Wealth, companions, methods, and a place of cultivation.
There was good reason wealth came first.
Refining a single Pill for Cultivating Origin was worth several days of Zhou Yi's cultivation.
By that measure, Zhengyang had cultivated for over a hundred years. Who knew how many pills and Spiritual Objects he had refined for his True Essence to become as vast as the sea?
Zhou Yi sat beside Yan Chixia and heard his senior brother's voice transmission.
"Junior Brother, there is no need to be discouraged. Old Daoist Zhengyang is already one hundred and seventy years old. He is not from the same generation as us."
"Didn't you say that those who exceed their lifespan have to seal their blood and veins? How can Zhengyang still act freely?"
Ku Bu Luohan had told Zhou Yi that both the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao possessed secret methods for extending one's life. Some masters who had exceeded the limits of their lifespan sealed their blood and veins; unless their sect faced a crisis, they could not act lightly.
Some ancient monsters whose lifespan exceeded two hundred years were even like living corpses, able to communicate only through divine sense.
"Do you see the Eight Trigrams Jade Platform beneath Zhengyang? It is one of Laoshan's greatest treasures, capable of stabilizing the body and nourishing the soul. Its mysteries are extraordinary."
Yan Chixia transmitted, "As long as Zhengyang does not leave the Eight Trigrams Jade Platform, he can remain carefree for another thirty years. But once he reaches two hundred, the Five Decays of Heaven and Man will arrive. No Magical Artifact can protect him then."
Zhou Yi asked, "Are there many masters like Zhengyang in the world?"
"What are you thinking? There are only five old fellows like that left, all within the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao."
Yan Chixia sighed. "Fifty years ago, there were still more than a dozen. Unfortunately, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy has grown ever thinner, and their Lifespans could no longer sustain them. They passed away one after another."
Yan Chixia had roamed the world for decades and knew the secrets of every sect and school.
According to him, the Buddhist Sect still had two old monks, one in the open and one in the shadows. Aside from Old Daoist Zhengyang before them, Buddha Dao had Lu Changsheng of the Qingcheng Sect.
Zhou Yi asked doubtfully, "Who is the last one?"
"The last one is your Senior Brother. Two years ago, I had just reached my one hundred and fiftieth year. I went to find you to settle my final affairs, but unexpectedly gained some insight into the mysteries of the primordial spirit and extended my life by several decades."
Yan Chixia's voice transmission carried unmistakable pride. He was not showing off before Zhou Yi, but sharing his joy.
There were countless heroes in the world, yet apart from Yan Chixia, not a single one had extended his life through cultivation.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother. You have taken another step forward on the Great Dao."
Zhou Yi was now certain that Yan Chixia was the Child of Destiny of an era. Otherwise, how could there be such coincidences in the world?
While mingling among mortals, he had picked up a peerless martial arts manual.
After achieving success in martial arts, he had stumbled into the legacy residence of a Qi refiner.
When his lifespan was nearly exhausted, he comprehended the mysteries of the primordial spirit.
Zhou Yi had to admit it—he was jealous...
Yan Chixia laughed heartily and introduced the old woman to Zhou Yi. "You already know Xuan Qingzi and Song Xiaoyi. This is Daoist Friend Jingyue, the master of the abbess of Lingzhu Nunnery on Qingcheng Mountain. Daoist Friend Xuanyue is most skilled in Alchemy. She personally refined that Pill for Cultivating Origin."
Zhou Yi rose and saluted her. "Greetings, Daoist Friend Jingyue. If there is an opportunity in the future, I hope to seek your guidance in Alchemy."
Jingyue said, "There is no need for such courtesy, Daoist Friend. The Dao of pills is profound, and I have only just begun to study it myself. We can exchange insights often in the future."
"Then it is settled. After this discussion of the Dao, I will visit Lingzhu Nunnery and seek instruction in Alchemy."
Zhou Yi knew perfectly well that Jingyue was merely being polite. However, one had to know how to seize an opening. He would learn Alchemy first and worry about everything else afterward.
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy was growing thinner by the day. Cultivators already found their Lifespans insufficient merely for refining Qi, so where would they find the time to study Alchemy?
Thus, although Zhou Yi had met quite a few cultivators, let alone one proficient in Alchemy, he had not encountered even one who knew it.
He had Origin, but no Alchemy.
Jingyue was stunned. She had not expected the renowned Guo Bei Sword Saint and Grand Tutor of Great Jing to care so little for his dignity.
By the time Xuanling arrived at the mountaintop riding the wind, he saw Zhou Yi chatting amiably with several fellow cultivators.
He knew he had lost in speed, but Xuanling was easygoing by nature and did not care about winning or losing. He casually sat cross-legged atop a piece of Greenstone.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhengyang spoke in a clear voice.
"I invited everyone here this time to discuss the mysteries of the Dao, but there is another matter as well—the conflict between the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao."
At this point, Zhengyang seemingly glanced at Zhou Yi by accident before continuing. "Since Pu Du Ci Hang ascended to the position of Imperial Preceptor, the Buddhist Sect has flourished throughout the land. Buddhist disciples have even appeared near Laoshan."
Laoshan was an important holy land of Buddha Dao in Great Jing. It had been inherited and managed for a thousand years. Within a hundred miles, there had not been Buddhist disciples, nor even any martial world gangs.
For Buddhist disciples to dare operate near Laoshan, they had clearly borrowed Pu Du Ci Hang's authority.
Xuanling and Xuanqing belonged to the Laoshan lineage, while Jingyue came from the Qingcheng lineage. Yan Chixia could represent the independent Daoist cultivators. Only Song Xiaoyi of the Lingnan Song Family was involved in the conflict between the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao for some unknown reason.
Xuan Qingzi said coldly, "I thought that after our sect secured the position of Grand Tutor, we could recover some ground. Unfortunately, Heaven did not grant our wish..."
"Hmph. You lacked the strength yourselves, yet you blame others?"
Yan Chixia mocked, "I heard Daoist Friend Guanlan mention it. Who was the fastest to run away?"
Xuan Qingzi's face flushed red. When faced with Pu Du Ci Hang's invincible might, he had been the first to use Lightning Escape and flee.
Zhou Yi was not angered by Xuan Qingzi's mockery. Only losers made impotent clamor. A thought stirred within him—the conflict between the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao might be an opportunity.
He could use this chance to expose Pu Du Ci Hang's true nature and have the Daoist sects of the world attack it together.
Zhou Yi had no obsession with fighting alone. If he could gang up on an enemy, he would never choose a duel.
"Fellow Daoists, do you know that Pu Du Ci Hang is not human, but a demon that has taken human form?"
As soon as Zhou Yi spoke, he indeed drew everyone's interest.
"Pu Du Ci Hang was originally a Centipede Spirit Beast of the Buddhist Sect. Fahong's lifespan was nearing its end, and he plotted to devour Dragon Qi to extend his life, yet feared karmic consequences."
Zhou Yi said, "The Buddhist Sect devised a method of transferring the burden. Pu Du Ci Hang would bear the backlash of fate and extend Fahong's lifespan."
A flash of understanding passed through Xuan Qingzi's eyes. He had remained puzzled about that battle to this day; Ku Bu Luohan's behavior had been far too unusual.
Zhou Yi continued, "If we join forces to kill Pu Du Ci Hang and expose its true form, we can surely strike a heavy blow against the Buddhist Sect and perhaps even leave it unable to recover!"
Yan Chixia clapped and cheered, wishing he could immediately raise his sword and head to the capital to kill Pu Du Ci Hang.
Xuan Qingzi suddenly said, "Has Pu Du Ci Hang already broken with the Buddhist Sect?"
Zhou Yi frowned slightly. "What are you trying to say, Daoist Friend Xuanqing?"
"Since Pu Du Ci Hang has broken with the Buddhist Sect, there will surely be a battle between them in the future."
Xuan Qingzi said, "We need only watch from the sidelines. When two tigers fight, one will be injured and the other killed. We can simply reap the benefits."
"Excellent! This is a fine plan!"
"The Buddhist Sect caused this trouble. Why should Buddha Dao resolve it for them?"
"Pu Du Ci Hang is ultimately weaker. Perhaps we can lend it a little help and let it fight the Buddhist Sect to the death."
"Old Monk Fahong is called the Buddha Reincarnation. Let Pu Du Ci Hang send him on to a true reincarnation!"
"Haha! Once Fahong enters nirvana, won't the Buddhist Sect be left barely able to stand?"
Several Daoist True Men, speaking one after another, were actually planning to help Pu Du Ci Hang deal with the Buddhist Sect.
"Senior Zhengyang, Pu Du Ci Hang has not only devoured Dragon Qi, but also brought disaster upon the common people. If you do this, would it not plunge the world into chaos?"
Zhou Yi considered himself no good man, but he still could not bring himself to slaughter the innocent indiscriminately.
These Daoist True Men, immortals in mortal eyes, no longer cared about Pu Du Ci Hang's evil because of the conflict between the Buddhist Sect and Buddha Dao.
They fought for sectarian conflict alone, wholly unconcerned with right or wrong.
Yan Chixia was much more direct, opening his mouth to curse.
"Zhengyang, you old bastard!"
"Take your grandpa's sword!"
Before you continue