Chapter 390: Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art

Li Yuanjiao and Yuan Chengdun waited for a while before a demonic wind arrived from the south. Sand and stones flew in the valley, and a black demonic mist descended from the horizon. At the very front stood a burly man holding a white bone hammer.

Behind him stood several demonic creatures, all of strange and varied shapes. A wolf and a deer flanked a pig demon in the center, which then descended to the ground. Li Yuanjiao, aided by the enhancement of the 【Mystic Pattern Bottle】, hid within the dark mist and began to chant incantations.

"Boom!"

As the demons landed in high spirits, the Foundation Establishment array suddenly activated. A verdant green light curtain rose on all sides, isolating the inside from the outside. The Foundation Establishment demon was still fine, but the few Qi Refining-stage minor demons were instantly terrified; some fell over, others rode the wind, fleeing in all directions.

However, this array was of the Foundation Establishment level and was a personal item of the Profound Heaven Sect's direct descendant, Kong Tingyun. The minor demons were instantly sent spinning in confusion. Yuan Chengdun took the two short staves from his back and flew out from the dark mist. Without a word, he struck down at the leader's head.

As he moved, a cyan-gold radiance flowed; clearly, his Immortal Foundation 【Subduing Qingshan】 was activated. He stomped on the ground, swinging his staves left and right. One strike broke the wolf demon's tendons and bones, snapping it into several pieces, while the other strike shattered the deer demon's head, leaving blood splattered everywhere.

"These are all Qi Refining-stage sacrifices!"

Seeing him kill two demons the moment he arrived, Li Yuanjiao feared he would continue his slaughter. He hurriedly steered the dark mist closer, reached out, and the 【Green Ruler Sword】 jumped out of its sheath, its cyan-white sword light aggressive and pressing.

Yuan Chengdun also rode the wind over, golden light flowing on his two short staves. Tiny golden patterns appeared on his face, and with a cold expression, he smashed down from front and back.

The Foundation Establishment pig demon was shrouded in black mist. It spoke words of shock and anger, raising its bone hammer to block. It clashed with Li Yuanjiao's sword arc, producing a harsh, grating sound.

Yuan Chengdun ignored him. His two short staves had astonishing power, and his techniques were highly sophisticated. Facing two opponents, the pig demon was in a sorry state. It moved its large mouth and spat out a stream of demonic mist, which spread out to resist Yuan Chengdun's staves.

"What crude demonic arts! How dare you bring them out to embarrass yourself!"

Yuan Chengdun laughed loudly. 【Subduing Qingshan】 released golden light, easily illuminating and dispersing the demonic mist. Both staves struck the pig demon's chest one after the other.

"Ah!"

These two golden-bright strikes caused the pig demon to vomit blood. Unable to withstand the force, its body surged in size, and it looked as if it were about to revert to its original form. Li Yuanjiao was about to strike again, but he heard Yuan Chengdun shout:

"Fellow Daoist, no need to strike! Chengdun hasn't seen such a stupid and thick-skinned demonic pig in a long time. It's rare to find a demon that doesn't run upon seeing us! Let me satisfy my itch to fight!"

Li Yuanjiao was slightly stunned, then smiled and retreated on the wind. In the black mist, golden light shone brilliantly. The pig demon had already transformed to the size of a great hall, its body covered in black fur like armor, its two eyes glowing green—a truly terrifying sight.

Yuan Chengdun didn't care at all. He picked up his short staves and struck. Although those two short staves looked like two golden toothpicks in front of the pig demon, it dared not be careless and used all its strength to resist, shouting:

"It's 'Subduing Qingshan'! Where did I offend you people of the Yuan family? To actually come thousands of miles to ambush me!"

The pig demon also noticed Li Yuanjiao but didn't think of the Li family at all. After all, if the Li family wanted to kill it, Li Tongya would surely have struck, and it would have been cut into three or five pieces on the ground long ago; why go through so much trouble?

Yuan Chengdun only laughed:

"How many man-eating demons have I hammered to death? Where is there any need for offense or lack thereof!"

The pig demon was thick-skinned, but it couldn't run. Chased and beaten, it wailed and screamed, vomiting blood incessantly.

"'Subduing Qingshan', truly lives up to its reputation."

Yuan Chengdun's posture while holding the staves was quite strange; he gripped the ends, looking more like he was holding two short hammers, smashing them with a loud *bang-bang*. Li Yuanjiao stared closely at his techniques and couldn't help but urge:

"Fellow Daoist, hold back some strength! Don't kill it!"

As he spoke, cyan-gray spring water gushed from the ground beneath his feet, and a black snake-dragon coiled up, spreading out to capture the shivering Qi Refining-stage demonic creatures in the array.

"This staff technique is not simple..."

Li Yuanjiao watched carefully. Yuan Chengdun's staff technique should be the heritage the Yuan family obtained from the northern 【Weir Sheep Temple Palace】, at least fourth-grade—ancient, grand, and atmospheric, beating the pig demon until it cried for its parents.

"'Subduing Qingshan' should be an Immortal Foundation of the same class as 'Jade Court General', capable of enhancing the physical body and excelling in combat..."

After watching for a while, the sound of rustling water came, and the 'Jing Dragon King' dragged several Qi Refining-stage demons back.

"One late-stage Qi Refining, two early-stage Qi Refining..."

The gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining was as vast as that between mortals and cultivators. Li Yuanjiao glanced at them casually and paid no more attention. However, the pig demon was howling and shouting:

"Behind me is the direct line of the Demon Cave, and I am under orders to investigate. You lot had better not be ungrateful... Ah!"

It took a few more strikes, its eyes turning blood-red, its aura surging. It bared its large mouth and spat out a blood-red long river, mixed with dense piles of skulls and hand bones, rushing toward Yuan Chengdun.

Yuan Chengdun didn't care at all. He flicked his finger, and a crystal-clear, translucent skin flew out. With a roll and a hook, the blood-colored river crashed onto the ground, struggling like a dead snake twice before falling silent.

Yuan Chengdun was having a great time fighting. In a short while, he used several types of staff techniques, and the pig demon was already beaten half to death, collapsing to the ground.

"It took no more than a stick of incense... Fellow Daoist, truly a fine staff technique!"

Li Yuanjiao praised. Yuan Chengdun had a light sheen of sweat on his face and seemed to be in a great mood, replying:

"My Immortal Foundation's magic power can disperse demonic essence, so he couldn't even chant a single spell. His physical body and magic tools are far inferior to mine, and with the array covering us, he has no way to heaven and no door to earth, so naturally, he ends up like this."

Li Yuanjiao landed lightly and sealed the pig demon's acupuncture points and Dao foundation. The black snake-dragon surged up, binding all the large and small demonic creatures. Only then did he put away the array disk. Yuan Chengdun smiled slightly, just preparing to take his leave, when both of them shut their mouths.

Outside the array stood a man, looking to be in his thirties or forties, with mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. He wore an incongruous Daoist robe, his skin was light brown, and his two eyes were slit like a snake-dragon's, emitting waves of brownish-red light, quietly staring at the two of them.

Li Yuanjiao and Yuan Chengdun instantly became vigilant. The Foundation Establishment cultivator spoke in a hoarse voice:

"Li family members?"

Li Yuanjiao bowed slightly and nodded:

"And you are?"

The man looked at Yuan Chengdun with wariness, his voice softening considerably as he said:

"An old friend of the East Shanyue... I am Fei Luoya. I wonder how Fellow Daoist Tongya... is doing these days?"

"So it is Senior Feiluoya Luoya! I am Li Yuanjiao."

Li Yuanjiao instantly understood. This person was the Foundation Establishment cultivator left behind by the Witch Mountain, a close neighbor of the Li family, the East Shanyue Foundation Establishment cultivator, Fei Luoya.

Years ago, when the Li family was a vassal of the East East Shanyue, this person had come, and Uncle Li Tongya had borrowed the names of the Xiao and Fei families to establish the reputation of a Sword Immortal to deter him. Later, he had exchanged precious medicines from this person, so they had some history.

They had been fighting for quite a while on someone else's territory; no wonder this East Shanyue Foundation Establishment cultivator had sought them out. He apologized twice, and Fei Luoya waved his hand, whispering:

"And this is?"

"Yuan Chengdun of the Xun Lin Yuan Yuan family."

Yuan Chengdun nodded slightly and said steadily:

"Under orders from the elders of the clan, to eliminate demons for the Li family..."

Fei Luoya responded, a look of understanding appearing on his face, and said hoarsely:

"It just so happens I ran into you, Fellow Daoist. I have one or two things to discuss."

Yuan Chengdun realized, cupped his fists, and replied:

"The matter here is concluded. Chengdun takes his leave."

Li Yuanjiao carried a magic mirror on his body and, knowing the temperament of this East Shanyue, felt no fear and let him leave generously. Fei Luoya only said:

"Fellow Daoist Tongya's sword-slaying of Jinlian Mohe is a great reputation. Although I am in this poor and crude place, I have also heard of it. I wonder...?"

Li Yuanjiao had already evaded the question once. Seeing him refuse to let the topic go, he replied:

"The Ancestor has already entered seclusion."

Fei Luoya raised an eyebrow, his eyes, which looked particularly terrifying due to the cultivation of a special technique, staring at Li Yuanjiao, and laughed strangely:

"After all, sword-slaying Jinlian Mohe, Fellow Daoist Tongya must have been severely injured..."

Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes slightly. Before he could answer, Fei Luoya added:

"To provoke Jinlian Mohe for no reason... it must have been... the assignment of that person..."

Li Yuanjiao was sharp; his mind raced like lightning, and he instantly understood:

"Uncle must have borrowed the banner of some Early Zifu power back then!"

He changed his expression and said:

"So Senior and Uncle have a deep friendship! This junior was rude."

Hearing this, Fei Luoya was stunned. Li Yuanjiao continued:

"Although the higher-ups protect their own, some orders... must be followed..."

Fei Luoya had done dirty work under Duanmu Kui for so many years, so he naturally felt the same. He had originally felt quite favorable toward Li Tongya, so he let Li Yuanjiao draw closer, replying:

"I wonder when Li Tongya will come out of seclusion? I have a deal to make with him."

Li Yuanjiao said:

"Senior, please speak."

"Naturally, it is to kill someone."

Fei Luoya paused and said in a deep voice:

"I have a fellow disciple named Fu Daimu, with late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. To my south, our relationship has always been poor."

"Recently, I heard his Dao companion is in seclusion to break through to Foundation Establishment. I feel that a major disaster is about to happen; nine times out of ten, he will kill me later."

Fei Luoya shook his head and said:

"Since he might kill me, I might as well find someone to kill him first. I have already found another fellow disciple, but it is still not enough. I was thinking of asking Fellow Daoist Tongya to strike; it would surely be foolproof."

Li Yuanjiao did not want to be inexplicably dragged into a Foundation Establishment dispute and shook his head lightly. Fei Luoya raised his red eyes and waved his hand:

Li Yuanjiao raised his eyebrows to look at this person. Fei Luoya's expression was somewhat listless as he said slowly:

"Fu Daimu has the magic tool 【Human Head Mountain】, which requires blood energy to refine."

Li Yuanjiao exhaled lightly and asked:

"Do you... Great Shamans... still have contact with the Qingchi Sect? I fear Fu Daimu has a backer."

Fei Luoya said hoarsely:

"I am a down-and-out Foundation Establishment cultivator; how would I know these things? Your clan has deep connections; this matter naturally depends on your Li family."

Seeing Li Yuanjiao lower his head and remain silent, Fei Luoya's expression became serious, and he continued:

"I came here this time with no intention of provocation, only hoping your clan will prepare early... I, Fei Luoya, just don't want to leave this native land and can't swallow this anger. Your clan cannot move!"

This East Shanyue cultivator paused and whispered:

"Fei Luoya has practiced witchcraft for many years and prides himself on having some courage. I ask Fellow Daoist to speak well of me in front of that person. If we can work together in the future, it would truly be a wonderful thing."

Fei Luoya left these words, bowed slightly, and took his leave, leaving Li Yuanjiao to lower his head and remain silent, smiling bitterly in his heart:

"Not just you alone; my family has also been a pawn for long enough! We also want a Early Zifu power of our own to protect us!"

Heaven and Earth in the Mirror.

On Lu Jiangxian's desk, the jade slips were already piled into a small mountain, the stone stools were also piled full, and the ground under his white robes was also piled with all kinds of jade slips, rolling back and forth with no place to step.

"Li Yuanjiao's trip here and there... has gained so much!"

This time, Li Yuanjiao had truly walked into the core area of the Yuan family, and even Xiu Yue, rogue cultivators, Profound Heaven, and various commanderies had all gained something. This child had even traveled upstream along the great river and touched the border of the Shen family, a Early Zifu immortal clan under the rule of Xiu Yue.

At the moment, he had recorded a total of 668 fetal breath cultivation techniques, 98 Qi Refining techniques, 21 Foundation Establishment techniques, and 15 arts of cultivation. Lu Jiangxian manifested them one by one, filling the mountaintop.

Looking at the jade slips all over the ground, Lu Jiangxian felt very secure. He slowly stretched out his hand, light flowing in his palm, condensing into a cyan jade slip:

Sixth-grade cultivation technique "Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art", an immortal technique pointing directly to the Early Zifu!

This was the first time Lu Jiangxian had obtained a sixth-grade cultivation technique, and it was also the first complete Early Zifu immortal technique of one lineage he had obtained. It was the heritage the Yuan family had secretly hidden for 1,600 years, pressed under the Yuan family's Mount Yuanyan, reinforced with a seven-layer secret array, isolating the Great Void, so that even Early Zifu cultivators could not enter.

Of course, under Lu Jiangxian's spiritual sense, let alone a seven-layer secret array, even a seventy-layer secret array would be useless. That array that could isolate the Great Void only made him pause slightly, having no further effect.

As the treasure of the Yuan family, the "Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art" naturally had secret methods for encryption. Unfortunately, the jade slip recording the secret method was hidden under the spirit tablet and was also seen by Lu Jiangxian.

After reading this Early Zifu immortal technique for a while, Lu Jiangxian was thoughtful.

The "Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art" took the Dao foundation 'Mystic Sheep Child' as the main focus, capable of cultivating all the way to Early Zifu supernatural powers. With this sixth-grade cultivation technique as the main focus, there were also four types of immortal foundation Foundation Establishment techniques of the same lineage. After breaking through to the Early Zifu, cultivating them one by one would achieve the peak of the Early Zifu.

These five types of orthodox immortal foundations were: 'Azure Proclaim Peak', 'Subduing Qingshan', 'Upper Rock God', 'Observing Earth Underworld', and 'Mystic Sheep Child'.

The five immortal foundations pointed to the same golden nature, called 【Azure Weir Divine Peak Subduing Origin Nature】.

At the end of the scroll, there was also an appendix of a cultivation technique, cultivating an immortal foundation called 'Lower Yang Origin', prepared specifically for the case where a certain immortal foundation could not be cultivated. It could replace one of the immortal foundations of the 【Azure Weir Golden Nature】 to condense the golden nature.

"Sure enough, it is a complete heritage, even the low-level Dao references for replacement are prepared... This 【Weir Sheep Temple Palace】 should not have been a too poor orthodoxy back then."

Yuan Huyuan had once said that the heritage obtained from the 【Weir Sheep Temple Palace】 had been lost seven or eight out of ten. Now, looking at the "Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art" being so complete, it must be a lie to cover up their low profile.

"But the Yuan family clearly has a Early Zifu immortal technique; how could they not produce a Early Zifu cultivator for hundreds or thousands of years!"

Lu Jiangxian studied it carefully for a while, only to discover that the problem lay in the 【Reference Sheep Mystic Qi】, the heaven and earth spiritual energy required by the 'Mystic Sheep Child', the core immortal foundation of this immortal technique.

The Qi-gathering method for this 【Reference Sheep Mystic Qi】 had more than a dozen attempted methods written densely behind it, all of which were failed replacements for spiritual energy, added by later generations.

"In this way, everything is clear... The Yuan family moved from the north and had long since cut off the source of this 【Reference Sheep Mystic Qi】. The stored heaven and earth spiritual energy was used less and less, and the few Foundation Establishment cultivators who tried to break through failed one by one, and the cultivation technique slowly cut off its path..."

"Instead, the few auxiliary Dao foundations saw the Yuan family using them more... but no matter how they cultivated, they were ultimately at the peak of Foundation Establishment, cutting off the path ahead."

Holding this Early Zifu immortal technique in his hand, Lu Jiangxian read the supernatural power part carefully and felt enlightened. The Early Zifu chapter of the "Golden Hall Brilliant Origin Art" that he had been slow to compile now had some ideas.

"As for so many cultivation techniques, they cannot be bestowed at will. If the Li family cultivates the 'Six Weirs Azure Cloud Essential Art', I fear they will tear their faces with the Yuan family and attract attention."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 391 =====