Chapter 249: Food is Heaven for the People

This Fang Mi Jing of the Yangsheng Furnace is rooted in the Longhu Mountain Range, situated between the real and the illusory, like a mirror image of the true world, yet undeniably real.

Li Yuan looked around and could see the edge of this Fang Mi Jing, where mist hung hazy, beyond which lay the true Longhu Mountain Range.

He lowered his head, grabbed a handful of soil, rubbed it gently, and let it slip through his fingers; it contained both sand and mud, as well as wisps of true qi invisible to the naked eye.

"Half real, half illusory!"

Li Yuan felt a chill in his heart; this was even more terrifying than true qi taking form. If it advanced one step further, would it not become a real world?

"Over two thousand years ago, two founding ancestors jointly refined the Yangsheng Furnace, using their own supreme true qi as chains to trap the Yangsheng Furnace within the mountain range..."

Having arrived here, Gong Gong Jiuchuan spoke more casually, revealing some true secrets.

Over two thousand years ago, heroes fought for the Yangsheng Furnace; in the end, Long Yin Chan Master and Yan Chunyang Daoist joined forces to seize this divine furnace and founded the Longhu Temple with it.

"From the founding ancestors until now, for over two thousand years, every ancestor of our Longhu Temple, upon reaching the end of their natural life, has meditated to death here, their true qi scattering into the void to nourish this Fang Mi Jing."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan pulled a weed from the ground, blew on it gently, and the weed scattered like smoke:

"Now, this Fang Mi Jing is far from its original state; compared to the beginning, it possesses many more wonderful uses..."

The Longhu Temple sustains this Fang Mi Jing.

Li Yuan's face was filled with awe, yet his heart stirred; perhaps this was one of the reasons the Longhu Temple could hold onto the Longhu Yangsheng Furnace for so long?

Perhaps there was also incense?

Li Yuan recalled the various temples scattered across Long and Hu Mountains; over these past few months, he had visited to worship the various ancestors countless times, yet every temple had someone guarding it; the incense was visible but untouchable.

At that time, he had been somewhat curious about where the Longhu Temple's incense was used; now it seemed, it was all within this Yangsheng Furnace Mi Jing.

"One cannot wander freely within the Mi Jing; you have not yet entered the sect, so for now, let us first go to my place."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan smiled slightly and walked slowly toward the mountains.

Li Yuan hurried to follow, while sensing this Yangsheng Mi Jing.

The Jin Yu Division belongs to the Long Yin Hall, located at the Nine Peaks of Long Yin, adjacent to the Thirteen Peaks of Huntian. The mountains are high but not dense, with vast open spaces between the ranges where various plants and grains are grown.

At first glance, there was little difference from the outside world.

But as they drew closer, Li Yuan was shocked to discover that the crops planted in the fields here were neither the grains of the outside world nor medicinal herbs.

They seemed more like a hybrid combining the strengths of both.

These crops stood over a person's height, with stalks about the thickness of a thumb, bearing large ears as thick as an arm and half a meter long, entirely crimson like agate.

"Senior Brother Gong, what is this?"

Li Yuan was surprised and suspicious; he had read many books but had never seen such a crop.

"Crimson Jade Spirit Rice, a crop cultivated and bred by our Jin Yu Division. It requires irrigation with the blood of various spiritual beasts to grow and is an indispensable auxiliary material for many spirit pills within the temple."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan reached out to touch the ear of grain, very carefully:

"This spirit rice is very delicate; it not only requires nourishment from spiritual beast blood and various fertilizers, but outside the Mi Jing, it simply cannot survive."

"Spirit rice?"

Li Yuan exclaimed in wonder: "Since it is rice, does that mean it can be cooked and eaten directly?"

He very much wanted to pinch off a piece, but seeing how carefully Gong Gong Jiuchuan handled it, he could only regretfully give up.

"One grain of rice can equal one pill, and it has no medicinal poison; it not only nourishes the body but is also very delicious. Unfortunately, the quota is too small; even for refining pills, it is still insufficient..."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan walked slowly forward, Li Yuan followed, listening as he introduced this Fang Mi Jing.

Spirit rice was nothing new; according to Gong Gong Jiuchuan, similar things existed thousands of years ago, but the quantity was very small and it did not spread much.

"The people take food as heaven; we Wu Zhiren have even greater appetites. In ancient times, it was even heard that martial artists could devour four oxen during the day and eat an elephant at night. Although exaggerated, it shows that the further one advances in martial arts, the greater the consumption."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan paced:

"Spirit rice sounds mysterious, but it is essentially food for martial artists; it is just that currently, it is not on a large scale. Farming is no simpler than practicing martial arts."

Li Yuan nodded, still observing.

Besides Crimson Jade Spirit Rice, various 'spirit plants' were also planted in the flat land of this mountain valley, including ginseng resembling radishes but hanging on stalks,

and 'Golden Spirit Rice' gathered together, shaped like bananas.

Each had its use and its own flavor. Many disciples moved among them, tending and watering them with high-quality mountain spring water mixed with spiritual beast blood.

"Compared to the outside world, this is indeed another world."

Li Yuan felt somewhat emotional.

He did not yet know what the other divisions of the Long Yin Hall or the Huntian Hall looked like here, but just from this Jin Yu Division, one could see much.

Gong Gong Jiuchuan's residence was not far from where the Crimson Jade Rice was planted; the environment was excellent, with a small courtyard situated beside a stream.

Perhaps seeing Li Yuan's curiosity about the spirit rice, Gong Gong Jiuchuan took out some Crimson Jade Rice to boil in a pot; soon, a fragrant aroma wafted toward them.

"Good rice!"

A few ears of grain were enough to cook two pots of rice. Li Yuan lifted the pot lid; once cooked, the grains were distinct like pomegranate seeds, the scent was strong, and the taste was sweet and fragrant.

After taking a bite, Li Yuan felt a warmth spread through his abdomen; as his stomach churned, the heat slowly diffused. It was not intense, but very enduring.

"It equals a Zeng Xue Dan!"

Li Yuan's eyes sparkled.

The Zeng Xue Dan was one of the cheapest pills, yet it was still a pill; one could not be greedy when taking pills, but with his appetite, eating a few extra bowls of grain was no problem.

"Spirit rice is not yet food; do you want to eat it as a meal?"

Seeing his expression, Gong Gong Jiuchuan knew his thoughts, because he had thought the same way back then:

"One jin of Purple Corn equals three bottles of Zeng Xue Dan, yet its value is more than thirty times higher than the latter. Moreover, with your current ranking, your annual quota is only three hundred jin. With your appetite, how many days would that last?"

"Only three hundred jin?"

Li Yuan swept the rice away like a whirlwind devouring remnants, only then feeling fully satisfied.

"Three hundred jin is not little; this is an auxiliary material for refining pills, not food."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan glared at him irritably: "If you want to eat it, grow it yourself."

"Grow it myself?"

He spoke without thought, but the listener took it to heart; Li Yuan had already entertained the idea before, and now, hearing this, he seized the opportunity, asking about the seeds.

These varieties of spirit rice cannot survive outside the Mi Jing, but he carried a Mi Jing with him at all times—whether it would work or not, it was worth a try.

"You think you can make them grow?"

Gong Gong Jiuchuan fell silent, then generously pulled out a handful of seeds and shoved them into Li Yuan's hands: "If you can grow these spirit rice outside…"

Saying this, he shook his head and waved his hand as he walked into the house.

Back and forth, the journey had taken over two years; his physique didn't feel tired, but his spirit had grown weary.

"Spirit rice."

Tucking the handful of seeds into his robe, Li Yuan didn't leave immediately; instead, he found a hill and looked down from above at the Mi Jing.

In area, this Mi Jing was far larger than the Lianhai Yu Xuanjing Mi Jing, but the faint aura grew thinner the farther out you went, and denser the deeper in.

At the very center of the mountains, where Longshan and Hushan met, stood a tall structure not found outside.

"Three stories,?"

Li Yuan felt curious, but as night fell, he turned and left.

……

Hum~

Back in the room, Li Yuan immediately entered the Zhangbing Space.

In the dim, shadowy space, the Lianhai Yu Xuanjing Hammer still glowed brilliantly; Li Yuan carefully wrapped the spirit rice seeds in a scroll of the Genben Tu and drew them near the Yu Xuanjing Hammer.

Wu~

In the next instant, Li Yuan stood inside the Yu Xuanjing Mi Jing, appearing at the stone tablet atop the inverted peak.

"Didn't bring it in…"

Looking at his empty hands, though he'd expected it, Li Yuan still felt a pang of disappointment; though small, the Yu Xuanjing Mi Jing was far larger than the Jin Yu Duo.

Enough space to farm, easily.

"Is it because the Yu Xuanjing Hammer hasn't been mastered? Or because, after being absorbed into the Zhangbing Lu, it lost connection with the outside world?"

Li Yuan's thoughts drifted for a long while; lacking information, he could only guess.

"I still need to find a way to subdue this hammer."

Li Yuan sighed inwardly; ever since he'd absorbed the hammer into the Zhangbing Lu, it had been like a stubborn, rebellious donkey, refusing to be tamed.

He glanced at the Lianhai Yu Xuanjing diagram on the stone tablet and felt a headache coming on.

Old Han spent over seventy years just sketching the rudimentary form of a supreme art; even if I were ten times stronger, I'd still need at least seven or eight years.

"I must rely on the Longhu Hun Tian Hammer—fulfill the conditions and forcibly seize control."

Li Yuan's mind settled slightly, yet he still sat cross-legged, meditating on the Lianhai Yu Xuanjing diagram etched into the stone tablet.

……

……

Hu hu~

The autumn wind blew cold, rustling the flags on the mast.

On the deck of a merchant ship, Yu Yu Banzhou stood by the railing, gazing at the faint outline of distant mountains.

At one moment, he sensed something, and in three strides he dashed back into his cabin.

Hum~

Almost simultaneously, a streak of crimson light drifted out from his sleeve, a letter fell to the floor, and the figure of Chi Yan Fa slowly materialized.

"I pay homage to the Dragon King."

Yu Yu Banzhou bowed deeply.

"Any discoveries?"

Chi Yan Fa picked up the letter, his voice cold and hollow: "Half a year has passed. Even if it's not the Thousand Spirit Ritual, the Ten Thousand Spirit Ritual should be complete by now, right?"

"Your Majesty, according to the guidance of the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva, Master Qin Shi may have gone to Mount Hengshan…"

Yu Yu Banzhou replied respectfully.

"May have?"

Chi Yan Fa frowned.

"The Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva's guidance seems to have been disturbed—it only vaguely points to Mount Hengshan, unable to confirm whether Master Qin Shi is within Mount Hengshan, merely passing through, or heading farther still…"

Yu Yu Banzhou kept his head bowed, his face expressionless.

Every time he thought of himself, a man who hadn't even completed Blood Transformation, hunting a Grand Master ranked on the Divine List, his heart trembled.

"Mount Hengshan, Longhu Temple…"

Chi Yan Fa paced with his hands behind his back; crimson light flickered within the cabin, his thoughts unreadable.

Yu Yu Banzhou kept his head down, not daring to breathe.

After a long while, Chi Yan Fa asked: "What of the imperial court?"

"The Wutang and Jingping Si's experts dare not easily enter Mount Hengshan Dao City, but according to secret reports, the imperial court has stirred—rumor says the Zhenwu Wang has sent a disciple here…"

Yu Yu Banzhou replied.

"Oh?"