Chapter 172: True Fire lights the heavenly lamp, kowtow to the Immortal Prison Temple

Seven days passed in a flash, and it was the fifteenth of September.

The Qi was already cold, entering deep autumn. The sun set earlier and earlier. Just past five or six o'clock, the sky turned dark, lining out a bright moon in the haze.

"The moon on the fifteenth is round on the sixteenth..."

Zhang Fan looked at the sky, able to feel the full moon on the fifteenth, the Taiyin was blazing, the clear Qi in the mountain sank, the turbid Qi wandered. On this day, many animals would become restless, and those with spirituality would gaze at the moon.

"A wisp of morning light at the beginning of birth, the moon's brilliance on the fifteenth condenses treasure light... these are all great medicines for those who cultivate the Dao." Liu Xingchui muttered softly.

Practitioners view the light of the rising sun on the first day and the brilliance of the full moon on the fifteenth as great medicines. If they are harvested and refined, they can nourish the soul-aspect, strengthen the True Yang, and nourish life in the reversal.

Back then, the Pure Yang Patriarch followed the Fire Dragon Daoist priest, harvested three years of solar essence and seven years of lunar essence, and achieved the rank of an earthly immortal. His talent was strong, suppressing the ancient and modern.

"Luoxia Mountain is really a good place for cultivation." Liu Xingyu couldn't help but say.

Ordinary people look at the moon, which is just round, bright, and shining.

But if observed with the soul-aspect, the bright light around the bright moon is like a mist, almost overflowing, as if covered with a layer of gauze.

The most mysterious thing is that at different times and in different places, the concentration of that bright "mist" is different, and the lunar essence that can be harvested is naturally different.

Therefore, the Dao of cultivation emphasizes time, location, and harmony.

The moon at the same time, harvesting in the city and harvesting in Luoxia Mountain, the effect must be different.

This is also the reason why the great masters of alchemy in ancient times liked to run to the deep mountains. If they could find that famous mountain and blessed land, climb high and harvest, they would naturally be one step closer to that immortal Dao.

"Let's go!"

Zhang Fan's gaze narrowed, and on this day, he was instead incomparably calm, stepping toward Luoxia Mountain.

The Liu brothers exchanged glances and followed.

Ever since witnessing Zhang Fan's various methods, they had long since turned from the initial expediency to the wholehearted devotion of today.

After all, in their eyes, following Zhang Fan had much more future than following Meng Qingtong back then.

Although Zhang Fan's reputation in the Daoist path was not obvious now, unlike Xia Weisheng, An Wuyang, Qi Delong, Qi Dongqiang, and others, they knew clearly in their hearts that this disciple secretly cultivated by Mount Zhenwu was not inferior to those people in the slightest.

"Brother Fan, you say that in this mountain today, can we really find that Immortal Prison Temple?" Liu Xingyu followed Zhang Fan's pace and couldn't help but ask.

"The fifteenth full moon, the sun and moon change, heaven and earth's Qi moves, often can break the void and see the truth." Zhang Fan said indifferently.

"It should be possible."

The world is a huge stage play. Buddhism views it as illusory, Daoism views it as false images. With the changes of impermanence, these illusory false images will also change accordingly.

Mastering the laws of that change, one can see the truth.

Therefore, the Daoist path has a saying: True nature originates from emptiness, arises from the root, and awakens in illusion.

If you want to see the truth, you have to look for it in the false. If you want to see life, you have to see death first...

The Dao of cultivation is interesting.

"The fog is really big today."

Zhang Fan walked into Luoxia Mountain. The sky was already dark, the moon hung high in the sky, becoming brighter and brighter.

But in the mountain, a large fog surged, white and vast, carrying a cold and wet feeling.

Zhang Fan didn't say much. Observing with his soul-aspect, he saw a path appearing in the vast white fog, long and narrow, occasionally three or five steps appeared, most of the roads were bumpy, and there were even white bone tombs beside the road.

"There really is a path."

The Liu brothers' cultivation was not weak. Observing with their soul-aspect, they could naturally see it too.

"This is an ancient path." Zhang Fan said in a low, concentrated voice.

Since ancient times, there have been thousands of paths in the mountains, but the years have sunk, and many have been buried.

But as long as the earth is moved, the earth's Qi is stirred. In the heaven's luck and earth's Qi, there are thoughts of gods residing. At specific times, that path will still appear, but ordinary people cannot see it.

Just like some mountaineers, at specific times, clearly walking along the established route, they end up going astray. Those who are lucky return alive, but according to what they said, they cannot find the so-called new path.

"Heaven changes, earth moves, ordinary people must never enter the deep mountains." Liu Xingchui also said.

For example, after an earthquake, or before and after a rainstorm... these are all changes in heaven and earth. The changes in the mountain are the most intense, and those who cultivate the Dao must observe silence and dare not act rashly.

This is a great taboo in the mountain.

Coo... coo...

Just at this moment, a strange sound came from the distance, low and hoarse, as if someone had been strangled by the neck, the sound made by the throat.

Zhang Fan looked at it, and saw a slender figure, hands cupped, facing the bright moon in the sky.

That figure looked extremely like a person, yet not like a person. Its head and neck were integrated, connected to the slender body.

"Yellow-skinned rat!"

Liu Xingchui's eyes lit up. He hadn't seen such a big yellow-skinned rat, like a big dog, with bright fur, oily, and the roots of the hair standing up, undulating with its breathing and worship.

"Incredible, this yellow-skinned rat seems to have cultivated in this mountain for some years, becoming a spirit." Zhang Fan said in a deep voice.

According to his estimation, this yellow-skinned rat had lived for at least thirty years.

Back then, the He family who went out was worshiping the yellow-skinned rat, called the Yellow Immortal.

At that time, he fought with that crazy girl He Huan. Although he won, it was barely. After all, those who practiced going out had spirits to help. The Yellow Immortal He Huan worshiped back then had weak cultivation, only having a little Daoist practice. Compared to the yellow-skinned rat in front of him, it was simply a small witch compared to a big one.

"This Luoxia Mountain is really not an ordinary scenic spot, actually hiding such a spirit." Liu Xingyu said in a deep voice.

The cultivation of this yellow-skinned rat was able to fight with ordinary technique disciples, which was already very powerful in the current era.

If it could cultivate for another ten or twenty years, maybe it could leave the soul-aspect, take a human body, and that would be a demon.

However, after the founding of the country, according to the principles, one cannot become a demon. Early on, the whole country had a census of demons, and ordinary demons were registered and had household registration.

After that, those who emerged were black households. Once discovered, the consequences could be imagined.

However, although not all spirits can become demons, in the current end of the Dharma, with high-rise buildings everywhere in the city, almost everywhere are human footprints. Being able to cultivate to this state in the mountain is already a creation.

Whoosh...

Just at this moment, the yellow-skinned rat's throat squirmed, and a "rumbling" sound came from its abdomen, actually spitting out a group of earthy yellow Qi, floating in front of it.

That group of Qi seemed to condense into substance. Under the yellow-skinned rat's breathing, the hazy moonlight was like a layer of gauze, entangled around the group of earthy yellow Qi, constantly penetrating and merging into it.

"Is that an inner pill?" Liu Xingyu whispered, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Even for those who cultivate the Dao, there are few opportunities to observe spirits practicing at close range.

"It hasn't formed a pill yet, but this thing has explored some rough cultivation methods, and the efficiency of swallowing lunar essence is extremely high." Zhang Fan said in a deep voice.

Gazing at the moon and harvesting is the simplest and most primitive way for animals to become spirits.

Because the sun is dazzling and the Yang Qi is blazing, ordinary animals fundamentally cannot gaze and harvest.

It is said that among all animals, only the ape structure is different, able to look up at the sun, condense a point, practice gazing at the moon at night, and practice peeping at the sun during the day.

Therefore, in deep mountains and great marshes, apes with spirituality, once they open their apertures, know the method of sun practice and moon practice.

But ordinary animals can only gaze at the moon and harvest.

Although the great moon is Taiyin, all things have Yin and Yang.

Lu Zu once said: See through the floating life early and realize emptiness, the sun is hidden in the bright moon. If people realize the principle of Yin and Yang, they can seize the mechanism of heaven and creation.

The yellow-skinned rat in front of him, although swallowing lunar essence, can also refine that point of True Yang from it, which is truly a creation.

"Brother Fan, this is a great medicine."

Liu Xingyu's eyes lit up. Spirits that have cultivated to this state, although the inner pill is not formed, are full of essence. If slaughtered and harvested, the Daoist practice will surely advance greatly.

All things born in heaven can be medicine, but this is not an ordinary great medicine.

Rumble...

Liu Xingyu's thought had just risen, when the yellow-skinned rat seemed to have sensed it, as if warned by the underworld, swallowed the floating earthy yellow Qi group into its abdomen in one bite, its fur stood up, and it turned around violently.

Whoosh...

In an instant, a mountain wind rose, gloomy and cold, chilling to the bone.

This cold wind blew on the body, the hair stood up, and once it penetrated the pores into the body, ordinary people would be sick for a while.

"This rat is really alert." Liu Xingyu said in a deep voice.

"Moving the heart and starting the thought, there is cause and effect. Human thoughts are very powerful."

Zhang Fan said in a low, concentrated voice, and saw the yellow-skinned rat walking like a human, its grim gaze even more terrifying than a tiger, staring at the Liu brothers, revealing deep hostility.

Zhang Fan could feel that its entire body was bursting, like a stretched big bow, ready to launch an attack at any time.

However, the yellow-skinned rat's gaze turned and landed on Zhang Fan, the ferocity in its eyes dissipated by three points, but it showed a piece of confusion, hesitated for a moment, and actually knelt down like a human, kowtowing repeatedly.

"What's the situation?"

The Liu brothers looked at each other, looking at the yellow-skinned rat kowtowing like pounding garlic, kowtowing until its scalp was broken, revealing a strange expression.

"It can't see my reality, knows it's not an opponent, so it begs for a way to live." Zhang Fan said indifferently.

This yellow-skinned rat is also smart, unlike ordinary spirits, who know they are not opponents but still resist stubbornly. But it couldn't see Zhang Fan's depth, and not being able to see is also an answer.

It didn't even resist, directly begging for mercy, smarter than ordinary humans, knowing how to give and take.

"Really became a spirit." Liu Xingyu couldn't help but say. Such a spirit, if refined, would save more than ten years of hard work.

"Considering your cultivation is not easy, go." Zhang Fan waved his hand, not making things difficult.

This yellow-skinned rat was able to cultivate to this state in a place like Luoxia Mountain. It must have lived in seclusion and practiced hard on weekdays, not daring to do any evil, otherwise it would have been discovered by Daoist experts and ended up in a pot.

Thump... thump... thump...

Hearing this, the yellow-skinned rat looked at Zhang Fan, its eyes becoming a bit softer, crystal clear, and it kowtowed three more times.

Upon hearing this, the yellow-furred rat looked at Zhang Fan with eyes that had grown a bit softer and were sparkling with crystalline light; unexpectedly, it kowtowed heavily three more times.

If ordinary Daoist priests met it, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to hold back the thoughts in their hearts.

Whoosh...

The yellow-skinned rat stood up, walked a few steps, turned back to look at Zhang Fan, and then drilled into the grass beside the long ancient path, no longer seeing its shadow.

"Just missed it like this, Brother Fan, this kind of spirit is not common." Liu Xingyu said with some loss.

"This thing's cultivation is not easy, no need to create killing karma in vain." Zhang Fan stepped forward and continued to move forward.

"But..."

"If you create orchid cause, you must bear the fruit..."

Before Liu Xingyu's words could be spoken, Zhang Fan interrupted him.

"You became its calamity, how do you know it won't bring your own calamity?"

Zhang Fan didn't look back, stepping into the vast white fog.

Liu Xingyu was stunned, chewing on Zhang Fan's words, looking at his distant back, a deep thought appearing in his eyes.

He only felt that the current Zhang Fan was becoming more and more unfathomable. His realm seemed to be improving every moment, and this realm had nothing to do with cultivation and supernatural powers.

"Don't think about it. Cultivating the Dao is not just chasing power. Understanding the Heavenly Dao and realizing the Dharma principle is the right path."

Liu Xingchui looked at his stupid brother, patted his shoulder, and stepped to catch up with Zhang Fan's pace.

"Brother, wait for me."

Liu Xingyu shook his head and chased after him.

The fog was even bigger.

The visibility on the mountain road was also getting lower and lower, the temperature around dropped sharply, and if ordinary people walked on this path, I'm afraid it would also be ominous.

Clang... clang... clang...

Just at this moment, a crisp bell sound came from the distance.

"What is that?" Liu Xingyu's ears moved, couldn't help but say.

"Don't speak."

Zhang Fan walked at the front, raised his hand, observed with his soul-aspect, and saw a group of people walking in the vast white fog, wearing Daoist robes, as if a group of Daoist priests, some waving white banners, some holding apricot yellow flags, some shaking bells... walking in the mountain.

They all had dull eyes, no vitality of living people on their faces, their feet suspended, floating and drifting.

"Are these wandering ghosts?"

Liu Xingyu's gaze sank, only feeling that his body was also becoming light, as if he would leave the ground at any moment. He looked down again, but his soul-aspect was gradually leaving his body.

"These are not wandering ghosts..."

"These are Yin gods in the mountain!"

Liu Xingchui let out a low roar, a wisp of True Fire rose from his fingertips, like a bright lamp, shining toward Liu Xingyu. Following this, a violent shout, and the latter's soul-aspect returned to his body.

Yin gods in the mountain, soul-aspect leaving the body, not having Pure Yang, Yin dregs are blazing, although having the work of cultivation, no longer having form and shadow, they are Yin gods.

It is said that some Daoist practitioners, having lost their bodies, soul-aspects leaving the body, wandering outside, although having the work of cultivation, they have no fate with the Pure Yang Dao, formless and shadowless, wandering in the mountain.

They are not comparable to ordinary wandering ghosts, specifically taking soul-aspects. Even with Liu Xingyu's cultivation, if he is not careful, he will be taken, or become their nourishment, or become one of them.

At this time, Liu Xingchui sacrificed the 【One-Inch Ding Fire】, turning into a bright lamp, only then could he make the Yin gods stay away.

Daoism has a saying: Lamp, breaking darkness and candle, opening the spring night, long night hell, bitter soul stagnant soul, riding this light, only then can get liberation.

At this moment, Liu Xingchui unleashed his 【One-Inch Ding Fire】, transforming it into a bright lamp, which was the only way to keep the Yin spirits at a distance.

There is a saying in the Daoist school: the lamp breaks the darkness and illuminates the gloom, opening the night of the springs below; for the suffering souls and stagnant spirits in the long night of hell, only by riding this light can they attain liberation.

Therefore, the bright lamp is an extremely important implement within the Daoist school.

"Brother, it's fortunate that you learned this method of 【True Fire Transforming into a Bright Lamp】 at Mount Zhenwu back then; otherwise, we would be in trouble," Liu Xingyu couldn't help but say.

Although the two brothers were sent out by Mount Zhenwu, they still had to return to the mountain for further training every year.

The Bright Lamp Method is not something everyone can practice; the prerequisite is to first refine Daoist True Fire. Like Liu Xingyu's 【Crimson Palace Li Fire】, which belongs to the category of pseudo-true fire, it is not allowed.

Only Liu Xingchui's 【One-Inch Ding Fire】 can be used to enter the gate.

Back then, he only learned this 【Bright Lamp Method】 because he was working at the 【Xiao Xiaole Funeral Home】, which counted as a professional match.

For this, he spent quite a bit of money, and half of it was only gathered after taking a loan from Mount Zhenwu.

"You are disciples of Mount Zhenwu, yet you have to pay to learn Daoist arts?" Zhang Fan revealed a strange expression.

"The Dharma is not lightly transmitted; if it were taught casually, wouldn't it seem too cheap? It would be an insult to the patriarchs," Liu Xingchui said as a matter of course.

"..."

Back then, Sun Wukong and his group went through eighty-one trials to reach Lingshan; despite such immense difficulties, they still had to pay a price to retrieve the true scriptures in the end.

"How much did it cost to learn?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but ask.

The flame at Liu Xingchui's fingertip was like a bright lamp, illuminating the dark night. In the distance, that line of eerie Yin spirits gradually moved away, and the crisp sound of bells grew weaker and weaker.

"Brother Fan, do you want to learn? I can teach you for free," Liu Xingchui said generously.

"Is that okay? Won't you be held accountable?"

"Transmitting it to an outsider is naturally a great crime," Liu Xingchui said.

Zhang Fan is also a disciple of Mount Zhenwu, so even if he were taught, it wouldn't be a major offense. When the affinity arrives, when the affinity arrives, the Dharma can be transmitted.

"At worst, when the mountain investigates later, I'll just pay off the debt," Liu Xingchui chuckled lightly: "You can take out a loan."

"Daoist Art Loan!"

"..."

"Then how much did you actually spend?" Zhang Fan was curious and pressed him.

"One hundred and eighty thousand!"

"So expensive!?" Zhang Fan's eyes widened.

"This is already very cheap," Liu Xingyu added from the side.

Liu Xingchui is a disciple of Mount Zhenwu, has refined Daoist True Fire himself, and his external assessment is rated excellent every year... only by meeting many conditions can one get such an internal discount price.

If it were an ordinary disciple of Mount Zhenwu, even if they spent a million, I'm afraid it would be impossible to obtain the transmission.

"Do all the Daoist arts of Mount Zhenwu have a price?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but ask.

"Naturally, they all do," Liu Xingchui nodded: "However, everyone's situation is different, and the prices are different."

"I heard that when Senior Sister Xia Weisheng was promoted to the 【Gao Gong】 rank, she was taught the 【Five Thunders Orthodox Method】, and she just gave a token amount as a friendship price," Liu Xingyu revealed a piece of gossip.

"How much?" Zhang Fan asked curiously.

"Five hundred and eighty thousand."

"How much? This is still considered a friendship price? That's Gao Gong, shouldn't the mountain show some appreciation?" Zhang Fan said in astonishment.

"This is already very cheap. The Five Thunders Orthodox Method is a Great Dharma; ordinary people have no qualifications to learn it at all. Even if you held a mountain of gold and silver, you wouldn't be able to learn it," Liu Xingchui looked at Zhang Fan somewhat strangely.

He is clearly a disciple of Mount Zhenwu, yet he seems to know nothing about the affairs of Mount Zhenwu.

"Generally speaking, Inner Alchemy methods are more expensive; after all, this is a method for cultivating one's nature and life," Liu Xingyu whispered solemnly.

Spells can be practiced, but Inner Alchemy methods are of vital importance.

"What kind of pricing system is it?" Zhang Fan asked curiously.

"Inner Alchemy methods are the foundation; generally, there are a few that are free..." Liu Xingchui said indifferently.

The foundation is a rigid demand; naturally, it's impossible to charge for every single one. Generally, according to the difficulty of aptitude, each type has a free method. Even for the most profound ones, if your talent is sufficient, they can be bestowed for free.

But if you really want to spend money to learn, the price is somewhat outrageous...

"For example, 【North-South Sect Origin】 belongs to the top-tier Inner Alchemy methods. It is said that if it is not bestowed, if you want to spend money, the price is equivalent to your weight in gold," Liu Xingchui said in a low voice.

"So valuable!?" Zhang Fan's eyes widened.

Whoosh...

Just at this moment, a mountain breeze blew, and the surrounding chaotic mist gradually dissipated.

Zhang Fan felt something and looked up; an ancient and simple Daoist temple appeared before his eyes. On the mottled plaque were engraved three ancient dragon-snake seal characters: 【Prisoner Immortal Temple】.

Clang... clang... clang...

At the same time, within Zhang Fan's soul-aspect inner landscape, the sound of mysterious chains colliding suddenly rang out, accompanied by a whisper like dream-talk.

"Finally, I've returned!!"

(End of chapter)