Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms

Chapter 305 East China Sea Bureau

The path to immortality in this world is fraught with difficulties. No matter what kind of foundation one has or what kind of power one possesses, there may be a day when one's power declines.

Therefore, it is common practice to set up several secret vaults containing Taoist traditions and treasures as resources for disciples from other generations to make a comeback.

But when Xu Hei glanced over, he saw that the treasure map pointed to the outer sea, which was quite unusual.

The Zeng family is at most a first-level aristocratic family. Even if they set up a secret vault to hide treasures, they could only travel around the Shu region at most. How could they possibly hide them in the outer sea?

At this moment, the white-haired old man said, "This treasure map was passed down in my family along with the [Zui Huo] Dao Tong, originating from the Northern Zhou Dynasty... Our descendants are incompetent and have never been able to go and check it out."

"That makes some sense, but the Zeng family has already been destroyed once; how could they possibly survive?"

Xu Hei narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the land deeds and warehouse accounts along with the other Dao Foundation cultivators.

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby had a green glint in their eyes, like hungry wolves.

Seeing that Xu Hei remained silent, he could only force himself to endure it.

Upon seeing this, Xu Hei immediately smiled and said, "I am a businessman. I've only come to collect some debts. As long as the Zeng family repays the principal and interest, everything will be fine..."

He said it, and with a wave of his hand, most of the Zeng family's treasury was gone...

Seeing Xu Hei make his move, the other Daoist masters were equally unceremonious, dividing up the land deeds and other valuables.

Fang Daoling also obtained the deed to the spiritual spring and held it in his arms, feeling his heart pounding.

"Even after a hundred years of dedicated cultivation in Qingli, our Fang family might not be able to purchase such a fine spiritual land..."

"In cultivating immortality, one must resort to cunning and force, engaging in risk-free business... that's the fastest way to acquire spiritual resources."

After distributing these, he casually picked up the Zeng family's martial arts manual and flipped through it: "The Zeng family is in dire straits, and all the nearby families have a responsibility to help them survive and continue their lineage. We will each make a copy of this manual and send it back to our family. If the Zeng family has any new prodigies in the future, they can come to Qingli to learn the manual..."

Of course, that's what they say, but whether they'll actually be granted the Dharma or just slapped to death is anyone's guess.

The other Dao Foundations had no objections either; cultivation techniques, which could be copied at will, weren't really that valuable.

Especially those with the [Zui Huo] cultivation technique, since they had already reached the Dao Foundation stage, they knew more or less that this technique was inauspicious and didn't take it very seriously.

Fang Daoling also didn't want the Fang family to cultivate the [Beak Fire]. Wasn't the Zeng family's fate tragic enough?

So he flipped through the manual and put it down, then looked at the other books and a thought struck him: "Huh?"

He picked up a blue manual: "The Three Cavern Spring Manual... the foundation for cultivation, 'Yuanquan Lian'? This foundation seems to be closely related to my family's 'Guan Heiling Shu'?"

Fang Daoling quickly flipped through the pages, then recalled his own cultivation techniques:

"The sweet rain is a divine blessing bestowed by Heaven, a wondrous and mysterious force. When it arrives, clouds roll across the sky, and the wind whispers across the vast fields. At first, it is like a light silk thread, fine and dense, nourishing all things silently… Gradually, it becomes like a beaded curtain, fluttering and dancing, irrigating the fields in a dreamlike state. Wherever it falls, withered crops turn green again, withered leaves flourish once more, drought demons flee, and parched earth becomes moist…"

"Sweet rain is a sign of heaven bestowing its grace. The primordial spring is what the earth produces… the nurturing power of water; heaven bestows sweet rain, the earth produces the primordial spring… Hiss…"

"My house is being renovated using the 'Ji Water' method, which refers to the water that suddenly flows from the Mengquan spring, perfectly aligning with the land's water characteristics... This 'Yuanquan Lian' might be even more suitable for my house than 'Jiu Gan Lin'..."

"Unfortunately, it still only contains the Dao Foundation chapter, but this 'Three Cavern Spring Technique' contains the eighth-grade low-level 'Dongzhen Xuanqi'... so it clearly has a Purple Mansion chapter."

……

Fang Daoling's mind raced with conflicting thoughts as he looked at the old man from the Zeng family: "How did you obtain this cultivation technique?"

The old man from the Zeng family glanced at it and immediately replied, "This cultivation technique was recently acquired by our ancestor. It is said to have come along with the opportunity to break through to the mid-stage, and it has just been added to the family's scripture library..."

"I've come to take a look."

Beside him, Xu Hei took the "Three Cave Spring Manual" with a smile on his face, but his eyes were filled with the radiance of the "Female Earth".

Looking at it again now, one can see that both the treasure map and this cultivation manual are covered with a strange, colorful light.

If he hadn't already attained the level of a Daoist master and had the blessing of a higher status, ordinary Daoist practitioners wouldn't have been able to see this at all.

At this moment, as Fang Daoling perused the cultivation technique, that point of colorful light even spread towards his face and the top of his head, transforming into a dazzling, multicolored cloud of mist, about to merge into his life force...

"Purple Mansion Divine Power?"

Subtle influence...good hook.

"This matter is too great for this old man to handle. I should inform the young master..."

Xu Hei remained calm on the surface, but inside he was panicking. He quickly notified Fang Qing.

……

Wusheng Temple.

A small, dim lamp burned, and the air was filled with the aroma of ghee.

Fang Qing held an ancient scripture in his hand and was studying it carefully.

The light shone down on the ancient scripture, revealing its table of contents—"The True Scripture of Universal Salvation of Wisdom"!

There is another book next to it, which is the "Dharma Rain Nourishing Life Sutra"!

"In the Secret Realm, there is no Buddha who practices the [Ji Shui] method in this very life, and therefore no lineage of the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas..."

"The most famous lineage of the [Jishui] sect is only represented by the Black Spring Temple, which inherits two Purple Mansion cultivation techniques: one called 'Long-lasting Sweet Rain' and the other called 'Position Approaching the Wind'..."

Fang Qing, engrossed in his book, said, "But even with the same foundation and supernatural abilities... there are subtle differences. Perhaps after adjustments, the conflicts within the Purple Mansion will be less?"

"Furthermore... having Sangji collect the secret Purple Mansion cultivation techniques might pose a hidden danger; it's too conspicuous..."

Just as he was preparing to continue his cultivation, his expression suddenly changed. Through the Dao-Born Pearl, he received a message from Xu Hei.

Just as he was preparing to continue his cultivation, his expression suddenly changed. Through the Dao-Born Pearl, he received a message from Xu Hei.

"The Three Cavern Spring Manual? Its foundation is somewhat similar to 'Long-lasting Sweet Rain,' named 'Primordial Spring Ripple,' but it's not inferior to it; rather, it's on par with, or even superior to, it? How truly interesting..."

"Water's nurturing power is life itself; in the heavens it is sweet rain, on earth it is primordial springs..."

"In other words, both 'Jiu Gan Lin' and 'Yuan Quan Lian' are suitable in terms of the imagery of water's life force, but the imagery of 'Yuan Quan Lian' is more in line with [Ji Shui]!"

"If 'Jiuganlin' is a heretical tradition, then this 'Yuanquanlian' is more like the orthodox one."

"If we could obtain its divine power and secret techniques, it might be easier to integrate them... But that's not right either. One orthodox technique is useless; four must be combined for a truly complete inheritance."

"But that's not the key point. The real issue is that Fang Daoling actually came into contact with this technique... and it even has hooks for the Purple Mansion..."

He calculated with his fingers, and more causes and effects emerged one after another, forming a vast web of cause and effect.

Through this network, Fang Qing saw that more Water Virtue cultivators were active in the Shu region.

And at the heart of that vast network lies…

"Moyun Cliff!?"

Fang Qing sighed.

He had always known that Moyun Cliff liked to keep many cultivators from different lineages on its own territory in order to maintain the diversity of lineages.

This is so that it can cope with all kinds of situations and adapt to all kinds of blood sacrifices...

"Back then, the Luo family of Tianshui... was actually an idle person! After establishing their Dao foundation, they entered the eyes of Moyun... And what about the Fang family of Sanshui? Their destinies are excellent, and they can cultivate the virtue of water... Is this a legacy from their ancestors, or some kind of acquired method?"

Fang Qing fell into deep thought and continued to calculate: "That Grandmaster Yao Chen has always wanted to open the 'Eastern Sea Blessed Land,' it's no secret..."

"But why the sudden surge in activity lately when there's been no activity before?"

"Hmm, are you afraid that the Taihuang Heaven will open?"

Taking the Kitchen God, the Earth God of the Stomach, as a benchmark, we know that once He becomes active, it won't be long before other Golden Core True Lords become active as well.

Will the Purple Mansion still be able to run rampant then?

I'm afraid I'll have to keep a low profile!

Therefore, the opening of the Taihuang Heaven is a deadline. Before that, many Great True Persons, and even those at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm who have perfected the Four Laws, must make plans or reap the rewards...

"But... even though Yao Chen really wanted to open the East Sea Blessed Land, he couldn't open it before. How come it suddenly works?"

Fang Qing continued to deduce the cause and effect, and then it came down to his own situation: "Oh? So it was my fault?"

"I've been adventuring in the outer seas, and many Purple Mansions have died... Each death of a Purple Mansion is a momentous event, greatly shaking the Great Void, which is why some signs have appeared in the Eastern Sea Blessed Land?"

"So, Grand Master Yaochen manipulated fate, trying to gather many water-element destiny seeds to open the blessed land of the East Sea?"

"In the outer sea and to the east, the Nine Heavens Fire Palace is delighted with this... They even plan to open up blessed lands to attract a bunch of demons and monsters, to search for the mysterious Water Virtue Grand Master's intentions..."

"The 'Heavenly Horn Gate' in the outer sea is going with the flow... The Canghai Sect originally cultivated the virtue of water, so they are naturally very much looking forward to the opening of the East Sea Blessed Land..."

"So you've started organizing another game without me even realizing it? Perhaps this one could be called the 'East China Sea Game'? And you didn't even invite me?"

Fang Qing immediately summoned Sangji.

"Sanchi... what do you think of this situation?"

He recounted the clues he had obtained, gazing at the gaunt, skeletal figure of the Dharma King before him.

"Your Excellency's insight into the secrets of heaven is beyond my comprehension; I am utterly humbled and bow in reverence..."

Sangji clasped his hands together: "Master Yaochen is indeed skilled in scheming, managing to do so so silently... If this humble monk were not careful, he might indeed have lost many of his pieces without even realizing it..."

"He's trying to hog all the food!"

Fang Qing said indignantly.

"Well... the Eastern Sea Blessed Land is located in the outer sea. If we hadn't discovered it, it would indeed have been difficult for us to interfere."

Sangji said, "Now that the Venerable One has already seen through it, the next step is simply to capture all those cultivators with strong Water Virtue destiny, and then wait for Moyun Cliff to come and negotiate terms..."

Fang Qing also knew that Fang Wuchen's activation of the Taihuang Genius last time was an accident.

Given the Fang family's destiny, it's normal for them to be associated with such a blessed land of water, or rather... like the Luo family of Tianshui, they are both raised locally and prepared for this at any time.

"The fate of those who live in this world is truly tragic..."

He shook his head: "First, order the three Tara to imprison all these spiritual practitioners..."

In any case, these Daoist foundations located in Xituo County are considered the property of the White Bone Dao. They cannot be taken away by the cliff without any explanation, especially since they are not being paid!

"A blessed land in the East China Sea? Located in the open sea?"

At the same time, a thought struck Fang Qing: 'I have some connections in the Outer Sea, the Canghai Sect, and even with True Person Sanmu... I might be able to get a ticket and a share of the pie without even paying...'