Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 197 An unexpected gain
The boundary between Danzhou and Yangnao.

Shen Wen'an stepped out of the barrier, and what came into view was a lush bamboo forest.

He slowly stopped, and his gaze swept over the bamboo forest with a hint of surprise.

"Sword Intent..."

Back then, there was no bamboo forest in the open space in front of this barrier. It was only later, because of his second brother Shen Wenyan's matter, that he went to Qingluo Sword Pavilion to seek help from Lingshan Sword Immortal.

As a result, she didn't see the Sword Immortal Ling Shan, but only received a Green Bamboo Sword.

The Sword Immortal Ling Shan instructed him to plant the Green Bamboo Sword at the barrier between Danzhou and Yangnao.

Now, many years later, the green bamboo sword has taken root and sprouted, slowly growing into a large, dense bamboo forest.

He had never noticed the special features of this bamboo forest before.

Having grasped the rudiments of sword intent, Shen Wen'an could sense a faint sword intent emanating from the bamboo stalks when he saw the bamboo forest again.

"Unfazed by wind and snow, yet retaining its color...endless life..."

Standing quietly in front of this bamboo forest, a glint of light flashed in Shen Wen'an's eyes as he murmured softly.

When he first met the Sword Immortal Ling Shan, he was just a junior cultivator who had just entered the Qi Refining Realm and could not fathom the power of the Sword Immortal.

When he saw the Sword Immortal Ling Shan again, he witnessed her brilliance.

The towering green bamboo swayed behind him, and with just his sword intent, he overwhelmed the Qishan overlord, Hundred Beast Mountain, and directly destroyed a celestial sect that had been passed down for countless years.

At that time, Shen Wen'an felt that he had witnessed the most terrifying methods of a sword immortal.

However, after seeing only this bamboo forest today, he immediately realized that he had underestimated a sword immortal.

It was merely a green bamboo sword imbued with its sword intent that gave rise to this entire bamboo forest imbued with sword intent...

Shen Wen'an could sense that if the Sword Immortal Ling Shan was willing, the sword intent in this bamboo forest could instantly annihilate all cultivators who wanted to enter Yangnao Land through the barrier!
"Is this how Senior Sister protects Yangnao Land?"

Shen Wen'an pondered to himself, then bowed slightly towards the bamboo forest with his sword in hand, before flying off on his sword towards the direction of the Green Vine Sword Pavilion.

After grasping the initial conception, the familiar scenery along the way took on a different appearance in his eyes.

Riding the wind through the air, the rolling green hills and earth beneath its feet exude an indescribable sense of grandeur.

The mighty rivers and babbling brooks flowing slowly in the distance seem to embody a sense of boundless water, capable of both gentleness and strength.

The towering peaks ahead resembled canyons ripped open by the earth's wounds...

Everything seemed to have changed, slowly blurring in his eyes and forming tangled and twisted longswords!
Shen Wen'an's gaze grew deeper and deeper, and more and more confused.

Even as he flew rapidly on his sword, his body swayed precariously, and he could fall from the void at any moment.

A streak of light suddenly shot into the sky from the towering mountain peaks ahead, arriving in front of Shen Wen'an in the blink of an eye.

It was a disheveled old man sitting upright on a huge wine gourd.

The old man leaned against the huge gourd, curiously examining the swaying Shen Wen'an with a look of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes.

"What a strange little guy..."

"He's a sword cultivator."

"At such a young age, to have such skill in swordsmanship, he must be the boy that Ling Shan has her eye on."

The disheveled old man nodded with admiration in his eyes, then took a smaller gourd from his waist and gulped down a mouthful of the cool wine.

puff!
The disheveled old man put down his wine gourd and sprayed the wine from his mouth directly at Shen Wen'an, who was swaying precariously in mid-air!
The wine surged with the wind, and when it flew over Shen Wen'an's head, it was like a terrifying wave crashing down on his body!

Wow!

Shen Wen'an, whose eyes were filled with confusion, was drenched by the wave and instantly woke up, regaining his balance as he rode the sword.

But then, a strange old man riding a giant gourd appeared not far away. Suddenly, a three-inch-long flying sword appeared in front of him, and he looked at the old man warily.

"Ha ha……"

"You rude brat! If I hadn't saved you just now, your soul would have sunk into nothingness and never woken up again."

The disheveled old man laughed heartily, showing no intention of making a move.

Upon hearing this, a look of doubt flashed in Shen Wen'an's eyes, and he suddenly thought of his previous situation.

Upon arriving in Danzhou, he saw the bamboo forest formed by the sword intent of Ling Shan Sword Immortal's Green Bamboo Sword at the entrance of the barrier, and he became particularly interested in the artistic conception.

So much so that everything he saw on the road gradually took on a poetic quality in his eyes.

Once he was in that state, he was completely unaware of what happened afterward.

It really was this old man who woke me up from that state.

With that thought in mind, he immediately put away the Dragon Soul Sword and bowed to the disheveled old man from afar, saying, "Thank you for your help, senior."

The disheveled old man chuckled and nodded, saying, "At such a young age, your cultivation has already reached the mid-stage of the embryonic breathing realm, and you've even grasped the rudiments of its essence..."

“Young man, your talent is no less than that of my disciple.”

Shen Wen'an was slightly taken aback, then seemed to realize something, carefully examined the old man, and said, "Senior is... the master of Sword Immortal Ling Shan?"

The old man smiled and nodded: "I am Liu Qixuan."

Upon hearing his acknowledgment, Shen Wen'an bowed again, saying, "Shen Wen'an greets senior."

Liu Qixuan lay lazily on the large gourd and waved his hand: "Alright, my disciple is on the mountain, you can go there."

"Remember, given your current condition, you must not attempt to comprehend the meaning of all things."

As soon as he finished speaking, he transformed into a sword light and flew towards the towering mountain peak in the distance.

Shen Wen'an pondered his words for a moment, then composed himself, not daring to look around or think wildly, and flew straight towards the Yin Sword Peak of the Qingluo Sword Pavilion.

……

In the lush green bamboo forest.

Dressed in a plain gauze robe, with her jet-black hair casually tied back, the Sword Immortal Ling Shan lifted her sleeves and poured a cup of tea for herself and Shen Wen'an.

"Your current condition is not suitable for drinking tea made from the leaves of the Tongtianjian bamboo."

"This is an ice-purple orchid that I discovered by chance during my travels many years ago. It tastes very good."

Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal, spoke softly and slowly, making her very pleasant to listen to.

"Thank you, senior sister."

Shen Wen'an cupped his hands and took the teacup, then held it to his nose and closed his eyes to smell it.

A delicate fragrance is refreshing and pleasant.

Take a sip, and the rich aroma lingers on your tongue, giving your soul a sense of tranquil serenity.

"You saw that old man outside the mountain gate?"

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, took a sip of tea and said softly.

Shen Wen'an was slightly taken aback, then became curious: "Isn't that senior sister's master?"

Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal, slowly put down her teacup and smiled slightly, saying, "I can only be considered half a master..."

"After all, he was the one who brought me to the Qingluo Sword Pavilion back then, and he was the one who guided me through my initial cultivation."

"Since we never went through the formal apprenticeship ceremony, we can't be considered true master and disciple."

Shen Wen'an suddenly realized, and then asked with some curiosity, "Then who is Senior Sister's master...?"

Ling Shan Sword Immortal shook her head slightly: "I have no master in Qingluo Sword Pavilion. Although several elders have given me a lot of guidance, they all think that I am not worthy of being their master."

Her voice was calm, yet it exuded a strong sense of confidence.

As one of the three great sects, Qingluo Sword Pavilion must have more than one old sword immortal at the Golden Core stage.

Among these old sword immortals, not one of them could be her master.

Seeing his stunned expression, the Sword Immortal Ling Shan smiled and said, "A teacher is one who imparts knowledge, teaches skills, and resolves doubts."

"I have few questions about my cultivation, and even if I do, those seniors cannot answer them. Therefore, I am ashamed to call myself their teacher."

"Of course, except for that shameless old man."

"However, his skill in swordsmanship is indeed very high."

As Ling Shan Sword Immortal spoke, she picked up the teapot and poured herself and Shen Wen'an another cup of flower tea, saying, "The realm of artistic conception is the exclusive domain of the Golden Core Path."

"The so-called union of spirit and elixir gives rise to the realm of spiritual energy, and the mind gives rise to the Dharma form."

"Whether it is a cultivator's golden core or our sword cultivator's sword embryo, as long as there is a trace of golden essence protecting it, one can see through the essence of things. This is the Dao."

"The saying 'to see a mountain as a mountain, to see a mountain as not a mountain, and to see a mountain as a mountain again' is a manifestation of a certain state of mind."

"The Golden Core Realm is also known as the 'Beginning of the Dao' or 'Enlightened Destiny' because cultivators who have cultivated that Golden Core have the ability to glimpse the rules governing the operation of heaven and earth and to easily understand their own destiny."

Shen Wen'an frowned slightly and nodded as if he understood but not quite.

Logically speaking, his current realm has reached the mid-stage of embryonic breathing, and he is not too far from the perfection of embryonic breathing, or even the Golden Core realm.

But this is the first time I've heard about how to cultivate the Golden Core.

Ling Shan Sword Immortal slowly stood up, walked to the bamboo fence, gently stroked a green bamboo in front of her and continued: "Ninety-nine percent of the cultivators in the world are stuck at the perfected state of embryonic breathing, struggling to cross over, but unable to obtain it."

"Like those old monsters hidden among the various immortal sects in Qishan, each of them has remained at the peak of the embryonic breathing realm for hundreds of years, only able to watch their lifespan slowly slip away..."

"This is the first major hurdle on the path of cultivators seeking the Dao and immortality."

Shen Wen'an finished the tea in his teacup, stood up, and bowed behind Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal: "May I ask, Senior Sister, is it very difficult for a cultivator to break through to the Golden Core realm?"

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, turned around, glanced at him, and shook her head with a faint smile.

"It cannot be judged by whether it is difficult or not. You will feel it when you reach the state of perfect embryonic breathing."

She changed the subject and said, "I was somewhat surprised that you were able to comprehend the rudimentary form of the conception at the mid-stage of the embryonic breathing realm."

Shen Wen'an was taken aback; he didn't find it particularly difficult to grasp the rudimentary form of this artistic conception.

However, he still doesn't know what kind of artistic conception he has comprehended. He feels that the artistic conception of all things in the world is manifested, to the point that he almost got lost on the way earlier.

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, seemed to see his confusion and chuckled as she explained.

"As I just said, the concept of artistic conception is exclusive to the Golden Core Path. Throughout history, there have been some exceptionally talented cultivators who have been able to comprehend the rudiments of artistic conception in the Fetal Breathing Realm."

"However, these geniuses who can comprehend the rudiments of the conception in the Fetal Breathing Realm often fail to further refine the conception because they lack a trace of the Immortal Golden Nature."

"Like a pearl forming in an oyster, without that one grain of sand, it is very difficult for it to condense into a pearl within the body."

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, used a rather insightful metaphor.

The reason why river mussels can form pearls inside their bodies is because when tiny pebbles enter their bodies, the mussels instinctively secrete a kind of mucus to coat the pebbles, and over time, they will solidify into pearls inside their bodies.

The immortal golden nature of the Golden Core realm is the vessel for artistic conception; without a vessel, it cannot be condensed.

Shen Wen'an understood her meaning slightly and said in a deep voice, "Then what should I do now?"

Since the cultivation level has not reached the Golden Core stage, and the body lacks that wisp of immortal golden essence, there is no way to continue refining this realm.

On the contrary, one can easily get lost in the vastness of the universe.

"Use less force, and use less imagery."

"Focusing on one thing, contemplating one matter, and staying true to your principles will all be helpful to you."

Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal, offered a suggestion, but it wasn't a particularly good solution.

Shen Wen'an frowned slightly after hearing this, and Ling Shan Sword Immortal pondered for a moment before speaking again: "Actually, I also comprehended the rudimentary form of the conception when I was in the Nascent Soul Realm, and later I sat in front of the Heavenly Sword Bamboo on the mountaintop for decades."

"I have finally grasped the essence of the Green Bamboo Sword."

"Ancient books record that there are unparalleled geniuses and prodigies who, without relying on the immortal golden nature 'empty condensation' conception, can comprehend another conception after they achieve the Golden Core and possess that wisp of immortal golden nature."

"If you have confidence in yourself, you may try it carefully."

Shen Wen'an nodded, keeping the matter firmly in mind.

"Thank you, Senior Sister, for clearing up my confusion."

"There are two more things I need to trouble you with, Senior Sister."

After the matter of sword intent was resolved, he began to inquire about the remaining two matters.

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, looked at him.

Shen Wen'an cupped his hands and said, "Some time ago, for some unknown reason, the Suihuo Sect in Qishan suddenly sent three cultivators at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm to attack and kill my elder brother's eldest son, Chongming."

"Fortunately, my father foresaw this using the Great Evolution Dao, which saved us from danger."

"My Shen family, with the help of various forces, investigated the Fireball Cult, but we still haven't found any clues..."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting hint of killing intent flashed across Ling Shan's calm expression.

"You mean the Flint Cult wants to kill Chongming?"

Shen Wen'an nodded and said, "The Shen family and Luoxia Mountain had some conflicts with the Suihuo Sect back then. Chongming has good talent and is about to reach the Qi Refining Perfection stage. The Suihuo Sect may have made its move because of this."

"However, his actions are strange and he is very secretive, so the Shen family does not dare to make any rash moves."

"Does Senior Sister know the details of the Flintfire Cult?"

Ling Shan Sword Immortal suppressed the killing intent in her heart, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The Sui Huo Sect and the Yin He Sect among the three upper sects share the same origin and have always had a secret connection."

"And the Yinhe Sect seems to have intricate connections with a major sect in Zhongzhou, which makes this situation quite troublesome."

Upon hearing Ling Shan's words, Shen Wen'an's expression became somewhat solemn.

Luoxia Mountain had previously gone to great lengths to find some clues, and guessed that the Suihuo Sect and the Yinhe Sect, one of the three upper sects, were somewhat related.

Now that this guess has been confirmed, and even the Sword Immortal Ling Shan said that dealing with the Flintfire Cult is somewhat tricky, it's clear that those guys are really not easy to deal with.

"As far as I know, both the Suihuo Sect and the Yinhe Sect have strong objectives in Danzhou and will not easily take action."

"If it were only because Chongming was talented, it wouldn't have been enough to provoke them to take action."

"At present, I'm afraid Chongming has already been involved in the schemes of the Yinhe Sect and the Suihuo Sect, or even knows or has obtained something that would make them want to eliminate it."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an clenched his fist slightly.

He was well aware of the madness of the Flintfire Cult. If what Ling Shan Sword Immortal said was true, then the Shen family would never have peace in the future.

"After you return, Junior Brother, you should warn Chongming to avoid going out before he begins to practice fetal breathing."

"in addition……"

Sword Immortal Ling Shan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Junior Brother, come with me to see someone later."

Shen Wen'an nodded and then said somewhat embarrassedly, "There's one more thing... Does Senior Sister know any powerful array masters?"

He came to Qingluo Sword Pavilion empty-handed, without bringing anything, and yet he still had so many trivial matters to ask Lingshan Sword Immortal to handle. Even with his resolute character, he felt a little embarrassed.

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, looked at him suspiciously, then suddenly smiled.

"I thought it was a bit of a waste to use this favor, but now that you've said it, there are still ways to use that old man."

"Alright, come with me first, we'll talk when we get there."

As Ling Shan the Sword Immortal spoke, she casually plucked a bamboo leaf and tossed it into the air, where it transformed into a long, green bamboo leaf sword.

With a flash, he landed directly on the cyan longsword and flew away into the distance.

Seeing this, Shen Wen'an quickly pointed to the scabbard, and the Dragon Slayer Sword in his hand flew out with a clear sword sound, carrying him to chase after the Sword Immortal Ling Shan.

Seeing the mountains rushing past beneath their feet, Shen Wen'an asked curiously, "Senior Sister, who are we going to see?"

The Sword Immortal Ling Shan, dressed in simple white robes, her hair billowing in the gentle breeze, gazed into the distance and spoke softly:

"There is a wondrous place in Danzhou called Fallen Immortal Lake."

"The Fallen Immortal Lake is covered by a powerful restriction within a radius of a thousand miles. Even if we Golden Core cultivators were to rashly fly into it, our spiritual energy and sword essence would be immediately sealed, and we would fall into the lake."

"This is how Zhuixian Lake got its name."

"The person I'm taking you to see today is a powerful array master who lives in seclusion in Fallen Immortal Lake."

"That old man has been living in seclusion in Fallen Immortal Lake for over a hundred years in order to comprehend the restrictions there."

"The female essence pearl left behind by Bai Ze after his death some time ago prompted him to take action, but he almost died at the hands of a Golden Core Realm demon. It was I who saved him."

Shen Wen'an's expression turned strange after hearing this.

"What did Senior Sister intend to do with that senior before?"

Ling Shan Sword Immortal laughed and said, "I naturally want him to help your Shen family set up a great formation to protect your residence, so as to prevent it from being attacked by the Sui Huo Sect."

As the two were talking, they arrived near Fallen Immortal Lake.

"Go down, or you'll enter a restricted area. It wouldn't be good to lose your sword energy and fall from the sky."

Ling Shan, the sword immortal, spoke, and the two rushed directly towards the mountain forest below.

After the two landed, Sword Immortal Ling Shan said, "The restrictions here are quite peculiar. If one only walks on the ground, one's cultivation will not be affected in any way."

"But once the distance from the ground exceeds one zhang, whether one is a Qi Refining cultivator or a Golden Core cultivator, their power will be instantly sealed."

"Do you want to try it?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an immediately jumped to his death.

Just as his body rose to a height of over ten feet, he suddenly felt the surging sword energy within him vanish in an instant!
Over the years, he had grown accustomed to the feeling of power, but now the sudden realization of the weakness of an ordinary person stirred a ripple within him.

Fortunately, this feeling was short-lived, and once he landed, his surging sword energy returned.

Seeing the slight change in her expression, Ling Shan Sword Immortal smiled and said, "In fact, many cultivators in Danzhou often come to Fallen Immortal Lake, just to use the restrictions here to suppress their own spiritual power, so as to walk the path of mortals again and temper their character."

"This restriction is especially useful for cultivators whose cultivation level improves rapidly."

Shen Wen'an nodded.

The ups and downs of life, with its gains and losses, can indeed temper one's character.

I might come back to this place more often in the future.

"Let's go."

"The old man is not far ahead."

The two did not use their cultivator powers; they walked among the mountains and rivers like ordinary people.

With its magnificent mountains and beautiful scenery, Danzhou has never experienced the depletion of its spiritual energy, making its landscape even more stunning.

After walking for about an hour, a rumbling sound could be faintly heard ahead. Looking into the distance, a magnificent waterfall cascaded down.

Not far from the waterfall, in the gentler eddy, the terrain is flat, with rows of spirit fruit trees neatly arranged, and several elegant wooden houses hidden in the orchard, blending together seamlessly.

Sword Immortal Ling Shan stopped in her tracks and gently pointed her finger forward. The next moment, several ripples appeared in the void before her, clearly indicating the presence of an array.

Not long after the ripples subsided, an elderly man dressed in gray with his trousers rolled up and his hair and beard all white walked slowly out of the orchard.

The old man held a hoe, just like an ordinary farmer.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Ling Shan."

Standing outside the formation was the Sword Immortal Ling Shan. The old man chuckled and waved his hand, opening up the layers of formation in front of him and revealing a small gap.

"Let's go."

As Ling Shan Sword Immortal spoke, she and Shen Wen'an went inside together.

The three walked through the orchard and sat down at a small pavilion by the water.

"Fellow Daoist Lingshan, it's been a long time."

"And this young friend is..."

The old man poured tea, exchanged polite greetings, and then looked at Shen Wen'an.

"Junior brother Shen Wen'an."

"Wen'an, this is Fellow Daoist Fu Yang."

Shen Wen'an bowed slightly and said, "Wen'an greets Senior."

He could tell that the old man named Fu Yang in front of him seemed to have some flaws in his aura. He was like a Golden Core cultivator, but he was not quite there yet, which was very strange.

However, now is not the time to ask directly.

"Fellow Daoist Ling Shan, what brings you to my Fallen Immortal Lake today?"

Fu Yang handed the tea to the two of them and said with a smile.

Sword Immortal Ling Shan didn't seem to like beating around the bush, and said directly, "When we met deep in Qishan in the past, Fellow Daoist Fu said he owed me a favor. I've come today to repay that favor."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yang was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Ling Shan is indeed a generous person. I wonder how you intend to use it?"

Ling Shan Sword Immortal remained silent and instead looked at Shen Wen'an.

Shen Wen'an instantly understood her meaning and immediately cupped his hands and said, "It is like this, I have built a city in the secular family and now I want to set up some formations on the city."

"My senior sister said that you are a master of array formations, so I came to pay my respects."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yang was somewhat surprised.

He didn't have a deep relationship with Ling Shan Sword Immortal. He was only saved by her in Qishan back then. Feeling that he had some skill in array formations, he took the initiative to say that he owed her a favor.

He had heard some stories about the young swordsman from the Green Vine Sword Pavilion.

Now, seeing that he would actually use this favor for a junior brother in the Nascent Soul Realm, Fu Yang realized that this junior in the Nascent Soul Realm was not someone to be underestimated.

"What are your requirements for the city's formation, young friend?"

In the secular world, the requirements for formations are not very high, and Fu Yang is not the kind of person who is opportunistic and greedy.

Since it was a debt of gratitude for saving his life, he wanted to repay it as much as possible.

Shen Wen'an pondered for a moment and said, "The requirement is... that it can withstand the impact of a large number of demonic beasts, and preferably be able to withstand cultivators and demonic beasts at the Nascent Soul stage."

"In addition, the younger generation's family lacks resources, so it would be even better if we could reduce the consumption of spirit crystals."

His words surprised Fu Yang.

To withstand demonic beasts and cultivators at the Nascent Soul Realm, it is also necessary to consume as few spirit crystals as possible.

This is... it's like wanting the horse to run but not wanting it to eat grass, deliberately making things difficult for someone.
"Is the city where your family lives frequently attacked by demonic beasts and cultivators?"

Fu Yang didn't quite understand.

The Sword Immortal Ling Shan said that this person was her junior brother, a disciple of the Qingluo Sword Pavilion.

Throughout Danzhou, aside from some low-level demonic beasts that are muddle-headed and not fully intelligent and will instinctively provoke the families of the disciples of the Qingluo Sword Pavilion.

As for those demonic beasts whose cultivation has reached the level of fetal breathing, they would know how terrifying the Azure Sword Pavilion is. Who would want to risk their life by attacking the family members of the Azure Sword Pavilion disciples?
Not to mention cultivators.

Shen Wen'an nodded and explained his family's situation and the events in the southern border region.

As he recounted the event, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he casually mentioned the Void Harmony Corridor Formation as well.

Upon hearing this, both Ling Shan Sword Immortal and Fu Yang present were visibly shocked.

However, Sword Immortal Ling Shan did not interrupt, intending to discuss the matter with Shen Wen'an in detail after returning home.

But things are different for Fu Yang.

Just as Shen Wen'an guessed, these people who had a deep understanding of array formations had little resistance to such powerful arrays.

Hearing that the Void Harmony Corridor Formation was set up by a Great True Monarch at the Nascent Soul Perfection Realm, Fu Yang was immediately drawn to it.

When questioned, Shen Wen'an deliberately gave vague answers, indicating that he didn't know much about it either.

Fu Yang immediately became somewhat impatient.

He hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Ling Shan Sword Immortal and Shen Wen'an, and said, "Since this is the case, there's no better time than today, let's set off now."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an secretly exchanged a glance with Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal.

Sword Immortal Ling Shan leisurely picked up the teacup in front of her, took a sip, and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Fu, please don't be impatient. To set up this grand formation, we still need to prepare some spiritual treasures."

"After I return, I plan to take my junior brother to some markets to shop around and prepare some things."

At this moment, Fu Yang felt as if countless cat claws were scratching at her heart, and she no longer wanted to wait for them to finish browsing the market.

He immediately gritted his teeth and said, "Fellow Daoist Lingshan has saved my life."

"I can still provide the spiritual materials needed to set up the formation for my young friend Shen, so there's no need to go to the market to buy them."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed through Shen Wen'an's heart.

The amount of spiritual materials needed to set up the grand formation for Yunshui City is not small.

When my father and elder brother discussed this matter before, they only planned to set up the main formations on the south and west sides of the city walls of Yunshui City. As for the northeast sides... due to the shortage of spirit crystals, they could only leave it for the time being.

Now that Fu Yang has agreed to provide all the spiritual materials for setting up the formation for free, it will save the Shen family a lot of money!

"Thank you so much, senior!"

Shen Wen'an bowed respectfully to Fu Yang from the bottom of his heart.

"Little things, little things."

Fu Yang smiled and said, not really caring.

That makes sense. As a master of array formations, he could easily reap great rewards by helping some aristocratic families and immortal sects set up a few large arrays.

As a rogue cultivator, he doesn't need many cultivation resources. The spiritual materials he's taken out this time are nothing to Fu Yang.

"Fellow Daoist Lingshan, young friend Shen."

"You two go back first. I will go and prepare the spiritual materials. I will go to the Azure Vine Sword Pavilion to find you two by tomorrow at the latest, how about that?"

Sword Immortal Ling Shan stood up and nodded, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Fu."

"Farewell."

"Farewell, senior." Shen Wen'an also stood up and cupped his hands in farewell.

The two hurriedly left Fallen Immortal Lake.

"You mean it really appeared in southern Xinjiang?"

On the way back, Sword Immortal Ling Shan spoke with a solemn expression.

Shen Wen'an nodded: "Senior Sister knows about Southern Xinjiang?"

After pondering for a long time, the Sword Immortal Ling Shan finally spoke slowly.

"Although Danzhou and Yangnao are separated only by a barrier, there are very few records about Yangnao."

"If I hadn't specifically collected some of these information, I really wouldn't have known about these secrets."

Ling Shan Sword Immortal paused slightly before continuing, "I found some records about Yangnao Land in a tattered ancient book."

Ancient books mention the southern border, saying that Yangnao was once a territory no less powerful than Danzhou.

"At that time, there was a powerful immortal sect in Yangnao Land, known as Daying Immortal Mansion."

"But later, it seems that the Daying Immortal Mansion provoked a powerful enemy, and a great war broke out between the two sides. In the end, the Daying Immortal Mansion was destroyed, and the entire Yangnao Land was turned into a punishment land where all the spiritual veins of heaven and earth were lost."

"For countless years, cultivators from Danzhou have often ventured to Yangnao in search of opportunities."

"But the entire Yangnao land is devoid of spiritual energy, and its rare and precious materials are nowhere to be found. Over time, that place has been forgotten."

Shen Wen'an nodded.

He had already guessed the general outline of these events based on the golden toad's account.

"Southern Xinjiang was indeed one with Yangnao Land before, but later, for some unknown reason, it was separated by the Great Ying True Lord using the Void Union Corridor Formation."

"It seems that the great battle that Senior Sister mentioned did not affect Southern Xinjiang, so Yangnao is now much weaker than Southern Xinjiang."

"The Void Harmony Corridor Formation has also developed flaws in recent years, which allowed those cultivators and demonic beasts from the Southern Frontier to come to the Yangnao Land."

Upon hearing this, the Sword Immortal Ling Shan frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The two remained silent all the way back to Yinjian Peak of Qingluo Sword Lodge.

With nothing else to do, Shen Wen'an took the opportunity to ask the Sword Immortal Ling Shan about things related to swordsmanship and sword techniques.

……

Blackwater Pavilion.

As Shen Chongming slowly walked across the pontoon bridge, he saw a handsome young man dressed in a white scholar's robe kneeling in front of a set of documents on the pavilion's pier, writing something earnestly.

A smile appeared on his face as he slowly walked up to the young man.

Hearing the noise, the young man put down his pen, slowly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother."

Shen Chongming nodded and sat down in front of him, his eyes fixed on the books in front of him.

"Is this the family history of my Shen family?"

Shen Chongxuan nodded: "I have been cultivating my literary skills and mind at the academy these days, so I haven't had time to write down some important matters at home."

"I came today specifically to inquire about Grandpa."

Shen Chongming nodded, picked up the book, and carefully flipped through it.

When he saw the faceless figure in his second uncle Shen Wenyan's biography, his brows suddenly furrowed.

Why is my second uncle's face blank?

Shen Chongxuan's expression was very complicated when faced with his question.

After pondering for a long time, he finally spoke in a deep voice: "As a son, Chongxuan does not know what kind of person Father is in Grandfather's eyes."

"As a father, Father is beyond evaluation in the eyes of both Chongxu and me."

"As a husband..."

Shen Chongxuan looked somewhat somber. He gently stroked an exquisite embroidered pouch next to his desk and said calmly, "My mother waited for him for ten years, and when she died in sorrow, she was unable to see him one last time."

"What kind of person he is in his mother's heart, Chongxuan also does not know..."

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Shen Chongming, and asked, "What kind of person does elder brother think he is?"

"What kind of face do you deserve?"

Shen Chongming was stunned, and tried to recall the appearance and voice of his second uncle, Shen Wenyan.

However, Shen Wenyan's memory was also very vague, so it was indeed impossible to give him an evaluation.

Confucius said, “When compiling history, one should be impartial and not rely on personal subjective evaluations.”

He lowered his head and stroked his father's faceless illustration, whispering, "I can only record everything he did in his life, down to the smallest detail."

"Let future generations judge for themselves."

Shen Chongming sighed inwardly, gently patted his shoulder, and changed the subject:
"I've heard that you want the academy's scholars and intellectuals to go out and teach and spread their teachings in cities ruled by other immortal sects and aristocratic families?"

Shen Chongxuan nodded slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and said, "Over the years, my teacher and I have been studying the legacy left by my father, and we have come to share common insights on the path of literature."

“The cultivators of the literary path cultivate their literary mind and rectify their own conduct, relying on the ‘literary spirit of my path’.”

"With the arrival of the Immortal Sect, the world is divided. People value cultivation but neglect etiquette and are ignorant of books. The literary atmosphere in this world is extremely thin."

As he spoke, he waved his hand and wrote the character "sword" in the air in front of him. After the character "sword" appeared, it suddenly turned into a handsome long sword and shot into the distance.

"My skill is insufficient; this attack of mine is only comparable to that of a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining."

"Brother, do you think Uncle would agree if I mentioned this matter to him and asked the Shen family to help promote literature?"

Shen Chongming narrowed his eyes slightly after hearing this, but remained silent.

Given the Shen family's current status in Yangnao Land, if they were to forcibly arrange for people to establish schools and teach in cities under the jurisdiction of other immortal sects and aristocratic families, those families and immortal sects would not refuse.

However, there are many complex relationships behind this matter.

For example, wouldn't other immortal sects and aristocratic families think that the Shen family is domineering and blatantly placing their own people in their midst?

For example, once academies and schools are established, they naturally need to recruit disciples, which is tantamount to directly poaching people from other people's sphere of influence.

More importantly, once the literary cultivators demonstrate their strength, the cultivators under the rule of other immortal sects and aristocratic families will inevitably regard them as a major threat.

For various reasons, it is likely that it will be difficult for us to get along in the future.

My father's philosophy of managing the household was to make friends with others and form alliances with them.

He certainly wouldn't agree to this easily.

but……

A glint of light flashed in Shen Chongming's eyes.

His own philosophy on managing a household differs from that of his father and grandfather.

In his view, the Yangnao region is currently a world of great strife, where the strong will prevail and the weak will perish!
The cultivation resources in Yangnao Land have been gradually divided up. Without further development, the advantages that the family has painstakingly accumulated will be gradually caught up with in a few years.

If any generation of the younger generation shows signs of weakness or incompetence, they are very likely to be suppressed by other powerful families, or even be slaughtered and divided up!
The literary path is the legacy left behind by my second uncle, Shen Wenyan, who sacrificed his life. If we don't make good use of it, wouldn't we be letting down his sacrifice?

"Do you have a plan in mind regarding this matter?"

After careful consideration, Shen Chongming spoke in a deep voice.

Composition?

Shen Chongxuan was somewhat taken aback, then shook his head: "Without my uncle's permission, I dare not think about this matter further."

By nature, Shen Chongxuan was a person who knew and respected etiquette, and he liked to do everything according to the rules.

A resolute glint flashed in Shen Chongming's eyes as he said, "In the next few days, you should start drafting a plan for this matter, and I will help you with the rest."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxuan looked at him in surprise.

"Brother, this matter is of great importance, it would be best if we... we should talk to Uncle about it."

Meeting his gaze, Shen Chongming smiled faintly and said, "Father has already entrusted me with handling most of the family affairs, so just prepare as you see fit."

"Don't wait until I've taken care of everything for you, only to find yourself in a mess and making a laughingstock of the Shen family."

Patting him on the shoulder, Shen Chongming immediately headed towards the Blackwater Pavilion.

On the pier, Shen Chongxuan gazed at his retreating figure with a deep look in his eyes. He then glanced at the family history in front of him and quickly turned to the page of "Biographies of People: Shen Chongming".

After pondering for a long time, he picked up his pen and began to write furiously in the blank space.

[In the 61st year of the Immortal Calendar, the month of Bingxu, on the day of Guichou, I discussed with the young clan leader in front of the Blackwater Pavilion, debating the spread of the Dao throughout the world...]

He wrote down the conversation between the two brothers verbatim, and then added a sentence at the end.

The young clan leader, Chongming, is courageous and wise, truly a sign of a powerful leader.

Inside the Blackwater Pavilion, Shen Yuan sat cross-legged with a faint smile on his face.

He had overheard the conversation between the two brothers on the pier outside the pavilion.

Shen Chongming's ambition and decisiveness pleased him greatly.

"This kid is more promising than both his father and me."

"Hopefully, the Shen family can reach even greater heights under his leadership..."

……

north.

On the vast snowfield, an ancient bronze ship suddenly appeared in the void.

On the ship, Fu Yang stood at the bow, curiously looking around. A hint of surprise appeared on her face, and she couldn't help but speak:

"Truly peculiar!"

"More than a hundred years ago, I crossed the barrier and came to this Yangnao land."

“At that time, the spiritual energy in Yangnao Land was scarce, and it could not even sustain the most basic needs of cultivators.”

"Now, only a hundred years have passed, and the concentration of spiritual energy in this Yangnao land is already not much worse than that in Danzhou."

"It seems that the spiritual veins of the land of Yangnao have been activated, and the spiritual energy has been fully restored."

Fu Yang nodded with emotion: "In a hundred years, this Yangnao land will surely become a treasure land where cultivation flourishes, just like Danzhou."

Shen Wen'an slowly walked to his side, nodded, and said, "Now that the major immortal sects of Qishan have descended, the number of cultivators in Yangnao Land is increasing."

"These cultivators either formed their own forces or carved out their own territories, thus establishing cultivation families."

"A hundred years from now, it will indeed be a magnificent sight."

"Senior, now that we've arrived at Yangnao, why don't you come to my Shen family's place for a cup of tea first?"

It's already the end of August, and Shen Chonghong's wedding to Xiao Hongxiu of Bailian Valley is on the eighth day of the ninth month. If the remaining days can be used to set up this grand formation as soon as possible, it will allow the immortal sects and forces that come to offer their congratulations to witness the Shen family's strength.

This can also serve as a deterrent to those with ill intentions.

Fu Yang nodded and said, "Please point me in a direction, young friend."

Shen Wen'an stood at the bow of the ship, pointing towards the direction of Yunzhong County. Fu Yang immediately steered the ship into a streak of light and flew in that direction.

He also wanted to set up the formation for the Shen family as soon as possible, and then go and see the so-called Void Harmony Corridor Formation.

(End of this chapter)