I only want immortality.

"Master, you wanted to see me?"

At the branch altar of the Qinghe Sect, next to the spiritual cave, stood a wooden house. Lu Mingchen stood carefully outside the door and said respectfully in a low voice.

A faint sound drifted from inside the wooden house:

"Mingchen, if I remember correctly, you are already sixty-seven years old this year."

Lu Mingchen was momentarily confused, but still immediately bowed and said:

"Yes, Master remembers clearly, it is indeed sixty-seven."

In reality, he was only sixty-two, but since his master said he was sixty-seven, then he was sixty-seven.

"Um."

The voice seemed quite satisfied with his answer and continued, "You've been at the tenth level of Qi Refining for over ten years now. What are your thoughts on the position of Foundation Establishment within the sect?"

Lu Mingchen was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected his master, who had always been so ambiguous, to be so direct today. He couldn't help but think of his senior brother, Lan Jusuo, who had returned with only one arm and one eye. He understood a bit more, and his thoughts raced through his mind as he cautiously said:

"This disciple dares not speak presumptuously. The position of Dao Foundation is of great importance. Only the Sect Master, the Vice Sect Master, and Master are qualified to make the decision. This disciple will obey all orders."

The cabin was as quiet as if asleep, until after a long while a satisfied sound came from inside:

"Your clarity of mind is truly a testament to the years I've spent teaching you... and it's also worthwhile that I specially spoke up for you before the sect leader."

Lu Mingchen was startled, immediately realized what was happening, and his heart pounded like a drum.

He said, "I suffered a defeat last time, so I dare not claim credit."

"You certainly wouldn't dare claim credit."

A leisurely voice came from inside the wooden house:

"Although it wasn't entirely your fault that time at Chun Jun Sect, it was ultimately not a satisfactory outcome. In this battle at Panlao Mountain, you should have been stationed within the sect, but you left without cause. According to the sect rules, you deserve to die."

Lu Mingchen's heart tightened, knowing that his and Yang Xingkong's tricks had not been able to deceive their master after all. He was filled with unease and whispered, "This disciple deserves to die a thousand deaths."

The simple sound from inside the wooden house struck Lu Mingchen, and the person seemed satisfied with Lu Mingchen's reaction, saying leisurely:

"You act recklessly, you deserve to die ten thousand times over... Alright, the sect leader has decided to give you and Zhu Yu that spiritual cave of the Xiye Sect to help you both establish your Dao foundation. In a few days, you will return to Wuling with me."

Although he had guessed it beforehand, Lu Mingchen was still surprised and delighted when he heard this. Suddenly, he saw the wooden house window open and a stream of light shot out, landing directly in his hand. It was a jade slip.

"This is the spiritual cave foundation-building method of my Qinghe Sect."

A voice came from inside the wooden house: "Study this carefully. After returning to Wuling, you can begin the work of building your Dao foundation... Remember, this jade slip must not be passed on to others. Since you are already on the verge of building your Dao foundation, I will not set any more restrictions on you."

Lu Mingchen gripped the jade slip tightly and nodded hurriedly, "Disciple will remember... However, Master, are the methods for forging the Dao foundation in spiritual caves different from one school to another?"

As Lu Mingchen accepted the jade slip, the tone of the voice inside the wooden house subtly changed, and it patiently replied:

"They are largely the same, but different spiritual sites produce different phenomena due to their different locations. If one does not recognize the unique characteristics of a spiritual site, although one can still succeed, it will be twice as difficult and half as effective, and one will only waste time."

Lu Mingchen seemed to be thinking: "So it's a difference between fast and slow?"

"Indeed, to lay the foundation for the Dao, one must rely on spiritual acupoints to sense the Great Dao and comprehend it before one can establish the foundation for the Great Dao."

The sounds inside the wooden house were carefully pointed out:

"This process often takes anywhere from one to three years, and even the most foolish person will only take about that long."

Lu Mingchen thought to himself that although he was not a person with exceptional talent, he probably wouldn't need three years.

Suddenly remembering something, he quickly frowned and asked, puzzled:

"Master, if you return to Wuling, will the Song Kingdom just be left to its own devices? All the effort we've put in will have been wasted!"

"Of course not."

When it came to serious matters, the voices inside the cabin became slightly heavy:

"Hanzhong is powerful. Although the whole country needs to guard against Zhongzhou, even if a small part of them are transferred here, it will be a great threat to Wuling. Otherwise, the sect leader would not have taken time to come and agree to a ceasefire with Song, so as to free up our time to deal with Hanzhong."

"But that doesn't mean the Song Kingdom is ignoring the situation. Although the Vice Sect Master is seriously injured and recuperating, he is more than capable of handling things while he is here."

"Vice Sect Master..."

Lu Mingchen hesitated, then said, "I've heard his injuries are quite severe. Is he really capable of holding the line..."

Inside the wooden house, the voice became solemn:

"Don't talk nonsense!"

After speaking, realizing his tone had been too harsh, he softened his words, hesitated for a moment, and then explained in a low voice:

"This matter should not be known to you, but considering that you will soon reach the Dao Foundation stage, it cannot be kept from you... The Vice Sect Master's Dao Foundation was damaged because his spiritual cave was taken away. Although he has regained the spiritual cave, the damage is too deep to be reversed and the injury is too severe to heal. His remaining time should not be too long. When that time comes, we will discuss who will take over his position."

Lu Mingchen was taken aback.

The voice from inside the wooden house warned again:

"You must not tell anyone about this matter, and it has little to do with you. You just need to cultivate diligently and establish your Dao foundation as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you delay for too long, the sect leader may have to find another candidate."

Lu Mingchen quickly expressed his opinion:

"Disciple understands. Disciple is not a gossip. I will certainly cultivate diligently and not disappoint Master."

"Hmm, let's go and make preparations."

Lu Mingchen quickly took his leave, and after walking a short distance from the vicinity of the spirit cave, he saw Yang Xingkong waiting for him.

He could no longer hide his joy and nodded slightly to the other person.

Yang Xingkong was incredibly astute; he immediately guessed what was going on, and his eyes lit up with undisguised joy.

The two dared not linger, and flew out of the branch altar together. Seeing that no one was around, Lu Mingchen jokingly said:

"I am on the verge of establishing my Dao foundation, so why is Fellow Daoist Yang so happy, as if he himself is about to achieve the same?"

Such words were hardly polite; in fact, they carried a hint of smug disdain.

Yang Xingkong, however, showed no annoyance whatsoever. His eyes narrowed with laughter as he said heartily:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, no, Senior Lu, you laid the foundation for your Dao, and even those who soar through the sky can benefit from your efforts. The Yang family now has someone backing them up, so how can they not be happy?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingchen couldn't help but nod and laugh, "Just based on what Fellow Daoist Yang said, once I have established my Dao foundation, I will definitely protect your Yang family!"

"Then Xingkong will express his gratitude in advance."

Without hesitation, Yang Xingkong took two steps back and then bowed deeply.

They looked up, and the two burst into laughter.

……

"Is Ning He's injury that serious?"

As Li Pinghe walked around the Nine Yang Sect and was setting up an array, he suddenly stopped. He suddenly recalled his friend from the past, who always loved to wear red gauze dresses. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were captivating, and she was a woman of unparalleled beauty.

Otherwise, how could an expert like him, who is used to seeing beautiful maids, have so easily misjudged her?

Unfortunately, he was born in a chaotic era and practiced the path of the Earth Immortal. Although he had many advantages, he had a great flaw. Once someone took advantage of him, he would die and his cultivation would be destroyed sooner or later.

"The spiritual cave is both a path to life and a fatal flaw... It's laughable that I can't even obtain this fatal flaw."

Li Pinghe couldn't help but sigh softly, his thoughts shifting slightly as he recalled the jade slip he had just seen from Lu Mingchen.

"The Tai Su Yan Dao Pian... is most adept at using spiritual caves of the water and earth elements to forge the foundation of the Dao."

"Is this the cultivation method of the Earth Immortal Path?"

He carefully studied these contents in his mind and learned some of the contents of the Earth Immortal Path, which was more complete than what Ye Chutong and Xianyu Qiong had said.

It turns out that all spiritual sites in the world are divided into zodiac signs. According to the theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, if a cultivator's cultivation is in harmony with the spiritual site, then the cultivation will be convenient and smooth. Otherwise, the progress will be slow and the cultivator will suffer greatly.

Of course, if one has enough talent, ability, and understanding of the Great Dao, these zodiac signs are not obstacles; on the contrary, they can hone one's cultivation. In other words, it is very easy to enter the path of the Earth Immortals, but how far one can go depends on one's own abilities.

The "Tai Su Yan Dao Pian" is a method to help cultivators solidify their Dao foundation after they have comprehended their own Dao. It is a necessary transitional cultivation method.

It is precious, but not difficult to obtain. It all depends on the power of the spiritual cave itself. Without the spiritual cave, this method would be of no use at all.

With Li Pinghe's cultivation in the art, he mastered it completely after just one reading, memorizing it firmly. Furthermore, a scroll appeared in his sea of ​​consciousness, which he threw into the yellow gourd, and the characters on it began to slowly twist and turn...

"If the spiritual cave is damaged, the cultivator's foundation will be unable to continue and will naturally be damaged as well. If the spiritual cave cannot be replenished in time to provide nourishment, the foundation will soon collapse and become incomplete, and then it cannot be called a true cultivator of the foundation... Ning He should be in this situation."

Based on the contents of the "Tai Su Yan Dao Pian" and his previous observations, Li Pinghe slowly analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the Earth Immortal Path.

What others say is ultimately just their opinion, even if that person is Ye Chutong.

Whether it succeeds or not, ultimately it's up to you to see, think, and summarize for yourself.

After much deliberation, he couldn't help but shake his head: "The path of the Earth Immortal is ultimately too flawed. It seems that one has become a foundation of the Dao and can turn the tables, but in reality, one's life and death are still controlled by others. At this age, there is no time to cultivate on one's own... Unless, one can be protected by a major sect, then that would be possible."

He was confident that, given enough time, he might be able to transcend the path of earthly immortality.

But things rarely go as planned.

The major sects' spiritual caves have probably already been divided up by their internal forces. As an outsider without any foundation, the chance of him seizing a spiritual cave is extremely slim, and he might not even be given the opportunity to join a sect.

This is the predicament of cultivators from small countries. Almost all paths to advancement have been blocked. It's not that they're deliberately making things difficult, but rather that cultivators from large sects are too busy taking care of themselves.

An opportunity that can be easily obtained may not necessarily be an opportunity at all...

"In times of chaos, there are some rare opportunities for cultivators from small countries."

"We'll have to wait and see what happens in three years."

Li Pinghe gazed at the horizon, only to see the sky gloomy and the sun hidden behind it, wondering when it would reappear...

……

In the blink of an eye, the seasons changed, and the wild geese flew north three times.

It was the spring planting season, and the young disciples of Chun Jun Sect were busy working in the fields, cultivating precious herbs and medicinal plants.

A black water buffalo lay lazily by the field ridge, munching on spiritual herbs. The disciples saw it but no one said anything. Instead, they would carefully offer a few herbs from time to time, hoping to curry favor with the boy on the buffalo's back.

The boy lazily covered his face with a tattered straw hat, munched on a blade of grass, and basked in the sun, showing no intention of getting up.

Suddenly, a young man in white came rushing from afar. Upon seeing the boy on the ox's back, he quickly said:

"Uncle-Master Jin Guang, there's something we need to ask our Grandmaster for help..."

"What is it now?"

The young man, Jin Guang, lazily removed his tattered straw hat, spat out the grass root he was carrying, sat up, stretched, then put his hands on his hips, glanced at the white-robed youth, and said with dissatisfaction:

"Lin Yang, this is the third time this month you've disturbed my sleep."

Lin Yang cried out in utter injustice:

"The first two times I saw you on the way, how could I not greet you? This time is different, this time it was arranged by the sect leader himself."

"Murong Xian?"

Jin Guang frowned. Three years had passed, and his once round face had become more defined, making him look more like a little adult.

"Why hasn't he achieved Dao Foundation yet? It's been three years."

"Cough, cough!"

Even someone as outspoken as Lin Yang was terrified by what he heard. He quickly covered up, pulled Jin Guang off the ox's back, and headed towards the Western Palace.

On the one hand, earnestly and patiently:

"Junior Uncle, don't cause trouble for Grandmaster Uncle. Although the Sect Master hasn't yet reached the Dao Foundation stage, judging from his aura, he's probably not far off. Haven't you noticed that even someone with a temper like Senior Uncle Zhao has become much more obedient in the council hall these past two years?"

Jin Guang chuckled and said arrogantly:

"What a joke! Me, avoiding his sharp edge?"

"You should probably read fewer of those storybooks, old man." Lin Yang didn't hesitate to reveal the truth: "I won't dare to go to the mortal city to borrow books for you to read next time. Otherwise, my grandmaster will blame me for letting idle books interfere with my studies."

"No, no, no."

Jin Guang's face immediately broke into a grin, and he nudged Lin Yang's arm:

"I was just kidding. Are you that easily teased? By the way, why did Murong Xian send you to see the teacher?"

Lin Yang rubbed his arm, grimaced, and hissed twice before saying:

"News has come from the Nine Yang Sect... Isn't the day for a ceasefire with the north approaching? I guess they want to invite Grandmaster Uncle to oversee the formation or something."

Jin Guang immediately stopped in his tracks, annoyed, "Go away! Don't bother him with these things anymore! He's so old, can't he have some peace and quiet!"

Lin Yang said helplessly:

"Yes, yes, but I should at least be allowed to meet my grandmaster master first, shouldn't I?"

Jin Guang's face darkened, but seeing Lin Yang's troubled expression, he couldn't bring himself to say anything and angrily said, "That Murong Xian is full of crooked thoughts. He sent you here because he knows I can't refuse."

Despite all the talk and cursing, they still ended up bringing it to the front of the Western Palace.

"You tell me yourself!"

Jin Guang said irritably.

Lin Yang bowed respectfully towards the Western Palace and said:

"Grandmaster, the sect leader requests your presence in the council hall, saying it concerns the North."

Inside the Western Palace, a slightly aged voice slowly drifted out:

"Come in."

"Yes."

Lin Yang carefully lifted the hem of her robe and skirt and quickly climbed the steps into the Western Palace.

The hall was dimly lit. Lin Yang took a few steps, turned past the archway and the screen, and finally saw the old man leaning against the wooden couch, pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed.

The light and shadow inside the hall were dappled, and the light fell on the old man's cheeks, where the brown age spots were clearly visible.

Upon witnessing this scene, Lin Yang felt a sudden surge of complex emotions that were difficult to describe.

The great cultivator who was once famous in the Song Kingdom and dared to confront the true cultivators of the Dao Foundation stage has now grown old.

With the three-year deadline fast approaching, can this senior master still turn the tide as he once did?

He didn't know the answer either, but felt inexplicably worried.

Just then, the old man, who had been dozing, slowly opened his eyes and looked at Lin Yang.

At this moment, it was as if the old dragon had opened its eyes and said in a low voice:

"What news has come from the north?"

Staring into those eyes, Lin Yang instinctively shuddered, a chill running from the soles of her feet straight to her scalp!