Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 201 A Half-Day Separation Between a Residual Earth Immortal and the Immortal (5.8 thousand words)
Inside the Gu Palace.

Fang Shu suppressed his emotions and turned to look at his second senior brother, Hao Junliang, beside him.

He asked, "Senior Brother Hao, are you planning to go down the mountain?"

Hao Junliang's expression darkened. He glanced at Fang Shu, remained silent for a long time, and finally slowly shook his head. At the same time, a flame seemed to ignite in his eyes, making his gaze pierce.

"Since this great battle was initiated by our temple, although the early stages of the battle were extremely dangerous for us Qi Refining disciples, it was also an opportunity."

Hao Junliang's voice was forceful and resolute, lacking his usual gentleness and instead revealing a sharp edge.

He said in a low voice, "This might be the only chance I'll ever have in my life... and I'm fortunate to have this opportunity."

Fang Shu, standing to the side, immediately understood.

This great battle between the two immortal sects was a dangerous affair for him, but for Hao Junliang, a sixth-tribulation immortal who had reached the end of his cultivation, it was an opportunity to potentially gain a foundation-building chance!

Sure enough, after muttering to himself for a moment, Hao Junliang smiled slightly and began to persuade Fang Shu:
"This is just Hao's own choice. Junior Brother Fang should pack his bags in the temple as soon as possible and go down the mountain. Such an important matter cannot be hidden. Who knows, the Kugu Temple might even turn around and ambush our disciples outside the temple."

Then, Hao Junliang spoke again, saying that once the great battle begins, both immortal sects will definitely use their Qi Refining disciples as a means to weaken the other sect's foundation.

In such circumstances, all the Qi Refining disciples were merely pawns, forced to obey orders without any room for refusal. Of course, as disciples of the Dragon Maiden, they still had some autonomy, but as long as they were within the temple, they could not avoid it.

Based on the past battles of the five sects of Mount Lu, it was not uncommon for disciples of the Qi Refining generation to die out completely.

Hao Junliang said, "That's why the various immortal sects have learned from their past mistakes and secretly allow their inner disciples to go down the mountain. Anyway, in these immortal sect wars, Qi Refining disciples are nothing special, and there's no difference between outer and inner disciples."

Strictly speaking, even among inner disciples at the fourth or fifth tribulation stage, aside from potential, their magical power and various skills are inferior to those of experienced outer disciples at the sixth tribulation stage.

The other person sighed softly: "Junior brother, you have only been on the mountain for a little over ten years. It is not worth risking your life. Listen to your master's advice and go down the mountain as soon as possible. Do not delay."

Fang Shu naturally wouldn't refuse such kind advice, and he immediately nodded solemnly: "Yes."

At the same time, thoughts raced through his mind, and he suddenly remembered the old mountain lord's words from back then.

He secretly wondered if the old mountain lord had known all along that the Five Internal Organs Temple Fair was about to start a war, which was why he was determined to make him obtain the status of an inner disciple.

There's also the Dragon Maiden Immortal Family. This person, whether openly or secretly, has been asking him to obtain the status of an inner disciple. Could this also be related to this war between immortal sects?

But what's done is done, and there's no use thinking about it anymore.

Fang Shu suppressed these distracting thoughts, pondered for a few moments, then cupped his hands towards Hao Junliang and asked the question that had been bothering him earlier:

"May I ask, senior brother, is there any connection between the term 'earth veins' that Master mentioned and the matter of 'foundation building'?"

Hao Junliang was slightly taken aback, but then he understood what Fang Shu wanted to ask.

"Enough, enough. Such a thing should not have been told to you earlier. At least it should have been after you had refined your Qi, otherwise it would have hindered your Dao heart."

Hao Junliang sighed, "However, after this parting, it is uncertain whether we, as fellow disciples, will ever meet again. It's good to tell you this so that you won't be deceived by others outside the mountain gate. Just don't blame me for having fallen into your heart."

"Senior brother, you flatter me," Fang Shu quickly said.

Hao Junliang organized his thoughts and then gave a detailed explanation of the so-called "earth veins".

In the world beyond the mortal realm, all famous mountains and great rivers, like the human body, have veins that flow with spiritual energy. Wherever these veins are located, living beings gather, and these are also known as "spiritual veins".

The mountain gate of any immortal sect must occupy a place with a spiritual vein in order to continuously receive spiritual energy to nourish the entire sect.

However, the wonders of the "spiritual veins" are not limited to this; they are also related to "establishing a residence in the world".

Hao Junliang said:

"The wonder of Qi cultivation lies in obtaining the three energies of 'human, earth, and heaven,' while the wonder of foundation building lies in transforming the spiritual root into a spiritual vein, and then supplementing it with the earth's energy for cultivation, using the earth to nourish the body, so as to obtain the wonder of living in this world, which is called 'earth immortal.'"

Fang Shu listened to these words, seemingly understanding but not quite.

According to Hao Junliang's explanation, the reason why Foundation Establishment Immortals are called "Earth Immortals" seems to be because they occupy a certain area of ​​the earth's veins.

After the immortals refine it, it can help their own spiritual roots grow into spiritual veins, or even replace them. By using spiritual veins to replace earth veins, they can wield power over a region, and thus they are called "living earth immortals".

Beside him, Hao Junliang was still speaking with longing in his voice:
"The dwelling place of the earth immortals remains unchanged throughout the four seasons, with abundant grains. They can be large or small, obey the commands of wind and rain, and command all living beings. They possess great magical power. According to the book, there is also a saying that 'if the earth's veins are not broken, the earth immortals will not perish.'"

In other words, as long as the Earth Immortal remains in its dwelling place, it is as difficult as moving mountains and filling rivers for others to destroy it; they must first destroy its land before they can destroy its body.

Now, Fang Shu understood completely.

He understood that the word "earth" in the term "earth immortal" was of no less importance to Foundation Establishment immortals than cities and territories in the mortal world, and even more so to monarchs.

He immediately bowed to Hao Junliang and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your explanation, Senior Brother."

Immediately afterward, Fang Shu hesitated before speaking:

"Glands are so precious and rare, is it possible for someone to successfully establish their foundation without access to them?"

Upon hearing this, Hao Junliang shook his head immediately:
"As far as Hao knows, for over 90,000 years, immortals in the world who wish to establish their foundations have had to first choose a specific burial site, ascend an altar, and offer sacrifices before they can succeed. However, it is not necessary to choose so-called famous mountains and rivers."

It should be known that the world is ever-changing, and great supernatural beings frequently appear, causing the landforms and terrain to change repeatedly. There are many earth veins that were famous in ancient times but are now unknown. Occasionally, a lucky person will find one and be able to build a house there, thus gaining the earth's energy to establish a foundation.

Furthermore, some ley lines lie deep underground, like dens of snakes and insects. If found, they can be captured and refined first, then guided elsewhere to build a hut for further refinement. There are also certain immortals beyond the mountains, who move with the flow of water and vegetation, never settling in one place…

Generally speaking, one must first obtain nourishment from the earth's veins before one can establish a foundation; the only difference lies in the various forms and methods. However, without earth veins, the foundation is rootless, making it extremely difficult to achieve the status of an Earth Immortal.

Hao Junliang sighed as he spoke:
"It is probably for this reason that our temple had no choice but to fight against the Dry Bone Temple. It seems that the earth veins within the temple will no longer be able to sprout new branches, and will be unable to support new Foundation Establishment Immortals."

No wonder the senior sister has been in seclusion for so long and hasn't emerged yet..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's thoughts became even more varied, and he also thought of the Hu family ancestors' search for the dragon vein.

He had initially thought that the Hu family ancestors had only attempted to establish their foundation using dragon veins because they were array masters. He never imagined there was such a reason; without earth veins, there wouldn't even be a chance to establish a foundation.

Dragon veins are a type of earth vein.

From this perspective, if Fang Shu wants to be able to establish a foundation one day, he must first consider the geomantic veins of his own family.

Seeing his junior brother's silence, Hao Junliang secretly worried that if Fang Shu knew the inside story, his diligent cultivation would be affected.

After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly said, "However... although we immortals value external things, we are not bound by one place, nor do we necessarily have to follow seniority to obtain the opportunity to establish our foundation."

There are many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the world who directly inherit the spiritual lands and cave dwellings of their predecessors, thereby obtaining the earth's veins and energy. There are even evil cultivators who can steal other people's earth veins and plunder their earth energy.

After a pause, Hao Junliang pondered, "There are also rumors that the ancient Taoist community also had the concept of Foundation Establishment, but not of staying in the mortal world. However, I know very little about this."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's gaze immediately shifted, fixing on Hao Junliang.

The word "Taoist priest" stirred up many waves in his heart once again.

However, he didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Hao Junliang, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Hao Junliang's words revealed everything he knew, leaving no room for concealment.

The other party accepted Fang Shuyi's greeting with composure.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally urged, "Pack your bags and head down the mountain as soon as possible."

"Yes," Fang Shu said in a deep voice, bowing slightly.
"Senior brother, take care!"

The two brothers looked at each other for a while before parting ways.

………………

After leaving the Gu Palace, Fang Shu hurried along, lost in thought.

Instead of returning to his cave, he headed towards the Yin and Yang Gu pits.

When he arrived at the Gu pit, he looked at the servants and the numerous Gu worms in the pit, his expression shifting.

With these two Gu pits, he could have cultivated safely to the sixth tribulation. However, now that trouble is brewing, after weighing the pros and cons, while the Gu pits are beneficial, it's still better to stay away from danger.

Fang Shu thought to himself, "Thanks to these two Gu pits, I have successfully obtained the status of an inner disciple. I should be content."

He also secretly thought that this great battle was an opportunity for Hao Junliang. And perhaps it was also an opportunity for him.

Who knows, when he needs to establish his foundation in the future, there might be a few more ley lines in the sect's earth veins, or a few empty ones.

At that time, he will not need to participate in the great battle. As long as his cultivation is in place, he may be able to receive the help of the earth veins in the temple, instead of waiting for many years like his senior sister and second senior brother, wasting their lives.

With his mind settled, Fang Shu quickly gathered up the valuables in the Gu pit.

Because he was going down the mountain, he took far more money than usual, filling an entire storage bag with all sorts of Gu materials, enough for him to spend lavishly for ten years to refine Gu.

He also removed all the Yin-Yang Gu worms and poisonous sand centipedes that he had raised in the Gu pit. This unusual behavior aroused the suspicion of the servants in the Gu pit, but no one dared to say anything.

After looting the valuables, Fang Shu looked at the numerous servants. He pondered for a few moments, then summoned a group of people from the Dugu Pavilion and gave them brief instructions:

"I am about to descend the mountain to search for evil spirits, so I entrust the Gu pit to you all to take care of."

The servants were relieved and immediately bowed, saying, "We will obey the immortal's decree."

But then, Fang Shu said something meaningful:

"Unless something major changes, the Gu Pit should still have people inside. At that time, no matter what the situation or who is in charge, you must hold your positions. Otherwise, even if I return, some things will be difficult to undo."

These words caused the disciples of the Dugu Pavilion to look on with suspicion, sensing that Fang Shu's words had a hidden meaning.

But Fang Shu didn't give them a chance to ask any more questions. He immediately stepped out of the Gu pit and headed straight for another one.

By subtly implying to them, he was already showing that they were no longer attached to their sect's sentiments. And indeed, as he said, as long as the Dragon Maiden Immortal Clan remained standing, and the Dugu Pavilion lineage diligently guarded the Gu pits, they would surely be able to leave some incense offerings in the temple.

This situation is vastly different from the plight of other servants in the temple, or even the outer disciples.

After finishing with the two Gu pits, Fang Shu immediately headed towards where Senior Sister Fang Lu was.

Unlike when dealing with the servants, once he found Fang Lu and isolated him from the others, he frankly told him about the great battle and suggested that Fang Lu immediately take on a mission to go down the mountain and leave the Lushan area with him.

"What!?" Fang Lu jumped up, his face filled with horror.

But then, a bitter smile appeared on her face:
"No wonder the temple has rarely issued missions to go down the mountain since a year ago. In the last six months, only disciples have returned, and no disciples have gone out."

I never expected there to be such inside information here.

Fang Shu's expression also changed slightly.

He had an inner sect status and could leave the mountain gate without reporting to the head of the household, but Fang Lu could not. Even though he tried every means to find a spirit pet bag, put Fang Lu in it, and secretly took him out of the temple.

However, if the temple discovers Fang Lu's mysterious disappearance afterward, they will either strip her of her status as a disciple of the Five Organs Temple or assume she has defected. There are no other options.

In an instant, the difference between inner and outer disciples became crystal clear between the two.

But suddenly, a smile appeared on Fang Lu's face.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said casually, "Don't worry, Brother Shu. Although I am only an outer disciple, thanks to you, I am quite different now and have some skills."

You can go down the mountain without worry.

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu did not respond immediately. He pondered repeatedly whether there was still room for maneuver. Soon after, he thought of the two Gu pits he was managing.

After exhaling slowly, Fang Shu immediately stood up and led Fang Lu directly towards the Gu pit.

Although Fang Lu didn't understand why, she could only follow closely behind him.

Not long after, when Fang Shu left the Gu Hall, his expression softened somewhat.

Since Fang Lu cannot descend the mountain, the only option is to address his safety.

Fang Shu first asked his second senior brother, Hao Junliang, who had chosen to stay in the mountains, to help take care of things in the Gu Hall. Then he led Fang Lu into the Gu Pit and handed over all the affairs of the Gu Pit, including the array formations and talismans.

During this time, he hesitated whether to inform Long Gu and ask her to agree to let Fang Lu temporarily take over the Gu Pit, so that even if the two immortal sects went to war, Fang Lu could be protected in the Gu Pit.

However, after subtly probing his second senior brother, he realized that Fang Lu was ultimately not a member of the Gu Hall. He could do such a thing, but he couldn't say it to her face, lest he make things difficult for the Dragon Maiden Immortal and lose a rare chance to save his life.

So Fang Shu directly put Fang Lu in charge of the Gu pit, thus temporarily placing him in charge.

The matter within the Gu Hall has been resolved.

Fang Shu quickly returned to his cave dwelling. After tidying up, he looked at his meticulously decorated and spiritually rich Fangxian Cave with a slight fluctuation in his gaze.

But without delay, he simply looked around, taking in the scene inside the cave, and then sealed the cave entrance, completely isolating it from the outside world.

After its figure disappeared, the cave became quiet, with only the waterways around the altar occasionally rippling as fish swam their tails, before returning to stillness.

Next.

Fang Shu walked through the various halls of the temple, buying up all sorts of cultivation supplies he needed, and also sold off his Gu worms at great expense.

He also lavishly entered the scripture hall with the hundreds of cultivation points he had accumulated over the years, using them all up, and even incurring a debt on credit as an inner disciple.

He originally wanted to obtain the method for refining the Qi Refining Realm, but unfortunately, the Five Organs Refining Qi Secret Method in the temple required one to pass the sixth tribulation before being qualified to access it.

Otherwise, even inner disciples would have no way to watch it.

However, the incomplete Qi Refining techniques collected in the temple did not have this limitation. Fang Shu could only randomly select some incomplete techniques to enrich his foundation, so that he would not have to use them one day.

After all this.

In less than a day, Fang Shu had already made all the preparations.

Currently, he has enough materials for raising and refining Gu to last him for ten years, as well as enough pills for his own cultivation for ten years. In addition, he has various Gu formulas and array manuals, enough for him to study for several years.

In addition, he had a staggering seven hundred taels of low-grade spirit stones in his possession!
Fang Shu converted all his remaining wealth into spirit stones, keeping only a small amount of talisman coins for emergencies.

After reviewing the situation repeatedly, he thought to himself:
"Even if I earn nothing this time I come down the mountain, this wealth will be enough for me to cultivate diligently for ten years."

Ten years should have passed, and the battle between the Five Internal Organs Temple and the Dry Bones Temple should have come to an end. At that time, he can return to the mountains to continue his cultivation.

At the same time, Fang Shu's thoughts drifted, wondering what would happen if the two immortal sects were still at war ten years later... But he didn't think much of it and shook his head with a smile.

all will be good.

In ten years, if his cultivation has been decent, he should have passed the sixth tribulation. At that time, even if the two sects are still at war, it might be an opportunity for him... We'll see then.

Fang Shu carefully considered all these factors, making sure that he had not overlooked anything.

So he strolled into the main hall, first sending a letter and a batch of items to Guling Town, then leaving a message for his friends, explaining that he had gone down the mountain, and hinting in the message that they should be prepared.

Only Erdaiyuan was directly contacted by him, who sent a message urging them to meet up as soon as possible.

This woman comes from the Er family and has a Foundation Establishment ancestor backing her up. Although she is not an inner disciple, she may have another way to accompany him down the mountain.

If possible, Fang Shu would also be willing to use his status as an inner disciple to support the other party, or to provide a pretext to help the other party descend the mountain.

But it's a pity.

Within an hour and a half, Fang Shu sent the message three times, but there was still no response from Er Daiyuan. He didn't know what had happened to her, as she hadn't even noticed the movement on her waist tag.

Fang Shu had a fleeting thought: should he go to Er's house and take the initiative to find her? But he quickly suppressed the idea.

He estimated the time and realized that almost twelve hours had passed since Long Gu revealed the message. Now, every additional hour of delay would increase the risk of descending the mountain.

Therefore, Fang Shu could only send one last message to Er Daiyuan and leave a letter in the hall before walking towards the mountain gate without further hesitation.

When Fang Shu left the mountain gate, he encountered no obstacles and easily passed through the protective array, as if there was nothing unusual inside the temple.

However, only half a day later...

Families such as the Er family within the temple began to send members out to make various preparations within the temple.

Er Daiyuan finally received Fang Shu's message. She rushed to the main hall, and after reading the letter, her expression changed slightly.

With a determined look, the woman abandoned all preparations and immediately grabbed the note given to her by the clan's ancestor, rushing towards the mountain gate.

Unfortunately, when she arrived at the entrance of the mountain gate, she found that there were already people standing by the gate, their path blocked by the rising formation.

And among those people, there was one she recognized.

Although the other party came alone, his sleeves were bulging, he had a bag on his back, and he was riding a spirit beast. The token at his waist was multicolored, indicating that he was an inner disciple of the temple, not an outer disciple.

This man's expression was unpredictable; he repeatedly tried to break through the formation, but was always firmly blocked. He was none other than Pei Zhongshan, the most valued immortal being in the Er family.

Just half a day later, even inner disciples like Pei Zhongshan were barred from leaving the mountain gate.

News of the great battle inevitably surfaced in people's stomachs, causing a surge in the prices of elixirs and magical artifacts within the temple. More and more people wanted to descend the mountain, and each displayed their unique abilities in order to do so.

However, once the mountain gate formation was activated, no one could enter or leave the area.

　My old computer froze, and after a long time I found out it was a graphics card problem. I almost had to take the whole thing apart, which caused the delay. Sorry about that.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)