Chapter 305: Meeting an Old Friend, Wind and Thunder Immortal Apricot

Zhongnan Mountain, inside Jade Pillar Cave.

Mysterious sounds rose in succession, with golden flowers and beaded curtains appearing incessantly.

However, despite the myriad of strange phenomena, there was a sense of detachment, as if they were optional; much like the Great Dao, high above, uninvolved with the myriad things.

Fang Longye and his companion followed Juque Tongzi deep into this Grotto-Heaven.

They saw the ground was clear and jade-colored, crystalline and reflecting the people upon it.

Cold fragrance drifted from beneath the rocks, before the trees, and over the water, lingering like mist and clouds.

Walking further in, they saw an ancient pine tree stretching across the water, its gnarled branches reflecting in the waves, the pine bark cracked and fissured, clearly having endured the baptism of long ages, possessing an indescribable sense of profound antiquity.

As soon as Fang Longye raised his head, he saw a Daoist sitting cross-legged on the trunk of the ancient pine, his aura composed and heavy, giving one a sense of Yin and Yang in primordial harmony.

This Daoist wore an Imperial Crown on his head, was draped in a Yin and Yang lotus immortal robe, and appeared very young, with clear brows and bright eyes, an extraordinary countenance, holding a Whisk in his hand.

Above his crown, ten thousand acres of auspicious clouds gathered, with golden lamps and beaded curtains hanging down, and immeasurable fortune rising, swirling in purple and cyan.

Such fortune was thousands and tens of thousands of times greater than what was on Fang Longye. A single wisp of it, transformed into Fu Lu Shou, would be enough to ensure an ordinary person lived without worry for ten thousand generations.

No, thousands or tens of thousands of times would not be enough to describe the gap between the two people's fortunes; it should be described as "how can a firefly compete with the brilliance of the bright moon."

However, Fang Longye was not surprised that this Daoist could possess such phenomena.

The person before him was the legendary Yunzhongzi! The renowned Immortal of Fortune and Virtue of the Chan Sect. Even among the disciples of the Saints, he was an existence with an extremely deep foundation.

It is said that he had long been a leader among those with Great Divine Ability, truly extraordinary.

He did not know if it was an illusion.

Fang Longye secretly sized up this Immortal of Fortune and Virtue, and no matter how he looked at him, he felt a sense of familiarity, as if the two had met before.

Clearly, he did not know this person at all.

"Great Immortal—"

Upon seeing this Daoist, Yang Chan slightly restrained the expression on her face and respectfully bowed with her sleeves extended.

According to the seniority of Yang Jian's side, she should call him Uncle-Master, but she was also a disciple of Wa Palace, raised from childhood by Nuwa, counting as a disciple of a Saint.

No form of address felt appropriate.

Especially since the identity and background of this Yunzhongzi were somewhat special.

Therefore, she followed the address for an ordinary immortal and called Yunzhongzi "Great Immortal."

"Little Daoist friend Yang Chan, it has been a long time!" Yunzhongzi smiled with a clear and bright expression, saying, "I did not expect you to have become a Taiyi Golden Immortal so quickly—"

Yang Chan's pretty face flushed slightly, and she waved her hand, saying, "Great Immortal, you flatter me! I wasted so much time before I barely managed to advance. Compared to my second brother, what does this count for—"

Yunzhongzi shook his head and laughed, "The existence of Qingyuan can be considered a miracle even within the entire Profound Gate—"

"It cannot be measured by common logic."

The implication was naturally saying,

Little girl, you are already very good! Just don't compare yourself to a monster—

Then, Yunzhongzi changed the subject and said, "Little Daoist friend Yang Chan, I already understand the reason for your visit, and the problem is not difficult—may I ask how much you have immersed yourself in the path of artifact refining?"

Yang Chan's expression became awkward.

With her status, if she wanted any Spirit Treasure, she only needed to open her mouth or reach out her hand to get it. Where would she need any artifact refining methods? "I wouldn't call it immersion, just some minor involvement—" she said, trying to save face.

Yunzhongzi clearly had long since seen through her level, looking calm and composed, and said bluntly, "I have artifact refining methods that I have summarized myself, totaling over three thousand nine hundred volumes. You go and read them through first. Then I will find time to demonstrate them for you properly and explain them clearly."

Yang Chan's face instantly turned bright red, and she argued forcefully, "Great Immortal, that won't be necessary! No matter what, I have refined a middle-grade Spirit Treasure—"

Fang Longye, standing to the side, could not help but roll his eyes.

When he was at Huashan, it was not as if he hadn't seen those "masterpieces" of Yang Chan. They were truly a sight too horrible to look at, a waste of heavenly treasures.

Good heavens, a pile of divine materials sufficient to refine a Supreme Spiritual Treasure, when put together, only allowed her to knead out a middle-grade Spirit Treasure.

And they were all defective products with no potential and no hope of advancement.

And now she had the nerve to say this?

"Every trade has its master; if you can't do it, you can't do it, no need to force yourself—" Fang Longye could not help but transmit his voice to her, his tone full of laughter.

It was full of teasing— "You're the one forcing yourself! If you slander me again, be careful, or I'll find my second brother to discipline you!" Yang Chan glared at him fiercely and transmitted back.

Yunzhongzi turned a blind eye to the flirting between the two, and for Yang Chan's defense, he also made no response, just smiling at her.

The meaning behind it was self-evident.

Feeling guilty under his gaze, Yang Chan gave a delicate snort and reached out to take a Jade Talisman handed over by Juque Tongzi.

That was the key to entering and exiting the Library Pavilion of Jade Pillar Cave.

Just as Fang Longye was snickering, he felt Yunzhongzi's gaze fall upon him, and he hurriedly greeted, "Yuanlong greets the Perfected One."

Yunzhongzi nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Fang Longye, sizing him up back and forth.

It made him feel a chill in his heart.

I do not know how much time had passed,

Suddenly, Yunzhongzi smiled broadly and said, "Little friend, long time no see!"

Fang Longye was stunned for a moment, his thoughts spinning rapidly, linking back to that initial sense of familiarity, his eyes flickered, and he tentatively opened his mouth to say, "Senior?"

"It seems you can still remember me."

Fang Longye hurriedly bowed and saluted, saying, "To this junior, Senior is like a second creator. Fang has relied much on the grace of Senior along the way. How could I dare to forget such great kindness?"

While bowing, he secretly thought in his heart, no wonder it was like this.

Yunzhongzi, Yunzhongzi, why hadn't he thought of it before? This Daoist name actually had a hidden meaning.

No wonder he was called the Immortal of Fortune and Virtue.

No wonder the classics he had seen all said that among the disciples of the Chan Sect back then, he was not very prominent, but after the Conferring of the Gods, he advanced bravely and surged ahead.

To this day, even Guanyin, Puxian, and Manjusri, when meeting Yunzhongzi, this Immortal of Fortune and Virtue, would have to be half a notch weaker.

No wonder he had felt a sense of familiarity when he had secretly sized him up just now.

If he were Hongyun himself, or perhaps an incarnation of his, then everything would be explained.

He felt ashamed that he had previously thought about finding an opportunity to ambush Leizhenzi.

He never expected that it would be a case of the flood waters washing away the Dragon King's temple—family members failing to recognize their own kin! Thinking of this, he turned his head to look at Yang Chan beside him, only to see her making a face at him, showing not a hint of the surprise one would expect.

It stood to reason that she must have known Yunzhongzi's true identity long ago.

"Did you know all along that Daoist Yunzhongzi is an incarnation of Senior Hongyun? Did you deliberately provoke my covetous heart toward Leizhenzi back then?"

Fang Longye transmitted his voice.

"What are you talking about? Why can't I understand you?" Yang Chan naturally refused to admit it.

But her constantly darting gaze and the smile that couldn't help but rise at the corners of her mouth betrayed her.

"Little friend,"

Hearing the call, Fang Longye pretended to glare fiercely at Yang Chan, thinking, *I'll settle the score with you, little Demon, later. *

Afterward, he turned his head to look at Yunzhongzi.

He saw that Yunzhongzi's eyes were filled with smiles, Generating Light, and when his gaze fell upon a person, it possessed a sense of piercing insight.

"It hasn't been long since we parted ways in that Small World, yet you, little friend, have already become famous throughout the universe. I truly did not misjudge you." Fang Longye waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I only rely on the grace of my seniors and the support of my elders; I am truly unworthy of such praise, it is not worth mentioning."

Yunzhongzi shook his head, shifted his body, leaned lazily against a pine branch, and with a light chuckle, shook his head again, saying, "You are being too modest."

"Young people should be full of vigor; why be so hypocritical? If you aren't full of vigor, can you still be called a young person?"

Fang Longye gave a chuckle. *If you put it that way, then I won't be polite! * He immediately climbed up the pole, saying, "That... Senior, I heard there is an Innate Spiritual Root in Jade Pillar Cave called the Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot."

Yunzhongzi's expression froze, then he burst into loud laughter, saying repeatedly, "Good, good, good! This kind of shameless spirit—it has the style I had back in the day!"

Fang Longye's mouth twitched, and black lines appeared on his forehead. *Is there anyone who talks about themselves like that? You don't actually think 'shameless' is a compliment, do you? *

As for Yang Chan, she was not surprised at all.

She had long known that this Immortal of Fortune and Virtue was not as upright as he appeared on the surface.

Being eccentric, unreliable, and even occasionally acting crazy were all very normal things for him.

After Yunzhongzi clapped his hands and laughed, he ordered, "Juque, go and pick two Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots."

"Wait, hold on!"

Fang Longye stopped Juque Tongzi, turned back to look at Yunzhongzi, and rubbing his hands together, he chuckled, "Senior, it's really not that this junior is pushing his luck, but there are quite a few people at home. I would like to bring back some local specialties for them."

This display of shamelessness made Yang Chan, standing to the side, itch with irritation. *'Local specialties'? Is your family's local specialty an Innate Spiritual Fruit? * Of course, the main reason was the phrase "quite a few people at home." Although she had expected it long ago and had even been warned by her second brother.

She had known from the moment they first met what kind of person he was; he could never give up a life of having many wives and concubines and living in luxury just for her.

But a great sense of sourness still welled up.

Fang Longye, however, was completely oblivious, flipping his hand to take out a small cauldron suffused with Xuanhuang Merit.

"However, I won't take your spiritual fruit for nothing, Senior." He held up the Yu Emperor Cauldron, this Merit Spiritual Treasure, and said, "I will use this to trade."

"Enough." Yunzhongzi looked at him with a look that was not quite a smile, saying, "Put away your broken cauldron."

"Do you think I can't see through your little schemes? Could I really have the thick skin to accept your tribute? I am not one of those bald donkeys from the Western lands!"

Seeing that his little scheme had been called out by Yunzhongzi, Fang Longye gave a sheepish smile and put away the Yu Emperor Cauldron.

"Senior, about those immortal apricots..."

Yunzhongzi, or rather Hongyun, rolled his eyes; he finally understood what kind of image he had in the eyes of Zhenyuanzi.

He said irritably, "Rest assured, they are just some Innate Spiritual Fruits; I can still afford to part with them."

Having said that, he ordered Juque Tongzi to go and pick a few more Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots.

Not long after, Juque Tongzi returned, holding a long Wood Box in his hands.

"Grandmaster—"

Yunzhongzi nodded and pointed a finger; the Wood Box in Juque Tongzi's hands leaped up and landed in Fang Longye's arms.

Fang Longye peeked inside and saw twelve immortal apricots lying quietly in the Wood Box, filled with Xiantian Spiritual Essence and shining brilliantly.

He immediately beamed with joy.

"Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots!"

These twelve immortal apricots grew in pairs. One green and one purple, each containing rich wind and thunder power.

Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot, Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot; it was clear that to obtain the complete creation, one had to consume both the green and purple ones together.

In other words, it could be enjoyed by six people.

That was not a small amount! Fang Longye's thoughts turned as he calculated in his heart how to arrange these Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots.

First of all, he himself would certainly consume a pair. Even for him now, these Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots were quite useful.

Do not think that just because he had consumed several types of Innate Spiritual Fruits during his Golden Immortal stage, these Innate Spiritual Fruits were nothing special.

Once one reached the Taiyi Realm, they would have no great use.

The reality was exactly the opposite.

If one were to really analyze it, the various Innate Spiritual Fruits that Fang Longye swallowed during the Golden Immortal stage could not be called a huge waste, as he had used them to cultivate secret arts.

But it was equivalent to a cow chewing on peony flowers; he had not brought the effects of the Innate Spiritual Fruits to their extreme.

One must know that Innate Spiritual Roots and Innate Spiritual Treasures—anything that carries the word "Innate"—are incomparably precious.

These Innate objects, born since the opening of the heavens, were born containing a portion of the Innate Great Dao.

By refining an Innate Spiritual Root or Innate Spiritual Treasure, a practitioner could obtain the Great Dao contained within, thereby rapidly improving their own realm.

Especially upon reaching the Taiyi Realm.

At this stage, one uses the furnace of ten thousand Daos to nurture one's own body; to comprehend the Great Dao unique to oneself, one needs to understand various Great Dao laws.

And Innate Spiritual Fruits, produced from Innate Spiritual Roots, although not as good as the Innate Spiritual Roots themselves, also contained a portion of the Great Dao possessed by the Innate Spiritual Roots.

Even for those at the Taiyi level, it is a rare treasure that is hard to come by.

For instance, this Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot was nurtured by one of the few Innate Spiritual Roots in the Honghuang, born containing the complete Innate Wind-Thunder Great Dao.

Such a supreme Innate Spiritual Root naturally produces extraordinary Innate Spiritual Fruits, which likewise contain a significant amount of the Innate Wind-Thunder Great Dao.

For those at the Taiyi level who need various Great Dao laws to irrigate their own Dao Fruit, it is of great benefit.

Especially since Fang Longye is of the Dragon Clan; no matter how he seeks to Reverse Innate or transform his Bloodline, he is born in harmony with the Wind-Thunder Great Dao.

Consuming the Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot will naturally allow him to gain more benefits than the average person.

"And there is Qingli and the others; this Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot is just right for them to improve their aptitude and elevate their Bloodline. Especially Qingli, even though she has cultivated the Heavenly Demon Slaughtering God Art~"

Just like Leizhenzi, this Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot can also alter a person's constitution and improve their aptitude.

As long as it is swallowed, one can be transformed by the Wind-Thunder Great Dao, forming a kind of Wind-Thunder Divine Body, and can even directly master some of the powers of the Wind-Thunder Great Dao.

Although it is not suitable for ordinary mortals, as the laws it contains belong to the Wind-Thunder path, and consuming it is not as gentle as the Ren Water Flat Peach.

But as long as one has stepped onto the path of cultivation, even if they are not yet in the Immortal Realm.

They can already withstand the power contained within the spiritual fruit, and can continuously break through several major realms in a short period of time.

Reaching the Golden Immortal realm directly is not a problem.

Isn't that how Leizhenzi was cultivated during the Conferring of the Gods Tribulation~

Zhongnan Mountain, Jade Pillar Cave.

The twisted pines reach into the water, and beneath Yunzhongzi, vast patches of green clouds diffuse, hovering three to five zhang above the ripples.

Blue and white colors intersect.

Pearl shadows and emerald curtains, lush and verdant.

Fang Longye stood in place as if no one else were around, continuously stroking the Wood Box in his hand, calculating in his heart how to handle and use these Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricots.

His face was full of smiles.

Yunzhongzi, or rather Hongyun Laozu, did not mind anything.

On the contrary, Yang Chan, seeing the smile on Fang Longye's face and thinking of what he said when he asked for the Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot earlier, could not help but feel jealous.

"Yo, I didn't realize, our Dragon Lord Yuanlong is actually quite a sentimental person!"

(End of this chapter)