Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Celestial Pig Divine Curse, Farewell Jiang Lai

Of all the arts under heaven, the Northern Emperor comes first.

The Beidie Sect was founded by Deng Ziyang, an Early Tang Daoist, also known as Celestial Master Deng—one of the Four Great Celestial Masters in Journey to the West.

The sect worships Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole as its Dharma Master, under whose command are Four Holy True Monarchs: Marshal Tianpeng, Celestial Strategy True Monarch, General Heisha, and Emperor Zhenwu.

The well-known Celestial Pig Divine Curse is the core Great Skill of the Beidie Sect, because Marshal Tianpeng is the first Guardian of the sect—promise a response to all requests, dispelling all misfortune.

Pigsy from Journey to the West is the reincarnation of Marshal Tianpeng.

When Sun Wukong came to Gao Village to recruit Pigsy, he disguised himself as Gao Cuilan and tricked Pigsy into thinking her father had invited a mage to subdue him...

Pigsy bragged, saying that even if her old man invited the Ancestral Master of Nine Heavens Demon-Vanquishing, he wouldn’t be able to do jack to him.

That Ancestral Master is the avatar of Emperor Zhenwu. According to Pigsy’s previous life, Marshal Tianpeng and Emperor Zhenwu are both among the Four Saints of the North Pole, and Marshal Tianpeng even outranks Emperor Zhenwu.

So really, that wasn’t mere boasting.

The Beidie Sect’s Celestial Pig Curse records the thirty-six Celestial Spirits under its command, the seventy-two Earth Fiends and Five Thunder Generals, the Nine Elements Child Slaying General, along with Thundering Magic, Magic of Vibration, Ghost-Devouring Magic, and countless other techniques all fused within.

This curse is unparalleled in killing power, and is the embryonic form of the Thunder Skill in future generations.

So there’s an old saying in the Daoist Sect: ”No Celestial Pig, no controlling Thunder Gods.”

”Is it really that badass?”

Zhang Fan muttered under his breath, this post completely shattered his old stereotype of Pigsy from Journey to the West.

He’d once seen a post online saying the author Old Wu, because he tarnished Marshal Tianpeng’s reputation in Journey to the West, was found guilty by the Left Judge of Beiji Exorcism Institute for slandering and disrespecting the Saint, and sentenced to 800 years in Yin Mountain after his death.

”But how do you actually cultivate, though?” Zhang Fan, reaching the crucial part, paused, only to see the post say:

The following is premium content. Please pay 1288 yuan to continue reading...

”You fucking scam artist!!!” Zhang Fan slammed his mouse and cursed.

Last time he still hadn’t received his refund for the 888-yuan payment; this Thousand-Year-Old Demon really only has one trick, but it sure works everywhere!!!

Zhang Fan calmed himself and scrolled to the very bottom of the post, where only a single line remained...

”Great Cultivators never flaunt their Divine Techniques among mortals...”

The Thousand-Year-Old Demon suddenly changed tone, writing in the post: ”Cultivators who obsess over the mystery of magic and Divine Techniques will wander into the demonic path, their consciousness restless, and Night is not bright will stand before their eyes.”

”Remember! Remember! Remember!!”

”Night is not bright... Night is not bright...” Zhang Fan mused.

Obsession with the mystery of skill and the pursuit of power is itself a fixation...

As long as you have a fixation, consciousness is never truly extinguished.

Just like cultivators seeking longevity and yearning for Pure Yang... As long as this thought persists, consciousness can never fully return to silence, and so the final realm will always remain out of reach.

But without such thoughts, what’s the point of cultivation and practice?

This seems to be a contradiction, a paradox, a demonic barrier that can never be resolved!

”Thousand-Year-Old Demon... how much money did he scam out of you?”

Just then, an amused voice came from behind him.

Zhang Fan jolted and turned around, only to find Bai Buran standing behind him, staring at the computer screen—who knows how long she’d been watching.

”Boss, I... You know this guy too?”

”Back in the day, when he was most active online, I used to follow him...” A flicker of unpleasantness flashed in Bai Buran’s eyes.

”Did he scam you too?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.

”Come on, man, I just watched others get scammed...” Bai Buran changed tone, saying blandly, ”But you know, not everything he said is junk...”

”Restless consciousness, Night is not bright... this is the tribulation of cultivators, an ever-present tribulation...”

At this point, Bai Buran was no longer her usual lazy self; instead, a trace of solemnity flickered in her deep eyes.

Even after attaining the position of Celestial Master, there’s still a risk of consciousness becoming restless. Once emotions run wild and desires become demonic, no matter how great your cultivation, you might fall overnight—Night is not bright—is just before your eyes.

Once a cultivator falls into the Night is not bright tribulation, their primordial spirit sinks into silence.

No matter how high your cultivation, you’ll still fall, and maybe even lose your memories, forgetting your past.

”Even Celestial Masters suffer tribulation!?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help asking.

Nine Major Ranks, Celestial Master’s at the top—once you cross it, you step onto the Path of Pure Yang Wuji.

Such beings are truly one in a million in the Daoist Sect.

Even cultivation at that level can regress and face Night is not bright?

”I’ve seen it happen...” Bai Buran replied gravely.

”A Celestial Master?” Zhang Fan blurted.

”A Celestial Master... Actually, even early in his cultivation, the seed of trouble was already planted... A little seed, barely noticeable, but eventually someone took advantage of it...”

”That might’ve been his only fixation, and in the end...”

”What happened?” Zhang Fan pressed on.

”Night is not bright—death and Dao extinction!” Bai Buran’s gaze sank, and she uttered eight heavy words.

”Dead!?”

”Don’t think that just because you’ve revealed your primordial spirit and started cultivating, you’re safe forever...”

Bai Buran stared at Zhang Fan, solemnly warning, ”A cultivator’s tribulations exist every moment—unless one day, you attain the Path of Pure Yang Wuji...”

”Otherwise, this tribulation could dog you your entire life...”

”Especially those freakishly talented, who progress super fast and never hit big snags—the more rapid their advancement, the deeper their Dao practice, and once their consciousness gets restless, the tribulation is even stronger than with most...”

”When that time comes, Night is not bright—that’s right in front of you.”

As she spoke, Bai Buran pointed at the computer screen and said gravely, ”Remember! Remember!”

”I’ll remember.”

Zhang Fan nodded, feeling that Bai Buran was actually a pretty decent boss—not only was the work chill, but he was picking up all kinds of Daoist cultivation knowledge and experience.

Most important of all: high salary.

”Wen He, dock him 200 yuan.”

Just then, Bai Buran’s voice snapped Zhang Fan out of his thoughts.

”Wha... what for?” Zhang Fan was stunned, then hurriedly asked.

”Slacking off at work, reading posts... Shouldn’t I dock you?” Bai Buran pointed at Zhang Fan’s computer screen.

”...”

With those words, Bai Buran grabbed her thermal mug and headed for her office.

”Damn capitalist.” Zhang Fan spat at Bai Buran’s departing figure.

”We’re back...”

Just then, a voice as if from long ago sounded at the doorway.

”Welcome home!”

Wen He replied warmly.

Zhang Fan instinctively turned his head; he’d heard Wen He say that two colleagues who’d gone out shopping were due back today.

But when he turned his head, the first thing he saw was a short-haired girl, skin pale, aura ethereal...

”Fanfan, come here, let me introduce you—this is...”

”Jiang Lai!?”

Zhang Fan shot to his feet, dumbfounded as he stared at this long-lost friend reunited before him!