Cultivation of Immortality: This is what unorthodox methods are like.

The black bird flies and the rabbit runs:

Since the Dreamy Taoist nun stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage and accepted the task of opening up a new lower academy, the entire market has become more prosperous than ever before.

Because this time, it wasn't just Meng Huan who went to open the lower temple; there were other Foundation Establishment cultivators as well.

These Foundation Establishment cultivators used to work outside and rarely returned to the Lower Temple.

He occasionally comes back, but he keeps a low profile. Unless you are a very close Daoist partner or friend, outsiders have no idea who he is.

Now, these Foundation Establishment cultivators, just like the Dreamy Daoist nun, are starting to gather forces from various families, wild cultivators, and even powerful spirits and monsters to prepare for their long journey.

Selling shops, splitting up families, purchasing resources, selling dried meat of spirits, dealing in spirit fruits, spirit plants, and fodder, and taking the opportunity to settle scores with enemies.

For a time, the entire market was bustling and lively day and night.

However, everyone knew that this was the last vestige of prosperity.

Once the procession that opened the lower temple leaves, the vast market will surely remain desolate for a long time before it recovers.

On this day, Qian Xiuyue descended from the sky riding on a fiery cloud.

Seeing Wang Quan sitting upright on the Seventy-Two Paths of Smoke and Dust, practicing his skills, she waited silently to the side.

Not long after, Wang Quan finished his practice: "What's wrong? You can just leave a message, why bother coming all this way and wasting your time?"

Qian Xiuyue sighed deeply, "My mind is in turmoil, I want to talk to you!"

Wang Quan pointed to the "Seventy-Two Paths of Smoke and Dust" beneath him, causing the smoke and dust to churn and double in size. Tables, chairs, and benches appeared on top, and paper maids, transformed into palace women, brewed tea, lit incense burners, and quietly served him.

Qian Xiuyue shook her head: "I changed my fundamental method. Now my body is cold and damp. It's more comfortable to sit on the fire cloud."

Wang Quan nodded: "Why are you so confused?"

Qian Xiuyue sighed, "At first, I thought I could be free and carefree in the Star Alliance."

"As it turns out, I found that the Star Alliance was no different from the New Law Alliance that Zhao Hongyi and the others belonged to."

"At first, we enjoyed a few months of relaxation."

"But later on, more and more resources were handed over to the higher authorities."

"The tasks assigned from above are also increasing."

"Today we'll salvage the Black Sand, tomorrow we'll collect the Iron Chain Evil, and the day after tomorrow we'll refine strands of Star Essence."

"Life is not much different from when I was with Zhao Hongyi."

"If I had to point out a difference, it would be that it's a bit easier than working under Zhao Hongyi."

"But the pressure is immense!"

"If you don't complete the task, you'll be reprimanded and spoken to in a sarcastic tone by your superiors."

"Now I understand why Zhao Hongyi liked to throw banquets and indulge in debauchery so much."

"Because the pressure is too much!"

Wang Quan calmly said, "Since you've joined this organization and enjoyed the benefits, you naturally have to pay the price."

"If you want to make it easier, I suggest you climb up."

Qian Xiuyue muttered, "We've estimated that if we want to be promoted to a higher authority level in the Star Alliance, it would take several of us five years to support one person."

"Moreover, we can't afford to make any mistakes in these five years."

Wang Quan nodded: "So... you want to leave the Star Alliance?"

Qian Xiuyue looked bewildered: "I don't know what to do either."

"They were even more confused than I was."

"So, I'd like to hear your opinion!"

Wang Quan shook his head: "I'm not a member of the Star Alliance, how can I give you advice?"

Qian Xiuyue's emotions were complicated: "Your refusal to join the Star Alliance back then is enough to prove that you had better judgment than me."

"So, I'd like to ask you what I should do next."

Wang Quan's lips twitched.

The reason he didn't join the Star Alliance was that what the Star Alliance offered was far less than what the [First-Rank Dao Seal] offered.

He had the confidence to refuse.

Do Qian Xiuyue and others have the confidence to back them up?

"Perhaps you could leave the Star Alliance and join Fellow Daoist Dream to establish a new Lower Temple."

"Perhaps you can become independent on your own."

"There are countless hills around this Lower House, and a lot of them are unclaimed."

"You could take over a hilltop, build a new estate, and manage it slowly; that wouldn't be bad either."

Qian Xiuyue was silent for a moment: "When you helped me build the manor, you only saw the surface, not the essence."

"The manor we built, apart from the most basic roads, had its bricks, pillars, carvings, and paint all crafted using special magic."

"That manor is very expensive, more than ten times more expensive than those Star Flags."

"The resources consumed by even the least important woodshed inside could build a dozen manors like Zhao Hongxiu's."

"Even if we all devoted our entire lives to it, we could never build a manor like that!"

Wang Quan smiled.

He had read about the manor Qian Xiuyue mentioned in Taoist scriptures, where the technique was called "construction art".

It was mainly used to build Taoist temples and establish strongholds similar to the Drowning Temple.

Orthodox cultivators who wish to advance to the Purple Mansion Realm after Foundation Establishment must use the [Construction Technique] to build a stronghold such as a manor or Taoist temple.

Only in this way can one break through to the Purple Palace.

Otherwise... there is no hope for the Purple Mansion.

Hmm... If you switch to the new law, there won't be this restriction.

"When we cultivate immortality, we are cultivating our very being."

"A manor is nice, but you can live without it."

"If you really want to be independent, you can just find a mountain like me, hire some spirits, and you can make a living."

"However, the only drawback is that the refining speed is slow!"

Qian Xiuyue nodded: "It's a pity that I was blinded by temptation back then. Otherwise, if I had read a few more volumes of Taoist scriptures, my cultivation speed would definitely be faster than it is now."

Wang Quan remained silent.

Qian Xiuyue stayed for a while, watching the spirits work and the misty grass grow, before finally bidding farewell to Wang Quan and leaving.

Wang Quan continued to refine Taoist texts, sell magical power to accumulate essence, study Taoist scriptures, and learn magic.

Life is dull, lonely, and boring.

But he gradually got used to it.

At the end of January, the master of ceremonies, a Taoist nun, sent a message: "The procession for opening the branch temple is about to depart!"

"I'll go with Fellow Daoist Fantasy."

"May we meet again someday!"

Wang Quan was stunned.

The master of ceremonies, a Daoist nun, had already begun preparations for the foundation-building ceremony.

She may not be able to descend to the second layer of the world in her true form, but she is definitely a master among the Yin Gods.

She has the opportunity to complete the foundation building before the thirty-year deadline.

"oh!"

Wang Quan gave a brief response.

Yingxian Mountain:

A vast horde of cultivators, spirits, carriages, and horses gathered, stretching as far as the eye could see.

At the very front of the procession, a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators, including the Dreamy Daoist nun, sat upright on the clouds, closing their eyes to meditate.

The master of ceremonies, a Daoist nun, stood not far in front of the dreamlike scene. Beside her were many top-tier Qi Refining cultivators, and even a few cultivators whose true forms could descend to the second level of the world.

Behind them are orthodox cultivators, new-method cultivators, and spirits, whose foundations are slightly weaker.

Everyone stood on the ground, silently waiting for the Foundation Establishment experts on the clouds to speak.

Several monks dressed in strange robes threw tortoise shells onto the altar for divination.

Bundles of sandalwood were burning beneath the altar.

Cigarette smoke billowed into the sky, hovered above the massive procession, and then landed on the tortoise shell of the altar.

boom!

boom!

boom!

The tortoise shells they had refined developed numerous cracks and then shattered with a crash.

The group of diviners studied the matter for a moment, their faces turning grim.

Because the divination result was not good.

At this moment, a cultivator specializing in astronomy jumped out and said, "The tortoise shell crack technique should have been eliminated long ago; let's see our astronomy methods."

One of the fortune-telling monks sneered, "The tortoise shell was old and in disrepair, that's why it made a mistake."

"Someone, find a few larger turtle spirits and borrow their shells!"

"Okay!"

Soon, dozens of millstone-sized turtles cried and wailed, reluctantly shedding their shells: "Gentlemen, please use them gently. If they crack, we'll lose our homes."

—Dear experts, I'm looking at the gift ranking data, which is actually from yesterday because I can't see today's data—please support me! Thank you!