Chapter 65: The Shen Family's Invitation, Immortal Marvel Realm

After that night, Jiang Hu was imprisoned for three years, and in the end, he was still expelled from the sect, severing all ties of incense and kinship.

"When the incident happened... he was only thirteen!?" Zhang Fan frowned.

Framed by others, kept in the dark, stained with human life, his Dao heart nearly collapsed, imprisoned for three years, and finally expelled from the sect.

Jiang Hu's life took a sharp turn for the worse; misfortune seemed to favor him dearly.

From that day on, he lost everything.

"During the three years of imprisonment, he attempted suicide twenty-one times, but was saved every time," Shen Qingli said in a deep voice.

"Although it is said that the ignorant are innocent, the killing karma he committed was real; Mount Mao could not tolerate him."

At these words, a touch of desolation appeared in Shen Qingli's eyes.

Since then, Jiang Hu's inner demons took root, impossible to erase; his cultivation went awry, and his days and nights were inverted...

"In the path of talismans, he is completely ruined."

"I didn't expect... he actually had such a past," Zhang Fan said, lost in thought.

It was hard to reconcile this Jiang Hu with the slacker, cynical person he saw every day.

"That is his protective color... his inner demons are too heavy; sooner or later, he will enter the 【Great Night Without Light】..." Shen Qingli sighed.

The path of cultivation is like walking on thin ice; once the consciousness becomes restless, there is a risk of the Great Night Without Light, and even for a Celestial Master, there is a possibility of cultivation regression.

"Immortals are made from mortals, it's just that mortals lack firm will... Is that why Heaven sends down infinite calamities?" Zhang Fan said in a deep voice.

"Patriarch Pure Yang had the hardship of being a homeless failure, True Person Ziyang had the disaster of being demoted to Lingnan, Chen Xiyi had the trouble of failing the imperial examinations... Since ancient times, all great masters of the Dan Dao must experience the hardships and sufferings of the human world, passing through a hundred calamities without failing..." Shen Qingli sighed faintly.

"This calamity of his... is too difficult!"

"Zhang Fan..."

Just then, Shen Qingli suddenly called out, pulling Zhang Fan's thoughts back.

"Our family has a major event recently; could you help me keep him here to observe the ceremony?"

"【Mysterious Mirror Treasure Record】?" Zhang Fan blurted out.

"It seems he told you..." Shen Qingli looked meaningfully in the direction Jiang Hu had gone: "He still has talent in the path of talismans, but..."

"Perhaps the birth of this treasure will be able to touch him."

"I understand," Zhang Fan nodded.

"I will have someone arrange guest rooms for you," Shen Qingli smiled faintly, showing gratitude, then nodded, turned, and left.

"Zhang Fan..."

Just then, Jiang Hu's voice came from afar, and Zhang Fan hurried over.

"Finished unloading; these five big barrels of pulp are heavy enough," Jiang Hu leaned against the Five Spirits Rainbow Light and let out a long breath.

This shipment for Night Without Light was all specially made pulp, harvested from Southern Mountain peach wood, processed through more than thirty steps; on the fifteenth of every month, when the moon was full, it had to be bathed in moonlight on the mountain, and starting from the Great Heat, it had to be soaked and dried for a month before it could be delivered.

These were excellent materials for refining talisman paper; one barrel of wood pulp cost two hundred thousand.

This single shipment was worth a million, and the commission alone was one percent.

"Ten thousand yuan... not afraid of having no money on one's person, failing the pretty lady in the small alley," Jiang Hu grinned: "Let's go."

"I heard the Shen family's 【Mysterious Mirror Treasure Record】 is almost finished; let's stay and take a look," Zhang Fan said casually.

"Almost finished?" Jiang Hu was slightly startled, his eyes suddenly lighting up, but immediately after, his expression returned to normal.

"What does that have to do with us? Besides, someone else's treasure, you think you can see it just because you want to?"

"Shen Qingli agreed..."

Zhang Fan glanced meaningfully and nudged Jiang Hu with his elbow: "She seems to be a bit interested in you..."

"Forget it..."

Jiang Hu hurriedly shook his head, avoiding it like a tiger or leopard.

"Love, ah, is a true great demon on the path of cultivation."

"..."

"Then let's stay and see... but it's settled, I'm doing this for your sake," Jiang Hu said, holding his head high.

"Fine, fine, fine, thank you, fellow Daoist, for giving me face."

Zhang Fan laughed and dragged Jiang Hu toward the Shen family. "Wait a moment, the car isn't locked yet."

"You throw it on the road and see if anyone picks it up..."

"This is the boss's beloved ride..."

"Let him deduct it, forget it..."

The two chatted and laughed all the way to the inner residence of the Shen family; while still far away, Zhang Fan saw many people gathered in front of the courtyard, going in and out.

"Why are there so many people?"

"The Shen family does a lot of business..." Jiang Hu said in a deep voice: "The He family is just an upstart in front of them."

"Moreover, refining the 【Mysterious Mirror Treasure Record】 requires a large number of talisman masters and resources... Over the years, the Shen family has recruited quite a few talents..."

"Then why don't you hurry?"

"Hurry to do what?" Jiang Hu asked subconsciously.

"Hold onto Shen Qingli's thigh, ah... In youth, one doesn't know the fragrance of soft rice; don't plant your youth in the wrong field," Zhang Fan reminded.

"Get lost..." Jiang Hu glared fiercely, but muttered in his heart.

Soft rice isn't that easy to eat; years ago, when he was on the mountain, he did see a senior brother who, by chance, got to know a wealthy woman, and the two were in close contact, progressing rapidly.

One day, that senior brother finally gathered the courage to tell the wealthy woman, "Auntie, I don't want to work hard anymore."

As a result, the wealthy woman replied, "If you don't want to work hard, go die!" Later, that senior brother committed suicide.

"Was that person also a talisman master?"

Just then, Zhang Fan's voice pulled Jiang Hu's thoughts back; he pointed not far away, where a middle-aged man in a crisp suit was talking to Shen Qingli; he looked to be in his forties, with a decent appearance, but the sleeves at his arms were empty.

"His name is Qiu Zhengdao, and he is one of the financiers behind the Shen family," Zhang Fan said in a low voice.

"Financier?"

"The Shen family has had the goal of refining the 【Mysterious Mirror Treasure Record】 for three generations, but the talent and resources required to complete it are immeasurable..."

"I heard from Qingli that this Qiu Zhengdao also came from the Talisman Sect in his early years, but later, due to an incident, his entire family was wiped out by enemies, and only he survived, with both arms cut off..."

"Since then, he has focused on business, but his passion for the path of talismans has not diminished in the slightest... Over the years, he has provided the Shen family with a large amount of funds and resources," Jiang Hu said in a deep voice.

Hands are the lifeblood of a talisman master; without hands, this path is ruined.

You must know that even the Nine-Fingered Talisman Demon only had a broken finger; even so, for him to achieve such accomplishments in the talisman path, known as one of the four extremes, was already a miracle among miracles.

"What deep hatred, ah," Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.

"Jiang Hu... Zhang Fan..."

Just then, Shen Qingli walked over and greeted them.

"You are really generous, letting people visit your family's treasure the first time you meet," Jiang Hu said casually.

Shen Qingli smiled faintly, did not argue, and immediately said: "Would you like me to take you for a tour first?"

"Is that okay?" Zhang Fan blurted out.

Jiang Hu remained silent, but his eyes lit up.

"Of course."

As she spoke, Shen Qingli led the two through the inner residence to the backyard, walked along a quiet path, and under the shade of towering trees, there was actually a palace temple hidden.

"How much money must this have cost," Zhang Fan muttered to himself.

Entering the front hall of the palace temple, the temperature inside was significantly higher; observing with his soul, one could discover that deep within this palace temple, there seemed to be a great fire burning, and strange sounds were endless.

However, just then, a huge scroll at the very top of the palace temple attracted Zhang Fan's attention.

I saw that the scroll occupied almost the entire wall; on it was a high mountain, standing horizontally across the earth, crouching like a rising dragon, ancient and majestic like an immortal peak, and next to it were two lines of small poems:

Green waters and cinnabar clouds coil around dragons and tigers, the first family of the Immortal Marvel Realm.

"This is..."

"The ten famous mountains of the Daoist sects under heaven..."

"Mount Long Hu!!!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 66 =====