Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 8 A Yellow Wolf Bestows the Moon Magic at Night

On the mound, it was Fang Shu who was speaking.

Seeing that the weasel-like Taoist priest looked disappointed and seemed about to get up and leave, he jumped out to speak.

The weasel-like Taoist looked in the direction of the sound, his gaze sweeping over Fang Shu with interest.

The monsters all around also peeked over, chattering amongst themselves.

Fortunately, the Taoist was not displeased. After examining it, it merely laughed and scolded:

"You fox-headed fool, why do you insist on learning petty tricks instead of the great path!"

Fang Shu stood up and bowed to the Weasel Taoist.

He didn't argue, but instead spoke up:

"Reporting to the master, I want to learn both the great principles and the minor skills. I want to learn both."

These words made the weasel Taoist's long eyebrows twitch. He pinched his eyebrows, closed his eyes slightly, and looked like he couldn't be bothered to look at Fang Shu.

The murmurs of the surrounding monsters grew louder, and one of them rebuked Fang Shu:
"You greedy foreign fox! I only ask that you tell the story again, sir. How could I ask for more?"

There were even monsters wagging their tails and begging for mercy: "That's right, that's right. Sir, we're not greedy, just tell us what you just said."

Fang Shu was not annoyed by the gossip among the monsters; he simply lowered his head and waited for the Taoist priest to speak.

Finally, the weasel-like Taoist squinted and sized him up:
"I'll only ask you one question. If you can answer it, then answer it; if you can't, then forget it."

Fang Shu bowed respectfully and said, "Please speak, sir."

The Taoist priest shook his head, pointed at the hordes of demons scattered across the land, and said:

"The Three-Six Elixir Method is indeed difficult to understand at first glance. I also find the division of the six levels of immortals to be somewhat awkward and difficult to remember."

If you understand, could you teach everyone a little bit? Would that be alright?

At this moment, the monsters who were still laughing gradually quieted down and secretly looked at Fang Shu.

Fang Shu thought for a moment, then nodded and replied, "It's possible."

He then raised his paws and spoke:
"Fellow demon brothers, if the 'Three-Six Elixir Method' is inconvenient to memorize, then don't bother memorizing it. You only need to know that three sixes equal eighteen, and there are eighteen tribulations in cultivation. By cultivating and overcoming these tribulations in sequence, you can achieve immortality and live as long as the heavens."

He paused for a moment, then said, "As for the six ranks of immortals, the various methods of refining essence and qi, they are all immortals in the end."

We classify immortals into categories such as First Tribulation Immortals, Second Tribulation Immortals, and even Eighteenth Tribulation Immortals, with higher tribulation levels indicating greater power.

Before the weasel-like Taoist could respond after Fang Shu finished speaking, a demon suddenly realized:
"So that makes sense!"

"Exactly! They're all immortals, so of course the bigger the one, the more powerful they are, regardless of whether they're human or immortal!"

A group of monsters who were half-understanding and completely ignorant seemed to have heard the great truth, and they were all excitedly jumping up and down and chattering.

The weasel-like Taoist opened his eyes, glanced at Fang Shu, then looked at the monsters rolling around all around, and sighed.

"So be it, so be it." The Taoist shook his head.

Instead of commenting on Fang Shu's answer, it suddenly reached out and pointed to the bright moon in the night sky:

"Let's see."

The demons stopped their frolicking and looked in the direction of the sound.

Suddenly, the Taoist priest tilted his head back and inhaled at the moon he was pointing at, his hairy, pointed mouth twitching.

All of a sudden.

The moon trembled and began to fall like snowflakes, each piece of moonlight landing on the Taoist priest.

Moonlight splashes on the rocks, sparse like remnants of snow.

Upon seeing this scene, all the monsters, including Fang Shu, instinctively held their breath and stared wide-eyed.

The weasel Taoist laughed and said, "What are you all standing there for? Open your mouths, inhale and exhale deeply, and come and eat the moonlight that I have brought."

Reminded, Fang Shu quickly realized what was happening.

He stopped holding his breath and started breathing heavily.

Hiss! The moonlight emanating from the Taoist priest instantly melted away, turning into wisps of white vapor that were inhaled by the listeners.

As soon as the moonlight entered his mouth, Fang Shu felt a sudden clarity in his mind and a cool sensation in his heart, as if he were in late autumn, his heart as clear as ice, and there was nothing unusual about the Dao talisman in his body.

"All demons in the world are formed from qi (vital energy)."

On the night of Gengshen, when the moon shines bright, occasionally the Emperor's nectar will descend, its form resembling countless olives, strung together with myriad golden threads, hanging down to the mortal realm. Those who absorb its essence can become demons.

The weasel Taoist chanted:
"When demons first begin their cultivation, they mostly rely on consuming moonlight. Today I will teach you the method of absorbing moonlight through breathing, which can draw moonlight into your body and accumulate demonic energy."

If one day you can make moonlight fall like snowflakes, then you have entered the Dao of Refining Essence, which is called 'Human Immortal'. If you can make moonlight pour into your body like a bag, then you have entered the stage of Refining Qi, which is called 'Spiritual Immortal'.

It paused, then chuckled, "Of course, you can also call them First Tribulation Immortals or Fourth Tribulation Immortals."

Upon hearing these words, the path to immortality seemed within reach.

The monsters present were even more excited, as if they were in heat, all of them restless and flushed.

"Immortals! Cultivating immortality!"

However, amidst their excitement, a few monsters suppressed their joy.

Like Fang Shu and the rabbit demon from before, neither of them were distracted. They were both seizing the opportunity to listen to the lecture while inhaling and exhaling the moonlight energy that was escaping from all directions.

The weasel-like Taoist glanced around the arena a few times, then continued in a leisurely voice:

"This method is crude, but it is sufficient for you. Listen."

A bright moon shines in the mind, the spirit is clear within three inches, inhale and exhale through the mouth and nose, breathe through the abdomen, clench the teeth like a drum, and exhale white breath…

The demons quieted down and slowly began to imitate what the Taoist had said, some tilting their heads back, others craning their necks, breathing and exhaling towards the bright moon in the night sky, clenching their teeth.

The bright moon in the night sky, however, did not let its light fall; it remained motionless, completely unaffected by the monsters.

However, the moonlight emanating from the weasel Taoist was indeed summoned and entered the bodies of the demons, allowing them to enter a state of peaceful meditation.

Fang Shu obtained the specific breathing steps.

With each breath he took, he gained the upper hand, having seized the initiative and also possessed magical abilities, making him superior to the monsters on either side.

Its breath was like frost, and tiny white vapors, resembling snakes and insects, drifted in and out of its mouth and nose, which was quite mystical.

Thus, one-third of the moonlight on the weasel Taoist was consumed by him; another third was consumed by the rabbit demon who spoke first.

They ate more than half of it, and the remaining third was divided up by the demons scattered all over the land.

The monsters were unaware of the commotion.

However, the weasel Taoist saw everything clearly, and his gaze involuntarily fell on Fang Shu and the rabbit demon.

It glanced at the rabbit demon a few more times, its eyes showing interest.

However, the Taoist did not interfere. He allowed the demons present to digest what they had obtained and divide it among themselves according to their strength.

After quite a bit of effort.

When the moonlight on the Taoist priest was exhausted, the demons awoke one after another from their breathing.

Their bodies swayed unsteadily, as if they were drunk.

But they were all extremely excited: "This is cultivation! It's so much fun, so much fun!"

"Hehe, even more fun than a female fox!"

Fang Shushen was among the demons, and he swallowed quite a lot, his face also showing joy.

He silently chanted in his mind, "Daoist Record." Several lines of text immediately appeared in his mind, two of which changed, attracting his attention:

Lifespan: 16/35 (decreasing)

[Technique: "A Nighttime Encounter with the Weasel Taoist Priest, Who Taught Me the Method of Consuming the Moon and Breathing"]

Fang Shu stared intently at the "Lifespan" column, and a weight lifted from his heart.

A surge of joy welled up in his heart, making him feel light and carefree.

He calmed himself down and used the Taoist talisman to examine his body. Finding nothing else amiss, he thought to himself, "The cultivation of immortals is truly wondrous!"

He only ate a few mouthfuls of moonlight, and his physical depletion was made up for so much. His lifespan was restored by eight years in one go, and it is still recovering!
Fang Shu looked at the three characters "折寿中" again and found that their color had indeed lightened considerably.

Longevity is within reach.

After a moment of joy, Fang Shu focused his attention on the [Cultivation Techniques] section.

A thought struck him, and the "Technique" section immediately shortened, with the technique name changing to "Yellow Wolf's Nighttime Moon-Capturing Technique".

Fang Shu carefully studied this technique.

He discovered that this breathing method, just as the weasel Taoist had described, was not particularly sophisticated; it was merely a very superficial breathing technique.

Fang Shu had seen nearly ten similar ones in books in the mortal world.

Some breathe with the current, some breathe against the current, some breathe towards the moon's reflection in the water, and some even breathe towards the sun—the list goes on.

However, this does not mean that the teachings imparted by weasels are useless.

On the contrary, this kind of rough and shallow, yet real and effective breathing method is undoubtedly the true skill.

Because of its simplicity, it is easy to learn and contains no hidden schemes, making it extremely suitable for those with strong minds and newly awakened demons.

More importantly, while the weasel Taoist was transmitting his teachings, he also personally activated the moonlight so that the demons could test their cultivation and overcome the first hurdle in learning and practicing the Dharma—to taste the sweetness of success.

After all, moonlight is not so easy to absorb and refine, especially for mortals and demons without spiritual roots.

Without guidance, one cannot know the subtleties and wonders; without experience, one cannot know the true taste of moonlight.

Even during cultivation, if a faint ray of moonlight were to fall, it would be easy to miss it and miss the opportunity to harvest.

Then, after a delay, there would be no progress for several years or even ten years, because people thought that Taoist studies were empty and meaningless.

This is also a major hurdle for those who cultivate immortality in the mortal realm, as not only is spiritual energy scarce, but there is also no one to help them.

It can be said that Fang Shu and the demons' experience of consuming moonlight has greatly increased their chances of entering the Dao in the future!

For a while.

Fang Shu's mind was in turmoil as he stared blankly at the weasel-like Taoist on the stone platform.

Suddenly, the Taoist priest looked at him and smiled.

Fang Shu quickly composed himself.

He bowed respectfully to the Taoist priest.
"Student thanks you for imparting the Dharma, Master!"

Hearing this, the surrounding monsters exchanged knowing glances and snapped out of their daze.

"Squeak!"

"Thank you for transmitting the Dharma, sir!"

They kowtowed and bowed, one after another.

The weasel Taoist priest was pleased to see this.

It pondered for a moment and then laughed:
"If there's anything you don't understand about this method, feel free to ask. I'll answer it all tonight."

The demons chattered excitedly, and immediately many of them raised their hands:
"Excuse me, sir, is it okay to eat moonlight? Is it okay to eat sunlight?"

"No, you're courting death."

"Sir, sir, what do we do when it rains and there's no moon?"

"Wait."

……

Among the monsters, those that can speak human language ask questions themselves; those that cannot speak human language squeak and communicate with their kind, asking them to ask questions for them.

There were also some creatures in the arena that couldn't speak, and none of their kind could speak yet. They were extremely anxious and restless, chirping incessantly.

Fang Shu joined them, and he summoned the Daoist talisman again, discovering that it had indeed recorded all the content of the sermon, word for word.

So he listened attentively while looking at the sermon notes that had already been recorded in the Taoist register, and gained a lot from it.

In the end, I had asked almost everything I could, and for the rest, I couldn't think of anything to ask right now.

The monsters then began to chatter about this and that, making jokes and flattering the weasel Taoist.

At this moment, the three-foot-tall rabbit demon also raised its hand and asked the weasel Taoist, "Sir, may I ask which tribulation of immortals you belong to?"

The weasel Taoist smiled without saying a word. He reached out and flicked the rabbit demon's little head, then looked up at the moon.

immediately.

The Taoist stretched and got up, his tall and slender figure standing upright, like a withered pine tree biting into the stone.

Just then, a night breeze swept in.

The wind made his Taoist robe billow, fluttering like a bird, and the Taoist opened his beak and chanted:
"Seeking friends under the moonlit night, I pass through the chaotic hills, where children run and laugh, their laughter echoing across the ground. Now I, Huang Lang, will serve as your teacher, and explain the first chapter of cultivation in detail."

"Hahaha, not bad at all." After reciting a poem, the weasel-like Taoist laughed loudly:

"The sermon is finished, and I am leaving now."

As soon as it finished speaking, it leaped into the air, hands behind its back, and walked on the moon.

Its form was ethereal, disappearing into the night sky in a few breaths, departing gracefully.

Fang Shu and the demons looked up and were immediately captivated, their hearts filled with longing.

Fang Shu was secretly surprised and suspicious.

He didn't know whether the other person was using magic to ride the wind or was truly walking on air without relying on external objects.

If it's the latter, then it's not something that a mere cultivator of essence or qi could possess... it might be a Foundation Establishment Immortal!

Belatedly realizing what was happening, he and the monsters gradually came to their senses and prostrated themselves in reverence.
"Farewell, sir!"

"Thank you for transmitting the Dharma, sir."

After the weasel Taoist left, the stone platform suddenly became empty and quiet.

Monsters are everywhere, looking at each other.

Just when Fang Shu thought that some monsters would jump up and everyone would exchange and learn from each other, a sudden commotion broke out all around!
Foxes howling, dogs barking, birds chirping!
The monsters took off running, their previous cheerful demeanor completely gone, especially the smaller, vegetarian monsters.

In addition, there were some monsters with glowing green eyes. They were carnivorous and had run away, but they were still lingering around.

Fang Shu shook his head upon seeing this, knowing that these monsters were wild and difficult to tame.

But he also got up, patted his butt, landed on all fours, and darted into the grass in the same foxy manner.

He planned to continue his journey and find another place to rest.

Suddenly, a shout came from behind Fang Shu:
"Fellow Taoist, please stay!"

(End of this chapter)