Arrival at Green Ink Peak

If Green Ink Peak had these talismans, not only would it never have declined, it would have utterly crushed Cinnabar Clouds Peak.

Then how had Green Ink Peak fallen into decline?

Who cared? What did Green Ink Peak's decline have to do with him?

With these talismans, he could definitely rise in the cultivation world.

Shaking off those thoughts, Xu Changshou took a few steps forward. The small characters on the stone door ahead came into view: "Great Dao Talisman Scripture."

Xu Changshou examined them. This was a cultivation method that achieved the same ingenious results as the Ten Paths Formula by a different route. Only someone with a ten-element mixed spiritual root could cultivate it.

In addition, this method included special ways of circulating spiritual energy, with pathways specifically designed for drawing talismans.

Having already cultivated the Ten Paths Formula, Xu Changshou could move straight on to the Great Dao Talisman Scripture without any incompatibility.

Xu Changshou decided to switch to the Great Dao Talisman Scripture because it was more comprehensive and could take him all the way to the pinnacle of foundation establishment.

Until he reached foundation establishment perfection, he would not have to worry about cultivation methods.

Xu Changshou even suspected that a continuation of the cultivation method lay behind the second stone door.

At that thought, Xu Changshou reached out to push the second stone door.

Unfortunately, despite using all his strength, he could not budge it.

The small characters on the stone door moved instead, floating out one by one and entering Xu Changshou's mind.

Just like that, the cultivation method of the Great Dao Talisman Scripture was imprinted in Xu Changshou's mind.

Looking at the talismans covering the walls, Xu Changshou willed himself back to reality.

He could not thoroughly study so many talismans overnight. He could take his time studying them later.

After coming out, Xu Changshou glanced at his palm. The character for "talisman" had disappeared, but when he circulated spiritual energy into his palm, it instantly appeared.

After pressing his palm against his forehead, Xu Changshou once again entered the chamber beyond the stone door.

Only after several consecutive tests confirmed that he could enter whenever he wished did Xu Changshou finally feel completely at ease.

He knew that only his consciousness entered the stone door; his body remained in the outside world.

Therefore, whenever he entered the stone door in the future, he had to be somewhere safe.

In excellent spirits, Xu Changshou casually pushed open his room's door.

The sound startled Jiang Xiaochuan next door, and he came running over as if flying.

"Hahaha! Junior Brother Xu, you're finally out of seclusion!"

"Who are you calling Junior Brother Xu?"

"You, you, you..."

Jiang Xiaochuan's mouth fell wide open. "Impossible! Impossible! You've broken through to the seventh level of qi refining?"

Xu Changshou smiled. "Junior Brother Jiang, why couldn't I have broken through?"

"Uh..."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked utterly disappointed. He had thought he could finally enjoy being Xu Changshou's senior brother for once, only to discover that Xu Changshou had broken through too.

Since Xu Changshou had also broken through, Jiang Xiaochuan still had to call him senior brother, because Xu Changshou was older.

Among cultivators at the same level, whoever was older was the senior brother.

Upon learning that Xu Changshou had emerged from seclusion, Ye Shanhua and the others all came to congratulate him.

"Congratulations, congratulations! Congratulations, Junior Brother Xu!"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu!"

"Hehe, Senior Brother Xu has broken through too. Our senior brother is still our senior brother."

Xu Changshou felt sheepish. Fortunately, he had prepared for this, or he would not have kept his position as senior brother.

Jiang Xiaochuan gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew Xu Changshou had only just broken through to the seventh level of qi refining before coming out of seclusion.

Before Xu Changshou's breakthrough, Jiang Xiaochuan had had a chance to be the senior brother. But Xu Changshou had cheated by simply refusing to come out.

"Senior Brother Xu, next time I'll definitely break through to the eighth layer of qi refining before you. You won't get out of calling me senior brother!"

Jiang Xiaochuan ground his teeth as he spoke.

He was younger than Xu Changshou and had begun cultivating later, but he had already caught up from behind. Naturally, he was confident that he could break through to the eighth layer of qi refining faster than Xu Changshou.

"That's not necessarily so!"

Xu Changshou smiled and shook his head.

Now that he had a trump card, he spoke with considerable confidence.

"We'll wait and see."

"Hehe!"

A few more days passed in the blink of an eye.

They were told to report to their respective peaks in three days.

The news left everyone both excited and sad.

After spending three years at Reserve Beauty Peak, they had grown attached to one another. Now that they were told to leave, they were all reluctant to part.

On the night before their departure.

Gengzi Courtyard blazed with lights, and the scent of wine rose into the sky.

"Senior Sister Ye, a toast to you. Once I join Cinnabar Clouds Peak, I'll be relying on you a lot."

"Hahaha! Don't worry. Your senior sister will look after you."

"Senior Brother Xu, cheers!"

"Drink, drink! We're leaving tomorrow. I, I... forget it. Everything I want to say is in this wine."

"Come on, let's all drink a toast. May everyone's future be as splendid as brocade."

"Senior Brother Xu, I can't bear to part with you. Boohoo..."

"Senior Sister Ye, actually, I..."

"Shut up and drink!"

That night, the young men and women drank a great deal of wine and said a great many things.

They all agreed that they would support one another in the sect in the days to come.

These innocent young men and women knew nothing of the cultivation world's schemes and deceit, nor of the dangers lurking in the Immortal Forest.

Years later, after truly entering the cultivation world, they would all find themselves lamenting how young and ignorant they had been.

At daybreak the next morning.

They waved goodbye through their tears and set off toward their separate futures.

Xu Changshou boarded the Public Flying Boat and soon arrived at Green Ink Peak.

Green Ink Peak was lush and verdant, covered year-round in dark green vegetation. Its name and its scenery complemented each other perfectly.

Unlike those of the other peaks, Green Ink Peak's cultivators did not live on the mountain, but in an enormous valley at its foot.

The reason was simple: this valley lay above a spiritual vein, making its spiritual energy richer than that on the peak.

Thus, Green Ink Peak's people had chosen to live in the valley.

Looking down from the flying boat, he saw dozens of courtyard compounds scattered throughout the enormous valley.

Most were deserted; only a dozen or so were inhabited.

The flying boat descended, slowly landing beside a pavilion in the valley.

A burly, scruffy-bearded man stood inside the pavilion. His Daoist robe was half unfastened at the chest, exposing a thick patch of dark chest hair.

The man's face looked haggard, numb, and pale, as though he had spent years indulging excessively in lust.

Who knew how long it had been since his filthy Daoist robe had been washed?

Another look revealed his cultivation: the tenth layer of qi refining.

Seeing Xu Changshou jump off the flying boat, the burly man asked wearily, "Are you Junior Brother Xu Changshou?"

"That's me. May I ask your name, Senior Brother?" Xu Changshou respectfully cupped his hands.

"This humble Daoist is Yang Bailao."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Yang."

"Come with me!"

"Yes!"

Xu Changshou followed Yang Bailao into the valley, keeping close behind him.

On the way, Yang Bailao cautioned him, "Junior Brother Xu, I'm taking you to see Martial Uncle Li Dao Path. Remember to watch your words and actions when you meet him."

"Yes!"

Just as they entered the valley, they encountered a thin, gaunt middle-aged man. He had a cultivation of the twelfth layer of qi refining and looked hurried, his face weary and haggard.

Seeing Yang Bailao approach with Xu Changshou, he greeted them woodenly. "Junior Brother Yang, is this this year's newcomer?"

"Yes, his name is Xu Changshou. Junior Brother Xu, this is Senior Brother Niu Kunlun. Hurry and greet Senior Brother Niu." Yang Bailao tugged at the hem of Xu Changshou's robe.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Niu," Xu Changshou said, cupping his hands.

"Mm!"

Niu Kunlun nodded by way of greeting, then said, "Come to think of it, Green Ink Peak hasn't had a newcomer in nine years. It hasn't been easy. Junior Brother Xu, getting into Green Ink Peak makes you really... uh... really lucky."

"Yes."

"I still have something to do. I'll be going."

"Goodbye, Senior Brother Niu."