Three days later, Taohua Ping.
Lu Zheng displayed his prowess. He took on two at once and still dominated the field. He was invincible.
Early morning, back courtyard.
“Little sister Qingyan really went too far. One big centipede was fine. It just promotes blood circulation. The effects are limited. But why did you add a whole Immortal Spirit Spleen to the wine?”
Shen Ying’s figure was like flowing water. Her eyes were full of charm. She had not recovered from the night before. While helping Lu Zheng wash up, she complained about Liu Qingyan.
A white fluffy tail poked out from under the quilt. It shook a bit, then shrank back. That served as the reply.
Shen Ying chuckled. “Qingyan probably will not make it to the clinic today.”
…
After breakfast, Liu Qingyan still hurried back to Tonglin County. Lu Zheng was in no rush. He began cultivating at Taohua Manor.
Shen Ying fused the soul refining chapter, the nether refining chapter from the “Seven Canons of Obscurity”, and the “Minor Earth Sovereign’s Ghost Commanding Divine Method”. She formed her own unique technique. Her cultivation advanced.
These techniques came from two different systems. The inheritance of the Hou Tu Huang Di Qi was quite fragmented. So she cultivated while exploring and researching. Lu Zheng helped from the side.
They might even bring out the bone refining chapter for reference.
“The bone refining chapter?” Shen Ying was quite surprised. “Did you not give it back to fellow Daoist Wen?”
Lu Zheng blinked. “Yes. But since it passed through my hands, it is normal to record it before returning, right?”
Shen Ying pressed her hand to her forehead. She thought her husband was indeed formidable. He could copy the technique silently even in front of a ghost king like Wen Jiong.
She leaned in and kissed Lu Zheng on the cheek. “Just make sure he does not find out.”
“Do not worry. It is rock solid!”
The two began studying the bone refining chapter. They found it was another system. It had nothing to do with the soul refining or nether refining chapters.
“This bone refining chapter incorporates some netherworld methods for tempering ghost bones. It also includes part of the Buddhist methods for refining golden body jade bones.”
Buddhist techniques?
Lu Zheng thought about it. That white skeleton’s bones were crystal clear like jade. It did not look like an ordinary netherworld bone path ghost. His own technique probably had Buddhist influences. That was why the bone refining chapter tempted him so much.
No wonder he carried a Buddhist relic. It was probably for cultivation.
With that in mind, Lu Zheng could not help asking, “Could it be the lineage of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?”
“Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?” Shen Ying had never heard the name.
Lu Zheng nodded. “A great power in Buddhism who sits in the netherworld. He is basically on the same level as the Fengdu Great Emperor in Daoism.”
Well, Shen Ying had not heard of the Fengdu Great Emperor either. After all, in this world’s netherworld, it was not under the Da Jing court’s rule. His name probably did not spread widely.
Ancient times were not like modern ones. You could not just go online and know everything. Some immortals were famous, but if they only circulated in small circles, ordinary folk or even cultivators might not know.
…
It was winter. Heavy snow fell. The world was a blanket of white. Lu Zheng carried two jars of medicinal wine up Shaotong Mountain.
“Master, how is the wine?”
“Such strong liquor! Such rich aroma! Such potent medicine!”
Daoist Mingzhang praised. “Did you kill another demon with a few hundred years of cultivation?”
“I ran into a centipede spirit doing evil while soaking in hot springs. I dealt with it casually. I soaked a few jars of red centipede three essences wine. It is a gift for master.”
“Good, good, good.”
Daoist Mingzhang laughed heartily. He clinked cups with Real Person Shouyi and drank it down.
Of course, Lu Zheng would not give Daoist Mingzhang aphrodisiac wine. After soaking one jar of red centipede spirit spleen wine, he removed the centipede. He added three spiritual herbs: ren shen, huang jing, and fu ling. He brewed two jars of red centipede three essences wine and brought them up the mountain.
A great demon of several hundred years plus three century-old spiritual herbs. Even Daoist Mingzhang and Real Person Shouyi could not ignore it. After a small sip each, they put away the jars. One jar per person.
“Good medicine! Good wine! How did such a fine student end up with your Baiyun Temple?”
Daoist Mingzhang stroked his beard and smiled. He was very pleased. “Baiyun Temple inherits from the Supreme One. Our qi fortune fills the sky. Naturally, we have talents aplenty. Phoenixes come to perch.”
Real Person Shouyi was speechless. He glanced at Yuan Jing nearby. Yuan Jing’s aura was unsteady. He was also sneaking drinks.
Yuan Jing: ?_?
Lu Zheng’s visit coincided with Yuan Jing strolling in the courtyard to recover. When asked, Lu Zheng learned Yuan Jing had recently encountered a zombie while checking feng shui in a town. Though he eliminated the zombie, he got injured.
“That zombie was an ancestor of a wealthy family. It had been dormant for several hundred years. It absorbed the blood of all clan dead from the ancestral grave over centuries. It had thick yin qi and iron-like bones. I was careless for a moment. Getting some injuries is normal!”
“Normal, normal!” Lu Zheng could only console him warmly. He poured Yuan Jing a cup of wine. The medicinal wine was thick with pure yang qi. After one cup, Yuan Jing’s injuries were almost healed.
“Yuan Zheng.”
“This disciple is here.”
“For this year’s New Spring Assembly, you should return too.” Daoist Mingzhang said suddenly.
“Yes.” Lu Zheng nodded in agreement.
He had not gone back last year. He was not only a junior disciple but also an outer layman. His cultivation was not high. It did not matter if he went or not.
But now his cultivation had risen. He could fly and burrow through earth. In Baiyun Temple, he counted as a top expert. He surpassed most Ming generation Daoists and even some Yue generation seniors.
So in the first year after reaching over five hundred years of cultivation, he definitely needed to return to report the good news. Show his attitude. Maybe snag some more good stuff.
On that note, Daoist Mingzhang sighed. “You joined just three years ago. You already surpass most Daoists’ thirty years of hard cultivation. Your progress is fast enough to rank in the top ten of Baiyun Temple’s historical disciples. Your master truly did not expect this before.”
Lu Zheng looked emotional. “This disciple did not expect it either.”
Damn. I am only in the top ten. Are the top nine all transmigrators?
…
After chatting idly in Baiyun Temple for half a day, Lu Zheng saw Wang Xiaowan on his way out.
Months had passed. Wang Xiaowan had entered the Qingwei Palace technique. Her Daoist true qi swirled ethereally. Though she wore Daoist robes, they could not hide her beautiful features and pure immortal aura.
…
“Lu lang is going to Baiyun Temple this year?”
“Flying there and back will definitely be much faster than two years ago.” Lu Zheng nodded.
Ao Qian’s little face fell. “I was hoping to spend New Spring with brother-in-law!”
Lu Zheng spread his hands. “I will make the New Spring feast half-cooked. Just reheat it then.”
“Yay!” Ao Qian and Liu Qingzhuan high-fived and cheered together.
Lu Zheng, “…”
“There are nearly two months until New Spring Festival. If you two slack on your studies, do not blame me for warning you ahead!”
Ao Qian and Liu Qingzhuan, “…”
After shooing away the two girls, Liu Qingyan asked, “Does Lu lang need to prepare anything for this mountain trip?”
Lu Zheng shook his head. “No need. I am just bringing some treasure swords, huadiao wine, and Wuliangye. Baiyun Temple is vast and wealthy. They do not need anything.”
Liu Qingyan reminded him. “Baiyun Temple might have materials for sword forging.”
Lu Zheng’s eyes lit up. “Right!”
Though he had not learned sword forging yet, he could gather materials first.
