lcionline Chapter 216: On the Side Door
Chapter 216: On the Side Door
Chen Yu didn't say anything else, just nodded and left.
After watching the spirit puppet go away, the young Taoist turned around and tried to comfort the little demon on his shoulder.
"Xuan Cha was too reckless this time, how could he bite anyone he saw?
If that person were to make a fuss, I'm afraid we would all die here today."
The fog demon named Xuancha lowered its flower disc guiltily and hugged the Taoist's neck with its two leaves.
The Nanhuai Sect is based on the contract with the fog monster, and has been passed down for thousands of years.
The fog monsters are a unique creature of this swamp. According to legend, they are a race created by the blood of immortals dripping onto the plants and trees in the mortal world.
There is no way to know whether the legend is true, but it is true that he and the monks of the Nanhuai Sect have shared life and death for seventy-four generations.
Although the spiritual energy of both parties in the contract cannot cross space, because of their consistent properties, they can share spiritual power by being close to each other.
More importantly, the power of spiritual consciousness can be enhanced through secret methods, and the increase of spiritual consciousness can speed up the pace of cultivation.
This increases the efficiency by about 40% compared to practicing alone, and the risk of going astray is also reduced.
With his current level of cultivation, he can at most establish contracts with three fog monsters at the same time.
The contract started from the second level of Qi Refining, and now the positions are all filled. They are named Ink Spot, Cold Spot, and Black Fork respectively.
The fog monster that just bumped into the senior had the lowest cultivation level, only the third level of Qi Refining.
His intelligence is like that of a teenager, childish and ignorant.
The monster beast under his seat, which looks like a bear but is not a bear, is the descendant of the great monster in the sect.
Spiritual stones are hard to find in the swamp, and the only resources for cultivation are spiritual medicines and the flesh and blood of monsters.
The Taoist took the fog monster out with him, and his biggest goal was to let the fog monster absorb the blood and flesh of the monster to feed its own practice.
Although the utilization rate of spiritual energy is less than one tenth, it is still faster than meditation and practice.
Another half a month passed, and the spirit puppet had reached the deepest part of the swamp.
The number of monsters is decreasing, but their cultivation is improving.
Then, after walking for thousands of miles, they suddenly found that the number of monsters decreased sharply. Sometimes, they could not see a small monster of the first level of Qi Refining within hundreds of miles.
The spirit puppet accelerated its flight, as if trying to break through this barren area.
A small hill suddenly stood up in the boundless swamp. It was obvious that it was built by monks using magic to move mud and sand.
There is a second-level, lower-grade formation on the mountain, which seems to be operating all year round.
The formation dispelled the fog, and the bright sun shone directly on the mountain gate.
Chen Yu did not hide his figure, he wanted to see the monks inside.
The puppet landed on the mountainside and instantly alarmed the Foundation Establishment Master inside the sect.
"I am honored to be here. May I ask where you are from, and what brings you to Nanhuai Sect?"
The person who came was in the late stage of foundation building, which was consistent with the cultivation level displayed by the puppet.
His bone age is 270 years old, but he has white hair and a youthful face, and he looks like an immortal.
Although he was on guard in his heart, the expression on his face was very warm, just like a spring breeze.
Before the old man finished speaking, several figures rose up behind him.
They are two junior brothers in the middle stage of foundation building, a disciple and nephew in the early stage of foundation building, and a big monster which is also in the late stage of foundation building.
The Taoist's mount before was almost carved from the same mold as this giant monster, except that its fur color was slightly lighter and there was a difference in size.
The Taoist's mount was ten feet long, and the monster in front of him was twenty feet and three feet tall at the shoulder.
His eyes were like lanterns, his webbed hands were like oars, he was a great demon in the late stage of foundation building.
The other real people also all had strong auras, and it was obvious that they were not new to this realm.
With six people building the foundation in one family, they are stronger than any of the thirteen families in Xuanyu.
These are just those staying inside the mountain gate. I wonder if there are more.
Chen Yu bowed and said, "I traveled around the Great Lake just to seek the opportunity to break through the Golden Elixir.
I happened to pass by here and wanted to discuss the way of immortality with you fellow Taoists. I have no ill intentions at all."
The old man was shocked, but did not let down his guard because of Chen Yu's words.
On the contrary, after hearing the word "Xiandao", he became more suspicious that the other party had ill intentions.
It turns out that the Nanhuai Sect is not the orthodox Xuanmen sect, but a side sect.
Like those orthodox monks, they all rely on meditation and practice, supplemented by elixirs.
The Nanhuai Sect contracted the fog monster and took a shortcut.
Spending a lot of energy and effort to train monsters is often seen as putting the cart before the horse.
Moreover, the fog monster needs to devour flesh and blood to grow, so the contractor slaughters the monsters in large numbers.
Although it does not involve refining souls or taking spirits, it is also very bloody, and is therefore often mistaken for an evil practice.
The isolation of the mysterious swamp adds a touch of mystery to the identity of the Nanhuai Sect.
When the headmaster had not yet achieved the foundation, he went to the outside world to look for immortal seeds for the sect.
Because of the special skills he practiced, the fog monsters were taken into his body and not allowed to be released.
Not to mention that if he publicized his identity everywhere, he would be hunted down by the Xuanmen Orthodox Sect in minutes.
Now, a cultivator with a cultivation level similar to his has come to the outside of the mountain gate in such a blatant manner. How can the people in Nanhuai Sect not be careful and on guard?
It’s just that the other party showed goodwill first, so you must not make enemies with him before clarifying the situation.
"I am the 74th generation headmaster of the Nanhuai Sect, my generation name is Heng, and my Taoist name is Hengmian."
"My name is Yang Zhan, and I call myself Fire Cloud Immortal. You can just call me by my name."
The spirit puppet types out its own alias, regardless of whether the other party believes it or not.
He continued, "What you are worried about is that the cultivation method is not the orthodox one of our Xuanmen."
After these words were spoken, everyone raised their true energy to their palms, ready to go at any time.
However, Chen Yu changed the subject and said, "I am not a moralist, and I know that you are all kind people.
The so-called association with monsters and practicing evil methods to harm living beings are all empty slanders made by those who are righteous and self-righteous. "
Such straightforward words immediately won great approval from everyone in Nanhuai Sect.
But this alone is not enough to make them let down their guard.
The headmaster bowed and said, "My fellow Daoist is very broad-minded. I am sorry for being so rude.
However, people's prejudices are deep-rooted, and it will take time to melt the three-foot ice.
Brother, you broke into this place and broke into my mountain gate. I hope you can give me an explanation."
When Chen Yu heard this, he suddenly became serious and said, "I practice the Xuanmen orthodox method, and I have learned about the five elements, wind and thunder.
I passed by your sect today and saw many good aspects of the wonderful methods you all practice.
There is no fixed path to becoming an immortal, and the Tao is hard to discern. Who says this method cannot lead to ascension? I want to learn from the strengths of hundreds of schools and find the golden elixir opportunity. Do you agree with me, fellow Taoist?"
Chen Yu's righteous and eloquent words of reasoning not only resonated with the people of Nanhuai Sect, but also made them let down their guard a little.
But they still couldn't accept the idea of happily welcoming the spirit puppet in to discuss the Dao.
Neither side spoke, and the scene fell into an eerie silence.
The first to break the deadlock was the Nanhuai Sect's mountain-guarding demon, who was born in the Mizuwon bear clan and called himself Pinyi.
The big demon spoke in human language, but his tone was gentle: "Daoyou is open-minded, and there should be no prejudice against us demons."
Chen Yu nodded slightly, indicating that he agreed with the other party's words.
Although he was more indifferent to the lives of monsters, this was based on need and he never killed innocent people indiscriminately.
"My Shuiyuan bear clan has lived in the great marsh for generations, and has passed down the tradition of building a foundation from generation to generation. Although we are not a species of divine beasts, we dare to boast that we have extraordinary talents.
The cultivation methods of humans and demons are vastly different, so there should be something to be gained from the communication.
My fellow Taoist is eager to learn the Dao, why don’t you sit down with me and discuss it with me?”
There was nothing wrong with the spirit puppet, so the two sat opposite each other outside the mountain gate.
The Suwon bear has a huge body, thick webbed paws, and lies on the ground like a small hill.
Seeing it cross-legged with its waist bent, and its two front legs resting on the knees of its hind legs, it looks even more adorable.
After sitting down, Chen Yu started speaking immediately, and the other party listened attentively.
After a while, they exchanged identities, and there was no sign of boredom on their faces.
The people of Nanhuai Sect retreated to a distance of a hundred feet, guarding against sudden attacks from the spirit puppets.
It turned out that Xiongyi and Chen Yu were both communicating in secret, which not only eliminated the language barrier but also prevented others from eavesdropping.
Most of the Taoist techniques taught by the Xiongyi people involve water.
Including innate magic and even the principles behind them.
Chen Yu expounded his views on the Five Elements, focusing on the framework theory.
When it comes to profound things, people often evolve earth, fire, water and wind to verify various conjectures.
Six hours later, Chen Yu finished the last sentence in a relaxed manner.
The big demon stood up, clasped his hands and said: "Daoyou's method is very profound, and I am ashamed to be inferior to it.
And my Nanhuai Sect has seven more people who have established their foundation, and they are also first-class true practitioners.
If you are willing to learn from others, why should we hesitate to throw out some ideas to inspire others to learn from you? "
It turns out that the Nanhuai Sect has more than six people who have established the foundation, but it is a prominent sect with eight people who have established the foundation.
If it belongs to the authentic Xuanmen, it is probably the best in the entire Leiyangze.
Unfortunately, as a side sect, if it appeared in Daze, the Thirteen Families of Xuanyu would be able to unite and face the outside world immediately.
The head master received a message from the spiritual consciousness of the mountain guardian monster and summoned his fellow disciples to discuss the Dao with Chen Yu.
Speaking of which, this great demon Xiongyi is actually his elder.
The Mizuwon Bear Clan has a long lifespan, and in the late stage of foundation building they can live about 420 years in a natural state.
The old Taoist is 270 years old this year, and Xiongyi is 359 years old. They established their foundation at the same time as his master.
If nothing unexpected happens, it will almost completely kill off two generations.
The other two foundation-building masters who are not at the mountain gate are the master's disciple and the disciple's disciple.
Only those who reach the peak of Qi training before the age of sixty have the opportunity to build a foundation. Once they enter the foundation-building stage, their life span can be extended for twenty years. It is not uncommon for the descendants of a real person to live together for nine generations.
The duties of these two people are to lead the disciples to hunt monsters outside, while trying their best to protect their lives.
Nowadays, most of the disciples have returned to the mountain gate with their elders, and only a small number of disciples in the late Qi training stage have not received the news for a while because they are alone.
The incident happened suddenly and the elders did not give any explanation, so the disciples had no idea what had happened in the sect.
Eight people and one demon gathered together, about to start talking.
The head of the Nanhuai Sect suddenly suggested: "Your wonderful Dharma is unparalleled, but few people hear it. I wonder if my disciples could listen to it."
Thinking about receiving eight foundation-building masters at the same time, the courtesy standard was extremely high.
Chen Yu just said "yes" softly, and the head master immediately asked all the Qi-refining disciples in the mountain to sit cross-legged on the open space nearby.
The orthodox Xuanmen foundation-building masters came in person for friendly exchanges. This grand event was no less important than the founding of a sect, so naturally they were encouraged to participate.
There are only about 400 Qi-refining disciples in the Nanhuai Sect, and most of them are active within a range of 30,000 miles from the mountain gate.
Because it is difficult to go out to attract immortal seedlings, and the resources for cultivation in the swamp are relatively scarce, the quality of disciples is more important than the quantity.
From this, it can also be seen that the proportion of cultivators in the Nanhuai Sect who advance to the foundation-building stage is much higher than that in the outside world.
When everything was arranged, the headmaster spoke immediately.
The numerous foundation-building practitioners were talking to each other in a fluent manner, and the disciples below were listening with fascination.
The Foundation Establishment Master has already practiced fasting, so it is no problem for him not to eat for several years.
Qi-refining practitioners cannot do this, and some of them who practice the methods to strengthen their bodies eat much more than ordinary people.
It’s better for those who have fasting pills with them, but those who don’t can only endure hunger.
One day later, one of the disciples finally couldn't bear it anymore and went to get food. When he came back, he finished another long lecture and was upset that he had missed the opportunity.
As the conversation went on, the topic turned to the Nanhuai Sect's founding techniques.
The headmaster and others were quite proud at first. After all, practicing this method could lead to rapid progress and it would be easier to break through the foundation.
Chen Yu suddenly asked, pointing at the many disciples present. "I see that they have all contracted the fog monster, which complements their own practice, and is indeed wonderful and unparalleled.
Why can't I see the aura of the fog demon on you, could it be that it has merged into your body?"
The headmaster looked a little gloomy, and couldn't help but said: "That's not the case. When I broke through the foundation, I drew the mist fairy spirit into my body to speed up the formation of true essence.
The fog demon was severely injured as a result, and his cultivation level dropped to the seventh level of Qi Refining.
After that, the Taoism and the Fa were incompatible, and there was no solution. After helping him return to the peak of Qi Refining, he was released back into the swamp. "
The fog monster is a specialty of the mysterious swamp and is kept in captivity in a large area west of Nanhuai Sect.
Generally speaking, when disciples reach the second or third level of Qi training, the elders of the sect will take them to the swamp and make a contract with the young fog monster.
The two parties are in a state of prospering together and suffering together, but the contract can also be terminated through cumbersome means.
The headmaster has done his utmost to provide well for the child after the contract was terminated.
The reason for this is that the Nan Huai Sect's skills are meant to achieve self-improvement, so there is no spare energy to allow the contracted fog monster to break through to its foundation.
"Oh? So there is such a thing. Can you show me the secret method of your sect?"
The headmaster hesitated for a moment, then recited his sect's magical technique.
After discussing the Dao for such a long time, he understood that the other party's realm was higher than his own, and he would not suffer any loss if he was more open and frank.
After listening to it, Chen Yu analyzed it secretly, frowning from time to time, which made everyone look forward to it.
"After you established your foundation, in order to release the contract, did you give up a drop of your heart's blood to take the punishment for me?"
The head master nodded repeatedly, and seeing Chen Yu's serious look, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
“The first step in spiritual practice is to be full of energy, have a complete spirit and sufficient qi.
The lack of this drop of essence and blood is not a big deal. It will heal naturally after a period of time. It will only delay the practice for a few months.
But if you sign a contract, you are connected to the source, and if the source is damaged, your own path will be cut off."
The headmaster suddenly realized that it was no wonder that he felt as if he had lost something at that time.
But he was soon relieved, thinking that his talent was limited and it would be impossible for him to achieve the golden elixir even if his path was perfect.
What is more important right now is to figure out why the Nanhuai Sect's cultivators make slow progress after building their foundation and are not as good as the Xuanmen orthodox cultivators with the same talents.
The ancestors of all generations suspected that there were flaws in their sect's practice methods. Perhaps even the gods hated this kind of unorthodox practices.
The headmaster asked again: "After cutting off this drop of blood, I felt something, but soon my body recovered and my spiritual consciousness was complete, which did not affect my normal practice.
Our progress has been slow, I wonder if this is related to it?"