Ancestor Lu

As night fell, Zhou Sheng lay flat on his bed. A red lantern hung by his head, and his shoes were placed with one facing forward and the other backward beneath the bed.

In his Master's words, this was a technique of the Spirit Walker lineage. Once midnight struck and the red lantern turned white, he could get up, light his lamp, and head out.

At that time, he would see... another Yangcheng hidden within the darkness of the night.

With some time left until midnight, Zhou Sheng calmed his mind and focused on the shimmering Turtle Shell and Luoshu in his sea of consciousness.

Without any hesitation, he used the Turtle Shell to divine, attempting to deduce the true Immortal's Cloud Mica Pill formula.

This time, the Turtle Shell vibrated violently, its surface glow quickly dimming. Then, under Zhou Sheng's expectant gaze, a wisp of golden flame finally appeared beneath it.

Success!

Zhou Sheng was overjoyed. This meant the energy he had gained from defeating the Guardian Soldiers was sufficient to complete the refinement and deduction of the medicinal formula.

The incomplete Mica Formula had already greatly advanced his Dao cultivation. If he had the complete formula, wouldn't he soar to the heavens?

The Luoshu didn't make him wait long. Soon, a crisp sound echoed from the Turtle Shell, and another faint crack appeared on its surface.

The next moment, a surge of information flooded his mind.

"Immortal's Cloud Mica Pill Formula, a prescription conceived by Pure Yang Ancestor Lü Dongbin during his cultivation in the Immortal's Cave on Mount Lu. It has effects such as abstaining from grain, lightening the body, strengthening the physique, cultivating the origin, replenishing qi, and extending life. When combined with the Guiding Technique, it can increase Dao cultivation..."

"He Xiangu, while gathering tea on Mount Luofu, chanced upon Lü Dongbin and was taught the Mica Formula by him. After consuming it, her body became as light as a swallow, her cultivation advanced daily, laying the foundation for her eventual ascension to the Eight Immortals."

"Wu Zetian, upon hearing of this, summoned He Xiangu to request the elixir. On her journey to the capital, she ascended in broad daylight. To repay the Empress's kindness, she left behind a partial formula, which was later completed by Sun Simiao's descendant, Sun Xing, over thirty years. It was then named the Immortal's Cloud Mica Pill Formula."

Zhou Sheng's heart trembled. This time, the Luoshu had not only divined the specific contents of the formula but had also calculated its entire history clearly and meticulously.

So, this Mica Formula was actually created by Ancestor Lu, later passed to He Xiangu, helping her lay the foundation for her immortal path.

In an instant, he knew he had struck gold.

A medicinal formula passed down by Pure Yang Ancestor Lü Dongbin, even if it was just something he casually created in the Immortal's Cave, was a priceless treasure for cultivators.

This Yangcheng was truly a blessed land. Thinking of Mount Lu being near Yangcheng, Zhou Sheng felt an inexplicable connection between himself and this Mica Formula.

However, as he calmed down and looked at the specific contents of the formula, his heart skipped a beat.

"Take the essence of the five-colored mica, poria cocos, arborvitae seed, and stalactite. Cinnamon bark, dipsacus, and ginseng, with atractylodes and rehmannia as assistants. Pound and sift them together with asparagus root juice, steam with rice in a copper vessel until cooked. Dry in the sun, pound again into powder for consumption, to return to youth and ascend to the immortal realm..."

Thanks to the Luoshu's infusion, he was already intimately familiar with this formula. But it was precisely because of this that he discovered a major difficulty.

The essence of five-colored mica!

The formula mentioned many medicinal ingredients, such as poria cocos, stalactite, ginseng, and rehmannia. Although precious, they could still be bought at pharmacies; it just required more money.

But the essence of five-colored mica was an extremely rare treasure, often found in famous mountains and great rivers, something that could be encountered by chance but not sought. It was definitely not something that could be bought in a pharmacy.

In other words, if he wanted to continue advancing his Dao cultivation by taking medicine, he first needed to find the essence of five-colored mica.

But where could he find such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?

When in doubt, ask the Luoshu.

"Luoshu, where near Yangcheng can I find the essence of five-colored mica?"

He divined again, specifically narrowing the scope to the vicinity of Yangcheng. Otherwise, if it were across the country, it would be too much trouble even if he knew.

However, after the previous consumption, the Luoshu's accumulated energy was almost depleted, and it had become much dimmer. After trembling, it ultimately failed to produce that wisp of golden flame.

Not enough energy again!

At this moment, Zhou Sheng deeply felt his 'poverty.'

The energy he had saved for so long and was reluctant to use was all gone in an instant. This Luoshu was indeed useful, but it was truly 'expensive'!

However, he wasn't too anxious. After all, he had just taken medicine once, and his body needed time to adapt and digest. Even if the essence of five-colored mica were placed before him and made into medicine, he wouldn't dare to consume it yet.

Clang~

As he was lost in thought, he seemed to faintly hear the sound of a night watchman's gong.

Zhou Sheng's eyes snapped open, his pupils constricting slightly.

The red lantern hanging by his bed had inexplicably turned white. Even the light was stark white, resembling the white lanterns used for mourning.

He got up and picked up the lantern. Having sealed his yang energy for a long time, his body felt somewhat cold and stiff.

The light shone on his somewhat pale face, casting a strange pale green hue.

If he were to put on a shroud, he would look like a recently deceased person.

He carried the lantern and went out. As soon as he opened the door, a gust of yin wind blew directly at him, chilling him to the bone. The surroundings were pitch black and shrouded in mist.

At this moment, Yu Zhensheng also came out, carrying a lantern.

"Follow closely. This time we're not taking the Yin-Yang Road, but it's more dangerous than the Yin-Yang Road."

With that, he walked forward. In the pitch-black night, that small point of light seemed as if it could be swallowed and extinguished at any moment.

Zhou Sheng quickly followed.

"Remember the way. I'll guide you in the first time, but from now on, you'll have to walk it yourself."

Yu Zhensheng spoke as he walked, "The wick in this lantern is made from whale oil and can burn all night without extinguishing. Before dawn, you must return with the lantern, otherwise, you will get lost, and if you get lost..."

"It's hard to come back."

Hearing this, Zhou Sheng gripped the lantern in his hand even tighter. As he walked down the empty street, he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

There were no night watchmen, no patrolling soldiers, and even the gambling houses and brothels, which should have been the liveliest at night, were pitch black.

The entire Xunyang City had become lifeless. Although he had seen the same sights during the day, they now exuded an indescribable strangeness.

"Xunyang is a very special place."

Yu Zhensheng suddenly spoke, "The Xunyang City you entered during the day is for the living. The one we're going to now is another Xunyang City, known in the business as... Little Fengdu."

Little Fengdu?

Zhou Sheng took a deep breath, his heart beating uncontrollably faster. Fengdu was the name of the Underworld, the most famous Ghost City in the world.

The fact that another Xunyang City, hidden in the darkness, was called Little Fengdu, showed how dangerous and terrifying it was.

As expected, as the two continued to move forward, the Yin energy around them grew heavier and heavier, until a gloomy ancient city appeared before them. On its tall city gate hung over a dozen human head lanterns.

When Zhou Sheng and the other man approached, the human head lanterns actually blinked.

The city gate was wide open, covered in mottled bloodstains. Two Soul-Calling Banners fluttered in the wind, possessing a soul-stirring magic that made Zhou Sheng's head spin.

Fortunately, a surge of magic power instantly cleared his head.

An ordinary person would have had their spirit affected here without even realizing it.

On the city gate, the two blood-red ancient characters for "Xunyang" exuded a strange aura. Staring at them for too long, the characters seemed to flow, as if they could feel one's gaze.

Zhou Sheng noticed that besides them, others were also entering the city with lanterns, but they couldn't be seen clearly due to the mist and the light.

"Don't use your dharma eye to look at others. That's the rule here."

Yu Zhensheng instructed, "Most of those people are going to the Ghost Market in Little Fengdu, which has nothing to do with us."

"Ghost Market?"

"Yes, the Ghost Market is the core area of Little Fengdu, and also the most dangerous place. You should not go there in the future."

The two walked for a while longer and soon parted ways with the others.

However, as they walked, Zhou Sheng suddenly realized that in the thin mist, there were many more people walking around.

They were dressed in black, their eyes vacant. Although it was a large group of people walking, there wasn't a single sound of footsteps, nor was anyone talking.

These people seemed to be heading to the same place as him, each clutching a ticket tightly in their hands.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Zhou Sheng vaguely smelled something burnt.

Just then, a voice echoed softly in his ear.

"Why don't you have any smell on you?"

"Are you... newly dead?"