Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 340 The Legacy of the Five Immortals
Hu Yun's voice echoed in the empty, scorching stone hall, carrying a calm that had weathered many storms.

He speculated on many possibilities, but he never expected that the seemingly crude and ineffective "spiritual energy circulation" in Liaodi was actually a history of inheritance steeped in tragic sacrifice.

A group of bewildered spirits, in order to ensure the continuation of their race and to ensure that the flame of "cultivation" on this land would never be extinguished, went to such lengths, generation after generation, sacrificing their own demonic bodies to obtain just a little bit of spiritual energy to nourish the earth.

This is not some sophisticated formation, but a tragic path paved with flesh and soul as life struggles to survive in dire straits.

"so,"

Zhang Chengdao looked around at the piles of white bones in the stone hall, as if he could see the scene of generations of spirits quietly dying here. He asked softly, "You five immortals... is this the final destination of each generation of members who have awakened their intelligence? Using yourselves as fuel, throwing yourselves into this earth fire to maintain that meager cycle?"

Hu Yun nodded, her fox-like eyes, which had regained some of their sparkle, revealing complex emotions: pride, helplessness, and a deep-seated sense of responsibility: "Yes, this is the rule, and also the mission. It was set by Grandma Hei's generation and has never changed."

"To be able to awaken one's spiritual intelligence and embark on this path is a blessing."

"If you are blessed with good fortune, you must take on the responsibility."

"If we don't take on this responsibility, we can't just wait to die together, can we?"

“Every single one of the spirits and monsters in the mountains and fields of Liaodong relies on this little bit of ‘immortal energy’ to stay alive! Without this little bit of ‘immortal energy,’ let alone cultivation, they probably wouldn’t even be able to develop their intelligence. What would become of them then!”

It scratched its ear with its paw, its tone carrying an almost simple stubbornness: "I know you humans, especially capable people like you—I can tell, you don't smell like an ordinary person, and you're certainly not an ordinary person to have found your way here!"

"In short, you might think our method is clumsy, laborious, and not very effective, but it's the only method we can think of. We have to... we have to leave something for the future kids, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengdao remained silent.

He couldn't criticize this almost tragic persistence, which stemmed from the instinct for survival, as foolish. In absolute adversity, even the faintest glimmer of light is worth protecting and passing on with one's life. This has nothing to do with the level of wisdom, but only with the will to survive.

But then a question occurred to him, a crucial one: "Fellow Daoist, you said before that your ancestors were able to cultivate because a piece of the 'moon' fell from the sky, so..."

"Later, when your ancestors, Grandma Hei, Liu Jinhua, and Liu Yinhua, went south, did they find out why the 'moon' lost its spiritual energy? Or did they find other ways to generate spiritual energy? Haven't you ever thought of finding a substitute to break this cycle that requires sacrifice to maintain, all these years?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of confusion flashed in Hu Yun's eyes. She tried to recall the vague memories passed down orally from her ancestors, then shook her head: "It's been too long... I can't remember clearly. I only heard my great-grandmother mention it briefly. When Grandma Hei and the others returned, they were very disappointed, saying that although the outside world was vast, it was 'lifeless,' unlike our place which had some 'vitality.' They also said that the 'moon' wasn't of this world; once its 'divine energy' was used up, it was over, and there was no way to force it back..."

"As for alternative methods?"

It gave a wry smile, tinged with self-mockery: "We mountain spirits, though called the 'Five Great Immortals,' are all far from being true immortals! This thing has its own intuition; how can it be considered an immortal? We've already risked our lives to figure out this method; what ability do we have to find a substitute? Just maintaining this is good enough!"

Something not from this world...

Zhang Chengdao's heart stirred.

He was almost certain that the so-called "moon" was probably He Yu's remains!

Just as she was thinking of this, she suddenly heard Hu Yun exclaim, "This is supposedly a method taught by an 'immortal' from outside. He's a real immortal, and over there is even a portrait of him!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengdao eagerly looked in the direction Hu Yun was waving her claws, and sure enough, he found a leather scroll hanging on the dimly lit stone wall.

The scroll seemed to have been enchanted; the humid and hot environment did not affect it, and it looked brand new.

Zhang Chengdao immediately leaped over in a few steps, raised the glass lamp to shine on it, and tried to see the portrait in the painting clearly.

According to Hu Yun's description, the one who could teach them this method should be Tang Yu, the array genius who made the agreement with He Yu. Although she had never seen Tang Yu's face, He Yu must remember it. This would be a good way to verify if it really was Tang Yu...

This was the first time He Yu had found any trace of Tang Yu since he regained consciousness!

However, after raising the glass lamp and seeing the pattern on the scroll clearly, Zhang Chengdao couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Well, this painting...

It is clear that a person has been drawn, but the drawing skills are at most slightly better than the stick figure I drew. The pattern on it can only be said to have a basic human shape. It would be a bit difficult to distinguish the features of such a "human figure" with messy facial features and no distinguishable features except for the limbs.

Zhang Chengdao swallowed hard and asked helplessly, "Fellow Daoist Hu, where did this portrait come from?"

"My ancestor drew it himself!"

As Hu Yun spoke, she licked her paws.

"Quite artistic..."

Zhang Chengdao offered a reluctant compliment.

But then he pressed on, asking, "Do you know the name of the 'immortal' who taught you this method?"

Hu Yun nodded: "I know! His name is He Yu!"

"?"

Upon hearing this answer, Zhang Chengdao was filled with question marks.

However, although this is an absolutely wrong answer, based on this wrong answer, we can most likely arrive at a correct result—

Although many people know the name "He Yu", the only one who can associate this name with cultivators is Tang Yu, He Yu's friend and a genius in formations.

Therefore, it is not difficult to deduce that the "immortal" who taught them to design this method back then was probably Tang Yu!

That genius of formations, perhaps after discovering He Yu's remains had fallen here and accidentally spawned the first batch of spirits, for some reason, instructed or hinted to Grandma Hei and the other first batch of "Five Great Immortals" spirits, and taught them to use the earth fire to "purify" the demonic energy and replenish the spiritual energy, so that this unexpected spark could barely continue.

This explains why this "formation" is so crude and inefficient—because it is not a proper formation at all, but merely an emergency measure designed based on local conditions and limited materials!

Having figured this out, Zhang Chengdao's gaze towards Hu Yun became even more complicated.

What they are protecting is not just a cycle, but an ancient promise about survival and sacrifice.

“Fellow Daoist,” Zhang Chengdao took a deep breath, his tone becoming solemn, “I think perhaps this method can be stopped.”

"What?"

Hu Yun was stunned. Her ears perked up instantly, and her face first showed great anger. But then, as if she had figured something out, her anger turned into anticipation, to the point that she wondered if she had misheard.

"What...what did you say? Stop? How do I stop? If I stop, where will I get the 'immortal energy' from?"

A white halo flashed by, and then Hu Yun saw a pond suddenly appear in front of her.

The pond was small, only about ten feet square, but it contained such abundant "spiritual energy" that Hu Yun felt invigorated just by breathing it.

more importantly……

"What is this thing?! How did you make it?!"

Hu Yun's voice was distorted with excitement. It first plunged into the pond, as if to confirm that the pond in front of it was not an illusion. Then it gulped down several mouthfuls of water, leaped out of the pond, let out a burp, and then shook the water off its fur like a drill bit. Finally, it circled around Zhang Chengdao, its eyes full of doubt and shock, and its nose sniffing hard, as if trying to sniff out something unusual from him.

"You're a 'deity' too? The real kind of 'deity'!?"

Its wet fur bristled slightly with excitement, making it look even a little disheveled.

Hu Yun's age is actually not very old, only a little over a hundred years old, which is less than that of a long-lived human—for example, any grandmaster would live longer than that.

But as an animal, or rather, as a fox, this age is really quite old.

Having lived for so long, it had heard many ancient legends of "immortals" from its great-grandmother. As the former successor of "Great-Grandma Hu San," it had also experienced up close the afterglow of the long-vanished "moon." But it never imagined that one day it would be able to see and feel such surging and pure "immortal energy" (spiritual energy) with its own eyes, not to mention that this "immortal energy" was actually "conjured" by someone at will!

If this isn't a deity, then what is?

Zhang Chengdao looked at the fox demon in front of him, who was so excited that he was almost fainting, and smiled gently, explaining, "I am not the 'immortal' you speak of, but just an ordinary cultivator."

"However, this world is still in the stage of spiritual energy revival, and spiritual energy is scarce, so there are very few cultivators. There are even fewer cultivators with profound cultivation and high magical power. I just happen to be one of them, which is why I seem a bit stronger."

"As for this spirit pool, it is actually a spring of spiritual water connected to the earth's veins. But don't worry, it nourishes the earth's veins and will only enrich the spiritual energy of this place, without absorbing it."

"By the way, didn't the person who taught you how to cultivate spiritual energy tell you that it's not called 'immortal energy' but 'spiritual energy'?"

Hu Yun was now sitting upright in front of the pond, listening to Zhang Chengdao's story, and shook her head in confusion: "We all call it 'immortal energy,' we don't know what 'spiritual energy' is, but since you say it's 'spiritual energy,' then it is 'spiritual energy,' anyway, I'm just a country fox."

Zhang Chengdao's lips twitched almost imperceptibly again.

I don't know whether to say this fox demon is clever or just carefree.

He accepted the change in the story of the hundreds of years of inheritance and cultivation, and also accepted the claim that he, as a cultivator, had improved the environment for nurturing spiritual energy. Although he was excited, Zhang Chengdao could not see any distrust in it. This strange sense of trust made him feel that it was a bit abstract that this silly fox could become some kind of "Grandma Hu" in the human community.

"Actually, what it's called doesn't matter. Let's get back to spiritual energy, which is what you call 'celestial energy' itself. This kind of thing needs to be nurtured. Besides this kind of spiritual spring water, there are also ways to cultivate spiritual flowers and trees to nourish the soil and water, which can also increase the concentration of spiritual energy in a place."

Zhang Chengdao didn't dwell on these issues too much, but quickly got to the point, introducing, "I have many saplings of spiritual flowers and trees here, such as peach trees, osmanthus trees, birch trees, and camphor trees, as well as medicinal herbs like licorice. They all have spirits. If they are planted here and nurtured for a long time, they can gradually cultivate the environment of this place. Then there will be no need to sacrifice everyone and make you fellow Daoists who have inherited the Five Great Immortals come here to dissolve your bodies before you die."

Upon hearing this, Hu Yun stared intently at Zhang Cheng and said, "Is this true? You can make all the mountain spirits in Liaodi no longer worry about 'immortal energy,' no, 'spiritual energy.' You can make us no longer worry about 'spiritual energy'? Just by planting some flowers and grass and tending to some trees?"

"A complete solution will naturally take time, but it is theoretically feasible and better than your method."

Zhang Chengdao did not make any boastful claims, but he offered clear hope: "At least, I am confident that I can produce spiritual energy stably, even enough to support your cultivation, so that you no longer need to rely on the sacrifices of your predecessors to maintain that fragile cycle."

Hu Yun fell silent. It squatted on the ground, its fluffy tail sweeping the ground unconsciously, and its murky fox eyes flashed intensely.

After what seemed like an eternity, it finally spoke.

"What's the price?"

Hu Yun raised her head, her gaze sharp as a knife, and pierced straight at Zhang Cheng, saying, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. At my age, even among you people, I've lived for many years, and I understand this principle."

It stared intently at the "deity" before it, its aged voice echoing in the stone hall: "What do you want? What do the Five Great Immortals have to offer you besides our lives?"

Zhang Chengdao appreciated its directness and clarity. Although he did have something to ask for, and what he asked for would not harm these demons and monsters, and might even be of great benefit, having something to ask for was still having something to ask for. If he were to boast about his great love for them, that would be shameless.

"Everything in the world is cyclical. The water of the East Sea will eventually flow into the lake in the desert, and the clouds of Liaodong will eventually drift to Baishi Mountain."

Zhang Chengdao explained, "I hope that all possible places can flourish and burst forth with vitality, and ideally, give birth to new and outstanding cultivators, whether they are from the lineage of spirits and demons or human cultivators."

"To cling to spiritual energy and become complacent in one mountain is ultimately limited. Only when the whole world becomes more and more spiritually abundant will I, my disciples, my students, my relatives and friends, all receive more benefits."

"Therefore, helping you nurture the spiritual energy of Liaodong is also helping myself."

"The principle is that simple."

Zhang Chengdao paused for a moment before adding, "Of course, it would be even better if you five immortals could sign a mutually beneficial friendship treaty with my White Stone Immortal Sect."

(End of this chapter)