Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 187 The Masters Fight Each Other Without Any Harm (5 words)

After a banquet, Lao Shanjun finished his business with Fang Shu and then fell asleep.

The other party was extremely casual. Although he helped Fang Shu a lot, he had no intention of expecting Fang Shu to reciprocate or to hear any compliments.

This also caused Fang Shu to keep many of the things he had prepared to say to himself.

Looking at the enormous Lingzhi Terrace, and then at the monster drinkers who, after eating and drinking their fill, didn't even bother to say goodbye to the old mountain lord, but scattered like monkeys, he couldn't help but chuckle, realizing that he had been too attached to appearances.

In the eyes of the old mountain lord, these Qi-cultivating demons and humans were nothing more than cats and dogs on his lap, to be teased and amused in his spare time. He never expected any return, let alone any investment. He could do whatever he wanted.

However, Fang Shu himself still gave a proper bow to the dozing old mountain king before turning around and walking down the hill.

Just as he turned around, a figure suddenly darted to his side.

The other party, ever the friendly type, said, "Brother Fang, are you heading back to the mountain gate? Let's go together, we're on the same route."

Fang Shu looked up and saw that it was the handsome young man with the golden hair who was being seen off by everyone. He had a bundle on his neck, which was bulging. There were no little demons or monsters following him, and he was not being carried by a sedan chair. He must be walking to Fudang Mountain.

This scene suddenly stirred up some memories in Fang Shu's mind.

It seems that when he first entered Mount Lu to seek immortality, the little rabbit demon he met on the road was also carrying a bundle and heading to Mount Fudang to make a living.

Fang Shu wondered to himself, "I wonder if, after ten years, that exceptionally talented little rabbit demon is still alive or dead, or if she has embarked on the path to immortality..."

Thinking of this, he didn't refuse the young man's invitation to accompany him, and said with a smile:

"I heard Brother Jinmao is going to Fudang Mountain? How is that mountain any different from our Mount Lu?"

The handsome young man immediately said with great interest:

"There are differences, of course there are differences!"
That Fudang Mountain is also a treasure trove, a place teeming with extraordinary talents and promising prospects. Unlike our Mount Lu, which is governed by the Five Sects, that place is our demon territory.”

It glanced at Fang Shu, then quickly said:
"But Brother Fang, rest assured, the people and demons in Fudang Mountain are mixed together, and we will treat everyone equally."

Many unaffiliated cultivators who couldn't gain entry into the Five Schools of Lushan made a living in Fudang Mountain. That place was considered the second best place for cultivation in our Qiong Kingdom, after Lushan.

There is a country called Qiong, which is the country where Mount Lu is located.

Legend has it that the division of these kingdoms was established countless years ago when a certain Dao Lord enfeoffed various states. Although the kingdoms have declined and the world now values ​​the immortal sects and mountain strongholds in various places, the basic structure and attire of these ancient kingdoms still largely exist.

Upon hearing Jinmao Langjun's words, Fang Shu immediately realized that this demon was indeed a second-generation demon with family learning, and knew a bit about the world's geography.

He immediately began chatting with the demon, and from time to time, he would share some of the things he had learned from listening to the Dao at the Five Internal Organs Temple and from the knowledge he had gained in the family's library.

When Jinmao Langjun first saw that Fang Shu was a human, he was already quite curious. In particular, seeing that Fang Shu was now a disciple of the Five Organs Temple, yet he did not look down on this "wild demon" who had been expelled from the mountain, he had long ago decided to get close to him.

After a long conversation, it was first surprised by Fang Shu's extensive knowledge, and then surprised that Fang Shu was indeed very open with it, frankly revealing many secrets about cultivation.

For a moment, Jinmao Langjun pondered what Fang Shu had said, and his aura surged, revealing a sharp and brilliant spirit.

Moreover, the light was sharp and cold, causing Fang Shu's expression to change.

He discovered that this fellow was actually a sixth-stage Qi Refining demon, only one stage away from Foundation Establishment.

Of course, whether or not one successfully passes the Foundation Establishment stage makes a world of difference, and it is by no means something that can be done easily. For example, there are quite a few immortals at the Sixth Tribulation in the Five Internal Organs Temple, but very few at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"So that's how it is! So that's how it is!" The blond-haired young man's eyes lit up with realization, and he murmured to himself in amazement:

"The Three Tribulations of Qi Refining, the Samadhi of Heaven, Earth, and Man, the Fusion of Divine Qi, the Dragon and Tiger, Kan and Li..."

It savored the food, then suddenly stood on the mountain path, bowed deeply to Fang Shu, and kowtowed: "Thank you, Master Fang, for your guidance."

This action caused Fang Shu's vigilance to subside, replaced by a look of astonishment.

He quickly stepped aside and said, "Brother Jinmao, what are you doing? Please get up."

Unexpectedly, the handsome young man suddenly cast an illusion spell, transforming into six phantoms. They surrounded Fang Shu and then kowtowed to him, leaving him no room to evade.

Fortunately, after bowing, it did not make any further moves, but its expression became more respectful, and it dared not show off in front of Fang Shu anymore.

Seeing the confusion on Fang Shu's face, Jinmao Langjun scratched his head and honestly spoke up:

"To be honest, I was overjoyed to hear the Dao. There is a saying in the mortal world that there must be a teacher among three people walking together. I was so happy that I couldn't help but want to kowtow to Master Fang a few times."

"I apologize for disturbing Master Fang."

Its words carried a hint of sullenness, and realizing that its aura was leaking out, it quickly concealed it again.

Upon hearing this explanation, Fang Shu smiled.

After exchanging a few more words with the other party, he finally learned the reason.

It turns out that the knowledge of cultivation that he heard about in the mountain gate, such as the saying that Qi cultivation is the cultivation of the three Qi of "Heaven, Earth and Man" mentioned by the immortal Long Gu when they first met, was rarely heard of outside the mountain gate.

Or rather, even if some rogue cultivators or demons heard about it, they would find it hard to believe. After all, there are many theories of cultivation in the world. One person talks about the three elements of "heaven, earth, and man," another talks about "water, fire, and earth," and still another talks about "essence, energy, and spirit," "heavenly officials, earthly officials, and water officials"... All sorts of theories are mixed together, making it difficult for people to distinguish them clearly.

Even though Jinmao Langjun was originally a second-generation demon from the foot of Mount Lu, he was ultimately not a disciple of the immortal sect and had never received formal immortal teachings, making it difficult for him to access and understand many things.

Even setting that aside, even the old mountain king, who has never left Guling Town, lacks some knowledge in this regard.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this that the old man loves to summon minor demons and monsters, drink wine and hold banquets, and enjoys collecting strange and unusual things to broaden his horizons.

Upon learning this, Fang Shu thought to himself, "So that's how it is."

Even though the conditions enjoyed by an outer disciple of a celestial sect are insignificant on the mountain, they are something that many immortals and demons dream of but cannot obtain at the foot of the mountain.

Of course, the reason why Fang Shu's conversation was able to win over this young man with his profound knowledge was also related to the fact that Fang Shu had read through the Er family's library.

Otherwise, even if another Qi Refining disciple were to present the Qi Refining theory of the "Heaven, Earth, and Man" triad, they would not be able to provide a coherent and logical explanation for Jinmao Langjun.

Simply reciting from the book will not give the listener a sudden realization or make them immediately recognize that it is the real thing!
In his moment of joy, the handsome young man suddenly looked dejected:
"I regret it, I regret it... I wasted my time practicing this damned internal energy. If I had met Master Fang earlier, things would never have turned out this way."

Fang Shu immediately replied, "No, no, you can just call me Fang Shu or Brother Fang, Brother Jinmao."

Then the handsome young man with the golden hair recounted his story.

It turns out that the reason this fellow dared to accept the position of wandering god and hold two godhoods at the same time was because its evil aura was already full. It believed that by taking on the position of wandering god, it would be easier for it to gather vital energy and break through its cultivation realm.

In this way, even if something goes wrong while taking on the role, it believes that as long as it can become a sixth-tribulation immortal in time, the situation won't be too bad.

But who would have thought that it, which considered itself lucky, actually succeeded in refining its internal energy within ten years and became a sixth-tribulation immortal? However, in the eyes of the immortals, it was still not worth mentioning and was easily dismissed from the mountain.

When these things were mentioned, Jinmao Langjun looked even more dejected.

Seeing this, Fang Shu could only offer words of comfort:

"Going up and down the mountain, the world is vast, and there is much we can do! Brother Jinmao, why are you so depressed? Perhaps you will be more successful over at Fudang Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Jinmao Langjun's face lit up with excitement. He nodded earnestly to Fang Shu: "Brother Fang, you are knowledgeable. You said that there is hope for Fudang Mountain, so there must be hope for it."

In no time, the rat demon began to talk to Fang Shu with great interest about its plans to go to the back of Fudang Mountain.

This fellow wants to first lease a mountain, then cultivate the land, and once he has enough wealth, he'll marry a demon or immortal to have many descendants. He absolutely cannot let his "farming family" lineage and skills die out.

The brother Jinmao whom Fang Shu met, although he was a rat demon, had a name and surname. His surname was Tian and his given name was Jinmao.

As for its origins, it is clearly that it is a field mouse that has become a spirit, and its family tradition is to farm, dig burrows, turn over fields, and cultivate spiritual plants and grains.

According to it, its family's Little West Mountain estate, after three generations of rats, has cultivated a hundred acres of spiritual fields and achieved three harvests a year.

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's eyes flickered, and he understood even more clearly.

Such fertile land, capable of cultivating spiritual crops and yielding three harvests a year, could hardly be ordinary wilderness. Let alone wild demons, even spiritual insects would struggle to thrive, their existence sealed away. And those who die in such a place—without a doubt—must have ulterior motives, or simply be sent to their deaths.

As expected, Tian Jinmao was tricked by people within the Immortal Sect.

However, despite the thoughts swirling in his mind, Fang Shu kept them to himself and did not tell Jinmao, so as not to touch upon his painful memories.

Meanwhile, Tian Jinmao was still excitedly discussing his future life.

Just very quickly.

The human and the demon arrived at a wide river that flowed from west to east.

Tian Jinmao had no choice but to stop talking, still wanting more, and raised his paw to bow to Fang Shu:

"Brother Fang should return to the mountain, and I should also be pursuing my future. I hope that Brother Fang will have time to come down the mountain in the future, and if you pass through Fudang Mountain, you must come and look for me!"

With a hiss, the fellow bared his teeth and suddenly plucked a long beard from his cheek, solemnly presenting it to Fang Shu and giving him some instructions.

It says that as long as Fang Shu holds this mouse whisker, the whisker will automatically rotate within a hundred miles, indicating its location.

Fang Shu held it tightly, a sudden surprise in his heart, and hesitated to speak.

Such objects, which can indicate one's location, should not be given away easily. Otherwise, if one's whereabouts are easily discovered, one's life and property may be coveted by others.

As for whether the thing Jinmao gave away can also be used to find the location of the rat's whiskers, there is no need to worry.
If Fang Shu accepts this item, he will definitely seal it with a talisman and store it in his storage bag.

Even if the other party is a diviner and has a cultivation level of Foundation Establishment, they will hardly notice as long as Fang Shu does not take it out of the storage bag.

Before Fang Shu could even come up with a tactful way to decline, Tian Jinmao flicked his paw at him and gracefully plunged into the water.

After diving into the water, Tian Jinmao quickly swam upstream, his body prone in the water.

Fang Shu smiled when he saw this.

He laughed and exclaimed, "Brother Tian, ​​were you born into the family of field mice or water rats?!"

Upon hearing this, Jinmao Langjun popped its head out of the water. From hundreds of feet away, it waved its paw at Fang Shu again, as if to explain something, before hurrying on its way again.

Shaking his head and chuckling, Fang Shu then looked around.

Instead of going directly into the water, he kicked a piece of driftwood from the shore into the river, then gracefully leaped up and landed on the driftwood.

He sat cross-legged, letting the driftwood float in the middle of the river, drifting downstream towards the confluence of the nine rivers.

The boats traveling on this river are usually under the command of the Five Internal Organs Temple. If a boat passes by, he will surely notice it, and then he can hitch a ride on a boat that is going his way and return to the Immortal Sect.

However, if he's unlucky and doesn't encounter it, he can only either drift back on his own or return to his stomach.

Fortunately, just one day later, Fang Shu had good luck. He first encountered a ship leaving the Immortal Sect, and learned more specific routes from the right person. He adjusted his direction in time, and met a ship returning to the Immortal Sect in just half a day.

During the day and a half, he was frequently targeted by monsters in the water.

Fortunately, all the demons that came to cause trouble were either killed by him, or ended up in his stomach, or were fed to the Gu worms on the banner.

………………

Finally, the misty fog appeared in Fang Shu's eyes.

More than half a month later, he returned to the temple.

Fortunately, three days before he went down the mountain, he considered that he might spend more time outside and, in order not to miss the competition for inner disciples, he reviewed his immortal skills in those three days.

Otherwise, he would either not dare to stay down the mountain for long and miss the opportunity, or he would miss the review period and lose the qualification to compete for the inner disciple position.

After thanking the boatman, Fang Shu immediately jumped off the boat and landed on the toad beach, then quickly returned to the location of the hall.

Upon arriving at Hutang, he first handed over the documents he had sent down the mountain to visit his relatives, and then inquired whether the temple had received the documents he had sent back.

The spirit medium at the temple gave an affirmative answer and asked him to submit the evidence.

After a lot of tedious and busy work, Fang Shu signed and drew various documents, and only then was the matter settled.

And it wasn't until everything was settled that the spirit medium of that temple revealed that someone from the Pan family had already gone to investigate and had already taken action. The entire Pan family had been raided, and even several of the temple's disciples had been arrested.

In other words, even if Fang Shu didn't hand over the Four Tribulations Bone Nail, the evidence against the Pan family was already complete, so there was no need for him to worry.

However, Fang Shu only glanced at the bone nail before wisely suppressing his desire to ask for it.

The immortal from the Hutang Sect noticed his gaze and glanced at the Gutang badge at his waist, but remained silent. However, when Fang Shu withdrew his gaze, his expression relaxed slightly.

At this moment, the immortal from the Hutang Temple suddenly laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist, please rest assured. Once this matter is completely settled, I will urge the temple to allocate you with every penny of the Dao merit you are entitled to."

Hearing that there was still merit to be earned, Fang Shu felt a little better.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the other person.

Just as the immortal master thought that Fang Shu was about to take his leave, he suddenly heard:
"Fellow Daoist, please wait. I have something else to report to the Immortal Sect."

Immediately, to the man's surprise, Fang Shu suddenly took out another corpse from his sleeve pocket, and with a clink, a five-entrails temple waist token also landed on the counter.

The corpse and the waist tag belonged to Ling Bailang.

Fang Shu swiftly recounted the evil deeds that Ling Bailang had committed in Guling Town, and even produced numerous documents signed and sealed by the innkeeper as evidence.

Now that the immortal from the household was certain that Fang Shu had acted alone and killed another outer disciple, he couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He told Fang Shu to wait a moment while he went to ask for instructions, and that he would be right back.

Although the immortals of Hutang had gone to consult with their superiors, which seemed to make the matter more complicated, surprisingly, the other party handled the matter even faster than the matter on the Pan family's boat earlier, which could be described as extremely efficient.

The other party only investigated Ling Bailang's background briefly, then quickly dismissed the matter, and only had Fang Shu sign a document to submit evidence, without needing to write out the details.

Before leaving, the immortal bowed his head and said in a barely audible voice, "I hope you will forgive me, fellow Daoist. All the items handed over have been collected and put back into the hall... I was just passing through their hands."

Fang Shu was slightly taken aback, then returned the other party's smile: "I know, it's not easy for anyone."

Upon hearing this, the immortal from that household clearly breathed a sigh of relief.

Having finished taking care of the matters concerning descending the mountain, Fang Shu immediately headed outside.

As he stepped outside the hall and gazed at the hazy sky, he felt a weight lifted from his heart.

Although his two attacks were understandable and occurred after he left the mountain, he was not yet an inner disciple. Outer disciples should not kill each other without a reason, otherwise they would have to pay with their lives.

Now that these two matters have been settled, and even the handover documents are in his hands, he is completely free of any hindrances and entanglements.

At the same time, Fang Shu thought of Ling Bailang's matter, which was resolved so swiftly.

He also realized firsthand that the rules of this inner world were indeed as Jinmao Langjun had said: strict on the surface, but cruel on the inside.

Fang Shu stood still for a while before finally setting off.

But instead of returning to his cave or the Gu Hall to report, he quickly headed towards the location of the Treasure Hall.

It should be known that in his bag were three ancient treasures that he had exchanged with the old mountain king.

He had already absorbed all the evil energy from these three ancient treasures using the Daoist talisman, transforming it into dragon energy stored within the talisman. As a result, the three ancient treasures were transformed from evil into spirit, becoming rare and pure objects.

Secretly, Fang Shu held a hope that these three ancient treasures would be appraised at a high price in the temple, or at least be found to be of excellent quality, so that he could use them himself!

(End of this chapter)