After leaving Pingding Mountain, Cheng Xinzhan first returned to Mingzhi Mountain.
Upon meeting his master, he briefly recounted the events in Qingzhou and mentioned how the sect leader had unexpectedly kept him for a conversation.
Wen Sukong chuckled, "As the sect leader, nurturing disciples and seeking successors are naturally his top concerns. When he sees a promising seedling, of course, he would want to have a talk. In fact, even the Patriarch Tongxuan has mentioned this to me before. I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want it to affect you."
She paused for a moment before continuing, "Since you were able to find the source of the earth vein corruption during this mission, it means you’ve already studied the part of the Qingfu Rebirth Scripture that deals with locating burial sites and corpses. Now, let me ask you, have you read the sections on raising, refining, and controlling corpses? Can you reanimate the insect corpse I gave you?"
Cheng Xinzhan shook his head and replied, "Master, I’ve skimmed through the content, but I haven’t practiced it yet. From what I understand, the methods of raising corpses in the scripture mainly revolve around nurturing life force and the transformation between life and death.
I believe nurturing life force corresponds to the earth and water elements, while the transformation between life and death should relate to the wood element." I’ve recently opened my Heart Mansion, and after listening to Senior Jinmingzi’s words last night, I’ve gained some understanding of the Golden Immortal realm.
I’ve decided to visualize the Golden Corpse of the Qilin as my inner deity and then open my Lung Mansion.
After that, I’ll focus on the earth, water, and wood elements.
"Once all five mansions are opened, I plan to use the Xin Metal insect corpse as the foundation, nurture it with the properties of earth and water, awaken it with wood, and then temper it with thunder and fire. Only then will the refined corpse be presentable. Right now, I’m not capable of doing so."
After he finished speaking, Wen Sukong didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, she remained silent for a while.
Cheng Xinzhan grew anxious.
Could it be that his master was displeased with his lack of progress in corpse-raising techniques?
"Hahaha—"
Unexpectedly, after a while, he heard his master burst into laughter.
"Good, very good! It’s excellent that you have your own plans. Your thinking is even more thorough than mine."
"Disciple doesn’t dare to claim that," Cheng Xinzhan quickly clasped his hands and shook his head.
"No, no," Wen Sukong said seriously.
"There’s an old saying: A disciple doesn’t necessarily have to be inferior to their master, and a master doesn’t necessarily have to be superior to their disciple. The path to enlightenment varies in timing, and expertise lies in different fields. That’s all there is to it. I may have passed down the scripture to you, but that doesn’t mean my understanding of this path is necessarily deeper than yours."
At most,"she chuckled,"I’ve just been cultivating longer and have more profound spiritual power.
Initially, I thought you could use Yang fire to nurture the Golden Corpse, which would already result in a fine corpse.
Especially since you’ve visualized the Pleiades, you wouldn’t have to worry about being tainted by Yin evil.
You could then further comprehend the five elements and the cycles of creation and destruction through corpse-raising.
However, you believe you should first study the five elements and then use their properties combined with thunder to nurture the corpse.
That’s naturally even better.
"This is your first time being a disciple, and it’s my first time being a master. Sometimes, I’ve imposed my own thoughts on you without much consideration. In the future, if similar situations arise, you should speak up in time. We can discuss it as master and disciple before making a decision. This aspect of yours is very good, and I’m quite satisfied."
Cheng Xinzhan was deeply moved and encouraged by her words.
He bowed respectfully.
"Alright then. I was initially worried that teaching you too much might hinder your cultivation, but now I see you have your own plans. I’ll pass on two more techniques to you, both of which are true inheritance methods of Mingzhi Mountain."
The first is wind techniques.
Since you’ve already learned thunder techniques outside the five elements, you shouldn’t neglect wind techniques.
I’ll now teach you the Heavenly Gang, Earth Xun, and Human Spirit Manifestation Scripture and the Summoning Wind and Communicating Fortune Talisman Secrets.
The former defines the nature of wind, explaining its forms and functions in both the natural world and the human body.
The latter is the practical application of wind techniques.
However, to truly understand wind techniques, you must first study wind grass, just as you had to learn thunder seals before mastering thunder techniques.
I’ll also give you three books: Zhang Taidian’s Calligraphy, Stormy Night Rain Calligraphy, and Mingzhi Mountain’s Interpretations of Zhang Taidian’s Calligraphy.
Study them well.
"The second is the method of cultivating the primordial spirit. The primordial spirit is the solidified form of a person’s soul, thoughts, memories, and all other intangible aspects. When you achieve the primordial spirit, you should start considering the path to immortality and becoming an immortal. Earlier, I asked you to construct a mental palace in your mind. Have you kept up with that?"
Cheng Xinzhan shook his head.
The Bright Palace was already built, and he had recently been considering constructing a Thunder Palace.
His mental activities had never ceased.
"Good, that’s excellent. This is the method of condensing thoughts. Keep practicing it. Now, I’ll teach you a method to control and strengthen your three souls and seven spirits. It’s called the Longevity Embryonic Origin and Spirit Manifestation Secret. You should cultivate this as well."
Refine your essence, energy, and spirit simultaneously.
Don’t neglect any of them.
If there’s anything you don’t understand, come and ask me.
"Cheng Xinzhan took the golden and jade books Wen Sukong handed him and nodded in acknowledgment. He then took out the lotus seed given to him by the sect leader and asked Wen Sukong what it was. Wen Sukong glanced at it and said,"This is a seed of the Nine-Hole Dustless Lotus.
The roots, stems, and pods of the Nine-Hole Dustless Lotus all have nine holes.
It grows out of the mud yet remains unstained, standing tall and straight without attracting dust.
When cultivated in a Daoist field, it can transform filth into nourishment, purify water, and serve as a spiritual eye for setting up formations.
"However, it’s very difficult to cultivate this lotus to bloom. It requires spiritual soil or spiritual water to nourish it. But if you manage to cultivate it to bloom, you can extract the entire lotus and refine it into a spiritual avatar. However, such an avatar can only serve as a dwelling for the soul. It lacks agility and cannot restore the physical body’s acupoints. It’s far inferior to your current bamboo body."
Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
Of course, he couldn’t say the sect leader was being stingy.
A spiritual plant that could transform into a spiritual avatar was already quite precious, though it naturally couldn’t compare to the bamboo staff passed down through generations in Mingzhi Mountain.
He thanked his master for the teachings and then took his leave.
As soon as he returned to Wuyou Cave, Bailong’er rushed up to him, pouncing on him and whining.
He had been away for a few days, and the dog had clearly felt neglected.
Cheng Xinzhan glanced at the bowl on the ground.
He had left some flatbread from the kitchen there, torn into pieces, but it seemed almost untouched.
The dog didn’t care much for grains, so it must have been quite hungry these past few days.
After comforting the dog for a while, he rode a cloud to the Eastern Heavenly Path.
The Eastern Heavenly Path was located at the top of Dongping Mountain, shrouded in mist.
The path was extremely wide, spanning over a hundred steps, so there were many buildings and stalls on either side.
Some were sect-owned shops, such as branches of the kitchen hall, the alchemy workshop of Danxia Mountain, the mechanical puppets of White Tiger Mountain, the greenery of Azalea Valley, and the spiritual grains of Rainbow Mountain.
Others were personal stalls set up by disciples, who earned some extra money during their cultivation.
He had come here to look for suitable spiritual food for his dog and perhaps some techniques for beasts to absorb spiritual energy.
He didn’t have much gold or silver on him, but he had many herbs sent from Redwood Ridge that he could trade.
As he wandered around, he suddenly noticed a shop sign in the distance that read, "Spiritual Pet Food Shop."
There was actually a shop like this?
He was quite surprised and immediately walked over, only to find a large crowd gathered there.
He had to queue up, which showed that many in the sect kept spiritual pets.
As Cheng Xinzhan stood in line, he noticed a line of small characters beneath the "Spiritual Pet Food" sign: "The secret recipe for preparing spiritual food originates from the Heluo Yanpin Sect."
Curious, he asked the person in front of him, an elderly man with white hair, "May I ask, Elder, what kind of sect is the Yanpin Sect? I’m afraid I’ve never heard of it."
The man in front of him turned around.
It was an extremely old man.
"Elder Yao!"
Cheng Xinzhan exclaimed.
It was Elder Yao, the duty priest from the Xiaowan Mountain Affairs Hall.
On his first day in the sect, it had been Elder Yao who had been on duty.
He suddenly remembered that Elder Yao had a cat that always slept on the counter in the Affairs Hall.
Elder Yao was also surprised and smiled warmly.
"Ah, it’s Yunqi—no, I should call you Xinzhan now. Xinzhan, you’ve done well, opening your Heart Mansion in just two years. I always said that those from Mingzhi Mountain wouldn’t stay long in Xiaowan Mountain."
Cheng Xinzhan laughed and said, "Elder Yao, you can call me whatever you like. Xinzhan or Yunqi, it’s all just me."
Elder Yao chuckled and said, "Xinzhan, since you’re here to buy pet food, how come you’ve never heard of the Yanpin Sect?"
Cheng Xinzhan felt a bit embarrassed.
"I acquired a spiritual pet during my travels outside, so I never paid much attention to this before. When I was traveling, I just let it hunt rabbits and deer on its own. Now that I’m back in the sect, I realize it’s a bit inconvenient."
Elder Yao smiled and explained, "The Yanpin Sect is a major sect in the Heluo region. They don’t focus on cultivation techniques or refining pills and artifacts. Instead, they specialize in raising pets—cats, dogs, birds, fish, and countless other kinds.
Pet lovers can find their beloved companions there. The sect has a rule: when buying a spiritual pet, you can’t call it ‘buying.’ You must call it ‘betrothing.’
Besides the price in gold and silver, you must also bring a wild goose as a betrothal gift. That’s why they’re called the Yanpin Sect. Every year, their Goose Roost Mountain releases wild geese; otherwise, the mountain would be overrun with them."
The young man gained new knowledge.
So there was such a sect, and it seemed there were many pet lovers in the cultivation world as well.
"The Yanpin Sect doesn’t just sell pets; they also sell pet food. Look, this stall owner happened to learn the Yanpin Sect’s food-making techniques, and it’s truly different. My cat now only eats her food—it’s very picky. Besides that, the Yanpin Sect also offers grooming, beautification, and more. Anything related to spiritual pets, if you can think of it, they do it. Their business is booming."
Seeing the young man’s astonished expression, the old Daoist laughed even more heartily.
"Haha, cultivation is a long journey. Having a spiritual pet for companionship is wonderful. My cat is like my Dao companion."
Cheng Xinzhan also nodded with a smile, though he still had some doubts.
"This stall owner’s business is so good. How does she find time to cultivate?"
The old Daoist replied, "This stall only opens on the ninth day of each month. You’ve just happened to come at the right time. Moreover, I heard the stall owner has brought a few exceptionally good cats this time, so everyone is lining up to see if they want to ‘betroth’ one. That’s why there are so many people. I only heard about it late, so I came over."
"I see."
The two chatted as they waited in line.
After a while, Cheng Xinzhan finally neared the stall and saw some leaf-wrapped bags on the table.
There weren’t many left, and he didn’t recognize them, so he asked Elder Yao again.
The old man explained, "Those are cold-frost banana leaves. After being picked, they remain cold as ice for several months, with frost forming on the surface. They’re used to store pet food to prevent spoilage. You see, the craftsmanship from the Yanpin Sect is very meticulous."
Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
The cold-frost banana leaves had words written on them—some for cats, some for dogs, birds, and even snakes.
There were about twenty or thirty left, so he should still be able to get some.
On one side of the stall, there were two small cats.
He noticed that three or four people had already taken cats away, so these two must be the ones left behind.
As the line moved forward, another cat was taken, and the leaf-wrapped bags dwindled further.
Someone tried to take several bags, causing Elder Yao in front of him to shout, "Do you think you’re the only one with money? If you take too many, my cat won’t have any to eat, and I’ll come to your house to eat!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Elder Yao was the duty priest at the Xiaowan Mountain Affairs Hall, and almost every newcomer in the sect over the past few decades knew him.
The person quickly clasped his hands in apology and fled.
Finally, it was Elder Yao’s turn.
The old Daoist carefully examined the last remaining kitten.
At first, he looked delighted, but then he shook his head.
Cheng Xinzhan asked why, and the old man said, "Look at this little cat. It’s a long-haired calico, which is quite rare. But it looks like it’s already three or four months old, and the blue membrane in its eyes hasn’t dissolved yet. It’s probably blind. I dare not ‘betroth’ it. Jihan, give me two bags of cat food, the ones with added grass."
Elder Yao handed over the silver.
The stall owner was a young woman wearing a floral dress.
The dress had a green base with colorful flowers embroidered on it, creating a vibrant pattern.
Yet, the dress couldn’t overshadow the woman’s beauty, as her face was even more radiant than the flowers.
Her long, black hair was braided into many small braids with delicate, flowering green vines.
The woman was surrounded by cats, and a colorful parrot perched on her shoulder.
Hearing the old Daoist’s words, she quickly picked up two grass bags and handed them to him, saying crisply, "Elder Yao, aren’t you going to ‘betroth’ this calico? Its white fur is like snow, its black fur like ink, and its yellow fur like mist. The pattern is very rare."
Elder Yao shook his head repeatedly.
"Jihan, don’t try to fool me. This cat’s eye membrane is blue with white streaks. It looks at least four months old, and the membrane hasn’t dissolved yet. It’s probably blind. Moreover, I’ve been watching for a while, and it hasn’t made a single sound. Even if it’s not mute, it’s definitely weak."
The woman smiled mysteriously.
"Elder Yao, what you’re saying isn’t necessarily true. If raised well, it might turn out fine. Besides, this calico has the bloodline of a Suanni!"
Elder Yao’s eyebrows twitched at this.
He reached out to touch the kitten again and then whispered, "How much is the betrothal gift?"
The woman held up three fingers.
Elder Yao immediately withdrew his hand from the kitten’s back, took the two bags of cat food, and left, reminding Cheng Xinzhan to visit Xiaowan Mountain sometime.
Cheng Xinzhan agreed and finally stepped forward.
He said, "Greetings, fellow Daoist. I have a dog that I brought back from Miaojiang. It’s not even a year old but already quite large—about this tall."
He gestured to his knee.
"Could you please pick out two bags of food for it?"
The woman looked surprised.
"A dog not even a year old but already that big, and from Miaojiang? Could it be a Bailong’er?"
Cheng Xinzhan was even more surprised that she guessed it so easily and nodded.
"That’s rare! It’s uncommon to see a Bailong’er outside Miaojiang. You’re quite fortunate, fellow Daoist."
The woman took two large grass bags from the stall and handed them to him.
"Bailong’ers are gluttonous and love meat. This should suit it."
Cheng Xinzhan took the bags.
"How much are they?"
"Two bags for four taels of silver. If you want to barter, I only accept herbs and pills. You can take out what you have, and if I find something I like, I’ll pick something of equivalent value."
Two taels per bag—it wasn’t cheap.
Fortunately, bartering was an option.
He took out some herbs sent from Redwood Ridge and laid them out.
"This chicken blood vine will do!" The woman pointed at a red vine with nodes.
"This is excellent for making wooden bracelets and hairpins."
"How much for the exchange?" Cheng Xinzhan asked.
"Four stalks. Yours are quite old, but they’re still raw and haven’t been processed."
He nodded and handed over four stalks, then began to pack up the rest.
"Fellow Daoist, wait!"
The woman called out, stopping him.
She pointed at a green orchid with soil still clinging to its roots.
"Could I take a look at this?"
End of Chapter
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