As If a Tiger Had Grown Wings: Essence of Metal

The Bronze Longevity Immortal was a precious treasure of the Northern Celestial Masters' Way in those days.

The Northern Celestial Masters' Way once had many disciples, its influence extended to the imperial court and the countryside, and it had many skilled practitioners. It was thriving, but it was suppressed and plotted against by the Celebration of the Sage Temple.

Twenty years ago, the news that Xiao Liang had killed the Attaining the Dao patriarch of the East Sea Xiao Clan and slaughtered all the clan's experts spread like wildfire throughout the world.

At the same time, Celebration of the Sage Temple launched a swift and unexpected attack on the Northern Celestial Masters' Way.

Although the Northern Celestial Master was not killed, the Northern Celestial Masters' Way suffered heavy losses, its long-established structure collapsed, and even its most precious treasures were taken away. It could only swallow this loss.

This matter was covered up by Xiao Liang's news.

It took the world a long time to realize that the Northern Celestial Masters' Way had closed its gates and its remaining forces had retreated to the deep mountains in an attempt to preserve their strength.

The fact that Bronze Longevity Immortal was welcomed back to Celebration of the Sage Temple was finally made public.

Many imperial relatives, princes, and ministers of the Northern Dynasty visited the site.

The existence of the "Bronze Longevity Immortal" represents the most pioneering attempt in the treasure-refining lineage.

Using the essence of gold and bronze as its base, it was designed to resist the pollution of moonlight, but the form of this gold and bronze was forged to be completely similar to the human body.

It has a structure even more intricate than that of the human body.

In this way, could one resist the pollution of moonlight while avoiding the problem of stagnation in the cultivation of the Treasure Refining lineage, and thus continue cultivating?

The Northern Celestial Masters' Way, which claims to have broken the false doctrines of the Three Zhangs and abolished the old hereditary system of Celestial Masters, is inherently adept at pioneering and extremely enterprising.

After having a clear idea, all the talented people in the sect spent thirty years continuously researching and perfecting the structure of the "Bronze Longevity Immortal".

Before he closed the mountain, the Northern Celestial Master was over sixty years old, but he looked like a young man. He once cut off a finger to paint.

The severed finger grew back within two days.

This achievement seems to be related to the research on Bronze Longevity Immortal.

Unfortunately, the Northern Celestial Masters' Way has always been reluctant to show the "Bronze Longevity Immortal" to outsiders.

After acquiring the "Bronze Longevity Immortal," Celebration of the Sage Temple only exhibited it for half a month before refusing inquiries from outsiders.

Who could have predicted that the group of monks would actually give away this precious treasure?

Anyone on the street who knew their stuff and was well-informed couldn't help but Zhongdu a surge of shock and disbelief.

Some people who were originally discerning enough to see that Celebration of the Sage Temple had the intention of flattering someone to their detriment were now wavering in their judgment.

Who would be so flattering and hypocritical as to offer up such a precious treasure?

Is this not a feigned admission of weakness, but rather a genuine problem at Celebration of the Sage Temple?

The Monk Qingsheng is over a hundred years old. In his youth, he had enemies everywhere. Logically speaking, he should have accumulated quite a few minor, hidden injuries.

Could it be that this old man's claws and teeth have truly dulled, rendering him unable to make a move?

Or perhaps he's already dead?

Just thinking about this makes some people breathe heavily.

If Celebration of the Sage Temple were to lose the presence of Monk Qingsheng, leaving only the abbot as a Attaining the Dao skilled monk, its prestige would be reduced by more than half.

How can they possibly protect all the fertile land that Celebration of the Sage Temple originally possessed? Those with grudges, and those without, will probably all want to take a bite out of it.

The more cautious ones will remain inactive, while the bolder ones will probably already be sending out cannon fodder to test the waters.

"Is it really such a coincidence that my killing Fa Wendao exposed the weakness of Celebration of the Sage Temple?"

The thought also flashed through Chu Tianshu's mind, but he immediately felt that the possibility was extremely small.

If Celebration of the Sage Temple is truly weak, it could even follow the example of the Xiao and Hou families and feign death for the time being.

The fact that someone dares to actively flatter someone to the point of ruin actually shows that they have the confidence to back it up.

"That old bastard is probably trying to kill two birds with one stone: giving me a gift to elevate my status while simultaneously fishing for trouble and giving a warning to those who are restless..."

Chu Tianshu didn't dwell on it much. The old scholar had already walked up to him and introduced Grand Matriarch Gao.

He bowed respectfully and said, "I've heard so much about you!"

"A person who is admired for a long time is simply someone who has been around for a long time, is old, and has grown old."

Grand Matriarch Gao first made a self-deprecating remark, then exclaimed in admiration, "To be able to make a name for oneself so quickly, to become known throughout the land so soon after one's debut, that is true heroism!"

The old woman reached into her narrow sleeve and pulled out a gift list.

"This is the gift list that Celebration of the Sage Temple asked me to send. They invited me to make this trip and gave me eight hundred taels of gold, which has already been paid in advance."

"Every single item on the gift list has been delivered without fail."

Chu Tianshu took the gift list and glanced at it.

This list doesn't actually give away much money directly, but it contains many items that money can't necessarily buy.

Rare minerals such as black iron and copper essence are used to forge divine weapons.

Unique materials such as silkworm silk and ice spider silk, mixed with metal threads, are sufficient to make various soft armors that are impervious to blades and spears, and can even significantly weaken the impact of an enemy's internal energy and blunt weapons.

There are also various ancient books, paintings, silk scrolls, and bamboo slips left from the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties.

Some are highly valuable because they are attributed to famous calligraphers and painters, while others are valuable because their content itself contains the ideas and insights of ancient sages regarding martial arts theory.

At that time, no one could attain immortality through Attaining the Dao.

However, in any profound and complex field of study, theoretical research always far surpasses actual progress.

Some of those ideas and theories may have been proven to be flawed, but some of their creativity is so profound that it may not have been surpassed to this day. They are goals that are being studied and are hoped to be gradually implemented.

These things can all be considered closely guarded secrets, perhaps even more valuable than the complete manuals of the old era. No family would allow them to be leaked if they fell into the hands of any powerful clan.

Only Celebration of the Sage Temple could afford such generosity, using it all as a gift.

Seeing that Chu Tianshu was also somewhat moved.

Grand Matriarch Gao spoke again, "Celebration of the Sage Temple is truly rolling in wealth..."

She took a sip of her drink and continued.

"But I can guarantee that those gifts are exactly as they were when they were sealed in the boxes, just as they are now."

"Only the Bronze Longevity Immortal, since he wasn't actually packed in a box, I invited him to ride in the carriage with me so I could feast my eyes on him."

"It's all thanks to you, sir."

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "If Fellow Daoist Gao is interested, you are welcome to come with me to the manor to continue exploring the mysteries of the bronze figure."

Grand Matriarch Gao hesitated.

She initially suspected that the bronze figure was intended to harm Chu Tianshu, but she only glanced at it and didn't want to investigate further.

However, because the bronze figure was within her sensing range, she could perceive the coupling of numerous magical artifact components within the bronze figure, causing the entire bronze figure to exhibit the phenomenon of breathing and circulating energy as if it were a living person.

This was truly novel, so she tried infusing some of her internal energy into it. The more she examined it, the more engrossed she became, finding it endlessly mysterious and thought-provoking.

It is likely that this is not only a treasure of the Northern Celestial Masters' Way, but also studied by Celebration of the Sage Temple for some time after acquiring it, and it is obvious that some modifications to Buddhist ritual implements were also made.

Unfortunately, before they knew it, the convoy had arrived at Denglai Mountain Market.

She was so engrossed in the Bronze Longevity Immortal that she forgot to tell the caravan to slow down so she could study it more. When she got off the car to ask for directions, she felt very reluctant to leave.

"No need."

Grand Matriarch Gao gritted her teeth.

The Gao Lineage family descendants have been reduced to few by infighting. Her only hope now is to raise a worthy descendant before she dies.

Denglai Mountain Market will inevitably become a vortex of trouble.

She should stick to the principle of knowing when to stop and leave as soon as possible.

"I have urgent matters to attend to at home. The gifts have been delivered, so I must take my leave now."

Grand Matriarch Gao took another sip of wine, her eyes unconsciously glancing at the carriage.

Chu Tianshu frowned slightly.

You won't look when I tell you to, and you won't leave willingly. What's going on?

How can a person who Attaining the Dao enlightenment lack even this basic decisiveness?

Chu Tianshu's mind raced as he thought of Grand Matriarch Gao, who had a life full of hardships but a strong personality.

I've heard that she took the initiative to marry the head of the Gao Lineage when he was still not fully powerful. Her husband died early, and she gradually gained power, which lasted for generations. This doesn't seem like the behavior of someone who is indecisive.

Unless... the allure of this Bronze Longevity Immortal is truly too great, beyond the ordinary.

Chu Tianshu's eyes deepened.

"Hehe."

He laughed and said, "Even if you don't want to stay any longer, there's no need to rush. Let's at least have some tea and snacks at the villa and rest a bit before we talk."

Grand Matriarch Gao was intrigued. "There must be some fine wine on the estate?"

The old scholar brought out a wine jar. "Fine wines are all delivered from here."

Grand Matriarch Gao then stopped refusing.

The group set off and soon arrived at Shen Minglai's manor.

The patrol guards who originally belonged to Shen Minglai had all disappeared, and most of the servants and slaves had also been dismissed.

Only the most basic cleaning, maintenance, and meal preparation staff remained.

Chu Tianshu invited Grand Matriarch Gao into the hall, with the old scholar accompanying her, and served some fine wine and snacks.

After only three cups of wine, Chu Tianshu steered the conversation toward the Bronze Longevity Immortal.

Since neither of them were her own precious children, Grand Matriarch Gao had nothing to hide and casually shared her observations and feelings from her investigation.

Although the internal organs of this Bronze Longevity Immortal have been replaced by magical artifacts, all the necessary meridians are still present.

It has even more meridians than most people know, because its body is made of copper and iron, and the many combinations of qi flow between acupoints are often beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

On the way, Grand Matriarch Gao only managed to grasp a little bit of the pattern. Based on the rules she had already mastered, she deduced that there might be more than 12,800 different meridian diagrams in the body of this bronze figure, representing different starting points and combinations of Qi.

Of course, this was just a calculation; she didn't yet have the time to control the changes in the bronze figure's energy and investigate them one by one.

Attaining the Dao below the level of enlightenment, when observing the Bronze Longevity Immortal, might only find him unfathomable, but wouldn't become overly engrossed, because they themselves haven't even entered the path yet.

However, the body that has already entered Attaining the Dao realm of enlightenment is quite different from that of ordinary people, and can accommodate many changes.

Whenever one studies the Bronze Longevity Immortal, it's inevitable to make associations, and thoughts will flow freely and endlessly.

"... In these short two days, I have already felt I have gained a great deal, but I cannot verify it all at the moment. I can only leave it for the future and try it step by step."

As Grand Matriarch Gao spoke of this, her heart filled with longing and deep emotion, she suddenly paused.

"Sigh, we've had our fill of conversation. I'm afraid if we continue, we'll only add more reluctance to part."

She rose and bowed.

"This old woman will take her leave now."

Before she could finish speaking, and before anyone could stop her, Grand Matriarch Gao had already strode away.

The old scholar watched her departing figure with a hint of surprise.

"Those who Attaining the Dao enlightenment naturally possess a certain magnanimity. How come this Grand Matriarch Gao, who hasn't encountered any life-or-death battles, seems to..."

"It seems you've lost your composure a bit, hasn't it?"

Chu Tianshu laughed, "This shows that the charm of the Bronze Longevity Immortal is truly extraordinary."

The Grand Matriarch Gao left in such a hurry, as if she was afraid that her obsession with the Bronze Longevity Immortal would drag her into the vortex.

She had realized that she lacked composure when faced with the mystery of the bronze figure.

Chu Tianshu got up and went around to the side hall.

The bronze statue is currently housed here.

The unknowing and mindless metal creation maintained its breathing and exhalation due to the automatic operation of the magical artifact.

The old scholar followed, curiously examining the Bronze Longevity Immortal.

Chu Tianshu smiled and flicked out a stream of cyan energy containing specks of gold light, which entered the bronze figure's brow.

As his internal energy circulated within the bronze figure, Chu Tianshu gradually came to perceive its internal structure.

It is indeed infinitely mysterious and vast, yet all of it truly originates from changes in the human body.

Even Chu Tianshu's heart pounded even louder.

The feeling was that each of the ideas was something that could be achieved with slight changes to one's own conditions, and that one could reap tangible benefits.

While the benefits of each idea may vary, it's difficult to determine how many.

But with so many changes, even if each benefit is negligible, the accumulated progress in strength will be incredibly satisfying.

"It's like when I loved martial arts but could never quite grasp the Aperture Opening of it, and then suddenly I came across a style of martial arts that could definitively improve my physique..."

Chu Tianshu thought to himself, "For those who Attaining the Dao, this temptation is like the temptation for ordinary people facing the threshold to transcendence; once they step through, the path is smooth and they grow stronger day by day."

"And the threshold is so clearly defined, right in front of you; all you have to do is take a step."

The power injected into the bronze body has gradually been exhausted.

Chu Tianshu did not continue to investigate or push for further changes inside the bronze figure.

"Unfortunately, this is a trap."

Even a wondrous object Youdu Edict, which can transport people through the world, requires the intervention of Fortune, Evil Spirit, and cultivation materials to activate its various functions.

This bronze figure, once infused with a little True Qi, can spontaneously transform and guide the way forward.

If you can control your mind and think carefully, you will find that the difference between this ratio of effort and reward is even more outrageous than the Youdu Edict.

Chu Tianshu was certain.

If you were to actually verify the concept presented by this bronze figure, you would find that seven out of ten of its details are wrong.

But while there are seven mistakes, there are also some small, seemingly useful results.

For seasoned professionals who are uncertain about their future in the domestic market, this temptation remains too great to resist.

They can't help but keep exploring, like forking new paths on a forked road, only occasionally returning to the right path a little.

Only when the changes in this bronze figure are completely exhausted and verified can it be freed.

More than 10,000 ideas for meridian transfer and blood vessel replacement.

Chu Tianshu figured that even with his physique, it would take him more than two years to complete the entire examination.

These past few years have been almost completely wasted.

"Among the bronze figures, no evil magic or poison is needed; it is purely through their ever-changing ideas that they can lull Attaining the Dao beings into a false sense of security, thus achieving their goal of wasting time."

Chu Tianshu pondered to himself, "Although they don't know that the upper limit of my cultivation technique is already quite high, they at least know that I am not an old man, and may still be making rapid progress."

"They've inflated their reputations while stifling progress; they've used excellent tactics."

"Even if I could resist the temptation, it would only mean leaving the bronze statues idle; they wouldn't lose anything."

The old scholar observed from the side and saw Chu Tianshu change from serious contemplation to a smile.

The smile became more and more pronounced.

The old scholar seriously suspected he was about to burst out laughing.

Is this bronze statue really that beneficial, enough to excite Chu Tianshu so much?

"Master Chu."

The old scholar couldn't help but remind him, "This was sent by the enemy."

That's why I wanted to laugh.

Chu Tianshu couldn't help but laugh, "My dear enemy, you've truly sent me a perfect ally!"

My friend, Pine Tree, whether you can utilize this bronze figure is hard to say. Wood is incompatible with metal and iron, so you probably won't be able to unleash its full potential.

However, Chu Tianshu had someone by his side who had a fondness for the aura of metal, making him even more powerful in controlling the bronze figure.

"Sanqi, I'm sorry you had to spend a few days in that half-baked demon's body."

Chu Tianshu patted the sword sheath, "There's a good physique here, let's give it a try."

A sharp, triangular meteor-like light leaped from the sword hilt and shot into the center of Bronze Longevity Immortal's forehead.

Chu Tianshu spread his arms wide and muttered incantations.

The blood forced from his ten fingers, like drops of shimmering red jade, was injected into various acupoints on Bronze Longevity Immortal's body.

This will help Sanqi adapt better to this body.

"I'm worried about not having enough manpower to allocate."

Chu Tianshu had barely finished speaking.

A white light flashed in Bronze Longevity Immortal's eyes, and Sword Intent flowed out, its sharpness filling the hall.

(End of this chapter)