Shu Dao Ren

When Luo Qing stepped out of the grotto-heaven and reappeared within the entrance formation, he immediately discovered dozens of Immortals and Gods ambushing him outside the formation.

Having anticipated the trap ahead, Luo Qing obviously wouldn't be foolish enough to fall right into it.

A cold smirk played on Luo Qing's lips as he directly activated the mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Feng Ling Pearl, which he had recently acquired.

It possessed the ability to suppress all winds. While it couldn't completely eliminate the Golden Immortal-level wind blades of the formation, it greatly reduced their power.

Luo Qing emerged with ease.

Since those outside were ambushing him, Luo Qing naturally wouldn't show any mercy.

As soon as he exited the formation, the Five Elements Spiritual Ring on his body whistled and unleashed four spiritual lights, sweeping towards Cangyun Mountain and Wangyue Immortal City.

The many Mystic Gods and Mystic Immortals of the two major powers, along with ten Golden Immortals and Gold Gods, were already poised and ready to set up a formation to ambush anyone emerging.

They never expected that before they could even make a move, they would be the first to suffer an attack from a Spiritual Treasure.

The might of an Innate Spiritual Treasure was immense; not just anyone could withstand it.

Before a few Golden Immortals could even react, the four Innate Spiritual Rings had already circled through the crowd and returned to Luo Qing's side.

"Innate Spiritual Treasure!"

This was everyone's first thought.

Then, except for the ten Golden Immortal and Gold God powerhouses, the remaining group of Mystic Gods and Mystic Immortals, as soon as this thought arose, their bodies turned to ash.

Dozens of Mystic Immortal Gods were instantly annihilated by Luo Qing.

However, such a display of power did not frighten the remaining ten.

"Kill him and seize the treasure!"

"Kill!"

The Spiritual Treasure was right before them; who could escape greediness?

The ten men simultaneously surrounded and attacked Luo Qing.

Facing the ten, Luo Qing shook his head.

These Golden Immortals and Gold Gods clearly lacked experience fighting opponents who wielded Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Did they think they would be much stronger than Mystic Immortals and Mystic Gods when facing an Innate Spiritual Treasure?

"Ignorant fools!"

Luo Qing spoke indifferently. The four Innate Spiritual Rings of Metal, Wood, Water, and Earth flashed with spiritual light, unleashing their power once more and striking towards the ten.

Facing the attack of the Innate Spiritual Treasures, these Gods and Golden Immortals had already summoned top-grade defensive treasured artifacts or low-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasures.

Unfortunately, facing the attack of the four Innate Spiritual Rings, these defensive measures were as fragile as dirt and rubble.

In just one round, six Golden Immortals and Gold Gods with weaker strength were slaughtered.

"Not good, escape!"

In the blink of an eye, six out of ten were gone. The two mid-stage Golden Immortal Cloud Fire Gods and the Gold God Feng Lingzi's faces turned deathly pale.

They no longer cared about seizing the treasure and turned to flee.

But where would Luo Qing give them a chance to escape?

The Five Elements Spiritual Rings vibrated and hummed in unison, and the space within a ten-mile radius instantly felt as if it had solidified.

"Freeze!"

The four Golden Immortal Gods were pinned in mid-air.

Luo Qing's hand shot out the Innate Crimson Fire, burning the four Golden Immortal Gods to ashes one by one.

It was at this moment that Shu Dao Ren happened to escape from the formation and witnessed the last person being burned to ashes by Luo Qing.

Could the time flow in this grotto-heaven be different from the outside world? Is it one day in the grotto-heaven and one year outside? Otherwise, how could ten Golden Immortals and dozens of Mystic Immortals be slaughtered in just a few breaths' time!

This thought flashed through Shu Dao Ren's mind.

After completely annihilating the last Golden Immortal, Luo Qing turned his head and looked at Shu Dao Ren, who had just appeared.

The coldness in Luo Qing's eyes sent a shiver through Shu Dao Ren, and his face immediately turned pale.

He hastily shouted, "Fellow Daoist, spare me! I have no hostility towards you!"

As he spoke, Shu Dao Ren waved his sleeve, and a large pile of spiritual materials flashing with spiritual light appeared on the ground.

"These are the spiritual materials I picked up in this grotto-heaven. They should belong to you, Fellow Daoist. I am returning them to you now!"

Luo Qing looked at Shu Dao Ren before him with some amusement.

He had noticed this person earlier within the grotto-heaven, but Shu Dao Ren had not hindered him.

Luo Qing had therefore not troubled him.

Luo Qing was not someone who would kill indiscriminately or exterminate humanity; as long as they did not obstruct his path, he would not casually attack or kill others.

He glanced at the spiritual materials on the ground, but Luo Qing paid them no mind; there were no true treasures among them.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need for that! We've met by chance, and we have no enmity. Why would I kill you!" Luo Qing said with a smile.

Seeing that Luo Qing genuinely showed no killing intent, Shu Dao Ren breathed a sigh of relief.

If this murderous fiend really intended to kill him, he would be in grave danger!

"This humble one is a rogue cultivator, known as Shu Dao Ren. May I ask how this Daoist friend is addressed?"

"Rogue cultivator, Luo Qing!"

Luo Qing thought for a moment before revealing his true name.

A few hours later, outside Strange Wind Canyon.

Luo Qing watched Shu Dao Ren's departing back, lost in thought.

"Shu Dao Ren? Interesting. The first rat born after the creation of the heavens."

When he encountered Shu Dao Ren, Luo Qing had immediately seen through the latter's origins.

In fact, Luo Qing didn't make things difficult for Shu Dao Ren.

Besides not wanting to engage in pointless slaughter, Luo Qing felt he might not be able to kill Shu Dao Ren.

Luo Qing had entered the cave-heaven formation, which even ten Golden Immortals couldn't breach, protected by five Spiritual Treasures.

What had allowed Shu Dao Ren, a mere Golden Immortal, to enter?

A moment's thought revealed that Shu Dao Ren was also unfathomable.

He cast Shu Dao Ren's issue aside.

He recalled the intelligence about the Western Continent that he had exchanged with Shu Dao Ren.

The flourishing Immortal Path and the widespread immortal cities had indeed surprised Luo Qing a little.

However, if the Immortal Path was so prosperous on the Western Continent, how did it later devolve into the demonic influence of the West!

This point puzzled Luo Qing. Could Luohu alone have transformed the Western Immortal Path into the Demonic Path?

This made Luo Qing extremely vigilant.

If Luohu could reverse the great trend of the West single-handedly, then this demon's methods were too powerful.

Luo Qing would have to tread carefully on the Western Continent.

He muttered, "Falling Spirit Mountain!"

Luo Qing had already decided on his first foothold on the Western Continent.

The Western Continent was also vast and boundless. Relying solely on Luo Qing's Golden Immortal cultivation to travel, it would likely take over a thousand years to cross.

And according to the intelligence from Shu Dao Ren, Falling Spirit Mountain was a core mountain range in the surrounding area of tens of millions of miles.

The largest immortal city in this region was also located on this mountain.

It was the place where rogue cultivators of the Immortal Path in the vicinity exchanged information most frequently.

One of Luo Qing's purposes for this trip was to witness various spiritual items and Magic Treasures, enriching the experience and accumulation of the Eye of the Great Dao.

Another was to learn from the cultivation techniques of other Immortal Path cultivators and practice them.

And perhaps improve his cultivation level along the way.

Three thousand years later!

On a debating mountain peak beside the main vein of Falling Spirit Mountain.

A fire-attributed Golden Immortal sat on a high platform, expounding on his understanding of the Great Dao of Fire and the crucial points of cultivation.

Luo Qing, along with some other Golden Immortals and Mystic Immortals, sat below, earnestly listening to the speaker expound the Dharma.

Being both Golden Immortals, and both fire-attributed.

Luo Qing didn't necessarily have to follow the other party's path, but many principles were worth learning from.

Since arriving at Falling Spirit Mountain, Luo Qing had frequently engaged in discussions and exchanges with other Immortal Path cultivators on the mountain.

After the lecture ended, several Golden Immortals warmly gathered around Luo Qing.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, it's a pleasure. I have the main trunk of a Primordial Spirit Tree here. I wonder if you could help me forge a Spiritual Treasure?"

"Fellow Daoist Luo, I have a piece of Five-Colored Immortal Crystal here. What do you think..."

Luo Qing looked at the surrounding Golden Immortals with a wry smile.

Ever since he displayed his extraordinary artifact forging skills, Golden Immortals had been constantly seeking him out to forge Spiritual Treasures.

Luo Qing accepted all requests, and over these three thousand years, he had accumulated a considerable amount of artifact forging materials.

Furthermore, he had established a great reputation on Falling Spirit Mountain.

However, Luo Qing now had an urgent matter at hand and could not accept their requests.

"Fellow Daoists, this humble one has gained some insights from listening to the Dharma and plans to go into seclusion for a period of cultivation. Therefore, I cannot forge treasures for you!" Luo Qing said politely.

"What a pity. Then I wish you great progress in your cultivation!"

"Fellow Daoist, don't forget to lecture again after you come out of seclusion!"

The Golden Immortals were quite regretful upon hearing Luo Qing's response.

After bidding farewell to the Golden Immortals, Luo Qing made his way to a hidden valley within Falling Spirit Mountain.

Falling Spirit Mountain was vast and boundless, with only the vicinity of the main vein having Falling Spirit Immortal City for Immortals to discuss the Dao and exchange knowledge.

After all, cultivation was a secret matter, most susceptible to disturbance.

As such, most Immortals and Gods carved out their own hidden Cave Mansions within Falling Spirit Mountain.

Luo Qing was no exception; his Cave Mansion was a hundred thousand miles away from the main vein of Falling Spirit Mountain, making it quite secluded.

What Luo Qing had told the Golden Immortals earlier was not an intentional excuse; he genuinely intended to go into seclusion.

Over the past three thousand years, he had frequently exchanged Dao discussions with other Immortal Path Golden Immortals.

Luo Qing had not only refined some of his own Immortal Path cultivation methods.

He had also made significant progress in the Dao of Artifact Forging.

The Netherworld Ghost Willow he had obtained from the refuge cave-heaven of the Wind Spirit Clan was still sealed.

This time, Luo Qing was well-prepared and intended to forge a spatial Acquired Spiritual Treasure to house the Netherworld Ghost Willow.

"The Five Elements Great Dao is the cornerstone of all things. Similarly, the Five Elements should be able to manifest all things and create blessed lands and paradises."

Luo Qing muttered to himself.

He was most familiar with the Five Elements, so he decided to start with materials related to them.

A large pile of Five Elements materials, divided into five categories, was then refined by Luo Qing.

This was the longest time Luo Qing had ever spent forging a Magic Treasure.

It took a full ten years before a perfectly round Five-Colored Divine Pearl finally appeared in Luo Qing's hand.

Looking at the five-colored divine pearl before him, satisfaction gleamed in Luo Qing's eyes.

This pearl could be considered his current magnum opus.

[Five-Colored Divine Pearl]

Quality: Mid-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure

Description: A peak mid-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure containing 18 Acquired Restrictions. Based on the Five Elements, it manifests space and nurtures a small blessed land within!

Luo Qing's divine sense swept over it, and he understood the thousand-mile radius within the Five-Colored Divine Pearl like the back of his hand.

Even more precious was that the space within the divine pearl had naturally generated spiritual energy, and under the earth lay a spiritual root of the earth vein.

This was the difference between a blessed land and a mere spatial rift.

Within a blessed land or cave-heaven, the earth's spiritual root generated naturally, capable of nurturing all things on its own.

"With this blessed land, it was worth the wasted Five Elements spiritual materials!"

Luo Qing exclaimed. The spiritual materials used in this forging could have been enough to craft over a dozen Acquired Spiritual Treasures.

However, this was also due to Luo Qing's high expectations for this divine pearl.

Currently, his cultivation was insufficient, allowing him only to forge a small blessed land.

But Luo Qing yearned for the day when this divine pearl could birth a cave-heaven, or even a small world.

Thus, he had expended great effort to lay a solid foundation for this treasure.

After transplanting the superior-grade Innate Spiritual Root, the Netherworld Ghost Willow, into the Five-Colored Divine Pearl.

Luo Qing then placed the Netherworld Profound Tiger's divine egg embryo beneath the ghost willow tree.

Allowing the Netherworld Ghost Willow to continue nurturing this divine fetus.

"The spiritual energy and earth veins in the small blessed land are still somewhat insufficient. It can only sustain the Netherworld Ghost Willow but cannot nourish its origin."

Luo Qing felt a hint of regret, but this was all he could do for now.

He couldn't stay in one place for too long, nor could he frequently move the Netherworld Ghost Willow.

For now, he could only let the spiritual root endure this temporary inconvenience.

With the troubles in his heart resolved, Luo Qing finally began his formal cultivation seclusion.

Instantly, infinite laws of fire began to surge in the area where Luo Qing was in seclusion.

Having witnessed more Golden Immortals and exchanged Dao techniques, Luo Qing had gained a deeper understanding of the Great Dao of Fire.

His cultivation speed began to accelerate significantly.

Not long after Luo Qing entered seclusion.

In Falling Spirit Immortal City at the center of Falling Spirit Mountain, five Golden Immortal cultivators gathered on a remote hilltop.

A red-faced Golden Immortal said with a grim expression, "We're a step too late; Fellow Daoist Luo has entered seclusion early."

"Did he discover our plans and hide?" a Golden Immortal with a single horn on his head asked doubtfully.

"Impossible. It's likely just normal seclusion."

We might as well wait for him here. After he comes out of seclusion, he'll definitely come to the Immortal City.

That's all we can do! Alas, if it weren't so difficult for Golden Immortals to cultivate, we wouldn't have to rob an Artifact Forging Grandmaster.

Heh! That fellow Daoist Luo has been in the Immortal City for a thousand years refining artifacts, and he's accumulated a considerable fortune. Even if the five of us split it, it should be enough for us to advance further.

Then let's wait!

There are quite a few Golden Immortal deities in seclusion in Falling Spirit Mountain, and not all of them advocate for peaceful cultivation.

Luo Qing frequently forged Acquired Spiritual Treasures for others, which naturally attracted the covetous gaze of others.