Chapter 185

Jiangnan Province, Yujing City.

Taoyuan Plaza.

The second day after Zhang Fan returned, he went back to the company to report in, and Jiang Lai did as well.

For this, Wen He had long since thoughtfully prepared a welcome party that was neither grand nor solemn, to celebrate the two of them returning to the team.

Soy milk, milk tea, wraps, steamed buns, eat and drink to your heart's content... Such a sumptuous breakfast welcome party could be considered a rare moment of generosity and luxury from their boss, Bai Buran.

Jiang Lai's complexion had recovered a little, but it looked like her spirit was still somewhat listless.

Zhang Fan saw it in his eyes and knew it was the influence of the 【Golden Glow Treasure Box】.

"Why didn't you rest for two more days?" Zhang Fan whispered with concern.

"I'm fine."

Jiang Lai shook her head and was pulled to the side by Wen He, who began asking after her well-being; after all, she had been gone for quite some time on this trip.

"Not bad, traveling on public funds."

Jiang Hu walked over, holding milk tea and clutching a "family portrait" meat sandwich, feeling some regret that he hadn't gone on this business trip with Zhang Fan.

Zhang Fan just smiled but didn't say much; they naturally didn't know the dangers of this Dongshan trip.

Whether it was the Rabbit of the Thirteen Zodiacs, the Prisoner Immortal Temple left behind by the Three-Corpse Daoist, or Li Changgeng of the White Crane Temple... it could be called dangerous at every step, moments of life and death. If Zhang Fan's skills had been even slightly worse, it would have been impossible to return to Yujing City alive.

"By the way, I brought things for everyone."

As he spoke, Zhang Fan lifted the large package behind him.

"What good stuff?"

Just at this moment, Old Yu leaned over, squinting his eyes, aiming at the package Zhang Fan brought.

"Dongshan specialties... ten jin of long beans, twenty bags of braised chicken. Everyone, divide them up."

Zhang Fan greeted them enthusiastically, but as soon as he looked up, he saw Jiang Hu and Old Yu had already scattered.

"..."

"Zhang Fan, come in for a moment."

Bai Buran stood at the office door, called out softly, and then closed the door.

Zhang Fan followed him in.

"Was this Dongshan trip smooth?"

Just after sitting down, Zhang Fan received concern from his boss.

"Boss, didn't we agree you'd come to support me?" Zhang Fan curled his lip.

That day, after he dealt with the Pig of the Zodiacs and found out Jiang Lai's whereabouts, he started calling for help. The first person he thought of was Bai Buran; after all, counting it up, both he and Jiang Lai were his employees.

As a result, even when Zhang Fan was already on the high-speed train back to Yujing, he hadn't seen a shadow of Bai Buran.

"I was going to go, but I was tied up by something at the last minute." Bai Buran rubbed his temples, looking quite troubled.

"..."

Zhang Fan curled his lip but didn't say much.

"Didn't Celestial Master Liu go to Dongshan?" Bai Buran changed the subject and said suddenly.

"He went to clean up the aftermath."

Zhang Fan lifted his eyes and glanced lightly. He had to admit, although Bai Buran was at home, he had a clear grasp of things outside. Liu Liu Nan Xu traveling all the way to Dongshan—he already knew about such a secret matter.

"Was the trouble this time caused by the Wu Wei Sect again?" Bai Buran asked.

"Mm."

Zhang Fan gave a light grunt and didn't mention the things inside the Prisoner Immortal Temple. Before parting, Liu Liu Nan Xu had exhorted him that no matter who asked about what happened on Mount Luoxia, he shouldn't say much, including to Bai Buran.

"Including Bai Buran..."

At this very moment, Zhang Fan finally remembered that their boss had the identity of a Mount Zhenwu castaway.

Just like Jiang Hu, Mount Zhenwu is a great sect like Mount Mao; they wouldn't easily expel a disciple from the sect.

Jiang Hu was expelled because when he was young, he was schemed against by Wu Qilu of the Noon Horse and had blood on his hands; although it wasn't his wish, he was still expelled from the sect.

What was Bai Buran expelled for? His talent and cultivation were far stronger than Jiang Hu's; such ability would be considered a top-tier master even in Yujing City.

For such a Bai Buran, he didn't know what he was expelled from Mount Zhenwu for.

But Zhang Fan didn't think Bai Buran had much of a problem in his heart. For one, when Mount Zhenwu arranged for him to enter the Night-Bright, it was with the intention of letting him cultivate here and protect him. If Bai Buran had a problem, he wouldn't be worth such trust...

Secondly, since Zhang Fan joined the Night-Bright, the boss had indeed saved him from danger at the hands of the Thirteen Zodiacs several times.

"As long as you're fine, I'll grant you and Jiang Lai three days off. Get some good rest."

Seeing Zhang Fan didn't say much, Bai Buran didn't pursue it.

"Thank you, Boss."

Zhang Fan chuckled; today the boss was indeed much more generous than usual.

"Boss, there's something I'd like to ask for advice on."

Just at this moment, Zhang Fan changed the subject.

"What is it?"

"Are there any hidden great masters in Yujing City? The really high-level kind?"

"Mm!?" Hearing this, Bai Buran raised an eyebrow, and the look he gave Zhang Fan became sharp.

"Who told you that?"

"Celestial Master Liu said there is a great master hidden in Yujing City, enough to rank in the world's top five." Zhang Fan didn't need to hide it.

Bai Buran was silent after hearing this, and only after a long while did he shake his head.

"I've never heard of it."

"Even the boss doesn't know?" Zhang Fan was stunned for a moment; he naturally wouldn't doubt the truthfulness of Celestial Master Liu's words.

"How did Celestial Master Liu tell you? He didn't tell you the detailed situation?"

Zhang Fan shook his head. Liu Liu Nan Xu only told him that staying in Yujing City was quite safe, and even an existence like the 【Master of the Jianggong】 wouldn't act easily. Besides that, he wasn't willing to say more.

"I've been in Yujing City for so many years and have never heard of such a master. Even if there is one, since Celestial Master Liu didn't tell you in detail, I'm afraid he has his reasons." Bai Buran said indifferently.

"Alright, don't think too much. Get off work today and relax for two days first."

"Okay."

Zhang Fan nodded, got up, and walked out of the office.

Bai Buran looked at Zhang Fan's figure through the gap in the blinds, his gaze slightly condensed, flashing with a sharp glint.

"What did the boss want with you?"

Jiang Hu spun his chair and wobbled over to Zhang Fan's side.

"Just chatting."

"Are you free after work? Come with me to see someone."

"Who?" Zhang Fan asked casually.

"Xiao Qiji."

"Mm!?" Zhang Fan was stunned for a moment, and then his expression became strange.

"He came to Yujing again? How did you get in touch with him? Have your relations eased?"

When they were at Mount Mao, Jiang Hu and Xiao Qiji were in a relationship of both enemies and friends. After being expelled from the sect, he was even more loathed by Xiao Qiji.

"After the Shen family incident last time, I went back to Mount Mao once." Jiang Hu whispered in a deep voice.

That day, if he hadn't insisted at the risk of his life, I'm afraid those infected talisman masters of the Shen family would all have died under Xiao Qiji's ruthless methods... that was a full hundred lives! Jiang Hu blocked Xiao Qiji's lethal blow, and Zhang Fan solved the talisman seeds of those talisman masters infected by the 【Profound Heaven Treasure Mirror】, which could be considered a great merit.

For this, Mount Mao's attitude toward Jiang Hu eased, and Xiao Qiji's perception of him also changed a lot. After going back and forth, it wasn't as tense as before.

"It looks like you have hope of returning to the sect." Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.

After the Shen family incident, he actually had some contact with Xiao Qiji. The two added each other on Super-Letter. Listening to the other's tone, Mount Mao seemed to have the intention of letting Jiang Hu return to the sect...

After all, Jiang Hu's talent in the way of talismans is indeed high and peerless. At a young age, he understood the means of 【Drawing Talismans in the Air】. Plus, regarding the incident back then, he was still young and was schemed against by the Noon Horse, and he himself didn't know the situation...

These years of exile and hardship could be considered punishment.

However, regarding whether to let him return to the sect, Mount Mao's high-ups still have great differences of opinion.

"I'm not counting on it."

Jiang Hu's mindset is very good. These years, he has gotten used to staying at Night-Bright. With Zhang Fan, Wen He, Old Yu, and Zhang Fan by his side... having these classmates is enough; he didn't really expect to return to Mount Mao.

"What did he come down the mountain for?" Zhang Fan asked casually.

"Don't know, it'll be clear when we meet."

"Okay."

Zhang Fan nodded. More friends mean more paths. He and Xiao Qiji were already acquaintances; they interacted often on Super-Letter, liked each other's Moments, and even helped each other cut prices on Pinduoduo more than once...

This is a great friendship!

Zhang Fan leaned back in his chair, enjoying the rare leisure of the morning, drinking soy milk, gnawing on a meat bun, and inhaling the mixed food aroma in the office. He opened the "Little Yellow Book" page and habitually clicked on 【Millennium Old Demon】's personal homepage.

Ever since the last post about 【Three-Corpse Daoist and Wan Zhenxiang】 was updated, Millennium Old Demon seemed to have evaporated from the world and never appeared again.

When he was in Dongshan Province, Zhang Fan also went online several times, but the other party's avatar was always gray. He even suspected if this guy had quit the internet.

"As expected, still offline."

Zhang Fan looked at the gray avatar and couldn't help but show disappointment. He was quite curious about this 【Millennium Old Demon】. Being able to practice the 【Fire Dragon Pill Sword】 had a lot to do with the other party.

This mysterious existence hidden on the internet always seemed to be able to appear at his key nodes and provide enlightenment.

"Mm? Updated?"

Just at this moment, Zhang Fan's eyes lit up, and he discovered that 【Millennium Old Demon】's homepage had actually updated a post. The update time was yesterday at three in the morning...

This post was titled:

"The Sangong of the Human Body are Wonderful, but the Three Corpses are the Calamity of Immortality"

"Interesting!" Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, and a strange feeling arose in his heart. He immediately opened the post and began to study it confidently.

After reading only half, Zhang Fan fell into deep thought.

Millennium Old Demon's post was extremely special, expounding on the mystery of the Sangong.

The so-called Sangong are Daoist terms, which are the upper, middle, and lower dantian of the human body.

The upper dantian, Niwan, also known as the Yuan Palace, is the place where the Yuan Spirit resides. The middle dantian, Spirit Mansion, also known as the Jianggong, is the place where blood energy circulates.

The lower dantian, Qi Sea, also known as the Xuan Palace, is the place where True Yang is tempered.

The secret to cultivating the Dao and becoming an immortal lies within the Sangong.

The True Yang liquefaction stage is completed at 【High Merit】, after which one must gather medicine through the 【Jianggong】, use blood energy to circulate the heaven, temper True Yang, until one forms a pill in the 【Xuan Palace】, nurtures the pill, and achieves the Golden Pill.

The final step is for the Yuan Spirit to pass from the 【Yuan Palace】 through the 【Jianggong】 into the 【Xuan Palace】, reside in the Golden Pill, and finally gestate and be reborn.

That kind of Yuan Spirit is the so-called Yang Spirit, the so-called Pure Yang Limitless Realm.

The secret to cultivating the Dao and becoming an immortal becomes very simple at this moment; the theory is just like that.

But according to what was said in 【Millennium Old Demon】's post, within the human body, besides the innate Yuan Spirit, there are also Three Corpses coexisting.

That is the calamity of the Dao cultivator, the great tribulation of the immortal seeker.

Even in the classic divine demon novel 【Investiture of the Gods】, there are records about the 【Three Corpses】. Even if one achieves the Golden Immortal rank, if one cannot cut off the Three Corpses, one must still suffer the 【Divine Immortal Great Tribulation】, receive that blade from the Heavenly Dao, and leave one's name on the Investiture of the Gods.

It can be seen how terrifying the calamity brought by the so-called 【Three Corpses】 is to a practitioner.

"Practitioners, if they want to become immortals, they must see the Three Corpses. Only by seeing the Three Corpses can they illuminate their true nature and original life!"

"Three-Corpse Illumination!?" Zhang Fan's brow jumped, and he was thoughtful.

Three-Corpse Illumination is a supreme inner alchemy method specifically for studying the Three Corpses and peeking into immortality.

"It is said that the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect, that is, the first generation Sect Leader of the Wu Wei Sect, practiced 【Three-Corpse Illumination】..."

Millennium Old Demon's post, writing up to here, completely hooked Zhang Fan's interest.

The history of the Wu Wei Sect is too long, almost running through the history of the Daoist world.

As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the founder of Mount Long Hu, Zhang Daoling, started the Daoist sect, the Wu Wei Sect already existed. The struggle between the two has lasted for nearly two thousand years.

Regarding the origin of the Wu Wei Sect, Zhang Fan had never heard of it.

Here, it was the first time he saw someone mention the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect, and this person actually also practiced 【Three-Corpse Illumination】...

"Practicing 【Three-Corpse Illumination】 requires practicing the 【Great Spirit-Dividing Technique】; the Yuan Spirit is divided into three, just like the Three-Corpse industry position..."

The Spirit-Dividing Technique is the introductory skill of 【Three-Corpse Illumination】. What is meant here is not the 【Small Spirit-Dividing】, but the 【Great Spirit-Dividing】, dividing the Yuan Spirit into three...

Just this one step alone doesn't know how many peerless geniuses and outstanding talents it has blocked.

"Since ancient times, 【Three-Corpse Illumination】 has almost only been passed down within the Wu Wei Sect. Many people in history have practiced this method, and almost all of them encountered tribulations and turned into flying ash. Most people fell at the first step, 【Spirit-Dividing】..."

Millennium Old Demon seems quite knowledgeable about the history of the Wu Wei Sect.

"Even if someone can succeed in dividing the spirit, it is easy to divide the spirit but hard to merge the spirit..."

"Since ancient times, the only ones who have truly succeeded in merging the spirit, besides the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect, is the world's number one master eighty years ago, the 【Three-Corpse Daoist】..."

"What the hell!?"

Zhang Fan was stunned. He knew dividing the spirit was hard, and merging the spirit was even harder, but he hadn't thought it was this hard. In two thousand years, only two people who practiced 【Three-Corpse Illumination】 succeeded in merging the spirit? One was the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect, and the other was the former world's number one master, with halos added and buffs stacked...

Look at him again...

"The Three-Corpse Daoist's origin is mysterious, and his life's opportunities are strange. His experience is not worth borrowing..."

Writing up to here, Millennium Old Demon changed his tone.

"The reason why the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect could succeed in merging the spirit and practice 【Three-Corpse Illumination】 has to do with the Wu Wei Sect's Daoist arena..."

"The world rumors that the Wu Wei Sect's Daoist arena is an ancient Daoist temple, its location unknown. Some say it was built by the first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect, and others say it is a Daoist temple left in the human world by an immortal, modeled after the human body cultivation atlas, containing the great secret of immortality..."

"Among them, the most important are the three palaces on the central axis..."

"Yuan Palace, Jianggong, Xuan Palace..." Zhang Fan murmured softly.

Back then, the first Sect Leader of the Wu Wei Sect practiced in the ancient Daoist temple, practiced the 【Great Spirit-Dividing Technique】, and divided the Yuan Spirit into three, which were the Benevolent Spirit, the Fierce Spirit, and the Evil Spirit.

The Benevolent Spirit resided in the 【Yuan Palace】 and became the first 【Master of the Yuan Palace】 of the Wu Wei Sect.

The Fierce Spirit resided in the 【Jianggong】 and became the first 【Master of the Jianggong】 of the Wu Wei Sect.

The Evil Spirit resided in the 【Xuan Palace】 and became the first 【Master of the Xuan Palace】 of the Wu Wei Sect.

Up to this point, the Sangong were set, the Three Spirits returned to their positions, and after only nine years of facing the wall, the Three Spirits merged into one. The first ancestor of the Wu Wei Sect finally realized that thread of the secret of immortality.

In other words, the Wu Wei Sect's ancient Daoist temple is a treasure land, hiding the secret of 【Three-Corpse Illumination】. Perhaps, that is also the opportunity for immortals to become immortals in the human world.

"The Wu Wei Sect's Daoist temple..."

Seeing this, Zhang Fan's expression became solemn. The Daoist world has been looking for this place for two thousand years and hasn't found it. Can he find it? Looking at this post, Zhang Fan doesn't know if the Wu Wei Sect's ancient Daoist temple can really help him realize the mystery of 【Merging the Spirit】. Even if it can, he can't reach it.

But one thing he can be sure of is that this 【Millennium Old Demon】's identity is no small matter and must have a thousand threads of connection with the Wu Wei Sect.

"Millennium Old Demon, what kind of person is he?" Zhang Fan fell into deep thought.

(End of chapter)