Three Teachings, Qi Refiners, Heavenly Tribulation

Three Teachings, Qi Refiners, Heavenly Tribulation

Although they had gotten off to a bad start and been played by the Dragon Palace from the outset, the people of Du Xian Sect had consequently become more cautious.

Li Changshou felt somewhat relieved by this, though he himself did not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

As the number of people around them gradually increased, Li Changshou grew somewhat uncomfortable in such an environment. Especially when strangers stood nearby in several directions, he had to remain constantly alert to every rustle of wind and grass around him.

He secretly cast the Wind Whisper Spell.

Wherever the breeze passed, it carried wisps of information back to Li Changshou, while his mind processed those messages in orderly fashion.

Using spiritual sense to investigate others was equivalent to staring at them with one's gaze. If the other party was alert enough, they would sense it.

That counted as "active investigation."

When using the Wind Whisper Spell, aside from transmitting one's voice to someone locked onto by spiritual sense, one could also receive information from the surroundings on one's own.

Li Changshou called this "passive investigation." Its advantage was that it did not consume the power of the soul; its drawback was that all kinds of information surged in at once, requiring constant mental effort to analyze.

Long ago, Li Changshou had consciously trained his powers of observation, perseverance, and concentration.

In this state, most Return to Dao Qi Refiners at his level would be unable to help getting distracted after a few hours, relaxing their surveillance of the surroundings.

Yet when Li Changshou used the Wind Whisper Spell to monitor his surroundings, he could already keep it up for several hundred hours without pause!

Though...

There was indeed something rather bleak about accidentally turning a perfectly good immortal-cultivation life into that of a "Humanoid Surveillance Machine"...

But at least it gave him greater peace of mind.

Because he monitored every direction with the Wind Whisper Spell, Li Changshou could also hear the chatter and laughter of countless Qi Refiners, picking up many interesting little tidbits from it.

The True Immortals present mostly discussed this assembly and the main platform above, where Celestial Immortals had gathered.

Most True Immortals cared about what agreements would be reached with the Dragon Palace on this trip, how the borders of the Eastern Sea would be divided, and whether Human Race Qi Refiners would face difficulties from the Dragon Clan when they came to the Eastern Sea in the future.

Among the young disciples, however, the words "heavenly tribulation" were always part of the discussion.

Most Qi Refiners feared heavenly tribulations because they were incomparably dangerous trials that no one could avoid.

—Of course, if one stopped cultivating, or became stuck at a bottleneck in any of the realms of Qi Refining, Spirit Return, Void Return, or Return to Dao and could not break through, then one would not need to face a heavenly tribulation.

The vast majority of Qi Refiners in Du Xian Sect, so long as they did not go mad from cultivating, had a chance to face a heavenly tribulation.

That was because Du Xian Sect counted as a renowned immortal sect in the Eastern Continent. Ordinary Human Race members with mediocre aptitude found it difficult to enter; moreover, its lineage was complete, its cultivation techniques profound, its internal systems sound, and its benefits excellent.

Other immortal sects were not necessarily so fortunate.

Looking across the Primordial Wilderness and the Three Thousand Worlds, ninety percent of the Human Race lacked the aptitude to cultivate into immortals, while ninety-five percent of the Human Race were mortals.

Among Qi Refiners, due to limitations in aptitude and incomplete cultivation techniques, roughly ninety percent could not reach the Heavenly Tribulation for Becoming an Immortal.

And among those who finally faced the Immortal Ascension Tribulation, only ten to twenty percent survived...

Calculated this way, it seemed the Human Race did not have many immortals.

But that was not actually the case. At this time, the number of Human Race immortals had already crushed the combined total of the immortals of both races during the flourishing age of the Wu Tribe and Demon Race!

There was no helping it—the Human Race was simply too good at reproducing... Ahem, the Human Race's population base was simply too vast.

Having extensively read ancient books, Li Changshou had summed up the three major factors behind the Human Race's rapid rise during the latter stages of the War of the Ancients, when they defeated the Wu Tribe and Demon Race:

First, the Innate Dao Body bestowed by the great goddess Nuwa.

Second, their speed of reproduction and extraordinarily strong adaptability to their environment.

Third, the cohesion and centripetal force fostered by the Human Race's Ancient Sages.

Li Changshou did not particularly believe claims such as "the Heavenly Dao caused the Human Race to flourish."

How could the impartial and selfless Heavenly Dao favor any one race?

The Heavenly Dao calculated the changes of all things between heaven and earth and foresaw the flourishing of the Human Race early on. It was more like a "prophecy," not some destiny ordained for the Human Race.

The claim that "the Human Race flourished by relying on the Daoist Sect's Three Teachings" was even more laughable.

Clearly, it was only after the Human Race began to rise that the three patriarchs of the Daoist Sect established the Three Teachings in order to use Human Race Destiny to prove their Dao, thereby gaining boundless merit.

Though it was somewhat improper for a Daoist Sect disciple to judge them this way, Li Changshou had always felt that the three Saint Lords of the Daoist Sect had benefited from the Human Race, yet had never done much practical work for them.

Human Teaching bore the name "human," yet Taiqing Lord had only accepted Grand Master Xuandu, a member of the first generation of the Human Race, as his disciple. The origins of Du Xian Sect's founding patriarch, True Lord Du'e, were unclear; he was likely neither Human Race nor a direct heir of the Grand Pure One.

And Grand Pure One Laozi had not yet gone to the Mortal World of the Human Race to pass down the Classic of Morality.

That was also why Li Changshou absolutely dared not contemplate those classic passages of the Classic of Morality that he had memorized!

Chan Teaching was fairly decent. Venerable Celestial of Primordial Beginning had accepted quite a few members of the first generation of the Human Race as disciples. These Chan Teaching disciples founded sects throughout the Central Divine Continent and spread Cultivation Methods among the Human Race's Qi Refiners.

But Jie Teaching was somewhat excessive...

Lord Tongtian had practically taken Human Race Destiny to subsidize other races. Few of the disciples beneath his seat were Human Race. What he had done could truly be called rather unfair.

For the Human Race, the Daoist Sect's Three Teachings were the foundation upon which they established their teachings. For the Daoist Sect's Three Teachings, the Human Race was merely icing on the cake—an extra safeguard added to the prosperity of the Human Race.

The Primordial Wilderness was filled to the brim with schemes.

The truly influential figures who had contributed to the rise of the Human Race were either living leisurely retired lives in Huoyun Cave or had long since reentered reincarnation.

If he voiced these thoughts, he would certainly be condemned as "departing from the classics and betraying the Dao." Li Changshou merely thought them over casually in his heart and would not tell anyone these theories.

For example, when teaching Ling'e, Li Changshou only instructed her on how not to become entangled in karma, how to flee for her life in emergencies, and how to cultivate the fine trait of Righteousness that reaches the heavens: one person bearing responsibility for one's own actions, and absolutely never dragging Senior Brother into trouble when something went wrong...

Ling'e's aptitude was actually quite good. She possessed the potential to become an immortal seedling and was fairly diligent herself.

Li Changshou had always felt that the constitution for cultivating immortality might be a kind of recessive inheritance.

Even if one's ancestors for eighty generations had all been mortals, a cultivation prodigy stunning the world could still emerge. Ling'e was such a case.

Li Changshou sat quietly for a while, then heard another highly interesting topic...

The success rate of Human Race Qi Refiners undergoing tribulation.

This could not be generalized. Different lineages had vastly different probabilities of their disciples successfully surviving tribulations.

For the greatest number of Qi Refiners, those not descended from the Three Teachings Lineage, there were no superior cultivation methods and no protection from the destiny of the Three Teachings. Of ten people undergoing tribulation, often only one survived.

As for Qi Refiners of the Three Teachings Lineage, so long as nothing went wrong, the survival rate beneath heavenly tribulation for Chan Teaching and Human Teaching Qi Refiners could reach fifty, even sixty percent.

It was worth mentioning that the average survival rate under heavenly tribulations for the Three Teachings Lineage could only barely reach thirty percent, because Jie Teaching dragged that number down considerably.

Chan Teaching practiced "selecting the best for entry." Its disciples had a relatively high rate of immortal ascension, and its lineages were moderate in number.

Human Teaching practiced "non-action and following fate." Its disciples had a moderate rate of immortal ascension, but the Grand Pure Sage disliked accepting disciples, so its lineages were extremely few.

Jie Teaching practiced "Education Without Discrimination." Its disciples were a mixed lot of humans, demons, and spirits; their survival rate was left to fate, whether they became immortals depended entirely on their faces, and its lineages were spread widely throughout the Three Thousand Worlds...

This meant that no matter how profound the Dao methods of the Three Teachings were, how flourishing their destiny was, or how capable the Saint Lords' Innate Supreme Treasures were at Suppressing the Destiny of Teachings, they could not completely raise the rate of immortal ascension.

What was more, Lord Tongtian, that Saint Lord, did not possess a supreme treasure capable of Suppressing the Destiny of Teachings. What he controlled were the Four Swords of Zhu Xian, terrifying weapons of slaughter.

Thus, Li Changshou had always carried immense gratitude toward his master for bringing him into the Human Teaching lineage...

"Little Changshou, come over here."

Martial Uncle Jiu Jiu suddenly transmitted her voice. Li Changshou immediately diverted a thread of his mind and looked toward Martial Uncle Jiu, who was waving at him.

Li Changshou gave his martial uncle a slight shake of the head, indicating that he did not want to move.

Jiu Jiu glared at him, her eyes filled with threat.

Li Changshou pretended not to see it and continued to feign closed-eyed meditation, maintaining the Wind Whisper Spell.

Before long, Jiu Jiu walked over with a smile and sat behind Li Changshou's low table.

Jiu Jiu asked softly, "Martial Nephew Changshou, did you bring any of those fun little things of yours?"

"No," Li Changshou replied through voice transmission. "Those are reserved items of Lesser Qiong Peak. That means they cannot be taken out of Lesser Qiong Peak."

Jiu Jiu's little face immediately fell, but she still maintained a dignified sitting posture as she complained through voice transmission.

"So boring. This kind of assignment is the most torturous. We have to wait here another two or three days before the assembly officially begins...

"And Master is up there, so I can't even sneak away."

Li Changshou smiled faintly, considering how to get his little martial uncle back to her own seat as soon as possible.

Being this conspicuous was truly not good.

He took a wooden six-colored cube from his sleeve and lightly slid it around in his hands. The carefully polished blocks felt quite pleasant as they moved, quickly drawing Jiu Jiu's attention...

"What is that?"

Li Changshou paused, showing her the cube's currently jumbled colors. Then his hands flew, and in less than two breaths, he restored the cube.

Jiu Jiu's eyes immediately lit up.

Li Changshou scrambled the cube again and set it beside him, transmitting one sentence: "Don't give it to anyone else."

"Mm, don't worry. This martial uncle understands all your rules!"

Jiu Jiu immediately agreed. Picking up the cube, she lowered her head and began trying it out. Before long, she was fully absorbed in it, slowly rose to her feet, and returned to her low table.

At last, peace had returned.

Li Changshou continued acting as an unnoticed Humanoid Surveillance Machine, waiting for the Demon-Quelling Assembly to end.

Half a day later, nearly all the immortal sects invited to the banquet had arrived. The Water Lotus Terrace was filled with handsome men and beautiful women. If one had nothing better to do, merely sweeping one's gaze around was quite pleasing to the eye.

Suddenly, gongs and drums sounded, and a bank of white clouds drifted through the air. Upon it sat several dozen "sea folk" wearing purple and red robes. The Dragon Palace had sent a large undersea musical troupe.

One saw:

The Clam Maiden caressed her zither, pearls artfully held within; mermen sang softly, stirring the guests' hearts.

Flood dragons played flutes, shrimp beat drums; turtle immortals blew horns, crabs struck gongs.

Below, graceful sea maidens dressed in cool, sheer skirts approached with measured steps, dancing lightly across the spacious venue.

Their dance was graceful; their fluttering sleeves scattered fragrance.

The two-day grand Dragon Palace cultural performance officially began...

Li Changshou did not let it distract him, but more than half the idle chatter around him faded away. Most people were watching the songs and dances in the venue, leaving him with much less information to process.

It would be wonderful if the next few days remained this peaceful and uneventful.

Li Changshou prayed so inwardly, while also analyzing the possible troubles he might encounter.

Sparring would probably have nothing to do with him. In everyone's eyes, he was still only at the second stage of Void Return; he could not take the stage on such an occasion.

Then there should be nothing involving young disciples.

Unless...

Hm? Poisonous Junior Sister had stood up. She was even carrying her Meditation Cushion and wearing her Greatsword on her back as she headed in his direction.

This...

They had neither grievance nor grudge. Why did she have to press him so aggressively?

Youqin Xuanya had only taken two steps when Li Changshou's somewhat helpless voice transmission entered her ears.

"Sorry, Junior Sister Youqin. I would like to rest alone."

It was better to refuse her. He should not let her entertain any hopes.

Youqin Xuanya paused slightly two zhang away and looked up at Li Changshou, but her Meditation Cushion had already been placed beside a female True Immortal.

That female True Immortal smiled and said, "Come, Xiaoya. Take a look at a song I've written recently and tell me what you think."

"Yes, Martial Uncle...

"Senior Brother Changshou, are you feeling unwell?"

Youqin Xuanya asked softly, her beautiful eyes full of concern.

Li Changshou calmly shook his head, made an inviting gesture, and closed his eyes to meditate with a smile.

That was... a little awkward.

But it was a good thing that this junior sister had not come over and drawn attention to him.

Li Changshou had already sensed that the moment Poisonous Junior Sister stood up, quite a few gazes in the vicinity had converged upon Du Xian Sect's area.

Though they were all Qi Refiners, Youqin Xuanya's bearing, appearance, and figure were simply too outstanding. It was difficult for her not to attract attention.

If someone wanted to marry her, it would be more reassuring to fatten her up a little first.

—A conscientious suggestion from her fellow sect senior brother, Li Changshou.

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