Return to GuShui Village

"Pay up?"

Sha LiFei patted his bald head, feigning confusion. "Daoist Priest, you must be mistaken. You're an Expert of the Xuan Gate, how would I, Old Sha, dare owe you money?"

Wang Dao Xuan was speechless. "That spring, at Chang'an's Drunken Flower Pavilion..."

"Oh~ I remember now."

Sha LiFei began to lie with a straight face. "You forgot, I only invited you for drinks. You were drunk that day and insisted on calling for the most popular dancer. I couldn't stop you..."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. And I didn't abandon you. In reality, a fellow practitioner from the Jianghu was in trouble. Saving a life was urgent, so I couldn't delay."

"You know me, I've always been loyal..."

"Hahaha, forget it. Consider it my treat."

"Daoist Priest, what about this... Next time, next time I'll treat you!"

"Will you?"

"Absolutely! You don't even know who Sha LiFei is..."

On the Yellow Earth official road, three riders kicked up dust as they traveled.

Perhaps Li Yan looked unfamiliar, or perhaps it was due to his disguise. Maybe Meng HaiCheng's low status meant that even if he suffered a loss, the Divine Fist Society wouldn't notice.

In any case, leaving the city was very smooth.

Sha LiFei was a slippery Jianghu rogue, while Wang Dao Xuan was sincere. It was unclear why these two completely mismatched individuals always had so much to talk about.

They chatted and rambled on their journey.

Beside them, Li Yan remained silent, his mind full of thoughts.

It was now close to dusk. Because he had lingered at Wang Dao Xuan's place for a while longer, asking detailed questions, he had finally gotten a general understanding of the Xuan Gate.

This world was more complex than he had imagined.

The cultivation of martial artists had realms such as Manifested Strength, Hidden Strength, Transformed Strength, Pellet Strength, Firm Strength, Innate, and Grandmaster. These all depended on one's own cultivation. With each step forward, the killing power of their moves would increase dramatically.

In contrast, cultivation within the Xuan Gate focused on Preserving the Spirit.

The first step was to visualize a deity and borrow its power to achieve the ability to mobilize the Divine Soul and control Spiritual Power.

If successful, he would be able to suppress his nearly out-of-control Spiritual Power.

And this was only the beginning of Xuan Gate cultivation.

Humans eat grains and have emotions and desires. Coupled with the many troubles of the mortal world, even if one visualized a deity, there was always a risk of it dissipating.

At that point, one would have to begin Preserving the Spirit and visualizing again.

The solution was to build temples and palaces.

Through a ritual, a palace or pavilion would be built in the Sea of Consciousness for the visualized deity, allowing it to remain stable.

This was considered truly entering the Xuan Gate, known as the first level of Dao Progress.

The more powerful the visualized deity, and the taller the building constructed, the deeper the Dao Progress.

Therefore, when people in the Xuan Gate mentioned a High Priest of a certain Orthodox Sect or Dharma Vein, they would refer to their Dao Progress in terms of how many stories high their building was!

Furthermore, martial artists and the Xuan Gate were not mutually exclusive. Some High Priests of the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect were also proficient in Taoist martial arts. However, a person cannot have two hearts, and their energy is limited, preventing them from excelling in both. Thus, there were not many Grandmaster experts.

Some simply abandoned one path. For example, Wang Dao Xuan only had a rough understanding of martial arts. He could deal with one or two ruffians, but against a true martial artist, he could only get beaten.

However, whether martial artist or Xuan Gate practitioner, one thing was clear:

There was no so-called spiritual energy in this world!

No matter how high one's cultivation, they would still die when their time came.

This world emphasized Firm Qi and Malevolent Qi, with many varieties.

For example, various famous mountains and rivers absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, condensing Innate Firmness. Most of these places were scenic, and some even had animals with Dao Progress cultivating within them.

Preserving the Spirit techniques or martial arts Firm Strength were considered acquired Firmness.

The incense and wish power gathered by God Statues in Taoist Temples and temples condensed into Divine Firmness.

Powerful weapons and Buddhist Instruments would also condense Firm Qi.

The other type was Malevolent Qi, which was related to various demons and ghosts.

Of course, there was no inherent good or evil distinction between Firm Qi and Malevolent Qi.

It was righteous when used righteously, and evil when used evilly.

For instance, his Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin Sword Tassel was a type of artifact for suppressing evil and malevolence.

Various techniques, rituals, and even Feng Shui were based on this.

What currently troubled Li Yan was how to Preserve the Spirit.

There were also many types of methods for Preserving the Spirit. As long as one could visualize the deity in their heart, it was possible. However, it was not about random imagination, but rather a reflection of one's inner self.

Through countless years of exploration, the Xuan Gate had developed a set of effective methods.

They would select children who awakened their Yang Six Roots, have them recite Daoist scriptures from a young age, meditate daily, and engrave the ancestral masters or gods they worship deeply into their minds, achieving Preserving the Spirit naturally.

Wang Dao Xuan also passed down his own Daoist methods.

The Daoist method he taught was called the True Scripture of the Western Xuan Cave of Darkness, and the ancestral master worshipped was that three-eyed Daoist wielding a sword, named Celestial Lord Chen who Manifested Might with Profound Qi.

According to the book, this ancestral master came from the mysterious Western Xuan Cave Heaven.

For countless years, people of the Xuan Gate have traveled thousands of miles, discovering all the Innate Firmness spiritual mountains across the Divine Land, which have been passed down as Blessed Grotto-Heavens.

However, due to the passage of time, some can be found, while others have become legends.

Take the Western Xuan Cave Heaven, for example. Some say it's in Jin Prefecture, others say it's in Guanzhong, and some even say it's on the Western Peak Mount Hua. No one knows its exact location, let alone how to find the crucial spiritual apertures of its Feng Shui.

Therefore, Wang Dao Xuan guessed that this legend was likely false.

Many Dharma Veins would give their ancestral masters catchy titles and fantastical legends to promote the Dharma Vein's prestige and facilitate Preserving the Spirit.

Li Yan's difficulty lay here as well.

Adults already had complex minds, and he possessed memories from two lifetimes. It was simply impossible for him to wholeheartedly believe in the existence of a certain deity.

Thus, he had only one path left.

To visualize and preserve his spirit, reflecting the deity of his own heart.

Li Yan now had a plan: to use the divine statue within his Dantian as the target for visualization and Preserving the Spirit.

But this matter was too mysterious, and the risks unknown.

Regarding this miraculous treasure for extending his life, he couldn't discuss it with anyone.

Fortunately, Preserving the Spirit required days of pure thoughts.

Li Yan decided to first follow Wang Dao Xuan into the Lu Family to understand what triggered the reaction of the Substitute Divine Statue, and then return to Li Family Fortress to perform Preserving the Spirit.

By the time they returned to GuShui Village, it was already near dusk.

The Wheat Harvesters in the surrounding fields were still busy. They were sun-darkened and drenched in sweat, but their sickles continued to swing without pause.

Cartloads of wheat were being pulled into the threshing ground.

They had to dry and store it as quickly as possible to avoid sudden rain.

It was a desperate race against time, as intense as a battlefield.

The three of them rode past, and the Wheat Harvesters didn't even have time to look up.

On an open space next to the wheat fields, a simple tent had been set up. Landlord Lu, along with his two concubines, and the steward and guards were all inside.

The summer harvest and rush to gather grain was a major event for any landlord.

Landlord Lu had to personally supervise. Firstly, to prevent the Wheat Harvesters from slacking off, and secondly, to offer rewards at the appropriate time, ensuring a good harvest this year.

However, he was distracted, constantly looking towards the official road.

"Why haven't they arrived yet?"

Hearing his question, the Steward Lu beside him broke out in a cold sweat and quickly lowered his head, saying, "Master instructed not to make a fuss, so I could only find these people. I heard that in the City God Temple of Xianyang City, there is a temple keeper from the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect..."

Landlord Lu's face immediately turned cold. "I know what to do. Are you trying to tell me how to act?"

"You are right, Master."

Steward Lu dared not say anything more, inwardly cursing Sha LiFei.

He knew that this seemingly kind-hearted and generous Landlord Lu could be incredibly ruthless and merciless when angered.

Even the two concubines beside him had fear in their eyes and trembled slightly.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves echoed from a distance.

Seeing Sha LiFei and the other two return, Steward Lu breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly stepped forward, ordered someone to lead the horses and feed them, then leaned close to Sha LiFei and whispered through gritted teeth, "Why did you take so long?"

Li Yan was the one wasting time, but Sha LiFei didn't dare to retort. He chuckled and made up an excuse, "Daoist Priest Wang is busy with important matters. He had to invite many people. Today, a wealthy gentleman from Chang'an also invited him. If not for my face, Sha LiFei..."

Wang Dao Xuan, overhearing this, couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward, saying, "Infinite blessings and longevity. This Daoist priest was delayed by some matters. I hope the layman will not be offended."

Although Wang Dao Xuan's abilities were average, his gaze was clear and upright, making him instantly likable.

Steward Lu was no exception. He quickly replied, "Not at all, Daoist priest. You have worked hard."

Then, he led them towards the cool tent.

Landlord Lu had already stood up. After some pleasantries, he raised his hand and said, "Daoist Priest Wang, you have traveled a long way. I have prepared wine and food. Please."

"Thank you, Layman Lu."

Wang Dao Xuan nodded slightly and walked forward with Landlord Lu.

Li Yan and Sha LiFei were about to follow when Steward Lu stopped them, whispering, "Why are you two following? Come with me to the side courtyard for a meal."

Before Sha LiFei could say anything more, Wang Dao Xuan, who was ahead, turned around and smiled, "Layman Lu, Layman Sha needs to accompany me up the mountain to choose a location. As for this young friend Li, he has already entered the Xuan Gate, making him my junior brother. Could he..."

This was the excuse they had agreed upon on the road.

They were all people of the Jianghu, with many hidden thoughts. This task for the Lu family clearly had other hidden motives, and having two more people would allow them to look out for each other.

Landlord Lu hesitated for a moment. "Very well."

With that, he led everyone into the Lu family mansion.

The outer walls of the Lu family mansion were quite high. From the outside, apart from glimpses of trees and pavilions, it was difficult to see its full glory. But upon entering, one realized it was a world of its own.

With four large courtyards as the central axis, there were also a study hall, a flower garden, a long-term worker's courtyard, and surrounding courtyards. Alleyways connected them all, adorned with exquisite brick and wood carvings.

Even the arrangement of flower pots along the path was meticulously planned.

Sha LiFei's eyes were dazzled, his face full of envy. He clicked his tongue, "As expected of Landlord Lu. If that old thief from the Rong Family Gate came here, he'd get dizzy."

A burly man behind him heard this and his expression immediately soured. He sneered, "With us here, not even a mouse from the Rong Family Gate could get in!"

This man was Zhao Cheng, the current top disciple of the Zhao Family Fist and the leader of the guards.

Their trade, the Guazi trade, was precisely this. Naturally, they were unhappy to hear such words.

Sha LiFei chuckled, "I was just speaking carelessly, please don't take offense."

As they spoke, everyone had already passed through layers of gates and entered a side courtyard. The plaque above read "Orchid Fragrance" (Lan Fang), and servants were busy inside, with the aroma of food and wine wafting through the air.

Landlord Lu spoke, "Esteemed guests, this is the Orchid Fragrance Courtyard, specially prepared for visitors. I have already arranged a banquet to welcome you all."

On the table were eight cold dishes and eight hot dishes, with a mix of meat and vegetarian options.

They weren't particularly extravagant. The cold dishes included mixed pig ears, mixed long beans, mixed cucumbers, spinach with vermicelli, and braised beef, among others. The hot dishes included fried hairtail, braised prawns, braised pork belly, and steamed perch.

However, these were the kinds of dishes served during celebrations for wealthy families.

Sha LiFei was already salivating, but Daoist Priest Wang remained calm. He raised his hand and said, "There's no rush, Landlord Lu. Although this humble Daoist has arrived, I may not dare to eat this meal."

"Perhaps you could tell us first what exactly has happened in your estate?"

"I suspect this is not as simple as choosing a location..."