Chapter 1: Sanyin Temple

Liang Kingdom, Changping County.

Sanyin Temple.

Inside the quiet room, Chen Ci slowly ceased his cultivation. Feeling the almost non-existent progress in his practice, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Which good person brought me here? I hadn't even finished writing my book yet. I clearly promised to complete it; I wonder if the readers will believe this excuse."

He was not from this world.

Just a few days ago, Chen Ci was still a bottom-tier web novelist on Blue Star. He had worked himself bald while pulling all-nighters to type, only for his vision to go black. When he opened his eyes again, he had arrived in this world.

He had become a legendary practitioner.

This body was also named Chen Ci, an Outer Sect Disciple of the He Mountain Sect, a major side-branch sect. Because the sect elders had evaluated his aptitude as mediocre and deemed his Dao Foundation difficult to build, he had simply descended the mountain to take on the role of a Deacon. He came to the territory of Changping County to establish a foundation, which allowed him to enjoy worldly wealth while also handling miscellaneous tasks for the sect and collecting cultivation resources.

The Liang Kingdom was a small nation, and Changping County was an even more remote backwater. Setting aside immortal sects, most of those who could be called practitioners in the surrounding area were of miscellaneous lineages. Even an Outer Sect Disciple of a side-branch sect like Chen Ci was considered a top-tier sect member. Naturally, his predecessor had lived a prosperous life at Sanyin Temple.

It was just that his cultivation level was a bit low.

After nearly twenty years of Dao cultivation, he had only refined twenty-nine acupoints. In layman's terms, this was roughly the cultivation level of the early stage of Qi Refining.

Practitioners in this world needed to refine at least one hundred acupoints to build a Lower Grade Dao Foundation and catch a glimpse of the secret of Longevity.

And without a Dao Foundation, an ordinary Qi Refiner generally only enjoyed a lifespan of two sixty-year cycles.

However, this was not what worried Chen Ci. If his cultivation was low, so be it. This body had only just reached the age of thirty, so the path of cultivation was not yet severed. Even if he had no heart for the Dao, he could at least enjoy sixty years of wealth and marry one hundred and eight wives without any issue; his body could fully handle it.

But according to some residual memories, Chen Ci reckoned that he might not be a good person.

Not to mention the few stalks of Corpse Ganoderma kept in the backyard.

The alchemy room was filled with either human bones or corpse water, along with several placentas.

The cultivation technique he practiced was called the Sanyin Qi-Eating Method.

The Dharma Artifact he was currently refining was called the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag.

Under his command were three Apprentices: two mountain bandits and one notorious highwayman.

There was also a pair of young boy and girl servants just bought for the temple, though he couldn't quite remember what they were meant for.

"Side-branch and heterodox" — the latter two words were truly not misapplied. Chen Ci had been feeling a chill on the back of his neck lately, terrified that one day a passing sword immortal would "act on behalf of Heaven" and eliminate him. Although these items were all obtained legally through paths like mass graves, Yizhuang, pharmacies, and human traffickers, and his predecessor had not actually killed anyone to practice his techniques, if he were truly beheaded by someone, he reckoned there would be nowhere to plead his case.

In any case, in the few years his predecessor had been in Changping County, Sanyin Temple had acquired several thousand acres of farmland; it certainly hadn't fallen from the sky.

"Wash my reputation clean, I must wash it clean!"

Chen Ci pounded his hand heavily. In this kind of cultivation world, it was one thing for a demonic overlord to act out, but for a small fry from a side-branch sect to mess around, it would lead to disaster sooner or later.

Although the He Mountain Sect could be considered a major side-branch sect, its disciples were a mixed bag, its sect rules were not strict, and when trouble arose, it bullied the weak and feared the strong. The main point was that an Outer Sect Disciple could use the sect's name to bluff, but if they kicked an iron plate, they shouldn't expect the sect to act as their backer.

Sigh.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Suddenly, a few light knocks at the door interrupted Chen Ci's thoughts.

"What is it?"

Chen Ci rubbed his face and, imitating his predecessor's tone, asked indifferently.

"Master, the annual tribute for the main sect has been prepared. Would you like to inspect it?"

Outside the door was the voice of a simple-minded middle-aged man, though his accent was slightly strange.

"Come in."

As the door hinges creaked, an unremarkable, sallow-faced man entered the room, respectfully holding a small booklet. Although he wore Daoist robes, he looked more like an old farmer from the fields.

Chen Ci, however, would not underestimate this person. This man was named Niu Ji. Despite his honest appearance, he was actually a bandit who had roamed the mountains and forests. His gang had raised over twenty mountain bandits. One day, while out doing business, he hadn't checked the almanac and was wiped out by Chen Ci's predecessor. Seeing that he still had some ability, his predecessor had spared his life to use as an Apprentice to manage the miscellaneous affairs of Sanyin Temple.

Though called an Apprentice, he was actually a servant; all three Apprentices of Sanyin Temple had come about this way.

Chen Ci curled his finger slightly, drawing the booklet through the air into his hand, and opened it to examine it closely.

He had become familiar with these minor uses of True Qi over these past few days, so he wouldn't reveal any flaws in front of his subordinate.

Five hundred taels of gold.

A pair of jade discs.

Three stalks of century-old Old Ginseng.

One shi of Pearl Rice.

A pair of spirit children.

As an outer courtyard of the He Mountain Sect, Sanyin Temple was required to pay tribute to the main sect every year. Since Chen Ci was in Changping County, he had to send someone to deliver the annual tribute to the Red Dragon Temple, the main altar of the Liang Kingdom, two thousand miles away.

But this pair of spirit children... Chen Ci pondered for a moment, finally dredging up some fragments from his memory.

So-called spirit children were seeds for Dao cultivation. Collecting them at various outer courtyards and sending them to the He Mountain main sect was equivalent to finding disciples for the sect, which counted as a merit.

But...

The Dharma Artifacts passed down by the He Mountain Sect were mostly refined using living souls and flesh and blood. Although they were powerful in combat, they were very troublesome. In Chen Ci's memory, there was a method for refining the Yin Yang Soul-Bewitching Banner that required Spirit Iron for the pole, spider silk for the banner, and then refining it with the Essence Refining of a thousand pairs of male and female ferocious beasts, or refining it with the living souls of one hundred and eight pairs of spirit children. Once completed, holding this banner would allow one to walk sideways even within the Dao Foundation Realm.

Even at the main altar of the He Mountain Sect, no one dared to refine it openly using the latter method.

It was just that these spirit children were collected under the guise of taking on disciples. From Changping County to the Liang Kingdom's main altar, and then to the He Mountain main sect, the journey was over ten thousand miles. If something happened, outsiders wouldn't be able to say much; it all depended on the character of the He Mountain disciple in charge of the escort.

However, in Chen Ci's view, it would likely be more misfortune than fortune.

"Cross out this pair of spirit children. Find a good family in the county to adopt them."

Chen Ci waved his hand. He couldn't even take care of himself, so naturally, he had no intention of looking after extra baggage.

"Reporting to Master, if that is the case, this year's tribute quota will be insufficient."

Niu Ji reminded him cautiously.

Chen Ci thought for a moment: "Go to the backyard, pick a stalk of Corpse Ganoderma, and seal it well. That will be enough."

"Very well, Master."

A flash of surprise crossed Niu Ji's eyes. In the past, his master had regarded those few stalks of Corpse Ganoderma as extremely precious; it was strange that he was willing to give one away today.

"Wait."

Suddenly, Chen Ci called out to Niu Ji, who was about to withdraw, and said, "In one hour, the three of you wait for me in the main hall; I have matters to instruct."

After the door closed, Chen Ci tapped his fingers, his gaze slightly unfocused.

A light screen unique to him appeared abruptly in the void.

Three Yin Qi Consumption Method: 29/100 (The quality of the Three Yin True Qi obtained is medium-low; it can open the Hundred Apertures; practice three times a day, and one can advance one point every three hundred days.)

Five Yin Evil Qi Bag: Five-fold Prohibition/3/100 (Foundation is medium-medium; can obtain thirty-two-fold prohibitions; practice with five hundred catties of flesh and blood daily, can advance one point; current space is five directions.)

Yin Horse Pagoda Lock: Two-fold Prohibition/1/5 (Foundation is lower-lower; can obtain five-fold prohibitions; blood sacrifice a spirit horse, can advance one point.)

Soul Fixing Talisman: Minor Accomplishment/3/100 (Talisman paper and cinnabar ink, three out of ten parts; every ten talismans completed, can advance one point.)

Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method: Not yet initiated/0/4 (Medicine absorption method, Fire Control Method, Observation Qi Method, Condensing Pill Method; not yet obtained one.)

A very cliché Gold Finger panel; rather than an attribute panel, it is more like a detailed explanation of Daoist arts. He found no buttons to add points, and there were not even any prerequisite activation conditions for taking wives, concubines, or dual cultivation. Chen Ci expressed some slight disappointment.

But having it is better than not having it.

"However, I am not very good at math; is there anyone who can help me calculate this Three Yin Qi Consumption Method?"

Chen Ci paused; if the data on the Gold Finger was not wrong, he would still need about sixty years of time to cultivate to the Perfected Qi Refining stage?

Even if he cultivated the Three Yin True Qi to Great Accomplishment and refined the Hundred Apertures, he could only attempt to break through to the Lower Grade Dao Foundation at the ripe old age of ninety?

I'm tired, let it be destroyed.

Chen Ci sighed; this Gold Finger is truly something; if nothing else, at least it gave his Dao Heart a sword strike first.

Those whose Dao Heart is not firm have no hope for Longevity.

(End of this chapter)