Spiritual Essence Stirring in Secret, Qingping Blessed Land

Chapter 25: Spiritual Essence Stirring in Secret, Qingping Blessed Land

"The Daoist dwells in seclusion on Qingping Mountain, seated as he watches the winds rise and clouds surge."

"Though he never steps beyond his door, he knows the affairs of the world. Though he lives hidden within a temple, his might shakes a thousand li around him. Truly, the life of an immortal."

A handsome young man in flowing white robes, a patterned sash at his waist, a blue crown on his head, and boots embroidered with lions playing with pearls leaned against the hall doors with a smile.

Though his features were somewhat delicate, they did not detract from his bearing. Instead, they lent him an added air of carefree elegance, like a courtly top scholar of the dynasty.

Jiang Sheng sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his expression calm, his eyelids lowered. He slowly turned the pages of a book in his hands. "What is wrong with that? Still, this poor Daoist has heard quite a bit about you, fellow cultivator."

"They say that the famed romantic scholar of all Qing Province has been roaming the mountains and waters of Qingshan County. Whenever you travel, beauties accompany you. You recite poetry and compose couplets, laughing amid the wind and moon. What a carefree life."

"Young Master Kongxu, why have you come to seek out this poor Daoist instead of continuing to enjoy your dashing days?"

The visitor was none other than Young Master Kongxu, a Rogue Cultivator with quite a reputation throughout Qing Province.

Young Master Kongxu surveyed the front hall. Everything was still new, and he could even catch faint traces of fresh-cut wood in the air.

There was little decoration in the hall: blue bricks, prayer mats, an incense table, and a portrait enshrined upon it.

After a moment of silence, Young Master Kongxu asked, "Daoist, do you know that rumors have been spreading everywhere in Qingshan County lately?"

"What does that have to do with this poor Daoist?" Jiang Sheng countered.

Young Master Kongxu's eyelid twitched, and he could not help saying, "Daoist, trouble in Qingshan County is no good thing for either of us!"

"Do not forget our goal: the river god in the Taiping River! If Qingshan County falls completely into chaos, who will still have the time to deal with that river god?"

Jiang Sheng looked at Young Master Kongxu, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Is Young Master Kongxu truly worried about slaying demons and eliminating evil, or are you worried about the lives of Qingshan County's magistrate and its people?"

"Or are you worried about the Purple Yang Jade the county magistrate promised you?"

The Purple Yang Jade was a treasure that protected a cultivator's Dao when a Foundation Establishment cultivator opened their Purple Mansion Realm.

Such a spiritual treasure could increase a cultivator's odds of opening the Purple Mansion Realm by ten percent. It could also protect a cultivator's heart meridians if they failed, preserving most of their cultivation and preventing them from dying on the spot.

So long as one used Purple Yang Jade, even failure to open the Purple Mansion Realm left one with a chance to start over.

Treasures of this sort had always been controlled by the Qing Kingdom's imperial court, the great aristocratic families, and the major sects of every province.

Though Young Master Kongxu had stumbled into the cave dwelling of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator and inherited his legacy, that cultivator had been a Rogue Cultivator himself, with few possessions.

It had already been no easy task for him to enable Young Master Kongxu to reach Foundation Establishment. Resources for the Purple Mansion Realm were even scarcer.

Not to mention a precious heavenly treasure like Purple Yang Jade.

But just because Young Master Kongxu could not obtain it did not mean Zhang Qingyun could not.

For Zhang Qingyun to become the magistrate of an entire county at the age of forty, his family had certainly exerted tremendous effort.

Moreover, Zhang Qingyun was an imperial official. Every few years, the imperial court distributed batches of cultivation resources to each province. Those resources were allocated either to Dao palaces or government offices.

That was why Young Master Kongxu had chosen to cooperate with Zhang Qingyun.

The same was true of Wenren Jie, the famed heroic Rogue Cultivator of Qing Province. Wenren Jie cultivated an incomplete technique, and once he reached the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, his path ahead had come to an end.

If Wenren Jie wished to continue cultivating, he needed either to complete the damaged text or switch to another technique.

But what cultivation technique capable of reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment was not tightly controlled by the imperial court, cultivation families, and sects?

As for techniques capable of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm, aside from trying one's luck in the cave dwelling of a predecessor, the only way to obtain one was to serve the imperial court or an aristocratic family unto death, or join a sect as an outer elder. Even then, one could not cultivate it to the late stage of the Purple Mansion Realm.

Not just the Qing Kingdom—what nation on the Eastern Domain Continent was any different?

The imperial court, aristocratic families, and sects tightly controlled every kind of resource: cultivation techniques, spiritual veins, pills, magical artifacts, spiritual plants, and spiritual treasures.

The distinction between insiders and outsiders was crystal clear.

Leaving aside aristocratic families bound by kinship and bloodline, even the imperial court, which supposedly recruited talent without regard for background, still distinguished between those close to them and those distant. Sects placed even greater emphasis on nurturing disciples from childhood.

Rogue Cultivators lived exceedingly difficult lives no matter where they were.

That was why every Rogue Cultivator who could establish their foundation on their own and even open the Purple Mansion Realm became so renowned. Without exception, they all possessed great fortune.

Wenren Jie sought cultivation techniques, while Young Master Kongxu sought Purple Yang Jade. In truth, they were the ones least willing to see anything happen to Zhang Qingyun and most eager for the demon-slaying operation to succeed.

Now, rumors filled Qingshan County, and the people were anxious. The gentry and wealthy merchants within the city had joined forces to resist the county office's orders, while the people of the towns outside the city had repeatedly petitioned for the authorities to abandon the operation.

The county office was now at the center of a whirlpool. Zhang Qingyun had been placed atop a boiling cauldron, while whoever lurked behind the scenes was likely watching with a smile as Zhang Qingyun was fried alive.

How could Young Master Kongxu not be anxious under such circumstances?

Wenren Jie had already hurried back to the county seat to assist Xu Xiao. After considering it over and over, Young Master Kongxu had decided that he still needed to invite Jiang Sheng down from the mountain.

After all, Jiang Sheng's strength was plain for all to see. The Eight Wolves of Dongjun had all died by his hand. If Jiang Sheng stepped forward, the unrest throughout Qingshan County would surely subside.

But now that Jiang Sheng had exposed Young Master Kongxu's thoughts in a single sentence, Young Master Kongxu did not know how to continue.

"Young Master Kongxu, if you truly are worried about your Purple Yang Jade, then you ought to be in Qingshan County right now, not here with this poor Daoist," Jiang Sheng said.

Yet Young Master Kongxu smiled. He examined the tranquil and elegant Daoist temple, then turned to gaze at the distant mountain ranges. Suddenly, he laughed. "Daoist, this Qingping Mountain has been blessed by heaven. Spiritual essence stirs beneath its surface—it truly is a treasured land!"

"If one cultivated here, I imagine my bottleneck would soon loosen. Breaking through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, or even opening the Purple Mansion Realm, would be no difficult matter."

The look in Jiang Sheng's eyes shifted slightly.

Though Young Master Kongxu had his back to Jiang Sheng, he instantly felt a stabbing chill of sharpness against his back. Though the sensation lasted only an instant, his body stiffened.

Realizing that he seemed to have said something wrong, Young Master Kongxu gave an awkward laugh. "Haha, since Daoist is unwilling to leave the mountain, then I shall not disturb you. I will return to the county seat first and lend Fairy Xu a hand."

With that, Young Master Kongxu left the Daoist temple with seeming composure, then immediately rode the wind away. In no more than a few moments, he vanished beyond the horizon.

Jiang Sheng silently watched the direction in which Young Master Kongxu had departed. At some point, the relaxed indifference in his eyes had turned to coldness.

"Master." Tian Ming'an appeared behind Jiang Sheng.

Jiang Sheng said softly, "Ming'an."

"This disciple is here," Tian Ming'an replied.

"If someone set their sights on your family's wealth, what would you do?" Jiang Sheng asked.

Tian Ming'an answered without hesitation, "Naturally, I would strike back. Why should my Tian Family's wealth be coveted by others?"

Then Tian Ming'an added, "If the other party's power exceeds ours, then we can only endure for now. Once our family becomes stronger in the future, or once we find an opportunity, we will strike back."

Jiang Sheng nodded. "Indeed. One need not fear thieves stealing, only thieves setting their minds on stealing. Others have taken a liking to what is yours, yet they reveal nothing and wait patiently in the shadows for their chance."

"To encounter such a thing truly is this poor Daoist's good fortune."

Tian Ming'an asked cautiously, "Master, has that Young Master Kongxu set his sights on us?"

Jiang Sheng gave a slight nod. "He has that intention."

Tian Ming'an asked again, "Then Master, what do you intend to do?"

Jiang Sheng withdrew his gaze from the distance and continued turning the pages in his hands. "Do you know where Young Master Kongxu went wrong?"

Tian Ming'an considered it. "Was it that he began coveting us?"

Jiang Sheng set down the book and looked at Tian Ming'an. "Wrong. His mistake was not discovering what your master has concealed, nor was it coveting your master's possessions."

"His greatest mistake was that he was weaker than your master, yet still dared to covet your master's things."

Tian Ming'an nodded, half understanding and half confused. Then he saw Jiang Sheng rise and stretch his limbs. "But he will not die for now, because he is still of use to your master while alive."

"Forget it. We will not bother with him for now. Let your master examine your cultivation from these past days. As for Young Master Kongxu, your master will deal with him after the River God Grand Sacrifice."

Tian Ming'an was delighted upon hearing this. He hurriedly said, "Master, this disciple has felt much stronger lately, and my thoughts have become especially clear. I can faintly sense qi within my abdomen. I imagine I will soon be able to draw qi into my body."

Jiang Sheng chuckled. "Why are you in such a rush? Do you wish to catch up to your master?"

"Do you know that your master grew up in the Dao Sect? From an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, to babbling speech, to learning to walk—even though I was bright at a young age, I still did not begin coming into contact with cultivation until I was eight."

"I began by studying literature and martial arts, and only drew qi into my body a full four years later."

"Cultivation cannot be rushed."

Tian Ming'an was somewhat disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mood and began demonstrating his martial arts for Jiang Sheng with meticulous seriousness.

Jiang Sheng watched the solemn expression on Tian Ming'an's little face, but his thoughts had already drifted far away. This Qingping Mountain is the Daoist ground I have claimed. It is where I intend to open the Purple Mansion Realm and even form a Golden Core!

Not to mention that I now have a disciple. Young Master Kongxu, you covet this poor Daoist's Daoist ground—but do you think this poor Daoist does not also desire your fortuitous opportunity?

Young Master Kongxu, do not be impatient. Once the demon-slaying operation is complete, this poor Daoist will send you into reincarnation.

First update today~ Gentlemen, send over some recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Though I cannot add extra chapters right now, Lin Yuan will remember them all. Once the monthly ticket count rises in the future, Lin Yuan will certainly make up those extra chapters. And one more thing: all the gentlemen who reward Lin Yuan now may have the chance to enter Penglai in the future, learn the Dao Lord's true teachings, dwell in blessed grotto-heavens, and become those above others in the cultivation world!