620. Chapter 611: A Coveted Prize
"Sough!"
The water roared, a gentle evening breeze blew, and suddenly the general at the bow of the ship opened his eyes wide, a burst of Golden Light shooting from them. His Crescent Moon Blade, seemingly out of nowhere, moved—
No sound was heard.
In the moonlight, a flash of a knife could be seen.
Then, with a soft "plop," blood splattered across the sky, staining the sails crimson. The ship shook violently with a loud "boom," waking all the soldiers who rushed to the deck, only to see a dark python appear out of nowhere.
"Monster!"
"What a beast! It must have a thousand years of cultivation!"
The soldiers were startled. They raised their torches and saw that the python had been dismembered. Its huge head had rolled to one side, while its body, as thick as a water bucket, was still writhing wildly, crashing against everything around it with loud thuds.
The blood on the deck, as if washed clean, was the spurt of a python; it was sticky, foul-smelling, and incredibly pungent. A gust of evening wind made the stench so strong it felt like one would vomit blood.
But the soldiers on board were seasoned veterans and were not afraid.
Under the moonlight, General Wu Guang stood motionless, wielding his Crescent Moon Blade, like War God, and suddenly unleashed a roar as powerful as a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down—
"May the general be victorious!"
"May the general be victorious!"
"May the general be victorious!"
With a single stroke, Wen Guang cleaved the python, his face expressionless. His ears twitched slightly, then suddenly moved again.
Then a great general appeared, like a tiger descending a mountain, leaping off the deck and walking on the waves.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
With each step, the river trembled. After seven or eight steps, a column of water shot into the sky dozens of feet ahead. Within the water column, a figure was imprisoned. In the moonlight, one could vaguely see that the person was wearing a Daoist robe with water patterns, his face filled with terror, struggling desperately but unable to break free of his restraints.
Wen Guang's gaze remained unwavering. With a flick of his Crescent Moon Blade, he smashed the Daoist priest, causing him to vomit blood and fall onto the deck of the large ship behind him, utterly powerless to resist.
On deck.
Soldiers had already prepared ropes and tied the Daoist priest up securely.
Two days later.
The story of Zhenwei Colonel Wu Guang slaying the demon python with his sword and capturing the evil Daoist priest alive at the Yihe River spread throughout Yixiu County.
The people of Yixiu County then realized that the strange events in the Yihe River were caused by a sorcerer who was controlling a giant python with malicious intent.
When the evil Daoist was cut in half at the market, someone recognized him again—
This sorcerer was none other than the highly skilled Daoist priest who had recently arrived at the West River Daoist Temple on Yunxiu Mountain outside Yixiu County.
He is said to be a highly skilled Daoist master who came from the Meng Kingdom.
These days, he has been performing rituals and preaching in Yixiu County, and has even shown his divine power by capturing two mischievous little demons, thus beginning to gain fame.
I never imagined they would be so vicious in secret.
Some people were shouting: We can't let the West River Daoist Temple go.
Only then did news arrive from outside the city: it turned out that on the very night General Wu Guang slew the demon python, he stormed Yunxiu Mountain and slaughtered several Alchemists, Daoist priests, and Ordination in the West River Daoist Temple.
When the people heard this, they all clapped and cheered.
Taihu County Town.
County Cheng Mansion.
After listening to Wen Guang's report, Lu Qingfeng put the scriptures in his hand aside and said to Wen Guang, "As early as when Zhao Jian first showed his talent, many Daoist sects and Daoists wanted to curry favor with him. Over the years, they have never stopped using various methods. Now that Zhao Jian has unified Lingnan Commandery, many superior Daoist sects can no longer sit still."
With Lu Qingfeng's Divine Ability, nothing in the small Lingnan Commandery could escape his discerning eyes.
They were also very familiar with many of the subtle tricks of the Daoist sects.
In most cases, he doesn't need to take action; Changqing Temple can handle the situation.
But like this time—
"The Yin Spirit Master is personally taking action; it seems he's serious." Lu Qingfeng looked south and asked Wen Guang, "Is this West River Daoist Temple the same West River Sect in the northern border of the Meng Kingdom?"
"It's the Great Mengxi River School."
"The first abbot came from the Meng Kingdom and established West River Daoist Temple. It has been more than 300 years since then, but he has not had much contact with the main sect of the Meng Kingdom. This time, he took the initiative to curry favor and brought in the sect's monks, wanting to replace Changqing Temple."
Wen Guang replied.
The ancestral home of the West River Sect is in the northern border of the Meng Kingdom, and its disciples mostly practice water magic.
The leader of the West River Sect, Daoist Waterwatcher, had long been a Yang Spirit cultivator, and his disciples included many Yin Spirit True Person. It was a top-ranking Daoist sect in the border region between the two countries of the Meng Kingdom and Great Sui.
Although it cannot compare to top-tier Daoist sects like the Divine Empyrean Sect or the Mount Mao Dao, it should not be underestimated.
"The West River Sect in the south."
"There is also someone active in Southern Ridge in Xiling Radiant Sun Dao, called 'Gongsun Qing'. He is also known as 'Barefoot Immortal' because he walks the world barefoot. These days, Gongsun Qing has gotten involved with the Zhao Gong Zhao Xun. You need to pay more attention to the defense of Fanchang and Qingyi counties."
Lu Qingfeng pointed to the west.
"Don't worry, teacher."
Wen Guang responded, then said in a deep voice, "Zhao Gong Zhao Xun were never honest to begin with, and now they've gotten involved with Radiant Sun Dao. Why don't I send my disciple to kill them?"
"You've just gotten back, so get plenty of rest."
"As for Gongsun Qing, I have already used the 'Suppressive Curse Technique' to cure him. He will surely die suddenly within three days."
Lu Qingfeng waved his hand.
Having commanded troops for years and fought countless battles, Wen Guang's bloodlust had grown increasingly intense. His gaze fell upon this taciturn disciple, and Lu Qingfeng sighed inwardly.
"Suppressive Curse Technique?"
Wen Guang blinked.
He had heard of the "method of cursing," which means "to subdue someone with Curse," also known as the "art of nightmares," a vicious method that is difficult to guard against.
However, the backlash was significant.
Wen Guang was puzzled. With his teacher's Divine Ability, why would he need to go through such trouble to kill a mere Yin Spirit Mage?
Seeing this, Lu Qingfeng pointed to the scriptures beside him and explained, "The methods of Changqing Temple are not weak, but their Technique Method are sparse. I have collected various schools of Daoist arts, organized and revised them, and am going to compile a book called 'Changqing Secret Arts'. I have recently been thinking about 'the art of cursing,' and I will use Gongsun Qing as a test subject."
The Cultivation Method practiced by the disciples of Changqing Temple is Fusion and enhancement of several of the most widely circulated Fangxian Path Cultivation Method, created by Lu Qingfeng. It is called "Changqing Method" and also has Unorthodox Grade level.
He also collected the techniques of Fangxian Path Dao, compiling them into the "Four Changqing Arts," which consists of twelve volumes and Myriad Manifestations.
Among them, the seven Registered Disciples all received the five volumes of True Disciple, including the three volumes of "Changqing Method," which directly leads to the realm of Yang Spirit the highest level of spiritual cultivation). In addition, the seven also received the "Four Changqing Arts." The four skills recorded in the "Four Changqing Arts" each have three volumes.
Lu Qingfeng taught the first two volumes.
Each of the four arts is profound and extensive.
It's better to master one thing than to learn ten.
Therefore, Lu Qingfeng taught the first two volumes of one of these arts. The first volume is the foundation, the second volume is more refined and can be used as True Disciple within the Daoist school. As for the third volume, it is even more profound, something that even Yang Spirit Celestial Master would covet.
Lu Qingfeng placed the first volume of these four arts in Changqing Temple. Anyone who stayed in Changqing Temple for three years and made some contributions could read and study it.
As for the middle volume, the requirements are much stricter. Not only must one's cultivation reach the Alchemist Realm, but one must also accumulate sufficient merit.
As of now, only seven people, including Shouyang, have studied the middle volume.
The second volume.
Even with Shouyang and the others, Lu Qingfeng didn't teach them for the time being. Firstly, he didn't want them to bite off more than they could chew, worrying that their foundation wouldn't be solid. Secondly, he wanted to give the seven of them something to strive for and prevent them from becoming complacent.
However, whether it is the three volumes of "Changqing Method" or the twelve volumes of "Four Changqing Arts", they are just cultivation Cultivation Method and auxiliary skills.
The Daoist methods and techniques are still being organized.
Lu Qingfeng intended to select, Fusion, and strengthen the most widely circulated and used Technique Method of the Fangxian Path, ultimately dividing them into seventy-two lower techniques, thirty-six middle techniques, and eighteen upper techniques, compiling them into the "Three Volumes of Secret Techniques".
From easy to difficult.
The seventy-two techniques in this first volume are mostly low- to mid-level skills.
The middle volume mainly contains High-Grade Spell.
As for the second volume, it naturally contains Transcendent-Grade Spell.
It progresses from low to high while maintaining a consistent lineage.
It requires a lot of effort, especially the eighteen Transcendent Grade Dao techniques.
However, with the 'Evolving Method' in hand, it wasn't difficult for Lu Qingfeng. The first and second volumes were already largely completed; all that remained was for the third volume to be finished and then reviewed before it would be complete.
At that time.
The Changqing Temple Technique Method of Changqing Temple will now have a system. This will save a lot of effort in spreading the 'Fangxian Path' system in the future.
That's right.
Wen Guang understood after hearing this.
Lu Qingfeng then talked to him about the defenses for the upcoming conferment of the title of Marquis in three days, and then told him to rest.
Clutching the scripture, Lu Qingfeng concentrated on studying the "Changqing Secret Arts," while Auspicious Cloud rose above his head, with twelve Dutian Demon God Auspicious Cloud within them. Without any apparent movement, two of the demon gods leaped out.
One is like a yellow sac, red as Pillfire, with six legs and four wings, a chaotic and faceless being; this is the Di Jiang Demon God.
One has eight human heads, a tiger's body, and ten tails; this is the Tianwu Demon God.
The moment the two demons leaped out, before they even landed, the first one transformed into a nine-foot-tall, sallow-faced, beardless, expressionless Daoist priest. The second one, eight feet tall with broad shoulders and a burly build, was also dressed as a Daoist priest.
Two figures leaped down from the Auspicious Cloud. One figure vanished in a flash, while the other suddenly dissipated into a gust of Qingfeng and scattered like smoke.
The inner room immediately fell silent.
The auspicious Auspicious Cloud above Lu Qingfeng's head, along with the remaining ten demon gods, also disappeared.
The southernmost part of Lingnan Commandery is Taihe County, which is separated from the Meng Kingdom by only one mountain.
This day.
Two Daoist priests crossed the mountains and headed towards Taihe County. They wore robes with water-patterned designs, and their steps appeared slow but were actually swift. They continued talking as they walked.
The old Daoist priest with a gloomy face looked around and asked in confusion, "How could Zhou Fang have failed in this remote and impoverished place, and even lost his life?"
The old Daoist priest had visited Southern Ridge in his early years. In his memory, there were few Earth Spirit. Even Spirit Platform True Person a Daoist master) was rarely seen, let alone Yin Spirit Fashi (a Daoist master of the underworld).
His disciple Zhou Fang, though only a newly appointed Daoist master, was still a legitimate member of the Daoist lineage.
Who would have thought that he would lose his life so silently.
"Although this place is remote, it may be hiding True Dragon."
Another middle-aged Daoist priest looked up at the distant county town and saw a layer of aura connecting to the north. Even with his cultivation level, he couldn't discern its specifics, only feeling that it was shrouded in mist.
The Great Sui was in turmoil.
Calamities befell them from all sides.
The aura of this great calamity permeated all the prefectures, including Lingnan Commandery, thus limiting the Law Power and cultivation of these Daoist disciples. The longer they stayed, the more the calamity's energy would enter their bodies, affecting their minds and sanity.
Even if one consciously avoids calamity by retreating to the mountains for secluded cultivation, the presence of disciples or friends traveling outside, or invitations from friends, or the death of a disciple, can cloud one's judgment and lead to irrational decisions under the shadow of impending doom.