I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

Deep within the withered ghost forest, a foul stench assaulted the nostrils.

Two dark figures crossed paths, a muffled thunderclap exploded, and an ancient tree that would take several people to encircle snapped at waist height, its white stumps glaringly sharp.

"roar--"

The giant beast roared, its sound waves sweeping up three feet of the ground.

A one-horned black mountain bear, its demonic body as large as a hill, clad in heavy black iron armor, its violent demonic aura almost solidified.

The giant bear stood upright, its paws slamming down on its head. Before the wind even arrived, the rocks on the ground had already crumbled into powder.

below.

Chai Wu's body was covered with a thick, heavy, and solemn aura of earthy yellow light.

"Bang!"

His feet sank about a foot into the mud, and he shook his neck.

"That was awesome! So satisfying!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the tone changed abruptly.

Chai Wu's back was slightly hunched, his blood and qi were boiling, and the image of an ancient primordial bull was vaguely outlined behind him, with four hooves treading on fire and two horns reaching the sky.

Deep within the Qi Sea, the shadow of Mount Sumeru trembled, and ancient Daoist energy blessed him.

"You beast, die!"

A loud shout rang out.

Speed ​​is everything.

Only hard.

"boom!"

The sound of flesh colliding was dull and terrifying.

The enormous demon body flew backward, smashing countless boulders along the way, its ribs shattered, its heart and lungs turned to mud, and its life force was extinguished.

The dust has settled.

Chai Wu stepped onto the bear carcass, closed his eyes to sense it, and the blood in his body violently rushed against the walls of his blood vessels, making a "whooshing" sound. A warm, jade-like color deep in his bone marrow was spreading wildly to his limbs and bones.

"The Mercury Blood Realm... is not far off."

"Senior brother, you have some impressive skills."

Shu Yan, who had appeared out of nowhere atop the treetop, spoke, her beautiful eyes sweeping over the horrific battlefield:

"A Black Mountain Bear at the peak of Qi Refining is so powerful that even a group of ordinary cultivators would find it difficult to withstand its attack. Senior Brother killed it with his bare hands, which means he has probably already touched the opportunity to break through to the next realm. This time, he has even surpassed Junior Sister in the process."

"Just brute force."

Chai Wu, his fierce aura gone, scratched his head and pointed to the surrounding weeds:

"It was just cleaning up a few clueless little bugs; it took some effort."

Several corpses lay scattered among the grass.

They were all rogue cultivators who had previously tried to take advantage of others, but now their breaths were cut off, their deaths were tragic, and most of them had their heart meridians shattered.

"Perfect."

Shu Yan raised her hand, and with a surge of spiritual energy, several storage bags fell into her palm on their own.

"It's time for us to go home. Consider this the last bit of travel expenses that Blackwater City is giving to the sect."

......

The aroma of tea wafts gently, yet it carries a sense of parting.

Yang Dan stood on the steps, looking at the two who had finished packing, her cloudy old eyes filled with reluctance.

But he knew that once the fledgling eagle's wings were fully grown, it would have a vast world to explore.

"Take it."

Two storage bags were handed over.

Yang Danhe, needing no further explanation, pointed to the one on the left:

"Yan'er, this is a 'Spirit Nourishing Pill'. You cultivate the Soul Path, which is extremely taxing on your mind. Take one when you have a headache."

He then pointed to the right:

"Chai Wu, here is a specially made 'Tiger Demon Bone Refining Ointment'. It's very potent and just right for your body that's been toughened up."

"Uncle-Master, take care."

Go, and don't look back.

Yang Danhe waved his hand and turned his back.

Once he sensed that the two auras had completely disappeared, the old Taoist priest hunched over and stood motionless in the courtyard for a long time.

"Da da da".

The silence was broken by hurried footsteps.

Ding Cheng rushed into the backyard in a panic, holding a yellowed jade slip in both hands, panting heavily.

"Master! Something's happened!"

"I found this while tidying up the front hall, under an inconspicuous paperweight on the counter! I didn't dare look!"

"Under the paperweight?"

Yang Danhe was puzzled, took the jade slip, and probed it with his spiritual sense.

With just one glance, my hand trembled so much that I almost dropped the light and delicate jade piece.

It was filled with densely packed notes, which turned out to be insights into alchemy!

Every word is a gem, the essence of Daoist alchemy!

At the end of the signature, only two simple, archaic characters remain.

Bamboo Pavilion.

......

The swirling clouds were solidified and transformed into a suspended terrace.

"Lord Wen, please take a look."

The old Taoist priest pointed to Jiping Town below, his tone respectful:

"In recent years, thanks to the blessings of the Imperial Sword Immortal Sect and the Lord, all the refugees in the surrounding area have returned to the country. This year, a hundred acres of new spiritual fields have been cultivated, and the mineral output has increased by 30% compared to previous years."

"Thanks to your divine protection, Your Excellency bestowed talismans to deter the villains. With my meager skills, how could I have amassed such a fortune?"

In front.

Wen Xianyun stood with his hands behind his back, listening to the flattery around him, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Hmm, not bad."

His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Hua Yangzi was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

next moment.

Without warning, Wen Xianyun turned around and took a step closer.

Hua Yangzi's body stiffened, and he was forced to tilt his head back to look directly into those emotionless eyes.

"Absolutely true..."

Every word Wen Xianyun spoke seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a bone-chilling coldness:

"You old Taoist priest, are you truly not lying in the slightest?"

Life or death hangs in the balance.

"Your Majesty, please be clear!"

The old Taoist priest, instead of retreating, advanced, his face filled with fear:

"My heart is as clear as heaven and earth! The lives and fortunes of my entire sect depend on your single thought, sir. I wouldn't dare to play any tricks in front of you even if I had a hundred lives!"

As he spoke, he took out the "Suppressing War Talisman" from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

"The precious treasure bestowed upon us by Your Excellency helped Guanhua unify Qinglu. Now that the external threats have been quelled, I, being of lowly virtue, dare not keep it for myself any longer. Today, I have come to return it to its rightful owner to demonstrate my loyalty!"

The wind stopped and the clouds ceased.

long silence.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Laughter suddenly erupted, unrestrained and arrogant.

Wen Xianyun's oppressive aura dissipated, and he reached out and patted Hua Yangzi's shoulder heavily.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"The talisman is yours to take; it was a gift from me, Wen Xianyun. Just accept it!"

"If someone is under my command and doesn't have a few sharp teeth, wouldn't they be laughed at?"

Wen Xianyun casually took the storage bag filled with offerings and asked, seemingly unintentionally:

"By the way, where is Elder Chai Wu, who practices the Body Cultivation Technique?"

A deadly question.

Hua Yangzi's heart skipped a beat, and his face grew even more miserable:

"My lord, please don't mention it! Just thinking about it makes me furious!"

"That fool must have gone mad in Shulu Lane, becoming infatuated with a middle-aged woman, chasing after her all day long, and even neglecting to return to his sect! He's truly a disgrace!"

"Oh?"

The doubt in Wen Xianyun's eyes faded considerably, replaced by a hint of disdain:

"Ordinary people are not worthy of refined tastes."

He weighed the storage bag in his hand, looking satisfied.

"Alright, you'd better watch yourself."

As soon as he finished speaking, he began to perform hand seals.

Hua Yangzi only felt a series of white flashes before his eyes.

Once visibility is restored, get back to solid ground.

The surroundings were no longer a sea of ​​clouds, but the familiar Guanhua Hall.

The old Taoist priest's legs went weak, and he slumped into the armchair, his palms covered in cold sweat as he gripped the talisman tightly.

Escaping from the jaws of death.

This young man from the Wen family is becoming increasingly cunning.

"Master!"

"Master."

At the palace gate, light and shadow swayed.

Two familiar figures approached against the light.

The male cultivators were as imposing as mountains, their killing intent concealed; the female cultivators were as aloof as the moon, their aura vast and boundless.

Hua Yangzi looked up in a daze, and when he saw his beloved disciple in front of him, he could hardly believe it.

"Okay...okay, okay!"

The old Taoist priest rose shakily, tears streaming down his face.

Shu Yan stepped forward slowly, grasped the old man's withered hands tightly, and spoke in a firm tone:

"Master has been frightened."

"Now that Yan'er and her senior brother have returned, the sky will not fall down."

"From now on, the sect will be entrusted to the two of us."

In conversation.

The main hall was inspired by a divine inspiration.

Behind Chai Wu, Mount Sumeru appeared and disappeared, with the towering Heavenly Gate reflecting its presence.

Shu Yan was surrounded by a hazy, illusory moon reflecting on the great river, the waves were silent, and a white ape mocked her.

Mountains form a natural barrier.

The moon shines over the great river.

With a combination of defense and offense, Guanhua will surely prosper!

......

Yellow sand filled the sky, and the fierce wind cut through this desolate land.

In the middle of the desert, a dilapidated little temple stands alone, its plaque weathered, barely revealing the two characters "Shang Miao".

The Buddha statues inside the temple are dilapidated, and the gold paint is peeling off.

Two monks, one old and one young, sat facing each other.

The old monk had a withered face, wore a robe covered in patches, and turned the faded prayer beads in his hand while chanting scriptures in a low voice.

A strange object was embedded in the uniformly colored wooden beads in a very conspicuous way.

It is entirely black, flat and round.

It is clearly a black chess piece.

Suddenly.

The old monk paused in his fingertips.

"Certainly."

The characters are placed according to the rules.

The howling winds that had raged outside the temple for a century ceased instantly.

The yellow sand, which had been swirling in the air, suddenly parted like a curtain, revealing a crystal world.

The dilapidated temple is gone, replaced by a magnificent pavilion, golden lotuses everywhere, and the sound of chanting.

The old monk remained seated on his withered prayer mat, but in the young monk's eyes, he appeared as a true Buddha sitting on a lotus throne amidst the clouds.

The young monk looked bewildered, scratching his bald head, unsure of what to do.

"Master...did the wind blow off the roof of our temple? Why is it suddenly so bright?"

In the old monk's cloudy eyes, there seemed to be endless compassion flowing.

"Foolish child."

"The temple hasn't changed; it's just that your heart has opened up."

He gazed southwards.

"Go then."

"You have reached the point where you are destined to become a 'Dharma Master'."

"Where is the karmic connection?"

The young monk asked, bewildered.

"Go south, keep going south."

"We bow to the mountains we encounter, and wade through the rivers we meet..."

The old monk waved his sleeve.

The crystal world shattered, the yellow sand remained, and the dilapidated temple stood as before.

"From this day forward, your Dharma name shall be Juexin (觉心)."

The old monk closed his eyes, his prayer beads turning in his hand, the black beads trembling.

"The mortal world is vast and full of suffering; let us go and experience it."