Chapter 76

(Suddenly remembered that today is Girls' Day, wishing all the girls reading this a happy Girls' Day)

Lu Shouyi had no extra energy to care about Shen Lian, for cultivation was not an easy task for him. He lacked a foundation, a basic understanding of cultivation.

Qingxuan’s teaching was ‘To cultivate one’s conduct, one must first cultivate one’s mind.’ Lu Shouyi was pure-hearted in this aspect, so the sect leader believed he would surely achieve something in the future.

However, building a skyscraper from the ground up is not easy. Laying a good foundation is not an easy task.

Lu Shouyi also learned a visualization technique, which involved imagining the scene of ‘the sun and moon in the same sky’ in his mind. He had never seen such a scene and found it hard to visualize.

So, after four or five days, Lu Shouyi had nothing to show for his efforts except a disheveled appearance and an exhausted mind.

Three more people slowly entered the bamboo hut in the lower courtyard. Shen Lian left early and returned late, and upon returning, he had to visualize the ‘Primordial Deity’ to stabilize his soul, so he did not waste energy on the newcomers.

Shen Lian became increasingly thin, giving the impression of being emaciated.

His eyes no longer had the clarity they once did, lacking the former warmth and showing bloodshot veins.

The Buddhist scriptures say, ‘To become a dragon or an elephant among the Buddhas, one must first be a horse or a cow among the masses.’

This means that those who achieve Buddhahood must undergo trials and enlightenment in the suffering of the masses to attain the path.

Longevity is a natural process, like fruit ripening on a tree.

This tree has its roots in the various sufferings of the mundane world.

The same applies to all the immortals and Buddhas.

In his past and present life, Shen Lian was always a person who sought comfort, but for the first time, he found that he could endure extraordinary pain for a goal.

The erosion of his soul by the Yuhé River still existed, and the deep pain that penetrated his soul made him feel like he was reborn from hell each time he climbed ashore.

His originally smooth and lustrous skin became dull, and his black hair became dry.

All the blood, flesh, and essence he could provide were prioritized to nourish his soul.

This was the reason he could still remain conscious.

Most immortal sects in the world first cultivate qi and then refine the spirit.

Even though Lu Shouyi received the cultivation method from the sect leader, it only included a visualization technique to calm the mind, not a method to nourish the soul, to help him better practice the method.

Shen Lian, however, directly refined his spirit, leading to the previous owner of his body going into a mental derangement.

Upon his rebirth, he stopped the method of the *Shangqing Lingbao Ziran Suoxin Dingxin Zhenjie* that consumed the body’s blood, flesh, and essence to strengthen the soul, and only visualized the Primordial Deity holding a ruyi.

Even so, the foundation he had laid allowed him to reach the condition of the soul leaving the body, and the fusion of his soul with the previous owner’s soul made his soul more easily separate from the body than others.

This seemed like a good thing in the short term but was a bad thing in the long term.

Unless Shen Lian abandoned his physical body and took the path of the divine, using the heavens and earth as his dwelling.

The Wutong Evil God took this path, but it was more extreme, consuming and absorbing human desires, which made the soul grow but not solidify.

The natural corrosive effect of the Yuhé River on the soul, though deeply harming Shen Lian’s soul, also made his soul and body more closely linked in the instinctive drive for survival.

This was like buying a second-hand house that was uncomfortable to live in, but the owner, determined to make it his own, destroyed the original decoration and renovated it according to his wishes, making it truly his home.

A person feels at ease with a home.

Shen Lian now truly felt a sense of attachment to his body, rather than a simple dwelling that could be abandoned.

On the twenty-seventh day, Shen Lian naturally collected thirty pieces of yinyu, three days ahead of the deadline.

When he found the last piece of yinyu, Shen Lian climbed ashore, his muscles trembling as he shook off the water of the Yuhé River.

The sandalwood sword, which had been absorbing the water of the Yuhé River day and night, had a dark and deep color.

Holding it, Shen Lian always felt a strange sensation, as if the sandalwood sword had learned to breathe and absorb the essence of heaven and earth, making it heavier.

However, three days ago, the wooden sword no longer absorbed much of the Yuhé River’s water, as if it had had its fill.

Shen Lian handed the thirty pieces of yinyu to the sect leader, and he now knew the sect leader’s name, Zhang Ruoxu.

Living for over six hundred years, it was said that two hundred years ago, the sect leader was already a cultivator at the Breaking Illusion stage, the final threshold before immortality.

There were many cultivators in the world, but those at the Breaking Illusion stage were as rare as immortals.

Knowing this, Shen Lian respected Zhang Ruoxu even more, with a sense of awe for cultivation and a longing for the path of cultivation.

At the same time, Shen Lian was very grateful to Zhang Ruoxu, who not only saw his flaws but also gave him guidance.

Shen Lian had now lost the ability to project his soul out of his body, and his soul had weakened, but his mind was clearer during visualization.

Even though his soul was weaker, Shen Lian felt stronger than ever.

In the Qingxuan Hall, Zhang Ruoxu took the yinyu from Shen Lian and placed it aside, looking at him with satisfaction. This disciple was now at the ‘Qi Dong’ stage, but his spirit and qi were solid, giving a sense of impregnability.

The last time someone gave him this feeling at the Qi Dong stage was Lu Jiuyuan of the Xuantian Sect, who was now widely recognized as the first among those below immortality.

Cultivators seek immortality, not obsessed with killing, but as long as they have a heart, they cannot avoid anger and desire. Without protective methods, immortality is just a dream.

"If you had learned the *Ziwei Dongxuan Zhenjie* before, it would have been very suitable for you. This method is good at predicting heavenly events and, when combined with the *Taiyi Shenfa*, is very beneficial for overcoming calamities. However, doing so would have undermined your current foundation." Zhang Ruoxu’s mood was indeed complex, but also somewhat joyful.

"Then, what does the sect leader think I should do next in my cultivation?" In the long-term cultivation, Shen Lian was still feeling his way, so he should listen to the advice of the wise.

Zhang Ruoxu was a wise cultivator, and Shen Lian did not hesitate to ask.

"I don’t know either, because your time in the Yuhé River has had such a good effect on refining your body and soul. In fact, your physical body has already gained some characteristics of the soul, and your soul has gained some characteristics of the physical body. You won’t feel this at the Qi Dong stage, but once you reach the ‘Shen Chu’ stage, you will realize how different you are from others. I am now more curious about what method you used to refine your soul, allowing it to remain intact after so many refinements in the Yuhé River.

Although I asked you to collect thirty pieces of yinyu, I didn’t expect you to actually complete it. I just gave you a lofty goal to push you to your limits. If you couldn’t make it, I would have saved you.

But I didn’t expect you to exceed my expectations."

Zhang Ruoxu smiled slyly.

Shen Lian’s face darkened; this was not how things should be played. This was also because he knew too little about cultivation. If the Yuhé River had such a good effect on refining the body and soul, Qingxuan would have had someone try it long ago.

However, recovering from a damaged soul is never easy. Without a superior method to refine the soul, even if Shen Lian’s soul was strong, it would have been damaged at its root.

Zhang Ruoxu had been secretly observing Shen Lian with the Heavenly Mirror all along, and if there were any signs of his soul failing, he would have immediately saved him.

PS: Thank you to Zhiyong for the 10,000 reward, becoming the seventh patron of this book, and to myself for the 1,888 reward, Qianfu de Mofei for the 688 reward, Sanacheng for the 588 reward, Zhuan Kang Tandui for the 600 reward, Wutong for the 588 reward, Huolao Beijing for the 588 reward, 674581909 for the 588 reward, Linghai Jingnian for the 588 reward, Benpao Wanniu 007 for the 588 reward, and Xiaoyou Tianxia Wo Xiaoyao for the 200 reward.

And to Gaosangshu, Chuan Shuozhong, You Yu Ban Tian Gu Yue, Ge Shuoyou Yao Zao Shui, Xiaoyou Tianxia Wo Xiaoyao, Ye Lixin, Xuezha Yu Xueba, Qing Qianwo Li Bai Hao Ma, Cangwu Zhenren, Bian Da Bian Cuo de Jin Gu Bang, Da Xingyouyu, Qian Ceng Pai, Yese Xia de Chuchun, Nym_liu, Mianianle, Qiusenmo, Guai Bushi Wo Yin de, and 10086 for their rewards.

I was surprised by everyone’s enthusiasm today. Thank you all, and I continue to seek recommendation votes.

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends