Chapter 173

Daoist priests hide in the mountains, guarding the temple to imprison gods and immortals.

The cold mountain wind stopped suddenly, the vast white fog dissipated. In the wilderness forest, under the dome moon, the ancient Daoist temple appeared before Zhang Fan's eyes. The mountain gate was tightly closed. Although buried by time for many years, a wisp of incense still rose, moving like a swimming snake, rising like a long rainbow, rolling into the clouds and sky.

Modern city, yet there is such a Daoist temple, ancient charm lingering, far from the hustle and bustle, not stained by half a human fireworks, only respecting gods and worshiping immortals, people and gods living together, ancient and modern embracing and sleeping.

"There really is a Daoist temple... Immortal Prison Temple, what a big tone." Liu Xingyu couldn't help but say.

Zhang Fan remained silent. He knew that this Daoist temple was established by the Three-Corpse Daoist priest decades ago.

In fact, a soul-aspect of the Three-Corpse Daoist priest was hidden in his body. To be precise, that was not a soul-aspect.

In his childhood, Zhang Fan had accidentally eaten a Three-Corpse Yuan Pill. That Three-Corpse Yuan Pill should have been hidden by Li Linglang.

You must know that the Three-Corpse Yuan Pill is the product of the Three-Corpse Daoist priest practicing 【Small Soul-Splitting Technique】, equivalent to a backup of the soul-aspect, which itself has no power, no consciousness, and cannot even produce half a bit of initiative.

But when Zhang Fan was very young, this Three-Corpse Yuan Pill somehow gave birth to some consciousness. Although it was only a sprout, it began to try to communicate with Zhang Fan, and even the 【Soul-Splitting Great Dharma】 he practiced later was taught by this sprout of consciousness.

After entering the Great Night of No Light, Zhang Fan had never entered the deepest level of the inner scene again to communicate with that sprout of consciousness.

Until not long ago, after the sprout of consciousness in his body devoured Meng Qingtong's 【Three-Corpse Yuan Pill】, it seemed to have undergone some subtle changes.

At this moment, facing the 【Immortal Prison Temple】, the sprout of consciousness hidden in the soul-aspect inner scene actually produced a reaction, full of emotion.

"Let's go."

Zhang Fan took a deep breath, walked to the front of the temple, and slowly pushed open the ancient, mottled gate.

Whoosh...

A burst of cold Qi surged out from the temple, bringing up dust, and under the faint fire light, the stirred dust formed a light path.

"Are there any living people in this temple?" Liu Xingchui looked at the movement and couldn't help but say.

He sniffed, but didn't smell the aura of living people.

"There should be." Zhang Fan said lightly.

Whether there are other living people in this Daoist temple is unknown, but Jiang Lai is inside, which should count as a living person.

The dim Daoist temple could not see a trace of light, only the bright moon shone alone, as if this place was abandoned by time.

"Arrived at the front hall." Liu Xingyu pointed to a palace not far away.

Daoist palaces and temples, the front hall is usually the 【Lingguan Hall】. There is a saying: "Whether going up the mountain or not, first worship Wang Lingguan." Lingguan is the most respected protector god of the Daoist path, among which 【Wang Lingguan】 is the one with the highest status.

The Lingguan Hall worships Wang Lingguan.

"Hmm!?"

However, when everyone walked to the front of the main hall, the high-hanging door showed three ancient characters: Corpse Refining Hall!!! "Brother Fan, this Daoist temple is evil."

Liu Xingchui and Liu Xingyu exchanged glances and couldn't help but mutter.

This is not a proper Daoist temple at all, not worshiping Lingguan, and naming it Corpse Refining, it is simply evil to the point of green light.

"You follow behind me."

Zhang Fan walked at the front, raised his hand to push open the ancient palace door, and faint light leaked from the door crack.

"This is..."

Inside the main hall, lamps were lit, shining with dim yellow light.

"Is there anyone here at all? If not, wouldn't this lamp have been lit for decades?" Liu Xingchui looked at the lamp placed before the altar and couldn't help but say.

The jumping lamp flame pulled everyone's shadows very long, and the lamp oil emitting light emitted a faint strange fragrance.

"This lamp oil is very special." Zhang Fan thought thoughtfully.

Daoist offerings, lamp oil is generally refined from tung oil, but each mountain and sect has differences. In the subtle places, not only are the passed-down Dharma methods secret and not obvious, but even the lamp oil has secret refining methods.

For example, some mountain gates and palaces will kill spirits in the mountain, extract grease, and refine it into lamp oil to offer before the Patriarch.

Just like the yellow-skinned rat just encountered, it is an excellent material for refining lamp oil. This kind of lamp oil can burn for months or even years without extinguishing, and even in wind and snow, it can produce flames without extinguishing.

Sometimes, this kind of lamp oil can also be used as a medicine guide, especially for mental illnesses. Just smelling the scent can make it better.

Clearly, the lamp oil used in this main hall is not ordinary.

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan was about to step forward.

"Wait."

Just at this moment, Liu Xingchui grabbed Zhang Fan.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Fan turned back and asked.

"Look..."

Liu Xingchui's expression was ugly, pointing to the bright lamp before the altar.

Zhang Fan looked intently, only to find that there were nine bright lamps, which seemed to be placed in a special position, extending all the way to the altar, and there was still one lamp not lit.

"Look under that lamp."

Liu Xingchui pointed, and nine bright lamps seemed to be pressing on a piece of black stuff, looking closely, it looked like a human shape, nine lamps were pressing on the four limbs, head, throat, heart, dantian, tailbone nine places.

"That should be a human skin." Liu Xingyu's gaze sank, not quite sure.

That kind of skin should have been specially treated, and after unknown years, it shone with a black light, and the nine places pressed by the lamps were also printed with extremely complex and profound talismans.

"This shouldn't be placed for fun, right." Zhang Fan said in a deep voice.

"Nine Refinements Produce Corpse!?" Liu Xingchui's expression was ugly, said in a deep voice.

"Nine Refinements Produce Corpse?" Zhang Fan's brows jumped wildly.

He had seen relevant records in the Dao Secret Record. It is one of the great Dharma affairs of the Daoist path, ranking first in the Lingbao Great Fast, which is to refine ghosts with the Qi of the nine heavens.

It is said that this method is divided into nine refinements. Each refinement has the same procedure, but the main god of worship is different, in order: Taiyi Savior Yuanshi Tianzun, Nine Nether Extinguishing Sin Yuanshi Tianzun, Wheel-Turning Holy King Yuanshi Tianzun, Dharma Bridge Great Salvation Yuanshi Tianzun, Fire Refining Pill Realm Yuanshi Tianzun, Jin Que Incarnation Yuanshi Tianzun, Vermilion Mausoleum Saving Life Yuanshi Tianzun, Carefree Happy Yuanshi Tianzun, and Treasure Flower Perfection Yuanshi Tianzun.

The dead souls pass through the water pool and fire swamp in the nine refinements to ascend to the Jin Que and feast in the Jade Capital.

The book says it is mysterious, but to be clear, it can both save the dead souls and borrow the corpse to produce a soul.

"Nine Refinements Produce Corpse, Nether Profound Incarnation!" Liu Xingchui's eyes widened, staring at the nine bright lamps, staring at the human skin being pressed.

Nine Refinements Produce Corpse, this kind of great Dharma affair must at least have the cultivation of the 【Fast Head】 rank to preside over and perform.

Nine Realms of the Daoist path: Qi Work, Technique Disciple, Profound Master, Spirit Secretary, High Merit, Great Being, Fast Head, Temple Master, and Celestial Master.

Above High Merit is Great Being.

Great Being, also called Feathered Being in ancient times.

The Daoist book says: Nature, heaven, and Dharma, heart-ground thunder, not falling into the ten thousand edge nest, original light shining, feathering and riding heaven, is Great Being.

It means that when reaching this realm, the Daoist practice is profound, the soul-aspect gives birth to light, called original light, also called nature light, spirit light, wisdom light, etc.

In such a realm, the soul-aspect leaves the body, can travel in eight directions, like feathering and flying to heaven.

Like the cultivation of Luo Baozhang and others, the soul-aspect leaving the body, only a few hours, will give birth to many great terrors, the physical body will also decay, if the soul-aspect and physical body are too far apart, they will even tear each other, and there are many evil obstacles, the physical body withers, and the soul-aspect will gradually become like a masterless lonely ghost.

This distance is usually thirteen kilometers, and those with powerful soul-aspects can be further, but there is also a range.

But stepping into the 【Great Being】 rank, the soul-aspect leaving the body for seven or eight days is also common, and even can travel a thousand miles at night, traveling the North Sea in the morning and the Cangwu in the evening.

This is already a legendary realm. Throughout history, those who can cultivate to this fruit position are few and far between.

Above Great Being is Fast Head.

The so-called 【Fast Head】 can preside over most fast-offering ceremonies, which is the so-called Dharma affair. Such existence already has the ability to call wind and rain.

Like 【Nine Refinements Produce Corpse】, it is a Dharma affair that only 【Fast Head】 can set up.

"This is not an altar, it is a Dharma altar... it looks like it has been some years."

Liu Xingchui muttered softly, finally knowing why this main hall was called 【Corpse Refining Hall】. There was a great fast offering to refine, wanting to borrow the corpse to produce a soul.

"I suggest... everyone don't speak, quietly pass by." Zhang Fan didn't know what mystery this thing had, but since it was a means left by 【Fast Head】, it was better to be cautious and not touch it at will.

"I agree."

"Hurry up and go."

The Liu brothers took a deep breath. They hailed from Mount Zhenwu and had heard of the power of 【Nine Refinements Produce Corpse】.

The three held their breath and concentrated, bypassed the side of the main hall, and retreated toward the back hall. Bang... clatter... whoosh...

The side of the main hall was full of debris. Just walking two steps, they bumped into a piece, making all kinds of harsh sounds, echoing in the quiet and dim main hall.

"..."

"Be careful." Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.

"Brother Fan, we didn't touch anything at all." The Liu brothers said in unison.

"I'm just reminding you." Zhang Fan said without looking back.

"Brother Fan... Brother Fan..."

Just at this moment, Liu Xingchui pulled Zhang Fan.

"Alright, I didn't blame you..."

"Brother Fan, look..."

Liu Xingyu's voice trembled. Zhang Fan's brows raised, looked up, and saw the nine bright lamps trembling slightly without wind, and then, under the eyes of everyone's surprise, they slowly extinguished.

The next moment, on the Dharma altar, that only lamp that had not been lit slowly lit up.

Zhang Fan's gaze narrowed into a line, only feeling that the temperature in the main hall had dropped quite a bit. However, after waiting for a long time, no abnormality appeared.

"False alarm." The Liu brothers exchanged glances, but breathed a sigh of relief.

The so-called 【Nine Refinements Produce Corpse】 didn't seem as mysterious as rumored.

"Not right... you listen..."

Just at this moment, Zhang Fan pressed the shoulders of the two, signaling them to be silent.

The three didn't speak. The dim main hall returned to silence. Faintly, a strange sound echoed, as if someone was blowing air in their ears, and as if someone was breathing...

Finally, Zhang Fan's gaze

Rumble...

The nine lamps that had already been extinguished were suddenly shaken away. What was just a skin a moment ago now stood up. Its body seemed to be filled with a burst of Qi; although shriveled and withered, like a dried corpse, it now had a human shape.

On its four limbs, head, throat, heart, dantian, and tailbone—nine places in total—there were talismans. Those nine talismans seemed to come alive, and every trace of the seal was wriggling.

The next moment, that corpse-skin black shadow slowly opened its eyes, which glowed with a dim yellow light like lamp fire.

"Terrible!"

The Liu brothers looked at each other, and their hearts instantly sank to the bottom.

Just at this moment, the corpse-skin black shadow slowly turned around, its gaze, devoid of human emotion, locking onto the three of them.

"Scatter!"

Zhang Fan let out a violent shout and flew rapidly toward the rear. Almost at the same moment, the corpse-skin black shadow drifted directly in front of the Liu brothers.

"One-Inch Ding Fire!"

"Jianggong Li Fire!"

In an instant, the Liu brothers reacted instinctively, not daring to hold back in the slightest, and both unleashed their killing moves. 【One-Inch Ding Fire】 rose and burned unceasingly at Liu Xingchui's fingertips, while 【Jianggong Li Fire】 hissed and roared in Liu Xingyu's palms...

At such close range, the two great True Fires slammed onto the corpse-skin black shadow without wasting a bit of power.

Hum...

After just one encounter, the corpse-skin black shadow stood still; the two great True Fires didn't even leave a mark on it.

"Immune!?" Zhang Fan's expression changed abruptly. Just a single skin, yet it could actually withstand the power of two great True Fires!? Roar...

Suddenly, the corpse-skin black shadow let out a wild roar. The talisman at its throat wriggled slowly, and the Yin wind it whipped up sent the Liu brothers flying. The two of them slammed heavily against the wall, landed in a sorry state, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The power of just one roar had almost crippled the two of them, leaving them with no ability to act.

The corpse-skin black shadow did not stop its pace; its form drifted as it killed toward the Liu brothers. The intensity of its ferocity was simply hair-raising.

Rumble...

Almost at the same moment, Zhang Fan flashed and blocked in front of the Liu brothers. His hands formed seals, his chest heaved violently, and he suddenly spat out a breath of air. It changed in mid-air, suddenly becoming a three-foot Li Fire, like a dragon's roar from a sword.

"Fire Dragon Cinnabar Sword!"

The red, scorching firelight illuminated the great hall. The True Fire combined and separated, like a great sword slashing evil, and its terrifying power enveloped the corpse-skin black shadow.

Whoosh...

Facing the scorching fire sword, the corpse-skin black shadow did not dodge or retreat. It suddenly opened its mouth and also spat out a breath of air. It changed in mid-air, a dark, mysterious blackness rushing into the sky, the magnificent sword-sound striking gold.

"Earth Fiend Qi Sword!?"

Liu Xingchui saw this, and his eyeballs almost fell out.

Heaven has star-gongs, Earth has ten thousand fiends; manipulating spirits to form Qi, fierce gods and evil spirits, casting them into a sword body, eliminating ghosts and death...

This is an ancient Daoist method: gathering Earth Fiends to form Qi, transforming one Qi into a Cinnabar Sword. Since ancient times, it has been a secret transmission of the Xuan Sect, and it has long since become a school of its own.

"Long Hu Zhang family... this thing was a Daoist priest of Long Hu Mountain when it was alive!?" Liu Xingchui exclaimed in shock, simply unable to believe it.

Eighty years ago, the great calamity of the Daoist school occurred. Since then, Long Hu Mountain has kept its mountain gates closed, no incense has been seen to reopen, and the Long Hu Zhang family has become a swan song.

Therefore, the bright lamp is an extremely important tool in the Daoist path.

"Brother, fortunately you learned this method of 【True Fire Turns into Bright Lamp】 at Mount Zhenwu back then, otherwise it would be troublesome." Liu Xingyu couldn't help but say.

They were disciples of Mount Zhenwu, although they were sent out, they had to return to the mountain for advanced studies every year.

The bright lamp method is not something everyone can practice. The prerequisite is to first refine the Daoist True Fire. Like Liu Xingyu's 【Jiangong Li Fire】, it belongs to pseudo-True Fire, so it cannot be practiced.

Only Liu Xingchui's 【One-Inch Ding Fire】 can enter the door.

Back then, because he was working at 【Xiao Xiaole Funeral Home】, he learned this 【Bright Lamp Method】, which belongs to professional alignment.

For this, he spent quite a bit of money, and half of it was borrowed from Mount Zhenwu to make up.

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

"The Dharma is not lightly passed. If it is passed casually, it seems too cheap and insults the Patriarch." Liu Xingchui said as a matter of course.

"..."

Back then, Sun Wukong and his party went through ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties, walked to Ling Mountain, and after such difficulties, they still had to pay a price to take back the true scriptures.

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

Liu Xingchui's fingertips' flames were like a bright lamp, shining through the dark night. In the distance, that line of strange Yin gods gradually moved away, and the crisp bell sound also grew weaker.

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

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

"Passing it to outsiders is naturally a great crime." Liu Xingchui said.

Zhang Fan is also a disciple of Mount Zhenwu. Even if it is passed to him, it is not a big crime. When the fate arrives, the fate arrives, and the Dharma can be passed.

"At worst, when the mountain investigates later, I will make up for the arrears." Liu Xingchui said with a light smile: "You can take a loan."

"Daoist technique loan!"

"..."

"Then how much money did you actually spend?" Zhang Fan was curious in his heart and kept asking.

"Eighteen thousand!"

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

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

Liu Xingchui is a disciple of Mount Zhenwu, and he himself has refined the Daoist True Fire, and the external assessment is also evaluated as excellent every year... many conditions are met, so there is 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 teaching.

"Do the Daoist techniques of Mount Zhenwu all have prices?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.

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