Realm beyond the Qi Induction Realm, and with even more limited resources, all met tragic ends.

They are basically the ones who are harvested and exploited, taken from and plundered at will.

"Sigh," she thought, her feelings a mix of emotions. She put away the sacred artifact and hid it away.

If Zhao Wuji's aptitude were poor, she wouldn't be so conflicted.

But now, some unrealistic thoughts have surfaced in her mind—if there are other unknown hidden realms that also accept those with above-average aptitude, perhaps Zhao Wuji will still have a chance to fulfill his dream of seeking immortality.

"Let's take it one step at a time. We don't know what the Emperor of Xuan Kingdom and the Grand Preceptor are up to. They suddenly announced that they would recruit people to enter the mountains to cultivate immortality in the spring."

If they lower their standards, with Wuji's talent, he might actually be selected.

"But what if they have some kind of conspiracy?"

Nan Zhixia's eyes flickered, and she sighed, "I need to find out about other suitable and reputable grotto-heavens as soon as possible."

"We're about to leave the capital. Before we go, go to the Rime Cave and find him another Moon Dew Grass so he can focus on refining elixirs and healing in the capital."

No matter how chaotic things are outside, the imperial city of Xuan Kingdom is the safest place.

Zhao Wuji stayed in the capital, and perhaps it wouldn't be long before she found a suitable grotto for him.

But if this kid takes advantage of her absence and uses his handsome face to roam among the flowers, then his desire for immortality is not firm enough, so let's just pretend nothing happened.

The sun and moon revolve, and four days pass in the blink of an eye.

After a year-end snowfall, Xuan Kingdom officially entered the Spring Festival season in the depths of winter.

Inside and outside the imperial city, every household hung up red lanterns.

The sweet aroma of steamed rice cakes wafted through the streets and alleys, and children whipped tops, rolled iron hoops, and chased each other in play.

However, amidst the festive atmosphere, there was a sense of tension.

With the war in the North still raging, grain prices have risen by 30%, and even the cheapest coarse salt now has to be bought one copper coin at a time.

At this very moment, the Grand Preceptor Fang was ordered to go to the northern border to oversee the front lines. When the news spread, rumors began to circulate.

The presence of a national advisor who cultivates immortality guarding the border is a situation that has been rarely seen in the Xuan Kingdom since the time of Emperor Xuan Taizu.

Some say the Imperial Preceptor has a magical artifact hidden in his sleeve that can summon heavenly lightning, while others say he can fly two thousand miles in a single night... Regardless of whether it's true or not, this news has indeed calmed the anxious hearts of many.

Five days later, news of victory came from Gushan Pass in the northern border: General Fu Yuntao led three thousand Xuanjia cavalry out of Gushan, launched a surprise attack and defeated the enemy army. The national teacher Fang used heavenly lightning to burn all the enemy's food supplies.

The news spread like wildfire, causing a stir throughout the Xuan Kingdom.

Inside the official residence, in Danwu.

The incense burner emitted wisps of smoke. Zhao Wuji stared at the newspaper spread out on the table, his fingertips tracing the four characters "burn the enemy's grain," and he was amazed.

"Fang Shiyu has such courage and strength. I'm afraid he's no longer just a mid-stage Qi Refining Immortal Master."

Nine days have passed, and the matter of the Supreme Sect's counterattack against the royal family has long since passed.

After a thorough and frantic search by the Imperial City Police, the matter came to an end.

He secluded himself in the official residence to cultivate, occasionally going out to practice medicine and acupuncture, thus accumulating some Yin energy.

During this free time, he also successfully separated the sunflower part from the dregs of the medicine bestowed by the emperor using the pill-making technique.

He absorbed all the spiritual energy from the other medicinal residue.

The spiritual energy within the dregs of the medicine split into more than ten strands of yin and yang energy.

Including the dozen or so strands of yang energy he absorbed at the Penglai Immortal Gathering that day, he still had 393 strands of yang energy and 1566 strands of yin energy.

The reason why his Yin energy did not increase much was because he had been practicing and training Qi-forbidden techniques in recent days.

This allowed him to advance to the second level of the Qi Restriction Technique in just nine days, reaching the initial stage of understanding.

He can now cast qi ropes into a protective aura from a distance of hundreds of feet, resisting powerful arrows and trapping strong enemies, making him invincible.

Furthermore, the effects of the Qi Armor and the Spirit Locking Meridian have also been greatly enhanced.

Zhao Wuji introspected the Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearls in his sea of ​​consciousness. "Immortal cultivation: Qi Induction Level 1 (62/100), Martial cultivation: Transformation (25/100)".

"When spring flowers bloom, my cultivation in immortality and my guiding techniques will both break through to new heights."

"Now that I have mastered the Qi-sealing technique, it seems I must find an opportunity to personally visit the Cold Mountain Rime Cave."

"The sooner we obtain the Moon Dew Grass and refine the Golden Jade Pill, the sooner we can learn the art of ingesting it."

Zhao Wuji pondered.

Nine days ago, he sent Xiaoyue to Zhicaotang to hire a herbalist to help him collect herbs in Wusong Cave at a high price.

A few days later, news came that the herb gatherer had been injured by the five poisonous creatures in the Wusong Cave.

Fortunately, the herb gatherers knew what the Rime Cave was and possessed the ability to detoxify, so they did not lose their lives.

But in the days that followed, no one dared to go up the mountain to collect herbs.

Zhao Wuji had no choice but to prepare to do it himself.

At this moment, he put down the newspaper in his hand, picked up a handwritten copy that smelled slightly of alcohol, and slowly began to read it.

This handwritten copy was a gift from his close friend Tao Fei; it was a copy of "Zhen Gao" written by his ancestor Tao Hongjing.

Three days after Tao Fei left, Zhao Wuji, seeing that the Imperial Observatory had not made any moves, took the initiative to ask Li Nianwei to test the waters and confirmed that it was safe.

Under the cover of night, Fang went to Qianxiang Pavilion and took out the Zuiyangchun wine that Tao Fei had given him.

After the wine jar was opened, a bundle of several handwritten manuscripts wrapped in oiled paper was found inside.

The handwriting is similar to the four characters "风流天下" on Tao Fei's folding fan.

It was clearly copied by Tao Fei himself.

One of the handwritten copies contains the famous "Zhen Gao".

The other two handwritten copies record the Dragon Tiger Elixir, a formula created by Wei Boyang of the Eastern Han Dynasty, as well as some taboos that cultivators of immortality in past dynasties should pay attention to.

These three handwritten copies were truly invaluable materials, heavy with weight, yet they also made Zhao Wuji feel uneasy.

However, upon seeing the handwritten copy, Zhao Wuji understood.

It is highly likely that after Bi Yuxiang, the successor of the Thief Saint, infiltrated the Imperial Observatory, he did not take away the real ancient book, but forcibly memorized or copied it down.

With the memory of a Transformation Master, one can almost never forget what one sees in a short time, so quickly memorizing the contents of ancient books and retrieving them is not a problem.

Then Tao Fei made three copies and gave them to him.

In this way, it is quite possible that the Imperial Observatory did not notice it.

After all, the ancient books were not lost, and the methods used by the successor of the Thief Saint were so clever that they left no trace.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji was browsing through the "True Teachings" when he began to activate the first Yang Pearl in his sea of ​​consciousness, causing the third set of tadpole-shaped characters on the Yang Pearl to glow slightly.

The Zhengao is a Taoist classic compiled by Tao Hongjing of the Southern Dynasties.

It records the edicts bestowed by immortals upon Yang Xi, Xu Mi, and others during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, which they obtained through spiritual communication. It is divided into seven chapters.

The handwritten copy in his hand only contained one article—"Wo Zhen Fu".

It is unclear whether Tao Fei only copied one article, or whether the Imperial Observatory only had this one article recorded.

This article records some practices, insights, and concepts related to spiritual cultivation.

Although there were no spells or cultivation methods, Zhao Wuji occasionally experienced flashes of inspiration while browsing through the materials.

It can even increase the proficiency of the techniques of communicating with spirits and manipulating balls by one or two points from time to time.

As for which Earthly Fiend Technique within the Yang Pearl this True Scripture will ultimately bring out, he cannot be certain.

I browsed until evening.

The handwritten message in my hand has been completely read.

The third set of tadpole-shaped characters on the first Yang Pearl in Zhao Wuji's sea of ​​consciousness has finally progressed beyond 70%.

This led to the introduction of a new technique among the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends—Invisibility.

"It's an invisibility technique."

Zhao Wuji's spirits lifted.

This is truly an extremely practical technique, a protective art.

However, depending on the situation, he still needs to study and understand the "True Teachings" thoroughly before he can decipher the invisibility technique.

Zhao Wuji wasn't in a hurry. He put away the "True Teachings" and was about to leave when there was a knock on the door.

Xiao Yue tiptoed in, her bright eyes noticing that Zhao Wuji had already stood up. She immediately hid the things she was holding behind her back and laughed.

"Sir, now that you've finished reading, I have a surprise for you. Can you guess what it is?"

(End of this chapter)