Chapter 125: Books in the Mansion Broaden Knowledge, Exchanges Depend on Needs [4k]

The residence of the Demon Master Mansion.

In a hall, Fang Longye sat alone in the room; in a corner, sandalwood burned in a tripod furnace, with green smoke curling in all directions, elegant and refined.

He rubbed the bronze-lustered token with its intertwined floral patterns in his hand, pondering to himself.

This token alone, transformed from a Workshop Token into a Fangzhu Token, was, in his view, equivalent to a rare treasure.

This also provided him with an inspiration.

Light generated above his head, revealing a small bronze pot suffused with a dim glow, engraved with various floral patterns and beast shapes, possessing an indescribable charm.

Once the small pot appeared, fine and dense Dao Patterns emerged all around; as they collided, one became two, two became four, four became eight, and then thousands upon thousands, countless millions.

They appeared infinite and inexhaustible, yet uniform and orderly, extremely profound.

Fang Longye reached out to take the Refining Immortal Pot into his hand, placing it alongside the Fangzhu Token to examine and compare them, lost in thought.

He had an idea: rare treasures rely on their own inherent qualities to exert various mysterious, extraordinary, and incredible abilities.

Then what if this rare treasure were used directly as a vessel embryo, reinforced with Restrictions, and refined into a Spirit Treasure? Presumably, its power would be greatly enhanced, right? However, this would require abundant knowledge to serve as the backing for such an operation.

Refining a Spirit Treasure often requires the reinforcement and combination of various Restrictions based on the material's characteristics.

Without sufficient experience in treasure refining and a store of various knowledge, he would not dare to act rashly.

If he were to make a mess of things, not only failing to enhance the power inherent to the rare treasure itself but instead diminishing the display of its own mysterious qualities, he would have nowhere to cry.

Putting away the rare treasure "Refining Immortal Pot," Fang Longye looked at the Fangzhu Token in his hand.

Ha—he chuckled softly, "Knowledge reserves, aren't they coming right now?"

Fang Longye channeled his Dharma, circulating it into the Fangzhu Token; the token shone brilliantly, reflecting his own shadow.

Several options appeared in his mind.

Fang Longye was in no rush to check the list of redeemable Dao Scriptures, supernatural powers, or various treasures, but instead chose to browse through various secret anecdotes and information.

Then, through the Fangzhu Token, he sensed the location of a space.

With a shift of his mind, his entire consciousness appeared within this mysterious space.

Floating all around were different books—some made of jade, some of bronze, some of animal hide, some of bamboo and wood, and so on, in a thousand different forms.

All the books were suffused with a dim glow, possessing an indescribable profundity.

Getting closer, one could even hear the sound of chanting from distant time and space.

Indescribable divine radiance shot forth, bizarre and variegated.

Fang Longye's consciousness stood in the sea of books, looking up; he could not see the sky above, nor the ground below.

He floated, his eyes filled with books; he took a deep breath, looking at everything before him, a smile appearing on his face.

This was nothing else but the classics and secrets accumulated by the Demon Clan over countless years, worth more than gold.

For a cultivator, knowledge and experience are very important accumulations.

Knowledge is power; this statement was more profound than anything else.

And he now possessed the authority to browse the secret information within this entire space for free and without time limits.

"This is going to make me so happy I forget about Shu!" Fang Longye laughed in his heart.

Because only within the territory of the Demon Master Mansion could the Fangzhu Token exert ninety-nine percent of its utility.

Once outside the territory of the Demon Master Mansion, the Fangzhu Token was left with almost only the function of identity verification.

Setting aside these playful thoughts, Fang Longye's consciousness reached out to take hold of the books—whether animal hide scrolls, jade slips, bamboo and wood books, or paper volumes—and began to read.

Many previously unknown secrets, anecdotes, legends, and so on sank into his heart, broadening his horizons and increasing his knowledge.

In this process, Fang Longye gained a different understanding of the entire world and the Earth Immortal Realm than he had before.

This would not bring an immediate increase in strength, but the accumulation gained was even more useful than an increase in cultivation realm.

The precious hall had double eaves and heavy ridges, carved beams and painted rafters, magnificent and solemn, covered with sky-blue Glazed Tiles.

Thousands of rays of heavenly light and divine radiance slanted down, grinding against the color of the tiles, a sheet of green and gold, cast in through the windows painted with green vines and frost.

The halo fell upon Fang Longye, placing his whole person within the light, his brows filled with the brilliance of wisdom.

After a good while, he opened his eyes, his pupils clear and deep, and stepped forward proudly; he did not speak for the moment, but stood up and paced to the window.

Outside, bamboo shadows were mottled, with small branches reaching the wall.

The light and shadow, neither too large nor too small, danced as the wind blew, rustling.

"Knowledge is power."

Fang Longye stood with his hands behind his back, exhaling a breath, feeling unprecedented agreement with this statement in his heart.

This world was too deep and vast; since the creation of the world, countless secrets had been accumulated.

Aside from those who were completely ignorant and thus fearless, anyone with ambition felt a kind of fear and insecurity toward the unknown.

And he, as a visitor from outside the heavens, felt three parts more inexplicable fear than ordinary people.

Because no matter what, others had been influenced by what they heard and saw, having a greater or lesser understanding of this world; only he had started from zero, constantly expanding.

Perhaps, just like that saying from his previous life, the more one knows, the more one feels one's own ignorance, and the greater the fear of the unknown in one's heart.

If one takes the realm of omniscience and omnipotence as the goal, perhaps this is the meaning of cultivation.

Through cultivation, acquire more knowledge, understand more secrets of heaven and earth.

The unknown becomes known, the strange becomes familiar, experience constantly grows, and cognition constantly widens.

Along with this process, one constantly faces the ever-expanding fear of the unknown in one's heart, overcomes it, and rejoices in it.

When one day, when heaven and earth, the known and the unknown, have no secrets in one's eyes, then perhaps one has truly reached the realm of omniscience and omnipotence.

Without fear, without dread, without joy, without worry.

However, that stage was too far away from him.

But it was obvious that after reading some of the books in the Demon Master Mansion, Fang Longye had a new understanding of the current world.

Only by standing high can one see far, and even better, choose the path beneath one's feet with ease and walk the correct path.

Just like now, he understood why a cultivator of the 'Heavenly Immortal Path' can be called the forging of a supreme foundation when they reverse the Five Qi in the Chest to Innate during the True Immortal Realm.

To know that it is so, and to know why it is so.

As long as he reverses the Five Qi in the Chest to Innate during the True Immortal Realm, once he becomes a Golden Immortal, he can eliminate ninety percent of the risks when facing the Three Calamities.

Because the reversal of the Five Qi in the Chest to Innate drives the growth and transformation of the cultivator's entire essence, Qi, and spirit.

And the Three Calamities target the essence, Qi, and spirit of the cultivator.

It can be said that after reversing the Five Qi in the Chest to Innate, passing the Three Calamities is almost a certainty.

This is what is called a supreme foundation.

It is not about the increase in strength, but about the rapid progress within the Golden Immortal Realm and the probability of success in stepping into a higher level.

However, knowing is one thing, and being able to do it is another.

In this era, five Innate Spiritual Objects are too difficult for ordinary people.

……

"Even as a Demon Workshop Master recognized by the Demon Master Mansion, I fear it is not so easy to obtain," Fang Longye muttered to himself. He looked at the list of treasures projected into his mind through the Fangzhu Token; they were all Post-Heaven items.

Post-Heaven Spiritual Treasures were dazzling, heavenly materials and earthly treasures were abundant, and immortal pills and spiritual medicines were everywhere.

It was just that not a single one involved Innate treasures.

In fact, Fang Longye did not know that it was because he was being treated specially.

If the Demon Master Mansion provided all the Innate Spiritual Objects, what would the other great beings who wanted to make investments play with?

As Fang Longye's realm grew higher, there were fewer and fewer things that could be invested in him.

Because he was not a puppet in the palm of a great being of the universe; when facing cultivation, he naturally had his own thoughts and choices.

No one could accurately grasp his thoughts, and the things bet on him might not necessarily suit his wishes. Naturally, it could not count as a great karmic connection.

The few investments that could be clearly determined to be of great use to him belonged to the cultivation of the Five Qi in the Chest required during the True Immortal Realm, as well as the Innate Spiritual Objects and Spirit Treasures required for reversing to Innate.

Even for these few items, many great beings were afraid that, relying on his thick luck and merit, his cultivation would reach a fortuitous opportunity of heaven and earth evolution halfway through, and he would directly gather them all.

How could they allow the Demon Master Mansion to pour important cultivation resources onto him? Therefore, the list of exchangeable treasures was different from Fang Longye's.

An ordinary Demon Workshop Master was already considered an official member of the Demon Master Mansion.

Although Innate Spiritual Objects would not be directly bestowed, they would be listed in the catalog for capable Demon Workshop Masters to exchange.

Whether for personal use or for cultivating juniors, they were free to choose.

After all, Fang Longye was not the only one serving as a Demon Workshop Master at the True Immortal Realm.

The Demon Master Mansion governed the entire Beiju Luzhou, and there were countless outstanding talents of the Demon Clan within; there were also many Demon Kings at the True Immortal Realm who were favored and granted a Building Workshop Token to be cultivated.

However, just as the Tianshu Hall Master explained to Fang Longye, the four benefits a Demon Workshop Master could receive all had restrictions, and one had to consider their own financial resources.

And Fang Longye was clearly taken care of a lot without breaking the rules.

Just like the first item, others needed to pay a price to exchange, but for him, three free exchange opportunities were granted directly.

Fang Longye stared at the exchangeable catalog of Dao Scriptures and divine abilities in his mind, a smile on his lips: "Not to mention anything else, just this alone is truly a grand gesture!"

The transaction for the Two Instruments Weichen Array, which he had been keeping in his heart, had been settled.

The resources for the promotion of his own gourd, which seemed like a life-bound Spirit Treasure, had finally been supplemented.

"Good steel should be used on the blade; let me think about how to exchange."

……

Inside a study in the palace.

The small window was half-open, pine shadows slanted, and outside there was a pond; after the spring rain, emerald water accumulated, shining with a luster.

In the pond, strange stones of different postures were scattered, some frost-white and translucent, washing away ice and snow, clear enough to reflect one's brows, some lush and sunny green, like bamboo color soaking through, luxuriant and glowing, some red as cinnabar, brilliant and shooting, bright and moist as if about to spit.

Some were a zhang high, some coiled like a dragon soaring, some were like black clouds with scales, the textures profound, some like a lotus flower emerging from water, standing tall and upright.

Different colors and different postures intertwined into an exquisite picture.

Fang Longye sat before the window, put down the book in his hand, and looked at the pond under the window; the stone colors were rugged, exuding a coldness that made one's spirit and bones clear, as if the fatigue on his body had been swept away.

"Such days are truly worth lingering over!"

Fang Longye rubbed his swollen brow and gently patted the book in his hand.

The cover of the book moved, revealing four seal-script Dao characters on it—'Cloud Satchel Seven Slips'.

It was precisely a Dao Scripture that Fang Longye had exchanged for.

During these days, he either sat in one place to contemplate this Dao Scripture or used the Fangzhu Token to enter that library space with his consciousness to read numerous secrets and information.

Although very tired, it was very fulfilling.

He gained a lot.

Three free exchange opportunities.

First, he exchanged for an 'Array Dao True Explanation' to trade for the 'Two Instruments Weichen Array' through the Equivalent Balance.

Then he exchanged for this 'Cloud Satchel Seven Slips' in his hand, a classic that could be called a general overview of the world's Dao Scriptures.

The last free exchange opportunity was given to the divine ability 'Return to Heaven and Reverse the Sun'.

'Return to Heaven and Reverse the Sun' could peer into the heavens, illuminate the Jambudvipa world, and know all past karma without obstacles.

As soon as he exchanged for it, he made a rubbing of it and used the Equivalent Balance to trade for another divine ability involving the calculation of Heavenly Secrets and karma—'Reverse Knowing the Future'.

'Reverse Knowing the Future' could peer into things that would happen in the future, was good at discerning Heavenly Secrets, could predict the unknown, and could know the fate of all living beings and understand all future karma.

These two divine abilities, when combined and cultivated to the end, approached the so-called state of omniscience.

Of course, wanting to have such an omniscient state solely through divine abilities was naturally very difficult. Even a Daluo could not do it.

After all, the river of time and space constantly changed, deriving infinite branches. Even a Daluo could not peer into all the changes within it.

Otherwise, there would not be the saying, "The Great Expansion is fifty, the Heavenly Derivation is forty-nine, and one escapes."

In truth, if not for Fang Longye wanting to make up for his own shortcomings in the deduction of Heavenly Secrets, he would never have used this opportunity to exchange for a Divine Ability.

Because over these years, he has used the Pure Lotus Divine Ability to absorb the good fortune of numerous opponents.

In terms of Divine Abilities, he is truly not lacking now.

The minor Divine Abilities covered by the Seventy-Two Earthly Transformations are completely gathered, and he has even obtained half of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations.

It is a dazzling array.

Furthermore, exchanging for a Divine Ability requires him to study it with devotion. How could that compare to the gratification of directly using the Pure Lotus Divine Ability to absorb the good fortune of others, taking their cultivation fruits entirely into himself?

As for the treasure category, he also did not use up the quantity allowed for exchange every one thousand years; it is not that he looks down upon post-celestial treasures.

With his current cultivation realm, he has not yet reached that point.

Aside from using the resources in his hand to exchange for a "Great Void Displacement Talisman" to trade for that "Primordial One Qi Taiqing Divine Talisman" from Shu Mountain, he also exchanged for a set of Array Flags.

Other than that, there was no other expenditure.

Nothing else, his purse is shy.

It is not like the Dao Scripture and Divine Ability categories, which gave him a "free voucher"; even at half price, it still costs money~

Otherwise, even with a half-price exchange, and then trading through the Equivalent Balance, one in and one out, there would still be a great profit for him.

"At the current stage, besides being a bandit, the way to accumulate wealth is still to open a Yaofang!" Fang Longye thought to himself.

Doing business can even accumulate more wealth than being a bandit.

After all, those who sell powder cannot compare to those who sell houses!

Thinking of this, Fang Longye put away the "Cloud Satchel Seven Slips," stood up, left the palace, and came to the pool at the side of the hall.

The pool stone before him was two or three zhang in size, its surface lustrous, with interwoven textures, as if fluttering clouds were upon it, reflecting the shimmering sunlight, possessing a sense of tranquility.

Before the stone, Fang Longye felt relaxed and full of ambition.

He looked at the surrounding scenery and chuckled: "Though Liang Garden is good, it is not a place to stay for long!"

Having stayed here for quite some time, it is time to return to his Daoist temple, make arrangements, open a Yaofang to gather wealth, and aid his cultivation! ……

Today's chapter~ Apologies, during this period, the daily update volume has been unstable; I am sorry to everyone!

(End of this chapter)