Cultivating Immortality Through a Hundred Lifetimes: I Possess the Heavenly Book of Merit

The little mute boy sat obediently on the ground, his hands on his knees, but his eyes couldn't help but dart around.

The bearded man sat two rows in front of him, his tall frame blocking most of his view.

Everyone around was holding their breath, their faces filled with barely suppressed excitement and anticipation.

At this moment, the white-haired, youthful-looking abbot on the prayer mat slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were incredibly clear, without a trace of turbidity, as if they could see right through people's hearts.

He held a whisk in his hand, flicked it gently, and spoke in a low but clear voice that reached everyone's ears:

"Close your eyes, concentrate, and calm your mind."

Everyone quickly did as instructed.

Yu Yan, hidden in the shadows, narrowed his eyes slightly.

The abbot's voice continued, carrying a strange rhythm:

"You are all here today because you have a deep affinity with the immortals. A mortal's life is but a hundred years, filled with birth, old age, sickness, and death, the suffering of separation from loved ones, the suffering of not getting what one wants, and the suffering of the five aggregates. When one dies, all is vanity."

He paused, his voice growing increasingly ethereal:

"But if one ascends to the Dao, one can shed one's mortal body and attain immortality. The world is vast, and one can roam freely. One's parents and relatives can also be reunited in the immortal realm, never to be separated again."

Upon hearing the words "parents and relatives," the little mute boy trembled slightly.

The abbot's gaze slowly swept over the crowd, his tone becoming gentle and compassionate:

"Do you know what the celestial realm is like?"

No one answered, but everyone pricked up their ears.

"In the celestial realm, there are countless spiritual herbs, rare flowers and fruits, which can prolong life. The pavilions and towers are all built of white jade. Cranes soar among the clouds, and mythical beasts roam beneath the forests. There is no illness or disaster, no worries or anxieties, the sun and moon shine together, and there is eternal spring."

With each word he spoke, the fascination on the faces of the crowd deepened.

Before anyone knew it, some people started to stand up.

"There,"

The abbot's voice was like a dreamlike murmur, carrying a strong seductive quality.

"You will get what you want. You will see what you want to see. There will be no more hunger or cold, no more pain of separation."

Someone else stood up.

The little mute boy wasn't delirious; he was simply extremely excited and wished he could run up to the sky right away.

He instinctively tried to stand up, but a hand suddenly pressed down on his shoulder.

It's a full beard.

The bearded man had already stood up, a dazed smile on his face, but he still remembered to turn back and glare at the little mute boy, lowering his voice to say:

"Sit still!"

The little mute boy jolted awake, regaining some clarity. When he looked around again, his eyes widened in surprise.

Everyone, including the two young Taoist disciples, stood up.

They began to slowly circle around the bronze cauldron, their steps incredibly synchronized, their faces bearing the same infatuated smiles, like a group of marionettes.

Yu Yan frowned in the shadows.

This isn't right.

Something is very wrong.

He looked at the abbot and saw that the man was still sitting upright on the futon, his eyes slightly closed and his lips moving as if he were chanting something.

Those circling the cauldron spun faster and faster, their smiles growing increasingly eerie.

Sudden--

The abbot opened his eyes and suddenly looked towards the back of the line.

I looked at the little mute boy sitting alone on the ground.

"you!"

With a flick of his whisk, an invisible force suddenly pulled the little mute boy up from the ground and flew him into the air in front of the abbot.

The little mute boy was so frightened that his face turned pale, and his legs went weak when he landed, almost causing him to kneel down.

The abbot looked down at him, his eyes deep and unfathomable:

"Why don't you take the elixir of immortality?"

The little mute opened his mouth, making "ah...ah..." sounds in his throat, his eyes reddening with anxiety.

The abbot frowned and gently touched the man's forehead with his whisk.

A warm current flowed in, and the little mute felt his throat relax, and he was able to make a sound again.

"I...I..."

He stammered, his voice trembling with tears:

"The elixir... the elixir was stolen by that bearded man."

The abbot's gaze passed over him and landed on the tall figure in the group. The bearded man was circling the cauldron, a fascinated smile on his face, completely unaware of what was happening.

"Please, I beg you, Abbot, I beg you!"

The little mute boy finally burst into tears, large tears streaming down his face:

"Please, Abbot, don't send me away. I want to become an immortal, I want to see my parents. I... I promise I'll be obedient from now on, I'll cultivate diligently..."

He knelt on the ground, his small body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

The abbot looked at him, his eyes still devoid of sorrow or joy, showing no emotion whatsoever.

But he seemed to be moved by the little mute boy's desire for immortality, and also seemed to feel sorry for him.

The abbot frowned, then sighed and nodded.

"Fine, you're innocent too, a pitiful soul. Since you're so sincere, there's nothing wrong with including you."

He took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve, poured out a pill, and handed it to the little mute boy:

"Eat, meditate again, and then go..."

Before the words were finished—

A chilling sword intent suddenly rose from the shadows!

The sword intent was extremely sharp, carrying a chilling killing intent, and came whistling towards the back of the abbot's heart!

Yu Yan emerged from the shadows, his sword array talisman radiating a dazzling spiritual light.

He finally understood that the pill was meant to control people's minds, and Yu Yan couldn't control the others, but the little mute girl was definitely not an option.

Enough with the nonsense, take this sword formation talisman.

"presumptuous!"

The abbot was greatly alarmed and quickly flicked his whisk, sending a white light towards the sword shadow.

But the sword shadow is even faster!

laugh--

The sword shadow slashed fiercely at the abbot.

However, the expected bloodshed did not occur.

The abbot's body instantly turned into a wisp of white smoke and vanished from the spot.

The sword strike missed its target.

Yu Yan's pupils contracted slightly, his body stopped abruptly, and he stood with his sword in hand.

Not far away, the white smoke reformed, revealing the figure of the abbot. His face was somewhat pale, his breathing was erratic, and a flash of anger crossed his eyes, but it was quickly suppressed.

"Who are you?"

The abbot asked in a deep voice, his whisk held horizontally in front of him, but he showed no intention of attacking.

Why did you attack me?

Yu Yan did not answer, but just stared at him coldly.

They've resorted to crooked and evil practices, occupying the mountains and bewitching the masses. How dare they even ask questions?

Judging from the other party's movements, they don't have the strength of a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator at all. They've probably been surviving all along by using these manipulative methods.

A first-grade high-quality sword array talisman can kill the opponent seven times over.

But at that moment, the abbot flicked his whisk.

Those who were circling the cauldron seemed to be lifted up by an invisible force, and one by one they flew into the air!

They kept their eyes closed, their faces still bearing infatuated smiles, as if they were completely unaware that they were ascending into the air.

The little mute boy was still kneeling on the ground, clutching the pill in his hand, stunned with fear.

The clouds parted at that moment.

Golden morning light poured down from the gaps in the clouds, shining on those who were taking off.

And from within the clouds, ethereal figures gradually came into view.

Those figures, dressed in white, ethereal and graceful, shone brightly in the morning light, as if they were gilded.

They stretched out their hands, as if welcoming those who were taking off.

The little mute boy looked up at this scene and murmured:

"Immortal... Immortal..."

Yu Yan gripped the sword in his hand tightly, his pupils shrinking slightly.

The figures of those immortals flickered in the morning light, appearing and disappearing, making them difficult to discern.

Ascension is not a scam, it's real?