Chapter 186: Star Seed Manifestation, Fulfilling the Promise with Talismans

Due Palace, main hall.

Before the Star Lord's divine statue.

Ma Zhangshun knelt down in front, performed three bows and nine kowtows, his expression solemn and respectful, chanting the name of the "Cave Profound Wonderful Truth Due Star Lord," staring straight at the statue, his mind and soul beginning to empty.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

A strand of inexplicable sandalwood incense began to permeate the hall; by the tenth breath, Ma Laodao seemed to hear a booming sound, and in a trance, the palace hall and the Star Lord's statue before his eyes vanished, replaced by a vast, surging galaxy, while he himself had somehow transformed into a star god, occupying a star, bathed in starlight, his entire being from inside to out filled with a sense of trembling.

This was a lightness and comfort he had never experienced since stepping onto the Dao path.

As far as his eyes could see in the surging galaxy, there were only three or five stars with human-like figures, but the galaxy was too vast to see clearly or communicate, save for a divine statue standing with arms crossed at the source of the galaxy, as if the entire galaxy originated from and ended with it, shaking his heart and soul.

Due Star Lord is above!

Ma Laodao bowed heavily, then gathered his focus, and using the boundless starlight, began to cultivate the "Due Star God Method" to increase his cultivation.

Sanyin Temple, quiet room.

But, the Star Lord is different!

Healing his crippled body, imparting wonderful methods, he naturally must gather incense and gain believers for the Star Lord.

Chen Ci pinched his spirit ghost body, carefully peering into the hall, somewhat dumbfounded; no, shouldn't this count as a guardian stealing from the temple?

Until the incense aura on the Due divine statue completely dissipated, Ma Laodao had not left even a scrap for this so-called Due Star Lord, having digested it all in one go; it could be said that the incense of this county for the Due Palace was all enjoyed by him alone.

Only after opening his eyes did he not first check his own condition, but instead stood up and scanned outside the palace with curiosity; after confirming there was nothing unusual, he returned before the Star Lord's statue, performed three bows and nine kowtows, his gentle and ethereal temperament becoming one step closer to the Star Lord Jade Statue.

His True Qi cultivation also progressed at a perceptible speed.

It was just like the Four Seas Ruyi Treasure Money encountered at the Liangjiang Sea Market, the "Money Can Communicate with Gods Method" on it allowing cultivators to warm and nourish it, somewhat like "battery charging."

Relieving disasters and averting calamities, this is truly a righteous god.

Chen Ci stroked his chin, but suddenly felt that the jade statue seemed to turn its head slightly, some gaze sweeping over him, and he felt a sense of impending doom, realizing he had forgotten that when operating the Observation Qi Method, the spirit ghost method would automatically disperse.

Ma Laodao remained in the main hall, eyes slightly closed, his manner respectful, but strands of incense aura from the Due divine statue in the hall fell leisurely, actually falling directly into his body, with starlight faintly appearing in his spirit platform, connecting with a certain star in the night sky.

He was not the kind of wandering loose practitioner without roots; the Ma Family Village had been passed down for over three hundred years and had even produced high-level side-door experts like the Ma Family Ancestor who were nearly at the Dao Foundation, so he had some understanding of the various methods in the cultivation world.

No wonder this Ma Laodao's cultivation progressed so quickly; if you are this brazen, does your family's Star Lord know?

Chen Ci pondered for a moment, looked up at the starlight above the Due Palace that seemed a fraction brighter, and was somewhat unsure what this Primordial Spirit True Monarch from Longhu Mountain meant; could it be that setting up Due Star Lord statues across the Liang Kingdom and gathering incense was just to let others use it for cultivation?

Chen Ci's trip this time yielded results that were neither too much nor too little, much like a low-level commoner finding out some national news—impressive, but of little use; even knowing that the Spirit Light was not the incense belief power he previously thought, but another kind of pure spiritual energy, primordial energy, or something else entirely, Chen Ci dared not dwell on it too much.

However, he had encountered similar situations a few times by chance.

In the main hall, Ma Zhangshun also woke up from the surging galaxy; there were no more stars, star gods, galaxies, or Star Lords before his eyes, only his own slightly closed eyes, still before the Star Lord's statue, and the Due Star God Dharma Power that had further improved.

"Hmm?"

But in reality, it was another scene.

No, the jade statue!

Chen Ci subconsciously operated the Observation Qi Method; in the palace hall, the Spirit Light on the Star Lord Jade Statue hidden in the clay statue's chest also seemed to have some connection with that star, not only pure and condensed, but the jade statue seemed to come alive, and between breaths, the range of the Spirit Light surrounding it expanded by an imperceptible fraction.

So this layer of Spirit Light was not purely incense or belief power; no wonder he had been busy for days with no gains—it was because he hadn't grasped the method.

Dozens of feet away, the sneaky Chen Ci, even in his spirit ghost body, still subconsciously stood in the shadows; after Ma Laodao returned to the hall, he clicked on his Gold Finger panel again, and after checking to ensure there were no issues, he let out a sigh and drifted gloomily toward his own Daoist temple.

"The Spirit Light on that Star Lord Jade Statue must be a treasure."

And this Due Star Lord divine statue, letting Ma Laodao cultivate using the incense belief power of a county, was somewhat like "filtering"; without this layer of filtering, the Spirit Light would not manifest, and perhaps when the jade statue was first worshipped by the county residents, the Spirit Light on it flickered slightly, perhaps it was selecting "filter paper."

Since it is "filter paper," the stuff filtered out is likely not anything good.

But this is for a Primordial Spirit True Monarch.

Anyway, for a low-level side-door cultivator like Ma Laodao, it is a treasure that can increase cultivation; as for the slight hidden dangers, among side-door miscellaneous cultivators, probably only a cultivator like Chen Ci who aims for Longevity would care.

"I wonder if that Spirit Light is of any use to the Five Aggregates Yin Demon Art, or if it has any benefits for Dao Foundation Dharma Power or Dan Realm cultivation."

Chen Ci felt some regret; although he understood two parts of the operating principle of this Star Lord divine statue, he was completely ignorant of the profound mysteries within, otherwise, he could set up a statue of a giant of light for himself in the future, focusing on "Do you believe in the He Mountain Light?", which would also be excellent.

"Better to continue polishing True Qi and honestly refine pills; this method of increasing cultivation that Ma Laodao uses is not for me, so I might as well give up on that idea."

Chen Ci shook his head, closed his eyes slightly, and began to consume Qi and practice his arts, solidifying his foundation.

Three days later.

Chen Ci still hadn't waited for anyone from Ma Family Village at Sanyin Temple, and just as he was about to send his Registered Disciple to the mountains to take a look, Ma Laodao came to the door again.

Fine, probably asking for talismans again.

The changes in this former Ma the Lame, now Temple Keeper Ma, were so great that Chen Ci had to take him seriously; if his True Qi cultivation progressed as fast as it did that night, I'm afraid in less than two years his cultivation would surpass Chen Ci's, and although cultivation level is not equal to combat strength, having seen and heard what he did those nights, Chen Ci dared not be careless; heaven knows if that Due Star Lord cares about his "filter paper."

"Temple Master Chen, this old Daoist has come uninvited again, please forgive me."

Ma Laodao bowed, and Chen Ci glanced at him; his True Qi cultivation hadn't changed much compared to two days ago, and upon reflection, he understood.

Changping County only had so many people, even if this man surnamed Ma bestowed health-preserving pill water from time to time, how much incense could there be every day? He probably also had to save up a wave of incense belief power before he could use it for cultivation.

"It is no matter."

Chen Ci also smiled, returned the bow, and asked indifferently: "I wonder, Daoist, if you have come this time for the same matter as last time? Have you sought help from Longhu Mountain or the Changping County Yamen? If you are short on funds, I can make it a bit cheaper."

No matter who it is, unless the Due Star Lord comes in person, there is no way to get a free ride.

Chen Ci calculated that the Soul Fixing Talismans he practiced daily were a waste if left unused, so he was willing to sell them for sixty taels of silver; as for anything lower, that wouldn't do, as it would ruin Chen Ci's reputation.

"You make me ashamed, Temple Master Chen."

Ma Laodao also smiled, but then his expression became somewhat serious: "Although this old Daoist does not know the ins and outs, the Star Lord is the Star Lord, and it has nothing to do with others; how can I seek help from Longhu Mountain cultivators? Even if I were to beg for silver from the Changping County Yamen, the burden would ultimately fall on the county residents and incense followers; the Star Lord relieves disasters, how can he bring down calamities?"

Chen Ci picked up his teacup and took a sip, noncommittal.

"However, I did come this time indeed to seek some Soul Fixing Divine Talismans, and I hope Temple Master Chen can bestow two talismans every seven days; I wonder if that is possible?"

Ma Laodao pondered slightly; he had also discovered that the power of the Soul Fixing Talisman would weaken over time, and if the initial talisman could last three to five days, after being placed for three days, it would only have two or three days of effect; if he wanted that spirit-sensitive child to grow up safely, the number of spirit talismans required was not a small amount, perhaps needing a hundred talismans per year.

One must know that an ordinary He Mountain cultivator, unless they practiced several evil methods at the same time, generally only needed a dozen or so Soul Fixing Talismans a year to dispel evil energy and stabilize their mind.

"Does Ma Daoyou still have Corpse Ganoderma in your possession? One stalk of Corpse Ganoderma can be exchanged for twenty talismans."

Chen Ci thought for a moment and made a suggestion.

"I will not hide it from Temple Master Chen, that last batch was all the stock this old Daoist had."

Ma Laodao shook his head and said, "Moreover, although this medicinal fungus does not harm people, it ultimately goes against human harmony, and I fear this old Daoist will not plant it again in the future. However, if Temple Master Chen is willing to bestow a spiritual talisman, this old Daoist can give you a promise: in the future, you, Temple Master, may ask one question, and there is nothing I will not answer."

"Huh?"

Chen Ci laughed in surprise: "Ma Daoyou, this... asking one question, are you asking about yourself?"

"Not so."

Ma Laodao's expression became somewhat respectful, and he said, "In the future, should Temple Master Chen have the opportunity, you may ask the Star Lord of Calamity Deliverance one question, though whether you can obtain an answer is not something this poor Daoist can guarantee."

(End of this chapter)