I forge immortality with a pagoda.

After a moment's thought, Shen Yu did not rush to the Inner Affairs Hall to choose a cave dwelling. Instead, he settled Cui Youxin in first, then changed direction and flew towards the Daogong Pavilion.

He was still preoccupied with the mission of finding the Yangquan Zhi for Wang Chengxuan and Ji Ran, and the deadline for delivery was approaching, so he needed to complete it as soon as possible.

Before long, the majestic, towering pavilion with its jade tiles and golden walls came into view.

As the sun began to set and dusk settled, the last rays of light on the horizon shone on the glazed roof of Daogong Pavilion, shimmering like gold. This intertwined with the rising twilight mist, creating a scene of solemn grandeur.

There weren't many cultivators on Jade Platform Square; only a couple of figures occasionally passed by in a hurry.

The pavilion was brightly lit, as bright as day and as starry as night.

Shen Yu nodded slightly to the boy guarding the door, then passed through the first-floor hall and went straight up to the second floor.

The second floor was much quieter than the first floor. Some sharp-eyed people recognized him as the one who had caused trouble at Shayun Peak earlier that day, and cast different glances at him while whispering among themselves.

"Esteemed steward, I, Shen, received a human-level talisman a while ago, and I have come today to deliver it."

He took out ten plump and high-quality Yangquan Ganoderma lucidum from his storage bag, and then held it up with his right hand. A golden talisman appeared in his palm, with flowing light patterns.

The steward didn't say much, but took out a Myriad Transformations Returning to Number Seal from under the table and put the talisman into the mouth of the mythical beast on the seal.

He then took the ten Yangquan mushrooms, counted them one by one, and nodded, saying, "No problem. The ten Yangquan mushrooms required by the imperial edict are of excellent quality. You have done a good job."

After allocating five minor merit points to Shen Yu, the purple-robed steward hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Fellow Daoist, forgive my bluntness, but the value of these ten Yangquan Zhi mushrooms far exceeds five minor merit points. Not only did you not gain anything from accepting this talisman, you also suffered a considerable loss."

Shen Yu waved his hand, his expression indifferent: "It's alright. The one who issued the edict was an old friend of mine, and besides, there's another agreement that it's not included in this reward."

The purple-robed deacon understood immediately and asked no further questions.

"To my shame, although I know this item is rare, I don't know its exact value." Shen Yu flipped his hand and took out a slightly inferior Yangquan Zhi from his storage bag. "Does the steward know approximately how much this item would be worth in talisman coins?"

The purple-robed steward was slightly taken aback when Shen Yu took out another herb. He pondered for a moment and said, "Yangquanzhi is a powerful yang-attribute herb, which is very beneficial to cultivators who practice pure yang and fire-attribute techniques. Its value is indeed considerable. However, I am not entirely sure of the exact amount of talisman coins required. If you wish to know, you may wish to inquire at the Treasure Herb Pavilion. There are many fellow disciples there who are proficient in medicinal properties and may be able to answer your questions."

"In that case, thank you for your guidance, Steward." Shen Yu bowed and left without lingering, turning and descending the stairs.

As soon as Shen Yu left Daogong Pavilion, night had quietly fallen. Without further delay, he went straight back to Jiazi Courtyard.

That night, he and Cui Youxin had a long talk by candlelight. Cui Youxin told him about the recent changes in the Lujing Sect, and they also discussed the profound meanings contained in the ancient immortal texts.

As dawn broke and the first light of day appeared on the horizon, Shen Yu rose, bid farewell to Cui Youxin, and set off for the Inner Affairs Hall.

The Imperial Household Hall is a complex complex complex of buildings with winding corridors, far surpassing the Daogong Pavilion in scale.

Xu Sidan, as the deputy head of the Internal Affairs Hall and concurrently the head of the Dongyuan Pavilion, was in charge of allocating residences for disciples and demarcating cave dwellings.

Although this position is not of the highest rank, it is related to the long-term cultivation foundation of the disciples in the sect, so it can be said that although the position is not high, the power is extremely heavy.

This person was quite adept at scheming. In his early years, he used his position of authority to sell some well-located and spiritually rich cave dwellings to wealthy outer disciples and even cultivation families at high prices through underhanded means, thereby reaping a great deal of benefits.

Some time ago, he presented a batch of rare and precious materials he had amassed to Yang Shuiming, the head of the Internal Affairs Hall, thus rising from an ordinary steward to his current position as deputy head of the hall, enjoying great success.

Now, not only is he quite wealthy, but he also holds considerable power. He might not even be willing to give up an ordinary position as the head of a hall.

Inside the Dongyuan Pavilion, Xu Sidan greeted Shen Yu with a warm smile and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, young friend Shen, on your advancement to the True Disciple level. I presume you have come to my Dongyuan Pavilion to discuss matters concerning your cave dwelling?"

Shen Yu returned the greeting and said directly, "Thank you for your concern, Pavilion Master Xu. I have come here to select a suitable cave dwelling for long-term cultivation."

Xu Sidan pretended to be hesitant, saying, "Young friend Shen, it's not that I'm unwilling to do you a favor, but the only thing is that there's only one Xin-grade spiritual vein in the sect. Most of the spiritual peaks on it are occupied by elders, hall masters, and various true disciples, leaving almost no space. If you want to open a cave dwelling on the Xin-grade spiritual vein, the only places available right now are Kui'e Peak and Yuehan Peak."

He appeared enthusiastic on the surface, but inwardly he was sneering.

Previously, Shen Yu was placed in the Sixteenth Courtyard of Lanxiu Peak with the intention of using Yue Jianxin to torture him. Unexpectedly, the two hit it off. Not only did Yue Jianxin not make things difficult for Shen Yu, but he also stood up for him and fought with Elder Wu. He even took Shen Yu as his first disciple, making Shen Yu very famous.

If my senior brother Huang Daocheng finds out about this when he returns, I will certainly not escape punishment.

Now that Shen Yu has been promoted to a true disciple, the matter of choosing a cave dwelling has fallen back into my hands. This is a good opportunity to make amends and secretly hinder him.

If Huang Daocheng were to return from his trip and learn of this, he would certainly be implicated and punished.

Although the Kui'e and Yuehan peaks are rich in spiritual energy, the spiritual energy they generate is entirely cold and yin due to the connection between the earth's veins and yin energy.

He had already ascertained that Shen Yu's cultivation methods and techniques were all biased towards the yang and fire elements, which clashed with the spiritual energy of these two peaks. Cultivating here would not only be useless, but over time, the clash of spiritual energy might damage his foundation and cause his cultivation to regress.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu frowned, pretending to be deep in thought. He rubbed his chin, and after a long while, he finally raised his head with a worried expression.

"Sect Master Xu, is it really true that there are no other spiritual peaks where we can open up a cave dwelling? This is troublesome, as my cultivation method is incompatible with the spiritual energy..."

Xu Sidan sighed, "How could I not know your intentions, young friend? But the rules are such, and Lingfeng has a master. Even if I wanted to, I am powerless to change it."

As he spoke, he took out a golden map and slowly unfurled it. On the map, three spiritual veins coiled like giant dragons, their halos flowing, and countless spiritual peaks stood on them, their light points densely distributed, representing peaks that already had masters.

Only at the edge of the spiritual vein, on the two peaks of Kui'e and Yuehan, are the light spots sparse, almost non-existent.

Shen Yu glanced at the map and suddenly asked, "Sect Master Xu, these two spiritual peaks are probably more than just those with yin-attribute spiritual energy, aren't they? Within our Lu Jing Sect, there are quite a few fellow disciples who practice yin-attribute techniques. If they were merely cold and yin in spiritual energy, why would no one be interested in them?"

Xu Sidan chuckled twice and said, "What you say is true, young friend. If these two peaks only had this sinister spiritual energy, our sect's disciples would naturally fight tooth and nail for them. However, besides the fact that the spiritual energy of these two peaks is cold and yin, they also have another unique feature."

"At noon every day, when the yang energy of heaven and earth is at its peak, the yin energy underground is disturbed and will surge out. Its coldness chills to the bone and erodes the marrow. Even disciples who specialize in yin and cold techniques cannot endure such suffering for long."

Shen Yu sneered inwardly, but did not show it on his face. "So that's how it is. No wonder these two treasure lands have remained unclaimed."

"However, this reversal of Yin energy is not entirely without benefit. The spiritual energy contained within is actually the essence of the spiritual veins, only its nature has changed. How to weigh the advantages and disadvantages is up to you, fellow Daoist."

After Xu Sidan finished speaking, he lowered his head, picked up his pen and began to write, pretending to deal with documents, leaving Shen Yu alone to struggle with the matter.

For Shen Yu, the supreme true qi of Tai Chu Xuan Zhen did not demand spiritual attributes. Upon hearing this, he not only had no worries, but also felt a surge of joy.

If one can refine all the Yin energy from the earth veins that surges outwards, one's cultivation progress will definitely be accelerated.

Feigning hesitation and struggling for a moment, Shen Yu slammed his fist down. "Fine! How can one fear difficulties on the path of cultivation? To seek the Great Dao, one must face challenges head-on! I've chosen these two peaks!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Sidan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Suppressing his inner pleasure, he praised, "Fellow Daoist's devotion to the Dao is as firm as a rock; I admire it!"

He eagerly spread the map on the table. "Now that the decision has been made, please release a wisp of your true energy so that I can cast a spell to leave a peak imprint. Then you can proceed to open the cave."

He eagerly spread the rolled-up gold map out on the table.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, please look, these are the two places."

Shen Yu stared at Yuehan and Kui'e peaks, lost in thought.

Yuehan Peak is closer to the spiritual vein, and the surrounding spiritual peaks are sparse. If you choose this place, you can cultivate in peace without worrying about being disturbed by the outside world, and the spiritual energy is relatively more abundant.

Although Kui'e Peak is not bad, there are too many spiritual peaks around it. Now that he has become famous, many cultivators will surely come to visit him.

After a brief deliberation, Shen Yu made a decision.

"Let's choose Yuehan Peak then." Shen Yu raised his hand and pointed to the peak marked with the words "Yuehan" on the map.

When Xu Sidan saw that Shen Yu had chosen Yue Hanfeng, he felt a chill in his heart and a bad premonition arose.

Compared to Kui'e, Yue Han is not only slightly better in terms of intelligence, but more importantly, he is closer to Hanyue Peak where Yue Ling resides.

In his view, Shen Yu must want to get closer to Yue Ling, which is why he chose Yue Hanfeng.

Yue Ling was already difficult to deal with, and now with the addition of Shen Yu, who has considerable potential, by his side, the resistance to his faction's attempt to promote Huang Daocheng to power will likely be even greater.

However, upon further reflection, he realized that there were still people like Xiao Ling within the sect who could act as a check, and the future situation remained uncertain.

Suppressing his thoughts, Xu Sidan said, "Alright, please release a wisp of true qi, Fellow Daoist Shen. I need to use this to cast a spell and leave a mark on the map to confirm the ownership of the cave."

Shen Yu did as instructed, and with a slight thought, he forced out a wisp of pure true qi from his fingertips. Its color was chaotic, and its nature was mysterious.

Xu Sidan subtly drew the wisp of true energy into his palm, preparing to cast a spell.

However, the moment he grasped the true qi, his expression suddenly changed, and his pupils contracted sharply.

The feeling this wisp of true qi gave him was calm and profound, yet also exceptionally agile. Its quality and artistic conception were in no way inferior to the eighth-grade superior true qi that Huang Daocheng possessed—Xuanyuan Shazhen!

"Could this kid really be a seventh-level True Qi cultivator? This feeling seems to be even more superior than the seventh level."

Xu Sidan muttered to himself, his gaze towards Shen Yu filled with surprise and doubt.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and quickly formed hand seals, refining that wisp of Floating Dawn True Qi into the map.

On the map, at the location representing Yue Hanfeng, a bright spot appeared in a flash of inspiration, shining brilliantly.

"The mark of Yue Hanfeng's cave dwelling has been made."

As Xu Sidan spoke, a soft radiance shot out from the point of light, swirling in the air several times before transforming into a warm sphere of light. "This is the 'Stabilizing the Land Spell.' Once you refine it, you can follow its guidance to find the exact location of the cave. Remember, the area where the cave is opened must not exceed the boundaries marked on the map."

Shen Yu raised his hand, and the ball of light, as if imbued with life, gently fell into his palm and instantly disappeared.

A clear sense of direction immediately arose in my mind.

He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Pavilion Master Xu."

"It's my duty, fellow Daoist, you're too kind."

Xu Sidan watched Shen Yu leave with a smile on his face. But once Shen Yu's figure disappeared, the smile on his face froze instantly, turning into a gloomy expression.

......

Shen Yuyu pressed his true qi down from the clouds, and as soon as he approached Yue Hanfeng, he felt a chilling aura rush towards him.

This peak soars into the clouds, its entire body a deep black color, with jagged and steep rocks, resembling a giant sword piercing the sky.

On the peak, vegetation is scarce, with only some hardy dark moss and sparse needle-like pines dotting the landscape, swaying slightly in the biting mountain wind.

The higher you go, the colder it gets, and ice crystals and snowflakes even begin to drift in the air.

Looking up, the clouds hung low, seemingly within reach, casting a hazy gray hue over the distant mountains and nearby scenery.

The entire mountain was eerily silent, with only the mournful sound of the wind adding to its vast and secluded atmosphere.

However, even in this cold and desolate place, one can clearly sense the powerful and pure spiritual energy surging forth from the depths of the earth's veins.

Following the guidance of the Earth-Stabilizing Incantation, Shen Yu arrived at a huge, sheltered rock face at the summit.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, gave a soft shout, and the flying sword at his waist was drawn from its sheath, transforming into a sharp streak of light that pierced straight into the rock wall.

With a hissing sound, pebbles rained down, and in no time, a simple stone chamber, about several feet in diameter, was carved out.

Shen Yu stepped inside, brushed away the dust and dirt with his sleeve, and then used a spell to harden the ground and walls of the cave.

He took out a warm jade bed, a set of green jade table and chairs, and a futon from the storage bag and arranged them properly.

Then he took out two four-pronged, three-flame glass lamps and placed them in the corner of the stone chamber.

Although this lamp does not have the effect of gathering spiritual energy like the Spirit Pearl in Star Valley, it is excellent for lighting.

With a flick of his fingertip, the lamp lit up instantly, its light dispelling the darkness in the cave and illuminating the interior with a warm glow, adding to the cave's comfort.

The cave dwelling, though simple, instantly shut out most of the cold from the outside world.

Even more delightful is that the spiritual energy here is far richer and purer than that of the outside world. With each breath, one can feel wisps of cool spiritual energy seeping into one's limbs and bones, being quietly refined by the Primordial Mystery.

Shen Yu sat cross-legged on the futon, a satisfied smile on his face.

This place may be an obstacle to cultivation for others, but for him, it is a rare treasure.

He calmed his mind and immediately began to circulate his profound skills to consolidate the realm he had gained from this trip. He also carefully comprehended the various advancements in his Taoist arts, striving to solidify his foundation and leave no hidden dangers.

As the sun and moon alternate, time flies by, and several months pass in the blink of an eye.

During this month or so, besides diligently refining his true qi and honing his cultivation every day, he also exchanged ideas with Cui Youxin, asking him for guidance on those difficult and obscure ancient immortal characters, hoping to master the secret technique of returning to the origin of the talisman as soon as possible.

......

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