Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 309 The Laws of Literature
"Your perception is quite sharp."

After the awning boat in the void materialized, one of the men, with a dark face and fierce eyes, sneered.

"Unfortunately, this is already the territory of our Fengshui Realm's patrol route. If you obediently hand over your storage bag and let us three brothers search you thoroughly, we might spare your life."

The patrol route of the Fengshui border?

Shen Chongming frowned and recalled that there was such a force that had invaded Yangnao Land back then.

In his eyes, apart from the Ice God Palace, all the forces that had invaded Yangnao Land in the past were enemies.

Now that these three disciples of the Hunting Path have come to his doorstep, he has no intention of letting them go.

However, since the other party has said that this is the territory of the patrol route, I should still be careful when I take action.

"Are you so confident that you can subdue me?"

Looking at the three with interest, Shen Chongming pulled off the storage bag at his waist, tossed it in his hand, and laughed, "There are indeed quite a few good things in this storage bag of mine."

Upon seeing this, the three people opposite exchanged a glance, and in an instant, they flashed and surrounded Shen Chongming.

"Senior Brother Yang, this person is rather strange. To be on the safe side, shall we stall him for now and ask our eldest brother and the others for help?"

Among the three, a lean young man felt a little uneasy when he saw Shen Chongming's calm and composed expression.

Furthermore, given that Shen Chongming's apparent cultivation level was at the peak of the Golden Core stage, they were still somewhat worried that the three of them were no match for the opponent.

Upon hearing his telepathic message, the dark-skinned cultivator immediately glared and rebuked, "What are you afraid of!?"

"He's just a rogue cultivator; he won't have much ability!"

As soon as he finished speaking, another chubby cultivator chimed in, "If we call our senior brother, he'll definitely take most of the benefits, and the three of us will probably only get a little soup."

After hearing what the two said, the lean young man gave up his idea of ​​asking for help.

Considering that this place was not far from the Fengshui border, even if the three of them were slightly inferior to their opponents in cultivation, they should be able to survive even if they were outmatched. It wouldn't be too late to ask for help later.

"Fellow Daoist, you'd better hand over your storage bag obediently."

"It is not easy for a rogue cultivator to reach the Golden Core Perfection realm. We are not vicious people; we only seek wealth and will not harm lives."

“Things can be found again, but if you lose your life, all your cultivation will be wasted.”

The three of them were clearly aware of the slight difference in their cultivation levels, and they didn't want to resort to violence if they could avoid it.

If one can gain some benefits by threatening others with words, that would be the best outcome.

Seeing through the three men's ulterior motives at a glance, Shen Chongming couldn't help but sneer, "If you're so cowardly, don't try to rob people on the road."

"If the three of you don't make a move, I'm taking my leave."

After saying this, he immediately urged the flying boat to break through the encirclement and fly away into the distance.

At that moment, a fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the dark-faced cultivator, and with a flash of light in his hand, he directly took out a black knife that exuded a bloodthirsty aura!

Clearly, this person was the one who attacked Shen Chongming back in the Eye of the Sea God for a single Sea Soul Crystal at the Fetal Breathing Realm.

The black knife was drawn, and the cultivator immediately gripped the hilt with both hands, his body overflowing with rich earth-attribute spiritual power, and made a powerful slash at Shen Chongming on the distant flying boat!

hum!
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the surrounding sea surged instantly, gathering into a ten-thousand-foot-long blade of light on its blade!
Two other late-stage Golden Core cultivators followed closely behind, one wielding a spear and the other unleashing a large, gleaming net, attacking Shen Chongming!
That's it?

The reason Shen Chongming didn't make the first move was that he wanted to see if the three of them had any special tricks up their sleeves.

With his strength, killing three late-stage Golden Core cultivators would be as easy as snapping his fingers.

However, this is the outer sea area, and it is within the so-called Fengshui territory. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he needs to ensure that the three of them do not have any special means of survival, and that a single strike can completely erase all traces of their existence.

Seeing that the three of them were now using their full strength, Shen Chongming revealed a cold smile.

With a flick of his finger, a sharp arrow formed from water-attribute spiritual energy instantly appeared in front of him!
The moment the arrow was formed, the divine sense unique to cultivators of the Purple Mansion instantly locked onto the three of them.

The terrifying power of divine sense caused the three of them to tremble slightly, and the next moment, they all reacted!

"You're not at the peak of the Golden Core stage!?"

As the dark-faced cultivator screamed in horror, the arrow, composed entirely of water-attribute spiritual energy, pierced straight through his skull!

Immediately afterward, the other two had no time to react before arrows pierced their heads one after another!
After killing three people, Shen Chongming flashed and collected the storage bags and magical artifacts from the three corpses. Then, with a wave of his hand, he used his spiritual power to shatter one of the corpses into a blood mist, which drifted into the sea below.

He concealed his presence and hid to the side.

Moments later, some sea monsters, stimulated by the smell of blood, quickly arrived.

Seeing that the corpses of the remaining two people were being devoured by the sea monsters, Shen Chongming used magic to kill several more monsters below, causing the large amount of blood to attract even more sea monsters.

Only after confirming that the energy of this sea area had been completely disrupted by the fighting among numerous sea beasts did he feel relieved enough to leave.

About an hour after the flying boat pierced the sky and left, several streaks of light rapidly attacked from another direction!
When these streaks of light arrived at this sea area, they noticed that all the sea monsters fighting fiercely for food below were frowning.

“The three disciples of Zhonghe Hall must have perished here.” A middle-aged man with a Purple Mansion held an ancient bronze mirror that shimmered with spiritual energy. He stood above the chaotic sea beasts and frowned slightly as he stared at the bronze mirror in his hand. “The energy here has been completely disrupted by these beasts. Even the Heavenly Profound Mirror can’t detect anything.”

"Uncle-Master, could it be that the three from Zhonghe Hall accidentally provoked these beasts and were beaten to death by them?"

Beside the middle-aged man, a woman at the peak of the Golden Core realm spoke slowly.

The group consisted of disciples of the Enforcement Hall of the Hunting Path. They had come to patrol as usual after discovering that the soul lamps left by three late-stage Golden Core cultivators from the Zhonghe Hall had suddenly gone out.

If the three people die unexpectedly in the waters outside the border, the matter will be dropped.

However, if the three die at the hands of other cultivators, the Hunting Path will avenge them as appropriate.

The forces behind the murderer are weaker than those of the Hunting Path. The deaths of the three present an opportunity for the Hunting Path to extort some valuable items from them, or even eliminate them outright, thus deterring other forces in the vicinity and letting them know the consequences of harming Hunting Path disciples.

If the forces behind the murderer are similar to those of the Hunting Path, they could also approach them to demand some compensation for the three disciples, thereby proving to their disciples that the Hunting Path cares about all its disciples, thus increasing their sense of belonging and cohesion.

This is a tactic that almost every major power likes to employ.

Disciples should contribute to the sect while they are alive, and even in death, they should still fulfill their due value.

However, if the forces behind the other party are much stronger than those of the Patrol Road, then the deaths of the three men would have been in vain.

The Hunting Path would never risk provoking a powerful sect for the sake of three disciples in the late Golden Core stage.

What they hoped for was that the other party would calm down after killing someone and stop causing trouble for the patrol route.

The words of the Golden Core Perfection female cultivator made the disciples of the Enforcement Hall present nod in agreement.

There were no obvious signs of a battle in the vicinity.

This place is within the territory of the Hunting Path, so no foolish cultivator would dare to come here and slaughter their disciples.

The middle-aged man in the Purple Mansion remained silent.

His gaze swept across the sea below, and then he suddenly waved his hand, shattering the many sea beasts that were fighting and vying for food into a bloody mist. His powerful divine sense swept across the sea, and then he said with a solemn expression, "They did not die from the mouths of sea beasts."

The disciples of the Enforcement Hall beside him were all puzzled upon hearing this.

The middle-aged man from the Purple Mansion sneered, "The person who made the move was very cautious, deliberately using the blood energy of the three corpses to attract a large number of sea monsters to disrupt the energy flow."

"But his greed eventually gave him away."

Meeting the gazes of his disciples, the middle-aged man continued, "These sea monsters do not contain any of the three people's magical artifacts, treasures, or storage bags."

Upon hearing this, the disciples beside him immediately understood.

Killing and robbing treasures, taking advantage of the chaotic energy of the battles between sea monsters, is a common tactic used by some rogue cultivators traveling in the outer seas.

"These rogue cultivators are getting more and more rampant, daring to openly kill my disciples within the territory of my Hunting Path..."

After a cold laugh, the middle-aged man from the Purple Mansion immediately made a hand seal and sent a beam of spiritual light towards the bronze mirror in his hand.

The surface of the bronze mirror instantly burst forth with dazzling golden light.

A moment later, the golden light from the mirror projected a shadow, in which a figure dressed in a black robe with gold patterns sat cross-legged.

"Huqiu?"

What has disturbed this old man's peaceful meditation?

A deep voice rang out, and the middle-aged man from the Purple Mansion named Hu Qiu and his disciples respectfully cupped their hands.

"Hall Master..."

Hu Qiu respectfully recounted the events of this place in detail.

"The energy here is in disarray, rendering the Heavenly Profound Mirror ineffective. We will need the Hall Master to personally intervene."

Upon hearing this, the old man in black robes in the light and shadow pondered for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "Perhaps the weakness shown by my Hunting Path over the past few hundred years has led these petty villains to mistakenly believe that my Hunting Path is about to perish."

"Very well, this time we will let those with ill intentions know that our Patrol Dao is still the master of the Fengshui Realm, the ruler of this 30,000-mile-wide sea area!"

As soon as the old man in black finished speaking, the void in front of Hu Qiu and the others distorted.

Then, in the light and shadow projected by the bronze mirror, the old man in black rose up, waved his hand, tore open the space in front of him, took a step, and appeared directly in front of the group.

"Greetings, Hall Master!"

Hu Qiu and the other disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall looked at the old man in black robes in front of them and hurriedly bowed respectfully.

The old man in black nodded slightly, then waved his hand and took the bronze mirror into his hand.

A surge of spiritual energy, mixed with a profound law, rippled through the void within a hundred miles.

A strange aura slowly emerged from the surrounding void and quickly entered the bronze mirror.

As these strange energies converged in the bronze mirror, blurry images began to appear on its surface.

The scene shown is Shen Chongming fighting against the three men.

"The three from Zhonghe Hall have indeed been killed!"

"Judging from this person's moves, he must be a Purple Mansion cultivator skilled in water-attribute magic!"

A disciple of the Enforcement Hall noticed that Shen Chongming in the scene easily killed three late-stage Golden Core cultivators with a single water arrow and couldn't help but murmur.

The old man in black glanced at the image on the bronze mirror and then sneered, "This person has used secret techniques to change his appearance, and even his aura and spiritual roots are disguised."

"However, this method cannot be hidden from me."

"No matter how things change, my three disciples from the Hunting Path still died at your hands. This cause and effect cannot be escaped."

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man in black robes, who was standing in the void, suddenly exuded a terrifying aura!

The next moment, it slowly stretched out its palm and gently grabbed the sea below!
boom!
The seawater within a radius of a thousand miles seemed to boil instantly!
A large amount of seawater surged and churned, and wisps of fine gray aura were peeled away from the seawater!

These gray auras twisted and tangled in the void, before being enveloped by three water droplets cast by the old man in black robes.

With a wave of his hand, the old man in black threw three water droplets at Hu Qiu and said, "These are the remnants of the three people's souls. They can trace the source of the attack through cause and effect."

"Mobilize the elite of the Enforcement Hall and bring this person back."

"How to handle this is up to you. I have only one request: make sure all the forces in this sea area understand that anyone who dares to provoke the Patrol Road will pay a hundredfold or a thousandfold price."

After saying this, the old man in black robes suddenly transformed into a wisp of breeze and disappeared.

……

Above the vast ocean, Shen Chongming had already taken out all the Sea Soul Crystals from his Dantian Purple Mansion Dao Palace.

He selected two Sea Soul Crystals from among the many mixed Sea Soul Crystals, two of which were formed from the divine souls of the Silver Scale Two-Headed Serpent Demon Beasts at the Nascent Soul Realm, as the quest items. He then opened the sea map given to him by Zhou Xuan, intending to find a place with the Wuxiang Zen Temple stronghold and complete the quest.

After some deliberation, Shen Chongming chose a place called "Bound Dragon Mountain".

The map shows that Fulong Mountain is a group of islands in the sea, with hundreds of islands of varying sizes covering tens of thousands of miles.

It is said that Mount Fulong was once a powerful Dao Source Secret Realm, but it was destroyed for some unknown reason and became what it is now.

The more than one hundred islands became a paradise for various small forces and independent cultivators, a chaotic place where all sorts of people mingled.

Shen Chongming's plan was to go to Fulong Mountain to complete the mission, and also sell some of his Sea Soul Crystals to exchange for some Spirit Crystals, and see if he could buy some good things from the island's market.

Choosing a market town in such a chaotic area carries significantly higher risks, but it also offers some advantages.

The markets in chaotic areas are often more like black markets. Good things that you wouldn't dare to sell in regular markets are not so important in these black markets.

For example, the inheritance of the various arts of immortal cultivation that Shen Chongming values ​​most.

If a rogue cultivator ambushes a disciple of a powerful sect and obtains their cultivation techniques, they would never dare to easily sell them in a legitimate market.

The markets of Fulong Mountain obviously wouldn't have so many concerns.

We're all outlaws, who cares if your stuff came from a legitimate source?

Another point is that Mount Fulong is a mixed bag of people. Even if he takes out a treasure like the Sea Soul Crystal to sell, he can simply have the Thunder Pool Spirit help him change his aura and appearance afterward, and he won't easily be targeted.

On the contrary, those legitimate markets with powerful backers are more difficult to deal with once they are tempted by greed.

Having made up his mind, Shen Chongming put away the sea map and steered the flying boat toward Mount Fulong.

……

The Nine Provinces World, Mount Yansheng.

Above the towering, precipitous mountains, a sudden surge of ethereal mist rose up.

Golden rays of light flashed from the misty spiritual fog, as if some extraordinary treasure was about to appear in the clouds.

These unusual phenomena covered a vast area, enveloping the entire Central Plains region where Mount Yansheng is located in a faint golden light.

Moreover, with the appearance of the golden light, the millions of ordinary people living in the world of Kyushu, as well as all the scholars and literati, suddenly gained a lot of enlightenment in that instant.

This enlightenment is like having ancient sages and scholars personally expounding the scriptures in your ear. Many principles that they previously found obscure and difficult to understand instantly become clear through the explanations of these sages.

It was like a sudden enlightenment.

Most scholars among the common people lack the aptitude for Taoist cultivation and physical training, and are unable to enter Taoist academies. They are forced to study the writings of sages and learn the ways of governing the world, hoping to achieve great things in the secular world.

Now, after this baptism, many of these ordinary scholars have directly condensed their literary hearts and entered the ranks of literary cultivators!

As for those literary prodigies who were recruited into the Immortal Academy in advance because they already possessed innate talent, they reaped even greater rewards this time.

They may achieve enlightenment through seclusion, or they may break through to a higher realm directly.

In just half a day, the literary atmosphere of the entire Kyushu world was greatly shaken.

At the foot of the mountain, Shen Xiuyan, the current head of the Shen family, stood with his hands behind his back at the entrance of the manor's main hall. His deep gaze was fixed on the golden light shimmering in the clouds above, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Such strange phenomena... I'm afraid Father is about to break through the four orifices of the literary mind."

His father, Shen Chongxuan, was the successor of the Shen family's literary tradition and is currently the undisputed leader in the field.

Shen Chongxuan inherited and improved upon the achievements of Shen Wenyan and Lu Zhiyuan in the field of literature, elevating it to a new level.

Although the world of Kyushu is very fragile now, it is a prosperous age of peace and tranquility for ordinary people.

With the protection of immortals, there is no worry within or trouble without; it is a rare and prosperous world.

A prosperous era is the ideal time for the rise of literature and art.

Due to the fragility of its origin, the development of immortality in the Nine Provinces world has been almost stagnant for the past seven years. The path of physical cultivation is inherently extremely dangerous, and progress has been slow.

This gave Wendao a chance to catch up.

"Master of the house."

"Homeowner!"

The strange phenomenon overhead aroused the curiosity of many cultivators.

As Shen Xiuyan pondered in front of the main hall, one figure after another arrived from all directions.

Most of these figures were direct descendants of the Shen family, his brothers.

However, after the family rule of "severing ties between immortals and mortals" was promulgated, Shen Xiuyan always felt that the friendship between him and his brothers was affected.

When these older brothers saw him, they were noticeably less affectionate and more respectful.

Shen Xiuyan felt bitter inside, but he had no one to confide in.

"My fellow brothers."

Upon seeing everyone, Shen Xiuyan suppressed his thoughts and bowed slightly to them.

He didn't care what his elder brothers thought, but as the younger brother, he couldn't neglect the proper etiquette.

After the others returned the greeting, Shen Xiuzhuo, who was already middle-aged, spoke first: "May I ask, Patriarch, is this strange phenomenon a sign that Uncle Chongxuan is about to break through?"

The remaining Shen Xiuchan, Shen Xiumu, and the others also looked at him with expectant faces.

Meeting the gazes of his elder brothers, Shen Xiuyan smiled and nodded, saying, "Secret reports have already come from various states. The scholars and literati of the Nine Provinces World have all felt the blessings of literature. I, Xiuyan, have also felt the literary energy of the Nine Provinces World surging like a spring, which should be a sign that Father is about to break through."

After speaking, he looked at the people in front of him, cupped his hands, and said, "This time, I will still have to trouble you brothers to personally travel to each state."

"This auspicious phenomenon will surely make the literary arts of our Kyushu world even more prosperous. After you brothers arrive in each state, you can inspect the specific situation and see if you should expand the academies and recruit more students of literature."

"In addition, I would like to trouble you brothers to go and see if any of the affiliated families and sects have disciples who have shown talent in the various arts of immortal cultivation."

"If a promising seedling is found, it must be brought back to Mount Yansheng for cultivation immediately."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiuzhuo and the others in front of him had different expressions.

However, the group hesitated for a moment, did not ask any questions, and left after bowing in response.

Seeing Shen Xiuyun lagging behind the others, Shen Xiuyan suddenly spoke up: "Brother Xiuyun." Shen Xiuyun was about to fly away when he heard his call. His hand gestures paused, and he turned around and cupped his hands: "Does the patriarch have any further instructions?"

Upon seeing this, Shen Xiuyan paused for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.

"We still need to rely on Brother Xiuyun and Uncle Chongyi in the art of weapon forging."

Noticing his expression, Shen Xiuyun moved his lips slightly and sighed, "Brother Yan, do you think we brothers are targeting you?"

Upon hearing the address "Brother Yan," Shen Xiuyan's heart trembled, followed by a lump in his throat and a mix of emotions welling up inside him.

Shen Xiuyun looked at him and sighed again.

"Alright, I'll tell you what's on my mind today, so you won't have to suffer from this pent-up frustration."

After saying this, Shen Xiuyun slowly walked towards the main hall.

Shen Xiuyan followed closely behind, and the two brothers sat down in the hall.

“My brother’s formality is not out of estrangement, but out of respect.”

"Although I haven't asked the other brothers, I imagine they feel the same way."

After taking his seat, Shen Xiuyun spoke in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiuyan looked stunned, then shook his head with a wry smile: "Xiuyan is still not used to this kind of respect."

Born with a literary mind and exceptional intelligence from a young age, he had roughly guessed that this was the reason.

When he was learning the ways of managing a family from Shen Chongming, he had heard that when the Shen family suddenly transformed from a peasant household into a "powerful family" and took control of the entire city of Anyang, his great-grandfather Shen Wenxing had experienced a similar situation.

Back when the Shen family lived in Jinliu Village, they were surrounded by uncles, aunts, and neighbors they saw every day. It was impossible for them to change their social status in a short period of time.

But those in positions of authority must maintain the dignity of those in positions of authority.

The Shen family now controls the entire Kyushu world. The affiliated families under its rule, as well as Luoxia Mountain, Qingluo Sword Sect, Qiyun Valley, etc., all have a deep connection and bond with the Shen family.

Human nature is diverse, and if we rely on emotional appeals to control everyone, the entire world of Kyushu will inevitably descend into chaos sooner or later.

This is a very simple truth, which Shen Xiuyun and others can understand, and he, as the head of the Shen family, naturally understands it as well.

"This is indeed a bit cruel for you."

"Ran Yan, you should know that as our children grow up, the number of direct descendants of the Shen family will increase."

"In a few decades, when those younger generations without talent become branches, marry and have children, the Shen family bloodline will be even larger."

"As the head of the family, if you show favoritism towards your clansmen because of blood ties, wouldn't your hard-heartedness have been in vain?"

After a pause, Shen Xiuyun added, "We are brothers by blood, and I understand your feelings."

"But this is what you, as the head of the family, have to bear. This is all I can do as your elder brother."

After saying this, Shen Xiuyun stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and slowly left the main hall.

Watching his retreating figure, Shen Xiuyan's expression was quite complicated.

After a long while, he suddenly smiled with relief.

They are all fighting for the family. Other family members will have to risk their lives in the future, while I, as the head of the family, have only suffered some grievances. Compared with them, it is nothing.

"Fine, let everything continue from my generation."

Having already hardened his heart and promulgated the clan rule of "severing ties between immortals and mortals," he also decided to accept the loneliness of being in power.

In this way, it can be considered as setting an example for the later heads of the Shen family.

Having made up his mind, Shen Xiuyan suddenly felt much clearer-headed, and his pent-up obsessions dissipated considerably.

……

The strange phenomena within the swirling mist continued.

Above the low peaks behind the magnificent hall, above the elegant courtyard, a rich and righteous aura lingered, forming large golden characters in the void:
Before the universe was divided, the primordial chaos took shape; then a sage appeared, carrying the sun and moon on his back and the stars on his head, holding mountains and rivers in his hands and grasping the seasons.

His spirit roamed the vast void, his feet treading the purple sky, where he saw the primordial chaos being created and all things in full bloom.

He then exclaimed: "How great is the Qian Yuan! All things originate from it, and the sea of ​​clouds churns like waves of a silver palace; how supreme is the Kun Yuan! The three luminaries shine together, and the Milky Way hangs like a curtain over the Jade Capital."

At that time, he shook his robes on a thousand-foot-high ridge and washed his feet in a ten-thousand-mile-long stream; his sleeves held the secrets of creation, and his brushstrokes produced wind and thunder; when he recited scriptures, immortals danced; when he read about creation, all beasts roared.

Observe the way of Heaven, act in accordance with Heaven, nourish the inner alchemy with righteous spirit, and refine the three flowers on the top of the head with the great principles of Spring and Autumn Annals; look up at the infinity of the universe, and look down at the rise and fall of all things, and you will know that the alternation of Yin and Yang is called the Way, that what follows it is goodness, and that what completes it is nature.

So he controlled the six qi and rode the nine winds, traveling to the northern sky in the morning and the southern border in the evening!
He used the mountains and rivers as an inkstone, dipped the Milky Way as ink, and wrote: "The way of Heaven is clear and bright, residing in the heart of the benevolent; the mystery is vast and boundless, preserving the spirit of the righteous. Cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world can lead to the infinite; rites, music, poetry, and books can reach the primordial chaos."

After he finished speaking, auspicious purple clouds appeared from the east for 30,000 miles, a blue phoenix carried an imperial edict, and a white deer presented a lingzhi mushroom. A righteous spirit filled the heavens and the earth. This is what is meant by a scholar's carefree wandering.

Using the vast sky above the courtyard as a scroll and the golden, righteous energy as ink, a few hundred words have written this magnificent and timeless chapter!
In an instant, this article of only two hundred words appeared in the minds of all the literary cultivators in the entire Kyushu world who had concentrated their literary talents.

One by one, they couldn't help but recite along.

As many scholars and literati recited their poems, wisps of pure literary energy quickly appeared in the sky above the world of Kyushu!
These literary energies surged and coalesced, eventually transforming into the phantom of a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe, holding a scripture scroll, and exuding a refined and approachable air.

The illusory figure was none other than Shen Chongxuan!

In the void, Shen Chongxuan's phantom image had slowly dissipated.

But all the literary cultivators in the entire Nine Provinces world, whether they had seen Shen Chongxuan or not, had his image imprinted in their minds.

Many scholars and practitioners of literature and Taoism were so excited that they bestowed upon him the title of "Sage of Literature".

This title spread throughout the entire Kyushu world in an instant.

At the same time, Shen Chongxuan also woke up from his cultivation.

Having broken through the four apertures of the literary mind, his realm is now equivalent to the Golden Core realm of immortals.

Furthermore, given the current flourishing of literature and art in the Nine Provinces world, Shen Chongxuan, as a pioneer of literature and art, is capable of displaying strength far greater than that of ordinary Golden Core cultivators of the Immortal Path.

After carefully experiencing the changes after breaking through the four apertures of the literary mind, Shen Chongxuan dusted off his sleeves, pushed open the door, and slowly walked outside.

In the courtyard, the eldest son, Shen Xiuyan, and the second son, Shen Xiusi, were already waiting.

Upon seeing him emerge from seclusion, the two brothers immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Congratulations, Father, on your successful breakthrough."

With a mustache and a middle-aged appearance, Shen Chongxuan smiled and nodded, then looked at Shen Xiuyan and asked, "Has anything major happened in the clan recently?"

Shen Xiuyan shook his head slightly: "Everything is still normal."

Shen Chongxuan nodded: "I have some things to discuss with your Aunt Li'er. You two go ahead and take care of them."

After the two brothers clasped their hands in greeting, they watched Shen Chongxuan's figure fly towards another mountain peak in the distance.

Surrounded by numerous strange peaks and steep ridges, the Shen family members have changed their previous practice, with each member above the Golden Core realm now having their own independent mountain peak for quiet cultivation.

The mountain where Shen Li lived was not far from the mountain where Shen Chongxuan lived.

Shen Chongxuan, his clothes fluttering in the wind, arrived at the courtyard on the mountain peak, where he happened to meet Hu Meier, who was wearing a dark red dress, tending to several peach trees outside the courtyard gate.

Noticing someone approaching, Hu Meier looked up.

At this time, her cultivation level was still at the late stage of fetal breathing. Perhaps because she had damaged her origin back then, or perhaps because she had no heart for cultivation, her cultivation level had hardly improved over the years.

Fortunately, the lifespan of demon beasts is slightly longer than that of humans. In addition, Hu Meier is not like an ordinary demon beast. In her early years, she followed the auspicious beast Bai Ze and cultivated by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, and never came into contact with the blood and flesh.

Even now, he still exudes an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

"I have met Aunt Hu."

After landing, Shen Chongxuan respectfully bowed with his hands clasped.

Hu Meier nodded with a smile: "I heard you went into seclusion for a while."

"The strange phenomenon that appeared in the sky just now, with its rich literary aura, was it caused by your breakthrough?"

Shen Chongxuan nodded: "This breakthrough was somewhat unexpected. Chongxuan came here to find Sister Li'er and ask her to ask Xiu Bai about it using the Prayer Technique."

Hu Meier put down the water ladle in her hand and said softly, "Li'er is in the courtyard, come with your aunt."

The two entered the courtyard one after the other, passed through the long corridor of wildly growing flowers, and arrived at an exquisite thatched cottage.

The mother and daughter, one a fox spirit blessed by heaven and earth, and the other a witch who revered and loved nature, naturally arranged their courtyard in a very refreshing style.

Inside the thatched hut, Shen Li, dressed in a plain gauze dress, sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, while the golden toad and silver centipede beside her lay comfortably playing on the grass.

The origin of heaven and earth is fragile, so the two demons dared not cultivate and absorb spiritual energy, which somewhat delayed their cultivation.

Otherwise, with the two demons' aptitude, they should have already achieved the Golden Core stage by now.

"Big brother is here?"

Hearing the noise, Shen Li slowly opened her eyes, saw that it was Shen Chongxuan, and smiled as she spoke.

"You two siblings can chat."

Hu Meier said something and then disappeared around the corner of the corridor, which was surrounded by flowers.

Shen Chongxuan knelt on a futon in the thatched hut and explained his purpose.

Shen Li nodded slightly after hearing this: "Li'er also sensed the unusual phenomenon when Big Brother broke through just now, it was indeed quite extraordinary."

"Xiu Bai must know some secrets."

As Shen Li spoke, she slowly made hand seals and cast the Prayer to Heaven spell.

Shen Xiubai has now merged with the entire Kyushu world, and his will is actually equivalent to the "heaven" of the entire Kyushu world, and he can no longer manifest on his own.

Fortunately, Shen Li, as a sorcerer, possessed the art of praying to the heavens, enabling her to communicate directly with them.

As the Prayer of Heaven was performed, Shen Chongxuan could clearly feel Shen Xiubai's aura appearing around him.

But at the same time, he also sensed the unfamiliarity in this aura.

It seems that Shen Xiubai's humanity is rapidly fading, transforming into a ruthless, indifferent god.

After communicating with him for a long time, Shen Li finally slowly withdrew the Heavenly Prayer Technique and looked at Shen Chongxuan, saying, "Congratulations, elder brother."

Shen Chongxuan was puzzled.

Shen Li smiled and said, "What Xiu Bai means is that the literary system is a new system, whether for the Nine Provinces world or the entire Cangmin Realm."

"Although the literary and moral system was jointly created by Father and Master Lu, neither of them was able to elevate it to the point of resonating with the heavens and earth."

"Brother's breakthrough this time is equivalent to triggering a resonance between heaven and earth with the Dao of Literature, imprinting the laws of the Dao of Literature into the world laws of the Nine Provinces."

"This move not only greatly benefits my elder brother and the literary cultivators of the Nine Provinces World, but also Xiu Bai and the Origin of the World."

"Xiu Bai also said that the article that my elder brother wrote earlier can be regarded as a cultivation method for the Way of Literature."

"In this way, the merit of imparting knowledge and teaching skills will allow my elder brother's strength to no longer be limited by his realm, and will also be more conducive to the development of literature and the Way."

Shen Chongxuan seemed to be deep in thought after hearing this.

He hadn't really thought about that.

Prior to this, many Taoist practitioners cultivated their minds and spirits through the teachings of sages, seeking to comprehend some profound truths of heaven and earth and thus benefit themselves.

However, the writings of those sages, after being copied and recited by countless scholars and literati, have been mixed with a lot of personal opinions, which have deviated from the original intentions of the sages.

More importantly, Shen Chongxuan can now also realize that some ancient sages and saints are not necessarily better than him in their understanding of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

Those classic texts are no longer sufficient to serve as the foundation for the cultivation of scholars.

This is actually quite normal.

The ancient sages and saints were able to comprehend the profound principles of heaven and earth that have influenced later generations for so many years during the primitive era of civilization, and left behind their timeless writings, just like the early human cultivators of the immortal path.

They comprehended the original breathing techniques, enabling human cultivators to embark on the path of cultivation.

After countless years of development, the breathing techniques of the ancient barbaric era may no longer be comparable to the diverse cultivation systems of today. However, the contributions of the sages and saints of the past and the ancient human ancestors who comprehended breathing techniques cannot be overlooked.

"In that case, I'll head back now."

After some thought, Shen Chongxuan stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and hurriedly left the thatched cottage.

Several days later, a text on the cultivation of Taoism entitled "The Chapter on Free and Easy Exploration" was transmitted from Mount Yansheng and sent to the immortal academies in various prefectures.

Meanwhile, Shen Chongxuan himself continued to comprehend the artistic conception of "The Chapter on Freedom and Inquiry" and prepared to further refine it.

……

Beyond the boundary, in the sea, lies Mount Fulong.

As Shen Chongming walked through the bustling market, he always felt as if he were being watched.

This spying began after he handed in his mission at the Wuxiang Zen Temple stronghold.

At first, Shen Chongming thought that some rogue cultivator with ill intentions had his eye on him.

But after careful observation, he realized that the source of this feeling of being watched was not around him, but seemed to come from a very far place.

Sensing all this, he dared not take out the Sea Soul Crystal from his storage bag to sell.

Shen Chongming moved swiftly through the market, intending to leave Fulong Mountain as soon as possible and see if he could shake off the unseen gaze that seemed to be watching him.

"Oh!"

While pondering how to shake off the mysterious entity that was spying on him, Shen Chongming was completely unaware that a disheveled beggar had appeared at his feet. He was tripped by the beggar and almost fell over.

After regaining his balance, he frowned and looked behind him, his face full of doubt.

Even if a cultivator at the Purple Mansion level is completely distracted, it is impossible for them to be tripped up by someone.

Strangely, he hadn't noticed the other person's presence at all!

The old beggar huddled in the corner of a medicine shop in the market, his hair disheveled, his clothes barely covering his body, and his emaciated appearance resembling a skeleton wrapped in tattered clothes.

He didn't react at all when I stepped on his foot.

If it weren't for the occasional twitching of its fingers, Shen Chongming would have thought it was a corpse.

After observing curiously for a while, he cautiously approached and whispered, "Grandpa, I accidentally stepped on you just now. Are you alright?"

The old beggar remained curled up, burying his head between his knees, and did not answer.

"Old man?"

Shen Chongming called out again.

Hearing the commotion, the young shop assistant from the nearby medicine shop poked his head out and said, "Senior, please stop shouting. I've been working at this shop for thirty years and I've never seen him speak before."

“The old man often stays here for more than a month, then disappears for a few days, and then comes back here to play dead.”

"Many cultivators who were nearly tripped by him punched and kicked him, but he neither dodged nor fought back."

Shen Chongming found this even more surprising!
He could sense some spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the old beggar.

Judging from the fluctuations of spiritual energy alone, the opponent's cultivation level is at most at the early stage of the embryonic breathing stage. If he had faced a brutal beating from a Golden Core cultivator, he would not have survived until now.

Just as Shen Chongming was about to ask anything else, a slender hand reached out from behind the young waiter and grabbed his ear, saying, "Are you very free?"

"I hired you here to serve customers. Can't you see how deserted the shop is? Why don't you go and call out to them?"

The young waiter, in pain, begged for mercy and then hurriedly ran to the main entrance to shout orders.

After the young shopkeeper left, the voluptuous and charming female cultivator, dressed in a pink silk robe, glanced at Shen Chongming and said, "Fellow Daoist, you'd better not waste your time."

"This old thing came to the market of Fulong Mountain eight hundred years ago. Rumor has it that he is a reclusive master who possesses supreme immortal techniques."

"The market town of Fulong Mountain was incredibly lively back then..."

"Cultivators from half of the Snowdrift Cliffs came to find him. Some used threats and inducements, while others directly attacked him. Everyone used every means to try to obtain the supreme immortal technique in his possession."

"and after?"

Shen Chongming couldn't help but ask.

"Want to know?" The female cultivator smiled charmingly and leaned forward: "Two hundred spirit crystals, or buy two thousand spirit crystals worth of goods from my shop, and I'll tell you."

Shen Chongming paused for a moment, then smiled, shook his head, and turned to leave.

"One hundred spirit crystals will do!"

Aren't you curious?

Seeing that he was about to leave, the alluring female cultivator quickly called out.

Shen Chongming ignored him completely and walked away into the crowd without looking back.

Seeing his figure disappear, the charming female cultivator stomped her foot in anger, then stepped forward and kicked the old beggar twice.

"Old thing!"

"roll roll roll!"

"It's been years since I've earned any spirit crystals for my mother!"

"I find you an eyesore right now!"

After venting her anger, she was about to return to the shop when, unexpectedly, the old beggar who had been squatting motionless on the ground suddenly got up and limped towards the crowd in the distance.

(End of this chapter)