The Appointment at Great Forest Temple
[You raised your hand and formed a hand seal.]
[The imprints swirled in mid-air, emitting a faint golden glow, like the first rays of dawn, spreading across the entire cave.]
The bloodstains on the stone wall and the aura of the three cultivators who had once been there all dissolved within this halo of light.
[In just a few breaths, the energy of heaven and earth returned to As-If-First.]
[All traces of your actions have been erased.]
[As-If-Original Seal.]
[Wuming's previously calm expression finally changed.]
["This is..."]
"The Cultivation Method of Great Forest Temple."
[You finish speaking for him.]
[You look intently at Wuming, your expression solemn.]
"I want to go to Great Forest Temple to seek the general principles of this Cultivation Method."
[Wuming remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.]
"This method is indeed a secret tradition of my Great Forest Temple..."
"Since the senior has already attained enlightenment, it means he has a karmic connection with Buddhism. Great Forest Temple never rejects those with affinity."
"If you wish to visit Great Forest Temple, this humble monk can guide you."
[You're not entirely surprised, after all, the monk in front of you, during one of the simulations, kept thinking about converting you to the Buddhist Sect.]
[Wuming continued.]
"However, this humble monk is entering the world this time to undergo trials for his sect, and must experience the mortal realm."
"Eleven years later, this humble monk has completed his trial and returned to the Black Tortoise Domain."
"At that time, you may accompany this humble monk."
[Options pop up.]
[A: An eleven-year agreement was made.]
[B: This indicates that eleven years is too long, and that every minute counts; therefore, he is urged to lead the way immediately.]
[C: Pulls out 42 million Spirit Stones: "Master, this is my sincerity. Let's not wait eleven years, let's set off now, I'll charter a plane!"]
Now I'm asking someone for a favor.
Moreover, Wuming is indeed an excellent ally.
Even when he was still Golden Core, he dared to risk the threat of Nascent Soul to rescue Lu Ping.
Therefore, Lu Ping naturally wanted to offer some support to Wuming's sect trials.
Moreover, the Golden Crow Demon Emperor, hehe.
Lu Ping chose A.
[You chose A.]
"Alright, let's make it an eleven-year agreement."
[You take out a dozen or so Jade Bottles from your Storage Ring and toss them to Wuming.]
[Those that heal wounds and restore Spiritual Power go without saying.]
[Even your old friends, the Spirit-Chaos Lure and the Spirit-Winding Thread, gave Wuming several portions of them.]
[After thinking for a moment, you gave them a few Random Teleportation Talisman, and a Star-River Law Seals.]
[You specifically mentioned that,]
"Use the rest as you see fit. This Star-River Law Seals can kill anyone below the Nascent Soul. You'd better watch yourself."
[Wuming, holding a large pile of things, opened his mouth, then uttered a Buddhist chant.]
"Thank you very much, senior."
[You turn and walk out of the cave.]
[When you reached the cave entrance, you stopped without looking back.]
"Eleven years later, this humble monk awaits you in Qingyang City, senior."
"I am Lu Ping, Wuming. See you again, alive."
[You stepped out of the cave, your Formless Myriad-Breath Cloak billowing, your figure merging into the forest and disappearing from sight.]
[Wuming stood in the cave, looking at the ground where you had erased all traces. After a long while, he sat cross-legged and began chanting scriptures.]
The sound of chanting echoed in the empty cave.
[After you left Red Refining Mountain, you did not return to the Azure Cloud Sect.]
[You activated the Formless Myriad-Breath Cloak, your form began to change, and your face turned a sickly blue.]
[A moment later, you transformed into the middle-aged Evil Cultivator you had burned to ashes.]
[You recall Han Changqing's state after consuming the Blood-Congealing Five-Elements Pill; a mixed and blood-tinged Spiritual Power fluctuation emanates from your body.]
[You control your aura at the False Core level.]
[A few days later, you arrived at the edge of a stone forest.]
[Following the memories gleaned through Soul Search, you walk along a fissure in the earth deep within the stone forest.]
[Below the Rift Valley is where the middle-aged Evil Cultivator and the Lord Southern's envoy met.]
[You used your Wind-Riding Technique to plummet straight down into the Rift Valley.]
[At the bottom of the valley, Grotto-Heaven.]
This mysterious meeting point turned out to be a vast underground Black Market.
[Most of the surrounding cultivators wore bamboo hats or masks and walked in a hurry.]
The things displayed at the stall were dazzling.
[A cultivator's golden Golden Core, stained with blood; Demon Core, its Demon Qi still lingering.]
[A broken sword still bearing the emblem of the Supreme Unity Sect.]
[It is said to be the treasure that the Heavenly Mystery Sect lost three years ago.]
[Even furnaces of various races and genders...]
[In the distance, from the Blissful Soul-Draining Tower, decadent music drifted out.]
[It really is Black Market; they have all sorts of contraband.]
You watch all this with a calm and unmoved heart.
In Qingyang City, Spirit Root leasing, human experimentation, and live human delivery are all openly practiced.
Compared to the ruthless, legal trade outside, the crimes here seem almost traditional.
Sometimes, you don't even know how much more "demonic" the demonic path in this world can be compared to the magical realism you see.
[You continue walking in, and soon you'll notice something amiss.]
The most bustling places here aren't the stalls selling rare treasures, or even the brothels.
[In the busiest spot, a huge wooden sign hangs: Heavenly Certification Alliance Special Cooperation Point.]
The stall owner was a gaunt old man, loudly haggling with several Qi Refining cultivators.
"Third-Grade Alchemist Certificate, 1,500 Spirit Stones. The anti-counterfeiting Array Patterns is so realistic it's practically indistinguishable from the real thing. You could definitely fool the Azure Dragon Merchant Association with it!"
"Level 2 Talisman Master Certificate, 800 Spirit Stones."
"A special pilot's license for large-scale inter-domain Flying Boat, only four thousand Spirit Stones."
"Travel Permit to the Azure Dragon Upper Domain costs 320,000 Spirit Stones! I'm telling you, the pass's aura is even engraved on it, guaranteeing passage!"
[Documents that would make people fight tooth and nail or go bankrupt in Qingyang City are piled up like cabbages on rags here.]
[You think it's outrageous, yet you also think it's quite reasonable.]
[You even saw a stall displaying several elder identity tokens from different sects.]
[It says next to it: Customization is supported.]
[Options pop up.]
[A: Pretend not to see it, turn around and leave. Supporting original works is everyone's responsibility.]
[B: So arrogant! Show us your Azure Cloud Sect Elder Token.]
[C: Steps forward and grabs the stall owner's hand, excitedly asking, "Can we get a marriage certificate? The woman can't be present!"]