Gu Zhao did not stay in Taishang Laojun Pavilion to chat with Daoist Yansong. Instead, he pulled him out of the pavilion and into a relatively secluded patch of woods nearby.
"What are we doing?" Daoist Yansong asked curiously. "What can't be said upstairs that we have to come here for?"
Gu Zhao said mysteriously, "Do you believe cultivation can lead to ascension? Do you believe there are immortals in this world?"
Daoist Yansong: (￣ー￣)
Daoist Yansong looked at Gu Zhao as though he were looking at a fool. "Read fewer web novels and put more thought into cultivation. In the future, your achievements may not necessarily fall short of Daoist Zhang Zhishun's."
Zhang Zhishun was a legendary figure in the modern Daoist world. He had excerpted Daoist classics, taken their essence, and combined them with his own cultivation insights to compile Qi Body Source Flow. He was also a great Daoist who had cultivated Internal Breath True Qi, and his realm was unquestionably profound.
Gu Zhao gave an "Mm" and continued asking, "Just tell me whether you believe it or not!"
Seeing Gu Zhao persist, Daoist Yansong could only say, "I don't know whether ascension is possible, but when one's internal breath is complete and true qi abundant, one can not only strengthen the body, leap over eaves and walk on walls, but also heal illnesses, nurture health, and dispel sinister, baleful energies. In ancient times, calling such a person an earthly immortal would not be an exaggeration."
Gu Zhao asked curiously, "There are sinister, baleful energies in modern times too?"
"Where heaven and earth have spiritual qi, there will naturally also be sinister, baleful energies. For example, swamps deep in the forest and other places that never see sunlight, as well as graveyards, wastelands, battlefields, and piles of corpses—places lacking in living vitality."
Daoist Yansong explained, "Some folk customs dismissed as feudal superstition seem to lack scientific basis, but they actually arise from these unseen and untouchable auras. Science simply cannot explain them for now."
Gu Zhao understood.
However, there was not much spiritual qi in the modern world, so naturally there would not be much sinister, baleful energy either. Compared with the demons and ghosts of the other world, it was child's play.
Gu Zhao brought the topic back. "We can discuss that later. I came to you this time for something important. I need your help."
Daoist Yansong became serious for once and nodded solemnly. "Go on!"
"I provoked a vicious ghost with several centuries of Cultivation Level. Although he has not discovered me yet, I need to prepare early, find help, and improve my cultivation." Gu Zhao said.
Daoist Yansong: "..."
"If you really encountered a vicious ghost with several centuries of Cultivation Level, I suggest you go to the Provincial Public Security Department. The Rongcheng City Bureau may not be able to cover for you," Daoist Yansong advised.
Gu Zhao: "..."
"They can't help me." Gu Zhao shook his head. "Only you can help me."
Daoist Yansong asked curiously, "How can I help?"
"Help me kill ghosts. Isn't that one of our Daoists' professional skills?"
"I'd like to, but I'm nearly eighty. If I could trade my life for a vicious ghost with several centuries of Cultivation Level, I wouldn't be losing out. But I reckon I wouldn't even be enough for that evil ghost to swallow in one bite."
"I can help you improve your cultivation."
"How?"
"Like this!" Gu Zhao's divine sense stirred slightly, and the Thunder Seed circling the Five Thunder Token shot out in a flash, instantly sinking into the spot between Daoist Yansong's brows.
Daoist Yansong's Sea of Consciousness was suddenly opened up. He then "saw" a Thunder Seed floating deep within it. As waves of information flowed from it, streams of electricity also surged from the Thunder Seed and ran straight down through his meridians.
His chest trembled, and Innate Qi was activated.
His Dantian trembled, and Innate Qi mixed with the power of the Thunder Seed gathered all the true qi within his body, beginning to absorb the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth from the outside world.
"Rustle—"
The mountain wind swept through, making the surrounding pines sway. Daoist Yansong remained silent for a long while, doing nothing but sensing himself and the heaven and earth around him.
"How is it?" Gu Zhao asked.
Daoist Yansong took a long breath, drawing in air like a great whale drinking water. His lung capacity was astonishing.
"This is incredible!" Daoist Yansong stared at Gu Zhao, his eyes full of shock. "A Thunder Seed? A magical treasure? Innate Qi? There really are immortals in this world? Can we truly cultivate and ascend?"
At that point, Daoist Yansong, finally coming back to himself, shook his head again. "Still no good. There's too little Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. Our Qingcheng Mountain ranks fifth even among the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens, yet it isn't enough for me to take even one breath.
"The world has changed beyond recognition. Who knows whether it underwent some transformation? Just like in web novels, the tide of spiritual qi receded. Perhaps there truly were people in ancient times who cultivated into immortals, but the current environment is not suited for cultivation.
"Still, even in an environment like this, my cultivation efficiency will be much faster than before. Maybe I can even live another dozen years or so."
Daoist Yansong could not help sighing. He looked at Gu Zhao with both envy and regret. "Your luck is good—you obtained an extraordinary magical treasure. But your luck is also bad. What a pity you were born at the wrong time."
"You recovered so quickly?" Gu Zhao asked in surprise.
"I'm a Daoist, after all. I've worshipped the Three Pure Ones for decades, and my faith is devout. Not only do I wholeheartedly believe in immortals, but after cultivating internal breath, I also believed that I could live to a hundred and ascend to the immortal realm. Isn't it normal that I recovered quickly?"
Daoist Yansong stroked his beard and hummed smugly. "The Thunder Seed itself recognized me as someone with a pure soul, righteous qi filling my body, and exceptional talent. If I were placed in ancient times, I'd be the child chosen by fate!"
Gu Zhao gave a dry laugh. "Then what else did the Thunder Seed tell you?"
"It told me you're my superior. You can grant me a Thunder Seed, and you can also take it back and dismiss me." Daoist Yansong tugged at his beard. Just moments ago, he had still been the senior; after merely agreeing to help, he had somehow become a subordinate.
Gu Zhao smiled and cupped his hands. "I wouldn't dare. From now on, we—"
"No. Work is work, life is life. During work hours, you are my superior." Daoist Yansong waved a hand, then even bowed to Gu Zhao.
"The Thunder Seed also told me that doing good and accumulating virtue, cultivating one's Dao heart, eliminating evil to accumulate merit, all aid one's Daoist cultivation—but I have to share the gains with you." Daoist Yansong thought for a moment, then continued, "Mm, and I can contact you through the Thunder Seed?"
At that, Daoist Yansong fell silent and used his divine sense to sense the Five Thunder Token through the Thunder Seed.
The next moment, the Five Thunder Token deep within Gu Zhao's mind received a message carried by the Thunder Seed. Once he actively connected to it, he could hear Daoist Yansong's voice. "Can you hear me?"
Gu Zhao did not open his mouth either, replying through the Five Thunder Token, "I hear you."
"Ah, this is fun, this is fun!" Daoist Yansong laughed. "This is far more convenient than a phone. We can contact each other anytime."
Gu Zhao nodded. He could receive messages, but he could also choose whether to read them immediately, so he would not be disturbed at every moment.
"Tut, tut. I cultivated for decades only to learn that the waters of the cultivation world run far deeper than I imagined!" Daoist Yansong sensed his condition. "Now I believe that you truly encountered a hundred-year-old vicious ghost.
"But right now, I only have Innate Qi. My Mana is terribly lacking. If you want to deal with that vicious ghost, you'll probably have to wait for me for a while."
At that, Daoist Yansong asked Gu Zhao, "How many Thunder Seeds do you have left? Can you bring in a few more people? I know several old Daoists who have cultivated internal breath, though I don't know whether they can earn the Thunder Seed's recognition."
"There was only one, and I gave it all to you," Gu Zhao said. "To condense another Thunder Seed, we'll have to slay evil ghosts, eliminate evil to accumulate merit, and use the Killing Intent on vicious ghosts to condense it."
Daoist Yansong nodded. "Then you'll have to wait for me a while."
Gu Zhao shook his head. "No need. I can take you somewhere filled with spiritual qi, where you can rapidly replenish all your Mana."
"What place, the back mountain?" Daoist Yansong was like a curious child. "Could it be that the Qingcheng Grotto-Heaven among the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens actually refers to Qingcheng Mountain's back mountain?"
Gu Zhao's divine sense moved, enveloping Daoist Yansong. He blinked at him. "Take a guess?"
A moment later...
"My heavens!"
"This old Daoist has ascended?"
"Have I made it?"
Before you continue