Chapter 299 The Time Has Been Set, 2 Children's Journey
Chapter 299 The time has been set, the two children's journey (5K words, please vote at the beginning of the month~)
After not seeing each other for several years, Master Cheng and Master Feng both had a lot to say to each other.
Cheng Xinzhan first talked about his own experience of overcoming the tribulation, just like the last time at the Lishan Taoist meeting, he shared his insights on overcoming the tribulation with Feng Jihu. The latter had not yet overcome the tribulation, so these experiences were very valuable to him.
Feng Jihu was Cheng Xinzhan's guide at the beginning of his practice of Taoism, but today, Cheng Xinzhan has become the one leading Feng Jihu.
Of course, Feng Jihu was happy to see this happen and adapted to this change very naturally. At this moment, he listened carefully to the experience imparted by Cheng Xinzhan and humbly asked questions about his own.
Among the first group of friends Cheng Xinzhan made after entering the mountains, Feng Jihu was the only one who never fell behind. Moreover, he was a person who had his own unique insights on the path of cultivation.
Cheng Xinzhan's title of scripture master was bestowed by his master, and of course, he also proved that he was worthy of this title, while Feng Jihu's title of pharmacist was entirely earned by himself.
After talking about cultivation, Cheng Xinzhan went on to talk about the Yellow Sea incident and mentioned asking Feng Jihu to prescribe a prescription for maintaining pregnancy.
Feng Jihu smiled and said,
"Aunt Xinshu, they are family members, so of course there is no problem. But before I prescribe the prescription, I have to take the pulse of the Dragon Concubine. There is a huge difference between a human fetus and a dragon fetus. The dosage alone is very different."
Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
"Once we're done with this, let's go to the Yellow Sea. There are so many precious medicinal herbs in the Dragon Palace, you can pick whatever you want. By the way, I got the sea chrysanthemum you told me about last time in the Yellow Sea. It's a thousand-year-old one, take a look."
He held out an exquisite shell box.
Feng Jihu opened it and took a look. The dried sea chrysanthemum inside was still bright in color. Moreover, sea chrysanthemums do not have a long lifespan and are not easy to become spirits. Feng Jihu had never heard of sea chrysanthemums that were thousands of years old before. He immediately put it away happily and said,
"We have to hurry up."
Cheng Xinzhan said,
"It's not easy to get into the tower this time. If we can take this opportunity to rescue Uncle Gu and send him to the Yellow Sea together, it would be perfect."
Feng Jihu's expression became more serious when he heard this, and he said,
"That's true, but we still have to be cautious. Although I heard that there are usually no experts guarding the Demon Locking Tower, the spring hunt is so grand this time that they might have to hold a viewing ceremony or something, and we're afraid that there will be experts watching. Even if no one comes, the Demon Locking Tower is still on the edge of Xishu, not far from "Eqinghe".
"We still don't know what the tower is like, or what the specific rules are for sweeping the tower. We still have to act according to circumstances, and we can't force things to happen."
Feng Jihu was pouring cold water on Cheng Xinzhan.
Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded after hearing this.
"Brother Dao, what you said is absolutely right. I just said that. We will definitely have to act according to circumstances when the time comes. Don't worry, I won't do anything rash."
He had just been taught the principle of slowness and modesty by his master, so naturally he would not forget it so easily.
Seeing that Cheng Xinzhan had listened carefully, Feng Jihu also nodded with a smile, and then told Cheng Xinzhan the many details he had learned about the Demon Locking Tower over the years...
----
Five days later, February 19th.
Yu Nanlin and Yuchi Zhenyan came again.
Yu Nanlin was very surprised.
"Master Yun, you are out of retreat!"
Since Cheng Xinzhan only used the name Yunlaisanren in Xikang and refused to reveal his real name, as his reputation grew, many people began to call him that to show respect, and Cheng Xinzhan gladly accepted it.
He smiled and nodded at Yu Nanlin.
"Senior Zhou, you are here too!"
In fact, this time the temple was much more lively than the last time the two came. In addition to Cheng Feng, the two boys and Zhou Qingyun were also there.
Cheng Xinzhan naturally informed the two boys when he returned to the temple. The two boys have been in the Qionghai Sword Pavilion for many years, resisting and killing the Dianwen Demon Dao. Now that there is no big movement on the border, there are constant small movements. It is the time for young people like them to hone themselves and show their skills.
And the two boys must have greeted Zhou Qingyun when they came back, so the Pavilion Master probably explained the things on hand and then came here early this morning.
She also smiled and nodded, saying what a coincidence.
Moreover, she keenly discovered that the cinnabar mark between the eyebrows of this noble lady from Qingcheng who was a direct descendant of aristocratic family had been wiped off by her at some point, and now she looked much more refreshed.
Yu Nanlin smiled and replied,
"If I had known that you were here, I wouldn't have to make this trip again. I came here today to inform Master Yun and Master Huai Pu that the time for the spring pagoda sweeping has been set, and it will be on the Qingming Festival."
Cheng Xinzhan and Feng Jihu were not surprised to hear this. Firstly, Zhou Qingyun had indeed mentioned this matter. Secondly, during the period of late spring cold, the Qingming Festival was indeed the most appropriate time. "Heaven and earth are cleansed, evil is eliminated and enlightenment is achieved." This is what it should be.
But they both still said thank you.
Yu Nanlin looked at Zhou Qingyun again and asked,
"Senior Zhou, are you going into the tower this time?"
But she didn't have any other intentions, because Zhou Qingyun and she were not in the same competitive echelon. What she thought was that if Zhou Qingyun went, she would tell Ling Gu and see if the two of them could meet. Ling Gu was timid and usually didn't dare to take the initiative to look for her, so it would be best if they could meet.
However, Zhou Qingyun shook his head when he heard this.
"The tower is isolated from the outside world by the Qiankun magic formation. If something happens in Jian Ge, I won't be able to receive the news immediately, so I won't go."
Yu Nanlin nodded with some regret.
At this time, Yuchi Zhenyan handed a Taixu talisman to Feng Jihu. No one knew how many herbs he had found in just seven or eight days that he actually needed a talisman to contain them.
However, as a disciple of the Bearded Immortal of Emei, the heir of Feilei Ridge, and the nephew of the Emei master, it should not be a difficult task for him as long as he wants to.
He looked at Feng Jihu and said excitedly,
"Master, this is a magical skill. I have already coughed up the charcoal-like phlegm and I feel much better all over."
Feng Jihu smiled and nodded, without refusing or checking, he took the talisman and accepted it, only giving one instruction,
"The dosage, the decoction time, and the time to take the medicine, these details cannot be neglected, just follow what is written on the prescription."
Yuchi Zhenyan nodded repeatedly.
Cheng Xinzhan, who was watching from the side, felt that people meet each other everywhere in life. Now he actually saw Hei Hai, whom he had met once in Kuizhou, in his own Taoist temple. He was deeply impressed by this man's flying sword and close combat skills. Of course, the most profound impression was the "Tisi Puppet Technique" that he had extorted from him.
However, there is no need to be so cautious when using the "Tisi Puppet Technique" in the future, because this secret technique is now one of the seven major sword pavilions' secret techniques for the outside world. Although it is the secret technique of the Minshan Sword Pavilion and Cheng Xinzhan has not obtained it, some people outside the Xuanmen have learned it now. When Cheng Xinzhan uses it in the future, it will not be so conspicuous, and no one will suspect Yuchi Zhenyan. At most, they will suspect that someone has passed it on according to the rules.
After thanking Feng Jihu, Yuchi Zhenyan also greeted Cheng Xinzhan with courtesy and etiquette, which was completely different from the way he tried to snatch the thunder bead when they first met in Kuizhou. Cheng Xinzhan didn't know whether Yuchi Zhenyan had become calmer or was a polite person who bullied the new.
The two sat for a while and then left soon, agreeing to meet at Tiantai Mountain on Qingming Festival.
Zhou Qingyun didn't. After seeing the two of them leave, she asked softly,
"Brother Dao wants to enter the Demon Locking Tower?"
Yes, Zhou Qingyun didn't know about this. Cheng Xinzhan and Feng Jihu never told her that they were going to enter the Demon Locking Tower. When they were chatting just now, Zhou Qingyun took the initiative to mention the Spring Search. He mentioned it when talking about the situation in Kangdian. Many people from the Three Realms had to return to Shu to participate in the Spring Search, and the pressure on Jiange was even greater.
Cheng Xinzhan nodded but did not explain.
Zhou Qingyun also knew better than to mention it. She remembered that Cheng Xinzhan had asked her about Shu Jiao, but never about entering the tower. She knew that this was a way of protecting her. So Zhou Qingyun decisively changed the subject, pretending to know nothing, and chatted until the evening before leaving.
----
The next day, Cheng Xinzhan chatted with the two children alone again.
He chatted with the Dragon King in Huanghai for a long time, and had a better understanding of the Dragon Clan's cultivation.
I don't need to worry about my junior sister's path to becoming a dragon. The Gu family is a family with a long history of learning, and there is also an uncle who is a real dragon. It also involves the inheritance of the Gu family's bloodline and the inheritance of the Meiji Mountain Dharma. After recognizing her relatives, I think the Dragon King and the master will also discuss and decide on the junior sister's future path of cultivation. I guess there will be more to talk about. If my junior sister wants to go to the dharma realm in the future, I just need to protect her.
But these two little guys have to pay attention to themselves.
He looked at the girl first.
"Third sister, you have been in the second realm for many years, and your bloodline life treasures should have been opened a lot. Do you have any ideas about bloodline essence in the future?"
For humans, the "life treasure" needs a separate realm to emphasize its importance. For the demon race, it is the greatest basis for a complete transformation.
For those wild monsters who have no legal system, it is their only reliance for spiritual practice. To use a simple analogy, what grass to chew, what meat to eat, when to worship the moon, when to shed skin, those who understand the secret of life will know the rules, while those who don't can only do it blindly.
Regardless of whether it is the human race or the demon race, the cultivation of the life treasure is a lifelong process, but both advocate that the earlier the better, so they all put the life treasure after the food breath as the second major realm of cultivation. After the second realm, the demon race must form a demon pill, and the human race must form a golden pill, and they will be unified again. The Yuanying and Hedao that follow are the different paths and the same destination of different Taoists and different races.
"My Lord, a lot of my life treasures have been opened, but they are all the life treasures of the Suanni bloodline. There is no movement of the civet cat bloodline. From now on, I will definitely be on the road to becoming a dragon. When I reach the third realm, I will use the robbery thunder to cleanse my body when I wash the elixir, and gradually refine the cat blood. If I can reach the fourth realm, I should be able to transform into a smoke lion."
The third sister answered obediently. It was because she knew that her master was very capable that she dared to talk about the fourth realm. As for reaching the fifth realm and attaining the status of Suanni Dragon, she didn't dare to think about it yet.
Cheng Xinzhan nodded, not surprised by the result. After knowing that his third sister had Suanni blood, he also deliberately cultivated her in this direction. Every time he opened the furnace, he would call his third sister to feed her with smoke. Moreover, the dragon blood was overbearing, so it was normal that the cat blood could not be revealed. The key point was that Cheng Xinzhan thought about it carefully, but he could not think of any extraordinary cat fairy proof, so naturally he could not pass down any brilliant bloodline life treasure.
He thought about it and said,
"After we return to the mountain, I will prepare a gift for you to become my disciple. Let's go to Danxia Mountain to become my disciple."
Now the third sister's status in the mountain is her own spirit pet and boy. She does not have any record of being included in the genealogy of Sanqing Mountain, so Cheng Xinzhan cannot teach her the methods of Sanqing Mountain. He can only teach her some foreign or self-created spells. But now that the third sister has reached the threshold of Jindan, if she does not practice Taoist methods systematically, it will affect her future path.
Moreover, since the third sister has clearly decided on the path to walk on the path of Suanni and attain the way of flowing gold and fireworks, it will not be conducive to her practice and growth if she stays in Meiji Mountain or by my side for a long time.
As for the Art of Flowing Golden Fireworks, it could actually be sent to either Baihu Mountain or Danxia Mountain, but Cheng Xinzhan thought that Danxia Mountain had a greater geographical advantage, and the third sister was actually a bit impatient. The Baihu Mountain's martial arts were full of murderous energy, and the third sister might easily hurt herself if she practiced them. The Danxia Mountain's martial arts were more stable and more suitable for the third sister.
When the third sister heard this, she stared at Cheng Xinzhan in a daze, and her beautiful big eyes with red and gold mandarin duck pupils were immediately filled with tears.
"Master doesn't want me anymore?"
Cheng Xinzhan was also stunned when he heard this, then he smiled and reached out to touch the third sister's head.
"Silly boy, how could you not want your third sister? From now on, Danxia Mountain is where you will learn skills, but Meiji Mountain is still your home. Just like going to school, you just need to leave early and come back late."
The situation Cheng Xinzhan described is very common in the mountain. It is impossible for Sanqing Mountain to recruit disciples based on appearance like he and Wen Sukong did. There are many channels, such as recommendation from within the sect, which is one of them.
For example, Fang Weimin practiced in Danxia Mountain, but he was the son of Fang Shanzhu of Ziyan Mountain. Zheng Miaoji practiced in Toujian Mountain, but he was the son of Zheng Shanzhu of Shilin Mountain. This kind of situation is very common in the mountains. If one's descendants or relatives are not necessarily suitable for one's own lineage, but have good qualifications, they will be recommended to other lineages of the master.
This was even more true in the relatively independent Shu, where relationships were complicated. For example, Yu Nanlin of Qingcheng Mountain was the great-grandniece of Yu Bailu, but she became a disciple of Hu Yanjun. Ji Yiren, the great-great-grandson of Ji Denggao, the contemporary senior brother of Qingcheng, became a disciple of Yu Bailu.
After hearing Cheng Xinzhan's explanation, the third sister immediately smiled happily.
"Then I would like to take Master Ren as my master. The elixir smoke he refines is the sweetest!"
Cheng Xinzhan smiled.
"You are quite clever. You picked Master Ren right away. Well, let me ask for you. He hasn't accepted any disciples for many years. Although he hasn't said he will close the door, you shouldn't hold out too much hope."
There were still traces of tears on the third sister's face, but her eyes had narrowed into crescents and she nodded repeatedly.
Then, Cheng Xinzhan looked at the boy again.
"Bai Long, what do you think about the blood essence in the future?"
Because Third Sister called him in a more intimate way, Cheng Xinzhan still called him that in private, but the nickname "Waitong" was too casual, so ever since Gou'er transformed, Cheng Xinzhan had been calling him Bailong.
Bai Long then answered,
"My Lord, there are two kinds of life treasures in my bloodline. One is the ancestor Panhu, and the other is a White Dog Mountain Lord. Both of them have passed down magical powers."
Cheng Xinzhan was not surprised. Panhu was a famous demon god. He was a general of the ancient heaven. More than one of his descendants became immortals. He was also the leader of the dog tribe in the southwest. Some Miao tribes used Panhu as their totem. It was not surprising that Bailong had Panhu blood. As for the white dog mountain king, he had never heard of him. He should be a local mountain king in Miaojiang a long time ago.
"So do you have a choice?"
he asks.
I only heard Bai Long's answer.
“Of these two bloodlines, the first magical power I learned was from Shanjun, which is earth escape. But as my magic power level gradually increased, I awakened the magical power of ancestor Panhu. I have never seen Shanjun’s magical power again. Moreover, I think that the magical power of ancestor Panhu seems to be even more mysterious, so I want to follow the path of ancestor Panhu.
"If I can successfully form the elixir, and after being cleansed by the thunder tribulation and reaching the fourth realm, I should be able to transform into a mountain-chasing dog."
Like Zhaoli, Bailong only talked about the fourth realm and did not mention the fifth realm to attain Panhu.
Cheng Xinzhan nodded and said,
"That's right. According to legend, Panhu knows how to change, has great strength, and is extremely fast. He can carry a mountain and chase the sun. He is indeed one of the best bloodlines in the dog clan. He is definitely more reliable than a nameless mountain king. This way, your future limit will be higher."
Neither Cheng Xinzhan nor Bai Long mentioned the matter of maintaining two bloodlines and integrating them at the same time, because it was too difficult.
To give a familiar example, in addition to ordinary true dragons, there are nine kinds of dragon sons who are also true dragons. This does not mean that the ancient dragon clan only had intercourse with the nine kinds of monsters other than true dragons, but only those nine dragon sons were able to simultaneously retain two kinds of blood and life essences and integrate them, and finally proved to be true dragons with impure dragon blood. Ordinary monsters should not try this kind of thing.
Cheng Xinzhan thought about it. Bailong is currently cultivating [Earth] and [Wind]. If he can attain Panhu, his element will be very compatible and there is no need to change it. In fact, the most suitable one is the Meiji Mountain tradition, but according to the rules of Meiji Mountain, neither he nor his junior sister can accept disciples yet. He thought for a moment and said,
"Then you stay at Meiji Mountain for now. When we return, I will discuss with Master whether we can create a Dharma Protector position for you. You won't be included in the genealogy, but will be taught Dharma as a registered disciple first. When I can accept disciples later, I will accept you as my disciple."
After hearing this, Bai Long was naturally moved to tears of gratitude and kowtowed repeatedly, which made his third sister beside him extremely envious.
Cheng Xinzhan had an idea in mind, and thought that if something unexpected happened in the Demon Locking Tower and his identity was exposed, he would have to flee temporarily. At that time, leaving the two boys in Xikang would definitely not work, so he said,
"In the next few days, you two should clean up the things in the temple, tell your friends in Xikang that you will be in seclusion, and then go back to the mountain. I will also go back to the mountain in a few days."
Cheng Xinzhan and Feng Jihu had not hidden their plan to enter the Demon Locking Tower from the two boys, so the two clever boys knew what was going on as soon as they heard it. They looked at each other, knowing that if they stayed they would only cause more trouble, so they nodded in agreement.
Zhao Li then remembered that there were two people in his family, so he asked,
"What about Shi Jun and Uncle Wu?"
Cheng Xinzhan replied,
"Qing Bo's own alchemy tribulation is coming soon, and it is the first alchemy tribulation after he became a corpse. The power must be not small. He needs to prepare well, so I won't let him come. Shizi stayed here and gathered strength over the years. It's time to use it. I want to take him into the tower."
Seeing that the master had made arrangements, the two boys felt a little nervous and began to busy themselves with packing.
----
Ten days later, Qingming Festival arrived.
(End of this chapter)