Chapter 3

Chen Hang straightened his clothes and walked to the door to open it.

Outside the door, seeing that Chen Hang had finally come out, a Daoist carrying a zither on his back let out a long sigh of relief, and the anxious look on his face eased slightly.

"I heard that Chen Chen Shidi received the talisman for the Earth Abyss as soon as you came out of the water prison. Is it true or false?"

"It is true."

"How could you—"

The zither-carrying Daoist who called himself Xu Zhi was anxious. Seeing the red rope exposed on Chen Hang's wrist, he subconsciously wanted to reach out and tear it off, but only halfway through, he remembered Chen Hang's cold and isolated temperament in the past.

The movement froze abruptly, neither advancing nor retreating.

"That, I..."

"Thank you, Xiao Xiao Shixiong, for specifically coming to remind me. If you don't mind the simplicity, please come in and talk."

Chen Hang smiled slightly, bowed, and his expression was completely normal.

"Oh, good, easy to say..."

Xu Zhi's shock at this moment seemed even greater than before. He carefully glanced at Chen Hang and pinched himself, suspecting he was still dreaming and hadn't woken up.

Seeing that Chen Hang's expression was always faint, Xu Zhi shrank his neck and followed in on tiptoe.

The two sat down as host and guest, and after Chen Hang took the initiative to start the conversation, Xu Zhi's appearance of seeing a ghost in broad daylight finally converged, and a smile appeared on his face.

"After walking through life and death, I didn't expect Chen Chen Shidi to have such a change. Great goodness, congratulations! I wanted to tell you long ago that this accumulation of depression in your heart is not only unhelpful for health, but also hinders cultivation."

Xu Zhi raised the teacup on the desk: "Seeing you like this, I can finally rest assured."

Chen Hang took a look.

The Daoist named Xu Zhi opposite had ink-black eyebrows and star-like eyes, and his demeanor was handsome and extraordinary, making it hard for people to feel ill will, but it was a pity that there was always a sense of hesitation lingering between his eyebrows, making the whole person feel timid for no reason.

Chen Hang thought for a while before finding the origin of Xu Zhi and his predecessor in his memory.

This person was considered outstanding among the many disciples of the Profound Truth Sect, proficient in alchemy and the arts of Huang-Lao. The pharmacopoeia he compiled had once been popular in the countries under the mountain for a time, and he also had a sword technique that was wonderful, almost the limit of secular martial arts.

And because of this.

He was accepted as a personal disciple by Daoist Gu Jun, one of the three great elders of the sect, to study the classics, and for a time, his future could be said to be limitless.

But good times didn't last long. During a demon-slaying mission, he didn't know how he made a mistake, and the meridians in his right hand were damaged, making it impossible to hold a sword again.

And Daoist Gu Jun was inexplicably furious, driving him out of the sect, and smashed the alchemy furnace he had personally gifted him, humiliating him severely.

At that time, Chen Hang's predecessor had already been brought to the Profound Truth Sect by Yan Zhen.

Daoists who wanted to cling to him spoke too much, turning Xu Zhi's matter into a joke to please him.

Chen Hang also learned that Xu Zhi was cowardly in the face of battle during the demon-slaying mission, not only causing the deaths of several Profound Truth Sect disciples but also the death of Daoist Gu Jun's only son at the hands of a great demon.

After this incident, Xu Zhi's state of mind lost its balance. Not only did he have no achievements in Qi cultivation, but he also abandoned alchemy.

Many Daoists who had hated him in the past came to kick him while he was down, as if they were beating a drowning dog.

Out of inexplicable sympathy, after the Le Shanfang was built, the predecessor made Xu Zhi a member of the musicians.

Because of this move, the Daoists who mocked Xu Zhi felt fearful, and in the end, they could only scatter like birds and beasts.

The predecessor didn't take this matter to heart and couldn't even remember what Xu Zhi looked like, but he didn't expect that in this situation today, he would be the first to come and see him.

"This Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu is indeed someone worth befriending."

Chen Hang thought.

"However, please forgive me for being presumptuous, Xiao Xiao Shixiong, but this Earth Abyss matter—"

Xu Zhi put down the teacup and was about to persuade him, but was interrupted by Chen Hang shaking his head.

"I must go to the Earth Abyss. Xiao Xiao Shixiong, please don't say anything more."

"You have also read Daoist books, don't you know that the Earth Abyss connects to the netherworld and yellow springs, extremely deep and dark, and I don't know how many demons and evil spirits are suppressed within?

In the ancient era, even that corpse-shedding immortal who came from outside the sky fell into the Earth Abyss, and the Dongmi Continent had blood rain for five full days because of this!"

Xu Zhi was anxious:

"The sect issued the talisman, wanting disciples to go to the Earth Abyss to collect Yin Horses and Human-Face Mushrooms. Although the rewards are generous, it's exchanging your life for them! If you die in the Earth Abyss, you can't even seek reincarnation and will suffer torture there for eternity. Isn't this exactly what Elder Yan and Yan Ping want?"

The Earth Abyss is a passage connecting to the netherworld and yellow springs under the Dongmi Continent.

Not only Dongmi, but in the other eight continents, there are also Earth Abysses.

Although this place is a burial ground, a strange place, and a place of rare ferocity, it also breeds many cultivation resources.

Such as the Yin Horses and Human-Face Mushrooms.

The former can be used as a great medicine in the "Dragon-Tiger Furnace" of the first layer of the Cave-Mystic.

The latter, when ground into incense, can temporarily break the confusion of heavenly demons and keep the spiritual platform clear.

This is just the external medicine in the shallow layer of the Earth Abyss. As for the products in the deeper and more murky places, it goes without saying.

While Chen Hang was still confined in the water prison, the Daoists of the Punishment Room had intentionally or unintentionally mentioned this matter.

Although he knew there was a trap, he still secretly remembered this matter and went to the Service Room to receive the talisman as soon as the confinement was lifted.

He went to the Earth Abyss.

Not only for the reward, but also to save his own life—

"Xu Si's Cold Battle True Qi is extremely fierce. If I can't find a Yang-attribute great medicine to suppress my body, I will die within half a month."

Chen Hang looked at Xu Zhi and said lightly:

"But I don't have any wealth to buy great medicine. When Yan Zhen was alive, I didn't take any of her things. After she died, as you can see, the Le Shanfang was confiscated by the sect, and I, this Music Director, and you musicians have all become ordinary Daoists."

"However, in the sect, as long as you receive the talisman for the Earth Abyss, everyone can receive two bottles of Small White Yang Pills and eight hundred talisman coins before leaving. Not to mention the talisman coins, with those two bottles of pills, I can at least suppress the Cold Battle True Qi in my body for half a year. Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu, if I want to save my life, I have no other choice."

Actually.

Chen Hang had another reason he didn't say out loud.

The Earth Abyss talisman is the decree of the sect master, and searching for Yin Horses and Human-Face Mushrooms is also his intention.

In front of this High-Gong Great Refiner who is only one step away from the Jin Dan, even someone as arrogant as Yan Feichen can only bow his head and listen to orders.

Accepting the Earth Abyss talisman means that before going to the Earth Abyss, at least on the surface, Yan Feichen cannot make a move against him.

Otherwise, it would be slapping the face of this Great Refiner and intentionally making him unhappy.

Because of this, although he knew the Daoist in the Punishment Room was intentionally saying it to him, Chen Hang had no choice but to do so.

"This, this..."

Xu Zhi opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but finally sat down dejectedly and closed his eyes to sigh.

"Chen Chen Shidi has kindness to me after all. Do you really want me to watch you go to your death?" He said.

"It's fine. After entering the Earth Abyss, I will secretly find a quiet place to refine the Small White Yang Pills and won't compete for those external medicines."

Chen Hang lowered his eyes and smiled: "I am not that corpse-shedding immortal in the ancient books, insisting on seeking death in the deepest part of the netherworld and yellow springs."

Seeing that Chen Hang's mind was made up.

Xu Zhi was stunned, then sighed and took out two volumes of books from his bosom.

"This is a volume of sword techniques and a volume of medical books. Xiao Xiao Shixiong has nothing else, just these two things." Xu Zhi explained: "The sword technique is my Xu family's heritage. Although it is a mortal skill, it is quite interesting. As for the medical books..."

When he said this, Xu Zhi felt ashamed: "The medical books are my own insights. You can take them to pass the time."

Seeing Chen Hang bow to thank him and take them, Xu Zhi's expression relaxed. Not long after, when he was about to say goodbye and leave, a thought suddenly popped into Chen Hang's mind.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong, please stay, I have one more thing to ask."

Chen Hang called him to stop: "Xiao Xiao Shixiong, how did you achieve Embryonic Breathing in the first place? Besides the method of sudden enlightenment and the spirit being blessed, are there any other methods? I saw a sentence in the Daoist books: 'Fear of life and death, the spirit is self-obtained.' Is it that between life and death, one can better realize the Embryonic Breathing Qi sense?"

"Yes... there is such a saying, but this method is too urgent and dangerous."

Xu Zhi, who had already turned around, stopped and thought for a while before saying:

"Like fire burning, stone striking, lightning striking, water drowning, etc., can actually be considered methods of obtaining Embryonic Breathing through life and death. You must know that Embryonic Breathing is the one breath of true yang in a person. The younger the fetus, the more it can retain this Qi sense.

Obtaining Embryonic Breathing through life and death is just to shock and intimidate the spirit, forcefully making oneself enter the chaotic and mysterious state like a fetus in the mother's womb, and then it is convenient to obtain that Qi sense."

Speaking of this, Xu Zhi persuaded again: "This is too dangerous. Chen Chen Shidi, just listen to it, don't try it yourself."

"I understand."

Chen Hang nodded on the surface, his left hand gently rubbing the Golden Cicada, his heart settled.

"Sure enough, it seems I didn't guess wrong."

A few steps away from him, Xu Zhi seemed to be blind to the Golden Cicada.

Chen Hang had already verified this on others long ago.

Except for himself, no one else in this world seemed to be able to see or touch this jade carving.

Otherwise, when the Punishment Room Daoist demanded a bribe, he wouldn't have been able to keep the Golden Cicada at all.

"I still have some doubts about the Daoist books. I wonder if Xiao Xiao Shixiong can answer them for me?"

No longer thinking about it, Chen Hang bowed to the ground and saluted Xu Zhi solemnly.

The predecessor was not good at the Dao.

Although he had read some Daoist books during the years he was a canary, he didn't seek to understand them and was completely ignorant of the essentials.

But Xu Zhi is different.

He was once a genius disciple of the Profound Truth Sect, his sword skills and medical skills were extraordinary, and he had studied with Daoist Gu Jun, one of the three great elders.

The hierarchy of the Immortal Dao in this world is clear, divided into Embryonic Breathing, Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Purple Palace, Cave-Mystic, Jin Dan...

As for the various realms after the Jin Dan, it's not worth mentioning.

After Embryonic Breathing, there are nine layers of Qi Cultivation, also known as the Nine Returns of Qi Cultivation.

As for the realms of Foundation Establishment, Purple Palace, and Cave-Mystic after the Nine Returns, each has three layers, until the Jin Dan stops.

Although Xu Zhi later gave up on himself and abandoned the path of Qi cultivation, he was also a Daoist who achieved Embryonic Breathing and reached the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation.

Xu Zhi might not be able to answer some difficult Daoist questions.

But with Chen Hang's current knowledge, he couldn't ask those questions anyway.

If it's about answering doubts, as far as the present is concerned, there is no one more suitable for Chen Hang than Xu Zhi.

"Good... easy to say."

Xu Zhi was surprised again. He had never seen Chen Hang look so fond of the Dao. Today's astonishment was enough.

"I wonder what Chen Chen Shidi wants to ask?"

He looked at the youth who was as handsome as a god and carefully deliberated:

"I am only at the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation after all. If there are some things I don't understand, Chen Chen Shidi, don't be surprised."

"How dare I, how dare I. I want to ask Xiao Xiao Shixiong, this 'wild bird side-by-side' is a sign of 'same origin' of an enemy coming in divination, but if it is placed in the human meridians, how should it be interpreted?" Chen Hang was happy in his heart and hurriedly asked for advice.

Xu Zhi frowned and pondered for a long time before speaking slowly.

Until the moon was in the middle of the sky.

Chen Hang sent Xu Zhi away from the cave dwelling. This questioning could be said to have gained a lot. Besides the doubts he had accumulated in his heart while in the water prison, he also intentionally or unintentionally asked about the Qi cultivation method of the Profound Truth Sect.

But learned.

The method of refining high-grade true qi is hard to see in the entire vast Dongmi Continent, and it is only collected in the hands of those great sects.

Not to mention seeing it, it's hard to even hear about it.

"However, man proposes, God disposes. Who knows what will happen in the future?"

Closing the mansion door, Chen Hang let out a long sigh of relief, only feeling that the fog in front of him had dissipated, the sky was wide and the earth was broad, and he couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh:

"Fear of life and death, the spirit is self-obtained... I understand, so that's it, so that's it! With the Golden Cicada in hand, from now on, the Embryonic Breathing realm will have no obstacles for me!"

He lit the lamp and sat down at the desk again, writing down his thoughts one by one on the paper.

Two days later.

A clear sound rang through the entire Little Gan Mountain, and all the Profound Truth Sect Daoists were alarmed by the sound of the jade chime and golden bell, walking out of their cave dwellings.

"Waited for so long, it finally came."

Holding the red rope on his wrist that suddenly started to heat up with the bell ringing, Chen Hang laughed freely, lifted the hem of his robe, and also walked out of the door.