Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 198 New Fruits Beared on the Azure Cloud Ladder
Inside the Gu pit.

Fang Shu sat cross-legged on the ground, with a gray aura constantly surging around him.

These gray auras, like snakes and insects, split into countless fine, dense strands, surrounding him in the center and stirring restlessly towards his physical body.

These auras were the malevolent energy he had collected from the remains of the Hu family ancestor when he obtained the Hundred Gu Banner of the Dragon Spine.

Fang Shu originally thought that this evil aura was the evil aura that the Hu family ancestors had refined back then, but after careful consideration, he found that this was not the case.

The formation of this malevolent energy is related to the malevolent energy within the Hu family ancestors, but the latter is not the decisive factor. The more important factor is the resentment formed by the "unfulfilled desire" in the heart of the Hu family ancestors before their death. This energy is connected with the malevolent true energy within their bodies, and then, under the influence of the earth's veins, it forms the malevolent energy we see today.

In the Six Desires Yin Sha Method, it can also be classified as a type of desire-related evil.

However, the reason why this was possible was not because Fang Shu was particularly lucky, but because, according to the evil magic passed down by Long Gu, most of the evil energy in the world could be included in the Six Desires Yin Evil.

Even if Fang Shu obtained other kinds of evil energy, such as the peach blossom evil energy cultivated by Senior Sister Fang Lu, it could still be classified as "love and separation" evil energy.

Even according to the teachings of the Dragon Maiden Immortal, when Fang Shu was condensing evil energy, the category he chose did not need to be strictly based on the six desires.

As long as there are six different types of malevolent energy that are not particularly antagonistic to each other, or even if they are antagonistic but have a solid foundation and can be subdued, then he can harvest and refine them.

In short, although there are some rules for selecting the evil spirits in this method, striving for a match between the evil spirits, there are not so many restrictions. The main point is to collect six different evil spirits, complement each other, and condense them into a more powerful evil spirit.

Fang Shu pondered quietly, and various insights emerged in his heart.

He opened his eyes and looked at the unattainable evil aura surrounding him. A stirring arose in his heart, and the thought of absorbing it into his body and refining it directly arose once again.

If that's the case, with his current level, he should be able to mix the true energy and the evil energy in his body within a day, and within seven days, he will be able to carry evil energy with every move he makes, greatly increasing his magical power!
However, after a long time, Fang Shu finally suppressed the thought.

"We've already held back for so long, there's no need to rush these last two or three days."

He thought to himself, and finally decided to gather this murderous aura, carefully seal it in a jade box, and put it into his sleeve.

Aside from wanting to use the original Six Internal Organs Nourishing Method to verify his understanding, Fang Shu also secretly harbored other thoughts in his heart.

If he were to place in the top three in this competition for inner disciples, I wonder if the Five Internal Organs Temple would offer him any additional rewards. Even if not, would some immortals in the temple take a liking to him and want to invest in him?

By then, he might have even more formidable malevolent energy to choose from, so there's no need for him to use the malevolent energy he currently possesses as one of the Six Fiends.

"Although this evil energy is nourished by the physical body and soul of a late-stage Qi Refining immortal, it is too rich in human energy and too little in earth energy. Compared with the evil energy that has been brewing underground for thousands of years, it is still somewhat inferior."

Such thoughts swirled in Fang Shu's mind, making his impulses even smaller.

After calming myself down, I took a good look at myself.

Fang Shu stepped out of the secluded meditation room.

After a moment's thought, he summoned the servants in the Gu pit and asked them to bring up the list of gambling dens that had been copied that day.

As soon as the list was unfolded, Fang Shu found himself in third place again. According to the records of the servants, his ranking had been firmly in the top three, never falling out of the top three.

This made Fang Shu raise an eyebrow slightly.

His gaze shifted downwards and landed on Pei Zhongshan's name, glancing at it a few times.

The number of Dao merits following the other person's name had changed from a month ago; it was no longer just over three hundred, but had become three hundred and thirty-six Dao merits.

Within a month, Pei Zhongshan's Daoist cultivation could increase by about thirty points, which shows how hard he worked.

However, there was no way around it; Fang Shu's current cultivation level had also undergone significant changes compared to a month ago.

Their total earnings have reached 349, firmly surpassing Pei Zhongshan's.

Upon seeing this, Fang Shu's gaze was momentarily surprised.

He had originally expected to earn more than ten Dao Points in the final month, which would have been quite good. However, to his surprise, the Dao Points contributed by the Gu Pit increased significantly in that last month.

Immediately, Fang Shu summoned the servants and supervisors and questioned them in detail.

It turned out that in the last month, many businesses in the pit became easier to do than ever before.

Even though Fang Shu was in seclusion cultivating and didn't pay much attention to the Gu Pit anymore, the servants were busy with their tasks and doing business with Guling Town on their own, all in an orderly and error-free manner, and no one came to bother them.

Think about it for a moment.

Fang Shu understood that this was probably because after he made a name for himself and his entry into the inner sect was a done deal, all the immortals in the temple suddenly became much easier to talk to.

This is why the speed at which the two Gu pits gain Dao power actually increases instead of decreasing.

"Top three is not bad," Fang Shu thought to himself.

immediately.

He put aside all distracting thoughts and simply meditated silently in the Gu pit, waiting for the end of the last day and for the notification from the Hall of Revenue.

Finally, a bell rang out from the main hall.

The sound of the bell attracted the attention of many people, as it was the announcement that the list of inner disciples for this year had been finalized.

Fang Shu suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards Hutang's location. He immediately got up and darted out, rushing towards Hutang's location.

The moment he set off, in addition to the sound of bells in the temple as a reminder, the token at his waist also swayed, revealing the characters "户堂" (Hutang) and the word "急" (urgent).

at the same time.

Besides Fang Shu, many other deities in the temple were also moved by the sound of the bell and set off towards the main hall.

Besides this year's outer disciples, there were also many disciples from previous years and newly recruited disciples. The former had placed their bets, perhaps feeling happy or expecting to turn the tables in the end, while the latter came to witness the selection of inner disciples and to motivate themselves.

quickly.

The hilltop where the hall was located became a gathering place for all sorts of people who came to join in the fun.

When Fang Shu arrived, the area was already densely populated, and Lu Renjia, Erdaiyuan, and others were all waiting outside the hall, seemingly having arrived before the bell rang.

Lu Renjia's face was rather gloomy, but his eyes still revealed a kind of longing as he repeatedly looked up at the main gate of the hall.

Although this person also participated in the competition for inner disciples, after a whole year of painstaking efforts and methods, he only managed to barely earn 132 merits.

Such a number of cultivation points is extremely high for an outer disciple, indicating immense hard work. However, it is simply insufficient in the competition among inner disciples.

For example, compared to Fang Shu, even if Fang Shu did nothing but lie in the Gu pit, the servants in the Gu pit and the owners of the Gu Ling Town would work together to earn him more than a hundred Dao merits.

As for the others besides Lu Renjia, Bao Fengtao's expression remained relatively calm, seemingly trying to appease Lu Renjia's emotions, while Er Daiyuan and Mai Sheng'er's joy was already evident.

As soon as they saw Fang Shu, they took the initiative to bow and say, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Fang!"

"From now on, Brother Fang has been promoted to the inner sect, so I shall call you Immortal Master Fang."

As the two women were talking, Lu Renjia, whose face had been gloomy, immediately perked up and gave Fang Shu a smile.

"This is too much for me, Fang."

Fang Shu was momentarily speechless with a smile. He shook his head and then exchanged pleasantries with the other party.

quickly.

More and more people gathered at the entrance of the hall, and an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, the immortal with a face as red as a jujube walked out of the hall. He was carrying a piece of cloth in his hand. After he came out, he suddenly released his divine sense, suppressing everyone present.

Suddenly!
A chill ran through everyone, and the noisy commotion abruptly ceased.

The immortal, with a face as red as a jujube, shook the cloth in his hand without saying a word. The cloth then grew larger in mid-air, transforming into a banner, which leaped onto the eaves of the hall and hung down.

"A year has passed, and the inner disciple assessment is over."

The other party announced in a clear voice: "This is the list of nine people who have been admitted to the sect this year. All those who are on the list will be granted the status of inner disciples and will enjoy the same treatment as immortals in the temple in the future."

After briefly finishing his words, the immortal fell silent and walked back to the main hall, leaving the excited disciples outside. Fang Shu and the others landed in the crowd, glancing at the list; some were happy, some were worried.

As for Fang Shu, no further surprises occurred in the last few hours, and he firmly maintained his third-place position.

The Jiang and Jin disciples also secured the top two spots, respectively.

As for the names listed below, Fang Shu searched among them and spotted two that looked familiar.

One of them was Pei Zhongshan, who was right behind him, a descendant of the Pei and Er families.

As for the other one, he was somewhat surprised, but upon closer reflection, he felt that it made perfect sense.

The other party was Black Rat, who came from the Black Tiger Pavilion in Guling Town and was half a fellow villager of Fang Shu.

Black Rat was able to destroy even his own dojo, and the way he did it was far more skillful than White Wolf's, leaving no loose ends.

Such a person is daring to fight and kill, and has strange methods. Now that he has been able to join the ranks of the inner sect, he may have another opportunity.

Congratulations, Brother Fang.

Someone spoke in Fang Shu's ear, interrupting his thoughts.

It was Lu Renjia. After feeling quite discouraged, he rallied his spirits and bowed to Fang Shu in greeting.

Lu Renjia also joked:

"Now that Brother Fang has become an inner disciple, his status is far above that of us outer disciples. He has the potential to establish his foundation in the future, so don't forget about us old friends."

"No, no, Brother Lu, you flatter me," Fang Shu quickly returned the greeting.

Upon hearing this, he felt a surge of confidence.

Is it merely that he has the potential to build a foundation?
No, no, this inner sect identity is just one link in the path of cultivation. Fang Shu is determined not to waste this life, but to achieve the Foundation Establishment and try to gain longevity!

The other three women also greeted Fang Shu. And it wasn't just these acquaintances who did this; people around them overheard their conversation and immediately tried to approach Fang Shu to befriend him and chat.

Among them were members of the Nar family, with the head of the Nar family leading the group.

The other person was dressed in palace attire, with a plump figure. Standing together with her daughter, they resembled peonies and peonies, each with their own unique charm, and stood out quite a bit in the crowd.

The beautiful matriarch of the Er family looked at Fang Shu with a smile on her face and immediately walked over quickly.

Beside her, Erdaiyang and Pei Zhongshan also accompanied her, and without being asked, they also walked towards Fang Shu.

Fang Shu merely glanced at the other person, showing no intention of accepting their congratulations.

He immediately turned his head to look at the main hall and found that a newly promoted inner disciple had walked to the list on the cloth.

The man cupped his hands in greeting to the people behind him, then leaped forward and stepped toward the cloth list.

Then, something amazing happened.

The list, which was originally just hanging on the roof beam, immediately changed, soaring into the air and transforming into a waterfall thousands of feet long. As it rose and fell, it disappeared into the vast clouds above the hall, leading straight to the top of the back mountain.

Its tail continues to droop down onto the stone steps of the hall, its color a vibrant green, floating and sinking as if it were a ladder to the clouds, descended from a celestial palace.

This cloud ladder is the stepping stone for inner disciples to advance. By stepping onto this cloud ladder, one can go directly to the top of the mountain where the Five Organs Temple is located, visit the Three Capitals within the temple, and even pay respects to the Master of the Five Organs Temple.

Therefore, Fang Shu no longer hesitated.

He departed gracefully, leaving behind only the words, "I, Fang, am leaving."

With a whoosh, he leaped onto the blue ladder and quickly overtook the figures climbing the ladder ahead of him. As if aided by a god, he soared into the air with incredible ease.

In an instant, figures flew out from the crowd in front of the hall.

When the Er family patriarch and the others saw that Fang Shu did not speak to them and then left, their faces stiffened for a moment.

When the head of the Er family turned his head, wanting to say a few words to the Pei family's immortal disciples, Pei Zhongshan saw Fang Shu leave and immediately did not say a word, and also leaped up the Azure Cloud Ladder.

“Pei Lang…” He left Erdai and her mother standing there in a daze, looking up at his departing figure.

Soon.

Fang Shu and the others moved around on the cloud ladder, their positions forming the order on the list.

Without having to move, they were transported to the mountaintop by a bolt of silk, seemingly floating on clouds.

Each figure grew smaller and smaller until it completely disappeared into the clouds, turning into a few blurry black shadows.

Everyone below the main hall.

Lu Renjia, Er Daiyuan, Mai Sheng'er, the head of the Er family, and Gou Yandi, the sixth senior brother, and others who had secretly come to watch the excitement from the Gu Hall all looked up at the scene, and it took them a long time to look away. Their expressions were either happy, wistful, or complicated.

From then on, if they failed to establish their foundation, they would be as different from the nine people in the heavens as mud and clouds, their status and worth would be clearly distinguished.

………………

the other side.

Fang Shu stood on the cloud and found the cloth beneath his feet quite interesting.

Its appearance was neither cloud nor silk, and it was far more magical than the Golden Nitrogen Cloud that he had once commanded. It might very well be a Foundation Establishment Magic Tool.

It only took half a cup of tea.

The nine of them swayed, like fruits being shaken, and landed in rows on the stone steps of the mountain.

In an instant, they sensed various divine senses rushing towards them and landing on them. Although they were all fleeting, the aura they exuded was chilling and fierce, making them feel terrified.

Just ahead of them stood a simple, ancient temple with red mud walls and whitewashed walls, sitting upright.

This temple is unassuming in appearance, occupying an estimated area of ​​less than one acre, and is only one story high. There are no surrounding walls or courtyards, only piles of bluish-gray tiles on the roof, with an elegant style.

The temple gates were not closed, allowing people to enter directly.

While Fang Shu and his disciples, who lacked sufficient background, were still hesitating, the top two disciples, the Jiang and Jin families, nodded to the people behind them and strode into the temple.

The others remained silent and quickly followed, holding their breath.

Once inside, everyone noticed a plaque hanging above the entrance to the small temple. The plaque was dusty and the characters on it were faded and missing parts, but one could still vaguely make out the words "Five Internal Organs Temple" that it once read.

The group continued to follow Jiang Jin and his companion. As soon as they crossed the threshold, they felt a sense of oppression wash over them, causing everyone to change color.

Their true energy solidified, their strength was weakened, and their divine sense was suppressed to the point that it could not be released at all, as if they had regressed to mortals.

At this moment, the temple was deserted and lifeless, but suddenly laughter and shouts rang out:

"The new fruit has ripened this year, so we've come to pay our respects at the mountain!"

"Haha, the quality is not bad. The fruits grown in the temple are getting better every year."

There were two voices laughing and talking to each other, one after the other, like old farmers discussing this year's harvest of crops and fruit trees.

These words struck the hearts of disciples like Fang Shu, who knew a bit about the temple, causing their expressions to tighten and their minds to race. Some even froze, momentarily startled, thinking they had come to the wrong place.
Fortunately, everyone managed to keep their composure and did not act rashly.

As they walked a few more steps closer, the fear in the hearts of the nine people intensified. The hairs on their bodies stood on end, as if they were standing on the edge of an abyss or falling into the jaws of a beast. Even Jiang Jin and the other man, who had maintained a calm expression, were no exception, and they all clenched their teeth.

The laughter and shouts inside the temple were coming from the two clay and wooden puppets on the offering table.

The clay figures on the table, though human-shaped and dressed in Taoist robes and black garments, did not have human faces. Instead, they had beast heads and ghost faces, and their eyes revealed an inhuman light as they shrewdly scrutinized the group of people.

Not only on the offering table, but also on both sides of the temple and above the lintel where everyone entered, there were five more demonic figures with slits in their eyes, peering at them.

(End of this chapter)