Chapter 321

Jingjiang City, Eastern Suburbs.

The Qingyou Temple is one of the eight Daoist temples established by Mount Mount Sanqing in Jingjiang City, with experts of the High Merit realm stationed there year-round.

Although the world's Daoist sects are in famous mountains and rivers, the struggle for incense smoke has existed since ancient times.

When the Wu Wei Sect was weak, major Daoist sects and even cultivation families would recruit disciples widely, but they hid in the city, and ordinary people had no way of knowing.

"Senior Sister Yu Xuanji has been in seclusion for two days; is she alright?"

At this time, a middle-aged Daoist priest stood outside the quiet room, looking inside with some worry.

As the person in charge of Qingyou Temple, although Fang Fang Canbing's age was much older than Yu Yu Xuanji's, he still respectfully called her Senior Sister.

After all, Yu Yu Xuanji was an expert of the Great Being realm and a descendant of Mount Mount Sanqing.

"Senior Brother, it looks like she seems to have suffered a serious injury." A younger Daoist priest beside him could not help but say.

"Yu Yu Xuanji's cultivation is unfathomable, and she is especially close to the Bai He Temple; who could hurt her?" Fang Fang Canbing's brows furrowed, revealing a thoughtful expression.

"Senior Brother, she is currently a tiger fallen on flat ground; if you can take care of her, relying on your achievements in Qingyou Temple over the years, when you return to Mount Mount Sanqing in the future, your prospects will be limitless." The Daoist priest whispered.

Fang Fang Canbing's heart stirred; he had managed Qingyou Temple for more than ten years, and now his disciples had developed to over a hundred, among whom more than twenty had awakened their soul-aspects, not to mention the believers he had developed, who were mostly big entrepreneurs and many government officials; the incense money handed over every year alone was in the eight-figure range.

Such achievements could be considered outstanding among the many Daoist temple managers sent out.

Every year at the year-end assessment of the mountain gate, he had won titles like "Best Daoist of the Year," "Best Manager of Guixi Province," "Incense Smoke Assault Expert," and "Excellent Daoist Temple Manager."

He had the qualifications and the achievements; now he just lacked a backer.

"Take care of? How to take care of?" Fang Fang Canbing asked in a deep voice.

"Junior brother here has three strategies: upper, middle, and lower." The Daoist priest's lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

Rumble...

Just at this moment, a dull sound came from the quiet room, interrupting their conversation.

"Senior Sister Yu Xuanji, are you alright?"

Fang Fang Canbing hurried over, standing in front of the door, asking with concern toward the inside.

Whoosh...

Inside the quiet room, Yu Yu Xuanji's dark hair was disheveled, her face as pale as paper, her beautiful face showing a hint of sickly beauty.

"Zhang Fan..."

She gritted her silver teeth, a flash of cold light in her eyes, but her mouth was muttering Zhang Fan's name.

Yu Yu Xuanji had never dreamed that this trip to the One Hundred Thousand Mountains would result in such heavy losses...

Zhang Zhang Huntian, Jiangzhen Xiang Jiangzhen Xiang Tingshan, and Huang Huang Sanlang had all died there.

Even Li Li Changgeng had failed to escape, finally defeated and killed by that man's hands.

The first three were one thing, but Li Li Changgeng's death was, to her, simply a cruel collapse of faith.

In Yu Yu Xuanji's heart, Li Li Changgeng was not only the most outstanding descendant of the Bai He Temple but also the hope of the future Daoist sects.

Having refined the Heaven and Earth Seizing Fortune and awakened three great supernatural powers, such a heaven-defying existence was rare even in the long history of Daoist sects.

She even felt that one day, Li Li Changgeng would surely destroy the Wu Wei Sect and bring the glory of the Daoist sects to a height never before reached.

But now, all of this had vanished with Li Li Changgeng's death.

"Zhang Fan, did you think you could rest easy?" Yu Yu Xuanji gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with hateful light.

Zhang Fan's identity was already sensitive; he was a remnant of the Southern Zhang, not to mention he had also cultivated the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate, which was a great taboo of the Daoist sects; as long as this news was spread, the whole world would know, and this man would instantly become a target for everyone.

"Just you wait, I won't let you live in peace." Yu Yu Xuanji said coldly.

At this moment, the image of that eerie mass appearing on Zhang Fan's body in the deep valley could not help but surface in her mind.

"The Three Corpses becoming a disaster... The Three Corpses becoming a disaster..."

Li Li Changgeng had been muttering this before he died.

Yu Yu Xuanji's gaze sank, revealing a thoughtful expression.

She seemed to have seen a similar existence in one of the ancient manuscripts in the sect.

It seemed to be a picture: a figure sitting cross-legged, three clusters of incense smoke rising behind it, with a shadow faintly accompanying it, swallowing those three clusters of incense smoke.

"The Three Corpses disaster... born innate with the soul-aspect..." Yu Yu Xuanji remembered.

The organization of Mount Mount Sanqing had once mentioned in a manuscript that it was the most terrifying technique in the world and the disaster that cultivators feared most.

The Three Corpses hide within the human soul-aspect, born innate.

Ordinary people's seven emotions and six desires are thus born, disturbing behavior and producing karma.

But that was all; however, for cultivators, that was the tribulation of achieving immortality and the disaster of longevity.

However, the Three Corpses cannot be seen; even in the eyes of cultivators, they are metaphysical things.

But throughout history, there has been a technique that can make the Three Corpses manifest and sever them outside the body.

At the moment of success, the tribulation arrives.

That thing is not only the nightmare of the cultivator but also the nightmare of all cultivators.

"The Three Corpse Gods..."

Yu Yu Xuanji finally remembered the name of that thing.

Born innate with the soul-aspect, as for what exactly it is and where it comes from, the ancestors of Mount Mount Sanqing did not mention it; perhaps even such existences did not know its great secret.

"Zhang Fan, your tribulation does not end here; I don't believe you won't die." Yu Yu Xuanji gritted her teeth.

"Ah..."

Just at this moment, a scream came from outside the door.

Yu Yu Xuanji's brows lifted; like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow, she stood up abruptly and pushed the door open to walk out.

Under the faint moonlight, Fang Fang Canbing and his junior brother had fallen in the courtyard; their bodies were like walking corpses, almost devoid of vitality and spiritual light, with only a trace of weak breath remaining.

In other words, their soul-aspects were lost, and they had completely become vegetative.

"Soul-aspects gone?"

Yu Yu Xuanji's complexion changed slightly; she could feel that the large Qingyou Temple was empty, and it seemed only she was left.

"Soul-aspects all gone?"

Yu Yu Xuanji's heart skipped a beat; Qingyou Temple had at least twenty people, and in the blink of an eye, there was no movement at all.

"Who?"

Yu Yu Xuanji turned around abruptly; suddenly, her beautiful body trembled violently, and she felt extremely cold, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

Her gaze trembled; before her, a figure emerged, gray and misty, constantly writhing, its form resembling a soul-aspect, and that face was incomparably familiar, looking just like...

Zhang Fan!?

"The Three Corpse Gods!?"

Yu Yu Xuanji's scalp went numb; she had never dreamed that this thing would follow her here.

"You..."

Yu Yu Xuanji's body was out of control; she trembled constantly, barely able to move, and her soul-aspect was sealed, unable to emerge from the spiritual platform.

"Mount Mount Sanqing..."

Just at this moment, the eerie voice emitted strange syllables, and a trace of clarity seemed to appear in its chaotic eyes as it reached out a hand, grabbing toward Yu Yu Xuanji.

Two days later, outside the One Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Xiaodu Town.

"Zhang family brat, you've recovered enough, haven't you?"

Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang carried a pot of freshly boiled tea into the house; in the countryside, all the furnishings were very simple.

Zhang Fan and the others had recuperated here for three days, and he had also recovered.

After all, having suffered the Three Corpses disaster, Zhang Fan's soul-aspect was the thing's greatest desire in this world; the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate allowed it to smell the scent and come to devour his soul-aspect.

Fortunately, Zhang Fan had escaped the Great Night That Does Not Brighten and his soul-aspect was complete, requiring him only to divert a portion of his power to suppress the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate with the God-Demon Sacred Embryo.

Even with a portion of his power diverted, Zhang Fan's soul-aspect was now far stronger than it had been in the past.

The most critical thing was that this was also cultivation for Zhang Fan.

Between the God-Demon Sacred Embryo and the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate, they faintly generated and restrained each other; in the mutual suppression, he seemed to be able to glimpse the connection and mystery between them.

"Many thanks, Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang; it's about enough." Zhang Fan nodded.

"You've caused a great disaster." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang looked at Zhang Fan, who was lost in thought, and could not help but say.

"I really don't know what your family is thinking, insisting on refining this Three Corpses Illuminating Fate." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang said earnestly.

"Our Southern Zhang..." Zhang Fan hesitated.

When he was born, the Southern Zhang were already gone; Zhang Lingzong rarely mentioned family matters to him, and sometimes when he asked, Zhang Lingzong would rarely fly into a rage.

"The Three Corpses Illuminating Fate is the best in the world; there are many secrets to this internal alchemy technique, and I don't know them either. I only know that the destruction of your Southern Zhang is closely related to this technique." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang said in a deep voice.

"The Three Corpses disaster!" Zhang Fan thought to himself.

He knew very well that only by completely severing and even devouring that thing could he be considered to have truly cultivated the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate and escaped the tribulation; otherwise, his soul-aspect would be held back by it for a lifetime, with no hope of realizing pure yang.

"What exactly is that thing?" A question arose in Zhang Fan's heart.

Everything has a history.

Even the Three Corpse Gods, which are said to be born innate, are no exception; clarifying its origin might provide a way to solve it.

Unfortunately, such logic is easy to say; if it could be done, throughout history, there wouldn't have been only three people who successfully cultivated this technique.

"You killed the descendant of the Bai He Temple; I fear this matter won't be hidden for long."

Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang's voice pulled Zhang Fan's thoughts back.

"It is indeed trouble." Zhang Fan's expression was ugly.

This time, the job wasn't done cleanly, and he had let Yu Yu Xuanji run away; if he had slaughtered that woman too at the time, perhaps there would be no future worries.

"News just came from Mount Mount Sanqing today."

Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang was, after all, the Demon Chief of the One Hundred Thousand Mountains; everything on the ground was under his control.

"Two days ago, their Qingyou Temple in Jingjiang City was ransacked by the evil people of the Wu Wei Sect." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang said in a deep voice.

"Wu Wei Sect?"

"More than twenty disciples were not spared, all having their soul-aspects extracted." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang poured a bowl of tea, steaming hot, and handed it to Zhang Fan.

"They've become this arrogant?" Zhang Fan's expression was strange.

Although the Wu Wei Sect uses the extraction of soul-aspects as medicine, they have always acted low-key and endured; such blatant destruction of a temple's disciples is rare.

After all, in modern society, even if they want to cover their tracks and not let ordinary people know, it is very troublesome for the authorities to deal with the sudden disappearance of more than twenty people.

"After the Jiazi Demon-Slaying, the Wu Wei Sect has been quiet for sixty years; it seems they can't sit still anymore." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang sighed.

He seemed to have already seen the struggle between the Daoist sects and the Wu Wei Sect about to rise again; when that time comes, it will sweep across all major Daoist lineages, and even these spirits and ghosts hidden in the mountain and sea secret realms will find it difficult to stay out of it.

"There is another piece of news: that descendant of Mount Mount Sanqing returned to the mountain gate this morning."

"Yu Yu Xuanji!?" Zhang Fan's heart skipped a beat.

The thing he worried about most had happened.

"After returning to the mountain gate, she didn't mention you, but went directly into seclusion, seeing no one." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang saw Zhang Fan's worry and said directly.

"Ah!?" Zhang Fan was stunned, a trace of shock and doubt in his eyes.

This didn't follow logic.

"You are currently safe." Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang glanced at him and said indifferently: "But you cannot stay here any longer."

"You Zhang family members... are simply disaster stars; even the One Hundred Thousand Mountains cannot accommodate a disaster star like you."

"Leave today."

"Yeah, okay." Zhang Fan also knew how much trouble he had caused.

"Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang, I will remember this kindness."

"You must not remember it."

Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang shook his head repeatedly: "Don't talk about kindness; if you cause trouble in the future, don't mention me, and I'll be grateful."

"..."

That day, Zhang Fan, Li Li Miaoyin, Xia Xia Weisheng, Qi Qi Delong, Qi Dongqiang, Fang Fang Changle, and the others packed up and set off to leave.

"Let's take a group photo to commemorate the great victory of the One Hundred Thousand Mountains battle."

Before leaving, Fang Fang Changle suggested.

Perhaps he didn't know what kind of legend and influence this victory and this photo would have in later generations.

"Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang, please help us take a photo."

Zhang Fan took out his dilapidated phone and handed it to Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang.

"Awesome, you're letting the Demon Chief of the One Hundred Thousand Mountains take our photo." Qi Qi Delong clicked his tongue in wonder.

"He also does this part-time." Zhang Fan whispered.

The group stood in position; Zhang Fan naturally stood in the center, Li Li Miaoyin stood close to him, and Xia Xia Weisheng was next to her.

The brothers Qi Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang took up one spot, and Fang Fang Changle stood behind them.

Everyone formed Daoist hand seals and shouted at the camera.

"Pure Yang!"

Click...

A scene was permanently frozen in the dilapidated town, with the boundless One Hundred Thousand Mountains behind them.

That day, Zhang Fan and the others said goodbye to Grandpa Jiangzhen Xiang and left Xiaodu Town.

"Why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"

On the road, Zhang Fan whispered, as if he had lost something.

"Stop being suspicious; it seems you haven't recovered yet."

"It's normal to be tired after a great battle."

"You're right." Zhang Fan nodded, stopping his wild thoughts.

Late at night, the lonely moon hung high.

In the deep, dark valley, a cloud of dust surged into the sky, accompanied by the sound of gravel flying through the air.

A figure rushed out from the buried ruins.

"Almost buried alive."

Zhang Wuming was covered in disarray, spitting out the mud and gravel from his mouth.

That day, Chen Long suddenly appeared, her aura shocking in all directions, collapsing the dilapidated Daoist temple; he was just one step too slow and was directly buried inside.

"Where are the people? Did they all scatter!?"

"Zhang Fan!?"

Zhang Wuming called out, but the echo was empty, and no one responded.

"Survived a great disaster, fortunately my life was saved." Zhang Wuming let out a breath and struggled out of the ruins.

Just at this moment, a glimmer of light caught his attention under the reflection of the moonlight.

"Hmm!?"

Zhang Wuming followed the lead and searched through the ruins, pulling out a small bronze box with strange patterns printed on it, as if three streams of air were intertwining and gathering.

"What is this thing?" Zhang Wuming muttered, opening the box.

A pill appeared before his eyes, and a wonderful fluctuation emanated from the pill, like ripples in water, sweeping over Zhang Wuming's soul-aspect.

His heart shook violently, and he instantly knew what this thing was.

"The Three Corpses Primordial Pill!?"

(End of chapter)