Starting Cultivation During a Trip

In the mountains, a hidden Daoist, guarding the Imprisoned Immortal Temple.

The cold and clear mountain wind suddenly stopped, vast white mist cascaded freely. In the wild forests, under the dome of the moonlit sky, an ancient and simple Daoist temple emerged before Zhang Fan’s eyes. The mountain gate was tightly closed, yet despite being buried by time for years, a wisp of incense smoke still rose, twisting like a swimming snake, ascending like a long rainbow, curling into the sky.

In this modern city, there unexpectedly stood such a Daoist temple, exuding an ancient charm, far removed from the hustle and bustle, untouched by the slightest hint of mortal smoke, revered by gods, living side by side with immortals, ancient and modern embraced in slumber.

”There really is a Daoist temple... Imprisoned Immortal Temple, what a grand claim.” Liu Xingyu couldn’t help but say.

Zhang Fan remained silent, knowing this temple was established decades ago by the Three Corpses Daoist.

In fact, within his body, lay hidden a Primordial Spirit of the Three Corpses Daoist, or more accurately, it was not exactly a Primordial Spirit.

When he was young, Zhang Fan accidentally consumed a Three Corpses Primordial Pill, which should have been hidden away by Li Linglong.

It is known that the Three Corpses Primordial Pill is a product of the Three Corpses Daoist’s cultivation of the [Minor Divinity Separation Skill], equivalent to a backup of the Primordial Spirit, lacking any power, consciousness, or even the ability to initiate any action.

However, when Zhang Fan was very young, this Three Corpses Primordial Pill inexplicably began to develop a rudimentary consciousness. Although it was merely budding, it attempted to communicate with Zhang Fan, and even the [Divine Splitting Technique] he later practiced was taught by this budding consciousness.

After entering the Great Night is not bright, Zhang Fan never again reached the deepest inner level to communicate with that budding consciousness.

Until recently, after the budding consciousness within him consumed Meng Qingtong’s [Three Corpses Primordial Pill], it seemed to undergo a subtle change.

Now, faced with the [Imprisoned Immortal Temple], that budding consciousness unexpectedly reacted, filled with emotion.

”Let’s go.”

Zhang Fan took a deep breath, walked to the front of the temple, and slowly pushed open the ancient, mottled door.

Whoosh...

A cold and clear aura surged out from the temple, stirring up dust, and under the dim firelight, the dust formed a light path.

”Is there anyone alive in this temple?” Liu Xingtui couldn’t help but ask, observing the commotion.

He sniffed, but didn’t catch the scent of any living person.

”There should be,” Zhang Fan whispered.

Whether there were other living people in this temple was unknown, but Jiang Lai was inside, which should count as a living presence.

Inside the dim temple, there was no light, only the solitary moon shone, as if this place was abandoned by time.

”We’re at the front hall,” Liu Xingyu pointed to a hall not far ahead.

In Daoist temples, the front hall is usually the [Spiritual Official Hall], as it is said, ”Before ascending the mountain, first pay respects to Spirit Official Wang,” who is the most revered Guardian Immortal in the Daoist sect, with [Spirit Official Wang] being the most esteemed among them.

The Spirit Official Wang was enshrined in the Spiritual Official Hall.

”Hmm!?”

However, when they reached the front of the main hall, three ancient and simple characters were revealed above the high-hung doorway:

Corpse Refining Hall!!!

”Brother Fan, this Daoist temple has an evil aura,” Liu Xingtui and Liu Xingyu exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but mutter.

What kind of legitimate Daoist temple is this, not enshrining Spiritual Officials but arrogantly claiming to refine corpses, it’s downright sinister to the point of glowing green.

”Follow behind me,” Zhang Fan said, walking to the front and raising his hand to push open the ancient temple door, dim light seeping out through the crack.

”This is...”

Inside the main hall, lamps were lit, casting a dim, yellow light.

”Is there really no one here? If not, these lamps have been lit for decades?” Liu Xingtui couldn’t help but say, looking at the lamp placed before the divine altar.

The flickering flames cast long shadows of everyone, the lamp oil emitting a faint and peculiar aroma.

”This lamp oil is very special,” Zhang Fan mused.

In Daoist offerings, lamp oil is generally refined from tung oil, but each mountain and sect has its own variations. In minute details, not only are the sect’s techniques secretive, even the lamp oil has its own secretive methods.

For example, some mountain sect temples will slaughter spirit monsters in the mountains, extract their grease, and refine it into lamp oil to be offered before the Ancestral Master’s seat.

Like the yellow-skinned rat they just encountered, it’s an excellent material for lamp oil, that kind of oil can burn for months or even years without extinguishing, even in the midst of wind and snow.

Sometimes, this lamp oil can even serve as a medicinal guide, especially for mental ailments, simply inhaling its aroma can improve the condition.

Evidently, the lamp oil used in this grand hall was not ordinary.

With this in mind, Zhang Fan intended to step forward.

”Wait.”

At this moment, Liu Xingtui grabbed Zhang Fan.

”What’s wrong?” Zhang Fan asked, turning back.

”Look there...”

Liu Xingtui pointed with an unpleasant expression at the lamps before the divine altar.

Zhang Fan looked carefully and discovered that there were nine lamps seemingly arranged in a special formation, extending up to the divine altar, with one lamp yet to be lit.

”Look beneath the lamps.” Liu Xingtui pointed, and under those nine lamps seemed to be something dark and pressed down, closely resembling a human figure. The nine lamps respectively pressed upon the limbs, head, throat, heart, dantian, and coccyx of the figure.

”Is that a human skin?” Liu Xingyu said, his eyes sinking, a bit uncertain.

The skin seemed to be specially treated, having endured unknown ages, and glistened with a black luster. The places pressed by the lamps bore extremely complex and mysterious runes.

”This doesn’t seem to be merely decorative,” Zhang Fan said gravely.

”Nine Refinements of Living Corpses!?” Liu Xingtui’s face darkened, speaking in a heavy tone.

”Nine Refinements of Living Corpses?” Zhang Fan’s eyebrows twitched.

He had once seen records related to this in the Dao Secret Record; it was a Daoist Great Skill, ranking as the foremost Spirit Treasure Sect ceremony, a refinement of souls using the Qi of the Nine Heavens.