Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 125 The Five Sects Board the Boat and Destroy Themselves
"Remember, the only difference between going up the mountain for the spring imperial examination and going up the mountain for the autumn imperial examination is that you have an extra hundred days of leisure time."

The owner of the mansion solemnly instructed in the council hall:

"If you fail to break through to the Qi Refining stage within these hundred days, you will be sent back to the market, thus ending your journey up the mountain."

Of course, very few people can break through to the Qi Refining stage within a hundred days and directly become an outer disciple of the Immortal Sect. The vast majority, however, accumulate enough cultivation to reach the third tribulation within a hundred days. This allows them to serve as menial laborers within the Immortal Sect, essentially "going up the mountain for the autumn imperial examinations," meaning they stay on the mountain.

The old woman spoke eloquently:

"Therefore, your only two tasks after you go up the mountain are: first, to cultivate diligently and seek to refine your Qi; and second, to familiarize yourself with the ways of the world and find a good place for your menial tasks after a hundred days. After all, having a clear goal is better than being randomly assigned."

Besides, the Immortal Sect will undoubtedly employ various methods of coercion and enticement to enslave you. Remember, remember, don't be tricked. Even if you are tricked, remember that you went there to cultivate.”

"Yes, Master!"

Fang Shu and the others stood below the hall, bowing in unison in agreement.

After giving a detailed explanation, the owner of the pavilion softened his tone and suddenly said to Xiao Lili:

“Li’er, your situation is different from theirs. You went up the mountain as a medicine slave, which doesn’t count as a menial job.”

Therefore, once you reach the mountain, if you're not careful, you might be targeted by sect disciples, and they could easily kill you without consequence. Although this matter was planned for you by me, I'm not forcing you to go. Are you truly willing?

If you leave, do not resent me in the future.

Xiao Lili lowered her head again, her voice firm and resolute:

"Master, this disciple is willing!"

Immediately, she fixed her gaze on the owner of the private residence and spoke:

Even if one becomes a drug slave, the opportunity to enter a celestial sect for cultivation is still a rare one.

Moreover, this disciple is already quite old, and my cultivation has been damaged. Even with this fortuitous opportunity, if I cannot quickly recover, my future path to immortality remains uncertain. This disciple is truly grateful to Master for bestowing upon me this excellent opportunity to cultivate on the mountain!

Seeing that Xiao Lili understood the pros and cons of the matter perfectly well, the owner of the guesthouse smiled.
"You just understand."

The old woman paused for a moment, then spoke again: "But there's no need to worry too much. This time you're going to that nunnery with Yu'er, so you two can support each other. For the next hundred days, you can hide in her room, be careful when you go out, and act as her maid."

Furthermore, there are no men in the Flesh Hermitage, only female disciples, so your risk of being sexually exploited is much lower compared to other Taoist temples. Of course, you still need to quickly increase your cultivation to the peak of the Third Tribulation to escape your status as a drug slave.

Xiao Lili cupped her hands in greeting: "This disciple obeys your command and will certainly take good care of Senior Sister Yu'er!"

Fang Shulu listened from the side, and couldn't help but glance at Du Yu'er again.

It is said that as the only grandson of a sect leader, he was treated very well! Not only did he not have to fight to the death, but he could also go up the mountain and join the sect directly. He was also given a maid to accompany him up the mountain, which was definitely the treatment of a "young lady".

Seeing such a thing, if Fang Shu said he wasn't envious at all, he would be deceiving himself.

However, Du Yu'er was humble, friendly, and considerate, making her a good senior sister in the academy, so he had no reason to be jealous.

What surprised Fang Shu even more was something else. He paused, then asked:

"May I ask, Master, is this 'Flesh and Blood Nunnery' also located on Mount Lu?"

Upon hearing this, the owner of the private club nodded.

Then, the old woman methodically and concisely gave a brief introduction to the situation of the immortal sects on Mount Lu:
"In the Lushan area, there are five immortal sects: Rongyan Palace, Pirou Nunnery, Sizhi Temple, Wuzang Temple, and Kugu Temple."

Among the five sects, Rongyan Palace is the most powerful. This palace only accepts talented and beautiful people and pays attention to appearance. Even if someone has spiritual roots, if they have a slovenly and coarse appearance, they will not be allowed to enter. Therefore, the disciples in the palace can be said to be all handsome men and beautiful women, who are the face of Mount Lu.

In addition, the five sects had interactions with each other, but also harbored grudges.

The disciples of the Immortal Sect who attacked this town a few days ago were from the Dry Bone Temple. Because this town falls under the jurisdiction of the Five Internal Organs Temple, and the two sects are not on good terms, that's why that person dared to attack.

As they listened, apart from Du Yu'er, Fang Shu and Xiao Lili both looked enlightened.

This was the first time they had learned the full names and descriptions of the five sects of Mount Lu.

Prior to this, only the news about the Five Internal Organs Temple was verifiable in the market. The news about the other four cases was difficult to verify and few people talked about them, as if they had been deliberately suppressed.

Fang Shu thought to himself:

"Master came down the mountain to cultivate talents for the Five Internal Organs Temple, but he was able to send Senior Sister Yu'er to the Flesh Nunnery. It seems that the Five Internal Organs Temple and the Flesh Nunnery are immortal sects with a fairly good relationship."

After giving a brief explanation, the owner of the guesthouse told Fang Shu and the others to ask any questions or concerns they might have, and she would try her best to answer them.

After their conversation, the owner of the inn finally picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of tea, and said:
"At the earliest tomorrow, at the latest seven days, a transport ship carrying the vital organs from various towns will pass through this town. You can board the ship when the time comes."

"Yu'er and Li'er, you two should also get ready. We'll board the ship together and use the Five Stomachs Temple's boat to travel to the Skin and Flesh Temple area."

All three bowed and said, "Yes, Master."

The owner of the guesthouse sat there, looking at the three young, excited, and expectant faces, but her eyes held a complex mix of joy and melancholy.

But she still smiled with satisfaction and said slowly, "It will be many years before I can go down the mountain. If there are any worldly matters in the town these few days, please take good care of them so that you will have no regrets."

Since you are about to go up the mountain, the town will treat you with preferential treatment and leniency, as long as you don't cause any major trouble.

The old woman went on and on, explaining things as if she had become an ordinary, mundane woman. But even the most rambling explanations eventually come to an end.

After Fang Shu and the other two left one by one, only the old woman remained sitting alone in the hall.

The following days.

Fang Shu thought to himself that he had no worldly affairs, and his second uncle was not very old. If nothing unexpected happened, he would have a great chance to meet him in the future.

Besides, since they were father and son, there was no need for them to be sentimental. So, he spent the rest of his time eating, drinking, and wandering around town with his second uncle, Yu Le.

Believe it or not, this seemed to be the first time he had ever looked at Guling Town so carefully and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Fang Shu couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion:

“I never realized before that Guling Town was so big and prosperous, with all sorts of things to do, from playing musical instruments and singing to eating, drinking, gambling and whoring. This small town has a population of hundreds of thousands.”

However, he did not feel any reluctance to leave, compared to going up the mountain to cultivate and embark on a true journey of immortality.

All of these are nothing but fleeting clouds and mud bricks.

fifth day.

A large boat sailed past Guling Town. The boat was ten zhang high and more than thirty zhang wide. It sailed across the river, resembling a city, majestic and imposing.

It was surrounded by copper sheets and iron horns, and could spew black smoke, resembling a giant beast. The people in the market who had never seen anything like it before turned pale, all thinking that another giant demon had attacked.

Those with some knowledge of the subject knew that these were transport ships from the outer sect of the Immortal Sect, responsible for collecting resources and money from various places and transporting them to the Immortal Sect.

Sure enough, in the eyes of the onlookers, a large number of people dressed in black soon arrived, like ants, carrying all kinds of talismans, coins, rice and other items into the giant ship, in an endless stream that lasted all day.

Some people watched this scene with either admiration or inward grumbling: "Immortal sect, immortal sect, taking every last penny and using it like dirt."

When Fang Shu and the others appeared in front of the transport boat, the onlookers could only feel envy.

Those who came to see him off today included not only relatives and friends of various immortals, but also many other people.

As Fang Shu landed in the crowd, he immediately noticed many strange gazes fixed on him.

He glanced at them and spotted the Seven Fragrances Pavilion Master, his former second aunt, and others.

They mingled in the crowd, each with a complex expression.

Fang Shu glanced at it once and then paid no more attention to it.

From his perspective, the number of people on the shore was so great that they were densely packed together, and they were as common as mud and sand.

As he was about to leave, his second uncle, Yu Le, had reddened his eyes.

The man seemed to have a thousand words to say, but in the end he only gritted his teeth and said, "Once you're up the mountain, just stay put. There's nothing in this wretched town worth your attention. Don't come back."

After saying that, Second Uncle Yu Le quickly changed his words: "But if you want to go down the mountain, don't force yourself... just come back."

The other person kept rambling on and on, while Fang Shu just smiled and watched, nodding occasionally.

During this time, he also squinted slightly and looked in the direction of the lead mountain mine.

In this "rotten and cowardly town," besides his second uncle, there was something else that he cared about.

"The poison den and medicine den have been found, and we're also making some progress on the true location of the Hu family's lineage."

Fang Shu has now fully mastered the art of dragon-seeking and gold-touch, and can locate the true lineage based on the positions of the two caves.

He thought to himself:

"This is a Qi Refining level array inheritance, not to be missed, and worth making a special trip for."

But this matter is not urgent; going up the mountain is the priority.

After that, they said their goodbyes and then left without saying anything more.

Fang Shu nimbly strode onto the deck of the giant ship.

Amidst the roar of the giant ship, he simply turned around, bowed to his second uncle and the others from afar, and his figure grew farther and farther away until it turned into a black dot and disappeared into the misty waves.

On the shore, the group from the Dugu Pavilion looked up, then slowly withdrew their gazes, their interest waning.

But soon, before they even returned to the museum, they heard something on the way that stirred up their emotions once again.

Even the usually aloof owner of the inn couldn't help but pause, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

A disciple came to report.

Qin Min has already committed suicide in the mansion.

(End of this chapter)