I only want immortality.

Behind them, cultivators at the tenth level of Qi Refining rushed towards the Thousand Hands Sect's spiritual cave, leaving behind beautiful streaks of light under the gloomy sky, but their journey seemed hurried.

In the distance, the array's light collided and shook more and more violently, as if they had become bloodthirsty in their battle.

Li Pinghe, alone on the back of the ox, was momentarily stunned.

In the Song Kingdom, perhaps no one was more familiar with the illusory figure of the red-robed cultivator who had just dispersed than him.

It was Ning He, the deputy sect leader of the Qinghe Sect.

He was young and successful, achieving the tenth level of Qi Refining early on. However, he was ambushed by his fellow disciples, but was rescued by him. Afterwards, he returned to the Qinghe Sect and won the position of Dao Foundation. The two became like strangers from then on and never saw each other again.

Looking back, it was already sixty years ago.

He never expected that his Dao foundation would actually be moved to the Thousand Hands Sect's spiritual cave.

As his old friends passed away one after another, even Dao Foundation cultivators were no exception. At this moment, Li Pinghe's heart was rarely stirred.

It wasn't just for his old friend Ning He, but also for himself. In such a chaotic world, even Dao Foundation cultivators couldn't have a good end, so what about him?

Despite painstaking planning, being all alone and without support, can one truly attain immortality?

Is this path feasible or not?

This troubling thought lingered in his mind, causing him to hesitate even when he saw the unclaimed spiritual site before him.

If the mind is not settled, nothing can be accomplished.

At that very moment, the bronze bell inside the green gourd in the sea of ​​consciousness suddenly trembled.

'Dang' —

The bell tolls softly, evoking a sense of antiquity.

Li Pinghe felt a sudden clarity in his mind, and his entire soul became bright and clear.

Only then did I realize:

"Can everything be perfect?"

"Whether it succeeds or fails, I only ask that in this life-or-death moment, I have no regrets!"

With this thought in mind, my mind immediately became clear, all worries vanished, and my thoughts instantly became sharp.

Meanwhile, a thought also stirred in his heart, and he sensed something amiss.

"what?"

"So Lu Mingchen is here too?"

……

The sound of hurried footsteps came from the passageway.

wow——

At the end of the passageway, a square-faced young Taoist priest appeared, walking quickly, but was suddenly stopped by two people who jumped out of the shadows.

"Stop!"

The square-faced young Taoist priest's eyes flashed with a cold light as he shouted, "Are you blind? Get out of the way!"

The monk blocking the road remained unfazed, neither humble nor arrogant.

"The Vice Sect Master has ordered that no one may trespass into this spiritual cave without the Sect Master's permission. Senior Brother Lu, please don't put us in a difficult position."

Lu Mingchen's face grew increasingly grim. Suppressing his anger, he said in a deep voice:

"The Vice Sect Master has passed away, and the Sect Master and the two elders are also facing formidable enemies. If I do not solidify my Dao foundation at this time, the spiritual cave here and the more than a thousand Qinghe cultivators above and below will all be in danger!"

"Get out of my way right now!"

The two men blocking the road exchanged a glance, then both shook their heads and said in low voices:

"Senior Brother Lu, we dare not disobey the Vice Sect Master's order. Please... um—"

Before he could finish speaking, the man let out a muffled groan and collapsed limply to the ground.

Lu Mingchen looked astonished.

The other person shouted in shock and anger:

"Lu Mingchen, how dare you—"

Before he could finish speaking, a folding fan flew out from the depths of the passageway, and like a flying sword, it gently turned around the man's neck, causing his head to fall to the ground, his eyes still filled with astonishment.

Lu Mingchen was startled awake. He glanced at the folding fan that had flown back, his body swirling with energy, and turned to look.

But from the shadows of the passageway came a familiar, leisurely voice:

"With your indecisiveness, how can Fellow Daoist Lu possibly attain the foundation of the Dao?"

From the depths of the shadows, a figure strolled in, gently waving a folding fan.

"Yang Xingkong!"

Lu Mingchen's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly shouted:

"The Spirit Cave is a forbidden area of ​​our sect. Who gave you permission to enter!"

The corridor lights flickered, illuminating Yang Xingkong's smiling face as he spoke leisurely:

"This is Yang's fault, but the overall situation is dire and the battle is in grave danger. If I do not rush in to help Fellow Daoist Lu seize the opportunity to attain the Dao, how can I help Fellow Daoist build the foundation of the Great Dao and turn the tide?"

Lu Mingchen frowned, incredulous: "You want to help me achieve enlightenment?"

"That's natural, Fellow Daoist Lu, you have such doubts."

Yang Xingkong shook his head in surprise, seemingly puzzled, and said matter-of-factly:

"This spiritual cave is an inanimate object. Even if I could use it to attain enlightenment, once the sect leader and the two elders return, all they need to do is destroy the spiritual cave. No matter where I flee, I will perish and my cultivation will be extinguished. Why bother to seize it by force?"

"Only Fellow Daoist Lu, who is originally a member of the Qinghe Sect and has Elder Wen to rely on, has achieved his Dao foundation this time, and no one will have any objections."

At this point, Yang Xingkong seemed to realize something, and his face turned angry:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, do you perhaps still doubt my unwavering loyalty?"

Lu Mingchen's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but after much deliberation, he couldn't think of any other benefit Yang Xingkong could possibly gain. He remained silent, nodding slightly to reassure him:

"I already trust you, but since this concerns the sect, I have to be cautious."

Yang Xingkong's expression softened slightly, then he became serious:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you are confused by your concern, I know. Do not delay any longer, quickly establish your Dao foundation. I will protect you. As long as I am here today, even if the entire Yang family perishes, I will protect you!"

Lu Mingchen was deeply moved. He looked at Yang Xingkong intently and said resolutely, "If this is accomplished today, as long as Lu Mingchen is alive, the Yang family line will never end!"

Yang Xingkong was taken aback upon hearing this, took a step back, and bowed deeply: "I only hope that Fellow Daoist Lu will succeed this time!"

After he finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment, then took out a peace knot from his pocket and presented it to Lu Mingchen.

"This item was given to me by my mother when I traveled to the north many years ago, hoping for my safety and well-being. Although it is not a magical artifact, it is a token of my heartfelt wishes. I am offering it to you today for good luck, and I hope you will accept it."

Lu Mingchen hesitated for a moment before taking the peace cloth button. The stitches on it were fine and dense, indicating that it had been handled for many years. The stitching was already soaked with oil, showing how much its owner cherished it.

He gently held it in his hand, a sense of determination rising in his heart. This time, he was determined to succeed!

He solemnly said:

Thank you.

Having said that, he turned around, flicked his sleeves, and strode into the end of the passageway.

Yang Xingkong stood guard here, the lamplight flickering, yet unable to illuminate his eyes; only a half-smile could be seen at the corner of his mouth.

Not long after.

Lu Mingchen stepped into the spiritual cave.

This place is quite similar to the Xiye Sect's Spirit Cave, as it is an underground cave. However, while the Xiye Sect's Spirit Cave is cramped and dark, this Spirit Cave is surrounded by a stone cavity, where even the slightest footstep echoes.

Spiritual energy was breathed in and out from the depths of the spiritual cave, and the spiritual essence was as abundant as spring water. As the spiritual cave advanced, many superior spiritual objects were born around it. However, these objects were different from the spiritual caves of the Xiye Sect.

"This place is located directly south of the Wunan Mountains. It has the remaining charm of Wu Earth, and is also affected by the dampness and heat of the south. Therefore, this sacred site has the characteristics of Wu Earth, Gui Water, and Ding Fire, which are mixed and impure."

Impure and mixed, it has both good and bad aspects. If a cultivator's practice is inherently mixed, it will actually be suitable. However, if a cultivator walks a solitary path, it will be somewhat difficult.

Lu Mingchen cultivates the Ren water element, which is not compatible with this spiritual cave, but he has no other choice now. He steps into the depths of the spiritual cave and sits cross-legged.

But I couldn't help feeling uneasy.

He had been cultivating diligently in the Xiye Sect for three years and felt that he had mastered the Dao of Ren Water, but he was still unable to complete the final step. Now that he had changed to a different spiritual site, which was even more contrary to his original intention, his hope should be even more remote.

But the arrow was already on the string and had to be released. This was the last chance his master had fought for him. If he failed, he would have no hope of ever achieving the Dao Foundation.

A sudden, desperate resolve arose in his heart. He touched the peace buckle, but found nothing unusual about it. After hesitating for a moment, he decided not to throw it away. He casually put it in his pocket, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and focused his mind. His thoughts spread out from his sea of ​​consciousness, gradually expanding to the surroundings.

In a fleeting moment, a vast world slowly unfolded before my mind.

But at the same time.

Within him, a long-dormant will was finally activated.

"Um?"

Li Pinghe, who was still quite a distance from the Thousand Hands Sect, was slightly taken aback. His mind and the separated souls suddenly blurred before his eyes.

Looking closer, I realized that I was like a mustard seed, swimming in a "lake and sea", rising and falling with the current, but never being swept away by the "current".

"This is... a spirit cave?!"

He looked down at his feet and saw a mound of loose soil, its size unknown. A faint, intangible force pulled him to stand on the soil. Without anyone speaking, he knew exactly where he was.

Looking around, the lake water flowed past him. Without any effort, he was suddenly filled with boundless insights that he could neither stop nor resist.

The Five Elements and other principles in the "Shangdong Xuanqing Shiqi Lu" are extended at this moment, breaking free from the constraints of words and giving rise to more profound principles.

He saw no trace of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth), only structure, generation, concealment, propagation, and bearing...

However, there were many things he was not familiar with mixed in with it, which he had to eliminate one by one.

Even so, the accumulation of nearly a century erupted overnight, like a spark falling into dry wood, instantly turning into a raging fire that was impossible to control.

He felt this divine soul rapidly grow stronger as if it had been inflated, and in the blink of an eye it seemed to be about to rise into the sky, floating upwards.

I felt that the universe was infinite and human desires were insignificant. It would be better to unite with the universe and achieve the Great Way.

For a moment, my thoughts were frozen, almost to the point of being heartless.

Suddenly, a bell rang out, startling him. He turned around and realized that he had unknowingly left the mound of loose soil beneath his feet.

Instinctively, I landed immediately.

I felt as if my soul had suddenly found its roots.

His mind suddenly became active, and without needing anyone to remind him, he instantly realized why the path of the Earth Immortal was the foundation for success, and that eight or nine out of ten people could achieve it.

The Great Dao is difficult to fathom. Without exceptional talent and extraordinary opportunities, ordinary cultivators will never have the chance to see the true face of heaven and earth in their entire lives.

This spiritual cave is a bridge connecting heaven and earth. Through this place, one can see the mysteries of heaven and earth without any special skills.

No special talent is required. One only needs to follow what one has learned in the past, choose a path that suits oneself from the great Dao of this world, and then accept it with a focused mind. One can use wonderful methods to obtain the materials of the method, refine the Dao, and thus form the foundation of the Great Dao.

If we were to use an analogy, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is like a mighty river, flowing endlessly, and the spiritual cave is like a sluice gate. Cultivators can open the sluice gate and draw in the flow, filling the tributaries without needing to do anything themselves. As for how much they can obtain, that depends entirely on their individual abilities.

The deeper one digs, the more turbulent the water becomes, but also the more dangerous it is. Those who are old and weak, yet have a deep foundation, often find it difficult to withstand, resulting in their souls being eroded and devoured by the Great Dao. At best, they fail; at worst, they perish.

Of course, there are differences. A spiritual cave is not only a bridge to see the world, but also a means for cultivators to avoid being worn down in the Great Dao.

Just like an isolated island in a lake, a cultivator stands on the island and uses every last bit of water in the lake to build a raft for the Great Dao. This is the foundation of the Dao.

However, unlike the Human Immortal Path or the Celestial Immortal Path, the Dao foundation formed by the Earth Immortal Path cannot be separated from the spiritual cave, just as a treasure raft, no matter how far it travels, must eventually return to the ferry.

The relationship between a spiritual cave and the foundation of the Daoist path of the Earth Immortals is like this.

These are principles that no one can explain to him, but he can understand them naturally.

He also understood that if it weren't for the bronze bell inside the green gourd warning him, his soul would probably have been eroded by the Great Dao and ceased to exist.

He had no time to marvel at the wonders of the bronze bell; instead, his mind immediately wandered to something else:

"As stated in 'The Biography of Li Pinghe,' my fate was not achieved because all five elements were present, making the burial site unsuitable..."

"If the five elements are separated, can one then establish a foundation for cultivation through a spiritual acupoint?"

Thoughts flashed through Li Pinghe's mind like lightning.

With all five elements present, his century of accumulation is like digging a huge pit. And with his current state of spiritual decline, it's like a riverbank that has been neglected for a long time. Once the sluice gate is opened, the Great Dao will overflow, and his spiritual soul will ascend. Even the Thousand Hands Sect's spiritual acupoint cannot hold him back.

However, if we change our approach and only take one or two of the five elements, we might be able to solve the problem of his weakened spirit. Alternatively, we could find a higher-grade spiritual cave that can withstand the pressure brought by having all five elements present.

He thought about these things, but felt that there were still some shortcomings, and it was difficult to find a solution for the time being.

They dared not linger any longer and their minds sought to withdraw from the great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

But then he noticed the mound of loose soil beneath his feet disappearing little by little, and a sudden realization dawned on him:

"Lu Mingchen is about to achieve the Dao Foundation!"

"What a coincidence?"

He was puzzled and quickly pulled his attention away. In a daze, he heard Lu Mingchen's angry voice coming from outside:

"...Yang Xingkong! What do you intend to do!"

With a focused mind, he finally saw his surroundings. He was inside a stone cavity, surrounded by a misty spiritual aura, somewhat similar to the spiritual cave of the Nine Yang Sect. A scholar in green robes stood at the entrance of the cavity, gently waving a folding fan, his face full of smiles and his expression relaxed.

"I've come to congratulate Fellow Daoist Lu on finally achieving the foundation of true cultivation. You truly are a person of perseverance, and Heaven will not fail you."

Li Pinghe's heart stirred slightly. He could sense the surprise and doubt in Lu Mingchen's heart at this moment, but it was far from the relaxed state before. It was as if there was a layer between them, and there was even a sense of exclusion. This was obviously because Lu Mingchen was about to achieve the Dao Foundation.

But Lu Mingchen whispered:

"Since that's the case, I won't hold your trespassing against you. You may leave."

Yang Xingkong's expression turned serious. He closed his folding fan and said solemnly:

"Fellow Daoist Lu is very magnanimous, but I have another extremely important matter to discuss with you."

At this crucial moment, Lu Mingchen had no choice but to suppress his anger upon hearing this and said in a deep voice:

"We'll talk about everything after I've succeeded!"

Yang Xingkong stepped forward slowly and said firmly, "No, this matter concerns Fellow Daoist Lu's life or death."

Lu Mingchen suddenly revealed a cold look!

wow——

Amidst the swirling spiritual energy, a cloud of water suddenly rose from around Yang Xingkong and instantly contracted!

Bang bang bang!

The precious light surrounding Yang Xingkong shattered one after another.

Although he had not yet fully become a Dao Foundation cultivator, the power of this single thought had already far exceeded the limit of the tenth level of Qi Refining.

Yang Xingkong's expression changed slightly, but he remained calm despite his surprise and suddenly recited an incantation.

The surrounding clouds and water suddenly froze!

Also frozen in place was Lu Mingchen's face, a mixture of shock and anger.

On his chest, a safety cloth button had somehow broken out and was emitting an eerie red glow.

Yang Xingkong squeezed out from the surrounding clouds and water, dusted off his sleeves, straightened his clothes, and, under Lu Mingchen's furious gaze, slowly approached and said leisurely:

"Where were we? Oh...right, there's something concerning your life or death that I need to report to you..."

"This matter concerns my desire to use your Dao foundation, but unfortunately you seemed unwilling to listen just now."

"Oh, you want to ask why? Or do you want to know what use I have for your Dao foundation?"

Yang Xingkong walked up to Lu Mingchen with a smile, tossed down a white bone tower, and placed it over Lu Mingchen's head. While setting up the magic array, he leisurely said:

"Do you know that there was once a great clan in Runan called the 'Wuju Hall'?"

"Oh, you probably don't know that, that's alright. But do you know... that the Wuju Palace has a Celestial Immortal Path lineage passed down through generations?"