County Seat Predicament, Reclusive Jiang Sheng

County Seat Predicament, Reclusive Jiang Sheng

"This kind of technique is nothing more than a petty trick to Foundation Establishment cultivators like us."

"After all, whether they use food, water, or some other object as a medium, they still have to throw it to us."

Xu Xiao spoke at length.

"No matter how concealed the mana attached to it is, it can be detected. If they planted Gu insects, then unless their cultivation is a realm higher than ours, we can suppress them and then burn them away with true fire."

"What we fear most is the other party obtaining our hair or nails, followed by personal belongings. If they use such things together with our birth characters, names, and origins to work their schemes, then it truly becomes impossible to guard against."

"We cultivators from sects have all been told of these hidden dangers by our sect elders, so we generally do not casually leave anything behind outside, much less things like hair or nails."

Hearing Xu Xiao's words, Zhang Qing immediately said, "Father, we must hide our personal belongings well. As for hair, nails, and the like, they must be burned outright. We cannot leave behind any trace."

Zhang Qingyun nodded repeatedly. "Qing'er is right. But if those evil cultivators continue harming lives in the city, what should we do?"

Zhang Qing smiled. "These past days, those Rogue Cultivators have done nothing but eat and drink at our expense without lifting a finger. Isn't this precisely the time to make use of them?"

"We can post notices declaring that evil cultivators of the demonic path are causing trouble. Whoever captures them may come to the county office to claim a reward. So long as we offer suitable rewards, there is no need to worry about those Rogue Cultivators not working hard."

Zhang Qingyun clearly approved of the idea, but then he sighed. "It is only a pity that Daoist Jiang and the others are probably too lazy to concern themselves with such matters."

Xu Xiao added, "If Daoist Jiang is willing to help, that would naturally be best. I heard that Daoist Jiang comes from Penglai?"

Seeing Zhang Qingyun and Zhang Qing nod, Xu Xiao continued, "Penglai is a renowned orthodox school of the Mystic Gate, and Penglai's talismans are second to none throughout the entire Eastern Domain Continent."

"If Daoist Jiang takes action, those evil cultivators will surely have nowhere to hide."

"Unfortunately, Daoist Jiang has already returned to Qingping Mountain to cultivate. Before the plan begins, he likely will not leave the mountain."

At those words, Zhang Qing also felt somewhat deflated.

Ever since they had laid out the entire plan that night, Jiang Sheng and the others had agreed, but they were all the sort who would not release the hawk until they saw the rabbit.

The plan had not yet begun. Those strongest Foundation Establishment cultivators were either in secluded cultivation or traveling through the towns of Qingshan County, while Jiang Sheng had simply returned to his own temple on Qingping Mountain.

Now, only Xu Xiao and those few early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators remained in Qingshan County's seat.

At the thought of this, Zhang Qingyun grew somewhat restless. "Let us try using these people first. If it truly does not work, I will go ask Daoist Jiang myself."

Zhang Qing sighed. "That is all we can do."

At that moment, Qingping Mountain was blanketed by heavy snow, the entire peak covered in a vast expanse of white.

Ordinary trees had all withered yellow. Only the green pines and emerald bamboo remained verdant, providing some of the scant life around the temple.

Goose-feather snow drifted down, and the temple of black bricks and green tiles became hazy amid the snowfall.

Only the curling blue smoke continued to linger above the temple every day, unimpeded by wind or snow.

In such a season of deep winter and falling snow, ordinary people would never venture deep into the mountains.

Not only were the mountain paths rugged and slippery, but danger often lurked everywhere beneath the snow.

Yet on this day, Tian Guofu came to Qingxuan Temple despite the wind and snow.

Not only had Tian Guofu come, but he had brought along his young grandson again, saying that he wished to offer incense to the True Lord.

Jiang Sheng looked somewhat helplessly at Tian Guofu, who was wrapped in a fur coat like a fat marmot and struggling to kneel upon a prayer cushion. "Town Chief Tian, why have you come again?"

Tian Guofu chuckled. "Daoist, this great temple is far too lonely with only you here every day."

"My little grandson may not know much else, but he is quick and nimble. If he helps you sweep the temple each day, would that not spare you some worry?"

Jiang Sheng glanced again at the young master of the Tian Family beside Tian Guofu.

This young master was named Tian Ming'an. He was already twelve this year, with regular, refined features. The old Tian family clearly had decent blood.

Though young, Tian Ming'an was clever and sensible. Ever since Tian Guofu had brought him up the mountain, he had come alone every few days to offer incense, treating Jiang Sheng with the utmost respect.

He completely treated Jiang Sheng as an elder, and ordinarily even took the initiative to help clean the temple.

One did not strike a smiling face. Tian Ming'an's conduct was indeed beyond reproach, so Jiang Sheng allowed him to study in the temple.

Originally, Tian Ming'an had only come every few days. But ever since Tian Guofu heard that evil cultivators were causing trouble in Qingshan County, he had directly brought Tian Ming'an up the mountain and refused to leave.

He was clearly afraid that those evil cultivators would harm his precious grandson.

Jiang Sheng ignored Tian Guofu and instead studied Tian Ming'an for a moment before finally saying, "Then let him come up the mountain every day to clean the temple. Bring his own food. This poor Daoist has nothing here to eat."

Though such terms seemed austere, Tian Guofu was overjoyed. Not to mention Qingping Town—throughout all of Qingshan County, countless people wanted to send their children to Qingxuan Temple as servants.

There were no shortage of wealthy gentry among them, yet Jiang Sheng had accepted none.

Who did not know that entering the temple meant one might have a chance of becoming a cultivator in the future?

Throughout the entire Qi Kingdom, cultivators held power. Even if one could not enter Penglai, becoming a Daoist official of the Qi Kingdom would still bring inexhaustible glory and wealth.

Tian Guofu understood that Jiang Sheng had accepted his grandson. So excited that he spoke repeatedly, he said, "Good, good. Ming'an, hurry and thank Daoist Jiang."

Tian Ming'an hurried forward and bowed. "Ming'an thanks you, Daoist."

Jiang Sheng said nothing more, merely giving a slight nod in approval.

The next day, the snow stopped.

Winter sunlight shone over the mountains, making the vast white snow especially dazzling.

Within Qingxuan Temple's black-brick, green-tiled walls, Tian Ming'an was sweeping the snow from the courtyard. He continuously cleared it away with his broom, already drenched in sweat.

Jiang Sheng sat quietly before the portrait of the patriarch in the front hall, his eyes slightly closed.

Spiritual power surged from his dantian, traveling through the meridians in his body as it circulated through a full cycle.

With every major cycle, the spiritual energy in his dantian condensed a little further. Once enough condensed spiritual energy accumulated, it naturally gathered into a drop of spiritual liquid.

Cultivation was a grinding task, like water wearing through stone.

At the Qi Refinement Realm, one needed to constantly absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and turn it into one's own, accumulating it within the dantian until it was full before advancing to the next stage.

Qi refinement was the process of continuously condensing the spiritual energy in the dantian, repeatedly expanding one's dantian in order to hold more spiritual energy.

Once one reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, with the spiritual energy in the dantian full to the point where no further progress could be made, one could attempt Foundation Establishment.

For ordinary cultivators, so long as they had a Foundation Establishment Pill to assist them and could condense nine drops of spiritual liquid from the spiritual energy in their bodies, they could barely step into the Foundation Establishment Realm.

However, that could only be called low-grade Human Path Foundation Establishment, with an extremely low ceiling.

Most Rogue Cultivators could do no more than remain at the early stage of Foundation Establishment for their entire lives. Even if they reached the late stage, they would have no hope of the Purple Mansion Realm.

For middle-grade Earth Path Foundation Establishment, one also needed a strand of earthly Sha Qi, using its Baleful Intent to temper the spiritual energy within one's meridians and dantian, making the spiritual liquid purer and more condensed.

In this way, one could gather twenty-four drops of spiritual liquid. From the very start, one would be comparable to an ordinary low-grade Foundation Establishment cultivator at the middle stage.

Moreover, Earth Path Foundation Establishment cultivators could not only smoothly reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment, but could also attain the Purple Mansion Realm.

Ordinary sect disciples and children of great clans generally pursued Earth Path Foundation Establishment. Achieving middle-grade Foundation Establishment was enough to take pride in.

As for high-grade Heaven Path Foundation Establishment, it required not only earthly Sha Qi, but also heavenly astral qi.

One gathered and consumed heavenly astral qi and earthly Sha Qi, transforming them into power one could wield.

Thus, so long as one could endure the pain of heavenly astral and earthly Sha Qi crashing wildly through the meridians, pain that pierced to the marrow, subdue them, and fuse the power of astral and Sha Qi with the spiritual energy in one's body, one could condense thirty-six drops of spiritual liquid.

The spiritual liquid condensed in this manner fused with astral and baleful power. Not only was it incomparably pure, but every single drop contained boundless strength.

Even if an ordinary low-grade Foundation Establishment cultivator reached the late stage, the spiritual liquid in their body might not equal that of a Heaven-grade Foundation Establishment cultivator at the early stage, much less match its purity.

And with Heaven Path Foundation Establishment, so long as one could grow, attaining the Golden Core Realm was certain. The great Dao lay ahead!

Every Heaven Path Foundation Establishment cultivator was a true seed of a great sect or powerful force, a future pillar holding up the heavens.

Only Heaven Path Foundation Establishment cultivators could become Dao Foundation cultivators.

The so-called Dao Foundation was the foundation of the great Dao.

Jiang Sheng was a Heaven Path Foundation Establishment cultivator.

When establishing his foundation, Jiang Sheng had consumed heavenly astral qi and earthly Sha Qi to temper his spiritual energy. Not only had this broadened his meridians and dantian, but under the tempering of astral and Sha Qi, his meridians and dantian had become extraordinarily resilient.

Therefore, the spiritual liquid in Jiang Sheng's dantian had long gathered into a pool of azure spiritual liquid. Whether in purity of spiritual power or in accumulated quantity, Jiang Sheng far surpassed ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The chief task at the Foundation Establishment Realm was to continuously increase the spiritual liquid in one's dantian.

Once the spiritual liquid in the dantian had accumulated to fullness and one reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, one could attempt to control the spiritual energy within the body and assault the great dragon of the spine.

If spiritual energy could pierce through the great dragon of the spine, one could open the Purple Mansion between the brows, gain another four cycles of sixty years, and live to five hundred.

Ordinary Rogue Cultivators could scarcely gather a complete Foundation Establishment cultivation method. Being able to establish a foundation was already a stroke of heaven-sent fortune; remaining trapped at the early stage of Foundation Establishment for life was utterly commonplace.

Those who could attain the Purple Mansion Realm inevitably had their own extraordinary encounters.

Furthermore, if one wished to preserve one's qi and blood while assaulting the Purple Mansion Realm and leave room to maneuver, one needed spiritual treasures such as Purple Yang Jade to assist them, thereby preserving most of one's vital energy.

After recuperating for some years, one might still have another chance to assault the Purple Mansion Realm.

Otherwise, if a cultivator gathered all their spiritual power and qi and blood to assault the great dragon of the spine but failed, at best their cultivation would plummet and their lifespan sharply diminish; at worst, they would be crippled on the spot and become a useless invalid, or even die outright.

Yet if one did not use auxiliary spiritual treasures such as Purple Yang Jade, but instead stirred one's spiritual power and pierced through the great dragon of the spine in one go, then one's comprehension and innate talent were surely exceptional.

At the Purple Mansion Realm, such a person would begin far above those who had relied on spiritual treasures for assistance.

It was like cultivators who established their Dao Foundation on their own without relying on external objects: their meridians were tougher, and the spiritual energy in their dantians was especially abundant.

Whether in aptitude or cultivation method, Jiang Sheng was far from ordinary. The Purple Mansion Realm was not difficult for him.

Jiang Sheng's only concern was that he would be unable to cultivate in peace.

But such was the way of things: the tree wished to be still, yet the wind would not cease.

The second update is here. Although I still cannot sign a contract, Lin Yuan still guarantees three thousand characters per chapter. Do not say Lin Yuan is padding the word count—these are free chapters, three thousand characters each. Lin Yuan is working very hard. Truly, I ask you all to bookmark, recommend, and keep reading. If you can share this unlucky fellow with others who enjoy xianxia and fantasy, Lin Yuan would be endlessly grateful.